This review was written by: B
Received: Ebook from Author
Publication Date of Book: June 9, 2018
Pages: 172 (Kindle Edition)
Stars: 3.75
Official Summary:
Joey Hayes and his best friend Ricky Branson have been together through the good times, as well as the bad. Attending their first concert as teens set the path for their futures in motion. Shortly after, the pair joined band class where they meet Ethan and Mick and the foursome formed the metal band, Social Sinners.
Things were going according to plan until Lucas Shane entered their lives, disrupting the flow and testing the strength of their friendship.
When Joey spirals down a dark path after catching his cheating boyfriend, this tasked the other three band members with making a difficult decision that could end his career as their lead singer.
My Thoughts:
While some people hate most tropes, I'm a sucker for quite a few. One of them is the friends to lovers trope, which I could read about all day long, and this book sounded like it was right up that ally in terms of it harboring this potential. Thus, I was extremely excited when the author reached out, especially because M/M romance is one of my favorite genres. (Plus, I LOVE this cover.)
The first thing you should know about this book is that a significant portion of it is seeing Joey and Ricky "Stoli" grow up from childhood to adulthood. I wasn't expecting this mostly due to the blurb, but I'm in no way complaining. I loved seeing how their dynamic was formed, what they meant to each other, and everything they went through - both the good and the bad - that made them who they were as individuals, band members, best friends, etc. Without their backstories, it would have been extremely difficult to connect with them on an emotional level and understand where they were coming from. Additionally, I realize that some people did not especially enjoy the author's descriptions throughout the childhood portion, particularly seeing them as boring and unnecessary (which I respect and understand), but personally I found them to be significant to the story (whether it was because it highlighted a bonding moment or something that grounded the characters that would eventually remind them of home) - the author wrote with deliberate purpose, which I'm a fan of.
The dynamic of the members in the band Social Sinners was definitely one of my favorite parts of the novel. I've gotten the pleasure of reading short stories from Travis but nothing of this length, which allowed for her to develop her characters and truly allow the audience to understand the deep connection the four men (Joey, Stoli, Micky, and Diamond) have been able to form by the end of the first installment to this series, and how they react to trials and tribulations. Their brotherly camaraderie was inspiring as they built a family that wasn't blood related, placing an importance on how "Family didn't need blood to form a bond, it only needs to have a heart." I don't think I've ever found an author who summed up one of my beliefs so perfectly! The love this group had for each other was a true treat to read and one I won't soon forget. The father-son and mother-son dynamics were wonderful as well! There's something so intriguing to me about family relations that gets me every single time, and these ones were so endearing and heartfelt that I have to give Travis props.
I also thoroughly enjoyed what music meant to the characters and the passion they possessed for it. While I don't necessarily often listen to the genre of music this book focuses on, I can certainly appreciate the power of music, the creativity it allows for, and the way it can bring people together. However, the music and band's formation and camaraderie seemed to be slightly more focused on compared to the romance portion of the novel (especially in the case of Joey figuring out where his heart was at), which I was not anticipating. However, this was another aspect that I didn't mind - the plot was intriguing enough for me to wait and find out what would happen in the love department. The characters kept me going, and the band's journey made me invested regardless of the level of romance.
The only thing I was slightly confused with was why Joey was in a relationship with Lucas. The instant physical attraction was understandable and undoubtedly a factor. Plus, as a reader I could wholeheartedly sense that Joey was invested in Lucas as a person, but there was no distinct reason as to why this was in terms of personality or compatibility. They simply were a thing, but there was little in terms of how the emotional depth Joey invested in Lucas came about. Perhaps it was because Joey was comfortable with the dynamic, but it was difficult for me to comprehend why he was so into his boyfriend, and it would have been interesting to see how Joey got to this point. (However, I was on team Throw Lucas to the Curb!)
In terms of the ending, I LOVED it. The way it came full circle with the opening chapter, and eventually Joey's realization allowed me to breath again. I had anxiety throughout this whole book waiting for that final moment! And I was not disappointed!!! (Joey could have been a bit quicker at picking up the hints someone was putting down, but I'm sure Travis was trying to show how their love was getting established before continuing on with the series. Plus, some people are sometimes slow at picking up on vibes. PSA: This fact is not a myth.) All I can say is that I hope there's a lot more of Joey and his significant other in the books to come because I want more of them!!!
