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Varsity Girlfriends #2
Off Center
I knew exactly what I wanted out of my senior year.
A full ride to Northwestern University, the title of American High School Journalist of the year,
and a kiss, not just any kiss, but one from the boy I've been in love with since the sixth grade.
By October, my plan was fully in motion with liplock by Christmas Imminent. Imminent, that was, until Andie Mercantile moved to Marlowe Junction, swooping both my beat and my man.
Now, I'm stuck writing the sports column--a subject I know nothing about. My goals aren't unobtainable, but they will take a lot more work. Just because a sports writer has never won journalist of the year before, doesn't mean it can't be done. And as for the kissing part, I'm not counting myself out just yet.
After all, maybe learning a bit about competition is just what I need.
Off Center is the second book in the Varsity Girlfriends series.
A full ride to Northwestern University, the title of American High School Journalist of the year,
and a kiss, not just any kiss, but one from the boy I've been in love with since the sixth grade.
By October, my plan was fully in motion with liplock by Christmas Imminent. Imminent, that was, until Andie Mercantile moved to Marlowe Junction, swooping both my beat and my man.
Now, I'm stuck writing the sports column--a subject I know nothing about. My goals aren't unobtainable, but they will take a lot more work. Just because a sports writer has never won journalist of the year before, doesn't mean it can't be done. And as for the kissing part, I'm not counting myself out just yet.
After all, maybe learning a bit about competition is just what I need.
Off Center is the second book in the Varsity Girlfriends series.
232 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 12, 2019
145 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
December 23, 2020
This was my first book in the series, although there are three more (Courtside Crush, Rebound Boyfriend, and Game Plan).
Lane Crawford is determined to win the American High School Journalist of the Year Award which will surely help her get a scholarship to study in her dream college. She loves everything related to her school newspaper and writing articles. She's also had a long-tem crush on Elliot Lambert, their new editor. There's nothing more she would like than for her first ever kiss (yes, she is seventeen and has never been kissed) to be with this adorable nerd. She has plenty ideas which are bound to get his interest and make him want to spend more time together which is clearly the way to his heart.
Unfortunately, things go totally wrong during the first brainstorming session. Lane's idea for an article on cheerleaders gets rejected. Even worse than that, Elliot clearly shows his interest in Andie, the new girl who shot down Lane's idea, and Lane somehow gets assigned the worst possible section - she is to cover the sports section, more specifically, the boys basketball team, notorious for their 'lacklustre performance'. How on earth is she going to do that? The new girl might have unwittingly stolen the coveted news beat, but she is nothing if not helpful. Andie suggests writing a series of articles on the starting five, and Lane finds an unexpected ally as well. Hunter Mackey, the gentle giant, agrees to help Lane understand basketball and his team better.
As Lane continues writing her e-mails to her best friend Jillie, her feelings begin to change. Is it possible that Elliot is using her crush for his own purposes? or that she is falling for Mackey who always makes her feel listened to and seen like nobody else? Is she fair refusing to help Andie who wants to write an article on a topic so special to Lane that she thinks noone can do it justice? and how do you survive a Thanksgiving weekend with your Dad and his new family?
To say that I liked Lane is an understatement. I loved her honesty and her ability to look at her own actions and admit she was wrong. She is fiercely loyal to her amazing Mom, but is also kind and supportive of her little half-sister. She is also trying to deal with the fact that she misses her best friend so much and isn't ready to make a new one. She is passionate about journalism and her newspaper assignments. Mackey's job as the center of his team is to defend and protect, and well...he does it perfectly with his quiet strength and unassuming attitude. Am I going to givethe story away if I tell you that Lane does get her perfect kiss in the end?
Off Center is a super quick read, perfect for anyone who likes clean, high school romance.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the review copy. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.
Lane Crawford is determined to win the American High School Journalist of the Year Award which will surely help her get a scholarship to study in her dream college. She loves everything related to her school newspaper and writing articles. She's also had a long-tem crush on Elliot Lambert, their new editor. There's nothing more she would like than for her first ever kiss (yes, she is seventeen and has never been kissed) to be with this adorable nerd. She has plenty ideas which are bound to get his interest and make him want to spend more time together which is clearly the way to his heart.
Unfortunately, things go totally wrong during the first brainstorming session. Lane's idea for an article on cheerleaders gets rejected. Even worse than that, Elliot clearly shows his interest in Andie, the new girl who shot down Lane's idea, and Lane somehow gets assigned the worst possible section - she is to cover the sports section, more specifically, the boys basketball team, notorious for their 'lacklustre performance'. How on earth is she going to do that? The new girl might have unwittingly stolen the coveted news beat, but she is nothing if not helpful. Andie suggests writing a series of articles on the starting five, and Lane finds an unexpected ally as well. Hunter Mackey, the gentle giant, agrees to help Lane understand basketball and his team better.
As Lane continues writing her e-mails to her best friend Jillie, her feelings begin to change. Is it possible that Elliot is using her crush for his own purposes? or that she is falling for Mackey who always makes her feel listened to and seen like nobody else? Is she fair refusing to help Andie who wants to write an article on a topic so special to Lane that she thinks noone can do it justice? and how do you survive a Thanksgiving weekend with your Dad and his new family?
To say that I liked Lane is an understatement. I loved her honesty and her ability to look at her own actions and admit she was wrong. She is fiercely loyal to her amazing Mom, but is also kind and supportive of her little half-sister. She is also trying to deal with the fact that she misses her best friend so much and isn't ready to make a new one. She is passionate about journalism and her newspaper assignments. Mackey's job as the center of his team is to defend and protect, and well...he does it perfectly with his quiet strength and unassuming attitude. Am I going to givethe story away if I tell you that Lane does get her perfect kiss in the end?
Off Center is a super quick read, perfect for anyone who likes clean, high school romance.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the review copy. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.
May 30, 2019
um did I just give this five stars? yes, yes I did. Wowza I did not see that coming but this was so cute and kind of perfect??
March 30, 2019
*3.5 stars*
This is a cute friends to lovers clean teen romance. Lane, the main heroine, was an overachiever, type A person who had her whole life planned out, but she was also funny, thoughtful and a great writer. She needed help with a journalism assignment and Hunter Mackey stepped in to help point her in the right direction. She had really never noticed him before, but they quickly became friends which eventually turned into more.
I thought it was a sweet book. I didn’t like it quite as much as the first book in the series; this is still a standalone though. I did like getting to see some characters from the previous book. Lane’s character was very well developed, but I did struggle with her character for most of the book. She was just too set in her own ways and hard to like. The other characters I didn’t feel like I really got to know much about them. Lane did have some family issues going on which added to the story. I loved her amazing mom! And her dad definitely showed some growth throughout the book. Also, Lane wrote emails to Jillie from the beginning, and there was a little bit of a mystery to this. We did finally get some answers in the end, but I still have a lot of questions.
If you like clean teen romances, you will enjoy this one. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
* ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
This is a cute friends to lovers clean teen romance. Lane, the main heroine, was an overachiever, type A person who had her whole life planned out, but she was also funny, thoughtful and a great writer. She needed help with a journalism assignment and Hunter Mackey stepped in to help point her in the right direction. She had really never noticed him before, but they quickly became friends which eventually turned into more.
I thought it was a sweet book. I didn’t like it quite as much as the first book in the series; this is still a standalone though. I did like getting to see some characters from the previous book. Lane’s character was very well developed, but I did struggle with her character for most of the book. She was just too set in her own ways and hard to like. The other characters I didn’t feel like I really got to know much about them. Lane did have some family issues going on which added to the story. I loved her amazing mom! And her dad definitely showed some growth throughout the book. Also, Lane wrote emails to Jillie from the beginning, and there was a little bit of a mystery to this. We did finally get some answers in the end, but I still have a lot of questions.
If you like clean teen romances, you will enjoy this one. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
* ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
March 13, 2019
Once again, I have to start off by saying how much I love the covers this series has! I need them all in my bookcase! In this case, the story is just as good as its cover. Off Center follows Lane, who has planned her whole senior year! She's three goals away from a perfect senior year.
Like most cases, her goals don't go according to plan. Lane thinks all is going according to plan until a new girl moves to town. When she ends up writing the sports column, she sees her dreams fading! She knows nothing about basketball, so how is she going to survive the year?
I know nothing about basketball, so it was fun to learn along with Lane and see how she described things. I think I loved this the most, because in the end it wasn't even about the sport, but about the players on the team. The author did an amazing job showing us what this sport meant to everyone and how close the team was. Maybe the friendships made are even more important than the sport.
Lane has more on her mind than just the newspaper. There are certain things we don't learn until later on, but I think she's stronger than she realizes. I didn't quite understand why she pushed Andie away until later on, but in the end it made a lot of sense. I love the relationship she has with her mother (it's awesome her mother writes romance books, haha) and even the problematic relationship with her Dad was relatable. I was really impressed how she solved everything in the end. I hope we read about her more in the next books.
After reading about Jackson in Courtside Crush, I really thought he was be on top for my favorite, but Mackey is giving him a challenge. Mackey was a character that really left a smile on my face! He's not your typical jock. He's so sweet!! He cares for his team and will do anything to help them.
The romance in this book was really sweet. It wasn't instalove and time even passed before Lane realized what was going on. I would've loved a chapter from Mackey near the end. He's definitely on the bookboyfriend list. I can't wait for the next installment in this series.
Like most cases, her goals don't go according to plan. Lane thinks all is going according to plan until a new girl moves to town. When she ends up writing the sports column, she sees her dreams fading! She knows nothing about basketball, so how is she going to survive the year?
I know nothing about basketball, so it was fun to learn along with Lane and see how she described things. I think I loved this the most, because in the end it wasn't even about the sport, but about the players on the team. The author did an amazing job showing us what this sport meant to everyone and how close the team was. Maybe the friendships made are even more important than the sport.
Lane has more on her mind than just the newspaper. There are certain things we don't learn until later on, but I think she's stronger than she realizes. I didn't quite understand why she pushed Andie away until later on, but in the end it made a lot of sense. I love the relationship she has with her mother (it's awesome her mother writes romance books, haha) and even the problematic relationship with her Dad was relatable. I was really impressed how she solved everything in the end. I hope we read about her more in the next books.
After reading about Jackson in Courtside Crush, I really thought he was be on top for my favorite, but Mackey is giving him a challenge. Mackey was a character that really left a smile on my face! He's not your typical jock. He's so sweet!! He cares for his team and will do anything to help them.
The romance in this book was really sweet. It wasn't instalove and time even passed before Lane realized what was going on. I would've loved a chapter from Mackey near the end. He's definitely on the bookboyfriend list. I can't wait for the next installment in this series.
May 15, 2019
Off Center is the second book in the Varsity Girlfriends serie and this one is written by M.F. Lorson. This was my first book by this author and I really liked it. Lane and Mackey are so cute together.
March 13, 2019
I enjoyed this book! It is a sweet teen romance that also touches on some deeper issues. I loved the changing relationship between Lane and Andie and Mackey was such a sweetheart! I appreciated the slight references to the first book in the series and the consistency of the setting of Marlowe Junction.
December 31, 2019
Off Center is a fun, YA read that explores the drama of high school newsrooms and sports teams. Seventeen-year-old student journalist Lane has her life planned out until an unexpected move to the sports beat on her school newspaper has her spending more time with the boys’ basketball team than with the editor in chief she has a crush on. She's a relatable character who tries her best to deal with the challenges life throws at her, often using humor as a way to cover up her disappointment.
The student journalism and sports coverage in Off Center is realistically portrayed, from the sting of having a story pitch get rejected in a newsroom meeting to the struggle of getting print-worthy quotes out of high school jocks. The romance is cute as Lane tries to decide between two guys she’s interested in: Elliot, the editor in chief she’s had a crush on for six years, or Mackey, the basketball player who is helping her improve her sports writing.
A fun Marlowe Junction Easter egg in this book is Peter Hunt, a teacher at Lane’s school who is dating her mom. He previously appeared as a teenager attending the school in M.F. Lorson’s Stage Kiss, the first book in the Mountain Creek Drive series, which takes place in the early 2000s.
I would recommend checking out Off Center and the Varsity Girlfriends series.
The student journalism and sports coverage in Off Center is realistically portrayed, from the sting of having a story pitch get rejected in a newsroom meeting to the struggle of getting print-worthy quotes out of high school jocks. The romance is cute as Lane tries to decide between two guys she’s interested in: Elliot, the editor in chief she’s had a crush on for six years, or Mackey, the basketball player who is helping her improve her sports writing.
A fun Marlowe Junction Easter egg in this book is Peter Hunt, a teacher at Lane’s school who is dating her mom. He previously appeared as a teenager attending the school in M.F. Lorson’s Stage Kiss, the first book in the Mountain Creek Drive series, which takes place in the early 2000s.
I would recommend checking out Off Center and the Varsity Girlfriends series.
October 5, 2019
This was just the book i need to help pull me from my slump. Took me a while to be able to actually sit down and read due to life getting in the way but once i finally had a day off with no errands to do, i devoured it.
Mackey was a huge reason i couldnt stop reading. He is the total boy any girl should want in her life. He goes above and beyond and its so dang cute!!
Lane was also a pleasure to read. Most female leads are really annoying and make you wanna smack them but that wasnt the case with her. She makes mistakes just like anyone but her reactions to them were real and i loved that about her.
Every page i read i felt i was there experiencing it first hand instead of reading it. That is how i know the writing is good, when i lift my head up from my book to have to adjust to realizing its not real and im still in my own house.
Everything about this book was a pure treasure and i am so glad i picked it up. I had to order a hardcopy just to put on my shelf. The emotions will suck you in as well as just the characters themselves. And the blossoming romance is one that is swoon worthy and will leave a big grin on your face even hours after finishing the last page.
Mackey was a huge reason i couldnt stop reading. He is the total boy any girl should want in her life. He goes above and beyond and its so dang cute!!
Lane was also a pleasure to read. Most female leads are really annoying and make you wanna smack them but that wasnt the case with her. She makes mistakes just like anyone but her reactions to them were real and i loved that about her.
Every page i read i felt i was there experiencing it first hand instead of reading it. That is how i know the writing is good, when i lift my head up from my book to have to adjust to realizing its not real and im still in my own house.
Everything about this book was a pure treasure and i am so glad i picked it up. I had to order a hardcopy just to put on my shelf. The emotions will suck you in as well as just the characters themselves. And the blossoming romance is one that is swoon worthy and will leave a big grin on your face even hours after finishing the last page.
May 17, 2020
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher, via NetGalley. This in no way impacted on my view.
I had really enjoyed the first book in this series, Courtside Crush, and when this one became available to request, I immediately did. In Off Center, we follow Lane as she joins the school's paper, and hopes to use her articles to win American High School Journalist of the Year. When the new girl, Andie, turns up, Lane is bumped down to the sports column, and now has to write about teams, and games, that she knows absolutely nothing about. Luckily, Hunter Mackey is on hand to help her, and and she just might be able to get her goals back on track.
This book was definitely cute and a quick read. I liked Lane, and her romance with Hunter, and was invested in them getting together. Again, this is about basketball, which I still don't know much about, but I liked how it was explored by someone who, like me, didn't know the sport, and with someone who did know it. Though not as enjoyable a book as Courtside Crush, definitely one I'm glad I read.
I had really enjoyed the first book in this series, Courtside Crush, and when this one became available to request, I immediately did. In Off Center, we follow Lane as she joins the school's paper, and hopes to use her articles to win American High School Journalist of the Year. When the new girl, Andie, turns up, Lane is bumped down to the sports column, and now has to write about teams, and games, that she knows absolutely nothing about. Luckily, Hunter Mackey is on hand to help her, and and she just might be able to get her goals back on track.
This book was definitely cute and a quick read. I liked Lane, and her romance with Hunter, and was invested in them getting together. Again, this is about basketball, which I still don't know much about, but I liked how it was explored by someone who, like me, didn't know the sport, and with someone who did know it. Though not as enjoyable a book as Courtside Crush, definitely one I'm glad I read.
March 7, 2019
Off Center is a sweet contemporary about Lane an inspiring journalist that's thrown into a sports writer position that she knows nothing about. She knows exactly what she wants and plans to make it happen. She is organized, driven and quirky. All is going according to plan until she meets Mackey and her turns everything she thought she wanted upside down. This is such a sweet story. my only issue is towards the end we are thrown a huge curve ball, and not given anytime to adjust to this information. I feel like this big event was just brushed over, which was disappointing. I don't want to spoil anything but it left me with unanswered questions, which I hate. Overall Off Center is a sweet story about a girl going after her dreams. I really enjoyed it.
September 23, 2022
2.5 Stars
This is the second book in the series, it takes place in the same high school and we do actually meet the characters from the first book which was weird since it is written by a different author so thats cool.. but I really didn't like the book in the general
The story is about Lane, she wants to be a journalist and she has a massive crush on the editor chief of her school's newspaper, but a new girl comes to the school and ruin her plans to finally confess her crush to him, because he actually likes the new girl, so Lane gets assigned to be cover the worst division in her opinion .. Basket Ball team, she doesn't know anything about the sport so Hunter Mackey swoops in to save the day, he is a member in the team and he is ready to be her in to a great article .. but their feelings grows deeper with time
I really liked the idea it seemed really interesting, but there was really no need for cramming this much drama in what is meant to be a really fluffy book set in high school, even the ending left me so underwhelmed
I will continue with this series since each book is written by a different author and hopefully I will find one that I like
This is the second book in the series, it takes place in the same high school and we do actually meet the characters from the first book which was weird since it is written by a different author so thats cool.. but I really didn't like the book in the general
The story is about Lane, she wants to be a journalist and she has a massive crush on the editor chief of her school's newspaper, but a new girl comes to the school and ruin her plans to finally confess her crush to him, because he actually likes the new girl, so Lane gets assigned to be cover the worst division in her opinion .. Basket Ball team, she doesn't know anything about the sport so Hunter Mackey swoops in to save the day, he is a member in the team and he is ready to be her in to a great article .. but their feelings grows deeper with time
I really liked the idea it seemed really interesting, but there was really no need for cramming this much drama in what is meant to be a really fluffy book set in high school, even the ending left me so underwhelmed
I will continue with this series since each book is written by a different author and hopefully I will find one that I like
March 16, 2019
Another quick read from the Varsity Girlfriends series. I thought it was interesting that this book was set around the same time as the first book so events that happened in the first book were happening during this story. I wasn't really expecting that. I thought this would be set after the first book and you would hear about the couple that got together at the end of the first one. It was still interesting how it was written.
Honestly this is definitely a basketball story and I am not to into sports so I was skimming paragraphs sometimes when they were talking about basketball. I loved the characters though and that you were given a different point of view about some of the characters so you would see them in a different but better light. I hope Anderson gets his own story eventually so you can see him in a different light and hope that he doesn't stay a jerk. I liked Mackey as a person/character. I kinda thought this story went a little fast though because Lane and Mackey seemed to not know each other in the beginning and Lane was supposed to end up with another guy. Then her article for the school paper brought her and Mackey closer together. This was also kind of a sad story so things were happening to more characters than just the main character. I thought it was kinda interesting though how Mackey didn't mention the article about Jillie or anything to do with her even though it was clearly something happening in Lane's life and was affecting her.
I enjoyed this book though and was able to read it in about a day. I'm curious to see what happens in the rest of the series and who ends up with who. I'm glad I was able to get an early copy of this for my honest review.
Honestly this is definitely a basketball story and I am not to into sports so I was skimming paragraphs sometimes when they were talking about basketball. I loved the characters though and that you were given a different point of view about some of the characters so you would see them in a different but better light. I hope Anderson gets his own story eventually so you can see him in a different light and hope that he doesn't stay a jerk. I liked Mackey as a person/character. I kinda thought this story went a little fast though because Lane and Mackey seemed to not know each other in the beginning and Lane was supposed to end up with another guy. Then her article for the school paper brought her and Mackey closer together. This was also kind of a sad story so things were happening to more characters than just the main character. I thought it was kinda interesting though how Mackey didn't mention the article about Jillie or anything to do with her even though it was clearly something happening in Lane's life and was affecting her.
I enjoyed this book though and was able to read it in about a day. I'm curious to see what happens in the rest of the series and who ends up with who. I'm glad I was able to get an early copy of this for my honest review.
March 21, 2019
I absolutely loved this book! This is book #2 in the Varsity Girlfriend's series, and much like the 1st book, this one was such a great read. 17 year-old high school senior Lane is extremely organized, super driven, a planner and an aspiring journalist. When her crush since middle school, Elliott, becomes the new editor of their school newspaper, Lane sees it as an opportunity to get close to him. Elliott saddles Lane with becoming the new sports writer, a subject she knows zero about. While on her new assignment, Lane meets Mackey, a basketball player, who helps her out with writing her column. Somewhere along the way, she begins to have feelings for Mackey and must figure out who she wants to be with, all while trying to navigate the many challenges life seems to be throwing in her way. I felt every one of Lane's emotions and that's when you know the pages you are reading are filled with something amazing. Grab a copy of this book quickly and read it to see how it all comes together; It's soooooo good!!!!
March 9, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. I felt like the main character, Lane, was very likeable and funny. Although it was mostly lighthearted, there were some serious matters discussed, which brought out some real emotions, but it was an overall happy read.
I would recommend this book and the series in general. I can't wait for the next book.
I would recommend this book and the series in general. I can't wait for the next book.
July 25, 2021
This was a really cute, really well done story. Told exclusively in Lane's 1st person POV (halleluiah!!!) I've read too many subpar/bad self-published books lately that I'd decided if this one sucked, I was swearing them off for a while. This one did not suck. At all. It had a lot of editing errors due to it being self-published (I assume), but even those didn't detract from the cuteness of this YA novel.
I actually really liked Lane's character. Despite being really judgmental (more on that later), she was confident in a way that isn't seen in FMC in YA, and I, for one, LOVED it. I loved when she stood up to Elliot. I loved that confrontation and that she took it head on. I loved Mackey's character. I liked that he wasn't super confident around Lane; he had his flaws and that came across as way more realistic than I've read lately. I also loved that she was given the sports section--a topic she knew nothing about. (But how did she not know what her school's biggest rival team was???) I liked Andi and that budding friendship so much. It's a tough subject to write about--a new kid in school and befriending them. Made tougher when Lane thought Andi was stealing Elliot's affections. And yet the author did such a good job with the give and take that this plot line needed.
I wasn't a fan of Lane's "love" of Elliot because I hate when authors use that trope of "I've loved him since blah blah blah." I had tonnnnssss of crushes in high school. I never ever would've described them as "love". I just hate that.
Some issues:
*The grammatical errors. OMG the grammatical errors. Whoever copyedited this book...
*If Marlow Junction has 20k people in it, there's more than 1k kids in the high school. I know--I grew up going to a high school that had roughly 1k students, but the town's population was closer to 10k than 20k. And that included the surrounding farm towns. I know this is small and suuuper nitpicky and no one else will care because it does not affect the story. But it stood out to me.
*Lane is really judgmental. Really. She owns it, and I think she knows it, but like...it's 2021 (or 2019 when this was published) and aren't we done shaming cheerleaders for being cheerleaders? Aren't we done with the Taylor Swift mockeries? Aren't we done with any type of slut shaming, especially when the KIDS are 16/17 years old?
*Only a couple times did Lane's dialogue come across as super cringe and clearly written by an adult, but it did happen.
*Then there was hyper judgmental combined with super cringe:
*Minor inconsistencies that could've been Googled: 1. Lane wouldn't have known she got into Northwestern until closer to Christmas because of how they do their decision making. She would've had to apply early decision or early action to know this early. 2. Basketball season doesn't start in August/September like school does. Basketball doesn't start until closer to Thanksgiving.
*Lane went from not knowing that her school even had a rival in sports to saying things like "[Mackey was] setting screens as his teammates slithered around him or boxing out the opposition by...knocking them away from the backboard so he could secure the rebound when they missed." Wut. Where was the editor to catch that advanced sports knowledge language???
*Speaking of Where Was the Editor...Lane specifically tells Andi she hasn't told Mackey that she freaked out because she hadn't kissed anyone yet, BUT Mackey then says, "And you don't mind that your first kiss will be with a dumb jock..." How did he know that? She never told him. The reader never saw him find out.
*Jillie's storyline. 1. I wasn't aware I was signing up for a "heavy" B plot. 2. It needed to be developed more (better?) than it was because not only did it feel like a plot device, it felt too convenient.
All-in-all, this is a super cute book that you should 100% pick up. It's YA, it's romance, it's well done, it's entirely 1st person, single POV, and it is just charming. Charming enough to read again--if you can get past all the editorial mistakes that were left in. I can't wait to see what this author does in the future because it can only get better from here!!
I actually really liked Lane's character. Despite being really judgmental (more on that later), she was confident in a way that isn't seen in FMC in YA, and I, for one, LOVED it. I loved when she stood up to Elliot. I loved that confrontation and that she took it head on. I loved Mackey's character. I liked that he wasn't super confident around Lane; he had his flaws and that came across as way more realistic than I've read lately. I also loved that she was given the sports section--a topic she knew nothing about. (But how did she not know what her school's biggest rival team was???) I liked Andi and that budding friendship so much. It's a tough subject to write about--a new kid in school and befriending them. Made tougher when Lane thought Andi was stealing Elliot's affections. And yet the author did such a good job with the give and take that this plot line needed.
I wasn't a fan of Lane's "love" of Elliot because I hate when authors use that trope of "I've loved him since blah blah blah." I had tonnnnssss of crushes in high school. I never ever would've described them as "love". I just hate that.
"...what the heck was wrong with me? I was totally and completely in love with Elliot."Ugh. Gag me. And then Mackey was super nice and clearly flirting, and she realizes this, but then also is all "I had no intention of hooking up with Mackey, and I was pretty sure he wasn't interested in me either." GIRL. It seemed to be inconsistent with her character. I also wasn't buying that she "saved" her first kiss because the school always had mono go around. It was funny, but in an unbelievable way.
Some issues:
*The grammatical errors. OMG the grammatical errors. Whoever copyedited this book...
*If Marlow Junction has 20k people in it, there's more than 1k kids in the high school. I know--I grew up going to a high school that had roughly 1k students, but the town's population was closer to 10k than 20k. And that included the surrounding farm towns. I know this is small and suuuper nitpicky and no one else will care because it does not affect the story. But it stood out to me.
*Lane is really judgmental. Really. She owns it, and I think she knows it, but like...it's 2021 (or 2019 when this was published) and aren't we done shaming cheerleaders for being cheerleaders? Aren't we done with the Taylor Swift mockeries? Aren't we done with any type of slut shaming, especially when the KIDS are 16/17 years old?
"I am like one artificially flavored mocha protein shake away from making Taylor Swift feel bad about herself in a bikini."
"She was just a gossip who used her press pass as a license to ask people annoyingly personal questions."
"Charli's Halloween costume in the video could be be described as, where has the rest of your outfit gone?"
*Only a couple times did Lane's dialogue come across as super cringe and clearly written by an adult, but it did happen.
"...explain why you look so foxy."Both said to her mom.
"...you saucy cougar."
*Then there was hyper judgmental combined with super cringe:
"This was the Anderson Webb I expected. He had about as much respect for women as male congressmembers did."
*Minor inconsistencies that could've been Googled: 1. Lane wouldn't have known she got into Northwestern until closer to Christmas because of how they do their decision making. She would've had to apply early decision or early action to know this early. 2. Basketball season doesn't start in August/September like school does. Basketball doesn't start until closer to Thanksgiving.
*Lane went from not knowing that her school even had a rival in sports to saying things like "[Mackey was] setting screens as his teammates slithered around him or boxing out the opposition by...knocking them away from the backboard so he could secure the rebound when they missed." Wut. Where was the editor to catch that advanced sports knowledge language???
*Speaking of Where Was the Editor...Lane specifically tells Andi she hasn't told Mackey that she freaked out because she hadn't kissed anyone yet, BUT Mackey then says, "And you don't mind that your first kiss will be with a dumb jock..." How did he know that? She never told him. The reader never saw him find out.
*Jillie's storyline. 1. I wasn't aware I was signing up for a "heavy" B plot. 2. It needed to be developed more (better?) than it was because not only did it feel like a plot device, it felt too convenient.
All-in-all, this is a super cute book that you should 100% pick up. It's YA, it's romance, it's well done, it's entirely 1st person, single POV, and it is just charming. Charming enough to read again--if you can get past all the editorial mistakes that were left in. I can't wait to see what this author does in the future because it can only get better from here!!
May 5, 2019
Off Center is the second book in the Varsity Girlfriends series and the second one I’ve read, albeit out of order.
Lane Crawford has a plan. She wants three things to happen for her this final year of high school. She wants to get a scholarship to Northwestern University, win American High School Journalist of the Year and have her first kiss, with Editor-in-Chief Elliot Lambert.
She begins the year by meeting a new student, Andie and seeing her in class for the paper too.
Her first disappointment comes when she is not given the news section of the school paper (thanks to Andie) but boys basketball instead.
Enter Hunter Mackey. Extremely tall yearbook editor (the newspapers natural enemy) who also happens to play center for the school basketball team. He takes Lane under his wing and introduces her to the other players and helps her get the game.
Lane begins to have feelings and simultaneously deny them because Hunter Mackey isn’t who she wants to kiss her.
Elliot takes advantage of Lane for much of the book. Maybe he knows about her feelings for him, maybe he overestimates his sex appeal, but either way he manipulates Lane into performing duties only the editor should perform.
Out of the blue Andie tells Lane she is writing an article about Jillie and Lane sees red. This sets off a chain of events that lead Lane to finally finding her voice and backbone and her first kiss.
When Mackey is teasing Lane about being short there is a missing word, and again when Lane's Mom is talking about chaperoning the homecoming dance.
When they talk about the former editor having mono and being out for an indeterminate amount of time, I wondered if she was pregnant and this was a clever ruse.
Lane is a great character. When she is talking to the reader, writing to her bff Jillie or talking to her Mom.
Toward other people she is a little standoffish and keeps her funny, acerbic thoughts to herself.
When Elliot turned down her idea for an expose on the cheerleaders because it could be construed as nasty then asked her to write a scathing article about athlete entitlement I so wanted her to say what she was thinking.
I like her relationship with her Mom. They act like friends, but you can see her Mom is still a Mom. And every teen navigating the tumultuous world of dating needs a good, reliable sounding board. Her relationship with her father is understandable and it’s nice he finally woke up to himself.
By chapter 12 I had a feeling Jillie was dead. Once this was confirmed, I empathised with Lanes anger at this new girl writing an article about Lane’s best friend and her death. The fact that Andie lost her father to cancer doesn’t qualify her to write about someone she didn’t know, no matter how they tried to justify it to Lane. Elliot should have asked Lane to write it and Jillie’s Mom shouldn’t have spoken to Andie about Lane and Jillie’s friendship without Lane’s permission. Lane was fully justified in her emotions.
The ending was both great, with her first kiss, and bittersweet with the final letter to Jillie.
#OffCenter #NetGalley
Lane Crawford has a plan. She wants three things to happen for her this final year of high school. She wants to get a scholarship to Northwestern University, win American High School Journalist of the Year and have her first kiss, with Editor-in-Chief Elliot Lambert.
She begins the year by meeting a new student, Andie and seeing her in class for the paper too.
Her first disappointment comes when she is not given the news section of the school paper (thanks to Andie) but boys basketball instead.
Enter Hunter Mackey. Extremely tall yearbook editor (the newspapers natural enemy) who also happens to play center for the school basketball team. He takes Lane under his wing and introduces her to the other players and helps her get the game.
Lane begins to have feelings and simultaneously deny them because Hunter Mackey isn’t who she wants to kiss her.
Elliot takes advantage of Lane for much of the book. Maybe he knows about her feelings for him, maybe he overestimates his sex appeal, but either way he manipulates Lane into performing duties only the editor should perform.
Out of the blue Andie tells Lane she is writing an article about Jillie and Lane sees red. This sets off a chain of events that lead Lane to finally finding her voice and backbone and her first kiss.
When Mackey is teasing Lane about being short there is a missing word, and again when Lane's Mom is talking about chaperoning the homecoming dance.
When they talk about the former editor having mono and being out for an indeterminate amount of time, I wondered if she was pregnant and this was a clever ruse.
Lane is a great character. When she is talking to the reader, writing to her bff Jillie or talking to her Mom.
Toward other people she is a little standoffish and keeps her funny, acerbic thoughts to herself.
When Elliot turned down her idea for an expose on the cheerleaders because it could be construed as nasty then asked her to write a scathing article about athlete entitlement I so wanted her to say what she was thinking.
I like her relationship with her Mom. They act like friends, but you can see her Mom is still a Mom. And every teen navigating the tumultuous world of dating needs a good, reliable sounding board. Her relationship with her father is understandable and it’s nice he finally woke up to himself.
By chapter 12 I had a feeling Jillie was dead. Once this was confirmed, I empathised with Lanes anger at this new girl writing an article about Lane’s best friend and her death. The fact that Andie lost her father to cancer doesn’t qualify her to write about someone she didn’t know, no matter how they tried to justify it to Lane. Elliot should have asked Lane to write it and Jillie’s Mom shouldn’t have spoken to Andie about Lane and Jillie’s friendship without Lane’s permission. Lane was fully justified in her emotions.
The ending was both great, with her first kiss, and bittersweet with the final letter to Jillie.
#OffCenter #NetGalley
June 5, 2019
I enjoyed this addition to the Varsity Girlfriends series. It was nice seeing Charlie and Preston again. And to see more of the whole basketball team.
It was clearly written by a different author. I am not quite sure how I feel about that. My biggest issue with this was the drastic change we saw in Anderson. I guess I should not think of him completely has enemy #1 and I should subscribe to "there's good in everyone" mentality. But he was so rude, immature and downright mean to Charlie in the last book. The bullying and social media crap he pulled was not okay. So making him seem human in this book was tough for me.
I enjoyed Lane but I did not feel like we got a whole lot of depth to her character. Yes, we saw her progress and grow in regards to friends and her feelings, but I just felt like something was missing.
I feel similar with Mackey. He honestly was in maybe half the book. Which I do not think is a whole lot for a romance story. I loved Mackey; he was so sweet and helpful. I really wish we got more of him.
Elliott. What to say about Elliott? I love a good love triangle. And I do like that Lane realized for herself how Elliott was treating her. I could tell from the minute he put Lane on the sports job I was not going to like him.
Andie and Lane had an interesting friendship. I think it was good for Lane but I wonder if their friendship will last. They went through so many ups and downs at the beginning that I question if they will ever truly trust each other.
I really disliked how the paper wrote about Jillie. First off, I wonder if the school would and should even approve an article about her, especially knowing it would upset students. Secondly, giving the article to Andie was completely wrong; as Lane said, she did not even know Jillie.
I think overall I just wanted more. More of Lane and Mackey. They had a great, natural connection when they were together. I wanted to see them open up to each other. Lane needed someone to be there for her. She should have opened up to Mackey about the kiss. And he would have been a great support about the whole Jillie article. I think that would have been a great way for them to reconnect.
I would have liked more with Lane and her father and his family too. How do they get along now? What about her half-sister?
While I understand that Lane may be the girlfriend of a varsity player, it makes it seem that she's just the girlfriend of a varsity player. She's so much more. I just think being a "varsity girlfriend's" story would mean that she is a varsity player.
One very small thing that bothered me was Jillie’s last name. Many times it was mentioned to be Jones but in one chapter it said Wolverton. Not anything important or really noticeable, but annoying.
Very cute book. Easy read with fun characters.
It was clearly written by a different author. I am not quite sure how I feel about that. My biggest issue with this was the drastic change we saw in Anderson. I guess I should not think of him completely has enemy #1 and I should subscribe to "there's good in everyone" mentality. But he was so rude, immature and downright mean to Charlie in the last book. The bullying and social media crap he pulled was not okay. So making him seem human in this book was tough for me.
I enjoyed Lane but I did not feel like we got a whole lot of depth to her character. Yes, we saw her progress and grow in regards to friends and her feelings, but I just felt like something was missing.
I feel similar with Mackey. He honestly was in maybe half the book. Which I do not think is a whole lot for a romance story. I loved Mackey; he was so sweet and helpful. I really wish we got more of him.
Elliott. What to say about Elliott? I love a good love triangle. And I do like that Lane realized for herself how Elliott was treating her. I could tell from the minute he put Lane on the sports job I was not going to like him.
Andie and Lane had an interesting friendship. I think it was good for Lane but I wonder if their friendship will last. They went through so many ups and downs at the beginning that I question if they will ever truly trust each other.
I really disliked how the paper wrote about Jillie. First off, I wonder if the school would and should even approve an article about her, especially knowing it would upset students. Secondly, giving the article to Andie was completely wrong; as Lane said, she did not even know Jillie.
I think overall I just wanted more. More of Lane and Mackey. They had a great, natural connection when they were together. I wanted to see them open up to each other. Lane needed someone to be there for her. She should have opened up to Mackey about the kiss. And he would have been a great support about the whole Jillie article. I think that would have been a great way for them to reconnect.
I would have liked more with Lane and her father and his family too. How do they get along now? What about her half-sister?
While I understand that Lane may be the girlfriend of a varsity player, it makes it seem that she's just the girlfriend of a varsity player. She's so much more. I just think being a "varsity girlfriend's" story would mean that she is a varsity player.
One very small thing that bothered me was Jillie’s last name. Many times it was mentioned to be Jones but in one chapter it said Wolverton. Not anything important or really noticeable, but annoying.
Very cute book. Easy read with fun characters.
May 15, 2019
I was given this ARC by NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinions on the book. Firstly, I was immediately drawn to this book from its colorful and attention grabbing cover. I had hear great things about the ‘Varsity Girlfriends’ series so I was excited to start it!This book is a very clean teen romance that touches upon some deeper issues within the book itself. I rated it 4/5 stars. The main character Lane was a very likable character, one of very few. An overachiever who has her entire life planned out. We are first introduced to her sending emails to Jilly which added a bit of mystery to the plot.
As I said the main character Lane is an overachiever and one the first page she tells us her intentions for the year, which she has planned down to the last detail. She is a journalist and madly in love with the Editor-in-Chief Elliot. However this an unrequited love for the most part. A new girl throws a spanner into the works when she is given the main news segment in the newspaper and Lane is put onto the sports section, a topic she knows nothing about. She becomes unlikely friends with one of the star basketball players Hunter Mackey. However, they’re friendship eventually evolves whether that is what she wants or not. The book takes us on the journey through Lane’s perfectly planned out year and even though it may not have taken the exact route she wanted it was still pretty perfect!
I thoroughly enjoyed this read I think the plot was incredibly interesting and the added mystery of the emails were exactly what I needed to keep me into this book. There was one aspect about this book I truly enjoyed, Lane’s relationship with her mother. I don’t read many books that include a healthy relationship with a mother. Most of them end up having horrible mothers that genuinely make you question humanity. However, Lane’s mother was the most supportive and the right amount of involved mother. You could feel the mutual love and respect. I absolutely loved this aspect. Apart from Lane, her mother and perhaps Mackey every other character was incredibly unlikable and I was just waiting for them to get what they deserved the entire duration of the book. The ending of the book was truly moving with her long-waited first kiss and her bittersweet email to Jilly.
If you’re looking for a quick feel-good book this is certainly one to look at. It is just a funny, enjoyable clean teen romance with an added mystery plot as a bonus! This book really held momentum the whole way through and the ending did not disappoint. Thank you again to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.
As I said the main character Lane is an overachiever and one the first page she tells us her intentions for the year, which she has planned down to the last detail. She is a journalist and madly in love with the Editor-in-Chief Elliot. However this an unrequited love for the most part. A new girl throws a spanner into the works when she is given the main news segment in the newspaper and Lane is put onto the sports section, a topic she knows nothing about. She becomes unlikely friends with one of the star basketball players Hunter Mackey. However, they’re friendship eventually evolves whether that is what she wants or not. The book takes us on the journey through Lane’s perfectly planned out year and even though it may not have taken the exact route she wanted it was still pretty perfect!
I thoroughly enjoyed this read I think the plot was incredibly interesting and the added mystery of the emails were exactly what I needed to keep me into this book. There was one aspect about this book I truly enjoyed, Lane’s relationship with her mother. I don’t read many books that include a healthy relationship with a mother. Most of them end up having horrible mothers that genuinely make you question humanity. However, Lane’s mother was the most supportive and the right amount of involved mother. You could feel the mutual love and respect. I absolutely loved this aspect. Apart from Lane, her mother and perhaps Mackey every other character was incredibly unlikable and I was just waiting for them to get what they deserved the entire duration of the book. The ending of the book was truly moving with her long-waited first kiss and her bittersweet email to Jilly.
If you’re looking for a quick feel-good book this is certainly one to look at. It is just a funny, enjoyable clean teen romance with an added mystery plot as a bonus! This book really held momentum the whole way through and the ending did not disappoint. Thank you again to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.
April 26, 2019
Off Center (Varsity Girlfriends #2) by M.F. Lorson
Read: 04/24-04/25
I knew exactly what I wanted out of my senior year.
A full ride to Northwestern University, the title of American High School Journalist of the year,
and a kiss, not just any kiss, but one from the boy I've been in love with since the sixth grade.
By October, my plan was fully in motion with liplock by Christmas Imminent. Imminent, that was, until Andie Mercantile moved to Marlowe Junction, swooping both my beat and my man.
Now, I'm stuck writing the sports column--a subject I know nothing about. My goals aren't unobtainable, but they will take a lot more work. Just because a sports writer has never won journalist of the year before, doesn't mean it can't be done. And as for the kissing part, I'm not counting myself out just yet.
After all, maybe learning a bit about competition is just what I need.
First off: Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with an ebook in exchange for my honest review!
What I Liked:
This was a really fun romantic read. Lane was a likable main character which made it easy to root for her as she went along the way. The plot was fairly predictable but filled with plenty of fun characters that charm their way into your heart making it a worthwhile read. I never read the first book in the series but I don't think it impacted my enjoyment of this book too much.
What I Didn't Like:
I would have liked more emphasis on Lane's articles that she wanted to write to the the award. I was really hoping that by the end there would be this amazing article on basketball that would have blown everyone away but instead that plot line slowly began to disappear as other things took center stage (or should I say court). It was also difficult to get fully invested in some of the plot points as the characters were not developed quite as fully as I would have hoped. While, they were charming enough to keep you invested in the overall story some of the twists and turns that occurred had less impact because you didn't fully understand the characters.
Overall, this was a lighthearted read about first loves in high school but I wasn't blown away.
Rating: 6/10
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Instagram: @fromjensbookshelf
Read: 04/24-04/25
I knew exactly what I wanted out of my senior year.
A full ride to Northwestern University, the title of American High School Journalist of the year,
and a kiss, not just any kiss, but one from the boy I've been in love with since the sixth grade.
By October, my plan was fully in motion with liplock by Christmas Imminent. Imminent, that was, until Andie Mercantile moved to Marlowe Junction, swooping both my beat and my man.
Now, I'm stuck writing the sports column--a subject I know nothing about. My goals aren't unobtainable, but they will take a lot more work. Just because a sports writer has never won journalist of the year before, doesn't mean it can't be done. And as for the kissing part, I'm not counting myself out just yet.
After all, maybe learning a bit about competition is just what I need.
First off: Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with an ebook in exchange for my honest review!
What I Liked:
This was a really fun romantic read. Lane was a likable main character which made it easy to root for her as she went along the way. The plot was fairly predictable but filled with plenty of fun characters that charm their way into your heart making it a worthwhile read. I never read the first book in the series but I don't think it impacted my enjoyment of this book too much.
What I Didn't Like:
I would have liked more emphasis on Lane's articles that she wanted to write to the the award. I was really hoping that by the end there would be this amazing article on basketball that would have blown everyone away but instead that plot line slowly began to disappear as other things took center stage (or should I say court). It was also difficult to get fully invested in some of the plot points as the characters were not developed quite as fully as I would have hoped. While, they were charming enough to keep you invested in the overall story some of the twists and turns that occurred had less impact because you didn't fully understand the characters.
Overall, this was a lighthearted read about first loves in high school but I wasn't blown away.
Rating: 6/10
Facebook: From Jen's Bookshelf
Instagram: @fromjensbookshelf
May 3, 2019
Off center what’s the definition of that
••***Spielers throughout **++••
So I’m going to point this out I didn’t know Jillie was dead.... I was saying to myself, why didn’t she ever write Lane back and come to find out she wasn’t living; not only that I kept calling her Jillian for some reason! But anyways; lord I was GLAD that Lane became friends with Andie; they both neeed one another and Andie already knew how wack Elliot was I even knew he was wack; and before I even gotten to the middle of the book more so when Mackey popped up I said I hope she end up with someone better than Elliot
I didn’t like Elliot for some particular reason; and was glad that it was Mackey that ended up liking her and wanting her; also not only that Lane finally admitted she liked Mackey and gave Elliot a piece of her mind... I was so glad when Andie and Lane put him in his place.. yuck... Ib the end Lane finally got her man “Mackey” and he finally stopped ignoring her but Anderson didn’t seem so bad in this story as he was to Charlie in this first book. Maybe there should’ve been a book about him to see if he actually change his horrible ways and show a nicer him... as he did with Lane...
••***Spielers throughout **++••
So I’m going to point this out I didn’t know Jillie was dead.... I was saying to myself, why didn’t she ever write Lane back and come to find out she wasn’t living; not only that I kept calling her Jillian for some reason! But anyways; lord I was GLAD that Lane became friends with Andie; they both neeed one another and Andie already knew how wack Elliot was I even knew he was wack; and before I even gotten to the middle of the book more so when Mackey popped up I said I hope she end up with someone better than Elliot
I didn’t like Elliot for some particular reason; and was glad that it was Mackey that ended up liking her and wanting her; also not only that Lane finally admitted she liked Mackey and gave Elliot a piece of her mind... I was so glad when Andie and Lane put him in his place.. yuck... Ib the end Lane finally got her man “Mackey” and he finally stopped ignoring her but Anderson didn’t seem so bad in this story as he was to Charlie in this first book. Maybe there should’ve been a book about him to see if he actually change his horrible ways and show a nicer him... as he did with Lane...
July 7, 2019
Not just a palate cleanser.
Usually, I view a book like Off Center as a palate cleanser. The kind of book I read between serious books because it is a quick, sweet read with little depth but enjoyable to read. However, it was definitely more than that. Lane was probably one of my favorite characters ever. She completely came alive as the funny, quick-witted girl who was super loyal to her mom and holding in a boat load of baggage. She filled the role of narrator perfectly. Even though she frequently hid her feelings from those around her, the reader (in this case, me) was privy to it all, from sad, awkward, and hilarious to sweet, frustrating and fierce. She made me feel a wide range of emotions as She funneled her way into my heart. She had me laughing one minute while my heart hurt for her the next. Ultimately, Lane will go down on the list of characters that make me sad when a book is over because I will miss her and I may need to visit her again. The rest of the characters were pretty cool too.
Usually, I view a book like Off Center as a palate cleanser. The kind of book I read between serious books because it is a quick, sweet read with little depth but enjoyable to read. However, it was definitely more than that. Lane was probably one of my favorite characters ever. She completely came alive as the funny, quick-witted girl who was super loyal to her mom and holding in a boat load of baggage. She filled the role of narrator perfectly. Even though she frequently hid her feelings from those around her, the reader (in this case, me) was privy to it all, from sad, awkward, and hilarious to sweet, frustrating and fierce. She made me feel a wide range of emotions as She funneled her way into my heart. She had me laughing one minute while my heart hurt for her the next. Ultimately, Lane will go down on the list of characters that make me sad when a book is over because I will miss her and I may need to visit her again. The rest of the characters were pretty cool too.
August 24, 2019
(4.5 stars) - all the feels
This was funny, touching, sad, frustrating, swoony & sweet all rolled up into one great YA story! It drew me in right away and kept me eagerly reading to the end.
Lane & Mackey were so fun, and felt so real, & yet were still so romantic - that first kiss, lol! I loved it! The secondary characters were great as well. And the way things went with Lane's dad was so much more believable than a fairytale ending but still positive, and gives hope for some healing of that relationship.
This was a pure pleasure!
*Clean romance level: sweet kisses
*Religion: I would have preferred that the Grotto - a shrine for prayer & devotions - had not been used as the scene of one of their meet-up/make out places. I'm sure it wasn't intended to be disrespectful but please understand that from the Catholic perspective, it is
*Language: a couple of d*mns
This was funny, touching, sad, frustrating, swoony & sweet all rolled up into one great YA story! It drew me in right away and kept me eagerly reading to the end.
Lane & Mackey were so fun, and felt so real, & yet were still so romantic - that first kiss, lol! I loved it! The secondary characters were great as well. And the way things went with Lane's dad was so much more believable than a fairytale ending but still positive, and gives hope for some healing of that relationship.
This was a pure pleasure!
*Clean romance level: sweet kisses
*Religion: I would have preferred that the Grotto - a shrine for prayer & devotions - had not been used as the scene of one of their meet-up/make out places. I'm sure it wasn't intended to be disrespectful but please understand that from the Catholic perspective, it is
*Language: a couple of d*mns
March 31, 2019
What a nice surprise!
Off Center is a cute YA romance story with some laughs, but it also touches on some heavier issues.
I loved Lane's letters to Jillie <3 , her developing friendship with Andie, and - of course! - Mackey (what's not to love?). :)
TBH, I'm always a bit sceptic before delving into a multi-author series* where I only know one of the authors. This is the first book I've read by this author, but it won't be my last (two more of hers are already on my TBR pile).
I'm also looking forward to reading more stories in this series. :)
* In this case a series of loosely linked standalone stories with some minor crossovers, and you don't have to have read the first book to enjoy Off Center.
Off Center is a cute YA romance story with some laughs, but it also touches on some heavier issues.
I loved Lane's letters to Jillie <3 , her developing friendship with Andie, and - of course! - Mackey (what's not to love?). :)
TBH, I'm always a bit sceptic before delving into a multi-author series* where I only know one of the authors. This is the first book I've read by this author, but it won't be my last (two more of hers are already on my TBR pile).
I'm also looking forward to reading more stories in this series. :)
* In this case a series of loosely linked standalone stories with some minor crossovers, and you don't have to have read the first book to enjoy Off Center.
September 20, 2019
A great coming of age, sweet romance read / listen. I love how the main character Lane is so true to form as a HS teen. The emotions that run the lives of teen girls and the changes in relationships with friends and crushes that always seem to happen during this time in every girls life are displayed perfectly in this book. I love that this read / listen brought out laughter and tears. Lane's rose colored glasses get taken off and the veil of her infatuation is lifted - but that's not the only thing Lane is dealing with...will she be able to survive her senior year in tact and able to check off her goals?
this book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
this book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.
November 19, 2019
Wow I wasn’t sure what to expect with this story. It really Wowed me! The characters were fun and had some depth to them. The story was sweet yet smooth and amazing. So many surprises In this shorter story. Family issues, friend issues, boyfriend issues. I loved it all. I worried this was going to be light and airy but it wasn’t. It has angles That you don’t see coming.
This is my first book by this author. I am glad I gave it a go! I will have to check out the others in this series. My two fav characters were Mackie and the mom (romance writer). They were both fun but each also had a deeper side to them. I listened to this on audio. Rachel Music was spot on! She did a great job being all the different characters.
This is my first book by this author. I am glad I gave it a go! I will have to check out the others in this series. My two fav characters were Mackie and the mom (romance writer). They were both fun but each also had a deeper side to them. I listened to this on audio. Rachel Music was spot on! She did a great job being all the different characters.
May 14, 2019
"It didn't take a detective to pick up on the fact that I'd spent the entire proactive staring at Mackey like he were the second coming of Zac Efron" (chapter 13)
Thank you Kayla Tirrell and the Varsity Girlfriends team for a free copy in return for an honest review. This review is originally posted on my website, June Reads Books.
Lane is driven, a hard worker, and a hopeless romantic. It's easy to get swept up in her goals and she fights to make her senior year everything she dreams it could be. Even when her very specific plans crumble in her hands, she tries to make the most of it by still striving to be the absolute best she can be.
The more we learn about Lane, about her relationship with her dad, the emails she writes to her best friend, the fear of failure, the more I just want to hold her tight and tell her everything will work out. It's so sweet seeing her learn that on her own as she learns to take the things that come to her instead of holding out for an ideal.
These stories hold a lot more depth than I was expecting going in, and it does not disappoint. Plus, is there anything more sweet than a when a character falls for the opposite of what they think they need? The love interest completely tugs on all your heart strings with his big, but oh so sweet, personality and his desire to see the best in people.
I kind of want to revisit these characters. I love that this series looks at the lives of different people in the same school, and how their lives overlap, but I kind of wish I could keep reading about Lane and Mackey just a little bit longer.
October 24, 2019
Off Center: Varsity Girlfriends, Book Two was a great read by M.F. Lorson. Lane knew exactly what she wanted during her senior year of high school. She wanted to get a full ride to Northwestern University, she wanted to be named the American high school journalist of the year, and a kiss from the boy she's loved since sixth grade. She finds herself stuck writing the sports column even though she knows nothing about sports. Mackee is a basketball player who takes Lane under his wing to teach her about basketball. I loved reading this book and can't wait to read more by M.F. Lorson. Rachel Music does a great job of narrating the characters so that you fall in love with them.
April 24, 2019
Off Center by M.F. Lorson is the 2nd book in the Varsity Girlfriends young adult romance series, and an enjoyable book. This book is a cute love story. Lane has her whole senior year planned out, she will get her first kiss from the editor in chef, as they work together on the school newspaper. When she ends up getting the sport beat, her plans fall apart. Enter Mackey, basketball player, who is the opposite of the editor in every way. Who will Lane end up with? I love the people and situations in this book, and watching the characters grow. I found this book to be a quick read, and recommend it to all readers who enjoy a YA sweet romance.
I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you.
I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you.
May 20, 2019
3-3.5 stars
I really liked the newspaper element of this story - I always wanted a school newspaper more like the ones American schools appear to have (at least in fiction!!). I also think it was cool to see Lane step outside of her comfort zone, make new friends and become her own person. I loved her relationship with her mother, wish there had been more of that. There were a few issues with the writing itself for me, as well as a few problematic attitudes and some areas where further development was necessary.
I really liked the newspaper element of this story - I always wanted a school newspaper more like the ones American schools appear to have (at least in fiction!!). I also think it was cool to see Lane step outside of her comfort zone, make new friends and become her own person. I loved her relationship with her mother, wish there had been more of that. There were a few issues with the writing itself for me, as well as a few problematic attitudes and some areas where further development was necessary.
June 3, 2019
This story had several typos but I gave it five stars, anyway. The characters and storyline were so likable and realistic that I felt like it deserved it. Beautifully written, the words flowed as the plot unfolded. Teenaged angst at its finest with no over-the-top unnecessary drama, Off Center tackled first love, broken families, uncertain futures, new and old friendships, and even death with true-to-life responses and emotion. A definite must-read, even if you aren’t normally a young adult or sport romance reader.
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