Title: Superstar
Author: Beth Henderson
Genre: Vintage Romance, Rockstar Romance
Book Blurb:
A decade-spanning tale of soulmates torn apart by each’s pursuit of a career in the late 20th century.
Paul Montgomery’s dreams are of music, of writing it as well as performing. His journey takes him from covering Beatle songs for high school dances in the mid-1960s to being acclaimed for his diversity in the world of rock ‘n’ roll. Particularly for composing a library of love songs. With sold out concerts around the world, singles and albums that repeatedly go gold then platinum, and innovative music videos on MTV, he seems to lead a charmed life. At least, professionally. Along the way there is tragedy: the loss of a friend to the Viet Nam war, the attempt to save a fellow rocker from her drug addiction, but it is winning and losing the only woman he’s ever loved – twice – that is a never healing wound in his heart.
For Aurora Chambers, it is the world of fashion that beckons. A scholarship for a summer design program in London is a carrot even her love for Paul can’t best. Hurt by his seeming denigrating of her aspirations, she throws herself into the heart of Carnaby Street in 1967, and the arms of her instructor, Trevor Harris, a self-serving man who plans to use her talent as his stepping stone to better things. Unaware of Paul’s continuing love for her, Rory binds her future to Trevor’s. It is a step she soon learns to regret though it does bring her career success beyond her previous dreams. With a clothing line that repeatedly wins accolades on the catwalks, she has only one stumbling block. Her designs all carry Trevor’s name, not her own. Aurora must marshal some of Trevor’s own devious traits to take back what is hers. Secretly, she follows Paul’s rise through the music trades, occasionally mourning the loss of what they’d had. When a second chance at happiness with him appears, she grabs it. And nearly destroys them both.
Because sometimes love simply isn't enough.
Revisit the recent past with SUPERSTAR as career dreams and love lock horns in the late 20th century (1964-1994). "If you grew up in the 60's and 70's, you'll feel like you are reliving that time. Beth nailed it. You feel the hurt these characters are going through, and you understand why they make certain decisions. They aren't always the best decisions, which, of course, makes the story that much more compelling. Good times!" 5*
My Review:
Even a rockstar can suffer great heartache and lose the only woman he’s ever loved. It’s been a long and winding road for rockstar Paul Montgomery. What started out as a childhood dream turns to superstardom with all the glory, fame, and pitfalls. Women clamor for his attention, but his heart belongs to his sister’s best friend, Aurora. He harbors a secret crush for a long time, loving Rory from afar. When the fashion world steals her heart, he is left heartbroken. He loves her from a distance as his success in the music industry rivals Rory’s accomplishments in the fashion industry. Two people, worlds apart, still harbor a love for the other. Can they figure out how to be together and in love or will it all go up in flames?
Superstar is a heartwrenching saga spanning forty years I couldn’t stop reading. Paul is a hero you’ll fall in love with, and Rory is a heroine you’ll be cheering on. I connected with these main characters from the very beginning. While I didn’t agree with their decisions at times, I became very emotionally attached to Paul and Rory. The plot moves at a terrific pace with lush descriptive narration and deep, deep POV. Told from both Paul’s and Rory’s points of view, the reader experiences every emotion, every conflict, every decision, and every single thing Paul and Rory do. The narration is intricate and perfectly describes living in the 1960s through the 1990s. Reading Superstar brought back so many memories, it made for an exquisite reading experience. The twists and turns made me gasp and even weep. If you’re like me and love romantic sagas, you’re going to inhale Superstar. This is a long story but even when I reached the end, I didn’t want to leave Paul and Rory. Run, don’t walk, to your e-tailer and pick up Superstar. Highly recommend!
My Rating: 5+ stars
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Author Biography:
Beth Henderson is the author of both romantic comedy, romantic suspense, and historical romantic adventure. Superstar was a step aside from these niches because it is more “contemporary” history, there isn’t an emphasis on comedy, and the suspense element really doesn’t show up until the end of the book. She blames the hero, Paul, for forcing her to write this story. It has always been his story. It’s also one she rereads at least three times a year because she misses him. Otherwise, she writes urban fantasy comedy mystery as J.B. Dane, teaches online workshops about writing genre fiction, and watches a lot of Marvel movies over and over and over again.
Social Media Links:
Website: www.4TaleTellers.com
Facebook: http://bit.ly/2GvFyog
Twitter: @Beth__Henderson
Reviewed by: Mrs. N