BOOK REVIEW ~ WHAT GOES ON TOUR BY CLAIRE BOSTON

Title: What Goes On Tour
Author: Claire Boston
Publisher: Momentum Moonlight
Release Date: February 11, 2014
Genre: Contemporary Romance
eBook, 282 pages

ARC provided by NetGalley

Book Blurb

What goes on tour, stays on tour … or does it?

Few people know that socially awkward Adrian Hart is actually rock god Kent Downer, and that's the way Adrian likes it. His privacy is essential, especially now that he has guardianship of his orphaned, ten-year-old niece, Kate. But when the nanny quits in the middle of his tour Adrian finds himself in a bind.

Until Libby Myles walks into his life.

Libby has only ever wanted to become a full-time author and prove to her parents that she can make it on her own. On the surface, the temporary job as the nanny for Kent Downer's niece looks perfect—the pay is fabulous, the hours are short and Kate is a big fan—it's the rock star that's the issue.

Arrogant and way too attractive for anyone's good, Kent Downer has enough swagger to power a small city. But when he's out of costume he's different—shy and uncertain. For Libby it's a far harder combination to resist. She needs to find a balance between work, writing and ignoring her attraction to the rock star, because if she falls for him, it could mean the end of her dream.

But when a horrible scandal is unleashed—putting young Kate in danger—there's more heat between Libby and Adrian than just sexual attraction. Libby must figure out if Adrian ever cared for her, or if it was all just part of the show …

Book Review 

Adrian Hart has a secret. In one "life", he is a rock God. When he takes the stage, he becomes Kent Downer, and women scream for his attention. His voice is as hypnotic as his lyrics.

But once he leaves the stage, he washes away his make-up and his persona--Kent Downer--and does his best to take care of his niece, Kate.  After the death of his brother and his wife, Adrian is the sole guardian of the adorable Kate. She is smart, funny, and loves her Uncle Adrian. But life on the road is tough as Adrian struggles to do right by Katie.

Libby Myles is a children's  author on her book tour in Australia. She struggles making ends meet with temp jobs as she writes a popular series under a closing deadline. Her spot on a talk show brings her face to face with a sexy rocker who makes her heart beat a little faster. When the lights on the talk show go wonky, causing a black-out, Kent panics and Libby reaches out to soothe the mysterious man. All the time she wonders how someone as famous as Kent Downer can experience such terror in the dark.

When Katie finds out that her uncle met her favorite author, she makes it known that she wants to meet her at a local book signing. And when unique circumstances keep pushing these two characters together, Libby finds herself offering to help Adrian out when he finds himself without a nanny.

I love the way Boston wrote Adrian, aka Kent. As Adrian he is awkward, sort of shy, and adorable as hell. But when he puts on his "Kent", he is the total rock star package. And it is the real Adrian that has caught Libby's heart.

Kate, as a secondary character was a key component to this story. Her adoration of Libby was adorable to read. And Libby's obvious loving nature shined through when taking care of Kate.

But I had trouble feeling the passion between Libby and Adrian. It came across luke-warm and could have been layered with more sexual tension. I am not singling out the fact that the characters have sex behind "closed doors". You can write a really great story without an erotic love scene. But I just didn't feel that sizzle between them that I hoped for. Boston focused more on their relationship and how it affected Katie, which is an important key. But the entire relationship between Libby and Adrian was just too sweet for me.

If you like the lack of angst and just want a pure and sweet romance, What Goes On Tour will be the book for you.