After enjoying their Redefining Me (The F Word, The N Word & The C Word), I was really excited for the spinoff series they announced. There were quite a few characters I wanted to read more about and they have granted that wish with their newest series Discovering Me. The first book, Dating Nashville, was released this week and today I’m sharing my review!

A big thanks to the authors for providing an ARC to read and review.

Becks:

How does a straight guy accidentally come out as gay to the entire country music world?
I’ll get back to you when I know the answer.
It all happened so fast. One moment, my best friend’s little brother is standing in a sea of people as his boyfriend breaks his heart. Again.
The next, I’m jumping off stage mid-concert to give him the kiss of his life—or maybe the kiss of my life.
I’m Beckett Anderson. Yes, that Beckett. The one who never does the smart thing, messes up daily, and somehow ended up with millions of screaming fans.
Fans who now think I’m dating Nicky St. Germaine.
The label says I can’t come out as straight (Is that even a thing?), that I can’t tell the world I lied.
But this lie of mine… it doesn’t hold a candle to the one I tell myself.

Nicky:

How does the quiet gay guy end up kissing the straight country music star in front of thousands of his screaming fans?
I still can’t fathom what he was thinking when he jumped off that stage, but that kiss… None of it was real, but it felt like it. At least to me.
I’m Nicky St. Germaine, son of a football Hall of Famer, best friends with rock star, Nari Won Song—and whatever I am to country music sensation, Beckett Anderson. The jury’s still out on that one. What does a small town kid do when so many of his friends and family are famous? He hides. Frequently.
Now the spotlight is on me, and there is nowhere left to hide. I’m supposed to pretend to be Beckett’s adoring boyfriend for a few weeks, but that’s not so easy when I’d give almost anything for it to be true.

Book one in the Discovering Me series, Dating Nashville is a sweet M/M romance with a cocky country star, a shy small-town boy, and enough sparks betweent them to make you swoon. 

Review

“Sometimes, we want the very people we’d never considered before.”

We have already met Becks and Nicky in the authors’ previous series and both of these characters left me wanting more. I was really happy when they announced this spinoff. Dating Nashville starts a couple of years after the Redefining Me series ended and we get to see where a lot of these characters have gone and what they’re doing.

Just as predicted Becks and Nari are making music and actually pretty famous. They’re still finding their way and figuring everything out. In a lot of cases the PR people and record label are deciding things and this can be frustrating.

Nicky just graduated high school and is spending his last summer at home before going off to college. He’s been out as gay for awhile, but his boyfriend isn’t. A strict father in the spotlights is preventing that from happening and their relationship just isn’t working. Nicky is ready for a new beginning.

“Because he was Becks: a good-time guy who never rocked the boat. And if he was going to survivet he spotlight, he had to stay that way.”

When Becks ends up kissing Nicky at one of his concerts, because he just can’t see Nicky being hurt one more time, things spiral out of control. Becks sees himself as straight and isn’t ready for the publicity surrounding this kiss. Nicky is used to a quiet small town life and not having the spotlight in him at all times. Especially since he’s been crushing on Becks for quite a long time.

This book is definitely a romance, but that’s not the biggest part of this story. In the end family, friends and even coming to terms with your own sexuality is a big part of this book. I loved how the authors approached this subject and show us even your sexuality isn’t one thing or the other. I like seeing approach this subject more. Also, how their friends responded to everything was amazing. They were so loving and open. Even the parents. I know it’s not always the case, but it’s how it should be.

On top of that, family plays a big part of this story. Becks and his sister have some things to deal with and it definitely had some impact on them. I really hope that his sister gets a story after everything they’ve been through.

“What was the point of being a country star if you didn’t have girls screaming your name and men buying you drink everywhere you went?”

These authors gave us an amazing story with Dating Nashville. The pacing is good and I honestly wouldn’t say two people wrote this book. It flows nicely and I read it in one sitting. The cast of characters is amazing and even though this book had some heavier subjects, I also had a smile on my face quite often. I think the only thing I would’ve wanted was a little more Nicky and Becks together. I get the story, but I need just a little more time between the two of them.

All in all, I once again love the book these two authors wrote for us to read. I’ll definitely be reading the sequel and recommend this book to all contemporary lovers!

This was the perfect start to a new series. I loved Becks and Nicky! The next book, Dating Washington, has already been announced and I’m really excited about it!