Believe

The Brightside #3

by Katie Delahanty

My name is Amanda Conrad and I. Am. A doctor.

When my cousin Liv whisked me away to South Africa to be maid of honor in her super-secret celebrity wedding, I was about to begin a five-year residency at NYU and was on my way to becoming a plastic surgeon. My plans definitely did not include a rock-star best man sweeping me off my feet.

But what happened in South Africa needed to stay there—he’d return to his touring and I’d start my residency, with our fond memories of a whirlwind, fairy-tale week. But now nothing feels right—I’m questioning my once solid plans, and I can’t stop thinking about him. Our lives are so different… Am I ready to risk everything I’ve worked for since I was thirteen—and put my heart on the line? To dream bigger than I ever thought possible? To believe I can have it all? That’s the thing about growing up...sometimes you have to be brave enough to redefine happily ever after.

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary Romance, Music, Celebrity, Contemporary, Musicians

402 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 24, 2016

About the author

Growing up in Pittsburgh, Katie loved old movies and playing dress up, but never considered telling stories of her own until she was asked to start a blog for the sleepwear company she worked for. Unsure what to say about lingerie, she wrote a fictional serial about a girl chasing her costume design dreams who fell in love with a rock star along the way. And that’s when Katie fell in love with storytelling. That blog became the first book in "The Brightside Series" and she’s been waking before dawn to write ever since. Katie lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three children and is currently working on book #3 in "The Keystone Series", which will release in 2022.

Reviews

[Paula Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amanda Conrad aka @BootsMD's cousin Olivia Bloom aka Liv is finally getting married. After a whirlwind romance and life in the tabloids as the other woman ever since she fell head over heels and in love with the lead singer of the band Brightside Berkley. Whisked to South Africa, this is not only the trip of a lifetime as she is the maid of honor at her cousin's wedding. It is also her last trip anywhere for a while as she is about to start her residency as a Doctor and hopefully get the position in Plastics that she has been aiming for. During the wedding party, Amanda meets Mark. He is the bass player for Brightside and lately he has been trying to go his way with music and started a band called Coconut Teazer. During the trip in South Africa and a Safari hunt, Mark and Amanda connect and spend a glorious night together before reality hits, and they are both back to their real lives. Months pass and Amanda is working hard at work and Mark with his band when they run into each other, Amanda never stopped thinking of him but doesn't know if he feels the same. One thing leads to another and when a tragedy occurs - it gives Amanda an epiphany to live her life and do something spontaneous, this act leads her to head on tour with Mark ( as a friend) but what happens when she knows she feels more and jealousy strikes and she ends up getting hurt. This part annoyed me as it was like a child tantrum and full-on pity party. It's like why didn't she tell Mark how she felt as HELLO he cares about her too. This last leaving pushed them both to the brink, and they left without a word to one another, and we read as they both go along with their lives, but of course something is missing for both of them. The love they had for one another. Can Mark prove to Amanda that she isn't just another notch on the bedpost and that he does love her just like Berkley and Liv do? One of my favorite parts of this book was near the last chapter when we see the final rise of Amanda and Mark's relationship. This part filled my heart with glee.
I am now looking forward to heading back to the earlier two books in the series and reading more about the family and their relationships.

[Eva • All Books Considered · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review originally posted at All Books Considered: 4 STARS

This is the third book in this series although it could be read as a standalone (note, however, that the first two are definitely a duo to be read together and in order). And yet, the same magic from the first two books continues in this one as well! I love love love Amanda -- we'd gotten to know her a bit in the first two books as being a sounding board for Liv but being inside her head felt so real. And I feel the same re: Matt. We knew him a bit from the first two books but we really get to know him in this one. The settings were so fun, too -- from Africa and its magic for the wedding to NYC where both Amanda and Matt have just moved for different reasons to being on the road together while Matt tours. Having been on the road before with a band, I can tell you that this was accurate and nostalgic and fun. I liked that this wasn't too serious because I was in the mood for that -- it was a bit more about trust and self-discovery but the romance was super cute as well.

I really think this is such a fun and funny underrated contemporary romance series -- bonus points if you like rockstar romance, too! Believe comes out today on October 24, 2016, and you can purchase HERE.

"What is it really about?"

He thinks for a moment before responding with a smile. "I'll never tell."

"Why not?"

"I learned that from Berkeley. As a writer, once a song is released it's not yours anymore. It belongs to the listener. I don't want to change it for you; it could ruin it. Music is memories; it can transport you back in time, and that song is a moment for me--it's what I needed then-- just as it became for you what you needed then. It's yours."

[Sydney D · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amanda "Boots" Conrad is entering her residency and dead set on becoming a plastic surgeon. She's totally focused on the end goal and isn't going to let anything distract her. When her cousin and best friend's wedding rolls around though, she leaves New York for South Africa, letting herself have a little vacation. When sparks start to fly with Mark, best man, bass player for Berkeley and the Brightside, and lead of the new band Coconut Teaszer, Boots has some rethinking to do. Does she stay the course, become a doctor and let her heart come second, or does she follow her heart and learn to have it all?

This book had some serious pros and some definite cons for me.

Pros:

It was so well written! Delahanty did a wonderful job mixing description with action (and when the "action" was well described, it was oh-so-steamy....)

Amanda, the main character, had a real job! I loved this. Amanda was serious about her career and had a realistic issue choosing between love and work.

Cons:

The love took a while. Things start out hot and heavy but then seriously sizzle out until the end.

Amanda was pretty hard-headed. I wanted her to be a little more open and less stuck in her ways. It felt a little unrealistic.

The story was super fun though and overall I had a blast reading it. At times I thought "Okay, let's get this show on the road," but in the end it was worth the wait!

[Heather 123 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first book I read in this series as it can be read as a standalone. I wish though that I had read the other books as there were situations and characters that were previously introduced throughout this book.

The only thing preventing me from giving this story 5 stars was Amanda. Her character at times truly aggravated me. She was too quick to run off and too afraid of facing what was right in front of her. She was meant to be this strong person, but her actions completely contradicted that image. I wanted her to just let her down every so often, but it took too long for her to actually do that for me.

Otherwise, an amazing book with a great story about bringing two people from completely different worlds together.

** ARC received from Netgalley **

[Jeannie Zelos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Believe, Katie Delahanty

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre:  New Adult, Romance

I loved Katie’s first two Brightside novels, and was so pleased to get this third one for review.
Its another great read, funny at times, tear-jerking at others – right up my street.

I remember Amanda ( Boots) from the first two books, she’s Liv’s cousin, and knows Liv’s friends Blair and Parker too. They pop up here and it was great to catch up with them. I’d love a Parker/Tux book ;-)
Here we really get to know her, and I so understood her. She’s just like me in always lacking confidence, second guessing herself and what's she’s done. Oh how many times I do that....especially when its something that needs a response from the other person, and then when it doesn’t come quickly, like Boots I’m thinking what did I do wrong, did i say the wrong thing? Indicate that? and why did I ever think to do that in the first place? Yep, her mind rambles were so so familiar and I loved her.

I’m almost ashamed to say I can’t really remember poor Mark though – what is that line keeps creeping in? Ah that’s it “no one takes any notice of the bass player” yep – sorry Mark, I missed you ;-)
He’s a gorgeous guy though and I grew to love him, though I wanted to shake him a few times....He was a bit or a jerk a couple of times but when I knew more I understood why, and his reaction was reasonable given what he thought had happened.

Amanda is maid of honour at Liv’s wedding, one held in top secret to avoid all the publicity, Mark is Berkelely's best man.
She’s got a short time before her career picks up on its next time sucking interlude to life. When she’s in Doc training everything else takes a backseat, its literally work – eat- nap-work- eat-nap-work-eat and maybe this time an actual sleep.
A little side rant here....What we put docs in training through is crazy, sleep deprived and making life changing decisions. When I was having my chemo years ago the doc on call all weekend was like Amanda, hoping to further her career, training for the next leg, and I met her Fri pm, by Sunday pm she was still working, giving me an unusual cocktail of chemo drugs after having been shown the routine in just a few quick minutes on Fri, she then had to remember it all ready for Sat. on little or no sleep, and again on Sunday....Sat she flushed through a litre of saline, usually they’d only do about 100-200ml,  as the chemo nurse had stressed she wasn’t to let the two drugs mix at all, and she said to me “ good job you’re not an 80 yr old lady,doing that would have probably killed you “ :-) We were joking about it but she was really scared, really tired, really stressed and yet the only one there able to give me the drugs to save my life. #NotGood But it meant I really understood Boots and the pressure she was under, from her parents, her work, herself.

So a great couple of lead characters, snippets of all the old gang, loved Psychic mum :-) and was great to see them all brought into the story.
Its a very different feel read from Liv’s story, and Mark and Boots are more off that on. They get together in Africa, and its a steamingly sensual couple of days, but then Boots isn’t sure if she’s time for romance with her residency coming up, Mark isn’t sure he wants more, they’re both really scared in a way, and manage to part as friends when its clear to reader they could have much more.

Mark seems to me to be kind of uncertain of what he wants, in a way he wants what Berkeley and Liv have, but though he thinks Boots could be his Liv he’s not sure he’s ready for that yet – well, that's how he feels to me. Others may put a different interpretation on his actions.
Boots has been so set on being a doc since she was 13 she’s not letting anything stand in her way, and though inside she wants more with Mark she’s scared it’ll take up too much of her life, and she’ll fail at the doc thing she’s so focussed on. Her parents don’t help, her doctor father clearly puts pressure on her, reminds her constantly it seems, not to let anything affect her focus.
She’s also telling herself what would a big star like Mark want with her, a plain, ordinary person, when he could have anyone? She thinks the only thing that makes her interesting is being a doc, and she just can’t see how much more to her there is, how special she is. When she looks at pics of Mark in the past with all the gorgeous, stunningly attractive ladies she feels unworthy, and she feels that there are ladies like that who fit in to his life so much better.

I really enjoyed that almost-together-and-then-another-setback feel that the middle section had.
I so understood Boots and how she felt, loved the secondary characters that played a strong part in the story ( mama Rosie – great lady), loved Mark – even when I wanted to slop him! and of course the snippets we got of Liv and Berkeley.
Its another great read, and so often with this sort of connected novel the subsequent ones really just mirror the first, become a sort of pastel facsimile, but Katie's given this a really fresh feel, very different to Liv and Berkeley's stories, and yet still kept the characters and humour true to those books.

Stars: Five, a lovely feel-good read, full of emotion.
 
ARC supplied by Netgalley and publisher 

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a big fan of this series since I read the first book, In Bloom, and have been obsessively checking when this book would become available. I somehow got lucky and ended up with two copies, and I could not wait to dive in.
Going into Believe, I knew that it wasn't going to be the characters that I know and love taking the lead, that it was in fact going to be from a different perspective, and I was both excited and nervous to venture into this, knowing what to expect but also wondering if I would love it as much as the previous books.

Believe carries on the tradition of having tweets between the characters at the beginning of each chapter, which not only make it easier to to break up the story, but also add a little amusement or insight into the upcoming chapter.

Amanda Conrad @BootsMD
Just plowed through a bag of Sour Patch Kids while reading about Type 2 diabetes and you know what? I LIKE BEING A REBEL

Believe is Amanda's story, Liv's cousin, and we begin with the set up of the secretive wedding between Liv and Berkeley with Liv arriving at the Vineyard. But as you can see from the above quote we get a lot more going on than weddings.

Amanda has finish med school, and has her heart set on becoming a plastic surgeon, but before her new adventure begins, Amanda attends her cousin's wedding, where she meets Mark, friend and fellow band member of Berkeley. Determined to enjoy herself and relax before heading home, Amanda takes up the motto 'what happens in Africa, stays in Africa', which leads some some amazing adventures, and some very heated nights. But when it's all over, Amanda is torn over her head and her heart, her future and her present, and ends up making a silly mistake (and you can believe I was shouting at her to change her mind).
Believe takes us on an adventure with Amanda as she struggles to find her place, to follow her dreams, and make the right decision for herself. It's not an easy journey and there are plenty of bumps along the way. Even right up to the very end of the book I was never quite sure what the final decision would be.

Amanda is also a strong willed, determined person. She sets her mind on a goal and won't let anything get in her way. Amanda's goal has been set for year, and with her hard work and dedication she is starting to see it become a reality, but is this goal for her or for others, and what happens when her heart wants a say in things.

This series is one that I really enjoy, and getting to read Believe was both exciting and sad. Exciting to get my hands on this but also sad at knowing this is the end. Believe has to be my favourite out of the series, although it's from a different perspective we still get the rock star moments, but we also experience the normality of everyday life, and also how precious it is. We see how things are taken for granted, but how much someone can achieve when they put their mind to it. Its hopeful and also disheartening, but its also real, it's not picture perfect and I think this is one of the main reasons that Amanda stands out more than the other characters ever did. She makes things seem attainable, that you can reach the stars yourself.

I've tried to keep my review vague, but also try to squeeze in all my thoughts and feelings about Believe. I LOVED the adventure of this book, I liked getting to catch up with other characters and see what they are up to now, and I love the journey that we as a reader, and the characters take, from start to finish.

Final Verdict
Believe is the perfect end to this series, it wraps everything up nicely and is an unputdownable book. I didn't want this one to end and I wish I could have made it last a bit longer..maybe another week or three.

[Roxanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Entangled Embrace for a copy of the eArc in exchange for a fair review.


Amanda is beginning her residency in New York when her cousin Liv whisks her off to South Africa for super secret wedding to Berkley. While there Amanda meets Mark and they have an instant connection and hot hookup. But Amanda isn't sure where this will go so she leaves things kind of causal. Once back in New York, she runs into Mark with another girl and immediately thinks the worse. She does find out that the girl was just a friend and he acted like he didn't know her because she with a guy who was just her co-worker.


She reaches out to Mark again and he invites her to a show, but while having a drink with him she sees a call or text come in from Vivian and doubts herself. So she takes off besides she is dealing with her first death as a doctor. Eventually, she runs into Mark yet again and he invites her out on the road. Amanda is on leave after the death of her patient and she decides why not.


Will Mark and Amanda get it right? Or will they keep missing the Mark with each other?


I am going to knock out my one dislike with this book first, I felt like they spent a lot of time missing each other or avoiding each other so I didn't get near as much romance as I wanted. That being said I loved Amanda, even though she is the smart doctor in training she felt like a normal person with normal insecurities. Including thinking, she wasn't good enough and not trusting a rockstar hottie.



The only other thing I kind of disliked was it felt like most of the time she was doing the work, Mark did tell her how he felt once, and of course he responded most of the time when she called or texted. But as a reader, I could see how his actions almost fed her insecurity. He didn't always make it easy on Amanda nor did he really take the time to chase her or clear up misperceptions.


Okay, maybe I did have more than one dislike, but in some ways, it made the romance more realistic, we all know guys don't always do or say the right thing. Plus we as women often fall prey to our insecurities and flaws. So even though I disliked some of those aspects I also liked them and thought that they made the story real. So if you are looking for realistic love story to pass the afternoon away then look no further!

[Sherin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by Katie Delahanty and I absolutely loved it! I am currently reading her other two books too ;)

When I saw this book listed under Entangled Publishing, I knew I would love it! The cover and description were enticing too and who doesn't love Rockstars? This is the story of Amanda (the cousin of Olivia) and Mark, and their book Believe is the third in The Brightside Series. This can be read as a standalone and is a fairly quick read.

Amanda is a doctor and she meets Mark at her cousin's wedding ... They connect instantly ... but Amanda wants to have a career and a relationship isn't a commitment she can afford ... Mark has started his own band and things are just getting started in his career ...

Amanda was a giving character and her father, was thoroughly frustrating to say the least! Psychic Mom was entertaining and I loved the friendship between Berkeley (the leading character of the other books in the series) and Mark and also, the bonding between Amanda and Rosie.

I felt a few things could have been handled better like Harrison for example ... I understood Amanda's hesitation and how she wanted to choose her career .... but I really wanted to know what would have happened had she got the Surgeon option, which she was always vying for and if or not she would have chosen Mark had she got it. Having that said, this was an entertaining read and ideal when you don't have time for a long and drama-filled read ;)

**I was kindly provided and ARC by Entangled Publishing through Net Galley.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me this is by far the best book in the Brightside series. I enjoyed it so much that when I got half way threw it I couldn't believe it, the story simply flowed so well!
It's not the perfect book, but it is pretty enjoyable.

The book is told from Amanda’s POV.
Amanda and Mark have an instant attraction from the beginning and some pretty magical moments, but at the end of the day they both want completely different thing from their lives. It seems impossible that a relationship could happen. Still there's a lot of tension between those two.

There were a few moments were I wanted to shake Amanda but overall I think she was an awesome driven character with failures and all. I do wish we could have had more insight on Mark's thoughts. At the end we have a nice HEA, which I love.

I will keep an eye out to more books from the author.

****I reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Entangled Publishing via NetGalley. This in no way affect my review, my thoughts are completely mine***

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first novel by Katie.

Believe follows the up an coming surgeon and a rock star.
Both happen in love. Both struggle to find balance in their life.

Can Amanda and Mark find true love?
I really enjoyed this book.

4 stars

[Suze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amanda doesn't know where she belongs and she's desperate to find her place in the world. She only feels at home with Rosie, who runs a very special bar with magical food, music and drinks. Amanda's friend Liv is getting married in South Africa. She's incredibly happy with her rock star boyfriend, which is something Amanda can only dream of. When she meets Mark, another musician, but less famous, Amanda allows herself to really feel for just a few days. Then she can go back to being a doctor.

Amanda tries hard to win a residency in New York. She's always had one goal in life and that is becoming a surgeon. Is that what she truly wants or is she supposed to be somewhere else doing something different? Keeping in touch with Mark is difficult, he's like a dream, but he also has fans and he's getting plenty of female attention. He can't be the man for her. Will Amanda eventually find out what she's meant to do?

Amanda has an incredibly good heart, which often overflows. She's emotional, caring and loving. She's also insecure and needs to find her place in the world. I loved reading about her search to find herself. She's determined to follow the path she's chosen many years ago, but is it still the one she should take? It was interesting to see where she would end up. Mark is a jovial guy with many friends and acquaintances. Wherever he is he's having a good time. I loved his calmness and cheerful personality. There's plenty of chemistry between the two main characters. Amanda has the tendency to run when things become too much and I kept hoping she would slow down and walk in the right direction eventually.

Believe is a lovely romantic story. It's a book that takes time to finish as it has a lot of pages, which are all definitely worth reading. It starts with a wonderful wedding and it ends like a fairytale. Amanda's journey isn't without tears and disappointment, which gives the story quite a bit of depth. I loved that she often allows herself to cry when she's emotional. She's a strong main character, she's driven, becoming a doctor is in her blood, she has dreams of her own and she never leans on anybody else. Sometimes she should let someone in though and I couldn't wait to find out what would happen if she would open her heart just a little bit more. I enjoyed reading Believe very much.

[Hilda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I have read nothing by this author before and her this morning with my book hangover I am asking myself, WHY? I started this book late, around 10pm, and boy was that a mistake. The story of Dr. Amanda “Boots” Conrad, grabbed a hold of me and would not let go. I was constantly saying just one more chapter, just one more chapter. I finally had to succumb to sleep when my eyes wouldn’t allow me to read anymore more than three quarters way through. But I didn’t want to put the book down and tossed and turned because I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next in Amanda’s life.

This book doesn’t disappoint. It is well written with great character development that has you emotionally bond with them. During the read I was thinking that it was a little long winded but I realized as the book went on that some of those moments brought treasures that help us understand Amanda and Mark better at another point. The push and pull of their relationship and the desire for them to get together kept me enthralled. I loved the characters and felt like I lost someone when the final pages turned.

Amanda Conrad has always wanted to not disappoint her father. Her dream, or so she has become to believe, that her dream is to be plastics surgeon. Whisked away to Africa for her cousin’s super-secret wedding, she lives life a little and calls it her one last hurrah. But what happens in Africa doesn’t always stay in Africa. Can she come to grips with the fact that the universe has another plan for her?
When an African romance take place and they decide to stay in the friends zone when returning to the states. Amanda and Mark fight the feelings that are budding in each other and a number of awkward situations take place. But when Amanda’s world is rocked by her first death as a doctor the first person she thinks to speak to is Mark. The hospital gives her a leave of absence to deal with her emotions and she begins to question everything she ever thought her life was to hold. Her father’s temper tantrum doesn’t help either. Will she live her life for herself or will she be someone her father wants her to be?

[Lucia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Falling for the best man romance mixed with a doctor and rock star romance.

Believe was my first book by Katie Delahanty so I had no idea what to expect from this book, only getting drawn in by the blurb, but overall I enjoyed this book. This falling for the best man romance is mixed with a doctor and rock star romance.

Told solely from Amanda’s POV, Amanda and Mark have a clear instant attraction at the beginning when they meet but at that exact time in their lives they both have different things they want from their lives and careers that it doesn’t seem possible for the two to blend together. As a result of their opposite lives, it’s more of a slow to steady paced book in terms of the relationship development pace and there is plenty of tension and drama to get through first. You would think these two contrasting characters of a doctor and rock star wouldn’t work but they do. However, I’ll be honest and say had mixed feelings with Amanda where I kind of blew hot and cold with her character. She wasn’t bad but just struggled to fully warm up and stay liking her throughout the whole book, while on the other hand, you don’t really fully get to know Mark fully as we get no POV to fully understand all his thoughts and feelings.

Believe is well written and had a decent plot from start to finish with just enough twists and turns to keep you guessing how things would play out. I personally have not read the previous books in this series but could follow along, although I can imagine it is more enjoyable for those who have read previous books. The book can be read, however, as a standalone with a HEA.

Overall, I enjoyed this book.

*I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Entangled Publishing via NetGalley. I was not compensated for my review, and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

[Amanda Hannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved that Amanda was such a strong hearted girl who fell in love at the wrong time. She is getting ready to start her residency for plastic surgeon. This is something she wanted to do since she was a little and ended up meeting a nice surgeon. Amanda is done school and getting ready to start what is the rest of her life as a surgeon but first, her cousin is getting married to a rock star. So where is the wedding? Of course, Africa. Amanda finds this to be her last horah before she starts at the hospital. She shows up in Africa not expecting to fall for her cousins fiances best man- Mark. When the two hit it off at the wedding and a night alone, do they forget each other? Just be friends? Or will they build a much deeper relationship? This book is defiantly a reader. So pick it up and see if these two end up becoming the next couple to wed.

I had no idea that this book had two before it. I read the description and saw that the lead character's name is Amanda, she was becoming a doctor and there was a hot love story. Who does not love the hot love story? After going back and reading the description of the other two, I feel like you do not need to read those to read this one..

I really don't care for the whole 'Rock Star love boy" storyline but this one was different. I connected with the main character and it kept me going. I was pulling for her to be with Mark. His career had a lot to do with their love but I don't think a choice in career chance would have been good. If that makes sense.

This was a quick read and I think people who are interested in a doctor/rock star love should check this out.

[Kim Mote · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by this author, missed the other two books in the series but was able to pick right up with no problems. This is Mark and Amanda's book and there chance at happiness. Mark the bass player of Brightside has started a side band because he wants to go back small vs the big times with the corporate game.
Amanda, Liv's cousin/sister a medical student who will be starting residency in New York to become a plastic surgeon is on a path to make that happen. She has to be focused with no distrations and on the end game that she has planned on most of her life.
Amanda and Mark meet in Africa at Liv's wedding and hit it off regardless how they try to fight it. Both leaving with opposite goals in life.
After Amanda has an issue at work she starts guessing her life and where she should go, Mark talks her into going on a trip with him and the band to find that answer out. During that trip Amanda is able to find herself and learn things about herself.
This book showed things in life happen and you have to be able to adjust and realize its ok if they do, its part of changing and growing.
This was a great read and totally enjoyed it. Honest review in exchange for ARC.

[Denise Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved that Ms. Delahanty gave us the thread of the wedding to look forward to in this last book. I also love that two of the amazing cast of secondary characters had a chance at a HEA. How she was going to make that work really took writing skill. Attraction was not an issue but what each did for a living would prove an issue. I had thought that our gal was a stronger character as portrayed in the first two books. In actuality she had many layers of doubt. Our guy seemed fully formed from the beginning. I loved the ride they had together as well as the growing our gal had to undergo. I enjoyed this book almost as much as the first two. I even enjoyed how they reached a HEA. What di have me scratching my head a bit is that I wanted to have an additional chapter or an extended epilogue to include a wedding for this couple who had endured a lot to finally get together. I know this book was published a number of years ago so I really hope at some point that could happen. A girl can dream anyway. That said I will keep these books in my library and will certainly visit them again. Please Ms. Delahanty give us that extra special wedding moment. Great job though! denise bailey

[Amber Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entangled Embrace provided me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Brightside series by Katie Dalahanty is one of those hidden gems. I stumbled onto In Bloom after reading a blog review and absolutely fell in love with Liv - her neighbors Blair and Parker - and who can resist Berkeley...swoon. The writing of the story, the wit of the characters and the tweets that prefaced each chapter kept me engaged and wanting more. (In Bloom is where the reader is first introduced to the character of Amanda "Boots" Conrad.)

We received more with Blushing. I'd actually totally forgotten about this series and was pleasantly reacquainted with it when browsing my kindle TBR shelf. Again, Liv and Berkely stole the show.

With Believe, this time the story focuses on In Bloom secondary characters, Liv's cousin and med student "Boots" and Brightsides bassist, Mark. If you've followed Liv and Berkeley's story, then you'll be pleased to pick up with their super, secret wedding. The original cast of characters - Blair and Parker along with Psychic Mom - all make appearances. The tweets are also back and add some levity to the story.

I enjoyed this edition of the Brightside series, but I didn't love Boots and Mark nearly as much as I loved Liv and Berkeley. I could understand Boots desire to achieve her goal of becoming a surgeon, after all, she has been working for years towards this. But I also felt that it became this the be-all end all of her. She was constantly defaulting to the need to be a surgeon and not being able to do or focus on any thing else. And here I was constantly rooting for her to open her eyes; for her to find her happy ending (don't take that to mean that this story ends on a negative note...quite the opposite.)

[Mommaleena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Magic!!

Wow what an intense story but oh man will it draw you in until the end!! Some of my favorite passages are......
• It’s how I can color outside the lines, but still stay in a coloring book.”
• “Sometimes it takes a scar to expose the beauty.
• “I can’t wait to see what kind of magic we conjure next.”

I can’t wait to see what other books not only on this series but others that Katie has as well. It’s very well written her story is down to earth like it’s happening next door and makes you feel as you’re part of her story!!

[Kira · Rating 2 out of 5]

Immediate thoughts:

"What a bunch of baloney."

Is what I thought about the drama and chemistry. I mean, yes there is a sense of ridiculousness in every book about loving a rockstar, but I wasn't buying this story. Maybe it didn't help that I felt no chemistry whatsoever or romance? I don't know. It kind of felt basic.

So yea. Bleh. Baloney.

[hanna johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

LIVES IT!!!

I couldn't put this book down! It was so easy to get lost in the pages wanting to know what happened next. I love a good love story and LOVED the whole Brightside series!

[Linda Ryan Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series

Loved this series with great story lines that includes HEA,family dynamics and friendship. Please tell me the series is not over. I have to know about Rosie's health,Blog's wedding and did live have any babies.

[Gwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read, funny to read and enjoy whether on a summer's day or any other day.

[Anarchy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Believe (The Brightside #3) – Katie Delahanty – Review
My overall rating for this book is 3 stars
Love rating: 4 stars
Heat rating: 3 stars

This book was provided as an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
I have never read anything by this author before but I must say I was impressed. I would definitely recommend this as a quick and easy read although be prepared to get a little frustrated with the main characters.

“My name is Amanda Conrad and I. Am. A doctor.

When my cousin Liv whisked me away to South Africa to be maid of honour in her super-secret celebrity wedding, I was about to begin a five-year residency at NYU and was on my way to becoming a plastic surgeon. My plans definitely did not include a rock-star best man sweeping me off my feet.

But what happened in South Africa needed to stay there—he’d return to his touring and I’d start my residency, with our fond memories of a whirlwind, fairy-tale week. But now nothing feels right—I’m questioning my once solid plans, and I can’t stop thinking about him. Our lives are so different… Am I ready to risk everything I’ve worked for since I was thirteen—and put my heart on the line? To dream bigger than I ever thought possible? To believe I can have it all? That’s the thing about growing up...sometimes you have to be brave enough to redefine happily ever after.”

One of my biggest dislikes of this book was that it was only from the POV of Amanda (Boots). I really wanted a dual POV so I could know what was going on in Marks head, I think it would’ve added so much more to the story. The other thing that annoyed me about this book is that I would have liked to have seen a bit more of them together, especially towards the end of the book. They had a very complicated relationship when they were apart but you could see the magic when they were together.

Amanda AKA Boots was an amazing character who is very driven in her career; she has just started her residency at the hospital and is in competition with everyone for that one spot in plastic surgery. I sympathised with her so much because of the difficult decisions she had to make regarding her personal life and going after her dream job. I was impressed by Boots as a character she is caring, beautiful, smart and very driven. I found myself laughing at a lot of the things she said as well. Her feelings and reactions to the patient that died just made me love her even more.

Mark is the bass player of a well-known rock band and has decided to start his own side project a band which performs at smaller venues called Coconut Teazers. When it came to Mark for me it was a real love hate relationship, sometimes I felt like he didn’t really care about Amanda and was quite cold towards her, most of the time I really did want to kick him. He did redeem himself towards the end of the book though and I forgave him for seeming like an ass. I didn’t really feel like I got to know Mark because we didn’t get anything from his point of view. I thought he was a handsome, spontaneous, smart, talented and romantic man, which ultimately lead me to fall in love with him too.

I loved the side characters; I haven’t read any of the other books and read this as a standalone. I still felt like I got a good read on the others though. My favourite had to be psychic mum, she just made me laugh and I loved the other characters reactions to her.

The writing was amazingly descriptive but I felt like it was a slow book because there was so much time between their next meetings, I just wish there had been a bit more of them together. Although it seemed like a long book it was actually quite a quick read and passed a few hours for me, while I enjoyed reading it, I probably wouldn’t pick it up again.

My favourite part of the book was Amanda and Mark in Africa and also their first meeting it was just magical. I just love, love, loved the ending to this book; it just kept me wanting more of Amanda and Mark together. I was so sad when it was over.

[Aaly · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** I was given an ARC for an honest review. ***

Sweet and cute read. Believe was a story about Mark and Amanda's journey to find happiness.

The story was enjoyable but I didn't feel the spark enough.

Mark and Amanda were just okay. A cute couple but to me nothing more. I don’t mind a slow paced story, but between Amanda’s jealousy and insecurities, Mark’s not enough showing his feelings and not being enough persistent, and both running away when things get tough, I couldn’t really get into it. I tried.

I was afraid this book was a little bit cliché but it wasn’t. The author did a great job showing a life of a rockstar with some great insights, and good characters’ backgrounds. For both confident people, they were kinda lost, maybe everything they knew wasn’t what they looking for.

But how could they be an item? Being together?

Well after a very long time of on and off, unsaid things, running away and hopefully some help from their friends, they finally made it.

The end was good for sure but the whole book? Not convinced! It was just too soft and needed more scathing. Just sweet as a cupcake.

[Unofficial Book Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

Discovering Katie Delahanty on the recommendation of a trusted book friend has absolutely been one of the highlights of my reading adventures for 2016. She is one of those authors that while I was reading had me thinking “Where have you been my entire life”? To put it simply, Katie writes books that make me happy – ones that leave me with a genuine smile on my face while I’m reading, that make me swoon so hard I audibly sigh, that make me fall in love with reading all over again.

Sometimes the literary stars align and certain books come into our lives at the exact time that they are needed and this was definitely the case for me with Believe. As much as I enjoyed the first two books in The Brightside series (In Bloom and Blushing), I just fell in love with Boots and Mark’s story. Lately my life has definitely felt like it’s been lacking in the “magical experiences” department and this book helped to fill that void a bit. Believe was nothing short of magical from the first page to the last and, as corny as this might sound, I felt my sagging spirit slowly renewing with each chapter that passed. There’s something very special about an author’s words having the power to touch your life in this kind of way.

In addition to the romance factor being off the charts, I really enjoyed the tension created by Boots and Mark trying to figure out how they fit into each other’s lives. When characters as disparate as a doctor and a musician are paired up, you often see the trap set where one of the leads winds up getting the short end of the stick and has to give up an intrinsic part of himself/herself in the name of love. But Katie pulled this one off in a way that was both realistic and satisfying – it truly felt like an ending worthy of this couple’s hard fought journey to their happily ever after.

If you haven’t had the good fortune of reading Katie yet, remedy that immediately. Although Believe can technically be read as a standalone, I would recommend starting off with In Bloom and Blushing as the main characters, as well as a few supporting characters, from those books appear in Believe and you’ll be equipped with the full backstory. Either way, you’re in for a reading experience you won’t regret.

- Ashley

[Stacy Sabala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review-Believe by Katie Delahanty

Amanda Conrad is a doctor and has travelled to South America to attend the top secret wedding between best friend and cousin Liv to rock star Berkeley Dalton. She is about to start her residency in New York hoping to gain the spot in plastics. She decides to have fun at the wedding and give into her attraction to Mark, Berkeley’s bandmate. Once the wedding is over she plans are to be back on track to becoming a doctor, her dream.
Unfortunately she has mixed feelings about Mark when the time comes to say good-bye. She needs to focus on her path and talks herself out of any feelings she may have had. Besides Mark isn’t acting as if he feels the same. Everything is for the best.
Amanda, or Boots, isn’t so sure when she starts her residency. It’s a lot harder than she thought. When she loses her first patient she really has to re-evaluate what she is capable of doing. She also re-evaluates her feelings for Mark. She can’t seem to get past them. She goes home for a break and decides the best way to get perspective is to get some distance. She accepts the invitation to go on tour with Coconut Teasers.
Unfortunately just as things seem to be going right Boots’ insecurities take over. Her dreams start crashing around her as she has to make tough choices about where to go now.
I love this series. I have read them all so far. The romance between Berkeley and Liv is one of my favorites. So I was ecstatic to read Boots’ story. The author did not disappoint. The rock and roll lifestyle clashing with the life of a resident doctor. The worlds were completely different. Boots had to have tremendous drive and focus to reach where she was. I loved how the author invited us into her struggle to do what she always dreamed of doing. Same with Mark. He was following his dream of being a front man for his own band. Their struggle was not easy and it had very realistic roadblocks thrown at them.
Their attraction was pretty instant. Their feelings were sweet and complicated. The story was full of fear, insecurities, misunderstandings, determination, focus and drive. It was a great read and I loved both characters. The ending was extremely satisfying to read. I give it a 4.5 out of 5.

[Brigitte · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a classic example of the proverb "Fate doesn't care about your plans". It's the third book in The Brightside series but can be read as a standalone.

Mark is the famous bass player of Brightside, a successful rock group. He has just put a new group together whilst still a member of Brightside. He spends a lot of his time on the road, touring.

Amanda is a doctor going into residency to achieve her life long dream of becoming a plastic surgeon if she is selected. She works hard and doesn't commit to anything which might be a deviation to her goal.

Amanda is the maid of honour at her cousin's wedding being held in South Africa. Mark is the groom's best friend and best man at the wedding. This is the first time that they have both taken a break in a long while. There is an instant connection between them and they are willing to explore during their break. Then, they can both go about their merry way and carry on with their lives once the celebrations are over! Can they just forget about their time together and ignore their feelings?

This story is a real rollercoaster. Being together in South Africa proves to be magical for both of them but once they can get back to reality, there is a lot of going back and forth. Neither of them can forget the other or the intensity of their encounter, but Amanda's heart is set on her career. There are misunderstandings when they reconnect and Amanda's insecurities get the better of her. Mark is confused and his behaviour can be frustrating at times but he is lovable just the same.

It's a fantastic storyline. Mark and Amanda are memorable main characters as are the secondary ones. It's beautifully written and captivating. The sense of humour is contagious and the heartbreaks are palpable. The Christmas party is my favourite part of the story although it brought tears to my eyes and I love the way the story ends.

I was kindly issued with an eARC via NetGalley. This is an honest review.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say that I enjoyed this read by Katie Delahanty. The story flowed really well and the characters were well developed. The magic between the two main characters will leave you swooning and feeling like you are reading a fairy tale that you don't want to see come to an end. Even though this is the third book in The Brightside series, it can be read as a standalone.

Amanda is a determined young lady that has her heart set on becoming a plastic surgeon. She is not going to let anything get in her way either...or is she?? When Amanda leaves New York to attend her cousin's wedding in South Africa, she is looking forward to getting a much needed break from her hectic life. What Amanda is not expecting at all is who she meets as the best man in the wedding and the way that he sweeps her off her feet. Are those plans to be a plastic surgeon really that concrete?

When Amanda meets Mark, the best man in her cousin's wedding, the last thing she was expecting was the sparks that flew between the two of them. Mark is a bass player for Berkeley and the Brightsides and is also the lead for a new back, the Coconut Teazer. Mark is a busy man himself and has not really had time for anything but his bands. When Mark and Amanda meet and have some "quality" time together over the wedding weekend, will they be able to go their separate ways again and not pretend anything happened and that they have such a strong connection? You really need to read this one and go on the journey with Mark and Amanda. These two have some steamy moments that will have you fanning yourself but they also have some great "Aaawww" moments as well.

Overall a great read that you will want to read for yourself. I am glad I got the chance to read this one and look forward to what Katie Delahanty has in store for us next!!

[Deanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

Believe is a frustrating book for me to review. I had to give it 3 stars when I wanted to give it at least a 4. It had potential for greatness, but lacked something.

Katie Delahanty's writing was really good. I loved the characters she created and the situations she put them in. Amanda was perfectly imperfect. She had so much going for her with her career, but she lacked self-confidence. Her self-doubt took over her life, and it was so easy to relate to and empathize with her feelings of inadequacy on all accounts. There were times that I wanted to give her a good shake and point out all the great things about her because that's what I would do for a friend.

My frustration with Believe comes from the hero, Mark. I loved the way he was when he was actively courting Amanda. He was sweet and said all of the right things. All of the other times I wasn't quite sure what to think of him. He sort of came off as a jerk. In a way, that fit the story. It drove part of Amanda's storyline. It would have been nice to have Mark's point of view included. What he was thinking the entire time would have been a strong addition to the story. Knowing his thoughts would have cemented how I felt about him, made him a man I swooned after.

Amanda and Mark had amazing chemistry. It was so sensual and extremely cute. I would have liked to experience more of it and less of them pushing each other away. But that would have changed the story and I really liked the story!

Overall, Believe was a fun, relatable story. I enjoyed reading it and plan on going back and reading the first two books in the series.

You can read this review and more like it on my blog, A Novel Glimpse.

[2OCC Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katie Delahanty is a new to me author. Believe is the 3rd book in the The Brightside series and is the story of Amanda, aka Boots, and Mark, the bass player for the band Brightside. Boots is promising surgeon ready to start her residency and Mark, tired of the big stage, has form a new band and is taking to the road for smaller venues.

The story starts in South Africa at the wedding of her cousin, Liv and lead singer for Brightside, Berkeley. Boots is the maid of honor and Mark is the best man. A little cliché maybe, but it works for this story. After a magical experience involving a leopard, Boots and Mark connect. However, their lives are going in different directions.

I had a love/hate relationship with both Mark and Boots because of the ups and downs of their characters and their involvement with each other would run up then down. And while I understand that this is part of the plot of the story, it was just too much at times. Just when you thought they were going to figure it out and be happy, something would happen. One step forward, two steps back.

One of the characters that I enjoyed most in this book was Rosie. Owner of Mama Rosie’s former known as the Neon Pineapple, a club that was once the place for bands to play in Philadelphia, she provides a unique insight to Boots concerning love and the music business.

I enjoyed the story very much but wished that it would have had more insight into Mark’s feelings concerning Boots and their relationship.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Entangled Publishing via NetGalley. I was not compensated for my review, and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.