Waiting on the Sidelines by Ginger Scott Review

Reading Level: Young Adult
Self Published
Source: Author
Stand Alone
*This was gifted to me by author for review*
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.

Review
I was very impressed by this story. It really surprised me. It's been quite some time since I've read such a relatable contemporary. 

In this coming of age love story. This tells the story of Nolan. She's always been a bit of a tomboy. As she starts her first year of high school, she grows into herself and figures out who she wants to be. 

I loved Nolan. I loved how true she was to herself. She was very comfortable with herself. She was pretty strong. I loved seeing her stand up for herself. Even though she was strong she also let herself deal with her emotions. Reed was an amazing character as well. I loved seeing him change and grow throughout the story. I loved how complex both Reed and Nolan were. They didn't have a perfect relationship. They had their issues but always worked it out. That's one of the reasons it seemed so real. This had a awesome set of secondary characters. I loved how much they cared for Nolan and Reed. 

I think one of the reasons I enjoyed this story so much was because I could relate to it. It's a story about high school and your first love. It was terribly fast paced. I was really into it though so I never got bored. I liked that it was a coming of age story not focused on only the physical side of it. I loved all the parties and the sports. Overall I thought this was such a good read. I enjoyed it much more than I expected too!