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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Great book and storyline! You just had to love the hero in the book- he was such a jerk but such a fantastic backstory! Had some amazing lol moments with the book! Great read!
4.5 Shinning Stars!!
The one thing that can get me hooked right from the start to an amazing story, is the absolute connection between the main characters, and that’s exactly what makes me feel connected to this story, as if I was part of it.
Justin is a celebrity but he’s not all stuck up or arrogant. He’s generous, kind, caring, and protective of the people he loves. One thing I loved about this story, is the kind of relationship he has with his grandmother. Of course he’s not perfect, and made mistakes, he’s got his ups and downs like every other human-being.
Kayla has a strong personality. She’s independent, straight forward, and tough. Although, she’s trying to get away from her past. They both meet in a very unusual way, and tried to help each other.
All in all, this was a low angst, enjoyable and entertaining read, with great secondary characters that complements the story, and the main characters growth. Joe Arden and Emma Wilder’s performance was perfection!!
Knowing from the books I have read so far of the author, I was expecting this to be full on angst galore. But nope. What I got is Justin and Kayla’s true, honest-to-goodness, story that is so real that it could possibly be a true love story to some of our real-life celebrity romances.
What I loved about this book is that there was no unnecessary, over the top drama that usually comes in this trope. I loved how Kayla is her perky, doesn’t-take-shit self and undaunted by Justin’s level of fame and notoriety. While Justin, despite his bad boy persona, hides a depth of personality that he only shows to those he loves most in the world- his quirky grandmother and bestfriends. I liked the easy, witty banter between the characters and the feel-good romance that eventually followed. I could definitely be on board of this story becoming a movie because it has all the element- light, sexy romance, with great set of fun, relatable characters that you couldn’t help but love and adore.
There is something about a celebrity romance that I gravitate toward. I don’t love every one I read, but I always have to try it because when it works – there’s something almost magical about it. This is actual fairytale material and my sappy little romance loving heart will never ever tire of fairytales.
C.D. Reiss got it just right.
I was sucked in immediately and then I was in. Like all in for Justin and Kayla’s love story.
I’ll admit, I had a moment of pause when I realized I was basically reading a Justin Bieber story. A moment where I was like — oy, can I do this?
Turns out, I can.
And then I did.
Because it was addictive and compelling and sexy and romantic. And it was a fairytale. And, well, you already know how I feel about those.
Truly, I loved everything. The banter was on point. I loved how plucky and fierce Kayla was. I loved that she wasn’t starstruck or even all that impressed with Justin at first. I loved how she made him work to win her trust and her heart. I loved how he did work for her. And how he was so genuine and generous. I loved how much surprising depth he had, and how much he cared for those he loved.
I loved that there was no unnecessary drama here. These two were so real with each other – even when it hurt.
I just…loved them! In the most unexpected and delightful ways. Lead Me Back was a fun read and it delivered all the heart flutters and sappy smiles I could ever have asked for. Definitely recommend for a fun romantic escape!
A funny sweet fairytale romance, with witty banter, amazing chemistry, great characters and a beautiful story!
This is a light, sparkly Hollywood romance and I loved everything about it. A great change of pace from the usual angst and drama Reiss loves to torture us with.
Kayla and Justin are a hilarious pair, and both have their own issues working against them ending up together. Their banter is super fun and the side characters like Louise and the group of guy friends Kayla’s dad hangs with steal the show! This story has some steam, some laughs and a big heart. Recommend!
Lead Me Back is the first book by C.D. Reiss that I have the pleasure of reading, and will be going back to read more of her books. I loved following Kayla and Justin’s story, a little bit of Hollywood and high fashion mixed together. I loved the mixed characters that helped bring the book to life and look forward to read more from this author.
This was a fantastic Hollywood read!!
Kayla has been beat down by the very industry she loves in New York so she decides to move cross country and start again. Her first day in LA doesn’t get off to great start and things just keep getting more and more interesting. Justin is Hollywood rock star royalty turned actor but how the mighty fall when they mess up royally. Now there’s some woman at his grandmothers house and he needs to figure out her angle and get rid of her. Soon these two realize neither is who or what they thought they were and beneath the surface they both find something more. Something neither realized they were even looking for. But both have ghosts in their past that sometimes haunt you when you least expect it.
**Received ARC through NetGalley. Voluntarily reviewed**
I enjoyed Lead Me Back for a few reasons but I loved it because C.D. Reiss wrote a Hollywood story with a grandmother as a secondary character that actually played an important roll, which she named Louise and gave her the nickname Weeze . That’s probably not going to mean a whole lot to some of you, but it doesn’t matter because there’s plenty of other reason to #oneclick this book!
This is one of those stories that reads like magic. At its core, it’s just a story of two people fumbling thru getting to know each other and trying to make a go of it with a ton of obstacles in their way. But that’s just the core. The reality is that one is a celebrity and the other is one that is averse to said limelight, hence the obstacles. They both come with baggage they’d like to shed and history they’d like to move forward and away from and if they could just look past the trees and see the forest, they’d see the sensational future they have ahead of each other, together as a unit!
I thoroughly enjoyed the echo the story had to real life events and circumstances while also maintaining the illusion of romance fiction. This wasn’t a modern take of any tale, it was a fictional story embedded in modern day society’s circumstances and I for one enjoyed that realism. It added credibility to every action and reaction in the story and it allowed me to believe in the story wholeheartedly! Plus, the story was fun!!
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading this author’s work for many years and every time I read one of her books, I am reminded of what a powerhouse writer I believe her to be. It doesn’t matter what project she undertakes, whether it be a dark romance or a feel-good contemporary romance, they always have her signature edge to them that always keeps me on my toes while I read. They are always sexy, emotional, anticipatory, and passionate! I know I’m reading fiction but I feel enriched after I read them, every single time!
I got into this book without reading the blurb and what I found inside was beautiful.
A beautiful love story between an unique kind of characters. The sexy scenes were hot but what made me love this book were the inside voices of both characters, how the battle their problems for them, how the grow and love each other as a couple but also as the grow and learned to love themselves to the point to put their heart and carrier on the line.
It was a sweet and CD doing a more younger characters than what she usually writes was refreshing.
In these times we are having some sweet, funny and sexy read is a good way to get away from the craziness
Sooo goood!! I love this author and her spectacular storytelling and swoon-worthy characters. It’s hard to believe but this might be my favorite! I know…crazy. But this is crazy good. There maybe a few little things but didn’t matter because this has all the feels from the panty-melting couple to the endearing family to the crazy friends. It’s fairly obvious who the muse is for Justin but soon this hero is separated from the muse quickly as his personality comes out as the boy band hottie that’s now navigating adult life as the douchecore bad boy running from papz, fans, bad publicity and rotten choices. But he is so much more and I fell in love with this fabulous bad boy. I fell even harder for the feisty fashion designer, Kayla. Her story is right out of the Me2 movement and rang true without being overly salacious. My heart broke a little not only for these characters but also for the real life heroines in this modern day tragedy. I loved Kayla’s family and background. The fast build of Justin and Kayla’s relationship was hilarious as he tried to navigate this firecracker’s lack of game playing and fan girling. His entitled existence held little relevance in her world as she struggled to regain her career on the other side of the country even if she couldn’t outrun her past, especially when his spotlight landed on her. Their attraction was mutual and their chemistry sizzled. Sexy and sweet! I really loved the growth of Justin in the story and Kayla part in his maturation. I’ve got to give a shout out to Wizzy, Justin grandma. Love her zaniness! I was hoping we would get more stories from this fabulous world. I was curious about Justin’s twin. Or maybe…Kayla’s dad. That would be interesting and a different direction. Anyhoo, this story is absolutely terrific and a must read. Loved it! I voluntarily reviewed an ARC.
If you are looking for a phenomenal plot, with solid characters, Heat, and hilarious banter, this is for you…
Kayla… In a hurry to get out of New York and move to Cali, the story starts when she’s given a new phone #. Who used to be someone quite popular.
Justin…. His life is on tilt. He’s floundering. And then a sweet, sassy, takes no sh*t chica brings flowers to his grandma…
I devoured this. So much. Well written. All in my feels. The heat!!! The ironic humor.
Highly recommend!
CD Reiss
Somehow on Kayla’s first day in LA, she winds up with a ticket, out money buying flowers for some woman who dialed her by mistake, and ended up meeting (and not being impressed by) Justin Beckett, former boybander now trying for a career in Hollywood. And he finagles her into being some sort of receptionist for him, being that she has his old phone number and keeps receiving calls meant for him. She didn’t want to admit it then, but she is highly attracted to the douchebro. The guy she has major chemistry with, even when it’s unwanted. And it manifests in witty, snarky banter that made the story for me. But can a relationship flourish when one of them has a past she hasn’t shared, and the other is severely limited by his handlers on whom he can associate with.
My favorite part of this story, aside from the snark between the two, is Kayla. She’s so not impressed by this Justin Bieber wannabe, she’s confident and strong, and she doesn’t throw herself or swoon over a guy she’s not even sure she likes until she reaches past his outer facade to the real person inside. And speaking of Justin, I gotta say, and I know it’s probably not a popular opinion, but I didn’t really like him. He’s too much like Justin Bieber (whom I absolutely cannot stand) for about 90% of the story, and even at the end when he turned around, I didn’t connect with him. The story itself, though, and Kayla, are pretty great – sexy, witty, and fun.
*Audiobook*
4 STARS
Lead Me Back is a must read contemporary/celebrity romance written by CD Reiss. I devoured this story in one day. I adored the chemistry and connection between Kayla and Justin. Kayla is a fashion designer in New York, but has just packed up and moved to L.A. for a fresh start. Along the way she meets Justin in an unusual way but both are intrigued immediately and there are instant sparks. Justin was previously a rock star, now an actor who has a drama filled past. He is trying to settle down and lead a less dramatic lifestyle with the spotlight off of him. He is committed to making some changes in his life and career. Justin waivered back and forth on committing to Kayla because of his past and it honestly took away from his character and was a bit off putting at times. There were some heavier topics in this story that had the potential to make this a 5 star read but I felt that they were glossed over and the storyline not developed enough. Louise was my absolute favorite of the secondary characters. She is Justin grandmother and is hilarious and witty and added SO much to this story.
Joe Arden is a top favorite narrator and I can never get enough of his voice. He narrates with such passion and power in his voice. LOVE IT. Emma Wilder’s voice is sweet and sultry and she played the perfect part of Kayla.
This is about Kayla, who is trying to make a new living, away from her past. She wants to be free of what had happened in New York. The moment she arrive in LA, she met Justin who offered her to be a buffer and take any calls from his ex-band members. He’s trying to clean up his act and he needed to stay away from them after what happened a few months back, because his reputation was dragged through the mud. They both need a do over and a brand new clean image. Could they do it together or will Justin have to let Kayla go?
This was a fun story to read, I enjoyed it. And Louise really stole the show. Her antics are just so funny, and she made me think she really killed her boyfriend.
Lead Me Back by CD Reiss follows one of my favorite tropes, celebrity romances. Justin Beckett is in need of help. Finding fame young, he is a musician turned actor trying to turn his image around after some bad decisions. When he meets Kayla, things just fit and she finds himself being his assistant. But Kayla has her own past she is trying to forget. Can they find a way to mesh two very different lives when things get tough?
I loved their witty banter and slow burn romance. Lead Me Back by CD Reiss was a sweet and charming story and one I recommend.
Happy reading!
5.5 Stars
It seems the more I like a story the more difficult it is to write a review, and I honestly don’t know where to begin with Lead Me Back. I absolutely loved this story, and more importantly, the main characters. Despite their young age, Kayla and Justin were mature beyond their years; both were trying to escape their scandalous past and people’s erroneous perceptions of them. I loved the banter between them, every interaction was just sheer joy to read, and the writing is flawless.
I’m usually reluctant to read NA/YA romance. I’m afraid I’ll be hung up on the age of the characters, or that they’ll be immature brats, and I won’t be able to overlook these factors and enjoy the story. There’s nothing to fear here, this romance just swept me away, I completely forgot their age and concentrated on this fabulous story. This is a slow burn, my particular favorite sub trope, and once they connect it’s explosive and so exciting you’ll be fanning yourself.
“People talked about new beginnings as if you could start them with a single step anytime. But the big ones took effort. You had to wipe out old decisions and give up stale emotional investments. Stuff had to go. Gone. Gone. Gone.”
Kayla Montgomery left NYC headed to LA with a van filled with everything she owned, including a few bolts of fabric. The young fashion designer had been blacklisted there after a scandalous incident and was hoping to start over, a fresh start. Her dad and sister lived in LA, so she had someone waiting for her.
“Lies turned into revenge. Revenge tuned into blackmail. My résumé went from calling card to indictment.”
Justin Beckett knew all about scandals. As a member of a famous boy band that had broken up after an incident the press misconstrued and blew out of proportion, he was Hollywood’s current bad boy. Luckily Justin landed on his feet, with a starring role in a movie, but he missed his bandmates. They’d been lifelong friends, but no one was speaking to him, due to that damn incident. At least his grandmother, Louise, was on his side and had his back.
“It was always Justin. All their lives revolved around you. Like you were a deity they had to follow into parties and back out. It was your needs. Your habits. Your pathetic need for validation.”
When Kayla unexpectedly receives a phone call on her new number, this mistake sets off a chain of events she never imagined, proving sometimes all you need is to take a leap of faith. There are some amazing secondary characters that added so much more to the story and lots of laughs. I hated saying goodbye to Justin and Kayla, but the epilogue made it a little bit easier to do so. Is it too soon for a re-read? Asking for a friend.
“Everything I’d done and had failed to do had followed me thousands of miles like an empty can tied to my ankle on a long string.”
I loved Ms Reiss’s previous Hollywood romances so I had to read this one, guess I am just unable to resist the ordinary girl who gets to fall in love with the Hollywood star.
Justin came across as arrogant, entitled and selfish at the beginning of the book especially when he first met Kayla by accident when she gets his old phone number. His Gran calls (and what a character she is!) and suddenly Kayla finds herself doing a favour for someone she has never met. Luckily Justin manages to sort of redeem himself when he gets her a job on on the film set which is where sparks start to fly between them. Though start to fall for each other they both have issues to deal with from recent events which are threatening both of their careers. Kayla to leave New York in disgrace, and Justin’s behaviour caused him to be cut off from the rest of his band.
This is a slow burn romance dealing with some serious issues that have to be resolved before the end, but the story is captivating and emotional and I loved it right to the end.
3.75- 4 stars. This was a good book! Lead Me Back is a standalone book and is Justin and Kayla’s story. After a disastrous job situation in the fashion industry in NYC, Kayla leaves for LA to live near her sister and reacquaint herself with her estranged father. On her first day in town, she gets a new, local cell phone number. Her first call is from a older woman looking for her grandson, Justin, to do her a favor. Kayla doesn’t know who Justin is, but she decides to do the favor for the older lady herself. When she arrives at the lady’s house, she meets her grandson, who is actually Justin Beckett, the famous bad boy, boy band hottie. His band has recently broken up after some major drama and tabloid news. Justin changed his number to try to keep from being dragged in the band’s drama and to clean up his reputation by distancing himself from the members. But he decides he still wants his messages from his old number and he is attracted to Kayla. So he hires her to give him his messages. So begins a fun flirtation between them. They both like each other and eventually begin a relationship. The two have to deal with Justin’s drama and Kayla’s past, but they come out together strong and in love in the end.
I really liked Justin and Kayla. Justin was a different kind of hero. He was part Justin Beiber and part Justin Timberlake to me. He was a modern guy and a star, but was really a doll and a sweetheart. He only had eyes for Kayla. Kayla herself was a sweet and snarky, take no stuff from others, kind of girl. She wasn’t blinded by Justin’s star power. But once she got to know him, she only had eyes for Justin too and was good at standing up for herself and not letting herself get walked all over. The two of them made a great match and had lots of fun banter. This was a safe, “low angst between the couple”, witty read. Even though Justin was a star, I never felt a power imbalance between the couple. The story was good and the writing as well. I really enjoyed this one.
Overall, this was an entertaining, sexy and sweet read! I enjoyed seeing Justin and Kayla’s relationship develop. I look forward to more from Ms. Reiss in the future.
CD Reiss is an automatic one-click author for me. No matter what she writes, I will read it.
Lead Me Back is more of a light contemporary romance for Ms Reiss, but don’t count it out. That’s what plenty of people want now. Nice romance, low drama and chemistry. You definitely will get that with Justin and Kayla. CD Reiss still made me want to follow the story of a young ex-boybander and the fashion designer woman who falls for him.
Ironically enough, while I was reading this book, I was listening to another book that had a famous musician falling for a “regular woman”. So obviously it isn’t an original idea for a romance, but the characters and their journeys couldn’t have been more different. I mean, you take a kind of douchey ex-boybander (Justin) trying to make it on his own because of things that have happened in and with the group members and throw in a woman (Kayla) that is trying to forget her past in NY and make a name for herself in California and you get a fun and entertaining romance. You get CD Reiss’ LA! She writes LA and it’s characters in a way that you feel that you belong there and as if you know these people.
Justin and Kayla’s story told in dual POV starts with her getting Justin’s old phone number when she goes to get a local number when moving to California. The two end up meeting because of his grandmother. I love that spry old lady! I love this idea and what could happen when you get a new number. That was fun and original. What if you ended up with someone’s old phone number that happened to be famous? This is one take on what could happen and it is fun and filled with some great one liners from these two.
“The only thing a period ends is a sentence.”
Justin is kind of douche (see above ), but it fits him and his character. Because he’s also sweet and always looking out for everyone else. He’s obviously younger, but he’s also misunderstood. And when he meets Kayla, he has met his match. He’s used to everyone falling at his feet and telling him YES. Kayla is tough, hard and willing to tell him NO, but she also has a heart of gold. She may me hard on the outside, but she can soften for the right touch.
I liked these two characters and their banter. They were fun and entertaining and sexy. Their story was more light, but the stuff that happened to them before they met each other was a bit more drama filled. I liked that we got to touch on those aspects and their story came full circle so they could be with each other after ‘fixing their pasts.’
Need a lighter CD Reiss book? You got it. You’re not getting her “normal” more intense and alpha filled book, but you’re still getting a story that is so LA. Bright lights, big city and a couple of up and coming characters that you will be sure to enjoy. 3.75 star