[Once Upon a Boy Band]: A Review

Happy September, friends!

I am so excited for fall — cooler weather, all things pumpkin, and all the sweater weather vibes. Speaking of sweater weather — that fantastic fall series is on sale now! Get the ebooks for $1 each and the paperbacks for $9.99! I loved those books and hope to reread a few this fall. Check out my review here.

Today I am so thrilled to share my review of Jenny Proctor’s new release, Once Upon a Boy Band! This is the first in a new series from Jenny and wow, I loved it! It was such a treat to be in a new Jenny series and to get the paperback a few days early at the Bookish Girls Night Out event in Utah! This book was amazing! I officially consider myself a Midnighter!

Also, I had such a fun time at the Bookish Girls Night Out event last week and got to meet Jenny and Emma St Clair! it was so amazing to hear their banter in person and to have them sign a whole stack of books. They were so gracious and kind. I love these kinds of events!

Book Summary: “Once upon a time, she slept with his poster beside her bed. Now he’s all grown up, hiding behind a burly beard and lots of flannel … and she doesn’t have a clue.

Eight years ago, Adam Driscoll walked away from his stage name—Deke—and the boyband that turned him into an international star before his eighteenth birthday. And he never looked back. It didn’t even matter that everyone blamed him for the band’s breakup. He might miss making music, but he had good reasons for walking. Give him solitude over thousands of screaming fans any day of the week. These days, the only company he’s truly interested in is that of the vet who works closely with his dog rescue—Dr. Laney Lawson. She’s brilliant, funny, beautiful, and best of all, she has no idea he used to be a pop star.

But then Adam’s bandmates reach out about a one-time reunion concert benefiting a charity that’s close to his heart, and he starts to wonder if some things are worth a little extra attention. He loves the idea of singing again, but saying yes would out him to the small mountain community that has become his refuge. Worse, it would out him to Laney. But old hurts can’t stay buried forever. And something tells Adam that scary or not, saying yes is the decision he needs to make. He just has to hope he doesn’t lose the life—or the woman—he loves in the process.

Once Upon a Boyband is a sweet romantic comedy with all the crackling chemistry and sizzling kisses you want in a closed-door romcom. Perfect for fans of romantic comedy with a little less heat.”

I loved Laney so much; she was such a strong, patient character! I really loved getting to know her and seeing her fight for what she wants. She goes on such an incredible journey in this novel. She gains confidence and is willing to fight for those she loves (especially Adam!). I appreciated her perspective on her relationship with Adam and how she is able to ground him and help him see his value and worth regardless of the past. Her love for Adam is so sweet. I adore the funny awkward moments when she shares her teenage obsession with Midnight Rush with Adam. The fan fiction. The posters. The scrapbooks. The concerts. The fan groups. It was so fun to see that side of her. Then seeing her fan girl as she meets other celebrities in Adam’s world was so fun! I feel like I would be just like her. Haha. I loved how she falls for Adam as just Adam and becomes a central part of his world.

Adam was such a beautiful, complex character. As we learn more about his past and how that affects his present, I was amazed at his depth. His past and his grief are central to his story but I loved how he discovers how to be his best and most full self. He really has gone through so much and my heart ached for him as we learn just how intense his grief and guilt are. Certainly he was frustrating at points, but I appreciated how he grows and tries to make amends. His love for Laney is simply beautiful, and I love how that changes him for the better.

Their love story is so beautiful! They fall fast for each other then have to navigate a lot. There are a lot of surprisings twists and turns in their story (and a few fun cameos!). But Jenny does such a great job balancing the tension with swoony moments. Their obvious chemistry is so fun and I love their first kiss. They have lots of fun tropes and fun twists on tropes. I love celebrity romance and the twist that Adam is a celebrity but doesn’t really want to be. There is the set up for fake dating but then they are actually dating which I loved! I just really loved their love story and how it all develops. It’s clear from their first date that these two belong together! Experiencing their love story was such a delight!

Jenny has such an incredible ability to tackle difficult topics like losing a parent, grief, guilt, and parental divorce with grace and clarity. These characters are beautifully developed and you can’t help but cheer for them. I laughed. I cried. I sighed. I smiled. I wish I could attend a Midnight Rush concert!

Can’t wait to read more in this series and get to know all the members of Midnight Rush!