Review: Nothing plain about this Jane! She rocks!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 23, 2013
I absolutely love reading books about musicians, the business, and the impact it has on their personal lives. I think it all stems back to my obsessive boyband phase in high school. I seriously loved reading about the music, touring, and how they would find that balance between their personal and public lives. I also wanted to be a singer for the longest time, so I suppose that also has to do with it. Anyways. One of my favorite things about this book is that I thought Lauren did such a great job of making this realistic for us. Our main character Jane, is a musician who has just hit the big time with her notorious breakup album. The book opens up with her winning a Grammy! Yet, while Jane is on a music high, she quickly comes down after realizing that she needs to stay on top of her game- which means writing more songs and laying down tracks for her next album.Sounds pretty reasonable for an indie-artist, don't you think? In order for Jane to keep the spotlight, she needs to keep the music coming, not let there be a lapse between albums. Because as soon as you wait- the new next big thing is already on their way up and your just a shadow of yesterday.I really liked Jane. She definitely needed this music burst to help her and not just professionally, but personally too. After having two mediocre albums and then having her husband break things off with her, Jane really needs a pick me up. Her husband leaving really left with her some confidence issues and this positive reinforcement is a great start for her. Jane is now a single mom and I loved her scenes with her son, Ethan. I haven't read too many books where the MC has a child and I really enjoyed that addition. On the night of the Grammies, Jane runs into Matthew Harrigan, a music journalist for Beat magazine. After exchanging some flirtatious banter, he tells her he wants the first interview with her after she wins. Matthew is one of NYC's most eligible bachelors- he's sexy, talented, and BRITISH. Yes, that's right. I do love me a man from across the pond! Matthew gets a hold of Jane and convinces her to meet with him for an exclusive interview. Jane is definitely wary of journalists- especially since her and her ex's story has been leaked to the media. However, Matthew is persistent and determined, and Jane is completely attracted to him.Their relationship is definitely riddled with sexual tension and want, but Matthew knows it would be wrong to pursue Jane while he is supposed to be writing an exclusive on her. Yet, after a taste of the forbidden fruit, he can't help but go back for more. For the first time in a long time, Jane finally feels desired again. After the rejection of her husband, she craves someone to show her how beautiful and sexy she is- someone who wants all of her and wants her desperately. She finds that in Matthew. Jane is finally letting the chains of her past heartbreak fall away and is letting her heart slowly be healed by Matthew. However, Jane has been dubbed the Queen of the Broken Hearts. She poured every emotion, every hurt feeling into her last album and now that she is no longer that broken, hurt woman- she finds she's having trouble finding inspiration for new music.She desperately wants Matthew to be her muse, to bring out new emotions about falling in love and letting her heart be mended. She is not having very much luck. She starts to question herself and lets self-doubt creep in- what if she's only destined to be the Queen of Broken Hearts?As for side characters, I enjoyed Owen, Jane's brother. You can tell the two are very close- he positively encourages her, not just as her brother, but as another professional in a tough business (he's a writer). Aiden, Jane's ex, is just not one you can hate. Blakely created an ex who is not vindictive and horrible. On the contrary, Aiden is a good guy and a good father to his son. He hurt Jane deeply and for so long, she felt it was because she was inadequate and wasn't enough for him. The truth is, Jane had nothing to do with it. Aiden was not honest with himself for a long time and tried to make something work that simply couldn't. While he may have handled it slightly insensitively, Jane realizes in the end she cannot hold a grudge against him for being his true self."I would have told them that I didn't stop wanting you the second you left me. That even though you might have still loved me as a friend, as a person, I was still in love with you, and I thought it was all my fault that you didn't feel the same way. I thought I wasn't good enough. I thought I wasn't pretty enough or sexy enough or interesting enough. But it's not my fault." (e-ARC 204)Jane's self reflection and commitment to move forward is what makes her such an awesome protagonist for me. I felt for her as she really struggled to write music again. She simply needed to take a step back and let herself open up to all the possibilities of music. Music is in her heart and it soothes her soul- there's no way it was going to give up on her.I enjoyed this story- I didn't connect as much with Matthew as I have some of Lauren's other love interests from previous books, but I did still enjoy them as a couple and liked seeing their relationship progress and overcome the odds stacked against them.*Received a copy from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.*