Melody Cox's Reviews > Off Sides

I just finished my ninth read of this book. I have to say that books one and two are all-time favorites of mine and I simply cannot get enough. I have read over fourteen hundred books and these two remain in my top twenty all time favs. I have to say that I didn't really care much for the rest of the series.

When you begin this book it's helpful to keep in mind that the characters are just college students and they are growing and learning. Many don't learn at all but the good ones do and go on to be more open minded, productive, accepting of differences, and learn how to truly love. In their formative years their households were completely void of love and still are. It is all about appearances. Their life is all about wealth, social standing and marrying the 'right' person to keep up family appearances. They have been raised and trained to be the way they are. This is their norm and it is all they know. They were only allowed to be friends with others just like them. Changing and being more open, loving and accepting of those who don't fit their own mold is looked upon as a major character flaw that will ruin the family's reputation and social standing. Throughout this book we watch the hero battle his mother for the woman he loves. I admired him and the changes he made since it was a foreign concept to him.

Ryan Burnham is a trust fund college student who lives, eats and breathes hockey and is the captain of the team at university. His father is a US Congressman and his mother is all about appearances who makes constant demands on her children's lives. She has their future mapped out, including their careers, spouses, their wardrobe, how they talk, what they say, and basically every move they make. She is nasty, evil, controlling, and over-the-top vicious as she will do anything to get what she wants, no matter if those things leave her children unhappy, brokenhearted and empty. Ryan has her number and decides he will not put up with her interference any longer. But she has some shifty plans up her sleeve that just may ruin the lives of these two lovely people.

Danny Cross was a child prodigy violinist who had to give up her schooling at Juliard when her mother was diagnosed with cancer and died eleven months later. Her father had died years before. She works hard, volunteers at a soup kitchen/homeless shelter and attends college part time. She plans to make her own success even though it will be dramatically opposed to her musical dreams. She does what she has to do to survive.

One evening Ryan and his snooty, trust fund friends stop at a diner for a late night snack and Danny is their waitress. Ryan's ex girlfriend is along...and she treats Danny horribly. Ryan steps in and it becomes the beginning of a wonderful love story.

I highly recommend books one and two of this series. The writing is very good and the book was hard to put down. In fact, I read it in one sitting.