Senior year is finally here, and with it comes a surge in my competitive spirit. I’m determined to defend my national cross-country title. Although Jace is busy with the demands of college football, he’s still cheering me on and supporting my goals. With him by my side and my drive focused like never before, I’m ready to take on the world. But am I taking my renewed enthusiasm for training too … far?
As Jace and I focus on our athletic ambitions, we discover that his social status has followed him to college, despite attempts to keep a low profile. With my boyfriend as the campus idol, I fear that I might just be a target to those who find Jace threatening.
Tests and trials lay before us, not just on the trails and field. Are we strong enough to withstand the pressures of everyone wanting something from us? It won’t be easy fighting for my title and my boyfriend at the same time, but nothing easy is worth winning… or keeping.
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I just love Pepper Jones! Jace is the biggest thing at UC now while Pepper is finishing up her senior year. Pepper is determined to have a repeat at Nationals. Jace’s fame at UC brings out the crazy. Can Pepper and Jace survive what comes next for them?
This story has such great characters and a great story line!
I loved book one and then it book two my interest faded a little but I’m kinda hooked on Pepper’s story so I had to pick up book three to see where it would go. This one renewed my love for this series. I totally loved this one. Jace is at college but he’s still not far because he went to the college in town. Pepper is in her senior year of high school. While her senior year is suppose to be a great running year, she has an injury to deal with. Her and Jace’s relationship get stronger but outside forces try to come between them. I’m going jump right in to book four now.
Terrific third book in a compelling YA/NA sports romance series
This YA/NA romance is the third book in a six-book series about Pepper Jones and Jace Wilder, whom we have previously encountered in book 1, PEPPED UP, and book 2, ALL PEPPED UP. None of the books in this series are stand-alone, and it is recommended that they be read in order. Note that this review will be a spoiler for books 1 and 2 if you have not read them yet.
It is Pepper’s senior year in high school in Brockton, a small, mountain city near Denver, Colorado, which has an altitude of 6000 feet. It is Jace’s freshman year at the University of Colorado in Denver, and he is living in a dormitory dedicated to scholarship athletes. At the start of the book, their romantic relationship is going strong. Jace has moved beyond his wild, “bad boy” days of heavy drinking, drug use and promiscuity in high school and has become downright straight-laced within his committed relationship with Pepper. Pepper herself was never much for drinking, has never taken drugs and, in spite of her romantically intense relationship with Jace, and staying overnight with him in his dorm room multiple times every week, she is still a virgin at the start of the book. Jace is determined to not push her into any intimacy that she herself does not feel fully ready to engage in.
Pepper stopped drinking any alcohol at all at the beginning of the summer after her junior year, and has drastically ramped up her training all through the summer months and into the fall. She is determined to keep improving her athletic skills in order to reach her full potential as a runner. Her main goal is to duplicate in her final year in high school the National Champion win she achieved near the end of her junior year. However, Pepper has not confided in her coach that she is going against his advice. If she were to admit to him that she has doubled her training efforts, he would have warned her that she is massively going overboard and risking injury. For a while, it seems as if Pepper is right in believing that her coach is too conservative. She feels incredibly strong and powerful due to all her extra training, and she wins a race with the best time she’s ever achieved. But when pain starts in her shins and gradually gets worse, until it becomes too agonizing to ignore, she realizes her coach was right, and she has put her entire running future at risk.
On top of Pepper’s emotional roller coaster with her self-created running injury, she finds herself the focus of spitefully jealous, beautiful young women at the university. They are bitterly envious of her relationship with Jace, the gorgeous, star quarterback of the university football team, to the point that Pepper begins to feel threatened. She’s already had one beautiful vixen trying to break up her and Jace last year (in book 2). Is this going to be a perpetual issue in her relationship with him? If so, Pepper begins to wonder if she is emotionally strong enough to be Jace’s girlfriend.
This third book in the series is as excellent as the first two. As with the previous books, I found this story so riveting, I could not stand to put it down after I started it, and I read it straight through in one day. I greatly enjoy YA/NA sports romances where the heroine is an elite athlete, especially when the author keeps a strong balance between the romance and the heroine’s struggles with her sport. Once again, as in the first two books of this series, talented author, Ali Dean, has brilliantly managed this challenging artistic accomplishment. She is exceptionally skilled at writing fascinating scenes featuring Pepper’s training and competitions as a champion runner, and she is extremely effective at writing romance as well.
Pepper continues to be a very sympathetic heroine, both as an athlete and in her relationships. She is a compassionate and loyal friend and a loving granddaughter to Bunny Jones, her affectionate, supportive and quirky, seventy-something, paternal grandmother, who has raised her since her parents died when Pepper was very young.
Jace continues to be a very appealing hero as well. In this book, he is affectionate and protective of Pepper, and none of the romantic conflict in their relationship is due to flaws within his character, but rather due to the actions of other antagonists.
In this book, after over a year of being together, Pepper and Jace finally consummate their relationship fully but, as in the previous books, there is no graphic sexual activity. The sexual chemistry between this attractive couple remains very strong, however. Which is always a vital feature of any well written romance novel.
This book is best suited for adults and older teens because of a realistic portrayal of underage drinking and drunkenness and underage sex (though none of it is graphic). There is some relatively minor occurrence of off-color language.
I rate this book as follows:
Heroine: 5 stars
Romantic Hero: 5 stars
Subcharacters: 5 stars
Setting: 5 stars
Girl-Power Sports Plot: 5 stars
Writing: 5 stars
Overall: 5 stars
Another good but slow read. Jace and Pepper’s story continues in this one so I recommend reading this series in order. In this book, Jace starts college and Pep feels a little insecure about his popularity among his peers. Being with Jace have challenges of its own. There are a lot of jealous females and males looking to destroy their relationship. Pepper is using running as her outlet and as she pushes herself harder than ever, that brings challenges of its own. Wes is trying to figure out what’s best for him regarding his future. I’m really enjoying his character with Zoey. Annie has come a long way and seems to be on the right track but I’m wondering how long that will last with her track record. After all, she has a way of disappearing. This story is full of drama and it keeps things interesting to say the least but the flow of the story is killing it for me. Gran is hilarious and I absolutely her. Just like the previous books, this is a good read but it will be a one time read for me. Will I read the next book? Yes. Would I recommend it? I’d say give it a try and see if it works for you. It’s not bad it’s just slow.
Now Jace is in college with superstar appeal. Does Pepper have the confidence to handle it? or will her insecurities and jealousy surface when college girls try to make advances towards Jace? She has problems of her own with over exerting her training to better herself. drama from friends and family adds another element in this story.
Peppers self doubt , her confidence broken , add mystery, danger, jealousy makes the story interesting. Jace problems from his past, resurfaces and haunts them both. Will their love for each other survive?
Stacey Glemboski narration captures the emotions, of all the characters. She is an amazing storyteller, making the characters so real. Thank you for making it a wonderful listen. audiobookobsessionreveiwer
Jace & Pepper have some hurdles, struggles, obstacles, between school, there athletic pursuits, peer pressure along with issues both family and unwanted admirers and Stacey does a wonderful job accounting them in this third book in the Pepped Up Series.
Reviewed for Audiobook Obsession
Audiobook Review:
Pepped Up and Ready (Pepoer Jones, Book 3) continues to keep my arrest. Everything isn’t always sweetness and light, coming of age angst continues to be a thorn in side. The writing style is arresting, character’s are full-fledged, and no inconsistency in the narrative.
Narator Stacey Glemboski continues to impress with her performance. Her rendition imbue’s all the right ingredients to create a
jubilant listen.
Audiobook Obsession
Pepper Jones is a senior now, Jace is a freshman in college and busy with all his college demands that come along with being a freshman and being on the football team..
Pepper knows college will put distance between her and Jace, not just physically but in some ways emotionally too. She knows they will have to find ways to make it work, and they do. There are people trying to force them apart by any means neccesary, but they are built to last, or are they?
When things start happening to Pepper she isn’t sure if it’s because of her running career or is it somebody who is using her to get back at Jace. Jace is the quarterback and being a freshman that’s a huge deal. Is somebody threatened by that? Is that what all this is about or is it something to do with Pepper herself. Somebody threatened by her running career?
When Pepper gets too emotional she runs, she runs until she feels clearheaded again. Is that healthy? Is she jeopardizing her whole career?
This book was so good, I love Pepper and Jace! They are truly two halves of a whole. They just compliment and complete each other and I love their interactions. I love their love for one another. It’s so pure.
Loving Every Word of this Amazing Series Fantastic Audible Listen
Pepped Up and Ready
Pepper Jones, Book 3
By: Ali Dean
Narrated by: Stacey Glemboski
This is a fantastic story and audible listenI have been devouring and loving every book in this series. Ali Dean continues her momentum on delivering storylines that are interesting and completely engrossing. In this third book, Pepper is a senior in HS and Jace is a freshman in college. He lives off campus only minutes away from Pepper so they see each other often and their relationship is as strong as ever. Jace’s popularity continues to flourish which causes more trouble for Pepper. In addition to that Pepper faces other challenges, she worked herself to hard and finds herself paying the price. Will she get in to her dream college and stay close to Jace and Bunny or did she jeopardize her chance? The big plus is the mean girls are gone so there is less H.S drama but the drama is not over for Pepper and Jace, this time it comes from the college scene. I loved how responsible and focused Jace was in this book, he seems to have matured and is doing well in school, his game and with Pepper. Pepper also comes into her own too, rising above injury and doing what she set out to do, win. Ali Dean, thanks again for these awesome books and series.
I listened to the Audible edition, narrated by the fabulous Stacey Glemboski who continues to bring these characters and their story to life. She is a talented voice performer and an entertaining storyteller. Thank you for another awesome listen
Thank you @AudiobookObsession #AudiobookObsession #AudiobookObsessionReviewer
*** I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.***
Well I didn’t think that this series could have gotten any better, but I was wrong!! Geez, Ali Dean knows how to write a story. Pepper Jones’ story is one to tell. I mean she is one tough chick. The emotional rollercoaster seams to ease up a bit because she now knows what to expect when dating Jace Wilder, but sometimes knowing isn’t enough. With her still in high school finishing up her senior year and Jace being a freshman in college is tough for them. At times I felt that she hasn’t seen that she is all he needs to get through his days. She fights an internal battle about just being his girlfriend and seeing all the looks he gets from other girls pining for him. I just need her to finally realize that he only has eyes for her. Then she is training to stay fit to go back to Nationals that she is not wanting to admit the pain that she is putting herself in. My heart was breaking because as you read what she does to stay focus and try to let her relationship with Jace continue almost gets derailed I about lost it. There is so much heart in this story it was captivating and riveting I just could not put it down. I had to finish the book just to know the outcome. This series is a definite must read to find out what happens with Pepper Jones.
5 stars for Pepped Up and Ready by Ali Dean. This is book 3 in the Pepper Jones Series. Jace is now in college and Pepper is in her senior year of high school. After achieving her goal last year can she live up to all the hype surrounding her. These two face many trials and test of their own strengths and the strength of them as a couple.
“As much as I want to say my love for Jace can withstand anything, sometimes I wonder if that’s true. “
This book was the best in the series so far for me so far. I am looking forward to the next book .