Famous in a Small Town by Kylie Scott Blog Tour

What chance does a small-town girl have with a world-famous rock star?

Two years after his wife’s death, rock star Garrett Hayes hasn’t moved on. But he has moved out of L.A. Where better to escape his past than a small town in the northern California mountains? If only he could get the townsfolk of Wildwood to leave him the hell alone.

Ani Bennet returned to her hometown for some much-needed serenity. The last thing she needs is a grumpy, too hot for his own good, rich and famous rock star living next door—and rent-free in her brain.

She set her fangirl tendencies aside and deleted his photo from her cell when they became neighbors. But when Garrett asks for help, she can’t say no. The problem is, spending time together is making those fangirl feelings resurface—and bringing them to a whole new level.

What chance does a small-town girl have with world-famous rock star? It’s time for Ani to set her fears aside and find out.

 

 

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My new neighbor arrived at midnight on a Thursday. First came the moving truck, followed by a Jeep Wrangler. Mrs. Cooper, the former owner of the house, passed a while back. A damn shame. The woman was not only nice, but she made biscuits like you wouldn’t believe. For years the grand old Victorian house sat empty at the end of the cul-de-sac. Not unusual for a small town. Few people wanted to move to the middle of nowhere in Northern California, no matter how picturesque it might be. While the place had been sold not long after listing, there’d been no sighting of the new owner until now.

“What the heck?” I mumbled to myself, standing at the window.

Who moved in the middle of the night? It seemed covert and suspicious. Like something a criminal or government agent would do. Although, maybe they just traveled far and this happened to be the time they arrived. But most people would stay at a hotel and wait for daylight to do this sort of thing. Surely.

The only things ever happening at midnight in Wildwood were: 1. Harry, the town drunk, performing Bob Dylan classics in the middle of Main Street. 2. Me, an insomniac, wandering aimlessly around my house. That was it. Everyone else in the whole wide world—or our corner of it—was fast asleep.

Half hidden behind a curtain, I watched the truck being unloaded. A full moon shone down through the pine trees as the moving men hauled stuff inside. The first guy, the one who drove the Jeep, went straight into the house. He was tall and wore a ball cap. That was about all I could see. Maybe he was setting the place up for his wife and family. Maybe he had a boyfriend. He couldn’t possibly be single, heterosexual, under sixty, and emotionally mature. My luck just wasn’t that good. Not that I intended to date again in this lifetime.

Whoever he was and whatever he was doing, it would all be known in due course. Such was the joy of small-town life.

Once the furniture was moved inside, things got a little dull. There’s not much you can tell about a person from their boxes.

I took the opportunity to once again check the locks on all my windows and doors. After that, I made a cup of chamomile tea. Neither of these things helped me sleep, but the rituals were soothing. Mom always said I had a busy mind. I didn’t necessarily think about anything useful, I just thought a lot. At night, I tended to think about books, bad memories, and ex-boyfriends. The last two were often one and the same.

As a child, I was the daydreamer who got busted humming in class when everyone else was concentrating. (Like anybody actually needed algebra. If you can work out the discount at a sale, you’re good to go. Then again, this attitude might explain why my life had gone approximately nowhere.)

I returned to the window just in time to see my mystery man reappear. The new neighbor strode out to the Jeep and opened up the back. When he once more headed toward the house, the ball cap was gone and his short hair was on display. In each hand he carried a guitar case.

I perked up. Musicians were cool. Unless he owned electric guitars and believed in turning the volume up to eleven. That could get old fast.

As he got closer to the house, the porchlight hit him and… huh. Something about his profile tugged at a memory.

Guess he felt my gaze, because he turned toward my place. And whoa. His lips were a thin line, his jaw set to cranky, and none of it mattered—the man was beautiful. Though he really was strangely familiar.

Meanwhile, with only a lamp on behind me, I couldn’t have been more than an outline. A shadowy person lurking in the dark. Great. Nothing like being spied on to make you feel welcome in your new neighborhood. So much better than a casserole or cookies.

Wait! I knew where I recognized him from. Only it couldn’t be, because that would be crazy. Absolutely fucking wild. Yet there he stood.

“Holy shit,” I whispered.

My new neighbor was a goddamn rock star.

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is a really fun, sexy, and hugely enjoyable read. I may have just read it cover to cover – and only slept when I knew it was all going to work out!

Ani has moved home to safety – after a horrible incident, she is happier living a simple, but safe life in her cabin with multiple locks and security measures. Then someone moves in next door... who turns out to be the very embodiment of her rock star crush dreams, Garrett Hayes. He is burdened by the loss of his wife two years ago, and desperate to be anonymous.

Small town life is hardy conducive to secrecy as everyone is in everyone else's business – yet Ani persuades the town to give him some space. This care, that really no one has ever shown him, builds a strong case for Garrett to at least allow her in as a friend.

There is a fun group of townsfolk to get to know, and I enjoyed the underlying storylines which support the romance developing between these two people who need to take back their lives and happiness.


Shannan – ☆☆☆☆
Ani moved back to her hometown and is enjoying living in the small town but is stuck in her life. She's had trauma in her past she just isn't facing. Being back in her hometown is the most comfortable place for her to be. She enjoys the small town, quiet life. When someone moves into the Victorian house next door, she never expects it to be the object of her desire – the lead singer from her favorite band.

Garrett has had it hard the last couple years since his wife died. He has had a horrible time moving on without her. When he moves to Wildwood, all he wants is to move into the house his wife wanted but never got to actually see. It has sat empty for years. All Garrett wants is to be left alone to continue to mourn his wife. His bandmate and friend, Smith, refuses to let it happen. When he invites the neighbor over, he tries his best to set them up.

I enjoyed this very low angst read. Garrett as a grieving man overlooks any flaws with his wife and only remembers the good. He was never ready to let go and move on until he was. Ani needs to face her own past and the two of them become close, as close as Garrett's grief allows, friends. It was so heartwarming watching the relationship between them bloom.

I would love to see more from this small town!


Shelby – ☆☆☆☆
Famous in a Small Town was a cute, sweet (at times), and addictive read.

Ani has returned to her hometown; she loves her people, she likes her home, and even likes her job. She is content with what she has, and can appreciate the low-key vibe that Wildwood provides. We know she escaped a big city, but we don't really know why.

Her life takes an unexpected turn when her real-life celebrity crush moves in next door!

Moody, usually grumpy, Garrett – aka the lead singer of The Dead Heart – needs solitude to process his new life without his wife. Two years since her passing, he needs to find a new rhythm without all the reminders of their life together. Hoping to find the peace he so desperately needs, Wildwood seems the perfect place to start again.

Small towns seem like a great, quiet escape from the crazy L.A. lifestyle... but anonymity is hard to find when a celebrity is in their sights!

I will say that I wasn't a fan of Garrett to begin with. He was too closed off and relatively mean. I definitely came to love him and enjoyed watching his growth through the story. I liked Ani from the get go and truly enjoyed watching them develop a relationship!

This was an enjoyable read, it wasn't "deep" so it wasn't exactly emotionally charged, but it was sweet. The secondary characters added to the story, and I would be interested in more from this town.


Mary Jo – ☆☆☆
I must admit that this book wasn't for me. I did finish it.

While the writing was good, to me the story was a bit not feasible.

Ani, the hometown girl who moved back home several years ago and is coping with OCD tendencies, and Garrett, the rock star whose wife passed away two years ago, are new neighbors.

Garrett is the poster boy for a person who wants quiet and solitude and Ani does her best to give that to him until Garrett's friend, Smith, comes to town and invites her over. Talk about awkward.

They continue to have a few awkward run-ins and while the chemistry is there, it seems that once they decide to go on a date, the rest of the book feels rushed.

To me, there were many opportunities to discuss Garrett's grieving process and Ani's OCD triggers that were missed or not explored.

 

 

KYLIE SCOTT is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year, 2013, 2014 & 2018, by the Australian Romance Writer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet.

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Famous in a Small Town by Kylie Scott to read and review.