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Girls of Summer #3
Outside the Lines
Training Ground, book one of the Girls of Summer series, introduced Emma Blakeley and Jamie Maxwell, two young athletes with seemingly bright soccer futures. In book two, Game Time, those futures caught up to them—and brought them back together. Now, in Outside the Lines, Jamie and Emma are forced to come to terms with their relationship as each dedicates herself to a lifelong dream: making the 2015 World Cup roster for the US Women’s National Team, the top-ranked squad in the world.
Back in the US for the first time in several years, Jamie has decided to focus on figuring things out with Emma and trying to stay healthy for her new NWSL club team, the Portland Thorns. Emma, meanwhile, a Seattle Reign mainstay, is trying to navigate conflicting commitments, both personally and professionally. But finding balance while living apart and playing for club and country presents challenges that neither woman anticipated.
Join Jamie and Emma for the latest installment in the ongoing story of their lives, loves, and would-be world championships in Outside the Lines, book three of the bestselling Girls of Summer series.
Back in the US for the first time in several years, Jamie has decided to focus on figuring things out with Emma and trying to stay healthy for her new NWSL club team, the Portland Thorns. Emma, meanwhile, a Seattle Reign mainstay, is trying to navigate conflicting commitments, both personally and professionally. But finding balance while living apart and playing for club and country presents challenges that neither woman anticipated.
Join Jamie and Emma for the latest installment in the ongoing story of their lives, loves, and would-be world championships in Outside the Lines, book three of the bestselling Girls of Summer series.
290 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 23, 2018
45 people are currently reading
160 people want to read
About the author
Kate Christie
37 books250 followersKate Christie, author of In the Company of Women, Gay Pride & Prejudice, and the Girls of Summer series, was born and raised in Kalamazoo, MI. A graduate of Smith College, she lives near Seattle with her wife, their three daughters, and the family dogs.
To join her mailing list and receive email notifications of new releases, giveaways, and other news, visit https://katejchristie.com/mailing-list/.
To join her mailing list and receive email notifications of new releases, giveaways, and other news, visit https://katejchristie.com/mailing-list/.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
May 29, 2025
Fascinating read!
This book #3 gives more of an indepth look at their (Emma & Jamie) relationship, their chemistry, their journey of where they were as teenagers to adulthood plus the difficulty of trying to make the US women's soccer team etc. etc. etc...
Recommended book and series!
This book #3 gives more of an indepth look at their (Emma & Jamie) relationship, their chemistry, their journey of where they were as teenagers to adulthood plus the difficulty of trying to make the US women's soccer team etc. etc. etc...
Recommended book and series!
May 13, 2018
Emma and Jamie are finally together. Both still playing professional soccer and competing for the national team. Will they both make the roster for the national team and play together at the World Cup in Canada? Will the US team earn a spot for the World Cup, nevertheless their poor performances in the last few games? And how will their relationship endure the problem of some much time being apart?
Christie knows a lot about soccer and it shows in her books. It’s very interesting to see the competition and the support between the players and in the teams. I loved all the dialogues, the secondary characters are great and Jamie and Emma are just people I would like to know in real life. I would have loved to play soccer with them (although, I was never that good and I only played as a kid).
In my opinion, this was the best book in this series. It’s great how the author creates their lives in and out of the soccer field. How they interact with each other and also how the families and friends are included.
In the beginning, I was thinking this would be the last one in the series, but with this ending, there has to be a fourth, and I’m waiting for it, hopefully not that long :-)
My rating 5
Christie knows a lot about soccer and it shows in her books. It’s very interesting to see the competition and the support between the players and in the teams. I loved all the dialogues, the secondary characters are great and Jamie and Emma are just people I would like to know in real life. I would have loved to play soccer with them (although, I was never that good and I only played as a kid).
In my opinion, this was the best book in this series. It’s great how the author creates their lives in and out of the soccer field. How they interact with each other and also how the families and friends are included.
In the beginning, I was thinking this would be the last one in the series, but with this ending, there has to be a fourth, and I’m waiting for it, hopefully not that long :-)
My rating 5
July 20, 2019
I'm really loving the evolution and growth of the characters throughout this series. It's so perfectly paced, you get such an honest feel of how relationships work.
Most books, not to say I dont love them, but you generally have the characters meeting, falling for each other, some small break up or issue around the 75% mark, and then the riding off into the sunset scene. And like I said, it's not like i don't love those.
But, you rarely ever get to see what happens next. You rarely experience every day life with the characters, and see them navigate mundane issues alongside each other.
This series gives you everything. From teenage angst and silliness and the bonds of friendship, to the throes of first love and heartbreak... to growing up, finding yourself... to re-finding that person, and relearning who you are when you are with them... to living and navigating life side by side...
The pacing is perfect, the characters are lovely, and the setting is awesome. I have two words for you - womens soccer!
Most books, not to say I dont love them, but you generally have the characters meeting, falling for each other, some small break up or issue around the 75% mark, and then the riding off into the sunset scene. And like I said, it's not like i don't love those.
But, you rarely ever get to see what happens next. You rarely experience every day life with the characters, and see them navigate mundane issues alongside each other.
This series gives you everything. From teenage angst and silliness and the bonds of friendship, to the throes of first love and heartbreak... to growing up, finding yourself... to re-finding that person, and relearning who you are when you are with them... to living and navigating life side by side...
The pacing is perfect, the characters are lovely, and the setting is awesome. I have two words for you - womens soccer!
June 7, 2018
I’ve very rarely read everything an author has written. Even when I love/favorite/whatever an author, there tends to be something I haven’t read (like, for example, I’ve read the most lesbian fiction books by Jae, yet there are still stuff I’ve not read by that author (rereading, that might be confusing. On the ‘Most Read Author’ list, Jae is on there at second place with 42 books read; actually, looking at the top ten, I haven’t read everything by any of those authors, heh.)).
Well, I’ve read everything by this author here. Not sure how that happened. Just did. 11 books read.
Well, I’m already on page 2 (I’m blind, I’m typing this in Microsoft Word with the font at size 28, so it’s page 2. Heh, mmphs), and have said nothing much. Mmphs.
This is the third book in an ongoing series about two soccer/football players. The series started as a young adult series, following two teenagers, but as the series advanced, so did the age of the main characters, and now both are closer to 27 than 17. As in, at least one mentioned turning 27.
The series has followed the two young women as they: 1) tried hard to make a living as professional soccer players; 2) make and stay on the National team; 3) date . . . others, though the reader ‘knew’ that the two mains were ‘fated’ to be together.
Well, this specific book has the two mains, Jamie Maxwell & Emma Blakeley, are finally a couple. A specific issue, though, test their relationship (well, in theory): distance and time together. Jamie plays for an English team & a USA team (I forget if she’s Portland or Seattle, but I believe she’s Portland as I recall Emma’s condo is in Seattle), while Emma plays for Seattle and the USA team. And, it appears, soccer is played 10 months out of the year (though that seems to be under-counting), so the two women rarely have much time together in the same city.
So – that’s the story. What, I haven’t said anything? Mmphs. You know, the part where two young women compete in sports, professionally, while attempting to have a relationship? Yeah, that’s the story here.
Enjoyable story. Fun. I look forward to book 4.
Rating: 4.75
June 7 2018
Well, I’ve read everything by this author here. Not sure how that happened. Just did. 11 books read.
Well, I’m already on page 2 (I’m blind, I’m typing this in Microsoft Word with the font at size 28, so it’s page 2. Heh, mmphs), and have said nothing much. Mmphs.
This is the third book in an ongoing series about two soccer/football players. The series started as a young adult series, following two teenagers, but as the series advanced, so did the age of the main characters, and now both are closer to 27 than 17. As in, at least one mentioned turning 27.
The series has followed the two young women as they: 1) tried hard to make a living as professional soccer players; 2) make and stay on the National team; 3) date . . . others, though the reader ‘knew’ that the two mains were ‘fated’ to be together.
Well, this specific book has the two mains, Jamie Maxwell & Emma Blakeley, are finally a couple. A specific issue, though, test their relationship (well, in theory): distance and time together. Jamie plays for an English team & a USA team (I forget if she’s Portland or Seattle, but I believe she’s Portland as I recall Emma’s condo is in Seattle), while Emma plays for Seattle and the USA team. And, it appears, soccer is played 10 months out of the year (though that seems to be under-counting), so the two women rarely have much time together in the same city.
So – that’s the story. What, I haven’t said anything? Mmphs. You know, the part where two young women compete in sports, professionally, while attempting to have a relationship? Yeah, that’s the story here.
Enjoyable story. Fun. I look forward to book 4.
Rating: 4.75
June 7 2018
April 30, 2020
If you come across my profile, you'll know which football team I belong to. Football consumes my life since 1998, having a partner who's a Spursy doesn't bother me but when Kid2 came out of the locker room, announcing his love for Liver...okay, that hurts a lot but I'm handling it.💊 💊
One day, Paradise Lost and I started taking about our future Mrs and she was going to the Moon and back about Emma Blakely from the Girls of Summer Series by Christie and after a few more talks, I needed to find out about my book gf's Mrs.
Am I the third wheel? Or Jamie? 🤔
PL gave me a comprehensive summary on Book 1 and advised me to start on Book 2.
It's Paradise Lost's birthday, and I think that she'll like this love letter more than a gift.
This series, while long [5 Books and more coming?] and frustrating at times, is amazing. I love the realism that the author brings to the story. Following a cast from teenagehood to adulthood is often difficult, but all those emotions associated with growing up compounded with falling in love and having your heart broken is so on point. It is a long and difficult journey for Jamie and Emma filled with moments of football, tender passion, pure adoration, and total devastation. Friends to Lovers? Never an easy thing. Can one’s soul mate be found at the ice machine? Does a lifetime of friendship determine a future forever? How many times can the heart shatter before it is permanently broken?
It’s also a story about discovering the truth about true love and its difference with the concept of soulmates. It talks about finding peace and salvation in a stranger. It’s about a story of how someone could cause you so much pain but be the same person to make you whole again.
Emma Blakey is one of those women who apparently has a perfect life. But what is perfect? Have you ever think about the meaning of perfection? Being perfect means doing what YOU think is perfect or doing what OTHERS think is perfect for your life?
Jamie Maxwell is beautiful inside and out. Her struggles provide a poignancy to the story that makes me feel and think. I admire her strength, her courage and her will to be positive and independent. I want her to live with her love, to find her happiness and live her life to the absolute full. And I want her to have all those things with Emma.
Words that I would use to describe Emma and Jaime's story would be powerful, passionate, all-consuming and undying. As they both reach for that love and happy ending they truly want, they do experience heartache and pain, they struggle at times to bridge the gaps that threaten to keep them apart but everything happens for a reason. Emma and Jamie exist together not to save one another but to bring them back to Life...I love them individually and together.
I'm not going to entertain you to life about the football unless you want pages of love letters and poems to Manchester United, if you need more info about the sports element, head over to Lex's reviews on Book 1, 2 and Three.
Happy Birthday buddy, thank you for all the book talks, rants, recs and dnfs.
One day, Paradise Lost and I started taking about our future Mrs and she was going to the Moon and back about Emma Blakely from the Girls of Summer Series by Christie and after a few more talks, I needed to find out about my book gf's Mrs.
Am I the third wheel? Or Jamie? 🤔
PL gave me a comprehensive summary on Book 1 and advised me to start on Book 2.
It's Paradise Lost's birthday, and I think that she'll like this love letter more than a gift.
This series, while long [5 Books and more coming?] and frustrating at times, is amazing. I love the realism that the author brings to the story. Following a cast from teenagehood to adulthood is often difficult, but all those emotions associated with growing up compounded with falling in love and having your heart broken is so on point. It is a long and difficult journey for Jamie and Emma filled with moments of football, tender passion, pure adoration, and total devastation. Friends to Lovers? Never an easy thing. Can one’s soul mate be found at the ice machine? Does a lifetime of friendship determine a future forever? How many times can the heart shatter before it is permanently broken?
It’s also a story about discovering the truth about true love and its difference with the concept of soulmates. It talks about finding peace and salvation in a stranger. It’s about a story of how someone could cause you so much pain but be the same person to make you whole again.
Emma Blakey is one of those women who apparently has a perfect life. But what is perfect? Have you ever think about the meaning of perfection? Being perfect means doing what YOU think is perfect or doing what OTHERS think is perfect for your life?
Jamie Maxwell is beautiful inside and out. Her struggles provide a poignancy to the story that makes me feel and think. I admire her strength, her courage and her will to be positive and independent. I want her to live with her love, to find her happiness and live her life to the absolute full. And I want her to have all those things with Emma.
Words that I would use to describe Emma and Jaime's story would be powerful, passionate, all-consuming and undying. As they both reach for that love and happy ending they truly want, they do experience heartache and pain, they struggle at times to bridge the gaps that threaten to keep them apart but everything happens for a reason. Emma and Jamie exist together not to save one another but to bring them back to Life...I love them individually and together.
I'm not going to entertain you to life about the football unless you want pages of love letters and poems to Manchester United, if you need more info about the sports element, head over to Lex's reviews on Book 1, 2 and Three.
Happy Birthday buddy, thank you for all the book talks, rants, recs and dnfs.
February 28, 2025
The pace of this series has really slowed down. And while I was very entertained, if you're still reading the series at this point it's because you just need to know what happens--even though you already know what's going to happen.
If you're asking me if I think this is great storytelling? I'm going to say no. Your knowledge of what's happening is completely dependent on reading the previous instalments. And, while things happen, there's no overall story arc this novel is working towards. There's the series story arc, but Book 3 advances that arc marginally at best. Also, for those of you who like spice to your romances, this whole series has been PG, maybe PG-13 if you squint? This doesn't bother me at all; I'm here for the romance first and foremost, but YMMV.
If you're asking me if I'm enjoying the series? Yeah, I am. I'm about to start book 4.
If you're asking me if I think this is great storytelling? I'm going to say no. Your knowledge of what's happening is completely dependent on reading the previous instalments. And, while things happen, there's no overall story arc this novel is working towards. There's the series story arc, but Book 3 advances that arc marginally at best. Also, for those of you who like spice to your romances, this whole series has been PG, maybe PG-13 if you squint? This doesn't bother me at all; I'm here for the romance first and foremost, but YMMV.
If you're asking me if I'm enjoying the series? Yeah, I am. I'm about to start book 4.
December 19, 2025
3.75⭐️ In all honesty Book #3 was a bit of a “filler” in this series. Not advancing the plot or character arcs much at all, and certainly the weakest of “Girls of Summer” so far. But I love escaping into this world, and will be starting Book #4 immediately after posting this, so for me, the more books in this series the merrier!
August 13, 2018
I didn’t think she would but Kate Christie is turning out to be one of my favorite authors at the moment. She’s really good at describing emotions, and this novel is no exception.
July 18, 2018
Seemed dragged out and hoping for more in the next
December 29, 2025
My final book that I wanted to finish going into 2025.
Was a lot less into this one. I think I got a little bored now they’re together and there was no like tension of much happening. Like I thought there might be a bit more of a climactic twist - I kinda don’t really know where else they go with the series as they seem fine and happy together.
Was a lot less into this one. I think I got a little bored now they’re together and there was no like tension of much happening. Like I thought there might be a bit more of a climactic twist - I kinda don’t really know where else they go with the series as they seem fine and happy together.
March 22, 2020
4.5 stars...cant wait to read the rest of the series to see how the careers of Emma and Jamie unfold!
June 11, 2018
1.5 Stars. I did not enjoy this book nearly as much as I thought it would. I thought it dragggggged a lot. I had read the last two books and enjoyed them a lot. I enjoy Emma and Jamie's dynamic and how their relationship is evolving. I may have not enjoyed this book as much since I think I enjoyed the tension more than them actually being together. I found them being together, not as exciting of a story-line. Most of the book seemed Jaime or Emma just pining to be with the other and not being together.
I did not find this story-line all that thrilling. I would not recommend this book, I actually already had told my girlfriend to not bother reading it, as I was a little disappointed there was going to be another book, as I did not enjoy this one. It took me a while to read it and I wound up only trying to find out how it ended and I thought it was the last book in the series. I do not want to read the next one nor will I purchase it. I can't remember too many events that happened in this book as I could not get into it at all.
I did not find this story-line all that thrilling. I would not recommend this book, I actually already had told my girlfriend to not bother reading it, as I was a little disappointed there was going to be another book, as I did not enjoy this one. It took me a while to read it and I wound up only trying to find out how it ended and I thought it was the last book in the series. I do not want to read the next one nor will I purchase it. I can't remember too many events that happened in this book as I could not get into it at all.
February 25, 2021
I really enjoy Kate Christie's writing style. And as a massive football fan, I thoroughly enjoy her immense knowledge of the game, along with the many off-pitch issues that have plagued the Women's Nat team side for years. It's fun to read through her books and recognize characters and situations that have been fictionalized but follow the same path of history that has led to the current day team. For football fans--the books are a must. And for the non-sport loving fans that want an entertaining love story between two women whose characters are well drawn out and realistic, this series is a fun read.
September 6, 2018
3.5/5
The first book remains one of my favorite LGBTQ+ YA novels. In the first book, both Emma and Jaime feel so real. The situations and relationship challenges that they face as young adults really hits home and feels genuine.
I didn't enjoy the second book quite as much. I still feel as though the gap between the first book and the second book was too large. Skipping nearly a decade into the future meant that a lot of development was being summarized instead of witnessed. I kind of wish the story had picked up in college instead, so that they were older, but not so far removed from their younger selves. I also missed having the parents feature more heavily into it, as well as the siblings, all of whom were interesting characters in the first. I did like the side characters from the soccer training camps, though. And it was still an entertaining read.
This one, though, didn't grab me as much either. A part of that is due to the reason above - the time gap from the first book makes it hard to relate as much to the characters now. And a part of it is because this book doesn't really involve much of anything at all. It feels as though it was spinning in neutral, whereas the big events will be coming up for the next book - which I still plan to check out regardless.
I think this book and the last book could've been combined into one for a better experience, as more would've happened, and it would've felt more like a complete journey. Though a part of me thinks that the first book might've been better as a complete series in of itself, as it told a complete story with some very interesting arcs for the two characters. Maybe if it had a happier ending, it could've been a great standalone story.
I'm still really invested in these characters though. I want to see where this all goes. But I kind of hope the story wraps up in the next book. And if it doesn't, I hope that more events of consequence happens. In this one, there's a lot of travel, a lot of camps, and a lot of pining, but there isn't as much development or substance. We did get more from the family at least, and that I did enjoy. It was nice to see both sides of the family again.
The first book remains one of my favorite LGBTQ+ YA novels. In the first book, both Emma and Jaime feel so real. The situations and relationship challenges that they face as young adults really hits home and feels genuine.
I didn't enjoy the second book quite as much. I still feel as though the gap between the first book and the second book was too large. Skipping nearly a decade into the future meant that a lot of development was being summarized instead of witnessed. I kind of wish the story had picked up in college instead, so that they were older, but not so far removed from their younger selves. I also missed having the parents feature more heavily into it, as well as the siblings, all of whom were interesting characters in the first. I did like the side characters from the soccer training camps, though. And it was still an entertaining read.
This one, though, didn't grab me as much either. A part of that is due to the reason above - the time gap from the first book makes it hard to relate as much to the characters now. And a part of it is because this book doesn't really involve much of anything at all. It feels as though it was spinning in neutral, whereas the big events will be coming up for the next book - which I still plan to check out regardless.
I think this book and the last book could've been combined into one for a better experience, as more would've happened, and it would've felt more like a complete journey. Though a part of me thinks that the first book might've been better as a complete series in of itself, as it told a complete story with some very interesting arcs for the two characters. Maybe if it had a happier ending, it could've been a great standalone story.
I'm still really invested in these characters though. I want to see where this all goes. But I kind of hope the story wraps up in the next book. And if it doesn't, I hope that more events of consequence happens. In this one, there's a lot of travel, a lot of camps, and a lot of pining, but there isn't as much development or substance. We did get more from the family at least, and that I did enjoy. It was nice to see both sides of the family again.
August 17, 2019
Our girls are so grown up and the World Cup creeps closer in book 3.
New stresses rise for both Jamie and Emma in Outside the Lines. Turmoil in US soccer rocks the team during an international tournament. Jamie is dealing with the stresses of being a National player on the bubble while attempting to stay healthy. And Emma just wants to live out and proud with Jamie while also trying to protect their relationship from an increasingly fixated and toxic online stalker.
The more things change the more they stay the same. At least they have each other. Bring on Canada.
New stresses rise for both Jamie and Emma in Outside the Lines. Turmoil in US soccer rocks the team during an international tournament. Jamie is dealing with the stresses of being a National player on the bubble while attempting to stay healthy. And Emma just wants to live out and proud with Jamie while also trying to protect their relationship from an increasingly fixated and toxic online stalker.
The more things change the more they stay the same. At least they have each other. Bring on Canada.
November 28, 2023
I love our sweet dorky she/they couple and their brave soccer adventures! This one seemed mostly transitional (haha?) again but we're going to the World Cup baby! Well, hopefully. I'm watching a ton of WSL/Champions League while reading this so perhaps I'm biased but this is the soft nice fun I need.
February 2, 2020
Did you ask permission to use the photograph of Christen Press's and Tobin Heath's legs as the cover (with crudely drawn socks)? -
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/im...
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/im...
February 2, 2024
Enjoyable
Third in the series and you get to see them together finally and it's great and all but I'm not liking Emma very much in the moment. Huge secret to keep and I think the lie is going to come back and bite her in the ass.
Third in the series and you get to see them together finally and it's great and all but I'm not liking Emma very much in the moment. Huge secret to keep and I think the lie is going to come back and bite her in the ass.
August 4, 2018
Nice and solid, but not actually a conclusion!
June 29, 2019
Great series
I really love this series. The two main characters are great. I love all there ups and downs of soccer life.
I really love this series. The two main characters are great. I love all there ups and downs of soccer life.
June 20, 2022
This series is simply awesome and I just love it so much!
July 12, 2023
3.5 stars
August 22, 2023
Book 3 down
I love Emma and Jamie. I cannot get enough of their story. I hope things keep moving forward. I love their communication. On to the next book.
I love Emma and Jamie. I cannot get enough of their story. I hope things keep moving forward. I love their communication. On to the next book.
February 26, 2018
Very good book!
Another excellent Kate Christie book! The characters Jaime and Emma are evolving so beautifully as a couple. These two young people have grown and matured so beautifully. I look forward to see the story progress in the upcoming book 4 and hopefully book 5.
Another excellent Kate Christie book! The characters Jaime and Emma are evolving so beautifully as a couple. These two young people have grown and matured so beautifully. I look forward to see the story progress in the upcoming book 4 and hopefully book 5.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews