From New York Times bestselling author Shanora Williams comes a brand new standalone forbidden sports romance about an ambitious college track student and a tough, brooding track coach who is about to meet his match…When I met Amber Lakes, I had no idea that she’d become a shining star in my dark, miserable life.Her smile was never supposed to warm my heart, and the sight of her tears was never … sight of her tears was never supposed to make me want to hunt down the person who’d caused them.
We were never supposed to touch, or kiss, or do so many dirty things on campus that I knew could jeopardize my career…
None of it was supposed to happen because she’s the student – my athlete – and I’m her college track coach.
I could lose everything by being with her, but I’ve fallen too damn hard, and despite how big the risks are, it’s too late to turn back now.
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A well-written forbidden romance story starring Joaquin the sizzling hot athletics coach and his star athlete Amber. This is not typically my trope of choice, but Shanora WIlliams has done a fantastic job at drawing the reader into this relationship – so much so that I stopped noticing the age gap unless it was actually mentioned directly in the book.
There are some heavy topics in here around race in particular and the discrimination that so many people are facing in their everyday lives.
As soon as I read the the synopsis for this one It became an anticipated read of mine. This story had every bit of my attention right from the prologue. From that point on, I didn’t want to turn away from my kindle. I enjoyed it so much!
4 Stars
Review by Meaghan
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog
If your a fan of forbidden romance then Coach Me is for you! Shanora Williams has done a fabulous job of drawing the reader into this steamy romance between a sizzling hot coach and his freshman athlete.
Joaquin is a hot Mexican running coach who has no time for unsportsmanlike behavior amongst his athletes. He’s a strict and demanding coach, but he also stands up for what’s right and looks after his team of runners.
Amber is a talented runner dubbed the “fastest on the east coast” who is attending Bennett University on a full-ride scholarship. As the only black athlete on the track team, she faces some additional challenges at the predominately white University. She works hard to fit in and is determined to prove all her doubters wrong and show them just how good she is.
I felt so much for the characters in this book, everything from outrage at the blatant racism, to dread at the thought of them being caught out, all the way to the joy of their happiness with each other.
Shanora Williams tackles some heavy topics in this story and in doing so, she shines some light on the discrimination that so many face on a daily basis.
Forbidden romance / age gap romance is one of my favorite tropes and Coach Me is everything I love about this trope. Amber is attending Bennet University and accepted a full ride for track. Being new to a new school is hard, but it’s even harder being the only black girl on the team and dealing with the ugliness and cruelty of racism from her teammates and some of the coaches. This story is raw, real and you feel every emotion she goes through in this book. Coach Torres does not take any crap from the other coaches nor does he put up with whiny girls on the team. He knows that Amber is good and defends her when the others are ugly towards her. But when they both start to have feelings towards each other these two tried to fight it at first. But you can’t fight a sexual chemistry like theirs. I was here for the sneaky glances, the hiding and their fire attraction. Shanora had me hooked. This book is fire and I will read it again and again.
Coach Me by Shanora Williams was an incredible read!
If you know me, or you follow my blog, you know that I love me some forbidden romance! This book was so forbidden, that I was completely in love.
Amber is a freshman in University, and has received a full ride scholarship for track. Once there, she meets Coach Torres. Torres fights for her, he believes in her, and constantly pushes her to be better.
The angst, and tension that filled this book was a work of beauty. These characters know that they can’t be together. They need to keep their distance with him being her coach, yet, eventually, the tension and chemistry between them becomes too much to handle, and it ends up boiling over.
Beyond the characters relationship, their backstories, and current situations run deep. Both Amber and Coach Torres have a story that is moving, heartbreaking, and will make you fall in love with them that much more.
I urge you to go and read this novel for yourself. It has become my favourite read from Shanora.
5/5 Stars!
Coach Me by Shanora Williams
5 STARS
Coach Me was my first read from Shanora Williams, and most definitely won’t be my last. For me, this book was so unexpectedly good & . A taboo romance, full of steam, a forbidden love between a af coach and his student.
I liked Amber because she was a strong heroine. It doesn’t stop to amaze me, how awful, bad and ugly the human race can be. Amber faced discrimination, jealousy and injustice, but she was strong. She never back down.
Coach Torres is hard and a*ole. He is tough, raw, determined and a pusher. He doesn’t allow discrimination.
The book was so much more. The writing was very goog, the chemistry between the two was like fireworks. The book touched some serious problems, witch I found them very interesting.
I highly recommend this book.
Every time I read a forbidden romance, I always wonder what it is about that person that makes someone willing to cross the line…makes it worth the risk of throwing their lives in upheaval. I mean I understand that the heart wants what the heart wants, but there’s a decision that’s clearly made when a relationship is advanced, even when the only good that can come out of it, at least in a societal sense, is the fact that they can be together. Professionally, societally, and maybe even personally, there are sacrifices made, and I just want to understand why, despite all of the difficulties and obstacles that will come their way that these two people are deliberate in choosing to go against the grain…to revel in their feelings for each other, not worrying about what those outside themselves think about their connection.
I’ve read quite a few stories by Shanora Williams, but not recently, so I was excited to dive back in to one of her worlds and experience the push and pull between her characters and the layers of her hero and heroine that she slowly unravels as the story continues. The aspect of the forbidden that exists between the hero and the heroine ramp up the sexual tension, the will they or won’t they question, and lay credence to the idea of a deep connection overpowering reason, especially in matters of the heart.
But this story is not just a forbidden love story; there are components of the story line that reveal the nastier side of people and the lengths they are willing to go to in order to hold steadfast to their beliefs, even if they’re overly bias and beyond racist. And it’s at those times and in those situations, that the true nature of a person is revealed, and through every injustice that Amber encountered, the times where she was beaten down with words and mistreatment, she powered through, she excelled despite the discrimination and she earned every victory she had.
There was an intriguing dynamic between Coach Torres and Amber that only grew stronger, the more time they spent together, and in the end, their resistance was definitely futile, even if it cost them everything else but each other.
4 Poison Apples
“F*** me the same way you coach me.”
I love nothing more than a forbidden and taboo age gap romance. I love the wrongness of everything. It shouldn’t be happening but their chemistry and love won’t allow them apart.
Coach Torres and Amber has chemistry off the charts. They were extremely hot together but something just fell short for me with this story..
I’ve not read Shanora before and I definitely won’t let this book stop me from reading her again because I have heard so many wonderful things about her and her writing.
This story just wasn’t for me. I felt there were too many holes and I couldn’t connect with either character.
“Amber Lakes is all mine and I’ll be d****d if I let her slip away from me.”
I saw the blurb for Coach Me and couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. I’ve been a reader of Ms Williams for years so I was ready for all the forbidden-ness and angst that she does so well.
I liked Amber from the start. She’s young but she’s focused on what she wants. Going to a new college is never easy but Amber is determined to reach her goals. She’s mature for her age, she’s not a bitchy girl but she’s also not going to be anyone’s doormat. Her new coach, Coach Torres, has a reputation of been a jerk and Amber soon learns there’s no smoke without fire. Although Torres comes across as quite cold you start to see a softer side peeking out especially when it comes to Amber. There’s a mutual respect between them that’s easy for anyone to see.
I did really enjoy this story but it didn’t have the angst I was hoping for. I didn’t feel the connection that I wanted to between Amber and Torres and things seemed to happen quicker than I’d like between them. I would’ve liked more drama and angst, but that’s just me and my own personal tastes.
The one thing I did absolutely love about Coach Me was that the characters were multicultural. It sometimes made for uncomfortable reading because of the issues that are brought to light and it certainly opened my eyes to how some people act towards others, even in today’s society.
If you like a forbidden romance, there’s a great chance you’re going to love this story. Another great read from Ms Williams.
I just love Shanora’s writing. It gets better and better.
I didn’t find this book taboo as much as I found it to be one of those you can’t help who you fall in love with books.
Yes he’s her coach in college and yes there is an age gap but when you find the one, you can’t help yourself.
I loved how easy it was for them to be with each other, they just fit.
Of course a book wouldn’t be a book without some players who make our blood boil. And boy that Melanie and coach were awful.
I loved the book and I loved that Shanora took a chance and wrote something that was different than what she usually wrote.
have to say this was deep, it touched on things that do go on but are never really talked about, The story of Amber and Torres is of love, achievement, and also living by their own rules. I loved the chemistry not only of Amber and Torres but of Kendall and Rose, beautiful love story. I voluntarily reviewed this book.
4.5
This was so good! I immediately connected with Amber and her plight. The author didn’t shy away from portraying some of the struggles people of color have to face in everyday life. I really loved Coach Torres he came off as an a$$hole but he had a heart of gold once you peeled back those layers. Amber and Joaquin had great chemistry and I rooted for them to work out. A great read!
This Story…. These Words … Just so Many FEELS…. Shanora has a way of making your SOUL connect with what’s written on the page…
I will definitely reread this story, again and again, because it is what’s hip, current and just hits the spot!!
Shanora is a WORD WONDER giving you that ultimate ESCAPE! Thank you for continuing to open your heart up to your Reader’s Shanora and letting us come along for the ride!
Coach me is forbidden age-gap between assisting coach and athlete student. This story all feeling has angsts, discrimination, romance sexy scenes and the connection between the characters was amazing.
Amber decided to go to the Ivy League school Bennet University. That have small track team is non diverse. She only black girl on the team. She faces with racism and getting bullied. She is getting ready to give up until coach Torres tires to change her mind. Coach Torres wow he sexy man. He is bit of hard ass, blunt and direct and he is also closed off. He has reasons to be the way. He had some tragedy in his past. He just wants to coaching and support his mom but that all change when he met Amber.
Shanora Willams is best writing age-gab forbidden romance.
Coach Me hot five
Totally recommend to read it
A 3.5 stars story! Another forbidden romance from Author Shanora Williams! The writer knows how take their characters to the next level when it comes to taboo relationships and this time around we have coach Joaquin Torres and a track athlete, Amber Lakes. Besides the age gap they are facing challenges that comes from being a minority in school that lacks cultural diversity. Coach Torres has a reputation on being demanding and hard when it comes to coaching the track team. Amber is the only woman on the team of color and to add she is known as a competitive fast runner causing to have some tension among her team members.
Although a fan of her books; this one was not one of my top faves and there was something missing for me. This read does have the feels of intense needs and wants from someone off limits. The angst and the need to hide from everyone around them makes the sneaky moments hot. The constant question is whether it is worth the risk for more? Their actions will either make or break them at the end that can change everything. If you are a fan of sports romance and looking for something forbidden this is the book for you!
I have a new favorite go to author for my list!
This was the first novel I’ve read by Shanora Williams. I was immediately caught..and then the story just kept unfolding.
Coach Me is, at the very base shallowest level, a forbidden love story between an almost 20 year old athlete and her 10 years older coach. The story you receive between these covers is so very much more.
Amber Lakes is a heavily recruited track phenomenon out of North Carolina. Amber grew up with her father as her coach, until he dies in a car accident in Amber’s early teens. Amber decides to continue to push forward in her sport in her dad’s memory. This leads to multiple scholarship offers, but Amber chooses a predominately white Ivy League school about an hour from her mom. Amber is an amazingly matured and put together African American woman. Not all of her white teammates, or a coach, are thrilled to see Amber walk onto their track.
Coach Joaquin Torres has been with the school as an assistant coach for the last three years. Hired for many reasons, one that is mentioned is an attempt to diversify the coaching staff. Torres hasn’t ever had a problem coaching women, even as his athletes give him sass, sly jokes and out right flirting. Amber is different though. They share a few things in common – Torres lost his father while he was a teen as well. Torres has also experienced bigotry and racism.
This book, you couldn’t ask for better writing. Shanora writes about the spoiled white privilege that the senior sprinter (Melanie) enjoys because her daddy is a heavy donor to the college. As such, when Melanie strikes out at Amber, she also shows her horrible underbelly. Adding to that, one of the coaches also unveils her racism and strikes out at Amber. Amber is angry and hurt when Torres doesn’t immediately react to these incidents against her. We find that Torres has learned that he needs to work back channels and be quiet in order to minimize any potential retaliation against him.
Amber and Torres are joined by such a rich and varied cast of support characters. Amber rooms with a track teammate, the only other “girl of color” on the team. Kendall is opinionated, has a firm sense of self, a sleeve of colorful sleeve of tattoos…and fleeting annoyance that she was assigned a good looking roommate. Then there is the quiet cross country runner Janine who completes the trio with her quiet digs at the privileged “Triple Threat Girls”.
One thing I really loved about this book were all the incredibly strong women characters. From Amber and Torres’ moms, to the track coaches, and the track teammates. This book is so much more than a romance. It’s unveiling all the nastiness of human kind, the special bubble some college students walk around with, privilege from wealth to skin color. I had the BEST book hangover from this one.
Even the heart wrenching moment where Amber and Torres are found out, to the fallout, to working out their relationship and their hard earned ending. The book kept me engaged from page 1 till the end. I feel good about where Sharnora left Amber and Torres. It’s a feel good moment.
Okay.. Coach Me, Forbidden or Maybe Taboo romance? Definitely, this had both in many ways. Amber, the young athlete with future, hope and confident. Coach Joaquin .. The piece of Resistance. The story was real as it get. The relationship were evolving steamy…the highlight of insecurities.. young love.. woah..
Shanora had written a daring romance. Beautiful crazy ride!
This book is worthy of 10 stars!
This book is a MUST and a TOP read for 2020!!
From the first sentence in the prologue I was mesmerized by Amber’s journey and the story that evolved.
The tabooish aspects of the story were not what had me so drawn to the story. It was the complex and heart wrenching story of 2 people of color Amber and Joaquin, trying to find their way, and fit within mainstream society. What happened between them was the result of their strong connection.
The writing was smart, powerful and so on point. The characters were flawless developed and I felt I knew these characters. I’ve experienced what they experienced.
Thus, it was such a poignant and insightful story that is so fitting to today’s current events.
Then… we have the chemistry between assistant coach Joaquin Torres and his student Amber. The sexual tension alone sizzled. As their story developed and evolved their chemistry was explosive. Their banter was snarky but also heartfelt.
Yet, there was more to their story than romance. There was a bond that went deep and made you question if some risks are worth taking.
Is love enough?
Read and find out!
Shanora does it again with her signature style of writing a forbidden love story with a strong female heroine. Amber is a college track star with a smoking hot coach. Their chemistry is undeniable and their pasts give them an even closer bond. Issues with race and discrimination are involved in this story and the subjects are handled finesse. Well done!
Amber is running phenomenon and Joaquin is her new track coach when she gets to college. They both have a instant attraction but taper it down cause they think it’s for the best until Coach sees something regarding Amber he wished he didn’t and he finds himself thawing against his will. These two have so much in common without even knowing it and can see past the facade of each other and begin to bond even though they know it’s best not too.