Leslie O'SullivanCritiques

I really loved the descriptive writing of this book. I thought it added a dreamlike quality to the story, which was pretty fitting for a character who is thrust into a world she didn't really know existed in truth. She was raised on faerie tales, and comes to find out there is more truth to them, than she could have ever imagined.

I liked the lore of the Veil, and the time travel, and the way souls can be helped. It was a nice adventure aspect.

What I didn't love at all were the interactions between the two main characters. It gave me mental whiplash, the way they were equally rude to each other, but falling in love at the same time?

I guessed one twist, but not the one of the others. I'd probably read the next book in the series to see what happens next. I'd give it 3-3.5 stars.

Thank you, Owl City Press and LibraryThing for the eARC.

Travel to Ireland and then travel through time in Ireland. I really enjoyed the story. The characters are easy to get to know. Several mysteries to solve, one of my favorite things to do. Where do the souls go after death? Do they linger from unfinished business? Is there someone out there whose job it is to help the souls move on? What happens if they don't move on in time? A great story weaved around these questions. I recommend this book as a lighthearted fantasy romance.

Not being a genre that I usually read, I was pleasantly surprised at the rate I was sucked in to keep reading.

I have a love for all things celtic and historical and the blurb for this book hooked me well and truly.
I was very interested in the amount of Irish words written and think my knowledge of the place has boosted.

At times, in the heart of the action I was a little bit unsure as was actually happening but the explanation afterwards righted that for me.
I enjoyed the characters and loved the setting and found the storyline behind the modern tale to be tantalizing.

My thanks to the author, publisher and to Librarything for the copy won.

Great story. Held my attention throughout. It has earned a place in my top 15 books I've read this year and can't wait to see what happens next.

Great book

I hope the second installment is in the works because I literally can. not. wait! I felt immediately at home and immersed into these characters; it was so easy to get to know them and fall right in. From New York to Ireland and some other realms too, this adventure is difficult to put down. It's definitely a read past my bedtime story. Our heroine, per usual can't see past her nose on some things so I did want to smack her a few times but it all makes for the good of the story. She is a brilliant professor of Celtic Studies and is co-leading a student trip to Ireland when she tangles with their local guide. Although naturally drawn to and repelled by Sion, she desperately wants to be attracted to her co-leader, Jeremy. Lesson? Listen to your heart, right? Or no? You'll have to read to find out! Some night time field trips into the Veil near a special Irish holiday of Beltrane will have you wishing to be a part of the fae realm in no time. Read to see if her night activities take her to a new world indefinitely or if she'll enjoy the adventure and return to academia in New York. Either way, we need the second book immediately!

While I wish I'd read the previous installment of this series, it didn't affect my reading experience of this particular novel.
The cliche is there but the way around it is great, I love the incorporation of mental disorders in a respectful way and not as a tool to get a certain outcome.
The story is funny and cute and this was just a nice book.
Overuse of the word "plunging" though...

Imagine Shakespeare turned loose in Las Vegas to write as he pleased, then add background music from contemporary performers, a romance that might break the story. Mix well and enjoy.

A short and sweet romp. Really enjoyed the pacing in the front half of this story -- it is a pet peeve when romances circle the "we shouldn't do this" drain ad nauseam when the circumstances keeping them "apart" are easily tackled. Loved the inclusion of mental health and mental illness without it being used as a fault or plot device. I could have done with less use of the word "plunging" though, and I doubt I am alone in that feeling.

If you haven't read the others in the series, you can totally jump in here and not feel lost at all. O'Sullivan does a great job of getting new readers up to speed without rehashing the previous books.

This was a delightful story, cleverly woven together with intriguing settings and lore. I enjoyed the melange of literary allusions with the contemporary music industry. A few cheesy moments, sure, but that’s to be expected of the genre. I looo forward to reading more by Leslie O’Sullivan! Thanks for the opportunity to read this advance copy.

"Crimson Melodies" is a unique twist on the classic Beauty and the Beast tale, set in the intriguing world of rock and romance. This gender-swap version of the story, filled with energy and allure, unfolds at the haunted Hotel Caliwood in Hollywood, adding a layer of mystique to an already captivating narrative.

The story revolves around Benedict Boyd and Beatrice Sharpe, the former lead singers of the renowned rock band B & B + 3, who made headlines with their dramatic breakup at Hotel Caliwood, culminating in Beatrice taking an impromptu dip in the hotel's pool and ruining an expensive designer dress. With Beatrice vanishing from the public eye, the band is left without a lyricist, and Benedict's musical genius can't save them without the missing words.

As the band plans to resurrect their reputation by recording a long-awaited album, Benedict is desperate for lyrics. This is where the story takes an intriguing turn as he encounters "Beast," a mysterious and enigmatic harpy poetess who has found refuge in the hotel's abandoned library. Their initial interactions are anything but smooth, but as they collaborate on music, a deep connection starts to form between them, evolving into an unexpected affection.

What makes "Crimson Melodies" truly interesting is not just the looming curse placed upon Beast by a jealous enchantress. The prospect of a future together is tainted, and the narrative is enriched by the involvement of the ghosts inhabiting Hotel Caliwood. These spectral characters, together with Beast's beautiful lyrics, add depth and charm to the story. The question of whether Benedict can let go of his past and fully embrace this newfound love becomes the central emotional arc of the plot, while the curse adds a layer of tension and urgency.

Leslie O'Sullivan crafts a compelling narrative filled with vivid characters and an imaginative reimagining of a beloved fairy tale. "Crimson Melodies" is a delightful and enchanting romance that will keep you hooked from beginning to end. Whether you're a fan of gender-swap stories, paranormal romance, or rockstar settings, this book offers a unique and captivating blend of all these elements, making it a must-read for anyone looking for a fresh take on a timeless tale.

I received a copy of this book through LT's early reviewers. I enjoyed the reworking of a fairy tale style story with Shakespeare's [Much Ado About Nothing] all set in a world of rock stars in Hollywood. Following a disagreement, the romantic pairing of Beatrice and Benedict find themselves separated by events that bear the trademarks of familiar fairy tale territory. Having said that the story has those familiar overtones, it's a new interpretation of the genre for a new adult generation. This is the fourth in a series, but I read it with no familiarity with the prior works and it is fine as a stand alone story. There were a few minor aspects that didn't work for me, mostly in terms of some of the language used - not that I was offended by it but just that personally it threw me out of the story <spoiler> use of words like 'shitiot' would be an example </spoiler> - it just felt a bit jarring in its unfamiliarity - possibly just a difference in my age demographic to the audience or language that is in use in my area. This isn't a significant enough factor that would put me off reading the author's work again, as I enjoyed the story development and the modern spin on familiar classics.

3.5 Stars
A modern reverse adaptation of Beauty and the Beast, this NA urban fantasy fairy tale mixes pieces of classic literature with contemporary musician characters. It's part of a series, but the novel can be read as a stand-alone. I've read three of the first four works so far and I think this one is my favorite. There are still some sections that could be better organized, but overall if you enjoy NA fairy tale interpretations and are looking for a quick and easy read, give this book a try.

LibraryThing Early Reviewer½

I’ve really enjoyed this book. It’s very well written and an easy read. I had never heard of this series so I stopped reading to go back and read book 1 before returning to this one. Great enemies to lovers story. Looking forward to book 3.

DNF

It pains me to type those words. I'm not one to DNF books. I tried not to with this one. I really did. But, at the end, of the day (or several very long months) it simply just isn't for me. I love a good fairytale retelling or a fun spin on an old classic. This book combines both those themes and it should have been the perfect read for me, but I just couldn't get into it. My apologies to the author. I'm sure your readers are out there, it just seems we're not a good match.

Press Release was a really good book, well written and easy to read. I was drawn into this book from the first page.
It’s a story of two rival journalists forced to work together. They demonstrate an irresistible blend of hilarious banter and sizzling chemistry as they go from ‘enemies to lovers’.
The author has written a well-paced story with plot twists and insight into the risks we take as we open ourselves up to love.

An original and beautifully written musical little mermaid retelling, with great inclusivity and representation of culture/poc characters.
Great subtle introduction and background information without telling it at the reader, it starts off with a bang, throwing you right into the action. Really paints a picture and submerges you into the book, with beautiful description.

The dedication was so cute and I loved the addition of the chapter art, this is a really well made and formatted book.
Though I wasn’t really a fan of the writing style, it was still well written, however it didn’t have great character description or world building, making it all a little confusing.

A lot of ‘dude’s and other slang, which personally irritates me, but the dialogue was very good, natural and did a great job of showing the personality and differences in each character.

This was a good read, although I did find it quite slow, it was hard to know whether to ship him with Tani or Azure I like them both, I had no idea where the story was going to go. Lots of betrayals and indecision. I just could not decide who to root for.

My heart was just breaking for poor Tani, the whole story was just so sad and sweet, and was giving me corpse bride vibes.
Loving someone enough to let them go, even when it dooms you, hurting yourself to see them happy.

The Little Mermaid meets The Tempest in a contemporary pop-indie rock romance. It's part of a series but can be read as a stand-alone novel, although you'll get more background on all of the characters if you go back and read the other books. I loved the idea of the plot, although there were some slow parts that didn't flow quite as well as others, the beginning and end were fast-paced. For NA readers who love music and beach bonfires (and who doesn't).

LibraryThing Early Reviewer

Hot Set by Leslie O'Sullivan is the first in the Behind the Scenes series. The first book follows Gillian Bettencourt and Jack O'Leary. Gillian is currently working as a description writer for a sportswear company, where her secret boyfriend also works. She had written a brilliant novella but when she tried to turn it into a full-blown novel it fell flat. Then she discovers her secret boyfriend of two years has been cheating on her. She is then recruited to work as a writer's assistant for the much-anticipated tv show, The Chieftain's Son, a historical Irish drama that closely relates to Outlander. Jack O'Leary is the heartthrob leading male in the tv show. His whole life is planned out for him, who he can be seen with, who he can date, and what he can do. When Gillian and Jack meet the sparks fly, unfortunately, they are not meant to be in the PR world. Can they overcome this obstacle? Can Gillian handle another secret relationship?

When I first started this book, I wasn't sure about it, but as I kept reading I got more and more obsessed with it. The chemistry between Jack and Gillian was so strong, you were rooting for them to make it work. I found the writing of the story to be a little rough because even though it's set in the modern day the writing was that of the olden days. Once you got used to the style, it was such a fun read. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that likes historical romances with a modern flair, as well as anyone that is a fan of Outlander.

The more I read, the more I liked this book. How can you not like if you have TV show set, Ireland, hot ginger male character who fall in love with female character in third chapter?
Besides that it had a lot of Ireland culture, words, loyalty partner and adorable characters (mostly).

Some mini spoilers to help you take this book and read:
- Gillian made Jack braids
- she didn't know he is a famous actor.
- he googled her. Because he read her book and he liked it.
- moment with Jack and Faerie tree. Magical moment

Just read it. If you liked "Outlander", you will probably also like this story. Interesting about whom will be next book?

Was I expected this book was so good? No. This book is cute, adorable, passioned and make me want to visit Ireland

Hot Set is the perfect romance setting in Ireland, it has all the cozy hallmark feels. Gilly leaves her life in America after realising her secret boyfriend is a no good two timing jerk. She takes on a job which propels her into script writing for her favourite novel come TV show.
I loved Gilly and I loved how her character developed throughout the novel, she found her self worth and the romance with Jack was perfection - I have a soft spot for him. I liked how Jack was the big TV star but his devotion to Gilly never wavered, their chemistry sizzled between them. All the obstacles that kept getting dropped in their way had me gasping with a lot of Nos! I was afraid to see how it was all ending and whether we were gonna get a HEA or just an EA.
I love how Leslie O'Sullivan writes her novels. You get thrown in the mist of it and it takes you on a journey and doesn't let go until the end. You feel every emotion along the way, which connects you to the characters and the world created. I really hope there's more novels in this world as I thoroughly enjoyed it.

“You are my heart, my breath, the very blood that flows through my body. Without you, I am as weak as a breeze that dies before it makes a single leaf dance on the rowan tree.”

I loved reading this, the chemistry between Jack and Gillian was a burning passion. Gillian goes to Ireland for a job she kept saying no to but after seeing Treat with a girl against the tree she leaves quickly without looking back.

Playing golf with J and sneaking kisses in the dark. Gilly starts to have feelings for the star of the show, Jack . There will be heartbreaking moments, spicy encounters and lovely ones as well but it ends with love.

I absolutely loved Gilded Butterfly. The combination of the fairytales that don't necessarily go together but worked brilliantly in this instance created a perfect story. I loved the characters Adair and Chorda, their friendship to lovers arc was set out from the beginning and I was truly rooting for them. The whole story around the music, social media drama played out well and show cased how well our fame obsessed society. I liked how the novel referred to the previous characters from Pink Guitars (the first book in this series), it was nicely done as I felt it was a mini recap for those that may not have read the first or even forgotten the outcome of the first. The twist at the end was greatly executed and it makes me think there's going to be another book, right? I really enjoyed Gilded Butterfly and the Leer and Holliday family dynamics.

3.5 Stars
A contemporary romance that interweaves fairy magic and music superstars with a Shakespeare retelling. It's a spectacular idea and fun, although perhaps better suited for younger adult audiences. I loved the classics adaptation and the themes of the novel, I was less interested in the social media drama. That being said, I think it's a good story and will appeal to most readers. Worth a try.

LibraryThing Early Reviewers½

This was a very interesting book. I hadn't read the first book in the series, and maybe a lot of it would make sense if I had. But I thought it was an interesting take on Midas and his legend. One of my biggest complaint about the book was the consistent use of "shitiot" instead of "idiot" throughout. I think one or two times could be considered a characteristic of a character but for every character, every use, and even derivations of the word (shitiotic, shitiocy), it began to feel overused and a bit lazy. I appreciated the opportunity to review this book early but definitely think a few more edits may make this book better!½