Jesse's Girl

by Miranda Kenneally

[Sam@WLABB]

Maya dreamed of a future in music, but after a disastrous solo attempt, she decided it was better to be part of a group. When she was forced out of the band she started, her dreams seemed out of reach. As luck would have it, she was assigned to local teen idol, Jesse Scott, for mentoring. Though they got off to a rocky start, it eventually appeared that this was a perfect match.

My love for this series is well documented, and as expected, Kenneally delivered a fantastic story. This was a bit different from the other books in the series, where the heroine is usually a sports star, but it still fit in the Hundred Oak world. Why? Because, it was about a young woman with passion, who was not afraid to be herself. She was knocked down a bit, but she had the strength and character to pick herself up and soldier on. Maya was all of these things and more, and I couldn't help but love her.

However, the biggest draw, for me, will always be the romance. As you may have guess, this was a celebrity romance. Jesse was renown in the country music scene and Nashville's favorite son. He had been working in the industry for eight years, and at this point in his career, he couldn't tell if people liked him or his fame. Therefore, he was initially leery of Maya's motivations. However, once he realized she had no ulterior motives, the story, and the romance, really took off. It was a pleasure watching these two fall for each other. Their shared a passion for music, and the way they understood each other was something to envy. Their interactions were delightful, and I know I was happy with the ending Kenneally gave them.

Here's a quick rundown of some fabulous moments in this book:

• I had so much fun running around Nashville with these two, and I loved how they were sort of doing a Ferris Bueller's Day Off type of day.

• Maya's family had a rather large role in this book, and I was ecstatic about that. They were so wonderful and supportive, and good YA families never fail to win a place in my heart.

• Jesse really believed in Maya, and connected her with people, who could help her hone her skills. There were singing lessons, auditions, and recording opportunities, and it was fun seeing that side of being a musician.

• Maya and Jesse had great chemistry, and the banter was so on point. I could have read pages of them just verbally sparing or having a conversation, because it was that entertaining.

• If you think you have an ear worm from the title of this book, there are plenty more where that came from, as each chapter bears a song title. I was humming and singing a LOT.

• If you're a Hundred Oak fan, you will be happy to know that Jordan and Sam show up in this book. It's been so long since I read their book, but it's so fun to have an opportunity to catch up with them in each installment of the series.

I just keep thinking about how I only have one book left in this series. Though, I sort of said goodbye, when I read Coming Up for Air back in 2017, soon it will really, really be goodbye. I will miss the denizens of the Hundred Oak world, and also those lovely author notes Kenneally includes in each book.

Overall: He was a little bit country, she was a little bit rock-and-roll, and together, they made beautiful music.


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