Bounce by Noelle August | Book Review

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

When you have one chance to become a star, you can't let love get in the way . . .
Playing the occasional club gig just isn't cutting it for twenty-two-year-old cellist Skyler Canby, who's trying to support herself and her mother back home in Kentucky. When she accompanies her best friend Beth on an audition for the first feature film launched by Blackwood Entertainment, she figures, Why not? Beth's a shoe-in for the lead, but maybe Skyler's newly dyed pink hair will help her stand out enough to score a small speaking part.
Never in her wildest dreams does Skyler imagine she'll land the lead role or that she'll have her socks knocked off by the kiss her audition partner, Grey Blackwood, plants on her—a kiss that feels very real and not at all like acting.
Reckless musician Grey Blackwood spends his days fetching coffee and doing odd jobs on the set of his CEO brother's newest project, but he lives for nights when he performs with his band. He knows that if he can stay focused, success as a singer is just around the corner. But that's tough with a distracting pink-haired girl occupying his every waking thought. Skyler and Grey have every reason to resist each other. But, like a song neither of them can get out of their minds, they have no choice but to go where the music takes them.

What is it lately with these books about the ladies going for the younger guys? This is my second book this month where a girl and a younger guy are attracted to each other. Bounce is the third book in the Boomerang series by Noelle August aka Veronica Rossi and Lorin Oberweger. First of all, I am super glad that there’s another trilogy that I have finished in a timely fashion – yay self, just a big YAY! Second off, I actually had a blast reading this book. It’s funny and sweet and just a good relaxer of a book. If you have a readathon coming up, I would definitely recommend any of the books in the Boomerang series be added to your list.

Bounce is about Mia’s roommate Skylar and Adam’s brother, Grey. Skylar is adrift – she’s making some money playing her cello but not nearly enough to pay the bills and to also send back home to her mother who seems to have anxiety and is struggling with paying bills. FYI, Skylar’s family situation is not entirely ideal. Grey essentially ran away from home after a blowout fight with his stepmother, Madeleine, and has gone to live with his brother, Adam, owner of Boomerang. So, anyways, the book opens and Grey has thrown this massive party which ends up causing damage to Adam’s home and so, he needs to pay for cleaners and to replace a door and more.

Adam decides that Grey needs to serve as an assistant with the movie Boomerang is making – Bounce, a modern day retelling of Jane Austen’s Emma. And so, Grey steps in at auditions because the actor hired can’t make it. From there, we see Sky has gone on the audition with her best friend and other roommate, Beth. Sky is just hoping for some bit part to help her pay the bills. Instead, Sky has her audition with Grey and SPARKS FLY and so she lands the part of leading lady on a whim. And so, Bounce revolves around Grey finding himself and his passion and Skylar getting into acting and the two just fighting the attraction between each other.

I have read criticism that describes Skylar as wishy washy, which I get. She bounces between Brooks and Grey. It’s fine though. She is a young woman and honestly, it’s not like you just date one person and then settle down and marry them. Well, okay, some people do that. But she’s young and in LA and just is sort of living it up. Also? Grey is 19 and she’s in her 20s, so of course she fights her feelings. I would too if I was her age and in her situation. You see, Skylar’s mom doesn’t work. She lives in the same town as her son, Skylar’s brother, who has three kids and is so busy working but he has to hire a babysitter because Skylar’s mom just can’t handle the kids. His wife is deployed (I actually thought this was cool and a good reversal of gender roles and norms). Meanwhile, Skylar’s dad is a musician and on the road all the time and terrible about sending money to take care of his family and the farm.

Skylar is a mostly good girl – she’s sweet and family and friend oriented, she takes care of the people around her. However, because she cares so much, she is susceptible to pressure and Sky begins losing weight rapidly due to diet pills and not eating because she is convinced she will disappoint everyone because of the camera adding weight and because some people have given her the impression that she looks great as she’s losing weight. Needless to say, I was riveted by Skylar’s parts in Bounce by Noelle August.

Grey’s parts in Bounce by Noelle August are JUST AS RIVETING. I KNOW! Okay, so Grey. He has got a temper, hoo boy. There’s a part where he breaks Skylar’s phone. And before you go omg abusive ass, which lol would have been my reaction too, he breaks it because Skylar’s phone keeps upsetting her. He then promptly realizes that was an asshole move and buys her a new upgraded iPhone and thus is back in her and my good graces. Grey also has this tendency to avoid his problems instead of facing them.

There’s the issue with his stepmother – Madeleine who is Adam’s mom and the whole book dances around what has happened. There’s the issue with Adam and how Grey moves out of Adam’s after a blowout argument the two have. What is so awesome is that he chafes against the money he grew up with due to some trauma he experienced before the age of 5. And so, Grey tries hard to make his own way in the world without his family’s money and influence. OH DID I MENTION. Grey is a musician which is something he’s recently discovered. He is passionate about music and the way that making it makes him feel. I loved this bit.

The chemistry between Grey and Sky is off the charts. I mean, it is like there is this magical sizzle spark AND THEY RESIST IT and I love it. The fact of the matter is that the two are both good people with big hearts, so when you put them together it is nice to see how they really care for each other. I also like that you see Skylar date other people and take her time to make her choice. This bit of the romance just comes across as realistic. Sometimes the person who is best for you on paper isn’t the person who is actually best for you in reality.

The way that Noelle August – Veronica Rossi and Lorin Oberweger – write Bounce is such a way that you can’t tell which author is penning which section. It is seamless. There are side characters in this book that are played to perfection. Particularly Garrett. I am not going to lie, I thought I was going to hate Garrett because when the book first starts he is portrayed as this diva and super annoying. He quickly became one of my favorite characters though. I should mention that there is no Cookie in this book, so pour one out for her because I missed her character. Same with Rhett and also Ethan. However, the portrayal of Beth, Mia and Skylar’s other roommate is awesome. In all, Bounce is a great closing point for the trilogy, although, not going to lie, I wouldn’t mind another book in the series told from Beth or Cookie’s point of view.

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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