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Starstruck #1
Before He Was Famous
One guy, one girl. One in the spotlight. One in the shadows.
From the bestselling HarperCollins and Harlequin author. "Super-sexy, fast-paced and unputtdownable. Get ready for Chloe and Noah to break your heart in a romantic best friends to lovers rockstar romance that'll rock your libido!"
When photographer Chloe Campbell is offered the chance to join her celebrity childhood best friend Noah on tour, she’s certain both have put what happened four years ago behind them.
But his eyes still burn and all his songs are about her. Is it possible that that night still haunts them both?
The music industry is a machine, and it’s not just Noah’s girlfriends who’ve got it in for Chloe.
Soon, the jealousy and media frenzy takes a life-changing turn and both Chloe and Noah must make a choice. As much as this world leaves them starstruck, is living their dreams really worth living without each other?
*This new adult book contains graphic language, sex and mature situations.
From the bestselling HarperCollins and Harlequin author. "Super-sexy, fast-paced and unputtdownable. Get ready for Chloe and Noah to break your heart in a romantic best friends to lovers rockstar romance that'll rock your libido!"
When photographer Chloe Campbell is offered the chance to join her celebrity childhood best friend Noah on tour, she’s certain both have put what happened four years ago behind them.
But his eyes still burn and all his songs are about her. Is it possible that that night still haunts them both?
The music industry is a machine, and it’s not just Noah’s girlfriends who’ve got it in for Chloe.
Soon, the jealousy and media frenzy takes a life-changing turn and both Chloe and Noah must make a choice. As much as this world leaves them starstruck, is living their dreams really worth living without each other?
*This new adult book contains graphic language, sex and mature situations.
269 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 25, 2014
63 people are currently reading
2105 people want to read
About the author
Becky Wicks
162 books281 followersHello lovelies! I'm an ex travel writer, a Harlequin author and a self-published romance writer, currently scribbling NEW spicy stuff from Amsterdam.
I love connecting with readers and fellow writers. If you ever wanna say hi, I'm at beckywicks@me.com or on the socials!
Web: beckywicksauthor.com
Facebook: beckywicksauthor
Instagram: beckywicks
TikTok: authorbeckywicks
Thanks for reading!
Becky x
I love connecting with readers and fellow writers. If you ever wanna say hi, I'm at beckywicks@me.com or on the socials!
Web: beckywicksauthor.com
Facebook: beckywicksauthor
Instagram: beckywicks
TikTok: authorbeckywicks
Thanks for reading!
Becky x
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 240 reviews
April 21, 2014
Ever wonder what really happens behind the scenes of a music competition TV Show? How do the contestants’ friends and family react to their loved one being on the cusp of stardom?
Before He was Famous tells the story of Noah Lockton, gorgeous, talented, and in love with his best friend Chloe. Chloe obviously feels the same way, but they can never seem to get on the same page. From Chloe’s perspective, Noah looks like he has a constant stream of temporary girlfriends, and she could never be what he needs. Noah had to deal with Chloe’s loser boyfriend Cooper always in the way. Of course, the reader and everyone who has seen them both together for more than five minutes, knows they belong together. Noah doesn’t try to hide it at all.
“You’re worth a thousand of her to me, you know that don’t you...I guess she knows it, even if you don’t…”
Here is the twist, now thanks to Noah’s new found fame, Chloe gets the chance to work for Shimmer magazine and follow Noah around on tour for a blog that soon becomes a sensation. They find themselves unattached, finally, but Chloe still can’t bring herself to let Noah love her, even though their attraction to each other is so intense it practically jumps off each page.
“I’ve tried to let you go, Chloe, my whole life, and I can’t, can I...I’m sick of pretending I don’t love you…It’s only ever been you.”
Chloe frustrated me so much at times. She kept pushing Noah away, even though each time she did it, she was scared he’d never come back.
Noah being famous, and having to play the music label’s games, now makes him seem even more unattainable to her. Being close to Noah makes Chloe a kind of celebrity as well, something she was totally unprepared for and can’t really handle, especially when her closeness to Noah starts to make her a target. You hope she realizes what she and Noah have and what they could be, before it’s too late.
I devoured this book quickly in about a day. Best friends in love and denying it has been done before, but the author makes it fresh and new and makes you suffer right along with them.
This book was a great find, and I can’t wait for more of this series!
Before He was Famous tells the story of Noah Lockton, gorgeous, talented, and in love with his best friend Chloe. Chloe obviously feels the same way, but they can never seem to get on the same page. From Chloe’s perspective, Noah looks like he has a constant stream of temporary girlfriends, and she could never be what he needs. Noah had to deal with Chloe’s loser boyfriend Cooper always in the way. Of course, the reader and everyone who has seen them both together for more than five minutes, knows they belong together. Noah doesn’t try to hide it at all.
“You’re worth a thousand of her to me, you know that don’t you...I guess she knows it, even if you don’t…”
Here is the twist, now thanks to Noah’s new found fame, Chloe gets the chance to work for Shimmer magazine and follow Noah around on tour for a blog that soon becomes a sensation. They find themselves unattached, finally, but Chloe still can’t bring herself to let Noah love her, even though their attraction to each other is so intense it practically jumps off each page.
“I’ve tried to let you go, Chloe, my whole life, and I can’t, can I...I’m sick of pretending I don’t love you…It’s only ever been you.”
Chloe frustrated me so much at times. She kept pushing Noah away, even though each time she did it, she was scared he’d never come back.
Noah being famous, and having to play the music label’s games, now makes him seem even more unattainable to her. Being close to Noah makes Chloe a kind of celebrity as well, something she was totally unprepared for and can’t really handle, especially when her closeness to Noah starts to make her a target. You hope she realizes what she and Noah have and what they could be, before it’s too late.
I devoured this book quickly in about a day. Best friends in love and denying it has been done before, but the author makes it fresh and new and makes you suffer right along with them.
This book was a great find, and I can’t wait for more of this series!
January 2, 2015
With all due respect to an author and what it takes to write a story - what a mess! This book should be near the bottom of your new-adult-to-be-read list.
This story began as cute, sweet, your general romance. It had such potential! But things began to go downhill as soon as I started reading slang I didn't understand. The book is set in Colorado and New York and these characters are American. So what's with all the British slang? And as soon as the British stage manager is introduced, he starts talking in a rhyming slang. So to further confuse things, it's not just British slang that makes an American stop and have to figure it out - it's also rhyming slang that makes no sense at all to an American. None of this would be an issue if the author had simply changed the setting of the book to the UK. But for American characters set in America? No.
Things continued on a downward slope as the book gratuitously drops current celebrity names and songs interspersed with fictional ones. If the author had simply chosen one or the other - preferably the fictional ones - it would have been fine. But to intersperse them made no sense, and using current names and songs will quickly date the book.
The main characters were well-developed, although they tended to make stupid decisions which clearly were intended to simply build tension in the plot and push it along. The stock secondary characters were sadly underdeveloped. The backdrop of a new celebrity gaining his footing was well done and would have easily been enough conflict in the plot. But the addition of a sub-plot with one main character getting death threats was just unnecessary.
This book feels as if the writer read a book about how to write a book and then wrote a book. Some of the elements are right, even good. But others are lacking. Add to that some questionable editing and this novel becomes forgettable before it even ends.
This book is a tragedy really, because with some tweaks it might be average or even really good. In its current state it is a nominally passable story in desperate need of major changes. It has a lot of potential, but it's just not there. This author needs to make some serious changes in her books if she aspires to any degree of success in the publishing industry. There is a reason self-published books often fail, and this is a prime example of one. What a shame.
This story began as cute, sweet, your general romance. It had such potential! But things began to go downhill as soon as I started reading slang I didn't understand. The book is set in Colorado and New York and these characters are American. So what's with all the British slang? And as soon as the British stage manager is introduced, he starts talking in a rhyming slang. So to further confuse things, it's not just British slang that makes an American stop and have to figure it out - it's also rhyming slang that makes no sense at all to an American. None of this would be an issue if the author had simply changed the setting of the book to the UK. But for American characters set in America? No.
Things continued on a downward slope as the book gratuitously drops current celebrity names and songs interspersed with fictional ones. If the author had simply chosen one or the other - preferably the fictional ones - it would have been fine. But to intersperse them made no sense, and using current names and songs will quickly date the book.
The main characters were well-developed, although they tended to make stupid decisions which clearly were intended to simply build tension in the plot and push it along. The stock secondary characters were sadly underdeveloped. The backdrop of a new celebrity gaining his footing was well done and would have easily been enough conflict in the plot. But the addition of a sub-plot with one main character getting death threats was just unnecessary.
This book feels as if the writer read a book about how to write a book and then wrote a book. Some of the elements are right, even good. But others are lacking. Add to that some questionable editing and this novel becomes forgettable before it even ends.
This book is a tragedy really, because with some tweaks it might be average or even really good. In its current state it is a nominally passable story in desperate need of major changes. It has a lot of potential, but it's just not there. This author needs to make some serious changes in her books if she aspires to any degree of success in the publishing industry. There is a reason self-published books often fail, and this is a prime example of one. What a shame.
May 31, 2014
Every one of us at some point in their life has dreamed of marrying someone famous. We sat and screamed at our televisions, wrote our married names on our notebooks, mine was “Mrs. Justin Timberlake,” and vowed we would find them someday and somehow convince them we were the one. But what if the person right beside you, you’re best friend, the one who you do everything with one day, BAM, becomes a superstar???!!!
This is the story of Noah Lockton and Chloe Campbell. Two best friends who have grown up together. He is her Peter and she is his Pan., still continuing to use their nicknames for each from their early days of starring in a Peter Pan Production together. She was his shadow and it remained that way as they got older. They are always there for each other. No matter where life leads, they will always be forever friends.
Noah has so much talent. The world is going to know it. Noah turns up as a contestant on “Show Us What U’ve Got’ and makes it into the top 5. Think of American Idol or The X Factor. Yup. That’s his life. His journey. And he kicks ass!!!
His world changes when he is reined champion and he wants it more than he’s wanted anything in his life. But he also wants Chloe by his side—she’s his number one fan, his partner in crime. So she joins the tour and remains on the sidelines working for Glimmer magazine on a blog devoted to following Noah’s career.
Chloe having been in a previous relationship and Noah having endless women at his disposal—the timing for the two of them never seems to be right. They are the best of friends and so perfect for each other—if only Chloe could let go of her insecurities and go for it. Their attraction for each other grows and grows.
Noah’s fame just keeps rising and there are many outside influences get in the way of any chance they seem to have to connect. To love. Becky really throws you for a loop. You are sucked in with your emotions all over the place. The songs with secret messages, the intense glances, the childhood carefree memories. The angst and the thrill waiting for these two to finally admit what is right in front of their eyes will have you reading nonstop.
It’s just one incredible journey. It will twist your heart, give you butterflies, leave you breathless. The angst, the love, the hope, the beauty—all tucked away in this incredible story.
Becky Wicks is just an amazing writer. The added humor and fantastic characters will have you glued to your kindle. I need more from her. I will read anything she writes. Do not miss this story. Before He Was Famous is so different from all the other rock star books.
"When we were kids, his dad said his eyes were so shiny in all my photos because of all the stars inside them.
Noah was always going to shine.
He was always going to be mine.
But sometimes even I fogey the way things were before he was famous."
This is the story of Noah Lockton and Chloe Campbell. Two best friends who have grown up together. He is her Peter and she is his Pan., still continuing to use their nicknames for each from their early days of starring in a Peter Pan Production together. She was his shadow and it remained that way as they got older. They are always there for each other. No matter where life leads, they will always be forever friends.
Noah has so much talent. The world is going to know it. Noah turns up as a contestant on “Show Us What U’ve Got’ and makes it into the top 5. Think of American Idol or The X Factor. Yup. That’s his life. His journey. And he kicks ass!!!
"You hear his music, obviously. How could you not? It's everywhere. His voice is everywhere. You know the stats. Noah Lockton. Twenty-three. Five foot eleven, messy brown hair and steel-gray eyes. Pisces. You think you know him, this superstar, guitar-playing rock star."
His world changes when he is reined champion and he wants it more than he’s wanted anything in his life. But he also wants Chloe by his side—she’s his number one fan, his partner in crime. So she joins the tour and remains on the sidelines working for Glimmer magazine on a blog devoted to following Noah’s career.
Chloe having been in a previous relationship and Noah having endless women at his disposal—the timing for the two of them never seems to be right. They are the best of friends and so perfect for each other—if only Chloe could let go of her insecurities and go for it. Their attraction for each other grows and grows.
“I see her; the kid who held my hand when my dog died, who gave names to the snails in her yard, who tied strawberry laces thorugh my shoes, who organized a concert under the treehouse and got so many people to come see that we wound up in the newspaper… Fuck. She’s amazing. I love her… Why the hell did I not just tell her sooner?”
Noah’s fame just keeps rising and there are many outside influences get in the way of any chance they seem to have to connect. To love. Becky really throws you for a loop. You are sucked in with your emotions all over the place. The songs with secret messages, the intense glances, the childhood carefree memories. The angst and the thrill waiting for these two to finally admit what is right in front of their eyes will have you reading nonstop.
It’s just one incredible journey. It will twist your heart, give you butterflies, leave you breathless. The angst, the love, the hope, the beauty—all tucked away in this incredible story.
"You don’t know how his arms felt wrapped around me when my world came crashing down..."
Becky Wicks is just an amazing writer. The added humor and fantastic characters will have you glued to your kindle. I need more from her. I will read anything she writes. Do not miss this story. Before He Was Famous is so different from all the other rock star books.
“Love is just friendship with wings, isn’t that what they say?"
May 27, 2014
I'm blown away. I hate to be cliche in my review for a book that's anything but cliche. Nothing about this book is cliche. You've never heard this rock star story before. The characters, the plot, the writing... all of it is just so original and refreshing. It's angsty and smart and clever. It's sweet, and gut wrenching, sometimes scary. It's everything.
This book follows Noah Lockton as he is catapulted into music stardom after winning a televised music competition. (Think American Idol.) Told in alternating first person points of view, the reader is taken along for this roller coaster ride with Noah and his lifelong best friend, Chloe, as they navigate the waters of his newfound fame.
Noah is instantly famous after his big win, but this is no stereotypical rock star love story. There's a sadness running quietly throughout this story, an underlying sense of loss that Noah is going places and leaving Chloe behind. I felt my heart silently breaking even before anything had happened to make me feel that way. This story is about friendship, about loss, about the fear of losing the constant of a best friend when life sends you in different directions. But it's so much more than that. Because simmering quietly beneath this friendship is a love story.
When Chloe finds herself on tour with Noah, as a blogger for a magazine, the dynamic between the two changes drastically. Sure, the fear of being physically left behind is gone. But with so many newfound obstacles introduced to their lives, the story takes a turn into completely unpredictable territory. Their feelings continue to grow and change, but the expectations and obligations of Noah's career combined with Chloe's confusion over where she fits, things only deteriorate. Despite their proximity, being on tour together, they never really feel attainable to each other. They never say what they're feeling, they're always on different pages, dating someone else... the angst, the feeling of distance despite their closeness is palpable. sad. There's always something keeping them from being on the same page... girlfriends, boyfriends, jobs, fame, all juxtaposed with their own failure to communicate makes for a heart wrenching story. My stomach was in knots the entire story thorough. The feeling of longing is a tangible thing, I lived it right alongside these characters.
I can't say enough about what Becky Wicks has done with this story. Her writing is superb, pulling the reader in from the very first page and never letting go. These characters were developed so perfectly, this story so layered and complex. Every single character in this book was crafted so deliberately, so specifically, no matter how secondary they are to the plot. The dialogue is fluid and natural and real. The pace and the build so perfect. There is no lull, never for a second did I feel bored or removed from the story. I was in it, every single page. This author has retold the story of Peter Pan and his shadow in the most mesmerizing, beautiful manner.
This book follows Noah Lockton as he is catapulted into music stardom after winning a televised music competition. (Think American Idol.) Told in alternating first person points of view, the reader is taken along for this roller coaster ride with Noah and his lifelong best friend, Chloe, as they navigate the waters of his newfound fame.
Noah is instantly famous after his big win, but this is no stereotypical rock star love story. There's a sadness running quietly throughout this story, an underlying sense of loss that Noah is going places and leaving Chloe behind. I felt my heart silently breaking even before anything had happened to make me feel that way. This story is about friendship, about loss, about the fear of losing the constant of a best friend when life sends you in different directions. But it's so much more than that. Because simmering quietly beneath this friendship is a love story.
When Chloe finds herself on tour with Noah, as a blogger for a magazine, the dynamic between the two changes drastically. Sure, the fear of being physically left behind is gone. But with so many newfound obstacles introduced to their lives, the story takes a turn into completely unpredictable territory. Their feelings continue to grow and change, but the expectations and obligations of Noah's career combined with Chloe's confusion over where she fits, things only deteriorate. Despite their proximity, being on tour together, they never really feel attainable to each other. They never say what they're feeling, they're always on different pages, dating someone else... the angst, the feeling of distance despite their closeness is palpable. sad. There's always something keeping them from being on the same page... girlfriends, boyfriends, jobs, fame, all juxtaposed with their own failure to communicate makes for a heart wrenching story. My stomach was in knots the entire story thorough. The feeling of longing is a tangible thing, I lived it right alongside these characters.
I can't say enough about what Becky Wicks has done with this story. Her writing is superb, pulling the reader in from the very first page and never letting go. These characters were developed so perfectly, this story so layered and complex. Every single character in this book was crafted so deliberately, so specifically, no matter how secondary they are to the plot. The dialogue is fluid and natural and real. The pace and the build so perfect. There is no lull, never for a second did I feel bored or removed from the story. I was in it, every single page. This author has retold the story of Peter Pan and his shadow in the most mesmerizing, beautiful manner.
May 29, 2014
3.5-4 stars
We are all guilty of watching ONE episode of either The Voice, X Factor, Australia/America/UK/Timbuktu's got Talent etc.
Well imagine if your best friend won it?
That's exactly what happens in this book. Chloe and Noah have been BFF's all their lives.
When Noah enters into the TV singing competition Chloe is is his number one fan.
When he wins she can't be happier for him! It's everything he has ever wanted.
She ends up moving to New York with him and his girlfriend to pursue her career as a photographer. Her boss however is using her for her close ties to Noah. It ends up being a win win though as Chloe makes Noah normal. Keeps him calm. and she agrees to be his personal blogger for the magazine.
She gets to go on tour with him. Show the world the Noah. The Noah she grew up with.
The Noah that she is love with but can never act on.
This way she gets to stay close to him, stay out of the lime light just like she wants.
However someone else is watching her.
Very closely.
Although she has not done anything to anyone, someone is stalking Chloe and wants to hurt her.
Is the ex-girlfriend? a pyscho fan? The wannabe pop star that is hanging around Noah?
Who is it and why? Well it's not for the reason your thinking! You will have to read it and find out.
..................................
Ok so My thoughts? I really liked it. I'm a huge fan of reality TV but sadly no-one I know has ever been on it. I'm also not friend with anyone famous so I don't know what it would be like to all of a sudden have my friend become this huge overnight success.
I really liked Becky's writing style. The incorporation of today's social media... mainly the tweets were hilarious! oh the Cat? LOVE IT! I giggled a lot in this book. Seriously guys.. it's name was THE GREAT CATSBY" AND it has it's own twitter handle! LOL
It intrigued and gripped me from the first page. Alternate POV's told the story of these two knuckleheads. How they were madly in love with each other but couldn't tell each other.
I loved the stalker storyline, as mentioned before you think of yeah a crazy fan. BOOM! WRONG! Just wait and see...
So yes this was a bit light and fluffy and cutesy here and there. I would still tell you to read it! I can't wait to see what comes next.
As this is book 1? is Chloe and Noah next? or someone else?
We are all guilty of watching ONE episode of either The Voice, X Factor, Australia/America/UK/Timbuktu's got Talent etc.
Well imagine if your best friend won it?
That's exactly what happens in this book. Chloe and Noah have been BFF's all their lives.
When Noah enters into the TV singing competition Chloe is is his number one fan.
When he wins she can't be happier for him! It's everything he has ever wanted.
She ends up moving to New York with him and his girlfriend to pursue her career as a photographer. Her boss however is using her for her close ties to Noah. It ends up being a win win though as Chloe makes Noah normal. Keeps him calm. and she agrees to be his personal blogger for the magazine.
She gets to go on tour with him. Show the world the Noah. The Noah she grew up with.
The Noah that she is love with but can never act on.
This way she gets to stay close to him, stay out of the lime light just like she wants.
However someone else is watching her.
Very closely.
Although she has not done anything to anyone, someone is stalking Chloe and wants to hurt her.
Is the ex-girlfriend? a pyscho fan? The wannabe pop star that is hanging around Noah?
Who is it and why? Well it's not for the reason your thinking! You will have to read it and find out.
..................................
Ok so My thoughts? I really liked it. I'm a huge fan of reality TV but sadly no-one I know has ever been on it. I'm also not friend with anyone famous so I don't know what it would be like to all of a sudden have my friend become this huge overnight success.
I really liked Becky's writing style. The incorporation of today's social media... mainly the tweets were hilarious! oh the Cat? LOVE IT! I giggled a lot in this book. Seriously guys.. it's name was THE GREAT CATSBY" AND it has it's own twitter handle! LOL
It intrigued and gripped me from the first page. Alternate POV's told the story of these two knuckleheads. How they were madly in love with each other but couldn't tell each other.
I loved the stalker storyline, as mentioned before you think of yeah a crazy fan. BOOM! WRONG! Just wait and see...
So yes this was a bit light and fluffy and cutesy here and there. I would still tell you to read it! I can't wait to see what comes next.
As this is book 1? is Chloe and Noah next? or someone else?
April 15, 2015
I really LOVED this book! :D
I only wish the ending was longer and some scenes were more in depth
But anyhoo!
I loved the story, the lyrics were beautiful!
I loved Pan and Peter <3 ;D
'And love is just friendship with wings, isn't that what they say?'
I only wish the ending was longer and some scenes were more in depth
But anyhoo!
I loved the story, the lyrics were beautiful!
I loved Pan and Peter <3 ;D
"A guy and a girl can be just friends, but at one point or another they will fall for each other, maybe temporarily, maybe at the wrong time, maybe too late, or maybe forever."
June 27, 2014
I knew from the moment I started this read that this was going to be one of those books that got to me. Chloe sits watching her best friend, the boy who knew her inside and out, about to become something so much bigger than just “her Noah”, and I was a goner! The concept here was simple, but something I hadn’t come across with all of these stories about rock stars and the woman they love. It combines the perfect elements that make us swoon, with the modernized update of a reality show being the start of everything. Chloe’s best friend Noah, who’s always been an insanely talented singer, enters in a contest and suddenly takes off as an artist. We get to see not only the present, where she’s coming to grips with her feelings, but also all of the beautiful moments they shared that led up to them being a couple that I will never forget.
Noah and Chloe were one of those really complicated love stories. Their past was full of the typical ups and downs that childhood friends deal with, but there was also that day, the moment that changed everything. The day Chloe needed him in order to forget and get past the sorrow that was consuming her, and Noah was there as more than just her shoulder to lean on. And ooooh my was he ever there for her, in a scene that had me fanning myself and wishing for my own version of Noah!! But I’m getting ahead of myself now, because there was a lot of denial going on before Chloe or Noah would ever fully come to grips with just how much that day meant to both of them. And that’s how we really got to know these amazing characters, through Noah’s rise to fame as Chloe watched, and how they both came to grips with what not being together was doing to them. Every moment, from Chloe’s attempts to rid Noah from her mind to the brainless women in his life because he couldn’t have the one he loved, was like a shot to the heart because I just wanted them to get their chance.
Just thinking about Noah and Chloe’s journey makes my heart race, and I guarantee you this will be one that stays with you. Every moment, from the most seemingly insignificant reference to their goofy childhood Peter Pan play to their heart-wrenching declarations, was just so achingly sweet that my heart was hurting for these two. I have to hand it to Becky Wicks, because her writing was absolutely beautiful as she took her characters through the silly “oh that is so stinkin’ cute!” moments as children to the “holy crap my panties just caught on fire!” moments when they were finally giving in to the feelings that had ensnared them over their years together. We face Chloe’s doubts and insecurities over losing her best friend if they were to become more, and Noah’s feelings of devotion but with the uncertainty of what his feelings will mean to the girl he’s always put first in his life and his heart. Gah! I absolutely love these two!!
There were countless beautiful moments in this story that just made me melt, right up to the very last sentence that brought tears to my eyes. Chloe and Noah shared one of those mesmerizing and breathtaking love stories that I just love to get lost in, and I never wanted to pull myself away from it. Becky Wicks will leave you smiling, crying, and wishing that you had a childhood BFF that could come even close to being for you what Noah was for Chloe!
Quotes:
My parents came looking for me twenty minutes later, but by then he’d taught me the C chord and Noah Lockton had strummed his way irrevocably into my heart. ~Loc 105
Chloe’s smiling lips were on mine, soft and wet for a split second. Long enough for me to like it. When she pulled away we stared up at those fucking glow-in-the-dark stars while my heart bashed at my ribs and my arms twitched to hold onto her. I don’t know about her but I’ll never forget that feeling. The boy who never grew up was growing up, and his friend Chloe was doing very weird things to his body. ~Loc 366
I remember the walls closing in, the heat of the summer on his skin, the way his shirt was open like a tent around me as he leaned over my body. My sundress was rising around my thighs. I was screaming inside for him to kiss me, but at the same time I knew he shouldn’t. We weren’t Peter and Wendy, we were Noah and Chloe. We were best friends, forever. We were everything. ~Loc 958
I watched her from the bed and wrote a song in my head about how she lit up every time the lightning struck, and when she climbed in beside me she was wriggling under my skin as much as the covers. Chloe became the lightning then, for me at least, lighting up every room. And so began the storm in my head. ~Loc 1743
‘I see it in Noah, the way he looks at you. Chloe, I’ve seen that look in a man’s eyes. It’s more than desire for your body. It’s the secret world you’ve built together in spite of all of this – that’s what he can’t lose. You’re his normality. You’re a part of him, and he is a part of you. That’s what makes this frightening, but that’s what makes it right. ~Loc 2672
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Noah and Chloe were one of those really complicated love stories. Their past was full of the typical ups and downs that childhood friends deal with, but there was also that day, the moment that changed everything. The day Chloe needed him in order to forget and get past the sorrow that was consuming her, and Noah was there as more than just her shoulder to lean on. And ooooh my was he ever there for her, in a scene that had me fanning myself and wishing for my own version of Noah!! But I’m getting ahead of myself now, because there was a lot of denial going on before Chloe or Noah would ever fully come to grips with just how much that day meant to both of them. And that’s how we really got to know these amazing characters, through Noah’s rise to fame as Chloe watched, and how they both came to grips with what not being together was doing to them. Every moment, from Chloe’s attempts to rid Noah from her mind to the brainless women in his life because he couldn’t have the one he loved, was like a shot to the heart because I just wanted them to get their chance.
Just thinking about Noah and Chloe’s journey makes my heart race, and I guarantee you this will be one that stays with you. Every moment, from the most seemingly insignificant reference to their goofy childhood Peter Pan play to their heart-wrenching declarations, was just so achingly sweet that my heart was hurting for these two. I have to hand it to Becky Wicks, because her writing was absolutely beautiful as she took her characters through the silly “oh that is so stinkin’ cute!” moments as children to the “holy crap my panties just caught on fire!” moments when they were finally giving in to the feelings that had ensnared them over their years together. We face Chloe’s doubts and insecurities over losing her best friend if they were to become more, and Noah’s feelings of devotion but with the uncertainty of what his feelings will mean to the girl he’s always put first in his life and his heart. Gah! I absolutely love these two!!
There were countless beautiful moments in this story that just made me melt, right up to the very last sentence that brought tears to my eyes. Chloe and Noah shared one of those mesmerizing and breathtaking love stories that I just love to get lost in, and I never wanted to pull myself away from it. Becky Wicks will leave you smiling, crying, and wishing that you had a childhood BFF that could come even close to being for you what Noah was for Chloe!
Quotes:
My parents came looking for me twenty minutes later, but by then he’d taught me the C chord and Noah Lockton had strummed his way irrevocably into my heart. ~Loc 105
Chloe’s smiling lips were on mine, soft and wet for a split second. Long enough for me to like it. When she pulled away we stared up at those fucking glow-in-the-dark stars while my heart bashed at my ribs and my arms twitched to hold onto her. I don’t know about her but I’ll never forget that feeling. The boy who never grew up was growing up, and his friend Chloe was doing very weird things to his body. ~Loc 366
I remember the walls closing in, the heat of the summer on his skin, the way his shirt was open like a tent around me as he leaned over my body. My sundress was rising around my thighs. I was screaming inside for him to kiss me, but at the same time I knew he shouldn’t. We weren’t Peter and Wendy, we were Noah and Chloe. We were best friends, forever. We were everything. ~Loc 958
I watched her from the bed and wrote a song in my head about how she lit up every time the lightning struck, and when she climbed in beside me she was wriggling under my skin as much as the covers. Chloe became the lightning then, for me at least, lighting up every room. And so began the storm in my head. ~Loc 1743
‘I see it in Noah, the way he looks at you. Chloe, I’ve seen that look in a man’s eyes. It’s more than desire for your body. It’s the secret world you’ve built together in spite of all of this – that’s what he can’t lose. You’re his normality. You’re a part of him, and he is a part of you. That’s what makes this frightening, but that’s what makes it right. ~Loc 2672
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January 17, 2015
ARC provided by publisher through NetGalley for an honest review.
3.5 - 3.75 Lovely Stars
Chloe Campbell and Noah Lockton have been best friends since the day she walked, unannounced, into house, then his room, when she was six and he was eight, after moving in next door. To say they've been inseparable is an understatement, that is until four years ago when a tragedy struck and they did something they don't discuss. Now Noah is a star after winning the reality signing competition, "Show Us What U've Got." Noah encourage Chloe to move to New York to follow her dream of being a photographer with the offer to stay with him in the apartment provided by the record company.
But not everything goes well. Chloe gets a job at a teen magazine because of her association with Noah, which catapults her into, instant fame as his personal blogger. But also causes her some unwanted attention. Noah also has girlfriend issues, one who is jealous of his relationship with Chloe and one who wants to use his fame to propel her career. But once danger strikes, Noah knows what he wants... but can convince Chloe.
This book was just lovely. Chloe and Noah's fear of what they were and could be to each other broke my heart. I totally understood her reticence based on losing her father and the fear of losing someone you love if you changed the dynamics, as well as being a small town girl thrown into the limelight. Poor Noah had to deal with instant fame at the same time struggle with the feelings he pushed to the back only to surface more and more as the danger increased around Chloe. He also had to figure out who was looking out for his best interest and who wasn't. I think having Chloe around was the only thing that grounded him, which was one of the reasons he needed her there with him.
I loved Aunt Mads, who had great words of wisdom for them both and I thought Jack was the best brother ever. I kinda want to know more about him.
I was a little skeptical of reading this book because I didn't see fantastic reviews from others, but I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. It was a quick, very sweet read. The heartache these two carried was palpable and I felt it in every line and every page of the book. I loved that each chapter switched back and forth between Noah and Chloe's points of view. You got to read what each of them was thinking and why things were so mixed up and difficult. Even the danger that did come their way wasn't completely expected and that was really well done.
The only reason I didn't give it a full 5 stars is totally personal. It was a little immature in tone, though I get the idea. I just think that for me. But otherwise, really well written and kept me wanting to know what was going to happen between these two next.
I'm looking forward to the next installment.
November 25, 2015
Exactly what I was in the mood for!
I loved the friendship between Chloe and Noah and how it developed into a romantic relationship.
I loved the friendship between Chloe and Noah and how it developed into a romantic relationship.
May 27, 2014
So, that was a loooong description. Is it me or are book descriptions getting longer?
Anyway, the cover and the premise were an Auto-Yes! for me. I was excited to get an ARC of this book and jumped on it right away since the pub date is May 29th...And immediately got nervous. Seriously nervous.
The first two chapters made me dislike both the main characters. Chloe is dating a guy she's been with for years who is basically the biggest loser I've met in a romance in a while. Drop out, wannabe drug dealer, constantly high, boring, uninteresting and uninterested in her it seems. Noah kicks us off reliving cheating on his girlfriend in a closet.
Yup, I'm thinking, "Why would I root for these two."
Don't let that stop you. Both of them have made mistakes in the recent past and they own up to them. I think the author could have done a better job of showing us that these are mistakes that don't define (or soon will stop defining) them sooner, but a few chapters in and I was hooked. If either of those things are deal breakers, don't give up - keep reading!
Chloe and Noah are meant to be together. Everyone knows it but them. Well, they each know it from their own point of view, but believe the other doesn't feel the same way.
They have been through everything together and now, Noah is becoming famous. Like, Boy Band Famous. Chloe isn't sure where she fits in his life any more, but Noah knows he's not letting her go anywhere.
Together and separately they need to walk their paths. But, with Chloe being offered an opportunity to cover Noah's rise to fame, the paths are a little closer together. She dumps the idiot, Noah's girlfriend wakes up and dumps him. And then the dance really begins.
A little too syrupy in a lot of place, but still a fun book.
The book twists and turns, we all know where it's going to end, but it's the getting there that's the ride. The side roads on the journey were the things I didn't care for.
What I didn't love: Another book where Coincidence Creates Conflict. It seems to be going on a lot lately. Also, the pop culture references are SO current that I wonder if by next year they'll be relevant. I felt like the author wrote the book then went back last second and updated all the references. The Frozen & Miley Cyrus ones were just too much by the end.
3.5 Stars
Romance: 8
Heroine: 7
Hero: 8
Laughter: 6
Heat: Yes, but fairly sweet
Cheating: On a girlfriend other the heroine
Series: #1 of HotFlush
Cliffhanger: No
This ARC was received thru NetGalley for an honest, unbiased review.
Anyway, the cover and the premise were an Auto-Yes! for me. I was excited to get an ARC of this book and jumped on it right away since the pub date is May 29th...And immediately got nervous. Seriously nervous.
The first two chapters made me dislike both the main characters. Chloe is dating a guy she's been with for years who is basically the biggest loser I've met in a romance in a while. Drop out, wannabe drug dealer, constantly high, boring, uninteresting and uninterested in her it seems. Noah kicks us off reliving cheating on his girlfriend in a closet.
Yup, I'm thinking, "Why would I root for these two."
Don't let that stop you. Both of them have made mistakes in the recent past and they own up to them. I think the author could have done a better job of showing us that these are mistakes that don't define (or soon will stop defining) them sooner, but a few chapters in and I was hooked. If either of those things are deal breakers, don't give up - keep reading!
Chloe and Noah are meant to be together. Everyone knows it but them. Well, they each know it from their own point of view, but believe the other doesn't feel the same way.
They have been through everything together and now, Noah is becoming famous. Like, Boy Band Famous. Chloe isn't sure where she fits in his life any more, but Noah knows he's not letting her go anywhere.
Together and separately they need to walk their paths. But, with Chloe being offered an opportunity to cover Noah's rise to fame, the paths are a little closer together. She dumps the idiot, Noah's girlfriend wakes up and dumps him. And then the dance really begins.
A little too syrupy in a lot of place, but still a fun book.
The book twists and turns, we all know where it's going to end, but it's the getting there that's the ride. The side roads on the journey were the things I didn't care for.
What I didn't love: Another book where Coincidence Creates Conflict. It seems to be going on a lot lately. Also, the pop culture references are SO current that I wonder if by next year they'll be relevant. I felt like the author wrote the book then went back last second and updated all the references. The Frozen & Miley Cyrus ones were just too much by the end.
3.5 Stars
Romance: 8
Heroine: 7
Hero: 8
Laughter: 6
Heat: Yes, but fairly sweet
Cheating: On a girlfriend other the heroine
Series: #1 of HotFlush
Cliffhanger: No
This ARC was received thru NetGalley for an honest, unbiased review.
Read
December 1, 2014Book two, Before He Was Gone is out now! And I'm scribbling on book 3 (Before He Was a Secret), but here's a taster:
I close my eyes for a moment, trying to control my heart palpitations as the memories of that day crash over me like a tsunami. ‘I just prefer the guitar,’ I stutter. Breathe.
Breathe.
It’s just a stupid instrument.
‘Ah, but the piano is a different species,’ he carries on, almost in my ear. ‘You know, someone told me once that the white keys represent happiness, all the good stuff. The laughter, right?’ Conor runs his fingers quickly up and down the white keys, stops abruptly, looks to me. ‘And the black keys? They represent the sad times, the sorrow, the pain.’ He does the same on the black keys now, slowly, a different melancholy sound that makes me shudder involuntarily. ‘But you can’t forget,’ he says, bumping my shoulder gently, ‘they all mix up together to tell your story. You’re a little bit of everything at the end of the day. You’re a song.’
‘I’m a song,’ I repeat as he jumbles a tune under his hands.
‘Yes. You need to play me your story.’
I stand up again. This is all ridiculous. I’m ridiculous. ‘I don’t want to play my story on that, or anything,’ I tell him, reaching for my purse.
He stands up after me, grabs for it. ‘Because it’s harder to write a sad song about something real sometimes, than it is to write a happy one about nothing, I know,’ he says as I wrestle with him to keep my purse on my shoulder.
‘No you don’t know,’ I say. He’s blocking my path, stopping me from walking out the door again. I flop against the wall, focus down at my feet. ‘I’m not like you Conor, I don’t have all that… history. Not the good kind, anyway.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘You can write songs about anything you want. Love, for example.’
‘Stephanie…’
‘I’ve never been in love, Conor. Not like you and Grace, anyway.’
His face is inches from mine and I catch the darkness flicker in his brown eyes at my words. ‘That’s my past, Stephanie. Who’ve you been talking to?’
I close my eyes for a moment, trying to control my heart palpitations as the memories of that day crash over me like a tsunami. ‘I just prefer the guitar,’ I stutter. Breathe.
Breathe.
It’s just a stupid instrument.
‘Ah, but the piano is a different species,’ he carries on, almost in my ear. ‘You know, someone told me once that the white keys represent happiness, all the good stuff. The laughter, right?’ Conor runs his fingers quickly up and down the white keys, stops abruptly, looks to me. ‘And the black keys? They represent the sad times, the sorrow, the pain.’ He does the same on the black keys now, slowly, a different melancholy sound that makes me shudder involuntarily. ‘But you can’t forget,’ he says, bumping my shoulder gently, ‘they all mix up together to tell your story. You’re a little bit of everything at the end of the day. You’re a song.’
‘I’m a song,’ I repeat as he jumbles a tune under his hands.
‘Yes. You need to play me your story.’
I stand up again. This is all ridiculous. I’m ridiculous. ‘I don’t want to play my story on that, or anything,’ I tell him, reaching for my purse.
He stands up after me, grabs for it. ‘Because it’s harder to write a sad song about something real sometimes, than it is to write a happy one about nothing, I know,’ he says as I wrestle with him to keep my purse on my shoulder.
‘No you don’t know,’ I say. He’s blocking my path, stopping me from walking out the door again. I flop against the wall, focus down at my feet. ‘I’m not like you Conor, I don’t have all that… history. Not the good kind, anyway.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘You can write songs about anything you want. Love, for example.’
‘Stephanie…’
‘I’ve never been in love, Conor. Not like you and Grace, anyway.’
His face is inches from mine and I catch the darkness flicker in his brown eyes at my words. ‘That’s my past, Stephanie. Who’ve you been talking to?’
May 24, 2014
4.5 Amazing Stars!
Wow, this book was really really really good! I loved it
The infamous Noah (swoon) has just won the American Idol of a lifetime! He's the new sensation in the music world and everyone wants a piece of him!
Chloe his best friend has been given the opportunity of a life time to do what she loves, take pictures and blog about her very best friend Noah while he's on tour. Pretty amazing opportunity.
Things change though when the industry buts in and has a say in literally everything Noah does, not to mention who he does. It also doesn't help that Noah and Chloe have a history together, one no one knows about, and they two of them never talk about. Falling in love with each other is very hard to do when the spot light is on both of them.
---
So i loved this story, it had the perfect amount of craziness without being unbelievable. Noah was the absolute best and definitely one of my new book boyfriend. I loved Aunt Mads and Jack and well pretty much everyone! Denzel had me laughing because well I had no clue what he was taking about half the book.
And totally naming y next cat The Great Catsby, no joke!
The only reason this book didn't get 5 stars for me was because Caitlin fought it way to much, I wanted to strangle her half the book. Like hello you both love each other Noah showed it in every song he wrote literally and still she fought it the entire book. A little frustrating I won't lie. I fell like that could've went on until like 60 % before they gave in but like 95% was a little to much for my liking
I still recommend this book though! I loved Noah
*ARC
Wow, this book was really really really good! I loved it
The infamous Noah (swoon) has just won the American Idol of a lifetime! He's the new sensation in the music world and everyone wants a piece of him!
Chloe his best friend has been given the opportunity of a life time to do what she loves, take pictures and blog about her very best friend Noah while he's on tour. Pretty amazing opportunity.
Things change though when the industry buts in and has a say in literally everything Noah does, not to mention who he does. It also doesn't help that Noah and Chloe have a history together, one no one knows about, and they two of them never talk about. Falling in love with each other is very hard to do when the spot light is on both of them.
---
So i loved this story, it had the perfect amount of craziness without being unbelievable. Noah was the absolute best and definitely one of my new book boyfriend. I loved Aunt Mads and Jack and well pretty much everyone! Denzel had me laughing because well I had no clue what he was taking about half the book.
And totally naming y next cat The Great Catsby, no joke!
The only reason this book didn't get 5 stars for me was because Caitlin fought it way to much, I wanted to strangle her half the book. Like hello you both love each other Noah showed it in every song he wrote literally and still she fought it the entire book. A little frustrating I won't lie. I fell like that could've went on until like 60 % before they gave in but like 95% was a little to much for my liking
I still recommend this book though! I loved Noah
*ARC
April 22, 2015
Imagine you are in love with your best friend who won a tv music competition. Suddenly, he becomes so famous. You secretly love him since childhood. You need to watch him and his girlfriend being happy so you keep denying your feeling all along.
Yes, that’s the situation Chloe was in. Noah was the guy who dreamt to be a famous singer. Chloe always was there for him. He was her ‘Peter’ while she was his ‘Pan’. How adorable. The synopsis gave me exciting eagerness. I love musician love story. Childhood’s love is usually cute and warmhearted.
The beginning of the story was set back to when Noah was in the finalist of the competition which everyone in his family and friends were doing a clip for him. I swore I thought it was going to be something. However, that’s just simple explanation of the story. I hope the author would start tell the story alternately between two periods of time. Okay…that would be my story, not her.
The novel started to portrait Noah’s life along his fame while Chloe was always behind the background. She joined the scene when her company sent her to do a blog for documenting and promoting Noah’s music career. This happened to be most popular blog since Noah’s stories were released. They’re always the best friend, but they secretly love each others. You can realize this fact from the start. It’s that obvious. This made the rest of the story about how they concealed and denied each others. Chloe assumed that her feeling would ruin Noah’s future in his music career and fame. She’s not worth him. On the other hands, Noah was afraid that Chloe didn’t return his feeling. I must say this would be very sweet if they didn’t keep repeating this annoying back and forth feeling. I was tired. I think this issue shouldn’t be dragged on in this case. I want to read more about the fame and music career which is likely to be the additional story instead of the main plot. It lacked the supportive information for this career background which could be deeper.
Sorry, I can’t make myself love this hero and heroine.
I received a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
Yes, that’s the situation Chloe was in. Noah was the guy who dreamt to be a famous singer. Chloe always was there for him. He was her ‘Peter’ while she was his ‘Pan’. How adorable. The synopsis gave me exciting eagerness. I love musician love story. Childhood’s love is usually cute and warmhearted.
The beginning of the story was set back to when Noah was in the finalist of the competition which everyone in his family and friends were doing a clip for him. I swore I thought it was going to be something. However, that’s just simple explanation of the story. I hope the author would start tell the story alternately between two periods of time. Okay…that would be my story, not her.
The novel started to portrait Noah’s life along his fame while Chloe was always behind the background. She joined the scene when her company sent her to do a blog for documenting and promoting Noah’s music career. This happened to be most popular blog since Noah’s stories were released. They’re always the best friend, but they secretly love each others. You can realize this fact from the start. It’s that obvious. This made the rest of the story about how they concealed and denied each others. Chloe assumed that her feeling would ruin Noah’s future in his music career and fame. She’s not worth him. On the other hands, Noah was afraid that Chloe didn’t return his feeling. I must say this would be very sweet if they didn’t keep repeating this annoying back and forth feeling. I was tired. I think this issue shouldn’t be dragged on in this case. I want to read more about the fame and music career which is likely to be the additional story instead of the main plot. It lacked the supportive information for this career background which could be deeper.
Sorry, I can’t make myself love this hero and heroine.
I received a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 29, 2014
I really enjoyed this story. As an avid reader, we tend to see the same thing over and over however, with this story, it took me on an unexpected ride. I'm not going to go all out and say nothing was similar to other stories I read, but the twists in the plot were refreshing and not so predictable. The flow of the story was perfect and really enjoyed the dual POV.
I was a little nervous going in thinking that these childhood friends that once crossed the line of their friendship were going to drive me bat shit crazy. lol I mean I thought them fighting their feelings for each other would want me to throw something...but surprisingly they didn't get under my skin. I immediately had a liking to Chloe and Noah. I laughed, I cried and I sure did swoon over Noah.
So I'm a HUGE Disney fan, so I absolutely loved the whole Peter Pan nicknames with Chloe and Noah. Also with the craze of Frozen, I laughed with all the signing of "Let It Go". I mean we all are signing it, and if not, you know some that always is, so it was just perfect!!
I rate this book 4 bookmarks. Check it out, this is a must read! I can't wait for the next book!
I was a little nervous going in thinking that these childhood friends that once crossed the line of their friendship were going to drive me bat shit crazy. lol I mean I thought them fighting their feelings for each other would want me to throw something...but surprisingly they didn't get under my skin. I immediately had a liking to Chloe and Noah. I laughed, I cried and I sure did swoon over Noah.
So I'm a HUGE Disney fan, so I absolutely loved the whole Peter Pan nicknames with Chloe and Noah. Also with the craze of Frozen, I laughed with all the signing of "Let It Go". I mean we all are signing it, and if not, you know some that always is, so it was just perfect!!
I rate this book 4 bookmarks. Check it out, this is a must read! I can't wait for the next book!
April 26, 2014
Loved it! What a fabulous holiday read.
I couldn't put this book down; so unfortunately it was over too soon.
This book has everything to make it a real page-turner - sexual tension, suspense, flirting, love, intrigue, social media, and hot musicians...
I love a good story where best friends finally acknowledge or perhaps understand, what everyone around them has known all along.
'...knocking the walls so hard in my hurry that glow-stars fell to the floor like a meteor shower. In seconds, more of our bare flesh was touching than ever before and even my heart, pounding its way out of my heaving chest wanted to be naked.
He broke our kiss.
'You're drunk,'
'I don't care!'’
Can’t wait for the next one…
Enjoy!
I couldn't put this book down; so unfortunately it was over too soon.
This book has everything to make it a real page-turner - sexual tension, suspense, flirting, love, intrigue, social media, and hot musicians...
I love a good story where best friends finally acknowledge or perhaps understand, what everyone around them has known all along.
'...knocking the walls so hard in my hurry that glow-stars fell to the floor like a meteor shower. In seconds, more of our bare flesh was touching than ever before and even my heart, pounding its way out of my heaving chest wanted to be naked.
He broke our kiss.
'You're drunk,'
'I don't care!'’
Can’t wait for the next one…
Enjoy!
February 2, 2019
I just finished reading this and absolutely LOVED it. It's totally unputtdownable, super sexy, brilliantly written, you have to add it to your shelf as I think this book will be the next big thing in the new adult world and that Becky is going to become a very well known name before long.
The characters leap off the page and the story is a total page turner. I loved Chloe and Noah and just how real they and their world is. It's a romance you root for from page one and which has you holding your breath until the very end.
Cannot wait to read more by Becky.
The characters leap off the page and the story is a total page turner. I loved Chloe and Noah and just how real they and their world is. It's a romance you root for from page one and which has you holding your breath until the very end.
Cannot wait to read more by Becky.
September 4, 2015
Before He Was Famous is the third book I've read by author, Becky Wicks. Becky has displayed her talent as a writer by moving into the genre of fiction. I was so drawn into the story that I found the book difficult to put down (I read it in 2 days). A great story line which had me rooting for the loved up couple, and love scenes so sexy that I could feel my own feelings of desire being stirred. The lyrics were a terrific way of expressing feelings and they had me wishing I could look them up on YouTube. I look forward to the next exciting novel by Becky Wicks!
March 4, 2015
*ARR (Advance Reader Review) - copy provided as a gift in exchange for an honest review...
4.75
This was a great read. Fun, sweet, intriguing with romance and drama.
Looking forward to the next book in this series!
Check out my full review on my blog: http://ljsecretaddiction.blogspot.com...
4.75
This was a great read. Fun, sweet, intriguing with romance and drama.
Looking forward to the next book in this series!
Check out my full review on my blog: http://ljsecretaddiction.blogspot.com...
April 26, 2014
Loved this book so much, that this is my first ever book review! Read it while on holidays and got through it so quickly that I finished it with a few days to spare! Witty, sexy and fun. Can't wait for more.
May 29, 2014
2.5-3
This may be a case of its not you, it's me. I was just really bored thru out the book. It felt slow and I just wanted something to happen with the main characters. I felt like I was waiting FOREVER. Onto the next one
This may be a case of its not you, it's me. I was just really bored thru out the book. It felt slow and I just wanted something to happen with the main characters. I felt like I was waiting FOREVER. Onto the next one
April 26, 2014
UN PUT DOWNABLE!!
I loved this book. The story of what happens behind the scenes of an up & coming popstar & his love life.
Cannot wait to read Hotflush 2!
I loved this book. The story of what happens behind the scenes of an up & coming popstar & his love life.
Cannot wait to read Hotflush 2!
June 1, 2014
Review to come...
June 3, 2014
Audience:
18 & over. The sex scenes aren't too graphic but there is definite talk and descriptions. May be appropriate for younger teens but I suggest the parents read prior.
Characters:
Chloe: Small town photographer and best/family friend of Noah Lockton.
Noah: Chloe's older, sexy musician best friend whose about to hit it big time.
Secondary: Jack, Noah's older, wiser brother. Cooper, Chloe's drug addict boyfriend of 4 years. Jayde, Noah's ditsy girlfriend. Courtney, Noah's competition and brief roommate. Alyssa, Chloe's hometown friend. The Commander, Chloe's mom. Aaron, Chloe's co-worker and moonlighting paparazzi. Zayne, Noah's band member and possible love interest for Chloe. Denzel, Noah's manager. Madeline, Noah's wise, ex-Rockette aunt.
Plot:
Noah and Chloe have grown up together and have been best friends for as long as they can remember. Something happened between them 4 years ago that forever changed them. Noah's been living in NY for a while now and has a girlfriend. Chloe stayed in their hometown and has been with her boyfriend Cooper for 4 years. Noah's quickly on his way to fame and Chloe's been offered a chance to follow him around AND get paid for her photographs and blogging. There is an obvious attraction between the two of them but Chloe isn't comfortable with all of the attention or with risking her friendship with him by taking it further. Noah seems pretty distracted by his career and the abundance of girls at his beck and call. Will these two ever let go of their dreams and fears to be with each other or are they destined to remain in the friend zone forever?
The Feels:
This book made we want to do a happy dance. This was one of those love stories that you feel all the way down to your bones. I know that a lot of times we read to escape reality but every once in a while I want to read a story that feels like it's something that could happen to me. Ok, so I don't know any famous musicians but you get what I'm saying. Their love is real and true and based on a long history of friendship and shared memories. They make mistakes along the way but nothing that can't be overlooked or forgiven if they choose to move forward. The Peter Pan references, the music, the friendship and families...I loved it all. This will be a book that I go back and read over and over again. This is going on my best of 2014 list ASAP. I have no idea what the next book is going to be about (I haven't even had the chance to author stalk yet!) but I am already anxiously awaiting it.
The Writing:
Brilliant. I felt every word, every sentence of this book. I feel like I might have highlighted at least 50% of this story because the words were so powerful and heart wrenching. I connected with each and every character and felt everything they were going through.
Written in first person, alternating POV's. So helpful in understanding the motivation behind Chloe and Noah's every thought and action.
Quotes:
"When we were kids, his dad said that his eyes were so shiny in all my photos because of all the stars inside them. Noah was always going to shine. He was always going to be mine."
"I could drown in his voice the way I could drown in an ocean...by letting it all wash over me and sweep me away into another world."
"The heart can see very clearly what the eyes can't sometimes. Love isn't all sparks and firecrackers. Sometimes it's more subtle than that."
"You have to be the ocean, Noah. You have to fight to stay on the shore, no mater how many times it pushes you away."
"No man is an ocean. Trust me Madeline, none of them. And why would you want one to be anyway? The only thing the ocean does is sweep you up and spit you out."
"And every Tinker-Bell who broke the spell never really stood a chance."
*I received an ARC from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review
June 3, 2014
Intense, lovable and seriously sexy, Before He Was Famous is a welcomed addition to the New Adult genre!
Chloe and Noah have been best friends forever, they know everything about each other and they’d do anything for each other. With Noah destined for fame, it’s no surprise when he stars in a music competition and wins….and Chloe’s right there along with him. The problem is, even though they deny it, their attraction and love for each other is hard to deny. Soon Chloe and Noah find themselves in situations they never though they’d be in, but for Chloe, it maybe a little more dangerous than she ever expected. Can their friendship survive the damage fame can bring?
I absolutely adore best friend turn lover stories, so when I came across Before He Was Famous I knew it was something I would enjoy, and I was right! Becky Wicks has wrote a smouldering story and it’s one that will capture you’re heart.
I adored Chloe and Noah’s relationship. It’s lovely and really touches your heart to know that these two people – no matter what – can rely on each other without a shadow of a doubt. Together they are strong and can take on anything. The fame that comes with Noah’s lifestyle does cause trouble for them, with that it makes the story at times, very heart-wrenching and a tad emotional. Chloe goes through a lot during this story and she needs the support from Noah. Noah's kind and loving and did I mention hot? Yeah, Noah’s a babe…smoking hot! He’s easily one to swoon over.
I think what made this story work so well was the dual narratives. Both Chloe and Noah had their own distinctive voice and it was easy to slip into their heads and lives. I would have liked a little less ‘music industry’ in Noah’s story, but I could understand why there was so much. It’s the key to the story, but it didn’t stop me enjoying it.
In all, this was the first book I’ve read by Becky Wicks and it definitely won’t be the last… bring on more!
Chloe and Noah have been best friends forever, they know everything about each other and they’d do anything for each other. With Noah destined for fame, it’s no surprise when he stars in a music competition and wins….and Chloe’s right there along with him. The problem is, even though they deny it, their attraction and love for each other is hard to deny. Soon Chloe and Noah find themselves in situations they never though they’d be in, but for Chloe, it maybe a little more dangerous than she ever expected. Can their friendship survive the damage fame can bring?
I absolutely adore best friend turn lover stories, so when I came across Before He Was Famous I knew it was something I would enjoy, and I was right! Becky Wicks has wrote a smouldering story and it’s one that will capture you’re heart.
I adored Chloe and Noah’s relationship. It’s lovely and really touches your heart to know that these two people – no matter what – can rely on each other without a shadow of a doubt. Together they are strong and can take on anything. The fame that comes with Noah’s lifestyle does cause trouble for them, with that it makes the story at times, very heart-wrenching and a tad emotional. Chloe goes through a lot during this story and she needs the support from Noah. Noah's kind and loving and did I mention hot? Yeah, Noah’s a babe…smoking hot! He’s easily one to swoon over.
I think what made this story work so well was the dual narratives. Both Chloe and Noah had their own distinctive voice and it was easy to slip into their heads and lives. I would have liked a little less ‘music industry’ in Noah’s story, but I could understand why there was so much. It’s the key to the story, but it didn’t stop me enjoying it.
In all, this was the first book I’ve read by Becky Wicks and it definitely won’t be the last… bring on more!
June 17, 2014
Two people friends since childhood, both in the love with the other but not wanting to ruin the relationship already established, only to be silently miserable watching the other take on different lovers as their relationship statuses never seem to hit single at the same time.
Chloe finds herself caught up in the limelight of Noah's new life. The latest winner on a reality singing show, he's off to start recording and touring from the get-go. But he wants his best friend to move to New York with him, and urges her to apply for a job with a magazine to be a photographer. Of course she lets it slip during her interview that she's besties with the suddenly famous Noah Lockton, and the magazine is drooling to use her to scoop the other magazines. So much that Chloe runs a daily blog on the life of Noah Lockton, as she follows him every where he goes. But not only is she forced to watch the guy she loves in a relationship with the runner-up, she herself gets pulled into the public drama and begins to get some nasty death threats being the one true thing Noah Lockton wants in life.
I will say that I liked the romance grow between the two, as it seemed heartfelt and natural, but I think two friends who knew each other so well should've been able to see through the crap that was happening between and around them. For me, this was just an okay novel, as it lacked originality in the new adult market these days. But all in all, it was still a sweet read that I breezed through in a single night, so don't let that deter you from checking it out for yourself.
Novel provided by author for honest review.
Chloe finds herself caught up in the limelight of Noah's new life. The latest winner on a reality singing show, he's off to start recording and touring from the get-go. But he wants his best friend to move to New York with him, and urges her to apply for a job with a magazine to be a photographer. Of course she lets it slip during her interview that she's besties with the suddenly famous Noah Lockton, and the magazine is drooling to use her to scoop the other magazines. So much that Chloe runs a daily blog on the life of Noah Lockton, as she follows him every where he goes. But not only is she forced to watch the guy she loves in a relationship with the runner-up, she herself gets pulled into the public drama and begins to get some nasty death threats being the one true thing Noah Lockton wants in life.
I will say that I liked the romance grow between the two, as it seemed heartfelt and natural, but I think two friends who knew each other so well should've been able to see through the crap that was happening between and around them. For me, this was just an okay novel, as it lacked originality in the new adult market these days. But all in all, it was still a sweet read that I breezed through in a single night, so don't let that deter you from checking it out for yourself.
Novel provided by author for honest review.
May 27, 2014
What do you do when the man you love is your best friend? If your Chloe, you keep him close as your friend when you know in your heart you will always want more than you can ever have.
And what do you do when that man becomes the world famous rock star you always knew he could be? Do you continue to torture yourself by being with him daily or do you finally cut the connection and try and move on?
This is not your typical rock star story. This is the story of two best friends from childhood and how life affects them. It is written in a way that makes it unique from the other stories like it out there in this genre. For the most part, I liked it even though Chloe really got on my nerves at times. Noah is a wonderful character and I found myself wishing I had more time in his head (story is written in both Chloe and Noah's POV)
My thoughts:
Quick hook or slow starter? 4 (the first chapter hooked me but there were several parts that dragged)
Character development: 4
Level of Romance between characters: 4
Passion/Heat level: 3.5 (you have to wait almost the entire book to get some heat)
Angst/Heartbreak: 5 (these two deny their feeling for almost the entire book and at times the angst Chloe creates just gets annoying)
Cliffhanger?: Nope, this is the first in a series but this is wrapped up. Hope to see more of them in the next book.
Overall, I liked it. It was different and refreshing but it took a little too long for these two to finally get together IMO. I still recommend reading it, just know you will be in for some frustrating moments.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
And what do you do when that man becomes the world famous rock star you always knew he could be? Do you continue to torture yourself by being with him daily or do you finally cut the connection and try and move on?
This is not your typical rock star story. This is the story of two best friends from childhood and how life affects them. It is written in a way that makes it unique from the other stories like it out there in this genre. For the most part, I liked it even though Chloe really got on my nerves at times. Noah is a wonderful character and I found myself wishing I had more time in his head (story is written in both Chloe and Noah's POV)
My thoughts:
Quick hook or slow starter? 4 (the first chapter hooked me but there were several parts that dragged)
Character development: 4
Level of Romance between characters: 4
Passion/Heat level: 3.5 (you have to wait almost the entire book to get some heat)
Angst/Heartbreak: 5 (these two deny their feeling for almost the entire book and at times the angst Chloe creates just gets annoying)
Cliffhanger?: Nope, this is the first in a series but this is wrapped up. Hope to see more of them in the next book.
Overall, I liked it. It was different and refreshing but it took a little too long for these two to finally get together IMO. I still recommend reading it, just know you will be in for some frustrating moments.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 14, 2014
Goodreads says 2 stars its an ok book so there.
This book was kind of ok. Some parts I liked, some I didn't and I have to say it was a page turned just because I kept thinking - this mess has to end at some point.
Chloe and Noah were and are best friends since they were kids. They have nicknames for themselves - Peter and Pan - and as far as the childhood crush goes I liked it.
Now the drama.
From page one you kinda know that Noah and Chloe will get together in the end but of course they both have to be in a relationship with people they don't particularly like because YOLO and if you don't spent your teen years with a person you hate and might get you arrested then it's no fun.
Chloe's boyfriend is well... the kind that WILL cause drama.
Same goes with Noah's girlfriend.
What I didn't like.
The Frozen song. Why did you have to ruin it for me? WHY?!
The Great Catzby Cat. Seriously?
The English slang that made no sense.
The whole death threat thing that lead to nothing.
Overall, it would've been a good book as it was with the whole start and behind the scenes of fame going on. It didn't need all the major - overly used - dramatic stuff too.
This book was kind of ok. Some parts I liked, some I didn't and I have to say it was a page turned just because I kept thinking - this mess has to end at some point.
Chloe and Noah were and are best friends since they were kids. They have nicknames for themselves - Peter and Pan - and as far as the childhood crush goes I liked it.
Now the drama.
From page one you kinda know that Noah and Chloe will get together in the end but of course they both have to be in a relationship with people they don't particularly like because YOLO and if you don't spent your teen years with a person you hate and might get you arrested then it's no fun.
Chloe's boyfriend is well... the kind that WILL cause drama.
Same goes with Noah's girlfriend.
What I didn't like.
The Frozen song. Why did you have to ruin it for me? WHY?!
The Great Catzby Cat. Seriously?
The English slang that made no sense.
The whole death threat thing that lead to nothing.
Overall, it would've been a good book as it was with the whole start and behind the scenes of fame going on. It didn't need all the major - overly used - dramatic stuff too.
May 26, 2014
4.5 Stars
This book was perfect! It wasn’t over the top, or full of a bunch of unnecessary drama.
Noah and Chloe have been friends for the longest time. There families are friends, they exist in all the same social circles. This is what made their type of relationship so hard. These two truly are soul mates and you feel that from page one. You don’t ever doubt that for one second.
I like that Noah stayed true to who is really is no matter how many people tried to kiss his ass. He did not let his ego grow to the size of the ocean. This is one of the reasons why I was able to stay so connected to the story.
Chloe was tinker bell in all sorts of way. She was a shadow but it’s not a sad type of shadow it’s the best kind especially since she has a Peter.
If you’re a lover of the rock star romance genre, or just a fan of a solid book that will you pull in from page one and keep you there until the end I suggest you read this book.
This book was perfect! It wasn’t over the top, or full of a bunch of unnecessary drama.
Noah and Chloe have been friends for the longest time. There families are friends, they exist in all the same social circles. This is what made their type of relationship so hard. These two truly are soul mates and you feel that from page one. You don’t ever doubt that for one second.
I like that Noah stayed true to who is really is no matter how many people tried to kiss his ass. He did not let his ego grow to the size of the ocean. This is one of the reasons why I was able to stay so connected to the story.
Chloe was tinker bell in all sorts of way. She was a shadow but it’s not a sad type of shadow it’s the best kind especially since she has a Peter.
If you’re a lover of the rock star romance genre, or just a fan of a solid book that will you pull in from page one and keep you there until the end I suggest you read this book.
May 9, 2014
To start off with, I'm not a romance reader. At all. BUT! (loud 'but') this book had me rethinking my conviction right from the start! Wicks brings the behind-the-scenes of Rock 'n Roll to such brilliant life, infused with clever wit and very touching moments. The electric chemistry between the two main characters are so well paced - and somehow the 'sexiness' sizzles from start to finish! This book is definitely movie worthy! (any producers out there hearing me?!)
May 29, 2014
4.5 stars
This was a fresh take on a friends to lovers theme. I loved the angle - best friend wins TV talent show and has to deal with the sudden fame and all the drama that comes along with that. However, at the core was a story about two lifelong friends who struggle to define their relationship. It was highly entertaining and a lot of fun to read.
This was a fresh take on a friends to lovers theme. I loved the angle - best friend wins TV talent show and has to deal with the sudden fame and all the drama that comes along with that. However, at the core was a story about two lifelong friends who struggle to define their relationship. It was highly entertaining and a lot of fun to read.
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