Reviews

Croire en l'avenir by Roan Parrish

kaity_b's review against another edition

3.0

2.5 but rounding up for Iggy Tomas narrating lol

Caleb doesn’t deserve Theo…. The amount of hurt he put Theo through was annoying and rude… god the amount of times I wanted to hit him up side the head for doing what Theo feared (which was being unwanted and unlovable) was infuriating!

I don’t think I am going to continue, something about Roans writing doesn’t click with me but had to finish since this book cost me $7.99 on my kindle…

e_1234's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

bookschaosnart's review against another edition

5.0

This was a well written and masterful tale. It was well beyond the usual rock star trope in a great way. It certainly has Roan Parrish's characteristic style which is a wonderful thing. It's a masterful story of learning to appreciate friendship, learning who you are, the romance of being alone as one falls in love.

cookiereadah's review against another edition

2.5

2.5 ✨✨

I now know definitely that Roan is not an author I really enjoy. I read the Middle of Somewhere series and they were an okay read. 

This book while not technically bad was soooo boring. It was a rockstar romance in name only. The romance portion was there but not the feel of a rockstar. 

There was nothing memorable or exciting or lasting in this book. Everything was flat and one note and there weren’t any highs or lows. 

Also, while I enjoy music this novel felt like sitting in a music theory class and that wasn’t so enjoyable.

tlwd's review against another edition

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

bescobar30's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This was my first Roan Parrish novel and it did not disappoint. I’m such a sucker for rockstar romances but this one was different from many others in a way that was unexpected. One of our main characters struggles to maintain his sobriety throughout the entirety of this book and Parrish beautifully describes it in a way that is relatable. Our other main character struggles with low self esteem and self worth despite being a famous rockstar. Eventually both find the courage to do what they need to do in order to be happy. I went into this book blind and wasn’t expecting to feel so many different things but I’m so happy that it ended well. I’ll definitely be picking up books 2&3!

kirstyreadsblog's review against another edition

4.0

Content warnings: drug/alcohol abuse and addiction, sex

So I've read some Roan Parrish books in the past and liked them, then I saw this was out and was about messy rock stars and loners with messed up pasts and I was 100% here for it. And I wasn't let down!

Theo Decker is the lead singer of the band Riven. He hates it. He loves music and performing but hates the fluff and nonsense involved in being a rockstar. On a night when he is having trouble with writer's block and just needs to get some headspace, he finds Caleb Whitman playing in a bar. Caleb Whitman plays the kind of music Theo wants to play, and so the pair begin to write some sensational songs together. But Caleb has a past, which makes him being involved in the music industry a big issue for him.

Continue my review here: https://wp.me/p7j3Jr-2ra

lalexvp's review against another edition

5.0

1st read:
HOLY WOW THAT WAS A GREAT BOOK

2nd read:
I picked this up again hoping I’d love it as much the second time, and I wasn’t disappointed. The characters are wonderful and their conflicts all make sense for who they are. They’re relatable. My only complaint is that the author doesn’t clearly illustrate when the character is in the “present” versus thinking about a past event. It all gets a bit confusing and could be easily fixed.

adventuresinmytbr's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction and Abandonment

lezreadalot's review against another edition

4.0

Hope. And wasn’t that just the fucking scariest craving of all.

I haven't read a Roan Parrish book in a while, and every time I do, I forget how effortlessly she makes me fall for her characters, no matter the genre she's writing in. Rockstar romance isn't my favourite, but it definitely helped that this was a quieter sort of romance. We have Theo, the reluctant lead of a new and popular band, who feels alienated by his bandmates, and uncomfortable with his new-found fame. Then we also have Caleb, an older recovering addict and a former musician, trying to put the pieces of his life back together after his fourth time in rehab.

Their romance was so, so lovely. They had their misunderstandings, and their drawbacks, but it felt like a natural progress of the relationship, rather than unrealistic drama. They were so perfect for one another. I love stories like this, of people who are damaged and hurting in different ways, but still manage to find love through each other. Healing through music! I loved it. I especially loved the portrayal of Caleb's addiction and recovery, the fact that it was an ongoing struggle for him, the conversations that he had with his sponsor, the ways in which he struggles to believe that he could be good enough for Theo. At the same time, his addiction wasn't treated like a failure on his part. This was just so wonderful, and so sexy, and it did what few books about music can actually make happen for me: it made me wish that I could listen to their original songs. Parrish just described them so vividly and so wonderfully and made it all come alive. Her writing is just so good!

Listened to the audiobook as read by Iggy Toma and Charlie Chambers, and they made for a great duo. They played off of one another really well and I love their voices. I'm not sure how much I'm interested in the other books in this series but since it's Roan Parrish, I might one day give them a try.

Content warnings:

Spoiler

past drug addiction and alcohol abuse

I made my song into a fist, and I punched the only way I knew how.