Truth by S.J. Sylvis
There’s only one thing that stands in the way of having my name stamped on a big, fat check trailing with several zeros. And it goes by the name of Reid King. What is a totally average elementary school music teacher doing standing in a tour bus with the King of Music? I have no idea, but for some reason, the stars have aligned and the universe thinks I’m the one who can to help him. That, somehow, Reid King and I can collaborate on an album together and make him the authentic, raw, soul-crushing singer that he once was. Reid King thinks I’m in over my head. Heck, even I think I’m in over my head. But that check will solve all my problems, and nothing will stand in my way of getting it. Not Reid King, or his devilish smirk, or his soul-gripping voice, or his talented fingers that roam effortlessly over a guitar. Not even the steely glances he throws my way every three seconds. I’ll get that money and save my family from years of heartache. And maybe… just maybe… I’ll save Reid from his heartache, too.
Brooklyn, a public school music teacher, agrees to a summer job to help Reid, a rockstar in danger of losing his star power. She's supposed to help him unlock his writing block for songs, but a summer on a small tour bus together and she might end up helping him with a whole different problem.Trigger warning- this book has a background character struggling in the arena of mental health.
🔥🔥🔥 out of 5 steam level
I read this book super quickly. I mean I was suffering from insomnia, but still. It was a one night read for me. If I didn't have insomnia I still think I would've finished it in two sittings. It was quick to read and enjoyable.When the author teased a slow-burn for this romance, she was not lying! It is indeed a slow burn featuring alternating POVs - which I find particularly helpful especially if one of the characters behaves like a jerk for any period of time.Reid was complex and likable- you understood what he's struggling with and why. His pain was palpable.Brooklyn was cute and funny (although I wouldn't call this book a romcom). I liked the way she dressed and how she and Reid spoke the same language. She had genuine kindness that made her seem like you could be friends with her.I did a couple of late night chuckles while I was reading this book (Don't worry, I didn't wake up my husband soundly sleeping next to me. Although don't you sometimes want to wake up the good sleeper in your relationship, just to tell them that you're not sleeping? No? Just me? Okay.) But again would reiterate that this book is high drama. Contemporary, angsty romance at its best.I also want to mention how strong the Prologue is in this book- it snags your attention right from the beginning! If you're a friend of the rockstar romance, you're gonna really enjoy this book!
There was a plotline that contained a bit of mystery- you were waiting for the truth to be uncovered. See what I did there? I know, I'm a comedic genius. Well, I guessed the mystery pretty easily. This isn't totally abnormal for me- as you know by now I live on a steady diet of BBC Masterpiece Mysteries - but it does take away from the book when you don't get your "aha!" moment.This book featured a grand gesture - which is fine! I think I'm not particularly a fan of that plot device but (like this entire review) that is purely subjective- it does add to the negative column for me though.The last bit that didn't sit perfectly for me was Brooklyn getting this gig in the first place. She gets this summer job to help this very well known singer/songwriter get back into writing music. And she has zero experience.... which I could kind of (maybe) move past. But I actually felt like she was straight up clueless and wasn't doing anything to help herself to not be clueless. I would've loved for a scene with her googling how to help someone write a song. Or maybe talk about a skype session she just finished with a different artist who struggled with writer's block (who she easily could've been put in contact with by her BFF in the book).Overall this book was a really quick and enjoyable romance that I think a lot of readers will absolutely love. Especially if you like a rockstar romance- I would definitely snag this one!