Book Review: Waiting on the Sidelines.

Title: Waiting on The Sidelines.
Author: Ginger Scott.
Series: Yes, #1.
Pages: 335.
Source: Netgalley, for Review.
Published Date: 11/13/13.
Links:
Goodreads

Summary:

"Nolan Lennox had things figured out. Named after a baseball legend, she enjoyed being the Tomboy, her closet filled with her brother’s hand-me-downs, cut-off jeans and soccer shorts. But when her first trip to high school results in a broken heart from the first boy to ever make her heart flutter and cruel words from an older girl she once thought a family friend, Nolan starts to question the very person she thought she was and wonders if her humble upbringing can compete with the afforded luxuries of her privileged peers.

Throughout the next four years, Nolan struggles to maintain herself throughout her path of discovery, learning just how cruel teenagers can be through the pressures of underage drinking, sexuality and class. And despite how life seems to continue to work against her, she still manages to listen to her heart, falling deeper and deeper for the guy the entire town adores, even if he only sees her as a friend. Can Nolan strike a compromise between her own integrity and the boy she loves? And can she make him notice her before it’s too late?

Reed Johnson came to Coolidge High School with a lot of fanfare. The son of a hometown football legend and the brother of a local football hero, Reed wore all the pressures of carrying a town without hope into the spotlight. Thankfully, he had the talent to back it up. But when he meets a girl who makes him think twice about exactly what being a hero means, he starts to wonder if following in his brother’s footsteps might be all wrong. 

Nolan Lennox was everything that was opposite of expected. She didn’t flirt, she didn’t drink and she didn’t sleep around. Nothing about her was easy, but something about her made Reed want to try harder. Though she didn’t look the part, she seemed to be spending a lot of time in Reed’s thoughts, and he wondered if she could be the one who made it all worthwhile. But could Reed handle letting her down? And would breaking her heart break him beyond repair?

Waiting on the Sidelines explores young love to its fullest, exposing how real young heartbreak and passion is and how important it is to discover yourself and hold onto your own identity. The story follows two young characters as they deal with mature situations, including the prevalence of bullying and promiscuity in today’s high school setting. Ultimately, Waiting on the Sidelines is a story of hope, honesty and those powerful, first true loves—the ones worth holding onto at any cost."

My Thoughts:

Let's be honest, we all have our doubts when we hear that a story follows an "average" girl who falls in love with the most popular quarterback football player. Who even seems to have ALL the girls breaking their necks to get a good look at him...YUCK. I'm sorry, but I just think those types of stories are COMPLETELY overrated.

But...again let's be honest, when it's written in a way that makes it sound real, that makes the emotions feel real....it can be pretty DANG hard to put down...

Nolan is named after her dad's favorite baseball player. She's a complete tomboy. She loves wearing her brother's hand me downs, and has never worn single product of make up.Nolan doesn't fit in. Unlike most of the kids who attend her high school, she doesn't live in a big mansion, instead she lives in a trailer at the end of a dirt road, and she drives a old beat up car, that she absolutely loves.

Reed on the other hand can't be anymore different than Nolan. He is used to being in the lights and attention. He not only the younger brother but also son of two local football legends. When he moves in, and attends the same school as Nolan, he takes his position on the football team, as quarterback. Guys love him, and girls are willing to do anything to get his attention.


Those "girls" don't include Nolan, while yes, she does admit he is VERY cute, Nolan isn't as easy as the girls that always seem to flock around Reed. AND Reed comes to the realization of that, and isn't afraid and isn't willing to back down right away. Instead her works much harder to get her attention.

High school seems to be running smooth for Reed, but for Nolan it's been a struggle. She had no idea, just how hard high school was going to be...but there might be one guy who can make it all worth it for her...

Final Verdict:

Let's get started with the characters! While I know that Reed could easily be the FATTEST jerk, he could also be one of the sweetest guys. He doesn't really know how to handle these emotions and thoughts he's having for Nolan and struggles with that. On the other hand, Nolan puts all her love and trust into Reed, just to have her heart broken a few times over the four years of high school. She knows she's lucky to have a guy like Reed. But Reed quickly learns that he is even luckier to have a girl like Nolan.

Besides the two main characters, I also really liked Reed's dad. I'm not really sure why, but he just reminds me of a grandpa, who never has anything bad to say. He cares so much for Nolan, no matter what is happening between her and Reed. And sometimes I feel like he knows what Reed's feelings are before, Reed does!

One of the sweetest, and most heart breaking stories I've read in a long time! All the emotions and feels I had for Waiting on the Sidelines was absolutely crazy! I was all over the board, and constantly rooting for Reed and Nolan! Reed knows how to be sweet, and knows how to take care of Nolan, which I really enjoyed!

While the entire story was a crazy roller coaster, the ending was perfect! I was so happy that things worked out for Nolan and Reed, and I'm dying to finally get to the next book, Going Long!

Looking for an amazing YA contemporary read for this summer? This is the ONE!