Title: Merch Girl
Author: Rebecca Lewis
Date of Publication: May 1, 2013
Genre: Contemporary YA romance; Music
Blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Lacey Kind doesn’t have the guts to talk to cute boys, isn’t a size two, and would rather stay home and listen to music than go to a party. But in the summer before her first year of college, she ends up thousands of miles away from home, in the back of a tour bus, underneath the half-naked body of the hottest teen rock star in the country.
When Lacey and her best friend Trina sneak into a Boston nightclub to see their favorite band, they not only get to watch their rock gods perform for the first time, but score a chance to meet the band too. Lacey’s heart races as she comes face-to-face with her idol, nineteen-year-old lead singer, Logan Shire.
The girls charm their way into being hired to sell merchandise on Lansdowne’s first summer tour. As “merch girls” Lacey and Trina quickly find themselves transported from their ordinary, suburban life to an exhilarating few months on the road. But they soon realize that life on the road isn’t always a smooth ride...
Goodreads link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17703969-merch-girl
About Rebecca Lewis
Rebecca Lewis is the author of the Young Adult novel, Merch Girl, and a lover of all things music! She's been writing stories since middle school and penned her first fanfic about a semi-popular boyband in 1997. Her passion for music and writing brought her to Boston University, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the College of Communication. During her college career, she interned for various record labels in Boston and New York City, sold merch for local bands, worked at record stores, and did a whole lot of grassroots marketing. She currently resides in Florida with her husband and puppy.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Rebecca_Writes
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/RebeccaLewis
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/rebeccalauthor
Excerpt
I rubbed my hand soothingly against my throbbing
forehead. I’d never experienced a hangover before, but I guessed this was what
it felt like. I opened my eyes slowly and saw the low ceiling above me and the curtain hanging by my side. Strange, I had no recollection of getting into a bunk. I cautiously pulled the curtain back and poked my head out to find an empty hallway. I maneuvered my way out of the bunk and realized I was only wearing Logan’s t-shirt and my underwear. His soft cotton tee felt nice against my skin, and still smelled like him. I breathed in the scent, which brought a rush of memories from last night back into my mind. Good memories, really, really good memories.
Review
I absolutely love reading anything to do with music, rock stars or the entertainment industry. I'm actually a bit of a freak about it sometimes, to be quite honest! So I was pretty excited to read another book about regular girls touring with their favorite rock band (it didn't hurt that this is the first one I've seen from the merch girl angle of things). Do we ever really think of the people behind the merch tables when we're at venues, big or small? If you're honest with yourself, the answer is not really - bordering on never. Lacey and Trina are BFFs who just graduated high school and are ready to spend their last summer together before college. Lacey is quiet, shy and unsure of herself. Trina is boisterous, brimming with confidence and never shy about leading the charge on anything. When they get the unforseen opportunity to meet up and coming band Lansdowne (their favorite, over which they're complete fangirls) things spiral from there. The girls end up becoming friends with the guys and getting hired to be merch girls on their first tour. With sparks flying between Griffin and Trina & Lacey and Logan, the summer is heating up. But can secrets on the part of the girls and the guys, plus scheming from mean girl Jenna stop things before they even start?
Maybe it's just because I've never really been a crazy, balls to the wall fan of any particular band in my life. I kind of missed the window for boy band crazy, fangirl shenanigans by being too young during the NKOTB, Backstreet Boys, and N'Sync era. And I'm not really into the newer boy bands, like One Direction. I was kind of in-between. Yes, I had posters on my wall. But I didn't go to concerts, cry, scream and overall lose my mind over my favorite bands. That said, Lacey and Trina are better characterized better than your average, screaming fangirls from the crowd. We get to see into their brains and learn that they really do like the guys for who they are. Also, though the relationships are a little too I love him just-because, instalove for my taste I appreciated the tumult of both relationships. Neither of them was perfect and we are constantly reminded that all of them are just immature teens/twenty-somethings, who are still finding their way. I don't want to give any real spoilers, so all I will say is that there were a couple of twists involving Trina & Gabe's relationship and Lacey's interactions with fangirl Devin that were unexpected. Overall, a cute fluffy and slightly angsty rock 'n roll romance, definitely more suited for actual teenagers (or more naieve/less jaded adults). I could barely suspend my disbelief sometimes. A fun romp, but I am definitely NOT the target audience.
VERDICT: 3/5 Stars
*I received an ARC from the author and tour host for the purpose of this blog tour. No money or favors were exchanged for this review. This book was published May 1st, 2013.*
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Thanks for reading and reviewing Merch Girl!
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