Review: Just What I Needed

Review: Just What I NeededJust What I Needed (Stage Dive, #4.9) by Kylie Scott
Published by 1001 Dark Nights Press on 2022
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 88
Goodreads
three-stars

FINAL DECISION: This story was okay. I liked Jude and Dean, but there really wasn’t any content to their relationship. I liked seeing the characters from the series, but I didn’t really get any sense of what brought Dean and Jude together other than attraction.

THE STORY: Jude is the nanny for David Ferris and his wife. When music producer Dean Jennings arrives to work with the band, Jude senses something between them. The Stage Dive women decide to help her catch Dean.

OPINION: I really wanted to love this novella, but I only liked it — and that was mostly from seeing my favorite characters from the series rather than the romance here. I liked both Jude and Dean, but there really isn’t much to their relationship. Perhaps they are both too nice.

The story nicely gives Dean his happy ending after being cast off in LEAD. I wanted to know more about him, but what I learned didn’t really go to his personality. Instead, I still wondered about what attracted him to his ex and what was the nature of their relationship.

I think this story needed more time because the two main characters are too nice on the surface. Perhaps learning more about what makes them who they are and what conflicts could arise in their relationship.

The story feels really abbreviated, but what is here is a nice little story.

WORTH MENTIONING: I loved seeing the Stage Dive group. The best part of these novellas is seeing them as the people around them get together.

CONNECTED BOOKS: JUST WHAT I NEEDED is book 4.9 in the Stage Dive series. This book can be read as a standalone, although there are a lot of characters from the series that you might need to know more about to enjoy here. The hero and heroine from this book have appeared in other books in the series, but you find out everything you need to know about there here.

STAR RATING: I give this book 3 stars.

three-stars

Review: The Rhythm Method

Review: The Rhythm MethodThe Rhythm Method (Stage Dive, #4.8) by Kylie Scott
Series: Stage Dive #4.8
Published by 1001 Dark Nights Press on November 9, 2021
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 82
Goodreads
four-stars

FINAL DECISION: Very enjoyable story. It is really an epilogue to David and Evelyn’s story, and I really loved how the two of them approached their conflict and worked it out. The presence of the other band members made this a comforting story.

THE STORY:  David and Evelyn have been happily married for seven years. They have been a stabilizing force as the first couple in the Stage Dive band. When an unexpected pregnancy occurs, everything seems to be turned upside down. Now Evelyn and David need to redefine their relationship and build a family together.

OPINION: I don’t want to spoil the story, but in short, an unexpected pregnancy causes problems for Evelyn and David’s marriage. I thought that this was a great little story with such an adult resolution to the conflict. There is some romance and some sexy time, and I enjoyed seeing David and Ev’s relationship change and grow. The premise of the story is a little crazy, but I totally was willing to just go with it.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book ends with a suggestion about the next short novella in the series.

CONNECTED BOOKS: THE RHYTHM METHOD is book 4.8 of the Stage Dive series. This book should be read at least after LICK, as it is a type of epilogue to that couple’s book. I think this book is better for fans of the series because knowledge of all the personalities of the characters and their backstories is assumed.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

four-stars