ARC Review: Spotlight (Famous #2) by Eden Finley

Blurb:

Ryder

When I quit the biggest boy band on the planet, I was supposed to get my life back.

It’s not that I wanted to leave the spotlight. I felt like I had to for my daughter. Her picture shouldn’t be splashed all over the tabloids.

I thought I could do this parenting thing on my own, but it’s obvious I need help. I just didn’t expect to find it in the form of a gorgeous guy I meet by chance.

I can put my attraction aside for my daughter’s sake. I’ve put my whole life on hold for her.

If only he wasn’t so tempting.

Lyric

Working as a nanny is my backup to my backup plan. My first plan is fame, but something always holds me back.

When I randomly run into Ryder Kennedy and end up becoming his daughter’s nanny, I figure it’ll be a short-term thing.

But then Ryder finds out I can sing. He wasn’t ready to give up music, and now he’s found a new way to have it: through me. He wants to produce my demo and make me a star.

He says I was born to be in the spotlight, but I think I was born to run from it.

It doesn’t help that each day I’m with him and his daughter, the deeper I fall into fantasies of being part of their family. And not just as the nanny.

Todd's rating:

I adored this second book in the "Famous" series right out of the gate, where pop star Ryder met up-and-coming musician Lyric in McDonalds (?), after Ryder overheard Lyric telling his young nephew how badly he thought Eleven, Ryder's old boy band, sucked.

Despite their odd first meeting, Ryder ended up hiring Lyric to be his 4 y.o. daughter's nanny, which of course led to pining and, eventually, to a big ole' case of The Feels from both guys.

They were a very well-suited pair; however, when Ryder offered to help him with his music career, Lyric's staunch refusal to become a sell-out, like his deceased musician father, became a point of contention for them to overcome.

I thoroughly enjoyed how, no matter their desire to play nice and avoid fights, both Ryder and Lyric communicated openly with one another.

This eventually led to Lyric finally admitting that no major record label contract would ever be good enough for his strict standards, then him finally getting out of his own way, so that both men could be happy and move forward. Together.


I almost always tend to enjoy scenes of jealousy in my reads, but especially this time, when Ryder tried desperately to avoid setting Lyric up on a date with another famous musician on the prowl for a hookup.

“Why does Cash Kingsley think I’m straight when you know I’m not? Like, definitely not.”

“Maybe you give off a super-straight vibe?”

“Bitch, please.”

My feet stumble backward as if they think I can get out of this by running away. Yet, my newly found, high, squeaky voice jumps in. “I might’ve told him you were straight? Okay, bye.”

I was thrilled to see Lyric stepping on his own proverbial dick to keep his meet up with Cash from getting him laid -- by someone other than Ryder.

Another favorite part of the story was the inclusion of Harley, from the previous "Pop Star" story, pretty early on in the book.

“Hey, Brix, can you do a background check for Ryder on the guy he says he doesn’t want to fuck but really he does?”

“Harley,” I growl.

Then once the guys finally give into their feelings and become a couple, the other element of drama introduced was them hiding their relationship from Ryder's 4 y.o. daughter, Kaylee, which ended up going about as well as one would expect.

Yeah, that whole thing where I thought my daughter was oblivious? Turns out we were the ones who were so blinded by each other we didn’t know she was watching and listening to every. Damn. Thing.

I also ended up liking how the return of Ryder's baby-momma, Maggie, was more of a blessing than a curse for the couple, which rarely happens in M/M romance.

In regards to sex, the very versatile, flip-floppy steam was smoking hot, but not so prevalent that I ever felt like skimming or fast forwarding.

Overall, I'd rate this book at 4.5 stars and wholeheartedly recommend it to fans of Eden's previous works, with zero reservations.

My ARC copy of the book was provided by the author in exchange for a fair, unbiased review.

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