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Cruise Control #1
The Album
What happens when you fall in love with a rock star?
Ariana isn't a fan of celebrities, but she is a fan of Cruise Control. The night she attends a charity event with her aunt and meets rock star, Gabriel Knight, sets in motion a rollercoaster ride that is out of her command.
Risking it all on the man who plucks at her heartstrings, and hiding her struggling self-esteem behind a wall of privacy, Ariana joins the group on tour as the lead singer’s new sweetheart. But when she’s suddenly thrust into the wild world of a rock star, the sour taste of the limelight could cut desire’s set list short.
Will life in the fast lane ruin Ariana’s chance at true love?
The Album is the first book in the electric Cruise Control romance series. If you like sudden, steamy relationships, taking big risks, and the lives of the rich and famous, then you’ll adore Sian Ceinwen’s page-turning jam.
Ariana isn't a fan of celebrities, but she is a fan of Cruise Control. The night she attends a charity event with her aunt and meets rock star, Gabriel Knight, sets in motion a rollercoaster ride that is out of her command.
Risking it all on the man who plucks at her heartstrings, and hiding her struggling self-esteem behind a wall of privacy, Ariana joins the group on tour as the lead singer’s new sweetheart. But when she’s suddenly thrust into the wild world of a rock star, the sour taste of the limelight could cut desire’s set list short.
Will life in the fast lane ruin Ariana’s chance at true love?
The Album is the first book in the electric Cruise Control romance series. If you like sudden, steamy relationships, taking big risks, and the lives of the rich and famous, then you’ll adore Sian Ceinwen’s page-turning jam.
344 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 14, 2020
523 people are currently reading
430 people want to read
About the author
Sian Ceinwen
19 books367 followersI'm an indie author that writes steamy romance novels about rock stars.
I live in Western Australia with my husband and two sons. Physically. Mentally, I live in a world of rock stars and romance where everyone is crazy hot and rich as heck.
My dad used to tell me that I lived in a fantasy world...now I get to share that world with other people. I hope that you enjoy entering the worlds I create and love my characters even half as much as I do.
Come join me on my Facebook page
I live in Western Australia with my husband and two sons. Physically. Mentally, I live in a world of rock stars and romance where everyone is crazy hot and rich as heck.
My dad used to tell me that I lived in a fantasy world...now I get to share that world with other people. I hope that you enjoy entering the worlds I create and love my characters even half as much as I do.
Come join me on my Facebook page
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 158 reviews
April 28, 2020
A funny thing happened to me after leaving this book a 1 star review -
I heard from the Author - AND she wasn't asking for my head, calling me names, insulting my lack of taste as some others have - Nope this Lady, and I truly mean that in the most respectful way wanted to know WHY I felt the way I did - This turned out to be the most rewarding 1 star review I ever left. - Even though the book had some very good to excellent reviews on Amazon, Sian Ceinwen was genuinely interested in my thoughts - So we became good pen-pals, which leads to me to re-reading a yet to be published revised version of the Album. Yes folks - with some tweaking, Ms Ceinwen allowed me a preview of the new version. So the following is my new review on my second reading.
The concept of this book worked - in both versions. Gabriel, lead singer of Cruise Control, writes an entire album on the meeting of, falling for and the ultimate demise of his relationship with Ariana.
I did and still do to some extent have issues with Ariana, but we are given a better glimpse into the why she does what she does, while Gabe's heartbreak was very apparent, it took his band mates especially the deliciously unapologetic, whore of a man Guitarist Sebastian to put everything in its proper perspective, his loyalty to Gabe is applauded. I do love band inclusive books and this one really lets you get to know all the characters.
I was so pissed off at Ariana that I forget to mention what I did like originally, just hinting about Heather, the girlfriend of the bass player Harrison and the fact the band is not an afterthought or prop.
Did the Author do what she did to get me to change my mind - Yes & No - She wanted to explain to me how Ariana's mind works and more will come out in the next book The Wedding. I am still not a big fan of Ariana, but definitely a fan of Sian Ceinwen. A PERSON that cared enough about all her readers, to go out of her way to engage and really did not need to do anything.
Not For Me
It's really unique how the main female character can call out her own faults and be 100% correct. Immature, indecisive, self centered and pretty cruel to anyone that was her friend. Heather and Guitarist Sebastian were the only redeeming characters in this book.
Gabe and Ariana, not so much
I heard from the Author - AND she wasn't asking for my head, calling me names, insulting my lack of taste as some others have - Nope this Lady, and I truly mean that in the most respectful way wanted to know WHY I felt the way I did - This turned out to be the most rewarding 1 star review I ever left. - Even though the book had some very good to excellent reviews on Amazon, Sian Ceinwen was genuinely interested in my thoughts - So we became good pen-pals, which leads to me to re-reading a yet to be published revised version of the Album. Yes folks - with some tweaking, Ms Ceinwen allowed me a preview of the new version. So the following is my new review on my second reading.
The concept of this book worked - in both versions. Gabriel, lead singer of Cruise Control, writes an entire album on the meeting of, falling for and the ultimate demise of his relationship with Ariana.
I did and still do to some extent have issues with Ariana, but we are given a better glimpse into the why she does what she does, while Gabe's heartbreak was very apparent, it took his band mates especially the deliciously unapologetic, whore of a man Guitarist Sebastian to put everything in its proper perspective, his loyalty to Gabe is applauded. I do love band inclusive books and this one really lets you get to know all the characters.
I was so pissed off at Ariana that I forget to mention what I did like originally, just hinting about Heather, the girlfriend of the bass player Harrison and the fact the band is not an afterthought or prop.
Did the Author do what she did to get me to change my mind - Yes & No - She wanted to explain to me how Ariana's mind works and more will come out in the next book The Wedding. I am still not a big fan of Ariana, but definitely a fan of Sian Ceinwen. A PERSON that cared enough about all her readers, to go out of her way to engage and really did not need to do anything.
Not For Me
It's really unique how the main female character can call out her own faults and be 100% correct. Immature, indecisive, self centered and pretty cruel to anyone that was her friend. Heather and Guitarist Sebastian were the only redeeming characters in this book.
Gabe and Ariana, not so much
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2020
*ARC kindly provided via NetGalley. This is my honest opinion.*
WOW. JUST WOW!!!! What an amazing story!
Gabriel is the lead singer of the band Cruise Control. A seemingly bad boy but with a heart of gold. Ariane is a real estator. She’s been trying for a while to forget her time with Gabriel. Two years after she ran away, she finds herself at a Cruise Control concert.
This is the story of how they ended here! I loved how the book was written. It’s sectioned like a music album and every chapter is a song that brings back a certain memory they share.
For being the author’s debut novel, this book is amazing! I could feel all the emotions alongside the characters; The love, the distancing, the bitterness, the hurt. Every feeling is right there for the reader to experience.
The author definitely won me over with this story and I can’t wait to see what she has coming next! I’ll be eagerly waiting...!
WOW. JUST WOW!!!! What an amazing story!
Gabriel is the lead singer of the band Cruise Control. A seemingly bad boy but with a heart of gold. Ariane is a real estator. She’s been trying for a while to forget her time with Gabriel. Two years after she ran away, she finds herself at a Cruise Control concert.
This is the story of how they ended here! I loved how the book was written. It’s sectioned like a music album and every chapter is a song that brings back a certain memory they share.
For being the author’s debut novel, this book is amazing! I could feel all the emotions alongside the characters; The love, the distancing, the bitterness, the hurt. Every feeling is right there for the reader to experience.
The author definitely won me over with this story and I can’t wait to see what she has coming next! I’ll be eagerly waiting...!
November 19, 2022
omg edit 11/19/22: after reading the companion book this book is being bumped to 1 star bc like the companion book was a better read and still didnt make the main heroine look good. like she’s fr just the worse
2.5 stars. mmm ariana pretty much sucks as a friend… she will Never be a friend of mine!
this book was also so funny in the sense that a lot of it was so dramatic and i’m no professional in the entertainment industry but this book was acting like it took place in the early 2000’s like girl this was written in 2020 like so many celebs are able to live a private life and keep their partners private i promise u that. it was truly all so dramatic and sorta silly
the writing was easy but it was so specific to details i truly did not care about. i’m interested to see what gabriel’s pov is about because i think this book wouldve been infinitely better with a dual pov and better editing. gabriel really was more lovable than ariana was and the book needed a lovable main lead.
was definitely a book i could read and kind of zone out to while being indifferent about. also i think it’s interesting that the author is australian (i think) writing about characters in the US. there was some bits that felt british-y to me and it totally threw me off a little.
2.5 stars. mmm ariana pretty much sucks as a friend… she will Never be a friend of mine!
this book was also so funny in the sense that a lot of it was so dramatic and i’m no professional in the entertainment industry but this book was acting like it took place in the early 2000’s like girl this was written in 2020 like so many celebs are able to live a private life and keep their partners private i promise u that. it was truly all so dramatic and sorta silly
the writing was easy but it was so specific to details i truly did not care about. i’m interested to see what gabriel’s pov is about because i think this book wouldve been infinitely better with a dual pov and better editing. gabriel really was more lovable than ariana was and the book needed a lovable main lead.
was definitely a book i could read and kind of zone out to while being indifferent about. also i think it’s interesting that the author is australian (i think) writing about characters in the US. there was some bits that felt british-y to me and it totally threw me off a little.
May 17, 2020
I really enjoyed reading this. I'm a sucker for the famous guy trope. I do wish there was more of the story based in the present time. The flashbacks were alright, I didn't mind getting their back story but again I wanted it to more about them now. I was sucked in while reading, I could put the book down. I would say if you like the famous, celebrity trope and don't mind flashbacks to give this story a read!
November 23, 2023
This story had so much potential, but unfortunately, the heroine is insipid and entirely unlikeable, and her actions follow an illogical arc. Therefore, believing in an epic love story between the two MCs is almost impossible. The secondary character development is pretty good.
April 13, 2020
2/5 stars
Flewwww through this book. Currently up at 1am to write this review because I could not stop reading. While, I enjoyed the essence of the story I felt certain things fell flat. The writing, while I enjoyed back and forth felt at times jumbled with the flow of the story. I ultimately felt overall, we got know our main character but not really feel for her as I was expecting to. I think yes, I can understand certain actions and decisions but her past self was driving me up a wall. I did feel our secondary characters were more flat. Even the love interest, I felt the romance was yes there and obviously a huge part but this seemed more on how our main character grew between the then of their relationship versus the now.
*Was sent an eARC from the publishers through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
Flewwww through this book. Currently up at 1am to write this review because I could not stop reading. While, I enjoyed the essence of the story I felt certain things fell flat. The writing, while I enjoyed back and forth felt at times jumbled with the flow of the story. I ultimately felt overall, we got know our main character but not really feel for her as I was expecting to. I think yes, I can understand certain actions and decisions but her past self was driving me up a wall. I did feel our secondary characters were more flat. Even the love interest, I felt the romance was yes there and obviously a huge part but this seemed more on how our main character grew between the then of their relationship versus the now.
*Was sent an eARC from the publishers through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*
April 29, 2020
The Album, A Cruise Control Novel, Sian Ceinwen V2
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: Romance, Women's Fiction
OK, start with my usual moan. Women's Fiction – why? Men write romance, men read romance., 'nuff said...
So, this trope is a real favourite of mine and I really enjoyed Sian's writing style. I had a few issues with the way the story was delivered in the first version. As Sian has continued the series, this book has been rewritten to make it fit the rest of the series better, and I'm pleased to say that past/present format that I struggled with has gone.
For me the new version reads SO much better, and I began to understand Ariana more. I think before all I could see was Gabriel's heartache and it coloured me to Ariana's feelings. Now I can see them clearer, with the heartbreak being kept to the later part of the book.
The ending now feels much more fitting to the book, not rushed or hurried but allowed to play out naturally. It was absolutely perfect, angst and heartbreak just as I love.
I didn't notice in the first book, maybe I missed it or maybe its new but Ariana has taken steps while they are apart to deal with her issues. That was one of my complaints, that – and I see this over and over in romances – sadly Love Doesn't Conquer All. If a couple have problems - and Ariana and Gabriel do - ones that separate them, they can't get a HEA unless they take steps to address those issues. Just getting back together and proclaiming We're In Love to the world doesn't mean its all going to end well, chances are its not. I'm much happier when, as here, those issues have been addressed, and though Ariana is always going to feel scared of the fame I'm confident she can now deal with it.
Some great characters here, I haven't mentioned the other band members but they are an interesting bunch, feel very real, and took Ariana to their hearts. Not only Gabriel was upset when she left, and its going to be interesting seeing how and if they accept her again. I Loved, Loved the mean girls, the b itchy groupies, I was hoping their manager would prove to be a bit difficult too- one of the reason I love this trope is the potential for jealousies, back stabbing and some real b itchy characters. I'm glad they stayed in the re-write.
Stars: Five, I rated this four when I read the original version, but now the issues I had have gone its five, five all the way.
Rewritten Arc via author
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: Romance, Women's Fiction
OK, start with my usual moan. Women's Fiction – why? Men write romance, men read romance., 'nuff said...
So, this trope is a real favourite of mine and I really enjoyed Sian's writing style. I had a few issues with the way the story was delivered in the first version. As Sian has continued the series, this book has been rewritten to make it fit the rest of the series better, and I'm pleased to say that past/present format that I struggled with has gone.
For me the new version reads SO much better, and I began to understand Ariana more. I think before all I could see was Gabriel's heartache and it coloured me to Ariana's feelings. Now I can see them clearer, with the heartbreak being kept to the later part of the book.
The ending now feels much more fitting to the book, not rushed or hurried but allowed to play out naturally. It was absolutely perfect, angst and heartbreak just as I love.
I didn't notice in the first book, maybe I missed it or maybe its new but Ariana has taken steps while they are apart to deal with her issues. That was one of my complaints, that – and I see this over and over in romances – sadly Love Doesn't Conquer All. If a couple have problems - and Ariana and Gabriel do - ones that separate them, they can't get a HEA unless they take steps to address those issues. Just getting back together and proclaiming We're In Love to the world doesn't mean its all going to end well, chances are its not. I'm much happier when, as here, those issues have been addressed, and though Ariana is always going to feel scared of the fame I'm confident she can now deal with it.
Some great characters here, I haven't mentioned the other band members but they are an interesting bunch, feel very real, and took Ariana to their hearts. Not only Gabriel was upset when she left, and its going to be interesting seeing how and if they accept her again. I Loved, Loved the mean girls, the b itchy groupies, I was hoping their manager would prove to be a bit difficult too- one of the reason I love this trope is the potential for jealousies, back stabbing and some real b itchy characters. I'm glad they stayed in the re-write.
Stars: Five, I rated this four when I read the original version, but now the issues I had have gone its five, five all the way.
Rewritten Arc via author
Read
December 20, 2021So, Goodreads asked me if I wanted to review this as the author, so I thought "ah, why not!". I won't lie, I feel a bit dodgy rating it five stars but I also love it to death and have read it repeatedly. I just kind of hope that MY rating doesn't factor in to the overall rating...at the same time, I'm not going to rate it one star, just to check! (Edited to add: It does not factor in to the ratings!)
Okay, so this book was inspired by the All-American Rejects song Gives You Hell (lyrics changed in the book because I am not rich enough to survive a copyright lawsuit!). I just loved the idea of the girl who'd left the rock star and was living an everyday life having an entire band's album centred around her. I also used to joke many years ago when the Maroon 5 album Songs About Jane was big that "whoever Jane was, she really did a number on someone!".
These characters came to life in my head, and I love them all dearly. For those who were frustrated with Ariana, I feel you. She is frustrating when she's initially with Gabriel because she won't ever just get out of her own damn head and be happy with him. I think, though, that if she hadn't left him they ultimately wouldn't have ended up as happy together as they are now (yes, present tense, because I'm a weirdo).
She needed the time away from him to grow and become more sure of herself as a person. We all backslide when trying to improve, her running away from the meet and greet was the ultimate in backsliding. When faced with them all, just for a second, she became that girl again. Netflix and Chill is, in my mind, her redeeming moment. It also happens to not be Gabriel's finest moment, of course. She's finally the woman she always could have been. It's also really shown more how much she's grown and changed, and what she's willing to put up with in order to be with Gabriel, in The Wedding.
We get to see more of Cruise Control's Chicago world and daily lives instead of being set almost entirely on tour. We also get to see what life is like for Ariana now that she's returned to the band. Anyway, I don't want to give too much away, I've marked this as having spoilers but I also don't want to spoil the sequel for anyone!
If you've read all this and you've read The Album and enjoyed it, thank you. I'm glad you liked my book enough to finish it.
- Sian
Okay, so this book was inspired by the All-American Rejects song Gives You Hell (lyrics changed in the book because I am not rich enough to survive a copyright lawsuit!). I just loved the idea of the girl who'd left the rock star and was living an everyday life having an entire band's album centred around her. I also used to joke many years ago when the Maroon 5 album Songs About Jane was big that "whoever Jane was, she really did a number on someone!".
These characters came to life in my head, and I love them all dearly. For those who were frustrated with Ariana, I feel you. She is frustrating when she's initially with Gabriel because she won't ever just get out of her own damn head and be happy with him. I think, though, that if she hadn't left him they ultimately wouldn't have ended up as happy together as they are now (yes, present tense, because I'm a weirdo).
She needed the time away from him to grow and become more sure of herself as a person. We all backslide when trying to improve, her running away from the meet and greet was the ultimate in backsliding. When faced with them all, just for a second, she became that girl again. Netflix and Chill is, in my mind, her redeeming moment. It also happens to not be Gabriel's finest moment, of course. She's finally the woman she always could have been. It's also really shown more how much she's grown and changed, and what she's willing to put up with in order to be with Gabriel, in The Wedding.
We get to see more of Cruise Control's Chicago world and daily lives instead of being set almost entirely on tour. We also get to see what life is like for Ariana now that she's returned to the band. Anyway, I don't want to give too much away, I've marked this as having spoilers but I also don't want to spoil the sequel for anyone!
If you've read all this and you've read The Album and enjoyed it, thank you. I'm glad you liked my book enough to finish it.
- Sian
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 21, 2020
4.5 stars - Ariana Chamberlain is a real estate agent with a secret or two up her sleeve. She’s hard working and loves her job. However, When she wins tickets to the hottest gig in town- the final concert for internationally acclaimed band Cruise Control- she has to come face to face with one of those secrets. Or in this case, one man, Gabriel Knight, the bands front man. Her delicious ex-boyfriend, whose heart she broke.
Looking back on lots of mistakes the couple made, ultimately leading to Gabriel's heightened success as a rock star, can hurt be put aside to give the pair any hope for a future together?
This debut novel by Sian Ceinwen is a cleverly constructed love story. It pairs an album song list and the bands music performed live on stage during their concert with Arianas memories of life on the road with the band. This pairing shows how sometimes even when true love is involved it can be painful, messy, and beautifully complicated.
The story shows how two people can fall into love, make music and magic, tour the world and yet be torn apart by their own insecurities and fears. But sometimes, if we are lucky, it can be put back together again.
I really enjoyed this novel. I’ve never seen a story put together quite like this and I found I couldn’t put it down.
My only complaints are Ariana can be frustratingly pigheaded in her initial timeline. But it means you see the character growth in the years since she has been separated from the band. Which, while annoying, is ultimately for the good even if I wanted to rail at the pages when she is unable to see how good she’s got it.
The second complaint is that we don’t really see, in the main story, how the rest of the band reacts to the final conclusion of the story ... I’m grateful the author gave us a teaser for the next story which addresses this even if it is just a tiny bit. :) I can’t wait to read the next one!!!
Note: I was given a preview of this book for free in hopes I would give an honest review of this book. Thankfully, I actually really liked it! I have not been paid for the review.
Looking back on lots of mistakes the couple made, ultimately leading to Gabriel's heightened success as a rock star, can hurt be put aside to give the pair any hope for a future together?
This debut novel by Sian Ceinwen is a cleverly constructed love story. It pairs an album song list and the bands music performed live on stage during their concert with Arianas memories of life on the road with the band. This pairing shows how sometimes even when true love is involved it can be painful, messy, and beautifully complicated.
The story shows how two people can fall into love, make music and magic, tour the world and yet be torn apart by their own insecurities and fears. But sometimes, if we are lucky, it can be put back together again.
I really enjoyed this novel. I’ve never seen a story put together quite like this and I found I couldn’t put it down.
My only complaints are Ariana can be frustratingly pigheaded in her initial timeline. But it means you see the character growth in the years since she has been separated from the band. Which, while annoying, is ultimately for the good even if I wanted to rail at the pages when she is unable to see how good she’s got it.
The second complaint is that we don’t really see, in the main story, how the rest of the band reacts to the final conclusion of the story ... I’m grateful the author gave us a teaser for the next story which addresses this even if it is just a tiny bit. :) I can’t wait to read the next one!!!
Note: I was given a preview of this book for free in hopes I would give an honest review of this book. Thankfully, I actually really liked it! I have not been paid for the review.
March 25, 2020
I'm going to DNF this book due to two main reasons:
1. The structure of the book is too messy as it is. I can understand that the author wants to give us little snippets of the past in order to better explain how the protagonist met the boy, but doing that every two or three pages is annoying and confusing. In my opinion, at least we should be able to have a whole chapter about the present and a whole chapter (equally long) about the past to balance the story. Otherwise, the novel lacks cohesiveness and feels choppy.
2. The sexist comments made both by male and female characters from the very beginning. Super jealous groupies insulting other girls because they want to be the centre of attention. Members of the band making "jokes" about the main character's body and later apologising because they were too drunk. I know for sure that the author made the characters that way on purpose, so I'm not saying that this is a sexist novel, but those comments are unnecessary and really put me off, so I'll just leave it aside.
I've seen that many readers are loving the story. I guess this book was not meant for me and maybe it caught me in a very picky mood.
1. The structure of the book is too messy as it is. I can understand that the author wants to give us little snippets of the past in order to better explain how the protagonist met the boy, but doing that every two or three pages is annoying and confusing. In my opinion, at least we should be able to have a whole chapter about the present and a whole chapter (equally long) about the past to balance the story. Otherwise, the novel lacks cohesiveness and feels choppy.
2. The sexist comments made both by male and female characters from the very beginning. Super jealous groupies insulting other girls because they want to be the centre of attention. Members of the band making "jokes" about the main character's body and later apologising because they were too drunk. I know for sure that the author made the characters that way on purpose, so I'm not saying that this is a sexist novel, but those comments are unnecessary and really put me off, so I'll just leave it aside.
I've seen that many readers are loving the story. I guess this book was not meant for me and maybe it caught me in a very picky mood.
August 4, 2020
The Album by Sian Ceinwen is the first book in the Cruise Control series - a Rockstar romance. Ariana and Gabriel's love story is one of intense heat, amazing love, but also insecurity, angst and emotion. I found the characters interesting and relatable in ways- Ariana's fears are understandable, even if at times the reader may want to shake her and tell her to get over it and realize how much Gabriel is all in. And Gabriel is amazingly sweet and understanding, and steamy. I am excited to get to know all the characters of the band in future books.
February 16, 2020
The Album had me hooked from beginning to end! It was a roller coaster of emotion! I laughed. I cried. I rolled my eyes. It was a refreshing read! My only downside is that I couldn’t go straight in to the second book!
June 18, 2020
"That's easy for you to say, isn't it? You knew what you wanted from your life, and you got it. Why would you bother with door number three?"
After the first two chapters of this book, I had decided to stop reading this and put it as a DNF. But, my instinct told me to keep on reading. So I did. I ended up finishing this book, and liking it. I really liked the idea of this book, and the plot. But, the characters on the other hand, I was not a fan. Let's take a closer look. 😊
Summary:
"What happens when you fall in love with a rock star? Ariana isn't a fan of celebrities, but she is a fan of Cruise Control. The night she attends a charity event with her aunt and meets rock star, Gabriel Knight, sets in motion a roller-coaster ride that is out of her command. Risking it all on the man who plucks at her heartstrings, and hiding her struggling self-esteem behind a wall of privacy. Ariana joins the group on tour as the lead singer's new sweetheart. But when she's suddenly thrust into the wild world of a rock star, the sour taste of the limelight could cut desire's set list short. Will life in the fast lane ruin Ariana's chance at true love?"
Characters:
Ariana: Oh Ariana! I have a huge problem with her. I did not like her whatsoever, until the last 20-30% of the book. She had no self-esteem and so many insecurities, that it made me not like the book at first. Every time she was in public, whether it be with Gabriel or not, she constantly didn't believe in herself. She automatically agreed with other people's opinion of her. It bothered me as a reader to see a character have so little faith in herself. She didn't even stand-up for herself when people were talking bad about her.
The last 20-30% changed my mind about her a little. She seemed to look back and understand why and how things went wrong. She still had little self-esteem, but it wasn't on her mind 24/7 like it was previously.
Gabriel: The entire book, I just felt bad for Gabriel. He constantly had to deal with things I felt he didn't need too. Although, he did deal with them rather well. I liked Gabriel. He was a fine H, but he wasn't my favorite. He didn't seem to really have a personality to me. (You know?) Gabriel was just there. I didn't really understand him, and I felt his one purpose was for the love of Ariana.
Chemistry:
To me, the chemistry felt a little forced. There were some cute moments that I really liked, and then there were the moments where I asked myself Why?. The whole relationship was very insta-love in my opinion, which I didn't really like because I feel it's not really realistic. I like reading about how the characters fall in love with a ton of tension and build up. Instead, these characters met, and then BAM, they couldn't be without each other at all. It also seemed to me that Ariana didn't even want the relationship at times. Gabriel was just trying to show his love for her, and she didn't really appreciate it.
Plot:
I actually really liked the plot, and there was a lot of opportunity for the author to take it and change it up, which she did. I like the idea of the rockstar falling in love with a "normal" women. But, I felt like this book was a lot about Ariana's insecurities, rather than the actual budding relationship or even the band. The last 20-30% was SO GOOD. It totally changed my mind about this book. There were moments where I hated both main characters, and then there were others where I was just WAITING for it:THE moment.
Rating:
I thought about this a lot and kept going back and forth between a 2.5, 3, or even 3.5. I ultimately decided on 3 stars. This book had great potential, if it weren't for the main characters. I did not like her at all. I didn't mind Gabriel, but I felt like he just went after Ariana like a lost puppy. The book was very insta-love, which I did not really like. It was like the first moment they met, they instantly loved each other. To me, that just isn't realistic. The last 20-30% of this book, made me change my mind between a 2 and 3. I really liked seeing the character development in Ariana, and Gabriel. They seemed to take a step back in their relationship and just look at it in a different light. I would have liked to see a lot more character development, as well as the development of their relationship, but overall it was a good read
May 20, 2020
Just out of college and full of sassy, pissy, and jaded when it comes to the rich and famous. This is bad news for her since her uncle is a world-famous actor and the root of all this crassness. You see he had a wandering eye causing his family to live with rag stories and paparazzi around every corner.
Leaving her favorite aunt and cousins in tears and embarrassment. So, at nine she swore never to put herself ever in a position to ever live in a situation where she could be hurt like that. Leaving her helpless on this night to tell her aunt who had a fundraiser to attend with such company in toe, no.
Since her uncle was on location and her children knew better than to ask that left her fair game. Being that she stayed out of the limelight she could scoot by unnoticed for the gauntlet. She could say no, not to mention her aunt bought a designer dress and shoes to go with it. Horrible at that too!
As she thought “Yadda, yadda, all about me. All A-listers, movie stars, millionaires, and billionaires. The only ones that perked her up were the group that came down off the stage after their performance, Cruise Control whom she had followed since their start. Although her aunt and ladies group now had them surrounded. The lead singer, Gabriel Knight, and guitarist, Sebastian Fox. She knew because they were tight.
Her worst nightmare, her aunt calls her over for introductions. She does, the meet and greets. Sebastian says, “What a gorgeous piece of ass,” he slurs. To which she is not happy. Gabe retorts, “She certainly isn’t bad to look at.” Now, highly disappointed not only seeing and smelling how much alcohol that has taken in. Also, not to mention feeling that their music was so good then to see them this way is regrettable. Feeling disillusioned knowing now not ever well to meet a hero.
Going out to the gardens for air and to take off her heels she sees a pool. Lifting her dress, she sits and dips her feet. Pondering what she’ll do with her business degree. About a half-hour later a male sexy voice speaks behind her, yup Gabe’s. Her life is about to change forever.
This is a whirlwind love story that you can just feel oozing off the page from both Ari and Gabe from the start. You come to realize quickly that this is the band's first tour and something about Ari calms and soothes Gabe’s fear, feeds his emotions, and boosts his ego and confidence. I also believe he likes feeling the one needed and the one to protect Ari from paparazzi.
For Ari, she fell hard. She’s young, just out of college and unsure of employment, and a phobia of this guy she fell for being gone and not remembering her. She tries to set him free at the very beginning so he can enjoy his tour with no strings attached, especially with her phobia.
But he can’t hear of it. So, I have problems at times throughout the story where yes when she is having a meltdown, he helps her through it. Yet, at other times he guilts her, makes her jealous on purpose, and doesn’t sometimes allow her to talk things through but uses sex to not hear the bad things.
At the end at the concert when she resurfaces. Then, he goes to her at work. I really disliked him. He is four years older than she is. The way he shows up, he leads in as if missing her and wanting her back and then the blow her away. To me he was being very passive-aggressive, as a way of spite for her a girl with an illness a real phobia for her, hurting him. So, this is a WTF ending, to me.
I liked that she triumphs her fears her final decisions, NOPE! He showed his true colors. She left because of love and illness. His spite and doing something behind someone’s back…
Because it did keep me interested, pissed for the indecisions, the funny parts, and even the darn WTF ending. I give this: 4 stars. Provided by netgalley.com.
Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com.
Leaving her favorite aunt and cousins in tears and embarrassment. So, at nine she swore never to put herself ever in a position to ever live in a situation where she could be hurt like that. Leaving her helpless on this night to tell her aunt who had a fundraiser to attend with such company in toe, no.
Since her uncle was on location and her children knew better than to ask that left her fair game. Being that she stayed out of the limelight she could scoot by unnoticed for the gauntlet. She could say no, not to mention her aunt bought a designer dress and shoes to go with it. Horrible at that too!
As she thought “Yadda, yadda, all about me. All A-listers, movie stars, millionaires, and billionaires. The only ones that perked her up were the group that came down off the stage after their performance, Cruise Control whom she had followed since their start. Although her aunt and ladies group now had them surrounded. The lead singer, Gabriel Knight, and guitarist, Sebastian Fox. She knew because they were tight.
Her worst nightmare, her aunt calls her over for introductions. She does, the meet and greets. Sebastian says, “What a gorgeous piece of ass,” he slurs. To which she is not happy. Gabe retorts, “She certainly isn’t bad to look at.” Now, highly disappointed not only seeing and smelling how much alcohol that has taken in. Also, not to mention feeling that their music was so good then to see them this way is regrettable. Feeling disillusioned knowing now not ever well to meet a hero.
Going out to the gardens for air and to take off her heels she sees a pool. Lifting her dress, she sits and dips her feet. Pondering what she’ll do with her business degree. About a half-hour later a male sexy voice speaks behind her, yup Gabe’s. Her life is about to change forever.
This is a whirlwind love story that you can just feel oozing off the page from both Ari and Gabe from the start. You come to realize quickly that this is the band's first tour and something about Ari calms and soothes Gabe’s fear, feeds his emotions, and boosts his ego and confidence. I also believe he likes feeling the one needed and the one to protect Ari from paparazzi.
For Ari, she fell hard. She’s young, just out of college and unsure of employment, and a phobia of this guy she fell for being gone and not remembering her. She tries to set him free at the very beginning so he can enjoy his tour with no strings attached, especially with her phobia.
But he can’t hear of it. So, I have problems at times throughout the story where yes when she is having a meltdown, he helps her through it. Yet, at other times he guilts her, makes her jealous on purpose, and doesn’t sometimes allow her to talk things through but uses sex to not hear the bad things.
At the end at the concert when she resurfaces. Then, he goes to her at work. I really disliked him. He is four years older than she is. The way he shows up, he leads in as if missing her and wanting her back and then the blow her away. To me he was being very passive-aggressive, as a way of spite for her a girl with an illness a real phobia for her, hurting him. So, this is a WTF ending, to me.
I liked that she triumphs her fears her final decisions, NOPE! He showed his true colors. She left because of love and illness. His spite and doing something behind someone’s back…
Because it did keep me interested, pissed for the indecisions, the funny parts, and even the darn WTF ending. I give this: 4 stars. Provided by netgalley.com.
Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com.
March 29, 2020
Chris Russell meets Anna Todd in this teen boyband romance that's heartfelt, steamy and fast-paced
Boyband romances are my guilty pleasure so I absolutely devoured The Album in less than 48 hours. It brings me great pleasure to write this review:
The Album is the first book in the book in the Cruise Control series for teens 18+. After an unexpected encounter at a charity gala, recent-graduate Ariana Chamberlain finds herself swept into a consuming and steamy around-the-world romance with Gabriel Knight, lead singer of the world's hottest famous rock band.
With their famous father, Ariana's cousins are a prime example of the invasions of privacy and the sacrifices that come with fame - something she wishes to steer well clear of. But Gabe's front-page media presence and his burning desire to share their relationship with the world soon becomes the third wheel in their relationship.
I was completely hooked from start to finish, consumed in Cruise Control's world of world tours, red carpets and backstage drama. Each chapter is named after the songs in Cruise Control's latest album (lyricising Gabe's heartbreak after Ari left) and takes the reader back to a memory from two years ago. Their romance is a compelling read - there are are some steamy sex-scenes throughout the book, and while I must admit the first one came as a surprise, they are fast-paced and not cringe-worthy like in some other books.
I am already so invested in this series! The next book in the Cruise Control series will follow Heather, longstanding girlfriend of Gabe's band-member Harrison. She's a lovely character and becomes like an older sister and best friend to Ariana in The Album - but after two years she's still so angry with her for leaving them all to pick up the pieces, so I can't wait to read her story.
If you sign up to Sian Ceinwen's newsletter you can read an exclusive extract from Gabriel's point of view.
The Album and the Cruise Control series is perfect for fans of Anna Todd and older YA romances, or for fans of Chris Russell and teen boyband novels who are looking for something a bit older.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher BooksGoSocial for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Album in exchange for an honest review.
Boyband romances are my guilty pleasure so I absolutely devoured The Album in less than 48 hours. It brings me great pleasure to write this review:
The Album is the first book in the book in the Cruise Control series for teens 18+. After an unexpected encounter at a charity gala, recent-graduate Ariana Chamberlain finds herself swept into a consuming and steamy around-the-world romance with Gabriel Knight, lead singer of the world's hottest famous rock band.
With their famous father, Ariana's cousins are a prime example of the invasions of privacy and the sacrifices that come with fame - something she wishes to steer well clear of. But Gabe's front-page media presence and his burning desire to share their relationship with the world soon becomes the third wheel in their relationship.
I was completely hooked from start to finish, consumed in Cruise Control's world of world tours, red carpets and backstage drama. Each chapter is named after the songs in Cruise Control's latest album (lyricising Gabe's heartbreak after Ari left) and takes the reader back to a memory from two years ago. Their romance is a compelling read - there are are some steamy sex-scenes throughout the book, and while I must admit the first one came as a surprise, they are fast-paced and not cringe-worthy like in some other books.
I am already so invested in this series! The next book in the Cruise Control series will follow Heather, longstanding girlfriend of Gabe's band-member Harrison. She's a lovely character and becomes like an older sister and best friend to Ariana in The Album - but after two years she's still so angry with her for leaving them all to pick up the pieces, so I can't wait to read her story.
If you sign up to Sian Ceinwen's newsletter you can read an exclusive extract from Gabriel's point of view.
The Album and the Cruise Control series is perfect for fans of Anna Todd and older YA romances, or for fans of Chris Russell and teen boyband novels who are looking for something a bit older.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher BooksGoSocial for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Album in exchange for an honest review.
March 29, 2020
Chris Russell meets Anna Todd in this teen boyband romance that's heartfelt, steamy and fast-paced
Boyband romances are my guilty pleasure so I absolutely devoured The Album in less than 48 hours. It brings me great pleasure to write this review:
The Album is the first book in the Cruise Control series for teens 18+. After an unexpected encounter at a charity gala, recent-graduate Ariana Chamberlain finds herself swept in a consuming and steamy around-the-world romance with Gabriel Knight, lead singer of the world's hottest rock band.
With a famous uncle, Ariana's seen what the invasions of privacy and the sacrifices that come with fame look like - something she wishes to steer well clear of. But Gabe's front-page media presence and his burning desire to share their relationship with the world soon becomes the third wheel in their relationship.
Each chapter is named after the songs in Cruise Control's latest album (lyricising Gabe's heartbreak after Ari left) and takes the reader back to a memory from two years ago. Their romance is a compelling read - there are some steamy sex-scenes throughout the book, and while I must admit the first one came as a surprise, they are fast-paced and not cringe-worthy like in some other books.
I am already so invested in this series! The next book in the Cruise Control series will follow Heather, longstanding girlfriend of Gabe's band-member Harrison. She's a lovely character and becomes like an older sister and Close friend to Ariana in the first story - but after the two years she's still so angry with her for the mess she left behind so I can't wait to read her story!
If you sign up to Sian Ceinwen's newsletter you can read an exclusive extract of The Album told from Gabriel's point of view.
The Album and the Cruise Control series is perfect for fans of Anna Todd and older YA romances, or for fans of Chris Russell and teen boyband novels who are looking for something a bit older.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher BooksGoSocial for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Album in exchange for an honest review.
Boyband romances are my guilty pleasure so I absolutely devoured The Album in less than 48 hours. It brings me great pleasure to write this review:
The Album is the first book in the Cruise Control series for teens 18+. After an unexpected encounter at a charity gala, recent-graduate Ariana Chamberlain finds herself swept in a consuming and steamy around-the-world romance with Gabriel Knight, lead singer of the world's hottest rock band.
With a famous uncle, Ariana's seen what the invasions of privacy and the sacrifices that come with fame look like - something she wishes to steer well clear of. But Gabe's front-page media presence and his burning desire to share their relationship with the world soon becomes the third wheel in their relationship.
Each chapter is named after the songs in Cruise Control's latest album (lyricising Gabe's heartbreak after Ari left) and takes the reader back to a memory from two years ago. Their romance is a compelling read - there are some steamy sex-scenes throughout the book, and while I must admit the first one came as a surprise, they are fast-paced and not cringe-worthy like in some other books.
I am already so invested in this series! The next book in the Cruise Control series will follow Heather, longstanding girlfriend of Gabe's band-member Harrison. She's a lovely character and becomes like an older sister and Close friend to Ariana in the first story - but after the two years she's still so angry with her for the mess she left behind so I can't wait to read her story!
If you sign up to Sian Ceinwen's newsletter you can read an exclusive extract of The Album told from Gabriel's point of view.
The Album and the Cruise Control series is perfect for fans of Anna Todd and older YA romances, or for fans of Chris Russell and teen boyband novels who are looking for something a bit older.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher BooksGoSocial for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Album in exchange for an honest review.
July 7, 2020
**My thanks to the author and Hidden Gems for providing me with a free copy for an honest review**
This is a totally new to me author and this is her debut book. It did take me a couple of chapters to get into her writing style, but once i did i was unable to put the book down.
The book is from Ariana's point of view and follows her on her journey as she first meets Gabriel at a charity event until they finally get their happy ever after.
Ariana is basically a little jaded with having a famous uncle, and therefore does not like the limelight. The main thing that breaks them up is her insecurity within her self and not wanting to tell the world that she is with an awesome guy.
Gabriel is a wonderful character and puts up with a lot from Ariana and constantly helping her feel secure, but it does come at a price.
Being a musician, once we get the breakup, Gabriel channels his upset into an Album and Ariana acts like a cild and cuts everyone from her time with Gabe out of her life to start her life anew.
After a few years we get a chance meeting and the spark is still there. Glad that Ariana has grown up enough and with the help of therapy to go through things this time with her head screwed on properly.
I really enjoyed this book, but i did get a little upset with Ariana and her actions sometimes, but without them the book would not have been as good.
I certainly recommend that you try this author out.
This is a totally new to me author and this is her debut book. It did take me a couple of chapters to get into her writing style, but once i did i was unable to put the book down.
The book is from Ariana's point of view and follows her on her journey as she first meets Gabriel at a charity event until they finally get their happy ever after.
Ariana is basically a little jaded with having a famous uncle, and therefore does not like the limelight. The main thing that breaks them up is her insecurity within her self and not wanting to tell the world that she is with an awesome guy.
Gabriel is a wonderful character and puts up with a lot from Ariana and constantly helping her feel secure, but it does come at a price.
Being a musician, once we get the breakup, Gabriel channels his upset into an Album and Ariana acts like a cild and cuts everyone from her time with Gabe out of her life to start her life anew.
After a few years we get a chance meeting and the spark is still there. Glad that Ariana has grown up enough and with the help of therapy to go through things this time with her head screwed on properly.
I really enjoyed this book, but i did get a little upset with Ariana and her actions sometimes, but without them the book would not have been as good.
I certainly recommend that you try this author out.
May 27, 2020
When I started this book, I was ambivalent. Another rock star romance, ho hum. I knew this was more than another rock star romance when I started arguing with Ariana that they were getting too close too fast, that with her family history with celebrity, this was a big mistake. So, the basic premise is somewhat common. How the author develops it is not so common. Oh, I could argue that some things happen without bringing the reader along, without giving us a chance to understand. But the characters are lovely and quite lovable, except, maybe, Sebastian, but...
This is quite a nice romance and I look forward to the next by this author.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This is quite a nice romance and I look forward to the next by this author.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
avoid
January 6, 2023Self note
- story told in annoying flash backs.
This author writes cheating books. (2nd book in this series has a cheating H).
- story told in annoying flash backs.
This author writes cheating books. (2nd book in this series has a cheating H).
Want to read
November 19, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (11/19/2020)! 🎁
September 11, 2020
The Album (Cruise Control, #1) By Sian Ceinwen (2020/06/20)
Rating 2/5 Stars
Disclaimer: Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher ( Xpresso Book Tours) for providing me with an ARC to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
TW: Panic Attacks
The Album is the first book in the Cruise Control romance series. This story follows Ariana who is a fan of a band called Cruise Control. One day she attends a charity event with her aunt, and she ends up meeting the lead singer of the band, Gabriel Knight. The two instantly hit it off and when Gabe has to leave for his tour, he asks Ari to come with him. The romance blooms from there and Ari must decide if being with a Rockstar is worth it or not. I liked this story; the romance was super cute. Gabe was a super sweet boyfriend and I loved that. I really liked watching Ari bond with some of the band member’s and I liked her friendship with heather. However, Ari as a main character was really unlikeable. I understood her corners and her issues, but she never really tried to make an effort to change her ways until then end.
I also felt like it was really unrealistic that she spent some much time with the band and that the paparazzi didn't catch on to her being Gabe's girlfriend quicker. I feel like a lot of the problems that Ari and Gabe had could have been avoided had she expressed her feelings ahead of time. She never really communicated with him and just expected him to randomly understand her. When she overheard Gabe's conversation with Cooper, I feel like she had to understand that not everyone in life is going to like and that okay. I liked that there was a two-year time jump and that we were able to see that Ariana was in a better place. I would have liked to have had a few scenes where we had gotten to see her working on herself instead of being told she made a bunch of progress in her life. I liked that she knew she had issues that she had to work on and that she saw a therapist to better herself.
Although the songs at the end were their story told from Gabriel's point of view, I would have liked to see the songs embedded into the story. I feel like that would have allowed the reader to connect to Gabriel's characters and fully understand him.
I didn't like that when she went to the band’s concert, she spent so much of the time recommencing over which song was related to what point in their relationship. I didn't really think that was necessary to add especially because they were scenes we already knew about. She also practically forgot her friend was with her the entire time which was really annoying.
Ultimately the last 30% of the book was probably the best part of this story. Overall, if you are looking for a quick Rockstar romance then definitely check this one out if anything, I said in my review interests you.
Rating 2/5 Stars
Disclaimer: Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher ( Xpresso Book Tours) for providing me with an ARC to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
TW: Panic Attacks
The Album is the first book in the Cruise Control romance series. This story follows Ariana who is a fan of a band called Cruise Control. One day she attends a charity event with her aunt, and she ends up meeting the lead singer of the band, Gabriel Knight. The two instantly hit it off and when Gabe has to leave for his tour, he asks Ari to come with him. The romance blooms from there and Ari must decide if being with a Rockstar is worth it or not. I liked this story; the romance was super cute. Gabe was a super sweet boyfriend and I loved that. I really liked watching Ari bond with some of the band member’s and I liked her friendship with heather. However, Ari as a main character was really unlikeable. I understood her corners and her issues, but she never really tried to make an effort to change her ways until then end.
I also felt like it was really unrealistic that she spent some much time with the band and that the paparazzi didn't catch on to her being Gabe's girlfriend quicker. I feel like a lot of the problems that Ari and Gabe had could have been avoided had she expressed her feelings ahead of time. She never really communicated with him and just expected him to randomly understand her. When she overheard Gabe's conversation with Cooper, I feel like she had to understand that not everyone in life is going to like and that okay. I liked that there was a two-year time jump and that we were able to see that Ariana was in a better place. I would have liked to have had a few scenes where we had gotten to see her working on herself instead of being told she made a bunch of progress in her life. I liked that she knew she had issues that she had to work on and that she saw a therapist to better herself.
Although the songs at the end were their story told from Gabriel's point of view, I would have liked to see the songs embedded into the story. I feel like that would have allowed the reader to connect to Gabriel's characters and fully understand him.
I didn't like that when she went to the band’s concert, she spent so much of the time recommencing over which song was related to what point in their relationship. I didn't really think that was necessary to add especially because they were scenes we already knew about. She also practically forgot her friend was with her the entire time which was really annoying.
Ultimately the last 30% of the book was probably the best part of this story. Overall, if you are looking for a quick Rockstar romance then definitely check this one out if anything, I said in my review interests you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2020
The story is simple and written well. The characters are realistic but I wanted to know more about Gabriel. Ariana’s back story reveals a bit about her. The secondary characters have a part to play and I feel, all the other members of the band deserve a story of their own. The language is simple and the story, though long, is unputdownable. As the story progressed, I felt it was too good to be true and was expecting something to happen. The end was a bit abrupt, but HEA worked for me,
The chapters have been uniquely named and the encore was what I was waiting for (you have to read the book to know what I am talking about).
Though, this is the debut work of the author, I feel, as the series progresses, we would see more of the band and also more of these characters. The names of the songs played by the band also are interesting.
This story revolves around love, friendship, understanding, and mostly, a boy band. Do pick this up if you love boy bands, HEAs or even descriptive romances.
I am waiting for the next book in the series.
The chapters have been uniquely named and the encore was what I was waiting for (you have to read the book to know what I am talking about).
Though, this is the debut work of the author, I feel, as the series progresses, we would see more of the band and also more of these characters. The names of the songs played by the band also are interesting.
This story revolves around love, friendship, understanding, and mostly, a boy band. Do pick this up if you love boy bands, HEAs or even descriptive romances.
I am waiting for the next book in the series.
June 7, 2020
When introverted Ariana meets her favourite band that are about to hit it big, especially Gabriel their lead singer, they hit it off too well that when he asks her out she doesn't think twice even though she has major issues with fame and lack of privacy. Soon after he invites her to join him on tour and she soon realizes she's just jumped into the deep end and doesn't like it. All throughout the book I found myself falling more and more for Gabriel and less and less for Ariana. Her insecurities and problems keep poor Gabriel fighting for their relationship constantly. Poor guy has the patience of a saint and she STILL questions everything. Loved the story but the only thing that stopped me from giving it a 5 star was her character's lack of a backbone. Let see what happens next in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
April 4, 2020
From the time I picked the book up, I couldn't put it down. I would tell myself "I will go to bed after the next chapter". I finally went to bed at 3 am after the sneak peek of The Wedding.
I believe that Ariana is real in her feelings, that she can come across as a bit whiny but her reasons are sound. Especially considering her aunt and uncle. I love the fact that by the end of The Album she had changed so much that she would stop Gabriel from having sex with her and that eventually, it all worked out well.
Well done, Sian, on your writing and I can't wait for the books following the rest of the Cruise Control band members. Also, at my age, I have read many books over the years from Mills & Boons, through to vampire books and I rate this book as good as any that I have read.
I believe that Ariana is real in her feelings, that she can come across as a bit whiny but her reasons are sound. Especially considering her aunt and uncle. I love the fact that by the end of The Album she had changed so much that she would stop Gabriel from having sex with her and that eventually, it all worked out well.
Well done, Sian, on your writing and I can't wait for the books following the rest of the Cruise Control band members. Also, at my age, I have read many books over the years from Mills & Boons, through to vampire books and I rate this book as good as any that I have read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2020
Okay, so here’s the thing….I was thinking the book started a little slow. By a quarter of the way into the storyline, I began to get engaged with the growing array of characters. They had taken on a life of their own by then.
Somewhere between then and the halfway mark, I reached for a tissue. Not unusual. Emotions were running a little on the high side. At that point, I started falling in love with these unique characters. Then BOOM!*!* All of a sudden. I’m ugly crying and looking for a second box of tissue.
What a ride, indeed. Me telling you about the storyline and the characters could not convey the depth of the emotions and the color of the story that the author paints in vivid strokes.
Somewhere between then and the halfway mark, I reached for a tissue. Not unusual. Emotions were running a little on the high side. At that point, I started falling in love with these unique characters. Then BOOM!*!* All of a sudden. I’m ugly crying and looking for a second box of tissue.
What a ride, indeed. Me telling you about the storyline and the characters could not convey the depth of the emotions and the color of the story that the author paints in vivid strokes.
March 19, 2020
I'm not one who usually reads romance, and this one was recommended to me so bear that in mind.
Ariana's one-foot-out-the-door approach to her relationship frustrated me to no end, and I honestly expected the book to end with her having made absolutely no progress in fixing that. Thankfully, I was proven wrong there and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't cheering through that epilogue.
Overall, I enjoyed it enough to feel like I would read it again and continue through the series. I am a little disappointed that Hayden was essentially present in name only, but considering how it looks like the series is headed, I'm happy with the characters we did get to see.
Ariana's one-foot-out-the-door approach to her relationship frustrated me to no end, and I honestly expected the book to end with her having made absolutely no progress in fixing that. Thankfully, I was proven wrong there and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't cheering through that epilogue.
Overall, I enjoyed it enough to feel like I would read it again and continue through the series. I am a little disappointed that Hayden was essentially present in name only, but considering how it looks like the series is headed, I'm happy with the characters we did get to see.
April 4, 2021
Gabe and Ari
This book kept me riveted and was truly one i couldn’t put down. Their love was intense but her fears were even more intense. I felt like I fought their battles with them. Their love was pure and real but Ari’s fears almost destroyed them. Finally they have their HEA and I can breathe again. A must read book and series.
This book kept me riveted and was truly one i couldn’t put down. Their love was intense but her fears were even more intense. I felt like I fought their battles with them. Their love was pure and real but Ari’s fears almost destroyed them. Finally they have their HEA and I can breathe again. A must read book and series.
September 15, 2020
What an enjoyable read. I was hooked within the first chapter. This story was cute and fast paced. Just the way I like it. Full of emotions; I laughed, i cried, I got mad, and laughed some more.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 2, 2020
Ariana’s colleague was excited over a band’s upcoming performance—Cruise Control. She pretended not to know them, but, of course, Ariana knew them all too well. She never expected to win VIP tickets to their concert. The only thing on her mind was dread over seeing Gabriel, whom she hadn’t seen or heard of in 2 years. Back in the day, she used to work as a roadie with the band, then became something more with Gabriel.
When Ariana first met Gabriel, she was star-struck, like every other girl. At first, she thought he was nothing but an arrogant celebrity, but then she realized that there was a sweet, caring, funny guy beneath that rock star exterior.
Story relives moments of the duo’s past during a concert in the present. They certainly moved quickly in the relationship, which was nice at times but seemed superficial, I think. Each song played in the concert brings back the first time Ariana heard that song, bringing back a memory from their past, which, at times, sounded repetitive and mediocre. The pace is slightly lagging with some awkward sentencing here and there.
Ultimately, this chronicles the life, love, and hardships of dating a rock star. Overall, this was a decent past romance.
When Ariana first met Gabriel, she was star-struck, like every other girl. At first, she thought he was nothing but an arrogant celebrity, but then she realized that there was a sweet, caring, funny guy beneath that rock star exterior.
Story relives moments of the duo’s past during a concert in the present. They certainly moved quickly in the relationship, which was nice at times but seemed superficial, I think. Each song played in the concert brings back the first time Ariana heard that song, bringing back a memory from their past, which, at times, sounded repetitive and mediocre. The pace is slightly lagging with some awkward sentencing here and there.
Ultimately, this chronicles the life, love, and hardships of dating a rock star. Overall, this was a decent past romance.
May 28, 2020
I thought it was a little more in-depth on Arianna's feeling or POV which was of a frustrating insecure college age woman who was thrown into touring with her boyfriend on his band touring the country. I honestly understood her frustration and could tell Gabe did not know how to handle but book didn't give any of Gabe's POV. He just comes away as super in love but clueless.
All feelings seemed honest of Ari's and I appreciated author's use of repeating Ari's fears to show depth of her pain. Glad getting therapy was mentioned because she had a lot of guilt and her uncle messed her mind. It just seemed so repetitive to where it went no where. If this wasn't going to be a series I was upset of treatment of Heather.
I felt like many of the secondary characters were interesting but others not as much. The series books are like that. We are basically introduced and intrigued. I thought Sebastian was most "rock star" of all. He's probably next, right?
I'm intrigued by this introduction into Cruise Control. I want you to be intrigued too. Ari does grow as a person but I missed Gabe's POV, hence the average star rating.
All feelings seemed honest of Ari's and I appreciated author's use of repeating Ari's fears to show depth of her pain. Glad getting therapy was mentioned because she had a lot of guilt and her uncle messed her mind. It just seemed so repetitive to where it went no where. If this wasn't going to be a series I was upset of treatment of Heather.
I felt like many of the secondary characters were interesting but others not as much. The series books are like that. We are basically introduced and intrigued. I thought Sebastian was most "rock star" of all. He's probably next, right?
I'm intrigued by this introduction into Cruise Control. I want you to be intrigued too. Ari does grow as a person but I missed Gabe's POV, hence the average star rating.
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