Broken Records (Spotlight Book 1)

Loved this book from a new-to-me author. I'm going to check out her other books. Good writing, no plot holes, no typos, no unrealistic coincidences, just one small jump to conclusion misunderstanding that's quickly resolved, good secondary characters, hot sexytimes, sharp dialog...just a really great read.I could get enough of the gist of what Grady was thinking/feeling from the author's writing that I didn't even miss the alternating POV (though I see that book 2 is from Grady's POV and that makes me happy!)One small quibble....both Grady and Nico seem to jump on a plane at the last minute or change travel plans with a moment's notice. Both of which are very expensive. I guess Nico must make a good living.... And Nico rents about 20 cars through the course of the book. Uber, anyone?Off to buy book 2 AT FULL PRICE, which tells you how much I loved this one.I've started 2 or 3 other m/m books in the past week or so, and just couldn't get excited about them. They weren't terrible, but they didn't grab me and I haven't gone back to finish them. In contrast, I finished Broken Records in one day.

A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review (A MelanieM Review)Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5Los Angeles-based stylist Nico Takahashi loves his job—or at least, he used to. Feeling fed up and exhausted from the cutthroat, gossip-fueled business of Hollywood, Nico daydreams about packing it all in and leaving for good. So when Grady Dawson—sexy country music star and rumored playboy—asks Nico to style him, Nico is reluctant. But after styling a career-changing photo-shoot, Nico follows Grady to Nashville where he finds it increasingly difficult to resist Grady’s charms. Can Nico make peace with show business and all its trappings, or will Grady’s public persona get in the way of their private attraction to each other?Book One in Lilah Suzanne's "Spotlight" series.Broken Records (Spotlight #1) by Lilah Suzanne is one of those books and series I ended up backing into by mistakenly starting at the end of the series.  Without realizing it was part of a trilogy, I picked up and read (and reviewed) Suzanne's  Blended Notes, the story the concludes the Spotlight trilogy.  It's a wonderful story but as I mentioned in my review, I absolutely felt of lack of backhistory that reading the previous stories might have provided.  And I was going to rectify that.Wow,  am I glad I did!I love, love Broken Records.  Yes, it absolutely gave me the missing foundation and history I needed to give heft and depth to Nico and Grady's relationship in Blended Notes.  Here I get to watch it all begin.  I have the joy of watching the characters, meet, mesh, love, laugh, have hot sex (fans self) and decide, that they are it for each other, no matter what.Lilah Suzanne introduces both characters, supplies them with their history, supporting cast of characters and businesses so each remains fiercely independent financially of each other for better or worse.  Nico Takahashi has a little bit more in his support section. ( I don't consider people with a financial hook in you a support system, plus I read book three.) There's Nico's partner Gwen Pasternak and her wife, as well as Nico's family.  On Grady's side?  Well, it's much smaller and sadder.  How each other navigates the perils and trust issues between them is a realistic element here along with the whole music/style side of the business.  All of this was hinted at in Blended Notes but to read/experience here?  Amazing!Yes, there are moments I laughed out loud.  And some I sniffled.  Suzanne takes the believable approach that love isn't just romance, that a relationship is communication and sometimes hard work.  Between Nico and Grady, fear of the spotlight and fear of being left behind, the work is constant even if the love is always present.I loved all the characters here, including Gwen, her wife, and others  that keep popping up throughout the story to add in wisdom, levity, strength and support.Yes, I wish I had read this story first.But  coming at it backwards somehow works too.  I have an appreciation for the timeline, I can get a real free for the character growth and the relationship dynamics that play out over the course of three stories (yes I've read the second as well).  I've fallen in love with the entire trilogy and every single character in it.  You really need to put Spotlight the trilogy on your must read series list.  But read them in order!  I highly recommend them all...second book review coming up.Cover art brands the series and works for the storyline as well.

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!

Grady Dawson sought out Nico to elevate his style past denim and pearl snap Western shirts for an awards show. Nico went to Nashville and did his damnedest to stay professional but couldn't resist when the hottest star in town was putting the moves on him. He returned to LA after a very memorable night, convinced there was no way an LA stylist and an up and coming country star could ever have more than a wildly passionate hookup. But somehow, neither could forget how brightly they burned up his bed. When the fan forums and paparazzi started speculating who Grady's latest conquest was, Nico realized he could lose his reputation and his heart. Should he focus on his career or risk everything, persuing a relationship with a touring playboy musician with no personal life?A well - written, heart-felt, funny and ironic look at choices that can make or break you.

This was well written and flowed well but the romance lacked any sort of emotional build-up. For the most part I had no idea what either of the characters, be it love interest or protagonist, were feeling or what they wanted from each other, and they didn't seem to think it necessary to talk about it to each other either. Similarly the drama/conflict came out of nowhere and felt out of place, without backup from the characterization.Would have benefitted from less sex scenes and more focus on the feelings of the characters.

Enjoyed. Good story.