Diva NashVegas

NashVegas #2

by Rachel Hauck

What do you do when the past you've been skirting shows up at your door with cameras rolling? Aubrey James ruled the charts as the queen of country for over a decade. She'd rocketed to fame in the shadow of her parents' death-both of them pioneers in Gospel music. But while her public life, high profile romances, and fights with Music Row execs made for juicy tabloid headlines, the real and private Aubrey has remained a media mystery. When a former band member betrays Aubrey's trust and sells an "exclusive" to a tabloid, the star knows she must go public with her story. But Aubrey's private world is rocked when the Inside NashVegas interviewer is someone from her past-someone she'd hoped to forget. All the moxie in the world won't let this Diva run any longer.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Romance, Chick Lit, Fiction, Christian, Audiobook, Christian Romance

312 pages, Paperback

First published May 8, 2007

About the author

New York Times, USA Today & Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Rachel Hauck writes from sunny central Florida.

A RITA finalist and winner of Romantic Times Inspirational Novel of the Year, and Career Achievement Award, she writes vivid characters dealing with real life issues.

Her book, Once Upon A Prince, was made into an original Hallmark movie.

The Wedding Dress has been optioned for film by Brain Power Studio

She loves to hear from readers. She also loves to encourage new writers and is a retired member of the American Christian Fiction Writers Executive Board.

A graduate of Ohio State University with a BA in Journalism, Rachel is an avid OSU football fan. She hopes to one day stand on the sidelines in the Shoe with Ryan Day.

Visit her web site to find out more and click on the icons to follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

www.rachelhauck.com

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story made me very nostalgic for my favorite country music soap drama Nashville and it probably doesn't help that the main protagonist is named Aubrey James.

Aubrey James is a 30-year-old country music sensation and is practically royalty as both her parents were the "it' country music couple of their generation. Exhausted from her latest whirlwind tour, Aubrey hopes for some R&R in her Nashville home during the summer. What she isn't prepared for is when local media personality Scott Vaughan walks through the doors.

This is a sweet contemporary romance in which Aubrey searches to find herself and her faith amidst all the chaos that public life can bring. I read it in one sitting and I felt the characters were very genuine.


Goodreads review published 28/04/20

[Bèbè ✦ RANT ✦ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Aubrey James is Nashville's Sweetheart, a famous country singer loved by thousands of people. A daughter of famous gospel singers killed in a horrible accident. With so much fame, it is no wonder that people are always spreading rumors about her and when she realizes that she cannot be private in her world, she decides to provide an interview for a local media group about her life.

Nashville Sweetheart is the kind of book that you think you will love because of the country theme & a sweet girl whom everyone loves. And that's true. Aubrey has an amazing personality of someone who went through hard times emotionally and wants to bring happiness to everyone. All throughout the book I felt like there was a "mixed" Audrey. A lot of the times everyone called her "Diva" and sometimes she did act like it. A lot of the book was also an interview style which is great when you're reading an article but not so good when you are trying to read Fiction and want to stay interested. *snooze*

Overall, this would be great for someone, just not me. I couldn't connect with the characters and the whole romance part of it was a little undeveloped. The stories that Audrey tells about her family were supposed to be filled with raw emotions but just weren't written in a way that would make me connect to it.


I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence my opinion in any way.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

total "christian chic-lit"! this story is about a country western diva who is trashed in the media and has had to work through the loss of her parents. i appreciate how the author writes in a way that makes the read (or at least it did for me) want to improve my relationship with my Savior.
i also read "Georgia on her mind" similar book, probably give it a 3.

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

inspirational fiction
clean author
if you can get past the word Diva you will find a sweet story

[Judie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here's another one with a title that would make me walk away. But I enjoyed the book.

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really love Rachel Hauck, but I don’t feel this is one of her best stories. Editing isn’t the greatest, choppy story telling. Not her best flowing storytelling that I’ve come to love.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story and the characters. This was not my favorite Rachel Hauck book. While I enjoyed it, I felt that there were a few holes in the storyline. Overall, it is a good read.

I have read several of her books. I enjoy her writing. It says s lot because her writing Christian focused, and I am Jewish. I like her storylines and her messages.

[Heather Burdette Quinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Rachel Hauck's Nashville Sweetheart, we meet Aubrey James, the daughter of beloved Southern gospel singers who were killed in a tragic accident. Aubrey has hit some bumps along the way while paving her own road as the "Queen of County Soul." She's taken on a grueling tour, she's just become the unwilling queen of the tabloids with her bandmate's decision to sell her secrets, and she collapses from exhaustion right after her wealthy boyfriend's over-the-top onstage proposal. Feeling overworked, betrayed, and lost, Aubrey decides to break her no-interview policy and set the record straight about her career and personal life with a local Nashville morning show.

Sports reporter Scott Vaughn is at the top of his game when his producers throw a curve ball - with the show's entertainment reporter on maternity leave, he gets drafted to spend the summer on diva duty. Scott gets to witness firsthand Aubrey's decision to start fresh and handles tough questions with kindness and wit. Even though her record label expects her to keep making predictable country hits, she feels pulled back toward her gospel roots and wants to write her own material. While her fiance's mother wants her to keep the family name out of the press, she wants to come clean with her fans about her personal struggles. And although she's spent years achieving her wildest dreams, she longs for the spiritual piece of the puzzle that is missing.

The format of the book is unique - in addition to the story's alternating first-person narrative, the text includes snippets of Aubrey's discography, artist bio, schedule, interview transcripts, and e-mails, making it more of an epistolary novel. I read the story as an e-book, and did have some issues with the formatting - often, the only indication of a switch from Aubrey's narration to Scott's was the character's name in plain text between lines. It was easy to overlook and I often got confused about whose thoughts I was reading. I also got confused by what seemed like random bold, italicized text until I realized that structure signaled a scene change. I think a true paragraph break or even starting a new chapter when the narrator or scene changes would have added clarity, and that may have been an issue with the e-book format rather than the actual manuscript.

Nashville Sweetheart was a quick, entertaining read - Aubrey and Scott were both likable narrators and I found myself rooting for them as their friendship and potential romance developed. I could definitely see this book being adapted to the screen and found myself trying to cast the characters as I read. I liked that even though the storyline included a lot of minor characters, including Aubrey's staff, Scott's co-workers, and three very different families, Hauck included enough detail and characterization that I never got confused about who was who. I related to Aubrey's journey away from her faith due to the challenges in her life and to her struggle to get back to the spirituality she once had. And having visited Nashville last summer, I loved being able to recognize real neighborhoods and places in the story, from Belle Meade to SoBro to the stage of the Ryman Auditorium. I don't think you have to be a county music fan to enjoy this book, but it definitely didn't hurt. If you're a fan of chick lit with a deeper message about what's really important, I think you'll enjoy this slice of the diva life.

Disclaimer: I received a free ebook copy of Nashville Sweetheart as a member of BookLook Bloggers in exchange for writing this objective review. I received no monetary compensation for this review and all opinions are my own.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

To an outside observer, Aubrey James has it all. Success, riches, fame, and a sexy boyfriend. Nashville’s Country Diva seems to be perfect but this perfection is only a façade. When her boyfriend proposes in front of her audience at a festival and her former “friend” sells a tell-all story to the tabloids, Aubrey’s world comes crashing down. She is forced to take a long hard look at her life and to figure out what is really important in life.

For all the fame and success, Aubrey is clueless to reality. She closes herself off from her past and refuses to discuss it. She tries to make herself into what is expected, not who she wants to be. It’s only when all the dirty secrets and bad behavior from a tour are thrown out into the world by her former band mate Melanie that she begins to take stock in her life and what direction the next phase should take. In response to Melanie’s tell-all to the tabloids, Aubrey decides to open herself up to an in depth interview with a local news show. What she doesn’t expect is a man she went out with on a horrible date a year ago to be the one who is interviewing her.

Scott Vaughn has never really forgotten about Aubrey James or their somewhat disastrous date but he never took the time to find out why it went so horribly wrong. During the interview he learns more about Aubrey than he could have hoped and also realizes his initial attraction has developed into full blown love. Only one problem: Aubrey is engaged to a man from the upper echelons of Nashville society.

This engagement appears to be a fairytale but in reality Car doesn’t treat Aubrey or her world with respect. She is expected to make all the concessions, she is expected to watch her public profile, and she should be more than willing to just invest in Car’s project to help him out, never mind whether or not it’s a good financial option for her. I really wished Aubrey could have woken up to the fact Car was not the best match for her. He didn’t love her the way he should and he disregarded her feelings on practically everything.

I loved how Aubrey and Scott clicked. They were so much more natural together and I especially loved how she finally let him know how she feels.

This was another delightful Rachel Hauck book. There was a bit more Christian flavor to it but as usual, it didn’t distract or irritate me from the story. This book was all about people coming to terms with the past and realizing that events don’t necessarily define who we are, it is how we react and deal with those events.

4 out of 5 stars

[Elaine Key · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diva NashVegas is a better book than Lost in NashVegas. Although the main characters in Lost in NashVegas have a minor part in Diva NashVegas. Aubrey James is the Queen of Country in the music industry. She has led a turbulent love life and the man she is engaged to now is not who she thought he was. Aubrey's former employee, Melanie Daniels, left angry at Aubrey so for $50,000 she tells all to a tabloid. She tells how demanding Aubrey is and unfeeling toward her employees. She tells how selfish and temperamental Aubrey is. So to counter this information Aubrey has agreed to do a series of interviews with a local talk show. Little does she know the man doing the interviews is Scott Vaughn. Aubrey had one date with Scott a year earlier that turned out unfavorable. How will these interviews go and what about her engagement?

This book also gives the reader a small insight into the country music business.

[Liz Terek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aubrey James was born into a musical family. Gospel music is in her blood. However, she chooses a different musical path- country music. From the outside it appears that she has the world by the tail. Career success, an ambitious boyfriend, & wealth- what more could a girl want?

After a recent health scare, Aubrey is informed of some troubling news. Former bandmate & friend, Melanie, goes on an international slandering spree, Aubrey’s perfect world begins to crumble. Agreeing to defend herself on a local media outlet, Aubrey comes face-to-face with a person from her past. She’s less than excited to see him.

With her health teetering, her boyfriend pushing for further commitment, & the scandal, Aubrey is spiraling. Although she’s tried so hard to keep her personal life private, things are coming into life. Can Aubrey rebound from all her drama to regain herself?

FYI, this is a re-release, I’m told, originally titles ‘Diva Nash Vegas’. That made little difference to me as I’ve not read this author before; however, other readers may have already purchased or read it. Many character moves throughout the plot were quite predictable. Observant readers will see through Aubrey’s fiancée quickly. He’s a bit of a grating character, but needs to be to play his part.

Our heroine is the stereotypical starlet who forgets her roots once the spotlight hits. Her character is a prodigal daughter, per se. I did appreciate that the author put emphasis on the fact that her parents played an integral role in her spirituality. Had they not, her character would have turned out like so many young stars of Hollywood & the music industry do. Perhaps that will encourage parents to do the same.

Although a predictable novel with no major ‘wow’ factor, fans that enjoy romance novels or just want a clean, non-committal read will enjoy this. For me, it’s a 4 star novel.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine.

[Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lucie's Review:



This book is an emotional roller coaster ride. I love country music, and I loved every other book that I have read from this author, but this book was a difficult read for me.


Aubrey James is a country queen, who seems to have it all, hit songs, plenty of awards, and a new fiancé. But when she collapses on stage from exhaustion and one of her band members talks to the tabloids, the curtain begins to fall away.


Scott Vaughn works for a TV show, and is assigned to do a series of interviews with Aubrey for the show. Scott is an excellent and brings out the best in Aubrey. Yet, nothing can come of them, as she is already engaged and he knows it.


I liked how this story had a rich backstory and great characters. To me this story is more about Aubrey's return to her roots, interwoven with themes of forgiveness, and redemption.


While I do understand that Aubrey was living a very different life than her parents would have wanted for her, I was uncomfortable with the physical relationship that she and her fiancé had before they were married, along with the detail of that relationship.


Overall, this was a well written read with well developed characters, and a moving prodigal daughter tale. I liked how this book didn't shy away from the difficulty that goes into being a country artist, and showed a pretty realistic picture of life on Music Row. I really wanted to like this book, but in the end it just wasn't a good fit for me.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

[Sidne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aubrey James is Nashville's Sweetheart, a famous country snger loved by thousands of people. When her parents are suddenly taken from her, she turns her back on God and dives into singing career.
Aubrey tries her hardest to keep her life private, however someone close to her betrays her trust and sells insider information in an effort to bring Aubrey down. Aubrey decides the best way to clear the rumors is to tell her own story and face her past. She also must face the person she wished she could forget.

My Review: This was a good read for me. All characters were believable. The book is done in an interview format. ( the protagonist speaking with a reporter and retells an event or life story) I enjoyed how her life developed as she retold her story. There is drama, heartbreak and emotional suspense.
Characters in the book was good but no one actually stood out for me as memorable except the protagonist. This is a Christian fiction novel with a country twist. Enjoyable.
The book title and the story line connection is a good match. 5/5 rating.The book cover is simple however, it connects with the story line and the title, my rating is 4/5 and my reading review of the novel is a DArN Good read with a 3.5 / 5 review rating.

[Brooke (i blog 4 books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally posted on i blog 4 books: http://iblog4books.blogspot.com/2014/...


Despite being "the queen of country," Aubrey James hasn't had the easiest life. She agrees to a series of interviews with a local news program and begins an introspective journey digging deeper into her life. She definitely gets more than she bargained for when she agreed to the interview!

Nashville Sweetheart gives readers a glimpse at the behind the scenes life of a country music star. There's a great romantic thread running throughout, but mostly this book focuses on learning about yourself and finding your true self in Christ. At times, I was confused by how the story was laid out. It's definitely a unique style. But once I got used to it, I really enjoyed it. Nashville Sweetheart reminds me a lot of the TV show Nashville (but a cleaner version) and was a really fun read! [4 stars]

NOTE: Nashville Sweetheart was originally published in 2007 with the title Diva NashVegas.

I received a free copy of this book from Thomas Nelson in exchange for my fair and honest review.

[Raya Whitehouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a good book about a woman (Aubrey James) who is from Nashville. Her parents (Ray and Myra James) were famous for gospel singing and she is a famous country singer. Her parents died when she was 16.

Aubrey is always being bugged to due interviews and due to somethings that were said by her ex-friend Melanie, she agrees to do a local interview with Inside NashVegas. Scott Vaughn does the interviewing with her over a month span, and as he does, he sees her in a way not many people get to.

She has a fiance (who proposed at her last stop on her 11th tour, which was also her 30th birthday), his name is Brown "Car" Carmichael the third (Aubrey always calls him Car). He is always pushing Aubry to commit further to him, which usually gets them into arguing. For example he just starts moving stuff into he replace without asking, asks a person at the bank how much money is in her personal bank account, argues with her to invest her personal money to him with his business.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Aubrey is the daughter of gospel music superstars, and she has done very well for herself in the country music world. Although she is the current queen of country, she tries to maintain a very private life. As this story unfolds, we get to peek in on Aubrey during the summer that changed her life.

I loved everything about this book. We get to see the private life of a big name celebrity. Although this book is fiction, I would be willing to bet it is very close to the real life of most of the people we all oogle over all the time.

Watching God get a hold of Aubrey through some of the most unlikely of places really points out that God can work anywhere, any time, and through any one.

Watching professional relationships, personal relationships, and Aubrey's own relationship with herself unfold was awesome. I loved this book and I would recommend for sure.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christian fiction + country music = LOVE. This is the second book that Rachel Hauck has written about the country music industry (see my review of Lost In NashVegas here), this time picking up with the character after she's already made it big.

Ever read a tabloid magazine story about a celebrity complaining about their lack of privacy or their inability to really trust anyone with their secrets? Ever think to yourself, "Hey, that's the price of fame?" Diva NashVegas gives you the celebrity's perspective on life in the spotlight - both the good and the bad.

This story is written in true Rachel Hauck style - likeable characters, uncomplicated story lines and a message of faith and hope. Like all of Rachel's books, I highly recommend it.

[⚜️XAR the Bookwyrm · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really interesting for a country singer romance novel! Aubrey was easy to connect with and yet so very flawed, which made her very realistic. Scott, too, was flawed and easy to relate to, which made watching the romance bloom a joy to see. The book is also an Inspirational romance, but I didn't feel that the story was preachy or "in your face" with the faith aspect. I found the story very touching and it reminded me a bit of Katy Perry's life story as seen in "All of Me". This is one I would recommend if you enjoy Inspirational romance!

[Glynis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as 'Lost in NashVegas' which I loved. It took awhile for me to connect with the 'diva' Aubrey and I found the style a bit confusing...it was first-person but from both main characters' points of view. Still a light read, funny in places and a true prodigal story with an uplifting end.

[T.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me in her world and thinking of how I would react. Audrey James is easy to relate to. Her struggles with her faith, her past, and her present sound similar to most peoples. We all do things out of fear or out of self preservation. I recommend this for anyone that likes chick lit. It isn't preachy in its message which makes it a read for just about anyone.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in 3 days!! Which is a miracle since I am a mom of a 6 month old and 5 year old on top of working full time. This book was so cute! Such a cute love story! I love Rachel she is an awesome author!

[Mandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you can get past the name, you're golden! 2nd book in the series, & in my honest opinion 😉, much better than the first. I enjoyed the development of the characters & had fun with this easy read 😊

[Janet Merrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure how two books in the same series could be so different but this was a complete 180 from the first in the series. I really enjoyed Aubrey's story. I kept turning pages to see how her relationships and career were going to play out. Well done.

[Terri · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is very good ..

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Country music superstar getting maligned, does media interviews.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Even after I finished, I kept thinking of the characters and their songs. Great read.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! It was even better than Rache's firt book "Lost in Nash Vegas!"

[Dianne Peeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story!!! Great writer!! will read all Rachel's books now. When there good, I want more:)

[Mary Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story, good character development. Good Chick-Lit!

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the last interview at the end of the book. Makes me laugh out loud ever time.