Lovin' los libros

A book blog dedicated to young adult and new adult novels

Review: Bounce by Noelle August

By 8:00 AM , , , ,

Bounce (Boomerang #3)
    by: Noelle August

Publication Date: Aug. 25, 2015
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: New Adult
Source: e-ARC received via Edelweiss in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 304 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 3/5 stars

Playing the occasional club gig just isn’t cutting it for twenty-two-year-old cellist Skyler Canby, who’s trying to support herself and her mother back home in Kentucky. Persuaded by her best friend Beth to accompany her on an audition for the first feature film launched by Blackwood Entertainment, she figures why not? Beth’s a shoe-in for the lead, but maybe Skyler’s newly dyed pink hair will help her stand out enough to score a small speaking part.

Never in her wildest dreams does Skyler imagine she’ll land the lead role or that she’ll have her shoes knocked off her feet by the kiss her audition partner, Grey Blackwood, plants on her—a kiss that feels very real and not at all “acted. ”

After throwing a party that causes thousands of dollars of damage to his older brother’s home, reckless musician Grey Blackwood gets roped into working off his debt on the set of his CEO brother’s newest project. Grey spends his days fetching coffee and doing odd jobs around the studio, but he lives for nights when he performs with his band. He knows if he can stay focused, success as a singer is just around the corner. But that’s tough with a distracting pink-haired girl occupying his every waking thought.

Skyler and Grey have every reason to resist each other. But, like a song neither of them can get out of their minds, they have no choice but to go where the music takes them.

 
 
I have been looking forward to Grey's book ever since finishing his older brother Adam's in Rebound. I thought it would be my favorite of the series, as I couldn't wait to unlock what was going on in Grey's head and find out what happened between him and his stepmom. Sadly, this book ended up being my least favorite of all three. I LOVED Grey and I liked his storyline, but I had a real problem with the romance in this one.
 
I am sad that I didn't love the romance more. I really liked where Sky and Grey were going in the beginning and then it just dissipated into love triangle drama and 'he's too young for me' melodrama. From their very first scorching hot kiss, it's evident Grey and Sky have chemistry. However, Sky gets hung up on Grey's age and his lack of stability in his life. It's not that I don't get where she's coming from, I do. I'd probably feel the same way. But, I would at least give the guy a chance before throwing him into the friend zone. She thinks she should be with someone like Brooks, Adam's friend and director of the movie they are making. He is her age, successful, and driven. I wouldn't have minded the Brooks storyline if it served a purpose. I don't feel it did. Being with Brooks doesn't trigger that 'Grey is the one for me, he is the one I need' mentality. Instead, I felt like it was used as filler and I didn't like how it made Sky treat Grey at all. She likes Brooks and we never hear or see her say otherwise. She doesn't explain that Brooks isn't the one to make her feel like Grey does, etc. It ultimately came down to her craving Grey and the freedom and strength he offered (his 'freedom' and lack of stability were what made her pull away in the first place!)
 
I did like that Sky and Grey established a friendship first. I just didn't like that she had to seek an alternative in Brooks. They do have a few sexy scenes together so that helped make up for the hole I felt for the majority of the book of these two not being together.
 
Now to play devil's advocate on my own thoughts. This is a new adult book, which typically signifies a coming of age, coming into your own story where the characters don't have it all together. Sky has some family issues of her own and I get why she shies away from Grey. Having an absentee musician father who has left her mother at home to deal with all the expenses of running a farm is not something she can just put out of her mind. I think deep down she is fearful of Grey because she doesn't want to follow in her mom's footsteps and be hurt by someone who makes all the promises in the world and then never follows through on them. She tries to seek that stability in Brooks and while I might not like that, I do understand it. She's trying to figure things out just as much as Grey is.
 
Grey was such a good guy. Sure, he might not have it all together and may come across as reckless, but he has a deep love for music and wants to be successful there. Yes, he had some growing up to do and we get to see that, but he also had some deeply rooted issues to work through that would eventually propel him to that point. I loved seeing him start to figure everything out and work through what was holding him back.
 
Upon finishing I was left feeling a bit unresolved on the Brooks-Skyler issue as well as whether or not she would pursue acting as a career or if she would go back to her music. The end is left a bit open on her future career and while it was fine, I personally would have preferred to at least see the direction she intended to go. I did feel the series ended on a high note for all of the couples and while I wasn't crazy about the romance here, I was happy to see Grey and Sky finally get together.

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3 comments

  1. Oh man, it sucks when you think you are going to love a book and then it just lets you down! I feel like the romance in this one would drive me crazy as well! I don't do well with contemporary love triangles, with some exceptions of course. Great review Jessica!

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  2. I'm definitely curious about this series, but I've heard similar things about this one. That it has been everyone's least favorite of the series.

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  3. GROSS.

    Okay, no, but really, this makes me SO SAD. I have loved this series, especially the first book, and I thought Grey's would be my favorite. I hate the sound of the Brooks storyline. Arghhhhh. I'm sorry it disappointed you too!

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