This book follows the tale of Stevie Pearl, a hit recording artist who has lost her sense of freedom, and Alex Nupah, an illustrator who has never truly let himself go, as their lives become irrevocably intertwined. I loved the characters, both were written with complex and beautiful depth and had flaws that make them perfectly relatable and human. Their relationship is a classic, big star with someone who hadn’t previously been subjected to true spotlight. But, for me, this relationship blossomed and grew far too fast. Through small references I was able to tell time was passing but the true time frame was very hard to identify which made the chemistry and relationship between the two seem to appear out of nowhere and felt very rushed.
The writing in this is beautiful, full of vivid description and immersive dialogue, however it can in some parts be overdone. Some of the descriptions and dialogue scenes came across as very one note and lulled the pace of the book and tore the focus from the plot. I will not spoil anything but this ending was not for me, it felt unrelated in many ways and I wish it had been set up earlier in the novel in even minor ways. This wasn’t my favorite book of this classic style but I do think the characters were well-crafted and I felt that it dealt with inequality and the injustice Alex faced very well and in a respectful manner.

Book 4 in my Spring Reading Bonanza was an outlier for sure. I had no idea what I was geeting into with this story. But whoa did it pull me in with the drama. Kudos for having an indigenous MC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Surf Star Media for providing an eARC for a honest review.

Wow, this book was quite a ride. The way the book started gave me the idea that it would go a certain way. When the book ended I was glad it didn't but also heartbroken by it all.

Stevie and Alex were an unlikely couple that completely captured my heart. Stevie might've been a world famous singer/musician but she was an honest, loving woman who just wanted freedom. Alex might've been an artist from the wrong side of the tracks but man, he's the type of guy you want your daughter to meet and marry.

The side characters, particularly Franklin and Celeste were such wonderful people to learn about. Stevie was often lonely but with her chosen family she had the best of it all.

I'd definitely recommend this book!!

The Ballad of Stevie Pearl follows the complicated love story of a pop princess and a native American artist and all of the trials and tests that are involved in dating someone very high profile when you are not in that position yourself.

I'll be honest, I don't think I was the target audience for this book. I liked the description, I thought I would enjoy it, and it started strong. But it lost me after a few chapters. The writing felt like I was talking to my 15 year old. Which I'm not really meaning as a bad thing, I just felt too old to be reading this book.

I did like the characters, but again I didn't relate to them in any way and they weren't very deep. The story was alright, but then the ending just totally lost me again. I was getting to a point where it was all growing on me and then THAT ending happened and it just didn't do it for me.

It wasn't for me, but I definitely feel like there are plenty of people out there who it would be for.

This was a lot darker than I thought it was going to be and it was also such a heart-breaking story that can be linked to both celebrities and so many people around the world. I also loved how you can connect to these characters, although they are celebrities and have the hardships that come with fame there's also simple sweet moments of friendship and falling in love which are nice to read. The Ballad of Stevie Pearl hits you with the rawness of life, reminding you celebrities are people too and anybody can get hurt.

Even though this was a fictional tale, the scenes that occur are all too real. This book is an emulation of life itself. It reminded me a lot of the tv show Bojack Horseman: silly and fun at times in the life of celebrities, with darkness lurking just beneath.

My favorite part of this book was getting to know all these characters. None of them felt out of place of forgettable. I loved how the author was able to ascribe very distinct personalities to all of them. I laughed with them, I cried with them; I really felt like I was a member of their friend group.

SPOILERS:
Even though these characters are completely at odds with my personal life, I was still able to connect with them. From dealing with everyday problems such as the awkwardness of going on a blind date and finding time to see your parents, to dealing with global issues like sexism and racism, I was rooting for them from the start.

I especially loved the scene where Alex met a fan in the bookstore and learned how much he impacted her life. As a fan of many things, I understood how emotional it was for her to meet someone she looked up to and be able to tell him what he meant to her. Alex's genuine response made me feel validated in that, and celebrities can care for their fans on a personal level.

Every time Franklin called Troy a muppet I was cackling.

While reading, I knew something bad was waiting for me at the end, but I never expected the turn it would take. I know this book, and the ending scene in particular, will stick with me for some time.

CONTENT WARNINGS:
This book contains instances of
-Sexual Assault
-Animal Cruelty/ Death
-Self-harm and Suicide
-Violence
-Death
-Blood
-Racism and Racial Slurs
-Sexism and Misogyny
-Classism
-Swears
-Murder

I really enjoyed this book initially but I honestly just got kind of bored with the story so my pace slowed a bit in the middle. As the story picked back up, I found myself able to recover from the lull.

The characters are lovable and easy to relate to. I was truly rooting for them throughout the book.

The end of this book made me an absolute mess. Usually a sucker for a HEA, I was so mad and sad! It wasn't supposed to end like this!! 😥