Seventeen-year-old Lacey Kind doesn’t have the guts to talk to cute boys, isn’t a size two, and would rather stay home and listen to music than go to a party. But in the summer before her first year of college, she ends up thousands of miles away from home, in the back of a tour bus, underneath the half-naked body of the hottest teen rock star in the country.
When Lacey and her best friend Trina sneak into a Boston nightclub to see their favorite band, they not only get to watch their rock gods perform for the first time, but score a chance to meet the band too. Lacey’s heart races as she comes face-to-face with her idol, nineteen-year-old lead singer, Logan Shire.
The girls charm their way into being hired to sell merchandise on Lansdowne’s first summer tour. As “merch girls” Lacey and Trina quickly find themselves transported from their ordinary, suburban life to an exhilarating few months on the road. But they soon realize that life on the road isn’t always a smooth ride...
Author: Rebecca Lewis
Title: Merch Girl
Genre: Young Adult>Contemporary>Romance>Music
Publication Date: May 2013
Links to Purchase: Amazon
Reviewer: Megan
My Review: 5 out of 5 Stars. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!
Let me first crush on the cover just a bit. It fits the story P-E-R-F-E-C-T... perfect! It draws you in and makes any music lover swoon to read this story. After reading the book, and then I look at the cover, I see Lacey. I can picture the moments in the story where her and Trina dance in the doorway while the band performs, waiting for the rush to sell the merch. I will admit, when I first got a copy of the book for review and read the description, I thought it was going to be similar to "Almost Famous". But it wasn't. It showed a totally different side of the music industry, a band starting out, and the people who help bring it all together. On that note, I will say, I could not have been happier with the way the story unfolded. I thought it was fantastic. I loved loved loved it!
So let me tell you why I absolutely loved this book. First, I love music. I am a huge fan of rock bands (Breaking Benjamin, Shinedown, Daughtry, Theory of a Dead Man... just to name a few) and I thought back to some of the concerts I have been to over the years. It made me completely nostalgic. It made me jealous. Second, it was a fun, easy read. I got through it quickly. It would have been read and reviewed in one day if not for my JOB, grrr. Once I started reading I was drawn in. It was a believable story with truly captivating characters. I loved Lacey. I thought she was a strong, confident, loyal protagonist who reminded me what it feels like when you start to fall for someone. I enjoyed Trina's sassiness, but she was kinda mean to the fans, but I am sure this happens all the time in the celebrity world and is probably one of the biggest downfalls of dating a non-celebrity. I'd probably be the same way as Trina... I could never watch my boyfriend let girls hang all over him, kiss him, or throw themselves at him. Especially if you no one knows he's spoken for. That would be horrible. Nice touch though Rebecca! I cannot say enough how gratified I was to see Jenna get what was coming to her. I loathe... loathe, girls like her!!
I Liked how the author was able to show us this unknown side of the music world (the "Merch Girl" world) while also giving us a glimpse of a band starting out. At first I thought that maybe Lacey and Trina's luck was too good, too coincidental, but then I stopped and thought about a friend of mine from high school who is in the music industry. I have gone to some of his shows, spent time with him in the midst of his music career and he continues to be down to earth and maintains real relationships. I also reminded myself that these guys were young and just starting out - they had yet to be tainted by the industry yet. Which only made me swoon even more for the relationship between Lacey and Logan. As many readers of my blog know, I am not a fan of over the top, erotic love scenes or relationships that go from "hi, nice to meet you" to kinky S&M sex in 24 hours. Merch Girl was NONE of that. It was real. It was honest. It left me wanting more.
Yes, I said it again... I want more of the band, more of Lacey and more of Logan. I warned all of you that I love series and I can only hope this isn't the last time we see Lacey and Landsdowne.
I loved Merch Girl, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves music and contemporary YA!!
