The Perfect Blindside

There's few books I'll sacrifice an entire night's sleep to finish reading, but this is one of them. From the very first paragraph, I was hooked. I mean, seriously, how can you put down a story that starts with: "I have a theory. Every person I've ever met in the past year fits into one of three categories.They're either Walkers, Talkers, or Stalkers." That chapter is told from the viewpoint of sixteen-year-old Jake Taylor, who has just won the Olympic Silver Medal in snowboarding. Needless to say, it's gone to his head. He's arrogantly basking in his newfound fame and life has become little more than signing autographs and being gawked at with awe by everyone he meets.

Well, almost everyone, that is.

Enter Sophie, a girl at Jake's new high school. While Sophie, along with every girl in the world, developed a hopeless crush on the handsome snowboarding champion during the Olympics, having the Silver Medalist move to her tiny Colorado town is not at all what she thought it would be. She sees the real Jake Taylor as a selfish, stuck-up jerk. She judges him harshly and avoids him. Yet deep inside, she struggles with an incredible attraction for him.

Meanwhile, Jake can't figure out why she hates him. After all, every other girl in the town is all over him like a rash. Cheerleaders vie for his attention; even gorgeous young movie stars that he meets at publicity events hang on his every word and move. He is even voted Athlete of the Year. So why does Sophie treat him like he's a creep? He can't figure it out, and although he won't admit it to himself, he's falling head over heels for her.

To make things worse, some unknown enemy is gunning for him, trying to ruin his snowboarding career by framing him for drug dealing. Before long, not only Jake's Olympic stardom, but his very life, is in grave danger. And . . . you guessed it . . . sweet Sophie Metcalf is the only one who can help him out. But I won't say more for fear of spoiling this fantastic book.

This was the first book I read by this author, and it was a fun one. Leslea Wahl introduces us to Jake, a cool, rich, famous snowboarder, and Sophie, a down-to-earth, God-loving girl next door. The story takes us into the lives of both characters, and follows them as they bump into each other and come to know each others hearts and not just their exterior facades; although there are a few bumps and misunderstandings along the way. This story is about how we can easily allow fame to consume us. But it's also about how God's love is greater and stronger than what the world has to offer.

As a Catholic homeschool mother, I love reading fiction that is wholesome and leads the reader to the Lord. And this is the perfect book for that.

The characters are realistic and the plot exciting, and I learned a lot about snowboarding. There's also a touch of mystery that everyone will enjoy. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.

Great book!! Read it about two years back and time for a reread. This kind of teenage romance isn't really my type, but I still enjoyed the book, especially the sports/popularity theme centering around the main male character. Great teen read and very clean!

I enjoyed this story of how two teens who are initially at odds eventually grow to care for each other. It's a sweet romance in a beautiful setting with an intriguing mystery thrown in. I also enjoyed learning about snowboarding!

With mystery, well-developed characters, and light romance, The Perfect Blindside is a great teen read. Leslea Wahl’s writing style makes this a fast-paced story that is hard to put down, especially as the mystery and adventure unfolds. I enjoyed experiencing snowboarding with main character Jake. The sensory details are great! But I had never considered the effects of fame on a young person and the trials that go along with that. I also appreciated the natural way Sophie, the other main character, prayed and struggled with choices.
I especially loved the moral messages of using your gifts for the glory of God and of not jumping to conclusions about others.

The Perfect Blindside is a great book for teens! It has a contemporary appeal, likable characters, and a little suspense and romance too. It's well-written, and includes simple but important faith messages that teens -and adults - often need to be reminded of.

In the course of Jake dealing with his newfound fame and Sophie searching for a big story to break, they discover friendship, attraction, and something suspicious going on around the town's abandoned mine. Through it all, Sophie learns to trust God and not be so quick to judge others. Jake learns to rely on God and get his priorities in order while keeping his ego in check.

Bottom line: a fun read that I'm eager to hand to my teen.

The Perfect Blindside is a young adult novel featuring a touch of romance, a lot of adventure, and no shortage of angst.

Jake's an Olympic gold medalist who's moved to Nowhereville. He's none too happy about it, and can't help but be interested in Sophie, who seems to be the only girl in school who's not overcome with his brand of awesome. The two of them clash and find themselves unlikely allies, but not without hurt feelings, he-said-she-thought drama, and at least one secret tunnel.

The book's written with an alternating point-of-view style, which allows Jake and Sophie to share their stories. It also gives you the feeling of knowing more...and less...than you might want to.

Sometimes, reading teen fiction gives me an insight into the young people in my life. The things I worry about and think about are more than a little different now than they were when I was a teen.

It's good to have a reminder of that, and also to see that even "good" kids can be jerks. These characters are real, with their faults and their strengths, not so different from the teens and preteens in my life.

The plot holds up, and even if you figure it out, you'll enjoy the trip to the end.

The themes cover fame and stereotyping as well as drugs and corruption. There is, perhaps, room to have a discussion about misuse of authority, and not just from the obvious authorities in our lives.

Overall, a book I enjoyed and recommend.

THE PERFECT BLINDSIDE is a thrilling adventure with suspense that keeps you turning the page. As a result, it is bound to be a huge hit with its targeted YA audience. Yet I found that I was turning the page in anticipation even before the story turned more clearly into a crime-centered novel. THE PERFECT BLINDSIDE was also engaging on account of its characters and writing style.