Description:
Paige McAllister needs to do something drastic. Her boyfriend can't even commit to living in the same country, her promised promotion is dead on arrival and the simultaneous loss of her brother and her dream of being a concert violinist has kept her playing life safe and predictable for six years. Things need to change. A moment of temporary insanity finds her leaving her life in Chicago to move to Sydney, Australia. There she finds herself, against many of her convictions, as a logistics planner for one of Australia's biggest churches, and on a collision course with her boss's son.
Josh Tyler fronts a top-selling worship band and is in demand all over the world. But, in the past, his failed romantic relationships almost destroyed both his reputation and his family. He's determined to never risk it happening again. The last thing he needs is some American girl tipping his ordered life upside down. Especially one who despises everything he's ever worked for and manages to push every button he has.
When Josh and Paige are thrown together to organize his band's next tour, the sparks fly. But can they find a way to bridge the differences that pull them apart? Or will they choose the safety and security of what they know over taking a chance on something that will require them to risk everything?
Josh Tyler fronts a top-selling worship band and is in demand all over the world. But, in the past, his failed romantic relationships almost destroyed both his reputation and his family. He's determined to never risk it happening again. The last thing he needs is some American girl tipping his ordered life upside down. Especially one who despises everything he's ever worked for and manages to push every button he has.
When Josh and Paige are thrown together to organize his band's next tour, the sparks fly. But can they find a way to bridge the differences that pull them apart? Or will they choose the safety and security of what they know over taking a chance on something that will require them to risk everything?
About the Author:
Kara Isaac lives in Wellington, New Zealand. She is the author of Close To You, a RITA Award Double Finalist, and Can't Help Falling, an RT Review Top Pick. When she's not chasing three adorable but spirited little people, she spends her time writing horribly bad first drafts and wishing you could get Double Stuf Oreos in New Zealand. She loves to connect at karaisaac.com, on Facebook at Kara Isaac - Author and Twitter @KaraIsaac
My Review: 5 stars!
Where do I even start?! This book was amazing! Truly! I’m not just saying that because I love this author’s work, though there is that, but because I really did love it! I had such high expectations for this book and Ms. Isaac surpassed them all! I’m not always a big fan of contemporary romance, though I do have a few authors whose books I will excitedly snatch up at the bookstore and Kara Isaac has quickly had her name added to the list. I enjoyed her first two books, “Close to You” and “Can’t Help Falling,” but I can honestly say that this self-published novel is probably my favorite of hers! Before the “self-published” part puts you off, this book has been carefully edited and is beautifully written. If you’re like me and can’t stand typos or have seen some of the more “unique” self-published books, never fear! I don’t believe I could have enjoyed this book more, unless I could have traveled to Australia myself!
"At its core, the gospel is offensive. We all are all sinners. We all fall short of God.
No matter how good a person we are, how nice a life we lead, we all need Jesus
to bridge the gap for us. No exceptions. I'd be more worried if we weren't
offending anyone. Then we'd have a real problem."
- Josh Tyler
As always, I loved Ms. Isaac’s writing! She drew me in from the very first sentence and I couldn’t resist stepping into this adventure with Paige. I enjoyed every awkward and laugh-out-loud moment, mixed in with the sweet and sigh-worthy ones. I loved getting to see Sydney, Australia through the eyes of an American like myself, as well as through Josh’s eyes. Ms. Isaac definitely hit her stride with this story, writing about something she obviously knows well (or maybe that’s lots of research) and introducing me to a place I’ve often dreamt of visiting. I appreciated the flubs and mistakes Paige makes along the way, while also laughing with Josh, because I could see myself doing the exact same thing. The dialogue is also great! I adored the inside jokes and even the misunderstandings. Also, Josh’s accent . . . can we just take a moment to appreciate Australian accents? Because I love hearing them and I could almost “hear” his accent while I was reading. That was “maybe” the best part for me . . . okay, not really. But a definite perk!
I’ve already commented that Paige McAllister makes a few mistakes . . . she might be considered a walking disaster now and then, though she tries really hard! And I absolutely adored her! She is a lady I could totally see myself being friends with and I cheered her on the whole way! I loved her strength, her determination to face the hard things, her ability to laugh at herself, and how realistic she is. She struggles in this story. She falls down and has to work to get back up. She has some prejudice she has to work through, and decisions to make and I loved walking beside her through those things. And laughing about the “drop bears.”
"Someone else was managing the logistics of this relationship and He had impeccable credentials."
Josh Tyler is an interesting hero. In a good way. He’s different. He comes off as a bit self-righteous at first and it’s apparent he could use an attitude adjustment, but despite that, I still liked him. I appreciated seeing Paige and his home country through his eyes. And I enjoyed getting to know him and learning why he behaves the way he does. His life isn’t perfect. He’s made mistakes and the regrets still follow him, coloring every decision, every conclusion. I loved his family and the way they don’t take any of his guff, but give it right back. Especially his sister. I really hope she has her own story at some point! And I do have to mention that he definitely redeems himself at the end. Such a good ending!
Overall, I give this book a standing ovation and beg for an encore!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my review! I hope you enjoyed it and will consider checking out the book for yourself! I'm honestly not exaggerating - this book is definitely going on the list of my favorite reads of the year! :)
Have a wonderful day!
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