Ali Vali

Sweet music is the last thing that happens when Nashville music producer Mason Liner, and daughter of country royalty Victoria Roddy are thrown together in an effort to save country star Sophie Roddy's career.

Face the Music

Lucia Correa

3.5 Stars for this standalone novel, Face the Music by Ali Vali. 

This is the story of a music producer, Mason Liner who works for her father’s Nashville record company. She had been in California working with non-country artists but is called back to Nashville by her father to handle Sophie Roddy. Sophie was “THE QUEEN of Country” for many years, but lately her star has been slipping, with alcohol and drug related incidences both on and off stage. Just when Mason arrives in Nashville, Sophie nearly overdoses on stage. Mason has almost no choice but to put Sophie up at her Nashville ranch to detox.

Sophie’s daughter, Victoria has been her mother’s berated and disrespected assistant for many years. Nevertheless, she is uncomfortable with Mason’s decision to lock Sophie in at Mason’s ranch for one-on-one drug detox and rehab with Mason’s friend Belle, a retired drug and addiction therapist. No surprise, Sophie doesn’t appreciate it either. But Victoria agrees with a bit of convincing by Mason “Which would you prefer? A dead Sophie or an angry Sophie?”

With Sophie in the main house, Victoria stays in the small original ranch house that Mason restored. Mason’s artists would go the river house to work on new songs and arrangements. It is here, away from her demanding mother and with the help of Mason, that Victoria blooms. 

This is an enemy to lover love story. I get a “Xena/Gabrielle trope” vibe. Which is often a theme in Vali’s stories. There is Mason. The too perfect Mason, IMO. So perfect, it became annoying. She is a beautiful six foot tall, dark haired, wealthy executive. Victoria describes Mason as a butch who with her “sweet and caring personality, she was irresistible” At one point, Victoria sprained her ankle and Mason carried her everywhere. I mean everywhere. Around the ranch, up and down hills, etc. All Mason needed was a red cape. Then there is the strawberry blond, Victoria. I liked that we were able to watch her struggle and fight to step away from her Mother’s shadow and find her own niche.

An advanced reading copy has been sent to me by the publisher, Bold Strokes Books through Netgalley for my honest review

Face the Music

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