Watching the evolution of Miranda Kenneally as a writer has never been clearer than in this book. Coming Up for Air was so much more mature and sex-positive than her earlier books. The focus of this book is Maggie and Levi's relationship and how swimming takes up too much of their time to be involved in serious relationships. As I've repeatedly stated before, I am an absolute sucker for the best friends to lovers trope, and if done well, it makes for a phenomenal read.

I love love loved watching Maggie and Levi interact. Their relationship dynamic was so adorable & sweet! Their jokes, their banter, their games... Also, I really wanted to be a part of their little group of friends! All the characters were perfect in this story.

In addition to the above, the way the romance developed between Maggie and Levi? Ooh boy. It was so much more steamy than previous books in the Hundred Oaks series. The focus on Maggie's desire for physical love & her sexual curiosity made for a pretty sex-positive book, and her & Levi's intimate scenes were... smoldering, to say the least.

Also, the secondary characters, such as Georgia, Hunter, the swim team, the parents, grandparents... etc, were so well-rounded - down to the last detail. This added a level of dimension to them, making for an even better story! Kudos!

Another thing I loved was how much description was put into the training needed for the Olympics. I'm no swimming expert, but Kenneally seemed like she knew what she was talking about. The descriptions weren't weighed down by long winded explanations; they were genuinely compelling to read. It was really interesting to read about how much thought a swimmer puts into their every move when in the pool. It was just pretty cool to read about from a non-swimmer perspective.

In conclusion, I didn't really enjoy all of Kenneally's books, but Coming Up for Air is definitely one of the more well written ones in the series. The cameos riddled throughout the book were so cute & sweet, and the epilogue left me with a smile on my face. This book has all the elements that make up a perfect summer romance read. Kenneally should definitely be on everyone's Auto-Buy list!

I've been all over the place in my feelings for this series, but one thing has been pretty constant. I love the sports themes throughout each of these books (minus Jesse's Girl). And Coming Up for Air was no different. I've enjoyed how each book has covered a different sports. Miranda Kenneally does a great job of having the sport be such a large part of each book without taking completely over. Coming Up for Air covers swimming.

Maggie and Levi are both competitive swimmers, but they're not just on their high school teams only. They're striving for a chance to swim in the Olympics. And swimming at this level requires nothing but the utmost commitment. I loved that Maggie and Levi's friends are all committed to their own sports so they make a great team. None of them get angry because the others aren't there for them when they're busy with sports things, yet they all make an effort to continue to meet up on Friday nights--the only night they all have off--and hang out. Maggie and Levi are best friends and Hunter and Georgia are best friends. But they are all friends with each other. I enjoyed how they were able to be there for each other in unique ways but also call each other on their crap when need be.

Maggie hasn't had any time to have any kind of boyfriend or relationship because she's been so focused on swimming. This means she doesn't have any emotional experience or physical experience. The description makes it seem like Maggie makes out with Levi one time and then discovers that she has feelings for Levi. I don't want to spoil too much, but that's a bit prettier than the actual events. Maggie feels like some physical experience will give her the confidence she needs to go into college. Maggie's obsession with the physical isn't my preference, but it did ring true for what I feel like teenagers these days can relate to. I particularly laughed out loud over one scene in the beginning of Coming Up for Air because while I've never been in the situation Maggie finds herself in, I'm sure many of girls have.

I do, however, have a soft spot for best friends turned more stories. And even though the emphasis on the physical isn't my favorite, I very much enjoyed the building of Maggie and Levi's relationship. Stories where a couple has a physical encounter without any emotional foundation often get on my nerves, but Maggie and Levi have plenty of emotional foundation even if they never thought of each other in a romantic way until they moved their relationship into the physical realm.

Coming Up for Air had plenty of other aspects to factor in as well. There's the competitive swimming, practices, meets, Maggie's nemesis. Hunter's relationship with Shelby (Jack's younger sister from Racing Savannah). Georgia's baggage from being cheated on in the past. The quad going off to college/boot camp after graduation. And probably even more pieces that make Coming Up for Air a complete story.

Favorite quotes:
-He knows I want to make out, right? Not read aloud to each other.

-"Most people are so busy thinking about themselves they aren't worried about other people. It's human to think that everyone is always watching everything we do, but they aren't."

-"If you aren't comfortable enough to tell a guy what you want, you shouldn't be in bed with him."

-"By hooking up without the commitment, you set your own value short."

-"I can't let what other people do affect me."

I do have to say that I was up and down with the pop-culture references. It's a pet-peeve of mine to outright mention name brands, celebrities, current TV shows, etc because I feel like it automatically dates a book. However, I do love little nuggets that may or may not have been references to pop-culture. Like there's a reference to a cheerleader in a "tiny black and blue uniform that says Ravens" who happens to be a huge flirt at one of Georgia's cheerleading competition. Could this be a reference to Brooke or Rachel from One Tree Hill? Black and blue cheerleading uniform that says Ravens? I think it's highly likely, but it isn't spelled out. Perfect reference Miranda Kenneally. However, she turns around and mentioned a couple using Maggie's parents to plan them a "Game of Thrones-themed wedding." I guess this could go both ways for either the book or the TV show. For some reason, the book references don't bother me as much as TV references because books are a bit timeless. But even with her reference to The Raven Boys, Divergent, and some warlock book that I'm not familiar with, I just felt like these references were too much. (Also a reference is included to the movie Tangled.)

Coming Up for Air was a multi-layered book that had me blowing through the pages. While all of the aspects weren't my favorite, as Miranda Kenneally books go, Coming Up for Air was definitely a winner for me. Maggie and Levi were both likeable even when I wanted to bop them each in the head. I loved the swimming pieces that surround the story. Coming Up for Air gets 4 Stars from me. Have you read Coming Up for Air? What did you think? Let me know!

This was very enjoyable. I like both Maggie and Levi, and their friendship and growing relationship is both realistic and swoon-worthy. Maggie's a good heroine because she's strong while also having clear insecurities -- and I especially like how she's willing to work hard to get something she wants. It was also nice to see an epilogue which shared some of the futures of other Kenneally characters; it felt like some nice closure. All in all, one of Kenneally's best!

I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.

Kenneally's Hundred Oaks series is one of my favourite YA Contemporary series, of all time! I simply adore her story telling, and immediately started the final book in the series as soon as it became available on NetGalley. In Coming Up For Air, Maggie has next to no time for a personal life. Everything revolves around swimming, and her hope that she will one day qualify for the US Olympic team. It helps that her best friend, Levi, is in the same position, so neither feel guilty when they think about swimming. However, Maggie starts to realise she hasn't had a 'normal' high school experience, and wants to explore life as a teenage girl. One problem, though, as she starts to explore this side of life, her feelings about Levi soon change to something much more than friendship.

This book is my favourite of the whole series, hands down! I just loved Maggie so much. She was the perfect MC, and really relatable, though I have no inclination to sports or Olympic dreams. I couldn't put the book down as soon as I picked it up, and devoured it in one sitting.

Maggie and Levi's relationship was smooth, and felt natural from day one. Their progression from best friends to lovers never felt rushed or forced, and it was completely swoony. The way they cared for each other, and didn't want to jeopardise their friendship was what endeared them the most to me.

Yes, there were moments when the plot was a bit predictable, but not so much that it meant the book wasn't enjoyable. Even now, I am already planning on re-reading Coming Up For Air, and look forward to more from Kenneally in the future. If you haven't read any of the books in this series yet, I can't recommend them enough!

This is one those books I don't think I really can rate properly. I just don't think the subject (involving swimming) was my favorite as well as the "teaching your best friend how to 'fool around' made me uncomfortable. I do appreciate that this was a very sex positive and healthy relationship, but I just didn't really feel the chemistry/their story escalated quickly.

I have read all the books in the Hundred Oaks series, and have loved them all in varying degrees. They do follow a pattern, boy and girl fall in love, but it’s not as simple as that. The rest is all very different. They usually involve a sport, but they are not always well-known ones, and have included horses, long distance running, and now this one – competitive swimming. As an Australian, I know that our Olympic swimmers receive more coverage than the US Team, although Michael Phelps and Missy Franklin have changed that.

One strong aspect to these books is the way Kenneally does not shy away from the sexual side of a romantic relationship. That doesn’t mean to say her characters are all bonking madly. It means the female characters think, talk and question what it means to want to be intimate with their boyfriends, and it’s usually honest and realistic behaviour and observations. It’s really good to see that she treats the physical side of relationships without condescension, or by preaching to her readers. It’s healthy and welcome. But maybe for older teens, if you are cautious or conservative, although the scenes are never exploitative or gratuitous. 

Not that the books dwell on it. Here, competitive swimmer Maggie is focused on making the Olympic Swim Team. She is fortunate that her family support her, and that her best friends who also are in training for their own dreams, make time for her, and it’s the history and the longevity of these friendships that keep Maggie grounded and on track. There is a lot about what’s needed to be an elite sportsperson, and Maggie’s intensity is matched only by Levi, her swimming buddy, her training partner and life line.

Maggie’s decision to proposition Levi is impulsive and reckless. But it comes from a good place – she wants to have balance in her life, she wants to connect with someone she cares about, and who cares for her, and she wants honesty. But of course, wanting and getting are different things. I like the way Maggie has to confront how unrealistic her wishes are, and then work on how to try to fix this damaged situation.

Levi is an excellent character, mostly because he reads. I love that Kenneally shows him with his fantasy novels, his library books, and his mother supplying them for him. Such a different character trait for a teenage boy, but not outrageous or unbelievable at all. I also appreciate that we see Maggie and Levi’s other friends, Hunter and Georgia, who are also battling their own issues. My only niggle is the lack of diversity, but on the other hand, would an author like this get called out if she started to include African-American or Asian main characters? She is writing authentically, what she knows, and that seems fair.

I love the epilogue, the promise of long distance relationships working, and I look forward to reading more in this loosely linked series of books. Copy provided by Publisher via Netgalley and read with thanks. Out July 1st (in the US).

Highly recommended to already existing Kenneally fans, of course, and those who love their romances strong and realistic. There is much discussion about future options, especially for College, and how to achieve dreams. There are some funny awkwardly embarrassing moments, and even a look into the mental mind games that some sports people play to mess with their competition. Another winner!

I admittedly haven’t read all of the Hundred Oaks books, but the few that I’ve read, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. So it should go without saying that I was super excited to get my hands on an early copy of Coming Up for Air, and even more excited to find that I hadn’t inflated my opinion of these books in my memory. They really are that good.

This is a “mature” young adult book, which means that some of the themes are pretty advanced for young readers, but I felt like the mature themes were handed responsibly and respectfully, without losing sight of the fact that it’s a book about actual teenagers. I love that Ms. Kenneally found a balance between age appropriate behavior (notably – those times when I wanted to shake some sense into Levi and Maggie), while still showing great maturity, level-headedness, and acceptance of other people’s choices. The overall tone here is that of positivity and acceptance in a world of intense competition and brutal self comparisons - and Ms. Kenneally nailed it.

As for Maggie and Levi? They're adorable together. I loved their entire relationship from best friends to...beyond. They walked the line between sweet and smoldering while also juggling a whole bunch of delicious teenage angst. Their relationship was essentially a really slow burn, but it struck that perfect balance where they made some immature mistakes, but for the most part handled things with a grace and maturity that is sometimes lacking even in adult contemporary romances.

I also loved that while Levi and Maggie loved each other, they weren’t each other’s whole world. There’s a lot of focus on the swimming and (which I know approximately nothing about – but still had no trouble following) and growth of their characters through that. These are multi-dimensional characters making some important (and sometimes scary) real life decisions. I loved how this played out not only for Levi & Maggie, but for their (delightful and entertaining) circle of friends as well.

In all, Coming Up for Air was refreshing and utterly enjoyable. My heart took some dips and swoons, I laughed out loud on more than one occasion (hoo boy, there are some hilarious cringe-worthy moments in here!) and I was completely satisfied with the ending. More than satisfied. I loved it! Also, if, like me, Catching Jordan is one of the Hundred Oaks books that you have read (and loved) – you’re in for a real treat! And, if you haven’t read any of them yet – you won’t be lost. It works great as a standalone and so this is the perfect place to start!

Initial Excitement & Summary
This was obviously one of my most anticipated reads for this year, even though I was sooo not ready for the Hundred Oaks series to be over! I've loved getting to know all of the characters and how they connect to each other in this small Tennessee town. Swimming has never interested me much, but having sports-centered books is always interesting for me.

COMING UP FOR AIR is about Maggie's newfound desire to experience some teenage fun... beyond the swimming career she's built for herself. She enlists the help of her best friend, Levi, to teach her how to hook up and - you guessed it - there are some major Feels between the two.

Storytelling
I'm an absolute sucker for best-friends-to-more. I'll discuss this a bit later, but I love how the final Hundred Oaks book had essentially the same romance trope as the first book in the series. What a way to come full-circle with things I love. This story also included the classic "teach me how to hookup because I don't know how" storyline. I haven't read many like this, but it didn't bother me here as much as I expected. I think the synopsis implies that the book will be about her making up for lost time in other areas (parties, dances, etc.) but that doesn't really happen. It's preeeetty much only the hooking up thing. Not complaining! But, the whole book was her and Levi hooking up to give her ~practice~ and then classic drama/miscommunication toward the end.

Characters (and Negatives)
My biggest issue with this one, compared to her other books, is that the characters didn't feel as developed for me. I know that Maggie did have a one-track mind when it came to swimming, but seriously... there wasn't ANYTHING else about her? Her parents were barely there, even though they had a cool event planning business. The same lack of development did happen for Levi and their other friends - Hunter and Georgia. They were there and I LIKED their friendship (and support), but everyone was like a caricature.

Ending Feels
OH MY GOD. This ending was perfect. I won't spoil anything, but the fact that this book's ending came full circle to my favorite book in the series was just wonderful. Between the pages of the book itself and the VERY end, I was a super happy girl. I would have loved to see a few other characters pop in somehow, but this was awesome. The book ended on a strong note and the series ended on an even stronger one.

TL;DR?
If you haven't read this cute series yet, what are you waiting for? All of the books are the most sex-positive I've read in YA and this book was no exception. In fact, I think it was the steamiest one. I loved meeting Levi and Maggie but definitely wish there was more character development. Their chemistry was off-the-charts though. Highly, highly recommend this book and series forever.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

High school senior Maggie is always poolside or working out to do better in the pool, trying to earn an Olympic cut. With three friends who understand the lifestyle of a competitive athlete (one a swimmer, one a gymnast turned cheerleader, and one a baseball player), Friday night dinners at Jiffy Burger have been the glue that holds them together. Who wouldn't want to be friends with this group?

On her college visit to one of the best swimming schools in the country Maggie is quickly distracted by swimming rival Roxy and the fact that Maggie hasn't had time for boys and doesn't know how to be more than just friends. Upon her return home, Maggie makes a plan and enlists the help of her best friend and swimming male counterpart Levi. Levi is an expert in keeping things casual, and he will show Maggie the ropes. She trusts him, they've been best friends since middle school, and they understand each other, so what could go wrong? Neither of them predicted what is in store in this hot and heavy romance.

THOUGHTS: This was my first Kenneally book, but I can see why the high school girls devour them. The friendships and banter between characters are compelling. Plus, readers will want to know what the outcome is. With descriptions of casual sex and drinking, it may be for more mature readers.

Maggie has been a competitive swimmer for as long as she can remember and she loves it. However, she wishes she had more experience with guys. Her best friends are experiencing the same trouble of balancing their own personal pursuits and commitment to their sport. After attending a college experience program, Maggie decides she needs to step up her game in the romance department and get the experiences in high school that she can use in college. Maggie has decided that her best practice partner would be her best friend Levi because she is so comfortable with him. They both made a point that they would not develop feelings for each other, but it just may be beyond their control.

This book was steamy, but fun. It felt real and it worked to reject gender stereotypes. It presents athletic/driven teens in a positive and realistic way.

Miranda Kenneally has been a favorite of mine since I read Catching Jordan years ago. To this day, Catching Jordan is my favorite of her books, but Coming Up for Air is a close second for me. I loved how this story, which I read is the last one in the Hundred Oaks series, kind of mirrors Jordan's story. Once I turned the last page it definitely felt like we came full circle. I'm such a fan of best friends to more romances, and even before they started the more stuff, I loved the relationship between Maggie and Levi. They were so fun and adorable together. Everyone should be so lucky to have such an awesome best friend. This one revolves around the sport of swimming, and I know next to nothing about competitive swimming, so it was cool to learn a little bit while I was reading. I had no idea it was so intense. Competitive swimmers have some serious dedication.

This was another Miranda Kenneally win for me. Loved the whole story and the epilogue at the end!

DNF at 30%

I had to give up on this one and it makes me so sad because I usually love Miranda Kenneally's books. In a nutshell, it's just about this girl who has never had a social life because all she does is swim, but now she wants to prepare herself for college. At this point she is her asking her friends to teach her how to hook up. I'm just not interested in the plot at all. I was hoping for a sports themed book, but this doesn't seem to be headed that way.

~Disclaimer~
I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.
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This book is about high schooler and Olympic hopeful Maggie. She eats, sleeps, and breaths swimming. Her every waking moment is for swimming. When she goes on a College campus visit she realizes that she has missed out on a lot of high school experiences because she is so focused. The top thing that she wants to have experience with is boys. But how will she go about it with such a jam packed schedule. Maybe her fellow swimming friend Levi can help her? This one decision complicates her life more than she ever thought, possibly jeopardizing her swimming career.

This was a pretty short book. I finished it in one sitting. The characters and storyline were well developed. This book teaches that you have to love what you do and do what you love. At the same time you also have to take some time for yourself to have fun every once in a while. You can't force a situation, things will happen when they do. Maggie is always focused on beating other peoples swim times. All along she just had to better herself and believe that she had talent, in order to succeed. It takes a lot of hard work to accomplish your goals. I give it a 4/5 stars.



4/5 ⭐

Another adorable story from Miranda Kenneally. I love the dedication and determination of Maggie. and who doesn't love a good story about falling in love with your best friend?

This book was just as cute as all the previous ones in the series. Fair warning, it was way more mature than other books in the area of sex. It wasn't graphic but it did seem to be different than previous books. I love how Kenneally has been tackling different sports each book and This one on swimming didn't disappoint. It was very current, talking about famous swimmers from the last Olympics. Levi and Maggie were so cute and had a great relationship. I also loved that Jordan Woods made another appearance and the epilogue continued with more of her and Sam's story. The formatting on the ebook was really weird and made it hard to read at some points but I believe this is just from it being an arc edition.

I recently received an arc for Coming Up for Air by Miranda Kenneally through NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire. I have previously read all of the books in the Hundred Oaks series. This is one of my favorites from the series - I read the book in one sitting. I loved watching Maggie and Levi's relationship develop and found myself invested in the characters.
I always love getting a glimpse on what is going on with Jordan and Sam from the orginal book in the series, Chasing Jordan. I really do love this series - I enjoy the sports element that is in most of the books and the way the characters from one book tie into another.
I would rate this book 4 stars and would recommend to others.

o, Kenneally did it again. She has been churning out wonderful cute&fluffies with lots of heart and Coming Up for Air fits right in there.
It's cute, swoony, has lots of heart and is one of those books, one reads in one sitting. Which is exactly what happened to me today, I was just going to start the book, quickly over a short break... and I ended up extending the break a little bit (ok way longer than expected) and finishing the book.

Kenneally has a winning formula if you ask me. The books are well written, they cute, swoony and have great characters.
Coming Up for Air is totally character driven. I loved the little group of friends. I enjoyed Levi and Maggies drive and love for swimming. I also absolutely loved reading about their struggles and hard work in the sport and the reminder, those top athletes give up a lot be where they are.
I totally connected to Maggie, her insecurities and worries. I like how she found her way when it comes to sports, life and love.
Levi is sweet and swoony, really infuriating and such a teen boy. But I totally fell for him.
I love how little bitchy-ness goes on here, btw. I mean there are some dramas and fights ect, but no melodramatic. There is no bitchy cliquey crap going on. No mean girl vibes.. just things that actually feel like real life. I think this is why I enjoy this series so much. The characters feel realistic and relatable.

The story line is your best friend to lover kinda story. It's not something new, it is very enjoyable. And Kenneally added her own spin to it, which makes this oldie but goodie feel fresh and even somewhat unique.
The epilog didn't quite work for me, I mean I love Sam and all, I quite enjoyed hearing about their lives- but I felt cheated out of my extra bit of Maggie and Levi.


Coming Up for Air works as a stand-alone just like all previous books in the series. It is set at Hundred Oaks Highschool and loosely related to the previous books. It's another thing I like about the series, the fact that all the books work as a standalone but also that Kenneally pics different groups of friends, yet time goes on chronologically, so if you read all the books, you sometimes get a glimpse of the previous characters and what happened to them (especially Sam and Jordan)

MUST read for this summer!

Great but sometimes a little slow. Love this author.

I've always been a fan of Miranda's books and BFF to more is one of my favorites, so I might have squealed when I got approved for this.

Love love loved Maggie and Levi. They're both so focused and honestly good people. I enjoyed their banter and inside jokes and I'm ready to play Overboard with them. I also loved their little group of friends. As always, some of the best scenes had Jordan in them.

The plot was exactly what I was expecting and when the inevitable conflict happens, I was rooting for Maggie 100%. I was thrilled to see that she stuck to her decisions, no matter what. Of course there's a HEA and an epilogue that couldn't have been better if it tried.

This has set the bar high for other contemps and is definitely my new favorite Miranda book.

**Huge thanks to Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for providing the arc free of charge**

I loved the way this book is funny and pretty real when your in h.s. and in athletics how priority is just another way of finding out what means more to you and how to balance everything you want in the amount of Time you have. There is always tome for romance when you want it.