March 12, 2015

*^*RELEASE BLITZ & REVIEW*^*To Cherish and To Hold by Nicole Simone

  
Author: Nicole Simone
Title: To Cherish and To Hold
Release Date: 3/10/2015
  
Luke and Marlene return in the follow up to the Amazon best selling novel, Love of a Rockstar

Marlene Parker got her fairy tale ending. Luke Anderson, her one and only love and their darling little girl are finally a family again. However, nobody said marrying a rockstar is easy. The media is out for blood, groupies are singing on Marlene’s front lawn and people are deeming her the new Yoko Ono. If that wasn’t enough, there is a wedding to plan and pies to bake. An expert in chaos, Marlene doesn’t get easily stressed. That is, until an unexpected pregnancy digs up old insecurities, potentially threatening the life she has worked so hard to gain. 

Will Marlene and Luke vow to cherish and to hold forever? 

Or was their story never meant to be?

To Cherish and To Hold is a novella. Not a full length novel.

 
The group of girls that had been holding a vigil since the news broke Luke was quitting Five Guys was singing loudly and off key. In the past week they’d been camped out, they’d gone through Five Guys’ extensive song list. I wanted to shove extra thick cotton into my ears. Luke had almost called the cops but his manager had discouraged it. He said feeding the hungry vultures known as the media was just asking for trouble.
“You’re dead,” I reminded Luke gently. “Luke Anderson, the rock star is no longer alive.”
“That was never me. I was always just Luke. They chose to see me that way,” he said, referring to his fans.
“I know, but you built a brand.”
“I’m not a goddamn Pepsi can.”
“No, you’re handsome, brilliant, an amazing dad, and the proud owner of Norma Jean’s. That will all come to light eventually. Be patient.”
Luke dropped the curtain and faced me. Endless love shined in his gaze. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”
“If I knew our future would be this….” My eyes darted out of the window to where Luke’s groupies continued to sing. “Or whatever the hell they wrote in some trashy magazine about our brilliant, adorable daughter, then I wouldn’t have been so apt to jump on the bandwagon.”
Luke flinched as if my statement physically wounded him. “Geez, don’t hold back or anything.”
I wrenched my hand away as I stood. It wasn’t his fault his career had an abnormally bright spotlight, but it also was. He chose the life of a musician. Nobody had forced it upon him. Fury blazed in my line of sight. I wanted to punch the reporters, the god-awful groupies who teased Luke with their cleavage, and whoever else messed with the second chance he’d been given with his family.
“I’m going to go for a run,” I said.
He raised an eyebrow. “You don’t run.”
Turning on my heels, my body hummed with pent up aggression, waiting and ready to be released. “I do now.”
That fiancé of mine melted my defenses like nobody else. While having Luke gone for a month sounded as appealing as a root canal, I would be a selfish idiot to force him to stay home. He’d made the ultimate sacrifice for Nil and me, showing us he wasn’t the same man. Therefore, I had to trust that the past wouldn’t repeat itself. Luke would come back to us.

This novella was a great addition to the Love of a Rockstar series. We first meet Luke and Marlene in the first book, Love of a Rockstar and find out about their romance. This is a continuation of their lives after Luke decides to give up being in the band to open a restaurant with Marlene and continue on as a family with their daughter Nil.

I loved that Nicole didn’t just write your typical rock romance, and in the end gave us a great second chance love story. This book contained plenty of angst and at times when faced with certain issues, Marlene has a regression of sorts and falls into old habits.  I absolutely love Luke… he’s headstrong, caring, and loyal to a fault. I really enjoyed how he sped the wedding up and how it was sprung on Marlene, it was so sweet and hysterical at the same time.

I can’t wait for book 2 in the series “Broken Lullabies” to be released in June, we were given a peek into the first couple chapters and this book showcases Marlene’s best friend Camille and Matthew one of Luke’s band mates…. It definitely has me intrigued!!

4 Sweet Stars!! 

 
Nicole Simone works in digital media by day and at night, pen’s character driven romance novels that will make your mama blush. She lives in Seattle, WA with her fat bulldog named Humphrey.
 
About the Love of a Rockstar Series
Love of a Rockstar (Love of a Rockstar #1)
Marlene Parker thought she met her soul mate at eighteen but when he left her pregnant and alone to pursue a life of rock n roll, she vowed to never love again. Now four years later, she is being offered the dream of a lifetime. Moving to France with her daughter to start anew. There is only one problem. Marlene’s formative ex is back in town, and his pull is strong as ever.

Luke Anderson has everything a man could want. Fame, fortune and enough beautiful women to last him a lifetime. That is until a young runaway shows him what is truly important. Family. A word in which plagues Luke with regret. As a scared twenty two year old he ran away from the love of his life and their unborn child. Now ready to reverse his biggest regret with only three days to do it, Luke’s fate hangs in the balance. The question is, will he be able to convince Marlene their love story deserves a second chance?
 Author Q&A:
How did you come up with the idea for this story?

From my curiosity about what it’s like to be left behind when you’re spouse pursues their dreams.

Where do you find your inspiration?

The world around me, which is a cliché answer but it’s the truth. I love going on adventures and soaking in different cultures.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

I don’t find the act itself hard but I do find the ability to sit down and focus to be a challenge on a daily basis. 

What are your current projects? 

I’m currently working on the next installment in the Love of a Rockstar series called Broken Lullabies. It’s about Matthew, the lead singer of Five Guys and Camilla.

 

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