This book started out really strong! I liked the altering POVs from "The Manager", "The Bodyguard", and "The Rockstar" - it was a workplace romance x1This book started out really strong! I liked the altering POVs from "The Manager", "The Bodyguard", and "The Rockstar" - it was a workplace romance x10.
The Manager (Marci) and The Bodyguard (Ryder) catch The Rockstar (Barney) in the tub with his headphones on and... he's got tentacles. TENTACLES. As they try (and fail) to play it cool like they saw nothing, the three of them have a magical day in New York, complete with disguises and a sold out concert.
So what went wrong?
I guess it just moved a little too fast into love-lust for me - not surprising since it's a novella, but it leaned too hard into insta-love instead of insta-lust. I could have bought lust and a love from friendship as they've worked together for years, but they literally went from being "just coworkers" to saying "I've wanted to ride you for years" in 24 hours. Also, the steam was just... awkward! I couldn't do it....more
Okay this cover model… I’m sorry but please change it. Because this book was so good!
Summary first: Wren just got a job at a record label, and in walkOkay this cover model… I’m sorry but please change it. Because this book was so good!
Summary first: Wren just got a job at a record label, and in walks Callum Rose, bassist to the band The Seasons Change. Also known as her ex-pen pal best friend. But they haven’t spoken since she ghosted him years ago. And he’s not exactly friendly enough for her to fess up now.
My main issue with this book was that the flashbacks to years earlier were just their emailed letters to one another. And we know that they were “best friends”, closest to each other through a year and a half of writing, but the emails were… lame. Super surface level. I wish there had been more because based on what we were given I didn’t buy the “best friendship”.
But once the story started rolling… oh my god.
I don’t want to say too much because the TikTok I saw that sold me on this book literally gave away a major spoiler in the video.
But holy hotness. There were some very good spice scenes. He’s a voyeur and a virgin, and he’s obsessed with her. Ooh, and she’s a plus sized heroine!
When I’m stumped on what to read next, I’ll dig through my folder labeled “KU” which is full of screenshots from TikTok of book recs. I wasn’t able toWhen I’m stumped on what to read next, I’ll dig through my folder labeled “KU” which is full of screenshots from TikTok of book recs. I wasn’t able to put my finger on exactly what I wanted, but I was feeling a contemporary without too much drama.
My screenshot of Rush was from JULY 2021. Lordy I need to have a better system for categorizing my TBR.
Anyway, I want to line up the content warnings up front, because they’re lengthy: past workplace abuse and harassment; online bullying; drugging (no assault) and hospitalization; daddy kink and light DDLG (no diapers, thank goodness), BDSM, requests to be degraded during sex, to be hit and choked; panic attack; physical violence.
I’m always on board for a daddy kink so while I didn’t really get the requests for violence and degradation, I shrugged it off. All violence/degradation was super super consensual.
Okay on to the actual story. The heroine, Dree, is a ballet dancer and choreographer who previously had a bad experience with a band that abused her in the workplace. Months have passed and she takes a small job for a friend’s music video but Rush, the lead singer of a massive rock band, is obsessed with the video and tracks her down, wanting to collab.
Dree learning to regain confidence in herself and her work was lovely, as was her professional relationship with Rush and his team - a stark contrast to past experiences.
Rush was dreamy. Super alpha, tough, protective, a little jealous. I liked that there was no usual “rockstar drama” from other women, groupies, jealousy, etc.
Even the third act conflict (which came a bit early) was great, because it was so internal to their relationship and Rush was like, “you’re not fucking giving up on this.”
I saw someone else’s review call this a palate cleanser which I would say is pretty accurate. While I liked the type of character Rush was as a hero/ alpha/ daddy, I didn’t really connect with either of them or their relationship - which was largely just based on sex > emotions. So it was fine, but I didn’t feel some type of way about them as a couple....more
I loved this even more than I loved It Happened One Summer.
It shouldn't be surprising... I've been more partial to friends to lovers than enemies (or I loved this even more than I loved It Happened One Summer.
It shouldn't be surprising... I've been more partial to friends to lovers than enemies (or antagonists) to lovers, and this story set it up perfectly. We met Fox (Brendan's best friend) and Hannah (Piper's sister) in IHOS and so we know Fox is a... bit of a ladies man, and Hannah is very into music, moody men, and does not want to be another notch on Fox's bedpost. But we also know Fox picked up a Fleetwood Mac record Hannah desperately wanted and gifted it to her before she moved back to LA.
This book picks up with a text thread that I absolutely loved, going from when Hannah left town up until when she's coming back... she's a PA on a movie set and they're going to be filming in town for a few weeks. Their platonic friendship was so sweet, and they really began to connect via music - a thread throughout the story I thought was the perfect touch. Because here's the thing: personally, I'm not big on music. Sacrilegious to say, I know! But I've been listening to the same 3 albums since 2018 and just kind of listen to one-off popular songs. Music doesn't speak to me like it does to Hannah. But through this book, I could understand why she loved it so much and it made the story so much richer.
She was his friend. She was a woman who genuinely liked him for something other than his dick. And it made him feel terrifyingly good to be around her. To talk to her. They had fun. Made each other laugh. The way she translated song lyrics out loud made him think. In the six months that she'd been gone, he'd noticed the sunrise more. He'd started paying attention to strangers, their actions. Listening to music. Even his job seemed to have more gravity to it. Hannah did that somehow. Made him look around and consider.
There were so many layers to why I loved this story - the platonic friendship is one piece of it. The fact that Fox had someone who finally saw HIM, and not just his appearance or, er, sexual prowess. But there was also the complicated conversations around toxic masculinity and how misogynistic culture can impact men.
Fox was told from the time he was a child that he was a looker. That girls must be fighting over him, that girls must want to be his girlfriend. He was basically given free reign to have sex in high school and told over and over it was all he was good for. He really needs to face these assumptions because he's come to accept them as truth - he will never be a boyfriend or a husband or partner, he is only good for sex, he's just like his father, he couldn't be faithful to one woman.
I'm not a huge fan of heroes who are playboys but I adored Fox because he proved the complexity behind it. And his journey to fighting for his own happiness... ugh.
And of course, I adore Tessa Bailey. HOW have I not read more of her books? I think I've only read 5 or 6, and a binge is long overdue. Her dirty talk is A+, her steam is A+, and she weaves romance with comedy in a less in-your-face way. Like, I read the book with a smile on my face and laughed at times (like the quote below) but it wasn't over the top embarrassing hijinx - which I really appreciated because slapstick comedy can feel very tired in books to me.
"Is it Brendan's fault? Because I can't talk trash about my sister's fiancé. Unless you really want to." A beat passed. "Okay, you convinced me. What's his problem? He can be so mean. And, like, what is with the beanie? Is it glued on?" A laugh snuck out before he could catch it. How did she do this? How could she rip him free of the jaws of envy and bring him back to a place of comfort and belonging?
Am I selling this book? I hope so. After getting back from vacation I immediately went to Barnes and Noble to purchase it - thats how much I loved it....more
I felt so many emotions while reading this book. My heart hurt, I got frustrated and angry, I squealed from adorableness, and I wanted to cry.
I had bI felt so many emotions while reading this book. My heart hurt, I got frustrated and angry, I squealed from adorableness, and I wanted to cry.
I had been warned before going into it that this was unlike the previous two books in the series. It was more emotional, more heart wrenching. I do think that’s true, but not in the ways I expected.
Quan may be my favorite hero of all time. There were so many brief, quiet moments where my heart ached for him. When he was nervous to be naked around someone again, when he brought food from his mother to Anna’s family and then became embarrassed they might not have room for it all. He was so, so wonderful. And it was crazy to see how much he changed from books 1 and 2.
Anna is a heroine I rooted for. I know Helen Hoang said that she put a lot of herself into this book and into Anna, and my heart went out to her every time Anna changed herself (“masked” herself) to conform to what other people wanted. I’ve done that too and it’s exhausting. But seeing Anna do that around her family, the people who are supposed to care for her regardless, and seeing their negative reactions to her, her life, her relationship, her job… was so frustrating.
Anna and Quan’s relationship and love story to me felt easy and natural. But as I was browsing other reviews, trying to formulate the end of my review, someone else put into words what I hadn’t yet: this didn’t really feel like a “romance book”. I mean, it is one, but not a typical romance where the relationship plot is central to the story. It was more about self-acceptance, self-confidence, and finding yourself again.
The story is split up into Before / During / After. To me, the After section was the weakest, which disappointed me. It’s where Quan and Anna both find their strides. But because so much time passes in After but it’s only 9 chapters (compared to 18 in Before and 19 in During), it’s more of… a summary. Like checking in with a friend after a few months - you get a summary of what they’ve been up to and what’s new. I didn’t want that! I wanted the knitty gritty.
I did think it was interesting that the book ended without resolution between Anna and (view spoiler)[Priscilla. It was realistic and I didn’t hate it. Then again I’m someone who firmly believes if someone is not good to you, you don’t “owe them” your time/ relationship/ sanity just because they’re “family”. (hide spoiler)]
CWs: cancer, sterility, hospital, hospice care, sick parent, death of a loved one, toxic relationships, ableism, anxiety, depression...more
HOW have I not reviewed this on Goodreads? Ugh I am the worst. I have read this book… so many times. Like constantly flipping back through it to re-reHOW have I not reviewed this on Goodreads? Ugh I am the worst. I have read this book… so many times. Like constantly flipping back through it to re-read it, it’s highlighted to heck, I bought a book box to get a SPECIAL EDITION COVER. (Click here to see the cover)
If you are looking for a low angst, super sweet first love, musician romance with no jealousy… look no further!! This is available on Kindle Unlimited aaaaand Lauren wrote/recorded songs so you can LISTEN as you read (they are linked within the ebook).
Fish is the bassist for 22 Goats, a band we originally met in Rockstar, which follows the bands lead singer. Years after they’ve blown up Fish still feels like the awkward guy he always was… but now girls throw themselves at him because he’s famous. Just because he’s famous.
Until he meets Alessandra. She’s the shy sister of a journalist interviewing them and they immediately bond over a love of music. She’s a music student and huge 22 Goats fan and although they live across the country from one another, they keep talking and fall in love.
This definitely isn’t a super steamy book. Alessandra is a virgin and Fish isn’t super experiences past one night stands, but holy crap - this book is SWEET. Like, peanut M&M’s personified. My biggest “yuck” about musician romances is plots of jealousy and groupies and those are no where to be found. Fish and Aly are honest with one another, optimistic, and just plain in love.
I have like 100 highlights from this book just read it okay??...more
I was excited to read another Sweet Omegaverse book... unto l realized this wasn't written by Kathryn Moon. I didn't click with this book at all, evenI was excited to read another Sweet Omegaverse book... unto l realized this wasn't written by Kathryn Moon. I didn't click with this book at all, even though I liked the concept... an omega who wants to be seen as more than her designation, who wants to go on tour and finds a pack in the guys she tours with. But execution fell flat for me.
For one, it was in third person instead of first, and chapters/sections weren't labeled with whose POV we were in. And the emotional connection between Lyric and the guys just wasn't there for me, except maybe with 1 or 2 of them....more
If Grip (the book) was a story about finding love, Still is the story of what happens after you find it.
You could read books 0.5 (Flow) and 1 (Grip) If Grip (the book) was a story about finding love, Still is the story of what happens after you find it.
You could read books 0.5 (Flow) and 1 (Grip) and be done with the series, but I think Still is the long love story more rarely told. Two people who have found each other and committed to each other making their relationship work and figuring out how and when to move forward.
I’ll say the same thing I did in my review of Grip: what separates a 4 from a 5 star read for me is a feeling, the same way what makes a book a “favorite” is a feeling. Still is both for me.
This book deals with heavier issues than relationships. It touches on police violence, racism, interracial relationships. And it focuses on two imperfect people navigating an imperfect world.
This book is what I would call a “sprawling love story”. I don’t know exactly how much time passes but it feels like a lot, even though I think Still only takes place over a few years. The struggles they go through are much different than in Grip. I cried through an entire subplot of this book. And yet I loved it.
Grip and Bristol are one of my favorite couples of all time. The way he loves her is… wow. Out of the five love languages mine is definitely acts of service, but Grip’s words could make a case for it being “words of affirmation.” Him quoting poetry to her, as they make love, as they fight, as they live their life - MY HEART. Through every dark moment they’re always there fighting for each other and I really thought, these two would do ANYTHING for each other.
That said, there were some things that made me uncomfortable. The biggest thing is that throughout this book, their relationship faced animosity and challenges from only Black people and one white supremacist. But what stuck out to me was that I think apart from 1 Black man, all the animosity was portrayed as from Black women. This made me uncomfortable.
The Black women characters were a panel host, a rapper (and ex-girlfriend), and the hero’s cousin. They repeatedly told Grip and Bristol together and separately they wouldn’t last, that Grip should be with a Black woman, that Grip was only with Bristol because being with a white woman was a kind of trophy, etc etc.
While none of them were the villains of the story, they were certainly antagonistic and having all the backlash come from Black characters (and specifically Black women) felt like a bad choice.
What separates a book between 4 and 5 stars for me is the way it made me feel. Kind of that indescribable feeling that pushes it beyond “I loved it” tWhat separates a book between 4 and 5 stars for me is the way it made me feel. Kind of that indescribable feeling that pushes it beyond “I loved it” to something else. And that’s how I felt about Grip, and the whole trilogy. I fell in love with the writing and the characters and their journey just as much as the book.
So lets set up Grip: 8 years after the prequel Flow, Bristol Gray is the manager of Grip and several other artists and one of the founders of a record label. She has been fending off advances from Grip (Marlon James) since moving to LA for a complex number of reasons. But the bottom line is, she likes him but refuses to show it; he likes her and isn’t giving up.
On its own, Grip (the book, not the man) was, at times, frustrating to me. I don’t gravitate towards rockstar romances because I know they’re filled with the hero hooking up with girls and potentially cheating, and usually jealousy from the heroine about groupies/ex’s. Those just aren’t things I *enjoy* reading about.
In this book, they address the other partners they’ve had multiple times. The first time they talk about it, Grip says that if they were together, there would be no one else, but he won’t wait around being a saint until then. So yes, we have to see each of them with other partners - I’m including this info for if you, like me, don’t enjoy that in a story line.
They do the will they/won’t they dance for a long time. It gets frustrating, but not once did I want to put the book down. This book is a story about finding and fighting for love - it has drama, angst, anger. Do I wish they had come together sooner? Yes. But once they are together, they’re explosive. ...more
This novella did so many things right. I didn’t feel the friendship between Marlon “Grip” James and Bristol Gray was rushed… it happened so organicallThis novella did so many things right. I didn’t feel the friendship between Marlon “Grip” James and Bristol Gray was rushed… it happened so organically and I adored their conversations. The chemistry between them was wow.
But this novella sets up the first book in the series - Grip. So don’t read this thinking there will be a HEA or a HFN, because there isn’t one. But it pulls off something a lot of novellas don’t, which is make me believe in and root for two characters....more
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