#blended notes

“Hollywood style meets Nashville charm in this sweet, sexy fling turned romance.” —Publishers Weekly on Broken Records

Just in time for your summer TBR List!  Lilah Suzanne’s sweet and sexy series about finding love in unexpected places when a Nashville superstar falls for a Hollywood stylist—THE SPOTLIGHT SERIES.

The Spotlight Series Boxed Set is the complete series and with exclusive new “B-sides,” short stories featuring popular characters from the Spotlight Series universe—all available at a discounted series price of $8.99 at your favorite digital retailers.

Included in the set:

BROKEN RECORDS: Los Angeles-based stylist Nico Takahashi loves his job—or at least, he used to. Feeling fed up and exhausted from the cutthroat, gossip-fueled business of Hollywood, Nico daydreams about packing it all in and leaving for good. So when Grady Dawson—sexy country music star and rumored playboy—asks Nico to style him, Nico is reluctant. But after styling a career-changing photo shoot, Nico follows Grady to Nashville where he finds it increasingly difficult to resist Grady’s charms. Can Nico make his peace with show business and all its trappings, or will Grady’s public persona get in their way of their private attraction to each other?

BURNING TRACKS: Gwen Pasternak’s got it all. Or so it seems… In the sequel to RT Book Reviews’ Top Pick Broken Records, Gwen’s life looks perfect: She has a job she loves as stylist to the stars; a beautiful wife, Flora; and a house in the heart of Nashville. But the more she works alongside country music’s dynamic princess Clementine Campbell, the less Gwen is certain of her commitment to a life of domestic bliss. Meanwhile, her business partner Nico Takahashi is happily settled down with reformed bad-boy musician Grady Dawson. But when Nico questions the permanence of their relationship, Grady retreats into some dangerous old habits. Will Gwen ruin the life she’s built with Flora for something new and exhilarating? Can Grady be convinced of Nico’s devotion before it’s too late? Burning Tracks is a story of tough choices, taking risks, and the pressures of living life in the spotlight.

BLENDED NOTES: Grady Dawson’s future looks bright. He’s at the top of his country music career, has a close-knit group of friends who have become his Nashville family, and has found solid ground in his personal life as he plans his intimate, private wedding with Nico, his stylist-turned-lover, turned love of his life. It seems Grady has finally left his difficult childhood and tumultuous youth behind. That is, until his past shows up on his doorstep, news of his upcoming nuptials is leaked to the media, and his record company levels demands that challenge his integrity as an artist and as a person. The foundation of Grady’s new life begins to crumble, and fast. Will he be forced to make the ultimate choice between a private life with Nico and the public demands of his career?

Spotlight B-Sides: Spencer

Spotlight B-Sides: Clementine

Add it to your Goodreads TBR shelf at: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45991745-spotlight-series-boxed-set

A Blended Notes short story

Somewhere in the middle of seventh grade, Grady notices girls noticing him. 

His voice has gotten deeper recently, his shoulders broadening. He’s grown taller than most boys his age, but not all of them. Normal tall, not freakishly tall. At home, Grady scrutinizes his face in the bathroom mirror, rubs his fingertips across barely-there wisps of blond facial hair. Memaw says he’s very handsome, but of course she has to say that. Still, she may be on to something.

At the parties he suddenly finds himself invited to, Grady ends up in closets and kitchen pantries and far off dark corners with girls who look right past him at school. He lives in a trailer park and gets in trouble all the time and wears clothes from Goodwill, so he’ll always only ever be a social outcast. Yet making out with him has become some sort of teenage girl rebellion merit badge. Getting drunk and fooling around with Grady Dawson at a party: check. He doesn’t mind, only he does actually.

It’s not just girls who notice his looks now, as it turns out. Kyle Maloney lives in his neighborhood, has a Playstation, a dad that isn’t around, and a mom that works two jobs. Sometimes they’ll steal cheap beer from the gas station down the street before they hang out at Kyle’s house, but today they only managed to lift a cigarette from his mom’s purse before she left for her night job. They play Crash Bandicoot and pass the Virginia Slim between them until Grady announces, “This is game is stupid.”

“You just think that ‘cuz you suck,” Kyle responds without any heat, cigarette dangling from his lips. He switches it out for a racing game then asks, “You hooked up with Maddie H?”

Grady takes his time selecting a car, switching through all the options three times before replying with feigned ignorance, “She the one with red hair?” Like he doesn’t know who Maddie H is, like she isn’t one of the most popular girls in school.

“No, brown,” Kyle says. “Pick somethin’ Grady, damn.”

Grady selects a car. “Oh yeah. Yeah, I did.”

“Nice,” Kyle says. He works his jaw like he’s about to say something else but can’t bring himself to, like Grady does when he gets called on in class and sort of wants to answer but doesn’t want to get called on again for knowing the answers even more.

They race through several tracks and finish the cigarette and Grady is getting restless and annoyed, itching to do something stupid. His Memaw will come looking for him soon and he can’t stand being in that trailer with Grandaddy as sick as he is, like they’re both just waiting around for him to die. Maybe Kyle will let him stay the night again.

“Would you ever like—“ Kyle blurts suddenly. “Do that stuff with a guy? Like, just to mess around.”

For a second, Grady is sure that Kyle knows. He knows somehow that Grady likes boys in the same way he likes girls and he knows all the stuff that Grady thinks about alone in his bed and all the stuff he’s looked up on the computer. But it’s Kyle who looks panicked; avoiding eye contact with his cheeks bright red. His hands are tightly gripping the game controllers and shaking so much that he keeps running his car off the track and into the sidewalls.

Grady licks his lips. What if it’s a trap? What if Kyle just wants to humiliate him? Grady scoots closer and waits to see if Kyle scoots away. When he doesn’t Grady asks, “Can I sleep over?”

“Wha— I guess—“ Kyle fumbles. Grady takes a chance and presses his knee against Kyle’s knee, then puts his hand there, too. Kyle swallows, turns to face Grady and whispers, “Okay, yeah.”

He pauses the game.

You can purchase Blended Notes and the rest of the Spotlight Series here

For the third time I was lucky to have the opportunity to be an advance reader for Lilah Suzanne, this time for Blended Notes, the third and final (I believe) novel in her Spotlight series. The title truly says it all, and was one of the reasons why this book just might be my favorite of the three. While Broken Records introduced us to the celebrity lifestyle and Burning Tracks approached the challenges of everyday life, this final chapter blends both these themes together perfectly. (Ha, see what I did there?)

The novel starts off on a high note, causing the reader to be just as giddy as Grady and Nico while they shop for their home together. They are successful, in love, and engaged to be married - what could possibly go wrong?

The conflict is delivered so swiftly it feels like the rug has been taken out from under the feet of the reader, allowing a greater connection and sympathy for the characters. Grady’s past and future team up in an attempt to bring him down and rip away everything he’s worked so hard to achieve. This story demonstrates how opposing sides of society can exist in the same place, as Grady faces the difficultly of the conservative music industry pushing back against love alongside the joy of being a pseudo-uncle to “the biracial adopted child of two lesbians in Tennessee”.

Our favorite couple must choose between fighting for what is right and taking the easy and safe route to preserve what they can. Neither is inherently right or wrong, but both will have consequences for Grady’s career and relationship. Especially when, as Nico reminds him; “my wedding and home are the only places I get an escape from your career.” Can love and music hold our favorite couple together when the ghosts of Grady’s past come back full force?

There may be a wedding on the horizon, but life has a few more curveballs to throw at our music and fashion duo. Will Grady pick love and truth over the stage that has become his second home? If music is taken away from him, what does he have left?

Sing me a forever.

Grady Dawson’s future looks bright. He’s at the top of his country music career, has a close-knit group of friends who have become his Nashville family, and has found solid ground in his personal life as he plans his intimate, private wedding with Nico, his stylist turned lover turned love of his life. It seems Grady has finally left his difficult childhood and tumultuous youth behind. That is, until his past shows up on his doorstep, news of his upcoming nuptials is leaked to the media, and his record company starts issuing demands that challenge his integrity as an artist and as a person. The foundation Grady built his new life on begins to crumble and fast. Can he have his future if he’s haunted by his past? Can he continue making music if it means comprising his convictions? Must he make the ultimate choice between a private life with Nico and the public demands of his career?

Price: $16.99 print / $6.99 multi-format ebook Details: Trade paperback, 6"x9” Pages/Words: 256 // 65,000 ISBN: 978-1-945053-23-8 print // 978-1-945053-40-5 ebook International: Order the print edition by October 17, 2017 from your favorite book retailer and receive free multi-format eBook by submitting a copy of your receipt to [email protected].

Available from the IP Web Store, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, Target, Smashwords, Kobo, Book Depository, Indiebound and other book retailers.

About the author:

Lilah Suzanne has been writing actively since the sixth grade, when a literary magazine published her essay about an uncle who lost his life to AIDS. A freelance writer from North Carolina, she spends most of her time behind a computer screen, but on the rare occasion she ventures outside she enjoys museums, libraries, live concerts, and quiet walks in the woods. Lilah is the author of the Interlude Press books Spice, Pivot and Slip, Broken Records and Burning Tracks.

Connect with Lilah Suzanne at lilahsuzanne.com, on Twitter @LilahSuzanne, and on Facebook.

Cover art by Victoria S. Cover design by C.B. Messer.

“I knew I had to meet you. And then after I met you, I knew I had to get to know you more. And after I got to know you, I knew I had to kiss you. And after I kissed you...

After I kissed you, I knew that I had to find some way to keep kissing you for the rest of my life.”

Blended Notes is out in the world and the Spotlight series is complete! (whoa!) Where? Like, so many places. Even Target! (what!) Purchase links below:

Interlude Press | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Target | iTunes | Kobo 

Smashwords | Book Depository | Indiebound

Need to catch up on @lilahsuzanne‘s Spotlight Series before next month’s release of the final installment, Blended Notes? Now’s the time! Lilah Suzanne books are 25% off* at the IP Webstore! 

Sing me a forever

Grady Dawson’s future looks bright. He’s at the top of his country music career, has a close-knit group of friends who have become his Nashville family, and has found solid ground in his personal life as he plans his intimate, private wedding with Nico, his stylist turned lover turned love of his life. It seems Grady has finally left his difficult childhood and tumultuous youth behind. That is, until his past shows up on his doorstep, news of his upcoming nuptials is leaked to the media, and his record company starts issuing demands that challenge his integrity as an artist and as a person. The foundation Grady built his new life on begins to crumble and fast. Can he have his future if he’s haunted by his past? Can he continue making music if it means comprising his convictions? Must he make the ultimate choice between a private life with Nico and the public demands of his career?

Price: $16.99 print / $6.99 multi-format ebook Release Date: August 17, 2017 Details: Trade paperback, 6"x9" Pages/Words: 256 // 69,000 ISBN: 978-1-945053-23-8 print // 978-1-945053-40-5 ebook US/Canada:  If you purchase the print edition of Blended Notes before August 17, 2017 from the IP Web Store, you will automatically receive the multi-format eBook for free with your order. International: Order the print edition by October 17, 2017 from your favorite book retailer and receive free multi-format eBook by submitting a copy of your receipt to [email protected].

About the author:

Lilah Suzanne has been writing actively since the sixth grade, when a literary magazine published her essay about an uncle who lost his life to AIDS. A freelance writer from North Carolina, she spends most of her time behind a computer screen, but on the rare occasion she ventures outside she enjoys museums, libraries, live concerts, and quiet walks in the woods. Lilah is the author of the Interlude Press books Spice, Pivot and Slip, Broken Records and Burning Tracks.

Connect with Lilah Suzanne at lilahsuzanne.com, on Twitter @LilahSuzanne, and on Facebook.

Cover art by Victoria S. Cover design by C.B. Messer.

Find it on Goodreads.

Also available from Lilah Suzanne

After the Sunset

Caleb Harris and Ty Smith-Santos are struggling actors who have never crossed paths until their lives take a turn for the bizarre when they learn that a farm in Sunset Hollow, Washington has been bequeathed to both of them. Intent on selling the property, Caleb and Ty clear out the cluttered farmhouse, but soon find themselves falling for the charming farm nestled between two misty-topped mountains, the lonely man who left it to them, and each other. When a real estate developer offers them a hefty payout, will they take the money and run or keep the farm and their budding relationship?

A digital short story from Lilah Suzanne