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Without Pretense
The last thing world class violinist Ava Wellington wants is some nosy writer publishing her biography. Unfortunately, her manager is insistent this is the best way to capitalize on her fame. Ava is terrified someone might discover the secret she’s kept for nearly twenty years, one that could not only destroy her career, but ruin the lives of those she loves most.
Journalist Bianca Vega has only just recovered from the loss of her wife and isn’t prepared to see Ava again, not after the deep connection she felt almost two years ago. When Bianca is hired to write Ava’s biography, they’re thrust together on a whirlwind music tour and neither can ignore the desire that’s simmered between them since that first chance meeting. Will Ava be able to trust Bianca with her darkest secret or will hiding her past destroy their chance at forever?
Journalist Bianca Vega has only just recovered from the loss of her wife and isn’t prepared to see Ava again, not after the deep connection she felt almost two years ago. When Bianca is hired to write Ava’s biography, they’re thrust together on a whirlwind music tour and neither can ignore the desire that’s simmered between them since that first chance meeting. Will Ava be able to trust Bianca with her darkest secret or will hiding her past destroy their chance at forever?
242 pages, Paperback
Published February 1, 2019
4 people are currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
T.J. Thomas
3 books8 followersTJ Thomas lives in western Massachusetts where she enjoys a quiet life with her college professor wyf, Elle, and their animals. An IT manager by profession, TJ's passion is writing, and she spends much of her free time in that pursuit.
TJ and Elle are equidistant from their two adult children who live in London and San Diego and they enjoy traveling to all points in between and beyond.
A Reunion to Remember is her first novel.
Librarian note: Multiple authors with the same name in the GR database; this author is entered with 3 spaces.
TJ and Elle are equidistant from their two adult children who live in London and San Diego and they enjoy traveling to all points in between and beyond.
A Reunion to Remember is her first novel.
Librarian note: Multiple authors with the same name in the GR database; this author is entered with 3 spaces.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 4, 2019
Ava Wellington, concert violinist, is informed by her manager that he has employed the renowned biographer, BJ Vega, to write her biography. She’s dead set against it until she meets her and realises they’ve met before. Ava is still not comfortable because of the secret she’s kept for years.
The story has a really linear narrative and the simplicity of it makes it a very easy-to-read romance. Ava and Bianca have loads of chemistry and the sex scenes are among some of the better ones I’ve read. Their story is told, to a large extent, through their dialogue but it lacks the same tension and enticement that their intimacy has. There was an over-simplification in some places that had the potential to be explosive and give a real insight into both Ava and Bianca and I can’t help but feel it was an opportunity lost.
Overall it’s a pleasant enough story with a familiar trope.
Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
The story has a really linear narrative and the simplicity of it makes it a very easy-to-read romance. Ava and Bianca have loads of chemistry and the sex scenes are among some of the better ones I’ve read. Their story is told, to a large extent, through their dialogue but it lacks the same tension and enticement that their intimacy has. There was an over-simplification in some places that had the potential to be explosive and give a real insight into both Ava and Bianca and I can’t help but feel it was an opportunity lost.
Overall it’s a pleasant enough story with a familiar trope.
Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
March 7, 2019
Violinist Ava Wellington needs a boost to her career, so while she's on tour over the summer her manager has a journalist follow her around to write her biography. It just so happens she's already met said journalist, Bianca Vega, and shared a steamy kiss with her more than two years before. Lust and affection complicates an already tricky relationship. Ava's secret she's held for so long is threatened by Bianca's presence and her insistent quest to write a truthful and brilliant biography about Ava.
This was a little too insta-love and insta-lust for such a sensitive time when Bianca had just lost her wife. It was an interesting premise for a book but I think it was missing a little realism in some places and got a little weighed down by tension and drama that was a little repetitive. I found myself skimming a lot of the second half of the book due to lack of communication between the mains, the secrets that dragged on, and the repetitive, although well written, sex scenes.
I was really looking forward to the music aspect of this book, but it wasn't as big a part as I had expected. I feel like it would have added a little balance to the weighted tension in the later half of the book.
I really enjoyed the imagery and the descriptions in this author's writing style. This is my first book by this author, but I will definitely see what they have to offer next.
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a little too insta-love and insta-lust for such a sensitive time when Bianca had just lost her wife. It was an interesting premise for a book but I think it was missing a little realism in some places and got a little weighed down by tension and drama that was a little repetitive. I found myself skimming a lot of the second half of the book due to lack of communication between the mains, the secrets that dragged on, and the repetitive, although well written, sex scenes.
I was really looking forward to the music aspect of this book, but it wasn't as big a part as I had expected. I feel like it would have added a little balance to the weighted tension in the later half of the book.
I really enjoyed the imagery and the descriptions in this author's writing style. This is my first book by this author, but I will definitely see what they have to offer next.
I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 7, 2019
Without Pretense by T.J. Thomas is a contemporary romance about two women, solo violinist Ava Wellington and journalist Bianca (BJ) Vega. They meet briefly not long after Bianca has lost her wife in a plane crash. Then a couple of years later they meet again when Bianca is given a contract to write Ava’s biography. There is instant attraction between the two but also a lot of misunderstandings that will follow them throughout the story.
I really liked this story at the beginning. It had a lot of promise. The premise of the story was appealing, the characters seem to be developing well for the tale, and the connection between the two was evident. Then, about a third of the way through the book I noticed that I was starting to skim. That’s not good. I did finish the book, and there are some good parts to the story, but I kind of felt cheated because it had the potential to be so much better.
For me, one of the biggest problems was that much of the story was told through dialogue. That is not always a bad thing, but here the dialogue went on and on with few visual clues, body language, or even thoughts mentioned to help the reader get a feel for how the words were being said and what emotions they were supposed to convey. Some of the dialogue felt fake because of this. The story is not all bad. As I said above, the premise of the story as well as the connection with the main characters are good. If you love a good steamy romance that is fairly easy to read, and you don’t mind a lot of dialogue, you might like this book.
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
Rainbow Reflections: https://rainbowreflections.home.blog/
I really liked this story at the beginning. It had a lot of promise. The premise of the story was appealing, the characters seem to be developing well for the tale, and the connection between the two was evident. Then, about a third of the way through the book I noticed that I was starting to skim. That’s not good. I did finish the book, and there are some good parts to the story, but I kind of felt cheated because it had the potential to be so much better.
For me, one of the biggest problems was that much of the story was told through dialogue. That is not always a bad thing, but here the dialogue went on and on with few visual clues, body language, or even thoughts mentioned to help the reader get a feel for how the words were being said and what emotions they were supposed to convey. Some of the dialogue felt fake because of this. The story is not all bad. As I said above, the premise of the story as well as the connection with the main characters are good. If you love a good steamy romance that is fairly easy to read, and you don’t mind a lot of dialogue, you might like this book.
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
Rainbow Reflections: https://rainbowreflections.home.blog/
February 6, 2019
The book had such a promising start... Everything was there - the chemistry, the plot, good characters... The plot was even perfect. But - something just crumbled further on, in my opinion... The big issue Ava had was kind of dragged a bit too much, up to the point of getting everything unreal and overly dramatic.
February 22, 2019
🏳️🌈👭📚👩❤️👩🏳️🌈
I received an ARC from BSB (via Netgalley) in exchange of an honest review, so … Here it is !!!
What I liked loved about the book :
° The simplicity of the cover (and the absence of characters on it) …
° The way the characters met and connect very deeply the first time their paths crossed each other. It was trully powerful, beautiful and emotional…
° The very poetic metaphors used mostly in the beginning of the novel …
° The intensity of the description of the musical scenes at the beginning… it was as if the music resonated through my entire body. Vibrant !!
What bothered me the most in this novel :
°The tittle … I'm not sure I understand it since there was definitely a lot of pretense in the book…
°Several topics are quite repetitive all the novel long … Each time we have the same information, just worded a little bit differently
° At some point and for a while, the story has become more an erotic (almost pornographic) one than a romance about second chance in love and breathtaking classical music … That’s quite surprising & disturbing, not coherent neither with the way Ava and Bianca have met & emotionally connected, nor with the beginning of the building of their relationship after they found each other again.
° Some of the sex scenes (no lovemaking scenes here since the characters’s needs were led by their hormones and a powerful lust, not by love … ) are highly non hygienic (like not at all)… Penetrating one another with their fingers, right after having spent hours playing tourists, without taking a shower or, at least, washing their hands before… NO WAY !! And .. Please … Don’t tell me that it’s possible because we must consider that in the lesfic world all the characters are always well sanitized … I can’t agree with that.
° The unbalance between Ava’s and Bianca’s story … Why focusing on the past of a definitely talented but spoiled rich child whereas Bianca’s backgroung and her personal (real) drama would have been better to learn about. It would have given the story the deepness it lacks …
° About Ava’s secret… I don’t want to spoil (too much at least …) so I’d just say : so many mysteries and so much drama about this whereas it’s not such a big deal after all.
° There are some inaccuracies … like, for example : the touristic trip in Paris, apparently made on foot .. Maybe I’m wrong but nothing told me the contrary => Seriously ?? When you arrive at the top of the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile (« Triumphal Arch of the Star ») and admire the evening sun, stay there for a while to enjoy the view and, once back on the « sea level » you decide to go to visit Notre Dame de Paris ("Our Lady of Paris"), there’s no way you can enjoy the « kaleidoscope » of colour made by the stained glass since the time you arrive the sun should have been gone since a long while .. Why ?? Just because, in real life, on foot, it takes more than an hour of walk from o monument to the other…
° A mistake in the presentation I’ve noticed several time : « enter » pressed right in the middle of a sentence (which doesn’t make any sense)
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not an unpleasant or even an uninteresting story, far from it, it’s just that the way it’s told and the characters developped I didn’t really hook with the book , so, if I had to make a very short and quite different version of my review it’d be something like this :
Did I like the book cover? => Yes, a lot…
Did I enjoy this book? => Not as much as I wanted to…
Did I find the characters believable? => In the beginning but after a short while, not really …
Is this book now included in my « must be re-read »-list? => Nope, unless the author plan on re-working the story before a new release in a few years …
Will I purchase the paperback? => Nope !
Would I read another book by this author? => Not sure for now, maybe … I need some time to process.
Since we all have different tastes on this planet … Think it’s better if you, guys and gals, grab your own copy and make your own opinion …
Enjoy (or not) your reading …
🏳️🌈👭📚👩❤️👩🏳️🌈
I received an ARC from BSB (via Netgalley) in exchange of an honest review, so … Here it is !!!
What I liked loved about the book :
° The simplicity of the cover (and the absence of characters on it) …
° The way the characters met and connect very deeply the first time their paths crossed each other. It was trully powerful, beautiful and emotional…
° The very poetic metaphors used mostly in the beginning of the novel …
° The intensity of the description of the musical scenes at the beginning… it was as if the music resonated through my entire body. Vibrant !!
What bothered me the most in this novel :
°The tittle … I'm not sure I understand it since there was definitely a lot of pretense in the book…
°Several topics are quite repetitive all the novel long … Each time we have the same information, just worded a little bit differently
° At some point and for a while, the story has become more an erotic (almost pornographic) one than a romance about second chance in love and breathtaking classical music … That’s quite surprising & disturbing, not coherent neither with the way Ava and Bianca have met & emotionally connected, nor with the beginning of the building of their relationship after they found each other again.
° Some of the sex scenes (no lovemaking scenes here since the characters’s needs were led by their hormones and a powerful lust, not by love … ) are highly non hygienic (like not at all)… Penetrating one another with their fingers, right after having spent hours playing tourists, without taking a shower or, at least, washing their hands before… NO WAY !! And .. Please … Don’t tell me that it’s possible because we must consider that in the lesfic world all the characters are always well sanitized … I can’t agree with that.
° The unbalance between Ava’s and Bianca’s story … Why focusing on the past of a definitely talented but spoiled rich child whereas Bianca’s backgroung and her personal (real) drama would have been better to learn about. It would have given the story the deepness it lacks …
° About Ava’s secret… I don’t want to spoil (too much at least …) so I’d just say : so many mysteries and so much drama about this whereas it’s not such a big deal after all.
° There are some inaccuracies … like, for example : the touristic trip in Paris, apparently made on foot .. Maybe I’m wrong but nothing told me the contrary => Seriously ?? When you arrive at the top of the Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile (« Triumphal Arch of the Star ») and admire the evening sun, stay there for a while to enjoy the view and, once back on the « sea level » you decide to go to visit Notre Dame de Paris ("Our Lady of Paris"), there’s no way you can enjoy the « kaleidoscope » of colour made by the stained glass since the time you arrive the sun should have been gone since a long while .. Why ?? Just because, in real life, on foot, it takes more than an hour of walk from o monument to the other…
° A mistake in the presentation I’ve noticed several time : « enter » pressed right in the middle of a sentence (which doesn’t make any sense)
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not an unpleasant or even an uninteresting story, far from it, it’s just that the way it’s told and the characters developped I didn’t really hook with the book , so, if I had to make a very short and quite different version of my review it’d be something like this :
Did I like the book cover? => Yes, a lot…
Did I enjoy this book? => Not as much as I wanted to…
Did I find the characters believable? => In the beginning but after a short while, not really …
Is this book now included in my « must be re-read »-list? => Nope, unless the author plan on re-working the story before a new release in a few years …
Will I purchase the paperback? => Nope !
Would I read another book by this author? => Not sure for now, maybe … I need some time to process.
Since we all have different tastes on this planet … Think it’s better if you, guys and gals, grab your own copy and make your own opinion …
Enjoy (or not) your reading …
🏳️🌈👭📚👩❤️👩🏳️🌈
February 6, 2019
I really don't like giving negative reviews, but it was honestly difficult for me to get through this book.
Ava, a famous violinist, meets Bianca on a bench. After a time gap they reunite and find they will be spending a lot of time together traveling. Conflicts and misunderstandings ensue.
Things happened at such a breakneck speed that it felt unbelievable and inauthentic. It was very predictable. References to Etheridge and the Indigo Girls was a bit polarazing as I am over 40 and they are even before my time. There was a crude bit about rubbing one's lady parts into a bench during what should have been a sweet moment. Things like that throughout the book continued to cheapen what had the potential to establish a deeper connection.
At one point a character says "Yes, I only packed for four weeks. If I end up staying beyond that, I'll need to find a laundry." First of all, that must be one large suitcase. But who needs 30 days of clothes when traveling? I've never waited 30 days in my own house to do laundry.
The dialogue was not natural. There were large blocks of text during conversation. And often times it read back and forth without saying who was speaking or including any movement/action. And Ava's unspoken monologues were long and repetitive.
The main conflict in this story felt overly dramatic. I could not believe that it would drive such an insane amount of topic avoidance to the point of ruining a relationship. And since it did, I questioned if the feelings were as sincere as we were told they were (because we didn't actually see any relationship development. Just sexual development more on the scale of erotica during the middle of the book.)
I did like the bit of angst when the two mains had a confrontation about things. Have to admit there was a little flutter in my chest. So I must have connected on some level.
Read this if you like fated encounters, travel, frustrating miscommunication, family conflict, and plenty of explicit sex.
I was provided an ARC through Netgalley by Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
Ava, a famous violinist, meets Bianca on a bench. After a time gap they reunite and find they will be spending a lot of time together traveling. Conflicts and misunderstandings ensue.
Things happened at such a breakneck speed that it felt unbelievable and inauthentic. It was very predictable. References to Etheridge and the Indigo Girls was a bit polarazing as I am over 40 and they are even before my time. There was a crude bit about rubbing one's lady parts into a bench during what should have been a sweet moment. Things like that throughout the book continued to cheapen what had the potential to establish a deeper connection.
At one point a character says "Yes, I only packed for four weeks. If I end up staying beyond that, I'll need to find a laundry." First of all, that must be one large suitcase. But who needs 30 days of clothes when traveling? I've never waited 30 days in my own house to do laundry.
The dialogue was not natural. There were large blocks of text during conversation. And often times it read back and forth without saying who was speaking or including any movement/action. And Ava's unspoken monologues were long and repetitive.
The main conflict in this story felt overly dramatic. I could not believe that it would drive such an insane amount of topic avoidance to the point of ruining a relationship. And since it did, I questioned if the feelings were as sincere as we were told they were (because we didn't actually see any relationship development. Just sexual development more on the scale of erotica during the middle of the book.)
I did like the bit of angst when the two mains had a confrontation about things. Have to admit there was a little flutter in my chest. So I must have connected on some level.
Read this if you like fated encounters, travel, frustrating miscommunication, family conflict, and plenty of explicit sex.
I was provided an ARC through Netgalley by Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.
February 5, 2019
After reading other books from Ms Thomas, that I enjoyed, I was very disappointed with this offering. I didn’t like either the world class violinist Ava Wellington or journalist Bianca Vega. After three chapters I didn’t really care what career ending secret Ava was worried about. The whole story was so lacking any depth I couldn’t go any farther. As I said I’ve read and enjoyed Ms Thomas’s other works so I fully expect her next offering will be more like the stories I’m used to reading from this author. I really hate giving a bad review so I try to always find something positive to say re a book but not this time. I couldn’t find any.
ARC via NetGalley
February 17, 2019
This was an enjoyable read with music, family, regret, loss, and romance as our guide. Ava Wellington, concert violinist with a player image when the need propels her. Bianca Vega, journalist with a broken heart and spirit. Ava is pushed by her manager to have her biography written and has hired the talented Bianca. They initially meet in a very interesting yet unusual way and the deepness of their initial meeting is a little unbelievable but hey, it is a story. There is instant attraction. They talk to each other and share stories but there is a secret that blocks the depth of getting to know each other. The secret will come out, as a reader you just wonder when.
Read provided by Bold Strokes Books, Inc. via NetGalley
Read provided by Bold Strokes Books, Inc. via NetGalley
December 28, 2019
I really like Ms Thomas's book, but I'm a little dubious. I did not find the quality of her other books.
I did not like the two protagonists, I find their connivance a little fast, and uninteresting.
I'm not used to rating books under 4 stars, and I would be no exception for this one. But the quality of this book is below what could be expected from this book when reading the blurb.
The cover is just okay.
On the other hand, I will not recommend this book, of mediocre quality.
I did not like the two protagonists, I find their connivance a little fast, and uninteresting.
I'm not used to rating books under 4 stars, and I would be no exception for this one. But the quality of this book is below what could be expected from this book when reading the blurb.
The cover is just okay.
On the other hand, I will not recommend this book, of mediocre quality.
February 11, 2019
First time reading something from this author. The story is about Ava Wellington and Bianca Vega. They meet for the first time not long after Bianca has lost her wife in a plane crash. After a couple of years they meet again when Bianca is assigned to write Ava’s biography.
A the beginning I was captivated by the premise and even though there was instant attraction between the two main characters I didn't mind as the story seemed to develop well enough (except of some misunderstandings).
Around the first half of the book I started getting bored. The dialogue started feeling long, repetitive and just not natural and often I just couldn't understand who was talking.
It's not a bad read but it's a shame because the story had the potential to be so much better. If you like steamy romances though you should give it a try.
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
A the beginning I was captivated by the premise and even though there was instant attraction between the two main characters I didn't mind as the story seemed to develop well enough (except of some misunderstandings).
Around the first half of the book I started getting bored. The dialogue started feeling long, repetitive and just not natural and often I just couldn't understand who was talking.
It's not a bad read but it's a shame because the story had the potential to be so much better. If you like steamy romances though you should give it a try.
I received this ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
February 12, 2019
It took me a long time to get through this one. I didn't really like it, mostly because it felt like it was looking to hit its story beats and then move on. It didn't really earn its drama because of that.
Ava Wellington is a prodigal musician who is less than keen to have her life's story being told. Her manager goes and hires a biographer anyways. When the biographer turns out to be a woman she met two years ago, Ava decides to give it a shot, if only to get to know Bianca Vega better.
If anything, the beginning of the story felt a little to on point. Its really simple and easy to follow, with a lot of really great sex scenes thrown in there to help make things more fun. There was one encounter that I thought was really funny and awkward but it did it for the characters. Ava and Bianca are great together, and it shows. The problem is when the drama actually hits. I thought there were too many times it was just there as a plot point and not much else.
I received this ARC from BSB and NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
Ava Wellington is a prodigal musician who is less than keen to have her life's story being told. Her manager goes and hires a biographer anyways. When the biographer turns out to be a woman she met two years ago, Ava decides to give it a shot, if only to get to know Bianca Vega better.
If anything, the beginning of the story felt a little to on point. Its really simple and easy to follow, with a lot of really great sex scenes thrown in there to help make things more fun. There was one encounter that I thought was really funny and awkward but it did it for the characters. Ava and Bianca are great together, and it shows. The problem is when the drama actually hits. I thought there were too many times it was just there as a plot point and not much else.
I received this ARC from BSB and NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
February 5, 2019
World class Violinist Ava Wellington initially meets Bianca Vega when she is mourning the death of her wife 4 months earlier. They have an instant connection, but it doesn't go anywhere because Bianca is in mourning. Fast forward 2 years. Ava's manager has hired BJ Vega to write a Biography on Ava. Ava is dead set against it because she has a secret that she is not willing to share with the world. When she is introduced to BJ - Bianca she decides she wants to get to know this woman better and agrees to at least an article written about it. Bianca is now set to travel with Ava around the world to get to know her better so she can write an article or biography.
I thought this was a good and easy romance to read. I have a weakness for a romance that allows the two MC to have sex early on in the book. The chemistry is there and Bianca and Ava are allowed to show this chemistry in the bedroom early on. Oh and they had plenty of sex, but it was very tasteful. Overall, I liked the fact that this was a light, easy and fun read. I surely wasn't bored to death reading this one. I must say my major issue was the ending seemed rushed. I would have liked to have seem a little more development with them getting back together.
I give this one a 3.75 rating.
This ARC was provided by Netgalley and the Publisher for an honest review.
I thought this was a good and easy romance to read. I have a weakness for a romance that allows the two MC to have sex early on in the book. The chemistry is there and Bianca and Ava are allowed to show this chemistry in the bedroom early on. Oh and they had plenty of sex, but it was very tasteful. Overall, I liked the fact that this was a light, easy and fun read. I surely wasn't bored to death reading this one. I must say my major issue was the ending seemed rushed. I would have liked to have seem a little more development with them getting back together.
I give this one a 3.75 rating.
This ARC was provided by Netgalley and the Publisher for an honest review.
February 8, 2019
T J Thomas did such a thorough good job of character development throughout the book but especially at the beginning which gave me a deeper insight into what each character did or did not do. The story revolves around two women, one a famous world-class solo violinist and the other a woman who is a writer. One afternoon before a concert Ava was walking through the grounds and gardens where her symphonic concert was to take place comes across Bianca Who is sitting on the bench in one of the gardens crying. Ava stops and talks to Bianca in an effort to help her feel better, but how do you make someone feel better who recently lost her wife and unborn baby? The two women have a deep and unexplainable connection to each other but had no contact with one another after that day and night of the concert until without her knowledge Ava's manager hires Bianca to write a biography of Ava. While Ava is very excited to see Bianca again there is no way she wants her or anyone to write her life story because Ava is hiding a significant family secret, that if exposed, could hurt the people she loves the most. Both women want to continue to see each other and how they work through making that happen is the beginning of an incredible journey the two women embark on as they try to learn more about each other without Ava disclosing her significant family secret. While it's very clear these two women love one another they are on able to say the words about how they feel. Could their lack of communication and honesty be their downfall.?
This book is so well written and take the reader on quite a journey that for me deserves a second read. I highly recommend this book for so many reasons and once you read it you'll understand why.
This book is so well written and take the reader on quite a journey that for me deserves a second read. I highly recommend this book for so many reasons and once you read it you'll understand why.
February 3, 2019
I ARC received via NetGalley and in exchange for an honest review.
Ava is a violinist and travels all over touring with her crew. When she learns her manager hire a someone to write her biography. She doesn't want her biography written because she hiding something that she doesn't want reveal.
Bianca is a journalist and is hired to write Ava biography. Bianca is starting heal after her wife passing when she meet Ava they both realize they met before two years ago when Bianca loss her wife as they both realize they still feel a connection.
This was a good read but I still think it coulda been more because certian parts to me could've been avoided if they talk it out instead. First book from this author but i can't wait to read more.
Ava is a violinist and travels all over touring with her crew. When she learns her manager hire a someone to write her biography. She doesn't want her biography written because she hiding something that she doesn't want reveal.
Bianca is a journalist and is hired to write Ava biography. Bianca is starting heal after her wife passing when she meet Ava they both realize they met before two years ago when Bianca loss her wife as they both realize they still feel a connection.
This was a good read but I still think it coulda been more because certian parts to me could've been avoided if they talk it out instead. First book from this author but i can't wait to read more.
February 17, 2019
Review originally posted at Love in Panels
When taking a break from her practise, violinist Ava Wellington runs into a very attractive woman. The two form an instant connection and the woman – Bianca – talks about her wife who died in a plane crash. Ava then has to continue her concert tour and never hears from Bianca again, but she can never forget that meeting. Two years later her manager ambushes her with the announcement that he has hired someone to write Ava’s biography, even though she has repeatedly stated that she doesn’t want that to happen. When the writer turns out to be Bianca, Ava is torn between happiness about seeing her again and fear that she will uncover the secret that’s the reason Ava doesn’t want anybody to know.
The reader learns that secret (or part of it) quickly: Ava got pregnant at 15 because a condom failed and gave the baby up for adoption. Since she is a celebrity, she worries that the story getting out would also drag the child, the adoptive parents and the biological father in the spotlight, who, after all, did not sign up for that. Besides, Bianca lost not only her wife but also their unborn child in the crash and Ava worries that Bianca - who so wanted a child and then never got to meet it - would judge her for simply giving up hers.
That could have made for a cute story with low angst and mostly internal conflict: Ava dealing with her own wants and needs versus those of the people she cares about and Bianca overcoming her grief and dealing with the fact that she’s falling for the person she’s supposed to be writing about. Unfortunately, any promise the story has is overshadowed by the prose which is just plain bad. There’s no getting around it. There are no unique - or even distinguishable - voices. It doesn’t matter who is talking (or giving page-long internal monologues about their feelings). It doesn’t matter if they’re making light-hearted banter or discussing serious issues. Everything and everybody sounds the same. When Ava laments how much she worries that Bianca discovering her secret would ruin her relationship she sounds no different than when she tells Bianca that she just had a really mind-shattering orgasm. And that sounds no different than Bianca talking about her family or any side-character telling stories about Ava.
We also get gems like this, when Bianca asks one of Ava’s friends how he met her:
No. We never hear that story. But we’re told that it’s hilarious. Just like we’re told that Bianca feels extremely moved by Ava’s music. Or that Ava feels different about Bianca than she did about all her previous one-night-stands/short term relationships. They just have this special connection. At least that’s what we’re told. We’re never shown anything that would make me believe any of those things. When Bianca watches Ava perform we get an exact description of the clothes Ava wears on stage, followed by “The music she played was lovely. Tender and heart wrenching. Bianca felt like she was playing all the emotions she had shared that afternoon.” and another paragraph full of sentences starting with Bianca felt but not what any of those emotions are doing to her. And that’s the approach to everything in the book. (The sex scenes boil down to And then she did this and then she put her hand there and then she had a mind-blowing orgasm, which is not very erotic).
I really can't recommend this book. With all the telling instead of showing none of the characters felt real. They were cardboard-cutouts I didn't care about.
When taking a break from her practise, violinist Ava Wellington runs into a very attractive woman. The two form an instant connection and the woman – Bianca – talks about her wife who died in a plane crash. Ava then has to continue her concert tour and never hears from Bianca again, but she can never forget that meeting. Two years later her manager ambushes her with the announcement that he has hired someone to write Ava’s biography, even though she has repeatedly stated that she doesn’t want that to happen. When the writer turns out to be Bianca, Ava is torn between happiness about seeing her again and fear that she will uncover the secret that’s the reason Ava doesn’t want anybody to know.
The reader learns that secret (or part of it) quickly: Ava got pregnant at 15 because a condom failed and gave the baby up for adoption. Since she is a celebrity, she worries that the story getting out would also drag the child, the adoptive parents and the biological father in the spotlight, who, after all, did not sign up for that. Besides, Bianca lost not only her wife but also their unborn child in the crash and Ava worries that Bianca - who so wanted a child and then never got to meet it - would judge her for simply giving up hers.
That could have made for a cute story with low angst and mostly internal conflict: Ava dealing with her own wants and needs versus those of the people she cares about and Bianca overcoming her grief and dealing with the fact that she’s falling for the person she’s supposed to be writing about. Unfortunately, any promise the story has is overshadowed by the prose which is just plain bad. There’s no getting around it. There are no unique - or even distinguishable - voices. It doesn’t matter who is talking (or giving page-long internal monologues about their feelings). It doesn’t matter if they’re making light-hearted banter or discussing serious issues. Everything and everybody sounds the same. When Ava laments how much she worries that Bianca discovering her secret would ruin her relationship she sounds no different than when she tells Bianca that she just had a really mind-shattering orgasm. And that sounds no different than Bianca talking about her family or any side-character telling stories about Ava.
We also get gems like this, when Bianca asks one of Ava’s friends how he met her:
“It’s quite embarrassing really.”
“Why is that?”
“Well, it involves a reality television show called Salon Wars, a hair dryer, and a dumpster.”
“I’m all ears.”
By the time Steven had finished his story, Bianca was laughing so hard her sides hurt.
No. We never hear that story. But we’re told that it’s hilarious. Just like we’re told that Bianca feels extremely moved by Ava’s music. Or that Ava feels different about Bianca than she did about all her previous one-night-stands/short term relationships. They just have this special connection. At least that’s what we’re told. We’re never shown anything that would make me believe any of those things. When Bianca watches Ava perform we get an exact description of the clothes Ava wears on stage, followed by “The music she played was lovely. Tender and heart wrenching. Bianca felt like she was playing all the emotions she had shared that afternoon.” and another paragraph full of sentences starting with Bianca felt but not what any of those emotions are doing to her. And that’s the approach to everything in the book. (The sex scenes boil down to And then she did this and then she put her hand there and then she had a mind-blowing orgasm, which is not very erotic).
I really can't recommend this book. With all the telling instead of showing none of the characters felt real. They were cardboard-cutouts I didn't care about.
February 11, 2019
Thanks to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the e-ARC!
Just in time for the end of #Sapphicathon and right before publication, I finished this one up during a healing soak this evening. Perfect way to end a weekend and prepare for the upcoming week. Epsom Soak. Eucalyptus oil. Matcha latte. And a lesfic ARC.
World renowned musician Ava Wellington wants nothing to do with the biographer her agent has hired to profile her, but when Bianca Vega, the woman Ava felt a spark with two years ago turns out to be the journalist writing her biography, she tentatively agrees to at least an article on her. As the two grow closer, Ava’s secret becomes harder to hide, and if Bianca discovers what she’s hiding, it may spell disaster for their growing relationship.
This is a good romance for Valentine’s day, and I’m a sucker for books about music and musicians, particularly those who play classical music beautifully. This book is sappy. It’s dramatic, and Ava and Bianca are cute. I am always a bit wary when a couple gets together too early in a book. Sometimes it can ruin the romantic tension a bit. This one did pretty well with that, however. Even though they begin a relationship pretty soon, it makes sense, and they take things slow enough for tension to build. Also, the secret keeps popping up to add to the tension.
There is a tad bit of awkward dialogue here and there, but overall, it was an enjoyable romance. There are plenty of hot scenes if that’s your bag, and the supporting characters are pretty amazing, too.
It’s out sooner than you think. Tuesday, to be exact, so keep an eye out for it.
Just in time for the end of #Sapphicathon and right before publication, I finished this one up during a healing soak this evening. Perfect way to end a weekend and prepare for the upcoming week. Epsom Soak. Eucalyptus oil. Matcha latte. And a lesfic ARC.
World renowned musician Ava Wellington wants nothing to do with the biographer her agent has hired to profile her, but when Bianca Vega, the woman Ava felt a spark with two years ago turns out to be the journalist writing her biography, she tentatively agrees to at least an article on her. As the two grow closer, Ava’s secret becomes harder to hide, and if Bianca discovers what she’s hiding, it may spell disaster for their growing relationship.
This is a good romance for Valentine’s day, and I’m a sucker for books about music and musicians, particularly those who play classical music beautifully. This book is sappy. It’s dramatic, and Ava and Bianca are cute. I am always a bit wary when a couple gets together too early in a book. Sometimes it can ruin the romantic tension a bit. This one did pretty well with that, however. Even though they begin a relationship pretty soon, it makes sense, and they take things slow enough for tension to build. Also, the secret keeps popping up to add to the tension.
There is a tad bit of awkward dialogue here and there, but overall, it was an enjoyable romance. There are plenty of hot scenes if that’s your bag, and the supporting characters are pretty amazing, too.
It’s out sooner than you think. Tuesday, to be exact, so keep an eye out for it.
February 2, 2019
I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving my review.
This is the first book by this author that I have read and I loved it. Every now and then I like to try books by authors that I have never heard of. My list keeps getting longer.
Ava is a Musician (Violinist) and travels all over touring with her crew. She finds out Hank (her Manager) has hired someone to write her Biography which she is not happy about. She is hiding something and doesn’t want it revealed.
Bianca is a Biographer and is hired to write Ava’s Biography. She has no idea then she accepts the job that Ava doesn’t know anything about it. She met Ava two years previous not long after she lost her wife in a plane crash and was grieving for her.
I enjoyed this book from the very first page. I loved both of the main characters of Ava & Bianca. I enjoyed the storyline and couldn’t read it quick enough. I will admit that the romance was a bit quick (I prefer slow burn romance) but it didn’t make it any less enjoyable. The secondary characters were great, my favourite being Vicki.
Overall a great book that I could re-read over and over again. I would highly recommend it.
This is the first book by this author that I have read and I loved it. Every now and then I like to try books by authors that I have never heard of. My list keeps getting longer.
Ava is a Musician (Violinist) and travels all over touring with her crew. She finds out Hank (her Manager) has hired someone to write her Biography which she is not happy about. She is hiding something and doesn’t want it revealed.
Bianca is a Biographer and is hired to write Ava’s Biography. She has no idea then she accepts the job that Ava doesn’t know anything about it. She met Ava two years previous not long after she lost her wife in a plane crash and was grieving for her.
I enjoyed this book from the very first page. I loved both of the main characters of Ava & Bianca. I enjoyed the storyline and couldn’t read it quick enough. I will admit that the romance was a bit quick (I prefer slow burn romance) but it didn’t make it any less enjoyable. The secondary characters were great, my favourite being Vicki.
Overall a great book that I could re-read over and over again. I would highly recommend it.
March 11, 2019
I rec'd an ARC from NetGalley/Bold Strokes Books for review.
Ava (violinist) and Bianca (journalist) are the main characters in this romance with sex (lots of it). I couldn't really connect with the leads and storyline and plodded through to the end. Sadly, I can only give a rating of 2 stars.
Ava (violinist) and Bianca (journalist) are the main characters in this romance with sex (lots of it). I couldn't really connect with the leads and storyline and plodded through to the end. Sadly, I can only give a rating of 2 stars.
June 28, 2021
Great.
I really enjoyed Without Pretense. It’s a great romance with the music and travelogue additional. Really enjoyed the behind the scenes look at a musicians life.
I really enjoyed Without Pretense. It’s a great romance with the music and travelogue additional. Really enjoyed the behind the scenes look at a musicians life.
February 4, 2021
2.5 stars
This book has amongst the most interesting acknowledgements ever. The author shares a little bit of the genesis of the book, the selected locale and something of the character development with us before getting into the usual round of mentioning and thanking everyone associated with the book and with their lives.
Read the full review @https://bestlesficreviews.blogspot.co...
This book has amongst the most interesting acknowledgements ever. The author shares a little bit of the genesis of the book, the selected locale and something of the character development with us before getting into the usual round of mentioning and thanking everyone associated with the book and with their lives.
Read the full review @https://bestlesficreviews.blogspot.co...
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February 11, 2019I'm not sure I understand the title? There was certainly a lot of pretense.
I had problems getting through this story. I felt it was very slow and repetitive. Especially the sex scenes...I actually started skimming those too...so many and very repetitive. It's a very small storyline with multiple excursions to tourist sites, benefit events and of course Eva's concert. And then frantic, backed against the wall, sex scenes. About 90% into the story, it got a bit exciting but again went on and on.
I had problems getting through this story. I felt it was very slow and repetitive. Especially the sex scenes...I actually started skimming those too...so many and very repetitive. It's a very small storyline with multiple excursions to tourist sites, benefit events and of course Eva's concert. And then frantic, backed against the wall, sex scenes. About 90% into the story, it got a bit exciting but again went on and on.
February 19, 2019
Journalist Bianca Vega is greiving from the loss of her wife when renowned violinist Ava Wellington briefly touches her soul. Two years go by when they meet again, rediscovering their connection but this time with Bianca looking to write Ava's biography. Ava doesn't want her story written as she doesn't want the secrets of her past discovered and more importantly, is afraid of how Bianca will react if she finds out her secret.
I quite liked the storyline as Ava's secret developed and I was left guessing as to how the story would unfold although I would have liked the ending to be a little more drawn out. Overall a good read and I would definitely like to read more books from this author.
I quite liked the storyline as Ava's secret developed and I was left guessing as to how the story would unfold although I would have liked the ending to be a little more drawn out. Overall a good read and I would definitely like to read more books from this author.
May 11, 2019
Very slow book, gave it my best go but just couldn't get into it. Both characters lacked any personality
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