Pastor Ben Langley is irresistible. His wife died giving birth to their daughter six years ago. His tragic past doesn’t keep me from wanting to unravel him, strip away his buttoned-up goodness, and discover what kind of man lies beneath. If that makes me evil, so be it. I’m far beyond redemption anyway. Ashleigh Kendrick is freedom personified, an unpredictable wind I want to grasp hold of. Every … grasp hold of.
Every Sunday she watches me preach from the front row, wearing her halter tops and tiny skirts, a dangerous temptation. Her favorite words are the four-letter variety, and her smile lights up the darkness inside me. I vowed to love one woman forever. I never realized that vow would be impossible to keep when confronted with a chance to love again.
Face the Music is an opposites attract romance with emotional ties to the past that run so thick they feel impossible to overcome.
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One of the last few books of my reading year 2019 was “Face the Music” by JB Salsbury.
I was super happy and surprised to be able to read it this early.
Reading and reviewing as many books in one year as I do it is often not easy to recall the plots of previous books (which is why I avoid reading unfinished series where basically your opinion on the whole plot depends on still remembering what you read months ago) – but the second I saw the plot of Face the Music I remembered how I intrigued I was when I first “met” Ben previously in that series … like more than a year ago or so …
Believe me for him being not even a secondary but more a third kind of character (is there even such a thing as that?) in that previous book that truly speaks a volume. If you followed the series then you know Ben and his Background with Jesse Lee, his childhood and his tragedy. So you can already guess that you will join quite the ride with this plot and believe me the blurb tells you not even half of it. Because being the amazing author that she is JB Salsbury uses everything she can to draw the reader in and her writing style will refuse to let you go.
The ingredients couldn’t be more perfect …. With his Background and Family Ben already has enough of a story to tell to fill this book but throwing the very let’s say “colorful” Ashleigh into the mix as well as his “job” – the reader will not be able to stop reading – of that I am positive. This is like the modern rock and roll version of “The Thorn Birds” – only with much more enjoyable leads, slightly different obstacles, a more intriguing plot…
OK OK I admit actually it is almost nothing like “The Thorn Birds” but still I could not get that book/movie out of my mind as I hated it a lot as a child (my mother was a fan) I simply wanted Ben and Ashleigh to have a better ending than Ralph and Meggie – but with all that is in their way – let’s face it (har har pun intended) it is not looking very good …
As a Pastor, Ben not only places high expectations on himself but with his tragic background it is only logical that he is all kinds of damaged when it comes to relationships. Ashleigh isn’t any better, but also she has her reasons and she has high walls around her made from slutty clothes and she hides behind foul language and some kind of “You think I am bad? Well, probably it’s worse than you think” attitude. That alone would be enough to fill the pages of this book.
But don’t worry. Ms. Salsbury made sure that there is even more because it will be outside forces that set the tone of the plot and bring me back to my “Thorn Bird” thoughts.
I read several books of this author in the past and while “Split” will probably remain my favorite – this series has taken a good and strong second place. And I cannot wait what this author is up to next (secretly hoping it will be something wicked with a damaged character like in “Split” or at least someone like “Jesse Lee”)
Why does this series get better and better!?
My first complaint is that this book is not set against the rockstar background we’re used to in the first two books. While relevant and does play a factor in the development of this story, it’s mostly told within the small town of Surprise within Ben’s church.
Ben is Jesse’s brother. Jesse is the main character in book 1 and the lead singer for the band, Jesse Lee. Ashleigh is Bethany’s friend. Bethany is also from book 1 and the heroine to Jessie. Just to get that settled.
In the end though, I think this story played out perfectly and may even be my favorite of the series. Ben is a widowed pastor who considers himself still married. Although he has a deep attraction to Ash, nothing comes of this for a while. Eventually, they are around each other more, attraction and heat builds between them, and before long he is finally removing his wedding ring.
Often, I dislike single-dad books, but this one was really well down. There wasn’t an over-emphasis on the daughter that took away from the romance. It was well balanced and very sweet.
Ash is hilarious. Swearing bartender, least likely to attend church, let alone volunteer at it. It’s really no wonder that she opened Ben’s eyes.
This book actually fit into the series perfectly. It does set up the band for the rest of the series and allowed Ben to emerge from his shell. With the epilogue being in Ethan’s POV, I can’t wait for that one. He puts emphasis on finding a hot girl, so I suspect it’ll be an opposite attracts novel with a female opposite from what he is looking for. Can’t wait
This was a heartbreakingly beautiful story about Pastor Ben and Ashleigh. Loved their interaction and banter. What they both had gone thru was so unbelievably sad and I just wanted to reach in and hug them. Ashleigh’s sassiness and strength was hilarious and inspiring. I couldn’t stop reading until I finished this wonderful, thrilling, twisty, angsty, sexy love story. This was an awesome addition to this wonderful series and I can’t wait to read more by JB Salsbury.
Well, my new year of reading started off with a bang, I was invested in this story before this book was even released. Pastor Ben and Ashleigh’s story was in the making from Skipped a Beat. In my review for that book I preyed for Ben’s story and I wasn’t at all sorry or disappointed with what I got.
I totally and utterly fell head over heels in love with Pastor Ben but he was so much more than a Pastor, he was a devoted man, a great father to Elliot and sadly widower. All was well in his world until his brother Jessie and eventually, Ashleigh barreled into his and Elliots lives.
This story is complex, Ben and Ashleigh are polar opposites and like magnets are completely drawn to each other. Ashleigh is a brilliant character with a free spirit and a devil may care attitude, making her a great standout character. She is completely right for Ben the man not the Pastor, widower or any other title he has.
This story isn’t all sunshine and roses, it’s raw, heartbreaking but real. It shows that people DO judge books by covers, by the past mistakes and misfortunes people carry with them. They don’t see the real person. They just see the mask a person wears to hide the hurt and pain that plagues them.
I totally and utterly recommend this book and series, this is a great opposites attract romance with a rockstar twist. It’s brilliant.
Reviewer: Donna
Face the Music surprised me in so many ways. I didn’t expect for the characters to burrow so deeply into my heart as they did. I definitely didn’t expect the level of emotions I felt. JB Salsbury has always impressed me with each of her love stories, but Face the Music touched me on a deeper level than her previous books have and I loved every single moment.
Ben and Ashleigh were incredible characters. Their opposites-attract love story was breathtaking. With Ben’s conservative views (I mean, he’s a pastor, so he was held to a higher standard of how to live than others). But he was so kind and gentle and open. He was excepting and lived by the heart. So much so his past loss still was an ever present feeling he’d learned to live with. He has been living for his daughter and for his church. But one night in stage with his brother sparked a new life he didn’t expect. And the beauty of an unlikely match brought color and new life to his world.
Ashleigh was a woman that has lived a rebellious life. A super strict upbringing led her to live life freely. She owned her beauty and sexuality and enjoyed every moment. But catching the eye of a man like Ben has her past life and insecurities rushing to the surface. Their connection was unexpected and undeniable and absolutely BEAUTIFUL!
I don’t even know if it’s possible to love this story and the characters more than I do. It was outstanding, breathtaking and inspirational.
It’s time for me to Face the Music and share my love for Pastor Ben and Ashleigh.
I so enjoyed this slow burn romance. Ben and Ashleigh have been through some terribly trying times. And both are scarred and scared to commit to anything possibly considered a relationship. Ben’s lived a quiet life as a widowed pastor caring for his young daughter—who is an absolute scene stealer. He’s followed his religious path, ministered to his congregation, and lived a fulfilling life according to himself.
Until he begins to doubt. When those little seeds of something that feels like desire start to grow. Desire for something beyond his religious binds. Desire to truly live life again. Desire to find joy beyond his small, insular life.
And that desire is what allows Ben to even think about letting Ashleigh inside his heart. She couldn’t be more opposite of Ben in personality. Her “take no shit” view on life is what’s gotten her this far—but she’s just about perfect in Ben’s eyes.
I absolutely loved how this “opposites attract” relationship slowly bloomed into something so much more. How Ben and Ashleigh personally grew in their understanding of themselves, their hopes, their desires and in the understanding of just what each other needed to find their way to love.
Oh, Pastor Ben. You have my heart!
An opposites attract romance that is both fun and emotional, and so damn sweet! This is such a beautiful story, and I loved it!
This is the third book in the Love, Hate, Rock-n-Roll series. It’s the story of Ben and Ashleigh, both introduced in book #1, Playing by Heart (Ben is the brother of rock star, Jesse Lee, and Ashleigh is the best friend of Jesse’s now wife, Bethany), but this book can be read as a standalone.
Ben is the pastor of a church and a widowed single father to an adorable five-year-old daughter. His beloved wife died giving birth to Elliot and he has never been able to move on, holding tight to her memory and to the vows he made to her. But temptation comes in the form of wickedly crude and sassy Ashleigh. His ex-babysitter’s best friend is a sexually liberated wild girl with a filthy mouth and a flair for flashing skin. Sitting in the front row of his church week after week and flirting shamelessly with him whenever she has the opportunity, Ben is unable to resist Ashleigh’s light and liveliness, and he begins to feel something for her.
Ashleigh has crushed on Ben from the moment she first saw him. She knows that she is far from the woman that a man like him would typically go for, and she also knows that he is committed to the memory of his wife, so she doesn’t ever expect anything to happen between them. But when she begins to spend more time with him and Elliot, things begin to shift.
This is such a fantastic relationship. Ben and Ashleigh are so different, but they just don’t care. Their feelings for each other are strong, and though they are from completely different backgrounds, living extremely different lives, it doesn’t matter when it comes to their attraction. Instead, their hurdles come from their own personal issues. They have both had trauma in their pasts, and they are both still struggling to deal with it, and they are also figuring out who they are and where they want to be. There are big decisions to be made, and it’s a bit of a journey for them, and I loved watching them work through it all.
“I don’t want her to see me as a married man. I don’t want her to see me as a pastor. I want her to know I’m a warm-blooded male who has his eyes set on her and I’m capable of being the kid of man she needs.”
The story is written in dual POV so we get to see all that they are feeling up close and personal, and my heart ached for them and all they were going through. The emotion is beautifully written, and the drama brings so much depth to the story, bringing feels, angst, and a wonderful intensity that had my heart pounding.
“I opened my fucking soul to you. I held my heart in my hands and offered it to you, broken and battered and so demolished, but I gave it all to you. And you…” he shakes his head. “You give me nothing. Your walls are firmly in place while I’m bleeding out at your feet.”
It’s a heartwrenching read at times, but it’s balanced by sweet and funny moments with Elliot, hilarious and outrageous outbursts by Ben’s brother, Jesse, and by the sweet and flirty relationship that develops between Ben and Ashleigh. It’s a slow burn, with plenty of chemistry and steam, and it’s beautifully heartfelt as they figure it all out.
“There is nothing you could tell me that I won’t love you through.” … I continue to hold her eyes. “There is nothing you could say or do that I won’t love you through.”
Swoon!
Ben and Ashleigh’s story isn’t an easy one, but I loved their journey, and it’s worth it for the happy ending that left me grinning and swooning yet again. There is one member of the band left to have his story told, and with that little hint dropped at the end, I’m really looking forward to Ethan’s book to round out the series.
Loved this one – 4.5 stars.
Sooo… Honestly, for a lot of this book I was so freaking frustrated with Pastor Ben. But on the flip side, I was as crazy for him as everyone who has read this book was. The love and honor and fidelity Ben had for the mother of his child was, in many ways, one of the most touching things I’ve ever read. But at some point it’s time to let go of the past and start living again. And IMO, Ben waited way to long to do that.
Ashleigh, so broken and yet so strong! Man I love that woman! And I LOVED the way she was with Elliot, she was amazing!!! I was so happy she found someone that could give her the love and devotion she so desperately needed and deserved.
And Elliot! OMG!!! I loved that little spitfire!!! I can’t wait til she grows up and gets a book of her own!!!
There were quite a few good quotes but my very favorite was from Elliot. “Rene told me vegetarians only eat vegetables. Does that mean humanitarians eat people? Uncle Jesiah said yes and that I’m so smart. Can we stay here forever?”
This is definitely a book and a series I would recommend!!! And most assuredly NOT an insta-love story!!! I don’t think I’ve ever read such a slow burn story before! But once the fire started, WATCH OUT!!!! It was a conflagration!!!!
This was my first read from JB Salsbury, and let me tell you it won’t be my last. FTM follows Ashleigh and Ben and I truly loved this story. JB develops the fully relatable characters that you feel like you could know in real life. She does a great job building up the tension, and sucking you into the narrative – I seriously had a hard time putting the book down. The way Ashleigh and Ben come together is so satisfying! I loved this book so much, I’m now reading the first book to see how it all started. I’m hooked – Five Stars!
I have been WAITING for Pastor Ben and in combination with the beautiful, wild one Ashleigh, well, they both made this story a win. I have meet these two in a previous reads from this author, so I knew going in that this story was going to be heart gripping.
This book does an amazing job combining both spirituality and religion with more secular topics. It kept touching my heart while still taking on some emotional subjects that brought tears to my eyes. As someone that was raise in a restrictive religion, this story felt like it really look at it in a heartfelt and realistic way. It makes for a unique backdrop to this book.
Ben has experience such a loss and has completely struggled moving on after his wife’s death. I love him and who he is as a man, father, and yes, eventually love interest. He says the most magic words to Ashleigh that made me swoon.
“ ’ .”
Ashleigh, she is my girl. The things she says KILLS ME. OMG her prayer with Elliot, Ben’s daughter, had me laughing so hard I woke my husband up. OOPS! Both her external and internal dialogue on her “appreciation” of Ben’s appearance is priceless. So plan for hilarity but then you will get so much more. Her secrets and insecurities… (sigh) sorry I can’t say anymore. It is her story to tell and I want to respect her journey. Be forewarned, plan for some controversy.
Ben and Ashleigh take me on such a crazy ride. They both are such awesome REAL people and I love them sooo. This story has such an enchanted book world it lives in that never disappoints. Happy Reading Everyone!
JB Salsbury what have you done to me!?!?! I am so gone for Pastor Ben!!!
When Ben first turned up in Playing by Heart I hoped we’d get to know more about this heartbroken single Dad that couldn’t seem to move on after the death of his wife. I never dreamed I would fall head over heels for him but JB Salsbury has a way with making me do just that! Ben is dedicated and open-minded. Set on a path he’s never doubted until his morality is suddenly called into question.
Ashleigh’s brutal honesty and crass sarcasm is a breath of fresh air. She wears her attitude as armor and takes crap from no one. At least it appears that way. Inside is a lonely girl still trying to find her way.
When these two come together, they singe the words right off the page! You’ve never met a Pastor like Ben or a bada$$ quite like Ashleigh. I finished the book and already I want more of Ben and Ashleigh
This book has been on my mind ever since we met Pastor Ben in Playing by Heart! I was so excited to know JB was writing his story and it did not disappoint at all. I’m so in love with this book. This book has it all and then some! My heart broke, I laughed, I experienced so many emotions throughout this book and I would do it all over again. Ashleigh and Ben have a special place in my book loving heart! I can’t wait for more greatness from Ms. JB!
10 It’s More than They Ever Expected Stars!!!
Yes, you’re reading that correctly…this is a 10 star read for me. I know there’s not that many stars available but I needed a way to express how much this book and Ben and Ashleigh’s story touched me in so many ways!!
Yes, I’m in love with a Pastor, Ben to be specific and I guarantee you my Jewish Mom NEVER thought she’d hear those words come out of my mouth but I just can’t help myself. This man is so much more than Jesiah’s older brother, Elliot’s father, the Pastor of Grace Church and Maggie’s widowed husband. He’s full of complex layers that have caused him insurmountable grief, bursts of joy and love and in some ways redemption.
Ashleigh on the other hand is a woman that is so far from who Ben thought he would be attracted to. She’s brash, says what’s on her mind, doesn’t abide by societal standards in any part of her life but most importantly she’s covered in an armor of her own making. This girl made me cry for the pain she’s experienced and is hiding from the world. There’s a select few she trusts with her secrets, one of which is Bethany, and even she doesn’t know it all. This girl doesn’t believe she’s worthy of the love Ben wants to give her and watching their story unfold was truly an emotional experience.
This book has it all….love, guidance, jealousy, guilt, second chances and on and on. Ben hasn’t really felt alive in all the years since his wife died and when Ashleigh finds her way into his life on several levels his and Elliot’s lives are turned topsy-turvy! He’s trying to understand these feelings that he has without feeling like he’s betraying his wife. Ms. Salsbury has done such a fantastic job of writing a story that has this element to it…she deals with it head on and not letting it slide to the background of this story. It’s almost like Maggie and her death are another character in this story. At moments I was so frustrated with Ben but then he would say or do something involving Ash and my heart would start to beat again for him and what was possible for both of them.
Ash is a woman that so wants to be loved but is afraid to reveal her true self in fear of Ben rejecting her and rejection is something this girl is very familiar with. I loved how she pushed the buttons of those around her. There’s one character in particular that I took great glee in her speaking her mind because trust me when I tell you, she got what was coming to her!!!
This book is EVERYTHING I was hoping for Ben and Ashleigh’s story and so much more. I laughed, I cried, I swooned and I cheered. I loved watching Ben come to the realization it’s okay to love again and seeing Ashleigh experience what true love feels like and seeing her metamorphosis into the young woman that she’s always wanted and meant to be.
Oh and Elliot is a little girl that grabbed my heart and won’t let go. She’s precocious, curious, sassy and full of love that anyone that’s around her can’t help but be drawn into.
If you do nothing else this week, please one-click this book and settle in for a story that is so much more than a second chance love story. Ms. Salsbury will grab you by the heart, take you on a journey that is one of the best slow-burn stories I’ve ever read and when you turn that last page you’ll have a feeling of happiness and joy at what love can truly accomplish!!
Take me to church! Y’all J.B. totally knocked it out of the park with this one!I devoured this book. Literally in one sitting and there was one reason: Pastor Ben! I loved him. He’s swoony AF! I mean,for real, he had me swooning so much throughout this book! I loved how he treated everyone in his congregation; fairly and without judgment. I loved how he loved his daughter. I loved his relationship with his brother. I loved how real and vulnerable he was, and I absolutely ADORED how he showed Ashliegh her worth and the kind of love she deserved. That, definitely was the swooniest part!
I loved Ashliegh too. She was Ben’s opposite in so many ways, but she was exactly what he needed. She was vulnerable, but she hid her vulnerability behind her vulgar speech and brash personality. She was a loyal and loving friend. The way she treated Ben’s daughter though…that was my favorite. She was so endearing and loving. Very few people got to see that side. But Ben did. Even when Ashleigh tried to put up her usual guarded front, Ben saw her and he showed her the kind of love she deserved.
This was a slow burn romance that had me feeling all the feels! Both Ben and Ashleigh had really difficult pasts, but the love and understanding they showed each other healed, and was beautiful. I loved watching their love story slowly unfold. This was another fabulous book in the Love, Hate, Rock -n-Roll series, and dare I say…my favorite -Don’t tell Jesse 😉 Y’all read this book!
I fell in love with Pastor Ben Langley in Playing by Heart and couldn’t wait for his book.
Ben is such a complex character. Married to the memory of his wife, devoted to his 6 year old daughter, Elliot, and his beliefs and love of God. Ashleigh is his sister-in-law’s best friend and over the past year has worked her way into his life. Ben finds himself in uncharted waters.
Ashleigh is such a strong and independent woman. I love that she has no filter. She speaks her mind and what you see is what you get. But she has her own demons and while she has crushed on Pastor Ben for years she never believed anything would ever come of it.
I loved how these 2 characters navigated their developing feelings and relationship. You will fall in love with them and Ben’s daughter Elliot. You will gets lots of laughs with Jesse and Bethany. Ben and Ashleigh were explosive together. I highly recommend this book. Sit back and enjoy Ben and Ashleigh’s journey.
In this book we have two completely different people who can’t seem to not want the other. Ben Langley is a man of God who is still in love with the ghost of his wife. Ashleigh is all night and darkness and everything that Ben shouldn’t want, but temptation is so sweet.
This quickly became one of my favorite books from Salsbury. The first maybe 15% is a little slow but it quickly picks up to the point where you can’t put it down. It’s angsty and passionate as Ashleigh makes Ben see that it’s ok to move on and be happy again.
The struggle that Ben has is understandable and it only makes me like him more as a character. It’s refreshing to not always get some macho, alpha male in romance novels. Sometimes I like to read about the shy guy who isn’t sure about what he is doing. It takes him time to finally let go of his first wife and see that there is nothing wrong with following your heart. It’s an important message to understand because it’s not always the easiest thing to do.
I really liked how Ashleigh was confident in some regard and not in others. It is yet another important thing for us to know. That no matter how confident we may seem there is always more lying beneath the surface
I loved Ben and Ashleighs story. Ben is a pastor who is a single father since his wife died giving birth to their daughter. Ash is a bartender and she has no problem speaking what is on her mind. She doesn’t dress in what would be considered church attire. She has had a huge crush on the Ben and flirts with him whenever she can. She doesn’t think anything will ever happen because he is still married to the memory of his wife. Ben is attracted to Ash but feels guilt about it because he feels he should still be loyal to his wife that has passed. When Ben ends up needing Ash to help him watch Elliot his daughter they start to form a closer relationship. Slowly these two start to get together. Both have pasts that make it hard for them to be together. Ash doesn’t want to tell him about her past as she feels he would never stay with her if he knew what she had done. Ben wants all of her the good and the bad but doesn’t know how to get her to trust him enough to fully open up. His morality comes under investigation and he has to make choices that are going to make him choose between his church and the people he loves. These characters are relatable and have flaws that make them real. There is great chemistry between them. Loved this book so much I didn’t want to say goodbye to these characters. Don’t miss out on this read.
An amazing book, to fall into…
…grips your heart, restores your soul, teases your senses.
With genuine characters, intense chemistry, heartfelt moments.
„There is nothing you could tell me that I won’t love you through.”
It seems like I need to go to church, because after reading Face the Music I have very dirty thoughts about some irresistible pastor… I was waiting with bated breath for Ben and Ashleigh’s story! I fell in love with Jesse’s older brother right in the first book in the series and I couldn’t wait to read all about him finding his own happily ever after. Face the Music is emotionally charged journey to make peace with the past and to live fully again. To leave the burden behind and move forward. And to love again.
Ben is a genuine believer. In God, in people, in good. He stays true to his word and that’s why he held so long to his vows to his late wife. But he’s also struggling being a single father, although he loves his daughter more than life. He’s kindhearted, understanding and protective.
Ashleigh is a party girl, always smiling and flirting. She’s confident, independent and sassy. But beyond the wild facade she’s struggling with her own issues. She has insecurities and doesn’t feel worthy of love from someone like Ben.
Despite obvious contradictions they complement each other beautifully- she’s a wildness to his calm, a chaos to his order. But they’re more alike than they think. They both have a baggage to overcome and so much love to give. Their relantionship is a delicious slow burn, filled with sizzling chemistry and longing. The sexual tension between these two was totally off the charts! I’m still fanning myself when I think about Ashleigh and Ben.
JB Salsbury has written heartbreakingly beautiful and emotional story. I was engrossed from the very first page and the tension in this book kept me hooked till the end. I loved both Ashleigh and Ben, same as secondary characters, and I really like the outcome of this wonderful journey.
I was sucked in and couldn’t let go. I have been waiting and waiting for Ben’s story for what feels like forever. It was worth the wait. From the very beginning I was already laughing and blushing and oh boy, did Ben become even hotter than before. Him and Ash are everything. Elliot just adds the icing to the cake. The story was funny and has it’s lighthearted moments but it’s also sexy and has it’s emotional moments where I had a hard time not crying. This will pull at your heartstrings. I couldn’t put this down.