Touching Melody

Forever First #1

by RaShelle Workman

Sometimes life isn't pretty, but you have to close your eyes and let go...
Martin's first weekend at college is nothing like she's used to. It's wild, like the wilderness on which the University of Bellam Springs sits. Roped into going to a fraternity party, she literally runs into Kyle Hadley. The boy she's loved since she was nine. The boy she promised all of her firsts to. But that was before his father killed her parents.

Determined to stay away from him, she throws herself into her music. Practicing piano eases her heavy heart, calms the sadness, and pushes away images of Kyle's face.

Until it doesn't.

Her music professor asks her to play a duet for their annual Winter Gala. Doing so means she'll be assured another full ride scholarship. It's an opportunity she can't pass up.

But Kyle is the other half of the duet. And that means hours and hours of practicing.

Weeks of seclusion - just the two of them. And it's more than just music. It's passion like Maddie never believed was possible.

The inevitable happens. She falls in love with him all over again.

But, will loving him be enough to erase all the hate in her heart for his father? Can she look at him, and not see the evil in his family tree?

And maybe it's all a set up. Maybe Kyle is only pretending to care so he can finish what his father started, and kill her too.

Genres: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Young Adult, Mystery, Music, Fiction

301 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 14, 2013

About the author

RaShelle Workman is an international bestselling author of reimagined fairy tales, supernatural suspense, paranormal cozies, and more. Her novels have been listed on multiple bestseller lists, including her Blood and Snow series (now Seven Magics Academy), which has sold more than a million copies worldwide. In addition, three of her books have been translated into Turkish.

When RaShelle isn't writing, she enjoys baking, creating new taco recipes and hanging with family. She lives in Utah with her husband, three children, and their dogs.

Find her online by visiting her website at: www.rashelleworkman.org. And sign up for her newsletter to receive free books and get information on book release dates: http://eepurl.com/chMcej.

Books by RaShelle Workman:

BROOMSTICK BAY COZY MYSTERIES
Zucchini Cake & Zombies
Wedding Cake & Werewolves (coming 6/23)
Vanilla Cake & Vampires (coming 10/23)

EERIE VALLEY SUPERNATURALS
Undercover Reaper
Twice Reaped
Reapers Creepers
Deadly Reaper (coming 4/24)

FABLE TOWN MYSTERIES
Iced Raspberry Cookies and a Curse

FAIRY ACADEMY
Hidden Princess
Broken Curse
Stolen Magic

THE FAIRYTALE CHRONICLES
Royal Selection
Royal Contract
Royal Keeper (coming 12/23)
Royal Everlasting (coming 2024)

DEMONLAND SERIES
Alice in Demonland
Alice Fights Demonland
Alice Takes Demonland
Alice Ignites Demonland

BEASTLY SERIES
A Beauty so Beastly

WOLF BLOOD ACADEMY
Initiation
Inheritance
Induction

MAGIC BLOOD ACADEMY
Elemental Outcast Games: Fire
Elemental Outcast Games: Water
Elemental Outcast Games: Earth
Elemental Outcast Games: Air
Elemental Outcast Games: Shadow
Elemental Outcast Games: Monster

VAMPIRE BLOOD ACADEMY
Vampire in Training (coming 8/2023)
Monster Trials (coming 9/2023
End Times (coming 9/23)

SEVEN MAGICS ACADEMY
Blood and Snow
Fate and Magic
Queen of the Vampires
Deadly Witch
Royal Witch
Vampire Lies
Vampire Secrets
Vampires and Dragons
Vampires and Gargoyles
Vampire Magics

ETERNALLY ENTANGLED
Eternally Entangled
Thoroughly Tousled
Infinitely Intertwined

PARANORMAL INQUIRIES
Ghoulish Whisper

IMMORTAL ESSENCE
Exiled
Destined

ACROSS THE AGES
Goddess Curse
Mystical Gift

__________

Ann Hardy ~ Sizzling Sweet Romance
Most Eligible Cowboy
Happily Ever Summer
Rockstar Billionaire
Billionaire Best Man
Faking it With the Billionaire
Dating the Billionaire
The Betting Billionaire
The Country Singer's Billionaire
The Prideful Billionaire
Totally Scrooged


Reviews

[Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pre-read: Holy crud, that blurb! I have no qualms saying that I'm intrigued to see where this goes. It has the potential to turn out towards something interesting if handled well.

*moves up on reading list*

Post-read: I'm only giving this book a single star as a formality. Zero stars would be too high of a rating for this utterly offensive, inaccurate, violence glorified, implausible horrible novel. I would rage quit New Adult after this if my patience wasn't so firm, and if I didn't have hope that there are far, far better authors writing in this genre than Ms. Workman. What on earth would make anyone think a novel like this was okay?

Full review:

I'm going to start the discussion on "Touching Melody" for what it means to have false promises in the book you're marketing. Whoever wrote the blurb for "Touching Melody" ought to be thanked for selling what probably should've been an interesting premise, if treated within any realm of responsibility. Granted, I understand others might think "Ehh, I could tell this was going to be problematic before even going into the novel - a girl falling in love with a guy whose father killed her parents? That's not likely to end well."

I'll make an argument on Workman's behalf for that, and it's probably the major, if not only point of defense I'll make about this book. An idea in itself depends on the way you carry it, develop it, nurture it for the conflicts that arise and the people involved at its core. This actually could've been a fine coming of age/contemporary romance as it was advertised on NetGalley. It helps that it has an uber pretty cover to complement it to draw people in, in addition to it's premise. It deals with several tough subjects, and I expected it to carry the weight of its contexts with perhaps a statement on forgiveness, on morality lines, maybe even have a bit of a suspenseful/thrilling element that was plausible, mature, and kept my attention until the very last page. I had the expectation that there would be *some* sex or some violent aspects to it, but I thought it might actually go against the grain of what I've seen in this genre and actually handle it with good development. I also liked the suggestion that this would delve into the interests of the leads with regards to music and their college experiences. If anyone knows about how much I love anime series like Nodame Cantabile where it revolves around the characters as well as the music thematic, you'll know what I was expecting out of this particular story.

This book did not provide any of what it promised, understatement. Matter in point, this book upset me so badly I seriously considered stopping reading New Adult all together. Almost to the point of saying "Look, I'm sorry, I can't review this age group anymore - it offends me that people think they have to sell graphic, no bars held erotic sex with minors and advocate violence, including sexual violence with no consequence, development, or responsibility at all. I'm tired of it, I don't see why other people aren't tired or offended by it, and it's not messaging that I want to support with my time, my money, or my resources. And I'm not buying the B.S. that comes with it being 'just a story.' It's a milking of people's suffering and it's not a good marketing offshoot when so many strides have been attempted in YA and younger categorical groups to note that these measures are wrong. Even further, these aren't things that even adult or erotic books would do, because at least they know the audience they're writing for, and approach it with varying degrees of responsibility. That's not the case here."

But I'm not doing that. I recognize that even in the spectra of this age group trying to find its wings and with its quickly budding popularity, RaShelle Workman's individual story, in itself, is not representative of the whole of the New Adult age group, and while people have the right to write about whatever topic floats their boat, I can simply put the book down, leave the author's work by the wayside and seek better stories out there (or write them myself). I'm still searching for a story that I love in New Adult, and I'm not giving up on it. There have been stories that have come close to piquing my interest, but haven't gotten over the hump because of flaws that I've seen within them and had problems with. I can't speak for anyone else's experiences, though.

In the meantime, Workman's managed to convince me in one story - with it's poorly surface developed characters, with its over the top glorification of sex, sexual and physical violence, implausible progressions and lackluster writing that I will never pick up another book of hers again, not even the other one I own by her ("Exile"). This book was that bad for me.

It's interesting in the "Afterword" part of the e-galley copy I had, the author specifically mentions that this is an account of "fictional characters based in a fictional world." Just because your characters are fictitious, it doesn't absolve you from considering the real world implications that you establish in the story you write. Even fantasy, the genre, has ties to the real world that make it recognizable enough for readers to have something to identify with it. I felt no true love or coming to terms for ANY of the characters in this book, it was straight up, manufactured, appropriation of dramatic context and real world struggles that were used as manipulative vehicles for the sake of drama. I can't even begin to say how bad these measures were handled. I thought about writing this review about a hundred different ways - rage mode (though I think I did that enough in my status updates on Goodreads), creative mode, or reflective mode. I ultimately chose the latter. I'm not even upset about this anymore, I'm just completely and utterly disappointed.

The author also mentions if I had a problem with the content that I should talk about it. Well, let's talk all. I'm opening the floor.

***

"Touching Melody" is a dual perspective novel that heavily leans toward the narration of the female perspective character, Maddie. Maddie is a damaged young woman, and you can tell that in the narrative from the get go. She's gotten tattoos over her body since she was only fourteen years old, and she suffers in the aftermath of the murders of both her parents. I'll admit I was intrigued with her biting tone in the first chapter of this novel. The catch is that Maddie was a witness to her parents deaths and based on her observances and interactions, her best friend's father was the one who committed the crime.

Kyle, the other perspective in this novel and Maddie's best friend, is completely oblivious to this fact. They grow apart after Maddie goes to live with her aunt and uncle, despite Kyle's letters trying to reach Maddie up to a point. Maddie's aunt is quick to drill into her mind that since Kyle was a "murderer's son" that he was no company to be around. Fast forward years later, and Maddie's at college with no lick of seeing Kyle.

At least until they end up going to college in the same music program. But no, don't grow too attached to the fact that this is a college environment or even with the backdrop of music prodigies. I'm here to tell you that the music backdrop was pretty much a non-entity except for some spot mentions that weren't fleshed out. And considering Maddie refers to her teacher as "Bitchy Spears" - it's more of a high school evocative environment than college.

Kyle's introduction in the novel is made within the realm of engaging in a menage a troi. The sexual depictions, the drug use, and the drinking are all graphically shown in this work, almost to the point of glorification in points. But even with the offending content, I think the biggest factor in this that made it telling for the mediocrity of the story were that neither of the characters were fleshed out well. Practically every couple of pages after a certain point had Maddie instacrushing on Kyle, and debating in her mind "I can't fall in love with him, his father killed my parents." This fact was repeated SO MANY TIMES, to the point where it was overkill. I expected Maddie to be bitter and standoffish among other emotional turns, but there was no range to be shown in that other than the constant affirmations of "His father killed my parents, but I LOVE HIM." Her body says go, her mind and heart say "no." Meh.

Kyle's pretty much the clueless friend who, while sleeping with his menage, insta-obsesses over Maddie. He also has a petname for her - ready for it?

"Freckles." It's pretty much used in the same frequency as "Pigeon" was in Jamie McGuire's "Beautiful Disaster". It's a childhood nickname, and personally speaking, I was appalled at the levels this book went when examining the childhood relationship between Kyle and Maddie. From the fact that they made a pact to have sex with each other when they were only 10 or 11 years old to the lost letters that Maddie later finds that has a 14 year old Kyle objectifying her body to the point of visualizing her legs among other aspects of her body. I felt sick reading those parts.

I could also note how this book delves into just about every New Adult cliche there is, almost to the point of it being a checklist, but I'll defer that comparison to touch on a few other things first.

I'm going to quote a telling passage on the level of what thematically this work sells in its messaging; this is from Maddie's perspective:

"When teachers prepare you for college, they never mention the dark underbelly. They talk about the classes, finding a major, living on your own, socializing with peers your own age, and getting a degree. They don't say anything about the parties, the drinking, the drugs. They leave out the boys, and the way our bodies thrum for more than books, studying and tests. They don't tell us what happens at night, when classes end and real life begins."

A more mature narrative could've carried some ideas in that, but at the same time, there's a heck of a lot of generalizations there that I found to be perturbing. This passage came shortly after Maddie's roommate, Gina, was (insinuated, repeatedly) raped/sexually assaulted and the idea was that if Maddie hadn't been picked up by Kyle, she probably would've been raped by someone willy nilly. As for Gina, she doesn't even tell anyone that she was raped, and while she tries to justify not telling anyone with generalizations that are noted in larger rape culture, the plot point is dropped faster than a hot potato, with no repercussions for the character or the parties involved with the rape/sexual assault. It's like it never happened.

This book virgin shames, slut shames, and delves into familiar offenses in some measures of NA, probably even going one step further in some cases. There's visions that Maddie has of Kyle dominating her - some graphic to the point of overemphasizing (and demonizing) "kink" and in the measure of being tied to a bed, spreading her legs, "nothing but bare air caressing the places [she] didn't dare to touch", all the while noting that Kyle might be a violent person who may still be bent on killing her.

Mental illness is also horribly portrayed in this with generalizations about Maddie's therapist even knowing that Kyle's father might've been involved in Maddie's parents's deaths. At which point I couldn't help but ask "She's a professional, why the heck isn't she getting someone in law enforcement involved?" This whole narrative emphasized all of these horrible things happening to the characters, but no one says a darned thing about them or rises up to the oppression, hurt, or shame.

It gets worse when the narrative approaches its end and the facts are revealed revolving around the truth of Maddie's parents' deaths. If my suspension of disbelief wasn't gone before that point, it certainly flew out the window afterward, considering that Kyle's cousin Evan not only verbally threatened Maddie, but he also beat her senseless and left her standing in the middle of an alley where all of her stuff was left by the wayside.

WTH?!!!! Evan also threatens to kill Maddie, her remaining family, and even Kyle if she tells anyone who beat her and what she knows.

And to add insult to injury, in one scene where Maddie confronts Evan and Kyle with fear following the aforementioned scene, Kyle thinks that Maddie's being "hot and cold" and dismisses her feelings DESPITE THE FACT THAT HE KNOWS SHE THINKS HIS FATHER KILLED HER PARENTS. He thinks that she should *get over it* and that bad stuff happens to anybody.

I couldn't at that point. I was so upset and pretty much had every mental thought oriented for him to screw himself. But things delve into the more implausible after that point, and with haphazard scenes of peril, violence, and instaloving, the story progresses to a somewhat happy ending when it's all said and done.

Nothing about this respective story was realistic. Nothing about this story convinced me of a love story that I could root for, and the overglorification of so many problematic elements in NA in addition to the violence and sex with no repercussions or realism made me close my digital book with utter disgust.

I would not recommend this story to anyone, and I'll leave it at that.

0 stars.

Note: I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, from the publisher All Night Reads.

[RaShelle Workman · Rating 5 out of 5]

**This story is inspired by real events**

I have a thing for firsts. First day of school. First crush. First tattoo. Once, a long time ago, I made a promise to a boy that all of my firsts would be with him. But that was before . . .

[Sarah Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to All Night Reads and Netgalley.)
18-year-old Maddie is still coming to terms with the death of her parents around 7 years ago. She knows that they were killed by her best friend Kyle’s father, but was unable to point the finger at him because he was a high ranking police officer.

Now Maddie is at college, the same college as Kyle, who she hasn’t seen or spoken to in 7 years. She knows that she’s in love with him though, and she even saved her firsts for him – kissing, touching, sex etc.
Can Maddie get past who Kyle’s father was though? Can she really love the boy whose father took everything from her? And do bad people raise bad kids?


This was an okay contemporary romance, but certain plot-lines, and inconsistencies in the storyline drove me nuts.

The book started out okay, if a little strange. Maddie is new to college, she’s room-mates with some sort of punk/goth girl, and even though they have zero in common they are becoming friends. Maddie’s ex-best friend Kyle is also at the same college – and it’s really unclear as to whether or not she knew he would be at this certain college before she got there. If she didn’t, then that’s one hell of a coincidence, especially considering that she runs into him on like her first day?! And that’s not where the coincidences end – just imagine, they are both super-talented piano players too! Sorry, but I just don’t buy it. Far too coincidental for me I’m afraid.

When Maddie sees Kyle again for the first time, she immediately hugs him, whilst he pretends that he doesn’t know who she is. Why he does that is not explained, and I really didn’t get it. Kyle’s point of view at that point starts going on about how much he loves her and wants her, but he then walks away from her and goes off to have a threesome with two other girls. Why? I don’t know. I suppose it might be that he’s annoyed at her for ignoring him for the past 7 years, but this isn’t explained so I’m really not sure.

Maddie knows that she is in love with Kyle, but she’s not happy about it because his father killed her parents – we don’t find out why until the very end of the book. I can see why she wouldn’t want to be with him because of this, and I can also see how you can’t control who you love, but still, it seems like a giant leap of faith to start a relationship with a boy whose father killed your parents.

Anyway, the next thing to annoy me was a conversation that happened between Maddie’s therapist and Kyle. I know the conversation wasn’t detailed as such, but I don’t think that therapists are allowed to just speak to people randomly about their patients, without consent. This was, as a friend suggested – implausible, and pretty irritating.

After that though, things went from bad to worse. I’ll share with you my status updates from Goodreads so you have an idea of where my head was, and because if I talk through all these points this review will never end:

57.0% "He puts her head on his thigh then kisses her neck - how flexible is he?"

63.0% "So before he said that he wanted her sober, and now he's getting her drunk!"

64.0% "What is the big deal about seeing his shoes?"

65.0% "3 shots of vodka and she's passed out? What a lightweight!"

65.0% "His cousin seriously expects him to let him rape Maddie, and threatens to tell his uncle if he doesn't? That is bizarre."

67.0% "I hope she wouldn't get in the car with him if she really knew what he thought of her."

71.0% "I'm not sure this book needs the warning about sexual content as all this girl does is moan that she's not ready yet! It's getting kind of old."

89.0% "So her aunt and uncle don't believe in mobile phones, and never let her have one, and now they're checking she's got it on her before she goes out? Just what?! That doesn’t make sense!

97.0% "I'm dating the son of the man who killed my parents.” “Great, let's have pie.” Seriously?!

99.0% "I've finished, and there is no sex at all!"


So as you can see, there were several things that annoyed me in the second half of this book. I was not impressed that the storyline about Maddie’s room-mate being on drugs wasn’t wrapped up at the end. We guess that she’s on drugs from all the sniffing, Maddie sees coke in her bag, then she’s giving Maddie some really strong pain killers, and then nothing more is said. Is she still doing drugs or what? We never find out.
I am shocked to find out that this is the start of a series though, so maybe goth-girl’s drugs issues will be explored in the next book?
Overall; this book bugged me, on several issues, and I’m not impressed.
4 out of 10.

[Marianne (Boricuan Bookworms) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Touching Melody had a great premise. I really had seen a lot of potential in it, but sadly, it didn't live up to my expectations.

When first picking up the book, I thought I would be facing a psychological thriller, instead of an insta-love, hormone filled book.

I got mislead by the summary, and I couldn't enjoy the book as much as I wanted to, because my expectations were incredibly high.

This book had a lot of faults. From the shallow characters, to the unrealistic setting, I actually had to force myself to finish this book.

The main character's name is Maddie, and she spends the whole book with this inner turmoil on whether or not she can trust the main love interest, which is the son of the man that killed her parents 7 years ago.

We see no character growth whatsoever from Maddie. Just some reckless behavior here and there, obssesive thoughts about Kyle, and that she plays the piano (the "piano" subject only gets touched about twice in the story, even if it's supposed to be the main theme).

She was so naive all the time. The "evil" people were practically holding a sign in her face saying "here I am! Send me to jail already", but she never picked up on it. Never .

And then, we're introduced to the most arrogant boy in the universe, Kyle. Know how Kyle gets introduced? Kyle gets invited to join a three-way. Guess what? He accepts. Yay.



How does anyone fall for a guy like that?

Anyways, apparently Kyle does have a nice side... it's hidden in the letters that he's written for Maddie ever since he was twelve. The same letters where he glorifies her body parts and asks her to remember the "pact" they made when they were ten. What pact, you ask? The pact where they promise to save all their "firsts" for each other.



They're 10 years old! How in the hell do you write 10 year olds to promise to have sex with each other? When I was 10, I probably couldn't say the word "sex" without giggling for 15 minutes. Gah.

Something else that really ticked me off about this story was the setting. This is supposed to be a college campus, but I could have sworn I was reading something about the Jersey Shore. There's sex everywhere, booze everywhere, drugs everywhere... and apparently not a single drop of learning.

If that weren't enough, in the first few chapters a character gets raped. Does that get mentioned later on in the story? No. Does anyone go to jail for raping a girl? No. I lost my respect for this book after this.

Overall, I expected a psychological thriller with a little bit of mystery. What did I get? A poorly executed insta-love story, with unrelatable characters, unrealistic setting and a shaky plotline.

1.5 stars.

Ebook provided by Publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Lauren at Live Read and Breathe Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 to 3 Stars

Source: eARC for Honest Review from Author

Here is a story about first loves, first everything, loss, denial and forgiveness

Maddie and Kyle sitting in a tree... (You get the drift. Childhood friends and first loves)



Then Holy shit tragedy happens and Maddie moves away with her controlling yet still loving aunt and uncle.



The whole time Maddie can't stop thinking about Kyle but because of the tragedy has vowed to not have him in her life. Of course without telling him why and Girrrrrl don't you know assuming just makes an ass of u and me.



However, the whole time Kyle is still missing Maddie and is lost and confused but that did not stop him from being a wee bit of a slut (so not a lot of firsts left for Maddie. Oops) But his letters. Gah! What a friggin' sweetheart.

Fate and soulmates can be tricky buggers and Maddie and Kyle are forced to know each other again. With more mis communication and yes more assumptions (girl did you not learn anything the first time), suspense and did not see that coming moments make a bumpy journey for Kyle and Maddie.



Cute story with loads of potential but I just didn't hundred percent connect with the story.

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[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW, just WOW.

This book grabbed me from the first paragraph of the prologue, and it didn't let me go until the last sentence of the Epilogue. I could write a long and wordy review about how great the story is (and it is),but quite frankly the time you would spend reading it, would be much better spent actually reading Touching Melody.

RaShelle Workman knows how to write a story thats for sure. Touching Melody, is original, engaging and thoroughly pulled me in. Not once did I have that moment where I thought "hey this reminds me of such and such, that I read before" and the story between Maddie and Kyle, is unique, it grabbed my heart and kept squeezing right until the end. There are thrills and spills aplenty and several times I had a "whoa, I didn't see that coming" moment. I Loved, Loved, Loved it....

On a side note, this book costs less than the price of a cup of coffee, or a sandwich from the deli. Take my advice and buy the book, because believe me one you start reading, you won't remember you wanted a coffee, or a sandwich anyway, and the enjoyment and satisfaction you get from reading Touching Melody, will last a lot longer too.

I was lucky to be provided with a copy of this book through Netgalley, and for that I am happy to provide the above honest review.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing book by RaShelle Workman.
After her parents are murdered, Maddie at only 11 years old goes to live with her aunt and uncle where she leads a very sheltered life. Once she's 18 and in college her world comes crashing down.
Kyle, her childhood best friend is there at school wondering why she never contacted him after she moved.
Together they discover each other and find out the truth about the past. But can they overcome the truth and still be together?

I am a lover of all things RaShelle Workman has written. She had an amazing writing style and a highly recommend this and all her other books.

[Nicole Naranjo · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Wow! Totally not what I expected, but I loved it! Such sadness and sorrow for them both and I'm so glad that fate stepped in and brought them back together. They both clearly have loved each other for a very long time! I love the pact they made and that she kept up her end and I love that Kyle wrote her letters for 7 years and even when they were returned unopened that he kept them; definitely swooning! "I'm so glad your here. Please let me be part of your life." That has to be my favorite line in the book! I'm really hoping there's another book, I want to know more of their story.

[caren · Rating 1 out of 5]

There's so much I want to say, and I don't have a lot of time. I wanted to like this, but I didn't. Between the references to that book, the female lead with absolutely zero common sense and the whole possible BDSM angle, I wasn't pleased. Also, what was with the cokehead roommate? I don't understand why that was even part of this story.

This was a good plot idea, and I wanted it to work, but sadly it didn't. The sentence structure was poor and editing wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been, but it still needed some work.

[Laura P · Rating 2 out of 5]

When Maddie Martin sees two men leaving her house, one her best friend Kyle Hadley’s police officer father, the other man with a gun, she would never have believed that she would find her parents shot to death inside. Forced by her strict Aunt and Uncle to keep quiet about Hadley’s involvement, Maddie becomes reclusive. She throws herself into music, becoming an accomplished pianist, earning a full scholarship to the University of Bellam Springs. As devastating as it was to lose her parents, never hearing from Kyle after the murders hurts her more, and makes her believe that he is just as bad a person as his father. What Maddie and Kyle don’t know is that her Aunt and Uncle intercepted all of letters Kyle wrote, in an attempt to keep the two apart.

At Bellam Springs, Maddie and Kyle are reunited. Maddie is surprised by how strongly she is drawn back to Kyle, given how firmly she believes that he is not a good person. Kyle similarly doesn’t know how to act around the girl who has, in his mind, rebuffed him for years, but who he knows he still loves. Forced to play a piano duet for the Winter Gala, Maddie and Kyle are pushed back together. They are forced to face the lingering feelings that had for each other as children, work through their resentments, learn to work together, and ultimately fight for their lives, against a threat trying to keep them permanently apart.

Touching Melody has elements of romance, suspense and mystery, which was maybe more than it could handle. There was so much going on in the storyline, that at times it was fairly hard to follow. The novel moves from one event to another in a speed that leaves your head spinning. As someone who appreciates more of the slow reveals, and the moments of “I never would have seen that coming, but it makes complete sense” in a mystery - where you as the reader mentally work to figure out what is going on, and then you are rewarded with the answer – I was fairly disappointed. The quick pace of the narrative and the way that the story moved from one event to the other, with the answers just being given, the bad guys unmasked, and the mystery revealed, without their being a chance for the reader to answer any of these questions on their own, didn’t allowed me to connect to the story or the characters in any worthwhile way.

My biggest problem with how the novel fragmented was how such little explanation went into some of the biggest story elements. The fact that Maddie and Kyle for instance both become accomplished piano players, when neither played piano as children, really didn’t make sense to me. I would have like more background into how and why they were led to the piano after Maddie’s parents are killed, because the piano element in the story as is, seemed to just be an arbitrary means of forcing the two together. Especially disappointing considering the piano element was one of the biggest draws for me to the novel. The character of Gina, Maddie’s roommate, similarly only seemed to be used as a vessel into the drug storyline, and only then because she used drugs. Just as the reader got really interested and invested in her story, she disappears completely. The biggest leap for me was the drug ring. I could not believe that a huge drug ring could exist in a town, where an undercover FBI presence was warranted, yet, until Maddie link to the drug ring is revealed, the ring as a whole is never alluded to or mentioned (aside from Gina doing drugs which in no way conveys the magnitude of the apparent drug presence in the town).

Another effect of the quick pacing was how little the reader really gets to understand the characters. Maddie is in therapy and has been since her parents were killed. Yet, how she (or anyone else) works through emotions or struggles (besides using drugs), and how they are feeling (aside from being attracted to someone) is barely alluded to. Instead, Maddie frequently faints or passes out instead of handling situations maturely. Also, the length of time it took for Maddie and Kyle to actually have a conversation about the past, especially considering they have been forced to work together on their piano duet, and considering their behavior clearly shows that their idea of the other person was wrong - Kyle’s not a bad guy like his dad, and Maddie clearly wants to talk/ communicate with Kyle - was frustratingly astounding and completely unrealistic to me.

The synopsis of this story was intriguing, and gave the impression that Touching Melody was taking New Adult in a different direction, past just a romance. I feel like there was potential in the story, but the quick pacing, disjointedness between events and lack of really insight into characters and their feelings or decisions, ultimately made me completely uninterested.

** I received a copy of this book from the publisher to read and honestly review. I was I no way compensated.

[Jess at Such a Novel Idea · Rating 2 out of 5]

*I received this e-book in exchange for an honest review through Netgalley.*

Can I just start this off by saying I feel a bit hoodwinked. This book was not what I expected from the synopsis I read.

This review is going to basically be a list of things I didn't like about the book, because honestly these things overpowered the story, plot, tone, and writing. I couldn't get past these things and enjoy the book.

1. Tattoos - Yes, I love tattoos. The fact that we start the book out with her getting one (and having some already) made me think I was really going to like it. But then I find out that she's been getting them since she was 13 as a way to cope with the pain of losing (and seeing) her murdered parents. Basically, the tattoos are a 'safe' form of cutting/self-harm. Now I wouldn't have had issue with this if it wasn't suggested by a therapist (and really, what kid that age needs a tattoo!?) and would have been addressed at some point as self-harm. But no, it was just masked as something sweet she did to move past her parent's deaths.

2. Maddie - Maddie was the most frustrating girl! She is a very confused character - she likes tattoos but doesn't know what kinky means, she was sheltered by her aunt and uncle, but she parties every night she can. And her tattoos were probably the only thing I liked about her personality -- she was a very flat, one-dimensional character. Here we have a girl who witnessed her parent's murderers getting away with the crime. This could have been such a dynamic character. But no, she just sees the boy and has some mediocre tug-of-war in her brain, but really she just jumps to be with him the first chance she gets. Oh and there is the pact her and Kyle made when they were 10. Please tell me how many 10 year olds make pacts about sex.

3. Rape - So at the first party, Maddie leaves her roommate and heads back to her room alone. When she wakes up, the room mate basically says she was raped. And then... nothing. The book keeps going as if she told her she had just eaten cherry pie. I almost stopped reading the book when I realized this rape wasn't going to be discussed anymore. And then at the very next party, the girl put herself in almost the SAME position. Yes, I know date rape is high, especially on college campuses and most girls, like the roommate, feel like they put themselves in that position. But here was an opportunity to really do something with the issue of date rape, and yet it was passed by so we could talk about Maddie's new cell phone from the cute boy.

4. Kinky/Threesomes/Sex - This part was weird. Kyle is introduced to us as someone being invited to a three way with two lesbians. And then the next day we are supposed to believe that he is a swoon-worthy guy? Umm, no. I understand that he had a messed up life, but his character details clashed so violently, I just couldn't find him a believable character.

5. The Teacher, The Family, The Twist - The end was crazy. First of all, the plot twist was just rushed and rarely made me anxious or fearful for the characters. The teacher tells Maddie she slept with Kyle (and then that is never really explained) and the crazy cousin is just kind of allowed to be a jerk throughout the whole book. And Kyle really had no idea what was going on in his family? I don't buy it.

6. The Roommate... Again - Seriously, I have so much worry for this roommate who was raped and on drugs. And we NEVER find out what happens. I understand it is a series and things will probably come to light later down the road, but seriously we were just left with nothing to chew on. Again, another part of the story line that could have been done so much better.

7. College & Music - For a story about college, very little learning seemed to take place. And for someone on a music scholarship, very little music playing seemed to happen. Again, not something I'm inclined to believe if it won't even be alluded to.

This is the most I've ever ranted about a book, and the reason I'm even doing it is because I feel like it had SO MUCH potential to be so much better. I understand why people will like the book, but I couldn't overlook the things above.

[Leah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love the New Adult genre, it’s been an interesting and very enjoyable genre to get into and I’ve enjoyed most of the books I’ve read. There’s been one so far that hasn’t floated my boat, and I can now add a second to it in Touching Melody. I wanted to like the novel, I thought the premise sounded utterly amazing – and it’s so long, you’re basically desperate to read the novel once you’ve finished it because it’s described SO well. But, the synopsis is wildly misleading. Wildly misleading. I thought the weeks of seclusion between Maddie and Kyle would see them sort their differences (mostly, for Maddie to sort out her differences with Kyle, very relevant differences considering his dad killed her parents), but they aren’t secluded anywhere and there’s very little time dedicated to their piano duet.

I thought the novel was just too much. The synopsis above doesn’t justify the novel at all. It doesn’t mention how Maddie goes from being desperately in love with Kyle to wanting to stay away because of what his dad did. How she doesn’t fall in love with him again, it seems to be a constant state from page one, same for Kyle. I just thought the whole entire backstory was ridiculous. Kyle’s dad killing her parents, the whole way that entire bit ended, it was all absurd. I’m not joking those last thirty pages are so did more than jump the shark. It went from a New Adult novel to some weird Criminal Minds episode. I thought I’d switched to a wrong book. The ending just felt thrown in, and it just made what was a pretty bad book even worse. It was just horrifically unrealistic. I like a love story, I like when two characters who maybe shouldn’t be together end up together, but Maddie and Kyle just didn’t work for me because it was all so instant. Despite not having seen each other in several years and despite Maddie suffering massively with the loss of her parents and hurting so bad the only way she can shake it is to get a tattoo, she seems to quite happily give herself to Kyle, and know he’s The One. It was too flipping much, too flipping soon.

Another really awful part, is the attempted storyline for Maddie’s so-called best friend Gina. I say so-called because Maddie’s a pretty crappy friend, allowing her friend to do drugs (hard drugs), and knowing she was raped but not telling anyway. Instead it was brushed under the carpet and left hanging. Who the hell knows what happened to Gina because her storyline wasn’t relevant enough to complete it. Despite the fact that rape and drug using are major topics, Maddie’s love for Kyle was way more important it seems, and that disappointed me. If you’re going to use rape and drug taking in your novel, then have the balls to carry it through, to see some form of punishment take place because it sends out a really bad message when Gina’s answer to being raped was that she was asking for it. That’s the wrong message entirely. Gina didn’t ask for it. At all. And it made me sad to read that, really sad.

The whole novel just didn’t work for me at all. The book sounded good, and it had a pretty cover but it was so poorly executed I could barely finish it. I think if your entire premise of a novel is a girl falling in love with a boy whose dad killed your parents you need to rethink your premise, because I don’t know how a person gets past that. No, Kyle wasn’t his father and a bad dad doesn’t equal a bad son, but Kyle would have looked like his dad and surely it’d be a constant reminder to look at that face every day, a face so similar to the one that shot your parents? I dunno, I’d find it pretty weird. Touching Melody didn’t touch me at all. It was poorly executed, written in quite a juvenile way, and it tried to throw in some serious topics and failed all around in that area by not dealing with them properly enough and then throwing in a ridiculous ending that you have to read to believe. But, take my advice, don’t read it, it’s not a very good novel, sadly.

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I finished this book fairly quickly, but unfortunately not because it was so amazing that I couldn't put it down. I just wanted to finish it and move on. The plot, characters, nothing worked for me. I found the writing to be clunky at times. It didn't read smoothly. It would just jump from one thought to the next, which jumbled everything together.

Melody Martin is still coming to terms with her parents murder. She witnessed her best friend's father leave the scene of the crime when she was eleven and quickly puts it together that he killed her parents. Shortly after she is taken in by her Aunt and Uncle, who don't have modern technology (other than one TV) and are stuck in the 70s.

Melody was just not relatable. Finding your parents murdered in a pool of blood at the age of eleven is traumatizing, but she just didn't seem very smart. Why would she move back to the town where her parents were murdered and start a relationship with the killer's son? A lot of her actions were very questionable in this book. Melody seemed overly naive and innocent. She acted more like she was locked away for the past seven years, then someone who was home schooled.

Kyle Hadley, Melody's best friend growing up is first introduced while being propositioned for a menage a trois. From the start he seemed like a jerk and just not a very nice guy. My impression of him didn't really improve as the book continues.

The book did touch on a lot of hard topics alcohol and drug use, rape, violence, etc., but didn't really flesh them out. For example, Melody's roommate, Gina, is raised in foster care and after their first "wild" college party Gina comes home dishevelled and upset. It is obvious something has happened to her, but Melody wants to ask her about what happened, but doesn't want to upset her. She finds out later that Gina was raped and it wasn't the first time. Gina thinks there isn't a point in reported what happened because she likes to party, so it must be her fault. After they talk about it Gina seems to be psychologically recovered within a few days and Melody drops the subject.

My biggest problem with this book was how Melody saw the male characters. After she is wakes up in Kyle's house she thinks he must be such a great guy because he didn't take advantage of her when she was passed out. That doesn't make him a nice guy, it means he's not a rapist. Just because you are passed out doesn't give a guy the right to take advantage of you. When Evan attacks her in an alley, she just thinks oh what a jerk he must be. Her naivety on certain matters seemed quite twisted at times.

I have read a fair amount of the New Adult genre and unfortunately this just wasn't one of the better ones.

[Bee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, I finished, but only because I got this book for review from Netgalley. That's the only reason. This will be one of those review I hate to write, but sometimes you just have to.

So... yeah... This book was not that good. Not what I expected at all. Basically this book is about Maddie. She is new at college and in the beginning of the book we meet her when she is getting her annual tattoo. She does that too numb the pain of her parents murder seven years ago. Sounds like a cool character, doesn't it? Well, it isn't. She sounds like a cool chick with issues, but actually she's a naive (or dumb) 18-year old girl who never watches tv, never had a cell phone before and don't know what 'kinky' means. Yeesh. Talk about unrelatable. That wouldn't bother me if I had seen more of the traumatised, broken side of her that witnessed her parents murder. But I rarely saw that. 80% of the time she is just a normal (stupid, dumb and naive) girl. Yeah... No.
Then we have Kyle. His dad is the one who killed Maddies parents al those years ago. I didn't like him either. Just another stereotype boy that has some issues he never deals with and instead only thinks of sex. *Yaaaawn*
The rest of the characters were not all that memorable for me, so that's not good either.

The romance in this story is one of the main things. Maddie has been in love with Kyle for years because they used to be best friends when they were young. I hoped for a good romance here, but it was just kissing and no bonding most of the time. Yeah, that doesn't do it for me. Especially when I got the background on how they used to be. They made some kind of pact when they were eleven to be each others firsts. First kiss, first date, etc,... And when they see each other again after so many years, no bonding and catching up at all? Another let down in this book. Sigh. Oh and I for one, could never fall in love with a guy whose father killed my parents. Maybe I'm just weird for that. *shrugs*
The writing.... Well... I've read much better. Really. The double POV didn't work for me. At all.

If you expect a great, uplifting book about hope, forgiveness, love, drama, etc,... Don't hold your breath, because that's not what this book was for me personally. I am really sorry, but I just didn't like this book at all. It's a shame though... I like the cover and the blurb made it sound so interesting... *sigh* I'm sorry for the negative review. I really don't like doing this.

[Tee loves Kyle Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Touching Melody is such a heart wrenching story about first love and loss. I was excited to read this book when I saw the cover reveal because it just calls to you. I mean the girl on the cover looks so sad and haunted in the picture that it made me wonder what was going on with her to make her look like that. After reading the blurb and then the book I was totally blown away with how much the cover matched the book. This is a story with so many secrets and lies that it had me at the edge of my seat. I at one point yelled at my kindle and my kids thought I was going crazy!

Maddie had it all until a senseless act took it all away from her. Her parents were killed and now she is left to live with her aunt and uncle. She is excited to be getting away and starting a new life away at college. She knows it will be hard and she will miss her aunt and uncle but she won't miss people looking at her weird and the whispers of how her parents were murdered. Maddie's all moved in and settling nicely into college life when her friend suggests they go to a fraternity party. AT first Maddie didn't want to go but she went anyways because her friend wanted her to. Only when she gets there she sees the boy she has had a crush on since she was nine Kyle. Her heart starts racing and she wants out because Kyle's father killed her parents and she wants nothing to do with him or his family.

So Maddie decides she will throw herself into her music. She practices the piano every chance she gets to keep her mind off of Kyle and her parents. Then her professor asks her to do a duet for annual winter gala which gets her a scholarship she agrees. But she soon finds out the other half of her duet is none other than Kyle. At first she does not want to do the duet but she needs the scholarship so she works with him. She tries to keep her feelings at bay but she soon finds herself right back at square one in love with Kyle.

Kyle is determined to show Maddie that he is nothing like his family. He loves her and wants her in his life but how can she love him? Will she be able to love him? What is Kyle willing to sacrifice to be with Maddie? This is a summer beach must read! The highs the lows and the love between two people is the greatest thing to read on the beach or anywhere!

[Ashley - Book Labyrinth · Rating 1 out of 5]

You guys, just look at that synopsis. Admittedly it’s super dramatic, but think about how intriguing that story could be! I was totally drawn in by the plot description, and despite the inevitable chemistry angle of the story, I felt like it could be so different from a lot of New Adult titles out there. Unfortunately it fell into so many of the tropes of the genre, and not in any good way. Kyle is the guy who has a crazy reputation with women. Maddie is the shy virgin who’s been saving herself for Kyle, and yet she’s somehow afraid of him too. I didn’t get how she could want this guy so much while supposedly being terrified of him.

I feel like the book had serious potential, but so many moments were wasted. There wasn’t a lot of segue between important moments, and scenes where important conversations should have taken place turned into make out scenes instead. The whole feel of the book was weird, like reactions and discussions that were very necessary got cut in favour of kissing. I’m all about kissing scenes, but when they feel awkward and out of place instead of hot? Not so good.

Instead of getting better the book then delved into something even crazy, which just made it seem all the more ridiculous. I so wish I could say I liked this one, because negative reviews make me sad, but 'Touching Melody' was just over the top and all over the place -- definitely not the book for me.

[Jess · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. Ack. Ew. Gross.

To say I disliked this book would be an understatement.

Think about being in maths class for twelve hours straight on your birthday... This is worse. It was just so BORING!!!



Lame plot, lame characters, lame suspense, lame romance... everything was so crippled! Nothing worked together well, things didn't make sense or resolutions never made.


I'm surprised I actually finished it, to be honest. If it were any longer, I probably would have given up. It was so strange; the ending a very unusual turn of events. At first, I had it in my head that I didn't love this book, but I didn't hate it either. By the last page or so, however, I decided... Nope. This isn't for me. If only I had realised earlier, so I could have saved myself the pain.


Man, I just don't understand. Where is the substance, the plot, the PURPOSE of this novel?! I understand New Adult novels are supposed to be light, easy reads, but this one seemed like it was a try-hard dark novel but ended up just stupid. I never connected with anyone or any event and half the time I was just thinking about one little point ten chapters back which had never (and would never) be explained.

Save yourself the pain. I don't recommend this novel. I hold nothing against the author herself... you go girl. This just isn't for me...

Thanks to Netgalley and A Forever First for this review copy.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

At age 10 Maddie came back home in time to see her parents' killers leaving her house. The killer she recognizes is the chief of police, the father of her best friend Kyle. Encouraged by her aunt to keep any accusations quiet, she hasn't had any contact with Kyle until now, her freshman year in college. Even though she hates his dad, she hasn't stopped loving Kyle. Now Maddie is trying to reconcile her feelings and deciding if she should risk it.
I liked this book and found it believable until the climax. I had started to question the identity of the killer Maddie identified as Kyle's dad and was getting excited for the conclusion, but the ending happened very quickly and seemed extremely implausible. Evan had two different methods of incapacitating Maddie and Kyle, he didn't just stick to either chloroform or an injectable drug? He had access to two different locations for stashing them? This organization left it up to a college senior to take care of these two? Bitchy Spears had been an undercover teacher for 4 years? I also didn't understand why Maddie's aunt was still against Kyle due to his parentage when Maddie's parents were evidently drug dealers who managed to raise a nice girl like her. I am glad it had a happy ending and didn't leave you waiting for a sequel.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Copied from my Amazon review)

First of all, I have NEVER read a better opening chapter. As a fellow tattoo fan, reading Maddie's experience with the tattoo parlor pulled me in and didn't let go until the end!

Maddie is a mystery. Until we find out why she acts like she does, she saw her parents murdered by someone she knew. (No spoilers beyond that!!) Kyle is also a mystery. I kept asking myself why he was so weird when he first saw her. Why, if he felt the way that he let us know he felt, didn't he react?

Needless to say, the characters were AMAZING! They kept me asking questions, needing to read more to find out what drove them.

I also really like Gina's character. I really feel that there could be a whole other book about her....a sequel to this perhaps?

Halfway through, I was wondering what the conflict would be. What would be the one part of the story that really shocked me? Well...I wasn't disappointed!!

I loved every minute I spent reading this book...I'm definitely hoping Gina's story gets told next!

**I found out from RaShelle that Gina's story will be out in November - SUPER excited!!**

[April Brookshire · Rating 2 out of 5]

An underwhelming New Adult novel

The blurb sounds good, but its promises are better than the reality

They haven't seen each other in 7 years and in that time they both begin playing the piano and become amazing players? What a coincidence?

This is supposed to be in Wyoming, right? With a mafia drug ring involving millions of pounds in drugs? Really?

And the characters' reactions in certain situations just weren't realistic.

For Kyle still being in love and wanting to be a part of Maddie's life, he's pretty dumb to be throwing in her face the two sluts he had a threesome with (he does this more than once by asking her to join in and another time by fondling the ass of one of the sluts).

And too many errors missed during editing for being "professionally" published.

I know I sound bitchy, but I'm really just disappointed.

[Kate Ashton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Touching Melody by Rashelle Workman tells a beautiful love story between Kyle and Maddie. Best friends from the start and then torn apart by lies. After they reconnect in college, the web of lies unravels one at a time. Except, the same danger that stole Maddie’s parents from this life are now threatening her. Will the truth set her free? Or will it destroy her life and take her love for Kyle with it?

I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of this story combined with the love story. The author did a fantastic job of keeping me questioning but still revealing more and more. I loved Kyle and Maddie's relationship and how their relationship was founded with a past history.

Highly recommend.

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didnt. Even. Finish. There was literally nothing to like about this book. The characters were stupid, the situations were wildly unbelievable, and the sex/violence was out of this world. And theyre saying its based off real events. whoever this happened to, i hope theyve gotten counseling cause there is no way all this crap can happen to someone. i'm not a prude, I've read erotica and dirty romances, but this book was beyond. Just beyond. I'm still not sure how to even write about it. If you're into a lot of violence and a lot of odd sex plus rape, then I guess this book is for you. However, I can't possibly see this book being for anyone.

*ARC received from publisher for an honest review.*

[Scarlett Loves Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked this book. Childhood friends Maddie and Kyle meet in college after being separated from each other due to tragic circumstances. The romance was compelling, and there definitely was a lot of angst and drama, but I'm glad it wasn't overbearing. I also liked the sinister aspect that have unknowingly followed them; it added a different level of excitement to the plot. Overall, I really enjoyed this book.

[Keris Shay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this but I felt like I needed more. The story was good but needed more detail. I loved being in both heads of the characters but something was missing . I loved how he loved her even when he was younger but I wanted more detail. I'm completely interested in her roomie, could be a good story. I just wanted more Kyle and Maddy, more of the relationship, feelings, etc..

Still a good story!




ARC provided by NetGalley

[Laura (Blame it on the Rain Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never read reviews before reading a book and instead chose to go by the blurb and how I feel about the story myself and in this case I am so glad that I did!

I found this story completely engaging and heartwarming as I ‘felt’ every emotion that the main character was going through as she tried to deal with not only the death of her parents, but also knowing who had killed them and not being able to get closure as that person was never punished!

As a character Maddie was quite a contradiction, on one hand, especially to begin with, she came across as a bit of a badass with her tattoos and her half glass empty attitude (rightly so), but in reality was a very naive little girl. Having been homeschooled by her aunt and uncle from a very young age, Maddie had never experienced the same things that other teenagers her age had, and because of that is completely inexperienced in everything. There were moments when I wondered how she even got through life as she was so child like at times that she just seemed too vulnerable, considering everything that had happened in her past. There were times where this annoyed me as I wanted her to be a little bit more clued in and adult like as the way that she was I struggled to relate to her.

I was a little half and half with how I felt about Maddie. I could understand her reluctance to be with Kyle and her struggle to decide what she was going to do when it came to him, but there were also quite a few moments where she plain and simple annoyed me.

I walk toward him like he’s gravity and I’m the moon. I can’t resist his pull. I don’t want to. I move into his atmosphere and bask in his radiance. He smiles at me. And I’m whole. The feeling shocks me.

Freaking out and having about four panic attacks in front of Kyle over a pretty short period of time, although I could understand it, I wanted her to get a hold of herself, and if she couldn’t do that I wanted her to tell Kyle the truth, that the reason she struggled to be with him was because his father killed her parents, rather than drag it out!

Overall I liked Kyle as a character, however I did feel that at certain moments he came across as pretty naive. Despite the fact that his father had physically abused him from a very young age and his family was involved with some dangerous things, he never saw any of it, choosing instead to see the good in them, and hang on to the only family that he had. When Maddie eventually tells him that his dad killed her parents, although I expected this to be a monumental moment in the story, it wasn’t and Kyle never believed nor disagreed with what she said, and it seemed to just be pushed to the side and forgotten about a little bit. Despite everything he had done to him, Kyle clearly loved his dad, and didn’t want to believe that he could be involved with something quite so horrific and although I can understand that, it was part of the story I struggled to get my head around and accept.

Although at the beginning of the book we are introduced to a less than desirable version of Kyle who is involved in threesomes and makes out like he doesn’t know who Maddie is (which really annoyed me). When he starts to open up and spend time with her again, he is actually pretty amazing. Nothing but patient and affectionate with her, despite not knowing why she is acting the way that she is ~ hot one minute, cold the next, he never pushes her to tell him anything and is nothing but trustworthy and loving towards her.

…I feel this undeniable need to be there for her. Like she’s the Earth, and I’m bound to her by gravity. Even if I’d wanted to break away, I can’t. There’s something inside me, holding me to her.

One thing that did annoy me a little about this book was the flashbacks, although overall I enjoyed them, when they made reference to how an 11 year old Kyle would get turned on by Maddie, who at the time would have also only been about 10, I found it completely unbelievable. At that age I don’t think I even knew what being turned on even meant, let alone what it felt like to be it! I felt like the author could have made Maddie and Kyle’s relationship at that age a lot more innocent while still showing the blossoming love between them, without mentioning anything physical.

“I saved all my firsts for you.”

I noticed a lot of negative reviews on Goodreads giving this book 1-2 stars, and one even giving 0 so I wanted to just put my opinion out there. There are moments in this book which were extremely unbelievable and not at all true to life, this is not something I’m denying, however, I felt that people that wrote the negative reviews seemed to take it all a little too seriously…

There is a part in this book where the main character’s roommate Gina admits that the night before she had been raped. This is something that is only touched upon and is something that is not developed further in the book, and also not resolved. I understand that this is an extremely touchy subject and I think that maybe the author shouldn’t have included it in the story as it didn’t really bring anything to it overall.

However, reviewers that are saying that this and along with the slight mention of Kyle dominating Maddie that this is in someway over glorifying sex is complete bullshit! I don’t often feel so strongly or question other peoples reviews but in this case I’m making an exception. I felt that through including the rape scene, the author was only trying to highlight how dangerous Gina’s lifestyle was and maybe even draw attention to the dangers of drinking, although I agree this could have been done in a different way I think that people are taking this way to seriously, and maybe I’m being terrible by saying this but I got so in to the story that by the end I had pretty much forgotten about that part anyway as it was insignificant to the overall story.
Another thing that has been mentioned in previous reviews is that this book also over glorifies the use of drink and drugs making it seem ok. Again I disagree, although the use of drugs is mentioned as it is something Gina is involved in, it is in no way glorified and is again in my opinion only highlighting the other issue as to how difficult it would be to confront a friend who is using drugs. All through the moments where Maddie found out and let Gina take drugs I couldn’t help but think that I probably wouldn’t know what to do either as although she could tell her she doesn’t like it, at the end of the day, it’s Gina’s choice, and Maddie can’t stop her!

Maddie uses tattoo’s and alcohol as a coping mechanism in this book, in order to help her cope with her parent’s death and the fact that the killer was never charged. Although I admit that it was unbelievable that Maddie’s therapist would suggest she do something so extreme as getting a tattoo at such a young age, the drinking aspect I think was completely believable. Maddie was in no way an alcoholic, she went to parties and got a little drunk, just like any other student, again I don’t think that this is in any way over glorifying the use of alcohol. And this is coming from someone who doesn’t really drink!

I think that it needs to be highlighted that this is a NEW ADULT book, not a YOUNG ADULT book, college aged 20+ year olds, like myself are not stupid and just because we read something that may have reference to drinking and drugs and the apparent over glorification of rape, that doesn’t mean that we are going to go off and do all these things! I could understand negativity towards it if this was a YA book, but at the end of the day it’s just a story and people need to remember that, and if you don’t like it, don’t read it!

Although I had a few hangups about the characters, and despite quite a few inconsistencies, for some reason I still loved this book and I ended up reading it in one sitting! The story kept me completely on edge from beginning to end as to begin with the angst as to when Maddie will tell Kyle about his dad carries you through the story, and following that, its the high drama/thriller aspect to the story. I loved that way in which Maddie’s emotions were portrayed and all the way through the book I was rooting for her as I could understand the was she was feeling and felt nothing but sympathy towards her situation. Although music doesn’t play as big a part in the story as I would have liked, I don’t think that it’s lacking took anything away from the story overall, and I would recommend this book to anyone who likes lots of angst and lots of drama, and something that takes you away from reality for a little bit!

3.5 stars!

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[Stefanie Nicholas · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars for this novel :) Thank you so much to RaShelle for the review copy via First Reads! She also signed it as well as a bookmark. It's a beautiful book too!
I'll say right off the bat that I did notice some minor formatting issues - but I also saw about 5-10 spelling errors. I think this book could have done with a couple more edits, but the problems weren't that distracting.

I think Rashelle Workman is a talented story teller. Once I started reading this book, I finished in only a couple of days. It's fast paced, though I wish the ending was a little more fleshed out - all of the reveals come very fast, I wish she'd managed to weave the threads a bit deeper into the story.

The story, overall, was interesting and pretty unique - though I can understand how some people may have been surprised by the intensity of the violence and sexual content by reading the description. I think warnings for adult content and violence are needed. I also was irked by the constant 'women are the only victims of DV and rape' throughout the book - it's so common in our society and it needs to change. Men are 40% of the victims of DV, as well as being 1 in 6 rape or sexual assault victims, just like women are 60% of DV victims and 1 in 5 rapes/sexual assaults in the United States. They're about half on both counts - so why is only one mentioned? I think she could have been more inclusive here. Just a little nitpick I have.

There are three things, besides the above, that kept this from being a 4 or 4.5 star read. Firstly, the main characters. I didn't find Maddie or Kyle that believable. I was homeschooled my whole life and I have lots of friends who were, and though none of us were super sheltered and went on to pretty normal teenage lives, there is NO WAY a homeschooler for the first time experiencing college would be as gung-ho as Maddie. It just didn't feel real to me. One day, she's homeschooled, the next, she's okay with her roomie doing hard drugs, drinking, and sex? It just doesn't reflect my experience whatsoever nor the experience of any homeschooler I know. I think she could have added more tension there. I did, however, enjoy Maddie's character in terms of her music as well as her tattoos really interesting. I enjoyed those parts of the book very much, and it made me like Maddie as a character despite finding her kind of unbelievable. As for Kyle, I just didn't feel like his voice was captured in his chapters as well as it could have been - I feel like more length and more of a glimpse into his life would have been better.

The second thing would be Gina. I loved her. She was, bar none, my favourite character. I've known girls like her, and she felt real. RaShelle writes good dialogue throughout this book (I applaud her for that, dialogue can be the hardest part of writing!) but Gina's is spot on. Though Gina is a 'typical' 'bad girl' character, she has a lot of personality. I'd love to know more about her - and it just wasn't there!! I know there will be a sequel, but still. So many loose ends with Gina at the end made me feel like I was missing a chapter.

My final issue was the writing. Now, as a writer myself, I do find it hard to review the work of other authors - especially indie authors. Because I know the struggle they go through to improve and how truly difficult it is to write a novel! I think RaShelle Workman is a good writer. I really do. She can tell a story very well - and that's the number one thing for me reading any book! She can write excellent dialogue. She can keep good pacing, and she writes good 'sexy' scenes as well. I also LOVED the setting of the novel, I could really 'feel' it.

That said, I did find a few things with her writing I didn't like. I intend this review out of caring for the work of RaShelle and indie authors in general - which is why I rarely review more mainstream stuff. It's hard to be objective when you subconsciously find similarities and differences to your own writing work.

I hated the short sentences. There were so many. Just like this. All over a single paragraph. So many times. Enough to make my head hurt!

I think short, snappy sentences can and do work, and there were a lot of times it DID work. However, there were so many times I was 'hearing' the words in my head and the flow sounded awful because of periods, periods, periods. Commas can be your friend ;)

My other issue with the writing is some of the descriptions. There were at least two cases of the butterflies in Maddie's stomach seeming to have a mind of their own, a la Fifty Shades. Which I HATED. At one point it says something about the butterflies dancing to a Nina Simone song and sipping a drink or something and I literally burst out laughing. Which wasn't really the feel of the scene. It might just be a preference of mine, though.

I wish there had been more character descriptions - which is something I rarely say, usually people write waaaay too much. Maddie and Gina were pretty well drawn out, but the male characters were really lacking. All I remember about Kyle is a string of adjectives - I couldn't say his hair colour, height, or eye colour and I finished this book an hour ago.

One more thing I didn't feel comfortable with was the ages of the characters as children. It felt reeeeally weird that eleven year olds made a sex pact. I think this would have been better had they been a few years older.

This is becoming an essay, so I'll wrap it up. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the journey I was taken on by Mrs. Workman. I think she's an author to watch and I plan to read her other books! Thank you RaShelle and Goodreads :)

[Tracey Gigliotti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking

They were best friends when they were kids. Her parents were murder and she sees his father with the gun when it happened. Years later they meet up again in college and he doesn't understand why see left him and won't continue there friendship.

[Bobo :) · Rating 2 out of 5]

-- 2 stars = an okay book but not for me --

I feel like I should point out that I've recently just read a similar storyline in 'Ten Tiny Breaths'. I understand that they're two different books with different events but there are enough similarities that find myself comparing the two, even though I know I shouldn't.

WARNING: this review contains spoilers

When Maddie was younger she witnessed the murder of her parents by her best friend's dad and has been emotionally scarred ever since. After moving in with her aunt and uncle, she severs all contact with Kyle (the best friend) and tries to move on with what's left of her life. Cut to years later and Maddie's off to college where surprise surprise she literally bumps right into Kyle and soon her feelings for him come rushing back. As Maddie struggles between her attraction for Kyle and her disgust at what his father did, we learn, through Maddie and Kyle, what led to the fateful night and what it means to forgive.

What first drew me to this book was definitely the pretty cover, it's like I see a girl on cover and immediately think 'I want that book' I'm always doing it. Secondly it was definitely the synopsis, I was expecting a lot of hate coming from Maddie.

Maddie, as a character, wasn't what I was expecting at all. In the first chapter we see Maddie getting her annual tattoo, to help numb the pain of her parents murder. Her therapist urged Maddie to get her first tattoo at the age of 14, which led me to believe that Maddie was going to be some kind of bad ass. Instead what we get is a naive 18 year old who doesn't watch telly, has never owned a mobile phone and who doesn't even know what 'kinky' means. I felt a little let down by this as I was expecting someone who'd witnessed something traumatic and consequently turned into a right little snarky, smart arse chick. Throughout the book we only actually little snippets of the supposedly 'damaged' girl, the rest of the time she acts like any other girl in my opinion. Because of this I didn't really find myself connecting with Maddie as much as I might have.

Kyle however, I actually liked. I can't really put my finger on why but I did. I think it's because, yeah Kyle went through some pretty traumatizing events himself but he doesn't act all 'woo is me' (not sure if that's how it's spelt). He's just like any other boy at that age, all sex, no brain. In fact in our first scene with him he's being propersitioned (?) into having a threesome with Baby (seriously her name) and her lesbian lover (can't remember her name). I'm not exactly sure how accurate of real life this is but he eagerly accepts their offer like any other guy that age surely would. I think it's this scene in particular that makes Kyle seem more real to me.

The romance between Maddie and Kyle is one of the main focuses of this book and unfortunately it just didn't do it for me. There was too much kissing face and not enough actual bonding. These where two people that had been best friend's for most of their life, granted they hadn't spoken for the last seven (?) years but you'd expect them to connect more on an emotional level. It just didn't feel real. Especially once we got more background information on how the two of them used to interact. We find out that they made a pact when they where eleven, let me repeat ELEVEN, that they would be each others firsts, like first kiss, first date, first sexual partner, etc... They where eleven for Christ's sake, why where they even thinking about these things. What also put me off this supposed romance was how Kyle was describing his feelings for Maddie when they where younger. He talked about feeling 'turned on' about her, seriously do I need to repeat their age. I could probably imagine him having some kind of hero worship for her, she was practically his Florence Nightingale. I could probably go with the notion that he imagined she'd always be in his life and he'd probably some day marry her but what I can't get my head around is eleven year olds behaving in this manner. Sure I know the virgin age seems to be getting younger and younger but that doesn't mean it should be 'normalised'. This unfortunately is what basically put me off the book.

This book is written in first person in alternating POV's and for me, just didn't seem to flow successfully. I would recommend this book to readers who want a nice little read , without too many expectations.

[RO Mejia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ro's Take on this Journey:


Touching Melody is told in dual narration. It is told by both Melody Martin, the main character, and Kyle Hadley, her long lost best friend who she felt she had to leave behind. There was always the feeling that Melody thought that she was waiting for someday to be reunited somehow with Kyle, though the gruesomeness of the murders left him at arms length for her.


After 7 long years of estrangement, (since the death's of her parents, and her homeschooling by her relatives) Melody runs into the guy she loved; her childhood boyfriend, Kyle, at the University of Bellum Springs, where she has received a full scholarship.) She is coerced into going to a frat party with her roommate, Gina, when she comes face to face with the boy she thinks she can never be with, (or without) but he acts like he doesn't know who she is. Gina is not exactly the kind of roommate you want for a deep friendship. She didn't have much character, and left me cold, but eventually she's there, at times, for Melody. The reader finds out why Gina is the way she is, then feels some compassion for her, though she does some very questionable things throughout the book. Kyle and Melody are thrown together to do a duet for the Winter Gala that is an annual event at the University. They are both accomplished at playing piano, and need to spend hours together. There was definitely romantic chemistry there, but something missing at times for me. Throughout the novel they are thrown together physically, but never quite takes off with the entire act.


Melody found her parents murdered, laying in a pool of blood, and saw the chief of police, (Kyle's father leaving the scent with a gun in his hand) when she was young girl. She was convinced by her caregivers, (Uncle and Aunt who were throwbacks to the non-electronic era) that she must never reveal anything or have anything to do with Kyle after his father murdered her parents. She is led to believe it might run in the genes, though deep down inside she never stops loving him. Melody promised Kyle all her firsts, when she was a young girl, and is a very introverted, innocent, and naive girl, who kept her feelings to herself, and lacked communication skills on a deep level, but it was understandable. Every anniversary of her parents death, Melody needs to feel pain in order to get through the date, so she goes to the tattoo parlor, and adds ink to her body. These are significant to her, and the places she has them put are also strategic.


This novel had a wide range of emotions, peaks and valleys, angst, mystery, drama, intrigue, and many, many, secrets, but left so much on the table that I wasn't sure if I thought it was believable enough. Maddy was a very complicated, confused character, with all she incurred, but some parts didn't ring true in the relationship between Melody and Kyle. I was left with questions, and wanted more from the characters. The story wasn't fully played out, and the end was thrown together haphazardly. I felt cheated. There is a mixture of intrigue, deceit, drug entanglements, and situations the reader won't see coming. Things come to light, and the reader realizes why there is so much anger on Kyle's part, and why he plays the a**h*** at the beginning of their reuniting. He actually really cared for Melody, and was just reacting from the hurt and misunderstandings. At the same time, Melody didn't understand the fact that Kyle hadn't tried to stay in her life. She thought they meant more to each other than that, but that truth comes to fruition also. There is an entanglement of the two families that comes to the forefront, and an important element that Melody keeps from Kyle for a long time about herself.


This story had a wide range of elements that I liked, and some that just didn't hit the mark for me. I wish the ending would not have been thrown together. Overall, the characters were interesting, and I found the concepts well thought out, though some were over the top. This is definitely a novel meant for adults, and the subject matter is pushed at that sometimes. There are a wide range of emotions and aspects the reader will encounter, and some are very distasteful. It is not meant for the faint at heart.


I give, Touching Melody, by RaShelle Workman, 3 Confusing, Misunderstood, Sad, Heartbreaking Stars!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw Touching Melody on netgalley and instantly decided that I needed to read this book, I put in a request not expecting to be accepted and very quickly found the acceptance email waiting for me. From the minute I began reading I was hooked, once I began I literally could not stop. I started with the intention of reading a few pages before going to bed and stayed up till 2am reading it.

Maddie found her parents dead bodies and for seven years she has been trying to cope with the discovery, keep the killers identity to herself. One of her coping mechanisms is tattoos, and we are introduced to Maddie just before she is about to add to her collection. Soon the past that Maddie is trying to forget has caught up with her in the shape of Kyle, Maddie's best friend from when they were younger before she lost her parents and was whisked away by her grandparents.

Touching Melody portrays a variety of emotions, sadness, loss, worry, happiness. I felt sad for Maddie having to learn to live with what she has gone through but is also carrying along with her. Worry for Gina, Maddie's room mate who is dealing with her own problems. The feeling of loss that Maddie experiences every single day.

Gina was a fantastic roomie for Maddie, she is quirky and completely opposite Maddie in every way, and although she has her own issues to deal with when Maddie needs her Gina is always there. Once this duo finally share their thoughts and feelings it makes them that much more closer.

When we first meet Kyle I initially hated him for acting like a pretentious git, but then when he finally acts the way he should I fell in love with him, and then just a little bit more when he is there for Maddie no matter what and treats Maddie amazingly. I seriously wanted to punch Evan, Kyle's cousin,I disliked him from the very first moment I met him. He is arrogant, pretentious and thinks he is gods gift to woman. Well he can think again because with his attitude and behaviour he is the lowest of the low.

The sexual tension between Maddie and Kyle was unbelievable, I lost count of how many times they came so close to getting down and dirty and each time it got steamier and hotter to just quit instantly. I loved the interaction between this duo and seeing them slowly become friends over the course of Touching Melody was nice to see. Yes they had been friends but they are basically starting a friendship from square one and I am happy they didn't rush into things. When Kyle finds out the truth about what is wrong with Maddie I love how he is there for her no matter what and believes what she says.

I loved Touching Melody from the moment I began to the very last word. The characters have a way of standing out and being stuck inside your brain day after you finish reading. Touching Melody shows different ways of how people can be strong and I admire Maddie for carrying around with her the burden of losing her family, but also of hiding the real truth. I admire Kyle for being strong and standing up for what he believes in, even if it goes against his family.

There is so much to Touching Melody that it is hard to write it all down, without giving anything away about what happens. My only question now is.....when can I read book 2?????