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.
more
This book was very different from what Shanora usually writes, but in the best way possible. While we still get the killer love story you also get so much more. She really dives into some deep, very really and very necessary realities that many couples face. Amber and Joaquin are such a phenomenal couple and I loved the way this book flowed and still gave me all the hearts and flowers that I love!
GAH!!!! HOLY SMOKES!!! The words I was thinking when I finished up Coach Me, a forbidden, taboo romance that will leave you swooning!!! Shanora Williams is the QUEEN of writing angsty tabboo, and forbidden romance !!!
I absolutely LOVED every single moment of Joaquin Torres and Amber Lakes story. The track coach and his younger student. These two have a have a desperate hunger for one another, the sexual tension is so thick, and pallible. And yet we get a unique and creative storyline, one of rasisim. And Shanora Williams really made the words, and storyline fall together.
Coach Me is a helluva book filled with love, and hope. I highly recommend this 10 Star read!!
Reading has been such a roller coaster for me and I never know how it’ll go until I start reading a book. When it comes to taboo romances, Shanora is my go to, her reads are usually out of my comfort zone. But I’ll always take a chance with her.
In Coach Me, we have taboo romance between a coach and his athlete, and an age difference. I can’t say that I’ve read the coach/athlete trope before, so I was already a little nervous going in.
As tough as it was for me to read about the topic of racial prejudice that Shanora brought forward , she wrote it in a way that we feel the pain, anger and just unfairness of it all right along with Amber. Hard to read, but it’s real and happening (still) in our world today.
If I didn’t read this during a time of chaos and uncertainty, I would have felt their connection more, but I was struggling on that front.
Definitely enjoyed this bit of a slow burn taboo read by the one and only, Shanora Williams!
**AN ARC WAS PROVIDED IN EXCHANGE FOR A REVIEW**
I fell hard for this story because it felt so real to me. It is a little different than your typical Shanora Williams book but it still has that taboo age gap we all love from her! Joaquin and Amber deserved to find happiness after all they’ve been through. They both had similar past experiences dealing with tragedy so that made their connection even stronger. Although, it won’t be an easy road for them considering he is her track coach….
I was already addicted at the mention of student/teacher because that is my weakness and Shanora definitely delivered! This book is beyond fabulous!!!
Shanora has all of my favorite things in this book: taboo, age gap, secrets…LOVE IT. It was such a steamy read and had me reminiscing about my own relationship and how we got started. Your talent has no bounds and I love every word you gift us with. My only complaint is that it’s not longer. I’d kill for a second book right now! Keep being dope Queen! xo
This book isn’t just a taboo story of a Coach and his athlete. This is a story about life and rising above the narrative people put on your life. This is a story about finding love wherever it may be and overcoming circumstances.
Amber Lakes took a risk going to college at Bennett University but she felt she was up to the challenge. They only woman of color on her college track team, she was being tested on all sides. One major test was her attraction to Coach Torres. It may be forbidden but that doesn’t make it wrong.
Amber and Joaquin have a lot in common which just adds to their intensity together. It isn’t just physical attraction but similar backgrounds and experiences that help mold their relationship. These characters were made for each other.
This book touches on some subjects that are tough but need to be brought into the light. It is so well written.
I was really looking forward to Coach Me especially after reading the synopsis. Unfortunately, I struggled to get into this one. The pace was really slow and the story just felt choppy to me. I felt as if I was being told more about situations the characters went through as opposed to getting to experience those experiences through the characters. I liked Amber and Joaquin but I just needed more.
Lakes and Torres “oh my god” these two just gave me the tingles as to how perfectly imperfect they were for each other.
Torres being the coach of the women’s track team at BU was obviously not supposed to set his eyes on any of his girls right! But when you can’t help it, you can’t help it. From what turned out to be a friendly banter to a frenzy kiss is what took them to a whole other level.
Lakes being the only black girl in the school’s team was definitely hitting her hard with the white girls being prejudice and always talking about her and trying to make her feel out of place. But Lakes was there to do one thing and one thing only, work hard at what she was good at. She was one of the best, if not the best runner and Coach Hamilton knew her wealth and knew that Lakes had a lot of potential.
Well when things got heated between Coach Torres and Lakes, they had to obviously keep it on the down low otherwise they would both jeopardize their careers. They had set rules on what they could and could not do while being in public, but one careless night brought them to their demise. Now what is going to happen to Torres and Lakes!!!
This book had the perfect amount of steam and romance. Also the fact that there was racism in this book is what brought it to be more interesting.
Ms. Shanora Williams is my queen bee when it comes to age gaps and forbidden romances. I don’t think I could ever go without getting a dose of her writing.
So I went into this book thinking I was getting a dirty sexy taboo romance and it is but dig beneath the romance and you have a story that highlights some very real social issues. When an author is going to write a story like this you need the characters to back it up and Shanora delivered. Amber is amazing and though I have no experience with it I can imagine what she goes through is representative of so many people, young and old male and female. Joaquin is a man who has had his own hurdles to overcome and not he is conflicted by his growing feelings for his student. I loved the passionate and supportive nature of their relationship they become a team prepared to fight for each other.
It seems strange to say this about a taboo story but I hope people stop and think about the racism and bigotry that Shanora writes about so eloquently alongside an unforgettable beautifully written love story.
Wow! So this was not only a good and excitingly hot Forbidden/Age Gap, but this was thought provoking and inspiring in a way that I wasn’t expecting when I went into this book. My heart, my soul, and all my feelings were left a little battered, touched and then definitely patched up by the end of this book. Joaquin and Amber’s story wasn’t just the typical age gap or student/teacher, coach/athlete. In a sea of age-gap romances their story is unique Unputdownable and Unforgettable.
Amber Lakes was an amazing character. She was sassy and strong despite the constant ridicule and racism she faced daily. She knew her value and worth to the team. She had goals and dreams and she was focused. I loved that she did her best to only surround herself with a select few who supported her and didn’t try to break her down or push her out.
Joaquin had worked hard to be where he is. While he was harsh and rude and clearly jaded by his devastating past, it reflected in the way he treated his athletes and those around him. From the moment he first sees Amber he’s drawn to her. He knows it’s forbidden but as times goes on neither can help themselves. Their chemistry is overwhelmingly hot, with perfect amount of tension and banter. You get lots of good”fightin’ of the feelings” actually so much so, you know they are about to rock your socks off. This book definitely has smokin hot scenes.
I hated that they lived in a world where they felt that they had to constantly fight for their place and not just in sports but just in where they both were at in general and it hurts me to think that this type of thing still happens even today. I think the author wanted to bring attention to this with this particular book of hers and I think she accomplished that as it was a common theme throughout the book. She handled it with respect and truth.
My cr8zysockbookblock blog wrap up for this book!
1/4 Stars- If you are looking for a forbidden age gap romance with love, angst and all the feels and frustration. Grab this book today!
-GAH!! Hells Yeah!! HOLY HAWT DAMN!! SO FREAKIN SEXY!!
Cliffhanger Warning-No cliffhanger! Amazing HEA
Coach Me is the first book I’ve read by Shanora Williams. I’m glad for a multiple of reasons that I chose to read this book. In many ways, this book was so refreshing and dealt with issues that I hate hate hate we are still dealing with today. It made me slightly uncomfortable and very conscious of the white privilege that is so prevalent not only here in my state (NC) but everywhere. The book handles this issue in a way that it is part of the narrative but not force-fed. The characters had the problem woven into their story in a way it just worked.
Amber Lakes is a running phenom. When the book opened, she was reminiscing about weekend track events with her dad. My daughter did AAU track and field for a summer, and I remember those day-long events. But it set the tone for her devotion to her sport and her desire to succeed in college track. She is attending a fictional Ivy League school that is not very diverse, and there are people involved with the team who don’t appreciate the need for diversity. Amber’s talent speaks for itself.
Joaquin Torres is an assistant coach for the track team, and he’s a broody one. His anger stems from something in his past that he can’t quite let go, and it colors his personality. He is a good coach, and he sees all the talent that is Amber Lakes.
Through a series of events, Amber and Joaquin get together, and it is good. There is angst; there is the inevitable trainwreck that would happen in this story. But what made this different was how the author handled it. It made Coach Me into such an enjoyable tale of just winning, winning at overcoming past deep hurts, winning at growing up, winning at persevering over the long haul, and winning at loving. So read Coach Me FTW!
This book is not like Shanora’s usual. While it is taboo and it has the age gap that we all love from her it is a little deeper. This book while having all the romance we love all touches on racism and prejudice. Amber is the only black female on her team and she is not only seeing racism from other teammates but from one of her coaches.
Torres is hotttttttt…. I mean who doesn’t love a hot alpha! He is angry and broody but he protects and sticks up for Amber which I love… I love how their relationship developed throughout the book.
Great read! Cannot wait for more of her books!
What a beautiful forbidden taboo story that will grab you right from the start and fall in love with Torres and Lakes.
Lakes is so so strong and proud just trying to find her place in a not so easy acceptance world she is fierce with a big heart and along with Coach Torres their unstoppable both with pasts they connect instantly.
So much feeling in this story wrote to perfection and one not to be missed I loved the way the Author brought these characters some normal.
Shanora Williams completely blew my mind with this amazingness of story. I love the forbidden romance between a very sexy coach and his off limit athlete. This story brings all the taboo, steam, drama, emotional and all the romance you will love. Amber and Joaquin chemistry was off the charts. This story had enough hot scenes and endearing characters. I felt the pain and heartbreak the characters went through. It was well written and awesome characters. I loved Amber and Joaquin together their story was so beautiful and amazing. This is a Must Read Book.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I never read age gap kinds of stories because mentally there’s always a remarkable difference. This story came highly recommend so I dove in. It was a 5 star story that was a page turner.
Amber is on the track team in college. Joaquin is her coach. They can’t stay away from each other. Things are about to get real messy.
I enjoyed this age gap/sports romance very much. It was entertaining and addicting. There was more to it then age gap. There was cultural differences and some bullying. Amber dealt with it marvellously. A great storyline that sucked me in. Amazing characters.
Standalone told in a dual POV with an HEA. I strongly recommend this story.
A forbidden attraction and connection that is SO HARD to ignore. When Coach Torres first laid eyes on his track athlete Amber Lakes, he knew that there was something special about her. You would never know by the way he spoke or looked at her. To her he is a hard a**, but a really HOT one. Amber and her roommate/track teammate Kendall Ramirez are the only colored girls in a predominantly white school. They stand out on the track team, especially Amber who many already have it out for her because she is one of the best at what she does and because of her color. Torres has an instant connection with her and Amber with him since they both have had to fight really hard to get where they are, and always having to defend themselves against those who are out to belittle them. Also, they both have lost a loved one who was responsible for making them track stars. One night of compassion and a dare led to a forbidden love affair that neither Torres nor Amber could stop. The more time they spent together the more they risked of being discovered. But how can you end something that feels so right?
Amber is a strong, independent and endearing young woman. She has this light that attracts all around her. Torres is this broody, demanding and complicated man, but somehow Amber brought out the carefree, happy and loving side of him.
Aside from the sexy, hot, steamy love affair in Coach Me, Shanora Williams did an excellent job of portraying the unfairness and discrimination that plagues our society based on ones appearance. Poor Amber, even with all her talent and what she had to go through to get to where she is, she had to deal with many ignorant people who used their status or power to torment her. It was nice to see that her her head coach and especially Coach Torres did not tolerate that. It was because of her, Amber’s head coach wanting to bring in some diversity to the team that Amber was given the opportunity. In the end, Amber’s perseverance, strength and will changed the dynamics of her team. She had a lot of that to thank Coach Torres for.
Shanora Williams just keeps getting better and better with her storylines and keeping them realistic and enjoyable. She never disappoints me. Thank you for another amazing story Shanora.
Shanora has written an incredible taboo read in Coach Me. Amber is starting at BU on her track scholarship and this is where she meets the broody Coach Torres. The angst, the feels, the steam, the emotions and the danger of being caught create for a fabulous escape from reality. I could not put this book down once I started as the author’s style completely roped me into the story.
WOWZA this book was phenomenal, but really I didn’t expect anything less from Shanora Williams. She really knows how to write likeable and relatable characters. Not that I am a track star by any means, but I really felt as if I could relate to Amber. This young woman’s determination to be the best and continue following her father an her dream is honorable. Its hard to dislike a character who has so much drive and determination without being cocky, on top of being a genuinely good person. I really REALLY liked her.
Then there is Coach Torre, the sexy jerk of an assistant coach that all the college girls want. He’s very blunt, closed off, and untouchable until Amber. Despite being a massive jerk he is also super likable, his past has made him who he is today so you understand why he is the way he is.
The chemistry between these two is HOT!!! This is one of those forbidden romances that you cant put down, you want to devour it in one sitting. I absolutely loved everything about this book. This book has everything, heat, romance, angst, and discrimination. Shanora really nails it with this one.
5 much deserved stars!
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Another gem from Shanora Williams who has made age gap, angst-filled, forbidden stories into an art form. I love the characters, the plot and all the emotions that go with a Shanora Williams tale.
Joaquin Torres has learned some tough lessons which changed his outlook on life. He is now a brooding, broken man. His reputation as a strict, hard-nosed coach of the women’s track team at BU University is well earned. As the new year begins and the new team congregates on the field, one of them catches his eye. Amber Lakes, the only black female on the team, seems to harbor the same sadness in her eyes that he does. Interesting.
Losing her father at such a young age devastated Amber and the grief has never really subsided. However, she is determined to live up to her father’s legacy, taking everything he taught her onto the field at BU. What she didn’t count on was dealing with discrimination and jealousy from fellow teammates and even a certain coach. Joaquin becomes her ally in this dilemma. Their fight against this bigotry makes their connection stronger. I love the journey their story takes. They grow in the process, they learn about each other and themselves. It was a great joy reading this story. I always get so invested in Shanora’s stories. They are beautifully written and so full of emotions that you can’t help but lose yourself in it. Awesome Read!!
I absolutely love Shanora Williams and her taboo books. She has mastered the younger/older aspect of writing a good book. This book also has the younger/older and tosses in racism/discrimination surrounding racial phobias. What a great subject to bring up in a book. Although we all know this goes on daily in the real world, books typically aren’t a place to go where we can read about it. Loved how it was brought up and how the characters handled themselves while being a victim.
Track star, Lakes is the fastest runner in high school. Now off to college where she is competing with people outside her local circuit, she has a lot to prove while attending a college that is wanting to expand the diversity of their sports teams.
Coach Torres is not immune to the the racial profiling, he has found his way to finally getting a coaching position in a college that he can use his knowledge as a great track coach and not take the back seat in wishing he could become a coach.
While these two know that as an athlete and as a coach, their relationship is forbidden…. How can you stop the feelings that you have for each other? When the pull becomes too much one will take a ride on the boat of love and make the first move. Will that move be the end of a great track season for the coach and athlete?
This was a pretty straight forward book to read. No angst yet plenty of heat. The writing was good and the story flowed at a pretty quick pace.