Love Strung by Jamie W. Matlock
(The Love Series #2 - can be read as a stand-alone)
Publication date: January 21st 2015
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult
Synopsis:
Country music hopeful, Kennedy Masters is a leap-before-you-look type of woman. Live in the moment, the here and now. That’s her policy – anything other than that is boring, and she’s never been particularly interested in boring. So, when she makes the irratic decision to join country music’s reigning star, Mick Callahan, on his tour bus after a show, she’s just living right up to her life’s motto.
The only problem? Her snap decision making lands her on the front page news and it’s for less than desireable reasons. Even worse is the fact that Mick decides she’s his next conquest, irratically announcing to the public that they’re engaged.
Her only option? Hiding out at the Callahan Ranch until the storm blows over – a decision that she’s not altogether pleased with, but one that she must follow considering the circumstances. When unexpected sparks fly upon meeting Mick’s mysterious older brother, Griff Callahan, Kennedy’s left sorting through matters of the heart – something that’s not exactly her forte.
And her career? Well, it’s been labeled TBD.
Kennedy must figure out a way to deal with her heart and her career, all while fighting her own feelings and fending off someone else’s.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22016964-love-strung?ac=1
A Review by Wendy
4 As Complicated as a Country Love Song
* * * *
Sisters and Brothers...they can be opposites in how they think and act. Where one can be organized and like routine, the other can be spontaneous, adventurous or sometimes complicated.
In Love Strung, we have Kennedy Masters. She is a very talented singer songwriter. Country music is her passion and the love of it came from her departed mother. Gone from Kennedy's life due to heart disease, she holds on the memories of things her mother told her. Because her mother saw in Kennedy her unique talent... she encouraged her whenever she needed it.. That was often, as Kole, Kennedy's older sister, was a promising tennis star and she seemed to have all of the love and affection of the father which Kennedy craved. Losing her mother and never having a father who cared for her outside of throwing money around would lay the foundation of Kennedy's mindset about love... about getting close to others. It would tell her she could be friendly but never let anyone in except her sister.
We meet Kennedy when she is not where she thought she would be in her musical career. She had a manager; even got signed to a label. But the label did not see this pretty strawberry blond as marketable. They made her Barbie Blond and tried to fit her in a box so when things came to a head and she couldn't seem to write a song to save her life...She took the first gig she could to get a way. Touring as back up singer for Country Hunk, Mick Callahan.
Oh, how low she had sunk...as she swung her hips, snapped her fingers and sang a phrase... Here she was, night after night on the stage behind the main attraction instead of being the attraction. She had come to see the two other singers next to her and feared that was her future...and when one turned on the other after a show, Kennedy opened her spontaneous mouth sticking up for the injured party.
What shouldn't have been a big deal took on a life of its own... starting a chain of events which led to Kennedy flirting and drinking on the tour bus with the country hunk Mick. She knew she was playing with fire and her mind was telling her to slow up on the shots. Mick was spreading all his charm but she was holding strong. The next things she knows; she has a killer hangover, is minus all her clothes and in a bed in Nashville. She is trying to remember what exactly happened; wrapped in a robe she found, she runs head into not Mick but his angry brother Griff.
Griff, the brother who is always cleaning up Mick's mess... his stray women... and in this moment, he is damn tired of it. Forget they use to be close, writing and singing together... that was before their mother died in a tragic drunk driver accident. Now it seems Griff is only good for taking care of whatever Mick starts and loses interest in. They own a bar, a ranch and Mick never does any part of the work. Now he has brought this woman and what the hell is he supposed to do...
Well, his body knows and has clued him in... and after their first meeting and Kennedy trying to figure out what happened, her fast mouth and stubborn ways has made his mind interested too.
From here we have the combativeness of Kennedy trying to just get out of a sticky, confused situation, the Country star determined to continue to charm Kennedy and Griff who seems to be looking out for her because he cannot stop himself.
This story has all kinds of twists and turn with characters who have never allowed love in and get smacked in the head with it. The draw has lust but the majority is real connections between Griff and Kennedy. Publicity plays a part in disrupting everything and we see brothers and sisters work to heal new and old wounds.
The backdrop is the music business, the love of the song and performing is there. We get to experience it with understanding how special it can truly be.
This was a read which had humor, passion and conflicts. It had it all.
A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
Purchase:
AUTHOR BIO
Jamie W. Matlock is the author of The Love Series, which includes Love Aced & Love Strung. Bored with punching a clock and watching dust collect on the frame of her marketing degree, she decided to turn her lifelong hobby into a career and hasn't looked back since.Known for mixing both humor and drama into her novels, she likes for her readers to experience a gamut of emotions while enjoying one of her stories. She's also a sucker for flawed protagonists, strong male characters and incredible sex scenes, so be on the lookout for all three in each of her novels.
Outside of writing, you can find her spending time with her family, yelling at a television screen during sporting events, nursing her coffee addiction and coupling a good book with a glass of wine.
Author links:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8079033.Jamie_W_Matlock
Wonderful review, Wendy! I love country music and the Nashville scene so this is def a book for me! I like how character driven it is, and that it seems to have a great balance and not just be all-romance, you know. Glad you liked it! :)
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great read! Thanks for the review!
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