This review is written voluntarily after listening to the audio version of this book.
This second book about Forgotten Legacy is Seth and Riley's story, you do not need to have read or listened to Forgotten Memories to enjoy this book but I would most definitely recommend that you do, this story will mean so much more if you have as the shared history Seth has with Gabe and Harper helps you better understand this story.
I could not stop listening to this book Seth is just so broken, so damaged and yet so strong. My heart broke for him, for the pain he had suffered, for the torment he'd lived through and for the belief he held that he wasn't worth loving because of his past. Seth and his younger sister Lexi were adopted as children but not before the damage had been done and even now he puts Lexi's happiness before his own. He and Gabe formed a firm friendship whilst at school, like finding like as Gabe told him at their first meeting. Their friendship led to the formation of Forgotten Legacy the hot rock band which is now one of the hottest properties around.
Seth's nickname by the fans is The Devil, he keeps everyone but Gabe at arm's length, he appears to be so self-contained, but in fact, he isn't. He never shows emotion that is until he meets Riley, she's ten years younger than him, something he wasn't aware of when he allowed her to get under his skin. She appeared much older, she calmed his soul and made him feel normal for the first time in years. She wasn't an adoring fan willing to do anything for his attention but unfortunately when he found out just how young she was his newfound trust was shattered.
Riley knows she should have told Seth her age, something I'm sure she would have done soon, but when he learned it before she could explain he cut her off. She'd been around the band for years taking pictures and writing a blog, she's mature beyond her years and isn't just a starstruck fan. She's admired Seth the man from afar. Some weeks after the break up she gets the chance of a job as the band's official photographer. She takes the job, the band and its entire entourage go on tour with her determined to avoid Seth apart from work and Seth determined to punish her for what he believes was a lie.
But proximity, chemistry and attraction bring them together, she's perfect for him, she gets him, her patience with his dark side leads him to let her in on the secrets he's been hiding from the world. Then just as things are going well tragedy strikes and all seems lost.
This is certainly a book that evokes the strongest emotions, the storyline is so dark at times, Seth has suffered so much, he's lost so much but he deserves so much you just keep hoping he'll realise this and let in the people who love him in. Riley's way of dealing with his dark side is perfect she just has to make him see that he's all she wants. The characters are all so believable and well-drawn. L. Ann has created a band and a world I want to visit with again, I can't wait for the next book in this series to be available on audio.
The narration of this book by the wonderfully talented Thomas Locklear could not be improved upon, it's a world he already knows having narrated Gabe and Harper's sorry too. The emotion and feeling he brings to the story and the characters could not be improved upon, I'm so glad L Ann decided to use him for the whole series. She also provides a perfect playlist of songs for this series. I listened to each one on YouTube at the start of each chapter.
This book and series will stay with me it's just so well produced but be warned there are triggers about child abuse and sex trafficking in this book, it's not a book for everybody but if it helps it does end with the start of Seth's healing something I'm sure will continue with Riley by his side.