Sideswiped

May 18, 2015
Riley’s second Off the Map novel picks up just where Upside Down left off, with Talia Stolfi and Bran Lockhart excited to be living together at the University of Tasmania but anxious about how little time they have together: Talia has a four-month visa to complete her thesis, and Bran is in a one-year honors program. OCD-plagued Talia feels her noisy brain quiet down when Bran is near, but she yearns to do a Peace Corps stint and wants Bran to pursue his Antarctica dream. Snarly Bran has past hurts so raw they cloud his judgment for any solution other than for Talia to be physically at his side, but Talia fears what will happen to them as a couple if they do not pursue their goals. The dual perspectives, short chapters, and internal conversations build to page-turning tension. This engaging middle book is more than just a setup for the finale; readers will wonder who will blink first, hoping that both characters can find ways to follow their individual dreams while still being happy together. Agent: Emily Kim, Prospect Agency.