Set in the college world, two apparent opposites find themselves attracted to one another against the odds, the desires of his calculating father, and her plans for the future. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of More Jade by Laura Pavlov, along with my impressions of this sexy and charming tale, then add this first part of the A Love You More Rockstar Romance trilogy to your bookshelf!
And then I met Cruz Winslow...
He’s everything I’m not, and then some — a budding musician, he’s cocky and arrogant. He’s at ease in every situation and treats me like I’m the only person who exists.
Together we’re in sync with everything we do and I’m falling hard and fast for him.
He’s also a complicated boy and although I can’t begin to understand the life he’s lived, I want to be there for him in every way possible.
And that’s how it happened.
Slowly but surely, he’s captured my heart —
One I wasn’t prepared to give away...
Jade Moore is not my type...
She’s a good girl and has her entire life mapped out. I’ve never met anyone like her.
The girl is disciplined and determined.
I’m not.
She follows the rules.
I don’t.
She’s sunshine and girl next door.
I’m sex and booze.
We don’t mix.
But from the minute I lay my eyes on her, I’m done for. She’s everything I never knew I wanted...
And now all I want is...more Jade.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
Rockstar romances are my catnip and whenever I come across one I can’t help but pick it up. Never having read Ms. Pavlov before though I didn’t know what to expect, but what I got utterly charmed me and introduced me to my newest book boyfriend...Cruz Winslow. From their awkward first meeting to their tear-filled HFN conclusion, the main couple of this story completely captivated me and had me rooting for them every step of the way.
Cruz Winslow seems to have it all as the son of a wealthy producer and popular model, rocking out on stage on the weekends with his brother while waiting for their band to get signed. He’s sexy with a sultry voice and attracts women of all ages like any other rockstar, but it’s all for show and beginning to take a toll on him. Playing music is something he enjoys but he has other dreams he’d rather pursue, but out of love and fear over his brother’s sobriety he’s committed to making their band a success. Meeting the studious Jade changes his life irrevocably though and gives readers a sweet and endearing romance that still makes me want to smile as her tutoring him has them growing closer together. Time together has them discovering hidden layers to each other while pushing towards their desired goals in a romance light on angst and heavy on heartwarming moments. Cruz is a delicious hero who seems like a jerk early on but who quickly redeems himself. He takes his wealth for granted early on, but seeing how Jade lives opens his eyes and has him going out of his way to give her everything she’s missed out on which endeared him to me. Making her happy made him happy. Money can’t buy happiness though when it comes to his dysfunctional parents. While he’s somewhat close to his mother it’s his father who does the most damage to his psyche. Seeing his son’s talent he’s focused on them becoming rockstars and decries their going to college, using it to manipulate them into doing what he wants. Even worse is their parent’s alcohol and drug abuse which Cruz’s brother Lennon is starting to dabble in. It all makes for a family that has hardened Cruz’s heart and has him valuing Jade, and her loving father, all the more.
Jade Moore lost her mother when she was young but her memory has driven Jade ever since her death when Jade was 5 years old. Her parents being soul mates has fueled her desire to wait for the right man to give herself to and the need to help others (when her mother couldn’t be helped) has her wanting to become a doctor. To achieve her goals Jade’s become a studious and regimented young woman, one who doesn’t believe in drinking heavily or losing control. Going to college introduces her to all sorts of new things though and has her taking a few baby steps to living the college lifestyle. While she expects a bit of drinking and dancing, what she doesn’t expect is falling for the bad boy rockstar who shows her his heart of gold as they slowly lay the foundation for their romance of opposites attracting. It’s a romance that sees her coming out of her shell a bit, taking more chances, knowing that Cruz will be there to pick her up if she falls. She may have started off a bit judgmental but as the story progressed she became bolder, particularly in her scenes with Cruz that saw her going after something she wanted...him. Theirs is a romance that charmed me, with each heartwarming and sensual encounter I was left wanting more, and by the turn of the final page I’m left feeling that the real test for them is yet to come.
From the very start I was pulled into this book with its characters that were perfectly imperfect at times. Cruz especially won me over, showing his hidden heart of gold courtesy of a good woman who gave him the love and support his parents should’ve given him. His wholehearted love and support for his brother Lennon made me love him even more and was yet another example of how much he was willing to sacrifice for others. Jade grew in my eyes too, becoming a heroine worthy of admiration as she looked past the facade to see the kindhearted man beneath the rockstar veneer and it added to their already entertaining journey to HFN. Surrounding this likable main couple was an equally memorable cast of secondary characters, some who I liked and some who were toxic. Thankfully there wasn’t too many characters I wanted to strangle other than Jade’s first roommate Meghan (a petty and jealous groupie) and Cruz’s bandmate Dex (who’s truly nasty and enjoys tearing people down) who’s quick to tattle to Cruz’s daddy to get his way. Their scenes felt like intrusions but their actions pushed the story into dramatic directions that ultimately enhanced the story. The characters that caught my attention the most were Jade’s father, Cruz’s brother Lennon, and the other member of Exiled, Adam. Jade and her father were exactly what a parent/child relationship should be as he encouraged her to live life to the fullest while making sure she was aware of danger. They always treated each other with love and respect and I thoroughly enjoyed their scenes together. Lennon and Adam were an interesting flip of the coin when it came to living like a rockstar and I’m truly invested now in where things go for the band. I’m also feeling concern over what long distance will do to Jade and Cruz, but I’m also hopeful as their love so far has proved pretty enduring. On a whole here’s to this first installment in what promises to be a heartwarming and heartbreaking rockstar romance!
My rating for this is an A-
*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
Laura Pavlov writes sweet and sexy contemporary romance that will make you both laugh and cry. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, mom to two awesome almost-grown kids, and dog-whisperer to a couple crazy yorkies. Laura resides in Las Vegas where she is living her own happily ever after.
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