Impossible

by Susan Fanetti

Dallas Cole has had it.

After more than twenty years fronting the band he’d formed with his childhood friends, he’s worn down by the constant grind of rock-and-roll superstardom. On a whim, at the end of their latest world tour, he bolts from his London hotel. No plan in mind, he just wants to fade into obscurity, get a chance to catch his breath and remember why he wanted to make music in the first place.

But it’s not so easy for a rock god to disappear.

Elspeth MacCleary gets quite the shock when Dallas Cole crashes into her Bloomsbury bookshop and drunkenly demands a place to hide. By the time she’s dealt with the mob chasing him, he’s made himself inconveniently at home in her flat upstairs.

What does one do with an unconscious rock god?

What does one say when he wakes and asks to stay?

The superstar and the bookseller. The Yank and the Brit. The partier and the teetotaler.

Los Angeles and London.

Their love should be impossible. But maybe, where it matters, they’re not so different after all.

Note: The Crossings Collection is a series of stand-alone novels with similar themes. The novels do not share characters or situations.

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Contemporary, Music, M F Romance, Celebrity

316 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 3, 2021

About the author

I was born and raised in the Midwest, but I was transplanted into the dusty soil of Northern California and have apparently taken root there. An inveterate geek and gamer, I am a fan of many things considered pop culture and maybe even lowbrow.

As a reader, my favorite genres are science fiction and fantasy, but as a writer, I've found my home in romance--or perhaps it's better to say simply "love stories." I have a yen to try other genres, too, at some point, but for now my muse wants to tell stories about lovers and families.

I write for the joy of it, and I write stories that I want to read. If others like them, too, that's just the cherry on top. I’m not interested in rules and formulae. I follow my muse and my characters and let them take me where they want to go, wherever that might be. I like big emotions, dark and light.

I like complicated characters with flaws and weaknesses as well as strengths, and I like each character’s strengths and weaknesses to be different from those of other characters. I’m much more concerned that my characters be interesting and diverse than that they be widely considered to be likable. I try to create people, not types.

Likewise, I want my stories each to be distinct from the others. Once I’ve told a story, I don’t want to tell it again. So even within a series, one of my books might be very different from the next. Some might be very dark, others equally mild.

That isn’t to say there aren’t trends and recurrences in my work. I’m drawn to certain themes and settings, and my muse has her favorite toys and tools. But I guard against those tendencies becoming a formula.

Find my blog at www.susanfanetti.com

Find my FB author page: https://www.facebook.com/authorsusanf...

A note: I don't spend much time here on Goodreads. I try not to read any reviews of my own work. Besides, this is a site for readers, but since I write at a fairly manic pace, and read and edit for other writers, I don't have much time to read recreationally. Mainly, I log on to update my info. So if you message me here, it might be a while before I see it.

Reviews

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

**** 4.5 Stars ****

I seriously hit the jackpot because this was bloody brilliant!
How can someone make such an old trope feel so refreshing???🤯🤯

We had Elspeth MacCleary, aka Brave, as a Londoner and ordinary bookseller.



And Dallas Cole, a truly L.A. guy as a rockstar.



❤❤ The genuine atmosphere captured by the author from both distinct worlds was outstanding. I have never been to LA, but sure as hell, it felt like I was there. Not to mention London. 😱🎯🔝

❤❤❤ I absolutely loved the pace Susan Fanetti set for this story. 🥰

❤❤❤❤ I also loved the velvety voice in which the story touched me. There was a peaceful and mature tone in it that was incredibly compelling to me.💘

❤❤❤❤❤ The end was sappy as hell, something that usually gets my dark heart giving an eye roll. But Good Lord, wasn't it bloody perfect?
It worked beautifully here and even had me shedding a tear or two.😭

Susan Fanetti hit all the marks IMO.

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a tad unsure about reading this off the back of a 27 book run that left me with the mother of all hangovers. Welp, it's Susan Fanetti so I've no idea what the heck I was nervous for, it was utter perfection and dragged me straight out of that MM bookfunk and straight into another one.

The pace - perfection
The characters - perfection
The story - perfection
The writing - perfection
The slow burn - perfection

So, 5 perfection stars from me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Ira · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.
I throughly enjoyed this one 😍.
What a sweet sweet romance ❤️❤️.

It has been more than two months since I able finished any contemporary romance 😬.
Many that I tried before this one were rubbish! I couldn’t even pass the sample on amazon 🙄.

But this is Ms. Fanetti’s book and I really love many of her books, except those selected few! 🤨😂
This one rather special too, I think the first book of hers that I’ve read without any violence in it! 😳😂

Also, the Brit is the girl, love that.
Many American authors usually just love writing the British blokes 🙄😂, so it’s nice with a little bit change here and she writes the heroine right, too.
I do feel like she is a proper British girl and talk like a Brit 😘.

Imo, she was an upgrade of Ms. Lynne Graham’s heroines! 😘😂
Seriously, I like her a lot ❤️.

Of course I like Dallas too, and his decision at the end made up all the stupid things he’s done earlier.
And the epilogue? Absolutely perfect! ❤️❤️❤️

If you read Ms. Fanetti before, you will get a lovely surprise from this one 😘.
Highly recommend from me 😍☺️.

❤️❤️❤️

[Ⓐlleskelle - That ranting lady ッ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the premise of this opposites attract romance between a small Londonian bookshop owner and a burned out rockgod. I love a good celebrity trope, the fantasy of getting close and personal with a huge star that falls for the "nobody" just works for me. The author did a brilliant job portraying the London life, I loved the Britishisms infused all throughout, it basically tethered me to the story.
The main characters were charming, especially Elspeth, there was something truly genuine about her. The supporting cast was equally endearing and aggravating but authentic real friends.

Unfortunately for me this felt short on the romance after the initial getting to know you part (which I loved) and very slow building during a pretty short time span. Not only that but the characters were so much in their heads I felt robbed of some precious interactions between them. I would have loved more dialogues and things happening between them. I like a slow burn but once Dallas rushes back home, both romance and plot became stagnant with nothing truly urging me to read on, especially with the flimsy and very "up in the air" feelings between the love interests.

I didn't think their time together once reunited felt any different, I failed to feel the chemistry, didn't feel like Elspeth and Dallas had resolved any of their issues. And just like Elspeth's friend, Frank, I thought Dallas was forgiven too easily. His actions required a proper grovel.
Then too much too soon it's the end of the book with an epilogue set several years later.
I feel pretty bummed to be honest.

Bonus point for non-binary represention with Frank's character but something that truly bothered me and that often annoys me in romance, is the hero's manner of speech when addressing —multiple times—his preferences about the female body. I mean okay, we get it, you prefer your women curvy despite the omnipresent perfect body diktat of the fashion/music/movie industry but is it really necessary to put down thin women to do so? I really disliked Dallas using bones and stick repeatedly.

An okay read for me.

More reviews and book talk at :

You can find me here too ☞

[Anne OK · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better rock star romances I've read. Of course, who doesn't enjoy a trip across the pond to Jolly Old England. I loved the opposites attracting and the changes both characters made in accommodating each other's careers. It was a slow burn and some iffy situations before our rock star got his $hit together, but after that it was a beautiful love story. There was a nice range of secondary characters as well -- especially the geeky but lovable bookstore crowd.

[TeriLyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Impossible generously provided.

5 "A golden vow to you." Stars

This story is the PERFECT holiday weekend read! It's the perfect love story to get lost in for a day as you can make connections with the characters and feel transported to another place. A stand alone with interesting characters, great plot, and beautiful writing. Dallas Cole and Elspeth MacCleary light up the pages in this newest romance from the incomparable Susan Fanetti.

I was immersed in this story from the very first page. The setting was perfect for the trope and the characters, both so charming in their very different and distinct way, are just so likable. The chemistry was perfect and the writing, as always, kept me tethered to the plot throughout the book that I easily finished in one sitting. And how about that gorgeous cover?

Don't miss this stand alone story!

[OLT · Rating 3 out of 5]

(2.5 stars) One thing that's impossible to believe is that this has been written by the author of Carry the World, a wonderful historical fiction account of a widowed young woman in post Great Depression Kentucky who joins the Pack House Librarian Project to be able to survive financially and take care of her aging parents. That was a great story, with a great U.S. history lesson.

But what do we have here in this CR? Nothing but a silly fairy tale romance between a famous U.S. rock star and a quiet, low-key London bookstore owner.

Hero Dallas Cole is not a happy rocker. He's tired of the life and even of his childhood friend band members. So when on a European tour, in London he slips away from the limelight. Ends up in Elspeth MacCleary's bookstore and offers her money to allow him to stay in her flat above the store for a couple of weeks. Poor Elspeth badly needs the money for business expenses and renovations of her aging, Victoria-era shop and reluctantly agrees to let him share her small living quarters.

So, folks, that's pretty much it. Will love develop? Will two people from such different worlds have a chance at happiness? Well, I did mention at the beginning of this review that this feels like a big ol' fairy tale, didn't I? Of course, they'll have some rough patches in the development of the romance, mainly due to the hero's actions. But stay tuned for your romance fix at the end.

There's a lot that I enjoyed about this. The characters are pleasant, especially Elspeth's friends in London, but there's more that I didn't like. Especially this: Dallas, the rock star, has been living the cliche rock star life for years. Most days find him doing drugs and drinking to blackout stage. He has an indiscriminate sex life with fans, even two or more at the same time. Yet, in the two weeks he spends with the heroine, he never needs one fix or one drink, is chaste, and, miraculously, seems free of addictions at the end of his time with her. I'm sorry, but that just seems impossible. In our fairy tale, the only impediment to the H/h happiness is her quiet life vs his bigger-than-life fishbowl existence. But even that, in our fairy tale, is no biggie. You'll see. I guess this is a story for romantics who wander through life with rose-colored glasses on. I lost mine long ago.

[Monadh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Notting Hill Rock Romance

This is the second book in Susan Fanetti’s Crossings Collection, a series of standalones connected through their focus on Transatlantic love stories. (Actually, if we count the historical romance Nothing on Earth & Nothing in Heaven, it’s already the third).

I am giving this book 5 stars, despite some issues, because it really took me out of a terrible reading slump and I finished it in one day.

Dallas Cole is the lead singer (and song writer) of the Bawcocks (which actually means something different than the somewhat lewd sound of the term might imply), an American rock band of international renown. After almost two decades of being a rock star and being constantly either recording or on tour, he feels burnt out, even though he is only 35. This is not helped by the fact that after a tragic incident the band members have been at odds with each other and Dallas only makes it through each day by being stoned, drunk and/or sleeping around indiscriminately.

So after the last concert of their current tour he is so fed up with the pressure of continuing to produce hits and keeping the success going, that he just leaves his hotel room and starts wandering the streets of London. He ends up in a pub, getting pissed. Getting accosted by a bunch of rabid fans he flees and ends up in the quirky bookstore of Elspeth, a sensible, red-haired business owner, who fails to be awestruck by him. After making a less than favorable first impression, Elspeth agrees to let him stay in her apartment for 2 weeks, after he offers her an obscene amount of money which would help her save her bookstore. The inevitable happens and they get close. Dallas enjoys his sojourn in an environment where he is mostly incognito and being treated like a regular person instead of a rock god. This gives him also time to reflect on his life and how much he actually hates it.

And Elspeth, despite not being a fan of his music and despite her rather poor first impression of him can’t help but fall in love with the man behind the public image, even though she is well aware of the pitfalls and difficulties a relationship between them would have to overcome. But before they get around to discussing their feelings, Dallas gets cold feet and leaves at dawn without even saying goodbye, so it seems questionable whether there could ever be a happy ending…

Fanetti’s stories always have a lot of depth to them and I think Elspeth is one of my favorite heroines she has written. She is just a generally kind person, a good friend, a cat lover (bonus points for Sebastian and Viola, the Twelfth Night cats), and though she has some insecurities with regard to her weight, she is all around well-balanced and grounded. Dallas on the other hand is one of her less likable heroes; he is a terrible man-whore before they meet and a bit of a wanker and coward. But what bothered me most is the way he treated the question of agency: with regard to the tragic events that drove a wedge between the members of the band, he is quick to push the responsibility away from him, even though he acted like a complete prick and at least precipitated the events that led to the tragedy. OK, you might say, ultimately each person is responsible for their own actions, but then he turns around and blames his own inaction (and the resulting fall-out) on his manager, so where then is his own agency?! That seemed like an easy cop out and a tiny bit hypocritical on his part.

But despite these criticisms I still loved the book, not least because it gave off a strong Notting Hill vibe, including a delightful cast of quirky supporting characters, but with the gender roles reversed, so to speak. Therefore, 4 ½ stars.

[Amy | Foxy Blogs]

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished this book in a day; I just didn’t want to put it down.

This book follows Dallas, a rockstar, and Elspeth, a book store owner. I loved this book. The way they met captured me. I loved how the POV’s switched between the two characters, and how we got to understand both of their perspectives. The epilogue was spectacular as well. Highly recommend!

[Paula´s Brief Review · Rating 1 out of 5]

Rico músico americano famoso conoce a una anónima librera londinense con problemas financieros y se enamoran perdidamente.
Esta premisa podría dar muchísimo juego, diferencias de nivel social, cultural, personal ....
Pues la escritora no aprovechó nada de esto. Salvo utilizar bastante slang y modismos británicos para que a los americanos les hiciese gracia, el resto intenta ser una novelita rosa de amor en la que no ves amor por ningún lado..... y hasta la mala de la película se queda corta....
Estoy dudando entre 1 y 2 estrellas porque me resultó horroroso y aún así lo terminé por si se redimía en algún momento, pero no lo arregló ni en el epílogo.
Hala, una estrellita y vas que chutas!!!!!

[Lynette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

Impossible is a wonderful sweet story. The characters are well developed with a love you can feel. The dialogue, sentence structure, and phrases helps to develop the setting. Susan Fanetti has created two more characters that I would enjoy meeting in real life. I have loved every book I have read and this one does not disappoint.

[HMS · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 perhaps a review to come.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the premise. I've read the rock star hides out with normal girl before but this was done very well. I loved London as a setting with an English gal as love interest.
Between London and LA and the process of writing, recording, and touring his music it made an interesting read.
The characters had a slow love development which was beautiful ❤️.

[JudyCa · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5* loved it! Rtc...

[Delerima · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 STARS

I inhaled this book in five hours!

In a market over infested with self-published books, it so difficult nowadays to find a romance story that doesn’t heavily lend its appeal to the characters’ frequent indulgence on concupiscence and/or sloppily contrived sub-plots that come out of nowhere. What a gem Impossible was to read. The tone of the whole story was consistent and at times, palpable. The characters were flawed but intriguing enough until you reach a point where you begin to root for their redemption and HEA.

Two chapters in and I remember woefully regretting the time I started this book because I knew my sleep just took a quick dive to the rubbish bin. And what an escape it was! In my opinion, Susan Fanetti is truly more than capable of capturing the essence of her stories’ energy. Be it one of her grittier works or that of the caliber of Carry the World (another great book), she deftly brings the reader to her world and was able to confine my attention and imagination until the last page effortlessly. The flow of most of her stories are organic and Impossible is no exemption. The choices her characters made didn’t feel orchestrated only to randomly wangle feelings from me as a reader. As I was reading, I felt like I was also part of the journey of the characters. The tension, the fear of the uncertainties, the self-flagellation…. Just writing about it makes me want to revisit Dallas and Elsphet’s story!

Considering the overall theme of the story has been retold numerous times, the author managed to provide a fresh offering that kept me flipping pages until the end. IT WAS THAT GOOD. After a long reading slump (not for lack of trying) of disappointing books upon frustrating books, the author restored my zeal in discovering more books that might be so far out my radar but are just waiting to be appreciated by more readers. Overall, this book was so worth my lack of sleep. And I hope that more readers discover this author and that she makes more of this type of tropes or less gritty stories. Though, her Vikings, mafia, and MC books are nothing to sneeze at either. I finished the book wanting a couple more chapters not because I found the story lacking but I almost didn’t want to part with the characters (even the supporting ones) leaving me with an inspired and satisfied feeling.

[Lety Melendez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sardonically meet cute, great way to open the book!! The hysterical beginning of the book blossoms into an amazing plot of love and trust. Dallas and Elsbeth's story is beautiful!! I love reading of their lives on both sides of the world. Of course I am familiar with the L.A. life that Dallas has to live but visiting London through Dallas' eyes was pretty awesome and eye opening. The family atmosphere that we is immediately enveloped into is admirable. Although London is such a big city, their little neighborhood comes together and everyone has each other's back. I fell in love with Elsbeth's (Brave's) friends and colleagues. Brave was such a fitting endearment for Elsbeth!

At the end Dallas pretty much spells it out - in the U.S. the paps are relentless and in London seems like they at least allow them to exist and make their lives. I highly encourage the reader to peruse the Pinterest page that Susan set up for this book. It helps you relate with what they are living so much better to enjoy the book. I don't usually but I was curious with this great book and I was pleasantly surprised. Not going to reveal anything but I love the way that Susan helps us relate to Dallas' success more to Bob Dylan than to Robert Palmer. I am a fan of both but I understood and was able to relate to the reference immediately. At first before I read that analogy I was thinking David Gilmore but I liked Susan's reference much better.

The book does highly relate to the movie mentioned but as always, the book was better, LOL 😂. In many cases I live vicariously through the books I read and I loved this visit to London, which is on my bucket list...

Highly recommended. You will never be disappointed with a book authored by Susan - guaranteed!
Can't wait for the next one - where are you taking us next Susan?!?!?! 😜

[Sherry Molock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining

I am a huge fan of Susan Fanetti’s work and while this book is well written with a familiar but good plot, I had trouble connecting with the characters. In fairness, part of the problem may be I’m not a huge rock star romance fan because it’s hard to write one of these books with a different theme from bad boy rocker turned
good guy by love. While I believe that couples can fall in love pretty quickly, I didn’t really get why this couple fell in love so quickly or why Elspeth and Dallas uprooted their respective lives to be together. There were parts that I really liked, for example about half way thru the book when Dallas and Elspeth are trying to sort their relationship out. Susan writes great dialogue and there’s a lot of passionate dialogue between the characters during this part of the book. I also loved the secondary characters and have always loved how Susan injects important social issues into her books, in this case Henry, who is a nonbinary character. But for much of the book, we are privy to the internal dialogue going on in either Elspeth or Dallas’ head and after awhile that part was less interesting.
I hate writing less than a stellar review because Susan is one of my favorite authors. For some reason, I had a hard time connecting to this book and the first book in the series. I am still a huge fan, this book just wasn’t quite my cup of tea.

[Tabby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't the most interesting book that you'll want to finish in one sitting but books like these make me feel so soft and I have no proper words to describe why. This is her second book and I've realized that Susan Fanetti is pretty consistent with her writings and even though I can't guarantee that I'll read every work of hers, I sure won't mind it. She is an amazing writer, no doubt about that, and as much as I love slow burn and pretty much live for it, I wish she'd make it a little more fast paced or add something more to her stories. I don't know how else to put it which goes to show that being a critic is easy but even putting together a handful of words for a review is hard. I don't even want to imagine how hard it is to write a novel.

[Alyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

i enjoyed the book, but there were some bits that made it less enjoyable.
I really liked the book uptown where dallas stayed for two weeks. But when he left, i couldn't really see the chemistry between them anymore. I feel like elspeth forgave him too easy and also seemed kind of desperate. I didn't believe that they loved each other, it seemed so flimsy and quick.
Also as reader who is british, the britishness made me cringe. Certain words/phrases etc aren't even used in everyday life. i did skim a lot of their inner dialogue, would have preferred a bit more conversation between people.

[Mary Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just Ok

It's hard to believe this is the same author who wrote the signal bend series. For me the story was just ok. I understand that they bonded over the two weeks that they spent living together but I didn't feel the connection. They got to know each other as friends for two weeks, didn't speak to each other for six months and then immediately got together and started planning their forever.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not your typical rock star book. I absolutely loved everything about Dallas and Elspeth. Their friendship and growing relationship was beautiful to be a part of. Watching Dallas try to figure out his life was great too. As usual, Susan Fanetti has a magical way of bringing a world to life and making you truly care what happens to the people living in that world. I loved this book and I highly recommend it. This is a standalone with a HEA.

[Glenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would give this book 10 🌟 and probably more. She really knocked this one out of the park. It has everything you love and the storyline is so rich. I won’t say more and ruin this for anyone but please read this. You won’t be sorry. Thank you Susan Fanetti for sharing your talent with us.

[Kathi Zacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet story

Ms Fanetti writes with a different voice in this story. Elspeth and Dallas have a great love story. But its a quiet, predictable story. And just what we all needed after the past year.

[Catgirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautifully written love story! I loved Dallas and Elspeth as a couple. There could easily have been some drama and angst-filled moments, but I really appreciated how maturely the couple faced and solved the challenges that came up throughout the story. I love the epilogue!

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book after reading the 9th book in Outlander series, knowing I needed to read an author who wrote well and whose stories and characters were’t shallow. Susan did not disappoint. I enjoyed both characters. I havent read the first book in series, but I will.

[Maelstrom_xo · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF a few pages in the sample because I already despise the MMC. If you like seeing skinny women repeatedly demeaned and called derogatory names by a man who fancies himself some sort of deity, then this is the book for you. Glad I didn't pay for this shit. Fuck all that.

[Fran P. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

[Fiona Deakin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great read for this wonderful author.

[tomshoney1 · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a good read for me when i abandon an entire workday and spend it reading instead. It's just that kind of book. 5 stars! *****