babblingchatterreads's review against another edition
5.0
I have not read this series in awhile and when I finally read this, it brought back memories on why I enjoy reading the series. I’m freaking glad that she wrote Liam’s story in is POV because it made better sense on what going on his mind before he chose the path he wanted to take. I felt the frustrations, the hesitations, his mentality on why he made the choices that he did.
We got to see how deep his love for Josie was and explore his journey of finding himself and his place in life. It was heartwarming, broken, feeling lost (and at times lonely) filled with ambitions to be more than what he is expected. It took sacrifices and one that may or may not be regrets later in life.
We also got to know how his supporting characters came in to play some time in his life. I was hooked and could not put it down and the life of the characters got me reminiscent the life of small town Beaumont again.
We got to see how deep his love for Josie was and explore his journey of finding himself and his place in life. It was heartwarming, broken, feeling lost (and at times lonely) filled with ambitions to be more than what he is expected. It took sacrifices and one that may or may not be regrets later in life.
We also got to know how his supporting characters came in to play some time in his life. I was hooked and could not put it down and the life of the characters got me reminiscent the life of small town Beaumont again.
lovehollyxx's review against another edition
4.0
The moment has finally come. We met Liam Page in FOREVER MY GIRL, and followed his life alongside his bandmates and his forever girl, Josie, in the Beaumont series; but now it's time to find out how QB1 Liam Westbury, became 4225 West lead singer, Liam Page.
Up until this point, the Beaumont series has been Adult Contemporary Romance, but author Heidi McLaughlin tries her hand at New Adult Contemporary Romance for this prequel, that sees 18 year old Liam, struggling with the expectations to be who everyone around him, wants him to be.
I loved going back in time with these characters. Seeing young Liam, Josie, Mason, Katelyn, and Nick, in school and just knowing how their lives are going to turn out, because of the choices they make during this time was great, and seeing Liam move to LA, and meet Harrison - who is my absolute favourite band member - was beyond exciting.
We know the basics of how the band came to be, but actually seeing it all play out in this latest release was fantastic. It's like a fictional groupie's dream.
It's the perfect read for fans of the Beaumont series, to get inside Liam's head a little more, and be able to better understand the decisions he made, that lead to one of our favourite fictional rock bands, and series.
I don't want to believe that this series will ever end because I love it so much that I never want to have to say goodbye to these characters, and their lives.
FINDING MY WAY is the perfect addition to the Beaumont series, and has left me desperate to start the series again from the beginning. I can't get enough. I'm definitely a 4225 West girl for life.
"I love you Jojo. You're forever my girl."
Up until this point, the Beaumont series has been Adult Contemporary Romance, but author Heidi McLaughlin tries her hand at New Adult Contemporary Romance for this prequel, that sees 18 year old Liam, struggling with the expectations to be who everyone around him, wants him to be.
I loved going back in time with these characters. Seeing young Liam, Josie, Mason, Katelyn, and Nick, in school and just knowing how their lives are going to turn out, because of the choices they make during this time was great, and seeing Liam move to LA, and meet Harrison - who is my absolute favourite band member - was beyond exciting.
We know the basics of how the band came to be, but actually seeing it all play out in this latest release was fantastic. It's like a fictional groupie's dream.
It's the perfect read for fans of the Beaumont series, to get inside Liam's head a little more, and be able to better understand the decisions he made, that lead to one of our favourite fictional rock bands, and series.
I don't want to believe that this series will ever end because I love it so much that I never want to have to say goodbye to these characters, and their lives.
FINDING MY WAY is the perfect addition to the Beaumont series, and has left me desperate to start the series again from the beginning. I can't get enough. I'm definitely a 4225 West girl for life.
"I love you Jojo. You're forever my girl."
cocktailsandbooks1's review
5.0
So I am new to the Beaumont series annd I was a little worried that I was going to be lost because I hadn't read the other books yet since this was a prequel. Boy, I was wrong. I think it might be better to start with Finding My Way.
We meet high school golden boy Liam Westbury. He loves football but is clearly struggling with the choices that are being laid out in front of him. He loves his girlfriend Josie more than anything and she is the one person who makes all the conflicts in his life go away. His dad and mom are not ideal parents. His father is pushy, unloving and only wants what he thinks is best for Liam. His mother only exists to look like a perfect wife and she just takes up space in their house. He and Josie have planned out their life together and Liam thinks he is good with all of it. However, secretly, he has been teaching himself how to play guitar. It is the only thing that makes him content, at peace and happy. He doesn't even share it with Josie at first and when he does, she doesn't really know what to do with it which kills Liam.
As signing day rolls around for college, Liam makes a huge decision based off his heart and not his head. He does what is best for his best friend Mason instead of what is best for him. This decision causes a chain of events to unravel that change the course of all of their lives. As Liam decides to leave college and Josie behind to pursue music in LA, your heart breaks for both him and Josie. For me, I thought sometimes young love is just young love and nothing more but Heidi McLaughlin really has you rooting for these two. The last part of the book dives into how 4225 West is formed, the early days of the band and Liam trying to forget about Josie.
For those of you who read Forever My Girl, this book fills in all the holes. For those of you like me, Finding My Way opened up a new series to me and I enjoyed the book so much that I downloaded the rest of the series.
Reviewed by Candace for Cocktails and Books
We meet high school golden boy Liam Westbury. He loves football but is clearly struggling with the choices that are being laid out in front of him. He loves his girlfriend Josie more than anything and she is the one person who makes all the conflicts in his life go away. His dad and mom are not ideal parents. His father is pushy, unloving and only wants what he thinks is best for Liam. His mother only exists to look like a perfect wife and she just takes up space in their house. He and Josie have planned out their life together and Liam thinks he is good with all of it. However, secretly, he has been teaching himself how to play guitar. It is the only thing that makes him content, at peace and happy. He doesn't even share it with Josie at first and when he does, she doesn't really know what to do with it which kills Liam.
As signing day rolls around for college, Liam makes a huge decision based off his heart and not his head. He does what is best for his best friend Mason instead of what is best for him. This decision causes a chain of events to unravel that change the course of all of their lives. As Liam decides to leave college and Josie behind to pursue music in LA, your heart breaks for both him and Josie. For me, I thought sometimes young love is just young love and nothing more but Heidi McLaughlin really has you rooting for these two. The last part of the book dives into how 4225 West is formed, the early days of the band and Liam trying to forget about Josie.
For those of you who read Forever My Girl, this book fills in all the holes. For those of you like me, Finding My Way opened up a new series to me and I enjoyed the book so much that I downloaded the rest of the series.
Reviewed by Candace for Cocktails and Books
michalice's review
5.0
My Thoughts
When I filled in the form to be part of the blog tour for Finding My Way I never thought I would be selected to take part in it, never mind to be one of the few to have a review stop. I got the email while waiting for a movie to start in the cinema, and I may have done a little happy dance.
After reading the previous books in this series I already know what happens and have a bit of background information on some of the characters. I already know that Liam's Dad is a piece of work, but getting to see the younger Liam's life and really see what his Dad is like, just makes me detest him more. He is such a nasty, vile, judgemental person, I really wonder how other people have not seen this side of him before and also question why Liam's Mum put up with it, alcoholic stupor or not.
I like how open Liam is about his feelings for Josie, it's real and new, and it makes your heart melt that little bit more. It was sad to see Liam so disheartened with college football, but without that he wouldn't become Liam page, so it was a great opportunity to see where it all stemmed from and the build up to the decision that changed Liam's life. I never knew how tough it was for Liam to do what he does, and how much he gives up to follow his dream. Part of me thinks he could have given Josie the benefit of the doubt and explained it to her instead of running off, but seeing him suffer broke my heart.
Watching Liam change from Liam Westbury, to Liam Page was an emotional, eye opening journey, and I am so glad I got to take this with him. I love the inspiration behind his stage name and thought it was a very fitting way to remember his roots. Spending time with his Grandmother was a change of pace for Liam, not only in having a stable, loving home to go to, but it also enabled him to really explore his dreams and desires, and I love how supportive his Grandmother is of him, but how firm she is of making sure he sticks to the straight and narrow path. When Liam loses her I cried, I sobbed my heart out over his loss, of losing possibly the only person who really believed in him.
Finding My Way was an unputdownable read, and I reluctantly had to put this down to go to work, but picked it straight back up the second I got home. I devoured every single page of Finding My Way, and reading this just made me want to re-read the entire series again. Finding My Way may be the prequel to this series, but it also showed me things that I had no idea about, and opened my eyes that little bit more to the journey that Liam takes.
Heidi has once again sucked me into the world of Liam, which to be honest didn't take much as love this series so much, and if you have yet to make a start on The Beaumont Series, then you NEED to pick this book up straight away, and start from the beginning. before Liam Westbury became Liam Page, and take this journey with him.
bribookish's review
5.0
I loved getting to see Liam's side of the story as his time as a senior and the 10 years he was gone. It made me love his character that much more.
genej101's review
3.0
Easy read, a bit over sexed for me, not how I remember high school, but not a bad book, average as are the rest in the series.
sonita99's review
5.0
Team Liam all the way.
I’m so glad I jumped ahead to book #4 in the series. After reading Forever My Girl I was heartbroken that the book ended. I wanted more, needed to see where Liam and Josie were headed, what about Nick? Then I discovered this was a series! I read through the summaries and decided to skip ahead.
The back and forth of this book gives the reader a flashback of what happens in Forever My Girl (#1) with a taste of what Liam was thinking and feeling. You learn why Liam did what he did, whether you agree with him or not, at least now you know. His intentions and struggles to go back were so raw I couldn’t help but love him. Even though I feel bad that Nick got caught up in the Liam/JoJo drama, he just needed to move on.
I’m hooked! On to Nick’s story I go.
I’m so glad I jumped ahead to book #4 in the series. After reading Forever My Girl I was heartbroken that the book ended. I wanted more, needed to see where Liam and Josie were headed, what about Nick? Then I discovered this was a series! I read through the summaries and decided to skip ahead.
The back and forth of this book gives the reader a flashback of what happens in Forever My Girl (#1) with a taste of what Liam was thinking and feeling. You learn why Liam did what he did, whether you agree with him or not, at least now you know. His intentions and struggles to go back were so raw I couldn’t help but love him. Even though I feel bad that Nick got caught up in the Liam/JoJo drama, he just needed to move on.
I’m hooked! On to Nick’s story I go.
ammalek's review against another edition
4.0
This one started out slow for me, (I actually started it over a month ago but put it down after a few chapters before just coming back to it now) maybe because it seemed like I already knew part of this story spot took me a while to get into it. But then it picked up and I got sucked back into the Beaumont world. I think this helped explain a lot about Liam they I maybe didn’t fully understand. I’m glad I read it.
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