Review: Off Sides by Sawyer Bennett

Off Sides (Off Series #1) 
By Sawyer Bennett
Release Date: February 21, 2013
Publisher: Sawyer Bennett
Source: Sawyer Bennett through YA Bound
Reviewed by: Jenn and Nahomi
Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Goodreads

My rating: 2.5 stars out of 5 stars
Nahomi's rating: 2.5 stars out 5 stars
Overall rating: 2.5 stars (3 stars on Goodreads)

Goodreads Summary:
"I'm not sure what possessed me to do it. Maybe it was the impossible expectations I faced, maybe it was my own self-loathing. But I just knew I needed something different to happen. I needed someone...something... to derail me from my current path. Otherwise, I would become lost...a hollowed out shell of a man. So I did it. I approached her, then I pursued her, then I made her mine. And my life was saved..."

Ryan Burnham is the privileged son of a U.S. Congressman and captain of his university's hockey team. While he is on the verge of fulfilling his dreams to play in the NHL, his parents want him on a different course. One he is expected to accept for the sake of his family's public image.

Forced to abandon her music career after the heart breaking death of her parents, Danny Cross exists on the opposite side of the tracks from Ryan. She is struggling to make her own way, working two jobs, attending college part time and volunteering in a homeless shelter. She is on a mission to build her own success.

With a chance meeting, their vastly different worlds collide, causing each to evaluate whether they are truly on the correct path to self-fulfillment and happiness. Can their relationship survive? Particularly when others are against them every step of the way. A lot can happen in just ten short days... 

Nahomi:
          When Jenn asked me to read Off Sides and she explained the premise, I thought that it sounded interesting and I decided to give it a shot. Off Sides was a slow start for me. It's written in dual point of views, from both main characters' perspective: Ryan and Danny (Daniela). Normally, I really enjoy the dual POVs but in this case I had some issues with the character's narration. I kept asking myself if guys think and talk the way Ryan does in the story. Ryan sounded a lot like a girl trying to be a guy which really threw me off. 
Here's an example:

"Danny is a virgin and she's chosen to give that sacred gift to me."

~B&S~

"I let my eyes roam and feast, memorizing the path I intend for my lips to take. I look at her navel.

Yes, I think I'll start there."

Danny's voice, on the other hand, was feminine but she came off as if trying to sound cooler than she actually was. I also had issues with some of the phrases and word choices that were said by them. It made Danny and Ryan sound outdated for some college student to be using them.

Even with these issues, I was able to finish the story fairly quickly once I got into it. I found myself wanting to know how their story ended. This was a Cinderella story with a twist but basically ended the same.

Jenn:

             I basically agree with everything Nahomi said. I really wanted to love this story, I really did, but I just found it to be okay. I wasn't overly impressed with the story line or with the characters as well. I will admit that there were some passages in the book where I got a little choked up when Danny was talking about her parents but other than that it didn't really leave much of an impression on me. 

Also like Nahomi, I had some issues with the characters not sounding like college aged students. Danny sounded a little older than what she is supposed to be and Ryan sounded feminine. This always seems to be a problem when female authors write from male point of views or vice versa and all it does is pull me out of the story. 

"I'm excited to be with Danny in this way because then she'll truly be mine."

*raises eyebrows* I even read this line to my boyfriend he straight up told me that no, he doesn't think or say things like this,

It really turns me off when an author's age shows through their writing since it dates the book and it why Danny and Ryan sounded older than they are supposed to be.

I believe the story had a lot of potential and I may give the others in the series a chance but it wouldn't be a top priority.