Life, Love, and the Pursuit of Free Throws is a 2005 novel by Janette Rallison for children or young adults. It is told from the alternating points of view of Josie and Cami, high school students and best friends, one a basketball star and the other envious of her skills, and describes their relationship and a competition to appear with a sports star.[1]
Josie repeatedly attempts to impress her crush, Ethan Lancaster, with little success, even tripping down an up escalator at the mall to try to get his attention, while her best friend Cami is doing everything she can to become the high scorer on the basketball team so that she will be chosen to participate in a demonstration with the coach's old friend and her idol, Rebecca Lobo. Cami agrees to help Josie get Ethan's affection, while Josie agrees to help Cami with basketball. However, Ethan starts flirting with Cami, who has also been secretly crushing on him as well and cannot resist flirting back, even though she knows she is being a bad friend to Josie. Josie finds out about Cami and Ethan's relationship, and seeks her revenge by telling Ethan that Cami has kleptomania. The girls get into a fight, and Josie starts hanging out with her annoying science fair project partner, Frederick Vine, whom Josie finds is actually a good friend. Cami befriends her delusional science project partner, Caroline. Later, a smug Erica Green, the sidekick of Cami and Josie's worst enemy, Ashley Holt, reveals that Ethan was only paying attention to Cami to make Ashley jealous. Ashley had recently broken up with Ethan, but now the couple's back together.
On a road trip to a basketball game and the Rebecca Lobo demonstration, Josie and Cami are stranded at a gas station as the result of a nasty trick played by Ashley. While at the gas station, Cami and Josie apologize to each other and become friends again. Daniel Dixon, one of Frederick's friends whom Josie immediately takes a liking to, finally picks them up and drives them to the game just in time. It ends happily, with Cami being chosen to play with Rebecca Lobo and Josie and Daniel crushing on each other.
Rebecca Lobo has a cameo appearance in this novel.
Kirkus Reviews praised its "crisp, witty comic voice" while complaining that the narration failed to differentiate the two characters' voices.[2] School Library Journal called it a "fun, realistic, sometimes poignant story".[3] Booklist said it "is light entertainment, short on characterization but full of myriad awkward moments in romance" and "will please middle-school girls.[4] Library Media Connection recommended it as a book for girls interested in sports.[5]