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k2bookaholic

Kara the Book'aholic

I'm a mother, lifelong-student, avid reader, and reviewer. I'll give pretty much anything a shot, but my guilty pleasure is romance, especially if it's dark and full of suspense.

A Song for Josh  - Susan  Rodgers

A Song For Josh was a highly emotional read that’s filled with heartache, loss, despair, helplessness – essentially any emotion one would experience after suffering years of malevolence. Yet, it’s equally heartwarming and truly inspirational. It demonstrated that even if imprisoned by unrelenting darkness, one could still find redemption and truly live again through the powers of music, friendship, love, and simple acts of kindness.

 

The story began with a young Jessie and her loving, musician father. He taught his young daughter—his passion, escape, and salvation from the hardships of the world—the guitar. Music.

 

“Music is the salve to our souls in this bitter world.”

 

After his death, the twelve-year-old Jessie found herself with a new reality. It was full of depravity, loss, and destitution, so the young girl sought refuge in her music whenever possible.

 

Eight-years after her father’s death, the now hardened, twenty year-old Jessie was living on the Downtown Eastside in Vancouver where she performed on the streets. It was here that the philanthropic, famous actor Jack Deacon discovered her. He saw something in the young homeless girl. Through him, Jessie met Deidre and Charles Keating. Dee was a manager and Charles, a music producer. The power couple made Jessie into an Oscar winning superstar and loved her as if she were their own. Yet, Jessie was still numb. A shell of a girl, who only lived through her music. However, she didn’t truly live at all, at least not in any real sense of the word. That was until she met a kindred soul…

 

“Lost souls attract other lost souls.”

 

Since Jessie’s first encounter with Josh Sawyer, she noticed the haunted look in his eyes. It was the same look she saw whenever looking at herself in the mirror. She knew his pain; and therefore, instantly felt a connection. Jessie wanted to help him. She couldn’t explain it, but he evoked feelings in her that she’d thought were long gone and this terrified her. She never wanted to love again. She was afraid to lose another person that she cared deeply for. That’s why she’d always kept herself distant from everyone and why she didn’t really care about her fiancé Charlie’s philandering ways or his narcissistic behavior. She was detached and therefore safe. Her instincts told her to run, but an irrefutable pull made her want to surrender. You’ll have to read the book in order to see what happens ;-)

 

This was not an ordinary Hollywood'ish romance. It was seriously unlike any that I’d ever read before. Yes, it dealt with the typical angst that accompanies many famous relationships, but expect SO MUCH MORE! The subject matter was dark and both the primary and secondary characters were great. Now, I’m off to read book two, Promises.

 

“Here’s to secrets, and love, and all that bullshit.”

 

 

*I was provided with an ARR from the author in exchange for an honest review.