Synopsis:
A hot and consuming New Adult romance about a wayward musician and the one girl who keeps him grounded…
At college, Rachel has a reputation for being a sarcastic flirt with a thing for star athletes. No one at school knows that she’d had her heart ripped to shreds by her high school sweetheart, who’d driven them both off the side of the road on a borrowed motorcycle, and then abandoned her. No one knows the real Rachel Mattson–except one person…
Ever since he helped nurse his sister’s feisty best friend back to health, pierced bass player Kai Nakos has been head over heels in love. But the supposed bad boy can’t risk letting Rachel know the truth–especially now that the two of them are back in their hometown for the summer, together for the first time since the months following that fateful night. Never mind that Rachel’s ex is back, groveling for her forgiveness.
Shaken by her ex’s return, Rachel finds herself turning to the one guy she knows she can trust. Kai is willing to hide his feelings for her, just to have Rachel touch him again. After all, this is only a temporary fling. Until it becomes something more. But maybe it had been more all along…
Stephanie’s 3 Star Review: I was gifted a copy of this book by the publisher for an honest review.
I had high hopes for this book. It sounded amazing to me. The first half of the story seemed to drag for me. Kai, the male lead, is a strong character and he was probably my favorite character in the book. Rachel, the female lead, I thought was whiny wimp. She made excuses for falling into a path of destruction when she could have pulled herself up by her boot straps and been a totally different person.
I know this may be how the author intended the characters to come across….but maybe not. Kai and Rachel have been close friends for years. Neither have wanted to acknowledge the spark between them. When Rachel comes home from college for a summer Kai can’t stay away from her. He’s totally smitten. He uses his music to help keep him from sinking into the dark hole he finds himself in wondering what he’s supposed to do with his life. He want’s to be something/someone for Rachel. To make her, his parents, and himself proud of him. He wants to feel worthy.
Rachel is still plagued with wondering why her high school boyfriend dropped her like a wet fish after he almost killed her. She thought they were forever. He couldn’t wait to get away from her it seemed. Seeing him over the summer was an emotional land mine. Rachel did handle herself better once she realized her ex is not worth any of the time she’s been trying to forget him and what he did to her. She’s ready to move on with her life. Hoping to include Kai in it with her.
Kai and Rachel’s story together is so beautiful. They were friends first. Becoming lovers was the next level to cross. How can their new relationship last, however, when neither is willing to share with the other how they really feel about the other? Just a summer fling….or would it turn into forever?
Stephanie’s Interview w/ Christina:
- What’s your favorite thing to do in the summer? Fall? Winter? Spring?
Wow, that’s a whole year to account for, LOL! I’m not a huge fan of winter and summer because I hate extreme heat or cold, so I’m always just trying to get warm or stay cool. But in the spring and fall, I love to be outdoors because amazing things are happening in nature and I live in a state where you get to experiences the changes.
- If you could visit any place in the world, where would you choose to go and why?
I’d probably return to Venice to have a very romantic honeymoon re-do with my hubby.
- If you could eliminate one thing from your daily schedule, what would it be and why?
Cleaning and picking up after the kids, for obvious reasons. HA!
- If you wake up as (name any famous personality), what’s the first thing you would do?
I have always wondered what it would be like to be a guy for a day. So I’d choose a famous celebrity, like maybe Channing Tatum. I’d get in my sports car and zoom to my movie set, after kissing my wife and baby goodbye, of course.
- Name one funny trait you have, that you would like others to know.
Do you mean funny weird or funny haha? Hmmm… my hubby would say that I like to use the phrase OH EM GEE a lot, as is evidenced my little guy walking around repeating it. 😉
- If you turn into your partner for a day, what would you do?
Sleep in later, shower in five seconds flat, jump into my clothes, and go. Oh, the bliss.
- Name one thing that’s impossible to do for everyone present here.
Eep, not sure I understand the question. Do I need more coffee? J Um…how about, answer this question when you have “revisions brain?” Sorry.
- What’s your pet peeve?
Rudeness for no other reason than for the sake of being rude.
- What’s your favorite Christmas memory?
It would be with my child in the last five years actually—seeing his joy.
- Which one physical feature would you change if you could?
Hmmm…I’d take fuller lips, please. J
Thanks for having me!
The piano, a man who can play the piano is probably pretty good using those hands for other things! 😉 Thanks for the giveaway!
This sounds great!