Dirty

I was excited to read this book because I'm a big fan of the Stage Dive series. However, I was really disappointed. The insta-love between Vaughan and Lydia was not believable. I didn't feel any connection between them, which made it hard to continue reading. But I pushed through to the end, which felt incredibly rushed and forced. It was also hard to keep up with the secondary characters so I don't think I will be continuing with this series.

**Bonus star for the appearance of Mal, my favorite from Stage Dive. His cameo was the best part of this book.

I hadn't read a contemporary M/F in a while and this was a happy little interlude. This series is a spin off from a prior series but I had no trouble getting right into it. [a:Kylie Scott 6476625 Kylie Scott https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1486448069p2/6476625.jpg] is new to me author and I'm happy to say I really like her style. Funny, modern, and romantic.This book sits firmly in hipster heaven. The protagonists, the good guys at least, have what until recently were considered alternate jobs or lifestyles: rock musicians, tattoo artists, bar owners etc. Not your 9 to 5 crowd yet it's clear that these are good people and hard workers who love their friends and family honestly and passionately. The tattooed villains of yore are the romantic heroes here. Nice. On to the book.The story starts with Lydia running away from her wedding after discovering an unsavory secret about the groom to be it turns out Chris is gay but on the DL because of his family. It's kind of sad that he feels he can't be open but I liked that he is the villain (and his family) not because he's gay but because of his deceit. There's no gay bashing here. and ends up in the the tub of the house next door. The house belongs to a tall, redheaded, and tattooed sex god called Vaughn. He's just come back to town to regroup after certain setbacks in his rock and roll career. In the space of a week he and Lydia become enmeshed in each other's lives and if it's a bit of wishful thinking it doesn't feel forced. I went happily along for the ride.I liked how Lydia is self conscious about her body (aren't we all) but not paralyzed by it. She's funny, honest, and self-deprecating. She owns her sexual desires and is willing to dream up a new life plan and even a third if we count when Vaughn leaves when her first fails. I loved Vaughn and his Babe which could mean a million things. I liked all of the people in and around the Dive Bar. They feel lived in, people with actual history. Don't get me wrong, this is still firmly a romance it's just that it takes place among a younger generation of assertive women and somewhat more sensitive men who are tattooed, wear man buns and are rockers. But said men are still gorgeous, decent, and generous lovers. What's not to love.In spite of the initial wedding that wasn't and Vaughn's issues this is a low angst book. It's mostly two people falling in love during one intense week. I believed it and had a good time along with them. p.s. The audio by [a:Andi Arndt 6746963 Andi Arndt https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1381410479p2/6746963.jpg] is perfect. Loved it.