DNF @ 14%

It started as slow as the previous one (Red Dust Dancer); dull, slow with bland, uninteresting characters whom I didn't care about or care about what would happen to them.
But unlike the previous book, which I actually stick with until the bitter end, I decided there's better ways to spend my time than suffer through a story that leaves me cold.

A fun road trip romance set in Australia. The ending was good

The Skinny

Christopher "Kit" Edwards is a massive rock star and burnt out on his band's two-year tour and the hostile bickering. Steel Cutt has been a success since the Major discovered him as a teen, but he is beyond burnt out and fading fast as an individual, falling into the classic trope behaviors most associate with rock stars and fame. At the start of a two-week break with only promotional appearances, Kit decides to run away and return for the final shows. When he sees this beautiful siren in the parking lot loading up her car, he takes the chance she's not a serial killer. As it turns out, they have music in common. Iris Harrington has lived under a rock her whole life, being domineered by her father's engineering since she came to live with him at age eight. She's walked a tight rope her entire life and has let her father plan out her future. She practices her violin six hours each day and is socially awkward.

She's an introvert, and he's an extrovert. Together they travel across Austrailia sight-seeing while Kit is hiding in plain sight. Iris has no idea who he really is, and he has no intention of cluing her in. It is the downfall to his great joy ride that requires the intervention of his best friend, Mick, to set to rights.



The Quote

How did you go about waking up a grown man in the middle of a nightmare?



The Highs and Lows

The Plot. I loved the overall plot of Iris and Kit running away from their lives. They are both running from their own personal demons: Iris is running away from her father and his control over her, and Kit is running away from Steel Cutt, hostile band mates, and the domineering Major. When they meet in the parking lot, Iris is clueless about who he is. Ironically, I don't think she'd really care about his fame and fortune and wouldn't treat him any different knowing who he really is. They are both find their own way, growing up, and starting to take back their lives - and they're doing it together.

Kit. It can be hard to make a rock star relatable, but it was easy to feel sympathy for Kit and understand his situation and why he desperately needed out. The Major uses his contractual obligations to keep him tied to Steel Cutt and all the promotional events he has overscheduled for them. When his father was dying, the Major refused to let Kit have time. He never got to be with his father, and then he died. His anger and rage are understandable, and then add in wildly jealous bandmates who create hostile environments. Music was his passion, and now it is quickly working to put him six feet under. He has pain every day and is popping pills and drinking himself to oblivion. Even then, he can't sleep with the anxiety and pressure. Anyone would want to run away. With the Major's constant threats, Kit is ready to quit Steel Cutt.

Iris. She is so far removed from reality, it is sad. Her mother died when she was eight, forcing her to go live with her father who was living his own life. He runs her life, directing her toward ambitions and mile markers he has set out for her. Anything less brands Iris a failure. She has spent her whole life training on violin. She never had friends - she doesn't even know how to make friends! It is a sad, lonely life that she is starting to realize in her young adulthood. With the help of a neighbor and her Nan, Iris seizes something new and doesn't look back.

Mick. I felt equal measures of love and guilt for Mick. He has been with Kit since they were teens. They are the best of friends, and despite what the Major threatens and spews, Mick always has his back. Mick is a fantastic guy and one loyal dude. After taking off with Iris, Mick is in hot, hot water with the Major. His own job and livelihood are on the line, and Kit has no regard for that. He does his best not to help Mick out with at least something to give to the Major, and I felt bad for him. But true to form, he is an incredibly loyal friend and intervenes for Kit. Man of the year right there!

I thought this was a cute, light, fun read. I flew through it rather quickly and enjoyed the journey of Iris and Kit. Their trip and travels take them all over Austraila and help Iris come out of her shell. I loved seeing her progress and stand up to her dad, and as the trip wore on I could feel the anxiety and stress Kit was trying to ward off by keeping silent on his true identity.

Christopher/Kit wiped the sweat off his face and neck. Three encores was enough. Gone was the usual post gig high replaced by bone weary relief. Now the band called Steel Cutt barely spoke to each other except in rage when they used to be as close as brothers. The band had been constantly touring for two years. Carl was the drummer who bottled up all his feeling and if he didn't let them out soon he was gonna have some problems. Phil was the lead guitar and who was jealous of Chris and it became even worse when People’s Magazine put Kit in the running for the sexiest man alive. Phil couldn’t wait to have a dig at Kit. Kit knew there wasn’t anything he could do to make things right. Paul was on base guitar and he would back Phil as he was too weak to make any digs of his own. Then there was the Major who was their manager and he was the most annoying person in the room with the band. Mick was Kit’s childhood friend and right now Mick was the only friendly face in the room. Mick and Kit had watched each others back since childhood and Mick had proved to be the only person worth trusting in the crazy industry. Kit was the lead singer in Steel Cutt and wrote most of the songs they did. . Every inch of Kit;s body ached and Kit didn’t believe it was all from his physical performance. Some had to be from stress. Everyday it got worse. It wasn’t right. They only had one more month and the tour would be over. Once Kit was back in his hotel room with a bottle of Jack Daniels ready for the spa bath. It had been twelve years since the Major had unearthed Kit in a UK TV talent contest. Kit hadn’t stopped working since. Kit is now twenty six. The Major made a point of knowing everything. He had spies everywhere. Iris was used to being dominated by her father. After her mom died when Iris was eight she went to live with her father and he had been directing Iris’s life since. Iris wore what her father said, eat what he said, Practiced her violin six hours or more each day.Iris is a classical violinist. Music had been Kit’s love, his dream and now it’s in danger of being his gravestone. Kit feels like he is headed for a breakdown. There is a two week break before the next concert but Major let Kit know it was full of interviews and promotional things. Iris’s neighbor seizing the chance for an adventure and with her grandma’s help she decides to go on a road trip to make some decisions of her own. Kit meets Iris in a car park. . Kit talks Iris into taking him along on her road trip across Australia. Kit loves BellI could seen as himself and not the image he has to portray for the band. Iris has no idea who Kit is.
I really liked this story. I wish I could rate this a 4.5 but I couldn’t. I loved the plot and writing. I also loved Iris’s Nan. I wish it hadn’t been instalove/lust but I also understood and it didn’t take away from the story. It dragged at times for me. I loved Iris and Kit together I am glad Iris had the strength to go on a road trip and then to allow Kit to go also. I loved the twists and turns in this story. I loved most of the characters and I recommend. Once again I wish I could rate this 4.5.

Red Dust Runaway by Eva Scott

Romance down under – Young Adult – Musicians but complete opposites make a road trip that changes their lives forever.

Burnt out Christopher Edwards has had it on the road being lead singer of Steel Cutt so he makes drastic changes that lead to him being on the road with the support crew and THE non the road with a classical violinist who has also made a break from the future plotted for her by her father. The two have fun together seeing sights in Australia and take the reader with them. The main glitch is that Kris opts not to come clean with Iris about who he is and it sneaks up and bites him in the tooshie and that leads to a major break-up that only his bestie, Mick, can fix.

This was a feel-good, fun, road trip that was taken by two twenty year olds with music backgrounds that have something to share with and learn from the person they are traveling with. It was fun for both…until it became dicey. It was well written and perfect for the age group it (I believe) is intended for. I tend to stay clear of NA and YA books so…am giving it a 3 from me though am sure others who read this genre might rate it higher.

Thank you to NetGalley and Escape Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3 Stars

A great read i really enjoyed this book once i got into it.Started a little slow but once it picked up there was plenty of twists and turns.A super book would recommend.I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

This is a cute read about running away and growing up, with both characters taking control of their lives along the way. I enjoyed it, but at the same time, I expected something a little different from what I got. I was hoping for a sort of musical odyssey, with the two of them finding common ground and freedom in that way. Instead Kit is hiding his identity, while Iris is breaking away from her musical background. It’s not a bad story, but it’s been done before – maybe not with a violinist and a rock star, but to be honest either could have been substituted for something else since music plays such a small role in their relationship.

Which is a shame, because that’s what drew me to the book in the first place. Not that there’s not anything to enjoy here, because Kit’s reasons for escaping are firmly believable and Iris’s sheltered upbringing explains her naivety in a similarly believable way, so it was good to see both of them take control.

However, Kit annoyed me. Partly because he’s a Brit who is completely fluent in Aussie slang. It’s a small thing, but to be honest he might as well have been Australian since it wouldn’t have made any difference. Bigger than that, though, was the way he kept his identity from Iris. I know why he does it, but it still irritated me, as did his response when she grew justifiably angry about everything.

Not that Iris is perfect, because she isn’t. Some of her anger is over the top, her own lack of curiosity at times was less naivety than willful delusion and her behaviour towards the end implied she hadn’t grown up as well as she might have done. And again, the big ending wasn’t quite what I’d hoped for, though it and the epilogue were still pretty cute.

Still, away from deceptions and self-delusion, these two are sweet. Once you get over the slow start, which made me wonder if they were ever actually going to meet. Their relationship is enjoyable, even if their fall into love seemed really quick. Kit makes a few emotional leaps a bit too fast, but it works well enough.

So overall this was okay. It wasn’t quite what I’d hoped for, but if you like runaways and stars-in-hiding, then you may well enjoy this.

I did not finish this book. The story wasn't interesting or compelling. The heroine was as exciting as watching grass grow.It's a no from me.

Thank you for the opportunity. I gave this a 3 stars, because the story was a bit slow in the beginning. However, the pace of the story changed towards the middle of it. Overall, I enjoyed reading it.

I enjoyed this book, it was a relaxing and easy read. I did feel that the romance evolved a little quicker than seems realistic but that is part of the fun of books. I liked seeing the classical and rock worlds collide.

What a beautifully written book. The story follows Iris and Kit as they meet, fall in love, discover unusually small towns in the Australian outback. And then are discovered! A perfect love story, 2 opposites meeting with one common love of music. I could not put this down, it was amazing! Beautifully written and exactly the right amount of emotion! Can't wait for the next one!

I recieved this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I'd say Red Dust Runaway is probably a three and a half star for me. It started off a bit slow, and it was slow in some parts after that but I liked the fact that the girl did something she wanted to do for once in her life. I liked the fact that a rock star ran away with her as well. It reminded me of The Lizzie McGuire movie, especially towards the end where everything ended the way it did. The end part of the book was my favorite because that was when it picked up more. It'd be a good book to read during the summer.

Red Dust Runway, Eva Scott

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre:  Romance, 

I wasn't sure about this, I do love rock star romance but this is kind of a side issue rock-star theme. It was a great read though, a real escape. 

I loved Iris and Kit.
I so felt for her, a father that's very domineering pushing his ambitions for her, rather than seeing what she wants. That happens. We say "she's 20, why not stand up to him?" but after her mum died she came to live with him age 8 and he's been directing her life ever since. Very single minded in his ambitions for her.
She's always gone along with it, well at 8 you don't challenge parents, and as she got older its just become her accepted norm doing what he says, wearing what he says, eating what he says, practicing her violin for six hours or more each day....then a chance conversation with her next door neighbour leads her to thinking "what if" and seizing the chance for an adventure with her Nan's help. She sounds a great lady, I'd love to be her! 

Then there's Kit, discovered at a young age by The Major, and moulded into an award winning star. Its all he's known since his early teens and the last two years have been none stop touring.
Both he and the band are fractured, sniping and bitching at each other, shattered by the constant stress of performing and publicity. Its pressure all day every day, and he feels sick of it. Music was his love, his dream and its in danger of becoming his gravestone.

He knows something has to give, he's in pain every day, popping painkillers just to get through, drinking too much, he feels ill, can't sleep, can't relax. He feels headed for a breakdown and the Major isn't listening.
He tells himself he's leaving the band after their last concert in a few weeks, but he's a two week break til the next one, and though The Major has filled each day with interviews and promotional stuff he just can't hack it. Then he sees Iris and persuades her to let him go along with her. 

Its a fabulous journey, where they get to know each other slowly, meet some great people, have a real adventure and fall in love.
One big barrier though. It seems everyone in the world knows who Kit is...except Iris. He loves being seen for himself, a real person and not the image he has to project, and then as they're together longer the chance to tell her the truth slips away til it all comes crashing down.
Can he get her to trust him again?   
Stars: five,a great read, a real piece of escapism in every sense of the word and a perfect HEA. 

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

I really enjoyed reading this romance novel. I found that it is full of twists and turns that add to the suspense of will they or wont they. A really great read for any romance novel lovers

I have read the other books in the series and have enjoyed all of them. This was a sweet story and I loved that two superficially different people found out how alike they were when they spent time in their roadtrip bubble. Wanted to grab Kit and shake him by the shoulders for not feeding up to who he was until it was too late. I also loved the way they came back together at the band's final concert melding both their worlds.