Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Review: Groupie Series by Ginger Voight

Groupie ( Groupie #1)

Our 4 star review by guest reviewer Jennifer Hagen

Andy is a 24 y/o freelance writer who lives in Nashville. She traveled to New York City to assist her friend with PR promotions for an up-and-coming band “Dreaming in Blue.” Vanni is the 29 y/o lead singer for Dreaming in Blue. Andy and Vanni have an instant connection and their on-and-off romance spans 3 years. During this time their relationship battles psycho fans, Vanni’s inability to commit to a faithful relationship, and illusions to a romance that is not there. “Don’t believe everything you hear.” Andy continues to do her press work for the band hoping to help her career by having bylines in major music publications. She is never able to erase the memories and feelings for Vanni even though months go by between their next encounter. At one after-show party she meets Graham, owner of a record label. He develops feelings for Andy and shows his devotion to her but Andy continues to only see Vanni when she closes her eyes. Andy and Vanni will have to decide if they are going to commit to each other in a faithful relationship or if Andy will choose the man who clearly would promise to love her and wait for her forever and who is willing to risk his life for her.

It should be an easy decision for Andy -- Graham is a man that openly shows his affection to Andy. Vanni is a shallow celebrity only doing what is right for his image. Andy is frustrating with her inability to let go of Vanni even after being hurt by Vanni’s actions and words. I love angst in a book and “Groupie” does not disappoint.



Rock Star (Groupie #2)

4 stars

“We almost made it.” Vanni



When we left Andy and Vanni, Andy had to make a decision that would effect the lives of 3 people. She either had to give in to her heart or to her guilty conscience. Did she choose the man who stepped in front a bullet meant for her or did she choose the man who ran away? She didn’t choose the one man whom she had loved for 3 years.

“She had to believe that one day they’d find their way back to each other again.”

Andy moves from her home in Nashville to Graham’s home in Los Angeles to aid in his recovery from a gunshot wound. Vanni returns to his home in Los Angeles, a home he was hoping to share with Andy. Instead he finds a replacement for Andy in the form of prostitutes, alcohol, and drugs. Graham is still the record producer for “Dreaming in Blue”, the band for which Vanni is the lead singer. Andy has moved up from being a freelance writer for the band to taking over Graham’s duties in the office. “Dreaming in Blue” is experiencing difficulties with their new manager and Vanni’s self-destructive behavior which results in a band member leaving. A replacement band member is found and he brings into the mix his sister, Holly. Holly becomes a trustworthy friend for Vanni with her sincere friendship and caring persona. Andy and Vanni still have contact with each other due to work which results in their insatiable love for each other to remain. Just when Andy is able to admit that she wants her life to be with Vanni, another obstacle with Graham’s health interferes. Vanni thinks that by moving himself back to New York City that this will ease his need for Andy. Little does Vanni know that he is being used by somebody who is close to him and his life may never be the same again as he will be forced to surrender his love for Andy and commit to somebody that he doesn’t love.

“He loved Andy but owed Holly.”

Or does Andy have the one thing that will keep Vanni close to her for a lifetime?

“We’re linked forever now.”



This love triangle is full of angst and emotional manipulation. There were times that each character deserved the outcome of their actions. The men were playing on each to get the upper hand of Andy’s love only to be brought down by the other. It was a circle of need with the manipulation being who needs Andy’s love the most? Andy was torn in two by their manipulation but yet she never stood up for herself. I can understand why she felt the need to be with Graham, but she was sacrificing her love for Vanni. At the end of “Groupie”, I was Team Graham only to realize in “Rock Star” that Graham was too much of a manipulator. Even though Vanni had the non-commitment issues in “Groupie,” he had realized that he needed to spend the rest of his life with Andy and was ready to show the public their relationship. I hope that Andy and Vanni can get their happily-ever-after in “Mogul.” 



 

No comments:

Post a Comment

How to Configure Numbered Page Navigation After installing, you might want to change these default settings: