Along for the Ride

Let me just start off saying that in the beginning I was questioning whether this book would be enjoyable or not because it was originally from Wattpad and I have never been the Wattpad type, so I wanted to try it out. And let me tell you I loved it! Katelyn was very relatable and I liked her and Zach’s relationship, although it was a little rushed. The family dynamic was good, it was easy to get into and altogether a fun read. Overall I’d give this book 4/5 stars and i’m very excited to get myself a copy on June 22nd! Thank you to Netgalley for giving me an arc of this book in exchange for a review :)

16 year old Katelyn, the younger sister of a pop star, is forced to give up her life and go on tour with her family. It reads completely as open to insert yourself as Kate and Zach as which boy band member is your favourite. This makes both characters easily relatable. The highlight of Along for the Ride was how healthy all the teen relationships are and what good role models ever single character is. I saw teen relationships because all the parents are far from stellar.

Kate is described as living in pony tails and work out clothes, overall her appearance and body just aren't mentioned as a factor in her own thoughts of herself or in the romance story. She is a huge fan of the band coming on tour with her brother, but she still is herself around them. Where many romances novels would leave Kate as a blank canvas overshadowed by her brothers success, Meinke made Kate one of the best female teen soccer players in the America. Despite having a world famous brother who takes up the families full attention, Kate is a successful person with her own interests, talents, and goals. If the story wasn't romance focused, there is strong a background commentary going on out about how woman's sports do not get the respect they are due.

This is a true clean YA romance (despite the first few chapters making me think it was about to be a reverse harem).

There is so much to gush about with this book! What I loved was the many topics addressed but not in an over dramatic way! It was relatable and a very enjoyable read!

Even if Katelyn and Zach live an extraordinary life the trials and triumphs they face are some we can all relate to at one point in our lives! I love that even though it’s a story of fiction you don’t have over embellishments! The writing was intriguing and though I didn’t read the original story on Watt pad I am now a fan of this author and can’t wait to read future material!

This was probably one of the most relatable books I have read in a long time.
It was incredibly easy to get into the characters and falling in love with them was no problem. Katelyn was very relatable with feeling like she wasn't number one on their agenda, but in this case, she actually wasn't. I felt like Meinke did a really great job of converting that and making it a subplot for Katelyn and her family to grow together.

One thing that I did have problems about was the fast paced romance. It just felt like for me, that they went from being friends to making out every moment. It was a weird transtition and I wish that the romance moved at a little slower pace.

Overall, this is a great summer romance for readers and supposedly there is going to be a movie which I will definitely be watching.

**Thank you Netgalley and Wattpad Books for letting me read this ARC.**

Ahhhh omg. This was my ALL TIME favorite book on wattpad back in the day and I am SO happy it is being published! This book was and still everything I love. Celebrity dating normal girl trope is one of my favorites! I loved katelyn and Zach so much and they are such cute characters together and on their own. I loved the soccer storyline because I played soccer in high school and it makes me remember why I liked to play. I loved that this was not just about the romance but you got to see her soccer career unfold. I loved that. I love that you learn about epilepsy and how it affects one of the characters as well as what to do. This book makes me feel extremely nostalgic and is such a warm fuzzy read that I will be going back to and reading again and again!

If this book had been written back in 2007 when I was obsessed with the Hollywood scene and celebrities, I would've loved it. However, I'm 27 now and so this, for obvious reasons, felt more juvenile. That being said, I know I'm not the target audience. I think for celebrity or pop culture obsessed teens will love it.

Along For the Ride is a cute summer read that makes you homesick for something you've never experienced (unless your brother, like Katelyn's, is a mega pop star, in which case congrats, you're living my dream). This was a fun read as we followed Katelyn on tour with her brother Connor, and watch her relationship with Connor's opening act blossom. I will read any book that centers on celebrities, especially cute musicians, so this was a great (if not cliche) read for anyone in my same desperate-to-date-a-celebrity boat.

This was super cute -- almost middle grade rather than YA but I enjoyed this behind the scenes look at a pop music tour! There was A LOT of soccer. Sometimes the game descriptions got a bit tedious and I played soccer for a long time so I was probably more tolerant than most. That said, this was fun and there was a lot to enjoy.

Along For the Ride comes out next week on June 22, 2021 and you can purchase HERE.

Florida in the summer is hell on Earth.

I enjoyed reading this book. It's about Katelyn who is a young soccer player but must go on a tour for her pop star brother where she meets the lead singer of her favorite band. I always love these traveling/ pop star love stories. They are always cute and bring in some background knowledge of the music industry. I love how detailed the author went with the soccer and music information as I learned so much. I think the author did a wonderful job with the story structure, setting, and pacing. It was amazing to see Rachel go from a Wattpad author to a published author which I think is amazing to see the changes and everything. I had no problems with the writing of the book and I think the author did an amazing job.

The main character, Katelyn, is addicted to soccer which I love as I haven't read any books with an athletic female. Though I have to say that Katelyn was annoying and didn't act maturely at times. She was a fun character to read about but didn't have much character development. I also enjoyed the amount of side characters that were mentioned in the book. I had so many favorite side characters because they were wonderfully written and were funny plus very supporting to the main character. I have to say that the side characters also didn't have any character development which I was disappointed with. Also, there is romance in this book which is instant love which was amazingly done as I'm not a huge fan of this trope but the author nailed it!

The ending was well done and to be honest, I want a second book just to see what happens next. There is one on Wattpad which I read and enjoyed but I hope to see one on paper. This story was wonderfully done with a great story and side characters but there were some minor problems. This book was super close to getting 5/5 stars but I would most likely be reading this book again. I recommend this book to fans of Far from Normal and Jenn Bennett.

This was such an amazing YA romance book!

I don't tend to read YA books but lately I've been reading so many amazing books that are YA and I'm converting to this genre because it is so good! It's hard to believe that this is Rachel Meinke's debut because wow!! I got all the boyband feels1 Who doesn't want to date their boy band crush??? Love it.

Zach, one of the MC's and the cutest in the band, has epilepsy and the book goes into that condition and shows Zach and how he deals with it and the struggles that arise from the illness. And I think it was written so beautifully, showcasing someone who lives with epilepsy and how important it is to have a support system.

As a whole, this book is about the love of family and friends and their importance in our lives, how we can do anything we put our minds to as long as we have people there who love and support us along the way.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad books for the earc in return for an honest review.

AHHHHH!!! That's it, that's my reaction. I love wattpad books, and this story did not disappoint. I LOVE ZACH MATTHEWS. The brothers are absolutely adorable. I have such a sore spot for boy bands (well technically they're not a boy band because they don't all sing, but you know what I mean). I loved Katelyn from beginning to end: the way she steps out of being just pop star Connor Jackson's little sister and has so much passion for soccer, is honestly so inspirational and amusing to read about. No matter what happens in her life, soccer always comes first. Love that passion she has. Of course, Zach also finds a way into Katelyn's heart, which makes all readers SWOONNN. And Jenica?? WHAT AN AMAZING BEST FRIEND. That is friendship goals right there. I was also happy to see Katelyn's parents make room for Katelyn too, instead of spending all their time on their pop star son. Connor is also a humorous and wonderful brother, and despite all the fame and spotlights he has, he is always humble and caring to his family. My heart broke when finding out about the big secret his ex was trying to reveal. Definitely a heartwrenching and beautiful story.

Along for the ride is a book I read several years ago on Wattpad. When I saw it on Netgalley, I got really excited, and wanted to see what changes Rachel had made, and how the story got polished.
You can guess it : I loved the book. I loved it on Wattpad, and I love it today.

Katelyn Jackson is superstar Connor Jackson's sister. He's basically Justin Bieber. So when he goes on tour, the whole family is tagging along. Too bad for Katelyn, who was planning to prepare for a big soccer event that could earn her a scholarship, and a spot on the national team. But as the tour goes on, and as she gets to know Zach Matthews, member of Connor's opening act band, Katelyn starts to think this tour might actually be worth it!

I'm a sucker for this kind of plots. I love when a character that is usually in the shadows (here a popstar's sister), gets the spotlight, especially when said character has so much to offer. Katelyn has always struggled to prove she deserves her parents' attention (and everyone else for that matter). She has her own dreams, a talent for soccer, and I think it's nice to focus on this type of character. Katelyn also has a cool personnality. Sure, she's a teenager, but she is very goal-oriented, and soccer, and her ambition never come second to the love interest.

For once, the love story doesn't take the spotlight. I mean, guys, this is a novel that actually shows what a balanced, healthy life is! No toxic relationship, no overly big drama over a very obvious misunderstanding. Just normal people, who actually make sense!

Besides that, all the characters are really cute. Maybe a little too cute, but it felt nice to read some fluff. Now really is the best time to read this. It's summery, makes you dream of escaping your daily life, and it makes your heart flutter with teenage romance. All with an amazing strong girl as the main character!

I'll say it once and for all : you can go for this book with your eyes closed. You will love it!

This was such a wonderful read! I was honestly not even surprised that this was a Wattpad novel? I heard that it was, not sure tho! Wattpad has some really great content. Anyway, coming back to this, I feel I am such a sucker for books that have the 'fall in love with someone famous' trope. Clearly, it doesn't happen in real life, so why not live it in books?! And the author did that whole thing so very well!! I kept gushing at several places!

I am also a great fan of soccer-based stories even though my knowledge about soccer is limited to how hot people are when they play it (sorry not sorry) and this book sort of had a lot of it, and that too, without getting into it in very details.

I loved the characters. I found the writing to be really easy to consume and quick to follow.

I feel this was the right balance of all good things - a decently good plot, well-written characters, strong supporting characters, a great romance, and even some emotional moments!

I don't see why people should not be raving about it!! I loved it!!

Thank you to Wattpad Books for sending me an ARC via netgalley for an honest review

4/5 stars

I was so excited to read this one because I remember reading the original that had been posted on Wattpad years ago. This book did not disappoint. It’s a super cute, fun, hilarious, and exciting YA contemporary read. I found the writing flowed well and it was easy to follow. Even when it didn’t seem like a lot was happening, I was still eagerly turning the pages and I flew through this book.
The book follows Katelyn Jackson as she joins her family for her brother’s summer tour. Her brother, Connor Jackson, is a famous pop star, and Katelyn isn’t as close with him as she used to be. She feels like her family only cares about Connor and his achievements, and her soccer playing doesn’t get recognized by her dad or brother. Her mom was awesome and so supportive the whole book! And I liked seeing the relationship change and develop between Katelyn and Connor as they spent more time together. The fun that came from the scenes of being on tour and exploring the different places they visited was contrasted by the energy and excitement that came from the times when Katelyn was playing soccer.
The romance in the book is adorable and it develops in a slow and sweet way. Katelyn is a fangirl of the band Skyline who happen to be one of the opening acts for her brother’s tour. The band dynamic was a lot of fun, and I loved Zach’s character. His relationship with Katelyn was sweet and felt genuine. I also liked that Zach has epilepsy, and that there’s discussion of him having seizures and what to do if it happens.
I was smiling and laughing for most of the book, and I was rooting for the characters in everything they did. This book has such a great balance and dynamic between the characters and the different atmospheres, and I had a blast reading it!

Along for the Ride by Rachel Meinke is a sweet and fun young adult romance. Kately is seventeen-years-old, and loves soccer. Unfortunately Kately has to give up soccer for the summer to tour with her brother. Kately's favorite band is opening for her brother, so she is excited about that. I really enjoyed this book, and I will be reading more books by this author. If you enjoy young adult romances, I highly recommend this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Total stars: 5/5!

Along for the ride is a book that I really enjoyed and completely devoured once I started it! It tells the story of Katelyn Jackson, an upcoming soccer star, who is stuck on tour with her pop star brother and her all-time favorite band. A tour that once felt like a punishment becomes something she doesn't want to end after connecting with Zack, the youngest member of her favorite band, Skyline.
This book screams YA romance and will without a doubt become a book that is well known and sets a standard for many others to come!

Plot:
The plotline was well thought out and fast-paced in this book. Often times the plotline in a YA romance can fall flat when the author focuses too much on the budding love story and not enough on the goal of the characters and the lives that they live outside of each other. Along for the ride was completely devoid of these issues as the goals set at the beginning were not derailed or set aside for the love story. I would love to see a sequel!!!!

Characters:
My favorite part of this book was the effortless character development and interactions between the characters that felt soooo real without having it forced on the reader. Besides the romantic relationships, it was great to see how Katelyn's friendships with her teammates and rivals in soccer felt natural and not like filler scenes for when Zack was not involved. I loved every single character in this book as they were all very well developed, even if they were semi-minor characters. I also loved that Katelyn and Zack's relationship had the awkward aspect that every teen relationship has and how the author didn't push it farther than I needed to go because of the plotline. The characters made the book for me as I found myself laughing with them and swooning at the same time!

I loved this story. I appreciated how the author told a great story using reality instead of gimmicks. Nothing was contrived or unbelievable. The plot was funny, real, and heartwarming. The relationships seemed real with their ups and downs.
I also liked how both siblings had separate interests that were demanding upon a parent and yet there was no doubt they were a whole family unit.
Enjoy!

I love this cover!!! I had so much fun with this book and the characters. It was super captivating and such a great story.

I thought this book was absolutely delightful. I was very positively surprised. I loved the characters and the setting, and I had a lot of fun with this story. That being said, I felt like sometimes the writing felt a bit rushed, which would pull me out of my bubble for the moment. Nevertheless, I am excited to see, what Rachel Meinke does next!