A rockstar burned by love finds himself snowed in with the woman who will change his life irrevocably in this angsty contemporary romance that picks up right where the previous book in this series ended. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Next Time I Fall by Scarlett Cole, along with getting my impressions of this second installment in the Excess All Areas series, then add it to your bookshelf!
Jase
Love sucks.
Especially when your own brother and fellow band-mate stole the woman you were in love with.
Sitting in a Michigan recording studio with him, singing lyrics he wrote about her, is a special kind of torture. The only thing more frustrating might be the producer’s assistant who radiates sunshine and has more motivational quotes than a greeting card company.
Cerys
Love rocks.
Heavy guitars, a voice with the burn of pure single malt, and lyrics that distil the meaning of love are the greatest things.
If only the man singing didn’t have a temperament as foul as the Michigan winter. Jase sitting in her car while yelling at her to get him out of there is a surprise. Why she hits the accelerator and takes him to her father’s cabin on the lake is an even greater mystery.
How was she supposed to know they’d end up snowed in for days? Or that when they got out again, their relationship, and her views on love, would be changed irrevocably?
Especially when your own brother and fellow band-mate stole the woman you were in love with.
Sitting in a Michigan recording studio with him, singing lyrics he wrote about her, is a special kind of torture. The only thing more frustrating might be the producer’s assistant who radiates sunshine and has more motivational quotes than a greeting card company.
Cerys
Love rocks.
Heavy guitars, a voice with the burn of pure single malt, and lyrics that distil the meaning of love are the greatest things.
If only the man singing didn’t have a temperament as foul as the Michigan winter. Jase sitting in her car while yelling at her to get him out of there is a surprise. Why she hits the accelerator and takes him to her father’s cabin on the lake is an even greater mystery.
How was she supposed to know they’d end up snowed in for days? Or that when they got out again, their relationship, and her views on love, would be changed irrevocably?
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
After events in the first installment in the Excess All Areas series I couldn't wait to see what happened next, from the future of the brash and troubled Jace to the future of the band Sad Fridays. Picking up right after those events, readers will find themselves quickly captivated by this story and drawn to a hero who's not what he seems and a heroine who totally redeems the hero while making a place for herself in reader's hearts. In a book that is both sweet and sexy, yet full of angst, readers will find a cast of characters that will have you coming back for more as you wait in breathless anticipation for the next installment.
The start of this book has Jase in a bad place. He's had a falling out with his band just as they're at the cusp of fame, not talking to his bandmates or brother over all the pain and anger he's created. The band's future is tied to him though, which means them all finding some way to work together...a way that ultimately leads to a snowed-in lake house and a woman with a bright and happy soul who helps Jase heal. Jase was an arrogant jerk in the first installment, an angry man hurt and betrayed by his past who often sabotaged his future through drugs, random hook-ups, and hurting everyone around him. He's been weighed down by this pain for a long time and it was inevitable that everything would come to a head...and that's what happened at the end of the previous installment. This book finds him focused on the music, working with the daughter of a famous producer, both in the studio and in an isolated cabin where things take a more personal turn. Jase was hard to like throughout a lot of the previous book, but it was clear that he was full of demons. This book gives greater insight into Jase's past, humanizes him and makes him more sympathetic. With each turn of the page I really came to like him, found him to be an endearing man with a hidden heart of gold. In the previous book, his behavior was hurting himself, but here he learns to like himself and that's through the eyes of the sweet and bubbly Cerys. Cerys was an unforgettable heroine, a wonderful one with a big, kind, heart. She often focused on the positive, saw the good in others first, all with her own daddy issues weighing on her that had my heart aching for her. Her kindness definitely wasn't a weakness though as she gave as good as she got with Jase in a sweet and sensual pairing that crackled from the very start.
This was an emotionally intense rollercoaster ride of a romance between two apparent opposites set in the rockstar world in a book that immediately picks up where the previous tale ended. Though this book can be read on its own, you'll miss a lot of the character nuances, miss the history warring between them to see how far they come in this book of putting the past truly behind you to make a future. This couple is a perfectly imperfect one and I enjoyed seeing them evolve in each other's company. There were sweet along with sizzling moments between them and their growing connection kept me glued to the pages. Along with a compelling main couple, readers get to again see the band members of Sad Fridays, seeing how Jase's past and his current evolution affects their future on the music charts and in their personal lives. These interactions are realistic and not yet entirely settled as there's years of hurt feelings to work through. Aiding them in moving on from their pasts is the ever-funny and outspoken Nan, the grandma I hope to be when I grow up. On a whole I look forward to revisiting this world, seeing where things go next as Luke takes center stage following the tempting epilogue Ms. Cole crafted here.
My rating for this is an A.
*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
The tattoo across my right hip says it all really. A Life Less Ordinary. Inked by the amazingly talented Luke Wessman at the Wooster Street Social Club (a.k.a. New York Ink). Why is it important? Well, it sums up my view on life. That we should all aspire to live a life that is less boring, less predictable. Be bold, and do something amazing. I’ve made some crazy choices. I’ve been a car maker, a consultant, and even a senior executive at a large retailer running strategy. Born in England, spent time in the U.S. and Japan, before ending up in Canada where I met my own, personal hero – all six and a half feet of him. Both of us are scorpios! Yeah, I know! Should have checked the astrological signs earlier, but somehow it works for us. We have two amazing kids, who I either could never part with or could easily be convinced to sell on e-bay.
I’ve wanted to be a writer for a really long time. Check through my office cupboards or my computer and you’ll find half written stories and character descriptions everywhere. Now I'm getting the chance to follow that dream.
I am represented by Beth Phelan at The Bent Agency, NY.
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