Is life with a rock star ever normal?
Small town girl Jill Griffin has mastered the art of being invisible, so when she falls in love with sexy rocker James Sheridan, at first she is content to live in his larger than life shadow. Building a life together under the glare of the media is challenging, and further complicated by constant touring, James’ partying and the mixed signals she gets from … gets from James’ twin brother Alex. What is that guy’s problem?
When her poems and journal ramblings become the songs on James’ best-selling album, Jill has to step out of her comfort zone and figure out how to live her life in a spotlight all her own. As her professional success as a songwriter threatens her relationship with James, Jill begins to wonder if she can write love songs without the love of her life.
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I recommend this book to all the romantics out there. It was emotional and adventurous… I would definitely check the other books from this author.
THIS BOOK! OMG! IF you are a fan of rockstar stories you HAVE to read this one!! This is filled with UPS and DOWNS like no other! I easily became emotionally invested in these characters. I mean how could I not?? I have been with them since their beginning. Trials..heartbreak…anguish…and betrayal. Not to mention laughs, fun and some amazing sexy times.
At times I liked James but at others I couldn’t stand to listen to him. He just needed to ZIP IT. Those times though where i liked him? He is swoon worthy!! Just when I thought Jill was a forever doormat she surprised me and not only stood up but kicked butt too. Turns out she is stronger than she appears.
I listened to this little gem on audio. Gina Rogers did a fantastic job!
Enjoyable, easy read on a hot summer day, with a cocktail in your hand. I recommend!
Nicely written romance novel full of love, music, success, and failure. Well Done!
The ups and downs in this novel are the things that make it so compelling. The life that our main heroine has to lead because of the love of her life is difficult yet adventurous. Recommend it a 100%
A life with a rock star – should be great, right? Wrong! This novel shows that behind the curtains there is a lot going on and not all is pretty. I loved it from the beginning till the end!
A must-read for the romance fans! Wonderfully written, extremely compelling, and emotional novel. I highly recommend it.
What a book! I’ve never read anything from this author and I feel I missed a lot. Pleasantly surprised and absolutely immersed in the story, I couldn’t put the book down.
The plot is very well thought out and the characters are well developed. Guessing at Normal is a book that will stay in my virtual library for a second read. Loved it.
Fabulous read. Romance at its finest!
The writing style is superb, the story even more so. I loved the characters and how their story progressed through the pages.
Love and music – it is just the taste of Summer! I’ve enjoyed this book a lot. From the great characters to the story – everything was just perfect.
A fantastic love story! Guessing at Normal by Gail Olmsted is one great book that will immerse you in the life of a rock star and a love like no other.
Guessing at Normal was a tough read for me because it took me on breathtaking highs only to drop me to devastating lows. The life of a rock star is not an easy one, especially when the rocker falls prey to the extravagant lifestyle and makes the destructive choices that come with that life. Jill Griffen works at the front desk in a hotel and is just getting by. Her home life is difficult, at best, and she needs every penny she earns. James Sheridan is the lead singer for Nomad and he spots Jill in the hotel. When they run into each other in the parking lot, they have a spontaneous dance. That was the start of what became a tumultuous relationship that was bittersweet. The band is heading out on tour in a couple of days and James doesn’t want to let her go, so he asks her to come with him. She has her job and her family, but she can’t give this chance. At first, their life on the road is idyllic with high-octane shows each night and passionate nights, but James has too many demons to fight. He’s an alcoholic who dabbles in drugs and, as tensions increase, he finds himself using again. The night he can’t perform because he’s too hungover, the bandmates fight and it’s the end of Nomad, but it’s not the end of James’ music career. He reinvents himself as a solo act, finds more fame than he could have imagined, but with that fame came temptation and he’s too weak to resist. I can’t stand cheating and I hated what James did to Jill, especially by not being a little more apologetic and not trying to fix it all with sex. They were separated for months at a time, but they always found their way back to each other. Jill was thrilled when she found out she was pregnant, but James reacted with anger. He didn’t think it was a good time for a baby and, worst of all, Jill hadn’t had a chance to give him the news…it came from a reporter. James comes around and is really excited to be a family, but things never really felt the same. The ending is crushing, but it’s the only outcome that makes any sense. Jill’s final words are the perfect touch.
The narration is impeccably done by Gina Rogers. Each character is clearly defined and she gives them a voice that brings them alive!
Wonderful Story & Listen Gripping & Profound!
Guessing at Normal
A Rockstar Romance
By: Gail Ward Olmsted
Narrated by: Gina Rogers
Rockstar romance is one of my favorite tropes in the romance genre and I love checking out “new to me” authors and I was not disappointed one bit, in fact, I loved everything about this book. This is not your usual rockstar romance, it is so much more. I enjoyed Gail Ward Olmsted’s writing style, she created an original story with interesting storylines and characters. The book grabbed my attention right from that start and captivated it all the way to the end. The characters are complex, realistic, easy to relate to and connect with. I adored both leads, Jill Griffin and James Sheridan, even though he pissed me off at times. In the beginning Jill seemed to be floating in life, stuck in a dead end job still figuring what to do with her life. Working the pm shift in a motel she runs into all kinds of characters, she never expected to run into James Sheridan, an up and coming rockstar. The two hit it off and one thing leads to another and she winds up joining the band while they are touring the country. Life on a tour is a struggle in itself, but the band is adjusting to their new found fame as well as dealing with touring. This is all new to Jill, with the exception of Alex, James’ twin brother the band is ok with her touring with them. But things start to unravel for the band, James goes off the deep end and more challenges are thrown their way. Jill sticks by James’ side as he gets his act together, when the two manage to get their footing again they role into something good. It was awesome to see Jill come into her own, while she was an easy going person she was not a push over so it was great to see her claws come out when they needed to. I loved how everything plays out in this book, the story is beautifully plotted with plenty of drama, some angst, lots of heartfelt and emotional moments and a wonderful romance. Jill’s journal writing reflecting her thoughts was a brilliant touch and added so much depth to the story. Gail Ward Olmsted, thank you for the wonderful story and the emotional rollercoaster ride.
I listened to the Audible edition, Gina Rogers is a fabulously talented narrator and versatile voice artist. She brings the characters to life, humanizes them, giving each their own distinct voice and making it easy to follow along and tell who is who. She does an awesome job portraying the characters, she takes each role and makes it her own. Her Jill was amazing as was her James, she made them sound just as I pictured them to sound. She sets the perfect tone for the story, captures all of the character’s emotions and projects them into into her performance. She is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for another fabulous listen
Jill is working the front desk of a motel when James walks in. James is about to break out as a mega rockstar. She ditches her job at the motel to join him on tour. The story follows her life in the shadow of James and his mega stardom. Jill is breaking out of his shadow as a brilliant songwriter and she has to navigate his addiction and infidelities. Olmsted did a great job in showing us what goes on with a power couple behind the curtain .