Closet Geeks and Slow Mo

3.5 Stars

Heart Breaker indeed! This book broke my heart over and over. It basically ripped it out of my chest walked all over it and then for good measure stumped on it as well. And then when my heart was in pieces it picked it up and put it back in, gave me a pat and sent me along.

That's what happened here.
okay, metaphorically speaking.

But seriously, this book made my heart ache. I felt Chance and Jolenes heart break, I felt their confusion and I was devastated by their inability to fix things.
The character building is solid. I feel like I know where both of them are coming from, I feel like I know them, and even gotten to know the support cast (even if it's rather small)

The setting is interesting, even if I have never been in Nashville- and to be honest I know very little about Country Music - it does feel authentic. The whole stardom side of it, is the same not matter what music genre you in, and it is well documented all of over. McCarthy does however make an interesting leap between wanting fame and wanting to play (good) music. Because truthfully most artists want both, how does one keep the fame-dome at bay to still have what is important in ones life? How do you balance between pushing to be known yet still do what you love?

McCarthy manages to bring across issues like that, because they trouble the two MCs. During the course of the novel, both of them work through insecurities and trying to find a way to balance their personal life and accomplishing a successful career. As I said the character building is really well done.

McCarthy is a talented writer and she proves that she is a master of her craft, by taking a really sweet, heart breaking cute&fluffy and injecting it casually with surprising depth.

But essentially this is a love story. A story of two people, who fear commitment, who are lost, plagued by their past and who clearly love each other but somehow can not communicate. Their miscommunications, is heartbreaking. Their inability to communicate totally heart shattering.
Their chemistry is off the roof though. And the smut. Well, surprisingly I really enjoyed it.. I did, shocking right? And there is quite a bit- so a heads up for those friends of mine, you know who you are...:P

Now, my only issue is the last bit. It was all to sudden. Just like, ok we done with being silly. Let's move on again... uhm. See while I am happy with the ending, especially the epilogue. My heart, well it was still battered on the floor, when it suddenly all changed. I didn't even have time to pick it up. Then the book was over. I felt strangely dissatisfied by the last chapter. I went back two chapters to make sure I didn't by accident miss something, but no, I didn't. So basically we have all this heartbreaking, then it's like ok we over it now, we learnt third times lucky? Somehow I wanted something- I don't know- More? A wee bit slower? just something else as well. *shruggs*

I shall take my tattered heart and go read the next installment. NOW.
You should read this if you (mind your heart though, it might get a bit battered)