{"id":4475,"date":"2016-12-12T00:00:17","date_gmt":"2016-12-11T22:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelesbianreview.com\/?p=4475"},"modified":"2023-06-13T17:51:32","modified_gmt":"2023-06-13T15:51:32","slug":"backstage-pass-riley-scott","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelesbianreview.com\/backstage-pass-riley-scott\/","title":{"rendered":"Backstage Pass by Riley Scott: Book Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Backstage<\/a>Backstage Pass by Riley Scott<\/strong> is a celebrity romance with an out-of-control rock goddess and her new PR rep. It\u2019s a little grittier than I\u2019m used to seeing in celebrity romances, and it works well.<\/p>\n

Christina Villanova has been hired to do the one thing no one else has been able to: reshape the public\u2019s perception of Raven. The singer-songwriter is talented beyond belief, but her demons have led her to embrace the sex and drugs that are synonymous with rock and roll, and her latest stint in the tabloids is even worse than her usual antics. Hitting the road with Raven\u2019s crew brings Chris deep into a lifestyle she hasn\u2019t come close to experiencing since her hard partying college years, while giving her a chance to get to know Raven.<\/p>\n

Raven knows one thing for sure, that she doesn\u2019t need some stranger to tell her how to live her life. When Chris doesn\u2019t advise her to cut out the booze, drugs, or women, and instead suggests she add some things she enjoys, like volunteering for animal causes, Raven realizes that Chris is one of the few people to really see her in a very long time. They quickly learn they can\u2019t stay away from each other\u2014can whatever it is that they have survive when Raven\u2019s behaviour spirals?<\/p>\n

The Characters<\/b><\/h3>\n

I feel like I shouldn\u2019t care for either of these characters, and yet I do. I can\u2019t help it. Chris knows better than to get involved with a client, even if she is a longtime fan, and it\u2019s not like Raven is her first rodeo. She\u2019s also sort of stringing along her best friend, not fully wanting to give up on the chance at a steady, comfortable love even if it can\u2019t compare to the explosive attraction she has for Raven.<\/p>\n

And Raven\u2026 if being selfish were a competitive sport, she would reign as world champion. Not only that, she\u2019s also just generally a hot mess. But there\u2019s something irresistible about seeing them come together, moving from a business relationship to a passionate, consuming one. I suspect that what we see on the page is just the beginning of the growth they will each have as they accompany the other into the next stages of their lives.<\/p>\n

The Writing Style<\/b><\/h3>\n

Reading a new-to-me author is always an adventure because I never know if I\u2019m going to like them, love them, or walk away and never look back. I had never read anything by Riley Scott before, and I I was more than pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It\u2019s very well plotted and perfectly paced, and I found myself wanting to shut out the world so I could just focus on Backstage Pass. Like I said in the intro, it\u2019s grittier than I\u2019m used to seeing in a celebrity romance, which made reading it alongside Lost in the Starlight<\/a> an interesting exercise, and it just worked so well.<\/p>\n

The Pros<\/b><\/h3>\n

Rich, complex characters. A scorching hot romance. I liked everything about Backstage Pass.<\/p>\n

The Cons<\/b><\/h3>\n

I\u2019m going to let out a big spoiler because I know it\u2019s a dealbreaker for many readers. If you don\u2019t want to be spoiled, skip to the next section.<\/p>\n

Still with me? Chris breaks up with Raven because she walks in on her with two other women and it\u2019s explicitly on the page. People who can\u2019t do cheating in books will hate this aspect, so you\u2019ll either want to skip this one, or skim past the scene. It\u2019s a pivotal moment in the story and for Raven\u2019s character growth, and for what it is, it\u2019s realistic, it\u2019s handled well, and it very much makes sense for this book. I just know that\u2019s a hard stop for some readers, so I want to make sure you have the choice whether to read it or not.<\/p>\n

The Conclusion<\/b><\/h3>\n

This is the first book I\u2019ve read by Riley Scott, and it won\u2019t be the last. Backstage Pass grabbed me by the throat and I can\u2019t wait to see what this author comes out with next.<\/p>\n

Excerpt from Backstage Pass by Riley Scott<\/b><\/h2>\n

Chris had to force herself to make up her mind. Rocky road versus mint chip seemed to be such a trivial decision in light of all that she was feeling, but she nonetheless stepped up and rattled off her order like an obedient child.<\/p>\n

\u201cMint chip in a waffle cone, please,\u201d she asked, prompting a nod of approval from Raven.<\/p>\n

\u201cSolid choice,\u201d she said, giving a wink as she laid a few dollar bills on the counter. \u201cI would have pegged you for vanilla.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOuch,\u201d Chris said, her tone light and playful. \u201cYou really think I\u2019m that boring?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t meant to be an insult,\u201d Raven said, holding up her hands quickly to avert the damage. \u201cVanilla is actually quite an interesting choice. You just have to see it clearly. It\u2019s not boring. It\u2019s just for people who can find adventure in the ordinary.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chris knitted her brow and looked deeply into Raven\u2019s eyes. After giving it a moment for Raven\u2019s comment to resonate, she said, \u201cI never know what to expect when you open your mouth. Sometimes you\u2019ve got quippy comebacks. And then other times, you eloquently string together deep philosophic thoughts on life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKind of like vanilla ice cream,\u201d Raven said, pursing her lips together and nodding matter-of-factly. \u201cYou never really know what you\u2019re going to get, even though it\u2019s a classic and you think you\u2019ve got it figured out. Somehow, it still holds a little element of surprise.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDid you just call yourself vanilla?\u201d Chris asked, winking in Raven\u2019s direction.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m anything but vanilla, honey,\u201dRaven said, returning the wink and then quickly directing her attention back to the woman at the counter.<\/p>\n

Get This Book On Amazon<\/b><\/h3>\n

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[tweetthis]I just read this review for Backstage Pass by Riley Scott – check it out here[\/tweetthis]<\/b><\/p>\n

Bits and Bobs<\/b><\/h3>\n