Face the Music by Ali Vali
- Publisher: Bold Strokes Books, 2020
- Genre: Romance, LGBTQ+
- Format: Paperback (eARC)
- Page Count: 264 pages
- My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)
Country music queen Sophie Roddy probably ruined career after two consecutive drug overdoses. When Mason Liner, a producer from Sophie’s record label, intervened, she wasn’t expecting to experience feelings for Sophie’s daughter and manager, Victoria Roddy. Growing up with Sophie was not exactly pleasant for Victoria, and she usually keeps everyone at arm’s length to avoid getting hurt worse. But the pull towards Mason was strong, and was the risk of letting her in a right decision?
“[Mayflies are] insects that only live for a few hours. […] I think they exist to remind me that we shouldn’t waste time on the things that aren’t important. Life should be enjoyed and spent trying to help people achieve all they can.”
Mason
To be honest, I almost rated the book 2 stars because the romance did not work for me. I find little balance between Mason and Victoria, and that made me feel kind of off. They would no doubt make great friends though. But when I looked back at my highlighted sentences, I realised that Face the Music is so much more than romance. The conversations of positive reassurance shed light to the story, and I find this book a bit therapeutic because of them. It is less about the romance and more about dealing with the Roddys’ mother-daughter relationship damage.
“The root of a lot of people’s problems begins and ends with the woman who gave them life.”
Belle
For Victoria, her journey with Mason amidst the Sophie crisis was about finding herself, believing in people, and relieving self-doubts and insecurities bit by bit. Mason’s quest was to remind and convince Victoria that she deserved great things in life, too. While currently imbalanced, I am sure their relationship would be mutually supportive in the future. Their honest and open conversations were wonderful, and I love how they were both so present for each other.
There was no way to erase every heartbreak, but [Mason] could give Victoria everything she needed to live her dreams. Even if, in the long run, those dreams didn’t include Mason.
Face the Music is good because of the dialogues, despite some inevitable repetitions. Plotwise, it was okay. The romance was passable, but I enjoyed the growing trust between Mason and Victoria. I would recommend giving the book a try just for its warmth. [22 Mar 2020]
I received an e-ARC from Bold Strokes Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
