Catch My Breath in Read with Pride Northwest

Dec 03, 2013 Shelby rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: angst, musicians-singers, rip-your-heart-out, sweet-for-the-soul, deserve-additional-reads, eminently-rereadable, contemporary, dreamspinner-press, adorable-twinks, hello-closet-my-old-friend

I had no real expectations or thoughts of what this story was going to be when I went in. I certainly wasn’t expecting a tale about a boy band. Granted they were certainly all the rage during my high school years (dating myself apparently ;)) but I’ve always found them a little cheesy. This story was very sweet though. In the honor of all boy bands these guys are in their late teens early twenties and are suddenly thrust into a limelight that often devours the unsuspecting. Trying to find love a I had no real expectations or thoughts of what this story was going to be when I went in. I certainly wasn’t expecting a tale about a boy band. Granted they were certainly all the rage during my high school years (dating myself apparently ;)) but I’ve always found them a little cheesy. This story was very sweet though. In the honor of all boy bands these guys are in their late teens early twenties and are suddenly thrust into a limelight that often devours the unsuspecting. Trying to find love and have it survive in the environment isn’t easy if you’re straight, let alone fighting convention and in love with another guy.

Danny Bright has always wanted to be an entertainer. He knows he’s destined to be a singer. When Blue Horizon Records holds auditions looking for their next big name there’s no way Danny’s going to miss his opportunity. He’s graduating high school and is ready to make his move on the world. Getting through the first audition and put in a room with a handful of other guys is mindboggling. He’s almost there, almost achieved his dreams. Instead of a solo career though Danny learns of the labels idea to put himself and three other guys together to create a boy band. They’re just looking for one other guy. If they find him, then they’ll take the idea forward.

Elliot Price has always been a little shy and a lot innocent. When his best friend Sara wants to perform at a local talent show trying to be discovered Elliot promises to go along in support. He had no intention of singing despite Sara’s pressure. Of course he should have known she’d eventually talk him into it. Nerves almost get the best of him before he can even sing a note, but eventually Elliot loses himself in his performance and he realizes how much he loves it. The biggest shock of all though is getting handed a card from a producer and told to meet him tomorrow. Blue Horizon Records has just found their fifth boy. When Elliot walks into the room and meets the other guys he’s almost struck dumb by his attraction to Danny. The connection between them is instantaneous and intense.

I really enjoyed Elliot so much in this story. I loved his shy sweet personality. He and Danny were adorable in their gravitational attraction to each other. The idea of them all cuddled up together any chance they got, even before they admitted their feelings to each other was just too cute for words. Granted it might be a little unrealistic (I don’t normally think of teenage boys being all that cutesy/cuddly with each other – then again finding out that this has a fanfic element to it makes this make more sense. Had no awareness of any of that prior to today.) but it still made my sappy heart go awwwwwwww.

The connection between these two boys was obvious and vibrant. You could feel them gravitating to each other if they were anywhere within each other’s vicinity. I liked that they were both unsure to bring it up to begin with. The support they got from the rest of the band was nice too. There was a wonderful camaraderie between all the boys and with all the rest of the music world against El and Danny being together at least they had the support of those nearest and dearest to them.

Of course the management company here are the very devils more concerned by the bottom dollar than in their talent. I appreciated how swept up in it all the boys got though. They are very young and being thrust into the limelight with no real preparation. It’s easy to see why they got sucked into dealing with everything the way the label wanted them to. It’s hard to choose between dreams when everything you’ve ever wanted is at your fingertips as long as you deny the one part of yourself. I liked the way that outside force really added to the angst and the confusion within Danny. Elliot was always more true to who he was. Danny tried to do the right thing, but often caved to the outside pressure, of course never to the detriment of denying his love of Elliot. It’s a sad reality of the business that relationships for the sake of image are often put out there. Of course all it does in this book is make me want to strange Sasha quickly and permanently.

I very much enjoyed this story and the writing was very good. The inclusion of the Twitter posts and such were wonderfully fitting for the story and the reality of the modern day boyband. I’ve never been one to watch anything with One Direction and read this book before knowing it even had any sort of connection to the guys there. Even knowing though doesn’t take away from the cuteness factor of this book. I just loved it. Solid 4.5 stars and I’ll round it up for its sweetness. There’s good romantic tension and a HEA – life is good!
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Aug 26, 2013 Jade rated it really liked it

Shelves: m-m

3.75 stars-there is enough realism in this story to make the reader care as both protagonists grow up and face some hard facts of life. If you don't like the blurb-don't read it. If so, then give it a try without expecting to be blown away-HOWEVER it was very sweet and enjoyable to read. ...more

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