LOVE STRUCK / MisTaken (Miss Match .5 & #2) by Laurelin McGee-a review

LOVE STRUCK
Miss Match #2
by Laurelin McGee
Genre: adult, contemporary, erotic, romance
Release Date: February 2, 2016

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 2, 2016

Welcome to a seductive world where two solo artists combine their talents-and their hearts-to make beautiful music together…

SHE’S GETTING INTO THE GROOVE
Lacy Dawson is a young singer-songwriter with a record deal, a studio gig, and a serious case of writer’s block. After looking for love songs in all the wrong places, she finds inspiration at an online support group called Song Writers Anonymous. Thanks to one mysterious member who motivates her and inspires her, Lacy’s career is back on track. But is she ready to meet her sexy musical muse…face to face?

HE MAKES HER HEART SKIP A BEAT
Eli is definitely interested in hooking up with Lacy, aka “LoveCoda.” But between writing her new album and his band’s success, they can’t find the time to face the music-or each other-about their burgeoning online romance. All that changes when Eli and Lucy get booked on tour together. In person, the attraction is all too real and explosive. They both should walk away, but once they are in each other’s arms, there is no turning back…

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REVIEW: LOVE STRUCK is the second full length installment in the contemporary adult MISS MATCH erotic, romance series co-authored by Laurelin Paige and Kayti McGee. This is twenty six year old, singer/songwriter Lacy Dawson, and thirty one year old, musician/songwriter Eli Frank’s story line. LOVE STRUCK can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Lacy and Eli) LOVE STRUCK follows two paths: the online relationship between FolxNotDead27 and LoveCoda on an anonymous writers website – SoWriAn (Song Writers Anonymous)-where music writers go to rant, commiserate or find their muse; and the building physical relationship between Lacy Dawson, a struggling singer/songwriter who lost her muse when her fiancé committed suicide one year before, and Eli Frank-a musician whose band is about to go out on tour. When the band is in need of a new opening act, Lacy is offered a once in a lifetime chance to tour. What ensues is a building romance between Lacy (aka LoveCoda) and Eli (FolxNotDead27), and Lacy’s belief that the band’s leading singer Jax is her mysterious online FolxNotDead27 muse, and the man who will be her happily ever after.

LOVE STRUCK is a storyline with several plot lines including the preparations for Lacy’s sister’s (Andrea Dawson) wedding (MisMatch #1); the virtual friendship and love match between two anonymous musicians; the romantic and sexual entanglement between Eli and Lacy; the implosion of a number one selling band; and the mistaken belief, by Lacy, that Jax is the ONE for her. Although the premise sounds very convoluted, the story line is easy to follow; the identity of the players is deduced and revealed early on; the ‘love triangle’ potential is heartbreaking and riddled with anxiety and immature choices. Lacy is a woman who has fallen in love with two men (but one in the same) although her misguided belief proves to be the final straw for the band.

Throughout the storyline we are witness to Lacy’s immature actions that leave a trail of broken hearts, heartbreaking consequences, and the dissolution of friendships-both professional and personal. Although the author(s) try to divide the blame for the conflict between Eli and Lacy, there is only one person responsible for the mess that occurs.

LOVE STRUCK is a slow build to a happily ever after. The premise is a case of mistaken identity whereby the heroine’s actions destroy one man’s faith in love. To be ‘used’ as a temporary placeholder for the ONE, is not romantic but heartbreaking and thusly the story line reads more like YA/NA than adult entertainment. The characters are colorful but immature; the romance is a broken but easily fixed.

Copy supplied by Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy

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MISTAKEN
Miss Match .5
by Laurelin McGee
Genre: adult, contemporary, romance

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Re-release February 2, 2016

In misTaken by Laurelin McGee, Jaylene Kim is a strong independent woman whose feminist values run deep. Even though attractive men are her weakness the last thing she wants is one telling her what to do. Until she meets her mysterious new neighbor. He makes her realize that you can still be strong and relinquish control . . . in the bedroom. But as their passion consumes them both Jaylene isn’t so sure he is who he says he is.

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NOTE: MisTaken was previously released in the HOT ALPHAS anthology May 2015

REVIEW: MISTAKEN is the introductory novella to Laurelin McGee (aka Laurelin Paige/ Kayti McGee) new romance series focusing on the world of modern matchmaking. This is high school English teacher Jaylene Kim and Noah Harrison’s storyline. With her rigid feminist ideals and preconceived notions Jaylene is having difficulty adjusting to other people’s (both men and women) view of life. Enter Noah Harrison, a man with too many secrets that Jaylene is dying to uncover and a man who makes Jaylene question her feminist ways.

The $ex scenes are exploratory but Jaylene has a difficult time giving up control. Throughout the storyline our heroine’s rigid feminist views leave something to be desired both in and out of the bedroom; I question the couple’s attraction to one another as I did not feel the sexual chemistry or burning need.

As this is the introductory storyline to Laurelin McGee’s new series, I am hoping with the future installments the heroines are not so uncompromising or mired in such strict feminist beliefs. The overriding premise of feminism was too much for a romance storyline. I am all for equal rights, but I don’t like the ideals of radical feminism to be pounded into me from my romance heroines. I have a degree in sociology and took several courses in women’s studies but there are times when the idealists need to consider the target of their attacks and romance readers are not the ideal targets.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy