I must say that the reasons that led me to want to read this novel were essentially three:

• the cover, with that truly captivating blue and the microphone in the foreground which, for me, as a good lover of music, had a magnet effect;
• we talk about rockstars and who am I to say no to a novel in which the protagonists are music stars?

Gabriel is the classic good guy, the one you wouldn't say he's part of a famous band because he didn't let it go up his head, he loves his friends, he adores his girlfriend and is idolized by his fans, to whom he indulges without hesitation after the concerts. In short, the perfect star. You can't help falling madly in love with him.

The surrounding characters are well characterized and you can easily imagine them: the playboy, the couple who has been together since high school even if he is super famous, the mysterious one who doesn't seem to care at all for girls and success.

Some parts I found too redundant and moreover Ariana, to be an adult, just graduated, in search of her place in the world, seems too immature, but if the author's intent was to drag readers into a crescendo of mixed emotions, well, mission accomplished.

Positive note: you would never want to stop reading, even if it means forgetting to drink, eat and do any other activities essential to survival.

I loved this book!! I heard it is the first in a series and can't wait to read the rest.

Gabriel is the lead singer of the band Cruise Control. A seemingly bad boy but with a heart of gold. Ariane is a real estator. She’s been trying for a while to forget her time with Gabriel. Two years after she ran away, she finds herself at a Cruise Control concert.

This is the story of how they ended here! I loved how the book was written. It’s sectioned like a music album and every chapter is a song that brings back a certain memory they share.

The author definitely won me over with this story and I can’t wait to see what she has coming next! I’ll be eagerly waiting...!

I loved the sound of this book. Rockstar romances are my favourite thing ever so was excited to dive in. Unfortunately it just didn't do it for me. It felt flat, unbelievable and just very wham bam thank you mam. Wheres the build up, the tension, the chemistry? Sorry just not for me

I have tried many times to read The Album, but every time I have ended up putting it down. Including today. I don't think it's a bad book, but it isn't for me.

Early on, I found myself completely indifferent about the characters. Thus, I just didn't care what happened.

1/5 stars

This reads like one of those computer algorithm-generated Hallmark movies. Okay premise, but it didn't quite seem like English to me. Cannot recommend to anyone, unfortunately.

Easy read with a bit of sex interspersed. I found Ariana a bit frustrating as a lead character but ultimately likeable. Jumped straight into The Wedding afterwards to find out what happened next.

This book was amazing.
I don’t think I’ve read a book so fast before it was seriously addictive. Fast paced and entertaining a thoroughly enjoyable read.

I must say that the reasons I wanted to read this novel were, mostly, three:

the cover, with that bewitching blue and the microphone in the foreground that, for me, as a good music lover, had a magnet effect;

• We talk about rockstars, and who am I to say no to a novel in which the protagonists are music stars.

• the name of the band: Cruise Control. It sounds terrific as a name, and, also, I immediately figured them in Finley style, you know.

Ariana meets at a charity evening the leader of Cruise Control, Gabriel Knight, who, miraculously, asks her to go out and from there is all a climb-down of doubts, uncertainties, desire to let go. Still, perhaps it is too soon, the pressure of the press and paparazzi, She has to fight against her senseless fear of not being up to it, of not wanting all those eyes pointed at her.

Gabriel is the classic good guy, what you wouldn't say is part of a famous band because he has not turned his head, he loves his friends, his girlfriend. He is idolized by his fans, which he gives himself without hesitation after the concerts. In short, the perfect star. You can not avoid falling madly in love with him.

The characters of the outline are well-characterized. You can imagine them without effort: the playboy, the couple who is together from high school even if he is super famous, the mysterious who seems not to care about girls and success.

Some parts I found too redundant and also Ariana, to be an 'adult, just graduated, in search of his place in the world, seems too immature, but if the author intended to drag readers in a crescendo of contrasting emotions, Well, mission accomplished.

Positive note: you would never want to stop reading, even if this means forgetting to drink, eat, and do any other activity essential to survival. Final vote? Three stars.

The Album (Cruise Control, #1) By Sian Ceinwen (2020/06/20)
Rating 2/5 Stars
Disclaimer: Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher ( Xpresso Book Tours) for providing me with an ARC to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
TW: Panic Attacks

The Album is the first book in the Cruise Control romance series. This story follows Ariana who is a fan of a band called Cruise Control. One day she attends a charity event with her aunt, and she ends up meeting the lead singer of the band, Gabriel Knight. The two instantly hit it off and when Gabe has to leave for his tour, he asks Ari to come with him. The romance blooms from there and Ari must decide if being with a Rockstar is worth it or not. I liked this story; the romance was super cute. Gabe was a super sweet boyfriend and I loved that. I really liked watching Ari bond with some of the band member’s and I liked her friendship with heather. However, Ari as a main character was really unlikeable. I understood her corners and her issues, but she never really tried to make an effort to change her ways until then end.

I also felt like it was really unrealistic that she spent some much time with the band and that the paparazzi didn't catch on to her being Gabe's girlfriend quicker. I feel like a lot of the problems that Ari and Gabe had could have been avoided had she expressed her feelings ahead of time. She never really communicated with him and just expected him to randomly understand her. When she overheard Gabe's conversation with Cooper, I feel like she had to understand that not everyone in life is going to like and that okay. I liked that there was a two-year time jump and that we were able to see that Ariana was in a better place. I would have liked to have had a few scenes where we had gotten to see her working on herself instead of being told she made a bunch of progress in her life. I liked that she knew she had issues that she had to work on and that she saw a therapist to better herself.

Although the songs at the end were their story told from Gabriel's point of view, I would have liked to see the songs embedded into the story. I feel like that would have allowed the reader to connect to Gabriel's characters and fully understand him.

I didn't like that when she went to the band’s concert, she spent so much of the time recommencing over which song was related to what point in their relationship. I didn't really think that was necessary to add especially because they were scenes we already knew about. She also practically forgot her friend was with her the entire time which was really annoying.

Ultimately the last 30% of the book was probably the best part of this story. Overall, if you are looking for a quick Rockstar romance then definitely check this one out if anything, I said in my review interests you.

I’d like to preface this by saying thank you to NetGalley for my copy of this book.
I got 9% in before I had to DNF. I read the synopsis and thought “How cool, this girl will fall in love with a rock star.” Ummm, there was no build up whatsoever. One chapter of them “getting to know each other” while she wants to “feel him inside her.” I didn’t realize we were going there in this book. The first kiss, no build up, it just happens like it’s been happening forever. Next thing you know she’s in the bath and literally doing herself to his voice over the phone. I’m sorry for spoilers but OMG if this the kind of thing you want to read, go for it. Definitely NOT my thing.

After I read the description, I knew that I would most likely enjoy this book. The story begins when a not-at-all groupie girl runs into a musician, who just so happens to be in an upcoming successful band. Everyone knows of him, his reputation, his talent, his long list of conquests. However, as much as she enjoys his band’s music, she is not drawn to him by his celebrity status.

From the get go, I perceived a lot of chemistry between the musician and the girl next door. Even if they are evidently in different stages of life (and success), they quickly realize they have a lot in common.

It was interesting to see the fast-paced, too glamorous life that supposedly a musician faces, even at a young age and how this can determined the relationships that he might have. I am pretty sure everyone has once thought to be famous and rich, however, people usually only liked the good aspects of this life. But, this book shows different scenarios of the bad aspects, and how hard it can be sometimes to enjoy a normal life.

It is a given that love can be powerful enough to go through anything and everything, but it also depends on the happiness of the people involved. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to enjoy a complicated love story with maybe “the one”, but also what comes with being with him.

Let me first say I was really looking forward to this book. The summary got me hooked and I thought there was so much potential for this book. As I read it though, I started really disliking the main character. And I mean really disliking her. To me it seemed she spent half of the book crying or complaining about drama she was causing. Some of the events seemed very rushed while others seemed very dragged on. MYself personally can't handle books where the main female character cries all the time. I find it annoying and there isn't quite much of a plot outside of that. I really like the love interest but about 40% of the way into the book I started getting very annoyed with the storyline and how it fell apart. If that is your thing, then perhaps you will like this book but for me it was not my thing.

Just out of college and full of sassy, pissy, and jaded when it comes to the rich and famous. This is bad news for her since her uncle is a world-famous actor and the root of all this crassness. You see he had a wandering eye causing his family to live with rag stories and paparazzi around every corner.

Leaving her favorite aunt and cousins in tears and embarrassment. So, at nine she swore never to put herself ever in a position to ever live in a situation where she could be hurt like that. Leaving her helpless on this night to tell her aunt who had a fundraiser to attend with such company in toe, no.

Since her uncle was on location and her children knew better than to ask that left her fair game. Being that she stayed out of the limelight she could scoot by unnoticed for the gauntlet. She could say no, not to mention her aunt bought a designer dress and shoes to go with it. Horrible at that too!

As she thought “Yadda, yadda, all about me. All A-listers, movie stars, millionaires, and billionaires. The only ones that perked her up were the group that came down off the stage after their performance, Cruise Control whom she had followed since their start. Although her aunt and ladies group now had them surrounded. The lead singer, Gabriel Knight, and guitarist, Sebastian Fox. She knew because they were tight.

Her worst nightmare, her aunt calls her over for introductions. She does, the meet and greets. Sebastian says, “What a gorgeous piece of ass,” he slurs. To which she is not happy. Gabe retorts, “She certainly isn’t bad to look at.” Now, highly disappointed not only seeing and smelling how much alcohol that has taken in. Also, not to mention feeling that their music was so good then to see them this way is regrettable. Feeling disillusioned knowing now not ever well to meet a hero.

Going out to the gardens for air and to take off her heels she sees a pool. Lifting her dress, she sits and dips her feet. Pondering what she’ll do with her business degree. About a half-hour later a male sexy voice speaks behind her, yup Gabe’s. Her life is about to change forever.

This is a whirlwind love story that you can just feel oozing off the page from both Ari and Gabe from the start. You come to realize quickly that this is the band's first tour and something about Ari calms and soothes Gabe’s fear feeds his emotions and boosts his ego and confidence. I also believe he likes feeling the one needed and the one to protect Ari from paparazzi.

For Ari, she fell hard. She’s young, just out of college and unsure of employment, and a phobia of this guy she fell for being gone and not remembering her. She tries to set him free at the very beginning so he can enjoy his tour with no strings attached, especially with her phobia.

But he can’t hear of it. So, I have problems at times throughout the story where yes when she is having a meltdown, he helps her through it. Yet, at other times he guilts her, makes her jealous on purpose, and doesn’t sometimes allow her to talk things through but uses sex to not hear the bad things.

At the end at the concert when she resurfaces. Then, he goes to her at work. I really disliked him. He is four years older than she is. The way he shows up, he leads in as if missing her and wanting her back and then the blow her away. To me he was being very passive-aggressive, as a way of spite for her a girl with an illness a real phobia for her, hurting him. So, this is a WTF ending, to me.

I liked that she triumphs her fears her final decisions, NOPE! He showed his true colors. She left because of love and illness. His spite and doing something behind someone’s back…

Because it did keep me interested, pissed for the indecisions, the funny parts, and even the darn WTF ending. I give this: 4 stars. I would continue with the series I like the characters. LOL! Provided by netgalley.com.
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ARC review.
A 1st novel for Sian Ceinwen.

The Albumn is written from a third party view which was almost as annoying as the heroine. For the 1st 70% of the book I struggled with the immaturity and drama of Ariana. I did not like her. The Rocker hero Gabe, someone just a little too sweet, loved her unconditionally and all I kept thinking was WHY????

On top of the dramatics I missed the grit and mess of a good Rock and Roll novel. I missed descriptive scenes so real you can smell the streets of New York, taste street food and hear blaring horns. And where were the covers songs, playlists, the lyrics... the poetry and soul of Rockers?

That said I plowed through and glad I did. The last 30% of the novel was worth the wait. Our heroine grows up but was it too late? Read and find out for yourself!!

If the last 1/2 of the novel is anything to go by, I look forward to reading more from Sian Ceinwen.

Ariana isn't a fan of celebrities, but she is a fan of Cruise Control. The night she attends a charity event with her aunt and meets rock star, Gabriel Knight, sets in motion a rollercoaster ride that is out of her command. Before Ariana knows it she is along for the celebrity ride.

Ariana is a very private person. She doesn’t want to be linked to Gabe in the tabloids and become fodder to the news outlets. She knows keeping her identity and their relationship private is taking a toll on Gabe and the band but she can’t give up her privacy. She has seen first hand how the media can warp things.

Can Ariana and her need for privacy be enough for Gabriel? Can Gabriel handle keeping their relationship a secret? I really enjoyed this book. I really like all the characters and I can’t wait to read more.

Wow what a story. Just when I thought it will take me down one path it led me to another. I loved Gabe. He was consistent, loving and a sensitive rock star that I loved. I can’t say the same with Ariana. She was immature, clueless, and insensitive to others. At times I wanted to scream at her and other times I wanted to give her a hug. She didn’t give Gabe the chance to resolve the current issues, even when he asked her to be honest. I also didn’t get why so much time elapsed in the end. Two years seemed too much to me. I needed more of an epilogue even though it was cute. That being said I loved the book. I thought as a couple they were adorable. I was definitely rooting for them. I also loved his band mates and Heather. I’m looking forward to the next book which should be about Heather.


I received this ARC from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

1 stars
I am going to be honest and say I could not even get through half of this book. The writing to me, was like reading a monologue or play. It wasn't working for me.

A fascinating, slightly darker look at the rockstar romance trope. Very readable; I finished it in one sitting. 4.5 stars!