Tempting Tempo (Tempest, #5)

by Michelle Mankin

[Linda]

This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews
Tempting Tempo is a strong, fast-paced story in which Mel needs to reassess her choices, while Sager has to stand strong in the face of adversity.



I'm a huge fan of The Tempest series, and I have to say that Sager and Mel's story just might be my favorite! It deals with some very important subject matters, some that are dear to my heart, and important to talk about. Body image and eating disorders - even when it comes to elite sports people, can be a big problem. And not being able to reign in a diet and have things escalate can happen much faster than most of us on the outside can ever understand. Add in a sexy rocker, and the story takes on so much depth and so many facets I don't even know where to start in my praise!

The character development is nothing short of amazing, and I loved that the rest of the band members and their significant others were present for parts of Tempting Tempo. The interactions between the guys are always great, and I loved how Mankin managed to include several very touching scenes during the composing of Tempest's next album. I wish there was a real album for me to buy, I wouldn't be averse to listening to War's gritty voice and the lyrics that were shared here.

Tempting Tempo also showed the aftermath of Mel's choices in Relentless Rhythm, and friendships, loyalty and forgiveness were big themes as well. Mel, especially, showed a lot of character growth, as she was used to running away from her problems rather than facing them head on. Sager was part of why she felt the need to face things, while at the same time she was so afraid to fully invest her heart in case he'd break it. The tenderness between the two of them was just as captivating as the hotness, and I loved how much Sager helped Mel rebuild her self confidence and inner strength.

Heartache was present aplenty as well, both for Mel, for Sager and even for Timmons who finally opened up a little and let the readers and one of the characters get to know her better. I keep my fingers crossed for her book in the future, as I look at the record label and its two main rock groups as my friends by now. If you're not familiar with Black Cat Records or The Tempest series, but enjoy gritty New Adult stories where important themes are tackled just as well as the romance, you just have to pick it up! Written in dual perspectives, with chapters from Mel's and from Sager's point of view, in first person past tense, you will feel as if you are experiencing all their joys and sorrows - I know I did!



My losses were piling up like a season finale body count on The Walking Dead.

The rosary beads tacked above the door frames, the family photos, many including me, the statues of saints scattered in positions of prominence, the earth tones with the vibrant splashes of red and green and the love and affection that bound everything together.

I knew his reputation. I had been so eager to discover what all the fuss was about until he had introduced me to Sager. Dizzy might have been tempting, but Sager Reed was the real danger. Dizzy I had only wanted to conquer. Sager I had wanted to keep.