Review: Unique Heroine, Drool-Worthy Hero!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 21, 2014
In this first book in Ms. Zurlo's Kiss Me series it's a rocky journey to HEA for a lively heroine weighted down with emotional baggage and the quiet yet caring rock star in the making.  The heroine, Lacey, is like none I've seen before and I at turns admired her as well as being frustrated by her.  Dylan was just what I expected and though we didn't get to dig as deeply into his psyche I was still drawn to his reserved yet supportive self.Lacey's been through a lot in her life that would've crushed most women.  After a bloody and horrific event left her silent for years it took a lot to become a functioning person again.  She's not fully recovered by any means though as she falls back on OCDish tendencies when under stress....and she's a compulsive liar during stressful moments as well.  The lies roll off her easily and were part of why I was left frustrated by her.  She's good at justifying these lies, and for the most part they're harmless, but it led to issues in all her relationships.  I was actually surprised she had ANY friends and it just made me realize how loyal they were to her.  Lacey's romantic relationships haven't gone well either as she has the tendency to be with married men.  She's finally come to realize that she deserves better, she deserves to be number one in a man's heart.  Just when she decides that, two men come into her life to throw her love life into chaos as she must choose which man's world is a better fit and where she'll be most complete in a journey full of twists and turns.  Lacey accepts her faults wholeheartedly, she makes no excuses and doesn't use her past as a crutch.  I admired her for her fortitude and for not settling for less.  She's a unique and memorable heroine but one I'm glad isn't a friend of mine as she's very trying.Dylan's still recovering from the loss of his wife when he has a life-altering encounter with Lacey that leaves him enamored of her and slowly but surely forming a relationship with her.  In this friends to something more relationship though he's not quite clear on what he wants, which left things up in the air for them and opened the door for another man to get between them.  He never pushes Lacey but is always there for her in his caring and compassionate way, treating her more as someone to cure than to sleep with.  Once the loss hits him of what he let slip through his fingers he makes some grand gestures, through his music, to give her no doubts as to how he feels about her.  Dylan is sexy and charming and I loved witnessing the journey from local band to being on the cusp of celebrity.  He's caring and supportive and deserved achieving his dreams after being relegated to second place throughout his marriage which left me rooting for him.With its unconventional heroine who left this reader conflicted at times, Ms. Zurlo has crafted a compelling read.  With its first person narrative we get great insight into Lacey which showed an unrepentant heroine whose antics at times left me smiling.  Dylan was an immensely likable character but nothing groundbreaking.  He was steady and strong and just what Lacey needed.  Their initial meeting was full of sexual tension that never let up and culminated in some very steamy interludes late in the story that made for a sexy and playful relationship.  The secondary characters are equally likable, especially the other man in Lacey's life (Thomas), with lots of stories of their own yet to be told.  Though this book has a completely satisfying ending it looks as if there's more to come and I know that I'll be back for the next installment.