Too Good at Goodbyes
by RC Boldt
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: October 29th, 2019
Blurb:
First Top 40 hit at age seventeen? My first tabloid breakup scandal quickly followed.
Earned my first Grammy? Discovered Mommy Dearest was embezzling my money.
Landed a leading role in a movie? My fiancé called off our engagement the next day.
I might have a multi-million-dollar recording contract, a sold-out world tour, and more money in the bank than I ever imagined, but every time I hit a milestone in my career, my personal life suffers.
Then in steps my new bodyguard, rugged and with a past I connect with. The closer we get, the more powerful my feelings grow, complicating our professional relationship.
I thought Kane would be different. I hoped he’d be the one man to stand by my side, undaunted by the fame and attention that trails me.
The press calls me the “Ice Princess of Pop” because of my unyielding façade throughout heartbreak and betrayal. Perhaps it’s time to show them the real me.
With every syllable, I pour out my emotions and allow them to puddle, forming lyrics from my soul’s breath. And with each word, my broken heart cries out for Kane, begging him to help me break this pattern.
To help me stop being so damn good at goodbyes.
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Excerpt:
SIMONE
Present Day
The Super Bowl Halftime Performance
Hard Rock Stadium
Miami Gardens, Florida
Facing what’s estimated to be over sixty-seven thousand people with my favorite guitar strapped snug against me, I prepare to sing my final song.
Standing up here in front of thousands of fans is second nature. I performed in countless dive bars before breaking onto the scene and securing my first record deal, then moving on to sold-out world tours. Which means I shouldn’t have sweaty palms like a preteen working up the nerve to talk to her crush.
My heart shouldn’t be racing like a horse competing in the Kentucky Derby.
My stomach shouldn’t churn as though I’ve eaten ceviche from a questionable food truck.
Tremors shouldn’t affect my hands like a virgin embarking on their deflowering.
None of this should be afflicting me. But it is.
Because of him.
Because of the current state of my heart.
But this is how I deal with heartache. With tragedy. With…life.
“This is a little different, and I hope you like it,” I rasp into the mic. Noise from the cheering fans is deafening, and like every time I perform, the surreal quality never quite fades.
Tonight marks the first time I’ll share a song I wrote about someone who eviscerated my heart entirely. My other relationships—and subsequent failures—pale in comparison.
It’s no secret that love and broken hearts inspire great songwriting. With regard to the latter, it’s never hard to find someone mourning an unrequited love, suffering heartache, or wishing they’d find their own glorified everlasting love.
But have you noticed when male musicians write about it, they’re never on the receiving end of the snide, sarcastic comments of, “Oh, poor thing. He’s rich and famous and can’t find love. Boo-freaking-hoo.”?
Yet when I write lyrics that are the closest thing to ripping out my heart and putting it on display for the world, I receive the “She’s probably selfish and put her career first” or “She probably cheated, and now she’s regretting it” or “Mm. So sad. The Ice Princess of Pop is heartbroken.”
My response? Fuck that noise. I’m writing from my heart and soul, regardless of how damaged they might be at any given time. And as long as my fans continue to support me, I’m going to keep on keepin’ on.
“I’d like to dedicate this song to a special person.” I duck my chin, willing myself to maintain composure. “It’s called ‘Embers.’”
Once I strum the first note on my guitar, everything around me fades. My voice emerges from the shards scattered within my chest where my working heart once was.
When I play that final chord, I see tears streaming down the faces of the fans in the front rows. And yet again, I’m reminded of something all too easily forgotten. That there are others who can relate to lyrics written from my soul’s breath.
Because in heartache, we’re never truly alone.
Copyright @2019 by RC BOLDT
About the author:
RC Boldt currently lives on the southeastern coast of the U.S., enjoys long walks on the beach, running, reading, people watching, and singing karaoke. If you're in the mood for some killer homemade mojitos, can't recall the lyrics to a particular 80's song, or just need to hang around a nonconformist who will do almost anything for a laugh, she's your girl.
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My review:
It’s finally
here! Kane’s story!! Since his first appearance in Boldt’s books, I was
smitten with him and hoped he would get a book of his own. Although I
had no inkling of what kind of story his would be, I still didn’t expect
this. Well, who would have thought that our beloved Kane catches
himself a famous popstar?! But of course the woman who got to own Kane’s
heart was someone special. It takes a special person to find a special
soul.
Simone was not the stone-cold and unfeeling ice
princess the media made her out to be but as an outsider, only knowing
what the media wrote about her, Kane couldn’t imagine her being the
complete opposite. But he learned pretty quickly that she was
compassionate, humble and a very private person with a big heart. It’s
because a lot of people had taken advantage of her that she was
protective of her personal life and heart. And who could blame her?!
Kane had his fair share of heartbreak as well to deal with. Can two
broken hearts find love again?
‘Because in heartache, we’re never truly alone.’
I absolutely loved this story! It was unexpected touching at parts and had a very realistic feel to it.
Despite
all the glitz and glamour, Simone led a lonely life. She had to be
careful how to present herself at all times because the press could spin
everything however they liked and make her life much more difficult. It
was inspiring how wonderful of a person she was and that she gave not
only money for help but precious time to others without any gain for
herself.
Her life was so different to the one Kane led and this
new job wasn’t like any other security job that he had so far. I loved
watching him in this new environment and how he adapted to foreign
situations.
The writing of this story was amazing, just
like all the other books from RC Boldt. I loved the storyline, the
realistic feel of it and the loveable characters. I liked how the author
addressed topics that are often frowned upon or hush-hush in our
society. Her characters feel like real life people dealing with real
life problems and that makes them even more loveable and easy to connect
with. Like Matty, he was hilarious! I absolutely loved that guy! He
gave this story so much love and fun and had a big part of making it so
great.
Although this was a very, very slow burn
romance (and somewhere along the road it was a bit too slow for my
personal liking), I understood and liked the way it moved along
regarding the characters feelings for each other because anything else
would have felt rushed or unnatural. I’m just not a big fan of slow burn
romances because it simultaneously slows the story down at times. But
that’s the only reason why I gave this book a 4.5 star rating – and
that’s totally a personal preference because I loved everything else,
from Simone and Kane, to the cameos from previous books as well as the
newly introduced characters. It was such a sweet and very cute story and
the ending was adorable. I loved the banter between the characters.
-- I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book given by Give Me Books Promotions. --
