Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols

Aug 14, 2012 Melannie :) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2013, to-re-read, read-2013, stand-alone, ya-contemporary-challenge-2013, read-2015, read-2018

JENN ECHOLS HAS A COUNTRIFIED NEW BOOK!

YEEHAW!

I cannot believe this, it combines my love for all things country and my love for all things Jennifer Echols!

I HAZ THE PERFECT GIF!

Now this is Julie & Bailey. Julie in all her sparkling glory while Bailey is chopped off the picture, you can only see part of her violin and some leg.
Are you already rooting for her??
I KNOW.

All that's left to say is:

And get ready for some mindblowing awesomeness

_______________________________

I can’t tell you for sure ...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Ashley rated it did not like it

Shelves: e-arc, arc

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Nose Graze — Young Adult book reviews

This review contains unmarked spoilers. I simply cannot write the review without them!

There is one big, massive problem with Dirty Little Secret, and it comes in the form of a seriously big douchebag named Sam—the love interest. Before I talk about what a massive asshat he is, let me give you a bit of essential background information.

Bailey always played the fiddle and sang with her sister, Julie. They were a duet for years and years and years. Then, Julie go ...more

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Jul 15, 2013 Stacia (the 2010 club) rated it liked it

Shelves: new-adult-college, contemporary-romance

Fantasy : Nashville Stardom
Reality : Bad costumes and a grabby Elvis wanna-be.

2.5 stars. I think I'm starting to understand a little bit why Echols has a faithful following. I'm not entirely positive that she's the author for me, but at least I think I get it now.

I'm sure that Echols probably mixes it up quite a bit more from the little bit I've read, but the style I've witnessed so far is simple, quiet, and slightly offbeat. I can respect that. Often, the beauty is in the details. T

Fantasy : Nashville Stardom
Reality : Bad costumes and a grabby Elvis wanna-be.

2.5 stars. I think I'm starting to understand a little bit why Echols has a faithful following. I'm not entirely positive that she's the author for me, but at least I think I get it now.

I'm sure that Echols probably mixes it up quite a bit more from the little bit I've read, but the style I've witnessed so far is simple, quiet, and slightly offbeat. I can respect that. Often, the beauty is in the details. The general atmosphere of these books is well-planned, to the point where I can easily visualize the surroundings in my head.

Where I find that I've gotten hung up along the way has been with the characters. Quirky and different characters are great, but something about quirky and different still needs to be accessible or easy to relate to. I honestly couldn't relate to Baylie and Sam in this book any more than I was able to with the characters in the last book of Echols' that I read.

Even so, I could ignore some of the apathy which I had for the characters because I found myself wondering how everything was going to play out.

Most everyone has a dream. What do you do when other people around you are fulfilling their dreams and you are not? This is the issue plaguing Baylie and Sam. Their end goals might not have completely matched up, but both of these characters were fumbling around in the dark, hoping for more than the hand which life had dealt them.

Throw in some awkward musical performances, a crush which might be going nowhere, and some major trust issues, and you know the ride is going to get bumpy along the way.

I give the author credit for reigning the issues in before we tipped the scales into scary-drama territory. While some of the character behavior was downright sketchy, I was okay with some of the explanations given. Really, it was all handled in the end, even if the process of getting there was kind of off-putting at times.

Where this story excels is in the telling of lost hopes and new dreams. We all go through hardships - it's how we come out of them on the other side which determines whether or not we'll be a success. And for that, this story was a success when it needed to be.

I might not be in a hurry to read another Echols book, but I think I've seen enough to know that I might be open to another try in the future.

This book provided from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Mar 16, 2013 Melanie rated it did not like it

Shelves: take-your-instant-love-and-get-lost, could-have-been-so-much-better, romance, bleh, young-adult, e-arc, books-i-own, contemporary, f-a-i-l

See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads

1.5 stars

Thank you MTV books for sending me this copy. No compensation was given or taken to alter this review.

If I roll my eyes another time, they will fall out of their sockets. What disappointed me ultimately was one major aspect, the artificiality and ludicrousness of this novel. With the minor frustration on Sam and Bailey, I pretty much pulled my hair bald after reading- thankfully I still had some sanity left inside me to not actually do that- also, See more reviews at YA Midnight Reads

1.5 stars

Thank you MTV books for sending me this copy. No compensation was given or taken to alter this review.

If I roll my eyes another time, they will fall out of their sockets. What disappointed me ultimately was one major aspect, the artificiality and ludicrousness of this novel. With the minor frustration on Sam and Bailey, I pretty much pulled my hair bald after reading- thankfully I still had some sanity left inside me to not actually do that- also, the musical addition and countrified-ness livened this book to a larger measure. Utterly forgettable and spurious, Dirty Little Secret did not deliver no matter how much I lowered my expectations. For my first Jennifer Echols book, first impressions aren't looking too good.

One tragic day changed everything. Bailey and her younger sister, Julie have been playing the fiddle as a duet for several years. Together. Never apart. Yet when a music company hands Julie a contract and also persuading Bailey along the way to disappear from social media, their parents can do nothing but comply. After all, getting one member of the family successful and famous is good enough, right? Now, Bailey, an outcast to her parents and sister, she lives with her grandfather performing gigs at the mall. All until she met Sam when her heart became instant lovey and all lovey dovey.

I am no person to want to punch someone in literal sense, but after reading Dirty Little Secret, I want to throw Sam and Bailey in a boxing match and knock 'em senseless. Bailey could have been an appreciable character if it weren't for her spoilt and ill mannerisms along with crazy ignorance. Practically everything about her attitude came out as disconnected and as relatable as a speck of dust. Moreover, Bailey was pretty much too perfect to be true. If she was pitch perfect, why would her parents ignore that? Are her parents as stupid as donkeys? Ugh.

Sam is no better, if not worse. Here's a few problems that made me almost get a bruise after banging my head against the wall constantly:
Manipulative. Sam manipulates people way too much. He freaking tells Bailey to perform in just one gig and no more, then the next time he says the same thing. This leads me to my next point.
Goal driven. Sam will do anything in or even out of his reach to achieve a goal. In this case, play for a record company. He is so convinced that Bailey is the key to success he drags her along. Just to dissuade you a little more, here's another infuriating issue.
Liar. He's a bloody liar. He lied about not being a liar. Lied by being a sweetheart, even though some things were so obvious to the reader, Bailey acted all oblivious and brain dead. Therefore, the protagonist and antagonist of Dirty Little Secret can be only summed up as fake and heartbreaking. In the literal sense of tearing up my heart so I have no supply of blood, hence killing myself.

The romance, I shall just leave as this. Cold and hot, never consistent and the title should be changed to Flirty Little Bastards because of this.

Okay, children. One last little qualm. The logic and research. Firstly, there is no logic in the plot of reasoning in Bailey's brain. The plot holes here were surprising and jarring, nothing really was like one and one equals two. More like negative sixteen. Yeah, that's ridiculous the idea was. Secondly, the research bothered me a tad. While I adored the music addition to Dirty Little Secret, near the beginning I was pondering on and on over this fact as a pianist myself: There are no such things as major fourths, only perfect fourths.

No matter how much I wanted myself to love this countrified novel, my low expectations were not met. Majority of this novel frustrated me and it's a miracle I did not DNF it. ...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Arlene rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya-contemporary, young-adult, arc, read-2013

I’ve been waiting for years to come across something close to Jennifer Echols’s book Going Too Far. That story was filled with a perfect balance of chemistry and magic, and it remains to date one of my all-time favorite YA Contemporary books. Well, in Dirty Little Secret, Jennifer manages to remind me why I have her on my list of favorite authors. So, put on your cowboy boots and get ready to tip your hats because Jennifer Echols has a treat ready for you when you meet Bailey and Sam.

In this sto I’ve been waiting for years to come across something close to Jennifer Echols’s book Going Too Far. That story was filled with a perfect balance of chemistry and magic, and it remains to date one of my all-time favorite YA Contemporary books. Well, in Dirty Little Secret, Jennifer manages to remind me why I have her on my list of favorite authors. So, put on your cowboy boots and get ready to tip your hats because Jennifer Echols has a treat ready for you when you meet Bailey and Sam.

In this story, we get to learn how Bailey Mayfield has spent the last year of her life after her younger sister Julie, and one-time singing partner, landed a music contract without her. Witnessing her family take off to build Julie’s career as a country singer and host concerts and recording engagements has left Bailey trying to overcome the bitterness, hurt and sense of abandonment of being left in the shadows. See, Bailey is from Nashville, Tennessee which apparently is the country music capital of the world where the Grand Ole Opry stage is where country and bluegrass hopefuls such as Bailey hope to one day find themselves. (~whispers... I didn't know that~)

When she finally lands a mall gig, allowing her to play her fiddle with other country singers, she’s forced to keep her identity somewhat hidden. That becomes more difficult when Sam, Charlotte and Ace have her join their band and they begin to pack clubs and higher profile gigs. Bailey knows she’s going against her family’s demands of hiding in the shadows, and possibly risks the college funding they threaten to revoke, but she can’t seem to stop herself from doing what she loves.

Despite not being a fan of country music, that didn’t stop me from falling into the beat of this story and enjoying the journey. I did manage to learn a few things about this genre of music. For example, when these characters were talking about bluegrass, I quickly learned it wasn’t something you can add to your Jamba Juice. Overall, I enjoyed jams and fiddle show-downs that Bailey and her band entertained their audience with.

The secondary characters were a perfect blend to Bailey’s story. Despite being a bit skeptical of Sam, I couldn’t fault him for his actions. He was a great guy that was unabashedly flawed but honest about his intentions. He never fooled Bailey about what he hoped to accomplish and what he was willing to sacrifice to get there. He was comfortable in his own skin and always taking chances in the hopes of getting discovered.

“I like doing things that make me uncomfortable. I try not to have a comfort zone.”

Two of my favorite scenes were (1) the forehead slam and (2) Sam’s donation from his basking gig. Great moments that proved Echols casted the perfect characters for this book.

In addition, Bailey was such an easy character to fall for. Despite spending about a year or so upset that her sister got the opportunity that she hoped for herself, she was honest about her bitterness and jealousy. However, that didn’t stop her from still playing her fiddle and working the music circuit despite her family’s demand that she stay out of the limelight. She had some hard choices to make and some opportunities to rise to the occasion; and at the end of it all, I was a huge fan of hers.

Bailey Mayfield’s journey was a tough one filled with hurt and resentment. However, she proved to herself and others that all of the work to become a star, the frayed hopes, heartbreak and disappointments, she eventually found a way to write the lyrics to her own song and play according to her rules. Well done Echols! Pure bliss!! ...more

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May 17, 2017 Yoda rated it it was ok

Shelves: read-2017, on-the-shelf, young-adult, romance

Why did I buy this book? I liked her boots on the cover.

And that´s basically the only thing I liked about this book. I disliked every single character, the plot was pointless. I would have spent better those 4h if I simply sat and stared at my walls in complete silence.

Characters didn´t have any real "development" and they were simply unlikable. Sam, our love interest, is supposed to be this great, nice and loving guy but I just don´t get it. He was selfish and manipulative throughout the whol ...more

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Feb 22, 2013 Isamlq rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-galley

I’ve only seen two episodes of Nashville but what I have seen, I’ve liked. Dirty Little Secret matches up to it with the drama and family and connections you don’t want and complications- both the romantic then the familial sort, from both the leads in this one.

I got sucked in it if reading this in a handful of hours in any proof of that. Yes, I’m as surprised as anyone to find that I loved reading this, though I didn’t feel as strongly for the characters. Because truly, I found myself wanting I’ve only seen two episodes of Nashville but what I have seen, I’ve liked. Dirty Little Secret matches up to it with the drama and family and connections you don’t want and complications- both the romantic then the familial sort, from both the leads in this one.

I got sucked in it if reading this in a handful of hours in any proof of that. Yes, I’m as surprised as anyone to find that I loved reading this, though I didn’t feel as strongly for the characters. Because truly, I found myself wanting to punch Sam more than once. HARD. Yet, I also liked the guy… both of the leads in fact are likeable: Bailey because you feel sorry for her at first, then because something better in her shines through; Sam because he’s written to be liked, his tendency toward making double entendre at the most odd moments not withstanding (though that was a big part of his charm,too.)

And I liked the baggage they were both carrying too. Bailey with her swept off to the side drama got me not teary eyed but angry on her behalf… so, so angry on her behalf! Then Sam, with his dad being the way he was and with his other drama that had him making a little more sense to me, though I must confess, knowing his WHY, I still desperately wanted to punch him. Again, HARD. Except I couldn’t completely not not like him because there’s this other aspect, this honest (up to a point) part to the guy that allows Bailey to acknowledge some truths. That bit? That had me liking him a little more (and yes, as said, that’s even with me wanting to punch him!)

Bailey, though you can see how she’s left messed up by her choices but also largely by the choices made by those around her. So I was sad for her, felt sorry for. Simply, I felt for her. And when finally things come to a head, I’m all “YAY!” for her, in my head, but I was also feeling things a tad to pitch perfect/feel good, as in “This is your moment so claim it, girl!” Hokey. I suppose, but after all the not-really-dramatic but more emotionally charged stretches that that had preceded it, it made sense.

The rest of the people in this are filler though, her family especially. I hated her parents. and all the excuses she’d make for one or the other was a strike against the girl, but I suppose it’s one of those I can feel that way because they’re my family but no one else can. Not to say that others were filler as well, but there could have been more from them, you know? I enjoyed Sam’s ‘family.’ How he and Ace and Charlotte fit and then argued then fit again. How one word was enough from any of them to hold another back. Then how they’re aware of each other’s history. Of course, there’s that Sam and his father bit… which was sad sad sad too, but that aside, the leads in this one? They’re different, but not completely different because I found myself believing what it was they were going through and wanting an HEA somehow.

Thank you, Edelweiss!

3.5/5
...more

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Sep 02, 2013 Lex rated it liked it

Shelves: contemporary, stand-alone, music, new-adult

I kinda have a love-hate relationship with this book. LOL. I am annoyed by Sam. A lot. Like can't you understand Bailey and her reasons? I swear I'm about to smack Sam down for being so annoying. However, as much as he was annoying, I did really enjoyed lots of parts in this book. Every music details are awesome. Maybe it was a good thing that I'm reacting to Sam this way. Cause that just means that Echols wrote him very effectively. Although, one might question why make Sam like that. Anyway.

Th ...more

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Mar 31, 2020 Susan's Reviews rated it really liked it

I loved the music references, and the fact that Bailey had perfect pitch! Sam's father is an alcoholic and his mother works hard to keep a roof over their head. Bailey's sister has been signed to a contract and is on the fast-track to stardom, leaving Bailey behind. When she gets a gig playing fiddle for a country music duo at a mall, Sam asks her to join his own band. At first, Bailey hesitates, because Julie's publicity might be hurt if people found out Bailey had been left behind.
Sparks and ...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Jaime Arkin rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, read-in-2013, stand-alone-books, ebook-format, swoony-boys, ya, 2013, contemporary, friends-to-more

This is probably a 3.5 star for me. In fact, I wasn't sure I was going to read this. I cringe when anyone even mentions country music and it's all over this story. A couple friends had mentioned that they read it and loved it and to be honest, I've only ever read one other story by Echols (Going Too Far) and I loved it. So I dove in one afternoon.

Bailey Wright is the black sheep of her family. Over the past year, she's cut off all her hair, dyed it black, started going to parties, dressing provo ...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Jessie (Ageless Pages Reviews) rated it it was ok

Shelves: arc, 2013-reads, edelweiss-arc, blah-blah-blaaahhhh, reviews-2013, all-surface-no-substance, contemporary-fiction, reviewed, dramamongering, utterly-underwhelming

Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!

In my and the book's defense, I thought I was getting Dirty Little Secrets - a very closely-titled YA novel about mental issues and hoarding. Instead, Echols's later-released Dirty Little Secret is about music, and boys, and bitterness. I have friends who love Echols' novels, and friends who aren't fans. I might have to join the latter group, based on my experience with this book. I can clearly see why people would and will like Dirty Little Secret, Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!

In my and the book's defense, I thought I was getting Dirty Little Secrets - a very closely-titled YA novel about mental issues and hoarding. Instead, Echols's later-released Dirty Little Secret is about music, and boys, and bitterness. I have friends who love Echols' novels, and friends who aren't fans. I might have to join the latter group, based on my experience with this book. I can clearly see why people would and will like Dirty Little Secret, but I can't join them in that enthusiasm. I also think this novel might fall under the heading of the "New Adult" label as Bailey's age and vocabulary fit more in that area than in a truly YA novel.

Bailey is pretty unlikeable character, and speaking stereotypically, that's fine. I can do unlikeable characters, even schadenfreude-ly enjoy them - if they're interesting, or justified in being so difficult (see: all of Courtney Summers's books). Unfortunately for Bailey, her 'tude and the reasons behind it didn't ring true for me. First of all: I don't buy that anyone's parents could be so blatantly biased towards one child at the expense of the other. Their actions, and Bailey's reactions, had me disconnecting from this novel early on. I also didn't think Bailey was as much of a badass as she clearly thought. Sorry hon, hair dye and a few piercings =/= toughness. Her arrogance, and her presentation made Bailey a hard sell for me from the first page. I grew less and less interested in her and the plot as the pages went on.

Once the reason for Bailey's familiar exodus was revealed.. I rolled my eyes. That was my big reaction to the big event and subsequent drama.Seriously - what an overreaction - for everyone involved. Like I said before, the interactions between Bailey, her sister and her parents didn't come off as authentic. The separation serves as a way to have Bailey on her own without using Missing Parent Syndrome, but it feels too cheap and easy. She's 18 -- she could have easily moved out early, or been preparing for college, etc. The ridiculous "tension" and reasons for it just didn't work.

I must admit that the music aspect of the novel is fairly strong. It's obvious that the author loves music, and the one thing that was authentic for Bailey's characterization was how she felt about bluegrass, and playing her fiddle. Her summer job playing with various cover bands showcases Bailey's talent in different areas, but it mainly serves as a meet-cute for her love interest, try-hard badboy/heartbreaker Sam. Sam, ooohh Sam. Another character I was supposed to be interested by, but was completely bored whenever he was around. Too pushy, too wannabe, and too cliche for me, Sam added nothing to Dirty Little Secret. The ups and downs of their relationship just felt calculated, following an obvious trajectory to a predictable outcome.

This isn't a bad book. It's just not as good as it could've been. The characters need more dimension, the plot more originality, the themes more nuance. It all just feels so rehashed or shortchanged. I've read variations of this book so many times before. The one thing that works, that stands out, is the bluegrass music, but that never held as much focus as it should have. I obviously didn't care for it, hence the two stars, but what doesn't work for me might fit perfectly for others. If you're a fan of Echols' previous work, I'm sure this will be a hit. If you're a newbie or on the fence about trying this author, this might not end up being the book for you. ...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Eunice rated it really liked it

Shelves: ya-romance, young-adult, damn-gorgeous-males, favourites, cool-covers, realistic-fiction, contemporary

While I have read a number of Jennifer Echols' books before, they're usually either a hit or miss for me. So whenever I picked a book of hers there's always this little cautiousness that comes with it. Yet when I picked Dirty Little Secret, for some reason, I actually felt quite sure that I would enjoy it. Maybe because it was music-themed? Or because the main protag is a fiddle/violin player? (I have serious soft spot for violin players, i.e. Virtuosity) Or maybe because it was just really good While I have read a number of Jennifer Echols' books before, they're usually either a hit or miss for me. So whenever I picked a book of hers there's always this little cautiousness that comes with it. Yet when I picked Dirty Little Secret, for some reason, I actually felt quite sure that I would enjoy it. Maybe because it was music-themed? Or because the main protag is a fiddle/violin player? (I have serious soft spot for violin players, i.e. Virtuosity) Or maybe because it was just really good? Oh well, whatever it was I'm just glad to say that Dirty Little Secret is definitely a hit for me! It certainly is one of my favorite Jennifer Echols' books.

Bailey Mayfield was a character I easily felt for even from the very start. The emotional baggage she was carrying was something I had easily understand. I could not entirely fault her for her past unwise actions because I can clearly see where it all came from. Instead, I blamed it all to her selfish, unfeeling parents! Bailey was a very likable character, she was a very good sister, daughter and musician. That's why I just couldn't fathom how her parents could easily disregard her like that. So I was really glad when she met Sam Handiman and his band.

So onto Sam, this guy was someone you could so effortlessly fall into but just as easily you could get pissed off. YET, for some reason, it was hard not to remain too angry with him. This guy is very charming, talented, sweet and so so adorable (although he does carry some pretty intense emotional baggage too). But even with that I like how it was showed how flawed he is too. His strong drive and determination to reach his dream was admirable but sometimes it gets a little too much that he consciously/unconsciously ends up disregarding some other people's feelings. In the end though he learned that there are things or person that is much more important than what he think is.

Although I don't know much about country music I actually still enjoyed exploring it through here. The dynamic between the band too was amazing. I love how they could easily work and produce a really wonderful music together.

I'm not sure if this is the kind of book that would work for almost everybody. I admit there are moments that I get a little lost and disoriented in this one, especially with Sam, although I still always found my way back (to him) eventually. Lol! But there are a lot of good and great things that definitely make up for that. In the end, I still end up having a lot of fun reading this. I recommend this book.

Thank you MTV Books for providing a copy of this book.

Visit my blog to see an excerpt from this book and join the giveaway! ...more

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Feb 28, 2013 Heather rated it really liked it

Shelves: july-2013

**This is an ARC review. Any excerpts or quotes are taken from an advance copy and are subject to change before the final print**

Well ya'll, I've never watched the TV show 'Nashville', which I know Dirty Little Secret will be compared to, but the book did remind me of a film a film with a country music theme: 1993's 'The Thing Called Love' which starred River Phoenix (the last film he was featured in before his untimely death at age 23) and Samantha Mathis, who was probably best known for the 19 ...more

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Jan 22, 2013 Karla Mae (Reads and Thoughts) rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorites, 2013-reads, cover-love-love, arc-edelweiss

I'll tell you guys beforehand that this could be a not so objective review since it’s really been awhile since I received my copy of this and read. The story was not totally hazy but you know, I can’t remember everything and with that I learn my lesson which is to never ever prolong writing reviews! Lazy bones get away!

Now, on to my review…
You did it again Jennifer Echols!
You once again brought to me one of a kind Young Adult story.
From the Nashville setting to the country music to its amazing I'll tell you guys beforehand that this could be a not so objective review since it’s really been awhile since I received my copy of this and read. The story was not totally hazy but you know, I can’t remember everything and with that I learn my lesson which is to never ever prolong writing reviews! Lazy bones get away!

Now, on to my review…
You did it again Jennifer Echols!
You once again brought to me one of a kind Young Adult story.
From the Nashville setting to the country music to its amazing characters! Happy dance!

After my not so good experience in reading Levitating Las Vegas, I'm waiting for another kicking comeback from Jennifer Echols and I could say Dirty Little Secret definitely rocks it! With a rebellious protagonist, its relationship to a young-country musician - it’s ups downs and everything in between and a show of the country music scene.

Bailey is our rebellious protagonist. The rebellious but talented fiddle player whose talents are overshadowed by her sister’s shining career. I do like how her character was built - it’s not perfect at all. She’s full of wrong paths and choices making her a realistic character. Yes, her choices would totally get to you most of the time coz it’s wrong – totally wrong, but at the end of it all I think we all know where she's coming from and why she keeps on making those sucky decisions.

Sam is our young-country musician. I'm telling you guys he's one hard piece of puzzle to solve! I like him most of the times but I think he just does and says things too drastically. His firm and ambitious side definitely didn’t add up to his nice set of qualities. But he's really sweet and always knows the right things to say at the right moment so who could I complain with that? I'm too easy to be swayed by sweetness.

The musical parts of it was a big and great part to the story. We get to see not only the beautiful and sparkling side of country music but also its mishaps.

The things that are a bit off for me here is the fact that Bailey's parents are sort of made the villain in the story. I can't grasp how they could seem to disregard their other daughter because of the other's stardom. I don’t think they did it internationally but you know, it’s too bad for the other that is left. There are also a lot of cliché situations and things could get a little bit overboard and overused but altogether it seems to work well here somehow.

It was not perfect but I’m glad that the Jennifer Echols magic is back on this story. Loose ends were properly tied – story wise and it was overall an enjoyable read.

*Thanks to Edelweiss and MTV Books for providing advanced copy for review.* ...more

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May 02, 2013 Rose rated it liked it

Shelves: realistic-fiction, young-adult, contemporary, romance, music, edelweiss

Initial reaction: Probably a solid 3 star read. The story had a leisurely pace throughout, and the beginning was a bit rough for events, but as the narrative went on, I'll admit that I ended up caring for both Bailey and Sam. It has its share of rough moments, both with the characters clashing with each other and trying to make music together, but it was a decent story which had a nice resolution to things in the end. I liked the experience well enough, and hope I can express that more in my ful Initial reaction: Probably a solid 3 star read. The story had a leisurely pace throughout, and the beginning was a bit rough for events, but as the narrative went on, I'll admit that I ended up caring for both Bailey and Sam. It has its share of rough moments, both with the characters clashing with each other and trying to make music together, but it was a decent story which had a nice resolution to things in the end. I liked the experience well enough, and hope I can express that more in my full review.

Full review:

And I think Jennifer Echols has some brownie points back with me in "Dirty Little Secret" - though I'll admit there are still some problematic elements within it that straddle the line a little like my previous read from her - the NA work "Levitating Las Vegas". This story has to do with a young woman named Bailey whose sister is a bonafide rising country music star. What does that mean for Bailey? Well, when her sister gets signed by a major record company, she gets the short end of the stick - pretty much putting her music dreams on hold, undervalued by her parents (who tell her if she steps out of line and tries to do any major music work, they won't pay for her college tuition), and sent to live with her grandfather to keep her existence out of the limelight.

One could imagine that this leaves Bailey feeling a little more than bitter. I think I was more forgiving of Bailey's brute demeanor when I found out the whole story behind what her parents did to her and where she was emotionally following that, but I still had a hard time liking her perspective, it was difficult. It was also difficult to get into the narrative to begin with because of the slow pacing, the dragging of the prose, and the fact that it seems to meander with some sketchy details (case in point, the perverted Elvis we meet near the beginning of the novel as Bailey performs in gigs).

But things change for Bailey when she meets Sam - a rising musician himself and with a colorful cast of bandmates to match. I really liked Sam upon his introduction and he made the narrative more vibrant for me in terms of his characterization and camaraderie with Bailey for a time. Yet, I had a hard time in this part of the novel too, because there is some rampant slut shaming and odd considerations as the narrative went on. The group weathers some tough situations and Bailey seems unwilling to confront her issues, just as much as Sam has a troubled past and is unwilling to deal with his issues. Such terms threaten to break apart the budding band at its seams. However, I do have to admit that the way the story rounded itself out in the end made me give full credit to where Echols takes it, and I liked the resolution.

I would still give this book credit for immersing me in its respective journey and the way things tied off in the end. It's a decent novel for what it aims for, and I think quite a few readers will enjoy it for what it offers, but there are caveats in this that require patience to get through them.

Overall score: 3/5

Note: I received this ARC from Edelweiss, from the publisher MTV Books. ...more

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Aug 20, 2012 Zemira Warner added it

Shelves: music, edelweiss, contemporary

MTV Boooks? So this is an another YA book. Yes!

EDIT

Review to come July 10th - that's my tour stop date :) ...more

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Jul 22, 2013 Heidi rated it it was ok

Two and a half stars: A book that fizzles with unlikable characters.

Bailey checks the mirror one more time before heading to the mall. Her dyed black hair, heavy makeup and goth clothes are an attempt to hide the hurt she has experienced over the last year. She moved in with her grandpa last week at the request of her parents. Bailey's younger sister, Julie, is about to hit it big with a record release, and the record company and Bailey's parents want her to sit quietly and do nothing that could ...more

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May 14, 2013 Lauren at Live Read and Breathe Reviews rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: edelweiss

Bailey was once a shining star with her beloved sister Julia.

But Julia got chosen and Bailey was left as the dirty little secret and was forced to give up her love of music in fear that she may ruin her sisters career.

Bailey's Grandpa realizes the true tragedy in this and let's Bailey still play music. This is where she starts to re-invent her self.

With this transformation she meets Sam who is just as passionate and talented at music but the love' em and leave' em type of guy.

Instantly they are ...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Vi (like the letter) rated it it was ok

Shelves: e-arcs, 2-stars

I’m some what of a fan of Jennifer Echols. She can write a pretty detailed and informative story, I like how she writes a bit out of the norm, and she definitely does her research on whatever topic her book is about, but I think it’s a bit of an overkill sometimes. I thought getting into the world of country music would be fun and interesting, but with characters like Bailey and Sam, I was seriously turned off by it all and I was seriously shouting “ENOUGH” like halfway through. Also, there was I’m some what of a fan of Jennifer Echols. She can write a pretty detailed and informative story, I like how she writes a bit out of the norm, and she definitely does her research on whatever topic her book is about, but I think it’s a bit of an overkill sometimes. I thought getting into the world of country music would be fun and interesting, but with characters like Bailey and Sam, I was seriously turned off by it all and I was seriously shouting “ENOUGH” like halfway through. Also, there was so much buildup regarding Bailey’s resentment towards her parents and her sister, I really didn’t like how easily things resolved. The ending was so rushed and we’re just supposed to believe everything’s okay and it all works out, just like that?! No thanks.

Bailey isn’t what I would call a “great female protagonist”. Sure she’s had a lot of crap done to her, being pushed under the rug by her family and treated like a screwup, but I just didn’t like the way she handled everything and her thought process. She supposedly had such a passion for music, yet was so quick to drop it all and pursue something different in college, of which she had no interest in. And she was trying to keep a low profile so her parents could pay for her tuition, for that?! Seriously?! Thank goodness she grows a backbone and sticks up for herself in the end, but it came so abruptly and the ending was too “cookie-cutter perfection”.

Oh, boy. I really don’t know what Echols was thinking creating someone like Sam. That boy annoyed the crap out of me to no end and he was seriously a selfish jerk. Arguably, he comes from a messed up family and he’s so passionate about his music and his band that it blinds him from everything else in the world, but it was too much. He barely redeemed himself at the end, which made him passable, but in all honesty, he’s probably one of the worse love interests I’ve ever come across. The way he kept pushing Bailey to play for his band, always disregarding everything she said, being hot and cold so many damn times, and getting all pouty just because she wouldn’t help him out since she was connected to a recording company through her sister. I swear, when he got all pissy because she refused to mention the band to the company, I wanted to punch him in the face, he was so irritating.

With an annoying female protagonist and a sad excuse for a love interest, I really couldn’t get into this one. I will say that I enjoyed the beginning, with the local “dress up” gigs that Bailey was playing in, but after that initial one-third of the book, everything fell to pieces and I seriously had to push myself to finish this one. I felt like there was too much focus on all the minute details and not enough development in the main plot. This one was definitely a miss for me. ...more

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Mar 07, 2013 Ali rated it it was ok

I had numerous problems with this book. Some trivial, some not so much.

Bailey is a fiddle player, has been her entire life. It's been her focus forever and she's played the circuit with her younger sister Julie for as long as she can remember. Until a record company showed interest in Julie, and only Julie. Now, Bailey is asked to give up her own dreams and talent as to not tarnish the lime light being cast on her kid sister. She's lost in the world, has little support and no real friends. Until I had numerous problems with this book. Some trivial, some not so much.

Bailey is a fiddle player, has been her entire life. It's been her focus forever and she's played the circuit with her younger sister Julie for as long as she can remember. Until a record company showed interest in Julie, and only Julie. Now, Bailey is asked to give up her own dreams and talent as to not tarnish the lime light being cast on her kid sister. She's lost in the world, has little support and no real friends. Until she meets Sam and he pushes her to be who she really wants to be but his motives might be enough to break her heart all over again.

I was taken in by the blurb. I thought Dirty Little Secret would be a story of a scarred girl who will be saved by this sweet boy as he shows her how to love herself. But, that isn't really what I got out of Dirty Little Secret. This is what I got:

Bailey's parents are horrid people. Truly. They've taught her nothing but pursuing a career with her fiddle but as soon as a contract is dangled in front of them they forbid Bailey to ever play publicly again. More than that, if she doesn't live by the neanderthal rules they set, they won't even pay for her to attend college. Leaving her with no future options. I hated her parents. Bailey didn't though and that too kind of infuriated me.

Sam starts off as this great guy but some old skeletons peek out of the closet and we see a different side of him. I could have dealt with his stand offish behavior due to his past. What I couldn't forgive were his tactics when it came to Bailey and an opportunity to garner a little attention from her sisters record company.
Also, the relationship between Bailey and Sam was just weird. It was like watching a tennis match, they were just so back and forth and it made me dizzy.

Dirty Little Secret just wasn't a book for me. I can see some will find it endearing and the musical aspect was actually pretty fun, just not enough for me to look past all my other issues.

*A copy was provided for honest review*

...more

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Mar 29, 2013 Jen rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc-s

Is there anything Jennifer Echols can't write?!

What had me shoutin' Yeehaw!: Dirty Little Secret reads like a country song - you've got love, loss, heartbreak and redemption and as usual, Jennifer Echols gives us flawed characters who are funny, endearing and completely relateable. Bailey is the kind of girl who desires to do the right thing but goes about it the wrong way occasionally.I can't say I blame her though, especially after what happened with her familybut despite the pain they've caus ...more

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May 04, 2013 Brittany Rehage rated it it was amazing

Yet another amazing Jennifer Echols book.

I know when I pick up a book by Echols; I'm going to love it. I know I'm going to get the heart swoons, the stomach fluttering, and the little smile on my face. I also know I'm going to get a great story to go along with it. Dirty Little Secret is no different.

Bailey and her sister Julie used to go out and play the music scene together. Then Julie got a record deal and Bailey was left behind. Not only were her dreams pushed to the back burner, her family ...more

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Mar 28, 2013 diana rated it liked it

Shelves: arc, edelweiss

Such a Rush is the only other book by Jennifer Echols that I've read. And since I greatly enjoyed that, I immediately jumped on the chance to read Dirty Little Secret.

It took me a while to get fully invested in the story but the book picked up pace towards the middle and from there, I had a blast reading Bailey's story.
Bailey is a talented person. She's a likable heroine with a sassy personality. I hated how her parents just brushed her off and encouraged her to not pursue her dreams just so she ...more

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Jul 15, 2016 Lynn marked it as no-absolutely-will-not-read

This isn't an actual review but a reminder that this book would NOT be for me. The hero sounds completely awful and would make me steaming mad.

Here are some reviews that helped me with this decision:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Here's a quote from the above (Crystal's) review:
"Dirty Little Secret had possibly the grossest, most manipulative, and most unhealthy relationship that I have read in a YA book lately. I don't understand why a guy like ...more

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Nov 24, 2013 Christal rated it did not like it

Shelves: ya-and-na, contemporary-fiction, female-lead, romance, arcs, horrible-characters, music-musicians

See this review and others like it at BadassBookReviews.com!

Dirty Little Secret wasn't a unsalvageable book all in all, but it committed the one book sin I can't forgive - a horrible, terrible, completely unlikable love interest. I thought Sam might be a cute flirtation at the beginning but the more we got to know him, the more I despised him. Yes, despised. He's a user and a manipulator and the only reason I kept reading this book was because I was hoping Bailey would kick him to the curb at th See this review and others like it at BadassBookReviews.com!

Dirty Little Secret wasn't a unsalvageable book all in all, but it committed the one book sin I can't forgive - a horrible, terrible, completely unlikable love interest. I thought Sam might be a cute flirtation at the beginning but the more we got to know him, the more I despised him. Yes, despised. He's a user and a manipulator and the only reason I kept reading this book was because I was hoping Bailey would kick him to the curb at the end.

Let's start with the few things I did like about this book. I fully enjoyed the Nashville rockabilly world Jennifer Echols created and thought the parts of the book focused on the music and the music industry were the most interesting out of everything. Also, I actually really liked Bailey herself when she wasn't stupidly mooning over Sam. She was strong and driven, but racked by guilt over disappointing her parents. She half-heartedly tried to rebel, but she was ingrained to try not make her parents mad and that overtook her best bad girl intentions. I get that and I sympathized with her because her parents were pretty freaking awful.

I mean, really, bad parents in YA novels is not a new thing but Bailey's parents were almost unbelievable. When their younger daughter Julie is discovered, they just sweep their other daughter under the rug and forbid her from playing the music she loves just in case the public gets wind of her and rightfully deduces that Julie left Bailey behind for the promise of a recording contract. Bailey is barely allowed to exist, let alone live, because her parents are so afraid of her "embarrassing" her famous sister. This was also basically without reason because Bailey was a pretty good kid. She wasn't a druggie or a dropout; she was a normal, if slightly boring, teenaged girl.

When Bailey meets Sam and decides to play with his band, it seems things are starting to look up. There are two major issues though: 1.) the band id completely dysfunctional and 2.) Sam is a manipulative jerk. The band has these whole incestuous dating problems and they bicker and fight and make snide comments all the time. It's not a healthy situation for anyone involved and would likely implode if they were ever discovered in real life. Sam is pretty much the worst and is the reason for most of the problems in the band. He's pretty much a manwhore that just uses girls until he gets bored with them and then drops them, his drummer Charlotte included.

Charlotte even warns Bailey about Sam and tells her he's had 50 girlfriends in the last year and quoted the lines he uses on all the girls, the exact same lines he used on Bailey. Does she run away as fast as she can? No, she decided to give Sam a chance to prove Charlotte wrong and it seems like he might for a hot minute. Though I always felt he was a bit smarmy, he does seem to sympathize with Bailey about her parents and encourages her to follow her dreams without them. Then, when he finds out just how famous her sister is, he pretty much back tracks and tells her she has to grovel to her parents and get them to introduce them to the record execs. When Bailey tells him no, he flips out on her, literally yelling and screaming. He did a complete 180° because he wanted to manipulate Bailey and use her connections to further his band.

You would think Bailey would be running at this point, but she actually tries to go and make up with him the next day. She takes him to see her sister at the Opry and thinks that even though they have their issues, she and Sam can make it work. She thinks they have an overwhelming connection that means more than the band. Sam takes her to his house and they have sex, both of their first times. Bailey thinks this reinforces her idea that they are going to work on things, but Sam pretty much says it was fun but if you aren't going to talk to your parents then we can't be together. Yeah, what a great guy right?

The book tries to humanize Sam by giving him an alcoholic father and a dead girlfriend, but it doesn't work. The father never really seems to affect Sam in any overt way and Sam pretty much flat-out says the dead girlfriend wasn't the love of his life and he doesn't blame himself for her death. Wah wah... that was a total fail.

When Bailey ditches the band to help her sister out (I also didn't care for the selfish sister but that's a smaller gripe compared to everything else in the story), Sam is of course pissed and tells her not to bother coming back. But, everything is okay in the end because he comes to apologize and they play their gig and get a meeting with a record exec. Huzzah! Nope Jennifer Echols, it doesn't work. You can't just tie a neat little bow on the end and make everything better. Bailey is stupid for going back to Sam and he is still a terrible person who doesn't truly care about her and will probably drop her as soon as he is offered a solo career.

Dirty Little Secret had possibly the grossest, most manipulative, and most unhealthy relationship that I have read in a YA book lately. I don't understand why a guy like this would be written as a romantic ideal. All I can hope is that any girl reading this book that is actually in the age range of these characters realizes what a douche Sam was and avoids anyone like him like the plague. Based on this experience, I don't think I will be picking up any other Jennifer Echols books in the future.

Thank you to Edelweiss and MTV Books for providing an ARC copy of this book! ...more

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Oct 18, 2019 soph (taylor’s version) marked it as to-read

i have a history of hating echol’s books, but the plot is intriguing

—

ILL KEEEP YOU MY DIRTY LITTLE SECRETTT

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Feb 04, 2013 Aman rated it liked it

Reviewed @ Enticed by Books

     As much as the Jennifer Echols fangirl in me was prepared to uplift her books after the disaster that was Levitating Las Vegas, I don't think I can go on with that speech. Dirty Little Secret was not my favorite read by the author. Granted that it's a decent, fun read with a lot of country reference in it which was refreshing, I don't like how certain elements in the story ended up ruining the book for me. For example, the love interest, Sam. Even after finishing Reviewed @ Enticed by Books

     As much as the Jennifer Echols fangirl in me was prepared to uplift her books after the disaster that was Levitating Las Vegas, I don't think I can go on with that speech. Dirty Little Secret was not my favorite read by the author. Granted that it's a decent, fun read with a lot of country reference in it which was refreshing, I don't like how certain elements in the story ended up ruining the book for me. For example, the love interest, Sam. Even after finishing the story, I'm not really sure what his intentions were towards Bailey. Did he really love her? Or was he with her because she added a great value to his band and didn't want her to leave? Plus, Sam was not a nice person and I certainly did not swoon over him. The other thing was the ending, but I'll get to that later.

     Bailey and her sister Julie have always been a team. While Julie sings and plays guitar, Bailey fiddles and add the extra oomph to the song. When they are discovered by a record company that only wants Julie, Bailey's parents send her into hiding and she ends up becoming the dirty little secret. Throughout the story I felt so bad for Bailey and the way her parents treated her for no reason. Just because one of their daughter gets discovered doesn't meant they get to shun the other one. The whole scenario was so unfair for Bailey, but I loved that she never gave up her music. She practiced her fiddling everyday and when she's sent off to live with her grandfather for summer, she gets a job at the mall in an impersonator music group (I don't know what to call them officially). That's where she meets Sam, a charming boy with a great voice and when he asks her to join his band for a gig, she takes a wild step against her parents rules and says yes.

     Bailey is one of those people that you can't help but love. She's not perfect in any way, she did lash out when her parents stopping caring about her; she cut her hair, changed her look completely and started acting out as a wild child, but inside she was very pure and a little hurt from the indifference. Between all that mess, she never disrespected her parents or did anything to harm Julie reputation. But I didn't get how easily she forgave them at the end. They were horrible towards her since the beginning; for God's sake, she wasn't even invited to any of Julie's concert or CMA performance! In the end when Bailey is suddenly needed because Julie is having some stage fright, I just wanted her to say: Fuck all of you, I'm in a good place, I'm great fiddle player and I'll do what I want! The ending completely ruined the book for me. It was ridiculous and I can't see that happening in real life. Major problems resolved within few paragraphs! Are you kidding me? No.No.NO!

     If you can overlook the ending and Sam's character, then Dirty Little Secret is a very good book. Plus, if you're from the south and love country music, then this might be the perfect summer read for you. That's another thing I couldn't relate to, a lot of the country references went above my head and even Bailey's mall job was kind of hard for me to picture. Performing as celebrity impersonators, I've never seen that. But all in all, I would say that Dirty Little Secret was a fun read. Highly recommended to fans of light contemporary and music lovers. I would still recommend new fans of Jennifer Echols to read Going to Far and Such a Rush first because they're just that good.

A Copy was provided by MTV Books for an honest review via Edelweiss. (Thank You!) ...more

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Jul 15, 2013 Becky Hutchison rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Mature 12-year-olds and up

Bailey Mayfield and her sister Julie were once a talented, blond-haired, music duo who honed their performances at all the bluegrass festivals their parents drove them to. It's been one long year since that fateful day when only Julie was signed to a recording contract and Bailey brushed aside.

Bailey feels forgotten by her family and resents the time they've spent focusing on her younger sister's burgeoning music career. She's spent the last year playing her fiddle, writing music, and being repr Bailey Mayfield and her sister Julie were once a talented, blond-haired, music duo who honed their performances at all the bluegrass festivals their parents drove them to. It's been one long year since that fateful day when only Julie was signed to a recording contract and Bailey brushed aside.

Bailey feels forgotten by her family and resents the time they've spent focusing on her younger sister's burgeoning music career. She's spent the last year playing her fiddle, writing music, and being reprimanded by her parents for her bad attitude and constant shenanigans. The troubling incident on her high school graduation night is the last straw. Her parents ostracize Bailey to her grandfather's house with orders to stay away from any kind of performing, going out with friends, or generally causing any kind of scene that would jeopardize her sister's innocent country music reputation.

Her granddad knows music and fiddle playing is as important to Bailey as breathing, so he finds her a gig playing with little tribute country music groups at a local Nashville mall. There she meets good-looking, troubled Sam Hardiman, who plays guitar alongside his “Johnny Cash” dad.

Sam has a three-member country/rockabilly band that just can't seem to break into the next level of the Nashville music scene. Something's missing in their performance, and Bailey and her fiddle might be that little extra spark to move them into the music spotlight. Sam begs Bailey to join his band, and though she knows she shouldn't, Bailey agrees to play for one or two performances.

DIRTY LITTLE SECRET is the story of Bailey's turmoil at being left behind and her struggle to break free from the worthless, bad-girl image she's portrayed to the world in order to protect her heart. Through cathartic songwriting, exhilarating fiddle playing, and her new place in Sam's life and band, Bailey realizes that she is just as important as her sister and that her dreams are just as worthy. Like the protagonists in Echol's books GOING TOO FAR and SUCH A RUSH, Bailey decides to take control of her own destiny. She breaks out of her self-imposed shell and releases the confident musician and beautiful eighteen year old she really is.

I love so many things about this story. Like in all of Echols books, the characters are well-fleshed out with emotional backstories and sometimes funny, and definitely distinctive, quirks. The story is filled with behind-the-scene glimpses into unique work settings (i.e., tribute groups serenading in malls), and Echols shares her amazing knowledge of music fundamentals and the downside of being blessed with perfect pitch.

I only have two very minor complaints. The first is the protagonist's continual inner conflict about how her family doesn't want to be around her and how disappointed they are in her. Granted it's important for the character to flesh out her feelings, but in my opinion, the “woe is me” stuff is a little too thick. Second, I thought the ending stopped too soon. I would have loved to see a little of what happened the Monday following her sister's outdoor performance. (I'm not spilling the info here. You'll have to read the story to see what I mean.) But neither of these issues were enough to take away from my overall enjoyment of the story.

I loved DIRTY LITTLE SECRET with it's realistic, vibrant characters, engaging storyline, and unique settings. It's just the type of lighthearted escapism I've come to expect and enjoy in all of Jennifer Echols's books and a perfect book for the beach, a weekend, or anytime, really.

IF YOU LIKE THIS, YOU MIGHT LIKE: Other books by Jennifer Echols, novels by Simone Elkeles, Lauren Barnholdt, Tijan, Abbi Glines, Leah Rae Miller, Tammara Webber.

* An ARC was provided by Simon & Schuster/Gallery Books and Edelweiss for an honest review.
** Visit Blue Moon Mystery Saloon blog for more book reviews. ...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Sana rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arcs, read-in-2013

What I'd like to say to Dirty Little Secret is perfectly worded by Avril Lavigne, "Why do you have to go and make things so complicated?" I struggled with rating this book because frankly, where it lacked in depth in the first half, it definitely more than made up for it before the end. And that wasn't even an issue when I started reading the book.

The beginning of Dirty Little Secret was... boring. I honestly didn't care for Bailey dressing up and playing her fiddle in tribute groups. But then What I'd like to say to Dirty Little Secret is perfectly worded by Avril Lavigne, "Why do you have to go and make things so complicated?" I struggled with rating this book because frankly, where it lacked in depth in the first half, it definitely more than made up for it before the end. And that wasn't even an issue when I started reading the book.

The beginning of Dirty Little Secret was... boring. I honestly didn't care for Bailey dressing up and playing her fiddle in tribute groups. But then she meets Sam at the mall, plays with him and he zones in on her. Now Bailey has to make a difficult decision, would she risk being seen as the loser sister of a rising star at a gig or cast her eyes down and carry on? This is when I saw life in Bailey and I was finally into the story.

Bailey accepts the gig because let's face it, spending time at home playing the fiddle endlessly with her grandfather hovering, who wants that? She made a perfect rebel with bold fashion sense, asymmetrical hair, red lips and boots-to-die-for, but she couldn't go on with it. Same gave her the out and she took it.

But the infamously titled Sam Hardiman's band is trouble from the start. Oh who am I kidding, Charlotte is hate-worthy. Given that the drummer had a thing for Sam and is still okay with being not okay with whoever Sam dates. Because you see, Sam likes Bailey. But does he like her because she gives the oomph factor to the band or because she is talented?

Sam started out as a pretty normal guy and then he became persuasive as hell and who'd have guessed from that that he was pretty messed up from the inside. So while I was out admiring his ability to make everyone do what he wants to do, I was also in the state where I just wanted to quietly strangle him.

But then Sam said, "I like doing things that make me uncomfortable. I try not to have a comfort zone" and everything was perfectly clear. After going through a hard family life and counselling, you have to admire the guy. And Bailey does. Their conversation is beautiful and where Sam is trying to make up for the lack of channeling his emotions, Bailey is trying to get away from them by writing them down into songs.

I understood Bailey because even though she got treated horribly by her family, she didn't give up on them. And I understood Sam because he wanted to not be like his father and wind up a loser. So they perform gigs together, discover each other, fight and then it all ends (not necessarily in that order). It was a moment of holding-my-breath-reading where you don't know what'll happen and how it'll all go down. It is a difficult feat to achieve but I was going through it so Echols did achieve it.

Dirty Little Secret more than surprised me and made me feel despite the rocky start. People who like to read music-themed YA must read this. You'll smile, go argh, get shocked and definitely swoon. ...more

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May 15, 2013 Laura rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-2013

There are a few names that will get my attention when it comes to books. Jennifer Echols is one of the fastest ways to get me to focus on what you're saying. Her books are just so real. She does contemporary romance, almost always with a theme, unlike anybody else. Such a Rush, Forget You, & Love Story are some of my favorites by her. I think part of the draw to read her work stems from the memorable situations & characters she creates. Like I said, there is always a theme in her books. Planes, There are a few names that will get my attention when it comes to books. Jennifer Echols is one of the fastest ways to get me to focus on what you're saying. Her books are just so real. She does contemporary romance, almost always with a theme, unlike anybody else. Such a Rush, Forget You, & Love Story are some of my favorites by her. I think part of the draw to read her work stems from the memorable situations & characters she creates. Like I said, there is always a theme in her books. Planes, writing, and music have all taken center stage in her books allowing a wonderful medium in which to create the ideal situation for her stories.

Bailey's story is unique because she's not struggling to prove herself; she is an accomplished musician. She's struggling to create her own self rather than the self that everyone is trying to thrust upon her. Her parents expect one thing, her sister another, & the new band she joined definitely has other opinions in regards to her actions. She has to decide what's best for her & it's clashing with her relationships.

Sam is a fairly typical wannabe-megastar musician except that he's almost as conflicted as Bailey. While he has a clear sight on his ultimate goal, he's conflicted about the best way to get there; not who he has to go through, or what it's going to cost him, he simply knows he has to get a recording contract. He sees an opportunity in Bailey that he didn't necessarily plan on, but the disharmony between his heart's desire & his career goal are striking all the wrong chords with everyone.

Naturally this book is set in Nashville as it is about country music. I really like the breath of fresh air with the musically style. By throwing in the curve balls with the band's musical stylings I think Jennifer has done a fabulous jobs blending classic country with modern music. I would LOVE to have actually been able to hear some of these renditions.

The only think that I can think of that would have made this book even better would be some closer glimpses at Bailey's life between the announcement of her sister's contract & the accident that lands her in her grandfather's care for the summer. We get some big details that are pertinent to plot development, but I think there could have been some more set up just so that the reader is better able to more closely identify with the protagonist.

While there is only one actual steamy romance scene, plenty of sexual acts are alluded to between Bailey & several guys. The same can be said for Sam & his girlfriends. For what they are, I don't think they're any more risque than you might read elsewhere in YA. There is also small mentions of drugs & drinking and driving, but they are used in a cautionary way. I liked how she handled these situations because sometimes when I hear that a book is about the music scene all I can think about it sex, drugs, & rock 'n roll. This was not the case in this book and I loved it! ...more

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The Not-So Austen...: Dirty Little Secret - September BOTM Discussion	3	9	Sep 23, 2013 06:26PM

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Preview — Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols

Dirty Little Secret

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Preview — Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols

Dirty Little Secret

Get A Copy

Friend Reviews

Reader Q&A

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

Readers also enjoyed

Genres

About Jennifer Echols

Books by Jennifer Echols

Related Articles

Trivia About Dirty Little Secret

Quotes from Dirty Little Secret

new topic
Discuss This Book