Anya and the Shy Guy by Suze Winegardner – Review & Winegardner’s Top Ten Addictions

Posted July 10, 2015 by Nicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction in Author Top Ten Lists, Reviews / 6 Comments

Anya and the Shy Guy by Suze Winegardner – Review & Winegardner’s Top Ten AddictionsAnya and the Shy Guy by Suze Winegardner
Series: Backstage Pass #4
Published by Entangled Crush on 7/14/15
Genres: Love & Romance, Siblings, Young Adult
Pages: 231
Source: NetGalley
My content rating: YA (See the official disclaimer at the end of the synopsis)
My rating:
3.5 Stars

It’s always the quiet ones…

Anya Anderson doesn’t just need a big break, she needs any break. Living on the streets doesn’t leave a girl many options, so when she scores a gig reporting on the Seconds to Juliet tour, she jumps at the chance to earn enough money to sleep somewhere safe. And the paycheck will get bigger—and keep her off the streets for good—if she can dig up dirt on Will Fray, the irritatingly hot “shy guy” of the band.

Problem is, Will Fray isn't who everyone thinks he is. In fact, he’s not Will at all. Matt, Will's identical twin, is actually the guy onstage, reluctantly covering for his brother while he’s in rehab. To make matters worse, Matt’s being shadowed by a cute reporter with troubled eyes determined to get the scoop. On him. And he's having trouble finding the willpower to keep his distance…

But if the secret gets out, it won't just be his head on a platter—it’ll be the whole band’s.

This Entangled Teen Crush book contains steamy make out scenes, graphic language, and a love story so hot your copy may spontaneously burst into flames. You’ve been warned.

add-to-goodreads 

My Take

Anya and the Shy Guy is the fourth installment in the Backstage Pass series, which chronicles the love lives of the members of Seconds to Juliet, a superstar boy band. I haven’t read the first three books in the series (those of you who know me well are gasping right now – I never read series out of order), but this book really did stand well on its own as a standalone – and now I want to read the others!

The synopsis describes the book really well, so I’m going to jump straight to my review.

What I loved:

  • The twin story. I’m pretty much a sucker for a twin switch story, which is why I couldn’t resist this book even though I hadn’t read the first three. And Matt’s story definitely met all of my expectations – the pressure of the twin trying to pass himself off, the efforts to bend his personality to match his brother’s, the little details that he forgets, the one major detail that his brother forgot to tell him (oops!). I really loved Matt and I thought it was fun to watch him try so hard to be Will. His predicament also added an extra dimension to the romance with Anya because he and Will weren’t planning on ever telling people that they had switched – so where did that leave the relationship once Will came back?
  • Anya’s story. I also really connected to Anya’s story – her struggle with homelessness and her fierce loyalty to the man who had helped her find her way on the streets. Plus, you just knew that eventually Anya’s cover story with her employer was all going to come tumbling down around her (I didn’t really buy that they hadn’t gotten her SSN and stuff from the first time they paid her – but I managed to suspend disbelief on that one) – so it was just a matter of when and how it was going to happen. I liked how Winegardner tied the band’s philanthropic visit to a homeless shelter to Anya’s story too – she got to see another side of the band there, and it drove her story forward as well!

The negatives:

  • Lack of chemistry at the beginning. While I really enjoyed Matt and Anya’s stories separately, I felt a little bit of a lack of connection between them when it came to the romance, especially in the beginning of the book. It felt a little insta-lovey (and those of you who read my blog regularly know how I feel about instalove). There were some really sweet moments between them when I felt a connection, and I was on board with the romance by the end, but it took me a little longer to get there than I would have liked.

Overall, this was a fun read, and I’ve been convinced to read the first three books in the series, because I’m now definitely curious about the other guys in the band. I give this book 3.5/5 stars.

***Disclosure: This book was provided to me by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

Guest-Post

Suze Winegardner’s Top Ten Addictions

Hi there! When I was asked to write about my top ten addictions, I honestly thought, “Ha! Im not addicted to anything!”…and then my husband saw what I was writing and cleared this throat. “Um, I’m not sure if this is news to you, but people don’t want to be around you if you haven’t had your Coolbrew, or read Entertainment Weekly on Friday.” And then, after much denying, I had to concede that I really did have some addictions.

So this is where I start. My number 1 addiction is COOLBREW (http://www.coolbrew.com/), which is concentrated cold brewed coffee, which I add water, ice and creamer to, and I come alive. Even though somewhat laden with caffeine, I drink it day and night! Number 2 is EW (http://www.ew.com/) Magazine, which because I live overseas right now, arrives a few weeks late. I still love it.

My next few are fairly regular: Diet Pepsi, and Cadbury’s chocolate. Don’t you be all Diet Coking me, or offering me Hersheys! Only the best will do 😉

Have you read Stephanie Perkins’s ANNA AND THE FRENCH KISS? I am OBSESSED with that book. The descriptions of Paris, that first nearly kiss, and then that actual first kiss in the park. *Swoons* If you like contemporary YA and haven’t read it, I consider it the best book. Go see what I mean.

Stationary and pens. Most specifically, notebooks and disposable fountain pens that make me write like the wind. Oh-so-smooth paper and easy-running ink = total win!

Thai food is definitely a little addiction… my absolute fave is a Masaman curry. Sweet, spicy, fragrant, and peanuty. Could you ask for anything else?

I think number 9 on my list is podcasts. I walk my lovely Labrador every day, and listen to podcasts on my iPod. The ones I listen to most are the New York Times Book Review, Graham Norton, and Answer Me This. Oh, but did you listen to Serial? It was a series of podcasts about a journalist investigating a murder. Totally addictive. And of course the best thing about podcasts is that they’re completely free!

Lastly…my final addiction will come as no surprise to anyone who had picked up a book in the Backstage Pass series… BOYBANDS! I know some of you might think they’re cheesy…but what’s not to love about a group of guys on tour? The music, the laughs, the naughtiness…you only have to watch One Direction’s “Where we are” movie to fall ever so very slightly in love with them… (http://www.1dconcertfilm.com/#/filter-all/page-1/id-92457664682).

About the Author

suze winegardner

Suze Winegardner is an ex-pat Brit who quells her homesickness with Cadbury Flakes and Fray Bentos pies. She thinks her life is chock full of hoot, just a little bit of nanny. And if you get that reference, well, she already considers you kin.

Author Links:
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6 responses to “Anya and the Shy Guy by Suze Winegardner – Review & Winegardner’s Top Ten Addictions

  1. Okay, everything just clicked into place! I added this book to Goodreads last week and had added book 3 to Goodreads before that but didn’t realise they were in the series. I haven’t read any of the books in this series but I’m glad to hear you enjoyed Anya and the Shy Guy 🙂 Insta-love is a big turn off for me but I think I’ll still try and read this one 🙂 Great review!

    Zareena @ The Slanted Bookshelf

    Zareena @ The Slanted Bookshelf recently posted: Review: Defy by Sara B. Larson // no love triangle!
  2. Sounds interesting. I just laugh at your “gasping right now”. I have done this twice now. I have OCD about reading in order, which is why I hate when authors come out with prequels AFTER the book has been written. I do have to admit though, I have read some that were in a series as a stand alone and they have worked fine. This wounds great.

  3. I’m a little concerned about the lack of connection but it sounds like a decent enough of a story to keep my attention anyway. I actually seen this one before I read this review and I was a little unsure but maybe. Great review, Nicole!

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