A summer party is the last place Lydia Flowers wants to be. Beer pong? Stupid, foot-wrecking shoes? Random hookups? No thanks. Lydia would rather be in her cleats practicing her bat handling skills.
Enter Abe Fischer, the Nashville Teen Idol superstar. He’s a lip-syncing party animal with a short fuse; or at least that’s what the tabloids say. Except, Abe turns out to be nothing like the guy Lydia’s read about online. He’s sweet, and the way he talks to his horse…sigh.
Then life throws Lydia and Abe a curveball. They are wrongfully arrested for destruction of property. Their choices? Either work on the Fischer Farm for the summer earning nothing more than blisters and a sunburn, or have the arrest go on their records, which would ruin Lydia’s shot at a softball scholarship. It’s a no-brainer. Lydia picks up a pitchfork, pulls out the SPF 40, and prepares for the worst two months of her life.
When the press gets wind of a big secret Abe’s family has been keeping, things become even more complicated. Now Lydia has another choice to make: stick around for Abe’s messed-up life in the spotlight, or go for the scholarship of her dreams.
I'm just a girl born in a two traffic light town, raised in the burbs, and now lives in Music City, USA. I love reading and writing YA and adult sweet romances about love when it's least expected.
My must haves when writing: Diet Coke Pretzels (or Gold Fish) Netflix My sweet dachshund
I recently built a she-shed and I'm in love with it!!! It's all mine - no music instruments allowed (ahem, hubby).
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Without a doubt the cover pulled me into this book, it is such a cute image and the guitar holds memories.
Basically a young love, coming of age, full of angst story but told with charm, some humour and enough depth to pull you in on a few levels.
Young Lydia is desperate to gain a scholarship and plays softball but one night she finds herself at a party she wasn’t keen on attending. Things get rowdy and the polices sirens approach. All the troublemakers depart leaving Lydia and Abe (his party) behind to cop the flak.
Abe has been on a reality show and is now an up and coming pop star, a bit rough around the edges and up himself. Neither kid could risk a criminal record tainting their future so it was agreed they would spend the summer working on Abe’s parents farm.
Classic situation of the pair not getting on but slowly realising there is a spark between them. Lydia sees a softer side of Abe when she meets his horse, cat and dog .. there are some touching, funny, sweet moments involving those.
No romance is without drama and this one includes some family secrets. I liked Lydia, she had some spirit but also adored her family. It was great to see how protective her brothers and sister were, and her parents were good role models. Abe took a while to grow on me but he finally got under my skin when he matured and worked out where his feelings should be. The character that really annoyed me and made me want to slap him was the friend West, infuriating boy!
A brilliant teen/YA book, kept me entertained, is totally suitable for younger readers because there is no sex involved, the valid point is made that it’s ok to say no and that made a pleasant change. Sweet young love/romance with a smattering of adult themes.
I would happily read more by this Cindy and hope she has further books in the works.
Many thanks to the author and BookFish Books for the ARC.
Tuned into you is written by Cindy Dorminy and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed this sweet romance story ,that has music,horses, softball and amazing characters.Cindy Dorminy has given us a story that will suck you in and holds your attention from start to finish and then will leave you wanting more from this author. Cindy Dorminy writes her characters like their real and maybe a friend that we'll reading about and that is amazing. This story is basically about young love and coming of age ,and it's fulled with angst but the author has given it charm,humor,and the depth is awesome. This is Lydia and Abe's touching story. Lydia is so desperate to get a scholarship ,but at the same time she plays softball, but then one night she finds herself at a party that she wasn't excelled about attending.But after awhile some rough housing happens ,at the police shows up,and everyone leaves and Lydia and Abe is left holding the bag and to take the heat. Abe is a pop star ,and kind of rough around the edges,and is a bit up on himself. But neither of them wants a criminal record ,that would taint their future .So for the summer they both must work for Abe's parents on their farm. That when Lydia realizes that they both have feelings for each other, but to Lydia surprise she sees a softer side to Abe .I think the funnies part of this story is when Lydia meets Abe's dog,cat and horse ,there is some sweet moments with these.Very romance story has drama involved in it and this one is no different ,this one also has secrets too.Lydia is such a spirit and she adores her family too. I loved how her brothers and sister are so protective of her ,and I totally know how that is because I have sevens and oh my god their that be pains sometimes .I could tell you more about this story ,but that would spoil it for you. I highly recommend you read this story ,you won't be disappointed.
This book took a while to get into for me, it didn't start weak but came on strong. I felt I needed a little more character building instead of jumping in right away to all the action. But once I was able to start connecting with Lydia and Abe I really enjoyed their sweet story. The story is teen drama with some adult stuff thrown in. Overall, I enjoyed reading and will look for more from Cindy Dorminy.
This is a really, really cute story. It's light, refreshing, and fun to read. Coming at it from the perspective of an adult, there are elements that are a little frustrating, but I think that's just because life for teenagers now is very different than it was when I was their age. All in all, though, this is a fun summer read and a nice story of growth and young love. It raises some interesting ideas and questions about family dynamics and about the price of fame. As far as I'm concerned, it's a pretty perfect summer read. There's nothing too terribly intense about it. You won't find yourself deliberating philosophical questions or your life worth. You can simply enjoy the growth of the characters and the development of their relationships. It reminds me of a Hallmark movie in that manner, and that's definitely a good thing considering the fact that my DVR is basically full of every Hallmark movie ever.
The only thing going against this book in my opinion is the length. When I'm looking for a summer read, I like something short, sweet, and simple. This one was sweet and fairly simple. It was charming. It was fun. But it certainly wasn't short. Personally, I would've liked to see some of the conflicts that were in this novel spread out into two, even. If you follow our blog, you know I'm a sucker for pretty much anything that comes in a series. I would've preferred to let the romance be set up in one novel and the other issues bet dealt with in a separate one just for the sake of breaking it into smaller chunks. Technically, there's nothing at all wrong with the way this book is set up. That's just personal preference on my part. If you're looking for something fun and light to read for the summer, I highly recommend this one.
*I received an ARC from the publisher for an honest review*
TUNED INTO YOU by Cindy Dorminy is a cute summer romance complete with music, horses, softball, and adorable characters. Abe and Lydia aren't always likable. They aren't always perfect. They mess up. They say and do the wrong things, but they're human, and that's part of the charm I find so endearing about this book.
One of the things I most enjoyed is how Abe and Lydia are thrown together to work out their punishment on Abe's family farm. They're complete opposites with preconceived notions about one another, and though the romantic tension is on slow burn, it's so much fun to watch them go through their paces testing one another and trying to find each others' buttons.
The Nashville, Tennessee, setting is just perfect for this story. They don't have to go off to New York or Hollywood to have a brush with fame. Abe is a hot, young country singer who got his start on a popular music show, and he lives in the heart of country music. The author is familiar with this area, and she does a great job incorporating it into the story. It's more than a setting; it's almost a character itself.
If you like Sarah Dessen's flirty, fun summer romances, you'll love TUNED INTO YOU.
Not a big fan of this one - I liked Lydia a lot, but Abe I couldn't get to grips with. Poor 17-year-old doesn't like the fame and fortune that comes with winning a reality show? Because you go onto a reality show not knowing it's going to bring fame & fortune? And the way he constantly called Lydia PK, even though she asked him not to (I counted at least three times before I stopped reading), and he's a jerk to his dad, who while his dad is also a jerk (to Lydia), his dad didn't actually do anything wrong (as far as I read, anyway) - it just seemed like a dad who wanted his kid to do better, and stop wasting the opportunity singing had brought because there are plenty of singers who don't make it. And he didn't like his dad, but wouldn't stick up for Lydia? I counted twice he could have done that, and, again, he didn't. OR stick up for Lydia to his jerk friend, West, who was the king of jerks? Yeah, Abe was a real catch. Not.
Lydia, Scooby the cat, Shaggy the dog, and Rebecca the horse were the only good things about this book, at least as far as I read.
I wanted to like this, it just wasn't for me, and that's OK.
I really enjoyed this book. I started reading it in the evenings after work. By Friday I wanted to see how it turned out so I read until about 3:30am on Saturday morning. I was going to stop a couple of times so I could sleep. I even put down the book and turned off the light. My curiosity kept me going so I turned the lights back on and read until I finished the book. The characters were interesting and seemed very real to me. There were some great twists in the plot. Highly recommend this book.
A story detailing the pain that can sometimes come with young love.
The story: Wrong place, wrong time. Lydia didn't even want to go to the party and then found herself in the back of a cop car with a teen singing star she didn't want to like. Her punishment? Working on Abe's father's ranch alongside the man himself. Somewhere amid the birthing horses and fences in need of mending, they realized maybe they were just what each other needed. Abe was exciting and more than she could've imagined. Lydia was down to earth and a good escape from the spotlight that's been plaguing him. But when secrets come to light and that spotlight finds Abe once again, it may be enough to tear them apart.
What I loved: There's a sweet innocence in the first part of the book that's hard not to love. Lydia is a fantastic character who is experiencing everything for the first time. Abe is much more experienced and much more complicated, but in the beginning, it's hard not to fall for his charm. The side characters - Lydia's family mainly - round out the fantastic cast. The pages flow easily and quickly and don't once slow enough to allow the reader to get bored.
What was just okay: As the story went on, Abe proved himself to be rather weak, not standing up for Lydia on multiple occasions and treating her poorly. He redeems himself though.
Final verdict: A thoroughly entertaining story of love and secrets and fame and what to do with each.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
One of the things I genuinely loved was seeing Abe and Lydia forced to work together as punishment after the so-called “party” incident. These two couldn’t be more different Abe, the good-looking, famous country singer, and Lydia, the hardworking girl doing everything she can to secure her scholarship. Watching their worlds collide created some of the most entertaining and heartfelt moments in the book. Their dynamic is where the story shines the most. Some elements of the story follow familiar YA patterns, and there were moments when I hoped for a bit more emotional layering. The pacing shifts throughout some sections moving quickly and others take their time in my opinion.
I truly enjoyed the story and appreciated the charm and heart it delivered.
When Lydia is caught in a wild party and put in the back of a police cruise with Abe Fisher, teen idol singer, little she knows that this will be a summer to remember. They will be forced to work together and they will fall in love. But is it enough to last forever with secrets from the past, the paparazzi pushing for gossip and the fear to lose everything ? A breve love story. I received a free copy of this book and I voluntarily reviewed it
I enjoyed this sweet story of young love. The enemies-to-lovers vibes were strong between Lydia and Abe. Once they got on the same page, their connection was so pure. I loved how she saw past all the celebrity to the real person. Abe's respect for and protection of Lydia is what every girl wants. When fear and uncertainty came between them, I was absolutely heartbroken.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Young love, coming of age, YA romance with angst, humor, and depth. Lydia was a great character, she's strong and knows what she wants. Abe was a tough cookie for me. I'm voluntarily reviewing this after receiving a free copy from Hidden Arcs.
So, I am halfway through reading one of Cindy's other books "In a Jam", and I realise that I have read all of her releases. But for whatever reason, I have no review for this one. I consider this totally unfair because I remember this book really well and I am pretty sure that I received it for free for reviewing purposes. When I read the summary of it, I felt lots of memories and feelings about the book come flooding back, so I feel like I can review it honestly and justly.
So, Tuned into You by Cindy Dorminy starts off with a raging party gone wrong, leaving two teenagers- Lydia Flowers, a good girl and promising softball player, and Abe Fischer, the winner of the Nashville Teen Idol- roped together in a punishment of spending their summers working on a farm.
Dorminy has a way of creating such likeable, friendly characters and altogether really lighthearted novels. I found this also in Left Hanging, another one of her novels. Although she uses some tropes which can be terribly overused at times, I feel like the happy, hopeful love stories that she writes really just make you smile and laugh. I mean, you can hate a cliche, but can you really hate it when it's done so well?
I loved reading her characters. Both Abe and Lydia were incredibly cute, sweet characters. Both of them I invested my emotions in, which is a trait which I think has to be found in a good character. Their relationship, albeit cheesy and slightly typical for a contemporary novel, was incredibly heartwarming and made for a really good read.
One thing that I loved about the novel- and it's in her other books too (yes, I have noticed the pattern!) is the fact that one of the love interests always has a strong attachment to God (is the child of a Pastor, is strongly affiliated with the church, etc.) I really love reading about this, because religion isn't something mentioned often in books unless you pick one up especially for Christians.
I couldn't give this book a full 5 stars, because at times I felt the cheesiness boundaries were being toed a little too much for my liking, and I can't consider how working on your own family's farm is a punishment, especially when you love animals. Also, I wasn't a fan of West- he was quite disrespectful and times and one of the more unlikeable characters.
So overall, her books are cheesy at times, but if you like refreshing, light reads which are full of hope, please pick up this book!
*My thanks to the BookFish Books crew for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own.*
I have a confession, I love romance and drama in books, if it's done right. Contemporary isn't my most read genre, so that makes it even more special when I do read it. It just makes everything so much more exciting because I will most likely never have do deal with the mafia coming after my father and I, but it's exciting to read about someone else's drama. And honestly, I wish that this book had more drama.
In this book we follow both Abe and Lydia, as they get arrested, work on a farm, and fall in love (with drama of course). We read from both Abe and Lydia's POV, and I enjoyed them both (even though I enjoyed Abe's a little more).
Lydia is your normal teenager. She goes to church, is trying to get a scholarship, and she got tricked into going to a party. It was fine that Lydia was normal, but I guess that I just wanted more. When I read I want to read about the progress of a character (also known as character development), and I wish that there was more development with her character.
I really enjoyed Abe's character development on the other hand. It was cool to see who he really was, and how he wasn't what the press said he was. It was sweet to see how he talked to his horse, and treated Lydia. Though I didn't like all of the decisions he made, I thought that he was a likeable character.
One of the high points in this book was the fact that Lydia and Abe didn't have sex, and I loved it. Abe knew that Lydia didn't want to go to far, and so guess what he did. He stopped when she said so. This was a big through my hands in the air and shout "YES!!" at the ceiling moment. So thank you Cindy Dorminy for including that very important section in the book.
Here was my main problem with the book, there wasn't much that stood out about it. There wasn't much wow factor, and that ended up making the book kind of forgettable. I want to remember every book that I read, but that just isn't going to happen. In order to remember books, there has to be a wow factor. So while this book didn't have a big wow factor for me, it doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy it.
Overall, I liked this book! I thought that is was a cute love story even though I wished that there was more of the family drama.