One night changed her life…Bestselling author Amelia Greyson has grown up in the music industry and isn’t the slightest bit fazed by fame or celebrities. However, when she attends a Bastards and Dangerous concert with her best friend Belle, her world shifts on its axis.Double trouble…Sawyer and Noah Weston are the front men of BAD. They’re fraternal twins and sexy as sin. When they hear the … the author of The O Factor is in their green room, they’re intrigued. She’s just the person they need to write their farewell story. The brothers offer Amelia the opportunity of a lifetime, which she reluctantly accepts.Three hearts…Noah is sweet and considerate, working hard to make Amelia feel at home on the road. Unfortunately, the closer they get, the more obnoxious Sawyer becomes. Sawyer is arrogant and distant and he wants Amelia, even though she’s not his for the taking. Only during stolen moments does Sawyer show her who he really is.Can Amelia maintain a safe distance from Sawyer and keep her heart intact? Or will she shatter Noah’s heart by giving hers to his brother instead?Just an Illusion – Side A is the first book in The Illusion Series
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I’ve already read a book by this author, D. Kelly, and I knew I would have loved another one of her books. So, I’m REALLY and HONESTLY thankful for winning this book because I enjoyed it a lot. <3 It is the first of a trilogy and it ends with a cliffhanger, so you need to read it before the second installment comes out on March 30th.
MILD SPOILERS in this review.
Amelia Greyson is a bestselling author with a past in the music industry. This is why she tries as much as she can to avoid dating musicians and listen to music that reminds her of her past. Her best friend Belle, who is a reporter for a famous music magazine, invites her to attend the concert of BAD, Bastards and Dangerous, a rock band that represents all that Amelia is running from. And then their manager proposes Amelia to write a biography for the band and tour with them for a whole year. Twin brothers Sawyer and Noah Weston, the frontmen of BAD, when they see Amelia, both start being attracted to her. They couldn't be any different, and Amelia struggles to choose one of them because naturally, the other is going to be heartbroken.
HOLY SHIT! That's all I can say about this book. I had already read another book by D. Kelly, so I knew that this would be my cup of tea, and it was. There are many interesting characters such as Amelia herself and the Weston twins. There's Sawyer, the wild one rough on the edges and with a guarded heart, and Noah, who is the gentle bro who believes in fate and does a lot of nice actions to benefit others. Personality speaking, Amelia and Sawyer are very similar: she is a tough girl, takes no s**t and puts other people in their place. Because of her past history, she put up high defenses around her heart and is hard for her to let anyone in. But after shee meets BAD and the twins, things change. Sawyer is the first one to display his interest in her but she is scared about their sparks, because they remind her of her parents who had a similar love story and ended up burning themselves. This is the reason why Mel goes more towards Noah, who is Sawyer's opposite. Unlike his brother who is open and likes to sleep around, he is nice with everyone and respectful, and even romantic, because he is better at expressing his feelings.
This book deals with Noah and Amelia's story the most because since it's a series, I believe she wants to explore both relationships. Like I said, she is drawn to him because of his good-natured personality, but I am not liking their relationship at all and I believe the author decided to put them together because 1) this is a triangle story 2) she wants to save the best (Sawyer) for last. Let me explain why I am not a fan of this couple. Noah is a guy who believes in fate and family. There is nothing wrong with it, except, when he is with Mel, it shows that he is somehow too obsessed with the idea and perhaps, he is deluding himself that she is the woman of his life. He is quick to be the perfect guy, at times he is TOO effin' perfect, it irked the hell out of me. Guys like that exist no doubt, but I hope that in Side B we will see another face of the coin because I don't believe that he is the super cool guy all the time, especially when history is probably about to be repeated. Perhaps that's why the title "Just an Illusion". Who knows, maybe after the cliffhanger we will see that Mel and Noah realize something, that their love is not what is seems and they believe things are going to get worse because she is indeed attracted to Sawyer as well, although she tries to bury that feeling for the sake of the fraternal relationship of the Weston bros. At some point, I cross my fingers in Side B, Amelia will come to the realization that she can't delude herself and that she has to face her feelings. Because I wasn't fond of Noah and Amelia's "love" for each other. Amelia starts off as a girl with a guarded heart but she is quick to say the L word to Noah and despite she panics because he wants to do things fast with her, she is also quick to change her mind. As much as Mel is a female character with balls, she fell flat for me on that aspect, as if she wasn't being herself at times. It's easy to be closed in a bubble with a guy you like and have long love-making sessions where the outside world (and your bf's sexy bro) stay out. So I am praying that their relationship needed to happen first not only because Noah is more forward with his feelings but also because this way Mel can really understand who is in her heart and do it slowly. Why I think this? Sound silly, but I was reminded of the days I watched Gossip Girl. In that regard, Sawyer and Noah remind me of Chuck and Nate. Even on that show Blair was Nate's girl (the "perfect" boy) first and then Chuck's girl and then wife at the end. And this is not the only example I can think of, eheh. All of this to say that I am totally team Sawyer, if you didn't understand it already. Why?
Well, let's say I love characters with issues. Sawyer is the night to Noah's day. Apparently he could look like a playboy with no care in this world, but truth is that he has a good and caring heart. You can see it when he and Amelia converse, he bickers with her but he's also subtly sweet and shows his vulnerability to her. And she puts him in his place, which I guess is both a great turn-on for a man who is used to have girls sprawled at his feet, and a challenge. Mel is able to stimulate Sawyer in ways his previous flames haven't, because she is not a doll, she says what she thinks when she has to, unlike the bimbos he usually screws for fun. He is so closed off but people like Mel make him open up and be true. I know he's being an ass many times, but the reason why it's his feelings. I guess he realized that he loves her and he can't handle it. He finds it hard to handle that the woman he'd love for himself, is with his brother. And this has happened once already, if it were to happen again, I'm sure Noah would stop talking to Sawyer for good. Which is why the person in the middle - Amelia - is the one that will make the decision and be open about it. If she realizes that she wants Sawyer, she NEEDS to tell Noah about it not to hurt his feelings. I know it's sad because in contemporary romances the girl usually ends up with the first character she hooks up with and the other in the background ends up remaining a friend, but things are different here. I see clearly that Amelia doesn't want to even try with Sawyer because she's scared shitless that they will suffer like her parents did and her heart would not be able to take it. But in life she has to take risks, otherwise she may end up being with a person she obviously likes but with another she may like more that will linger in her life forever, since in this case the two men are related and I can't see Sawyer distancing himself from his family for the sake of Mel and Noah. I think he'd die of heartbreak if he did. He'd have a lot of good depressive material to be inspired from for his songs for sure, but it's hella sad. This is why my heart hopes that in Side B we will see Sawyer's heart more and that this book will deal with him more than Noah. The fact that no girl besides random chicks who had affairs with him were introduced, shows that his heart is clearly set on loving Mel, and if he spends the night with another or gets drunk is just to cure his bleeding heart. I am super excited to even think about Sawyer and Mel together. I bet he can unlock a side of her that she's unsure about when she's with Noah and the reason they don't convince me as a couple will indeed appear with Sawyer. I imagine their sex would be amazing and more explosive and simple as that, I would love if the reformed bad guy gets the girl in the end. Because the moral of this story is that Mel's parents had a destructive relationship she doesn't want to live herself with Sawyer, but since she isn't her parents, being with him could prove her not to be afraid because not all love stories are the same. Mel could definitely be Sawyer's muse in terms of his music and he her inspiration when it comes to her writing. GAH, I WANT THESE TWO TOGETHER. NOW. I'M FRUSTRATED.
Okay, now I'll stop rambling and I'll only tell you that if you want a nice romance written with a simple yet nice style, you should definitely read this book. It's a rock star romance book but there's more to it than meets the eye.
I just blew my own mind when I realized this author wrote another of my favorite series (The Acceptance Series). Whoa! I’ve read the three Just an Illusion books and loved the writing style and knew it reminded me of a book series I read a few years ago… Both series are full of gut wrenching emotion that leaves the reader in need of tissues.
This book is about taking chances, and as Belle would say, “living today like there’s no tomorrow.” Amelia has a series of nights that impact her life. They’re all full of passion and love, some for good, some for worse; but they all create ripple effects that create her future.
Amelia Grayson doesn’t start the book as a fan of BAD. But her best friend Belle is. And they’re more than friends, they’re sisters; so Amelia goes to the concert and is in for the ride of her life. The boys of BAD are more than handsome bad boys. Noah and Sawyer are twin brothers with very different personalities. Wyatt and Darren round out the band and are integral characters of the book. Darren and Belle hit it off; and while Wyatt is already taken, he’s a down to Earth addition to the voices. The first time Amelia meets the band, she’s able to put Sawyer in his place and fit into their world in a way the boys have no idea of just yet. Sawyer does his best to embody the name of the band, while Noah is ready to start the next chapter in his life. The details and raw emotion and painstaking realiity infused into each of the members of the band and their families create the most inspiring and marvelous cast. The men are the things of book boyfriend legends, yet still manage to be good people. The women are strong and capable as well loving and caring.
Rock stars exude sexy, so it’s no surprise that despite her initial non-fan status, Amelia still finds Noah and Sawyer good looking. But it’s the way their personalities come out and mesh and interact that make all the relationships work. All the different relationships play out with such vivid reality. Nothing is forced, nothing is awkward (unless the author meant it to be), nothing is insincere. Because of those things, all the intimacy, even the nooky and screaming-hope-the-soundproofing-holds times are so much more than just sex.
I adored the way this book flowed. Like I mentioned, the author has a memorable writing style. It sucks you in, so be prepared to read the whole book in one setting no matter the time or other responsibilities. Ms. Kelly was able to open the world of rockstar musicians to the average concert-goer. The way the book opens teases to the heartbreak that will happen, without giving anything away.
Just a warning, this book ends in a cliffhanger. Be prepared to have to purchase Side B and then binge read it. And then you’re going to need to get the third book, the EP… Remember to live today like there’s no tomorrow!
Favorite Quotes:
“Being kissed by Sawyer made me believe in the devil. There’s no way someone can make me feel that good and turn me on that fast without being completely draining on my soul.”
“…if someone makes you feel that good, you need to believe he came from God because that kind of pleasure can only come from heaven above.”
“Sometimes, the bravest thing we can do is let go of our past. The present is now, and you only get one shot at it.”
“There’s no beat to my music without her because there’s no beat left in my heart.”
Star Ratings:
Plot = 5/5 Characters = 5/5 Heat = 5/5 Writing Style = 5/5 Overall Rating = 5/5
Getting the biggest job of her new life as an author throws Amelia into a world she thought she’d left behind & would never be part of again . BAD , a rock group at the height of their fame but on their last tour want a warts & all biography doing & Amelia’s the lucky girl that gets to do it. What wasn’t expected was the great friendship that allows both sides to reveal their pasts , parents that almost destroy any chance of their daughter risking her heart to another , brothers used & then pitted against each other by a woman . you can’t help but fall slightly in love with the characters in this book , to the world they look like they are living the life but most of them carry scars from the past , be warned this book ends on a huge cliff hanger that will have you pulling your hair out & shout “you can’t leave it there “
Wow…..just wow! I was so taken by this book that I couldn’t put it down. There was so much heart in this book I was left without words. How can you possibly explain the amount of love you have for such amazing characters. All I can say is that the bond and love these characters had was amazing! I can’t wait for the next book to see how their paths continue. If you want to read a breathtakingly beautiful heartfelt story this is the one for you, don’t miss out!
When Amelia Greyson is offered the opportunity to spend 365 days with the infamous rock group Bastards and Dangerous little does she know it is a decision that will change the course of her life forever. So she reluctantly accepts but when she meets band members and fraternal twins Noah and Sawyer Weston she is shocked by the chemistry she has with them. Sawyer is the hot bad boy that makes her heart race, while Noah is the perfect sexy man who makes her feels things she never thought possible. She knows whichever she chooses someone will be hurt. Wow this book just pulled me in and I fell in love with all the characters. I love how this story builds and twists when you least expect it. I never knew from one page to the next what was going to happen next. Amazing story and I can’t wait to jump into Just an Illusion: Side B. This series should be read in order for the best enjoyment. Highly recommend this book and series.
I can’t believe that I’ve never read anything by D. Kelly before. I am completely addicted! This was a great book and start to a fabulous trilogy. The author masterfully created their world and pulled me in from the beginning. It was clear from the first pages that this was going to be gut-wrenching. She gives clues to something devastating that may have happened along Mel’s journey, so I was on the edge of my seat, flying through the pages of this book to discover all she had in store for us. Beware! This book has a major cliffhanger, so be prepared by having Side B on your e-reader so you don’t miss out on what happens next. I can honestly say it’s totally worth it!
Noah and Sawyer were a force to be reckoned with. They were a devastatingly gorgeous pair of twin rock stars with differing personalities who constantly kept Mel on her toes. You could see the road that the three were headed down, and it wasn’t going to be an easy one. When we get to the end of EP (book 3), I imagine someone will be left heartbroken or maybe there’s a chance that everyone gets their happily ever after.
I was constantly waiting for Mel to drop her defenses and give in to her attraction to one of the brothers. I personally was rooting for Sawyer from the first moment Mel put him in his place. It was evident that they had that instant connection and would have insane chemistry if they gave into their attraction. However, Sawyer was the groupie magnet and bad boy of the group. Essentially, he was everything Mel was trying to avoid. But he also had a softer side when he was around her. Maybe she could break his cycle of reckless behavior and help him finally find his peace and happiness.
Noah, on the other hand, was ready to settle down with a wife and family. He was sweet, caring, and considerate. Noah was also determined to make Mel fall in love with him. But Mel wasn’t looking for that either. She had a tumultuous past that kept her from fully engaging with anyone that wasn’t already in her orbit.
Mel was strong, independent, honest, and smart. She was also terrified. She watched her parents’ love go down in flames and even struggled with her own lost love story. There were moments when I believed she was making decisions with her head and not her heart, which is why I could never really find comfort in the relationship she did develop with one of the brothers. The turmoil of what could be and what might happen next kept me from fully investing my heart in their relationship. I’m hoping I’ll find peace with her decisions along the way, and I hope they all find their happiness. I would love to give you more than that, but I’ll let you develop your own opinions and not spoil your adventure with what transpires on Mel’s year ride-along with BAD. It’s a crazy ride! I will say this, though. The entire time I was reading, I kept thinking the same things over and over: 1 – Why can’t Mel have a twin?; 2 – Why is the author putting these brothers, Mel, and the band through this?; and 3 – Mel don’t do it, because once you go there with one of them, you’ll tear your heart out and theirs when you decide on which brother you truly love. And considering they were only weeks into the tour when she made that first choice, she was not allowing herself time to learn about Noah and Sawyer before jumping in.
In addition to these main characters, I fell in love with all of the secondary ones as well. They are each unique to the story, and their relationships are key in molding the lives of everyone around them. I’m looking forward to discovering what the future has in store for them as well.
This is the first book I have read by this author and I loved it. I look forward to reading many more.
I was sucked in to this story from the beginning and when I was not happy when it ended. I wanted more! I needed more.
Amelia Graysen goes to a concert with her best friend who loves the band B.A.D and is a journalist who is there to get an exclusive story from the band. Amelia isn’t a fan of them but she goes because Belle asks her to go.
Amelia is torn between Noah an Sawyer Weston the brothers in the band.
This Rocker Story has it all! I loved how the author wrote this story. I think everyone who loves a good rocker story should one click this book because its worth it.
This has one hell of a cliffhanger and I need the next book like last night after I finished reading this one. I personally wish Amelia picked the other brother. I look forward to Just an Illusion Side B
“I experienced every emotion available while reading this series. It was amazing!!! A Must Read!!!”
Couldn’t put it down
I read all three books of Just an Illusion and let me tell you “I have not read anything that would make me laugh, wonder, angry happy and lots and lots of crying. Some sad tears and others happy, I can’t wait until the next book comes out next year. The author was so in the moment when she wrote these books , she left me wanting more.
I recommend this book 200% it’s not a chick book because I tell you if a man reads it he be crying too.
Thank you D. Kelly for these wonderful books, your a genius with a big heart.
Provocative, page turning. Heart warming.
Did not like the ending. Leaving everyone either shot or injured.
Absolutely loved it! Sad but very good read.
I cannot express how much I enjoyed this book and the whole series. The author made purchasing the rest of the series worth it!
Gr8 book about trying to trust your feelings and have a happy life with a rock star.
This story was okay, but the band members and staff were all too good to be true. The male hero was ridiculously perfect.
I read through to the end, a cliffhanger. Normally, I’d be inclined to buy the sequel if only to see what happens next. But, in this case, I’m just not that interested.
I could not put it down. Immediately bought the other books in the series. Wonderful characters you fall in love and want to learn more. Make sure you read with a box of tissue, because you’ll tear up in sadness, happiness and laughter. Great series all around.
This series was phenomenal! I’ve never read a book where I actually cried. I can’t say enough, just loved it!
I had to read the entire series after reading Side A. There aren’t enough adjectives to describe all the feeling you will have getting to know the characters in this story line. I loved that this rock romance concentrated more on the their personal lives than the spot light lives. It was definitely a page turner all the way to the end of the series.
You won’t be able to put this book or the next two in the series down. The story and characters are phenomenal!