The Not-Outcast – Tijan

Genre: Romance
Publisher: Self-Published
Pages: 448
Release Date: December 1, 2020

Cutler Ryder was everything I wasn’t.

He was the hockey star. I was an outcast.
He was best friends with my stepbrother, that same stepbrother who hated me.
His two parents loved him. My mom was a junkie. My dad barely knew me.

Years passed.
I got my life together.
Cut went onto NHL stardom.

Then there was a text.
I was drinking.
There was a party.
Cut was there…

I loved Cutler Ryder since the first moment I saw him.
The only problem? He never knew I existed.

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The Not-Outcast was disappointing to say the least. The main character was annoying, the other characters were just as annoying and bland, and the chemistry between the main characters was okay at best.

The Not-Outcast follows Cheyenne as she is confronted with her high school crush, Cutler, who is now an NHL star. The only catch is that he never knew she existed.

I’m certainly in the minority when it comes to The Not-Outcast. I think everyone appreciated the mental health representation, however I found the characters to be too annoying and the drama unnecessarily complicated and over the top to appreciate representation.

Cheyenne and her friends are supposed to be in their upper twenties as they start getting established in their careers. Unfortunately, they act and speak like they’re teenagers. Cheyenne’s inner voice is almost unbearable to read as she’s so immature for her apparent age.

Throughout the entirety of The Not-Outcast there is only one moment where Cheyenne and Cut have chemistry, but Tijan faded the scene to black. This scene is the impetus for their relationship, so it was disappointing to not experience their connection firsthand since it is constantly referred back to throughout the novel.

Cut is one of the most bland love interests I’ve ever read who has his own point of view. There’s nothing engaging or interesting about him as a character. He has no personality other than he’s a hotshot NHL star.

Overall, The Not-Outcast features an annoying main character, a bland love interest, and over the top drama. If you’re looking for a sports romance with mental health representation, I recommend Littles Lies by H. Hunting.

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Have you read The Not-Outcast? What did you think?