Annery

4.5I'm an idiot. I waited to read/listen to this and worse yet have procrastinated in writing a review, ergo it will be brief and unspecific. I'll kick myself later. We met Leo Trevi is DJ's brother from [b:The Fifteenth Minute 26720038 The Fifteenth Minute (The Ivy Years, #5) Sarina Bowen https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1442717711s/26720038.jpg 45099924] and Georgia is his ex high-school girlfriend, with whom DJ remained friends. After a stint in the minors Leo has finally been called up to a major team but besides coping with rookie nerves he'll have to deal with two surprises. The team's current PR person is Georgia, whom he hasn't seen since something bad happened during their last year of high-school, and his new coach is her father, who harbors ill feelings for Leo and doesn't even want him on the team.I really loved most of this. Sarina Bowen is one of a handful of writers I trust with my M/F reads and NA for that matter too. I loved Leo and Georgia together. What they, yes THEY, went through was harrowing. I think liked the way it was handled: sensitively yet it didn't overwhelm the story or Georgia. I liked all of the guys on the team and the female relationship that existed outside of the men. I'm sure this will be a re-listen at a certain point and I'll make sure to do a better review when the details are fresher in my mind. The Audio by [a:Nicol Zanzarella 4813559 Nicol Zanzarella https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] & [a:Rock Engle 15892927 Rock Engle https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] was aces!My niggle, caveat, bump in the road? Georgia's father. I got where he was coming from, though apparently he hadn't spoken much with his daughter. Maybe that is true behavior and, though I want to smack him, I can empathize. His hostility to Leo? Not so much. There was no reason. No logical reason. And at least chronologically Coach Worthington was the adult in this party of three. Whatevs

3.75Oops! Forgot to add my 2cents. I did this because I found it in my Audio Library. How did that happen? Dunno. I'm happy I listened to it though. [a:Cynthia Barrett 6979965 Cynthia Barrett https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] does an excellent job of rendering a credible Long Island accent. The story itself is less of a romance and more of a ‘women's lit'. Andi Cutrone is a writing professor who has come back home to Long Island, after a failed relationship drives her out of Boston. She's teaching in Brooklyn and hoping to become a publisher author in the world of academia. While hobnobbing at a work party she meets beautiful Devin and she's smitten. The only problem is that Devin is a male escort. Over the course of the book Andi & Devin enter into a barter relationship. Andi will teach Devin to write and he will teach her about sex, and how to be at ease in her body. The premise is good and the characters are interesting, however, like always, the female lead sort of disappoints. After being so bold as to hire an escort to sort through long standing sexual hangups, she ends up being quite judgmental and tradition bound as per how she views Devin, and his career choice, but I guess we're all provincial in our own way. I noted there are some sequels and I'll surely follow up mostly because Devin is an interesting character, and I hope the author explores his story further. I'd recommend this if you were a fan of [b:Curio and the Curio Vignettes 30916905 Curio and the Curio Vignettes (Curio #1-6) Cara McKenna https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1467838014l/30916905.SY75.jpg 51752572], similar premise but without the HEA.

4.5I listened to this a while ago but had not time for a review, later I re-listened with the intention of reviewing, and again NO TIME. Finally the third time is a charm! Also these re-listens have been no hardship. I'm not a super fan of ROCK STAR books, but I really liked this story, and [a:Andi Arndt 6746963 Andi Arndt https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1381410479p2/6746963.jpg] delivers a flawless, pitch-perfect, and emotional performance of [a:Kylie Scott 6476625 Kylie Scott https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1486448069p2/6476625.jpg]'s sweet romance.At 26 David Ferris, the lead guitarist, and lyricist for Stage Dive, one of the biggest rock bands around, is burned out. He hasn't written a new song in two years. Family and band stress are taking their toll. He goes to Vegas to blow off steam and crosses paths with Evelyn Thomas, who, at 21, has gone to Vegas to do what people do in Vegas: be someone else and maybe have some sex. After some epic tequila drinking, the two wake up married, except Ev can't remember the details, or much of anything at all. In fact she didn't really know who David was when they met (she's more of a country music fan). Given the circumstances they decide on a divorce but on the road to Splitsville love pushes through.These two are electric together. David is all sorts of delicious, and Ev is adorable. Sometimes I wanted to shake her, but then I remembered that she was a sheltered, 21 y.o. when she got thrown into David's world, and at first, David keeps his cards pretty close. She was sweet but not a pushover, she was honest about her sexual desires. She was funny, self deprecating, and good hearted. I liked that David behaved like what he is: a rock star surrounded by YES people. Authentic. He was a bit arrogant, cocky, sometimes suspicious, but ultimately a good man, and good to Ev. They make a good team, and it wouldn't be too difficult imagining them as one of those long term rock ‘n' roll couples, maybe Valerie Bertinelli & Eddie VanHalen (in a world where they never broke up). There are some things you might have to suspend disbelief it's impossible to get "accidentally" or "drunk" married / David relocating to Portland, OR., and eventually the rest of the band too, so that Evelyn can continue to work as a barista? Ev working as a barista after her happy marriage to a rich & famous, guitar god? All of this highly unlikely. Almost impossible., but their negligible and par for the course in romancelandia. This first installment does a great job of setting up other characters I'm definitely intrigued about. I'll definitely go on. I like these people.

The first 100 pages or so were a test for me but after that ... yeah.

I don't know where the rest of the story will lead but I'm quite enjoying this unique portrayal of female friendship. It's honest. Even the ugly parts. I'm on board with that.

It's also interesting to see a portrayal of post-war Italy from the view point of children. It reminded me of movies like “Rocco and His Brothers”.

I'll surely continue with this series.