{Review} Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols

Posted by Donna
Release Date: July 16th, 2013
Finished Date: December 5th, 2014

Publishers: Simon Pulse
Genre: YA, Contemporary Romance
Source: Bought 
Format: Hardcover

Pages: 273

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

From the author of the “real page-turner” (Seventeen) Such a Rush comes an unforgettable new drama that follows friends-turned-lovers as they navigate the passions, heartbreaks, and intrigue of country music fame.

Bailey wasn’t always a wild child and the black sheep of her family. She used to play fiddle and tour the music circuit with her sister, Julie, who sang and played guitar. That ended when country music execs swooped in and signed Julie to a solo deal. Never mind that Julie and Bailey were a duet, or that Bailey was their songwriter. The music scouts wanted only Julie, and their parents were content to sit by and let her fulfill her dreams while Bailey’s were hushed away.

Bailey has tried to numb the pain and disappointment over what could have been. And as Julie’s debut album is set to hit the charts, her parents get fed up with Bailey’s antics and ship her off to granddad’s house in Nashville. Playing fiddle in washed-up tribute groups at the mall, Bailey meets Sam, a handsome and oh-so-persuasive guitarist with his own band. He knows Bailey’s fiddle playing is just the thing his band needs to break into the industry. But this life has broken Bailey’s heart once before. She isn’t sure she’s ready to let Sam take her there again…

The Review: It’s been a long time since I’ve really enjoyed a book by Jennifer Echols. She was one of the first YA contemporary authors I read and I was instantly hooked, but most recently Such a Rush and The One that I Want I found I didn’t enjoy them as much as her previous books. So yeah, I’m really happy that I really enjoyed Dirty Little Secret because I wasn’t ready to give up on this author.

Bailey and her sister always played as a duo. They’re family brought them up to love music and reach for their dreams, but when Julie got a chance at her dream and signed with a big label, the deal was only for her and not Bailey. Now Bailey’s been left behind by her and family while they go on the road and Bailey’s stuck living with her Grandad after acting out at not having the same chance. Now her days are filled with playing fiddle in a tribute groups at the mall and trying to stay hidden away so she doesn’t embarrass her sister. But when Bailey meets Sam, a music lover like her that pushes her to do the things her family want her to forget. Bailey has to decide if her fiddle and music is worth losing her family and possibly her chance to go to college….

Like I said, I really enjoyed Dirty Little Secret and the main reason why was because it had such likable characters. I really like Bailey. I really sympathised with her situation and really felt as though her family had given up on her to help her sister pursue her dreams, and by doing so, they left Bailey behind. So yeah, I felt really bad for Bailey and could totally see why she acted the way she did. Why should she have to give up her own dreams? It was the mother that I couldn’t stand because she was at the heart of everything. And Sam – even though he had his own problems – he was still really likable and just a little bit swoon worthy. I loved how he continued to push Bailey to go after her own dreams, even though sometimes I felt as though he was trying to benefit from it himself still, I could still see why. They had a deep connection, that felt real and very honest, and there are so many lovable quotes from them.

In the plot of the story was a good one. I loved the music aspect of it and was easily swept away by Bailey getting lost in her fiddle. I have to say, I definitely came away from this story intrigued by the fiddle and I’d happily read a second book involving the characters and what happens next.

In all, Dirty Little Secret is a passionate read about two people coming together through music and I thoroughly enjoyed it!