Sound Effects by LJ Greene (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

Sound Effects

by LJ Greene 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Contemporary Romance

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:


What is YOUR passion?

When an uncharacteristically rash decision lands law school graduate Melody Grayson in San Francisco’s dicey Tenderloin District, she comes face to face with a dangerously tempting man who embodies every mistake she swore she would never repeat. Passionate, sexy, and far more insightful than she’d care to admit, he causes her to question everything she thought she knew about her future. Now she’ll have to decide where the bigger risk lies: in the intriguing but uncertain path he’s offering, or the prudent one she has been working tirelessly to pursue.

Up-and-coming, Irish-born musician Jamie Callahan is no stranger to chaos; he’s lived a lifetime of it. But in the fall of 2004, when the music industry is on the verge of massive upheaval, the life he aspires to could come at a heavier price than he’s prepared to pay. And while Melody may be the ideal person to help him navigate the gambles he must take, a relationship with her might be his biggest gamble yet.

Sound Effects is a standalone dual POV adult contemporary romance that captures the gloriously unpredictable nature of life, in which the path from who you are, to who you’re meant to become may not be a straight one. It may also have a few bumps. Sexy, humor-filled, and relatable, Sound Effects is a story about living passionately, staying true to yourself, and finding that one magic person who makes the journey of self-discovery an adventure worth taking.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~



EXCERPT

It wasn’t just one thing about him–his beautiful eyes fringed with thick lashes, the richness of his dark, auburn hair, the curved mouth, or the solid frame–it was how it all came together so devastatingly. This man had a magnetism that was absolutely undeniable, like a secret so big it just oozed out of him, despite any effort he may take to keep it in check. And I knew right then and there, if he ever turned it loose on me for real, I’d be finished.

“Abort! Abort!” my head shouted, but to no avail; my body was not listening.

Because to top it all off, like catnip to a kitten, he was carrying a guitar.

It was beautiful Gibson dreadnought, slung behind his back and positioned in such an organic way that it looked a part of him. The way he cradled it gently with his elbow told me it was a part of him. And everything I loved and hated about musicians came rushing back to me in a surfeit of hormones and horror stories. He was my siren song.

“I’m Jamie Callahan.” The siren had a name. Jamie, I said in my head. I think I may have sniffed him a little, too. Subtly, of course.

Amazon buy link

~~~~~~~~~~~~~



AUTHOR Bio and Links:



LJ Greene is a self-professed obsessive multi-tasker who writes really boring stuff by day and lets her inner romantic fly by night. This California native is married to the most amazing man and has two beautiful children, not old enough to read her books. (They probably wouldn’t want to anyway on account of the “Ew, gross” factor.) She’s an avid reader of all genres with an embarrassingly large ebook collection, and a weird penchant for reading the acknowledgements at the end of a novel. She's also a music lover with no apparent musical talent, a travel enthusiast, and a cheese connoisseur.



Website
Twitter
Facebook



********************************



GIVEAWAY





a Rafflecopter giveaway


The tour dates can be found here

**********************************

My review:

4.75 out of 5 stars

Sound Effects by L.J. Greene is part of the ‘Ripple Effects’ series and is a semi-contemporary adult romance. This story is a mesmerizing look at a group of people on the cusp of changes. Mel (Melody) Grayson is about to become a full-fledged lawyer while Jamie Callahan and his buddies are about to become the next big thing—if everything goes as planned.

I love the way the author gradually shares bits and pieces of each main character’s life, with little glimpses of the secondary characters, and allows the reader to become ensnared and invested in their struggle just as they themselves gradually move past being strangers. I often dislike first-person stories because they feel forced and awkward to me, and the angst is wearying, but I was delighted to become more and more enthralled with the story as I watched the growth and maturation of both the main characters and their relationship.

This was an interesting look at the challenges of balancing dreams and practicality, the difficulties of remaining true to one’s beliefs, and the determination required to not accept the roles others would impose upon you. There are painful emotional scenes but those are leavened by the bursts of humor as well as the intense and endearing honesty displayed by these characters. I was a little frustrated with Mel’s passivity at times which seemed to contradict the personality required for her chosen profession but I breathed a sigh of relief at the end, despite knowing there are a few threads that undoubtedly will (hopefully) lead to other stories. This is part of a series, yet stands alone just fine, and I am delighted to find a new author to follow and will definitely be on the lookout for other stories written by her.

A copy of this story was provided to me for review