Suddenly in Love: A Lake Haven Novel, Book 1 (Unabridged‪)‬

First time I've read a contemporary romance from Ms. London. I've always been a fan of her historical romances and read a lot of them. Really enjoyed this- the humor, the characters- Mia and her family and Mia's quirkiness and her romance with Brennan. I'm going to read the next in the series right now " Suddenly Dating" and hope I enjoy it just as much.

Once again Julia London has me raving over another contemporary romance. Most people who know me know I devour new adult books and absolutely love them. What most people don’t know is I stay away from straight contemporary because I find so many of them tedious. There are however a few exceptions in this genre, Sandra Brown and Julia London to name a few. Both these women write such well-crafted and rounded out stories that my feels are always on alert and often times this makes me very uncomfortable. The difference with these authors is I feel their characters emotions are mirroring the readers and always have a care with them ensuring a satisfying outcome, whether it be a HEA or a HFN ending.
Mia is back home in Lake Haven after a failed attempt for years at using her fine arts degree in The Big Apple. Unsure of her place in the world, she knows it’s not in her old bedroom and the old town she gladly shed in an effort to escape past traumatic events. Brennan Yates is the front-man for a popular band whose life is spiraling out of control, in part due to the loss of his good friend and bandmate to a drug overdose. He chooses to hideout in his mother’s newly acquired house on Lake Haven. While Mia goes to work for her aunt’s interior design company, Brennan is content to numb his pain with drink.
What I liked about this book is there really isn’t a lightning bolt scene, instead there are a series of tiny awakenings. Not just in the discovery of one another, but in the discovery of what it means to be whole and what it means to live a truly authentic life. That dreams are wonderful and you should definitely give them your all, but while working toward them, you really need to fill your life with things and people you love, who see, accept and love who you are in return.
Through learning about one another, they discover what they will and won’t settle for anymore in their lives. Before I knew it, I felt like a stronger and healthier person having walked their story with them. I felt like these were my friends, I knew them so intimately, a true testament to the writer. And speaking of intimate, I will leave here where I began, with my love of new adult books. I love the graphic quality of new adult and will admit that I would have loved to see more sex scenes in this book, however, the scenes the author does share are fulfilling and fit perfectly with the genre of this book.
If you’re looking for a book with loads of emotion but without all the hand wringing angst that is so common in today’s romances, this is the book for you.

A rock star in the midst of a creative crisis and a creative misfit struggling to find her way are thrown together in this new story from Julia London, with a premise that could feel rather ‘been there done that’. Fortunately, this story carried such wonderful characters both at points in their lives where a new direction is not only wanted but possible.

Mia is back in East Beach living with her parents and working for her aunt’s home design firm. Supremely creative with an eye for color and the ability to pair items in new and different ways, she’s not had an easy time chasing her dreams of artistic glory, and this is her time to sort out her next direction.

Brennan is a rock star, used to accolades and yes men, but has reached his own creative crossroads. Staying in his mother’s mansion on Lake Haven, he’s wandering around without the trappings of stardom as he tries to formulate his new plan. He’s not made a wonderful impression on Mia – his manners were brusque and he’s used to being the approached, not the one who needs to make an effort.

Together these two are suffering through their own crisis of direction, but to see them use the small town as an escape to hide from the issues that are waiting worked nicely – there are sparks and an attraction, but just how long will Brennan be able to not share a very large part of his life with Mia. And she’s wonderful: kind but honest, she’s not afraid to tell Brennan when he is being an idiot – and those moments give him plenty of food for thought – it’s been years since anyone confronted him or his behavior honestly.

But – when the cover is blown thanks to Mia’s friend who is far more tuned into the celebrated and famous than Mia, things could go horribly pear shaped. While the close to idyllic summer romance is suddenly far more complicated and involved than Mia expected or desired… well – you’ll just have to read the story to find out.

These two are well-built and completely believable, with issues that are relevant to them and readers alike. London’s ability to present how both Mia and Brennan see the world with their own unique perspectives is wonderfully descriptive and easy to visualize, bringing the reader a fuller understanding. A wonderful start to a new contemporary series.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.