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My Review:Title: Under the Spotlight
Author: Angie Stanton
Series: The Jamieson Collection #3
Published by: HarperTeen
Release Date: May 5, 2015
Format: Kindle Book
Pages: 400
Genres: Romance, Contemporary
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2020 Beat the Backlist Challenge, Lenoreo's 2020 Finishing the Series Challenge
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My rating:
Blurb:Perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen and Jenny Han, this third book in the Jamieson Brothers trilogy will have readers wanting to fall in love with a rock star.
After an embarrassing stint on a reality TV music competition years ago, Riley Parks vowed never to sing again. Now she's working at the prestigious Sound Sync recording studio, and life is looking up. But then Garrett Jamieson, the oldest brother in the famous Jamieson brothers band, crashes into her world.
Garrett has hit rock bottom, and after calling in a few favors, he ends up working at the Sound Sync studio to learn the ropes of record producing. And he can't believe his luck when he discovers that Riley is an amazing singer. But Garrett is forced to use every trick in his arsenal to persuade Riley to record.
Sparks fly as Garrett finally meets his match. But in the heat of the moment, one stolen kiss changes everything.
2.5 stars — Well…I guess this is one series I should NOT have finished. I should have listened to my gut that had me avoiding reading Garrett’s book, b/c this one definitely disappointed. Or maybe it’s that it lived down to my low expectations. Basically, if you’re hoping that Garrett has a huge transformation, or there is some explanation for his douchebaggery, then you might be disappointed…I was.
I honestly did NOT like Garrett in the previous two books, and I was hoping that we’d get some elaboration on why he is the way he is…but for most of the book, he was just the same old asshole I’ve grown to dislike. He was arrogant, pushy, a bully, a know-it-all…just not a lot of redeeming. He never listened to Riley, never tried to get to know why she felt the way she did. He never tried to understand his brothers’ positions. Basically he didn’t show any empathy at all. And I’d like to say I saw softer moments, but other than feeling less than his brothers, and wanting his father’s approval, that was about all I got. He wasn’t all bad, but the little bits that softened me to him were not even remotely enough to redeem him.
Riley was somewhat intriguing, I appreciated her odd childhood story. It’s amazing that all the heroine’s in this series have these HORRIBLE childhoods…I wish there’d been some resolution to all of that. Her Mom was a monster, and we didn’t get to see her cut that tie…and I couldn’t help but wonder about her siblings. I enjoyed seeing what she went through on the earlier talent show, and how that affected her…and then seeing how she worked through those fears to come back to something she loves.
But then we get to the “romance”. That was flat as a pancake. I have NO IDEA what Riley saw in Garrett other than being starstruck. She claims that she got to see a softer side, but we didn’t really as a reader, so that didn’t help me connect and want to root for them. And their romance didn’t even start until after 60% (View Spoiler »).
I was disappointed in how the author used a certain emotional event as a catalyst for Garrett’s change…it was convenient and didn’t feel long-lasting. And the whole wrap up afterwards was super fast.
*sigh* I’m just going to stop. Needless to say I was bummed. I kept waiting for more, and I didn’t get it. I’m giving Riley an extra half star, but really I just wish I’d passed on this one…
BUMMER. 🙁