HOT PICK OF THE WEEK - Review and Givewaway: Collaboration by Michelle Lynn and Nevaeh Lee

This is not your typical rock star romance. For one, the “rock star” is a rapper. And not just any rapper. Trace is the hottest ticket in the music industry right now, regardless of which definition of ‘hot’ you choose.

Taryn Starr is not the girl-next-door who unknowingly meets a celebrity. Known as “America’s Sweetheart,” the reigning country music princess and world-renowned superstar knows exactly who Trace is…or does she?

Their worlds collide when the musicians whose paths were never destined to cross are forced by their joint record label to collaborate on a song. The sparks fly and ignite a fire that blazes hotter with every minute they spend together—for better or worse. One thing’s for certain, the two media magnets can’t deny their explosive chemistry, but will life in the spotlight ultimately bring Trace and Taryn together or force them apart?

5 star review by Jen Skewes

Wow!!  I cannot begin to tell you how much I loved this book.  Talk about a book hangover.  I actually read this a week ago and have still been thinking about it.  Collaboration was an amazing and beautiful story of two people forming a bond and connection that they never expected.  

Trace is a big time rapper who just won a Grammy.  Taryn is a country singer, known as America's Sweetheart.  Her first encounter with Trace was at the Grammys, where he came off as a little cocky and arrogant.  But little did she know how much he would change her life.

Trace and Taryn are both signed by the same record label.  After a bad night of partying, their record label decides that the best thing for Trace's career and image is to work with another artist on a duet.  And that artist is none other than America's Sweetheart.  A rap star and a country girl?  Can they really make this work?  Absolutely!!

Trace and Taryn are both great at what they do.  They both speak and feel through their music.  And when they first meet at the recording studio and come together to make music there is this instant connection between the two of them.  They connected through their music.  That day in the recording studio they made music magic happen, as if they had been collaborating together for years.   It was an undeniable bond between the two of them.   The connection that they felt was enough for them to want more, to get to know each other. But being the popular music stars that they were, it was time for them both to go on tour.  

Through texts and phone calls Taryn and Trace slowly get to know each other, which is one of the many reasons why I loved this books.  Being on the road they don't have much time to actually see each other, so they start texting and talking to each other on the phone.  They find themselves falling for each other, hard.  And that moment when they see each other again, their first kiss, their first time together was simply amazing!.

To the outside world Trace and Taryn come from completely opposite worlds.  He is an African American rapper and she is a white girl from the south.  How can two people who are so opposite make a relationship work?  But what no one knows is that these two stars have more in common that anyone would have imagined.  Because once you peel back the layers of Taryn and Trace and see the real person behind all the fame, you see that they are alike in many ways.  They both put on this facade for their fans and the rest of the world.  Taryn sees Trace as the man he truly is not the one that the rest of the world knows.  

Race was never an issue with them and that is what I loved about this book.  Taryn and Trace had an amazing connection, one that went beyond music.  And any issues that they faced never had anything to do with the fact that they were both a different race.  They had to deal with other issues such as their own insecurities, the paparazzi, the outside world and their career.  But when it came down to it none of that mattered.  They were in love, they had a special bond that was undeniable and that is what mattered the most.  They both opened up to each other about their pasts.  The pasts that they have managed to keep from the press for so many years.  But living in the limelight like they do, those secrets are bound to come out at some point.  What will happen once their pasts and secrets are finally evened to the public?  Of course I can't tell you but trust me you don't want to miss it.  

Trace and Taryn were truly meant for each other and were just perfect together.  Trace was amazing and I completely fell in love with him.  He was sweet, caring and protective of Taryn.  I laughed and cried with them.  I loved the special moments that they shared via text and their phone calls.  They were flirty and sweet and always put a smile on my face.  I loved how they slowly got to know each other through those text messages and phone calls.  This story is told through alternating point of views so you get to see the both of them falling in love with each other.  But you also get to see the real person behind the big music star.  You get to see what the rest of the world doesn't see, their true feelings.  I felt the connection that they had and went through the emotions with them.  There was one moment where I was repeating the word NO over and over again afraid to turn the next page.  There were a few moments of angst, where my heart beat started to beat a little faster, but overall this story was so sweet, heart warming and refreshing and at times emotional as well.  

Collaboration is an amazing and beautiful love story between two people who never expected to find the kind of love that they had, especially with each other.   And in the end you see that while Trace and Taryn appeared to have it all: the fame, the fortune, the amazing music career, sometimes there is more to life than money and fame.  I am a sucker for a great epilogue and this one was freaking fantastic.  It was perfect and so real and true to the story and the characters.  It was as if it summed up their relationship and connection in the perfect way.  I still get goosebumps when I think about it.   

There are other characters in this book that played important roles in their journey.  Gina who was Taryn's best friend and a friend of Trace's as well.  She was always there for support and I would love to read her story one day.    I loved Taryn's dad and the relationship that they had.  I think he kept her grounded in a way.  Then we have Taryn's mother/manager who seemed to care more about the fame and fortune than her own daughter.  Yeah I was not a big fan of hers at all.  I also loved Trace's entourage!

I am not even sure my review has done this book justice but just take my word for it. You need to read this book.   It was perfect in every way and to be honest there is not one thing that I didn't like, well except for the fact that it ended. You will fall in love with Trace and Taryn just like I did. You will be rooting for them to get their HEA!!  Amazing, Amazing job by Michelle Lynn and Nevaeh Lee.   Definitely one of my top reads of the year.  

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