A twist of fate proves wildly explosive in New York Times bestselling author CD Reiss’s smart and sexy Hollywood romance about the cost of running from your past to get to your dreams.
Cutting all ties, Kayla Montgomery drives cross-country to Los Angeles. New start. New life. And an unexpected new job: assistant to Justin Beckett.
The Justin Beckett.
The boy band rebel with the cocky attitude … Beckett.
The boy band rebel with the cocky attitude and dreamy bed head who casts a spell over his fans and tests the patience of his handlers.
Now at the peak of Mount Adulthood, he has to build a clean-cut, movie star image. It’s in his contract. No partying. No attitude. No groupies.
To tie it together, he needs a normal girl.
Suddenly, Kayla’s swept up in Justin’s glamorous world, and his arms. But the most dizzying thing is Justin himself. Sweet, generous, reliable, and as eager to shed his past as Kayla is hers.
About that…
Those ties she thought she’d cut? They’ve followed her across the country with her secrets in tow, and they’re about to test Kayla’s courage, Justin’s loyalty, and a love that wasn’t part of the deal.
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This is super fun! I LOVE all the Hollywood details. CD Reiss always convinces you that you’re really there with the steely heroine, a pin cushion on your wrist. This hero is a total alpha-jerk on page one AND YOU WILL LOVE HIM ANYWAY. That is all.
The Hollywood Series continues with this another feel-good love story set in the Movie Industry.
It’s hopeful, it’s romantic and makes you believe in the power of love to heal and fuse broken hearts. CD known for her greyish serious themes, shifts gears and still manages to entice her with her enigmatic wordplay
“that was like a nuclear bomb of unicorns and rainbows in my heart.”
Her plot is as always taut and precise, her narration slick and her characters sassy with a touch of nobility
Kayla Montgomery has uprooted her life in New York and shifted to LA, Justin Beckett is trying to fly solo. Both are trying to cut binding strings from the past and start anew. Easier said than done bro!!!
“you can convince yourself there’s a relationship that isn’t there, but you can’t convince the other person.”
THIS here sums up their relationships, past and present. So many hurdles, so many pulled strings later they find a bit of peace till their world is swept up in a twirling hurricane….
It’s a sweet gift for her legit fans and a great lighter way to step in Reiss- and
4stars for Stay Kinky Grandma!!
Kayla has fled New York to start over in Los Angeles where her sister and dad are living. She wants to make her mark in the fashion world by starting her own line. Her first day in the City of Angeles turns into a bizarre meeting with Justin Beckett, lead singer for the most popular boy band that just exploded and not in a good way. Justin liked the sass that Kayla threw his way not caring who he was so he kinda forced her into his life by getting her a job on his movie that he was filming. The more Kayla works with Justin the more she sees that he is more than what the media says he is (duh) and she doesn’t want to stay away. Even if it is the best for the both of them.
I really felt I was missing chunks of the conversations that would happen in this one. I would feel lost at times, would have to re-read to see if I was imagining things or not – but nope, no imagining, the characters were have a conversation that was within their conversation that only they understood. It was like be the fifth wheel in a conversation and knowing that they were talking around you. It was awkward. That being said I enjoyed this story. I liked Justin and Kayla. Louise was a riot and I loved her so dang much. The journey that Justin and Kalya went on was deeper and heavier than I expected but I was hear for it. Even if I felt it was a bit rush and not developed enough. There was so much going on with both of them it was a bit much. I would really love to know more about Chad – I feel like he needs a story of his own to truly unpack all that went on with him. But as I said I truly enjoyed this one and would recommend it to others to read.
I really enjoyed this story! So sweet and romantic and sexy. Just a great listen when you want a good escape from reality for a while.
This is a nice love story of chasing dreams and the price of fame. In this Hollywood romance setting, Kayla travels cross country in hopes of finding a new start. When Kayla gets a recycled phone number, a shocking twist of fate connects her with superstar Justin. Their romance is a slow burn and the chemistry was great. The side characters, especially grandma Louise, were enjoyable. The story is action packed and comes full circle with second chances.
Cutting all ties, Kayla Montgomery drives cross-country to Los Angeles. New start. New life. And an unexpected new job: assistant to Justin Beckett. This book is quite a lot different from the normal books by C.D Reiss that I have read in the past so much so I had to check that it was the same author. This was a very sweet romance between two characters that were more like teenagers instead of adults, and the story line was interesting. All over this was a nice sweet read on a rainy day.
So here we are with another beautiful romantic Hollywood love story. Here we meet Kayla and Justin, who had broken pasts that would help them amend their futures together. I have read few from C.D. Reiss and I haven’t been disappointed yet. I definitely loved them and worth reading and listening them. Most definitely worth 5*****
CD Reiss is a master storyteller of sharp, sensuous and seductive stories with fierce female heroines. Lead Me Back is no exception. This book is rich in content and drama! I loved Kayla and Justin’s depth in spite of the “Hollywood” persona…and the journey to discovering their “Long and Winding Road”…HOME. Thank you Goodreads!!
Boy band phenom trying to rebuild his image. Justin really just forgot how to listen to himself rather than his industry people.
Kayla is strong and determined but also running. Hoping for a fresh start in LA with her family and career, she gets tangled up with Justin.
Justin not used to ‘no’, and Kayla not a ‘yes’ girl takes us on an enjoyable ride through redemption and trust.
Justin and Kayla each have a lot of baggage that threatens to get in the way more often than not, and they both have big personalities. She has learned to harden herself to keep from getting trampled on, but her experiences in New York have her fleeing to the West Coast to start again. She never expected that her new phone number would belong to Justin Beckett, and she definitely never expected to get sucked into his circle because of it. Annoyance turns to disbelief which slowly leads to laughter and looking past the public persona to see the man beneath it. He doesn’t always make it easy for her, and she most definitely doesn’t make it easy for him but I respected that she was strong enough to try to stand on her own. But secrets and lies have to be cleared up if they are ever going to stand a chance.
Justin’s grandmother Louise was an absolute hoot, that lady is quite a character! This book was an impulse buy after reading the blurb and it was worth the 1-click
4 STARS for Lead Me Back by CD Reiss
ARC received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own & have not been influenced in any way.
WOW really liked this book !
This book is not just a great romance with a HEA but it’s about finding yourself & the person that makes it all like coming home.
Justin and Kayla’s story begins with a misplaced cell phone call , unexpected flower delivery & job offer ! Justin Beckett – Hollywood bad boy thinks he can wrap Kayla Montgomery around his little finger. That so ain’t happening … Kayla is a down on her luck fashion designer having been run out of NYC by a scandal. I really liked that this book tackles the Me Too movement as well as characters speaking up on women’s right always to say NO.
Lead Me Back has a great storyline with great engaging characters.
I read in just one sitting & loved it …
A favorite passage reads like this ( reminding us all of who & where our “home” is )
I had a split second in his arms before we hit the water together , and it was all the time I needed to realize that I was happy .. I had arrived at my destination … no matter what the future held in store for me I was home …
Love this author and will be checking out more of her back list.
Highly recommend this read !!
Kayla and Justin have a chance meeting and their lives are changed forever. This is an enchanting story about Justin, a mega celebrity who meets Kayla, an ordinary person with dreams of becoming a fashion designer.
Justin reminded me of Justin Beaber in many ways. He is rich, famous and entitled. He is used to everyone catering to his every need, until he meets Kayla. She isn’t impressed with Justine’s celebrity and she doesn’t let him get away with his behavior. Kayla is a spitfire and I admired her in every way.
It is entertaining watching Justin and Kayla fall in love. Their story is fun and engaging and wanted them to work through all their issues and end up together. I also enjoyed Justin’s grandmother, she adds many laughs to this story.
Thanks to the author for providing a copy of this book via Cocktails and Books and Netgalley. The opinions expressed are my own.
“When it’s quiet at night and I can hear it beating, it’s saying your name, and it’s gonna keep saying it until it stops.”
Kayla needs a fresh start. On board a van, with all her belongings, plus two rolls of “hostage” fabric, she leaves for Los Angeles to meet her sister and begin a new life. But a wrong phone call from an old lady will divert her from her path and bring her face to face with the most handsome and moody man she has ever met.
Justin is a celebrity. Singer of a boy band, he needs to clean up his image with the public, as the scandals involving the end of his band and an alleged infidelity have put his career in danger. The stranger at his door, who miraculously has his old cell phone number, may be the answer he was looking for.
In this cat and mouse game, Kayla ends up hired as a “nanny” on her own phone. And with Justin’s help, she gets a new temporary job that reminds her of her profession. The only problem? She will see him daily.
With secrets to be unraveled, both careers in danger, media interest, and various confusions, courtesy of Justin’s grandmother and an eccentric family by Kayla, adding an unwanted attraction to this mess will only make the situation worse. But it will be difficult to deny the desire.
Well-written protagonists, a storyline that holds the reader and a good narrative, Kayla and Justin deliver a good book.
PS: The former members of Justin’s band are horrible friends. He’s better off without them.
Kayla needs a fresh start and to escape her old life. Justin needs to repair his reputation to keep his current life intact. Both have been through the personal and professional wringer and now they have been brought together by an old phone number and a meddling grandmother.
Kayla is so darn feisty and self sufficient. She wants to be her own person. She needs to create her own successes, even after being run out of the NYC fashion industry. Unfortunately for her, she has lots of baggage . . . some of which that follows her across the country.
Justin is totally and completely misunderstood and misrepresented in the media. He’s manipulated by his own PR manager and cut off from his band mates and childhood friends. He may be all alpha, cocky, and arrogant, but he’s also genuine and real with those he cares about
Together this couple should be a disaster. Neither can do any favors for the other professionally. They both have too many secrets and trust issues. Yet when they are together, it all seems so darn right in their little bubble. But with someone always watching everything they do, can they make it work and find their own slice of happiness in a world that feels like they own them?
I flew through this book because I could not get enough of this couple. Enthralling. Emotional. Intense. I loved every damn second of this book! 5 stars!
My soul is so much lighter after having read this sweet story. Justin is the famous entitled rockstar hero in the book whose path crosses with Kayla Kayla just moved to la to escape her baggage from New York. Their story is such a sweet story that brought out all the feels in my heart from the banter which had me smiling, the characters and their self discovery and their growth. I did not want to put this book down once I started and now I am left here with a huge grin on my face Easter reading it all come together.
Cannot recommend this read enough….. will definitely blasting all of my friends to stray reading it.
C.D. Reiss is typically an author I love and her dark side of her writing is what I love most. But when it comes to her contemporary romance side, I’m not so much keen on it. I thought that by giving Lead Me Back a chance, I would love this book but I just couldn’t connect with the characters. I wasn’t totally sold on the storyline and I felt like it dragged a bit for me. Once I get bored with a story, especially at the beginning stages, I feel like I will not fall in love with the book and I will be eventually disappointed in the end.
Lead Me Back kind of lacked the sparkle for me and I’m disappointed in myself that I couldn’t get into the book. Doesn’t mean I will stop reading her books because I’m not. I just didn’t connect with this story.
I went back and forth between really liking this and having the feeling of “meh” and wanting to stop but since I had it on audio while working I kept going and it got better. Kayla left New York and moved to LA for a new start and ended up with Justin Beckett’s phone. He is the bad boy rocker turned actor who needs to clean up his act and she is just the person to help him except she has secrets in her past. Too bad he falls hard for her. Will they be able to make it work or will circumstances pull them apart?
Every time I read a CD Reiss romance, regardless of the tropes, I know that I’m in for a unique story line and strong, independent characters who willingly fight for what they want, even if they do it in rather unorthodox ways. Reiss’ latest release, Lead Me Back, is a celebrity romance with a bad boy musician in need of an image makeover in order to move into films and a heroine who is ready to start a new life, in a new place on her own terms. And while she may be considered a ‘normal’ girl by Hollywood standards, there’s nothing ordinary about her, which is exactly why Justin falls for her.
Leaving New York and cutting all ties is what Kayla needed to do to put herself first and focus on her wants and needs, instead of everybody else’s, but things don’t quite go the way she expects due to a single encounter with a guy and an offer she can’t seem to refuse. I loved Kayla. She is a strong, determined, and real heroine – one who had lived a life that was more so living her instead of her living it. Doing a complete overhaul of one’s life is risky on a number of levels, but Kayla willingly takes those risks and while it leads her down a path that she might not have chosen, it’s one that shows her where she belongs.
As the story moves forward, it becomes clear that Justin is more than his image…more than his missteps and bad behavior and he can thank Kayla for bringing that out of him and for helping him prove to the naysayers, his critics, and movie executives that who he was in the past is not who he is now and he’s ready to do the work in order to be seen as a quality celebrity, which is a good thing since he had more than a little damage control to do, but it wasn’t just his career that he worked to change his ways – when he figured out what Kayla meant to him, he willingly did what he needed to to prove himself to her and to allow her to understand that he was worth the risk, worth putting her trust in and he wouldn’t let her down.
The dynamic relationship that Kayla and Justin form and then build-on is one filled with sparing words, electric chemistry, and amusing banter. She stood her ground with Justin and didn’t let him get away with treating her poorly or ordering her around and that’s exactly what Justin needed. She challenges him, doesn’t make a big deal of his fame, and gives as good as she gets, which made for one entertaining, steamy, and heartfelt read.
4.5 Poison Apples
When I started reading this book, I immediately liked the heroine. She was running from New York and running to California. She went to live in her deceased grandfather’s old theatre which has been unused for years. It’s a relic of a building which has no use because it has no parking, but it’s rent free, full of junk and dust. Her sister Talia and her father live in Los Angeles and she’s starting a new life. She’s also reacquainting with her father from whom she was estranged for many years. It’s a period of new starts and new hope.
As part of her new beginnings, Kayla also got a new phone and a new number. Then there was a misunderstanding with her new number and she ended up in a house in Beverly Hills taking roses to an old lady. And to her huge surprise there was Justin Beckett, teen star, headliner of the Sunset Boys, more like a fallen star. After a scandal in the Roosevelt Hotel, his band had imploded, his reputation tanked and he life was in shambles. He was also starting on new beginnings, got a new phone number and Kayla was the happy recipient of his old phone number and many of his calls.
They get into an uneasy truce where he depends on Kayla to be linked to his old life and old friends. He’s working solo now but he still feels the ties to his old friends from whom he’s now estranged and Kayla is the link. He gets her a job at his current movie project so he can be near and help her out.
This story was a hoot. As soon as I read Justin, I knew he was based on Justin Bieber. His hair, his demeanor, his slouchy stride, entitled attitude, and a pimple on his forehead! This was too much and got me hooked on the story real fast!
I loved Kayla, she didn’t take any crap from Justin’s a-holish attitude and sassed him right back. For a guy who is in a slump, missing his old friends and his old life, starting on something new, hemmed in from all sides by his managing agency, record agency, and his bodyguard, Kayla is a breath of fresh air. This was a relation that started from slinging insults and warmed into friendship then into passion. It was a hoot and I loved every minute.
Kayla has other issues related to her past history in New York and her relation with her father. I loved her father and his friends. One of my favorite scenes is when she appears at her father’s house after a crying jag, he has a men party and she gets drunk with all these men around. They are so kind and supportive and his father did a grand parenting job.
This was a fun romp! I had a great time reading this hugely entertaining story!
Lead Me Back is the first book I have read by C.D. Reiss and it will not be the last. In all honesty, it started off a bit weird. I mean what are the odds that when you get a new number the prior owner will be a huge celebrity and that the new owner is actually going to follow through with a request from a wrong number but hey it worked and was a cute way to start the story. Overall, I did enjoy this story and it certainly had some interesting and quirky moments. I’ll certainly be seeing what else this author has to offer.