Nicole
Simone
To
Cherish and To Hold
3/10/2015
Blurb:
Luke and Marlene return in the follow up to
the Amazon best selling novel, Love of a Rockstar
Marlene Parker got her fairy tale ending. Luke Anderson, her one and only love and their darling little girl are finally a family again. However, nobody said marrying a rockstar is easy. The media is out for blood, groupies are singing on Marlene’s front lawn and people are deeming her the new Yoko Ono. If that wasn’t enough, there is a wedding to plan and pies to bake. An expert in chaos, Marlene doesn’t get easily stressed. That is, until an unexpected pregnancy digs up old insecurities, potentially threatening the life she has worked so hard to gain.
Will Marlene and Luke vow to cherish and to hold forever?
Or was their story never meant to be?
To Cherish and To Hold is a novella. Not a full length novel.
Marlene Parker got her fairy tale ending. Luke Anderson, her one and only love and their darling little girl are finally a family again. However, nobody said marrying a rockstar is easy. The media is out for blood, groupies are singing on Marlene’s front lawn and people are deeming her the new Yoko Ono. If that wasn’t enough, there is a wedding to plan and pies to bake. An expert in chaos, Marlene doesn’t get easily stressed. That is, until an unexpected pregnancy digs up old insecurities, potentially threatening the life she has worked so hard to gain.
Will Marlene and Luke vow to cherish and to hold forever?
Or was their story never meant to be?
To Cherish and To Hold is a novella. Not a full length novel.
My Review:
To Cherish and To Hold by Nicole SimoneMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Luke and Marlene are together with their daughter, and ready to get married. Even though they seem to have worked through some of the major issues in their lives, they still find themselves facing a lot of stress and conflict that they will hopefully be able to make it through in order to continue moving forward with their lives and family.
I feel I need to mention that I received and read this book without yet having read the first in the series. While the author does a good job of mentioning what went on in the first book, I definitely didn't have the connection with these characters that I would have had I known them through the situations the faced prior to ending up where they are now. I think that will make a difference for readers of this series. That said, it was clear that Marlene and Luke both went through a lot to get where they are now, and I was really hoping that they would be able to deal with the conflicts in their lives since they seemed to be very important to one another. I didn't agree with the way Marlene handled one particular challenge, but I was glad that she and Luke were able to hash things out. Marlene and Luke are both likable characters who have a very strong love for one another and their daughter. Despite the challenges they face due to Luke's fame and their tough history, they seem to be determined to have the happiness they deserve.
*An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review
Buy links:
About the Love of a
Rockstar Series:
Love
of a Rockstar (Love of a Rockstar #1)
Marlene Parker thought she met her soul mate at eighteen but when he left her pregnant and alone to pursue a life of rock n roll, she vowed to never love again. Now four years later, she is being offered the dream of a lifetime. Moving to France with her daughter to start anew. There is only one problem. Marlene’s formative ex is back in town, and his pull is strong as ever.
Luke Anderson has everything a man could want. Fame, fortune and enough beautiful women to last him a lifetime. That is until a young runaway shows him what is truly important. Family. A word in which plagues Luke with regret. As a scared twenty two year old he ran away from the love of his life and their unborn child. Now ready to reverse his biggest regret with only three days to do it, Luke’s fate hangs in the balance. The question is, will he be able to convince Marlene their love story deserves a second chance?
Buy links:
Excerpt:
The group of girls that had been holding a vigil since
the news broke Luke was quitting Five Guys was singing loudly and off key. In
the past week they’d been camped out, they’d gone through Five Guys’ extensive
song list. I wanted to shove extra thick cotton into my ears. Luke had almost
called the cops but his manager had discouraged it. He said feeding the hungry
vultures known as the media was just asking for trouble.
“You’re dead,” I reminded Luke gently. “Luke Anderson,
the rock star is no longer alive.”
“That was never me. I was always just Luke. They chose to see me that way,” he said,
referring to his fans.
“I know, but you built a brand.”
“I’m not a goddamn Pepsi can.”
“No, you’re handsome, brilliant, an amazing dad, and
the proud owner of Norma Jean’s. That will all come to light eventually. Be
patient.”
Luke dropped the curtain and faced me. Endless love
shined in his gaze. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“If I knew our future would be this….” My eyes darted
out of the window to where Luke’s groupies continued to sing. “Or whatever the
hell they wrote in some trashy magazine about our brilliant, adorable daughter,
then I wouldn’t have been so apt to jump on the bandwagon.”
Luke flinched as if my statement physically wounded
him. “Geez, don’t hold back or anything.”
I wrenched my hand away as I stood. It wasn’t his fault
his career had an abnormally bright spotlight, but it also was. He chose the
life of a musician. Nobody had forced it upon him. Fury blazed in my line of
sight. I wanted to punch the reporters, the god-awful groupies who teased Luke
with their cleavage, and whoever else messed with the second chance he’d been
given with his family.
“I’m going to go for a run,” I said.
He raised an eyebrow. “You don’t run.”
Turning on my heels, my body hummed with pent up
aggression, waiting and ready to be released. “I do now.”
That fiancé of mine melted my defenses like nobody
else. While having Luke gone for a month sounded as appealing as a root canal,
I would be a selfish idiot to force him to stay home. He’d made the ultimate
sacrifice for Nil and me, showing us he wasn’t the same man. Therefore, I had
to trust that the past wouldn’t repeat itself. Luke would come back to us.
How did you come up with the idea for this
story?
From my curiosity about what it’s like to be left behind when
you’re spouse pursues their dreams.
Where do you find your inspiration?
The world around me, which is a cliché answer but it’s the
truth. I love going on adventures and soaking in different cultures.
Is there anything you find particularly
challenging in your writing?
I don’t find the act itself hard but I do find the ability to
sit down and focus to be a challenge on a daily basis.
What are your current projects?
I’m currently working on the next installment in the Love of a
Rockstar series called Broken Lullabies. It’s about Matthew, the lead singer of
Five Guys and Camilla.
Tell us about your first book. What would
readers find different about the first one and your most recent published work?
If I’m being honest, an improvement in the quality of writing is
probably the most glaring difference between my first novel and my most recent
published work. Practice makes perfect.
Is there a message in your novel that you
want readers to grasp?
I want my readers to walk away with the notion that no matter
how hard life is at the moment; a happy ever after is in arms reach.
Does music play any type of role in your
writing?
It doesn’t. I’m easily distracted and have to have complete
silence to write.
Are experiences based on someone you know,
or events in your life?
What’s that saying? Write what you know.
What books have influenced your life most?
The Weetzie Bat Books by Francesca Le Block
sparked the creative juices and I haven’t been able to put down the pen since.
Are there any new authors that have grasp
your interest?
Lily Paradis is relative newcomer to the scene and just released
her second novel, Volition. Besides being a gifted writer, she is also talented
at social media marketing. I have watched her gain readers by the trunkful over
a short period of time. I could defiantly learn a thing or two from her.
Can you share a little of your current work
with us?
I actually shared the first two chapters of Broken Lullabies at
the end of To Cherish and To Hold.
Do you have anything specific that you want
to say to your readers?
Thank you a million times over for loving my characters as much
as I do.
How can readers discover more about you and
your work?
You are more than welcome to stalk my social media pages where I
post updates and sneak peeks of my latest WIP.
Do you have a special time to write? How is
your day structured writing-wise?
I usually write in the mornings till late afternoon with
intermittent breaks.
Why did you choose to write Contemporary
Romance stories?
I wrote a plethora of different genres before I settled on
Contemporary Romance. It’s simply what comes most naturally for me.
What is for you the perfect book hero?
My perfect book hero is complicated with tons of layers to peel
back and reveal.
When you start a book, do you already have
the whole story in your head or is it built progressively?
I have the basic plot line in my head but the characters form
themselves.
When and why did you begin writing?
I began writing at such an early age that’s unclear why exactly
I started. If I had to guess though, it was probably because I liked the
fiction world better than reality. Always have.
When did you first consider yourself a
writer?
I think the moment my short story won first prize in a
literature contest. That’s when it dawned on me that I didn’t want writing to
be a hobby. I wanted it to be a career.
List three books you have recently read and
would recommend.
The Secret Place by Tana French
Chasing Me by Jennifer Probst
Becoming Rain by K.A Tucker
Tell us something that people would be surprised
you know how to do.
I know how to do a headstand without falling on my ass.
Will you write more about these characters?
While Luke and Marlene’s story is over,
they will make the occasional appearance in Broken Lullabies.
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