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Songbird #1
Fever
Singing in the shower takes on a whole new meaning in Melissa Pearl's first New Adult Contemporary Romance.
Ella Simmons does not want to move across the country. But she is, because her boyfriend has persuaded her to join him at UChicago to finish out her college education. Never able to tell him no, she hops on a plane and makes the trek from LA expecting to adjust to life like she's often forced to, but things are not that simple when she hears a luscious voice singing over her shower wall. His deep, sexy tenor makes her weak in the knees, spreading fire through her limbs and making her question everything about her life and relationship.
Can one voice really have that much of an impact?
Cole Reynolds is on his way out. In his final year at UChicago, the only thing he wants to do is finish school and get on with his life. But the sweet voice that interrupts his morning shower turns his world upside down. Compelled to find his shower songbird, he begins a search across campus. The only thing to distract him from this goal is his roommate's gorgeous girlfriend who's just arrived from LA - Ella Simmons.
Relationships are put to the ultimate test as future dreams are questioned and friendships are thrown on the line for love.
ALL THE SONGBIRD NOVELS CAN BE READ AS STAND ALONE BOOKS.
Ella Simmons does not want to move across the country. But she is, because her boyfriend has persuaded her to join him at UChicago to finish out her college education. Never able to tell him no, she hops on a plane and makes the trek from LA expecting to adjust to life like she's often forced to, but things are not that simple when she hears a luscious voice singing over her shower wall. His deep, sexy tenor makes her weak in the knees, spreading fire through her limbs and making her question everything about her life and relationship.
Can one voice really have that much of an impact?
Cole Reynolds is on his way out. In his final year at UChicago, the only thing he wants to do is finish school and get on with his life. But the sweet voice that interrupts his morning shower turns his world upside down. Compelled to find his shower songbird, he begins a search across campus. The only thing to distract him from this goal is his roommate's gorgeous girlfriend who's just arrived from LA - Ella Simmons.
Relationships are put to the ultimate test as future dreams are questioned and friendships are thrown on the line for love.
ALL THE SONGBIRD NOVELS CAN BE READ AS STAND ALONE BOOKS.
284 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 29, 2014
About the author
Melissa Pearl
65 books850 followersMelissa Pearl was born in Auckland, New Zealand, but has spent much of her life abroad, living in countries such as Jordan, Cyprus and Pakistan... not to mention a nine month road trip around North America with her husband. "Best. Year. Ever!!" She is a trained elementary teacher, but writing is her passion. Since becoming a full time mother she has had the opportunity to pursue this dream and her debut novel hit the internet in November 2011. Since then she has continued to produce a steady stream of books, ranging in genres from Fantasy to Romantic Suspense to Contemporary Romance. She loves the variety.
"I am passionate about writing. It stirs a fire in my soul that I never knew I had. I want to be the best writer I can possibly be and transport my readers into another world where they can laugh, cry and fall in love."
Melissa Pearl is a Forever Love Publishing author. If you'd like to download their Starter Library (3 books for FREE), then you can copy and paste this link into your Internet browser: http://bit.ly/FLP_Library
"I am passionate about writing. It stirs a fire in my soul that I never knew I had. I want to be the best writer I can possibly be and transport my readers into another world where they can laugh, cry and fall in love."
Melissa Pearl is a Forever Love Publishing author. If you'd like to download their Starter Library (3 books for FREE), then you can copy and paste this link into your Internet browser: http://bit.ly/FLP_Library
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 265 reviews
December 27, 2015
I liked this one. Alot. It certainly put me out of my "3Star" reading book funk lately. And that's always a welcome thing :)
This was a romantic, sexy read. Some hard truths here but I felt the outcomes were portrayed in a very realistic manner for all parties involved. No fluff, but no overt cruelty either. It was real. And sometimes real isn't always sweet. But that doesn't mean that good things can't come from the bittersweet.
Though I think this was a really good intro to this series, I have no desire to continue on with the other characters' stories. While they were great reading about them here, they didn't really inspire me to read about their own individual stories.
So I would recommend this read. If you read only one book in this series, start here. At the beginning.
Happy Reading :)
This was a romantic, sexy read. Some hard truths here but I felt the outcomes were portrayed in a very realistic manner for all parties involved. No fluff, but no overt cruelty either. It was real. And sometimes real isn't always sweet. But that doesn't mean that good things can't come from the bittersweet.
Though I think this was a really good intro to this series, I have no desire to continue on with the other characters' stories. While they were great reading about them here, they didn't really inspire me to read about their own individual stories.
So I would recommend this read. If you read only one book in this series, start here. At the beginning.
Happy Reading :)
October 7, 2014
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Fever is the first new adult romance book that I have had the pleasure of reading from Melissa Pearl, and I enjoyed it so much that I am left wondering if there is anything this lady can't write the pants off of. I have loved her suspense/thrillers, her young adult paranormal, her young adult contemporaries, and now this. The characters in Fever are not perfect, but that was kind of what I liked about them. It totally took me by surprise too, because I thought those particular traits (or really situation) would be something I would need to overcome and like them despite of, but the opposite occurred. I was rooting them on more than I thought possible.
Ella is a sweet and quirky young lady. I just adored her. I completely sympathized with her desire to please people. I have been known to yes someone to death and to go out of my way to try and make everyone happy, and I know first hand how stressful and disappointing it can be for yourself. I wanted her to grow her backbone so bad, but I know how hard that can be. I loved her love of Jazz. I thought it was also beautiful how her and Cole connected. And speaking of Cole, I can't even tell you how many ways I love him. He was so sweet and considerate and it was clear that he really saw Ella for who she was. (Which was wayy more than I could say for David.) The only thing that irked me a bit about Cole was how quickly he switched from being against anything relationship to thinking Ella was "the one". It was sweet but a little quick and unrealistic. But it didn't bother me too much because the actual romance between the two of them was not rushed at all. They were friends for most of the book and watching them connect on a friendship level was probably the sweetest part of the story for me.
It was hard to wrap my head around painting David as a bad guy. Because he wasn't, not really. But he very clearly was the wrong guy for Ella. He never really saw her. I felt so bad that he constantly took her places where there would be nothing for her to eat, and he didn't even seem to get it. Not to mention he would get mad at her when she mistakenly ordered something with wheat. But I could tell he wanted to be a good guy, he was just extremely selfish.
I loved how Melissa Pearl incorporated jazz music into the story. I can't wait to see which music will be featured in the next Songbird novel. The second book is about Ella's friend Morgan. I can't wait to read her story, but I really hope we will see more of Cole and Ella. I want to see some of the gluten free foods they were talking about. I know that may be a weird thing to fixate on, but that conversation they had made me go a little head over heels for Cole myself. Fever is just as much a romance story as it is watching two college students come into their own and grow as individuals. It was a wonderful read.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Fever is the first new adult romance book that I have had the pleasure of reading from Melissa Pearl, and I enjoyed it so much that I am left wondering if there is anything this lady can't write the pants off of. I have loved her suspense/thrillers, her young adult paranormal, her young adult contemporaries, and now this. The characters in Fever are not perfect, but that was kind of what I liked about them. It totally took me by surprise too, because I thought those particular traits (or really situation) would be something I would need to overcome and like them despite of, but the opposite occurred. I was rooting them on more than I thought possible.
Ella is a sweet and quirky young lady. I just adored her. I completely sympathized with her desire to please people. I have been known to yes someone to death and to go out of my way to try and make everyone happy, and I know first hand how stressful and disappointing it can be for yourself. I wanted her to grow her backbone so bad, but I know how hard that can be. I loved her love of Jazz. I thought it was also beautiful how her and Cole connected. And speaking of Cole, I can't even tell you how many ways I love him. He was so sweet and considerate and it was clear that he really saw Ella for who she was. (Which was wayy more than I could say for David.) The only thing that irked me a bit about Cole was how quickly he switched from being against anything relationship to thinking Ella was "the one". It was sweet but a little quick and unrealistic. But it didn't bother me too much because the actual romance between the two of them was not rushed at all. They were friends for most of the book and watching them connect on a friendship level was probably the sweetest part of the story for me.
It was hard to wrap my head around painting David as a bad guy. Because he wasn't, not really. But he very clearly was the wrong guy for Ella. He never really saw her. I felt so bad that he constantly took her places where there would be nothing for her to eat, and he didn't even seem to get it. Not to mention he would get mad at her when she mistakenly ordered something with wheat. But I could tell he wanted to be a good guy, he was just extremely selfish.
I loved how Melissa Pearl incorporated jazz music into the story. I can't wait to see which music will be featured in the next Songbird novel. The second book is about Ella's friend Morgan. I can't wait to read her story, but I really hope we will see more of Cole and Ella. I want to see some of the gluten free foods they were talking about. I know that may be a weird thing to fixate on, but that conversation they had made me go a little head over heels for Cole myself. Fever is just as much a romance story as it is watching two college students come into their own and grow as individuals. It was a wonderful read.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
July 5, 2014
Meh. I kinda wasn't interested in it at all.
June 17, 2020
Wow. This book is boring.
I honestly don't know how I finished this like if it was longer I don't think I could've completed it.
The first reason to why I hated this book so much is that it wasn't creative and there was NOTHING new about it, also it was so cheesy, I just couldn't take it.
The second reason is that the characters sucked. If the characters were good, funny and a little bit special I might've liked the book, but they were the most ordinary, dull characters I've ever read about, I think my life is more interesting than theirs. And Ella and Cole were exactly the same to the point that it was annoying, like I know they should have things in common but it was like they were the exact same person, but one was a guy and the other was a girl. And omg idk how the author did it but Ella's personality was way worse than Cole's. At least Cole did what he wanted and was following his dreams, Ella didn't even have those, she didn't know anything about anyone including herself. She was just letting her boyfriend walk all over her and control her, it was so annoying. How could two ambitious guys fall in love with her is beyond me, the girl didn't have goals at all, she didn't even know what she wants to study at college. I wanted to puke when Cole asked her what she wanted to do in the future and she said it's all in "David's plan" that we would get married and I will be a mother. Like girl what century are you living in??? Why would she put her future in the hands of a guy who didn't know anything about her?? and I am not blaming David because it's totally her fault, she never told him what she wants so he just assumed she was happy with what he's doing. And they kept saying she is amazing and awesome and blah blah blah but there was nothing special about her, if you pick a random girl from the street and sit for only one hour with her you could see something unique about her something that would make her stand out from others but Ella seriously had nothing!!
So enough criticizing Ella and let's move to Cole. So I didn't hate him as much as I hated Ella but I hated it him. because he's a shitty friend and he also wasn't that special, I only liked him more because he at least had a goal he wanted to achieve.
So I highly recommend that you stay away from this book, the only thing that you will get from it is being angry for a couple of hours about the stupidity of these characters and their decisions.
I honestly don't know how I finished this like if it was longer I don't think I could've completed it.
The first reason to why I hated this book so much is that it wasn't creative and there was NOTHING new about it, also it was so cheesy, I just couldn't take it.
The second reason is that the characters sucked. If the characters were good, funny and a little bit special I might've liked the book, but they were the most ordinary, dull characters I've ever read about, I think my life is more interesting than theirs. And Ella and Cole were exactly the same to the point that it was annoying, like I know they should have things in common but it was like they were the exact same person, but one was a guy and the other was a girl. And omg idk how the author did it but Ella's personality was way worse than Cole's. At least Cole did what he wanted and was following his dreams, Ella didn't even have those, she didn't know anything about anyone including herself. She was just letting her boyfriend walk all over her and control her, it was so annoying. How could two ambitious guys fall in love with her is beyond me, the girl didn't have goals at all, she didn't even know what she wants to study at college. I wanted to puke when Cole asked her what she wanted to do in the future and she said it's all in "David's plan" that we would get married and I will be a mother. Like girl what century are you living in??? Why would she put her future in the hands of a guy who didn't know anything about her?? and I am not blaming David because it's totally her fault, she never told him what she wants so he just assumed she was happy with what he's doing. And they kept saying she is amazing and awesome and blah blah blah but there was nothing special about her, if you pick a random girl from the street and sit for only one hour with her you could see something unique about her something that would make her stand out from others but Ella seriously had nothing!!
So enough criticizing Ella and let's move to Cole. So I didn't hate him as much as I hated Ella but I hated it him. because he's a shitty friend and he also wasn't that special, I only liked him more because he at least had a goal he wanted to achieve.
So I highly recommend that you stay away from this book, the only thing that you will get from it is being angry for a couple of hours about the stupidity of these characters and their decisions.
November 22, 2015
Ella & Cole
Ella and David have been dating since high school, 2 Years. With David off to college in Chicago and Ella still in LA the two are starting to grow apart, they just don't know it yet.
When Ella moves to Chicago and switches colleges to be near David and stick to David's plan for their future, she starts to see that she has never really been herself or free with David.
Ella wants to please David but she is starting to see that wanting to please him will not make her happy and will destroy them.
Ella loves to sing but only in the shower. She starts to sing one morning and a man on the other side starts to sing along. Since he does not know who she is and can't tell her secret she plays along. Both feel a connection like no other and Ella starts to have naughty thoughts of the shower guy. Shower guy needs to find his songbird but she has snuck away and now he is on the hunt.
Ella meets David's roommate and best friend Cole and again her thoughts turn naughty and a fire starts burning in her body. Ella has no idea what the heck is going on with her body and mind. SHE HAS A BOYFRIEND. One that has been loyal, sweet, loving, even caring to a degree.
Cole has it bad for his best friends girl and that just won't do. He has to find his songbird that is his only hope to get over Ella. What will happen when he finds his songbird and it is the ONE GIRL he needs to forget.
When Ella and Cole find the truth behind the singing duo can they come to terms with their fate?
Ella knows staying with David is wrong but she also knows that even if she breaks up with David her and Cole can never happen, it would destroy David and she can't hurt him like that.
Ella RUNS from her feelings, Cole, David and everyone inbetween. But when Cole shows up to charm her with a song will Cole and Ella find a way to be together.
-----------
I liked Cole's character a lot. He was sweet, charming, caring, respectful and even though in my mind he looked like a bad boy he never played out to be in the book which I loved.
Ella's character was too pleasing. Always trying to please others despite her own wants and desires. I did not love her character at first. Ella let David run the show. David made all the decisions and never really considered her thoughts or feelings. Ella never really expressed them either so they are both to blame for the failure of their relationship. David's character I disliked for one reason, if he was so IN LOVE with Ella he would consider her special diet concerns when selecting a restaurant. His character came off as NON-CARING to me. I loved that he was loyal and never cheated on Ella. I wanted to love him but that element in his character made me dislike him.
Ella loves jazz, dancing, singing and David dislikes all of these things. Ella was constantly denying who she was just to be with David. I did not like that about Ella's character at first. She grew on me throughout the book and I love that towards the end she was standing on her own. She found her independence even though she had to endure loneliness to find it.
RATING: 4 STARS
Happy Reading!
Ella and David have been dating since high school, 2 Years. With David off to college in Chicago and Ella still in LA the two are starting to grow apart, they just don't know it yet.
When Ella moves to Chicago and switches colleges to be near David and stick to David's plan for their future, she starts to see that she has never really been herself or free with David.
Ella wants to please David but she is starting to see that wanting to please him will not make her happy and will destroy them.
Ella loves to sing but only in the shower. She starts to sing one morning and a man on the other side starts to sing along. Since he does not know who she is and can't tell her secret she plays along. Both feel a connection like no other and Ella starts to have naughty thoughts of the shower guy. Shower guy needs to find his songbird but she has snuck away and now he is on the hunt.
Ella meets David's roommate and best friend Cole and again her thoughts turn naughty and a fire starts burning in her body. Ella has no idea what the heck is going on with her body and mind. SHE HAS A BOYFRIEND. One that has been loyal, sweet, loving, even caring to a degree.
Cole has it bad for his best friends girl and that just won't do. He has to find his songbird that is his only hope to get over Ella. What will happen when he finds his songbird and it is the ONE GIRL he needs to forget.
When Ella and Cole find the truth behind the singing duo can they come to terms with their fate?
Ella knows staying with David is wrong but she also knows that even if she breaks up with David her and Cole can never happen, it would destroy David and she can't hurt him like that.
Ella RUNS from her feelings, Cole, David and everyone inbetween. But when Cole shows up to charm her with a song will Cole and Ella find a way to be together.
-----------
I liked Cole's character a lot. He was sweet, charming, caring, respectful and even though in my mind he looked like a bad boy he never played out to be in the book which I loved.
Ella's character was too pleasing. Always trying to please others despite her own wants and desires. I did not love her character at first. Ella let David run the show. David made all the decisions and never really considered her thoughts or feelings. Ella never really expressed them either so they are both to blame for the failure of their relationship. David's character I disliked for one reason, if he was so IN LOVE with Ella he would consider her special diet concerns when selecting a restaurant. His character came off as NON-CARING to me. I loved that he was loyal and never cheated on Ella. I wanted to love him but that element in his character made me dislike him.
Ella loves jazz, dancing, singing and David dislikes all of these things. Ella was constantly denying who she was just to be with David. I did not like that about Ella's character at first. She grew on me throughout the book and I love that towards the end she was standing on her own. She found her independence even though she had to endure loneliness to find it.
RATING: 4 STARS
Happy Reading!
October 23, 2020
https://celebrityreaders.com/2017/06/...
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
4.5 stars -- OK, that was just about perfect. It's hard to watch a meek character like Ella take so much time developing her backbone, but it does feel fantastic when she finally starts making the right decisions.....
You'd think that this would be a love triangle book....but it really wasn't. It was more like a book about Ella finally figuring out who she was and who she wanted to be. I can't imagine the devastation of the losses she suffered, so I could totally believe her desperate desire for safety and consistency. And this was the book where she finally realized she could let that go, and that sometimes safety can break your heart too.
I will admit, I didn't really like David....but at the same time, I really hated that Ella couldn't see what she was doing to him by trying to *not* hurt him. I thought their relationship was actually dealt with quite well....like a real relationship, and how things can change and grow and sometimes not change and grow together. I felt for David, and I was glad that he set her straight on some things in the end, and made her open her eyes.
OK, on to the good stuff. Ella and Cole together. Yeah, that was awesome. When Ella was with Cole (and not silently berating herself), she was really adorable and fun and I could totally see what drew them to each other (other than just lust). They had that connection from the start, and I believed it. And holy cow did they have chemistry. I was right there with Morgan and Jody at the swing dance....jaw dropping awesomeness. Even though the story was told from both POVs, I kind of felt it was more Ella's story than Cole's. He had some issues to work through, but I saw more growth from Ella all in all.
I loved EVERY SINGLE singing shower scene. It was filled with so much emotions but so much lightness at the same time. And that ending pretty much hit it out of the park. Can't wait to read the epilogue when it's posted, b/c this couple just sticks with you.
ON REREAD:
4 stars -- Honestly, I pretty much agree with everything I said up there, some things just bothered me a bit more than the last time. I guess we just change as readers you know? It is a bit slower to start, I think I forgot that. But once we get into it and start to see those changes in Ella, I started becoming really invested in the story. And Cole and Ella just have so much chemistry.
Honestly, my slight change in rating is really just about a few little things. I just had a harder time coping with Ella's choices wrt David. She frustrated me just a bit more than last time. Though I would liken her to Pam in the Office (US), and that somehow made me accept her a bit more. Sometimes people just become complacent and stick with what they know, resisting the scariness of change. I'm also less keen on reading about Ella being *with* David, b/c it makes my romantic heart cringe. And I didn't always understand the friendship between Cole and David...you really didn't get to see much of it, so I don't understand what drew them together. But it could be a case of Cole was David's best friend, but not vice versa. That might make more sense, b/c I really don't think David understands relationships of any kind.
Despite all that, the slow burn, the angst, the feels, and the chemistry between Cole and Ella was just...GAH! So worth it. And I LOVED Ella's friendships with Morgan and Jody. I can't wait to finally read their stories.
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
4.5 stars -- OK, that was just about perfect. It's hard to watch a meek character like Ella take so much time developing her backbone, but it does feel fantastic when she finally starts making the right decisions.....
You'd think that this would be a love triangle book....but it really wasn't. It was more like a book about Ella finally figuring out who she was and who she wanted to be. I can't imagine the devastation of the losses she suffered, so I could totally believe her desperate desire for safety and consistency. And this was the book where she finally realized she could let that go, and that sometimes safety can break your heart too.
I will admit, I didn't really like David....but at the same time, I really hated that Ella couldn't see what she was doing to him by trying to *not* hurt him. I thought their relationship was actually dealt with quite well....like a real relationship, and how things can change and grow and sometimes not change and grow together. I felt for David, and I was glad that he set her straight on some things in the end, and made her open her eyes.
OK, on to the good stuff. Ella and Cole together. Yeah, that was awesome. When Ella was with Cole (and not silently berating herself), she was really adorable and fun and I could totally see what drew them to each other (other than just lust). They had that connection from the start, and I believed it. And holy cow did they have chemistry. I was right there with Morgan and Jody at the swing dance....jaw dropping awesomeness. Even though the story was told from both POVs, I kind of felt it was more Ella's story than Cole's. He had some issues to work through, but I saw more growth from Ella all in all.
I loved EVERY SINGLE singing shower scene. It was filled with so much emotions but so much lightness at the same time. And that ending pretty much hit it out of the park. Can't wait to read the epilogue when it's posted, b/c this couple just sticks with you.
ON REREAD:
4 stars -- Honestly, I pretty much agree with everything I said up there, some things just bothered me a bit more than the last time. I guess we just change as readers you know? It is a bit slower to start, I think I forgot that. But once we get into it and start to see those changes in Ella, I started becoming really invested in the story. And Cole and Ella just have so much chemistry.
Honestly, my slight change in rating is really just about a few little things. I just had a harder time coping with Ella's choices wrt David. She frustrated me just a bit more than last time. Though I would liken her to Pam in the Office (US), and that somehow made me accept her a bit more. Sometimes people just become complacent and stick with what they know, resisting the scariness of change. I'm also less keen on reading about Ella being *with* David, b/c it makes my romantic heart cringe. And I didn't always understand the friendship between Cole and David...you really didn't get to see much of it, so I don't understand what drew them together. But it could be a case of Cole was David's best friend, but not vice versa. That might make more sense, b/c I really don't think David understands relationships of any kind.
Despite all that, the slow burn, the angst, the feels, and the chemistry between Cole and Ella was just...GAH! So worth it. And I LOVED Ella's friendships with Morgan and Jody. I can't wait to finally read their stories.
January 18, 2016
This is my first NA contemporary romance...and I'm so excited about sharing it with you all in June!
It is a stand alone novel and one of ten books I have mapped out under the Songbird banner.
I never thought I'd write this genre as I thought I'd miss the elements of action and suspense too much, but this story just flew out of me and the 1st draft was a total pleasure to work on. I'm looking forward to delving into the rest of the books I have planned.
Mae I Design is working on the cover at the moment and I am so pumped about seeing what Regina comes up with.
Many exciting things to come, so watch this space!!
It is a stand alone novel and one of ten books I have mapped out under the Songbird banner.
I never thought I'd write this genre as I thought I'd miss the elements of action and suspense too much, but this story just flew out of me and the 1st draft was a total pleasure to work on. I'm looking forward to delving into the rest of the books I have planned.
Mae I Design is working on the cover at the moment and I am so pumped about seeing what Regina comes up with.
Many exciting things to come, so watch this space!!
January 19, 2017
Very realistic read. A love triangle but in the most simple form than many I've read. Basically being in love with someone for all the wrong reasons and deciding on what your own wants are, and trying to finally find your own way. Very nice read.
June 17, 2014
Fever - what a charming read! It had all the elements I love in New Adult - then added some of my favorite music. This introduction to Ms. Pearl's Songbird series was delightful.
Ella Simmons is a young woman who'd rather ride on the track of someone else's plans, someone else's dreams, than figure out her own. She experienced tragedy at a young age and that has left her feeling as though she has no control of her life.
"The fact I didn't know what I really wanted scared me, and it was easier just to go along with David's plans." -Ella, Loc 903
So she floats along with others' plans for her. That's how she's ended up at UChicago - where her boyfriend, David, wants her. She's not exactly happy about it but it makes him happy, so she made the move. Her first morning after arriving, she's singing in the shower and hears a voice through the wall, singing along with her - a voice that does things to her body and mind that David never has. To make matters worse, she feels an immediate connection to Cole, David's roommate and best friend.
"What the hell was wrong with me? First shower guy, now Cole! Why was I attracted to all these other men, when the only one I really wanted was walking right beside me?" - Ella, Loc 935
Cole Reynolds is starting his last year at UChicago. He has plans and they don't include a relationship with any girl. He needs to focus on school, on work, and on making his dream reality. He stumbles a little on this path when first he hears the voice of an angel singing in the shower one morning, and second, when he meets his roommate's girlfriend, Ella. The pull he feels for her is so strong, he knows he can only ignore it for so long. He needs a distraction and so sets about looking for his songbird.
"I wanted a girl, but not just any girl, and since I couldn't have Ella, there was only one possible solution left.I had to find my songbird." -Cole, Loc 1031
Besides the music, I most enjoyed watching Ella blossom. She went from being this timid and self-conscious young woman, who did anything to please her boyfriend to a strong, self-assured woman who set out to find what she wanted out of life. I admired her for standing up for herself and taking charge. Her timidity and people-pleasing ways were things I identified with so I was proud she had her epiphany before it was too late.
I adored Cole. He'd endured tragedy as well, and he and Ella really connected on a deeper level. He was able to open up to her in ways he'd never done before and got Ella to do the same. He was patient with her, took the time to really get to know her, and could compromise.
I haven't said much about David. I didn't care for him much because he seemed very self-centered. Of course, all the blame for his and Ella's problems can't be laid at his feet. Ella could have changed things. But his reaction to something Ella did seemed to show his true colors, although he did redeem himself somewhat in the end.
Ella's best friend, Morgan, was a lot of fun to meet. The next book in the series is her story and I'm anxious for it. Morgan is quite a character. She's strong and wise, and seems to know what Ella needs to hear, when she needs to hear it.
"You're stronger than you think, and once you've had some space to breathe, you'll know. You'll know what's worth fighting for." -Morgan, Loc 3710
The music was the cherry on top. I love jazz and hearing Ella sing Ella Fitzgerald (her namesake) and Louis Armstrong was fantastic. That the music sparked childhood memories for Ella, not to mention sparking a fever for Cole, was a delight.
Fever is told in dual POV between Ella and Cole, which also added to my enjoyment. The story might have been a tad predictable - although Ella did surprise me a few times - but it was a fun read. In fact, the only things I didn't love were David and Ella's initial lack of self-confidence. But those both made for a more engaging story.
What are you waiting for? Go get the Fever!
**I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.**
Ella Simmons is a young woman who'd rather ride on the track of someone else's plans, someone else's dreams, than figure out her own. She experienced tragedy at a young age and that has left her feeling as though she has no control of her life.
"The fact I didn't know what I really wanted scared me, and it was easier just to go along with David's plans." -Ella, Loc 903
So she floats along with others' plans for her. That's how she's ended up at UChicago - where her boyfriend, David, wants her. She's not exactly happy about it but it makes him happy, so she made the move. Her first morning after arriving, she's singing in the shower and hears a voice through the wall, singing along with her - a voice that does things to her body and mind that David never has. To make matters worse, she feels an immediate connection to Cole, David's roommate and best friend.
"What the hell was wrong with me? First shower guy, now Cole! Why was I attracted to all these other men, when the only one I really wanted was walking right beside me?" - Ella, Loc 935
Cole Reynolds is starting his last year at UChicago. He has plans and they don't include a relationship with any girl. He needs to focus on school, on work, and on making his dream reality. He stumbles a little on this path when first he hears the voice of an angel singing in the shower one morning, and second, when he meets his roommate's girlfriend, Ella. The pull he feels for her is so strong, he knows he can only ignore it for so long. He needs a distraction and so sets about looking for his songbird.
"I wanted a girl, but not just any girl, and since I couldn't have Ella, there was only one possible solution left.I had to find my songbird." -Cole, Loc 1031
Besides the music, I most enjoyed watching Ella blossom. She went from being this timid and self-conscious young woman, who did anything to please her boyfriend to a strong, self-assured woman who set out to find what she wanted out of life. I admired her for standing up for herself and taking charge. Her timidity and people-pleasing ways were things I identified with so I was proud she had her epiphany before it was too late.
I adored Cole. He'd endured tragedy as well, and he and Ella really connected on a deeper level. He was able to open up to her in ways he'd never done before and got Ella to do the same. He was patient with her, took the time to really get to know her, and could compromise.
I haven't said much about David. I didn't care for him much because he seemed very self-centered. Of course, all the blame for his and Ella's problems can't be laid at his feet. Ella could have changed things. But his reaction to something Ella did seemed to show his true colors, although he did redeem himself somewhat in the end.
Ella's best friend, Morgan, was a lot of fun to meet. The next book in the series is her story and I'm anxious for it. Morgan is quite a character. She's strong and wise, and seems to know what Ella needs to hear, when she needs to hear it.
"You're stronger than you think, and once you've had some space to breathe, you'll know. You'll know what's worth fighting for." -Morgan, Loc 3710
The music was the cherry on top. I love jazz and hearing Ella sing Ella Fitzgerald (her namesake) and Louis Armstrong was fantastic. That the music sparked childhood memories for Ella, not to mention sparking a fever for Cole, was a delight.
Fever is told in dual POV between Ella and Cole, which also added to my enjoyment. The story might have been a tad predictable - although Ella did surprise me a few times - but it was a fun read. In fact, the only things I didn't love were David and Ella's initial lack of self-confidence. But those both made for a more engaging story.
What are you waiting for? Go get the Fever!
**I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.**
September 8, 2015
It's been a long time since I read this kind of story; there are plenty of them out there, and this one really isn't anything THAT special. It was still a decent read, though.
In this book we have Ella, who moves across the country to be able to attend college with her boyfriend, David. While showering on her very first night in the co-ed dorm, she begins to sing. She is joined by a male voice from the men's restroom on the other side of the wall. The two are immediately intrigued by each other, but they don't meet. Of course this guy is David's roommate, Cole. Obviously these two are drawn to each other outside of their shower duet antics, and you can already tell where the story is going without me needing to provide more detail.
I didn't HATE Ella as a character, but she was SO WEAK. I mean, WEAK. She is stuck and miserable in this relationship building a future that she doesn't want with a guy that she knows is wrong for her simply because she doesn't want to hurt his feelings. I know this is just supposed to help impress upon us how utterly sweet she is, but I honestly wanted to punch her in the face several times. I get that not every female character can start out strong, and there needs to be some sort of character development. But damn, this girl was seriously helpless at life. I understood her pull to Cole, but at the same time she seriously needed to get her shit together.
Cole was great. I thought he deserved a better counterpart than Ella, and so I think I would have liked him much more with a different girl. I guess when girls seem THAT helpless and pitiful it makes me wonder what kind of guy would actually want to be with her. I mean I understand wanting to protect your girl and everything, but I can't help but feel when a girl is that bad off it puts her love interest into an almost fatherly-type role. Which is just weird. It's nice to want to protect and provide for somebody, but when you are taking care of that person beyond the call of duty, it seems almost parental. I appreciate the fact that Cole saw potential in Ella and wanted to help her find her voice and start to stand up for herself, but again i have to question the type of guy who would fall for a character like her in the first place.
David was weird. I don't mean his character was weird, I mean the portrayal was weird. He genuinely was not a bad guy, and he did really love Ella. It was difficult not to feel sympathetic toward him because Ella always went along with everything to make him happy and never said boo to anything. So how was David ever supposed to know that she wasn't 100% happy. Frankly, it was hard not to feel like Ella took advantage of him and completely took him for granted. I would have probably enjoyed this more if he would have been a bit more of a bad guy, but as it stands I just felt sorry for him. That also made it more difficult to root for Cole and Ella's budding relationship.
This wasn't terrible, but it also wasn't great. As I said, there are TONS of books out there that follow this similar plot, so I would definitely read one of the others rather than this one.
In this book we have Ella, who moves across the country to be able to attend college with her boyfriend, David. While showering on her very first night in the co-ed dorm, she begins to sing. She is joined by a male voice from the men's restroom on the other side of the wall. The two are immediately intrigued by each other, but they don't meet. Of course this guy is David's roommate, Cole. Obviously these two are drawn to each other outside of their shower duet antics, and you can already tell where the story is going without me needing to provide more detail.
I didn't HATE Ella as a character, but she was SO WEAK. I mean, WEAK. She is stuck and miserable in this relationship building a future that she doesn't want with a guy that she knows is wrong for her simply because she doesn't want to hurt his feelings. I know this is just supposed to help impress upon us how utterly sweet she is, but I honestly wanted to punch her in the face several times. I get that not every female character can start out strong, and there needs to be some sort of character development. But damn, this girl was seriously helpless at life. I understood her pull to Cole, but at the same time she seriously needed to get her shit together.
Cole was great. I thought he deserved a better counterpart than Ella, and so I think I would have liked him much more with a different girl. I guess when girls seem THAT helpless and pitiful it makes me wonder what kind of guy would actually want to be with her. I mean I understand wanting to protect your girl and everything, but I can't help but feel when a girl is that bad off it puts her love interest into an almost fatherly-type role. Which is just weird. It's nice to want to protect and provide for somebody, but when you are taking care of that person beyond the call of duty, it seems almost parental. I appreciate the fact that Cole saw potential in Ella and wanted to help her find her voice and start to stand up for herself, but again i have to question the type of guy who would fall for a character like her in the first place.
David was weird. I don't mean his character was weird, I mean the portrayal was weird. He genuinely was not a bad guy, and he did really love Ella. It was difficult not to feel sympathetic toward him because Ella always went along with everything to make him happy and never said boo to anything. So how was David ever supposed to know that she wasn't 100% happy. Frankly, it was hard not to feel like Ella took advantage of him and completely took him for granted. I would have probably enjoyed this more if he would have been a bit more of a bad guy, but as it stands I just felt sorry for him. That also made it more difficult to root for Cole and Ella's budding relationship.
This wasn't terrible, but it also wasn't great. As I said, there are TONS of books out there that follow this similar plot, so I would definitely read one of the others rather than this one.
November 3, 2016
**ARC provided via NetGalley for an honest review**
Devoured the entire book in a single sitting. It started a little slow and was a little predictable but all in all it was pretty good story. I thought it was well written, contains interesting multidimensional characters and tons of emotion. Melissa does an amazing job conveying the sexual tension and chemistry between Cole and Ella. I do wish there had been more written after Cole and Ella finally came together. The lack of being able to see them together made it rather difficult to love the book. There was an amazing soundtrack and I'm sure the audio book with that music would probably be awesome. Totally going to check out some more of Melissa's work.
Devoured the entire book in a single sitting. It started a little slow and was a little predictable but all in all it was pretty good story. I thought it was well written, contains interesting multidimensional characters and tons of emotion. Melissa does an amazing job conveying the sexual tension and chemistry between Cole and Ella. I do wish there had been more written after Cole and Ella finally came together. The lack of being able to see them together made it rather difficult to love the book. There was an amazing soundtrack and I'm sure the audio book with that music would probably be awesome. Totally going to check out some more of Melissa's work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2014
This is a really refreshing read that I just had to read in one sitting.
Ella moves across the country when her boyfriend David asks her to join him. David's plans is to go to law school and settle down with Ella and have kids. Ella goes with the flow because David makes her feel safe.
When she meets Cole it shakes up her feelings. What does she really want? Is it what David wants??
I love the music in this book. Great storyline with wonderful characters. Another great love triangle. I certainly recommend this read book.
Ella moves across the country when her boyfriend David asks her to join him. David's plans is to go to law school and settle down with Ella and have kids. Ella goes with the flow because David makes her feel safe.
When she meets Cole it shakes up her feelings. What does she really want? Is it what David wants??
I love the music in this book. Great storyline with wonderful characters. Another great love triangle. I certainly recommend this read book.
May 9, 2020
I really enjoyed reading this and I will also read the re-released version to compare it. But I think it's just a more PG version. Not that this is explicit, because it's not. I consider it a good romantic book.
Want to read
January 6, 2018💝 FREE on Amazon today (1/6/2018)! 💝
December 5, 2020
כמעט וויתרתי על הספר הזה (יש לי יותר מידי), אבל אז התברר לי מי הכותבת, שזו אחת האהובות עליי ושהיא כותבת בכמה שמות- כמובן שהייתי חייבת לקרוא ו-וואו!
איזה ספר מיוחד!
דמויות עמוקות, רגישות, מצב לא פשוט. כרגיל אין כאן טובים ורעים יש מצב והתמודדות. אני אוהבת שהדמויות שלה הן אנושיות, עושות טעויות ושאין שחור ולבן.
הספר מלווה במוסיקה ישנה, לא הסגנון שאליו אני רגילה אבל מלאה בקסם ואני תמיד אוהבת שספרים חושפים אותי לעולמות חדשים ולאהבות חדשות.
בקיצור מומלץ בחום!
איזה ספר מיוחד!
דמויות עמוקות, רגישות, מצב לא פשוט. כרגיל אין כאן טובים ורעים יש מצב והתמודדות. אני אוהבת שהדמויות שלה הן אנושיות, עושות טעויות ושאין שחור ולבן.
הספר מלווה במוסיקה ישנה, לא הסגנון שאליו אני רגילה אבל מלאה בקסם ואני תמיד אוהבת שספרים חושפים אותי לעולמות חדשים ולאהבות חדשות.
בקיצור מומלץ בחום!
June 20, 2014
You can also find this review at http://girlinthewoodsreviews.blogspot...
Detailed Review: This is Melissa Pearl's FIRST contemporary romance? And it's already THIS good? Wow. As I told you before, she's definitely got talent.
How do I describe this book? The most obvious word would be amazing, but I feel that that isn't enough to even express how I feel about Fever. Heart-breaking, swoon-worthy, emotional, joyful and frustrating would be further added to the list.
And now I shall explain why I would describe the book using those adjectives.
Amazing: The word itself speaks volumes. Need I say more?
Heart-breaking: Imagine not being able to be with the person you love. That pretty much sums it up.
Swoon-worthy: The romance. Full stop.
Emotional: You're happy one moment, sad the next, annoyed at times, and crying at the end.
Frustrating: Those times when Cole said he had to find 'shower bird' because he had to get away from Ella; he didn't even guess it was actually her. Same for Ella.
Is it possible to add twists to a contemporary romance? According to this book, the answer is yes. You may think that the author will only have a limited amount of twists to write, but she makes the impossible possible.
There would be a total of 3 major twists, one of them being the ending. That was maybe one of the most beautiful endings I've ever seem. The absence of a cliffhanger just made it even more beautiful.
The characters were really really really good. They each had originality and were individually unique. Ella may seem weak and submissive at first when she was only following David's plan and had none of her own, not even revealing her passion to sing to him. But in the end she mustered the strength to tell him the truth. I feel that it doesn't matter when she tells him everything, as long as she does it. It was brave of her to finally confront David.
David was quite a good character as well. He is portrayed as smart, studious, handsome but he just doesn't fit in well with Ella. I could already see it when Ella first met David in the book. He seemed a little selfish as times, disregarding Ella's allergy to gluten. So really, both of them didn't fit.
Now Cole and Ella, they were magic. They were perfectly right for each other. Who wouldn't want Cole? He's hot (bad boy alert!), caring, selfless and he can sing. When those two were together, I could literally feel the sparks flying from their relationship on my face. I felt tingly all over while reading the parts when they were together. I almost wished I was Ella.
I wouldn't have asked for better best friends than Logan and Jody. Jody's sunny nature can cheer you up instantly and Morgan's motherly nature will warm your heart to the core.
Another aspect I loved about this book, was THE MUSIC. I love music, it's what keeps me sane besides books. To actually read so much about music in this book is the best thing because it helps me connect to the book and its characters even more. Through music, this book has left an imprint on my heart and soul. Music means so much to me. as much as it means to the author and the characters. I couldn't have asked for a better playlist for this book. It was just awesome.
*There will be another book in the series, featuring one of Ella's best friends, Morgan!
Brief Review: So overall, Fever made me feverous (excuse the pun). It's a great read for those who love romance and if you want to swoon over it all day, Ella and Cole are the perfect couple to swoon over! And... if you are a true jazz lover, sway to the music while reading this book!
Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing!'
Detailed Review: This is Melissa Pearl's FIRST contemporary romance? And it's already THIS good? Wow. As I told you before, she's definitely got talent.
How do I describe this book? The most obvious word would be amazing, but I feel that that isn't enough to even express how I feel about Fever. Heart-breaking, swoon-worthy, emotional, joyful and frustrating would be further added to the list.
And now I shall explain why I would describe the book using those adjectives.
Amazing: The word itself speaks volumes. Need I say more?
Heart-breaking: Imagine not being able to be with the person you love. That pretty much sums it up.
Swoon-worthy: The romance. Full stop.
Emotional: You're happy one moment, sad the next, annoyed at times, and crying at the end.
Frustrating: Those times when Cole said he had to find 'shower bird' because he had to get away from Ella; he didn't even guess it was actually her. Same for Ella.
Is it possible to add twists to a contemporary romance? According to this book, the answer is yes. You may think that the author will only have a limited amount of twists to write, but she makes the impossible possible.
There would be a total of 3 major twists, one of them being the ending. That was maybe one of the most beautiful endings I've ever seem. The absence of a cliffhanger just made it even more beautiful.
The characters were really really really good. They each had originality and were individually unique. Ella may seem weak and submissive at first when she was only following David's plan and had none of her own, not even revealing her passion to sing to him. But in the end she mustered the strength to tell him the truth. I feel that it doesn't matter when she tells him everything, as long as she does it. It was brave of her to finally confront David.
David was quite a good character as well. He is portrayed as smart, studious, handsome but he just doesn't fit in well with Ella. I could already see it when Ella first met David in the book. He seemed a little selfish as times, disregarding Ella's allergy to gluten. So really, both of them didn't fit.
Now Cole and Ella, they were magic. They were perfectly right for each other. Who wouldn't want Cole? He's hot (bad boy alert!), caring, selfless and he can sing. When those two were together, I could literally feel the sparks flying from their relationship on my face. I felt tingly all over while reading the parts when they were together. I almost wished I was Ella.
I wouldn't have asked for better best friends than Logan and Jody. Jody's sunny nature can cheer you up instantly and Morgan's motherly nature will warm your heart to the core.
Another aspect I loved about this book, was THE MUSIC. I love music, it's what keeps me sane besides books. To actually read so much about music in this book is the best thing because it helps me connect to the book and its characters even more. Through music, this book has left an imprint on my heart and soul. Music means so much to me. as much as it means to the author and the characters. I couldn't have asked for a better playlist for this book. It was just awesome.
*There will be another book in the series, featuring one of Ella's best friends, Morgan!
Brief Review: So overall, Fever made me feverous (excuse the pun). It's a great read for those who love romance and if you want to swoon over it all day, Ella and Cole are the perfect couple to swoon over! And... if you are a true jazz lover, sway to the music while reading this book!
Final Rating: 5/5 'Totally Amazing!'
June 15, 2014
I really enjoyed this first New Adult novel from established author Melissa Pearl. I think that the premise is really intriguing and the setup with the backdrop of classic jazz music is really well done. It is, of course a romance, but it also centers on larger New Adult themes of finding yourself and choosing the right path for you, despite opposition. I love that the novel is heavily steeped in musical themes and found the musical aspect to really do a good job of driving the plot forward. It’s an intriguing backdrop fro romance, and does a good job of setting up a really interesting dynamic between the two lead characters.
As for characterization, Ella Simmons is an ideal leading lady. For much of the novel she is shy and unsure of herself, but she makes a wonderful transition to a woman who knows what she wants and goes for it. I like novels that show the main character on a journey, and Ella definitely takes one, finding out little by little through tough life lessons that only she can make a life for herself. Her character development is flawless. Ella’s boyfriend David is probably the least well-developed character in the book, coming across as one-dimensional and very predictable. It’s easy to see how Ella would eventually back away from his headstrong and controlling ways, and I disliked him from the start. For all the simplicity in David’s character, the author does an excellent job of developing the man that Ella eventually falls head-over-heels for. Cole Reynolds is smoldering and good looking and everything I love in a love interest. Not only is he smoking hot and has a swoon-worthy voice, but he’s sweet and attentive too. I’m so tired of the bad boy trope in New Adult literature, and Melissa pearl does a wonderful job of making Cole so much more than that.
If you’re looking for a unique storyline with a heavy romantic element, this is a great novel. It’s unique and fun to read, with a great friendship plot as well as a steamy romance. It’s not particularly steamy in the bedroom scenes and is overall pretty tame. Fever is a quick read that kept me interested from start to finish. I’ll definitely check out future planned books in the Songbird series from Melissa Pearl.
As for characterization, Ella Simmons is an ideal leading lady. For much of the novel she is shy and unsure of herself, but she makes a wonderful transition to a woman who knows what she wants and goes for it. I like novels that show the main character on a journey, and Ella definitely takes one, finding out little by little through tough life lessons that only she can make a life for herself. Her character development is flawless. Ella’s boyfriend David is probably the least well-developed character in the book, coming across as one-dimensional and very predictable. It’s easy to see how Ella would eventually back away from his headstrong and controlling ways, and I disliked him from the start. For all the simplicity in David’s character, the author does an excellent job of developing the man that Ella eventually falls head-over-heels for. Cole Reynolds is smoldering and good looking and everything I love in a love interest. Not only is he smoking hot and has a swoon-worthy voice, but he’s sweet and attentive too. I’m so tired of the bad boy trope in New Adult literature, and Melissa pearl does a wonderful job of making Cole so much more than that.
If you’re looking for a unique storyline with a heavy romantic element, this is a great novel. It’s unique and fun to read, with a great friendship plot as well as a steamy romance. It’s not particularly steamy in the bedroom scenes and is overall pretty tame. Fever is a quick read that kept me interested from start to finish. I’ll definitely check out future planned books in the Songbird series from Melissa Pearl.
December 31, 2014
An awesome new adult contemporary romance that I couldn't put down - read it in one sitting. The book was well-written and was really unique. I've read a few books that were heavily steeped in music and I've always enjoyed them (thinking specifically of all the 50's music in Slow Dance in Purgatory by Amy Harmon - check it out it's great); Fever was no exception. I loved all the references to old jazz music and even though I can't sing or dance worth a damn - I do appreciate the music. I also loved Ella and Cole's characters and how they had so many similarities yet were very different people. They shared a love for music, singing and dance but Cole had plans and knew where he was going. Both lost their parents yet they responded to it differently. Cole dealt with his loss through anger but seems to have moved on with the help of his foster parents. Ella dealt with her loss by shutting herself off from the world, becoming timid around people and frightened of life. I can relate to that sometimes. It was great to see her character develop and her eventually learn to stand up for herself over the course of the book. I liked that she took time at the end of the story to get away and figure out what she really wanted for her life - she could have easily run straight into a relationship with Cole but I think she would have ended up doubting herself years down the road. I didn't like how long it took her to finally be honest with David but he certainty didn't make it easy for her to speak up - assertive personalities can be really annoying. I don't really feel sorry for David though. If he didn't know her enough to realize how non-confrontational she was and didn't give her the opportunity to tell him about the real her what the hell was he doing trying to marry her? Anyway, enough about him. Overall this was a really good story that I enjoyed reading. I'd recommend it to anyone who loves music and is looking for a good contemporary romance for a mature audience.
May 22, 2014
*I received an ARC of this book free from Mark My Words Book Publicity in exchange for an honest review*
I absolutely loved this book!
Ella wants, no needs, the comfort of knowing someone is there to take care of her. After her parent’s death she had her best friend Morgan and her little sister Jody, and after Morgan went off to college she had David. The three of them gave her purpose, gave her direction, but then she lost herself in what David wanted, never stopping to think what she may want.
“Ella Simmons. Assertive.” He shook his head with a chuckle. “Those words don’t go together, baby.”
That all changed when she got to UChicago and heard a voice chime in, singing along with her in the shower. Only a wall separated them, but the connection was instant…too bad she had David.
“This girl and me were the only people on the planet, just singing away to each other…a perfect moment.”
Cole is David’s roommate and best friend, but after meeting Ella he can’t seem to get her off his mind. He notices the little things David doesn’t and all he wants is to show her how well he understands her. But he could never betray his best friend, so he tries to concentrate on finding the songbird he heard in the shower, the only other woman that plagued his thoughts. Too bad his songbird and the woman he cannot stop thinking about are the same woman. My heart breaks for him so many times!
“I hated that I’d fallen, but I had. No matter how much I wanted to fight it, I was ready for that next step in my life. It made me feel weak and frustrated…mostly because the girl I wanted to do all this stuff with was unavailable.”
This is a story about finding out what you want and who you are by yourself, without everyone else telling you. It’s also about following your heart…even if your head may think it’s wrong.
My Favorite Moment: A dance between two friends that turns into more when a sultry song like Fever begins to play. A song that explains exactly what they’re both feeling.
“He met me halfway, our lips sparking together, igniting a fire that swept through my body.”
I absolutely loved this book!
Ella wants, no needs, the comfort of knowing someone is there to take care of her. After her parent’s death she had her best friend Morgan and her little sister Jody, and after Morgan went off to college she had David. The three of them gave her purpose, gave her direction, but then she lost herself in what David wanted, never stopping to think what she may want.
“Ella Simmons. Assertive.” He shook his head with a chuckle. “Those words don’t go together, baby.”
That all changed when she got to UChicago and heard a voice chime in, singing along with her in the shower. Only a wall separated them, but the connection was instant…too bad she had David.
“This girl and me were the only people on the planet, just singing away to each other…a perfect moment.”
Cole is David’s roommate and best friend, but after meeting Ella he can’t seem to get her off his mind. He notices the little things David doesn’t and all he wants is to show her how well he understands her. But he could never betray his best friend, so he tries to concentrate on finding the songbird he heard in the shower, the only other woman that plagued his thoughts. Too bad his songbird and the woman he cannot stop thinking about are the same woman. My heart breaks for him so many times!
“I hated that I’d fallen, but I had. No matter how much I wanted to fight it, I was ready for that next step in my life. It made me feel weak and frustrated…mostly because the girl I wanted to do all this stuff with was unavailable.”
This is a story about finding out what you want and who you are by yourself, without everyone else telling you. It’s also about following your heart…even if your head may think it’s wrong.
My Favorite Moment: A dance between two friends that turns into more when a sultry song like Fever begins to play. A song that explains exactly what they’re both feeling.
“He met me halfway, our lips sparking together, igniting a fire that swept through my body.”
November 27, 2014
Cole doesn't want love! He can't miss what he has never had or sought after. He likes his freedom, enjoys easy hookups means no mess, no one to disappoint or hurt. Cole has one dream he intends on making come true and that is to open his very own pub like the one he works at for his guardians.
Ella craves security! She needs plans set in place in order to feel safe. Ella gets this and more with her boyfriend of 3 years David. Ella follows her boyfriend all the way to Chicago in order to follow his dreams and thinking they are also hers or are they??? Ella is fine to go along and make David happy because in turn it makes her happy or so she thinks...
Something is starting a change in Ella ever since this one morning she got caught singing in the shower by none other than a fellow crooner with a voice that oozes sexy. Both can not get the other out of their heads, always wondering who the other person is, what they look like or if they will run into each other again.
Ella has a passion for singing old classics. A love she got from her parents as well as dancing. Cole has the same love of music and dancing growing up with the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and such. He learned to dance and sing as a child.
When they find out who the "songbird from the shower" is they are in a heap of Trouble! Cole is none other than David's best friend/roomate. They are both torn to pieces on what to do and Ella refuses to hurt David after being her rock for most of her high school life. They try their darnest to keep their distance but alas they can not resist the pull they have for each other or the love that is growing between them.
Their love of music is what brings these two together but what will make Ella decide Cole is her future and David is her past?!?! Find out TODAY and GRAB a copy!!!!
Ella craves security! She needs plans set in place in order to feel safe. Ella gets this and more with her boyfriend of 3 years David. Ella follows her boyfriend all the way to Chicago in order to follow his dreams and thinking they are also hers or are they??? Ella is fine to go along and make David happy because in turn it makes her happy or so she thinks...
Something is starting a change in Ella ever since this one morning she got caught singing in the shower by none other than a fellow crooner with a voice that oozes sexy. Both can not get the other out of their heads, always wondering who the other person is, what they look like or if they will run into each other again.
Ella has a passion for singing old classics. A love she got from her parents as well as dancing. Cole has the same love of music and dancing growing up with the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and such. He learned to dance and sing as a child.
When they find out who the "songbird from the shower" is they are in a heap of Trouble! Cole is none other than David's best friend/roomate. They are both torn to pieces on what to do and Ella refuses to hurt David after being her rock for most of her high school life. They try their darnest to keep their distance but alas they can not resist the pull they have for each other or the love that is growing between them.
Their love of music is what brings these two together but what will make Ella decide Cole is her future and David is her past?!?! Find out TODAY and GRAB a copy!!!!
June 19, 2014
How to read a Melissa Pearl novel?
Be excited.
Get your emotions played.
Then swooon.
This is my 4th from Melissa Pearl and let me tell you.. It just keeps getting better and better! Cole and Ella is one couple that will get a hold on your heart, will make your heart sing and will make you believe that Love does win in every situation.
Let me start by saying that I hate Love Triangles! I really do.. There's a lot of books that I DNF-ed because of it. But you know what's worst than a Love Triangle? The kind of Love Triangle that Ella is in. IT'S COMPLICATED.. Very much so. You see, he's liking a guy that is not her boyfriend (gasp!) i know, i know. I loathed girls like that. I mean, YOU ALREADY HAVE A BOYFRIEND! What more do you want??? The situation is delicate, right? It's hard.
But no worries Ladies, Melissa Pearl handled the situation pretty well. I know I'm not the only one avoiding books that has plots like this, but I am telling you now.. This is not a book about cheating. It is not, okay? So don't miss out and avoid this one, we don't want regrets, now do we?
So I'll just break it down for you: Fever is a story about realistic relationship with a wonderful set full of characters (that is Melissa Pearls forte, I believe) It is thought provoking and will make you think.. What will I do if I'm in the main characters' shoes?
Heartwelming, seductive and absolutely satisfying. Melissa Pearl's first contemporary does not disappoint!
June 20, 2014
3 stars. It was an OK read. I really wanted things to hurry along and it seemed to take forever to get to the good stuff.
I know this is really an ugly way to feel but I thought singing very cliche jazz songs through the walls to each other in a public shower was cheesy. It would have been believable if this were a Broadway play where it's totally cool for characters to burst into song. I actually felt a little embarrassed for them yet at the same time my mind is going "Why? Why can't people do that? How come it's not cool?" Cause it just isn't, I guess. I kept expecting people standing outside to be like...
The person I actually felt sorry for was David. He was right, she never spoke up and so he had no idea that he was doing anything wrong.
#TeamDavid.
Weak and fragile females are a major pet peeve and Ella was all of that and then some. While I thought Cole was a pretty cool guy, he wasn't for me either.
In the end it was a decent read if you just go with the flow, stay on the surface and try not to dig too deep. Another case of "It's not you, it's me" type of book.
I know this is really an ugly way to feel but I thought singing very cliche jazz songs through the walls to each other in a public shower was cheesy. It would have been believable if this were a Broadway play where it's totally cool for characters to burst into song. I actually felt a little embarrassed for them yet at the same time my mind is going "Why? Why can't people do that? How come it's not cool?" Cause it just isn't, I guess. I kept expecting people standing outside to be like...
The person I actually felt sorry for was David. He was right, she never spoke up and so he had no idea that he was doing anything wrong.
#TeamDavid.
Weak and fragile females are a major pet peeve and Ella was all of that and then some. While I thought Cole was a pretty cool guy, he wasn't for me either.
In the end it was a decent read if you just go with the flow, stay on the surface and try not to dig too deep. Another case of "It's not you, it's me" type of book.
June 15, 2014
4.5
This has been another great read from Melissa Pearl. I'm not a fan of love triangles because for me, love triangle will never have a happy ending. How can it be a happy ending when there's someone left in the end? As I dive into the book, my main thought was "how will Melissa Pearl get her charactersn out of this love triangle trap?' Page after page, it's like going into the edge waiting for the verdict. And I must say I was impress at how she did it. No making the other person in the love triangle (David) a bad one by means of making him a cheater in the end. Instead, she gets into the phase of showing the reader how the two of them trap themselves in the relationship in the first place that doesn't really have love but security. Then she went into the process of introducing the characters and making the readers get to know them in a way that you'll see how they are not really the one for each other.
This book also shows the realistic fact that someone is always bound to get hurt in the end in this kind of relationship and that's one of the things that I appreciated in this novel. The hardship that Cole went through in restraining himself as not to hurt his friend even if it cause him to be hurting was also another admirable phase of this story. I also like how there's a couple of friends for Ella to show her what it's like to face herself without judgement and only ultimate support.
It was an awesome experience to see another face of Melissa Pearl's craft as a writer in this New Adult Contemporary Romance.
This has been another great read from Melissa Pearl. I'm not a fan of love triangles because for me, love triangle will never have a happy ending. How can it be a happy ending when there's someone left in the end? As I dive into the book, my main thought was "how will Melissa Pearl get her charactersn out of this love triangle trap?' Page after page, it's like going into the edge waiting for the verdict. And I must say I was impress at how she did it. No making the other person in the love triangle (David) a bad one by means of making him a cheater in the end. Instead, she gets into the phase of showing the reader how the two of them trap themselves in the relationship in the first place that doesn't really have love but security. Then she went into the process of introducing the characters and making the readers get to know them in a way that you'll see how they are not really the one for each other.
This book also shows the realistic fact that someone is always bound to get hurt in the end in this kind of relationship and that's one of the things that I appreciated in this novel. The hardship that Cole went through in restraining himself as not to hurt his friend even if it cause him to be hurting was also another admirable phase of this story. I also like how there's a couple of friends for Ella to show her what it's like to face herself without judgement and only ultimate support.
It was an awesome experience to see another face of Melissa Pearl's craft as a writer in this New Adult Contemporary Romance.
December 1, 2014
Wow. Just wow.
So. Many. Feels.
This was book was everything I needed. It was emotional and powerful and I loved all the characters to pieces. Ella was just the perfect combination of frustrating and relatable. We all have things we're afraid of, we all have things that define us and make us see the world a little different. I could relate to Ella on so many levels. Just overcoming her fear of getting lost and actually hailing a cab and going somewhere by herself is something I completely understand. I loved seeing her grow as an individual throughout this book and making the tough choices to be happy on her own and to be happy with herself first. It's such an important lesson I think everyone should learn. Yes, me included.
And Cole. Oh, Cole. He was just the perfect combination of broken and swoonworthy. His realizations in the story, his journey to becoming the right kind of a man, a man who realizes he needs love in his life, was beautiful. I loved his sweet heart and caring nature, especially with Nina and Mal. But also his strength and protectiveness when it came to Ella.
I think Melissa did an amazing job with this book and it's one I will be coming back to in the future. There is just something so special about this story, woven with love for music and dance, that really touched my heart. I read it in one seating because I simply couldn't stay away.
So. Many. Feels.
This was book was everything I needed. It was emotional and powerful and I loved all the characters to pieces. Ella was just the perfect combination of frustrating and relatable. We all have things we're afraid of, we all have things that define us and make us see the world a little different. I could relate to Ella on so many levels. Just overcoming her fear of getting lost and actually hailing a cab and going somewhere by herself is something I completely understand. I loved seeing her grow as an individual throughout this book and making the tough choices to be happy on her own and to be happy with herself first. It's such an important lesson I think everyone should learn. Yes, me included.
And Cole. Oh, Cole. He was just the perfect combination of broken and swoonworthy. His realizations in the story, his journey to becoming the right kind of a man, a man who realizes he needs love in his life, was beautiful. I loved his sweet heart and caring nature, especially with Nina and Mal. But also his strength and protectiveness when it came to Ella.
I think Melissa did an amazing job with this book and it's one I will be coming back to in the future. There is just something so special about this story, woven with love for music and dance, that really touched my heart. I read it in one seating because I simply couldn't stay away.
June 14, 2014
~~ I received this in exchange for an honest review~~
I have never read a book by Melissa Pearl before. I was hooked from the moment that I started reading this book. I couldn't put it down at all. This is a book about growing up and finding out exactly who you are as a person. This follows the life of Ella in her first year at University of Chicago. She goes out there to be with her boyfriend David of three years and her best friend. She has never been this far from her family (her aunt) and her other best friend Jo-Jo, so she doesn't know what to expect and she is a ball of nerves. She meets Colt out there who is Davids best friend and roommate. He makes her think about what she wants to do and what her dreams are. This is something that David doesn't do at all. There is a secret that Ella has. But there is only one person that has heard this secret. Can she find her dreams and follow them? Or is she going to keep following what she already knows?
This book was a breath of fresh air for me to read. It had the confusing times and the times where you wanted to scream at Ella for being silly. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I can't wait to read the second book in this series! Melissa has a new fan!!
I have never read a book by Melissa Pearl before. I was hooked from the moment that I started reading this book. I couldn't put it down at all. This is a book about growing up and finding out exactly who you are as a person. This follows the life of Ella in her first year at University of Chicago. She goes out there to be with her boyfriend David of three years and her best friend. She has never been this far from her family (her aunt) and her other best friend Jo-Jo, so she doesn't know what to expect and she is a ball of nerves. She meets Colt out there who is Davids best friend and roommate. He makes her think about what she wants to do and what her dreams are. This is something that David doesn't do at all. There is a secret that Ella has. But there is only one person that has heard this secret. Can she find her dreams and follow them? Or is she going to keep following what she already knows?
This book was a breath of fresh air for me to read. It had the confusing times and the times where you wanted to scream at Ella for being silly. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I can't wait to read the second book in this series! Melissa has a new fan!!
June 17, 2016
This was a good book, not great, but good. I really enjoyed the story line, it was fun, romantic, and an all around easy read.
The reason for my three star rating is due to the female protagonists (Ella's) insecurities. I tend to lead toward a strong female lead when I choose a book. Ella was a very insecure person and her insecurities effected ever aspect of her life. It wasn't that I didn't like her character, in fact she had many redeeming qualities, she just needed the right person to bring them out in her.
David, Ella's boyfriend, who she moved across the country to attend collage with was kind of an a-hole. Instead of actually paying attention to her and her needs he was all about himself. He put everything above Ella, especially his studies. I mean come on who studies that much!
Cole on the other hand, I really enjoyed Cole's character. Both him and Ella enduring tragedies in the past definitely connected them on a higher level. You could tell from the beginning that there was something special there. He was super sweet, observant in ways David was not, and very patient with her. He was willing to put the time and energy into actually knowing her as a person and understanding what she enjoyed.
The reason for my three star rating is due to the female protagonists (Ella's) insecurities. I tend to lead toward a strong female lead when I choose a book. Ella was a very insecure person and her insecurities effected ever aspect of her life. It wasn't that I didn't like her character, in fact she had many redeeming qualities, she just needed the right person to bring them out in her.
David, Ella's boyfriend, who she moved across the country to attend collage with was kind of an a-hole. Instead of actually paying attention to her and her needs he was all about himself. He put everything above Ella, especially his studies. I mean come on who studies that much!
Cole on the other hand, I really enjoyed Cole's character. Both him and Ella enduring tragedies in the past definitely connected them on a higher level. You could tell from the beginning that there was something special there. He was super sweet, observant in ways David was not, and very patient with her. He was willing to put the time and energy into actually knowing her as a person and understanding what she enjoyed.
May 26, 2014
I was given this book in exchange for a honest review. Growing up is hard to do! Growing up with the loss of your parents is super hard to do. Growing up and having to make the hard decisions about your life is almost impossible when you have let others control you for years. Ella has come to Chicago to join her best friend and her boyfriend in college. Her life is planned out; the love of her life will go to law school and they will settle in the suburbs and have 2 kids. She didn't make the plans, she just follows along. David makes her feel safe, he has been her rock for years. But David doesn't know the real Ella. She has been everything he wanted her to be, except for herself. She meets Cole soon after she arrives in Chicago. He sees the real her, her dreams, her desires and her interests. But she loves David, doesn't she? The time has come that Ella needs to grow up and start making decisions for her own life. Pearl does a fabulous job with this coming of age novel. Her character development is amazing. This was a great read and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I can't wait for Morgan's story. It is true...growing up is hard to do.
June 11, 2014
4.5 Stars
This is the second book I've read by Melissa Pearl and her first NA contemporary romance. With this book I am a new fan of hers. This story was so sweet with just the right amount of drama and angst. Sometimes we love to read books that tear us up inside and other times we want something a little lighter. That's what this book was for me. It was just what I needed.
Ella moves to Chicago to attend the UChicago with her boyfriend. Her boyfriend has his life planned out...get his degree, become a lawyer, marry Ella and start a family. Ella is not sure what she wants so she just follows along. Cole, her boyfriends best friend and roommate, is just trying to get through his senior year so he can follow his dream to open up a bar.
They bond over their common interest in music but neither will make a move because of their shared relationship with the boyfriend.
I loved the ending! It had me grinning from ear to ear. I highly recommend this book. It will put a smile on your face.
Reviewed by Chez
This is the second book I've read by Melissa Pearl and her first NA contemporary romance. With this book I am a new fan of hers. This story was so sweet with just the right amount of drama and angst. Sometimes we love to read books that tear us up inside and other times we want something a little lighter. That's what this book was for me. It was just what I needed.
Ella moves to Chicago to attend the UChicago with her boyfriend. Her boyfriend has his life planned out...get his degree, become a lawyer, marry Ella and start a family. Ella is not sure what she wants so she just follows along. Cole, her boyfriends best friend and roommate, is just trying to get through his senior year so he can follow his dream to open up a bar.
They bond over their common interest in music but neither will make a move because of their shared relationship with the boyfriend.
I loved the ending! It had me grinning from ear to ear. I highly recommend this book. It will put a smile on your face.
Reviewed by Chez
June 7, 2014
I received this book as an ARC for an honest review. This is a great love story! Ella moves to Chicago to go to college with her boyfriend David, and her best friend Morgan. Ella's parents died when she was 15 and she needs security and David has his life mapped out and makes her feel secure. Ella is really shy and timid and lets David plan their lives. Until her first weekend at college and she's singing jazz in the shower at 5:00 am and a guys voice joins in from the the shower next door. They love the same music and songs and sing great harmony but she runs away and doesn't know who he is. Cole is David's best friend, roommate and the guy in the shower! But Ella doesn't find out for a while, and Cole is going around trying to find his songbird! Will Ella decide to go after her own dreams and not Davids? You have to read this book!!! http://harpsromancebookreview.com
June 14, 2014
I loved this book. Really. I was not a jazz fan until I met my husband. (Mostly because my father used the smooth jazz radio station to put us to sleep on car trips when I was a kid.) My husband was a huge jazz fan before I ever met him so I've come to associate jazz with him. I enjoyed all of the musical references and how they brought the story to life. Ella is an interesting character who has played it safe for far too long at the expense of her sense of self. Cole is adorable. Just adorable. I really enjoyed the idea of music pulling us out of ourselves to be truer versions of ourselves. I also liked the themed of finding love through music. All in all this is a ridiculously romantic summer read. Well worth taking along on a trip to the beach or just reading in a lounge chair with a cool drink nearby.
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