Coasting and Crashing

I have been anxiously awaiting the last book in the Alder Series since it was announced on Ana Hartnett's Twitter/X account. So I'm not gonna lie, my expectations were extremely high as Catching Feelings is one of my all time favorites. Hartnett did not disappoint. Her talent with words is unending. She made me care about Emma's journey as if it was my own. The way Hartnett elevates this beyond just another sports romance bring the series full circle. I adored the epilogue. I haven't been this thoroughly satisfied with a book in a long time. Eleven out of 5. Overwhelmingly recommend!

Sam Brooks via NetGalley

Everything comes easily to Emma Wilson. Women adore her. School is undemanding and she is the point guard for her college basketball team, a position she loves. Now beginning her forth year at Alder College, Emma’s coasting through life slams into a brick wall. The new basketball coach arrives with a talented point guard. Emma starts questioning her career choice and she now has to fight for her point guard position against a woman she feels attracted to in a way she has never felt before.

Hartnett has taken us through four years of college with her wonderfully written Alder College series. Coasting and Crashing is a fitting conclusion with an epilogue that catches us up with the other characters of the series.

Hartnett has a definite feel for writing young adult characters, Emma especially. Emma is hard to like in the beginning but as she matures through her struggles she evolves into someone we might want as a friend.

Although this book is part of a series it can be read as a standalone as can the three other novels.

Della Baczyk via NetGalley

...Coasting and Crashing is the last book in the Alder series, every book can be read as a standalone.

It’s the book for basketball players Emma Wilson and Lake Palmer in their senior year of college. Emma has been the starting point guard on the Alder Lions team for three years and her professional future is planned, she will go to law school. But what happens when the starting position is suddenly rivaled by a new player? A player to whom she feels more attracted than to any girl before, despite the fight for the position? And what if it's not her wish but her father's that she becomes a lawyer? Emma is facing a chaotic final year.

Lake Palmer transferred to Alder University for her final year, along with her basketball coach. She's the competition for Emma's starting position, and she's good. Her dream is to play in the WNBA. After a stroke of fate, her fear of loss prevents her from really fitting into the team, for fear of having to let everybody go again after a year. And also Emma makes her life difficult, as she tries to defend her starting position with tricks and feints. But there is also a great attraction to Emma that she doesn't understand herself, as she is mostly angry with her. Can the two find a way to connect and lead the team together?...

A beautiful New Adult story about searching and finding where you want to go in life. About friendship, accepting help from others, competition, winning and losing, fighting for dreams, and finding the right person to love.

And thank you Ana Hartnett for the short epilogues for all four couples from this series.

Sandra Meier via NetGalley

It's senior year at Alder. I have enjoyed all of the books in this series but I think this one may be my favorite. Emma Wilson is my kind of girl, a hot mess with a lot going on outwardly and beneath the surface. She is the star basketball player on the Alder women's team. Being on the court is the only time Emma truly feels like she's in control and she won't let transfer player, Lake Palmer, take her starting spot away from her.
While Emma is icy, Lake is warmth personified. The attraction between the two is as immediate as the animosity.

Ana Hartnett's writing is effortless. The more books she writes, the more I come to appreciate just how talented she is. She wrapped up the series perfectly by giving us a glimpse into the lives of the previous couples in the series. While I am sad to see the series come to an end, I can't wait to see what Hartnett gives us next.

Laura Green via NetGalley

The final installment of the Alder series takes us onto the basketball court for an engaging enemies-to-lovers tale. Emma, the protagonist, is a character who may not instantly win everyone over, but she certainly grew on me as the story progressed. Lake, on the other hand, doesn’t make things easy for her, setting up a dynamic that's both challenging and intriguing.

As a fitting conclusion to the series, this book not only wraps up Emma and Lake's story but also gives us a peek into the lives of other characters in the epilogues. It’s well-crafted in a way that even new readers can enjoy it as a standalone, while those who have followed the series will appreciate the closure it provides. This book skillfully combines the thrill of sports with the complexity of evolving relationships, making it a satisfying end to the Alder series. As a big fan of basketball, I especially enjoyed reading about the games.

Natalie Tee via NetGalley