Thoroughly entertaining with enough will-they, won’t-they tension to keep readers fully invested.
It’s not unusual for people to carry the weight of emotional baggage, but Rylee Lynch has an overflowing suitcase dragging her down. The relationship with her mother has been thorny in the decade since her dad died. Her younger brother was diagnosed with a devastating illness. Her love life is as exciting as stop-and-go traffic, though her heart can’t handle any commitments right now anyway. No stranger to unexpected pivots, Carson Meyers is pulling his own heavy set of luggage. Once wide-eyed and Harvard-bound, Carson is a joint custody father living out his plan B in Bemidji, MN. Instead of following his dreams or using his talents, he earns a modest wage teaching high school biology while trying to put his son first and placate his soon-to-be ex-wife. Rylee and Carson once had a connection, and circumstances have brought them together again. But nothing has ever been easy for these two. He has trust issues, she has control issues, and they both need a way to decompress. They come to an agreement that is designed to maintain a level of professionalism, but keeping it under wraps and staying on track will be easier said than done.
Laurel Osterkamp fuses rejection, responsibility, deception, and loss, with love, determination, family, and lighthearted fun. Despite some serious themes, The Side Project is thoroughly entertaining with enough will-they, won’t-they tension to keep readers fully invested. Whether it’s Rylee’s vulnerabilities or Carson’s conflicted heart, either narrative voice feels like a close friend, instantly allowing audiences to feel at ease. Both of these characters are likable and realistic, though distinct in personality and viewpoint. With Rylee, there is a sense of wonder and honesty as she moves through life, sharing her enchanted impressions of autumn in northern Minnesota or her most regretful humiliations. For Carson, it’s his sincerity that manages to triumph over his faults and touch the heart. When opening up to each other about how they’ve gotten through challenging times, Carson reveals his compassionate soul to Rylee. “I’m sorry you need a coping mechanism.” It might not be at this exact moment that Rylee falls for him, but it is definitely when readers will fall for Carson! Family troubles, career setbacks, and shameful secrets divide them, but they usually find ways to help each other through the worst of the pain. No matter the trial or temptation, they are a couple to root for against even the longest odds. Sparks will fly and hearts will break, but you’re guaranteed a good time with The Side Project.
