I’ll see her again. That thread that connects us, glowing neon, it’s still there. I may not be able to see it, but I feel it. It’s still wrapped around me. Wherever Iris is, I hope it’s wrapped around her, too.”

Long Shot,' is a story set in the Basketball sports arena with a very sexy basketball playing hero who I absolutely adore. He is caring, charming and totally charismatic; a hero to fall in love with. However, for me, this is Iris' story. She is without doubt the character at the heart of the narrative and the emotional layers that are in glorious abundance in this story. Her strength, determination and survival are firmly encased in a story about love, a love that readers will long to see flourish. Kennedy Ryan navigates through a sensitive topic with eloquence and compassion ensuring that I understood the standpoint of the heroine and felt compassion for her situation. All the reasons why are convincingly depicted in the thought process and actions of both protagonists. It truly opened my own personal thought process into the judgments I may have made about someone like Iris prior to her experiences being so vividly depicted. My understanding surrounding the topic at the heart of this story was richly broadened which perfectly shows the power of reading. Oh.” I lob a smile up at him, much too close to flirting. “And what position will I play on your team?”This book.......took me on a journey. A very raw, emotional, stripping of my soul journey. One that made me feel as if I was in the story experiencing all the highs and lows, the joys and sorrows, the hopes and fears, and the strength and determination of characters that engrained themselves into my soul. With the visual clarity of the author’s vivid, heartfelt, and passionate words, this story felt real, raw and painfully open and honest. A melancholy yet hopeful journey of life’s timing and the choices one makes over others. It’s only in the contrast of night, when things are darkest, that the stars shine. Iris is my constellation. She took the darkness as her cue to shine. It only made her brighter, stronger, and tonight, her hard-won glimmer lights up the sky. But after having an amazing night just baring their souls to one another in a bar, Iris confesses that she has a boyfriend, so their relationship can go no further than friendship. And August is a standup guy and understands, until he realizes the next night at his game that Iris is dating his childhood nemesis. It's a reminder that there's always love, trust, and loyalty in this world full of evil. That persevering and believing in yourself will lead once again to a place full of happiness and moments to cherish rather than fear. There's a great man in this book who serves as a testament to true strength in uplifting a woman and letting her soar. There's a great man in this book who facilitates a transition from fear into something extraordinary thanks to his kindness, his patience, and his incredible heart. His strength and depth of character make this great man a man who for whom you'll forever be in love.

Iris is young when she first meets Caleb, she is swept of her feet by the golden boy in Basketball, she has her own ambitions, her own future to look forward to. Iris is a strong independent young woman with a mother who used men her whole life to get what she wanted and Iris is determined to break the mould, determined to go through life being dependant on nobody. All Iris's plans and ambitions are destroyed when she finds herself in a relationship with an obsessive, possessive man, a violent and destructive to the soul relationship she didn't see coming.

Product Details

Long Shot is a basketball, sort of second chance romance that starts with one night at a bar that changes two people’s lives forever. It is the night before August’s big college final game, and Iris is a basketball fanatic that came to the bar to catch her beloved Lakers play. August was just looking to blow off some steam, but he wasn’t planning on meeting someone who he would never forget. The chemistry is instant and so damn good. I truly believed that these two characters were real and were soulmates and it was a damn treat to be inside their heads. Even when you think you’re defeated, dig deeper. Go harder. Press, because there is something worth it on the other side.” I usually read books in one sitting, but with this one, I had to stop for a few times because I was overwhelmed with feelings. I bawled, screamed in anger and frustration, and I just had to take it all in. This book brought me to my knees. You know, I wrote BMF so that you CAN jump in, even though it is the third book in the series, but I don't think you SHOULD. I'm not saying that just to get you to buy the first 2 books.

I've been purposely vague with my review, because I don't want to spoil this experience for you. That's what reading this book is...an experience. It's one you won't forget, and one that hopefully WILL make you think. One that will make you look at your own prejudices and judgements and show you another perspective. I loved Iris' relationship with her cousin and best friend Lotus. Their solidarity and deep bond. She was there when Iris needed her the most, and stayed strong for Iris when she couldn't be. Their relationship with their grandmother was beautiful. Her hands map the muscles in my arms and chest, her eyes closed as if she’s reading my body by Braille." She tries to leave, but Caleb outmaneuvered her and turned off her credit cards. He reports the car she drives as stolen, because it's in HIS name. He also reports her daughter as kidnapped. Then shows up just as she's being arrested to "clear up" the confusion.Long Shot drained every bit of moisture from my eyes, and just when I thought I had none left, a torrent would occur again, each drop falling from heartache and deceit, but also from healing and newness. This was a crushing and, at times, unhinged story, but it was also filled with so much hope and worth. Good winning over evil. Right stamping out wrong. A true inspiration for us all. None for Caleb, the obvious villain of the story, parading his girlfriend/prize to spite his nemesis. Iris’s story is important. I wish I could explain how much this book touched me. These characters, their stories, and my girl Iris… the way she fought, sacrificed, and found herself. She is the hero of this story, the shining star. As much as I loved August (and I really loved August) Iris stole the show for me. I loved watching her come into her own. Her story broke me at times, it felt so real, because it is real for a lot of people, but it gave me hope. I loved her relationship with her cousin, Lo. I loved the bond they shared with their MiMi. I loved the sisterhood in this story. Iris and August have a few things in common; 1) they are both huge basketball fans, 2) that they both have troubled pasts that have impact on their lives as adults, and 3) they have this instant connection that can be seen from a mile away. Iris and August meet at a bar on possibly the eve of his biggest game ever. She is watching her favorite team and he is drawn to her like a moth to a flame. They have a wonderful conversation that is easy and charged with sexual chemistry. However, when the bartender lets them know they can't stay any long the two of them have a moment of do I stay or should I go. Because life is complicated they go their separate ways but that one brief encounter forever haunts them. Their story is not an easy one as a matter of fact it is hard, heartbreaking, and just painful at times. This is the fourth book of Kennedy Ryan's that I've read (the others being Flow, Grip and Still), and she never fails to send her readers on an emotional roller-coaster. The romance has you swooning while the real world issues hit you hard and make you re-evaluate the way you see the world.