The Mixtape

I read this with Kindle Unlimited. I didn’t realize until I finished reading that there was a Audiobook! Darn.
This is classified as a Romance book… let me tell you it is so much more. It takes place in LA.
We start with a tragedy of Oliver loosing his twin, Alex in a horrible car accident.
Emery is at rock bottom financially when she meets Oliver at a bar, him being the very drunk customer and her being a very tired bartender.
Emery’s daughter Reese is so cute, the first time she called Oliver Mr Mith… meaning a 5 year old version of Mr. Smith, your heart will melt… wish I would’ve listened to the audiobook version of that.

Wow…. I laughed… I cried… I got angry, how could parents treat their children so badly in the name show more of being a Christian, certainly not my version of being a Christian.

Grab the Kleenex ladies, you are going to need it… and oh.. yea, there are some F bombs in the book along with some very steamy romantic scenes…. Whew!

Fantastic read.. if all romance books were like this, I certainly be swayed to leave my Mystery’s for them.
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Emery has had a tough time making ends meet while caring for her daughter alone and holding down two jobs, until one night when a rock star, Oliver Smith gets drunk in the bar where she works. After he becomes overwhelmed by paparazzi and a group of fans who are angry when he failed to perform at his planned concert, Emery quickly closes the bar and sneaks Oliver back to her apartment. The next day her boss fires her, leaving her with bills to pay and no job. To make amends, Oliver hires Emery as his chef and seems to make all of her problems go away, but Oliver is dealing with his own demons after the death of his twin brother, and Emery has her work cut out for her if she is going to help him deal with his spiraling life.

The Mixtape show more is a poignant story that deals with depression, loss, and verbal abuse. Both Emery and Oliver deal with all three in the present and flashbacks into the past, making them a perfect couple, almost too much so. Many of the incidents in the book, while difficult, seem to have answers that are just too easily achieved. Emery is the poster girl for overcoming challenges, and her ability to help Oliver seems a bit too contrived. However, the story is a page turner that evokes happy and sad tears throughout. Overall, The Mixtape is an emotional roller coaster of a book that draws the reader in and doesn't let go until the very end. show less

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Each time I pick up a book by Brittainy Cherry, I expect an engaging and emotional read. She did not disappoint with her latest, The Mixtape. It follows a struggling single mother, and a broken musician on their journey of self-discovery, healing and love.

I was eager to read this latest offering from the offer, so I was glad for the opportunity to take part in the blog tour. I had a good time with the story from start to finish.

The story introduces Oliver, a talented, introverted and shy singer. He lost his twin brother, Alex, the other half of their music duo, in a tragic accident. The fans and the show more media blamed him despite him not being responsible. Since that terrible night, he spiraled into a state of depression with alcohol as his crutch.

Emery, a single mom to precocious five-year-old, is struggling to make ends meet. To her, Alex and Oliver’s music was her saving grace. Their music got her through some difficult moments in her life. Oliver played the leading role in most of her fantasies, but never did she dream that one day she would be the one to rescue him from the well of despair.

Emery was such a great character. Strong, independent and determined. Despite the struggles she faced, she never gave hope for a better life for her and her daughter. I loved how she always put her daughter first. My heart ached for Oliver as I watched him struggled to come to terms with the loss of his twin. I felt every ounce of his pain, fears, despair and loneliness. It didn’t help that he lived with a soul sucking leech, who only dated him because of what he could do for her career. Emery’s daughter Reece brought lightness to the story with her sass. Her interactions with her mom made me smile, but what had me laughing were the conversations between her and Oliver.

I loved the friendship which developed between Oliver and Emery and their falling in love was the icing on the cake. However, their journey towards love and healing had its fair share of challenges. I have to admit I wanted more of the romance. Drama and angst overshadowed it.

I had my suspicions about some events concerning Emery’s family, so the revelations came as no surprise. I won’t go into the details, but one thing I will say is that I am glad she escaped that toxic environment. The story addressed some heavy topics, but Cherry balanced it out with humour and a slow burning romance. Overall, a wonderful story and one I recommend without hesitation.

Narration
When I discovered that the audio version was available through Kindle Unlimited , I chose to listen. This was my first experience with the narrators, Jordan Cobb, James Shippy, They both did a great job, but for me Jordan was the shining star. The narration enhanced my enjoyment of the story.

This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading show less

The Mixtape

I Picked Up This Book Because: Not sure but it’s been on my TBR for a long time.

Media Type: Audiobook
Source: KindleUnlimited
Dates Read: 1/29/23 - 2/1/23
Stars: 4.5
Narrator(s): Jordan Cobb, James Shippy

The Characters:

Emery Taylor:
Oliver Smith:
Reese Taylor, Alex Smith, Kelly,

The Story:

I wasn’t sure what I was getting into with this book. As I mentioned above, I added this to my TBR a while ago and I can’t remember why but I’m so glad I picked it up while trying to clear my KindleUnlimited list. This story was so heartfelt. I fell in love with the characters immediately. I fell in hate with some other characters just as fast. I really enjoyed how Ms. Cherry could write heartache, love and humor all at once. I loved show more that the characters were open to correcting their own flaws before getting lost in each other and I loved how supportive they were of each other from day one…. okay maybe day two.

The Random Thoughts:

“Mr. Mith!” show less

This is Oliver and Emery's story, a rockstar and a single mom. Oliver struggles with the loss of his twin and bandmember, he meets bartender Emery and their story begins. I liked the real struggles and how the author wrote them, this story is deep and has some trigger warnings. The emotional ride was intense and heartbreaking at some points. Definitely not the usual rockstar romance, but it has some funny sides, plus Reese, Emery's daughter, is a fantastic character.


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Title: The Mixtape

Author: Brittainy Cherry

Publisher: Montlake

Reviewed By: Arlena Dean

Rating: Five

Review:

"The Mixtape" by Brittainy Cherry

My Opinion:

Wow, what a good read 'The Mixtape' was that featured Emery Taylor and Oliver Smith. The author covered the topics of 'rape, depression, physical and verbal abuse, single parenting, heartbreak, loss, friends to lovers, and romance' very well in this story. It was sad to see how many of the characters in the story were just that...sad. We find Emery having to endure a horrible childhood from some parents that were simply horrible to not only her but her sister Sammie. From that situation, we find Emery having to care for a daughter, Reese Marie. Oliver's twin brother Alexv[Rock Stars] had show more died from a car accident that Oliver had blamed himself, which caused him not to want to go on with his life, and there was someone who was hanging on to Oliver that meant no good. But an interaction will change Emery and Oliver's lives, and this is how this author gives the reader quite some read in 'The Mixtape.' The read did cause tears of sadness; however, there was a cry of tears of joy by the end and a HEA. Wow, this was an excellent read! show less

This is a Amazon First Read and the premise sounded good so I grabbed it. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to its promise. The story was predictable and the writing formulaic. The characters, despite their traumas, seemed generic, especially the 'bad' ones who were just over the top in their mannerisms and speech. The daughter didn't sound like a 5-year-old. Not for me.