Review: Provoke by Rachel Van Dyken
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.
Provoke by Rachel Van Dyken Series: Seaside Pictures #3.7
Published by Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated on 14th April 2020
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 117
Format: eARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon US, Buy on Amazon UK, Buy on Amazon
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken comes a new story in her Seaside Pictures seriesâĤ
The music industry called me a savant at age sixteen when I uploaded my first video and gained instant fame. And then Drew Amherst of Adrenaline became my mentor, and my career took off.
Everything was great.
Until tragedy struck, and I wondered if Iâd ever be able to perform again. I fought back, but all it took was a falling light to bring it all back to the fore. So, I walked away. Because I knew it wasnât just stage fright. It was so much more.
The only problem?
Drew and the guys are counting on me. If I canât combat the crippling anxiety threatening to kill me, I might lose more than I ever dreamed of.
Enter Piper Rayne, life coach, with her bullshit about empowerment, rainbows, and butterflies. She smiles all the damn time, and I'm ninety-nine percent sure thereâs not a problem she canât solve.
Until me.
She was given twenty-one days to fix me. To make me see whatâs important. Whatâs real. The problem is, all I can see now is her. The sexy woman who pushes me. Provokes me.
Only time will tell if sheâs able to do her jobâand I can make her mine.
**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, itâs an introduction to an authorâs world. And for fans, itâs a bonus book in the authorâs series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**
Rating~3.75 stars
I really enjoy Rachel Van Dyken’s seaside series, I don’t know something about the celebrity cast of characters, the atmosphere and the writing really works for me! So this wasn’t any different.
Branden, at the young age of sixteen known for his youtube music videos gets signed on and his career takes off. Apart from dad leaving, his life and career had generally been pretty good. He loves his family, they are nice and shocker he gets along really well with his mother. All of this changed when an awful incident occurred at his concert. Unable to perform, deal with the guilt and the anxiety that came with the incident.
Piper Rayne, is a life coach hired by his company to help him out and get him on the road with AD2 for the tour. Piper has never been as attracted to anyone as she is to Branden which complicates her neat and orderly world.
Rachel Van Dyken did a good job showing us their developing connection, sweet mixed with sexy stuff. It isn’t easy to make the reader invested and interested in the characters and their relationship but its done well here. I also liked the mix of humour and the Zane+Drewness that comes from them being them along with little bits of friends and family mixed in with more serious and slightly angsty bits of the books. I think part of what really worked with Provoke; apart from the writing, the pacing, are the characters. They are just so easy to connect with and love. I also really liked Piper and Branden together, they were really great together! Cute, sweet and teasing.Â
Quibbles: As generally with 1001 books, I wish the novella was longer and we had gotten more time to spend with the couple. Even then I think it would been nicer if the time limit with what Branden had to get ready for the tour was longer, it would have allowed for more believing the couple falling in love and getting to know each other but also the fact that Branden’s trauma related to event got solved quickly. Trauma doesn’t just go away that easily, especially cause it was stated he was already on therapy but this is fiction and I’m in a more forgiving mood I’ll be letting it slide.
Overall, a great shot read for springtime with all the elements to keep a reader captivated till the end. Also loved the little epilogue!!Â
p.s Since 1001 dark nights are all about standalone from series that readers love, its a great one to dive into if you haven’t read other seaside books or havenât tired Rachel Van Dyken’s books.
About Rachel Van Dyken
Rachel Van Dyken is the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she’s not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching The Bachelor.
She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband, adorable son, and two snoring boxers! She loves to hear from readers!
