Beyond the Hardwood by L. M. Nelson

Beyond the Hardwood is the third book of the Scrubs contemporary romance series by L. M. Nelson

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From the time he was old enough to hold a basketball, Nathan Hanson dreamed of playing in the NCAA. Now a senior at Lake Washington High School, Nathan is a top-notch athlete with aspirations of attending medical school. Well known for his skills on the court, Nathan’s name and face are plastered across every sports page in Seattle. When a college recruiter catches wind of his stats, Nathan receives a visit from the head coach of the University of Washington, bringing him one step closer to making his lifelong dream a reality.

But sometimes pursuing your dreams comes with a hefty price.

A Word from the Author

Beyond the Hardwood is the third book in the Scrubs series. The series itself has the same group of characters throughout. The first two books follow Randy Hanson and his friends through medical school and their individual residency placements. The third book, Beyond the Hardwood, focuses specifically on Randy’s son, Nathan.

Nathan Hanson is a high school basketball player with aspirations of medical school. He also dreams of playing in the NCAA. In the process of pursuing his dreams, he struggles to find balance in his life. To overcome this problem, he seeks advice from his father, who is a physician in Seattle, and his mother, who is a sports psychologist and former NCAA basketball player. He includes his long time girlfriend in his decision making process, and together they make plans for their futures. However, life doesn’t always go as planned. Certain events occur in Nathan’s life that could potentially threaten his plans.

This particular book gives a realistic account of significant events that help shape Nathan into the adult he becomes. Some events are celebratory, others are tragic, but all of them are learning opportunities that lead to growth. Although I didn’t personally face all of the issues Nathan does, each one of us has had personal roadblocks we’ve had to overcome in the pursuit our dreams. Nathan faces his own roadblocks, but he learns to utilize his strengths and find ways to improve on his weaknesses along the way. He gains a stronger understanding of the power of compromise, learns not to take anything for granted, and discovers the true value of friendship.

Nathan is one of my favorite characters in the Scrubs series. He’s down to earth, fun-loving, and just an all around good guy. He has a unique sense of humor and genuinely cares about people. He has his moments of weakness, just like every other human being, but through it all, he’s taught a valuable lesson in humility.

Nathan will return in the fourth book, Center Stage.

(L. M. Nelson, November 2016)