Review: The Autumn Review for The Complete Groupie Trilogy
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 13, 2013
This may possibly be the toughest review I have ever had to write. The Groupie Trilogy left me feeling frustrated, unsettled, but yet, happy in some ways too. I know. That makes no sense. You'll understand what I mean if you have either read the trilogy or plan to. So, I ask myself, why did I decide to participate in this tour. Well, that's easy to answer. I had seen quite a few fellow bloggers raving about the books. Between the rave reviews and the simple fact that it was about a Rock Star romance, I was sold.Now, about the characters. Here's where I may sound a bit jaded. I have no idea what life is like for a Rock Star. However, we all have fantasy versions of it our heads. But, there's also a dirty, dark, not so sparkly side of being a star or being in the spotlight. I feel that I need to just come out and say that I really didn't like Vanni. And honestly, that didn't change much throughout the trilogy. That said, he did have moments where he showed his true colors and in those moments, I could see his appeal. But, I won't sugar coat it. Vanni is a womanizer, an alcoholic, addict, and in general pretty selfish. However, he does have a troubled past, that has shaped him into the person he's become. When he meets Andy, his connection with her scares him; makes him feel vulnerable. Despite his best efforts to show his love for her, he always misses the mark. Until the end anyway.As for Andy...while she was more likable to me, there were SO many times throughout the trilogy that I wanted to smack some sense into this girl. I understood the connection she felt for Vanni. In truth, they met before he became famous and at that time, she wasn't looking for more than a good time herself. Of course, that changed as his pursuit of her continued. In time, she fell in love with him. She forgave his infidelity, his lying, and ego. She justified his behavior by telling herself that they weren't "really together". *pounds head against wall* I will say this, the times that they were in fact "together" were sweet and often sexy. And again, in the end...he is what makes her world spin.I absolutely have to discuss Graham. He runs the record label and is essentially Vanni and the band's boss. Graham got them out of their first contract with their old label and helped them become stars. Why did I love Graham? He is possibly the reason I continued to read the trilogy. Well, that may be dramatizing it a bit, but I seriously loved Graham. He is just about the perfect guy. Of course he falls in love with Andy, who is love with Vanni. You get the picture. Graham makes life altering sacrifices for Andy. That's just the kind of guy he is and it's a testament to how much he loves Andy. While I personally would have chosen Graham, I was happy with the way his story came to a close. I was happy he found happiness, peace, and love.In all honesty, it took me a few days to process my thoughts about this book. I can tell you that I'm glad I read this as a trilogy rather than reading the books separately. After I read the first book, I was pretty undecided about how I felt about it. So, it was good that I had the second and third books on hand. Despite the challenges I faced while reading this trilogy, I'd still recommend it. Here's why: I probably felt every emotion a person can feel while reading this trilogy. For me, that's a pretty good indicator of a good story. The Groupie Trilogy is raw, angsty, heartbreaking, frustrating, sexy, romantic, and definitely not for the faint hearted. If you like being completely consumed by stories like this, then this is the trilogy for you. Hang on tight! It's a rollercoaster!