REVIEW: Lost in You by Heidi McLaughlin

Ryan Stone is a less than average teenager. He doesn’t have fancy clothes. He doesn’t carry around the latest smartphone and he definitely doesn’t have an MP3 player. Instead, he goes to school, does his chores and dreams of a new life away from Brookfield where he’s expected to follow in his blue collar family’s footsteps.

Hadley Carter is America’s Pop Princess. A successful recording artist living her dream with a sold-out tour and a handful of Grammy’s there isn’t much that she wants for, except love. But finding love on the road is near impossible when all she longs for are romantic dinners, a nighttime stroll on the beach and holding hands with someone who isn’t going to exploit her.

When a chance encounter introduces Ryan to Hadley, will he be like her adoring fans looking for a way in, or will it be Hadley who pursues Ryan even though it might cost her the only career she's known.

Lost in You is a story about following your dreams, taking risks and getting lost in love.

Review

Ok. So I need to be honest here. I might have stalked this author to get my hands on this book. The thought of a new story line – where the female character is the pursuer and the famous one and the male is the naïve, shy one; was very exciting. Based on her previous book, Forever My Girl, and the teasers that had been posted for this one, I was ridiculously excited to read it. And then I got nervous because what if it didn’t live up to my expectations? It had to. I had VERY high hopes for this book. And I wasn’t disappointed. If anything, it exceeded my expectations. I just could not wait any longer to read it, so I did what I needed to do to get my hands on this and we're just not going to discuss that...

My emotions were all. Over. The. Place. reading this one. There was a lot of sighing, some crying (because I’m a cry baby when I read), some frustration, serious anger, heartbreaking, and a TON of swooning. I think I read a lot of this book with a satisfied little smirk on my face.  You honestly cannot help but fall in love with Hadley and Ryan. Even when they made choices that you didn’t like, you still loved them. You still understood. In the words of Chris Rock, “I’m not sayin’ it’s right… but I understand.”

“Tonight is a fantasy. Something everyone dreams about, but only few can enjoy.”

Hadley. What do you do when you are 22, meet the perfect guy, and then find out he is still 17 for 4 more months? Because if it was the guy that was older, most people wouldn’t bat an eye. If it was a normal, everyday couple, people wouldn’t bat an eye. But Hadley isn’t a normal, everyday girl. She is a pop princess that is frequently in the spotlight. Now before you check out on  me – the relationship while he is a minor is NOT questionable. Lines are drawn, by Hadley, and she follows them.  The age difference and her being in the spotlight was constantly at the forefront of her thoughts. She respected Ryan and loved him enough to consider how their relationship would impact him with every little thing they did.

Throughout the entire story she is faced with so many decisions. Decisions that involve her career and decisions that involve Ryan. And your heart breaks because you can feel what she WANTS to do (and, quite frankly, what you want her to do), but cannot do it. Her friends and family are amazing and supportive. She’s got the support system most people would kill for. But then there is her manager and he is a royal pain in the ass and you get so angry at him frequently!

“I’d be stupid to tell you no because I want to see you, but I’m just me and you’re you. You can have anyone you want.”

Ryan. What a fun guy. He is shy and he is SO VERY AWKWARD sometimes. His inexperience is sweet and awkward and totally swoon worthy. Watching him grow up & change was great. He starts as this timid guy from a crazy home and grows in to this hot guy who is forward and goes after what he wants.

I honestly have so much to say about Ryan Stone and I don’t know where to start. His parents suck. Well, his DAD sucks and his mom is just so beaten down that she is lost.  And based on just that, he could have gone down a very different path. He could have been bitter or out of control. But he wasn’t. He was sweet, he cared about everyone around him, and was a great guy.

As situations happen throughout the story, my heart absolutely broke with his. It also healed with his. He copes the way any normal teenage boy would cope with how his life is going. And at times I wanted to yell at him that he was being impulsive and irrational. But isn’t that what teenage boys are – impulsive and irrational? But those choices help him. The teach him. And they shape the guy he grows to be.

The supporting characters are great and you learn to love them, too. I found myself relating to most of those characters as well. I wanted to shake Dylan, but I still felt for her. Alex was amazing – what a great friend. Everyone needs someone like her in their life. And Coleman. I wanted to hate him, but I just couldn’t. He just is not the scumbag I thought he would be.

If you are looking for a sweet romance that is fresh, new, and totally dreamy – this is it. Your attention will be captivated immediately and stay that way. It deals with some very touchy subjects, but in an appropriate and respectful way.  So while you may be giving the age factor the side eye initially, know that the issue is dealt with. If I were one who gave star ratings, this would be 5 stars!

Write on, Heidi McLaughlin, write on. 

{em}