Great read could not put it down first book i have read by this author and can not wait to try more .Well written with great characters and plenty of twists and turns would recommend it.

Overall Famous by Default by MK Harkins is a pretty good book. It is the perfect book to read on a vacation (like now because it is spring break) and it is a reasonably fast read and it is standalone so there’s no real commitment. It primarily follows Sivan a foster kid who has been sent from bad home to bad home. But it finally seems like things have taken a turn for the better when she is taken in by Betty, a rainbow of a woman and widow, who already has two younger foster girls. However less than a month later Betty's twat of a nephew Jax, comes to live with them because he is having problems with paparazzi. Jax's two older brothers and twin are all part of the most popular boy band in the world but he "tries" to stay away from the public life which only succeeds in making him more of a commodity. In the beginning, Jax is an ass but slowly (like in most YA novels) they fall for each other (and he becomes less of an ass) and both are able to help each other rediscover their individual love of music which they gave up because of "family stuff."

I'll confess that I read this kind of as a guilty pleasure because it is a tad cheesy (for spoiler reasons I’ll elaborate late). I would definitely suggest this to someone but maybe not a hardcore reader who likes more in depth stuff. I actually did recommend it to a friend of mine who is always gushing about bands and I think she is probably the kind of person who the book is pretty well suited for. If you are the kind of person who is always daydreaming about dating a member of a boyband like a lot of teenagers then please read this now! However the inconsistency of the quality of the writing and attention to character growth kind of bothered me. I felt like some of what could have been the best parts of this book were sped over and that really hurt the story. Regardless it’s worth reading if you have time.

Spoiler section

DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU HAVE FINISHED!!!

MK Harkins could have definitely improved on this book if she had not rushed over character development. Specifically in the case of Regina, which honestly bothered me. Yes, it is nice that Regina is a super nice person at the end and Betty explains the reason for Regina's behavior and I guess that’s ok? But honestly it was a huge disappointment and I feel like the author really missed a great opportunity to show her transition. Also in the case of Sivan, the entire book has an incredible lead up to her tragic past and then it kind of throws it in your face and runs away. If that was elaborated upon more and she actually talked about it with Jax or dealt more with the aftermath of telling him more preferably with him. The book only spends about two pages on them being/getting back together before the five-year time skip which was also a disappointment, I would have preferred at least hearing a proposal. However, the author did a great job with Jax at the beginning I hated him and felt like he was a little twat but the author really does a wonderful job with him developing into being a loveable empathetic not-asshole. The one I suppose a (rather childish) thing that bothered me about this though is that Sivan is somehow amazing without practicing in 6 years and she was not incredibly intensive prior to that. Even if you are a prodigy you still would not be able to get into Juilliard like that. Juilliard is for people who are prodigies and actually worked hard for it. The beginning of the book is captivating and page turning but it was kind of botched at the end. Which was a huge missed opportunity.

p.s. I would have liked it if the author had written a few lines of Jax's song to Sivan (like in Where She Went) or at least wrote Sivan's first reaction to it.

p.s.2 Why was Sivan's hair light brown at the end. Did she die it brown or was it dyed black before? Either way, it makes the title of Jax's song "Black Hair, Blue Eyes" not really apply as much as before.

Loved this book!

I have a preference for this kind of books. And if I get both of my favorite genre in one much better.
I love learning how our male lead (Jax) felt about music and how can exposing yourself In the world of music can change that. I love reading how not everyone loves the fame or how can not fit in in that world. Jax was looking for something deeper than that and we can read how he found it. I love his character and his development.

Our Female lead was great, I love how she wasn't like those whiny female characters that loves getting attention because of her sad background. I love reading her POV.

The romance was great and well writing.
The pace was perfect.
Loved the author writing style and I can assure I will read more of her books.
I wish this was a series, I would love to read each band members story.

4.5 stars excellent read

Jax and Sivian are thrown together and neither wants much to do with the other. Jax is staying at his Aunt Betty's home as a escape from his rock star family. Betty is Sivian's foster mother. Both of these teens have scars from their past and both must find a way to accept their new realities. As their time in the house progresses, they come to common understandings and even grow to a friendship.

Quick Summary: Beautifully troubling and hauntingly sweet. This love story was devastating and intense in the best ways.
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: YA (O)
Status: Teen Romance
Chemistry/Intensity: Yes
Conflict/Drama: Yes
Humor/Wit: Yes
Family Dysfunction: Yes
Strong Protagonists: Yes
Interesting Supporting Characters: Yes
HEA: Yes
Stand Alone: Yes
Series Potential: Yes
Source: NetGalley

Amazing story. So many wonderful bits, it'll be hard to note them all.

I'll admit my first reaction was "ugh a book about teens". But that was quickly dislodged. Replaced with giddiness b/c foster care (esp of older kids) is something near and dear to my heart. (Yes I knew this from the blurb before reading, but still I wasn't in the correct mindset when I started.)

Sivan wins your heart from the beginning car ride out to the farm. She never lets go of your heart and turns on the dust bunnies at times. (I'm not crying, you're crying) Betty is the perfect foster mom for her.

Jax, you want to hate his whiny self, but you just can't. You can try, but you won't succeed.

This is a story about loss, love, and overcoming what life hands you. I am so impressed with these two. It's not really your typical HEA story and it's one I feel I'll have a book hangover from for a while. I know this story will stick with me for life and will be one I will re-read often. I want more of them. While the epilogue was just what I needed it did leave me wanting more and that is never a bad thing when it comes to good books.

A sweet teen romance with lovable characters.

Famous by Default is a teen/young adult stand-alone romance by M.K. Harkins.

M.K. Harkins is a new author to me. I saw this book offered to readers on NetGalley. The cover and blurb both looked interesting. In exchange for an honest review they awarded the book to me.

The book’s blurb promised I would find two emotionally broken down characters that have built up protective walls around themselves for different reasons. The book definitely delivered on did that and then some

Jax Jayne’s brothers formed a famous rock band that has legions of salivating teenage girls stalking them as well as paparazzi hot on their heels. Jax, the youngest at seventeen years old and quite possibly the most handsome of the brothers also has musical talents but wants no part of the famous life or the band and tries his best to stay under the radar. This only makes the fans and paparazzi more rabid because of the mysteriousness surrounding him. His mother and father being concerned he’s getting more withdrawn and avoiding his musical talent send him to Iowa to stay with his Aunt Betty on a farm to take a breather and recharge. At the farm he meets a seventeen-year-old girl named Sivan Holt who Jax’s Aunt Betty is fostering along with two other younger girls. Sivan’s parents died 7 years prior and since then she has been shuffled around the foster system that included being in a few abusive homes. Her caseworker finds a potentially forever home on Jax’s Aunt Betty’s farm. Sivan is beautiful, cautious, damaged, and struggles to trust anyone. On the farm Sivan bonds immediately with Betty but trusting Jax proves to be a challenge.

This is a sweet coming of age love story about trust, love, life, and overcoming tragedy and loss. I wouldn’t call this story deeply moving and was a bit predicable but nonetheless its heartwarming and fast paced that I did enjoy reading it. In my opinion the best part of this story are the three main characters, Jax, Sivan, and Betty. The author so beautifully develops them that I fell in love with every single one especially Aunt Betty. I wish I had my very own Aunt Betty!

The romance is sweet, there is no violence, and perhaps there was less than four mild curse words used in the entire book. I’d recommend this for readers aged 14 years and older who like sweet romance stories.

Famous by Default – M.K. Harkins is a remarkable story of love, coming of age, life and loss. This story centers around two characters named Jax and Sivan. Jax is the youngest brother of a famous boy band. While he loves music and can play the guitar, he wants no part of that world. Sivan becomes a foster child of the state after losing her immediate family and having no relatives. She has seen more than her fair share of the abuse and neglect that sometimes accompanies foster care. They both get sent to Miss Betty’s, a farm in Iowa that is in the middle of nowhere. Betty is Jax’s aunt and Sivan’s foster parent. At first there is tension between the two, both have different pasts and are struggling to deal with their own issues. However, they soon begin to rely on each other and finds ways to help the other deal with their own demons. This book has many ups and downs making you want to cry one moment and smile the next. There are a few issues in this story that involve the hardships that some foster children have to face. Harkins does an amazing job of addressing such issues! His style of writing is easy to follow and he seamlessly goes from Jax’s point of view to Sivan’s. I really enjoyed reading this story and look forward to reading more of his books.