Blog Tour ~ SOUND BITES: A ROCK AND ROLL LOVE STORY, by Rachel K. Burke

Welcome to The Bookish Babe's stop on the SOUND BITES Blog Tour! Today I have a review of the book, followed by a giveaway. This tour is hosted by AToMR Blog Tours. You can find all the stops on the tour here.

Renee Evans has a knack for trouble. After walking in on her best friend and boyfriend in bed together, twenty-five year-old Renee flees sunny Los Angeles and her dream job as a music journalist and returns to her hometown of Boston – only to meet Dylan Cavallari, the mysterious, aspiring musician who lives in her apartment building. Dylan’s piercing gaze and womanizing demeanor make him exactly the type of guy that Renee should steer clear of – which is most likely the reason she falls for him. But when Renee’s troublesome ex comes back and threatens to drive her and Dylan apart, Renee is forced to face her past and save her relationship with Dylan before it's too late. Sound Bites dramatizes what happens when Renee finds herself caught between a painful past and an uncertain future. Happiness turns out to be within her grasp, but it all depends on whether she can trust herself enough to make the right decisions. Sound Bites is a novel about love, friendship, betrayal, forgiveness, and the power of music to help you find your way. ~From GoodReads

There's one sure way to draw my eye to a particular book. Include the words "Rock and Roll" in the title. I kid you not, it works every time. So when I saw the title, then the synopsis of this story, I knew we were meant to be.

I have to say, I really enjoyed SOUND BITES. I liked the main character, music journalist Renee. She's definitely had a bit of a rough time. After finding her boyfriend and best friend in bed, she goes home to Boston, ready to start over. When she finds her possible soul mate in her neighbor, Dylan, Renee must navigate the fine line between friendship and love. Her inner fantasies about Dylan had me smiling. She was such a realistic, relatable character. I love how she knows herself. And I am a huge fan of her never-say-die spirit.

And Dylan. Dark hair, beautiful eyes, broody personality, a musician. Do I really need to go on? He's a real match for Renee. Dylan was always challenging Renee, pushing her buttons, making her crazy. The verbal sparring between the two was fun, it gave the story a fun, light-hearted vibe. Renee pushes Dylan to expand his horizons in a way he never would've without her, helping him realize his dreams.

I know I've described this as a light, fun story, and it is, but there is also a lot of depth as well.  Renee must contend with trust issues, face old betrayals, learn to open herself up. Dylan and Renee's relationship goes through some turbulent times, huge changes. And it made me realize that I love New Adult books. Actually, I don't know how SOUND BITES is "technically" categorized, but it works for me. Authors seem to have a good deal of freedom in writing this genre. As early-twenty somethings, the characters are still finding their way. They are allowed experiences that come with their age. As an adult, I find it a nice change.

I will say that although I loved the story, I did find the writing to be sometimes a bit off. Maybe it was a awkwardly structured sentence, or a word that threw me off, but it was never enough to derail. Despite that, I really enjoyed SOUND BITES. When a book makes you smile as much as this one did, you know you've found a good thing.
Favorite Quote:

"There was so much I wanted to say, but when I tried to tactfully sum up the combustion of feelings that had been bottled up inside me for months, my words froze in my throat. I wanted to tell him that he was the person I'd been waiting for my whole life. The person that made me feel like I'd found something I'd never even known I'd lost. The person that I could spend all day, every day with for the rest of my life and it would never be enough." (ebook, 60%)
 Published January 2012

You can purchase SOUND BITES at: Amazon 

Giveaway

Author Rachel K. Burke is FIVE lucky winners an ecopy of SOUND BITES!

Just feed the 'Copter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway