From the clever title to the first page of this book, I knew I’d found a gem! Rock ‘N Roll, baby!
Eva has spent her entire almost eighteen years in the shadow of her famous supermodel mom and on a tour bus with her father, who plays in a rock band. She’s never been in the public eye, despite her family’s status. In fact, her mother has gone to great lengths to keep her a secret.
And now, she’s gone to live with her famous brother, Lor, in his palatial mansion. As the guitar god for the popular rock group Polly’s Poison, Lor is fighting demons. While recuperating from a drunken debilitating accident that’s left him paralyzed and scarred, Eva has vowed to keep him from drinking, but Lor will go to any lengths to have alcohol delivered.
Enters Alex, a college student who is working as an errand runner to earn extra money for school. Alex has no idea what he’s walking into when he delivers a package to Lor at his mansion. Eva suspects Lor is up to his tricks and runs interference. The package is accidentally knocked to the floor, and the whiskey bottle breaks, splashing onto both Eva and Alex’s shoes.
Eva struggles to keep Alex from figuring out who her family is, but she is drawn to him. She desperately needs a friend. While growing up around lots of people all the time, she’s never had a friend, never gone to a prom, or done any of the things normal kids do. And she’s hungry to discover what life has to offer. I love all the different aspects of Eva’s character. She’s honest and trustworthy, and she hates wastefulness. When she volunteers at a local refurbishing center, she finally finds something that makes her feel useful. I also loved that she’s unpretentious, even though she is surrounded by extravagant wealth. She chooses to drive a Toyota Prius and is fascinated with tiny houses.
Alex grew up in a normal working-class American family with one brother and a sister who has Downe’s Syndrome. Now he’s going to college in Austin at the University of Texas. His brother, on the other hand, is hell-bent on getting into trouble, and his parents finally get fed up with bailing him out. His brother is a character that is easy to dislike. Then, there’s a secret Alex has kept hidden from everyone, and it is the one thing he is most ashamed of. While working on a local ranch one summer, he was seduced by an older woman. At the time, he did not know she was married, and when the truth surfaced, he distanced himself from her. Only she won’t leave him alone.
As Alex and Eva get to know each other and begin a tenuous relationship, there are many surprises, both good and bad. They have a lot of obstacles to overcome before they can find their way to a solid relationship.
Written in first-person POV, the author gives the reader a deep look into both Eva and Alex’s thoughts, struggles, and desires. It is an easy read and one I couldn’t wait to find out how things would work out or if they would. I also thought the author did a great job of portraying the lifestyle of the rich and famous. I don’t want to leave any spoilers. I will just say I was shocked more than once through the story as events unfold and secrets are revealed. Things are not always as they seem. It’s a story I can highly recommend!