Fall (VIP, #3) by Kristen Callihan
Series: VIP #3
Published by Plain Jane on October 23, 2018
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 452
Goodreads

FINAL DECISION: Incredibly satisfying book. These two characters journey was well paced and I especially enjoyed the slow burn aspect of the story. These characters are deeply engaged in their relationship which allows readers to get to know their weaknesses and their strengths. Loved this one.

THE STORY: While shopping for groceries, Stella Grey runs into a handsome guy who is taking the last package of her favorite ice cream from the freezer at the store. Their competition over it is won by Stella who kisses the guy. Of course, it turns out that the guy lives next door to the penthouse where she is working her temporary pet sitting job. He also happens to be Jax Blackwood — one of the famous, and perhaps the most infamous, members of a legendary rock band.

OPINION: In this book, a lot of time is spent on John and Stella learning about one another. The story is sexy because these two have time and space to get to know one another. I really enjoyed this because it allowed depth to their romance. The focus is on the characters and the plot only serves to highlight and raise issues between the characters — which is my favorite kind of romance.

John aka Jax is a man dealing with his mental health issues. I thought that this book depicted his depression in a way that really gave me insight into how this issue can effect ones life. I found his character sympathetic even as he is sometimes a jerk. I found him generally sweet and funny.

Both John and Stella have masks on. The smiles, the confidence, the concern for others hides dark thoughts and deep insecurities and hurt. The unveiling of these characters kept me fascinated by their story.

Stella is a woman who everyone likes, but no one really knows. Her internal life and pain compel her to keep a distance for those who would care for her. She has strength but also is incredibly vulnerable. We know John’s story immediately, but Stella’s story is hidden in the beginning and only begins to reveal itself through John and Stella’s relationship.

I love books where the relationship is allowed time to develop. Two people learning one another, building a relationship based upon friendship and caring. That makes this book really hot because of the delayed gratification and when things progress here, there is definitely caring and emotion involved.

WORTH MENTIONING: Readers of the prior books will be aware that Jax has attempted suicide (off page) and this book addresses, among other things, his depression and other emotional and mental challenges he faces.

CONNECTED BOOKS: FALL is the third book in the VIP series. The romance here is self-contained and although there are overlapping characters, this book can be read completely as a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

Idol (VIP, #1) by Kristen Callihan
Series: VIP #1
Published by Plain Jane on June 7, 2016
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 339
Goodreads

FINAL DECISION: The story was uneven and the blurb is mostly the first quarter of the book. There is a development in the story that encompasses the middle third of the book and then a dramatic turn for the ending. I found the middle of this book a bit meandering and it wasn’t the strongest part for me. I still enjoyed the book, but the pacing didn’t work for me as well as I would have liked.

THE STORY: Liberty Bell find a drunk man sprawled out on her lawn. Eventually she finds out he is Killian James, a huge rock star. The two begin a friendship that turns into something more and brings Libby into a world of music that she has avoided for most of her life.

OPINION: I enjoyed the characters in this book. Libby and Kilian are funny and yet deeply emotional. I liked that this book is centered around the emotions on these two people who struggle and make mistakes. I felt that these characters had depth and complexity to them.

I really enjoyed how Callihan writes. The prose and the sentence development was very engaging. The story is told in alternating first person narratives which makes the motivations of the characters clear even if I was frustrated with their struggles. But I enjoyed that part of the story.

I also really enjoyed the secondary characters who also have a complexity that makes me want to read their stories as well.

The negative here was that in the middle of the book, I just felt that the characters were in a holding pattern waiting for the plot to develop around them. I didn’t feel that the characters had a purpose during that portion of the book.

Finally, the characters were popped free by the plot and I felt that things began to move again. I overall enjoyed this book.

WORTH MENTIONING: Fans of Nalini Singh’s Rock Kiss series or Kylie Scott’s Stage Dive series might enjoy this book.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  IDOL is the first book in the VIP series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.