Will Johnny's parents get back together?
The Risk of Happiness: The Punk Rocker by Cathrine Goldstein is a brilliant book about second chances at love. The two main characters struggle to find their path to co-parenting but trusting each other with their hearts is more difficult. I was rooting for Amanda and Reale to get back together. Everyone deserves happiness, even a punk rocker.
Amanda Simmons:
Amanda Simmons is the main female character of this book, and we follow her mostly throughout. She is only twenty-seven years old and is raising her five-year-old son who is very adorable. Amanda has done quite well for herself and her son, Johnny, for these past six years.
What I like about her is that she is a great mother to Johnny and cares deeply for him. That even after all these years Amanda still loves Reale and hopes that he will come back. What I don’t like about her is that she kept Johnny away from his dad. I get why Amanda did it, but that is still a terrible thing to do. The last thing is she is a bit of a control freak. However, her life wasn't easy, and she grows so much throughout the book.
Reale Lynxx:
Reale Lynxx is the main male character of this book and follows him at times. He is thirty-six years old and is a famous punk rock star. These two do belong together much more now than they did six years ago and they make a cute couple. Reale is a great person when he is with Amanda. He does tend to worry about her.
What I like about him is that Reale seems to be a great dad, even though he had a hard time process that he was Johnny's dad. Another thing I like about him is that he does love Amanda and Johnny and he shows it. What I don’t like about him is that he tried to take Johnny away from his mom. I feel children need both parents unless one is abusive.
Five Star
The Risk of Happiness: The Punk Rocker by Cathrine Goldstein is the first book I have read by Ms. Goldstein, and this was a marvelous book. I enjoyed reading it so much that I couldn't get these characters and their story out of my mind. The author definitely knows about New York, and I felt like I was there with Amanda and Reale. Ms. Goldstein's comprehension of what would happen in this situation and how it would affect the characters was outstanding. I never doubted one word. This book is incredible, and I highly recommend it.
Excerpt:
Reale winked. Damn, he was too happy.
Johnny was completely locked into his tablet. She had a strict, no-tablet-at-the-table rule, but right now she’d make an exception just to find out if she had broken her own strict, do-not-sleep-with-your-rock-and-roll-ex-boyfriend-no-matter-how-sexy-he-is rule. “And um, where did we…or more specifically, did you…sleep last night?”
“Don’t you remember?” He waltzed past her, stuffing two slices of whole grain bread into the toaster.
“No. Uh, sorry…”
Reale smiled, grabbing his pan and crossing to the table, expertly sliding scrambled eggs onto Johnny’s plate. “Seconds.” He nodded toward Johnny proudly.
“But…you slept where exactly?”
“Babe. You were drunk. I carried you in, changed you into your PJs, and slid you into bed. I slept on the couch. Scout’s honor.” He held up his peace fingers making a “V.”
“That’s the wrong sign, dumbo.” She smirked. “So nothing happened?”
He came closer, whispering. “As tempting as it was—what with your ruddy glow and contagious laugh, I figured after you had sung every song on my last CD to me—twice—you were perhaps a bit too intoxicated to partake in any additional activities that evening. Or morning.”
Other Books in the Series
Buy Links:
Summer of Irreverence: The Rock Star
Amazon | BookBub | B&N | iTunes | Wild Rose Press
To Be or Not To Be: The Actors
Amazon | BookBub | B&N | iTunes | Wild Rose Press
Giveaway:
Prize: a “RockStar” black, braided leather bracelet, coffee mug with book cover PLUS an ebook of The Risk of Happiness: The Punk Rocker (US only)
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This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove