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Jennings #2
Love Unscripted
Evie Jennings doesn't believe in happily ever after—it's been a year since moving home to Los Angeles to gather the pieces of her broken heart after her divorce, but she is only going through the motions. That is, until a chance encounter on her college campus brings about an unexpected turn of events: Evie finds herself face-to-face with the heartthrob whose poster decorated the wall of her teenage bedroom. And he's desperate for her help.
Hollywood sensation Ridge Dashly is facing a career crisis—a bad review threatens his A-list status. Desperate to win back the favor of the media and his fans, Ridge reluctantly agrees to enroll in college, never dreaming he'll meet someone who can see past his fame to his true self.
As their paths continue to cross, Evie's seeming disinterest intrigues Ridge, and the pair form a tentative friendship that slowly grows into something more. But when confronted with the unrelenting paparazzi and the nagging shadows of their pasts, will they follow everyone else's script or fight for their own happy ending?
Hollywood sensation Ridge Dashly is facing a career crisis—a bad review threatens his A-list status. Desperate to win back the favor of the media and his fans, Ridge reluctantly agrees to enroll in college, never dreaming he'll meet someone who can see past his fame to his true self.
As their paths continue to cross, Evie's seeming disinterest intrigues Ridge, and the pair form a tentative friendship that slowly grows into something more. But when confronted with the unrelenting paparazzi and the nagging shadows of their pasts, will they follow everyone else's script or fight for their own happy ending?
333 pages, Paperback
Published September 1, 2018
25 people are currently reading
419 people want to read
About the author
Tiffany Odekirk
8 books501 followersTiffany 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
September 23, 2019
All of Odekirk's stories are related and this is a direct follow-on from Love on Pointe and the heroines of the two are twins. Plus, events in the first form the chief conflict of this story. That said, the events aren't complicated so you can probably read this one first. But I have no idea why you would want to. The first book is good, you see...
And this one is not. The interactions between Ridge and Evie are entertaining to start, that's true. And I enjoyed some of the back and forth between them. But I didn't really care for either character when it comes right down to it, though for very different reasons.
Ridge was okay as an A-list actor who is enjoying success while still holding to his church beliefs. I just have a hard time seeing what that looked like in any real detail. We start the book knowing he hasn't been to church in a few years and yet he seems to be both still faithful and knowledgeable and dedicated to his faith and the church. The story mostly centers on his growing feelings for Evie, but the church stuff takes up enough plot-space that I wanted this to be more coherent and it just wasn't. So his character comes across as something of a facile wish-fulfillment fantasy. Which isn't bad, per se, but it can't sustain the story on its own.
Evie, on the other hand, was a frustrating idiot that I got very tired of early on and my hopes that her core conflict were sadly dashed. We're two years on from the her making a mistake with her ex. And she is so filled with self-loathing and condemnation that I found her tedious and exasperating. Which is bad enough from a romantic/relationship/story-plot point of view (because it's nothing but a kind of lazy negative motivation* preventing her from a healthy relationship with Ridge). But it's even worse from a doctrinal viewpoint because it means that she's ignoring core Christian doctrine and the subject of scores of lessons taught to our youth and reiterated over and over again in church lessons and talks and admonitions and ministering and gah! I mean this is rudimentary and fundamental and I don't care how caught up you might become in thinking you are a monster undeserving of God's love but putting off prayer is just stupid. Everybody feels that reluctance when they know they have done something wrong and need to repent. But letting that persist for years without showing through background or internal landscape or something why she would separate herself from the comfort she needs for so long is just lazy storytelling.
So this hits a very sore spot for me with "faithful" literature where the characters only work by ignoring or misunderstanding doctrine to increase tension and/or conflict. And it particularly sucks when .
To be fair, every other faithful source tells her to get on her knees and pray for comfort and help. Her twin, her brother, her father, her bishop, her friend, her mother. So it isn't that the doctrine is compromised. But having her ignore every one of these voices telling her to find comfort in the Lord makes her kind of dense. Having that a core conflict of the story frankly compromises the story for as long as it persists. At least it does for me. I hate this kind of lazy use of faith. If the character believes, then let them believe and with all the heartache, pain, and messiness that comes with that faith (and all the joy, comfort, devotion, and peace, too). But letting them wallow in some demi-faith where they display all the trappings of faith but don't actually do the things someone of faith would do? Yeah, that's not . . . good.
Odekirk's first story handled faith so well that I kept reading this to the end hoping something would turn this train wreck around. I really wish I hadn't. There were enough moments of genuine enjoyment, and enough side characters who were interesting and engaging, that I'm going to round this up to two stars. I'm likely being too generous doing so. This is almost certainly a personal response as it is easy to ignore that Evie has maintained this demi-faithful state for so long and Odekirk at least gets the authoritative doctrine right (so you can pass Evie off as simply "struggling" if you want to).
A note about LDS: This story is deeply LDS and those unfamiliar with the culture and doctrine are likely to be periodically confused. Fortunately, they aren't missing anything by giving this one a pass...
A note about the Publisher: Also, it's freaking expensive because LDS publishers seem to operate on the assumption that their sub-genre audience is desperate for their kind of stories and will pony up the big bucks for even mediocre books that conform to the sub-genre expectations. Fortunately, there's no savings like 100% that you can get for the very easy action of not buying it.
A note about Chaste: While Evie feels great shame for messing up in the past, this story has only a very few kisses and I consider it very chaste.
* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term. Jennifer Crusie blogged about it a bit back (or, if that link doesn't work, here's a cache of the original) and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story.
And this one is not. The interactions between Ridge and Evie are entertaining to start, that's true. And I enjoyed some of the back and forth between them. But I didn't really care for either character when it comes right down to it, though for very different reasons.
Ridge was okay as an A-list actor who is enjoying success while still holding to his church beliefs. I just have a hard time seeing what that looked like in any real detail. We start the book knowing he hasn't been to church in a few years and yet he seems to be both still faithful and knowledgeable and dedicated to his faith and the church. The story mostly centers on his growing feelings for Evie, but the church stuff takes up enough plot-space that I wanted this to be more coherent and it just wasn't. So his character comes across as something of a facile wish-fulfillment fantasy. Which isn't bad, per se, but it can't sustain the story on its own.
Evie, on the other hand, was a frustrating idiot that I got very tired of early on and my hopes that her core conflict were sadly dashed. We're two years on from the her making a mistake with her ex. And she is so filled with self-loathing and condemnation that I found her tedious and exasperating. Which is bad enough from a romantic/relationship/story-plot point of view (because it's nothing but a kind of lazy negative motivation* preventing her from a healthy relationship with Ridge). But it's even worse from a doctrinal viewpoint because it means that she's ignoring core Christian doctrine and the subject of scores of lessons taught to our youth and reiterated over and over again in church lessons and talks and admonitions and ministering and gah! I mean this is rudimentary and fundamental and I don't care how caught up you might become in thinking you are a monster undeserving of God's love but putting off prayer is just stupid. Everybody feels that reluctance when they know they have done something wrong and need to repent. But letting that persist for years without showing through background or internal landscape or something why she would separate herself from the comfort she needs for so long is just lazy storytelling.
So this hits a very sore spot for me with "faithful" literature where the characters only work by ignoring or misunderstanding doctrine to increase tension and/or conflict. And it particularly sucks when .
To be fair, every other faithful source tells her to get on her knees and pray for comfort and help. Her twin, her brother, her father, her bishop, her friend, her mother. So it isn't that the doctrine is compromised. But having her ignore every one of these voices telling her to find comfort in the Lord makes her kind of dense. Having that a core conflict of the story frankly compromises the story for as long as it persists. At least it does for me. I hate this kind of lazy use of faith. If the character believes, then let them believe and with all the heartache, pain, and messiness that comes with that faith (and all the joy, comfort, devotion, and peace, too). But letting them wallow in some demi-faith where they display all the trappings of faith but don't actually do the things someone of faith would do? Yeah, that's not . . . good.
Odekirk's first story handled faith so well that I kept reading this to the end hoping something would turn this train wreck around. I really wish I hadn't. There were enough moments of genuine enjoyment, and enough side characters who were interesting and engaging, that I'm going to round this up to two stars. I'm likely being too generous doing so. This is almost certainly a personal response as it is easy to ignore that Evie has maintained this demi-faithful state for so long and Odekirk at least gets the authoritative doctrine right (so you can pass Evie off as simply "struggling" if you want to).
A note about LDS: This story is deeply LDS and those unfamiliar with the culture and doctrine are likely to be periodically confused. Fortunately, they aren't missing anything by giving this one a pass...
A note about the Publisher: Also, it's freaking expensive because LDS publishers seem to operate on the assumption that their sub-genre audience is desperate for their kind of stories and will pony up the big bucks for even mediocre books that conform to the sub-genre expectations. Fortunately, there's no savings like 100% that you can get for the very easy action of not buying it.
A note about Chaste: While Evie feels great shame for messing up in the past, this story has only a very few kisses and I consider it very chaste.
* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term. Jennifer Crusie blogged about it a bit back (or, if that link doesn't work, here's a cache of the original) and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story.
June 13, 2019
Yes, I'm the author so it's possible I'm the tiniest bit biased. ;) But truly, I fell in love with this book. While I set out to write a fun Hollywood romance, it became so much more than that. This is a book about love, healing, identity, home, and belonging, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
September 25, 2018
My list of books to read keeps growing. I enjoyed this book so much, that now I have to read the book about the MC's twin sister,"Love on Pointe" . This book is a stand alone, but I am now fascinated by the characters and have to know more.
This book is about Evie Jennings. She has made some mistakes in her past and doesn't trust herself when it comes to love. She carries a lot of regret and hasn't learned to forgive herself. Her story begins with a very funny scene. She meets a movie star in the ladies room. It is a great start to a book. She shows her creativity every time she is with Ridge Dashly.
Ridge is a pretty down to earth movie star. He too has regrets and issues. I loved how they help each other through crisis and are friends before there is a romance. The book does have a small love triangle. As a reader, I of course knew how it had to end. There is a lot of emotional turbulence before a "happy ever after" can be accomplished. This book makes you feel good and gives hope for those who are struggling with past mistakes. The process of repentance and forgiveness is illustrated as Evie makes changes in her attitude and her life.
The book is written from an LDS prospective. The characters are religious and there are situations and lingo that written specifically to an LDS audience. This book is clean with kissing. There is reference to past sexual indiscretions, but nothing is graphic.
Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is about Evie Jennings. She has made some mistakes in her past and doesn't trust herself when it comes to love. She carries a lot of regret and hasn't learned to forgive herself. Her story begins with a very funny scene. She meets a movie star in the ladies room. It is a great start to a book. She shows her creativity every time she is with Ridge Dashly.
Ridge is a pretty down to earth movie star. He too has regrets and issues. I loved how they help each other through crisis and are friends before there is a romance. The book does have a small love triangle. As a reader, I of course knew how it had to end. There is a lot of emotional turbulence before a "happy ever after" can be accomplished. This book makes you feel good and gives hope for those who are struggling with past mistakes. The process of repentance and forgiveness is illustrated as Evie makes changes in her attitude and her life.
The book is written from an LDS prospective. The characters are religious and there are situations and lingo that written specifically to an LDS audience. This book is clean with kissing. There is reference to past sexual indiscretions, but nothing is graphic.
Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
September 9, 2018
Where is my Ridge Dashly?
Just Kidding guys, I'm happily married, but seriously, Movie Stars are pretty much our American Royalty, and Ridge Dashly was a prince charming that didn't disappoint. I loved getting to know both him and Evie. Everyone thinks they want to marry a movie star, but in real life what would that be like? Is it even possible to have a real meaningful relationship with an actor? Ridge made me think it was.
Lots of heartache and faith in this book. I stayed up past 1 am reading this and then finished the next morning with a headache, but it was totally worth it! I can't wait to read more about the Jennings family.
Just Kidding guys, I'm happily married, but seriously, Movie Stars are pretty much our American Royalty, and Ridge Dashly was a prince charming that didn't disappoint. I loved getting to know both him and Evie. Everyone thinks they want to marry a movie star, but in real life what would that be like? Is it even possible to have a real meaningful relationship with an actor? Ridge made me think it was.
Lots of heartache and faith in this book. I stayed up past 1 am reading this and then finished the next morning with a headache, but it was totally worth it! I can't wait to read more about the Jennings family.
August 16, 2019
Gah! Never read 3 books by the same author in a row. I should know never to do this. It really does mess with my brain. I start to get picky. I really liked this and did not put it down, but wanted something.....probably less of the same thing. So with that disclaimer about my weirdness< I liked this story. It is based in the culture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. This one had more of a story about a girl healing a broken past. There was less tension and more of a fun flirty romance. This was a nice balance of what was going on inside our leading lady, she needed some lightheartedness. I just missed the tension between them like there was in the first book. This is a great series and I have had fun reading all 3 books. I will read probably everything this author writes:}
September 26, 2018
When I picked this book up I was so excited because this is a nice thick book and I knew if the story was a good one, I was in for a treat. And yay! It was a good one- a journey of forgiveness, love and new beginnings.
Evie is a broken and hurt woman. She's made some mistakes, she's been burned by love and now she is lost and aimlessly drifting along instead of really living. She is trying to find her footing again. Enter Ridge, who challenges Evie and helps her begin on the path to find herself and forgive herself.
Both of these characters are vulnerable which is what connected me to them. It was their flaws that helped me relate, and their strengths that helped me admire them. I felt so connected to their stories. I loved the beginning meeting (in a bathroom!) and I loved the ending. This was a very satisfying read.
Content: This is an LDS specific book so there are many religious elements (talk of God, repenting, forgiving, praying), kissing, mention of a couple different forms of addiction (prescription meds, pornography)
- I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Evie is a broken and hurt woman. She's made some mistakes, she's been burned by love and now she is lost and aimlessly drifting along instead of really living. She is trying to find her footing again. Enter Ridge, who challenges Evie and helps her begin on the path to find herself and forgive herself.
Both of these characters are vulnerable which is what connected me to them. It was their flaws that helped me relate, and their strengths that helped me admire them. I felt so connected to their stories. I loved the beginning meeting (in a bathroom!) and I loved the ending. This was a very satisfying read.
Content: This is an LDS specific book so there are many religious elements (talk of God, repenting, forgiving, praying), kissing, mention of a couple different forms of addiction (prescription meds, pornography)
- I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
September 24, 2018
When I read Love on Pointe last year, I knew that I wanted to read Evie’s story soon. I’m so glad that Tiffany Odekirk didn’t make me wait too long!
Love Unscripted opens with Evie in one of her classes at UCAL. It’s a film class and the guest that her professor is interviewing happens to be the one and only Ridge Dashly. He a movie star, one that Evie and her twin Emmy had a poster of growing up. But Evie’s not looking for love. She’s not sure about anything in her life. Evie’s character made me think. She’s had a hard last couple of years with an accident, a divorce, moving back to LA from Provo. And she’s dealing with some anxiety as well as her family wanting her to be the person she used to be. A person long gone.
Then she meets Ridge. I love the way they met. Him hiding in the bathroom she was using on her way to her next class. He wants to stay in the bathroom, but Evie needs to get going. So she gets resourceful and is able to escape. Ridge is not what I would have expected him to be. He’s a star, but he’s really down to earth and kind. I loved the way he was always going out of his way to make life better for Evie. Even if it met staying away from her.
In the book Ridge starts off as Ridge, but as the story went along, for me he became Bridger. And as Evie says, they’re two different people. I loved the way his persona kind of melts away as the reader reads more of the story and gets to know him better and he becomes just him.
The plot was great. Evie needed a lot of closure in this one and she got it. There were so many things at the beginning that she was conflicted about, and those things all resolved themselves by the end of the story.
If you love great romance books with great characters, this one’s for you! And bonus, it’s clean and sweet, just the way I like them to be.
Love Unscripted opens with Evie in one of her classes at UCAL. It’s a film class and the guest that her professor is interviewing happens to be the one and only Ridge Dashly. He a movie star, one that Evie and her twin Emmy had a poster of growing up. But Evie’s not looking for love. She’s not sure about anything in her life. Evie’s character made me think. She’s had a hard last couple of years with an accident, a divorce, moving back to LA from Provo. And she’s dealing with some anxiety as well as her family wanting her to be the person she used to be. A person long gone.
Then she meets Ridge. I love the way they met. Him hiding in the bathroom she was using on her way to her next class. He wants to stay in the bathroom, but Evie needs to get going. So she gets resourceful and is able to escape. Ridge is not what I would have expected him to be. He’s a star, but he’s really down to earth and kind. I loved the way he was always going out of his way to make life better for Evie. Even if it met staying away from her.
In the book Ridge starts off as Ridge, but as the story went along, for me he became Bridger. And as Evie says, they’re two different people. I loved the way his persona kind of melts away as the reader reads more of the story and gets to know him better and he becomes just him.
The plot was great. Evie needed a lot of closure in this one and she got it. There were so many things at the beginning that she was conflicted about, and those things all resolved themselves by the end of the story.
If you love great romance books with great characters, this one’s for you! And bonus, it’s clean and sweet, just the way I like them to be.
September 27, 2018
What a perfect title for this story! Love never goes as planned, and adding an actor into the mix makes it ideal, especially that first encounter.
I've been curious about Evie since reading Love on Pointe, as she is twins with the main character from that book. Evie is very endearing, from her vulnerability to her quick wit. In an effort to move on with her life and find the peace she craves, she isn't one to back down to anyone, and yet, who can control love?
I've always had a fascination with celebrities and Evie's run-in with Ridge was utterly adorable, but it's the way she treated him--separates him, if that makes sense--that hooked my heart.
This story offers so many wonderful and compelling emotions. Evie has a very loving and supporting family, and she needs it because she cannot get over her past mistakes and move on with life, but it's not just her who needs love. These characters are deep and complex, with many layers to unravel and this author does a great job of revealing their true selves in a swirl of hope, forgiveness, and love. And of course, there are challenges, because every good story has them.
Content: mild+ romance (only kissing, but vague talk of immorality before marriage); talk of addictions (pills and porn); moderate+ religious aspect (the references are specific to the LDS church and are relevant to the story (repenting, forgiving, praying, etc).
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
I've been curious about Evie since reading Love on Pointe, as she is twins with the main character from that book. Evie is very endearing, from her vulnerability to her quick wit. In an effort to move on with her life and find the peace she craves, she isn't one to back down to anyone, and yet, who can control love?
I've always had a fascination with celebrities and Evie's run-in with Ridge was utterly adorable, but it's the way she treated him--separates him, if that makes sense--that hooked my heart.
This story offers so many wonderful and compelling emotions. Evie has a very loving and supporting family, and she needs it because she cannot get over her past mistakes and move on with life, but it's not just her who needs love. These characters are deep and complex, with many layers to unravel and this author does a great job of revealing their true selves in a swirl of hope, forgiveness, and love. And of course, there are challenges, because every good story has them.
Content: mild+ romance (only kissing, but vague talk of immorality before marriage); talk of addictions (pills and porn); moderate+ religious aspect (the references are specific to the LDS church and are relevant to the story (repenting, forgiving, praying, etc).
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given.*
October 8, 2018
Romance, clean; LDS/Christian viewpoint and themes
Contemporary clean romance, the story of Evie, the identical twin sister in T.O. previous novel. Evie finds herself hoping to heal from the hardships of her past and hoping to make restitution for her mistakes. Along the way, she becomes friends with Ridge Dashly, and as they both share parts of themselves, a bit of her heart as well. When Q comes back in the picture, Evie has to decide who is it that truly holds her heart and her in their heart.
Great characters, good discussion of forgiveness, love, redemption, and peace. Lovely family moments, and Evie matures as a character as she decides where her future lies, with school, her family, and her heart. Lovely read, and difficult choice. Faith elements, and definitely Christian/Latter-day Saint themes and topics. Interesting setting and conflict in the novel. Well worth a read.
Contemporary clean romance, the story of Evie, the identical twin sister in T.O. previous novel. Evie finds herself hoping to heal from the hardships of her past and hoping to make restitution for her mistakes. Along the way, she becomes friends with Ridge Dashly, and as they both share parts of themselves, a bit of her heart as well. When Q comes back in the picture, Evie has to decide who is it that truly holds her heart and her in their heart.
Great characters, good discussion of forgiveness, love, redemption, and peace. Lovely family moments, and Evie matures as a character as she decides where her future lies, with school, her family, and her heart. Lovely read, and difficult choice. Faith elements, and definitely Christian/Latter-day Saint themes and topics. Interesting setting and conflict in the novel. Well worth a read.
September 17, 2018
Loved it! A great story that pulls readers in from the first chapter. Ridge and Evie have a love story that is real because Odekirk doesn't serve it up on a silver platter. She shows us their trials and their fears and then has us rooting for them all the way! Highly Recommend.
September 25, 2018
In this companion novel (after Odekirk's debut, LOVE ON POINTE), Evie Jennings is adrift. She's a 24-year-old divorcee who's living with her parents again and dreading returning to an LDS Young Single Adult (YSA) ward. When a chance encounter brings her face-to-face with the LDS Hollywood heartthrob she mooned over as a teen, she can hardly believe it. Even more amazing, he's not the conceited jerk she thought he was. Evie knows Hollywood romances don't last, so why is she pinning all her hopes on this one?
The plot of LOVE UNSCRIPTED is nothing unique or mind-blowing, but the novel features likeable characters dealing with (mostly) realistic issues. I especially like that Odekirk's books show members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acting like real people trying their best to be Godly people, even if they sometimes fall short. With a fun premise, comical banter, and an uplifting, faith-promoting (but not overly preachy or sappy) vibe, this is a clean, entertaining contemporary romance that can be enjoyed by all readers, LDS or not.
See my full review of LOVE UNSCRIPTED here: http://www.blogginboutbooks.com/2018/...
The plot of LOVE UNSCRIPTED is nothing unique or mind-blowing, but the novel features likeable characters dealing with (mostly) realistic issues. I especially like that Odekirk's books show members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints acting like real people trying their best to be Godly people, even if they sometimes fall short. With a fun premise, comical banter, and an uplifting, faith-promoting (but not overly preachy or sappy) vibe, this is a clean, entertaining contemporary romance that can be enjoyed by all readers, LDS or not.
See my full review of LOVE UNSCRIPTED here: http://www.blogginboutbooks.com/2018/...
September 27, 2018
In the sequel to Love on Pointe, Tiffany Odekirk shares a beautiful story of life and happily ever after in her novel Love Unscripted. Odekirk’s tale brings to life how hard life can be. Especially when it doesn’t go exactly how you think it will. But she also shows how joyful and sweet life can be as well. This delightful tale is filled with charming characters that readers will immediately relate to as they come to life from the pages. Odekirk has written a sweet, funny, and enjoyable story that readers of LDS contemporary romance will thoroughly enjoy!
Genre: contemporary, romance, LDS
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Publication date: September 1, 2018
Number of pages: 333
Other books in the series:
Sequel to Love on Pointe
A review copy of this book was provided by Covenant Communications. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
Genre: contemporary, romance, LDS
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Publication date: September 1, 2018
Number of pages: 333
Other books in the series:
Sequel to Love on Pointe
A review copy of this book was provided by Covenant Communications. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.
September 4, 2018
This was a sweet story that had a lot more to it than I was expecting. First of all, I did not realize this would be Emmy’s twin sister’s story, so that was fun. I’m hoping there are more books to come about the Jennings family. There certainly are enough of them! But then also I wasn’t expecting the depth of the characters, and the lessons learned through their journey. Definitely a strong religious influence in this story, which I loved. And the texts were cute. ❤️
November 3, 2018
Loved this book. While technically not a sequel, it does follow the events of Odekirk's 1st book Love on Pointe (which is totally worth a read). This book was a beautiful story of love, forgiveness - and some awesome characters. Dare I hope for Jase's story next? Please 🙏
October 9, 2018
I'm so proud of my good friend Tiffany for doing it again! Such a fun read. Can't wait to share it with Brittany in 14 months!
February 25, 2019
Here's the thing with Ms. Odekirk's books. She seriously has awful main characters and I hate them. But then they have these 'ah ha' moments in their character development and you have to say....I see what you did there Ms. Oderekirk....brilliant! And then you feel guilty for hating the character in the first place. Loved both of her first two books and looking forward to the next one.
September 25, 2018
I enjoyed reading Love Unscripted by Tiffany Odekirk. The story follows Evie's search for forgiveness, friendship, love and acceptance. I haven't read the previous novel, Love on Pointe, so I am not sure if it would change my opinion of Evie or any of the other characters (I have requested it from the library.). Evie struggles to figure out who she is and who she wants to be while fighting the figurative demons from her past. Her past haunts her as she wrestles with forgiving herself. She's a compelling and likeable character. Odekirk is not afraid to show her protaganist's flaws. I especially enjoyed Evie's reception and reaction to the singles ward and her Relief Society sisters. The reactions and descriptions reminded me of my days in a single's branch and ward. It was very relatable and easy to visualize. Ridge Dashly and Evie's brother almost seemed to have too much going for them as far as worldly concerns...wealth and fame. It seemed to be a little unbelievable to have two characters with the world on a silver platter. Overall, I would recommend reading this story if you like romance and LDS fiction. I can't wait to read Love on Pointe and to see what other books Odekirk has in store. (Please note that I received a free copy to review this book, however, my opinion remains my own.)
September 15, 2018
I just finished reading Love Unscripted, and I adored it, which I don’t say lightly! From the first page, I was sucked right into Evie’s world. She feels lost and broken, which I think everyone has felt at some point in their lives. I absolutely loved her and Bridger’s interactions; they were hilarious and fun, and I laughed out loud several times throughout the book. But as they got to know one another, there was also a new depth as they each helped the other overcome their struggles.
I highly recommend this book to readers of LDS fiction looking for a sweet, tender romance about healing, happiness, and finding one’s own path. Tiffany Odekirk is a new go-to author for me, and I plan on going back and reading her first book, Love on Pointe, as soon as I can!
I highly recommend this book to readers of LDS fiction looking for a sweet, tender romance about healing, happiness, and finding one’s own path. Tiffany Odekirk is a new go-to author for me, and I plan on going back and reading her first book, Love on Pointe, as soon as I can!
March 29, 2019
I was intrigued by the story teaser from the back of the book and did not realize until I started reading that this was the sequel to Love on Pointe. This time it is Evie's story we focus on. The story is a complete fairy-tale and yet it actually works. The author bio says she is married to a Broadway star so perhaps she has had a taste of fame and knows how that works, that part of the book is plausible. Where Odekirk is strongest is in her characters and relationships and that really shines, at least with the main characters, the side characters are pretty vague.
Popsugar Challenge 2019: A book with "love" in the title
Popsugar Challenge 2019: A book with "love" in the title
September 28, 2018
Love Unscripted is a beautiful novel, inside and out. It has the draw of a fairy tale type romance (famous actor falling for regular girl), and it also has a lot of depth and a great message about forgiveness. I loved Odekirk's first novel, Love on Pointe, so when this arrived in my mailbox I couldn't help but bump it ahead of several other books. And, I'm happy to say that it didn't disappoint.
Evie is dealing with the aftermath of some bad choices. She's really struggling to love and forgive herself, and to think that others can do the same. She has support, but her guilt and self doubt is screaming so loud that she can't really let that help in. On top of that, she has had to move back in with her parents and start at a new university. A new relationship is the last thing on her mind, but things take an unexpected turn when she meets Ridge Dashly, a famous actor.
Odekirk does an excellent job of creating deep and likable characters. Love Unscripted has a wide range of emotions, and feels very real. It is LDS fiction, but I think it could appeal to anyone interested in a redemption story. This is a companion novel to Love on Pointe, and while it would probably be fine as a standalone novel, I highly recommend reading Love on Pointe first to have a better appreciation of Evie's situation and to learn more about the supporting characters.
Love Unscripted is an excellent, quick read that I'm looking forward to reading again.
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
Evie is dealing with the aftermath of some bad choices. She's really struggling to love and forgive herself, and to think that others can do the same. She has support, but her guilt and self doubt is screaming so loud that she can't really let that help in. On top of that, she has had to move back in with her parents and start at a new university. A new relationship is the last thing on her mind, but things take an unexpected turn when she meets Ridge Dashly, a famous actor.
Odekirk does an excellent job of creating deep and likable characters. Love Unscripted has a wide range of emotions, and feels very real. It is LDS fiction, but I think it could appeal to anyone interested in a redemption story. This is a companion novel to Love on Pointe, and while it would probably be fine as a standalone novel, I highly recommend reading Love on Pointe first to have a better appreciation of Evie's situation and to learn more about the supporting characters.
Love Unscripted is an excellent, quick read that I'm looking forward to reading again.
*I received a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
September 4, 2018
I loved this author's previous book so I couldn't wait to read this one. I noticed the same thing in this novel as I did her last...she is so great at taking a storyline and turning it into a real, heartfelt, sweet story. The character's felt real and their emotions were realistic. I enjoyed the main characters gradual relationship growth. It was also kind of fun to get a bit of a insiders view of celebrity life. Pretty crazy. Loved this sweet book!
September 18, 2018
I loved this book! I expected a light and fun romance but got so much more. Evie and Bridger were deep characters with a lot of heart but also lots of struggles that were real and relatable. The perfect mix of deep emotion mixed with giddiness and swoon. My favorite part might have been their cute texting conversations! The author has an easy, natural voice and now I can’t wait to go and read Love On Pointe.
September 22, 2018
I really liked this book. A book about forgiveness, even if the person who needs it most is you. Evie feels like life changed for her two years ago and she has never been the same.
August 18, 2018
I got to read this book in advance, and I absolutely loved it! Usually LDS contemporary romances make me cringe, but these characters had adorable and realistic chemistry that didn’t feel forced or cheesy. Evie’s personal character arc was so moving that I teared up a few times, and I loved how positive Ridge’s portrayal as a movie star was. I haven’t read Love On Pointe yet, but it’s definitely at the top of my list now! Tiffany Odekirk is a talented author, and I look forward to reading her future works!
December 30, 2018
Loved the book
It was a great story which I thoroughly enjoyed. The characters were entertaining and the description of Hollywood was very informative. Looking forward to the next book.
It was a great story which I thoroughly enjoyed. The characters were entertaining and the description of Hollywood was very informative. Looking forward to the next book.
November 21, 2018
This is the first I have read from this author and thoroughly enjoyed it! I felt the characters emotions in what they were going through. It did have a religious theme but I think it added to the storyline instead of distracting. I will definitely be reading more from this author.
December 6, 2018
I’m still convinced these books should reside with the YA fiction, however, it was a big relief to leave BYU behind and relocate to LA. Loaded with plenty of Church cliches - this remains solidly in place for an LDS market. I’ve always hoped an author will find a way to pull in elements of our faith into stories without being so exclusive. As it happens I felt a lot greater connection to this plot than the previous book. Whether that’s because I’m already invested in Evie’s conflicts or I found Bridger and his situation intriguing, I don’t know. I loved the idea behind an A list actor retaining their faith - and it being high on a priority list. Of how that balance can be struck between personal wishes and a highly intense public profile. The opener with Bridger & Evie in the bathrooms was amusing and just the right ‘kick’ into the story.
There’s a lot of introspection going on with Evie, and if you read the previous book, time needed to resolve the preconceived ideas we already have about her. She redeems herself towards the end, and now we are getting to know her true character. She was surrounded by good people who cared deeply for her. Often we can be our own worst enemy. Our self-esteem can take a massive hit from ourselves. Finally turning a corner and accepting God back in can be so incredible and healing. There’s nothing quite like the peace of knowing that infinite love.
Enjoyable story, hoping that the author is planning on adding 2 more books to this series. Would love to see what happens to both Jase & Drew!
There’s a lot of introspection going on with Evie, and if you read the previous book, time needed to resolve the preconceived ideas we already have about her. She redeems herself towards the end, and now we are getting to know her true character. She was surrounded by good people who cared deeply for her. Often we can be our own worst enemy. Our self-esteem can take a massive hit from ourselves. Finally turning a corner and accepting God back in can be so incredible and healing. There’s nothing quite like the peace of knowing that infinite love.
Enjoyable story, hoping that the author is planning on adding 2 more books to this series. Would love to see what happens to both Jase & Drew!
June 6, 2019
This was the first time I've read a book where the characters are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints. So it was a little weird for me starting off, but there were a lot of things from my young single adult days that it reminded me of and made me laugh glad those days are over. Overall, I liked the interaction between the characters, but I did have some random nitpicking about them. Her older bro Jase is 25 and playing college football? Wouldn't that make it his 8th year of college if he started school @ 18? Plus he will be going on a mission and still be eligible to play when he gets back @27 or 28? Not accurate and it kinda bugged me but I did like his story arc and I feel like she could make a book about him in the series. Maybe even retcon the inaccuracy by saying he won't be playing college football when he returns. I also was surprised that evie was 24 and starting her 7th(?) Year of college. How has she not graduated I didn't read Love On Pointe so I don't know her full college history. But I was reading and thinking how is their still money in her college fund? I guess I'll have to read the 1st book to get some answers.
January 9, 2022
This was a super good sequel! The characters were well developed and had real challenges even if they did annoy me at times. I really enjoyed the plot line and romance even if it did drag at times. The only part I struggled with was when Evie thought they couldn’t be together, because they always could even if he was famous. This is probably one of my new favorite books it is uplifting and relatable, I would definitely reread and recommend to my friends looking for a wholesome quick read! I thank Tiffany Odekirk for creating lasting and refreshing characters!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 8, 2021
This book was enjoyable, but not a personal favorite. I felt like the writing was pretty repetitive. There were multiple phrases used by characters over and over with the exact same phrasing. I also thought the ending was WAY too drawn out.
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