Hidden Tracks

Hidden Tracks #1

by Zoe Lee, Matt Maenpaa (Editor)

Everything they need is in harmonyAstrid Sinclair fought hard to become a respected music journalist, not just the ex-wife of a rock god. Her new story is about Downbeat, a folksy rock band about to break through to the big-time.Seth Riveau has been living a peaceful, small-town life for the last six years. When his old band Downbeat invites him to play with them, he can’t say no to a chance to start moving forward again.When they meet at a music festival, Seth is intrigued by the cool, illusive Astrid, while Astrid is curious about the calm, mysterious Seth. But he’s not prepared for the feelings Astrid causes, and she’s not ready to risk it all for someone new.The rhythm is building a long time before they start to hear the lyrics. But what if Seth is moving towards stardom and Astrid’s totally done with the spotlight?

279 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 23, 2019

About the author

Zoe writes contemporary romances and believed everyone will get extraordinary love stories since before she ever fell in love. She lives with her family near the mountains in Colorado, where she writes while listening to music, never drinks coffee, reads books in one sitting, and watches too many movies and tv shows. She’s been writing since she was a kid, but luckily she knows how grown-ups work now. Mostly.

Reviews

[Sassy Southern Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I have read by this author and another one that I enjoyed. I love a good rock star romance and even though this one was a different type of rock star situation it did not disappoint.
Astrid has already been there and done that with the rock star for a now ex-husband and doesn't miss that scene at all. Seth never really views himself as a rock star and has lost the love of his life and isn't looking to replace her. When the two meet, the last thing they expect is to feel the spark that they seem to have when they are around each other. Both aren't looking for anything serious but neither one is able to deny the chemistry that they have with each other. The problem is that Astrid is supposed to be writing a story about Seth's former band and he doesn't have the desire to be the main focus in anything she is working on. When the band and Astrid travel to Seth's home town things between the two of them really become interesting!

This book gives you laughs as well as some serious moments. The characters are wonderful and I was really rooting for Seth and Astrid to find their happily ever after. You're going to want to one click this book to find out if they finally get that chance! By Alisa

[Sara Oxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hidden Tracks by Zoe Lee a four-star read that will be music to your ears. This is my first story by this author, and I can’t wait to read more, there is promise to the writing that will whisk you away. Astrid was complex and intriguing, she has lived a life and got the t-shirt (a band one maybe but still, they are the best). The natural flow of the novel gave great pace and didn’t feel rushed or like it dragged, the pacing was well done. The balance of Seth and Astrid again was well done and made me smile. This is a light story with great heart, but there were also serious moments that challenge you. Overall a great story.

[Aaly · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review ***

This was a story that took its time to grow, to build up. Reading their story was like listening to an album throughout the ups and downs in a relationship, from the meet cute to the moments when they argued in a passionate way, giving life to their songs, passionate and sensual, sweet and caring. But the best thing was to wait until the end, when the hidden tracks appeared, that little something I loved.

I had to admit, it took some freaking time to get into their story; which was pretty surprising because these two collided pretty fast.

Maybe it was deliberate to have this little contrast. I guess it was.

What about this woman who had been burned by her past as a wife of someone famous. Being in the shadows of a rockstar and not being considered for what she really was. Because of her ex husband’s celebrity. As a music journalist, she was finding her way to tell stories, the ones talking about the artists and their approach of writing songs and conveying emotions to the public, or the stories that you won’t hear anywhere else. She had that charming power to let people taking so easily. 

Seth wasn’t expecting to meet a woman like her. Intrigued by her and attracted like he has ever been, he wasn’t letting go of this powerful chemistry they have. But that man was still fighting his own fears and scars which haven’t healed yet. A talented artist you gave some many beautiful songs to other artists, a man down to earth, close to his family who wasn’t really looking for fame but just keeping doing his music and helping others. 

I adored how Seth was peaceful to Astrid’s feisty side. A beautiful harmony, a bit scary for two people who have just met. I had to say that Astrid frustrated the hell out of me, especially about her insecurities and stubbornness. They were upfront and not hiding what they felt. A story as a constant work in progress, when the characters grew up on you, authentic and genuine. 

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

Hidden Tracks by Zoe Lee is a contemporary rock star romance. I loved all the banter, quips, camaraderie, friendships- and the fun vibe of this story.
Astrid Sinclair has had to work incredibly hard to get to where she is. The music journalist knows all the ins and outs of the music industry first hand, having been married to a ‘rock god’. Since the divorce, she’s had to put in extra effort to earn her respected reputation. She may make her living from writing about rocks stars and musicians, but she has vowed never to get personally involved with one ever again. Her rule is about to be tested though, when she decides to do a story on the band “Downbeat”. Spending some time with the band to get all the information she needs puts her in close proximity with Seth Riveau, and their chemistry is instantaneous. Will he find a way to break down her defences? Will she decide to take a chance on love?
I had a little trouble finding my rhythm with this book. I struggled to connect with the characters and the story, but I think that maybe I was just having an ‘off’ day. There were times Astrid and Seth frustrated me quite badly and I had the urge to shake them. I loved seeing and catching up with some of the characters we met in ‘A Perfect Fit’- I especially love the camaraderie and friendship of the group.
If you love a great rock star romance, with wonderful characters, and just a little push-pull; then this is definitely the book for you!

Thank you, Zoe Lee!

[Bobbi Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This author has continued to impress me with her well written stories that keep me turning pages until the end. The characters made the story feel real and I could imagine myself with them. This is Astrid and Seth’s story. They meet at a music festival where he is part of an upcoming band and she is a journalist writing about his band. They meet and are curious about each other but are they willing to trust in fate? If he hits the big time will she walk away? I highly recommend this book.

[Laura Furuta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hidden Tracks
By: Zoe Lee
5 out of 5 stars

The story Hidden Tracks by Zoe Lee is a contemporary romance book. Once I started, I found that it pulled me in, and I didn’t want to put it down until the final page. The book had my emotions going up and down the entire time that I was reading it. It is well-written, and it made me feel like I was right there with the characters. I loved reading about Astrid and Seth. Astrid is a strong, independent, intelligent, and beautiful woman. She is a respected music journalist. That is how she meets Seth. Seth is a man who loves music, be it either singing or writing. He is also a man that was asked by Downbeat to play with them. He then meets Astrid. Both of them feel a pull towards each other. Their relationship starts off as a casual one. Will they find that their feelings for each other are starting to grow stronger? What does the future hold for Astrid and Seth? What would happen if Seth starts moving towards stardom? Read this book to find out. I enjoyed the bantering back and forth between many of the characters. Many of them are friends and they have a good time together. I grew to care about Astrid and Seth with every chapter that I read and wanted them to be happy. Don’t miss out on an amazing story with wonderful characters. I highly recommend reading it.

[Karyn Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hidden Tracks is a wonderful contemporary romance novel by Zoe Lee. This is the 2nd time I have read a book by this author, having previously read A Perfect Fit, which contains the same group of friends. One of the things I mentioned in my review of A Perfect Fit was how much I loved the camaraderie between the group of friends and how much they all love and support each other. This was very much evident again in Hidden Tracks as the friends came together to support Seth, the main character in this book. I’d honestly love to have a group of friends like this.
I adored the 2 main characters in this book although I have to admit to wanting to bash their heads together several times. Seth Riveau is a singer/songwriter with a lot of hurt in his past. Astrid Sinclair is a music journalist who used to be married to a very famous rock star. Her latest job is to write about the band that Seth used to be part of, and is currently helping them out at a few shows. The connection between them is instant and Astrid realises that the big story shouldn’t be about the band, but be about Seth.
Interactions between Seth and Astrid are full of emotion, both trying to get a better insight of the other, but neither willing to let their walls down. This book really grabbed me and had me doing a lot of soul searching. The conversations between Seth and Astrid were often very deep and thought provoking.
This is a really fantastic read and I really hope that the author writes more about this group of friends.

[Maura · Rating 4 out of 5]

HIDDEN TRACKS is the second book I've read by this author. There is a lot to unpack in this book. There are well developed secondary characters at the beginning of the story which frustrated me because i felt like I was missing something. I actually stopped reading and searched the author's backlog to see what books the other band members where written in - they weren't. At about 27% in, we find out about the other characters during an interview with the two main protagonists. At that point I was over the who/what and where and moved on.

Seth is a musician; "I'm not some romanticized rock star, some tortured artist with a tragic backstory that left me with some awful hole in my heart that I need to fill with fame or sex or drugs.... But I am just a small-town boy who got called a prodigy and didn't give a shit about that as long as it meant I got to do what I love and it made my parents proud." Astrid is a journalist who is writing a story about a band when she meets Seth. From their meet cute to the more complex parts of their journey, the story had a strong arc and carried itself from beginning to end.

I always appreciate the work that a writer puts into their craft and in this book there is a story and then there are songs. At times, the writing is so visual I could actually hear the music while I was at the bar watching the band.

So while there were things that frustrated me, there were things that thrilled me so in the end it all evened out.

[Jennifer Pierson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Astrid Sinclair is a music journalist, who has worked super hard to earn respect in the industry, especially since she's divorced from a rock god herself. She was burned by that, and now, she wants nothing personal to do with musicians except to write about them. Seth Riveau has lived a quiet small town life for the past 6 years, but when his old band, Downbeat, comes calling to play with them, he won't say no. He & Astrid meet at a music festival, and while he's feeling some attraction, she's curious about him, but again, her marriage/divorce to a famous rock star has her walls built high. Seth has caught feelings, and while Astrid feels it too, she's just not willing to risk it with him. This means there's a very big push & pull going on, that really had me ready to rip out my hair. I'm not saying that I don't blame Astrid, but on the other hand, she was frustrating. I'm not sure why, but it took me a cool minute to get into the story, as it just seemed that I had a hard time imprinting on Astrid, though Seth wasn't as difficult. The chemistry was shooting sparks, but Astrid, enough said. However, the more time they spend together, the more her bricks come down from those walls. So, will these two take a chance on a new beginning with each other?! You'll have to one click Hidden Tracks to find out. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to start with the beautiful and inviting cover to Hidden Tracks by Zoe Lee. I was instantly invested in this story just from the cover and any book that can do that gets a shot with me regardless of the subject or author. I have read one other book by Zoe Lee however, so this wasn’t a new author to me and I so wanted to love this book hard. In an absolute honest way, this book was a struggle for me to get into. It was a bit difficult for me to follow the character development and I felt like it took a lot of time giving us a backstory to side characters that we almost forgot who was the shining stars to this book. I can see where this could eventually become a series and give more of the stories to said side characters. Maybe at that time it wouldn't hurt to consider editing out some of the extra babble in this one to help with the flow of the novel.

Once I got to it Seth and Astrid slowly warmed my heart with the music of their relationship. I loved the soft push/pull and the way these two came off as realistic. I overall enjoyed the idea behind the book and the way things turned out. So I am giving this a four star rating with all that said in mind because of the strength that those two brought to the story. I will be looking into future works by Zoe Lee however and hope maybe we see more along the lines of Hidden Tracks with a little more of a polish to them.

[Francis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hidden Tracks by Zoe Lee is a romance that focuses on the music industry. Seth is a talented songwriter and musician who has re-joined his old band after living a quiet life for half a decade. Astrid is a former actress who used to be married to a rock star and is now a music journalist, writing a piece on Seth’s band.
It’s a sweet, slow-moving story. Both characters have lived. They’ve fallen in love and had their hearts broken. Astrid has a grown-up daughter. They’ve been in the limelight and stepped out of it, and are now on the brink of being pulled back in.
Astrid’s role as a journalist is quite handy in learning about Seth and his bandmates. There are formal interviews, and other occasions where informal discussions include probing questions (or less probing – “Dogs or cats?” is one!).
I particularly like the way Lee talks about sound – both musical and environmental. This struck me from the very beginning where Seth’s acoustic environment is described - “every subtle groan of the three-story house he had grown up in was like a vibrato note sung by a baritone.”. This is effective not only in painting a vivid picture of the scene, but also in giving us an insight into how Seth experiences the world.
For me, this is a four-star book. I’d recommend it to music lovers, particularly anyone who’s ever dreamed of getting together with a rock star!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hidden Tracks by author Zoe Lee is the story of Astrid Sinclair and Seth Riveau. Astrid is a music journalist that is doing an article on the band Downbeat and Seth is the former bandmate who has been asked to join Downbeat for old times sake. When the two meet sparks fly and the story that Astrid has been asked to write now becomes the mystery behind Seth and the feelings, she has for him. Astrid has been burned once by her ex and isn’t ready for another relationship. Seth is a mystery that Astrid finds herself wanting to solve but is she ready for what she might find? Is Seth ready to give up his solitary lifestyle and learn to live again?
This was the first book I have read by this author. The story was a little slow moving in the beginning but soon I found myself intrigued with Seth and couldn’t wait to hear his entire story and what made him tick. I never really felt any connection to Astrid, I actually found her kind of annoying to tell the truth. After the first few chapters I found myself reading for Seth’s story alone. I can honestly say that if the author writes more about Seth’s bandmates, I would definitely read what is put out.

[Tausha Treadway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hidden Tracks by Zoe Lee. This is the second book I've read by this author and it will not be the last. I loved this story. Its the story of Astrid Sinclair a music journalist who has worked hard for the great reputation she has so that she's not just known as the ex wife of a rock star. She is now working on a story about Downbeat a folksy rock band who everyone thinks is about to hit it big. Being the ex of a rock star is not all its cracked up to be and she is not looking to get into another relationship anytime soon. Seth Riveau has been living in a small town enjoying life and not having any worries. When his old band Downbeat invites him to play with them he can't refuse. He and Astrid meet at a music festival and the attraction is immediate but Astrid's fears keep her from acting on her feelings. Astrid has sworn off rock stars and if Downbeat does become the sensation everyone is talking about she definitely wants no part of that life. Will Astrid give in to her feelings for Seth or will she let her past dictate her future?

[Erica Fish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hidden Tracks by Zoe Lee is a romantic story about Astrid and Seth. One thing about Zoe Lee’s writing that I appreciate is her characters in her story. They are fully developed and easy to become book friends with the characters too. The story is a simple one. Seth is in a band and Astrid is a journalist. Astrid just got out of marriage with a “rock god”. She finds herself in a small town and writing about the band Downbeat. Seth was a member of Downbeat. They just asked him to rejoin the band. The band is at a music festival and that is when Astrid and Seth met. They story is simple but yet complicated in certain aspects. Will Astrid keep her distance from Seth? Will Seth act on his feelings? At the end will Astrid and Seth get together?

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with Seth almost immediately, and Astrid didn't take long to push her way into my heart. This story kept going places I wasn't expecting, but not in a contrived/artificial way, as each turn made so much sense once I knew that character more. Seth and Astrid both surprised me at multiple points, in ways that just made the character make more sense rather than challenging what I already knew. Those caused shifts in my own perspective on the characters, challenging my own stereotyped expectations, and I loved it. I think Seth and Astrid are my favorite of the Maybelle couples (at least so far) and I would love to read more about both of them, either their fascinating lives before this book or any of the awesome future adventures I'm sure they will have.

[Kerry Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hidden Tracks by Zoe Lee is a romantic standalone read that will definitely draw you in from the beginning. Astrid and Seth are enjoyable and relatable characters with amazing chemistry – you can feel it between every one of their interactions.
The whole way through the author creates an easy to read story. I can say I certainly enjoyed the overall story line however it was definitely the character development that held my interest. I loved experiencing the journey they went through.
I have read only a little of this authors work but this book has cemented the fact that I will be reading more by her in the future.

[Randy Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hidden Tracks by Zoe Lee is a definite read for musicians, music lovers, and rock groupies. Some might say that the author takes her time before getting into the action between the main characters. Others may say she is passionate about the world-building and introducing the characters before trying to build the chemistry. I would compare it to a good ballad - it slowly builds the scene before building the tempo. Regardless of whether you consider the details monotonous or interesting, once the plot starts deepening, it’ll be difficult to put the book down. It’s a wonderful story of overcoming the scars of the past and letting love heal.

[Heather Lovelace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lee writes a great book with such a vivid plot that I could hear the soundtrack playing with each chapter. The character development was solid and I felt invested in the storyline quickly. At times I found myself searching for more information on a few of the supporting characters introduced and therefore hope we might see more of them in later books from the author. However this story is solid and one I found myself gladly reading to conclusion. I look forward to reading more from Lee.

[Mirela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hidden Tracks by Zoe Lee was a romantic read. I would rate this book a four out of five stars. I loved the plot and the characters. The pace felt appropriate for the story and it was a nice journey. I loved Astrid's character and seeing her grow and develop felt genuine.