by
My review:
I want to start off by stating that I’m not a huge fan of the rock star romance subgenre. I also went into this one after having read a couple of scathing reviews from people who either didn’t read the book or read just a portion of it. I read the book in its entirety and I can tell you that “A Sinner’s Memory” by M.L. Broome is well-crafted and entertaining. It pulled me right into the story and held my interest until the very end. This book is part of the ‘Leave Me Breathless’ series of books by multiple authors. This is a second chance romance mixed with plenty of angst.
Denver and Gideon were in a relationship for a couple of years. It was carefully kept out of the press because upper management thought rock star Gideon should appear to be single for the benefit of his fans – not involved with Denver, the band manager. Gideon was immature in how he handled the relationship and took her for granted. Bad timing and an incriminating situation had Denver thinking she caught him cheating on her, even though he wasn’t. Denver refused to listen to him or even give him a chance to explain. She just ran away and cut off all ties with everyone even related to the band. Note: I’ve read some people say Gideon cheated on her when he had a drunken one-night stand with a groupie some six weeks after Denver dumped him and cut all ties to him and the band. We may not like it or the complications that come later as a result, but you can’t cheat on somebody who broke up with you and vanished.
Five years later, Gideon and the band are dangerously close to being dropped by their record label. The members of the band are fighting constantly, and Gideon has lost his songwriting abilities. An industry friend convinces Denver to return for a while as the band manager and see if she can help. Denver has changed a lot physically and personally, but ultimately decides to do it. When she and Gideon set eyes on one another, the electricity between them is palpable. He is determined to help her see what he realized; they belong together and are meant for one another. He also knows that he needs to show her these things with his actions, not just tell her with words. Denver desperately wants to believe in him, but shadows of her insecure former self make it difficult for her to believe that she’s enough for him.
The story is a complex one, with twists and turns, layers of emotions, and a strong sense of the importance of love. I was thoroughly prepared to dislike Gideon … but I didn’t. The sincerity of his character came strongly through the pages. Denver is an extremely talented woman still exploring the depths of her hard-won confidence. There are some excellent secondary characters who add nicely to the story, some funny moments, and some sweet moments too. I thought Denver and Gideon both deserved the happy conclusion and future they achieved in the end.