I wasn't sure what to expect from Paxton's story, because I didn't feel like I got to know him at all in the previous books in this series. As Breck's roommate, he came across like kind of a video-game obsessed slacker. So I was pleasantly surprised to get inside of Pax's head in Downbeat. (And as the drummer for Lightening Strikes, this is the perfect title!)
Pax is feeling like the odd man out, having seen the rest of his bandmates pair off and find happiness as part of a couple. He's lonely, and none of his relationships have panned out for whatever reason. Whereas the other guys are all with women who they knew before they found fame, Pax always wonders if the women he meets are just after his celebrity. Until he meets barista Kylie, who has absolutely no clue who he is.
As a single mom, Kylie has plenty of walls up, mostly to protect her young son, and she makes her cute customer work for her attention. Pax sets out to get to know Kylie, but knows that time is against him before she discovers who he really is. And after a perfect first date and first kiss, Kylie finds out from someone else.
Kylie is understandably that Pax lied to her, but she at least realizes that she wasn't forthcoming about the fact that she has a 5 year old, either. They agree to explore what is developing between them, and once Pax meets Jayce, it was all over. Kylie was done for.
I appreciated that there was no major drama between these two. The story is exceptionally sweet, and while Kylie's insecurities over Jayce's father flare up every now and then, Pax really does prove just how much he wants her and her son to be his forever. This couple felt so genuine and their feelings for one another jumped off the page. I adored this book, and am sad to see the Lightening Strikes series come to an end.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.