tessa_b's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jabeye's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 stars. I actually really enjoyed this, it was light, fluffy and easy to read. I just wish it didn’t all wrap up so quickly and tidily, it became a bit too unrealistic even for such a fluffy frivolous book.
bfdbookblog's review against another edition
3.0
I’ve read exactly two Kylie Scott books, both five-star reads and both over eight years ago. I decided it was time to catch up now that I have more time on my hands so I’m starting with her new one. I forgot how much I love her writing. I was so excited to rediscover an author I like so much. After starting this book and sitting still for over five hours to dive headlong into the story, I knew this was going to be my next five-star read. And then someone hit the fast forward button…and I’m a little disappointed with that.
I’m trying to figure out how to write this review fairly while not giving anything important away.
Garrett is recovering from the loss of his wife. He’s a grumpy git, but rightly so. He’s very down to earth for a rock god. He’s clearly in pain still. When he’s committed to something or someone, he’s all in. His best friend and bandmate, Smith is trying to get him back to the land of the living.
Ani is recovering from a tragic event in her life and is back home to stay. She has a few OCD tendencies which don’t necessarily stem from the tragic event. Her neuroses have been an issue for other people over the years and she only has a few close friends in her small town. She has more in common with Garrett than they first realize in that she’s not really living life but just getting by and they bond over that.
I like the tension – both sexual and emotional – between them as they get to know each other and remain ‘just friends’. That part of the story, along with the small-town setting and its crazy cast of characters, had me hooked. Once they throw that out the window, the story moves on fast forward and doesn’t stop until the end. It felt like the author was committed to writing this emotion-packed, entertaining, five-star story and then got sidetracked so she just threw the rest of the story on paper. I don’t want to write any spoilers in my review so if you’re curious about this before reading, feel free to message me.
This isn’t listed as the start of a series but there were a couple of dangling storylines that must be coming our way. Smith definitely is a standout character I would assume will get a book.
Maybe I’ll go back and read Mal and Annie’s story… which would make me happy again.
I’m trying to figure out how to write this review fairly while not giving anything important away.
Garrett is recovering from the loss of his wife. He’s a grumpy git, but rightly so. He’s very down to earth for a rock god. He’s clearly in pain still. When he’s committed to something or someone, he’s all in. His best friend and bandmate, Smith is trying to get him back to the land of the living.
Ani is recovering from a tragic event in her life and is back home to stay. She has a few OCD tendencies which don’t necessarily stem from the tragic event. Her neuroses have been an issue for other people over the years and she only has a few close friends in her small town. She has more in common with Garrett than they first realize in that she’s not really living life but just getting by and they bond over that.
I like the tension – both sexual and emotional – between them as they get to know each other and remain ‘just friends’. That part of the story, along with the small-town setting and its crazy cast of characters, had me hooked. Once they throw that out the window, the story moves on fast forward and doesn’t stop until the end. It felt like the author was committed to writing this emotion-packed, entertaining, five-star story and then got sidetracked so she just threw the rest of the story on paper. I don’t want to write any spoilers in my review so if you’re curious about this before reading, feel free to message me.
This isn’t listed as the start of a series but there were a couple of dangling storylines that must be coming our way. Smith definitely is a standout character I would assume will get a book.
Maybe I’ll go back and read Mal and Annie’s story… which would make me happy again.
izziede's review against another edition
3.0
First of all this is my least fav troupe, Hero or heroine having a lover/spouse who they loved very much who has died.
For romance I struggle with it, mostly as getting the balance between moving on and not making the Hero or heroine seem like second best can be difficult.
I was hoping that as the Hero and his wife had been a famous couple it would be revealed their relationship wasn't as perfect as it had seemed but no, it seems everyone loved her.
It's been 2 years and the Hero is grumpy, brooding.
The heroine also has had some bad experiences with relationships and has some hang ups.
There is ex drama for the heroine, just small and the memory of the dead wife for the Hero and a misconstrued photo at one point.
No intimate scenes other than the Hero and heroine.
Convo 'im clean' and it's the safe time of the month for me.
I loved the small town, the secondary characters, neighbors, community.
Other band members are introduced with various back stories so plenty of material for future books.
Hero is not a man-whore.
It does feel a bit quick once he makes up his mind.
He's a bit push/pull at first, that is the drama in the book not really the fame issue.
Spoiler
*
*
*
*
*
Very irresponsible attitude to contraception, heroine is then pregnant.
HEA implied
I imagine if the author writes the other band members we will see their HEA in those books.
For romance I struggle with it, mostly as getting the balance between moving on and not making the Hero or heroine seem like second best can be difficult.
I was hoping that as the Hero and his wife had been a famous couple it would be revealed their relationship wasn't as perfect as it had seemed but no, it seems everyone loved her.
It's been 2 years and the Hero is grumpy, brooding.
The heroine also has had some bad experiences with relationships and has some hang ups.
There is ex drama for the heroine, just small and the memory of the dead wife for the Hero and a misconstrued photo at one point.
No intimate scenes other than the Hero and heroine.
Convo 'im clean' and it's the safe time of the month for me.
I loved the small town, the secondary characters, neighbors, community.
Other band members are introduced with various back stories so plenty of material for future books.
Hero is not a man-whore.
It does feel a bit quick once he makes up his mind.
He's a bit push/pull at first, that is the drama in the book not really the fame issue.
Spoiler
*
*
*
*
*
Very irresponsible attitude to contraception, heroine is then pregnant.
HEA implied
I imagine if the author writes the other band members we will see their HEA in those books.
fsmeurinne's review against another edition
4.0
Garrett and Ani's story was about a famous rockstar widow getting into a small town, the story was sweet, and good for an afternoon read, I wished it had more background on Ani's past and more on the way they handled his fame, I felt it was a bit rushed. Overall I enjoyed it, I liked the characters. I loved their banter and I really liked the other characters from the story. Hope to read about them in the future.
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mina_reads_30's review against another edition
4.0
Kylie Scott is an auto-buy after the Stage Dive series. I love her small-town romances with rockstars thrown in the mix and this one was basically all that. I will be brief because I did enjoy the story but I felt it was a little rushed.
So Garreth, a famous tock star is not over the death of his wife that happened 2 years (I don't think it's even mentioned how she died). He has run away from his life and has been moving around the world trying to heal. He moves to a house that his deceased wife bought with the plan that they both would retire. So that is that from him.
Ani was born in the small town, move to LA for school, was attacked by a burglar, dumped her boyfriend because he was a dick, and move back home. Let's say Ani has some unresolved baggage and uses it as a defense mechanism (in my point of view). I feel like the author didn't give her enough spotlight and time for Ani to speak about her trauma. It was really brief and rushed - like most of the book. The spotlight is all on Garreth - we get to see his pain, sadness and brooding - but that is about it. When I say this is rushed I mean rushed. They meet, he is still grieving, and she is trying to work on her trauma (she did schedule an appointment with a therapist... that's working on it right?), they sleep together for her to "avoid emotional entanglement" and the next day he asks her to move in it him. Dude... weren't you grieving and can't forget about your deceased wife?
Anyways. Yeah. Smith is a sedated version of Mal. So that made it a little funny. Overall? 4 stars because I love Kylie Scott.
So Garreth, a famous tock star is not over the death of his wife that happened 2 years (I don't think it's even mentioned how she died). He has run away from his life and has been moving around the world trying to heal. He moves to a house that his deceased wife bought with the plan that they both would retire. So that is that from him.
Ani was born in the small town, move to LA for school, was attacked by a burglar, dumped her boyfriend because he was a dick, and move back home. Let's say Ani has some unresolved baggage and uses it as a defense mechanism (in my point of view). I feel like the author didn't give her enough spotlight and time for Ani to speak about her trauma. It was really brief and rushed - like most of the book. The spotlight is all on Garreth - we get to see his pain, sadness and brooding - but that is about it. When I say this is rushed I mean rushed. They meet, he is still grieving, and she is trying to work on her trauma (she did schedule an appointment with a therapist... that's working on it right?), they sleep together for her to "avoid emotional entanglement" and the next day he asks her to move in it him. Dude... weren't you grieving and can't forget about your deceased wife?
Anyways. Yeah. Smith is a sedated version of Mal. So that made it a little funny. Overall? 4 stars because I love Kylie Scott.
sammymurray81's review against another edition
4.0
Overall, this story flowed well. I saw where Garrett was coming from. It is very hard to lose a loved one. Now with Ani, I struggled a little with getting to know her. I felt like she really didn't open up as much as I would have liked to see. It took quite a bit for her to trust and really feel comfortable with Garrett. Once they got to the place where they trusted one another, it was great. I will say the slow burn was almost too much. I needed to feel the connection a little more. Overall, a fantastic book.
bookdrgn's review against another edition
5.0
If there’s one thing Kylie does well, it’s regular gal meets celebrity guy.
Famous in a Small Town is a little different in that the hero is a widower. His grief and the attempt of friends to get him back in the living are realistic and emotional. Smith, Garrett’s friend and bandmate has some Mal (from Stage Dive) energy going on in a subtler way.
I loved how the town rallied behind Garrett when his identity became public.
I adore Ani and how she met Garrett at a human level and didn’t swoon at his feet.
This is a fantastic addition to the Kylie Scott oeuvre and I look forward to more.
Famous in a Small Town is a little different in that the hero is a widower. His grief and the attempt of friends to get him back in the living are realistic and emotional. Smith, Garrett’s friend and bandmate has some Mal (from Stage Dive) energy going on in a subtler way.
I loved how the town rallied behind Garrett when his identity became public.
I adore Ani and how she met Garrett at a human level and didn’t swoon at his feet.
This is a fantastic addition to the Kylie Scott oeuvre and I look forward to more.
kimzee's review against another edition
2.0
- very forgettable read, it was all over the place
- for 2 people that are against relationships, this sure was very insta-love.. I'm talking within DAYS (not even a full week) of meeting each other "I love you's" were being exchanged
- for what is presumably level headed commitment-phobe adults, they were oddly ignorant toward birth control
- just a very weird read altogether, told one thing, shown another. nothing about these characters made sense
- for 2 people that are against relationships, this sure was very insta-love.. I'm talking within DAYS (not even a full week) of meeting each other "I love you's" were being exchanged
- for what is presumably level headed commitment-phobe adults, they were oddly ignorant toward birth control
- just a very weird read altogether, told one thing, shown another. nothing about these characters made sense