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The Travel Boys #1

The Limelight

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“This one goes out to the ridiculously good-looking guy who swooped in at the last minute to save the tour.”

Porter:
I was perfectly happy with my quiet, predictable life in Seattle—until Levi Montgomery showed up for open mic night at the bar where I worked and completely stole my heart. The front man of a pop-punk trio on the verge of super-stardom, he was bold, outgoing, and enigmatic—everything I was not. Before I knew it, I was driving his tour bus across the country, getting an up-close look at the rock’n’roll lifestyle. I found all the things I didn’t even know I was looking for: hole-in-the-wall restaurants all over the country, a newfound passion for watching shows from the mosh pit, and a fiery redhead on top of me at the end of the night. That is, until somebody took pictures of us getting hot and heavy at a popular nightclub. The intense media scrutiny is more than I can handle… but if I walk away from the band, I’ll have to walk away from Levi, too.

“I love you so much…but I don’t know if I can do this.”

Levi:
Porter never asked to have his face splashed across tabloids. A life-long battle with anxiety had left him guarded and cautious, and it was my fault that he left the safety of Seattle. Thoughtful, kind, and breathtakingly beautiful, he had me captivated from the moment he mixed me his signature neon blue cocktail. As my fame skyrocketed, Porter put all his energy into supporting me—while still managing to sneak off for some steamy private moments backstage. But just when I think we’re past the worst of it, my manager drops some news that changes the game entirely. Can Porter and I survive having our relationship thrust into the limelight?

The Limelight is a contemporary m/m rock star romance featuring a hidden relationship, an epic road trip, and an HEA!

238 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 15, 2018

67 people are currently reading
86 people want to read

About the author

Louisa Keller

15 books39 followers

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5 stars
39 (25%)
4 stars
61 (39%)
3 stars
42 (26%)
2 stars
12 (7%)
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2 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
Profile Image for Cadiva.
4,033 reviews448 followers
April 29, 2018
I liked this but I didn't love it and I think part of that was the combination of the instant attraction/declarations of love after such a short time frame and Levi's age.

At 21 he was just setting off in his life as a musician with a studio backing and while I do believe that people can find their soul mates no matter their age, this just felt a little rushed.

Also the anxieties and depressions which Porter suffered from I'm sure should have been dealt with professionally. He came across as possibly suffering from a variety of bipolar and that was never fully addressed.

But, apart from those two things, the rest of the story was great and I liked the setting and the secondary bunch of people and I'd definitely be interest in reading more.

#ARC kindly provided by the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Profile Image for Valerie.
Author 21 books172 followers
April 26, 2018
When I started reading the book, I loved the connection between Levi and Porter and how quickly they realized their attraction for one another. They explore their attraction as the sexual tension builds between them, and you truly like the characters. Of course, you get a sense of Porter's need to be grounded by things and people familiar to him, but you don't realize how much he needs structure until the second half of the book.

You get a great sense of how panic attacks and anxiety work through Porter, but speaking from experience, usually new situations, like going on tour for the first time, make the anxiety worse. But Porter handled the first couple of stops and integrating with the group without those anxieties. The second half, after there are pictures of the two of them at a club, that Porter absolutely loses it. He doesn't turn to his friends for help, and when he does, everything is fine with Porter, until his friend leaves for home and then he's a mess. Levi, who he proports to love, is pushed away by Porter and his self-isolation.

Although I loved how patient and concerned Levi was during Porter's attacks, I felt that he was left alone too much and that the connection between Porter and Levi became strained that most of the last half of the book. Porter had support in his four best friends, but Levi's friends and cousin (who are as close to him as family) seem absent during this point and sadly, uncaring that Porter had panic attacks. They seemed focused on their career while Levi truly worried about losing Porter at the end, and then turned around and left on another leg of the tour anyway.

There was a huge disconnect between the first half of the book; the instant connection and the burning desire between the two men, and the second half of the book; filled with anxiety and fear that didn't have any solution whatsoever. The end was sweet and a little up in the air, but by that time, I had removed myself emotionally from the story.

An emotional rollercoaster, but ultimately left me with feelings of apathy.
Profile Image for Katherine.
2,872 reviews13 followers
August 23, 2018
Fame, fortune, and unbearable scrutiny

This book turned out to be much more than I expected and I absolutely loved the direction it took! With an up and coming rock star and a bartender having a fling, I figured this story would be about the issues with careers, or perhaps scandal with paparazzi. Instead this was a deep look at making a serious relationship with anxiety and depression standing in the way.

Levi is a singer about to make it big with his band. Everything is all set for their first tour, except for the tour bus driver. Stopping off in a bar after spending all night in ER with the original bus driver getting an appendectomy, Levi plans on relaxing before everything starts. To his surprise he meets bartender Porter, who he clicks with easily. When it turns out Porter can drive a bus and his roommates encourage him to take the chance everything starts off great as the tour heads off and the sparks fly between Porter and Levi.

Porter has always has problems with anxiety, but has learned how to function in life with them. Everything has been stable and safe in his life. Encouraged to take a chance with Levi, Porter finds himself being thrust into the limelight. The idea of that public focus and scrutiny affects Porter like never before, ratcheting up his anxiety and forcing its way into the burgeoning relationship.

Levi has always been good with the public eye. Dreaming of being a rock star since a child, he has a stage persona and thrives on the energy of a concert. But the new tour finds him experiencing new and unexpected fears of failure. Porter is right there, helping Levi deal with this new anxiety and find himself past it. This caring and help brings their relationship from physical to emotional and mental as well. When Porter starts dealing with his own issues Levi wants to be there the same way, but has difficulties proving to Porter that he sees the man as worth the trouble.

Dealing with what is 'normal' is a big part of this book. The idea that each person should meet a certain standard of normalcy is big in our society, be it their actions, their job, their sexuality, whatever. Being gay can often be seen outside of this normalcy. Equally, having anxiety, depression, any of those is outside of normalcy. This book works to show how normal is not anything but what you define it as and each person can live and love by their own definitions of normal. It is full of caring and compassion as the two men try to make a space for each other in their lives, while still sparking with heat and passion as they collide together. It was a lovely read with a great relationship. I look forward to the next book!
Profile Image for Tanja.
575 reviews19 followers
May 11, 2018
I enjoyed this new book by Louisa Keller. It is a sweet and fun romance, which had me captivated right from the start. There is a lot going for this story. The writing for one. That is flowing and smooth. The premise is intriguing. The characters are interesting. I loved the banter and the friendships. And still, I am struggling writing this review because there are also a few things that didn’t feel right for me.
Levi is the lead singer of an up-and-coming pop/punk/rock band, who are on tour through the States. By chance, he meets bartender Porter, who is more than ready to help them out when they need a new driver for their bus. It is a case of instalust, fast turning into love. Although I did not doubt their attraction towards each other, I felt the turn into love a bit too fast. Don’t get me wrong. Their connection and love are undeniable with a lot of chemistry. It is the moment of saying I love you I found a bit too early in the story.
Then there is an unexpected turn in the story I didn’t really understand. It is as if these two men changed places. At first, Levi has a severe case of stage fright, and I was expecting to read more about that. However, the following shows there is no sign of stress or anxiety.
It is Porter who gets the panic attacks by being in the limelight as Levi’s boyfriend. That came for me as a surprise, and to be honest, it didn’t feel quite right. I am by no means an expert on the subject, but I always thought that new and unsuspected situations were cause for anxiety and panic attacks. And yet Porter had no trouble leaving his steady life and his friends behind for a road trip. This aside the feelings were real and heartbreaking. I loved that Levi stood by Porter’s side, even when Porter kept pushing him away.
The rest of the band, Dalton and Eddie, were great characters as well as cousin Cooper as their manager. Thank you for not making him into a double-crossing agent. Let’s not forget Porter’s roommates, who kept in touch with him throughout the book.
Profile Image for Xanthe.
2,554 reviews49 followers
April 24, 2018
What a great start to a new series! I enjoy reading Louisa's books and this one didn't disappoint.
We have a very quick initial meeting between Porter and Levi but the connection between them comes across straight away though there is no rushing things which I think is really nice.
Meeting all of Porter's best friends and housemates brings energy to Porter that disappears when he is under the affects of his anxiety. There's the possibility of those symptoms coming out when he decides to drive the tour bus for Levi and his band but getting to spend so much time with Levi is worth it to Porter.
Levi has worked hard to get to this point in his career as a musician. In a band with his best friend and her girlfriend, about to take a tour bus around America and just met a guy that he feels could become more. Balancing the two is important but especially when a photo of the two men is leaked online. A brand new relationship and one of them with bad anxiety, it's gonna take a lot of work and trust to come out stronger on the other side.
The way this story is told is a chapter per character but we start in the past then catch up to the present around half way through then follow through with the MC's to the end. I love both Levi and Porter, as well as the secondary characters of Porter's housemates and Levi's band mates and manager/cousin. They all help to pad out the story and bring comedy and support when needed to the MC's. Porter's anxiety is handled well though possibly left too long without intervention from others as it's clear that others can sense the difference in him. Levi's optimism and humility is refreshing for a musician but as a newbie it's great to read how it's starting for them rather than when we normally read towards the end of someone's career.
I am looking forward to the next book in this series and recommend this one to any fans of Louisa and contemporary mm romance.
I received an ARC and am happily giving a review
Profile Image for Mary Mary.
1,035 reviews49 followers
April 25, 2018
* A copy was provided for free by the author in exchange for an honest review *

This is a nice start of new series by Louisa Keller.
It is well written and fast paced, emotional read with some sexy times.

It is a story of Serotonin Syndrome - a new punk-pop band road to being rich and famous and it is also a road trip to love for Levi (the frontman) and Porter (barista and driver).
It is a nice, easy read with some serious problems connected with depression and anxiety. It also talks about good and bad sides of popularity and being stuck in a bus during tour.

What I really liked about this book is author's writing style because it is really good. Also all characters are interesting and quite believable. What I didn't like is how "perfect everything" was from the very first meeting. It is "you're perfect, he's perfect, it will be perfect...." bla bla bla. It was annoying. Then, it felt a little bit like an insta-love. It was more like insta-attraction but they fell in love so fast I didn't really feel time passing by and it seemed like they tried to solve their problems (or rather Porter's depression) with sex and nice words and I'm sorry but it doesn't work like this. I think it would be more believable if Porter started looking for professional help during tour, but it is my opinion.
What was the worst for me was Porter. He was irritating. I can understand him being anxious about being out and dragged into limelight but it seemed like he was unhappy because Levi's dream was coming true (and he wanted him for himself). He was just selfish and I didn't warm up to him.

I really liked the story and I can recommend it to anyone who wants some easy SWEET romance with famous band in the background.
Profile Image for Sarita Chapdelaine.
1,252 reviews1 follower
April 19, 2018
This is another wonderful book by Louisa Keller. I was totally engaged from the first page and I could not put it down. It is beautifully written and very different from other rock star romances in that the supportive, steady and mostly sober character is the rock star. I love that this story shows the good and bad sides of fame for a band just starting out on their first tour and the author does an excellent job of showing all the different viewpoints of all of the characters. Porter and Levi are incredible together but Porter's anxiety makes him terrified of being seen out in public with Levi and having to deal with the pressure of being with an up and coming rock star. Levi wants Porter to be safe and happy but he is torn between doing what is best for his career and bandmates and leaving Porter behind. The compassion and love that Levi gives to Porter is inspiring and Porter's support helps him with his own anxieties. I love the secondary characters, especially Cooper and Porter's roommates. The lack of medical treatment for Porter bothered me as there are so many therapies and medications that could help him and this could have been a great addition to the story. I can't wait to read the next book in this fantastic new series.
I was given an ARC to review by the author.
Profile Image for Joe McGowan.
313 reviews3 followers
August 12, 2018
The idea of the story of a rising rock star was good, but the character development was spotty, and the ending was rushed. The fact that the manager, Cooper had what I thought was the most developed backstory of the supporting characters rather than the other band members was strange. I went with only 2 stars because I was unsettled by the response to the mental decline of Porter. If Porter was bedridden for several days due to anxiety attacks, was found crying, etc. the logical response would have been to get him help. Yet, instead they continue to allow him to drive the bus for an up and coming rock group? All in all, in hindsight has I write this review it was a miss, but had potential.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
3,778 reviews44 followers
April 18, 2018
Fantastic! Great writing, heat and touching romance with angst centered on the challenges of fame and having your personal life brought into the limelight. The main MM couple are dynamite together and, for a nice change, the up and coming rockstar (Levi) is sober (most of the time) and not the partner with the emotional issues.

I love author Louisa Keller's MM Romances that superbly blend steam and sentiment. No disappointment here!

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
Profile Image for Amanda at WickedGoodReads.
810 reviews17 followers
April 21, 2018
What a ridiculously good book this turned out to be!!!!

Porter. Gah! the emotions I felt for this kid reading this book. I just wanted to wrap him in a soft blanket and keep him safe. And Levi? Oh, so perfect made for Porter!

The life of being on tour can be stressful, and Levi does his best to make Porter feel safe and comfortable, but Porter's mind has problems dealing with anxiety/depression. He's meant for a more calm and relaxed kinda life style but god, does he love him some Levi!!!!

These two were on fire and I loved it HARD!!!!
Profile Image for Beth.
2,936 reviews27 followers
June 2, 2019
Heart wrenching and yet life affirming

This book has all the feels. There is happiness and joy but also heart ache and pain. The author does a good job of writing these characters so you empathize with them but don’t pity them. She stays away from maudlin.

Downsides? I’d say Porter needs a better therapist and the end is a bit abrupt, leaving the major issue still hanging. Levi is going to be a huge rock star and Porter doesn’t want to be the center of attention. That key issue which the story centers around is never resolved.
Profile Image for Simera.
1,808 reviews7 followers
April 19, 2018
This is a sweet story. Levi is an up and coming rock star. Porter has agreed to be the bus driver for the band. He is dealing with depression and anxiety once a picture of the two of them goes viral. Levi isn't going to let his career get in the way of his relationship with Porter. There are some compromises and a sweet HFN ending. I'm looking forward to the next in this series.
I received a copy for an honest review.
Profile Image for Tiffany.
606 reviews
April 26, 2018
To get it out of the way first, I'm just going to say it, I LOVED Porter. He was pulled out of his "normal" into a situation he never imagined he would be in. He struggled so fully with everything. He knew what he felt and he knew what he wanted. Yet he had the strength to say that he may not be able to handle everything that came with it. But he didn't just give up on it all, he found the strength to try. Without being the front man, like Levi, Porter stole the show.
Profile Image for Shelley Chastagner.
2,745 reviews38 followers
August 5, 2018
4.5 stars for a perfect summer book. Loved Levi's spunk and devotion to Porter. Porter makes huge leaps out of his comfort zone for a chance to be with Levi. These two think they're going to take it slow but it goes from a spark to inferno in no time. I love that Levi sees Porter as perfect. Porter's social anxiety is something he has to grapple with but it doesn't make him any less perfect to Levi.
Adult read
Profile Image for Anja.
1,278 reviews8 followers
September 1, 2018
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. Levi and Porter hit it off the first minute they laid eyes in each other. Unfortunately their worlds couldn't be further appart. Calm, introverted and anxious Porter in one side and Levi about to become a famous Rock star. As things heat up and they are exposed in public Porter literally has to make a decission whether he can handle the stress or not... A very nice story but not an epic one...
Profile Image for Claudia.
2,988 reviews38 followers
May 23, 2019
A pop-punk singer, well in the way to becoming a star and a shy roady battling with anxiety should not be a good mix. And when their faces become first page in every tabloid around, that what was growing between them it seems to be nipped at the bud ...

Life in the limelight is not easy, and when love stops being a private business to become everybody's talk things get really complicated.

A great story, with the right dose of angst and a glorious HEA.
2,335 reviews7 followers
May 6, 2018
Porter and Levi have an amazing story. They meet by chance and immediately hit it off. I love that they really take it slow and let the relationship build. All of the characters are great and meaningful to the story. Porter’s social issues greatly affect them, but Levi works so hard for them. LOVE this book.
Profile Image for Lucrecia.
413 reviews16 followers
December 12, 2018
The Limelight (The Travel Boys Book 1)

This was mostly sweet. And delicate as it touched matters like depression, anxiety...
I can't imagine this ever being a light subject. It was approached correctly. But I cannot much relate so I cannot be a fair judge.

It was all a little much for me. Worth the read, but a one-off.

I'll keep reading 📖
Profile Image for Kim.
552 reviews42 followers
April 29, 2018
The Limelight

Omg this book was absolutely amazing. I had absolutely loved reading this book. This book was a page turner that I just couldn't stop reading until the end. I would highly recommended this book.
95 reviews1 follower
June 2, 2018
It was ok

The book was well edited and the characters were sweet - very sweet. I just wanted to tell Porter to get back into therapy and Levi to quit enabling. Sorry, but it was very co-dependent and irritating to me.
Profile Image for TL Travis.
Author 94 books628 followers
June 6, 2018
Broken doesn’t mean unloveable

Such a great story of finding true love, when you’d always thought you were too broken to be loved. Depression and anxiety are no laughing matter, but there are ways you can find help.
Profile Image for ML.
1,641 reviews1 follower
December 27, 2018
Hot and sweet

This was a VERY sweet book. I loved Levi so much! The care he took with Porter was amazing.
I really enjoyed their dynamic.
I’m glad we get the other guys stories now too! On to read book 2!
Profile Image for J.
3,104 reviews50 followers
April 24, 2018
I skipped and skimmed through this one. As two stars indicate, this was just okay for me.
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