A Second Chance Contemporary Romance with a HEA and NO CheatingAva Keyes found love in her favorite record store at just seventeen years old. Or rather, it found her—in the form of River Jacobs. While they may have stumbled upon their beginning in The Vinyl Kitty, they never quite discovered an end. A certain Chicago rooftop had everything to do with that. The unforgettable nights of their youth …
The unforgettable nights of their youth were hard to let go of. So, Ava kept them, turning what started as a diary into her very own success story. River wouldn’t relinquish the memories, either. Only he strummed them out, into melodies he hoped she could hear.
When River drifts back into Ava’s life, she’s faced with the music of her first heartbreak—while still recovering from her last.
Ava Keyes lost her first love to California dreams at seventeen years old.
Or rather, she thought she had.
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OK, this one pulled me in from the first page. Maybe a little cheesy, but that kind of meet cute that just makes me want to read more. When Bob Seger, The Doors, and Black Sabbath all make it in the first couple of pages, along with the record-store owning pierced and tattoo’d septuagenarian sporting a hot pink mohawk, I have to keep reading. This book started with so many elements that just call to me, and I knew it was something I was going to devour.
I love a story where the main characters meet as teenagers. Isn’t this the dream? Meet someone young before you really start out in the world, and then pine after them for years? Seriously though, Ava and River are so adorable and precious and sweet and perfect from the get-go – I was rooting for them to end up together as adults even before they had to separate because River was headed to California to chase his dreams of being a professional musician, and Ava had another year left of high school. Even their names, Ava Keyes and River Jacobs, are perfect.
I am not going to give away the whole story, but this book wavers back and forth between sweet romance and something a little more mature. The focus is on the feelings and emotions, and the characters are very believable at the 5 year jump, as being 23-24, and wondering if they can recover what they gave up as teenagers.
Overall, this was a fun read. It’s quick, it has super short chapters, and has lots of good music. There are some predictable elements, but they don’t make the book any less fun. If you are looking for a breezy summer read that hovers between young adult and contemporary romance, this is a great book to read at the beach, the pool, or just during a relaxing afternoon. It’s not going to become a literary classic, but that’s not what the author is going for. There were a few points in the books that I wanted to see more character development, especially with Ava, but overall, I am very happy with this new-to-me author! I recommend this one!
This is a sweet second chance teenagers-to-young adult second chance romance with no cheating and a happily ever after!
3.5 stars. This was an angsty, second chance romance. I liked River a lot! And he and Ava had a cute relationship. I thought the pacing was slightly odd. I liked the book overall though.
From the moment Ava and River meet in a record store they are totally smitten and their feelings grow into a love that will last a lifetime. Unfortunately fate is always against them. Whenever Ava and River meet after years apart the chemistry is always there but the time is never right for them to be together. Instead of this being blurred lines it is more like blurred circles as they go around and around seeking happiness together.
Be prepared to ride an emotional roller coaster with this one but be cheered up by the awesome banter between father and daughter and the closeness of Ava’s amazing family. I loved all the rock references, it definitely took me back!
It’s a beautiful love story but a little frustrating as you hope that this time things will work out but it is never to be until maybe it could be and they will get their HEA. Victoria is a new author for me, I enjoyed my first read from her, and I am looking forward to reading more of her work.
Contemporary Romance, Second Chance Romance, Young Adult/New Adult
First Person, Dual-POV
This book is a standalone with HEA.
I’m calling it Blurred Lines. Because all of this has shown me that, when you realize you love someone you can’t have, it makes you do messy things. Things you regret because the lines are so blurred.
by Ava
MY THOUGHTS
This was a very emotional journey and I totally wasn’t expecting that!
This book gave me all the feels: I was enchanted by young love, I was sad by necessary heartbreak, I was mad because of stupid fears, I was hot because of good smut, I was tense because of climatic conflict, I was crying because of loss and I was happy because of the promised HEA.
This was a journey from young adult to adulthood, filled with love, family, losses and laughs.
This book was an emotional rollercoaster that I would ride again and again and again.
Everlasting love!!!
33.5/35 STARS – 5 STARS (between 33.5 stars and 35 stars)
Addictiveness: 5 Character: 5 Cover: 4 Freshness: 4.5 Plot: 5 Romance: 5 Writing Style: 5
Action 0/5 Angst 3/5 Darkness 0/5 Humor 2/5 Romance 5/5 Suspense/Mystery 0/5
Would I recommend? Yes, for readers that like sweet love stories with a n emotional plot.
Would I re-read this book/series? Yes!
Would I read more from the author? Definitely!!!
WHAT HAS REALLY WORKED FOR ME
Addictiveness: 5/5 This book hooked me from the moment it said The Doors and Black Sabbath. I loved the characters and the plot was sweet and cute. It was a one sitting read for me. As addictive as chocolate!!!
Character: hero 5/5, heroine 5/5, secondary characters 5/5, growth 5/5, real 5/5 Complex characters with great background stories and amazing personal growth.
Ava was an amazing heroine. It was refreshing to read about a character that was a good girl, but not boring. She was an amazing daughter, great sister, good girlfriend and nice friend. Oh yeah, she was a writer, how couldn’t I love her?
River was a great hero, book boyfriend material. He was sweet and troubled. He was hot and nice. He had dreams and he had fears. He felt human and real.
Secondary characters Ava family was the best and they felt real believable. River family wasn’t that good, that also was believable.
Villain/antagonists There wasn’t any. Their problems were mostly created by life and their own choices.
They were all so easy to love, connect and understand!!!
Cover: art 4/5, title 5/5, color-font 5/5, subtitle 0/5, background 5/5 buy 5/5 I’m obsessed with book covers. I love to find snippets of the stories within the art. I always try to be true to myself, I buy so many books because of the cover and I have skipped many because of not very appealing art. Covers are part of the experience for me and I do like to understand them. This one was good, but a bit generic. The title was catchy but I missed something more personal on this art. I would buy this book by its cover but I would need to read the blurb!
Freshness: 4.5/5 Yes, there were some clichés that we find in all second chance romance. But there were also a couple unexpected twists that kept the story fresh and the book unique. As fresh as mint tea when you are dealing with a bad cold!
Plot: believable 5/5, conflict 5/5, dialogue 5/5, ending 5/5, enjoyment 5/5, opening 5/5, pace 5/5, setting 4/5, subplots 5/5, twists 5/5 Amazing opening with an incredible ending. Realistic plot, with great dialogues and good pace. Nice setting, a few really good subplots with unexpected twists. Highest level of enjoyment!
I loved how the author not only explored the romance but threw in a couple of important topics as subplots and made them relevant to the narrative.
Romance: 5/5 I love young love. It feels so emotional and intense. This love story was beautiful.Yes some may say a bit cheesy, but my favorite genre is romance, what is not cheesy about that? They became friends and mature nicely into their relationship. They were not unrealistic about their future and they explored their opportunities. They mature throughout the years and they learned from pain and losses. This love story was raw and potent and their love felt like the forever kind. Everlasting romance!!!
Writing Style: 5/5 This was my first book by the author and I can’t wait to read more. My main goal as a reader is to be able to connect and feel along with the characters. Ms. Ellis offered me all that and more. Multidimensional characters, emotional plot, sweet romance, important topics, all tied up in a clean cohesive writing. Words of a wordsmith!!!!
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER
Because I try to be very analytical and I don’t really believe in perfection…
If I really have to mention something, I have to say a few clichés that we already knew what would happen and the extra cheesy teen romance. (Not that they really bother me, I still laughed and cried with them).
You MAY read this because you follow the author; you SHOULD read this because you like second chance romance; you MUST read this you are going to FEEL!!!!
Our love is one messy, strangely thrown together soundtrack, isn’t it? … But it’s perfect because it’s ours. We made it.
by Ava
This was a pleasant surprise. To be honest as I went into this read, I had expected this to be a full blown second chance romance filled with cliches and a predictable storyline (some scenes were) but with the authors writing style, I was able to feel the raw emotions of the characters alongside the realistic approach on cancer, autism, and relationships in general. For those reasons alone, I would recommend readers to pick this up. It’s real, it’s raw, and everything you would want in a second chance romance.
Sweetly frustrating, a gorgeous escape that held a heartwarming young couple that just never seemed to get the timing down. The fierce attraction, and intense feelings were felt wholeheartedly, but at some spots it just felt disconnected. I think it was just a few times the characters reacted opposite of what I’d anticipated and just kind of wanted more angst, and maybe a few blow outs. But in all honesty, these two are incredibly well matched and really compliment each other, so I’ll take the blame on it. There was one point where I contemplated throwing my Kindle across the room, and while I felt differently than I did before the bomb, it didn’t erase how much they endeared themselves while I was reading. Romance was off the charts, hearts were breaking all over, I was blubbering in my reading chair at one point, so this Author pulled all the emotions out and left me with a smile. It was a journey well taken.
~~~Erika, Book Haven Book Blog
River and Ava’s story spans from 1st love in high school then through the years of college and adulthood, and following dreams for their futures, and the chances of surviving a long-distance relationship is not an easy task by any means. When fate brings them together again the chemistry is intense, but will have a 2nd chance at love? This is a well written flawless story which is an emotional roller coaster journey throughout, and is filled with angst, heartbreak, twists, and love, which had me enthralled throughout. I recommend this author’s work for all 2nd change love stories.
Publishing July 10, 2020.
As a member of Ms. Ellis’ ARC review team, I was gifted an early copy of “Blurred Lines.” I am putting a language warning on this book for those who may be sensitive.
Ava Keyes grew up with parents who loved music – especially the classics. How appropriate for her to meet River Jacobs in a music store. River left Ava a note with the clerk of the record store on his way out that first day. Ava’s dad convinced her to call River. She did. They had a summertime romance until River left for California to pursue his music dream. Fast forward five years. A chance meeting … a romance rekindled but put on hold … again. One year later … do they dare try again? Are Ava and River really meant to be together? Will they stop getting in their own way and give them a shot at happily ever after?
It is interesting to note that Ms. Ellis titles her chapters with a song, including the artist, that represents the chapter. She is also able to hone in on how Ava and River’s relationship transpires in a very realistic way. I am quite certain that there are many folks out in the “real” world who have been down the same sort of road and will be able to relate to Ava and River’s relationship.
Ava Keyes knows one day she wants to be a writer but when she is in her favorite record store one day she gives a record recommendation to a cute stranger not knowing how her life will change.
River Jacobs has always dreamed of getting away to California with his band to make something of himself away from his family but he had no idea he would fall for someone before leaving.
When River leaves town, Ava knows it’s for the best and she vows to move on with her life. Yet when River pops in and out over the years she has to figure out if risking her heart for her first love is worth it or if her heart will once again end up broken.
This was a great book with so many twists and turns that left me wondering what was going to happen next and how the characters were going to deal with it all.
I loved the innocence of the beginning of River and Ava’s relationship and how close the two became. Their love was true but also knew that the chances of it surviving a long distance relationship was not going to be easy so they had to cut it short.
Ava’s relationship with her dad was beautiful and I loved how close the two of them were. He was such an important person in her growth and how she handled everything that she was up against. I loved his advice through the book and how much River respected him as well.
I understood why River had to leave to chase his own dream as that had always been his plan until he met Ava and although she meant the world to him, he couldn’t change the course of what he wanted.
I was shocked at what happened 5 years later and I was sad for River as he really held out hope that Ava would be there not knowing she already had a commitment.
I was super happy when time passed and the two found themselves talking again and realizing how much they both still loved each other and that it was time to really focus on them. Then OMG – huge bomb and I really hoped that Ava would be able to see past it all and support River.
I was so happy for River and Ava that they were able to work past everything that came into their path but I was breaking a little for everything that Ava’s dad was going through and I understood his final decision. I loved what River was able to pull off and it really showed what an amazing guy he was!
The end was awesome and I think I would have loved a little more of an epilogue 5 years down the road to see where they were at!
By Rebecca
Blurred Lines, inaugural contemporary romance novel by Victoria Ellis, tells the story of found and lost love. Ava and River meet by chance in a small record store, not knowing that this chance encounter would impact the rest of their lives. What starts as a sweet summer high school romance leads to more than you’d ever expect.
The story line flips between Ava and River’s perspectives, which as the story progresses, allows for added depth and dimension to the story line. River’s dysfunctional family and Ava’s insecurities get in the way of several chance reunions. Multiple Blurred Lines, formed from life experiences and individual perception – and often times misperception – regularly interfere in their relationship, and leave the reader wondering what comes next.
Victoria Ellis novel will make you laugh, cry, and hope. Will Ava and River be able to see past their Blurred Lines and overcome the obstacles in their lives to live their own happily ever after, or will they be destined to just remember that first summer of love?
*I was provided an ARC of this novel in exchange for a review, and all opinions are my own.
OMG!!! This book was everything I could have imagined…but so much more!
My goodness, it was well written, the characters were phenomenal (I can’t decide who my fave was), the plot and storyline worked so well together and that ending…OMG!
Victoria is a writer that writes real and true things! While she may not have experienced anything that happened in the book, the way she told the story was as if any one of US could have experienced it!
I cried, I laughed, I prayed for the best and while all things can’t end well, they ended the best way possible. All story don’t need a HEA but when you get that after all that’s happened, my goodness it makes for one great story!
I recommend this book to EVERYONE I know! It needs to be read by others! I can hardly contain my tears of joy and sadness!
There’s going to be good days and bad days. You’ll have them both. It’s inevitable. But as long as you’ve had more good days than bad, you know you’re doing all right.” My favorite quote ever by Victoria Ellis
If you read one romance book this year, make it Blurred Lines! The characters, the story lines, and all the situations, make this the perfect book. I read this fabulous book in one day as I couldn’t put it down. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.
Blurred Lines is an awesome debut into the romance world!! This is a story I could relate to from the beginning. Ava and River are the perfect young love. It’s only supposed to be through the summer. When River leaves to pursue his dreams, Ava eventually stops responding to him. Years later they meet again by chance.
Ava has a lot of insecurities that are easily relatable. Watching Ava and River working through everything that keeps them apart is truly beautiful writing. I particularly love the chapter names with musical references!