דועך

Faded Duet #1

by Julie Johnson

"שיר קאנטרי קלאסי שמתעורר לחיים."
בלוג הספרים Inked Avenue, חמישה כוכבים

כשפליסיטי ויילד מגיעה לנאשוויל, היא לא מחפשת תהילה – היא רק רוצה מקום בטוח להתחבא בו משדי העבר שלה. ולזמן מה, התחלה חדשה נראית אפשרית. היא מוצאת עבודה בבר מוזיקה מקומי, חוסכת טיפים ושומרת על פרופיל נמוך.

עד שלילה אחד, הוא עולה לבמה.

ריידר וודס הוא כוכב עולה. כולם יודעים שהוא נועד לדברים גדולים – זה רק עניין של זמן לפני שיקבל חוזה הקלטות ויעבור ללוס אנג'לס בלי להביט לאחור. אין לו שום עניין להיתקע בנאשוויל, כמו כל המוזיקאים השחוקים שלא באמת הצליחו. ברגע שהוא מבחין בבחורה השקטה שעובדת מאחורי הבר – זו עם העיניים הרדופות, ששרה את המילים שוברות הלב ביותר שהוא שמע בחייו – פתאום ריידר לא ממהר כל כך לעזוב.

כשפליסיטי וריידר מתחילים לעשות מוזיקה יחד, החיבור ביניהם מעמיק... אבל כשהשדים מעברה של פליסיטי חגים קרוב יותר, ודרישות עתידו של ריידר נושאות פרי סוף־סוף, הם יגלו שהם בצומת דרכים בלתי אפשרי.

תמיד אומרים שלתהילה יש מחיר...
אבל מה אם המחיר הוא אהבת חייך?

"דועך" הוא החלק הראשון בדואט רומנטי חדש, ממכר ומלא עוצמה על שני מוזיקאים שנבגדו בידי הגורל. מהרחובות האפלים של נאשוויל עד האורות הבוהקים של לוס אנג'לס, סיפורם של ריידר ופליסיטי הוא מערבולת של דרמה בין חברי להקה, רומן לוהט ומילות שיר מקוריות.

אזהרה: הספר מכיל קטעי סקס, סמים ורוק'נ'רול.

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Music, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Musicians, Abuse

322 pages, Unknown Binding

First published April 4, 2018

About the author

JULIE JOHNSON is the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of The Wind Weaver. When she's not writing, Julie can most often be found sitting on the beach near her home in her native Massachusetts, adding stamps to her passport, drinking too much coffee, and avoiding reality by disappearing between the pages of a book. She published her debut novel on a lark, just before her senior year of college, and she's never looked back. Since, she has published twenty other novels, which have been translated into more than a dozen different languages and appeared on bestseller lists all over the world.

You can connect with Julie on her Instagram (author_julie), in her natural habitat (the bookstore), or in her exclusive reader group (The Johnson Junkies).

For news and updates, be sure to subscribe to Julie's monthly newsletter: juliejohnsonbooks.com/newsletter

Reviews

[Katerina · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most poignant stories Julie Johnson has ever written.



With Faded, she managed to ruin me (again).
She punched me in the gut, blew my sanity to pieces and wrecked my soul. Everything I was, it was simply fading, until all I could breathe were her words, until every molecule was filled with Ryder and Felicity, until eyes were brimming with tears and my blood was chanting her name, its pounding deafening my ears. It was a tangled web of music and heartache, and I cherished every minute of it.

“You’re my only memory that never faded.”

Felicity was not meant to fall in love. All she ever wanted was to get away from her toxic family, find a job, keep a low profile, and pour her soul into the songs she composed. But when you collide with a blinding, scorching star, you’re bound to get burned. And that’s exactly what happened when she met Ryder Woods, the musician with the raspy voice and the inspirations for fame, for the ability to share his music with the entire world.

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you: this story isn’t about getting what I wanted. Because I never wanted Ryder Woods. I needed him.”

Ryder was the beacon to her stormy sea. Felicity was the haven to his storm. But the timing was not right. Their dreams did not align. Two star crossed lovers with nothing and everything to lose, they created a powerful symphony that consumed them in its notes. But what happens when you reach the crescendo?

“It ain’t me, babe. It ain’t me you’re looking for.”

Faded deserves all the stars in the sky. How can I describe with simple words how much it touched me to the very core? How my soul was stripped bare, exposed to overwhelming feelings and senses that caressed it only to brutally flay it afterwards? The story of Felicity and Ryder was sheer beauty. Every song, every kiss, every confession and every heartbreak, they held raw power, a magnetic force that pulled me into its clutches and didn’t let go.

“We’re the dream that I never thought I’d get.”

Drugs, alcohol and sex made Faded an edgy read, and the element of suspense, surprise and painful secrets was masterfully handled by an author that never ceases to amaze me with her ingenuity and imagination. I loved the heavy music aspect, and the way she depicted the explosion created by the collision of two different dreams, of the starry-eyed girl that preferred shadows to light and the sexy musician that wanted to conquer the world.

“I wait for the dawn, a new day to break.
Storm winds are gone but my heart still aches.
I sort through the wreckage. You sit there crying.
You said you’d protect me… are you even trying?”

Felicity was one of the most wonderful female characters ever created. She was broken in a way that made her stronger, compassionate, smart and determined to make a home of her own, free of the fear, the insecurity and the pain of her past. She wanted to hide, when she was capable of shining, whereas Ryder was her solar opposite. He wanted a singing career, with everything that follows suit. He was complex and flawed, and I loved being inside his head, witnessing his resolve cracking when it came to the petit girl with the worn guitar. Witnessing how much he could hurt her.

“Why would I tear you apart, when I could walk away?
Why would I tell you the truth is, I just want to stay?”

Faded was a steamy, bittersweet, melancholic song of love, dreams, and the price of achieving them, and I can say without a doubt that it’s one of Julie’s best works.
Now excuse me as I lay down and cry my eyes out after that ending.

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

BookNest | Instagram

[Julie Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

ON SALE FOR 99¢ - ONE WEEK ONLY!

"They say fame comes with a price... but what if that price is the love of your life?"

BUY IT HERE
__________________________
You are now officially approved to start binge-reading.

part one ➔ https://amzn.to/2IVvweh
part two ➔ https://amzn.to/2DWyrj6

WATCH THE OFFICIAL TRAILER: https://youtu.be/yY47eN2I9Qs

__________________________
______________________

On the fence? Here's the 411...

♬ It's a story about a sexy musician with dreams of stardom and an introverted songwriter with no desire to see her name in lights. Hiiiiii, opposites. I see you there, attracting.

♬ It's a DUET. (!!!) Yes, that means, there's a cliffhanger. Before you yell at me -- please know, the second installment comes out just a few short weeks later, so you hardly have to wait AT ALL for answers. And in the meantime, I'll hold your hand and walk you through it. I promise.

♬ It's told in DUAL POV. If you read my books, you know I basically never do this. But Ryder... Oh, Ryder. *sighs* I couldn't resist.

♬ It's angsty. Like... ANGSTY AF, guys. I'm warning you now. There will probably be tears. I'm sorry in advance. (Sort of.)

♬ It's set in Nashville and Los Angeles.

♬ Both parts are currently enrolled in KU and are available for pre-order on Amazon.

♬ It might just be my favorite story everrrrrr. *flails*

__________________________
"Don’t say I didn’t warn you: this story isn’t about getting what I wanted. Because I never wanted Ryder Woods. I needed him.
Like a melody needs a harmony, like a rhythm needs a tempo, like a chord needs a key. I was more consumed by him than I ever was by the notes swirling in my bloodstream or the lyrics swimming through my head.
Even after he took every aching piece of my heart and crushed them to dust between nicotine-stained fingertips." 🎶

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 Stars

[NMmomof4 · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Overall Opinion: Wow. I was seriously not expecting to be so blown away with this book! The emotions it provoked!! The first chapter felt a little too flowery for me in the wording to where I really became skeptical, but once it got into the actual story I was completely sucked in and didn't want to come out! I shed tears off and on, and it wasn't just the relationship that I was crying for -- I was fully invested in these characters as individuals. The ending is a doozy too, and I was fully ready to jump into the next book, Unfaded, in hopes that I'd enjoy it just as much...

Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Felicity and Ryder's story. Felicity is on the run and lands herself in Nashville. She gets a job at a famous bar, and meets Ryder when he performs there one night with his band. They are instantly attracted and connected to each other, but Ryder knows that he is trying to do anything he can to leave Nashville while Felicity is just settling in. Opposites attract and regardless of their differences, they fall in love. There are some big life changes made, some sexy times, and some sad moments...and they will continue their story in the next book.

POV: This alternated between Felicity and Ryder's POV.

Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well.

Instalove: No. Instant connection and attraction? Yes.

H rating: 4 stars. Ryder. I liked him. I understood his inner conflicts, but I appreciated how he owned up to his mistakes and how he cared for the h.

h rating: 4.5 stars. Felicity. I really liked her. I felt bad for her upbringing and the curve balls that were always thrown at her -- but I appreciated how she remained a good person despite it all.

Sadness level: Moderate/high. I definitely shed some tears, but I wouldn't say that it ever turned into an ugly cry.

Push/Pull: Yes They both push away and also pursue the relationship at times, but I'd say that the H is the main pursuer.

Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. It is in the last half of this book (60ish%) when they finally become intimate, but I felt like it was a good progression and not too slow.

Descriptive sex: Yes

OW/OM drama: Yes, but mild and more about the band The lead singer of the H's band causes some drama, but it was more about the band then their past fling (the H and the OW had casually slept together in the past).

Sex scene with OW or OM: No

Cheating: No

Separation: Yes They are separated shortly (month?), but there was no mention or suggestion of other partners during this time.

Possible Triggers: Yes Domestic violence (h w/parents - off page), addict parents (both mcs off page), poverty (h on page), the H was a manwhore before the h, the h was a virgin, and alcohol/drug use and abuse (H on page)

Closure: This ends on a cliffy, but the conclusion of the duet is already available.

Safety: This one is probably Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences.

- Does Not have cheating
- Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
- Does have both the h and H pushing away
- Does have a separation between the h and H
- Does have abuse
- Does Not have a HEA ending

[Kathi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inhalt: „Faded“ von Julie Johnson ist am 20.12 bei LYX erschienen.
Nashville bedeutet für viele der Anfang einer erfolgreichen Musikkarriere. Für Felicity bedeutet es Neustart! Sie möchte kein Leben im Rampenlicht, sondern sich einfach mit ihrem gefälschtem Ausweis ein neues Leben aufbauen. An ihrem ersten Arbeitstag in einer Bar lernt sie den Musiker Ryder Woods kennen. Er ist in Nashville ein Rockstar. Obwohl sie mit Musikern nie wieder etwa anfangen wollte, gibt Felicitiy der Anziehung nach. Als Ryder einen Plattenvertrag bekommt droht alles zwischen den beiden zu zerbrechen. Haben die beiden trotzdem eine Chance?


Meinung: Das Cover finde ich sehr schön. Es zeigt einem direkt, dass es sich um eine Rockstargeschichte handelt. Übersetzt wurde das Buch von Anika Klüver. Der Schreibstil ist in Ordnung. Die Geschichte wird abwechselnd aus Felicitys und Ryders Sicht erzählt. Nashville hat mich sofort in seinen Bann gezogen. Ich fand es eine sehr gute Ortswahl für das Buch. Ehrlich gesagt kann ich mich nicht daran erinnern schon mal ein Buch gelesen zu haben, das dort gespielt hat. Bei dem beschriebenen Setting habe ich mich sofort wohlgefühlt. Besonders am Anfang habe ich mich auch sehr gut in Felicity versetzen können. Ich hatte das Gefühl als würde ich den Neustart miterleben. Sie war mir sympathisch. Sie ist mutig so eine kompletten Neustart nur mit ihrem gefälschten Ausweis, eigenen Songtexten und ihrer alten Gitarre zu wagen. Dank ihrer Vergangenheit hat sie auch sowohl eine zurückhaltende als auch kämpferische Art. Mit Ryder hatte ich leider so meine Probleme. Zu ihm habe ich keine Verbindung aufbauen können. Das lag vielleicht auch an einer bestimmten Beschreibung ganz am Anfang des Buches. Auch im Verlauf viel es mir schwer seine Entscheidungen nachzuvollziehen. Die Gefühle zwischen den beiden waren besonders am Anfang einfach nicht nachvollziehbar. Es ging mir zu schnell und es fehlten, in meinen Augen, die richtigen Situationen mit der passenden Atmosphäre. Im letzten Drittel konnte ich die Beziehung zwischen den beiden mehr verstehen und spüren als vorher. Wie das ganze enden würde konnte man schon ahnen. Es bleiben einige Fragen offen, die sich hoffentlich im letzten Band aufklären lassen.


Fazit: Ehrlich gesagt hatte ich ein bisschen mehr erwartet. So ganz überzeugen konnte es mich nicht, weswegen ich nur 3 Sterne vergebe. Den zweiten und letzten Teil „Faded - Wenn alles stillsteht“ will ich trotzdem noch gerne lesen. Ich bin gespannt darauf, wie es zwischen den beiden weitergeht. Das Buch erscheint am 28.02.2020 bei LYX.

[Sharon ∞❥ is an emotional book junkie ❥∞ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ★'s

“It’s the best damn music I’ve ever made.”

This is my second book by Julie Johnson and while I quite enjoyed the first (Uncharted), this one blew my socks off! I seriously was not expecting that...and I loved it!

Does that mean everything was perfect? No. Were there issues? Yes. But sometimes you just have to go with your gut and my gut is very happy with this story.

The story starts out with Felicity ending up in Nashville with hardly any money after her expensive bus ride. She goes to an infamous bar and gets a waitressing job, claiming to be twenty-one when she's only eighteen.

Because the bar is known for finding new acts, there is quite the rotation going through. This is when Felicity hears Ryder sing and she is blown away. He feels the same way when he sees her and he really connects with her after hearing her sing.

But she's not a singer, she's a songwriter. Have you seen that movie This Thing Called Love? Well, this story loosely reminded me of that movie.



She's feeling at home in town and all Ryder wants to do is get out of town. Due to some circumstances beyond his control, he gets offered a record contract. The problem is they only want him and the other singer in their band.

However, the main problem at this point, is that he doesn't want to leave Felicity but he has a hard time recognizing and reconciling that with his dream to leave town. It leads to a lot of problems and a whole helluva lot of angst.

Unfortunately, this isn't the only problem plaguing Felicity and Ryder. She has a past that's coming back to haunt her and he develops an issue that's tied to her past. I felt his issue was a bit contrived and not wholly believable...or better yet, there was not enough time for it to really become an "issue".

I really enjoyed Ryder and Felicity together...their relationship, their song writing and their shared values. You can help but root for them and hope they can solve their problems...together.

Ryder's issue evolves into a whole other level with no fault on him. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time doing the right thing. And again lack of communication throws a wrench in things.

The story leaves you hanging...you really gotta love these duets. Thankfully, book two, Unfaded, is out May 2, 2018. I CANNOT wait!

[TeriLyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Faded generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.**

5 "Not when it comes to him." Stars

Since her very first published book in 2013 I've followed the trail of words from Julie Johnson. Over ten books later and her gift for story telling still glows bright. And although Like Gravity holds a very special place in my heart, this book, Faded and these characters are my new favorite from this talented author. It's music, love, despair, friendship, and soul wrapped within the pages. It's emotionally exciting and exactly the kind of romance you can easily fall into without even realizing you're almost at the end. You feel a part of the intense and exciting energy of this story while it pulses with promise and vibrates with uncertainty at the same time.

Faded takes readers on a journey a little different than other Julie Johnson tales. It's an edgier confection of an almost anti-hero with big dreams for fame paired with a simpler girl of more humble dreams and peace. Star-crossed lovers who form an immediate and soulful connection; he never counted on her and she never counted on what love would bring her. This is the intimate story of how they each reach for separate stars together.

Felicity Wilde is a tortured soul. The beauty of her though is the calming peace she represents in this story directly contradicting her past. She has a beautiful resiliency about her, for she is small but mighty. Not only in body and mind, but in her unrelenting spirit. This heroine never tries too hard and never apologizes for who she is and what she wants to become. Her openness to Ryder juxtaposed against the shell she keeps around her works perfectly for who she is. She's subtle, unassuming in such a grand way that Felicity Wilde leaves a lasting impact.

Ryder Woods is a tortured soul. The extravagance of him though is how that torture bucks against the very thing that makes him who he is. He has big dreams and a bigger heart and his placement of all those feelings sometimes goes awry. That's his thing though, when he feels he feels with his soul. It's what tethers his connection to Felicity, to music, and what deep down he believes. He's a boy with so much promise and so much to say but jumbled up in a maelstrom of afflictions.

Together, Felicity and Ryder weave together a story based on an affectionately musical and deeply soulful bond they establish early on in the book. Together, they're oil and water, fire and gasoline that ignite the most enthralling spark.

Julie Johnson's always succinct and wonderful writing in this one is somehow tighter yet more detailed. It's deliciously darker when we delve into the back stories of these two characters. It's crisp in the fact that those details aren't superfluous but a vital part to understanding these two and their story. It's tranquil at times when they're discovering who they are together and reaching into themselves discovering more of they are individually. All a testament to the precision of Johnson's story telling. I love how Faded starts, I love how Julie Johnson took it somewhere I never expected it go, and I love where it ended with the promise of so much more.

[Deanna❤Pink Lady❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first book by Julie Johnson and boy was it a dousy. A story full of raw and angsty moments. A story where I wanted to jump inside and hold the characters. Each needed a person in their corner and I wanted to be that person. Troubled souls, polar opposites, drawn to one another like moths to a flame.

An aspiring young songwriter, Felicity is running from her past. Hopefully in Nashville she can start a new life under the radar. She is sweet, shy, and doesn’t crave the spotlight. Ryder too is a songwriter but a man in search of his dream, to be on stage, a star. When these two connect, it’s like a shooting star. It’s beautiful, bright and completely unexpected. But life is never sweet and easy, especially when your dreams get detailed.

Told in dual POVs, this story is filled with angst and sweet and poignant moments. The secondary characters add fun, reality and playful interactions. But when secrets are withheld and reality becomes ever real, something has to give.........someone’s dream wins and someone’s loses.

This story ends in a cliffhanger but it’s one that will makes you sad yet hopeful. Because I have to believe that when life throws you a curveball you learn from that mistake. Felicity is strong and resilient and I believe in her ability to be faithful to her beliefs and her convictions. And if love is true, Ryder and Felicity will get that HEA.

A special thanks goes to one of my book besties, TeriLyn Reviews, for introducing me to this author. She said I would love and I sooooooo did. Can’t wait for Unfaded!!!!

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

Phew. I inhaled this book. I finished it in one sitting. I was addicted and had to know what happened. I cannot wait for the next one!

This is the story of Felicity, a young songwriter from the middle of nowhere moving to Nashville to chase her songwriting dreams, but also to run away from....something. We never really find out the full story of what she is running away from, but it is clear that she had a less than perfect childhood and wants a chance to start over. Enter Ryder. A sexy musician she meets on her first night in town. Despite her best efforts, she can't stay away from him. And it's obvious why- they have some seriously scorching chemistry. Their story is sweet, heartbreaking, believable, and goes in some truly unexpected directions. And I loved the surprises. I thought I knew where it was going, but there were definitely some twists along the way.

It ends on a cliffhanger, and unlike some duets, I feel like there is lots of room for the plot to support another book full of sexy angst and country music. The only *small* negative- I felt like the thing that eventually causes some conflict was pretty predictable. I saw it coming a mile away. And that was a little disappointing considering I was so pleasantly surprised throughout the rest of the book. But the conflict point was realistic, it made sense, and it created the necessary drama, so I can overlook the predictability this time.

I have never read a Julie Johnson book before, and I am so excited to dive into her catalogue to see what other gems are in there. And I'm definitely counting down to book 2 of this duet!

[Pavlina Read more sleep less blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤️❤️❤️

I devour it,such a beautiful story, I couldn't put it down!It was fast paced and intense!I had many feelings while I was reading it and my heart was aching most of the time!I fell in love with the characters and I could feel their connection and the passion.There is also angst between them to keep you on the edge!The ending left me wanting for more!I can't wait for the next book!!

 

  

[Natalia · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars!

So the blurb is misleading...

H and h are total opposites!

H is a 23 years manwhore wanna be rock star, dreaming with the high life in LA!

h is a 18 years virgin, song writer, granddaughter of a legendary singer know first hand how bad living in the spotlight can be!!! All she wants is be in the shadows and write music!

h is running from a drug addicted abusive father, ends up in Nashville working has a waiter.

It's love at first sight, insta-love, insta-lust you name it!!!

They barely talk and jump right into the "love you forever and will drop all my dreams because of you!!!"

h loses virginity with H in night before he leaves to LA to sign a record deal!!!

Only finished the book because the writing was great though the story was boring AF.

[Court · Rating 5 out of 5]

First person, Dual-POV, First book in Faded Duet.

Don't say I didn't warn you: this story isn't about getting what I wanted. Because I never wanted Ryder Woods. I needed him.

Ugh. Julie Johnson, this is twice now you've ripped out my heart and left it on the floor bleeding and I just DON'T know what to do with you.

(Other than worship you all the live long day)

Uncharted was one thing. Thanks again for that by the way. This, however, was in a league all its own.

Ryder and Felicity, 22 (him) and 18 (her), meet in Nashville. He's on the stage in a local dive, and she's just started waitressing there after she rolls into town - or runs into it, away from her old life with a new last name and a hope that her parents never find her. Won't go too much into that reasoning because it'll spoil a bit of the story.

However, when they see each other, the sparks are immediate. Two things stand in their way: she never dates musicians as a rule, and he's working toward making his music dreams come true and no one is going to stand in his way.

He can't seem to stay away from her, though, which is throwing a wrench in his plans for a quick and easy escape from Nashville.


I want to make things with her - music she won't sing, promises I can't keep, love that won't last.

There are a lot of finer points in the plot that I can't mention because they'd give a lot away, but getting to come along on their bumpy love story was so great. Of course, being that this is book one in the duology, we're left with a MAJOR(!!!!!) cliff-hanger. *shakes fist*

I can. not. wait for the next installment.

'Til next time cuties ;)

[HMS · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know the feeling you get when you are reading a book that just hits you in the right spot, eliciting feelings and takes you on an emotional tilt-a-whirl? You have crappy mundane tasks to do (BLEK.... work, household crap) but don't care because THE BOOK is waiting and you are so excited to get back to reading? Yep this was this book for me and I am blowing off a few things today to start the second book. So there!

Ryder has dream and it is simple really, use his music to get the hell out of Nashville. Nashville is where he was born and where his father expects him to die after assuming the helm of their electrical engineering firm. His father also assumes Ryder will slide right into his other role as an asshole who is a borderline alcoholic with rage issues.

Felicity is on the run. Having just turned 18, she left her home in nowheresville and came to write music. No performing, just writing. When she starts to establish a new life for herself, waitressing at the top star producing bar in Nashville, The Nightingale, she meets and falls for Ryder. But when the opportunity of a lifetime is given to Ryder it seems they will just chalk up their relationship to "right love, wrong time." Fate has different ideas and when old demons catch up to Felicity, she has to choose her new life without Ryder or run again.

Once again, that old bastard Fate has a different idea. Another chance encounter reunites Ryder and Felicity and she chooses a life that she never wanted, for love. Problem is that old bastard Fate is still waiting in the wings.

[Luzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review may contain SPOILERS!
This story wasn't bad ... but it just wasn't good either! So in conclusion, it was pretty mediocre! I was excited for this, rockstar romances tend to be my favorite trope within the romance genre, and I had my expectations for this novel, but it just didn't go the way I'd hoped. First and foremost, I am so OVER the whole insta-love trope, I cannot say this enough and it just feels insincere whenever I read about this trope. Also the author, whom I never had read a book by before, incorporated so many cliches that I've read about, what feels like, a million times before and I'm just not interested in reading about it YET another time. Although all this might sound plenty negative, on the plus side I WAS invested in the love story, even if it was a bit cheesy. I wasn't too fazed by the cliffhanger ending though, cause my interest had already fizzled out by that point so basically I just waited for the story to come to an end (and also my "must-finish-each-book"-tick kicked in). It is an okay book, as mentioned above, the cliches dampen the story for me, but in the end I did finish this book, so it wasn't all bad.
3/5 stars

[Ela's Welt der Bücher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wieder eine bessere Rockstarserie, doch auch hier konnte ich einige Situationen von Ryder nicht ganz verstehen. Felicity mochte ich total gerne und war oft derselben Meinung wie sie. Bin gespannt wie es im zweiten Teil weitergeht.
4,5 Sterne

[Yvette (Booksandbandanas) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julie Johnson AGAIN shows me why I fall so hard, so fast, so unhealthily in love with her words.

Did all of those things just happen? Did I just crawl into a hole with that incredible ending?!

Yes. I did.

You meet Ryder the artist. Ryder the playboy. Ryder the bad boy. Ryder the lover. Ryder. Ryder. Ryder. Than there is Felicity a girl who is running from a dark child hood past. Trying to make it on her own. Her own way. The only way. Felicity was strong, yet gentle. Broken yet fixed. Felicity makes a break to Nashville to start over, what she doesn’t know is what’s ahead will forever change her heart.

You know the story broken girl meets rock star. Right?! Well this isn’t that story. Nope. It’s was grander than any small time romance. There’s a connection these characters bring from the get go. I felt it from the beginning and I definitely felt through the end.

The angst. Oh. The. Angst.

Julie brings it home hard with yet another unstoppable love story. She show cases just why she is a top romance author with her signature angsty, passionate, flawless writing.

Part one of this duet is a home run. Cannot wait to get my hands on this conclusion.

[deityreads · Rating 2 out of 5]

To think I was delaying reading this since the second book isn’t out yet. Good thing I didn’t order the second one yet because this one was not good. As much as I don’t want to be persuaded by raving reviews, I can’t help but unconsciously believe all the great ratings. Well, I don’t know if I read the same book as the rest but I hated this one. I honestly wanted to DNF this at 10% when the ridiculous insta-love scene happened. With just one glance at the h, he’s suddenly a changed man and not a manwhore anymore. 🙄 Everything about this book was so cliché. The dilemma at the end isn’t something new and the execution here was terrible that I definitely won’t be reading the next book. If you’re looking for something similar but with a better writing, I suggest Kennedy Ryan’s My Soul To Keep.

Plot: 2
Writing: 2
Hero: 2
Heroine: 2
Chemistry: 3
Safe: Yes
HEA: Not yet
OVERALL RATING : 2 STARS

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Move the Stars CROWNS

Angst and Julie Johnson will now and forevermore be synonymous. Seriously, my heart cannot take it, and yet I always seem to go back for more. Why? Because her prose is beautiful, her stories rich with emotion, and I never fail to get wrapped in her words and her characters.

Her heroes ALWAYS kill me. I love and want to murder them at the same time, and they are sexy as heck. I can honestly say that there has not been one Julie Johnson hero who hasn’t won me over, and Ryder Woods is no exception to the aforementioned claim. He is a man who has music in his soul, and there is just something undeniably swoon-worthy about that. Even with all his charm, he is unbelievably flawed, which is something I love about all of Julie’s characters. There are so many times I wanted to reach into my Kindle and throat punch him, scream at him, and shake some sense into him, but alas, like Felicity, he still owns me. He eventually comes to his senses and does the right thing, and I can only hope that by the end of Unfaded, he gets it together.



This is book one of a duet, and while it has it’s own climax and resolution, readers are really only getting the first half of Ryder and Felicity’s story. And, oh boy, is it a story. From the very beginning, there is drama and suspense, a host of secondary characters to adore, and chemistry so hot between the heroine and hero that it can be felt in your bones from the minute their eyes meet. Like a typical music romance, it has the standard issues readers expect, which for the most part would make me rate it as 4 crowns, but Julie Johnson’s words just entrance me. I also know that she is going to have something up her sleeve. She left us so many clues that my inferencing-loving brain is working over-time to try to predict where she is going to take us with Unfaded. Unfortunately, there are too many avenues, and I want to enjoy the crazy ride she is going to take us on.

Faded is another hit. I loved the Nashville setting and the whole cast of characters she created in this world. The angst, the passion, the love of music, and the dark side of the industry created a universe I never want to leave. I am already secretly hoping some secondary characters are going to get stories, and I won’t even apologize for it.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come!

[Donna ~ The Romance Cover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Faded Duet by Julie Johnson
Book 1: Faded
Book 2: Unfaded

4.5 stars!!!

“Whether we’re on stage singing or a thousand miles apart… we’ll always have the music.”

I adore this authors words, no matter the subject she never fails to captivate me and this duet was no different. From start to finish of both books, I couldn’t put them down. I was totally engrossed; my emotions were all over the place and my connection to these characters was intense. I lived and breathed their story and while you won’t have the wait between books, let me tell you, it was sheer hell. The duet is now complete so you can read them both back to back, just how I recommend them!

“I spent my childhood in a steel cage; I have no desire to trade it for a glass house.”

I do love angst and Julie Johnson opens a huge can of whoop-ass angst in this duet. For those that love angst like me, it’s Christmas!! But, it was the best angst, the natural progression angst, not this over the top, I’m doing it for the kicks stuff. This duet has a huge heart and a lot of soul and great music. I loved the lyrics that are used to tell so many stories, so many emotions and so much heart. When words are difficult to say face to face a song can tell a thousand. This was all about the music, that hunger for recognition, for success, for appreciation. But, at the centre was a love story of two opposites.

“We aren’t over. We weren’t over two years ago. We aren’t over now. We’ll never be over, no matter how much time passes or how much distance gets between us.”

Felicity was a resilient woman, she came from country music royalty but was extremely humble, despite her upbringing. Her famous nanna was her rock, her centre and gave her the inspiration and her voice, while everyone else in her family did their level best to bring her down. Felicity was resilient, she was humble, a little quiet at times but she had a level of peace about her. What she lacked in stature she more than made up for with her voice, but she kept it to herself. It was her secret and she didn’t want the world to know. She was now incognito, she was on her own.

“Rock bottom is not living in her absence. It’s the slow atrophy of watching her fade out of focus, effectively as the disease that stole her grandmother’s memories one by one.”

Ryder Woods is the epitome of the tortured, aspiring singer. He has a huge voice with a huge heart to match and like Felicity, his parents were not that supportive. Ryder has huge dreams and aspirations and no matter the casualties he will get what he wants, by hook or by crook. But, despite his quest for success, as I said above he has a huge heart and even bigger soul, he gets a little conflicted, confused, and sometimes his actions do not depict his beliefs, but his intentions were always in the best place even if the results were not.

“I hate. I hate. I hate. Everyone and everything. Because the only person I want to hate… is the only one I can’t.”

Ryder and Felicity together were electric, flammable, but their voices together could melt a million hearts. The chemistry both on and off the stage was combustible and Julie Johnson did a fantastic job in bringing these two characters to life. I loved the back stories, the family drama, the relationship that Felicity had with her nanna. I loved it all. Julie Johnson pieced this story together perfectly, ever detail wanted and needed. No superfluous drama, just a constant drip feed of emotions, plot and prose. These two made mistakes, they love, they hate, they love, they hate, but deep down these two are tangibly connected and despite what happens, that connection is solid and unforgettable.

“This moment, buried inside her… our bodies in total sync, our heartbeats harmonizing in a perfect melody… It’s the best damn music I’ve ever made.”

I didn’t want this duet to end and that is testament to a fantastic story, some inspired written, on point dialogue and what I crave the most, character connection. This duet oozed it all and I cannot wait to see what comes next from this author.

“A story still unfinished. A love as yet unfaded.”

www.theromancecover.com

[endlessbookworld · Rating 4 out of 5]

Klappentext:

Es heißt: Ruhm hat seinen Preis. Doch was, wenn der Preis die Liebe deines Lebens ist?

Als Felicity Wilde mit nichts außer einer alten Gitarre und einem gefälschten Ausweis in Nashville ankommt, will sie nur eins: so unauffällig wie möglich bleiben. Aber sie hat nicht mit Ryder Woods gerechnet. Der stadtbekannte Rockstar schlägt sie vom ersten Moment an in seinen Bann. So sehr Felicity auch versucht, die Gefühle, die er in ihr weckt, zu unterdrücken, fasziniert er sie bei jeder Begegnung mehr. Doch ein Leben im Rampenlicht an Ryders Seite ist für Felicity eigentlich unmöglich ...

Meine Meinung:
Ich habe schon die ein oder andere Rockstar Liebesgeschichte gelesen, gerade aus dem LYX Verlag, und war deshalb sehr gespannt, was mich bei diesem Buch erwarten würde.
Ich habe wahrscheinlich mit einer Standard Geschichte gerechnet und muss zugeben, dass ich mich ein wenig von dem Cover in die Irre führen lassen habe. Denn ich habe gemerkt, dass der Inhalt ganz anders ist als ich erwartet hätte!
Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist wirklich angenehm und leicht zu lesen. Man kommt schnell durch die Seiten und die Autorin beschreibt viele Eindrücke und Gefühle auf wirklich tiefgründig weise.
Felicity war am Anfang eher das graue Mäuschen und ich wusste nicht so recht, was ich von ihr halten sollte. Sie hat aber nach und nach eine wirklich tolle Entwicklung durchgemacht und wurde mir immer sympathischer.
Auch Rider wurde mir im Laufe des Buches sympathischer, da ich ihn am Anfang einfach viel zu 0815 fand, mit seinem Machogehabe. Später hat man viel besser verstanden, was hinter seinem Benehmen steckt.
Die Handlung war durchgehend wirklich fesselnd und hat mich zu keiner Zeit gelangweilt. Es war oft überraschend tiefgründig und viel facettenreicher, als ich zuerst gedacht habe. Hin und wieder ging es mir mit den beiden zwar ein bisschen zu schnell aber alles in einem war es wirklich gut und das Ende hat nochmal alles rausgeholt!

Fazit:
Ein wirklich gutes Buch, dessen Cover einen leicht in die Irre führen kann. Ich muss unbedingt wissen, wie es mit Felicity und Rider weitergeht und kann das Buch jedem New Adult Leser empfehlen!

[Dora Koutsoukou · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 💞⚡️💔⚡️💔⚡️💞 🎸 📝 🎤 🎶 ✨✨✨✨s ❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️❣️

Julie Johnson has just taken my breath soooo far away.......

A SKY FULL OF STARS, AND HE WAS STARING AT HER (Atticus)


My tears drip faster against the skin of his chest. His mouth drops to my ear, rasping deeply.
“Don’t worry Felicity. For you, I would move the stars.” Ryder

I should have known there was no cure. Loving Ryder Woods was a life sentence. Felicity

[Nicole Levy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Can't Wait for the Sequel Stars
Holy cow did I devour Faded, and I can't wait for Unfaded to release next month! I love Julie Johnson and expect her books to provide the perfect mix of drama and heart with some steam thrown in. Boy does Faded deliver! The story is told in duel POV, and we get to know both Felicity (a song writer intending to avoid the limelight that's literally just gotten off the bus in Nashville) and Ryder (singer, songwriter, and guitar player) quickly. I was attached to both of them from the beginning. And I loved the addition of Felicity's friend and "Spirit Guide" Carly. I hope to see her in Unfaded.

Johnson's writing is very descriptive, but it's done in an easy, flowing way that doesn't feel like too much. Add country music, some finding-yourself-journeying, and plenty of sass, and you've got one heck of a story. Faded is a quick read with a strong and loveable heroine, and wonderful supporting cast, too. I highly recommend Faded. It's one-click worthy for sure!

Mild spoiler (not a key plot element), but Julie did the opposite of one of my pet peeves and I have to celebrate it: Felicity is a virgin. She and Ryder have sex. It is not made out to be a huge deal, and there's no dramatic gotta-break-the-hymen-bullshit scene and I just have to celebrate that fact. I can't stand when a book makes losing your virginity this painful, bloody experience. Because it's just not true: Adam Ruins Everything will tell you.

The Cliffhanger
The description makes it very clear: Faded is part one of a duet. There IS a cliffhanger. I'd understand if you wanted to wait until the duet was complete to be able to binge both books, but as long as you know you're going to need to pause the story in between... well, the cliffhanger is still jarring but ultimately logical and tolerable, given the short wait for the conclusion. I'm particularly curious about the timeline, based on the intro to Faded mentioning a gap in time since Felicity's seen Ryder... I'm expecting a time jump between the end of Faded and the beginning of Unfaded, but I'll have to wait and see!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[lesehase_ (Maike) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julie Johnson hat einen einprägsamen Schreibstil und spickt ihre Bücher mit schönen Zitaten. Dadurch war ich schnell in der Geschichte und bin durch die Seiten geflogen. Auch das Feeling von Nashville wurde gut transportiert, sodass ich das Gefühl hat, selbst dort zu sein.

Man liest abwechselnd aus Felicitys und Ryders Sicht, was ich immer gerne mag. Felicity ist eine junge Frau, die ich für ihren Mut, einen kompletten Neuanfang zu wagen, bewundert habe. Dadurch wird klar, dass sie eine Kämpferin ist. Auch mochte ich an ihr, wie sie ihre Musik ganz für sich alleine genießt.
Ryder lebt auch für die Musik, wobei er auf die großen Bühnen stehen möchte. Dieser Ehrgeiz spornt ihn an, was mir imponiert hat, obwohl er manchmal Grenzen überschreitet. Aber seine Leidenschaft ist ansteckend und auf jeder Seite spürbar.

Beide finden sich von Anfang an sehr anziehend und durch Musik kommen sie sich näher. Die musikalische Komponente in ihrer Beziehung war eines meiner Highlights, auch ansonsten sind die beiden süß zusammen. Allerdings ging es mir mit den großen Gefühlen zwischen ihnen viel zu schnell.
Dafür fand ich ihre Familiengeschichten sehr interessant und auch packend, insbesondere Felicitys Hintergrund, wobei ich mir hier im 2. Band noch mehr erwarte.

Im Laufe des Buches gibt es einige Entwicklungen, mit denen ich nicht in Teil 1 gerechnet habe. Auch überstürzen sich auf den letzten 100 Seiten die Ereignisse, wodurch alles sehr schnell geht. Das kann man positiv als auch negativ sehen. Auf jeden Fall bin ich jetzt sehr gespannt, was Band 2 noch bereit hält. Ich hoffe, es läuft nicht exakt so ab, wie ich es mir denke.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Patrixia Lansangan · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC provided by the author, Thank you so much Julie Johnson!

Happy release day!!!!!

OK!!! The someday girl duet was my favorite. It was amazing and I really loved that story SOOOOOOO MUCH!!!

But Faded was sooooo damn HOT!!! For a moment, I even forgot that I was reading a Julie Johnson book, usually her characters are pretty humorous!!!

But Ryder and Felicity was just bad ass and I love them together!!

They were like Fire & Ice and I genuinely loved the story line...

This sort of cliffhanger was sooooo ugh!! Good thing we only have to wait a month for it.

I can't wait what's more to come for this couple...<3

[Ssssarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY LORD, JJ WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!

GIVE ME PART TWO. IMMEDIATELY. I DON'T WANT IT, I NEED IT.

[Sparkles · Rating 4 out of 5]

„Ich will Erinnerungen mit ihr schaffen. Ich will sie kennenlernen. Ihre Geheimnisse. Schicht für Schicht enthüllen. Sie entblößen. Nicht ihren Körper. Ihre gottverdammte Seele.“
(Ryder über Felicity in Faded 1)

Worum geht’s?

Felicity ist nach Nashville gekommen, um ihrer Vergangenheit zu entfliehen. Sie ist nicht da, um berührt zu werden, denn Ruhm kennt sie und den mag sie nicht. Sie will nur ihre Lieder schreiben, kellnern und vor den Schatten fliehen, die sie jagen. Ryder hingegen ist in Nashville aufgewachsen. Sein einziger Wunsch ist es, aus der Stadt herauszukommen, vorzugsweise nach LA, mit einem Plattenvertrag. Als beide aufeinandertreffen, ist dort eine unerklärliche Anziehungskraft. Aber wie sollen sie zueinander finden, wenn der eine um jeden Preis gehen, die andere aber um jeden Preis bleiben will?

Faded – Dieser eine Moment ist Band 1 der Faded-Dilogie. Das Buch ist nicht in sich geschlossen und wird fortgesetzt.

Schreibstil / Gestaltung

Das zurückhaltende Cover zeigt einen Oberkörper mit einem Gitarrenhals sowie einige Lichtreflexe. Das Cover passt sehr gut zum Buch und wirkt stimmig, sowohl zum Genre als auch zum Inhalt. Das Buch verläuft (bis auf wenige Zeilen am Anfang, die die fortlaufende Geschichte als „zwei Jahre zuvor“ einordnen) linear mit den wechselnden Ich-Erzählern Felicity und Ryder. Wer erzählt, ist entsprechend übertitelt, allerdings merkt man auch an der Erzähl- und Denkweise deutlich, wer aktuell erzählt, denn insbesondere Ryder entführt den Leser in eine Welt, die von Unzufriedenheit geprägt ist. Der Schreibstil ist flüssig, gut lesbar und etwas kantig, was zu den Protagonisten passt. Zugleich ist der Schreibstil sehr bildlich und mit vielen Metaphern ausgestattet. Das Buch beinhaltet erotische Szenen, die jedoch sehr niveauvoll geschrieben sind.

Mein Fazit

Schon wieder ein Rockstar-Romance-Buch? Absolut! Denn davon kann ich einfach nicht genug haben. Sehr gespannt war ich auf die Faded-Dilogie, zugleich ist es mein erstes Buch der Autorin.

Das Buch startet mit Felicity, die nach Nashville kommt und erzählt, wie Ryder ihr Untergang war und weiterhin ist. Wieso, das wird der Leser wohl in Band 2 erfahren, denn jetzt springt die Geschichte zwei Jahre zurück – zu Felicity, die gerade frisch nach Nashville gekommen ist, mit einem falschen Ausweis, keinen Ambitionen berührt zu werden und auf der Flucht vor ihrer Vergangenheit. Als sie in einer Bar vorspricht, um dort als Kellnerin anzufangen, bekommt sie den Job und trifft so auf Ryder, der als Mitglieder einer Band dort singt. Felicity hat sich geschworen, nie etwas mit Musikern anzufangen. Aber aus irgendwelchen Gründen ist dort eine Anziehungskraft zu Ryder. Ryder, der missmutige Backgroundsänger der Band, möchte Nashville unbedingt verlassen. Er hasst den Ort und das, was er damit verbindet. Er will Freiheit und denkt, diese wird ihm ein Plattenvertrag geben können. Und dann trifft er auf sie, Felicity, die neue Kellnerin im Nightingale. Irgendetwas fasziniert ihn an ihr und langsam entwickelt sich eine Freundschaft zwischen den beiden. Doch als dann endlich Ryders Chance kommt, sein Leben zu ändern, muss er sich fragen: Gehen oder bleiben? Und als Felicitys Vergangenheit sie einholt, muss auch sie sich fragen: Ist Nashville wirklich der Ort, an dem sie bleiben kann und will?

Rockstar-Romance-Bücher sind normalerweise Bücher, bei denen ich viel leide und die ich auch gerade wegen der edgy männlichen Protagonisten sehr mag. Auch hier ist Ryder genau das, was man erwartet. Das Problem? Man fühlt es aber nicht so wirklich. Dadurch wirkt die Story manchmal etwas unrund und es fehlt die Tiefe. Wieso verlieben sich beide ineinander? Wieso hat Felicity die Macht, Ryders Ziele zu ändern? Wieso hat Ryder die Macht, Felicitys Überzeugungen zu zerstören? Hier fehlte sehr viel. Es ging zu schnell, es war zu perfekt, es war einfach nicht so wirklich greifbar. Beide haben eine sexuelle Anziehungskraft, aber wie wurde daraus mehr? Diese Frage blieb für mich bis zum Ende offen und dabei ist gerade diese Frage auch hochgradig relevant für einige Entscheidungen, die hier getroffen werden.

Storytechnisch hatte das Buch viel, aber zugleich auch wenig zu bieten. Es gab die ein oder andere Überraschung, vor allem im Storyaufbau (so kam bei der Hälfte des Buches eine typische Cliffhanger-Situation, die aber direkt aufgelöst wurde). Zugleich gab es vom Input her einige Themen (Felicitys Vergangenheit, der Grund für Felicitys Entscheidung nach Nashville zu kommen und eventuell Nashville wieder zu verlassen, Ryders familiäre Probleme), die irgendwie unfertig wirkten, etwas willkürlich eingeflochten rüberkamen und gleichzeitig mehr Seiten benötigt hätten, um sich komplett zu entfalten. Bei einigen Plots sind noch Fragen offen, die hoffentlich in Band 2 kommen, ansonsten wäre ich sehr enttäuscht, dass die Themen unfertig sind – insbesondere im Hinblick auf Felicitys Vergangenheit und die Gefahr, die hiervon ausgeht. Manchmal wirkte das Buch daher etwas wie „nichts Halbes und nichts Ganzes“, was sehr schade war und dem Buch auch nicht gerecht wird. Andere Themen, wie zB Ryders Gedankenwelt rund um Ruhm und Freiheit, waren sehr gut aufgebaut und haben mich fasziniert.

Felicity und Ryder sind interessante Charaktere, die aber etwas mehr Tiefe verdient hätten. Felicity ist 18, vom Leben gezeichnet, auf der Flucht und in permanenter Angst. Das wird aber im Laufe immer weniger relevant und verblasst im Hintergrund. Ryder ist hochgradig unzufrieden mit seinem Leben, will raus, will berührt werden und einen Plattenvertrag, mit dem er Freiheit verbindet. Es muss einige harte Lektionen im Buch lernen. Er wirkt recht ruppig und etwas unnahbar. Ryder ist in dieser Geschichte sicher kein Sympathieträger. Er hat ein ausuferndes Sexleben, trinkt regelmäßig, ist unzufrieden und schlägt auch gern verbal um sich. Zugleich ist er eine ruhelose Seele, die Freiheit sucht, aber nicht findet. Es gibt dank ihm einige Einblicke in eine Scheinwelt der Musikindustrie, die ihn krankmacht und zu Problemen führt. Aber bei beiden Charakteren hatte ich das Gefühl, sie können sich nicht so unbedingt entwickeln. Das war sehr schade. Die wenigen Randcharaktere waren stimmig eingebunden und hatten ihre notwendige Relevanz.

Das Ende hat mir sehr gut gefallen. Für eine Dilogie war klar, dass ein Cliffhanger hermuss. Dabei wird meist stark übertrieben. Hier fand ich das Ende sehr stimmig und definitiv passend, ohne überzogen zu sein. Insbesondere mit dem Anfang, der etwa zwei Jahre später spielt, stellen sich hier viele Fragen, deren Antwort man nur zu gern in Band 2 suchen wird. Hoffentlich wird hier auch mehr Tiefe für die Beziehung mit auf den Weg gegeben.

Rockstar-Romance-Bücher sind normalerweise Bücher, bei denen ich viel leide und die ich auch gerade wegen der edgy männlichen Protagonisten sehr mag. Auch hier ist Ryder genau das, was man erwartet. Das Problem? Man fühlt es aber nicht so wirklich. Dadurch wirkt die Story manchmal etwas unrund und es fehlt die Tiefe. Wieso verlieben sich beide ineinander? Wieso hat Felicity die Macht, Ryders Ziele zu ändern? Wieso hat Ryder die Macht, Felicitys Überzeugungen zu zerstören? Hier fehlte sehr viel. Es ging zu schnell, es war zu perfekt, es war einfach nicht so wirklich greifbar. Beide haben eine sexuelle Anziehungskraft, aber wie wurde daraus mehr? Diese Frage blieb für mich bis zum Ende offen und dabei ist gerade diese Frage auch hochgradig relevant für einige Entscheidungen, die hier getroffen werden.

Faded 1 war ein guter Auftakt in eine Dilogie um zwei Leute, die unterschiedlicher kaum sein können, die das Schicksal aber zusammenbringt und hierdurch beide sich in etwas verlieren, was nicht sein sollte. Leider ist das Buch etwas zu oberflächlich geworden, es fehlt ein wenig der Pfiff. Das große Highlight ist der unglaublich wortgewandte Schreibstil der Autorin, aber handlungstechnisch bewegt sich das Buch leider eher im soliden Mittelfeld. Es gibt einfach Bücher, die deutlich emotionaler und tiefer gestaltet sind (etwa Emily Crowns Dilogie oder Midnight Blue von LJ Shen), dennoch habe ich mich gut unterhalten gefühlt und bin nach dem Ende sehr gespannt, wie es mit Ryder und Felicity weitergeht.

[Diese Rezension basiert auf einem Rezensionsexemplar, das mir freundlicherweise vom Verlag überlassen wurde. Meine Meinung ist hiervon nicht beeinflusst.]

[Anne OK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast-paced and entertaining rock star themed storyline. A little bit on the far-fetched realm, but still a solid and fun-to-read romance. The lyrics to the music are really good and the history related to Felicity's grandmother was an added plus. I liked both of these worn and torn characters who had faced some bad times in both their short lives. Beware - major cliffy ahead. Luckily, it's only a few more days until the release of the second book in this duet, "Unfaded" to find out if the relationship is salvageable.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great love story set in Nashville! I loved Felicity and Ryder. Their chemistry was off the charts and the lyrics... Gah! I can't wait to the conclusion, Unfaded to see how their story unfolds!