Title: Catch My Breath
Series: N/A
Author: M.J. O’Shea
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Novel (350 Pages)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (June 21st, 2013)
Heat Level: Low
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3.5 Hearts
Reviewer: Thommie
Blurb:Danny Bright was born to entertain. He just needs his big break. So when he hears that Blue Horizon Records is holding auditions looking for the next big thing, Danny jumps at the chance. It doesn’t turn out exactly as he imagined, though. Instead of getting solo contracts, Danny and four other guys are put into a boy band.
Innocent, idealistic Elliot Price thinks he’s headed for college. An impulsive decision to sing in the local talent search changes all that. A bigwig producer happens to see him, hands him a business card, and turns Elliot’s life upside down.
Elliot and Danny are close from the beginning. They love all the guys, but it’s different with each other. Soon their friendship turns into feelings more intense than either of them can ignore. The other three boys only want Danny and Elliot to be happy, but when their management team and record label discover two of their biggest tween heartthrobs are in a relationship, they’re less than pleased. Danny and Elliot find themselves in the middle of a circle of lies and cover-ups, all with one bottom line—money. They have to stay strong and stick together if they don’t want to lose themselves… and each other.
Product Link: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3906
Review: This was a nicely written story that follows Danny and Elliot’s love story. They meet when a big producer tries to fix together a boy-band. All their dreams are just about to come true; their music, the fame, their friendship with each other, and the rest of the band, but most importantly their love that blooms with first sight and only grow stronger. This is the story of how things go behind the scene when all lights turn off and the entire glamor is gone. This is the wrenching story of how money and showbiz can pretty much drain your soul and make the most important things in your life seem meaningless and empty.
To tell the truth I felt a bit detached from this one. I’ve never been a fan the way it’s described here and I simply don’t understand that level of obsession, thus trying really hard not to be judgmental of many things described in the book. However, the reality of how that stress and money-sharks can tear someone apart was very well put. We’ve all seen it at some level, and some of us have witness it more intimately. Quite accurate was the fact that no matter how much you know something is not real it still hurt to listen to the lies, quite accurate was the fact that even really strong couple suffer from fame and image and the frenzy of the paparazzi. Quite accurate was also the fact that young people are sucked into a world they have no idea what to expect and they’re taken advantage off, milked until left dry and an empty shell.
That I loved, I felt the writing was adequate and a certain research was done. I also loved the young love between our boys. The way it started and evolved, the way both of them were so naïve at first but had to quickly grow up years to make up for it. I loved the descriptions and how the author made your mind imagine certain scenes without actually going into it and graphically describing them. The romance and the intensity were there and it was wonderful. It made your heart beat a bit faster and the connection between the pair and reader was easy, despite the double points of view.
Speaking of I really like this writing style, this narrator telling us things from a slight distance. I liked how it was close to our character’s heart and mind yet not too much so that it’d feel as if nothing was left untold. It gave a very nice vibe and it was so, so easy reading it, even if YA is not your thing to read.
Bottom end I loved this story and I certainly recommend anyone to read it. It lacked the usual disturbing sappiness and drama of YA novels (although the media drama was there in abundance) and it made for a very special read.
P.S.: I finally understood the twitter thing… I think… J