Rush Me by Allison Parr

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Rush Me

By:  Allison Parr

Published:  April 8, 2013

Published By:  Carina Press

Source:  (Publisher) NetGalley 

GR's Summary:

When post-grad Rachael Hamilton accidentally gatecrashes a pro-athlete party, she ends up face-to-face with Ryan Carter, the NFL’s most beloved quarterback.

While most girls would be thrilled to meet the attractive young millionaire, Rachael would rather spend time with books than at sporting events, and she has more important things to worry about than romance. Like her parents pressuring her to leave her unpaid publishing internship for law school. Or her brother, who’s obliviously dating Rachael’s high school bully. Or that same high school’s upcoming reunion. 

Still, when Ryan’s rookie teammate attaches himself to Rachael, she ends up cohosting Friday night dinners for half a dozen football players.

Over pancake brunches, charity galas, and Alexander the Great Rachael realizes all the judgments she’d made about Ryan are wrong. But how can a Midwestern Irish-Catholic jock with commitment problems and an artsy, gun-shy Jewish New Englander ever forge a partnership? Rachael must let down her barriers if she wants real love–even if that opens her up to pain that could send her back into her emotional shell forever.

"Rush Me," is about Rachel, an intelligent, twenty-three year old woman, interning for a publishing company, in the hopes of getting a paid position to follow her passion and have a career in the publishing industry.  It is also about Ryan, a successful, good-looking, and professional football player for the New York Ravens.  These two meet one day, when Rachel attends a party with her roommate, gets separated after taking a phone call, and walks into the wrong party.  While at the party, Rachel gets overwhelmed by the crowd, and attempts to find a place to hide out.  What she ends up walking in to is Ryan in a very compromising position with a woman.  Rachel, and Ryan make eye contact, and she can't help but notice how gorgeous he is.  She walks out, and shortly after she runs into Ryan again, and they have a short conversation.  From this point on these two end up seeing each other time, and time again, due to Rachel becoming friends with a few of Ryan's friends after she forget's her scarf at the apartment that the party was being thrown at.  When she goes back to the apartment to pick up her scarf, she ends up playing poker, sharing pizza, and conversation with the guys (Ryan's friends/team mates).  Rachel really hits it off with the guys, excluding Ryan.  The attraction between these two is instant, but so is the intense dislike.  Rachel has pegged Ryan as "no brains, and all brawn," because of his chosen profession.  Unfortunatley, Rachel stereotypes him before she really gets to know him, and insults him on many occasions.  She sees him as an arrogant, overpaid, womanizer, without intelligence.  Ryan views Rachel, as a snobby, stuck-up, nerdy, feminist, who has an ulterior motive to land herself a rich and successful husband, at the expense of one of his team mates.  I really enjoyed "Rush Me" for many reasons.  I loved the characters, the storyline, and the message that we shouldn't prejudge others and/or stereotype them.

Rachel and Ryan were well-rounded, and dynamic characters, that made a lot of growth, and learned valuable lessons from the beginning to end of the story.  I loved the chemistry that took place between Rachel, and Ryan.  They were both so passionate, stubborn, and had never been in a series relationship.  I loved how their relationship developed at just the right pace.  There wasn't any instant-love in this story!  These two really got to know each other, shared their past histories, what was important to them, their dreams, and the highs, and lows in their lives.  They really became friends, that could have fun together, act goofy, laugh, and be themselves!  There were a lot of beautiful moments, as well as moments that I was laughing with the characters.  I loved how Ms. Parr seamlessly transitioned their relationship from acquaintances that disliked each other, to friends, to lovers, and then finally to a couple.  The story really came together well, and I loved every moment of it!  I enjoyed all of the secondary characters as well.  The guys on the football team each had their own distinct personalities, and added a lot of fun, and entertainment to an already excellent story.  I loved how both Ryan's friend's, as well as Rachel's friends, came together, and became one big, and fun close knit group.

I really enjoyed the storyline as well as the message to not pre judge or make assumptions, before you really get to know someone.  Once Rachel, and Ryan let down their walls, they really began to like one another, connect on a deeper level, and become friends.  They had both misjudged the other person, and only through letting go of stereotypes, and assumptions, were they able to see who the other person really was, what was important to them, and that the could have a mutual respect, and interest in the other.  In fact, Rachel grew so much as a character, that she got angry when others stereotyped Ryan, and realized how wrong she had been, for misjudging him in the same exact way.  A theme that was prominent throughout, "Rush Me," was not letting your fears and insecurities stop you from doing what makes you happy.  Rachel was constantly afraid that things would not work out with Ryan, and Ryan was insecure, and thought that he was not good enough or smart enough for Rachel, that these two let their insecurities come in between the progression of their relationship.

I highly recommend, "Rush Me," by Allison Parr!  It was a great, fast-paced, love story!  There was a lot of chemistry, sizzle, and sexiness between the two main characters.  I loved the dynamic between these two characters, and I know you will to.  Readers that appreciate a light-hearted read, that is full of fun, laughable moments, and swooning will appreciate this story!  "Rush Me" is a great choice for a bookish escape!

I give "Rush Me," by Allison Par, 4.5 Football Loving, Charitable, Passionate, Falling Head Over Heels in Love Stars!  I truly enjoyed this fast-paced story, and could not put it down.  I fell in love with Rachel, Ryan, and the unforgettable cast of secondary characters!  These two had so much passion about their views, careers, and each other.  I enjoyed the chemistry, attraction, and how they drove each other crazy, in and out of bed!  

"Even with the lows, there're all those highs.  And isn't that better than a life of mediocrity?"  (EARC LOC, 2172)

"Because I never know where I stand with you.  Because each time I make a move you turn it down.  And then the one time I do nothing, you kiss me, and now I don't know what you want."  (EARC, LOC. 2400)

"It's funny.  How good we get at torturing the people we love the most."  (EARC, LOC. 4275)

"With Ryan, I felt intelligent, witty, charming.  I felt adventurous and beautiful and thrilling.  I felt like I was a heroine.  I missed him when we weren't together.  I wanted to share each silly thought that passed through my mind, and hear him laugh.  I would be happy to spend each night at his place, and to walk around in his jersey, making French toast and talking about nothing and everything."  (EARC, LOC. 4283)

"As he ran, as he threw, caught, passed, crumpled to the ground with the football tucked securely against him.  He made this beautiful.  I could watch him play football, or cook dinner, or laugh with fans, forever.  I wanted to watch him, and to talk to him, and laugh.  I wanted to curl up against his side and talk about the world, and I wanted to ride on the carousel.  I wanted to listen to his bad singing and hear his bad jokes and travel and go home with him.  I just wanted him."  (EARC, LOC. 4398)

I’m a twenty-something nomadic writer. I’m a chocolate lover. I’m now a coffee lover, too, though I avoided drinking it for twenty-two years (I caved while bartending late nights in Paris).

I grew up in New England and I have an incurable case of wanderlust.

Sometimes I am such a city person that I can’t imagine living somewhere that doesn’t have an affectionate name for its subway system, while other months I end up in villages so small there isn’t even mail delivery, and going to the post office is a social occasion.

I currently have a three book deal with Carina Press. The first comes out in April and you can read about it on my Books tab; you can read about everything else on my blog.

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