Tunes (and Troubles) by KC Enders

What’s more cliché than falling for a guy in a band or pining for the one who got away? Find out in TUNES by KC Enders, a Beekman Hills novel where a no-strings spring break fling turns into something more for Gracyn George and rocker Gavin Keller. Fans of A.L. Jackson’s STAY, DRUMLINE by Stacy Kestwick, and authors Jiffy Kate & Winter Renshaw will love this spicy and angsty second-chance romance.

Title:  Tunes

Author: KC Enders

Release Date: October 1, 2018

Publisher: Self-published

Series: Beekman Hills #2

Genres: New Adult Romance

Word Count: 73K

Format: Paperback & digital

Synopsis:

What’s more cliché than falling for a guy in a band?

A no-strings fling is all it was meant to be for Gracyn George. Sun, sand, sex, and then move on. That was before he strummed his way into her life. Each note leaving a tingle in her spine, their lasting melodies burned into her memory.

What’s more cliché than pining for the one who got away?

Gavin Keller has sacrificed far too much to chase after the girl who snuck out in the middle of the night and left him wondering, What if …

No matter how high his star rises or how many sold-out shows he plays, he ends each concert scanning the audience for her.

What was supposed to be temporary becomes a longing neither is willing to let go. After months of trying to move on, can they sync the tunes in their hearts?

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Review:

If Murphy applied his law to a relationship, this would be the result. This is a story of missed connections and misunderstandings, of two people who shouldn't have met but who somehow keep finding their way back to each other. Overall I found this a cute story, especially the first half. The second half I felt was too bogged down by angst and distrust.

I especially wish that *some people* would face actual consequences for their actions. Even in the #metoo age, I understand why Gracyn might not report blatant sexual harassment (even though the repercussions of not reporting drive a large part of the plot), but the harasser seemed to get off pretty much scot-free. I know this is similar to what happens in reality, but this is fiction dammit and I want vindication!

Also, warning for a downer ending. It was bittersweet to the extreme, but I felt it was over-foreshadowed and under-developed. It could've had more impact is all I'm saying.

Three stars

I received an ARC from Barclay Publicity; all opinions are my own.

I also received book 1 - Troubles - these books stand alone, but what starts in Troubles, ends in Tunes, and once I read Troubles I absolutely had to know how Gracyn's story ended.

Troubles is what I'd call your standard romance - two people with their own problems, they meet and fall in love, but past experiences get in the way. It's a decent read, but I found it a tad predictable and the leads unmemorable, if nice enough. I loved how Aiden helped Lis study but I would've liked to get a better feel for him as a character.

Rebel Hard by Nalini Singh

This book is all I ever wanted and more.

Nayna is an accountant. She enjoys romance novels. She wants to travel and see the world. NAYNA IS ME. Well, not entirely. I've moved out of home and I'm not part of the Indian community, but I am the good-girl, younger daughter who never went wild. Let's settle on Nayna resonating with parts of me I've never dreamed I'd get to see in print.

And RAJ. Oh goodness, Raj sounds delightful. He knows what he wants and he wants Nayna - but not enough to trample on her dreams or her needs. True, he does screw up, in a very Darcy-like way, but he also apologises heartily, again in a very Darcy-like way, and makes sure it doesn't happen again. Also, the book doesn't shy away from noting the P&P similarities at the time, which soothes the Romance-lover in me.

This is a wonderful story about two very different people trying to reconcile different dreams for the future while juggling family expectations and sibling drama galore. This could be an entire <em>season</em> of the masala dramas the parents love so much.

While I love Nalini's paranormal series (Guild Hunter and Psy-Changeling), I've come to appreciate her contemporaries because they never rely on a big mis to create drama or a deus ex to get to a happy ending. With Rebel Hard and the preceding Cherish Hard (admittedly, awkward names), Nalini proves you don't need a tragic past or traumatic event to cause romantic tension. The Rock Kiss series were all about the past holding people back; the Hard Play books are all about the future.

This reads well as a standalone, but even better in tandem with Cherish Hard as the two run in parallel

Five joyous stars.

Ocean Light by Nalini Singh

Some long-running series feel like the author is just ringing it in. Swap out the names, fuzz some of the details, publish.

This is not one of those series. This might be book #17, but it is a valuable and enjoyable continuation of a story that started way back at book #1. The characters are unique, the romance is sweet, and the overarching story arc never feels stale. Do both characters feel almost too perfect to be true? Maybe. There's not a huge amount of growing for each to do - the conflict is more external than internal, but it all makes sense in context.

It's not a great place to start the series - try book #1 Slave to Sensation or book #16 Silver Silence (if you want to skip 15 books of delicious romance, your loss) - but anyone who has been following the Psy-Changeling series must read this book.

Four stars.

Strong by Kylie Scott

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kylie Scott comes a new story in her Stage Dive series…

When the girl of your dreams is kind of a nightmare.

As head of security to Stage Dive, one of the biggest rock bands in the world, Sam Knowles has plenty of experience dealing with trouble. But spoilt brat Martha Nicholson just might be the worst thing he’s ever encountered. The beautiful troublemaker claims to have reformed, but Sam knows better than to think with what’s in his pants. Unfortunately, it’s not so easy to make his heart fall into line.

Martha’s had her sights on the seriously built bodyguard for years. Quiet and conservative, he’s not even remotely her type. So why the hell can’t she get him out of her mind? There’s more to her than the Louboutin wearing party-girl of previous years, however. Maybe it’s time to let him in on that fact and deal with this thing between them.

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

AMAZON LINKS:

US - https://amzn.to/2N6LVlN

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Review:
Martha Nicholson is not a nice person. She's pushy, selfish, and doesn't know when to keep her snarky opinions to herself. Fans of Kylie Scott's Stage Dive series will remember her as the villainous jealous ex from book #1, Lick and those who read her brother's book (#4, Deep) may have noticed her striking sparks off the band's stalwart bodyguard Sam.

At long, long, last, Martha gets her turn in the spotlight. She's back in town and determined to make good - but none of her plans involved that sexy bodyguard she can't keep her eyes - or mind - off.

I like seeing another side to Martha. On one hand, she is older, calmer, and mostly over her ex getting hitched in Vegas. On the other hand, she's still pushy and opinionated. Though it's only a novella, she gets enough pagetime to grow and find the purpose she's always been lacking.

Sam's a bit more of a mystery, even to the last page, but he doesn't need the character growth nearly as much as Martha. He's still awesome, if not swoonworthy.

I absolutely loved jumping headfirst back into the Stage Dive world and seeing all of the characters we know and love as they've (shock, horror) gone domestic. Those moments with the band chilling and being a family are all I've ever wanted post-series.

If you are a Stage Dive fan, this book is a must. If not, it's a fun little spoileriffic interlude, results may vary. With the wealth of characters, I'd suggest starting at book #1, not here.

Five stars

I received an ARC from InkSlingerPR; all opinions are my own

Dark in Death by JD Robb

The In Death novels are comfort food - you know exactly what you're getting - serial killer with a side of Eve/Roarke romance. 

Dark in Death spices things up by a) showcasing girl power and feminine solidarity at its best and b) going meta. These murders are based on a series of in-story murder mysteries, and it's a fun look at the storytelling process as the lines between (fictional) fiction and (fictional) reality start to blur. It never gets so deep that my head started to hurt, but had some nice nods to the history of mystery and more.

I thought I'd be getting bored of these books by now but somehow JD Robb keeps me coming back for more.

Four stars