The Line Below

Publisher's Summary

From number-one Amazon sports fiction best seller comes a standalone new adult romance about a collegiate swimmer who falls for an Olympic track star. 

Water. The place where I feel at peace.
Free from the expectations. Away from the judgement. Weightless from the obligations. 

When I slip under the cool surface, I’m no longer sinking from the demands of family, school, and the choices that I must make. Chase my dream of the Olympics or follow the expected career path? What will it be? 

I’m not usually one to rock the boat - that's my twin sister’s role. I find myself in uncharted territory when I meet Jett Decker on my 21st birthday. It's not like me to get swept off my feet, but when I do, it creates waves with those closest to us. 

Chemistry ignites, jealousy spikes and tension builds the more we're together. Sometimes in real life the lines between what is wanted and what must be done get blurred. Not everything is crystal clear, like the line below.

©2018 Ali Dean (P)2018 Ali Dean

Audio made it an even better story

I had already read this book before I listened to it and it was even better then could have guessed. Books with duel narration is what I prefer to listen to and I think they did a really good job with this one. I this this narrator did a awesome job doing the male sections of this book. If you have read any of Ali books or if you enjoy a more of a sports or young adult stories this book is for you. The narrator really help bring the story to life.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Good story!

I am not athletic at all, and I have no interest in sports. Yet I've discovered that I enjoy reading sports romances. I become invested in rooting for these characters to win, and I marvel at all the training they do. This author is well-versed in how much effort and dedication it takes to be an elite athlete, as evidenced by her Pepper Jones series. I love that her heroines never lose their love of the sport, and that their love interests admire that about them. It's great that she shows that strength and competitiveness are attractive in a woman. Jett finds that sexy and exciting, and it leads to lots of sexy scenes between him and Shay. He also encourages her and is thrilled about her victories. They have a really great relationship right from the beginning, which was another positive about this story. Their problems arise from circumstances and from Shay's doubts. I liked that the interracial aspect was never a deterrent for them as a couple. Shay got upset about other things, which Jett never hesitated to clear up once she talked to him. He was always straightforward and honest, which I loved about him.

I liked that Shay had a lot going on in her life, and that her family relationships were an important part of who she was. Her relationship with her sister was especially meaningful and complex. I loved how they had each other's backs but still had deep-seated resentments, as siblings often do. I'm hoping that the author is writing Kick's story next, because I'm interested to read it. Also, it's hinted that it would be a rock star romance, which I'm very excited about.

I enjoyed listening to this story, and I look forward to more from this author.

Touching story, kept me wanting more.

The story touched me on many levels. The drive to succeed, the drive to make family happy, and the loyalty all made Shay real, and I loved how she learned to do what was best. Jett was a wonderful character as he taught Shay to do more for herself. The chemistry between these two was hot and steamy. There were times I had tears in my eyes when their relationship almost derailed. I highly recommend this story. The narration by Stacey Glemboski brought life to these characters, and I enjoyed listening to her tell the tale.

I received a copy of the audiobook as a gift, and this is my unsolicited review.

Sports romance with all the feels!

I am a huge fan of audiobooks, so when I had a chance to listen to a new-to-me author, Ali Dean, I jumped at the chance. The Line below is a sports romance between swimmer Shay and track star Jett, both with Olympic aspirations. Their attraction is instant, but with so much going on in each of their lives, do they have a chance to see what they can have together?

Shay and Jett quickly find a rhythm together. Shay is the good girl who follows the rules. She is determined and smart. Jett is strong, resolute, cocky and caring. They hit it off immediately, but nothing ever comes easy! Their journey is full of angst and drama as they find their way together.

Stacey Glemboski did an amazing job brining this story to life. The Line Below was a sports romance with all the feels, angsty, and lots of chemistry!

Happy reading!

Liked narrator, story was okay.

The Line Below is the first book of Ali Dean I’ve ever read. Sports romance is one of my favorite genres so I was excited for a new authors and to listen to this audio, unfortunately it just wasn’t my jam. This plot fell a bit flat for me and the romance felt forced. I liked the story just fine and the audio was good. I just couldn’t connect with the story/characters this time around enough to love it.

Couple:
•Jett and Shay
•both driven athletes
•chemistry sparked and fizzled
•insta-lust
•he’s bossy-ish, but not throughout entire book
•she’s kind of a pushover

Story:
•steam factor low
•angst level HIGH
•angst felt added just for drama’s sake
•entertainment level JUST FINE
•LOVED relationship between Shay and her sister, Kick

Narration:
•Stacy Glemboski
•easy listening
•soothing, husky voice
•great flow
•good “male” voice

Recommend YES
Rating THREE & HALF STARS