Interlude

Love, Lucas #3

by Chantele Sedgwick

When Mia Cox finds out she can’t donate her kidney to save her younger sister’s life, she doesn’t hesitate to jump on a plane to New York, convinced she can talk their estranged birth mother, Carmen, into donating hers instead. She doesn’t know the city or how she’ll find Carmen when she gets there, but she has to try. If she doesn’t, Maddy’s going to die.

On the cross-country flight, Mia figures she’ll have more than enough time to make a plan for when she lands—where she’ll go, where she’ll sleep, what she’ll eat. But then she falls into an embarrassing conversation with the cute boy sitting next to her, and only after she insults him does she realize he’s the one and only Jaxton Scott, the troubled lead singer of a famous rock band she hates. While Mia is running toward what she hopes is a cure for her sister, Jax is running away from his rockstar life. As the hours pass, they get to know each other, and she finds herself opening up to him like she never has to anyone.

When Jax volunteers to help Mia on the rest of her journey, she’s hesitant to accept his offer. Under different circumstances, she would want to get to know him better, but how can she entertain this random crush on a real-life rockstar while Maddy lies in the hospital, her name one of many on a never-ending transplant list?

Though everything seems perfect while they’re in the air, once on the ground again, Mia’s lack of preparation catches up with her, and she receives grave news from home. Clinging to the shred of hope she has left, she accepts Jax’s help but makes it clear that her priority is finding Carmen and saving Maddy’s life. She will not, under any circumstances, stray from her mission no matter how cute, thoughtful, and sweet her new friend may be.

Genres: Romance, Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Clean Romance, Young Adult Romance, Young Adult Contemporary

275 pages, Hardcover

First published February 13, 2018

About the author

Chantele Sedgwick is a YA author, harpist, wife to one and stay-at-home mom to four. She loves happy endings, Kit Kats and judging by her book shelves, buys way too many books.

Reviews

[Maureen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I pretty much speed-read this book and I honestly don't remember much about it, so it wasn't that impressionable, haha.
It has a lot of the elements I like in a fluffy contemporary, especially famous person falling in love with a normal person, my number one guilty pleasure trope, but I guess I didn't like it because I rated it two stars?
From reading other people's reviews, I'm guessing I liked the family and some of the romance, but something must've been off for me. Maybe the ending was too much? Honestly not sure I read this book two months ago SORRY.

[Katie (Hiding in the Pages) · Rating 4 out of 5]

My teenage self really loved three things--romance, celebrities, and a heart-wrenching story that would make me cry. I guess I loved books and movies to help release that angst. INTERLUDE has them all and I really did enjoy it, even with the lump in my throat.

Mia and her younger sister, Maddy, are really close and Maddy is dying. In a final, desperate measure to save her sister, Mia runs away to New York City to look for their birth mom, where she meets Jaxton, a famous rocker. I loved the meet cute they shared and the way they quickly, yet gradually got to know each other.

I love that Jaxton is portrayed as a "normal" person, even though he is a celebrity. People are people. I believe that people, especially young people, can change and it was fun to see how generous and chivalrous Jax was. Mia is very spontaneous and her fierce love for her family is so sweet.

The characters and plot came together in a way that really held my interest and had me on the edge of a good cry. Everyone should follow their dreams. Oh, the feels are real with this one!

Content: mild romance; vague talk of party life

[Fafa's Book Corner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mini review:

DNF

I was really looking forward to reading this book. Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy it.

To put it simply I got to a point where I stopped caring. I would’ve preferred seeing more of Mia’s family. While I didn’t mind Jaxton, I was annoyed with their insta-attraction. Mia would get jealous if she saw Jaxton with his female fans. I honestly wouldn’t have minded their interactions if it weren’t for that.

The author did an excellent job with Mia and her family. And Jaxton was a pretty great guy. But that was about it.

Overall I didn’t enjoy it. I do still recommend for the family aspect.

[Aimee (Getting Your Read On) · Rating 4 out of 5]

YA With Emotion

I love when I care about characters in a story. My heart definitely became invested, the tears prove it. There is a bit more than fluff in this book!

[Suze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mia and Maddy are close. They are sisters and best friends. When Mia turns eighteen she doesn't waste any time and takes the necessary tests to see if she can donate a kidney to Maddy. Unfortunately she isn't a match. Maddy doesn't have much time left and there's only one person Mia can think of wo could donate a kidney, their mother, a woman they don't know and who isn't part of their lives. Mia buys a plane ticket and travels to New York to get Maddy the help she needs. Will she succeed?

Mia doesn't have a specific plan for when she lands in New York. She has a long flight ahead of her and during the journey she meets Jax. Jax is the lead singer of a rock band that Mia doesn't like very much. She only discovers who he is after she's embarrassed herself, but Jax doesn't seem to mind. He's taking a break from his demanding life and could use some honest company. They get along so well that Jax offers to help Mia when they arrive in New York. Should Mia accept this? She feels guilty about hanging out with a celebrity and having fun while Maddy is so ill, but Jax does know the city and that might be an advantage. What will happen when Mia finds her mother, will her mission be a success or will it end in tears?

Interlude is a beautiful moving story. Maddy and Mia have an incredible bond that immediately warmed my heart. Mia would do anything for Maddy and that means she'll even go to New York to find the woman she loathes, the mother who left them behind without ever seeking contact again. Mia has never traveled by herself and has never been to New York. She's a smart and down-to-earth girl though and that is something that appeals to Jax. He's always surrounded by fakeness and loves how genuine she is. They have an instant connection because they would both do anything for their family and their love for music. Their friendship forms quickly, but feels completely natural, which is something I absolutely loved about their story. I couldn't turn the pages quickly enough to find out if Mia's mission would succeed or not and if she'd give Jax a chance to become part of her world.

Chantele Sedgwick writes about emotional subjects in a gorgeous empathic way. I was impressed by the way she describes the different stages of Maddy's illness. Her situation is sad, but Maddy's cheerful personality and big heart are making her a joy to read about. Interlude has many fantastic layers and the story is hopeful as well as compelling. Chantele Sedgwick's amazing descriptions and understanding of her characters' emotions are making it come to life in a fabulous way. Interlude is a brilliant heartwarming book.

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Characters who are dealing with grief are ones who I understand so well these days. I loved Mia and the way she chose to do all she could for her sister while she is still living, even though she knows that Maddy could very well die soon. Along her journey, a boy enters her pathway and yes, the cute inevitably follows. :) But this isn't just a story with a sweet romance, this is all about Mia figuring out her own strength. As well as proving just how amazing she is to everyone around her! I loved her journey and am definitely planning to read more of Ms. Sedgwick's stories!

[Mia Giarritano · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best book ever! Really sad, but really beautiful!!!

[Morgan Shipman · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The only road I walk alone is the road I paved myself." - J.S.

"I'll take your hand and you'll take mine,
We'll leave our troubles far behind
I'd love to get away from here
Run away from my life, to be with you my dear." -J.S.

This beautiful was a tearjerker! Mia's little sister, Maddy, is dying of kidney failure. Mia had hoped to be a match to donate a kidney to her sister, but she was not. The days following, Maddy became even sicker and her prognosis progressively got worse. In an effort to save her sister, Mia ran away from home, taking a plane to New York, hoping to find her birth mother and convince her to donate her kidney instead.

While on the plane, she met famous rockstar Jaxton Scott. Unbeknownst to her, she badmouthed his band. So funny. As unrealistic as this whole aspect of the book was, I couldn't help but fall in love with their love story. I fought and fought for Jax and Mia. They were so sweet and adorable. You could feel the innocence in both characters and their desire to be selfless and grow into better people, regardless of their less than favorable circumstances. It felt like a younger version of 50 Shades of Grey, in the sense that he would put her up in extremely expensive hotel rooms and pay for things she could never affordable (similar to Christian and the Audi). Unrealistic or otherwise, their love was so genuine, sweet, and desirable. I think most people who read this book would desire the unconditional love they had developed for each other.

Ultimately, Mia's birth mother was very cold and unsympathetic to her sister's diagnosis, even going so far as to outright admit that she never wanted Maddy, only Mia. Wow! What a horrible woman. The silver lining is that Mia's biological aunt overheard the conversation and when Jax (yes, swoon!) sent a note with money and no return address to their house, she was able to fly to California and was a match for her sister's kidney donation. Don't you just love happy endings?

Please please pleeeeease let their be a second book! I need more Jaxton and Mia!

[Natalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the story a lot. The celebrity I imagined was Shawn Mendes, because I have just discovered him and like him a lot. ☺️ I like that the story is not too long, fast and unbelievably sweet. And has a happy ending, that’s crucial for me. 🙂
I wonder that just holding hands can be such an intimate moment. It is hot, really. The book has two kisses and some hugs, but it is more than enough to make me feel goose bumps. :)
Love it.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take one girl who will do anything to save her sick sister, add one rockstar on the run from his troubles, and one stormy family history, and you have Chantele Sedgwick’s Interlude. Sweet, heartfelt, and full of music, it perfectly mixes family drama with a burgeoning romance and hits every note.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

The main protagonist is 18 year-old Mia and the reader learns, right off the bat, that she is being tested to see if she is a match to donate a kidney to her younger sister, Maddy. Maddy has had kidney disease for 2 years, going to dialysis a few times a week, and has finally reached renal failure. If she doesn't get a kidney soon, she will die. Mia and Maddy's birth mother ran off not long after Maddy was born, so if Mia isn't a match there isn't anyone left in their family who can donate a kidney. It's highly unlikely that Maddy will get bumped up the donor list, so without Mia's kidney she will die. The worst news comes, and Mia is not a match. Without thinking of the consequences, or forming any kind of plan, Mia hops on a cross-country flight from California to NYC to try to find their birth mother and see if she will donate a kidney.

On the ride she (inevitably) meets a boy, who happens to be running away from, and trying to solve, his own problems. They form a quick bond and he offers to help her in her quest, particularly as she hasn't booked a hotel or thought of any sort of logistics. Their meet-cute is perfectly hilarious and their relationship somewhat refreshing as although they become attached quickly there are some aspects that are more realistic than most.

This book deals with finding out who you are and who you want to be, as well as who and what constitutes a family. Sedgwick even manages to put in that perhaps good perhaps horrible experience of meeting a birth parent that you have never met, and barely heard about. The vast majority of the characters in this book are white though Mia and Maddy's heritage seems to be Latin American.

[Cat Dino · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You came here for a reason, no matter the outcome,” are the words that flash through Mia’s head as she searches the streets of New York to find her birth mother—the only one who may be able to save Mia’s dying sister’s life. Mia Cox just found out that she is not an acceptable kidney donor for her sister Maddy who is suffering from Kidney Disease. As this had been Mia’s goal since the start of Maddy’s illness, she must find another donor to keep her sister alive, which leads her across the country to find their birth mother, Carmen. On the flight over, Mia meets Jaxton Scott, an international rock star. As it turns out, he’s a pretty normal guy, and through their long conversations, they find companionship in one another. Once they land in New York, Jaxton decides to join Mia on her quest. Throughout this complex adventure that starts off as a rescue and results in self-discovery, Mia must learn to trust in herself, her family, and new friends. Though the overlying theme of the story is relatively heavy, through Mia’s light-hearted teenage voice, readers can connect and relate to the tumbling emotions that the protagonist feels throughout her journey to save her sister. This book, fitting into the same niche as heartfelt and moving books like “The Fault in Our Stars” and “All the Bright Places”, will be a must-read for those fans.

[Sara Borden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interlude is about a girl, named Maddy, who is close to dying and needs a kidney transplant. When Mia, her sister, finds out she cannot donate her kidney, she is devastated. Mia jumps on a plane and flies to New York to find her birth mother, Carmen, hoping she can help. While on the flight over, she meets Jaxton Scott, a cute and famous rockstar, and unknowingly falls for him. Jaxton is willing to help find Carmen and save Maddy's life. Mia and Jaxton are getting to know each other and Mia opens up to him like she never has to anyone. But Jaxton is becoming a big distraction.

I personally enjoyed Interlude. It was a good story and it had a good overall message. Also, the relationship between Mia and Maddy takes the book to a whole new level! On the other hand, I thought it was jumping from event to event without a clean transition. I like to read a book that is organized and know exactly what is going on. This was not the case for this book. I also thought Jaxton came across as "goody two shoes" or "too good to be true". But that was how Chantele Sedgwick wanted his character to be, and if he wasn't that way, the book just wouldn't be the same.

Overall, I enjoyed this book!

[Emma Oltman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interlude definitely made it onto my top 5 list. It is beautifully written in such a way that you feel a connection to each of the characters. I love how there are so many hidden character ties in the series, it really pulls the series together. This book had me smiling the whole way through. Whether it was because of the sweet sisterly bond between Mia and Maddy, or watching the relationship blossom between Jax and Mia. That’s another thing- Jax. He is literally the dream guy. I love the way he sticks with her, even after she hates on his band. My favorite part of the book was when she is having a breakdown and he comes and just sits with her. It’s so wholesome. Another thing, the ending… I love how there is finally a happy ending in one of these books. In the first two books, every time something good happens, a tragedy occurs. So, I feel like for those readers who stuck with the series even through all the sadness, a happy ending was very much needed. Don’t get me wrong, this book wasn’t all sunshine and glitter. It definitely has the emotional roller coaster aspect to it, but I think with these books, that’s what keeps the readers hooked. This was, for sure, my favorite book in the series and I highly recommend reading it.

[beck · Rating 4 out of 5]

What’s funny is that I actually stumbled upon this book by complete accident; before I had never even heard of it but I gave it a chance and I’m SO GLAD I did :)) This book really touched my heart because it’s about a girl , Mia, whose younger sister is diagnosed with a condition where she will need another kidney to survive. Mia decided to take a risk and fly out to New York all by herself to hopefully find their mother and convince her to donate. On the plane ride she meets Jax who is running away from his pop star life and together they venture into newyork to find Mias mother. I have a sister who I love with all my heart and the relationship that Mia and her sister have reminded me a lot of my own. The entire book just inspired me and was such a good read!! The story was so moving and I would highly recommend you all to read it :)

[Khairun Atika · Rating 4 out of 5]

For some reason, James Bay's new song, Us, was playing in my head as I read this book. It was what I imagined Jaxton Scott to sound like. I loved every bit of this story, and I admired Mia. She is headstrong, determined and selfless. She is not afraid to speak her mind and is full of fire and passion. Yet she holds herself back to care for her sick sister, Maddy. When Maddy's life is in danger, Mia jumps on a plane to track down her estranged mother, desperate to have someone save her sister. She ends up meeting a rock star handling his own grief and dilemmas, and while she never expected to meet him again, she finds that their lives would intertwine from the strong connection they shared. It is a beautiful story of hope, love and family, a joy to read.

[Nickel · Rating 5 out of 5]

NOTE TO SELF: READ THIS AGAIN AND AGAIN!
I loved this book so so much. Jax is such a wonderful guy and Mia is so brave!
SPOILERS AHEAD:
I was so happy when Maddy made it out alive. I was so sure that the author was going to make her die, but she didn't! Jax, being the amazing guy he is, saved her even though him and Mia knew each other for a short time.
Jax may be my favorite character because of his charming personality and how much care he put in for Mia.
Interlude had such a beautiful ending and it melted my heart. Bravo, Ms. Sedgwick!

[Lacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hee hee hee. I love those two! Their relationship is so cute and funny. I love both of those characters. However, I feel the same way about this story as I did about 'Love, Lucas'. I really don't want to bash on the author, because I really like her, but I just don't feel like the writing is what it could be. Maybe it's just me, because I do judge the writing just as much as the story when I read, but I just can't get over how it sounds sometimes. I just feel like a lot of improvement could be made in the way this story was written. I did love the story though.

[Sophia Cofflin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interlude was a beautiful book about love, friendship, and sisterhood. Readers will laugh and cry with the characters. This book is written in a way that makes you just keep turning the pages until you reach the end. You will feel disappointed of how Mia's mother, when Mia meets her. The end was great, and really went with the tone of the book. I liked that the element of what family means is intertwined in the book. I think people who like romance will like this book. Overall, this was a great book, and I enjoyed it.

[Bonnie Thrasher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this author. This is another sweet love story appropriate for pre-teens through adults which has grit and depth. Mia's sister needs a kidney transplant, but a donor cannot be found. time is running out. In a last ditch effort, newly 18 Mia sets out in search of her birth mother and meets people who will change her life forever, some in ways in which she has never imagined. She finds maturity as she faces stark reality. Dreams are shattered as new dreams are dreamt.

[Ellie Schrier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my word this book made me laugh and cry and fangirl! Adored it from start to end. I loved that the the sister-plot and the romance-plot supported each other and both intrigued me. Of course there were certain cliches in the book, but I can overlook them because the book also shared great messages about love and kindness and hope. It was nice that the love interest was flawed and real. Both characters were authentic and, to a certain degree, relatable. I would definitely recommend this.

[Cali · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a beautiful book! It was a tad bit romantic, exciting, jittery, sad, awful and wonderful at the same time. The devastation you feel right along with Mia is heartbreaking. The excitement you feel about Ana and Jax are exhilerating and beautiful and so so fun! I would also reccomend this book because it is not annoying since Mia always sort of knows she loves Jax, they are super cute, and It is also super fun to get an insight into the life of a famous person!

[KT · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story about the power of family and first love. The love story never detracts from the greater themes, however, and the book stays true to the foundation of sisterhood and family that it's built on. I loved this tender story.

[Shante Franklin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional and Inspirational.

This was an amazing book. The passion and the way how females could relate to what Mia was feeling. Her random sarcasm at times, her cute times with Jax. I’m just in awe. Thank you for another amazing book Chantele.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a very interesting book to me. I never got bored, and it showed a very good side of how complicated life can be, and how some people can just change their mood just on who they are. A very good love story, how complicated love can actually be when they're a famous rock singer.

[lauren kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75 Stars! Really did like this book. I've never read a romance like this before. It felt like a romcom, but a really sad emotional book on the other end. I really did like this book and I reccomend it to all readers. It's also YA so you know....

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just okay. It became a little drawn out..

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Real rating: 3.5 stars. I liked this one!!

[Elyza Puerto · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 or 5**

I wasn’t expecting a lot from this book but it seriously blew me off.

[lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book so much. It shows the love between two sisters. Maddy and Mia’s relationship is Mia flying across the country to steal a kidney from her birth mother. 👏👏👏👏👏