Love Sidelined

Jennings #3

by Tiffany Odekirk

Jason Jennings made a tough call two years ago when he left behind his status as a
hard-partying star quarterback in order to serve the Lord. Recently returned from a mission now, he's ready to get back on the football field at UCAL. But despite turning his life around, his bad boy reputation is proving hard to shake.

Allie Hollis is everything a cheerleader should be--beautiful, outgoing, and smart--but her brilliant smile hides a devastating secret. So when Jason begins to show interest in her, there's no question: her answer is no.

Yet, in the face of Allie's chilly response, Jason's gentle persistence pays off, and a tentative friendship grows. Their chemistry is obvious, but Allie's determination to steer clear of a relationship with Jason goes deeper than he realizes. When the truth of her painful history comes to light, the couple must decide whether they will remain on the sidelines or jump back in the game of love.

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

310 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2019

About the author

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

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

Reviews

[Traci Abramson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written with rich characters who have both depth and personality, this story pulls at the heartstrings. Be prepared to ride the roller coaster of emotions as both the main and secondary characters grow and muddle their way through their past fears and their hopes and dreams for the future. I alternated between laughing out loud and holding my breath as the author skillfully crafted a world I couldn't leave until the story was over.

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been looking forward to this book for months, watching it move up the pile as I got closer. It's been tough to wait but finally, FINALLY, I got to read it!

I think one of the things I love most about Tiffany Odekirk's books is how she is able to make her characters feel so real. They are imperfect. They struggle. There are good moments and bad moments but all the while I feel like I know them. I am invested in them and I'm rooting for them. Jason and Allie could be any one of us. There is bits in each of their stories that every person can relate to in some way or another. I love when I can connect with characters emotionally and with Jason and Allie it came gradually as I got to know more and more about them. It was fantastic.

There is real struggle in this book. Not just between Jason and Allie but in their own personal lives as they battle their own demons. Even though there was struggle, it never felt overwhelming to me as a reader. It was balanced nicely with happy moments of fun and love. There was always hope threaded through every page and I really felt that. Jason really stole the show for me. He was so endearing and so all in with Allie. He was persistent, fun loving and kind. I loved how those same attributes crossed over to his family and teammates as well. Yeah, I just loved Jason.

I'm a fan of Tiffany Odekirk's stories. I'd love to see her branch outside her LDS specific writing and delve into a more secular contemporary clean romance genre. But, until then, I will continue to enjoy the Jennings series and hope another book is coming! Baby brother needs a book, I think!

Content: LDS religion specific, Christian (talk of God, praying, attending church), talk of after effects of rape and alcohol abuse, kissing

- I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this! This is a very well done story about a couple who fall in love and figure out who they are. This is such a good romance and a very good story about values and beliefs. This is also very centered in the culture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. If you are not a member of that church this book might present some issues with the lingo that goes along with the church. I believe a person who is focused on having God in their life will enjoy this story. I now want to go and get all of Tiffany's books and read them. I love when I find an author that just hits all my criteria for a good book. This is well written, light and fun with some deep issues the characters go threw. There is talk of rape, and alcohol abuse.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Love, Sidelined, we meet Jason Jennings, the star quarterback for UCAL when he comes across a guy hitting on cheerleader Allie Hollis. He "saves" her from a guy-who-won't-take-no-for-an-answer and then they do the dishes together. He's intrigued by her, but she gives him the friend card and leaves it at that. But Allie's best friend and Jason's cousin are dating, so Jason and Allie are thrown together a lot and feelings start to develop. But Jason is trying to live down the bad boy reputation he had before he served an LDS mission and prove that he's a changed man, and Allie is not only waiting for a missionary, but also still dealing with trauma she suffered in high school. There is a lot of cute dates and fun moments, but the characters also have secrets that are slowly revealed to each other and the reader.

I really liked how three-dimensional Allie and Jason are. Neither of them have had the perfect life and they've made decisions that have far-reaching consequences. They are both trying to figure out where they stand and there are some assumptions made on both parts which lead to some funny---and some sad---misunderstandings. At first, the story may seem like a fluffy bad-boy-turned-good romance, but there are also some pretty heavy themes including drinking and sexual assault. The author doesn't go into details, but the reader can still feel the lasting effects of an attack that happened years before that affected the life of our heroine and those around her. For me, this was a well-told redemption story from an LDS perspective that has a good balance of real issues facing so many people today, mixed with light-heartedness and spiritual themes. Very well done.

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

I love a story that really shows how people can grow and change, especially through their life experiences as they come of age and mature. Jason is an up-and-coming football star, yet he turned his life around to serve a mission for his church and in doing so, grew tremendously, which completely turned his life around for the better. But try telling Allie that. A chance encounter was like throwing gasoline on the fire, but Allie just can't get over Jason's reputation. These two characters are opposite in so many ways, but they are grounded in things that matter and I loved watching them discover their true selves.

This author does a fantastic job of crafting an engaging story that was hard to escape from. I savored every interaction and even found myself wanting to give Jason and Allie advice. The little snippets of thoughts and letters at the beginning of each chapter added so much more dimension to the story and I loved how the reader was treated to alternating points-of-view. I was able to discover so many deeper layers to these characters from these tactics.This book played like a movie in my head and I loved it!

There are a lot of instances, situations, and lingo specific to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and while the story is still very inspiring, it might be a big confusing if you're not familiar with the talk.

At the end of the day, I did not want to leave these characters. I loved being immersed in their lives for a few hours and hope there's more to come.

Content: mild romance (vague talk of past situations); moderate+ religion elements; very mild violence (talk of a past incident)

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

No one promised that the pathway to love would be easily traveled. Jace and Allie's story is one of pain, repentance, forgiveness, healing, and holding on to love. Their path is not easy, but it is beautiful.

I fell in love with the characters from the beginning. The way they met and the easy back and forth between them made this book a fun one to read. Both have a painful past that they have to cope with, at times it pulls them apart. The truth is that I preferred them together rather than separate, but the way that Tiffany Odekirk wrote their stories, the pain is worth the reward. I couldn't help but cheer from the sidelines and hope that the team I wanted to win was victorious.

I am grateful that I was given the opportunity to read this book. It was just what I needed to be reminded of the goodness of life and that good things can come to those that are in pain. Sometimes it takes a lot of prayers and finding help. This book contains kissing, substance abuse, and references to rape.

Source: I received a complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

[Mara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meet Jason Jennings, returned missionary and quarterback at UCAL. Jason seems to have it all--he comes from a wealthy family, he's super smart, and incredibly good looking. He's got it made, right? Well looks can be deceiving. Jason hasn't always made the correct choice, but he repented and worked hard to get back on the right track so he could serve a mission. The problem is his 'friends' haven't forgotten who he was 2 1/2 years ago and think that JJ is back.

Allie Hollis is a cheerleader for UCAL. She knows the type of guy Jason is--the football star who has girls hanging on him all the time, who gets whatever he wants--and Allie stays far away from those type of guys. Well, Allie THINKS she knows who Jason is, and it's going to be hard for her to stay away from Jason considering Allie's best friend and roommate Harper is seriously dating Jason's cousin Ben.

I thought Allie and Jason's first meeting in the kitchen at the chapel was cute, and loved Jason's joking manner as they washed dishes. I also liked that Jason and Allie didn't have perfect lives just because they go to church. Allie has a secret that she carries deep within her and Jason's still dealing with the consequences from choices he made before serving his mission.

I really like the characters of Jason and Allie and their friends Harper and Ben. I loved Harper's advice to Allie "the person you choose to be in a relationship with should still make you light up inside. They should bring out the best in you and inspire you and make you feel like you are the most precious person to ever walk the face of the Earth."

There are a lot of lighthearted scenes and dialogue in this book, the author deals with a couple of serious issues in this story--attempted rape and drinking--and although she doesn't go into detail it affects the main characters in the story. Jason struggles with being a football player and a "valiant member of the Church", and I especially liked the scene where he realizes what he needs to do to fix that.

I liked that the chapters alternate between Jason and Allie and that on Jason's chapters the author defined a football term that defined that particular chapter. This is the third book in the series but each is a standalone story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Covenant Communications for my copy. All thoughts expressed in my review are my own.

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

It turns out that all of Odekirk's stories are related. Which should be obvious if I had been paying attention because the names of the main characters always includes a Jennings. It's oblique enough that you don't need to read the others first, which is good because I skipped one apparently. Still the first is better than this one, so I say read them in order...

While I liked the characters pretty well in this story, I had a hard time engaging with it because Allie's motivation is stupid. I mean, it's bad enough that it's a straight-up negative motivation* (she has a "plan" and doesn't want to deviate from it). But that is made worse by the "plan" being singularly stupid. And yes, we eventually learn the reason Odekirk wants us to believe Allie would cling so fiercely to a stupid plan and the reason would likely work out the way it does in perfectly realistically real people. But I don't care. It's still a stupid plan and it's still a negative motivation that kills plot and makes a main character the barrier to forward momentum. And I really, really hate that the insipid jerk Lincoln gets let off for his crappy manipulation that amounts to taking advantage of a traumatized woman for his own desires (though not sexual ones, still, looking to establish a romantic relationship she wouldn't otherwise be interested in).

Jase was outstanding, though. Better, he's a great example of someone working out their faith and recovering from failures through repentance, devotion, and coming outside of himself. Plus, he's funny and interesting and truly caring of others. Which would all be a good thing if we didn't have Allie clinging to the non-entity who laid out her stupid plan and spending the entire story rejecting the guy.

So this ends up being a bare three stars, all on the strength of Jase and the reluctant admission that Allie's character hangs together on final analysis, even if it was no fun as a romantic story.

A note about LDS: While there are lots of strong, LDS-central activities and things like missions and abstinence from alcohol are taken for granted, I think the story is pretty accessible to outsiders. If they care for this kind of story.

A note about the publisher: Sadly, Odekirk is part of the Covenant Communications "family" of authors and that means the price is jacked up. I'm glad my local library carries her books or I'd never have given her a try. And that would have been sad, despite my bagging on this for not being all I had hoped it would be.

A note about Chaste: There are a couple of kisses, some of them casual, some of them more intense, but none of them more than just kissing. So this is very chaste, I think.

* 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.

[Esther · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stayed up until 1 am to finish this one. Tiffany creates such vivid characters and I loved both Jase and Allie. They both have things they need to overcome, Jase, somethings of his own doing and Allie, a trauma that was not her fault at all. Despite the sometimes difficult subject, this story was fun and romantic. A very different take on the quarterback and cheerleader relationship. Neither of them fit into that stereotypical role, which was fun. So glad they got their happily ever after. I can't wait to see what Odekirk writes next!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've wanted to know Jase's story since Tiffany's first book, Love on Point, and this story was worth the wait. This is one of those “freight train” books, once it gets going, you can't stop reading until you get to the end. I loved Jase's journey of redemption and Ally's journey of healing. I especially loved that each character took the time they needed to work on themselves so they could be the best versions of themselves for each other. This is a richly textured romance with a lot of heart.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jason is a college football player trying to keep his pre-mission lifestyle in the past. He tries to prove to his teammates, family, and self that he is a new person. Can he do that and keep playing football? Allie is a brave cheerleader trying to put her life back together after an assault. Finding a new faith saved her, but also broke her family apart. Does she have the strength to choose the path that will make her truly happy instead of the path that makes her feel safe?

I had a blast reading this book. Large portions of it are lighthearted and funny, but it also deals with some heavier themes. So, I bawled too. Totally, a roller-coaster ride book. It’s been forever since I’ve read a contemporary mormon-themed romance by a new author. They’re rare on the ground these days. So, I savored the experience as much as I could. These are the top four things I loved.

1. Seeing church changes reflected in the story

I think this is the first book I’ve read that has mentioned the new two-hour block schedule, which was fun and felt kind of historic. Maybe more historic than actually hearing it announced at General Conference. How can you measure the effect of a change until it starts showing up in a community’s literary culture? Right, I’m a nerd. Moving on.

2. The witty banter and jokes

Jason and Allie are hilarious together. They bring out each other’s best sense of humor and it was so much fun to read.

Favorite joke: “Every time I say Chemistry your nose crinkles up like I just said the word moist.”

Second Favorite:

In this scene, Jason has conned Allie into perusing a book titled 1000 Questions to Ask Before you Get Married.

“Pick a number so I can ask you a question,” I say.

“Fine. I chose six-hundred and sixty-six.”

“I’m going to try not to take that personally.”

3. Brava on the epigraphs

I loved what the author did with the Epigraphs in the book. The book is narrated in alternating chapters of first-person point of view. This can be incredibly challenging for the readers to keep the characters apart. I loved how the author created a different Epigraph motif for each character so the reader had that extra reminder whose chapter they were reading. Jason’s POV got definitions of football terms, which fit his character. The Epigraphs for Allie’s POV quoted letters from the missionary she was waiting for, Lincoln.

First, Lincoln’s quotes were so funny. Perfect, slice-of-life glimpses into the mission experience. Second, they gave the “dear john” character more permeance. If Lincoln’s going to be quoted at the beginning of each chapter, then he’s gonna be here for the long haul. How is the author going to get rid of him? Is she going to get rid of him? I was intrigued to see how Odekirk would write her way around this particular structural problem. The author solved this in the most perfect way. Really, well-done! I loved it!

4. Hard-won reconciliation sub-plots


I am loving on reconciliation stories this month, I guess. Jason screwed up big with his younger brother and in his quest to put aside his past he needs to resolve his issues with him. Allie hurt her mom when she joined the church. In order to heal, she needs to be honest with her mom about what happened to her. I loved how both characters needed to reach out to their families in order to move forward in their challenges. Such a sweet part of the book and I loved how the stories mirrored each other even though the causes of the rifts were both extremely different.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I love to read all kinds of books, contemporary romance is always my favorite. I love the way I can get sucked in and not worry about all kinds of rules. Tiffany Odekirk has a way with writing contemporary romance that just makes me happy. I loved everything about this one.

Jason is a great character. He’s mentioned in both Love On Pointe and Love Unscripted as the brother of the characters. I’m so glad he got his own story. I loved the way he met Allie. The way he was able to save her from a situation she wasn’t comfortable with. And even though she didn’t want anything to do with a relationship with him, because she thought she knew everything about him from his cousin, he never gave up on her.

Then there’s Allie. It was kind of interesting the way the reader didn’t know her secret for a chunk of the book. Eventually, I was able to put it together. But it made a lot of sense closer to the end of the book why she tried to steer clear of Jason. But these two just kept getting thrown together. I was amazed at her stubbornness about Jason, even after everything happened. Sorry if that’s way vague, but I don’t want to give anything away.

Another really great thing about this one was watching Allie heal. She learned to move on and a relationship got mended that I wouldn’t have expected in a romance novel.

I loved the way I couldn’t tell if these two were going to work or not for most of the book. It kept me guessing. I loved the whole feeling of being back in college, a time to take care of yourself.

This is such a great book! Go grab a copy.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best yet from Tiffany Odekirk! Love Sidelined returns to the Jennings family, and gives us Jason's story. Following on from Love Unscripted, Jason has recently returned from his Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and also back to the football field, resuming his role as quarterback. With obvious talent and a large crowd of fans, he's finding it really hard to prove to those around him that he has changed. A chance meeting with one of the cheerleaders at a Church event, leaves him anxious to get to know her. Allie is guarding a devastating secret, and while she is carefully watched over by her best friends, she still struggles in a social setting.

While I'm really not a fan of first person retelling, I do love how deep this author takes us with the characters. This story has left me thinking about it, days after completing it. The subjects of the conflicts that arise, are serious and sensitively dealt with. Many of them conversations we should be having with young people. While you could easily read this as a stand alone, I'd recommend reading the other 2 books in this series, or at least Love Unscripted.

This is a fantastic book and I look forward to more from this author!

[Chalon Linton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read from Odekirk. Love Sidelined delivers a swoon worthy romance with layers of emotion, fun, and realistic trials. Her writing makes you stop and think on your way to falling in love. I highly recommend this one.

[Sally Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a cute story! You can't help but fall in love with Jase and Allie and their sweet love story.

[Summer Naylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was exactly what I needed and I listened to it late into the night in one sitting. Great characters, chemistry, family relationships, friendships, and self discovery. Probably one of the top contemporary LDS romances I’ve read.

[Sheila (sheilasbookreviewer) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Sidelined is so much more than a love story, it is a story of life struggles, redemption, and moving forward. One thing this author does so well is writing characters that are real and very relatable. I also like how through the course of the story both Allie and Jason's past struggles come to light. The reader goes through an emotional journey right along with the characters.

Love Sidelined is told from both Allie and Jason's POV. I love it when an author does this, especially in a romance. This novel is told from the perspective of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There are many things mentioned that pertain to the culture of the church that you may not be familiar with. But, any person who likes reading Christian fiction will understand and appreciate the tone of this book about turning your life around and back towards God.

There are moments when I was frustrated with Allie and Jason as they danced circles around each other instead of admitting their feelings. As you come to understand what happened in their lives, readers will have more compassion for why it took so long for the two main characters to come together. This book is one that shows the healing process and that takes time.

I love this series of books and Jason is now one of my favorites. I recommend reading all of them in the order written, but you really don't need to...I'm just anal that way. It must be the teacher in me.

This book is recommended for teens 18+ and adults. There is mention of underage drinking, rape, and some violence but nothing graphic. This story is one that will touch the lives of those recovering and healing from things in their past and also shows the beauty of when redemption comes.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved loved this book.
She's a new to me author. But what I liked about her writing was adding the quotes and definitions that she has put in italics at the beginning of each chapter.
What I really don't care for is the present tense genre.
First person is my favorite if that makes any sense.
This is a centered Latter Day Saints novel. But, as long as the story is good it doesn't matter to me. I love a good story especially one that can make you tear up.
The author has done a fabulous job in telling these two young people's story just trying to get through life.
She has shown us that even though we think we can bury our secrets deep down, there's always something that will trigger it.
Secrets always come out of the wash so to speak. And anyways you can't keep secrets from the One who knows. He knows everything.
We can't erase the past. It makes us who we are. I like to think that it will help make us a better person in the future with God's help of course.
Even though we have commited ourselves to Christ we are human.
We will mess up a time or two. Or whichever the case may be. Jesus understands this. I'm so glad He's my friend and Savior!! There's none other than Jesus!!
Will these two find love and happiness? Can they overcome their past?
My thanks to Covenant Communications for a complimentary copy of this book. No compensations were received and all opinions are my own!!

[Jessica Bybee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allie Hollis is starting her junior year as a cheerleader at UCAL. With less than a year left in waiting for her longtime friend while he serves a mission, Allie has her life planned out. Transfer to BYU, date and then marry Elder Lincoln Adams and live Happy Ever After in Saftey. Too bad she didn't plan on Jason Jennings entering her life.

Jason Jennings is the star of the UCAL football team. Having put his college career on hold, Jason straightened out his life in order to serve a full-time mission. Now he is back and struggling to turn his bad-boy reputation around and show everyone, including himself that he is a different person.

Watching Allie and Jason face their struggles while learning to love each other is a journey I want to take again and again. "Love Sidelined" is so much more than your stereotypical sports romance. Author, Tiffany Oderkirk expertly handles sensitive topics such as abuse and underage drinking while telling a sweet love story that shows the power of the atonement and the hope the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings to each of us who are struggling.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jason is a hard character for me to like. I think Odekirk nailed the star quarterback, confident, return-missionary characteristics and personality, but I don't typically feel comfortable around overconfident people so it was a little hard to relate to him. I enjoyed Allie's character, perspective and insights. It was also fun to see revisit the other Jennings family members. I felt like this book dealt with some tough issues and wasn't a light fluffy read. The topics were things that need to be addressed in society and understood. A couple of the characters struggled with change, repentance, forgiveness, acceptance and introspection. There was a lot of different dynamics in this story and it would be interesting to talk about in a discussion or book club. There were several surprises in the story that I wasn't expecting. It was a page turner that I stayed up a little too late reading.

Please note that I received a free copy of this book, however my opinions are my own.

[Sydney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Tiffany Odekirk has written a beautiful and heart-warming story in the third book in her Jennings series. This story is about overcoming past mistakes and showing that it really is possible to change. It’s also about learning about oneself, having faith, and leaning on God. And, it’s about finding a friend and eventually romance where and when you least expect it. This is a fun story with football players and cheerleaders,that readers will love, especially as they relate to the real life situations within the story. Readers will absolutely delight in and not want this fabulous story to end!

Series: Jennings
Genre: contemporary, romance, sports, LDS, Christian
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Publication date: September 1, 2019
Number of pages: 31

Other books in the series:
1-Love on Pointe
2-Love Unscripted

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.

[Marilee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Sidelined is a beautiful love story but it is also so much more than that! This is also a story about forgiveness, healing and finding peace. As Allie and Jase struggle to overcome their separate pasts in order to move forward together, I quickly grew to love their characters - not in spite of their mistakes and flaws, but because of them. Tiffany Odekirk has made her characters real and relatable and as they work toward their happy ending, it gives the reader hope that maybe they can find theirs too. This is a can't-put-down book that will give you all the feels. Love Sidelined has characters from her previous two books (that I recommend as well!) but you don't have to read them first to understand or enjoy this book.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tiffany Odekirk is now officially one of my favorite authors. I've been hooked within the first few pages with each of her books and can't put them down until I've finished them. I loved this book! I literally didn't put it down, I read the entire book today. The one and only criticism I have is the cover of the book. Allie is supposedly only 5' or 5'1" and Jase is really tall and athletic. I really dislike when the book cover isn't consistent with the characters we read about! Other than that, the book was amazing!

[Kale Snyder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Predictable read but with some hard hitting issues I appreciated. I will say that the cover drives me crazy. Does anyone believe that the guy on the front is a #1 perspective NFL draft pick, Heisman trophy winner?!?! I mean seriously I swear that no one actually reads these books that makes the cover art. The guy looks like he is 15!! Ok rant over.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something about how Odekirk writes really works for me, enough so I put off all other books I was reading to read this all the way through instead. These characters feel like real people with real feelings and problems, even when the story seems slightly unrealistic.
Popsugar Challenge 2019: A book set on a college or university campus

[Talia Bushnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO GOOD! It is definitely my new favorite book that has characters who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There was adventure, heart ache and romance! I also really loved that this book included difficult topics and making life changes. I would highly recommend to anyone who wants to read a fantastic clean romance novel.

Absolutely recommended for my nieces!

[Dame · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was engaged from the beginning, sort of hero rescues damsel situation! I loved how real the characters were and the problems were difficult but love was there to buoy them up and give hope! I great book for all!

[Shauna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is wonderful! I loved the back-and-forth chapters between the two main characters. Filled with deep emotions of love, hope, healing, and learning to overcome the past, this book will tug at your heartstrings!

[Kaylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

So excited for this book to be out!! I could not put it down.

[Cathleen Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet little novel, cheesy in just the right way.