Tiffany Odekirk’s debut book, Love on Pointe, was awesome enough that I knew I wanted her second book, Love Unscripted. When she announced Love Sidelined, I immediately added it to my MUST BUY list. From the second I clicked the buy button, I counted down the moments until I could reasonably expect it to arrive. Four days after the earliest expected date and multiple trips to the USPS tracking site, the postman finally delivered it. One of my daughters spotted him walking up to the front door with a box and alerted me at the top of her lungs. I peered through the peephole in our front door until he was far enough away that I wouldn’t give him a heart attack by abruptly opening the door.

Why all the excitement? Why was the wait so excruciating?

If you are asking that, you obviously haven’t read one of her books. Tiffany Odekirk deftly entwines a swoon worthy love story with laugh out loud humor and real life issues for a highly enjoyable reading experience that leaves you wanting more. Her characters aren’t shallow caricatures for mere entertainment. They have issues and problems that can’t just be resolved by one short conversation at the end of the book before they settle down for their happily ever after.

While Love Sidelined is a stand alone story, I would recommend reading the three books in order for maximum enjoyment. Maybe even multiple times…

I really just want to gush about all the cute scenes and the great flirting, but I can’t without ruining your reading experience. I will say that the beginning sucks you in with its adorableness and just when you’re seeing hearts, there’s a gut punch. Also, Chapter Fifteen is absolute perfection, but don’t read ahead! The end scene is just as appealing as the beginning.

The two main characters are equally charming. Jason’s playfulness is a perfect foil for Allie’s seriousness. I love the fact that Jason, as a star quarterback, is competitive enough to pursue what he wants without losing sight of his end goal. I love that he is able to help Allie relax and enjoy life. On the other hand, Allie’s ability to see past his star status to the man he wants to be provides a steady influence for good. They are a delightful combination.

Okay, enough gushing on my part.

For me, this book is about two things: the power of choice and how the pasts affects the present. Both Jason and Allie have difficult things in their pasts that affect their behavior, mental patterns, and potentially set the tone for their individual futures. This is why they are so lovable and relatable. Their emotions are human. Their reactions are recognizable. We can empathize with both of their struggles because all of us have things we carry and all of us make choices.

Donald Hallstrom once said, “Who we are is not who we can become.” This small quote can be applied to the main characters of Love Sidelined. While it is true that the past shapes the present, it does not have to define the future. Both Jason and Allie illustrate the power of personal choice to define who they become.

Jason’s past decision to drink means he has a reputation for partying and playing the field. He’s straightened out his life, but the reputation and the rumors linger and cause hard feelings for people important to him. He chose his actions, and now he has to pay the consequences. Jason could easily give in and live up to his reputation, but he chooses to not let it define who he will become. In a moment of crisis, he takes a stand and chooses who he will be.

Allie struggles with her secret past as a sexual assault victim. She has dealt with the incident by making a plan and sticking to it as rigidly as possible. Meeting Jason upends her life and affects the plan. Even though she hasn’t consciously let the past define who she is becoming, she learns that until she can confront the fear, shame, and stigma, her past will continue to dictate her present and her future.

One choose his past. The other’s past was forced. Both have to decide who they want to be before they can be together.

I have no reservations in recommending this book! I can’t wait for the next one!