More Than Music by Elizabeth Briggs
(Chasing The Dream #1)
Publication date: June 17th 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New AdultGoodreads
Music major Maddie Taylor seems to have her life all figured out. She’s just finished her junior year of college, has a summer internship lined up with the LA Philharmonic, and plans to go to grad school to write movie scores. Only her roommates know she practices guitar every night and secretly dreams of a louder life. But geeky girls like her don’t get to be rock stars.
Tattooed singer Jared Cross has a new girl every week, but when he catches Maddie playing one of his songs, she attracts his attention in an unexpected way. His band needs a fourth member for The Sound, a reality TV show competition—and he wants her. Though Maddie refuses to be another notch on Jared’s bedpost, she agrees to risk everything for the chance to be a rock star.
Once on the show, Maddie discovers there’s more to Jared behind his flirty smile, and with each performance their attraction becomes impossible to ignore. When the show pressures Jared to flaunt his player image, they’re forced to keep their relationship secret, but Maddie can’t help but want something real.
As the competition heats up, Jared will do whatever it takes for his band to win, and Maddie must decide if following her dream is worth losing her heart.
Tattooed singer Jared Cross has a new girl every week, but when he catches Maddie playing one of his songs, she attracts his attention in an unexpected way. His band needs a fourth member for The Sound, a reality TV show competition—and he wants her. Though Maddie refuses to be another notch on Jared’s bedpost, she agrees to risk everything for the chance to be a rock star.
Once on the show, Maddie discovers there’s more to Jared behind his flirty smile, and with each performance their attraction becomes impossible to ignore. When the show pressures Jared to flaunt his player image, they’re forced to keep their relationship secret, but Maddie can’t help but want something real.
As the competition heats up, Jared will do whatever it takes for his band to win, and Maddie must decide if following her dream is worth losing her heart.
“I need your help,” Jared said, fixing an intense gaze on me. “We have a live audition tomorrow
for The Sound. Problem is, our bassist quit last night, and we need a fourth member of the band.”
“What?” Was he saying what I thought he was saying? No. Impossible.
“I know—worst timing ever. Can you play bass by any chance?”
“No...”
His face fell for an instant, and some reckless part of me wanted to lie and say yes or promise
him I’d learn. How hard could it be to learn the bass if I knew how to play guitar, right? Though
I immediately realized how dumb that idea was because a) I could never learn bass in time for an
audition tomorrow; b) I shouldn’t care about making Jared happy, even if his disappointed face
broke my heart; and c) none of that mattered because he couldn’t possibly be asking me to join
his band anyway.
“That’s okay,” he said. “I can play bass, and you can play guitar. It’ll work.” His smile lit up his
face again, with a look that could charm any girl lucky enough to bask in it. Right now, that girl
was me. “So what do you think?”
Jared was asking me—me—to play guitar in his band. In an audition on live TV. In front of four
of the greatest musicians ever, plus millions of people at home. Mind. Blown. Somehow I’d been
handed my secret dream on a silver platter. Next up, Jared would ask me out, too. Yeah, and then
we’d ride off into the sunset on a rainbow unicorn with our million-dollar record deal.
“You want me to join your band?” I asked slowly, studying him for any sign that this was all a
joke.
“Just for the audition. That should give us enough time to find another bass player to take
Becca’s place.”
Ah, there was the catch. I would only play with them for one day, giving me a tiny taste of their
lifestyle, and then they’d drop me as soon as the audition was over. No, better to never know
what it would be like to play guitar on stage, to be part of a band, to make music with Jared and
Kyle. Besides, I couldn’t play guitar in front of the world. Guitar was my secret, my fun escape,
and nothing more. My internship started on Monday, and I needed to focus on that—not on silly
dreams of being a rock star.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t.” I spun around and rushed toward the exit before he could respond. I
didn’t want him to see my face and how much I desperately wanted to do it.
“Wait!” He ran after me, but I kept going, past other students who watched us with curiosity.
“Maddie, wait!”
Damn his long legs. He caught up to me, practically jumping in front of me to stop me in my
tracks. I kept my face glued to the floor, to the contrast of his black combat boots and my green
Converse. I couldn’t look up at him or I’d be tempted to say yes to anything.
He lowered his voice. “Please, you’re the only person who can help us. You’re an amazing
guitarist, and you already know our songs. We need you.”
I shook my head, looking anywhere but at him. Hearing him say he needed me with his whiskey-
chocolate-sex voice made my legs a bit shaky, but what he was asking for? It was too much.
Jared got down on his knees, right in the middle of the hallway, and everyone stopped to watch
us. He raised his hands like he was begging. “Please, this is our one chance, but without a fourth
member, we can’t do it. You’re perfect and it’ll only be for a day, and then I’ll owe you. I’ll do
anything you want.” He topped it off with a grin. “Help me, Maddie Taylor, you’re my only
hope.”
Damn. How could I say no to a Star Wars reference from a hot guy on his knees? The word
slipped out before I could stop it. “Okay.”
Review by Allison
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Synopsis: Maddie is a “nerd” girl who is about to start an internship but gets a once in a lifetime opportunity. One night while at her friend Kyles house, she gets caught by his older brother Jared, (who she happens to have a crush on) playing his guitar AND one of his songs. Jared is a well known guy who loves woman and is in a local band Villain Complex. Villain Complex gets the chance to be on a T.V. show called The Sound, but after a member of Jared’s band leaves they have no other option but to find a replacement for the auditions. Jared seeks Maddie out and she ultimately agrees to do the audition. Not for him, but for his brother Kyle, and for her to live out her secret dream. Sparks fly for the two of them but Jared’s other band members have told him Maddie is off limits. They have to keep their relationship low key, but when the producers of The Sound want to play off of Jared’s playboy image, hearts can get broken.
Likes: I love that Maddie and Jared were both “nerds”. The T-shirts and song quoting was cool, and really made the characters seem life like. I also really enjoyed the behind the scenes of The Sound. I can imagine that this is what it may be like for other music contestants on similar shows (American Idol, The Voice etc.) with the strict rehearsals, and media portrayals. I liked getting to see the real Jared and not who he was on stage. My heart broke for Maddie when Jared made a decision that would affect the band and his and Maddie’s relationship. The story was fast paced and kept my attention throughout.
Overall I liked this book. It was different than any other “Rocker” book out there. I would read more from Elizabeth Briggs in the future.
Elizabeth Briggs is a full-time geek who writes books for teens and adults. She plays the guitar, mentors at-risk teens, and volunteers with a dog rescue group. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and a pack of small, fluffy dogs.
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Sounds great!! Thanks!
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