Review: Abby Road – Ophelia London

Touted by the tabloids as the biggest rock star of our generation, Abigail Kelly is used to being in the spotlight. But beyond the glam of Hollywood, her world is falling apart. Still reeling from the death of her brother and wilting under the iron fist of Max, her manager, Abby banishes herself to the secluded beaches of Florida for the summer, thinking some anonymity and sunshine are just what she needs. What she finds, instead, is Todd, an ex-marine eager to embrace life after war. Together, Abby and Todd find the balance Abby’s life has been missing.

That is, until Max resurfaces, demanding Abby return to Los Angeles to record her band’s newest album. As the pressures of public appearances, paparazzi, and late-night recordings start to mount, Abby will have to risk everything or lose the life she always dreamed of.

Ophelia London’s ABBY ROAD is a love letter to music—both the kind you cherish and the kind you create—as well as a beautiful love story that proves even when everyone in the world can recognize your face, the only people who matter are those who can see inside your heart.

Series:
Release Date: March 2013
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Source: NetGalley
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Reviewer’s Thoughts

As a little girl, I dreamed of being a famous musician. I sang all over the place, and some would even say I was famous in and around my own hometown. But the fame that I received is nothing compared to the amount of pressure put on the super famous, as brilliantly portrayed in Abby Road.

Abigail is an incredibly famous rock star. But when the stress over her brother’s death and the overbearing tenacity of her manager gets to be too much, she snaps as the cameras are rolling. It’s at this point that her manager tells her that she needs a vacation. Abigail very quickly obliges, and goes to stay with her sister at the beach, hoping for some serious R&R. While at the beach, Abigail meets Todd, an ex-Marine trying to de-stress his life after the war. Together, they show one another the joys of life, and develop a sweet and heart-warming relationship that is immediately tested when Abigail’s manager demands she step back in to the spotlight to promote herself and her music.

The characters in this story are sweet. Abigail is almost too sweet for her role of rock star, but her range of emotion makes the character likeable and believable. Todd is beyond adorable. He is flawed, allowing the reader the chance to see him vulnerable – which in turn makes him all the more attractive. The only issue that I had with these two is the fact that they don’t have sex. Okay… no. A rock star, I do not care who they are, is surrounded with sex constantly. Even if you don’t partake in the casual stuff, are you REALLY going to tell me that when you finally find a deep connection with someone else that you aren’t going to need that from them? Not to mention that if Todd feels as deeply as he claims from the get-go, why would he not feel the need to consummate the relationship? This was my only real beef with the story – it made it seem kind of… hokey.

One of my favorite things, was the integration of music and famous musical lyrics. The author did a wonderful job incorporating these elements in a tasteful and almost poetic manner. I have very much enjoyed Ophelia London’s books, and can assure you that this is another fine example of her literary talents.