I was so excited to get the opportunity to be an advance reader for Broken Records, the first book in the new Spotlight series by Lilah Suzanne. Having read her two previous novels Pivot and Slip and Spice, I was definitely looking forward to diving into another romance. From the title I expected a story along the line of your standard country song, filled with romance and heartbreak that captures the emotion of the reader. However this novel went deeper into the true heart and soul of country, and I found myself becoming more invested in her characters than I ever expected.
“What is it like, Nico wonders, to be loved by millions of people and still be lonely?”
The novel is told from the point of view of Nico Takahashi, a celebrity stylist who is accustomed to the grit behind the glamor of the LA celebrity scene. As talented as he is, Nico finds himself less and less inspired by his life and career. I found myself as cautious as Nico when Gwen, his partner in fashion, tells him that country star Grady Dawson is a potential client. Playboy and country music may not seem like a typical combination, but we soon learn that Grady is known for his rumored romantic connections just as much as (if not more than) his unique and original sound. Nevertheless, Nico takes on the job and an eventful trip to Nashville leaves him with artistic inspiration and the pride of a styling job well done. There’s just one problem…Nico can’t get Grady out of his mind. Discovering the man behind the famous musician in the magazines alongside Nico was a wonderful experience, despite the looming worry that something will bring their too-good-to-be-true connection tumbling down. After all it’s one thing to provide the fashion for stars that have fans and gossip sites buzzing, it’s another to be a cause of a story yourself…
Lilah writes all of her characters very well, a prime example being that I became invested in everyone’s story, from the troubled teen that is the first of Nico’s clients to be introduced to Gwen’s frustrated wife. My only regret in this respect was that the novel length didn’t allow for even more development. Here’s hoping we see more of them in the next book in the series! Grady is so swoon-worthy that I found myself falling for him just as fast as any of his fanbase. “It’s no wonder that half the damn world wants a piece of Grady Dawson,” Nico observes, and any reader of this novel will be inclined to agree. As sweet and romantic as Nico and Grady’s story is, these elements are well balanced with erotica as hot as Nashville’s music scene.
Nico knows more than anyone else that those in the public eye wear a mask, a persona they sell to fans and cameras every day. He makes his living perfecting that persona. So can he truly trust Grady and separate the truth from the lies? Can Grady overcome Nico’s cynicism about the business that is so central to both of their lives? Or will their time together be reduced to “a night he will not forget for a very long time. But it’s over. And that’s that.”
Whether country music is your go-to station or not, this sweet and sensual romance is a must read. Find out for yourself what happens when you blur the line between professional and personal by getting Broken Records on December 17th!
