Review of Between A Rockstar And A Hard Place

Synopsis

Behind the music...

Being best friends with a mega-star has its perks and Nicole Wilde, music journalist, laps them up. But when said friend, Dylan King, gorgeous lead singer of The Burnouts, has zero sense of self-preservation - once a drop of alcohol hits his blood stream ? and an inability to keep 'little Dylan' in his pants, it also comes with responsibilities.

Now, Nicole has to track down Dylan in time to play a charity gig tomorrow. Half a dozen groupies, a haunted hotel, a tattoo parlour, a reality show runner-up and a crazy bed-hopping, sleepless night later - will she find him before the tour bus leaves town? And when she does, is it time to head home? Or to jump on the tour bus and go along for the ride!

Between a Rockstar and a Hard Place is the fun and fabulous prequel to Portia MacIntosh's Starstruck. Look out for it March 2014.

Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK

Review

This was a fun novella following a music journalist’s evening trying to track down her reckless friend before he managed to destroy his career.  There were a couple of things that stood out to me, the first being that she undertook this mission by choice.  She isn’t some hapless PR person or some manager whose career is tied up with that of the errant rock star.  She is simply a ridiculously good friend who is willing to go to some serious extremes to protect her friend.  There were some humorous parts and I really enjoyed the fact that she found a fun diversion amidst her selfless efforts but I had a couple of minor issues with the story. 

 

The biggest concern I had was that I didn’t really see how the rock star was deserving of such a friend.  He has a wild night of reckless bed hopping while she jumps through every hoop imaginable to follow his trail.  I found myself quite frustrated a few times as the story progressed as I didn’t really see why he deserved to be bailed out.  The mindless sex and drugs also made me a little uncomfortable but I suppose it fits the stereotypical mold for a reckless rock star.  What I ultimately enjoyed about the story, however, was the humor.  It really was rather comical and quirky.  I enjoyed the pretty boy sidekick she acquires on her journey and it ended up being a fun read overall.

Try it for yourself! Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK

Katie

Review of Soundtracks Of A Life

Synopsis

At the tender age of 14, Lorelai, suffers the traumatic loss of both parents in a fatal airplane disaster only to be met four years later with the sudden death of her sister. It is only her love of music which keeps her from being swallowed up by her deep depression.

During her college sophomore year, her life takes a turn for the better when she decides to start a band filled with other extremely talented musicians and rather cute classmates.

Quickly gaining notoriety and building a loyal following, the band is approached by a hot shot manager but being under the wing of the powerful Susan Carmichael comes with a catch - Absolutely no relationships between the band members! Unfortunately, Lorelai is already helplessly in love with a fellow band mate.

Still fighting the demons of her tragic past, these new feelings of love and a sickening fear of possible loss, Lorelai is caught up in a downward spiral that eventually puts her life at great risk and drives a wedge between her and the love of her life.

Now, In order to win him back she must prove that she is fully committed to life.

Become your own fan of Lorelai and the band as you revel in the amazing growth and transformation of these powerful but vulnerable souls in their search for meaning and fulfillment. Experience Lorelai’s personal journey as she battles her own demons, discovers a brand new family through the friends that she finds, and ultimately through love finds a new reason for living.

Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK

Review

Let me start with the negatives, there are only a few, but they are rather major negative things. I almost gave up on this book early on, completely frustrated by the tense in which the story was written. It just wasn’t clicking for me. Something about how it was written just rubbed me wrong. The grammatical errors also were driving me a little crazy but after a while they stopped bothering me.

I am glad I never gave up on the book. The story was really compelling in the end. Especially when Lori’s demons began to rock the life she had created and finally found herself living.

This rockstar love story wasn’t all about sex and drugs like so many others are. What ultimately drove Lorelai were her inner demons about her family. A person who suffers the kind of loss she does questions life, why everyone she loves dies and her inner turmoil makes sense to the readers. You understand where her dark moments and thoughts come from.

The story really focused on how music helped Lori cope with the tragedies she has faced in her life. Her band is precious to her and their road to fame is fast but well deserved. The story itself is a rollercoaster, there are so many happy moments that are plagued by the bad. There is always a dark hole waiting to take over, and there are times that Lori allowed that to happen.

You can’t help but root for Lori, the band and her relationship with Chris. You just want everything to work out for her after all of the horrible deaths she has witnessed in her life. You want the band to succeed after seeing how much they care for each other.

Although there are things that must be overcome when reading this story, the plot itself makes the story worthwhile. The story is different then many NA books, but it is compelling none the less.

Try it for yourself! Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK

Amanda

As Lush As It Gets Excerpt

As part of my 1 year blogaversary celebrations I am happy today to be sharing an exclusive excerpt of As Lush As It gets by Selena Laurence. To stay in the loop about this book and when it will be releasing follow Selena on Twitter or Facebook :)

As Lush As It Gets by Selena Laurence

“I think I’ve died and gone to heaven,” he rasps out.

I gasp as he leans over me, devouring my mouth while his hands begin exploring my breasts, kneading and stroking them through my satin bra. With more skill than I want to contemplate, he quickly twists the front clasp and releases the girls from their prison, then he pulls back and simply stares down at me for a moment.

“My God,” he whispers. “You’re absolutely perfect.”

I feel my cheeks heat and shake my head. “Please don’t say that, you’ll only end up disappointed.”

He puts his hand alongside my face, his thumb rubbing lightly on my lower lip. “Never, Mel. Never. Even your imperfections are perfect to me. That’s what I mean. You are perfect to me. For me. With me. You’re meant to be mine.”

His words render me speechless. My heart is jumping in my chest, and I feel something aching and tingly spread from my center to my arms and legs, my hands and feet. I wonder if this is how Tammy feels with Walsh. This wave of pain and pleasure and utter panic because the idea that this would ever end is almost more than I can fathom. I feel my eyes burn and I know I’m seconds from breaking down. My heart is overloaded. Its circuits not designed for this much strain.

He looks down at me, and his eyes are so serious, it’s like he can see everything that’s flashing through my mind. As though he senses me on a level, in a place, that words can’t find. “Sshh, sweet Mel,” he coos. “Just breathe. We’re going to be okay. You’ll get used to it. The feeling. I promise. We both will. Just breathe.”