I’ve been watching him since I was young.
He didn’t notice me back then and it didn’t matter. Brad Snyder, guitarist and singer for one of the world’s greatest bands, was my entire life.
My father, the CEO of Ramsey Records, takes credit for all of Brad’s success, trying to control him in the same way he’s controlled me.
But I finally get an opportunity to prove myself.
To be wild.
To be free.
Today I’m auditioning to be the replacement bass player for Brad’s band. If I get the job, I’ll go on tour and work with Brad every day, in very close proximity.
There’s only one rule: he’s not allowed to touch the boss’s daughter.
Remember when I said that Brad never used to notice little ol’ me?
Well, Brad’s noticing me now.
In a way that’s going to get us both in trouble.
My name is Lael Ramsey and we all know how this will turn out.
“… I like him. I really do.”
“Everyone knows that.” She laughs softly.
“No, I mean…I think I might be falling for him.”
“Everyone knows that too.”
“In a real way.”
“Well that happens. It’s either you find out that your idol isn’t the man you thought they were or they turn out to be exactly what you thought.”
Not often… if ever do we get an HEA with a Rockstar crush. However, what Karina and Scott did was basically write a ‘What If’ fantasy to all of us wondering for 2 fictional, but who knows they could be real people Lael and Brad. For me specifically, I loved where the story went. It’s not a secret, it’s not exactly a twist… I mean come on look at the cover of the book to know what it’s all about!
I am a huge fan of Karina Halle’s writing, no matter the genre she just pulls it off so well. However, this time around she has her hubby joining in creating yet another amazing story. This book particularly has my favorite trope and I have zeroed on that story since I saw the cover.
Music background of both Karina and Scott just shines through each line, which made me fall in love with music a little more. The both of them has created an incredible or incredibly beautiful story that is just TOO authentic for fiction.
I felt for and rooted for Brad and Lael since the beginning. Of course, my rooting for Lael to get together with Brad started when she was of consenting age. Written in alternate POV, we get to see Lael grow up and out of a crush for Brad into something real and appropriate.
Lael should be a true inspiration of breaking away from expectations and in some way norms to establish who she is and who she wishes to be in the future. I loved this story mostly because of her unwavering knowledge and belief in herself. There was no silly drama that is often found in contemporary romance. It’s fine sometimes but most often it gets too much and starts overpowering the story line. Lael is my favorite fictional character of 2017. There was just so much sass, strong willed, womanly essence to her that will inspire anyone OR at least me. She just owned that teal hair and rockstar lifestyle from the get-go. Probably because that’s who she is and in some way what was in her blood from the start. Brad didn’t suck either, don’t get me wrong but where he was the genius of all that is music world he has… had?… a lot to learn in many aspects of his life. Something that Lael was able to help guide in him whether by taking his hand and guiding him through or simply putting him in situations where he had to sink or swim. Thankfully the man made all the right decisions considering how messed up his past is. Fiction dictates he should not have been as normal as he was lol.
I pummel the bass, whipping my hair around, putting every ounce of energy into every note and for now I feel limitless, like my energy has endless reserves that can never be exhausted.
And through it all, I feel intensely connected to Brad, more than I thought I could. I feel connected to everyone. On the stage, in the crowd. We’re all one, all feeding off each other, all lifting each other until we come together in the song.
The story was fantastic!!! The plot, the characters, the setting, the right balance of drama and humor, as well as perfect blend of fiction with non-fiction. Scott and Karina please write more together!
Karina Halle is a former travel writer and music journalist and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today Bestselling author of The Pact, Racing the Sun, Sins & Needles and over 25 other wild and romantic reads. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband and her rescue pup, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books.
Halle is represented by the Waxman Leavell Agency and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster and Hachette in North America and in the UK.
Hit her up on Instagram at @authorHalle, on Twitter at @MetalBlonde and on Facebook. You can also visit www.authorkarinahalle.com and sign up for the newsletter for news, excerpts, previews, private book signing sales and more.
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Born in Montreal and raised in rural Ontario, Scott Mackenzie has worn many different hats in his life, from bartending to working as a heavy duty mechanic for the railway, to owning and operating a take-out restaurant. He finally settled down out West, where he lives on an island with his author wife and their dog. Scott can be found exploring the gulf islands on his sailboat, playing and recording music in his studio, or on a hike, thinking about his next book.
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