Love on Pointe

Jennings #1

by Tiffany Odekirk

Rhys Solario has a secret—one he plans to keep: he's a non-Mormon attending Brigham Young University. With only two semesters left before graduation, he just wants to keep flying under the radar. Then he meets Emmy in a Book of Mormon class, and for the first time, the idea of keeping to himself doesn't sound so appealing.

Emmy Jennings feels confident only when she's dancing ballet. With every plié and chassé, all her worries fade away. But when she fails to earn a coveted solo, her confidence on the dance floor disintegrates, and the future she's worked so hard to earn stands in jeopardy.

Assigned to be study partners, both Rhys and Emmy face initial anxieties regarding who they really are. But slowly, their tentative friendship evolves into something more. Yet even as love deepens, the pair is faced with a disheartening truth: Rhys can't take Emmy to the temple, and the promise of eternity is not something Emmy's willing to give up. With everything on the line, the couple must decide if they're prepared to reshape their hearts—and their lives—for the promise of forever.

Genres: Romance, Lds, Lds Fiction, Contemporary, Clean Romance, Fiction, Christian

319 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2017

About the author

Tiffany Odekirk is an Amazon Top Ten bestselling author, a 5-star Reader's Favorite medallion earner, and winner of the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award. She has traditionally published three contemporary novels (Love on Pointe, Love Unscripted, and Love Sidelined) and two Regency novels (Summerhaven and Winterset) with Shadow Mountain. She also has two Regency novellas: The Making of an Earl (found in the collector's edition of Summerhaven) and Falling for Felicity (included in the Horses and Hounds Anthology).

Before becoming a writer, Tiffany earned her BA in Marriage, Family, and Human Development and worked in the social services. These days, you can find her reading or writing a book in her Southern California home, where she lives with her husband and four children. You can also find her on Facebook, Instagram, and Bookbub @AuthorTiffanyOdekirk.

Reviews

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

A ballerina, a boy, and a secret that could tear them apart.

The idea for this novel started with a simple question: What would it be like for a non-Mormon guy attending BYU? As soon as I asked myself this question, I couldn't help asking myself a million more: Would he tell people he wasn't Mormon? Would he date? What if he fall in love? Though I originally began telling this story only through Emmy's eyes, I knew right away that Rhys had a story to share as well, so I choose to tell this story in alternating first person points of view. There are always two sides to every love story after all! I hope you will love this story as much as I loved writing it.

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some stories, in order to be told in the way they need to be told, include built-in limitations in the audience they can reach. And I find it both a profound joy and a deep disappointment when I find one as good (and, indeed, moving) as this one is. I wouldn't mind hearing the experience of a non-LDS reader and what they got out of the story, but I would find it impossible to recommend the book to anyone not LDS.

Okay, I have to get this off my chest because Odekirk twice has people claiming that you pronounce Rhys "rise" (starting with the lead character of that name). I'm sorry, but she's just plain wrong. Please, people, get this one right so my son can stop correcting the occasional misguided souls who mispronounce his name. Needless to say, I pronounced it right in my head every single time and it wasn't at all hard to do...

Anyway, as I said above, this story is an outstanding romance, even if the audience I think will enjoy it is constrained (both naturally and artificially, but I'll get to that below). I fell for both Emmy and Rhys pretty much immediately and really enjoyed spending time with them as they grew together and learned to respect and love one another. The core of the conflict of the story is a serious one: that Rhys is not a member of the church and that Emmy is a faithful one. Further, Rhys has spent years attending BYU, so his non-membership isn't easily dismissed as simply needing to learn more. So to be together without change means giving up Emmy's hope for forever in order to be with him in the now. Which is heartbreaking in all kinds of evocative ways.

This kind of story is often told in faithful literature as a conversion story and it is almost always fumbled badly. Too often, the pre-conversion non-member is shown as degenerate or incomplete or simply lacking in some important way; a way that will, obviously, be filled by their acceptance of the teachings and doctrines of the church (or worse, by the love of their paramour). Odekirk pulls off the nigh-impossible here in putting Rhys together as someone kind, generous, loving, and complete without missing anything obvious in his life or character. That takes a very clear eye and empathy and balance that few manage and kudos to Odekirk for navigating those difficult waters so flawlessly.

Not that the story is without flaws (as you might expect in a first-time author—unless she has a pseudonym not on her profile). The main problem is that the story is relatively predictable because the main conflict is right out there from the start. This is alleviated, at least somewhat, by Odekirk's fine characterization (see above) so I wouldn't have been at all surprised (or disappointed) if they had gone a non-standard route to reconcile their disparate beliefs. So I'd have been content if Emmy had married Rhys before his conversion and they worked things out in some non-obvious way post-nuptially. But the bigger flaw is the contradiction of Rhys holding his non-member status back as long as he did with Emmy. He was kind and strong enough that it was an uncharacteristic weakness and I think a stronger story might have been told had Emmy dated him (at least a little bit) knowing he was a non-member. Having her ambushed like that unbalanced reader sympathy by making Rhys too clearly in the wrong. It might have been stronger if she had some culpability in the pain of not being able to reconcile their (non)faith before their feelings had become entirely entangled. Which I wouldn't hold against the book, really, (for not telling the story I'd prefer) if it didn't feel unnatural to me that Rhys withheld the truth as long as he did (including a couple lies of omission) to get there.

Anyway, this was a solid four stars throughout. If that second flaw hadn't been present, it could have edged to five. So a fantastic book I can whole-heartedly recommend. To the right audience. I wish I could recommend it to everybody, but I really do think that non-LDS readers will mostly find it impenetrable.

A note about the publisher: Once again, I'm sad to see a good book in the hands of Covenant Communications. Their high prices and limited marketing mean this book will have an added artificial constraint in finding readers. I truly hate that people will have to shell out $11 for the ebook and even more for print. At least this one has a beautiful cover and decent production/editing.

[Heidi Robbins (Heidi Reads...) · Rating 5 out of 5]

0.99 e-book https://amzn.to/36rT8DC
(5/23/20)

I loved this sweet story! I didn't go to BYU so I have to live vicariously through books ;) Rhys and Emmy are easy to like and their friendship grows as they study together and support each other in the struggles they are facing. They each have vulnerabilities that they feel safe sharing with each other, and that only makes them grow closer. What I liked the most about this book is the journey of these two different people really and truly getting to know each other. There are complex dynamics with their family and friends that also make up a large part of the story, and demonstrate the strengths and compassion of both Emmy and Rhys. The spiritual progression of Rhys is realistic and heartfelt, and took the book to a deeper level. Highly recommend to readers who enjoy LDS fiction!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5 Stars) Rhys and Emmy have an instant connection and balance each other out, yet their journey isn't instantaneous. Oh no--they have many setbacks and deep self-reflections to deal with through the process and it's encouraging, heart wrenching, hopeful, and sweet. Rhys is not LDS, yet he's attending BYU, a religious college. That would be so hard to do, when the majority of the students belong to the same religion.

Rhys and Emmy are likable from the very start and only rooted themselves deep within my heart as the story moved on. I love the relationships they have with those around them and especially with each other, as they hesitantly, and sometimes awkwardly, move forward. I love characters who are deep and well-written, especially as they go through various struggles in life. I don't necessarily want to see them suffer, but everyone has issues and the way a characters handles their problems and rises above them gives me hope.

I thought I knew exactly where this story was going--super sweet and all romantic--but I was in for several big twisty surprises that left me wondering how it was all going to turn out. I love those kinds of shockers and found myself really invested in the plot, completely rooting for these people.

I would love to see stories about the siblings--Cami, Evie, Jason--and even the BFF, Supe. Fun, fun book!

Content: mild romance (kissing); moderate religious elements.

*I received a copy from the publisher, which did not affect my opinion. All thoughts are my own.*

[Mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, this cover!! Isn't is just gorgeous. I really loved this book. I was immediately taken with the characters. Rhys is a great guy and Emmy is such a sweet and caring soul. I loved her vulnerable side, and I also loved how she was able to grow as well. Rhys has a lot on his shoulders with his mother's health and he handles it well. All characters were written well and weren't perfect, I appreciated that. Emmy also has her own struggles. I did feel Rhys's struggle in telling Emmy the truth and it was handled perfectly. I also enjoyed the "definitions" at the beginning of each chapter. Especially for non LDS who may read the book. It was also a fun "preview" of what the chapters would be about.

5 out of 5 stars. I look forward to more books from this promising author.

I received a paperback copy, all views and opinions expressed are my own.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good LDS story. This is very steeped in the culture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I swore I wouldn't read these kinds of books ever again. I hated how unreal they always felt. Changing your life and converting to a different religion sounds like it wouldn't be a big deal but for us it's a life choice. Not an easy decision. I am glad I was born into it and have found my way banging around already understanding alot. This is the story of a couple who fall deeply in love but don't believe the same things. I thought this story was done well. It was better then many others I have read. I like the way Tiffany puts a story together.

[Francesca Forrest]

I read this because Jacob Proffitt's review of it made me very curious: it's a within-faith romance novel for LDS folks, and the central roadblock to the couple's happiness is the fact that the young man, Rhys, is a nonbeliever. (Jacob, I totally pronounced his name "Rees" too. You can choose any way you want to pronounce a name, but that's definitely the standard pronunciation.) Anyway, I was curious as to how the story was going to resolve the problem. Basically, there are three alternatives, right? Rhys can convert, the couple can marry but he can remain a nonbeliever, or they can separate. Since it's a romance, I assumed it was going to be one of the first two, but props to the author for keeping all three options in play as believable possible options.

I've put this whole review behind a spoiler cut, but seriously, if you don't want to know how it's going to be resolved, stop reading now.

So, it resolves with Rhys's sincere conversion (as opposed to his going-through-the-forms-only conversion, which he proposes earlier). Thinking about this logically, it seems clear that this is the most desirable outcome if you're writing from a place of faith for readers who share your faith.

I debated myself about how it worked within the story. It felt to me as if Rhys's conversion was accomplished in just two quick steps--first, seeing the display of power in Emmy's father praying over her, and then in his own sincere prayer at the temple. There's no reason why that can't be enough--in real life I'm sure it does happen like that sometimes--but speaking **personally**, I would have preferred a story in which his growth toward faith was more gradual. I realize, though, that that would have required a different sort of book: this is primarily a romance, but with a conversion in it, but I think I'd have preferred reading a conversion story with a romance as its setting. I'm really interested in the struggles of the heart that that involves.

That's if the story was going to be a conversion story. In terms of two people getting together, I would have been equally happy with either of the other two outcomes, which I think are equally (or maybe more?) likely to happen in real life--but I guess, for readers who are committed LDS, they would have represented less-happy happy endings.

Anyway, I was very glad to have read it! I enjoyed the characters very much.

[W.O. Hemsath · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet and clean romance with LDS (Mormon) themes. I'm LDS, but I wasn't sure I would like such a niche genre book. Sometimes they can get a bit corny. I got a copy at a writing conference I went to, gave it a try, and it pulled me right in. I really fell for the characters; Emmy and Rhys didn't feel like caricatures of people or cliches, but actual characters with believable fears and insecurities. I was also impressed that a lot of the secondary characters had good dimension to them.

In the romance genre, the guy and the girl inevitably get together and you get your happy ending. That's what makes it a romance. Knowing that going in, I was impressed with the twists and turns Mrs. Odekirk threw in there. Even though I felt I knew what would happen, with most of the things (some big, some small) I didn't know quite how or when they would happen. I was also wrong on a few of my suspicions, and others I only figured out right before they were revealed. The ending felt like a natural unfolding of events to me, true to the characters, not the author forcing the ending.

Also, I know some people don't like to read the little quotes and things at the beginning of each chapter, but I would encourage you not to skip them in this book. Mrs. Odekirk has put a word and its definition at the beginning of each of her chapters; all the ones from Emmy are musical/ballet terms, and the ones from Rhys are mostly definitions of unique LDS or gospel vernacular. But I really enjoyed them and how they related to the coming plot, and many of Rhys's were a bit tongue in cheek and made me laugh. They're how he as a non-LDS student at BYU would see and describe the strangeness of Mormon culture. I really enjoyed them.

My only complaint with the book is that the character is named Rhys, but specifies it's pronounced "Rise" not "Reese" and the Welsh in me just never could get used to it. Though, to the author's credit, she acknowledges its not the normal way.

["Rhys. Spelled r-h-y-s but pronounced 'rise'. Like BYU's fight song..." I cringe wishing I hadn't just compared my name to a song.
"Cool name."
It's as random a name as my Mexican-Caucasion pedigree. Not sure whether I should thank my earth-loving mother for giving me such an eccentric name or my absentee father for not being around to stop her.] (pg 3)

If you're LDS and into romances, you'll like the book.
Would someone not-LDS enjoy it? There's a good chance they might. Because Rhys's character isn't a member of the church, it makes the Mormon world more accessible being seen through his eyes. And because the characters and pacing really were that good, in my opinion. It kept me turning pages and I stayed up late the same day I started it just so I could finish it.

[Lisa (Bookworm Lisa) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me forever to finally read this book. I have wanted to for a while now. This book is all that I wished for it to be. I really enjoyed Emmy and Rhys's story.

This book has religious content specifically to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It is clean with some kissing.

[Cindy Steel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a while since I've read an LDS romance, especially one that takes place on a BYU campus. And it was fun getting reminded of a church school culture and "language." I loved both of the main characters in this book. I think it would be hard to not make everything so cliche in a book like this, but the author presented real and likable people with real emotions and big decisions. Their reactions seemed natural and their relationship was sweet to watch grow. I even laughed out loud at a few comments and I rarely do that in a book. I stayed up way too late in the night reading this one. But I loved it.

[ScrappyDiva · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Beautiful story that touches on love and faith and has nods to one of my favorite movies, Center Stage. I really enjoyed this point of view.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

total disclaimer alert! i have a huge weakness for LDS fiction. especially romances. mostly because they're super clean and i LOVE a love story. with that being said, i really enjoyed this book and the main characters! sure it was kind of predictable and obviously a little cliche in parts, but i still liked it. perhaps 3 3/4 stars would be a more accurate rating -- i REALLY did like it, but it's not like it was super deep or earth-shatteringly amazing.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I loved Rhys. He was a great guy who wanted to be the best man he could no matter what others thought of him. Emmy was a strong character who remained true to herself and her values. Only disappointment was I didn't understand what happened between Evie and Q.

I look forward to Tiffany Odekirk's next novel.

[Tressa (Wishful Endings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE ON POINTE is a heart-wrenching story about two college students who find love in each other, but under complicated circumstances have to fight for their happily-ever-after. The characters come across as authentic and are easy to fall in love with, while the story is well balanced between moments of laughter, friendship, heartbreak, inspiration, and romance. Highly recommended to fans of LDS or Christian romance!

I loved both Emmy and Rhys from the beginning. I loved that they both had their weaknesses and strengths, and were also dealing with some difficult things in their lives. They felt real and were so easy to connect with. I loved the friendship and the instantaneous chemistry you could feel from them and how that grew until they began really falling for each other.

The story kept me engaged the entire way. I loved that the plot had a few twists and that the author didn't shy away from some honest conversations and moments. I felt like the characters' feelings were so accurate. You could feel the emotions. I loved that the story made me laugh, cry, hope, and sigh. The ending was very, very sweet, and perfect for this story. The playlist at the end was a fun addition as well. :)

In the end, was it what I wished for? Sometimes I struggle with stories where one character needs to convert for a happily-ever after ending, but the author handled this one well. It felt right and beyond that, I loved reading it. Every. Single. Page. I can't wait for more from this author! I'd love a story about Emmy's sister, Evie...

Content: Clean
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, which did not require a review nor affect it in any way.

[Melissa Newman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book in 2 days! I was hooked from the first page! It is a typical feel good LDS romance that was pleasant to read and I finished it with a big smile on my face. A good read!

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I loved Emmy and I also liked it b/c the male main character wasn't the rich one.

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Genre:Fiction/romance/LDS) BYU student Emmy Clark is an identical twin that loves ballet and is very good at it. She has dreams of dancing professionally and probably would be closer to that dream if she hadn't taken a detour to BYU with her sister, Evie, who also dances. Until Evie suddenly ups and quits just before their fall sophomore semester. So now insecure and shy Emmy has to learn to dance without her other half and she's feeling a bit lost on her own. Even harder than losing her dance buddy/sister, is the fact that Evie is pulling away emotionally as well as physically and seems to have no time or energy for their relationship. So when Emmy meets Rhys in her Book of Mormon class and they become study partners, it is easy to see him filling an emotional need.
Rhys is a non-mormon attending BYU. He is in his senior year and just wants to finish as quickly as he can. He had been attending school in California when his mom's MS became very problematic and he moved to Provo in order to be there for her. Rhys has no interest in the church and has been putting off this particular religion class as long as possible. He is immediately attracted to the beautiful and gentle Emmy. As they begin falling in love with each other, the reader can see the approaching wreck very clearly--Emmy is a devoted Latter-Day Saint that believes she is dating another devoted LDS church member, because Rhys is not sharing where he truly stands on religion. He justifies it in the beginning with the thought that it is none of her business. But later he tells himself that it won't really matter in the end because Emmy likes him for who he is and the religion issue isn't that big of deal because he will love and support her in her beliefs. I had a hard time that someone as smart and kind as Rhys could lie to himself and us so effectively :).
I was actually quite surprised that I liked this book as much as I did (sorry Tiffany!). I wasn't super excited to read a love story between a member and non-member because it's really easy to see this going one of 2 ways--gloss over all the challenges and difficulties with a "We are so in love it's going to be okay" notion or anticipate the resulting disaster if either person puts aside who they are and what they want in order to make the relationship viable. And I'll be honest, neither of these paths appealed to me in any way, shape, or form. So I was actually very hesitant to pick this one up because I don't enjoy giving bad reviews to aspiring authors. But Odekirk did a really good job of navigating the difficulties the characters faced without glossing over what was at stake for each of them personally. I could still see a lot of potential problems and challenges ahead of the couple with their different backgrounds (Emmy comes from serious money and Rhys is dirt poor). But both were likeable people and easy to root for in the story. I didn't like Evie and Q and wondered why we even had them in the story--neither seemed real or relate-able. And while I did struggle a little with how long the religion issue was hidden by Rhys as well as Emmy's cluelessness about his true situation (I mean what coed isn't going to ask her date when and where he served his mission or how was church or what was your lesson on or what is your calling, & so forth?), the story was still engaging and enjoyable and I felt it was quite good, especially for a debut novel. I will definitely read Odekirk's next endeavor. 4 stars.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some readers like 'bad boy' or 'bad girl' characters, but I've never been that kind of reader. I've always preferred reading about basically good people doing the best they can with the challenges they face. And both Emmy and Rhys fit that description. Emmy loves to dance ballet, she even plans to be a professional dancer as soon as she graduates from BYU. Rhys also attends BYU, although reluctantly. When Rhys and Emmy meet in a Book of Mormon religion class they feel awkward, mostly because they are attracted to each other. But Emmy has little dating experience and Rhys has found out the most Mormon girls don't want to date him seriously once they discover he's not a member. But after ending up as study partners it becomes harder and harder for them to resist their growing feelings for each other. But both of them are also struggling with other challenges as well, Emmy fears she's losing her twin sister, and isn't sure she knows how to dance without her sister by her side. Rhys is struggling to take care of his mother, whose illness continues to worsen. Things come to a head once Emmy finds out that Rhys isn't a member. As the two struggle with their feelings for each other life sees fit to throw more trouble their way. I enjoyed reading about the two falling in love, although it wasn't hard to figure out that Rhys's not telling Emmy he's not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS Church or Mormon Church) was going to cause problems. Still, Rhys and Emmy were so good for each other, it was impossible not to root for them.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love on Pointe was an unexpected hit for me. This was the first I've heard about Tiffany Odekirk, and I have to say that she's an author to watch for. The story was really, really good! I started it late one afternoon, and only put it down when I had to. I stayed up way too late, and finished around 2 AM.

I really liked the main characters, Rhys and Emmy. Between the two of them, they dealt with some difficult issues that pulled me in. I couldn't help but get emotionally involved in their happiness and success. Their alternating points of view added a lot to the story, and the definitions/pronunciations at the beginning of each chapter were also a great addition.

The description made me think that Rhys was at the school with no one knowing he wasn't a member of the LDS Church, but it wasn't that the school admitted him not knowing (it doesn't work that way). He was just keeping it from his fellow students because he'd been burned a few times when the information came out. That was one of several things that endeared him to me. He was just trying to get through without pain-not trying to be dishonest.

I was a little bothered by the cheaper tuition reason given for Rhys choosing BYU (tuition is based on member or non-member, comparable to other universities that offer resident and non-resident tuition rates), but it was just a little detail that probably wouldn't stand out to most readers.

I will definitely read this again, and I highly recommend Love on Pointe.

[Kathryn Veil · Rating 4 out of 5]

As far as an LDS romance goes, this was pretty good. It has all your typical things; BYU, return missionaries, temple marriage, etc. but it also has ballet and salsa dancing and other elements that make it not such a predictable read. If you're looking for a quick, easy read, this one fits the bill.

[Amy Larsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book- thoroughly enjoyed it!! Buy it and read it- you can't put it down!!

[Nari · Rating 4 out of 5]

What are you willing to give up to marry your soul mate? Emmy and Rhys meet in an institute class and the fiendship and attraction is almost immediate. Love grows as they spend time together. Emmy assumes that Rhys is a member of her faith and then later discovers he is not. Can she give up her dreams of a temple marriage to marry Rhys or will her life follow a different path? This book explores what happens when life doesn't go the way we planned and learning to focus on what is most important. It was an interesting read and I recommended it to my daughter who iis college age and a dancer.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished this book a few days ago. It was great! Fun story, entertaining plot, and lovable characters. Reading it made me want to watch some ballet! It was a sweet romance with realistic life problems. I love happy ever afters! So thank you for that. I like to read to escape everyday life, so it's pointless if there's no happy ending! It's a page turner, and kept me interested. I wanted to find out how things turned out and was happy with how they did!

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story. I look forward to more books by Tiffany Odekirk.

[Tenille · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book! The characters were believable and the story flowed so well. I couldn't put it down! Also, it's about a ballerina named Emmy, just like my daughter!

[Kristell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Get it! Read it! You'll love it!
Once I started reading, I didn't want to put it down! Sweet story with some unexpected twists!

[Tara Symkoviak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was another AMAZING book! It was very clean and had a really good message to it about love and life. I loved this book too! It had so many plot twists and I found myself so addicted to this book that I couldn’t stop reading it!! I even stayed up till 1 in the morning to try and finish it to see what happens (haha). I would suggest this book to anyone (if you like love and romance books) because it was a really good book!

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! I can't wait to read more by this author.

[Lynette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Tiffany Odekirk is being added to my auto buy authors list!

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good romance. This one did not disappoint. I enjoyed meeting Emmy and Rhys. I cared about them and their relationship. I laughed with them and even cried. I didn't want to put it down. Thank you, Tiffany, for a fun book.