Blog Tour & Giveaway: Game Plan by Natalie Corbett Sampson

Title: Game Plan

Author: Natalie Corbett Sampson

Publisher: Fierce Ink Press Co-Op Ltd.

Published: November 19, 2013

Summary (from Goodreads): “Poignant, well-paced and compassionate, Game Plan is an achingly real look at how two families cope when life doesn’t go as planned.” Tish Cohen, bestselling author of The Truth About Delilah Blue and Inside Out Girl.

Just because the play goes wrong, doesn’t mean you quit the game.

Ella Parker seems to have everything: great friends, an awesome family and a star position on her high school basketball team. The only thing missing from her life is a boyfriend. That changes once she catches the eye of Sam Cleveland. With Sam by her side Ella has it all. When a drunken night results in an unwanted pregnancy, her perfect life is turned upside down and she’s faced with an impossible decision.

Katherine Frayne has always wanted to be a mother. But with the last results of her in vitro fertilization pointing to no chance of a baby, her hopes are dashed. Then her husband Danny suggests they adopt. At first Kat is resistant, but she soon warms to the idea.

Ella and Katherine must navigate their lives amidst tough decisions, the consequences of which not only affect them but those they love the most.

Review: When I was first approached to review this book, I was reminded of the movie Juno–the unexpected pregnancy, infertility and adoption. However, this is a surprisingly fresh and new story. While it has all those elements, Sampson has presented each struggle in a unique way. This book will appeal to both young adults and adults alike since the topic is mature. I laughed and cried my way through the book. It was a quick read because I just had to know what was going to happen next. While I have to admit that beginning was a little slow, Sampson does an excellent job developing her characters and letting the reader get to know them before all the action takes place. Each character’s reactions and feelings are spot on.

The Author