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Backstage Pass #5
Abby and the Cute One
Disclaimer: This Entangled Teen Crush book is as forbidden as the secret romance it contains! It has hot kisses, graphic language, and extreme misbehaving. DO NOT GET CAUGHT WITH THIS BOOK…unless you want everyone to know you believe in true love.
Every member of Seconds to Juliet has a girlfriend—except for Nathan Strong. Now the band's manager is leaning hard on "The Cute One" to play the role of the band's heartthrob. With the band's sales in decline, it's up to Nathan to keep the fans' fantasy alive.
The plan is to stage a fake relationship and a fake breakup, and then let the fans fight to be the one to mend Nathan's broken heart. Just one problem. There's another girl in the picture-one Nathan can't stay away from. In private, Nathan's stealing kisses with the band's new opening act, Abby Curtis.
If they're caught, no one wins. Abby will be fired, and the band might not recover the success they need to survive. But even with the pressure mounting, Nathan and Abby can't stop themselves from stealing one more touch, one more kiss. And it's only a matter of time before it all falls apart.
Every member of Seconds to Juliet has a girlfriend—except for Nathan Strong. Now the band's manager is leaning hard on "The Cute One" to play the role of the band's heartthrob. With the band's sales in decline, it's up to Nathan to keep the fans' fantasy alive.
The plan is to stage a fake relationship and a fake breakup, and then let the fans fight to be the one to mend Nathan's broken heart. Just one problem. There's another girl in the picture-one Nathan can't stay away from. In private, Nathan's stealing kisses with the band's new opening act, Abby Curtis.
If they're caught, no one wins. Abby will be fired, and the band might not recover the success they need to survive. But even with the pressure mounting, Nathan and Abby can't stop themselves from stealing one more touch, one more kiss. And it's only a matter of time before it all falls apart.
197 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 16, 2015
9 people are currently reading
730 people want to read
About the author
Erin Butler
8 books107 followersErin Butler is lucky enough to have two jobs she truly loves. As a librarian, she gets to work with books all day long, and as an author, Erin uses her active imagination to write the kinds of books she loves to read. Young Adult and New Adult books are her favorites, but she especially fangirls over a sigh-worthy romance.
She lives in Central New York with her very understanding husband, a stepson, and doggie BFF, Maxie. Preferring to spend her time indoors reading or writing, she'll only willingly go outside for chocolate and sunshine--in that order.
Erin is the author of HOW WE LIVED and LAST WISH, contemporary NA novels, and the YA contemporary romance titles, FINDING MR. DARCY: HIGH SCHOOL EDITION and FALLING FOR SHAKESPEARE. Find out more about her at www.erinbutlerbooks.com or @ErinButler on Twitter! You can also sign up for her newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bylfx9
She lives in Central New York with her very understanding husband, a stepson, and doggie BFF, Maxie. Preferring to spend her time indoors reading or writing, she'll only willingly go outside for chocolate and sunshine--in that order.
Erin is the author of HOW WE LIVED and LAST WISH, contemporary NA novels, and the YA contemporary romance titles, FINDING MR. DARCY: HIGH SCHOOL EDITION and FALLING FOR SHAKESPEARE. Find out more about her at www.erinbutlerbooks.com or @ErinButler on Twitter! You can also sign up for her newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/bylfx9
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
January 3, 2016
Too cute for words.
I really enjoyed reading this book.The characters are lovely,the story is very interesting and captivating and the writing is excellent!Both Abby and Nathan are extremely wonderful and relatable and the chemistry between them is…explosive.In a good way,of course.I couldn’t wait to find out what will happen next so,yeah,I’ve read it in one sitting.That’s how much I enjoyed it!There’s a lot of adorable romance,a bit of drama and a charming ending that will melt your heart.
Overall,a really wonderful story.
You can read this review on BookishFever.
*E-copy provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.*
I really enjoyed reading this book.The characters are lovely,the story is very interesting and captivating and the writing is excellent!Both Abby and Nathan are extremely wonderful and relatable and the chemistry between them is…explosive.In a good way,of course.I couldn’t wait to find out what will happen next so,yeah,I’ve read it in one sitting.That’s how much I enjoyed it!There’s a lot of adorable romance,a bit of drama and a charming ending that will melt your heart.
Overall,a really wonderful story.
You can read this review on BookishFever.
*E-copy provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley.*
October 24, 2015
This is an easy read and is full of good feelings. For those of you who are into darker romances this isn’t for you unless you want to try something a little different like I did. I usually read heavier romances but I have to tell you it was a nice change. It reminded me of innocence again but still kept with the rock romance theme with a band that reminded me of One Direction and yes, I do like them along with my usual hard rock music.
Nathan was the youngest in this boy band and since the other guys now had girlfriends their manager thought it was necessary than Nathan stayed unattached and make it look like he was available for fans. This manager also thought it would be a great idea for Nathan to date a TV star so that his band could possibly pull in any fans of hers. Nathan’s band, Seconds to Juliet, was everything to Nathan and he didn’t want to let his bandmates down so he went along with the manager’s idea.
Abby was finally getting her chance to make it to the big times and all she had to do was try out for the available opening act for Seconds to Juliet. She was practicing one night near the waterfront and had a chance meeting with Nathan whom she recognized immediately since she was a total fan of the band. The part that Nathan liked about her, besides her singing voice, was she didn’t go all fangirl on him. They really connected and he was giving her pointers for her audition the next day. The problem was that he didn’t think this through to well because he really liked Abby and the manager had a stipulation that the members of Seconds to Juliet could not date anyone connected with the tour in anyway.
As I mentioned before the innocence was really heartwarming and it still let you see what it was like for two sixteen year olds who were falling for each other. So did all of their sneaking around pay off or would Abby get fired for fraternizing with Nathan? To what extent was either of them willing to go to in order to keep their dream of performing the music that they each loved alive? I am really happy that I gave this book a shot because it definitely paid off for me...loved it.
This book was provided as an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
Nathan was the youngest in this boy band and since the other guys now had girlfriends their manager thought it was necessary than Nathan stayed unattached and make it look like he was available for fans. This manager also thought it would be a great idea for Nathan to date a TV star so that his band could possibly pull in any fans of hers. Nathan’s band, Seconds to Juliet, was everything to Nathan and he didn’t want to let his bandmates down so he went along with the manager’s idea.
Abby was finally getting her chance to make it to the big times and all she had to do was try out for the available opening act for Seconds to Juliet. She was practicing one night near the waterfront and had a chance meeting with Nathan whom she recognized immediately since she was a total fan of the band. The part that Nathan liked about her, besides her singing voice, was she didn’t go all fangirl on him. They really connected and he was giving her pointers for her audition the next day. The problem was that he didn’t think this through to well because he really liked Abby and the manager had a stipulation that the members of Seconds to Juliet could not date anyone connected with the tour in anyway.
As I mentioned before the innocence was really heartwarming and it still let you see what it was like for two sixteen year olds who were falling for each other. So did all of their sneaking around pay off or would Abby get fired for fraternizing with Nathan? To what extent was either of them willing to go to in order to keep their dream of performing the music that they each loved alive? I am really happy that I gave this book a shot because it definitely paid off for me...loved it.
This book was provided as an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
November 11, 2015
This is the fifth book in the series - and I've read, enjoyed and reviewed them all! Having said that, I don't think you need to have read the others to enjoy this one, but they're all great so why miss out on the others?
The Seconds toJuliet boy band are on tour and are about to audition for a new opening act. Youngest band member Nathan Strong is sixteen years old and coming under pressure from their manager who is endeavouring to change Nathan's image from the cute youngest one to their new heartthrob even though this isn't a role that he finds easy. When he meet Abby Curtis they are instantly attracted and that's before she auditions and becomes their new opening act! With rules banning them from fraternising life is about to get very difficult for the two of them. With threats of breaking up the band and firing Abby, Nathan is torn - he doesn't want to jeopardise anyone's career bur really wishes they could give their young love a chance . . . .
This is another tale of LJ threatening a band member, separating them to manipulate and, in effect, blackmail them into adhering to his commands. You have to really feel for any young people achieving their dream of stardom but having to put up with all the shenanigans of the very people who should actually be supporting and helping them. The characters are robust, well rounded and, in most cases, endearing. The story has a relatively straightforward but credible plot with enough twists in it to keep the reader interested. It is well written giving further insights into backstage life for young people in similar situations.
A great finale to the series which I have no hesitation in recommending to anyone who'd like to explore behind the scenes life for a boy band as well as escape into a well written romance.
The Seconds toJuliet boy band are on tour and are about to audition for a new opening act. Youngest band member Nathan Strong is sixteen years old and coming under pressure from their manager who is endeavouring to change Nathan's image from the cute youngest one to their new heartthrob even though this isn't a role that he finds easy. When he meet Abby Curtis they are instantly attracted and that's before she auditions and becomes their new opening act! With rules banning them from fraternising life is about to get very difficult for the two of them. With threats of breaking up the band and firing Abby, Nathan is torn - he doesn't want to jeopardise anyone's career bur really wishes they could give their young love a chance . . . .
This is another tale of LJ threatening a band member, separating them to manipulate and, in effect, blackmail them into adhering to his commands. You have to really feel for any young people achieving their dream of stardom but having to put up with all the shenanigans of the very people who should actually be supporting and helping them. The characters are robust, well rounded and, in most cases, endearing. The story has a relatively straightforward but credible plot with enough twists in it to keep the reader interested. It is well written giving further insights into backstage life for young people in similar situations.
A great finale to the series which I have no hesitation in recommending to anyone who'd like to explore behind the scenes life for a boy band as well as escape into a well written romance.
October 27, 2015
Wow. Finally, we get Nathan’s story! I knew he was going to be Abby’s love interest when we see him kinda fangirling over her in the previous book. But this was much more fun than expected!
If you don’t know, this series is about a boy band called Seconds To Juliet. Each boy has his own story as a whole book written by different authors. Thats is what fascinated me from the beginning. And this is the last book, focusing on Nathan Strong, the band’s “baby”. The youngest of them all.
I myself am not exactly a ‘boy band’ kind of girl, but this series and these five guys are just so endearing to me. It really snuck up on me. In this book, we start of with the relationship pretty early on. I loved that. Each book has its own type of romance and this one really went for the whole ‘cute and adorable attraction at first sight’ thing. I cannot emphasize how cute this book was. The way they interact, smile at each other and the things they say are just bursting with kawaiiness.
Also, this book is so much more musical! Both our characters are singers and to see how much work it takes to set up just one concert, and the number of people are involved is…crazy. Interviews, PR meetings, rehearsals, behind-the-scenes-showbiz. Wow. We see both the amazing and the not-so-amazing sides to this scene in the book.
Now, getting to Nathan and Abby. Its the situation where both the characters are shy and sweet and a little awkward. So cute! And yes, we do have the clichéd scenario of ‘She wants me for who I am and not my fame’…so…just saying. Lol. I have a feeling that if you are a dude, you wouldn’t enjoy this story much.
I had so much fun with these characters and it was great knowing much more about the whole, famous-teenage-musicians situation. I recommend this book/series to EVERYONE! (Especially boy band lovers). Also, I will definitely be checking out Erin Butler’s other books right now!
If you don’t know, this series is about a boy band called Seconds To Juliet. Each boy has his own story as a whole book written by different authors. Thats is what fascinated me from the beginning. And this is the last book, focusing on Nathan Strong, the band’s “baby”. The youngest of them all.
I myself am not exactly a ‘boy band’ kind of girl, but this series and these five guys are just so endearing to me. It really snuck up on me. In this book, we start of with the relationship pretty early on. I loved that. Each book has its own type of romance and this one really went for the whole ‘cute and adorable attraction at first sight’ thing. I cannot emphasize how cute this book was. The way they interact, smile at each other and the things they say are just bursting with kawaiiness.
Also, this book is so much more musical! Both our characters are singers and to see how much work it takes to set up just one concert, and the number of people are involved is…crazy. Interviews, PR meetings, rehearsals, behind-the-scenes-showbiz. Wow. We see both the amazing and the not-so-amazing sides to this scene in the book.
Now, getting to Nathan and Abby. Its the situation where both the characters are shy and sweet and a little awkward. So cute! And yes, we do have the clichéd scenario of ‘She wants me for who I am and not my fame’…so…just saying. Lol. I have a feeling that if you are a dude, you wouldn’t enjoy this story much.
I had so much fun with these characters and it was great knowing much more about the whole, famous-teenage-musicians situation. I recommend this book/series to EVERYONE! (Especially boy band lovers). Also, I will definitely be checking out Erin Butler’s other books right now!
June 2, 2019
This is a series that I have read Books 2-4 previously and each one features a different boy band member and their quest for love and finding their perfect girlfriend and a HEA for now as they are only teens to early adults and being musicians you can't expect them to settle at this young age straightaway. A different author also writes each book. Book #5 Abby and the Cute One is written by Erin Butler and features the youngest member of the band, Nathan, he is also the only one not attached and has been given strict orders to act carefree and have no serious romantic entanglements as if he does then the band's ratings go down and it's bye, bye as NSYNC sings. While out one night, Nathan is cooling off and comes across a young female on his walk. She is carefree, happy, and reminds him of home and more joyful time. He also finds himself chatting to her more freely, and for the first time in a long time, he can be himself ultimately with no walls up. Abby is in town to audition for the opening act of a new concert which Nathan's band is headlining. When she turns up to the audition, Nathan is sick as he's stuck between two worlds as he wants her but knows if she comes on the tour, he can't date her. This book follows the Yes/No and secret relationship between Nathan and Abby, and I did like this story but at times wanted to shake Nathan and be like, let the others know they can help you as it doesn't matter what the manager says, he wouldn't have a job if it weren't for you guys. I am now looking forward to going back and reading Book #1 so that I can complete the Backstage Pass Series.
November 17, 2015
“I chose you. And I’ll continue to choose you if you let me.”
-- review will be up on November 16th! :)
=== REVIEW ===
Before anything else, thank you for giving me a chance to be part of the tour and I am able to review this wonderful book. I haven't read the other books yer I believe this is a series type of book? But this one is my first ever Erin Butler book that I've read. With so much honesty, I felt a bored in the first parts of the book, I suddenly felt like it was just the same story I've read before but as I continue reading, as I continue turning the digital page of this ebook, more and more I discover that I'm loving it. I am enjoying the book so much that I didn’t notice I reached 70% and so on. I end up finishing it in less than 24hrs. LOL
What makes the book interesting is that it involves a boyband and a lucky fan. -- A-M-A-Z-I-N-G I do hope I'm the lucky woman fan for the 5 Seconds of Summer! -- enough of my fangirling moment!!! Let's go back to the Seconds to Juliet band, specially NATHAN. He's charming, sweet and awesome kind of guy. I think if he really is real, I'm one of his fans. He met Abby accidentally and since then he didn't look at the other girl anymore which is really awesome. ABBY is the kind of girl who's willing to risk things just to get what she wants. I think it is a girl power. I like Abby!!! She likes Taylor Swift and purple! -- I guess we're alike? -- okay enough. Nathan and Abby for me are perfect match, I like how the author wrote the story between them, I believe Abby's dream is every fangirl's dream.
"I chose you. And I'll continue to choose you if you let me."
Confession… when I was reading the book, I too was fangirling. Eeeepppp they're just two lovely couple!!! Despite of everything happened between them they tried their best to be together and even though things get rough, for the sake of everyone's career they gave way. For me it was awesome, they're meant to be together!
What more can I say? entertaining, adorable and breathtaking kind of book. I recommend this to my blog readers who loves music and band. And readers who love swoony type of books! This one is really perfect. I'm looking forward to reading more books from Erin Butler! She's an amazing author!
"Love was like a drug"
-- review will be up on November 16th! :)
=== REVIEW ===
Before anything else, thank you for giving me a chance to be part of the tour and I am able to review this wonderful book. I haven't read the other books yer I believe this is a series type of book? But this one is my first ever Erin Butler book that I've read. With so much honesty, I felt a bored in the first parts of the book, I suddenly felt like it was just the same story I've read before but as I continue reading, as I continue turning the digital page of this ebook, more and more I discover that I'm loving it. I am enjoying the book so much that I didn’t notice I reached 70% and so on. I end up finishing it in less than 24hrs. LOL
What makes the book interesting is that it involves a boyband and a lucky fan. -- A-M-A-Z-I-N-G I do hope I'm the lucky woman fan for the 5 Seconds of Summer! -- enough of my fangirling moment!!! Let's go back to the Seconds to Juliet band, specially NATHAN. He's charming, sweet and awesome kind of guy. I think if he really is real, I'm one of his fans. He met Abby accidentally and since then he didn't look at the other girl anymore which is really awesome. ABBY is the kind of girl who's willing to risk things just to get what she wants. I think it is a girl power. I like Abby!!! She likes Taylor Swift and purple! -- I guess we're alike? -- okay enough. Nathan and Abby for me are perfect match, I like how the author wrote the story between them, I believe Abby's dream is every fangirl's dream.
"I chose you. And I'll continue to choose you if you let me."
Confession… when I was reading the book, I too was fangirling. Eeeepppp they're just two lovely couple!!! Despite of everything happened between them they tried their best to be together and even though things get rough, for the sake of everyone's career they gave way. For me it was awesome, they're meant to be together!
What more can I say? entertaining, adorable and breathtaking kind of book. I recommend this to my blog readers who loves music and band. And readers who love swoony type of books! This one is really perfect. I'm looking forward to reading more books from Erin Butler! She's an amazing author!
"Love was like a drug"
November 16, 2015
This is the fifth book in the Backstage pass series, but can be enjoyed as a standalone.
Nathan Strong is the new IT boy of Seconds To Juliet, and he’s not happy about it. All his bandmates have real relationships, with girls they love, and he’s on a blind date every week with some starlet he doesn’t know and who doesn’t want to know him. It’s lonely on the road, and he’s feeling down about it when he meets Abby Curtis. It’s a sweet meet-cute and they’re getting along well before he realizes that she’s auditioning to be an opening act on S2J’s tour. Crap!
Abby’s so taken by Nathan, not that she didn’t already have some fangirling attraction, and so crushed when he disses her after she nails the audition and gets signed to tour with S2J. Well, that is until S2J’s manager lays it all out: if she has any romantic contact with any of the band, including Nathan, she’ll be fired.
That said, she and Nathan really can’t stay away from each other. And, that’s rough when Nathan’s being set up for a public romance/heartbreak scenario with a popular teen actress, Marissa. This is a sweet/bittersweet story abut going after one’s dreams, even when they are in conflict. I liked both Nathan and Abby from the start, and sympathized with their plight. They are kindred spirits, and wanting both love and success in their lives. The obstacles in their way seem too high to climb, but Nathan’s friends are there when he needs them.
Expect sneaking around, forbidden kisses, and a grand gesture of epic proportions. It’s an HEA all the way. This is a clean romance, with no foul language, suggestiveness, and only a few heated kisses that never go farther. Suitable for all YA readers.
Nathan Strong is the new IT boy of Seconds To Juliet, and he’s not happy about it. All his bandmates have real relationships, with girls they love, and he’s on a blind date every week with some starlet he doesn’t know and who doesn’t want to know him. It’s lonely on the road, and he’s feeling down about it when he meets Abby Curtis. It’s a sweet meet-cute and they’re getting along well before he realizes that she’s auditioning to be an opening act on S2J’s tour. Crap!
Abby’s so taken by Nathan, not that she didn’t already have some fangirling attraction, and so crushed when he disses her after she nails the audition and gets signed to tour with S2J. Well, that is until S2J’s manager lays it all out: if she has any romantic contact with any of the band, including Nathan, she’ll be fired.
That said, she and Nathan really can’t stay away from each other. And, that’s rough when Nathan’s being set up for a public romance/heartbreak scenario with a popular teen actress, Marissa. This is a sweet/bittersweet story abut going after one’s dreams, even when they are in conflict. I liked both Nathan and Abby from the start, and sympathized with their plight. They are kindred spirits, and wanting both love and success in their lives. The obstacles in their way seem too high to climb, but Nathan’s friends are there when he needs them.
Expect sneaking around, forbidden kisses, and a grand gesture of epic proportions. It’s an HEA all the way. This is a clean romance, with no foul language, suggestiveness, and only a few heated kisses that never go farther. Suitable for all YA readers.
April 5, 2016
**I was provided this book by Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinions.**
Abby and the Cute One is about Abby Curtis and Seconds to Juliet member, Nathan Strong. Abby is an aspiring singer/song-writer and she is auditioning for a spot on Seconds to Juliet’s tour. Little does Nathan Strong know when he finds her singing one night alone. They spend a special night talking about music and the audition, the next day.
Nathan and Abby face obstacles throughout this story as well as fall for each other. They are to keep their relationship secretive because of the rules Nathan’s manager has set for him he can’t date the opening act(s). He is forced to “fake” date a famous girl.
Abby struggles with her emotions; missing her mom on tour, being lonely, and trying to figure out Nathan.
Overall, this was a very cute story and I enjoyed the characters! The ending was bittersweet and put a smile on my face. If you’re a fan of boy-band romance you should give this a read! The only flaw I had (to not rate it 5 stars) was my own doing, I wasn’t too sure about the band and characters b/c I hadn’t read the others. I was just confused sometimes. I am definitely going to check out the rest of the series when I can!
Abby and the Cute One is about Abby Curtis and Seconds to Juliet member, Nathan Strong. Abby is an aspiring singer/song-writer and she is auditioning for a spot on Seconds to Juliet’s tour. Little does Nathan Strong know when he finds her singing one night alone. They spend a special night talking about music and the audition, the next day.
Nathan and Abby face obstacles throughout this story as well as fall for each other. They are to keep their relationship secretive because of the rules Nathan’s manager has set for him he can’t date the opening act(s). He is forced to “fake” date a famous girl.
Abby struggles with her emotions; missing her mom on tour, being lonely, and trying to figure out Nathan.
Overall, this was a very cute story and I enjoyed the characters! The ending was bittersweet and put a smile on my face. If you’re a fan of boy-band romance you should give this a read! The only flaw I had (to not rate it 5 stars) was my own doing, I wasn’t too sure about the band and characters b/c I hadn’t read the others. I was just confused sometimes. I am definitely going to check out the rest of the series when I can!
November 23, 2015
This is the last leg of the journey on Second to Juliet’s American Tour (does that give us hope for more?). Unfortunately, I think this is the last happy ending that we might get, but not without a little tension along the way. Abby and the Cute One is a wonderful conclusion that will leave your heart pumping with excitement—you’ll be wishing to be on tour!
Plus, Abby's a huge fan of The Vampire Diaries, so that's reason enough to want to read this book.
You don't have to read them in order and can fall in love with the rest of the band in whichever way you please.
For the rest of the review, simply follow the link: http://www.aleisuremoment.com/2015/11...
November 23, 2015
Oh, how do I say goodbye...
The boys of Seconds to Juliet end on a Cute and very enjoyable note. 4.5 Stars!
Abby's spunk and determination to do what was right for her personal and professional life made me cheer for her right off. I want to hear her stories too, I'm sure they make spectacular songs. Nathan, as the baby of the group, had some growing pains to sort through, but with his heart in the right place and the insta-spark he shared with Abby made me a fan. I would've like to have seen the 'ultimate' confrontation but keeping the romance and the HEA upfront gave this series the happy ending these couples deserved.
Thanks to Netgalley and Entangled for the opportunity to read this ARC.
The boys of Seconds to Juliet end on a Cute and very enjoyable note. 4.5 Stars!
Abby's spunk and determination to do what was right for her personal and professional life made me cheer for her right off. I want to hear her stories too, I'm sure they make spectacular songs. Nathan, as the baby of the group, had some growing pains to sort through, but with his heart in the right place and the insta-spark he shared with Abby made me a fan. I would've like to have seen the 'ultimate' confrontation but keeping the romance and the HEA upfront gave this series the happy ending these couples deserved.
Thanks to Netgalley and Entangled for the opportunity to read this ARC.
November 16, 2015
**ARC provided by Entangled Teen in exchange for an honest review.**
Well, this final book to the Backstage pass series was just as adorable as I expected it to be!
One of the things I liked is that situations with LJ, the manager, were taken care of. That guy annoyed and pissed me off. So I was happy with the way he was dealt with.
Nathan wasn't my favorite guy, because that is still Ryder (I like the bad boy!) and it kind of annoyed me how he was so back and forth, wishy washy about things. Abby was adorable, and I think the story overall was really cute!
This was a good end to a series I initially never would have picked up on my own! I will say it again, if you like One Direction or other boy bands at all, this series is for you!
Well, this final book to the Backstage pass series was just as adorable as I expected it to be!
One of the things I liked is that situations with LJ, the manager, were taken care of. That guy annoyed and pissed me off. So I was happy with the way he was dealt with.
Nathan wasn't my favorite guy, because that is still Ryder (I like the bad boy!) and it kind of annoyed me how he was so back and forth, wishy washy about things. Abby was adorable, and I think the story overall was really cute!
This was a good end to a series I initially never would have picked up on my own! I will say it again, if you like One Direction or other boy bands at all, this series is for you!
October 24, 2015
Abby and the Cute One is the final book in the Backstage Pass series and it doesn't disappoint. Nathan is the youngest member of Seconds to Juliet and the last single member. Management is banking on using his single status as bait to attract fans. They set up fake dates with young starlets and expect Nathan to play along. He's OK with the plan until he meets Abby and is smitten. Then Abby becomes the opening act for Seconds to Juliet and Nathan starts having a very hard time playing the good boy for the sake of the band. This series was a fun read. The stories were sweet, age appropriate and fangirl driven. They should be eaten up by followers of any boy band.
November 24, 2015
4.5 stars
Abby and the Cute One was a perfect way to bring the Backstage Pass series to a close.
Loved the book, it was sweet, fun and adorable.
I highly recommend this series, it's been such a great read.
I really enjoyed Erin Butler's writing and I'm excited to read more from her in the near future.
Thank you Entangled Crush via NetGalley for the advance copy.
Abby and the Cute One was a perfect way to bring the Backstage Pass series to a close.
Loved the book, it was sweet, fun and adorable.
I highly recommend this series, it's been such a great read.
I really enjoyed Erin Butler's writing and I'm excited to read more from her in the near future.
Thank you Entangled Crush via NetGalley for the advance copy.
May 24, 2016
Choo cute. <3
October 31, 2018
3.5 Stars
cute ending to a fun series.
:)
cute ending to a fun series.
:)
November 24, 2015
At A Glance
What a lovely end to the series.
The Good
The Backstage Pass series has been a guilty pleasure of mine for some time. There is nothing super special about it but there is something there that keeps me coming back for more. It's endearing, it's silly, it's fun. Abby and the Cute One was no different. I easily fell for the characters as they fell for each other.
Abby was so down to earth and sweet. She's how you hope your favorite pop stars are like in real life. Her passion for music is authentic and exciting. You get excited with her as she experiences all the firsts of being a famous teenage singer.
Nathan never stood out to me amongst the other boys in the group, but he was pretty awesome in this book. He doesn't always make the right decisions but his heart is pure. He wants a real girl and he finds his dreams come true when Abby walks into his life. If only she wasn't off limits.
I felt so bad for Abby and Nathan as they struggled with holding their feelings back for the sake of their careers. These two worked well together. It's impossible not to root for them to get together.
The ending was very satisfying in that something happened that I have been waiting for since book 1. Who doesn't love some long awaited justice?
The Bad
I loved how it ended, but I still had some questions that didn't get answered. Not too big of a deal, but it was something that was missing that would have made the book feel more wrapped up.
The Snuggly
No sex but some cute flirting and hot kissing for sure. Very YA appropriate.
Final Thoughts
I am so sad to see this series end, but it ended right. All the guys got their dream girls and their musical career is getting bigger and better. I would highly recommend this series and book.
Quotes
“Abby went still. She couldn’t even scream her head off like the rest of the crowd. All she saw was abs. Wet, glistening abs.
Life made.”
“Everything she said sounded so familiar, as if Nathan had said or thought the exact same thing many times before but had never been able to vocalize it in that way. “I get it. You just want to share your little piece of the world with everybody.”
She beamed. “Exactly.”
Giveaway
What a lovely end to the series.
The Good
The Backstage Pass series has been a guilty pleasure of mine for some time. There is nothing super special about it but there is something there that keeps me coming back for more. It's endearing, it's silly, it's fun. Abby and the Cute One was no different. I easily fell for the characters as they fell for each other.
Abby was so down to earth and sweet. She's how you hope your favorite pop stars are like in real life. Her passion for music is authentic and exciting. You get excited with her as she experiences all the firsts of being a famous teenage singer.
Nathan never stood out to me amongst the other boys in the group, but he was pretty awesome in this book. He doesn't always make the right decisions but his heart is pure. He wants a real girl and he finds his dreams come true when Abby walks into his life. If only she wasn't off limits.
I felt so bad for Abby and Nathan as they struggled with holding their feelings back for the sake of their careers. These two worked well together. It's impossible not to root for them to get together.
The ending was very satisfying in that something happened that I have been waiting for since book 1. Who doesn't love some long awaited justice?
The Bad
I loved how it ended, but I still had some questions that didn't get answered. Not too big of a deal, but it was something that was missing that would have made the book feel more wrapped up.
The Snuggly
No sex but some cute flirting and hot kissing for sure. Very YA appropriate.
Final Thoughts
I am so sad to see this series end, but it ended right. All the guys got their dream girls and their musical career is getting bigger and better. I would highly recommend this series and book.
Quotes
“Abby went still. She couldn’t even scream her head off like the rest of the crowd. All she saw was abs. Wet, glistening abs.
Life made.”
“Everything she said sounded so familiar, as if Nathan had said or thought the exact same thing many times before but had never been able to vocalize it in that way. “I get it. You just want to share your little piece of the world with everybody.”
She beamed. “Exactly.”
Giveaway
This is a tour wide giveaway.
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This review was originally posted on Bad Bird Reads
November 16, 2015
Read the full review on Bookaholics Not-So-Anonymous.
Note: This ARC was provided by Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
I can't quite wrap my head around the fact that after over seven months since the Backstage Pass series was launched, we've now come to the end of Seconds to Juliet and the girls who have changed the lives of the five members with the release of Abby and the Cute One, the story of Nathan Strong and Abby Curtis penned by author Erin Butler. I've enjoyed all five books, and here I am again, feeling torn about another series coming to an end. The fact that the series, however, has ended on such a high note (pun intended and something that Nathan seems to be the most capable one in the group of doing), with a love story that's sweet and so swoon-worthy that I lost count of all the grins and giggles that escaped while I read it.
Nathan and Abby's romance got the cutest of introductions in the fourth book, with Nathan watching Abby's YouTube video of her singing S2J's biggest hit, "The One". That innocent but romantic first face-to-face meeting they had at the pier set up the rest of their love story to be one that would perfectly bring the series to a close. How difficult must it have been to try and pretend that you have no feelings whatsoever for someone that's constantly there! Nathan and Abby were both young but they knew what they wanted professionally and personally, and it seemed as if they couldn't have both, not with the constant interference coming from the band's meddlesome, evil dictator slash manager, Lester "LJ" Pearl.
Speaking of LJ, after reading about how this man manipulated the members of Seconds to Juliet, I've been itching for him to go the way of the real individual who I suspect inspired the character. But LJ aside, all five members of S2J, plus Matt Fray, had other issues to overcome and the journey to getting to each of their happily-ever-afters has been one fun and fab ride. All five books tap into that part of every fangirl whose dreamed of their favorite boy band member noticing and falling for them. The Backstage Pass books, which get an overall average rating of five stars, proved that I am, at heart, forever a hopeless boy band fangirl. Abby and the Cute One is the perfect end to a wonderfully whimsical series. Five-plus stars. ♥
Note: This ARC was provided by Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
I can't quite wrap my head around the fact that after over seven months since the Backstage Pass series was launched, we've now come to the end of Seconds to Juliet and the girls who have changed the lives of the five members with the release of Abby and the Cute One, the story of Nathan Strong and Abby Curtis penned by author Erin Butler. I've enjoyed all five books, and here I am again, feeling torn about another series coming to an end. The fact that the series, however, has ended on such a high note (pun intended and something that Nathan seems to be the most capable one in the group of doing), with a love story that's sweet and so swoon-worthy that I lost count of all the grins and giggles that escaped while I read it.
Nathan and Abby's romance got the cutest of introductions in the fourth book, with Nathan watching Abby's YouTube video of her singing S2J's biggest hit, "The One". That innocent but romantic first face-to-face meeting they had at the pier set up the rest of their love story to be one that would perfectly bring the series to a close. How difficult must it have been to try and pretend that you have no feelings whatsoever for someone that's constantly there! Nathan and Abby were both young but they knew what they wanted professionally and personally, and it seemed as if they couldn't have both, not with the constant interference coming from the band's meddlesome, evil dictator slash manager, Lester "LJ" Pearl.
Speaking of LJ, after reading about how this man manipulated the members of Seconds to Juliet, I've been itching for him to go the way of the real individual who I suspect inspired the character. But LJ aside, all five members of S2J, plus Matt Fray, had other issues to overcome and the journey to getting to each of their happily-ever-afters has been one fun and fab ride. All five books tap into that part of every fangirl whose dreamed of their favorite boy band member noticing and falling for them. The Backstage Pass books, which get an overall average rating of five stars, proved that I am, at heart, forever a hopeless boy band fangirl. Abby and the Cute One is the perfect end to a wonderfully whimsical series. Five-plus stars. ♥
October 24, 2015
This review was first published on Life and Other Disasters!
I was provided with an eArc from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
First off, I should probably mention that Abby and the Cute One is Book 5 in the Backstage Pass Series and that I have not read any of the other books. However, it’s not rocket science and I easily understood the premise and that the previous books were about the other band members of Seconds to Juliet. But on to the actual book review now!
Abby and the Cute One was an extremely fast but super sweet read. While Nathan and Abby definitely have a bad case of insta-love, their undeniable attraction makes sense. They do have a lot in common and that’s what makes their relationship believable. Also, forbidden love is just always thrilling! I often wanted even more secret conversations and the possibility of them getting caught. They were so cute but also reckless most of the time, no wonder the press thought that something was going on. But I also felt sorry for Nathan and the heavy weight that was put on his shoulders. I kept wondering why he didn’t just talk to the other guys, because that would have made everything a lot easier, but then again, maybe guys just don’t talk about that sort of stuff? Is that me stereotyping guys? Probably … I guess in the end it was just Nathan and his sense of duty for the band and not wanting to burden them.
Speaking of the band! Seconds to Juliet (often just abbreviated as S2J) is one of the coolest bookish bands out there! They very much have a One Direction or 5 Seconds of Summer vibe going on in my opinion and I am most definitely sure that fans of the bands would love S2J as well. Each member has their own role to play and I am curious to read about them in more detail in the other books. Because ultimately that’s what this book came down to – it’s the final part of a series, but I want more! More of the guys, more cute love stories and a backstage pass to the life of a cool boy band.
Fazit: 3.8/4 stars! It’s one of those really cutesy stories for all the romantics out there and if you are interested in boy bands, you should really check it out!
I was provided with an eArc from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
First off, I should probably mention that Abby and the Cute One is Book 5 in the Backstage Pass Series and that I have not read any of the other books. However, it’s not rocket science and I easily understood the premise and that the previous books were about the other band members of Seconds to Juliet. But on to the actual book review now!
Abby and the Cute One was an extremely fast but super sweet read. While Nathan and Abby definitely have a bad case of insta-love, their undeniable attraction makes sense. They do have a lot in common and that’s what makes their relationship believable. Also, forbidden love is just always thrilling! I often wanted even more secret conversations and the possibility of them getting caught. They were so cute but also reckless most of the time, no wonder the press thought that something was going on. But I also felt sorry for Nathan and the heavy weight that was put on his shoulders. I kept wondering why he didn’t just talk to the other guys, because that would have made everything a lot easier, but then again, maybe guys just don’t talk about that sort of stuff? Is that me stereotyping guys? Probably … I guess in the end it was just Nathan and his sense of duty for the band and not wanting to burden them.
Speaking of the band! Seconds to Juliet (often just abbreviated as S2J) is one of the coolest bookish bands out there! They very much have a One Direction or 5 Seconds of Summer vibe going on in my opinion and I am most definitely sure that fans of the bands would love S2J as well. Each member has their own role to play and I am curious to read about them in more detail in the other books. Because ultimately that’s what this book came down to – it’s the final part of a series, but I want more! More of the guys, more cute love stories and a backstage pass to the life of a cool boy band.
Fazit: 3.8/4 stars! It’s one of those really cutesy stories for all the romantics out there and if you are interested in boy bands, you should really check it out!
December 5, 2016
The final story is about the youngest band member, who is now also the only single one left, Nathan. their manager, LJ, is very insistent that he must remain single, although they want him to seem accessible to the fans, so they have him going on fake dates. One night after a fake date that Nathan can barely stand to get through, he convinces the bodyguard he's with, Beau, Daisy's dad, to let him go for a walk down by the river. There he meets one of the girls who is going to try out to be the opening act to replace the girls from before. Her name is Abby, she is young like Nathan, and when he hears her singing, he realizes he's seen her videos on YouTube, and he has been very impressed. They have a connection that first night. They even kiss. But soon Nathan realizes that if she gets the gig, they won't be able to continue where they seem to want to go, because LJ won't let any of them date any of the opening acts, not to mention he wants Nathan to follow his fake dating/relationship plan with an actress he'd been on dates with. Nathan and Abby have a lot of problems staying apart, and when word seems to get out about the two of them, LJ threatens to fire Abby and even possibly fire Nathan. Abby does great after she gets her feet under her as an opening act, and she doesn't know if she'll be able to have her cake and eat it too, have her chance at singing stardom, and the boy she is falling in love with.
This one was okay. Still a good story, but a little boring for me. And I don't understand why Nathan didn't come to the same conclusion as everyone at the end did, the conclusion that saved the whole story. But that's okay, it overall still worked. And hey, fans of the boy bands don't always like every guy in the band, right?
You can read my review of the full Backstage Pass series from the boxed set at Lisa Loves Literature
This one was okay. Still a good story, but a little boring for me. And I don't understand why Nathan didn't come to the same conclusion as everyone at the end did, the conclusion that saved the whole story. But that's okay, it overall still worked. And hey, fans of the boy bands don't always like every guy in the band, right?
You can read my review of the full Backstage Pass series from the boxed set at Lisa Loves Literature
December 30, 2016
This is another tale of LJ threatening a band member, separating them to manipulate and, in effect, blackmail them into adhering to his commands. And I felt a little disappointed that we did get to see his execution. I SAT THROUGH FIVE BOOKS FOR IT.
Any woo, the story has a relatively straightforward but credible plot with enough twists in it to keep the reader interested. It is well written giving further insights into backstage life for young people in similar situations. This story was bit dull compared to the others. I didn’t really feel like there was a climax or blow out. There was sneaking around, forbidden kisses, and a grand gesture of epic proportions. Same as the last four books.
HOWEVER!! She didn’t run! Abby stuck it out. And I admire that. Abby wanted to split but she stood. FINALLY a lead female stood.
Every bit of this book is cute fluffy material. There were things that I wasn't overly excited about, but other than that… perfect for Christmas. This story was quick to getting started and I loved that. What makes the book interesting is that it involves a boyband and a lucky fan. Nathan, aside from Ryder, is probably my favorite member of the band. He's charming, sweet and awesome kind of guy. He met Abby accidentally and that moment was pure… imperfect perfection.
Abby. I loved her character and she felt so real. I loved that about her. I could easily connect with her. She was famous in her own way, being famous on YouTube, but she didn't act all pompous. She was just herself and I found that to be so wonderful. You didn't see her act like she was better than anyone. She was so easy-going and I just really loved her.
I will say it again, if you like One Direction or other boy bands at all, this series is for you!
Any woo, the story has a relatively straightforward but credible plot with enough twists in it to keep the reader interested. It is well written giving further insights into backstage life for young people in similar situations. This story was bit dull compared to the others. I didn’t really feel like there was a climax or blow out. There was sneaking around, forbidden kisses, and a grand gesture of epic proportions. Same as the last four books.
HOWEVER!! She didn’t run! Abby stuck it out. And I admire that. Abby wanted to split but she stood. FINALLY a lead female stood.
Every bit of this book is cute fluffy material. There were things that I wasn't overly excited about, but other than that… perfect for Christmas. This story was quick to getting started and I loved that. What makes the book interesting is that it involves a boyband and a lucky fan. Nathan, aside from Ryder, is probably my favorite member of the band. He's charming, sweet and awesome kind of guy. He met Abby accidentally and that moment was pure… imperfect perfection.
Abby. I loved her character and she felt so real. I loved that about her. I could easily connect with her. She was famous in her own way, being famous on YouTube, but she didn't act all pompous. She was just herself and I found that to be so wonderful. You didn't see her act like she was better than anyone. She was so easy-going and I just really loved her.
I will say it again, if you like One Direction or other boy bands at all, this series is for you!
November 15, 2015
I have enjoyed the previous books in this series, so I was extremely excited to read this book. I was so happy that this book lived up to my high expectations.
I really liked all of the characters in this book. Each person was so unique and lovable in their own way. I felt like I could connect to each person in a different way. I was also very impressed with the writing. I thought Erin did a great job!
The romance felt a tad like insta-love, but it worked for this story. It really didn't bother me very much. Abby and Nathan were simply adorable together. They made me feel so mushy and happy on the inside. The chemistry between Abby and Nathan was also off the charts!
I finished this book in one sitting, and it left me wanting more. The adorable romance and sweet characters in this book put me in such a good mood. Some of the drama was a bit ridiculous, but it kept the story interesting.
Overall, I loved this story and I just want more! I want more of this band and more adorable romance! If you are looking for a cute YA romance to put a smile on your face, then this is the book for you.
4 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for a honest review.*
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
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I really liked all of the characters in this book. Each person was so unique and lovable in their own way. I felt like I could connect to each person in a different way. I was also very impressed with the writing. I thought Erin did a great job!
The romance felt a tad like insta-love, but it worked for this story. It really didn't bother me very much. Abby and Nathan were simply adorable together. They made me feel so mushy and happy on the inside. The chemistry between Abby and Nathan was also off the charts!
I finished this book in one sitting, and it left me wanting more. The adorable romance and sweet characters in this book put me in such a good mood. Some of the drama was a bit ridiculous, but it kept the story interesting.
Overall, I loved this story and I just want more! I want more of this band and more adorable romance! If you are looking for a cute YA romance to put a smile on your face, then this is the book for you.
4 / 5 Fangs
*This ebook was given to me in exchange for a honest review.*
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It
February 16, 2016
As you can probably tell from my previous reviews, I have absolutely adored the Backstage Pass series from Entangled Crush. Truthfully, I've loved it so much that I'm not at all prepared to let it go. I just think it was such a clever idea to have five different authors write this series revolved around a boy band, with each book focusing on another member's love story. The last book is from author Erin Butler and she tells the story of the final and youngest member of Seconds to Juliet. Nathan is the only single member left in the band, and he has a lot of pressure placed on him to keep up his cute boy image. I loved Nathan and Abby as individuals and I loved them even more as a couple. This was a beautiful love story and I'm so glad that I read this awesome and memorable series!
I recommend reading the other books in the series before you pick up this one. Yes, you don't absolutely have to, but I feel like you'll have more of an investment in these characters and their stories if you do. I was sad when I hit the last page, but I was completely satisfied with the ending and felt like Butler wrapped everything up in the best way she could.
Read full review on Go Read A Book
I recommend reading the other books in the series before you pick up this one. Yes, you don't absolutely have to, but I feel like you'll have more of an investment in these characters and their stories if you do. I was sad when I hit the last page, but I was completely satisfied with the ending and felt like Butler wrapped everything up in the best way she could.
Read full review on Go Read A Book
June 23, 2016
4-1/2 stars.
This review also appears on Swoony Boys Podcast.
This is my favorite of the series.
Abby is the opening act for Seconds to Juliet. When she shares a sweet, swoony moment with Nathan Strong from S2J, she's on cloud 9. Their budding romance is totally forbidden--Nathan's got to remain single to keep up the band's dwindling appeal. Will they be able to resist each other when everyone else wants to keep them apart?
This was the swooniest story of the entire Backstage Pass series.
I loved Nathan and Abby--together and separately. Nathan is so authentic and Abby is so sweet. The way their relationship evolved seemed very realistic. This book brought us back to the music, and I loved that aspect of it.
This was a fast read and so fun. I'm sorry that this series had to end, but I really loved this book and think Abby and the Cute One was the perfect ending.
This review also appears on Swoony Boys Podcast.
This is my favorite of the series.
Abby is the opening act for Seconds to Juliet. When she shares a sweet, swoony moment with Nathan Strong from S2J, she's on cloud 9. Their budding romance is totally forbidden--Nathan's got to remain single to keep up the band's dwindling appeal. Will they be able to resist each other when everyone else wants to keep them apart?
This was the swooniest story of the entire Backstage Pass series.
“I chose you. And I’ll continue to choose you if you let me.”
I loved Nathan and Abby--together and separately. Nathan is so authentic and Abby is so sweet. The way their relationship evolved seemed very realistic. This book brought us back to the music, and I loved that aspect of it.
“Baby…I’m a pop star. You don’t think I can make music?”
This was a fast read and so fun. I'm sorry that this series had to end, but I really loved this book and think Abby and the Cute One was the perfect ending.
November 19, 2015
ARC kindly provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
3 stars!
These boys, I love them all! Abby and the Cute One was another great add to the series and it still continues to amaze me how a whole series is written from different authors, so good and sweet.
Nathan and Abby’s story was so cute! Abby is auditioning for Seconds to Juliet opening act. The previous night she met Nathan and the both of them shared the cutest moment. But with LJ being a monster-manager and putting the weight of the band’s heartthrob and single on Nathan, he can’t date Abby.
I kind of had enough of the mean manager at this point, every book deals with him doing some kind of soap-operish dramatic stuff on the boys to keep them from dating and it never works, obviously, like it didn’t work now.
I loved this series and the S2J boys so much, I can’t recommend this enough if you’re looking for a light boy band read and swoony boys! (You know you want to!)
3 stars!
These boys, I love them all! Abby and the Cute One was another great add to the series and it still continues to amaze me how a whole series is written from different authors, so good and sweet.
Nathan and Abby’s story was so cute! Abby is auditioning for Seconds to Juliet opening act. The previous night she met Nathan and the both of them shared the cutest moment. But with LJ being a monster-manager and putting the weight of the band’s heartthrob and single on Nathan, he can’t date Abby.
I kind of had enough of the mean manager at this point, every book deals with him doing some kind of soap-operish dramatic stuff on the boys to keep them from dating and it never works, obviously, like it didn’t work now.
I loved this series and the S2J boys so much, I can’t recommend this enough if you’re looking for a light boy band read and swoony boys! (You know you want to!)
November 16, 2015
I was given an ecopy ARC in exchange for an honest review. Abby and the Cute was utterly adorable. I’ve only read one of the other books in the series (they can all be stand alone books, so no worries if you haven’t read the others) but this was definitely my favorite. It’s just so sweet. If you want a good chick flick of a book to read, this is a great one. They meet, they kiss, they end up working together, they fall, they’re kept apart, drama, rally, happy ending. You can help but sit there and grin as you read and think “this is so cute.” It’s a super fast read. I read it on my lunch break and finished it in just a little bit of time after work and before dinner. It’s a super fast read. And if you have ever fangirled over any band at anytime, this makes you feel all the feels. It was adorable and I definitely recommend it.
December 2, 2015
Excellent book to read in one sitting!
Such a fun, cute, lighthearted book, the perfect book to get you to get lost in the story of two teens falling in love for the first time.
Abby and Nathan are two sixteen year old pop stars, Nathan is part of a famous band and Abby is just getting started as their opening act in their tour. Needless to say from the moment they meet, there are sparks flying around all over the place, the connection is instantaneous and the both just can't stop it from unfolding, even if they both have other responsibilities first.
This is the first book I've read of this series, but they all sound amazing so I might give them a read as well.
Such a fun, cute, lighthearted book, the perfect book to get you to get lost in the story of two teens falling in love for the first time.
Abby and Nathan are two sixteen year old pop stars, Nathan is part of a famous band and Abby is just getting started as their opening act in their tour. Needless to say from the moment they meet, there are sparks flying around all over the place, the connection is instantaneous and the both just can't stop it from unfolding, even if they both have other responsibilities first.
This is the first book I've read of this series, but they all sound amazing so I might give them a read as well.
October 20, 2015
This was a really fun and easy read. Of course being a shameless One Direction fan is what drew me to the boy band love story
October 9, 2016
3.4 :)
January 11, 2016
I think by reading my other reviews for this series, I’m approaching this as someone who has been down that road of tween pop fandom long ago, and while I still enjoy it to an extent, I also tend to look at the next crop of prepackaged boy bands and think “Oh honey.” (And to be fair, people did that to me when I was fourteen, so again, I know what I’m talking about.) That said, aside from my outright dislike for Aimee and my “Wait, did no one mention this gaping plot hole” with Anya, I have liked most of this series. Yes, there’s ridiculous fan-fantasy elements that do read straight out of self-insert RPF fan fiction, but I liked that these characters generally had other stories and a larger life outside of this one summer tour.
In a lot of ways, Abby and the Cute One felt like a plot bookend to Aimee and the Heartthrob in that the only major stumbling block between Abby and Nathan’s relationship is Lester’s controlling expectations of who Nathan is supposed to be in context of the band, but they clearly like each other, and some manufactured drama along the way. But there’s a lot more here that I really enjoyed about Abby and Nathan’s relationship, and I felt that of all of these books, this actually dealt a lot more with the manufactured pop star image and how they’re expected to behave in front of the cameras and the fans.
It’s really not that hard to see how much is really ripped from the headlines here, with Lester pushing Nathan into becoming the “face” of the band as he’s the only who’s still technically single, even while in a manufactured relationship with an up-and-coming starlet. (With the justification of Nathan being “taken, but not too taken.”) And moreso with pushing Nathan to be more prominent than the other members, despite Nathan’s own personal objections to being the sole focus now just because his bandmates have girlfriends. I mean, you really can’t not read this and immediately think about what’s been going on with One Direction of late, or more on the nose, Justin Timberlake’s career trajectory starting in 2002.
Let’s talk Lester, which is the closest thing this series has to an outright villain. (I hesitate to call him an antagonist, because something of the things he’s done is ridiculously over the top.) I’ve said multiple times that he’s an incredibly thinly veiled reference to former 90s boy band guru/con man Lou Pearlman, with his near-control over the band’s personal lives and threatening them with kicking them out if they step out of line. (It’s actually mentioned in Anya that part of the reason Will’s so worried about letting Lester down because his contract stipulates that Lester is “one-sixth member of Seconds to Juliet” which entitles him to part of their earnings. This actually happened—‘N Sync actually brought Lou Pearlman to court over this in 2001 (I think?) and iirc that’s what lead to his eventual arrest. We’ll get back to this detail.) We also find out throughout the course of the book that S2J’s record company is implied to be run through a mafia scheme (or at least how Nathan interprets it when he goes to meet the big boss), which I think does explain why I’ve been saying so many of the plot points in the series are so laughably outdated and could never fly today. The central romance plot forces Abby and Nathan to keep seeing each other on the side while Nathan is stuck with starlet Marissa because Lester insists that being with Marissa will bring new fans to S2J. Even although we do see that no, the fans like Abby and Nathan together. (I know I made a reference to “Oh, Aimee, karma’s going to be a bitch when it comes to the fangirls,” but I do like that this covers sane fans who do like the couple together.) It really puts in the idea that Lester and the record company are entirely out of touch with how popular music and fandom works today, and are still stuck to the way how things used to be done.
And there’s a lot here to suggest that Abby is the better choice to go with in terms of boosting S2J’s fan numbers—she’s an upcomer who while she has her own style, made her mark by covering “The One” for her YouTube channel. To make another comparison to Aimee, this feels like this is something that could have been handled pretty badly as being “Okay what do the kids like these days?” but I liked that Abby has her own style and songs that she wants to write for herself, but is stuck in being the rut of being a YouTube cover girl. And I like the fact that she has to go through the media and show training (albeit last minute), and that it’s something she struggles with. I even like the fact that Abby has her own fans by the end of the book who are just as excited as her.
(Side note, I know that it’s incredibly common for opening acts to drop in and out throughout the course of a tour, but what happened to Mia? It’s mentioned in the epilogue for her book that she’s now the opening act alongside Cherry but after that she’s only mentioned once or twice throughout the rest of the series. And even Daisy—Trevor mentions that Daisy is still on tour because they keep trying to sneak away when Beau’s not looking. The only girlfriend we really see is Natasha because she actually has a job on the tour, and even then it’s nothing more than her and Will making out.
Also, by the way, I’m really mad that they went with the “Paige is a complete diva bitch” route with Anya. I really wanted more with her in these books.)
Despite the out of left field ending of the series, I’m glad that I did enjoy this series. And I did, despite my constant eye-rolling and laughing at the characters or the massive plot holes stemming from the fact that this takes place in the real world. Aside from the first book, I had a lot of fun with this series and I did get invested with the characters. It’s not the greatest teen romance series that I’ve read, but there’s a lot here that I did like and was able to shelve my suspension of disbelief. For the most part. (There’s really only so much that I can take sometimes.)
In a lot of ways, Abby and the Cute One felt like a plot bookend to Aimee and the Heartthrob in that the only major stumbling block between Abby and Nathan’s relationship is Lester’s controlling expectations of who Nathan is supposed to be in context of the band, but they clearly like each other, and some manufactured drama along the way. But there’s a lot more here that I really enjoyed about Abby and Nathan’s relationship, and I felt that of all of these books, this actually dealt a lot more with the manufactured pop star image and how they’re expected to behave in front of the cameras and the fans.
It’s really not that hard to see how much is really ripped from the headlines here, with Lester pushing Nathan into becoming the “face” of the band as he’s the only who’s still technically single, even while in a manufactured relationship with an up-and-coming starlet. (With the justification of Nathan being “taken, but not too taken.”) And moreso with pushing Nathan to be more prominent than the other members, despite Nathan’s own personal objections to being the sole focus now just because his bandmates have girlfriends. I mean, you really can’t not read this and immediately think about what’s been going on with One Direction of late, or more on the nose, Justin Timberlake’s career trajectory starting in 2002.
Let’s talk Lester, which is the closest thing this series has to an outright villain. (I hesitate to call him an antagonist, because something of the things he’s done is ridiculously over the top.) I’ve said multiple times that he’s an incredibly thinly veiled reference to former 90s boy band guru/con man Lou Pearlman, with his near-control over the band’s personal lives and threatening them with kicking them out if they step out of line. (It’s actually mentioned in Anya that part of the reason Will’s so worried about letting Lester down because his contract stipulates that Lester is “one-sixth member of Seconds to Juliet” which entitles him to part of their earnings. This actually happened—‘N Sync actually brought Lou Pearlman to court over this in 2001 (I think?) and iirc that’s what lead to his eventual arrest. We’ll get back to this detail.) We also find out throughout the course of the book that S2J’s record company is implied to be run through a mafia scheme (or at least how Nathan interprets it when he goes to meet the big boss), which I think does explain why I’ve been saying so many of the plot points in the series are so laughably outdated and could never fly today. The central romance plot forces Abby and Nathan to keep seeing each other on the side while Nathan is stuck with starlet Marissa because Lester insists that being with Marissa will bring new fans to S2J. Even although we do see that no, the fans like Abby and Nathan together. (I know I made a reference to “Oh, Aimee, karma’s going to be a bitch when it comes to the fangirls,” but I do like that this covers sane fans who do like the couple together.) It really puts in the idea that Lester and the record company are entirely out of touch with how popular music and fandom works today, and are still stuck to the way how things used to be done.
And there’s a lot here to suggest that Abby is the better choice to go with in terms of boosting S2J’s fan numbers—she’s an upcomer who while she has her own style, made her mark by covering “The One” for her YouTube channel. To make another comparison to Aimee, this feels like this is something that could have been handled pretty badly as being “Okay what do the kids like these days?” but I liked that Abby has her own style and songs that she wants to write for herself, but is stuck in being the rut of being a YouTube cover girl. And I like the fact that she has to go through the media and show training (albeit last minute), and that it’s something she struggles with. I even like the fact that Abby has her own fans by the end of the book who are just as excited as her.
(Side note, I know that it’s incredibly common for opening acts to drop in and out throughout the course of a tour, but what happened to Mia? It’s mentioned in the epilogue for her book that she’s now the opening act alongside Cherry but after that she’s only mentioned once or twice throughout the rest of the series. And even Daisy—Trevor mentions that Daisy is still on tour because they keep trying to sneak away when Beau’s not looking. The only girlfriend we really see is Natasha because she actually has a job on the tour, and even then it’s nothing more than her and Will making out.
Also, by the way, I’m really mad that they went with the “Paige is a complete diva bitch” route with Anya. I really wanted more with her in these books.)
Despite the out of left field ending of the series, I’m glad that I did enjoy this series. And I did, despite my constant eye-rolling and laughing at the characters or the massive plot holes stemming from the fact that this takes place in the real world. Aside from the first book, I had a lot of fun with this series and I did get invested with the characters. It’s not the greatest teen romance series that I’ve read, but there’s a lot here that I did like and was able to shelve my suspension of disbelief. For the most part. (There’s really only so much that I can take sometimes.)
November 26, 2016
3.5 Stars. This one was So Cute! Though it was a little instalove-y, I really shipped Nathan and Abby. Nathan was so sweet and he's probably my new favorite boy bander. I thought the rest of the band was really well represented and loved all the scenes of them together. There is a big thing to happen with the whole LJ as a villain arc that has been going on through the whole series that I wish we would've gotten to see, but overall it was a good ending to the series.
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