Louder Than Love. Jessica
Topper. Penguin Group (USA). September
2013. E-book. ISBN #: 9781101634790.
Katrina
Lewis and her very young daughter, Abbey, are putting their lives back together
after their husband and father is killed in a train accident. She’s gone back to her hometown in Lauder
Lake and her parents have given her their home as they intend to retire in
Florida. Four years pass and Kat is
still grieving while her very close friends are constantly urging her to get
out and meet someone new; but they just don’t understand how deep her pain is
and that functioning is as far as she can manage. She’s even revolted when an old flame
attempts to seduce her; he was a loser back then and she assumes still is. Her buddies tell her everyone changes – don’t
they?
As
a volunteer at the local library, she knows the kids are all in love with the
TV cat character, Maxwell MacGillikitty, a
detective. The show is full of songs the
kids love and Kat is able to track down the author of many of them and invites
him to perform for the local kids and some neighboring autistic kids. When he shows up smelling like Jack Daniels
and cigarettes, Kat is petrified the show will be a disaster. But Adrian Graves is bigger than a hit and
the parents and children want more in the future. There’s even a proposal for
neighboring communities to host his performance. But what most stands out is the electricity
flying between Adrian and Kat, sparks that Kat thought she would never, ever
feel again!
Due
to an unforeseen medical emergency, Adrian stays overnight with Kat and they
begin to get to know each other. This is
really the essence of their story, the exposing of their true identity because
of the suffering and joys they’ve previously known. Adrian is first to share his loss and
mistakes in between the hot romance that quickly develops; however, as time
goes on he’s annoyed that she doesn’t trust him enough to share her past with
her husband Pete. Misunderstandings
develop and they are separated for a time.
There’s a surprise in who brings them together and also the fact that
Adrian “Digger” Graves was once a famous rock star and just might be again if
he can face up to his mistakes and musical talent. And in the middle of it all
is Abbey, a bright girl who is artsy and dynamic in her own right due to the
wisdom of Kat’s parenting!
Louder Than Love is a nice romance read with plenty of
intimacy, passion, and intimacy on deeper and deeper levels. The characters are
credible for most of the story but seem to get more complicated and confusing
with the revelation of Adrian’s past career.
It’s worth wading through it all just to see how it will all resolve itself! Good read!
