What if you are my dream?”Guilt and failure hold me down until a sexy musician brings adventure…brings joy. But what will become of me when our adventure is done? Good Girl Mia feels guilty for her brother’s death. It was her kidney that killed him, after all. Four years later, Mia is back home, trying to pretend that she’s got it all together. She’s set to take over the family car dealership … got it all together. She’s set to take over the family car dealership and is determined to never make her mama cry again. But she’s also running from the guilt and a boy who never really loved her.
Derek Waters has just signed with a record label and is determined to spend his summer touring with his band, far away from his alcoholic dad and the whole L.A. scene. Dealing with anyone of the female persuasion is the last thing on his mind.
When the soulful musician enters Mia’s world, she finds herself setting aside everything she thought she wanted for an adventure she never saw coming. For some reason, she wants this gorgeous man to know her story. The story of a girl who gave a body part to save a brother that everyone wanted to survive more than the girl herself…and how that hadn’t worked out.
But what will become of Good Girl Mia when their short-lived adventure is all over?
Inspired by Ed Sheeran love songs, comes a novel by award-winning author, LJ Evans, about forgiveness, love, and healing.
The My Life as an Album Series is a set of interconnected standalone novels.
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After coming off of all of the emotions from book one, I am not sure I could have loved another book in the series more, but I am not going to lie, I fell for Mia and Derek, and I fell hard.
My Life as a Pop Album has a little bit of an insta love vibe, which is definitely not usually my jam, but this story was so well done and these characters balance each other out so well that I couldn’t help rooting for them from the start. Mia needed someone to help ease her sadness and guilt and just live and be happy and someone who would make her a priority and help her know she was important to them. Derek needed someone who would love and appreciate him for him. And I absolutely adored Jane and her role in the story!!!
This story was sweet, romantic and just everything. I loved that two people with two very different lives could find a middle ground and build a life that they both deserved and would absolutely love.
The audiobook of this story was absolutely fantastic. Sarah Puckett did a wonderful job as both Mia and Derek. She is so pleasant and soothing to listen to and her voice just brings out all of the emotions of the story. I am swiftly becoming a lifetime fan of this author’s work and I am only on book two. I cannot wait to dive in to book three.
I’m a sucker for a rock star hero. Ya know, these books aren’t clean romances (which, it pretty much all I read), but Evans has such a way with words and characters and music and weaving together life, that I just have to read them because I learn new things about myself and relearn lessons that are crucial to life. This book is totally different from the first in the series, and I loved it. There was a lot of inner growing going on.
Holy Potato Peels, this was SO GOOD!
Good Girl Mia is the sister of Jake from book one. After listening to that audiobook, I knew I needed her story. And what a story it was.
A road trip romance? Okay!
An opposites attract? Yes, please!!
A very well-written and emotional and captivating story with a swoon-worthy hero? Oh my gahd, give it to me now, YES!
With each turn of the page, this story got better and better. My love grew stronger and stronger. You know those romances where the hero eventually does something wrong or does something he shouldn’t, something that totally screws up the relationship with the heroine? Yeah…no…that did not happen with Derek. He just kept getting more and more lovable as the story progressed.
The ways he showed Mia he cares, the ways he helped her step out of her shell, the patience he showed her, the support he gave…my goodness, Derek was everything! He captured my heart from the very moment he entered the story. A rockstar with a huge heart. I was smitten! He’s understanding and protective and so very caring and loving and OMGosh, I could go on and on. Trust me when I say he’s a BBF you’ll fall for immediately.
Romantic? Yes.
Passionate. Most definitely.
Sexy AF who will do anything for his girl? OMFG YESSSSS.
LJ’s words are poetic, pure magic. The music references, the playlist, all absolutely perfect. Especially since I love Ed Sheeran!
How Would You Feel? Oh em gee. The feels!! This story was full of them, but when Derek sang that song for Mia? Emotional doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt. It gave me chills and brought some tears and I just wanted to hug someone.
I absolutely adored this story and its characters… every single word. From beginning to end, I was captivated. It’s full of ooey-gooey goodness and gave me all the warm fuzzies.
Just like book one, this one has so much heart, so much passion, and all the heart-grabbing, heart-squeezing goodness that will make you never want to put this down. That, my reader friends, is the magic of LJ Evans’ words.
The narrator for the audiobook was perfect.
And guess what?
I’ll be diving right into book 3!!
Mia is living her life with guilt surrounding her brothers death…but she keeps the guilt hidden from friends and family. She feels it’s her place to make sure her parents and friends are okay and is always trying to be happy even though she’s suffering. Along comes Derek…totally unexpected and different. An opportunity for Mia to take a 3 week road trip with Derek comes up and she takes a chance, outside of her normal comfort zone, and heads out on the road.
Their journey reveals past hurts that they share, mourn and resolve together. This is a beautiful love story filled with family, forgiveness, friendship and acceptance.
Once I started My Life As A Pop Album there was no turning back. I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH! I wasn’t sure if anything could live up to Cam and Jake but Mia and Derek absolutely held their own. Like the first book in this series, every chapter of this book starts out with a song lyric only this time they are all songs by Ed Sheeran He is one of my favs so listening to the playlist was a total blast! Mia’s journey of healing from terrible grief to falling so epically in love and then learning to forgiving herself for the immense guilt she carries was so beautifully written that it will do nothing short of pull at every single one of your heartstrings. The icing on the cake of this book was Derek, he was totally book boyfriend swoon worthy. This series has quickly become one of my very favorites and I am so excited to HIGHLY RECOMMEND all of you read it. I am not just saying that because LJ Evans is an absolute gem of a person but because her writing has a way of just immediately sucking you into the lives of her characters. You become so wrapped up in them that you never want to leave, so much so that I am always a little sad when her books come to an end. Luckily she has quite a few more to keep me busy!
SIGHT!!! I’m so smitten by this story, this is one of those books that makes you grin the entire time throughout it, it’s so heartwarming, with some funny moments and so many swooning ones, I loved every minute of it.
It was fantastic seeing how Mia went from being “Good girl Mia” to a more open, sassy, adventurous o Mia. She had so much weight on her shoulders, and carried so much guilt, blaming herself for what happened to Jake. But then, thanks to Derek she starts getting out of her cocoon and start seeing the world different and she became a better version of herself. As for Derek, gosh that guy, he was fantastic and the chemistry between him and Mia was everything. And Jane the Kitten, such a cute addition to the book.
Another thing I really liked were the updates we had from Cam and Blake, that make me so happy because I love that couple so much and Cam really deserved so much happiness.
What can I say for the narration, it’s Sarah Puckett!!! I’m so happy she got to narrate this second book, because her voice is perfect for the story, I can listen to her voice everyday without getting tired of it. It was perfect.
AUDIOBOOK OBSESSION
***This can be read as a Standalone but there is a major spoiler for book 1 so I HIGHLY recommend reading in order***
L J Evans continues to wow me in this series. Book 1 crushed me but this one moved me I other ways. So much emotion. (Spoiler for book 1- but you know this if you read the blurb). My heart broke for Mia and her guilt over Nate’s death and well as her self imposed “sidekick” status. She lived so much in his shadow and it was beautiful to see Derek get the “Little Bird” to fly free on her own. Derek has some on his own demons and guilt but they truly helped each other become their true selves. It was lighter that book one but still filled with emotion and I was swooning for Derek just like I did for Nate (maybe even more so – I’m a sucker for musicians)
Bonus to see Cam and Blake happy together too. I’m so loving this series and it’s quickly becoming a favorite.
** Audiobook review ** What a FANTASTIC story about grief, forgiveness, healing, taking chances and finding love! This is the second book in “my life as an album” series and this one pulled at my heartstrings & emotions just as hard as the first book. Immediately after I recovered from listening to book #1 in this series (it shattered me to my core in the best possible way), I HAD to download book #2 on audible. Sarah Puckett is a phenomenal narrator and LJ Evans has a way of reaching deep into your soul and making you go thru ALL the emotions reading (or listening to) this series. The way she uses song lyrics within her books will have you hearing those songs in a completely different light. I highly recommend listening (or reading if audiobooks aren’t your thing) to this series.
Mia has guilt about her brother, a broken heart regarding her ex boyfriend. Her life changed when she met Derrick! Derrick, the goodlooking , confident , sexy musician that enjoyed life. He challenged her, took her out if her comfort zone. Then why did she feel guilty when she started to enjoy life? Derrick taught her life’s circumstances cannot be changed, and shouldn’t feel guilty for something you don’t have control over.
Sarah Puckett is.a.wonderful.narrator. She tells this story with such emotion! audiobookobessionreviewer
I couldn’t put this one down and really didn’t want it to end! I absolutely loved Mia and Derek. I want to be friends with all of the characters in this series! LJ Evans ability to weave songs and feelings into a book truly amazes me. Her words paint such a picture that I feel like I’m there. I don’t know how she does it but I don’t want her to stop!! There are not enough stars for this one!
I listened to the audible version. While you wouldn’t have to read the first book to follow the story, several characters from it feature prominently and there are more than a few references to events in the first book. I would highly recommend reading My Life as a Country Album before My Life as a Pop Album.
I think the concept of relating chapters to songs brings more dimension to the story. I fully expected to recognize more of the songs in the pop version than in the country edition, however I’m apparently not familiar with the names or lyrics of many Ed Sheeran songs. Overall, I recognized 2 songs, though I suspect I would have recognized more if I heard the music.
Sarah Puckett did very well with the audible performance. With the tie in to music, I think would have been neat to feature the songs or sing the lyrics for the audio version.
#AudiobookObsession
I listened to the audio version of this book and it’s Amazing! The story was so beautiful. Everyone grieves differently. Sometimes people feel irrational guilt. Often you have more in common with others than you think. A wonderful story about moving on. Not forgetting, but overcoming. I grew up as good girl Mia always following the rules so I could very much relate. The narration by Sarah Puckett is brilliant.
**Audio Review*
This Audiobook is a Must!!
I loved book 1 and couldn’t wait to listen to this one. Again, I was blown away. I was instantly pulled in to the story of Mia and Derek. Both having past stories of their own, they were able to come together and begin to heal each other with just their own personalities. Mia was a good girl who tried to make every one around her feel good, not allowing herself to heal after tragedy had struck her family hard. Derek has lived a life void of the love he wanted. Yes he had those that loved him, but he was looking for more. They come together for the three week adventure of their lives. I felt like I was on this adventure with them.
Sarah Puckett is an amazing narrator! I dont know if she is already a southern girl, but she was able to project the perfect southern accent for Tennessee girl Mia!! I really enjoyed listening to her narration!
My only complaint would be that I wanted to hear more…I wsnted their story to continue. I wanted kids! But I must say, their story did have the perfect ending! 5 amazing stars from me and I definitely recommend this audiobook!!!!
This is a truly amazing story. It’s Mia’s story and her three week journey with a hot, up and coming Rock Star Derek Waters. On this journey Mia finds love, but most importantly she finds away to forgive herself for a death, that of her beloved brother Jake and the guilt she has been carrying around for four years.
Sarah Puckett did a fantastic job and brought life to these characters with her narration.
PS, this is a standalone, but to better understand Mia you should listen to My life as a country album to get the full impact of Mia’s grief, (that is if you haven’t already)
Reviewed for Audiobook Obsession
4.5 Stars for Audio Review of My Life As A Pop Album
This is my first book by this author and although I haven’t read or listened to book 1 that took nothing away from the enjoyment of this book, it can truly be read as a stand-alone. This is Derek and Mia’s story and boy do they have a journey for you, so hop on and enjoy the ride…..
In this book we get to follow the emotional ride of young love for Mia and Derek we get to see their relationship develop, we follow this couple on a ride of self discovery as well as finding true love. This is an emotional book that at times is full of pain, guilt and suffering and I have to say my heart broke for Mia but this book was worth every gasp every sigh and every tear because the other side of this story was the humour, the giggles and me smiling like a Cheshire Cat. I loved Derek he is hot, he is kind and he is prepared to do what ever is needed for the woman he loves , for me this book ticked all my boxes and I urge you to one click this great book. Sarah Puckett did a great job with the narration, she got all the emotions as well as the humour and for me she certainly made this an enjoyable listen.
I absolutely loved this sweet story! It’s was unputdownable for me. Also, I MIGHT be a sucker for hot guys with Abs, too
Good Girl Mia has done everything right in life. Graduated high school, went off to college and then back home to run the family business. She is determined to help her family in any way that she can, especially since the tragic death of older brother, which she still feels guilty about.
Derek, the hot AF musician, comes strolling into Mia’s place of business and her life. He has his own baggage that he’s dealing with, having grown up at the Playbabe Mansion and his dad is an alcoholic. Being on this tour is just what he needs. Only now, he wants Miss Mia to accompany him.
My Life as a Pop Album is inspired by Ed Sheeran songs. If you like sweet girls, musicians, music or abs you will love this one!
This is the second book in the My Life as an Album Series. This story can be listened as a standalone, but you don’t want to miss the first book! I love the introduction of the chapters with sentences from Ed Sheeran’s love songs (I love Ed Sheeran, so I think this is the best idea ever!)! Mia and Derek’s story is sweet, and beautifully written. They share beautiful and instant attraction. The storyline is filled with angst and guilt. I love the ending. Mia is Jake’s sister, and Cammy’s friend, characters from the book 1 in this Series. I loved to see how things work for Jack and Cammy. Sarah Puckett did an amazing job with the narration. I enjoyed my listening. #AudiobookObsession
Audiobook Review:
My Life as a Pop album (My life as an Album, volume 2) is told like a love ballad with lyrics sprinkled at the beginning of each chapter. With a hard follow-up to Cam and Jake’s story, Mia’s (Jake’s younger sister) romance is not your cookie cutter popstar romance. More than just a romance, a tale of self-reproach, forgiveness, making strides, and go all-out for your dreams. Mia’s character is very compelling as well as a exemplar heroine. I love that Jake may be gone but never forgotten. Supporting character’s span across and pop up as needed. A meritorious contemporary flirtatious romance. My Life as a Country Album began my love affair with this series, My life as a Pop album continues to tear at my heart and soul. Oddles of love for this story and series. The writing style is exhilarating and highly captivating, with a music series that is not your typical middle-of-the-road music star romance. The narrative as well as the naration is a red-letter audiobook. One of my all time favourite audiobook series.
Narator Sarah Puckett is the perfect choice to narrate this spellbinding series. Her performance is flawless and addictive. Her tone, pitch, and voice changes with changing characters. I could spend 24 hours a day listening to audiobooks she narrates.
Audiobook Obsession
My Life As A Pop Album by LJ Evans is a novel inspired by Ed Sheeran love songs about forgiveness, love, and healing. This is book two in the My Life As An Album Series that I listened to on audio narrated by Sarah Puckett. I did not read book one and feel that you can read them as standalone books. This is the first book I have read by LJ Evans and it definitely won’t be my last. Sarah did an amazing job narrating. I loved the different voices she used for the characters. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a sweet romance.
#AudiobookObessionReviwer #AudioBookObsession
Wow! An amazing book written and narrated by to very talented people. You will feel every emotion with this book and if your like me, definitely shed some tears. A book that sucks you in and keeps you captive as if you were there yourself. This is a book that everyone must read!