ARC Review: Midnight Blue by L.J. Shen

“…this was a good read but it’s not going down as my favorite L.J. Shen book I’ve read.”
~ Under the Covers

I’ve only read books in one series by this author and I was very curious to read something different and see how I would enjoy a different world from her. MIDNIGHT BLUE was a nice taste of her style and it was an entertaining read. However, I also had some issues with it.

This book is about a young rock star who lost his ex and went on a downward spiral with drugs and alcohol. He basically needs a babysitter to make sure he stays clean and on track for the remainder of the tour. This is where the heroine, Indie, comes in. She desperately needs the money and is ready to put up with just about anything to get it.

This isn’t necessarily an original plot from the outside. Actually when I started reading it, I felt it was a sexier version of WHEN IT’S REAL. Not to say it’s exactly the same, but the plot felt very similar to me. Maybe this is also why I tend not to read too many rock star romances anymore, but I digress. I actually got to like the hero of this story by the end. Yes, he’s kind of the typical hero I expect from L.J. Shen because she writes unapologetic jerks. If you’re offended by those, then stay away. But there was a small soft spot in my heart that grew for him.

While I didn’t really have issues with the characters, I had a hard time with two things. The first was the pacing. The first 50-60% of this book is very sexy. VERY. But the rest of the story around all that sexual tension and talk (and everything else) felt like it was dragging. Then in the second half it was the opposite. It was like the storyline went into overdrive and the sexy disappeared. It felt very unbalanced and not smooth, and for that reason I found myself getting a bit distracted while reading it.

The second thing was the plot twist in the end. I know it was meant to be this clever thing in the end and it just didn’t work for me. I had such a hard time believing the thought process behind it and it’s hard to explain what I mean without giving spoilers, so you’ll just have to not understand what I’m saying other than it’s about the connections LOL But it just didn’t work.

And I also found it hard to believe that the hero was so heartbroken about his ex in the beginning and that by the end he had such a deep connection with Indie. Yes, their romance developed nicely and I thought they had a sweet connection. But it didn’t feel like it was enough to overcome his deep affection for his ex, other than maybe making me feel like he was being a spoiled brat throwing a tantrum at the beginning instead of being truly heartbroken and betrayed.

Overall, this was a good read but it’s not going down as my favorite L.J. Shen book I’ve read.

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[about-author author=”L J Shen”]