REVIEW- Rock It

Four Stars for Rock It by Jennifer Chance

Not many rockstar romances have made it to my TBR list but Rock It by Jennifer Chance has me searching for more titles in this popularly growing sub genre.  After reading so many books lately where all the characters seem to be drowning in one tragic circumstance after the next, it was refreshing to read a book you could just sit down, relax, and enjoy. Not that I'm complaining about the darker novels, I'm usually a huge fan. But there are times when one needs the soothing touch of a  laid back novel. There's no over-the-top drama, nor is there an overabundance of angst- thankfully! The female lead in this story didn't have a traumatic childhood and her love interest did not have some hidden, forbidden desire. This book's overall theme was simple. Dreams.

           "If only you can dream it, it might just come true."

The story starts off with a letter written by a 16 year old girl to her teen idol, Dante. The letter is sweet and is filled with words of adoration and kindness, ending with words of inspiration and dreams. Fast forward 6 years later and we meet Lacey Dawes, a 22 year old junior agent for a leading entertainment rep firm in Boston. She works long hours, has an incredible work ethic, and works for an awful woman Lacey refers to as, "The Barracuda." Standing in a frenzied crowd at an arena in Boston, Lacey tries to keep herself focused and professional. She's on assignment, gathering information about her firm's (IMO) newest and most important client- Dante Falcone. As the night progresses and the throngs of fans get more and more excited, Lacey finds herself shoved roughly through the crowd which causes her long-time idol's gaze to pin her firmly in place. They share a moment and moments later, it's gone.

The very next day, Lacey is sitting in a boardroom with her two bosses and the handsome rock god himself. There to discuss an upcoming 2 week publicity tour, Dante shocks the room with his insistence that Lacey join the tour as his interim manager. The barracuda of course is appalled at this suggestion but she is overruled by the president of the company. Lacey maintains calm and serenity but internally she is struggling with the horror of spending 2 weeks on a tour bus with Dante. She instantly tries to steel herself to keep composure, locking the fangirl tight and away in order to fulfill the demands of her job.

Lacey's plan to keep things as professional as possible hits a major speed bump while attending a private meeting with Dante in his hotel room that same night. After excusing 2 groupies with promises of fun to be had at a later time, Dante causally invites Lacey to partake in the bottle of champagne the 2 eager women had left behind. Hesitantly she accepts but when Dante steps away to take a phone call, Lacey finds herself feeling looser and a little more uninhibited. When Dante steps back, Lacey surprises him with an interesting proposition after he suggests putting off signing contracts at a later time.

As things begin to get heated between them, Dante suddenly questions the uptight junior agent's shift in personality. He silently questions how intoxicated she could be after only one glass of champagne. As this last thought pops into his head, he finds himself catching an unconscious Lacey, deducing that the bottle must have been drugged. With anger directed at himself, Dante nurses her to health after personally ensuring she is safely back in her own home.

The rest of the book chronicles the two weeks Lacey and Dante spend together while touring the US eastern seaboard. Lacey constantly fights the urge to throw herself in Dante's arms, fearing that she'll reveal herself as a stalkerish, love-struck groupie. She finds difficulty in separating the needs of her career and the needs that have overtaken her heart and body as she spends more and more time with Dante. For his part, Dante can't seem to figure out the pull Lacey has over him and he too, wages the battle of not getting too close.

Rock It was a nice quick read. It flowed well and kept you engaged. As mentioned there wasn't a lot of melodrama, just a good, clean story about two people trying to find keep their dreams alive. Stories have a way of needing a life and death/do or die moment in order to keep a reader invested in the characters and the outcome of their plights. But there's something to be said about books which allow you to examine your own life and allow yourself to relate completely with the individuals the author creates. Though there isn't really a huge emotional blow-up or catastrophic event, Jennifer Chance does a wonderful job in keeping her readers motivated to stick it out and witness the outcome between her central couple. I like how the overall theme of "the dream" managed to stay steadily throughout the book. The conflicts and resolutions tied nicely together and never became overly complex or muddled. I truly appreciated the sincerity of Ms. Chance's main characters and found comfort in being able to relate to their struggles. There were only a few things which left me a little baffled such as the laced champagne bottle- I had instantly thought Brenda the Barracuda had a hand in causing that event (we never did find out). But this is definitely one I would recommend for those in search of a nice rock star romance with a suitable amount of heat and 2 very likable characters.

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*** I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.***