TANGLED UP IN YOU
by Lara Ward Cosio
The first volume in Cosio’s (Felicity Found, 2018, etc.) Rogue series focuses on a fictional Irish rock band’s melancholy, tempestuous superstar and the young American who stole his heart.
Sophie Kavanaugh and Gavin McManus fell in love when they were 16. The beautiful, wealthy California girl was living in Ireland for a year, seeking respite from the “mean girls” at high school. Gavin was a soulful songwriter and lead singer of a local, aspiring rock group that still had no name. They met the first day of school in Dublin: “Looking...at Gavin, she saw that he had his eyes fixed on her and a rush of heat filled her body…he held eye contact with her. She couldn’t have broken the connection if she tried.” When it was time for Sophie to return to the States, Gavin begged her to stay in Ireland, to no avail. He was hurt and angry over what he considered a betrayal. Now, in 2002, they are both 19, and Rogue, having gained some unexpectedly rapid fame, is on tour in California. Sophie scores an after-concert backstage pass, but Gavin brushes her off. Then a radio interview leads Gavin to an emotional on-air plea to Sophie to meet with him. Cosio’s contemporary romance novel takes readers on a decadelong, guilty-pleasure, roller-coaster journey into the world of rock music. As Rogue climbs the charts to megasuccess, Gavin, the needy, charming bad boy, struggles with inner demons that threaten to destroy every relationship important to him. Cosio pushes all the right buttons in a well-paced, soap-opera style novel—damaged, high-wattage characters who keep trying to get it right; an indulgent, alcohol- and drug-fueled, high-ticket lifestyle; and lots of passion. The three other band members—Conor, Shay, and Martin—make up a solid supporting cast. Each gets a starring turn in the Rogue series.
Endearing, angst-filled characters and rock-concert fun propel this addictive read.