b.andherbooks's Reviews > How You Get the Girl

Actual rating - 4.5 (the cover is NOT to my taste and did back-shelf this for a bit for me).

Former college and professional basketball star Elle Cochran is suddenly a foster parent to high-schooler Vanessa, who is encouraged to join the school basketball team. After a disasterous pro-career ending in injury and depression, Elle is anxious about re-entering the world of basketball, even as a spectator. So when the coach asks Elle to help co-lead the team, Elle is reluctant but finally says yes, even if it is mostly to get closer to the adorable Julie.

Julie is utterly star-struck by the woman who's poster she had taped up in her teen-hood bedroom, and is elated to get a chance to work alongside her hero. When Elle offers to coach Julie in dating and relationships, she jumps at the chance to explore her sexuality.

what a great book. i had so much fun with Julie and Elle, and I love how tenderly Julie's sexuality was discovered. Julie has landed on the ace//demisexual label, but isn't quite keen on even having a label, and Elle is comfortable to explore that with her. Elle herself has depression, and seeing how her depression was also hard and hopeful. There's no easy "cures" or "solutions" in this romance (as there should not be, because that's not how it works) but seeing how Elle and Julie fell in love and made it work was so gorgeous.

basically if anita kelly writes it, i'll read it. period.