Still Life with Strings

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review. Also my tags may have spoilers in them so be forewarned before checking out full review.

Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨


First Impressions
Still Life With Strings is a standalone that is set in Ireland where we have a very unconventional type of romance and I really liked it. I will admit that this book did throw me off at times though. It just wasn't what I expected or what the blurb even implied so there were moments where I struggled at times with certain aspects, but its a LH cosway so I was bound to fall for this story despite the issues that I had with it. Its intriguing, a bit different, a unique dynamic of shy hero and bold heroine. It also showcases abuse and suicide in such a real way that I think will really resonate with readers.

First Line
They call me the blue lady.

The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Shane Arthur
The Heroine: Jade Lennon

Summary
Jade is a woman of many talents. She is struggling having to raise her siblings on her own, she is working multiple jobs but what she is most drawn to is classical music especially when that music is played by violin strings. She has a fascination with the instrument and those talented enough to play brilliantly with it. While out dancing on the street for one of her side gigs, she feels a connection to a stranger and things get hot and heavy that night. Not knowing that he is a famous musician for his talents and is a man that has trauma and is more reserved and shy. He isn't bold like she has had to be in her life. But Jade has been burned by a past relationship and won't do anything serious. Shane has suffered his own share of trauma and being betrayed but he is willing to put his heart on the line for Jade and show her what they have is real. But will their pasts burn what they could have in the future?

What I Loved
I really adored the hero and the emotion that rises from the pages of this story. The hero is such a good guy hero and man my heart broke for him and the cards that he had been dealt with in his life. I have to admit I LIVE for violin theme romances and this one was definitely brilliant so you know I just had to listen to my playlist of David Garrett. And even though there were aspects to the hero that threw me off....what I found so refreshing is what a good man he is and so straight laced. We see a tortured hero that is a bit unconventional in how he is written. It won't be the A typical tortured hero that you normally receive and I did appreciate aspects of that. I also loved how he pursued the heroine even when she was beyond stubborn and always stayed within the boundaries she set. It did showcase healthy relationship boundaries which I appreciated since we don't see that always in older contemporaries like this one. I did love the way that the hero pushes through the trauma of his past. It does have mentions of abortion...so be mindful of that but its just mentions and its not the main characters that are directly involved in the choice of abortion but deal with the consequences of it. The emotion in this story really got to me in the quiet moments of reading this story.

What I Struggled With
Some of the pacing was a bit slow especially in the first half of the book. And I didn't really care for this dynamic. I am not really a fan of the shy hero....bold heroine. And this is the first time I have read this author where the hero wasn't an alpha and I admit that it threw me off because that isn't what I was expecting going into this book to be honest. So this dynamic I struggled with and seriously the heroine was annoying at times. She was constantly putting away a really good guy hero and I felt so bad for him. Because he had been hurt in my opinion way worse than she had. But she kinda played the pity card all the time and it was very frustrating. Good thing Shane had the patience of a saint.

Overall View
Still Life With Strings is a vibrant story that will fascinate its readers with unique dynamics, beautifully resonating symbols and a heart tugging story that tugs at the strings of the soul.

Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance
Character Types: Shy Hero, Alpha Heroine, Musician-Violinist, Dancer Heroine
Themes: Heart/Emotionally Touching, Tear Jerker, Pining Hero, Kids/Teens
Tropes: Rags to Riches, Unrequited Love, Opposites Attract

Book Perspective
1st POV

Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Relationship Conflict

If you like these authors, I recommend This Book
Samantha Young
Emma Scott
Amy Harmon

Steam/Spice Explanations

Simmering cup of tea---soft warm touches and light intimacy
Warmin' by the fire- a medium level of sexual tension, a balance of sexual and emotional intimacy, lighter on the details in the sexual moments.
Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.
Blazing fire to the building-The prime focus is the sex scenes, scorching hot, and could burn one. Less focus on the emotional intimacy to the relationship.