The Perfect Blindside by Leslea Wahl on Amazon
Skiing is my favorite sport. You have to look hard to find it in books, TV shows, or movies. I can rattle off the top of my head random places where there is skiing or snowboarding, and I mean random. The James Bond film, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service comes to mind, and I didn’t watch all of it…just the skiing scenes. The Backyardigans show has snow sports, and so does Pingu, a Swiss-German Claymation series about emperor penguins. And of course, if you are a diehard snow sport enthusiast, you might have seen a Warren Miller movie or three.
So, imagine my surprise when a friend handed me a copy of The Perfect Blindside. For me, reading can’t be any more fun than a mystery set in a Colorado mining town, wrapped up with a little romance and plenty of tricks on the snow. The title of the book is named for a snowboarding trick, and the anti-hero, Jake Taylor is a snowboarding Olympic silver medalist.
Unfortunately for Jake, he manages to tick off the high school brainiac, Sophie Metcalf. She is the only one who doesn’t fawn all over him, and after a party in Hollywood where the “fake” is on full display, Jake realizes that maybe a small town to hide in isn’t so bad. (The Hollywood scene is brilliantly written. Having lived in L.A. myself, I can vouch for Wahl’s take on awards, druggies, and flashbulbs. Jake clearly has a guardian angel, and mine saved me from some very nasty people, too.)
Jake and mining history aren’t the only attractions in Silver Springs, however. When strange things like slashed tires and spooky people try to stop Jake from investigating, he and Sophie get in over their heads. The mine is all boarded up, so why are men with guns coming and going? Sophie’s library knowledge and some secret tunnels may help Jake clear his name, so he can retain his clean-cut image, his sponsors, and his newfound motivation to help special needs kids.
I loved this book for simple reasons. It mixes faith, skiing, and bad guys getting their just desserts. It is a sweet romance story with no objectionable content, and it is written from both Jake and Sophie’s points of view, which is hilarious and tender. And the author gives a good account of a party for Special Olympics, which is a great group that can always use more supporters.
All in all, this book is as much fun as a backside 360, which I can only dream of doing. But I have skied on a glacier, and raced giant slalom as well, so for all my skiing friends, go grab this book for your kids! People who would like the paperback and a free short story for Christmas can send a message to: https://lesleawahl.com/contact/ and she will ship it to you. Her book is scheduled for a reprint in January, so thank you for your patience.
Written by Erin Broestl, author of God Made the Moonlight for children
Eight Hobbits 