To Love Someone

The Lindell High School Series

Young Adult - Religious Theme
200 Pages
Reviewed on 09/03/2021
Buy on Amazon

Author Biography

Claire Nance is the indie author of three Christian teen romance novels in The Lindell High School Series. Each novel won the Readers’ Choice Five-Star rating award. Claire has also published Joy to My Soul: A Photographic Devotional that contains her favorite photographs taken from her backyard. She has most recently published "Foul Weather", a just-for-fun short short mystery spoof.

Claire is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). She lives in Texas with her husband and a precocious chihuahua named Esther. Connect with Claire at https://clairenanceauthor.blogspot.com or on goodreads.com.

    Book Review

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

To Love Someone is a work of fiction in the romance and religious genres and serves as the first installment in the Lindell High School series. It is aimed at young adults and was penned by Claire Nance. The book follows teenager Dee Anderson as she struggles to start a relationship without it getting torpedoed by her sister. When the sporting hero of her school, Slate Garrett, starts to take an interest in her, Dee must fight back against her own social anxiety, her sister’s man-stealing habits, and an unseen force in her life determined to keep the two of them apart.

The trials and tribulations of finding love as a teenager are very familiar to me and most of the people I know, particularly when the barrier to that love comes in part from issues with anxiety and self-esteem. As such, the characters of this book will be very familiar to most readers, but Claire Nance does a remarkable job of characterizing them so that they don’t rely entirely on that familiarity with the stereotypes. Slate and Dee both eschewed the directions I expected them to take when we first met them and demonstrated a very welcome depth of character that gives this work its excellent flavor. The plot will pleasantly surprise you in many places. Dee’s ability to avoid some of the obvious traps that romance heroines fall into makes her a likable hero that I rooted for from start to finish. To Love Someone takes a scenario that many of us remember from our own younger days and runs with it in an interesting and dynamic direction.

Edith Wairimu

Two unalike high school students fall in love in To Love Someone (The Lindell High School Series) by Claire Nance, a Christian romance novel. When Dee Anderson meets Slate Garrett, Lindell High’s football and track star, she is already armed with answers for questions he might ask. Being the younger sister of a stunning and popular older sister makes Dee feel invisible and everyone she first meets compares her to Carol. Dee is surprised that Slate does not ask similar questions. Instead, he seems genuinely interested in who she is. Being shy and unpopular, Dee cannot come up with a reason why he is drawn to her so she chooses to sabotage the relationship. Slate is unfazed and continues to pursue her. Still, both must first deal with their insecurities before they can learn to trust each other.

The coming-of-age romance story, To Love Someone, has a familiar, straightforward storyline that young adults will relate to. It is also written in Dee’s voice which adds authenticity and humor to the story. To Love Someone is an inspiring novel as it follows Dee as she finds her voice and builds her confidence. Deterred from dating by the hurt she still carries from her failed past relationships, Dee still takes a chance. She is also trying out for a varsity twirler even after not making it in middle school. Dee and Slate’s relationship faces challenges along the way which makes the outcome exciting and uncertain. Carol, who is more popular, is also smitten with Slate and Dee is concerned that he will choose Carol over her. There are other girls also interested in Slate. To Love Someone by Claire Nance is a charming faith-based romance novel with an inspiring main character.

Cecelia Hopkins

To Love Someone by Claire Nance tells the story of a teenage girl who has always been in the shadow of her attractive older sister. Dee suffers from low self-esteem, so when sports star Slate begins to pay her attention, she assumes he is just hanging around the popular Carol. Slate remains persistent, charming her with humor and determination. Dee embarks on a journey of self-discovery, becoming a competitive ‘twirler’ and allowing herself to be courted. Although he has a few of his own issues, the determination with which Slate perseveres has an uplifting influence. When Dee has finally resolved the Carol issue, another rival appears, and the teen’s confidence is tested once again. The youths have a busy year at school with tests, concerts, and sports throughout this process.

To Love Someone by Claire Nance is a sweet clean romance suitable for the teenage reader. I enjoyed learning about school, home, and church life in the 1970s. I also liked the way Dee and her friend Lizzie spent evenings on the phone together and support each other through their emotional dramas. It was interesting because each character grew and developed throughout the tale. The point of view was balanced, displaying sympathy with young male and female concerns. I appreciated that Dee’s social anxiety did not deter her from attempting to achieve her goals, giving the book an overall positive slant. The narrative was also well written, providing a pleasant reading experience. To Love Someone by Claire Nance stands out because the characters are realistic, and the story is beautifully crafted.

Teresa Savoie

This is a sweet story about falling in love. I would recommend it for pre-teen, teenage, or young adult readers. It shows the insecurities teenagers deal with while beginning to date and have relationships. It is a sweet Christian based love story.