Fans of opposites attracting, romances set in the music world and full of heart and soul, will be drawn to this tale and devouring it in a few hours. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Sangria by Heidi McLaughlin, along with getting my impressions of it, then add this first installment in the Nashville Nights series to your bookshelf!
Under the bright lights of Nashville, Levi Austin is a country music superstar whose life is rocked by the tragic death of his former wife, leaving him to raise their two daughters. Now faced with having to tell his girls, and making the hard decision about where they’ll live, Levi packs his bags and rushes off to Los Angeles—the last place he wants to be, but the one place where no one will recognize him.
Zara Phillips loves two things: her husband Van, and the band she created with her brother, Reverend Sister. To her, her life is perfect until she discovers that her high school sweetheart husband is cheating on her. The paparazzi are relentless, forcing a devastated and heartbroken Zara to stay hidden until the record label demands she shoot a video for the band's new single, driving her out of seclusion.Two people collide from opposite worlds. Neither knowing who the other is, yet both intrigued by one another. When Levi spills hot coffee on Zara, everything changes. He’s focused on his daughters, trying to do what’s best for them while Zara is determined to get away from everyone and everything in Los Angeles.
When Levi offers her sanctuary at his home in Nashville, Zara jumps at the opportunity to disappear...with the hopes that Levi comes with her. What transpires next are the lives of two very different people finding their path along a very bumpy and unforgiving road, who are tested by their loved ones, the media and one ex that doesn’t want to go away quietly.
EXCERPT:
Our lives, Van’s and mine, are intertwined in so many ways. From the time he joined my silly little garage band to the day we took our friendship to the next level. Everything we did, we did as a team with people around us and now those people depend on us. Reverend Sister isn’t Van’s or mine, it’s ours and only works together if we’re in it together and right now I don’t want to be anywhere near him.
By the time the tears start to fall, and I mean really fall, I’m halfway home, and my phone is ringing with Van calling. The alerts are going off like crazy because the paparazzi are relentless and insist on snapping pictures of people. And when they put them online they add the most ridiculous headlines, except these, are spot on and tell people about my impending breakdown. It’s coming. I can feel the gut-wrenching ache, my heart being ripped out of my chest and every muscle and bone in my body in pain. The takeover is slow and almost alien-like. I can feel it in my toes, moving its way up my legs. It’ll take some time for my brain to really figure it out. For the light bulb to go off that my marriage is over.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
From start to finish this is a book that captivates with a storyline that ticks many boxes for me. The characters are realistic and appealing, dealing with issues that are emotional and relatable. Set in the music world, it sees a rockstar and a country crooner make beautiful music together, despite a few differences that are worked through as readers make their way through a bumpy journey to HEA.
Levi Austin is a country star dealing with the death of his wife while trying to be the best dad he can be. Deciding that change can be helpful, when nobody knows your name, he moves the remnants of his family to the West Coast. A stop for coffee changes everything though, introducing him to the rockstar dealing with her own heartbreak courtesy of a cheating spouse. He may wear denim while she wears leather, his music has a bit of twang while hers has a pounding beat, but despite their differences their mutual heartache brings them together in a burgeoning romance that has them dealing with their past as well as a possible future when an ex comes back to cause bumps in their road to HEA. Levi's a caring dad whose relationships with his daughters are realistic while pulling at my heartstrings. He's hard working with an aw shucks attitude that's utterly charming. He's everything you want in a cowboy and he quickly found himself claiming Zara.
Zara Phillips is at the top of the world...or so she thought. With a few pictures, and a painful truth coming out, Zara finds herself running from the paparazzi and unsure who to trust when those closest to her betray her. Looking for some peace of mind, and a place to hide, soon leads to a cowboy with a cup of coffee and an offer to stay at his Nashville farm. It's an invitation that leads to far more than she expected in a slow burn romance with much appreciated moments of steam. Zara's a heroine you feel sympathy for as she gets put through the emotional wringer by those who should've supported her most. She's resilient though and never let those determined to wreck her HEA win. I also enjoyed her burgeoning connection to Levi's daughters in a storyline that all should follow when becoming a new addition to a family with kids. She works to be a part of their lives, let them decide where she fits best, and their empowering journey warmed my heart. Overall, Zara was an emotionally strong heroine with a big, supportive heart. She was put through a lot throughout the story, but came out the other side all the stronger because of it.
This was a slow-burn romance of opposites attracting with a steady pace of warm and loving moments balanced with steamy interludes. The main couple were likable and pure perfection. Despite being opposites in many ways, I was still rooting for them wholeheartedly to give into what fate kept pointing them towards. Along with characters to root for there were also villains, ones from within Zara’s circle and ones she thought would never betray her. She WAS betrayed though, and with each turn of the page I found myself booing those characters who hurt her most. Of the remaining secondary characters, I adored Barbara and her love and support for Levi's daughters, and for Levi himself. Zara's brother, Darian, was another compelling character who got caught up in all the turmoil that befell her. I found myself drawn to him the first time I saw him and look forward to coming back to the Nashville Nights series with him taking center stage!
My rating for this is an A.
*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
Heidi McLaughlin is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of The Beaumont Series, The Boys of Summer, and The Archers.
Originally, from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband, two daughters, and their three dogs.
In 2012, Heidi turned her passion for reading into a full-fledged literary career, writing over twenty novels, including the acclaimed Forever My Girl.
Heidi's first novel, Forever My Girl, has been adapted into a motion picture with LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe, and opened in theaters on January 19, 2018, and is now available on DVD & Digital.
Originally, from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband, two daughters, and their three dogs.
In 2012, Heidi turned her passion for reading into a full-fledged literary career, writing over twenty novels, including the acclaimed Forever My Girl.
Heidi's first novel, Forever My Girl, has been adapted into a motion picture with LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe, and opened in theaters on January 19, 2018, and is now available on DVD & Digital.
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