Book Reviews

Book Blurb

They knew being famous would be one hell of a ride. The didn't know it might be a ride into hell.

Singer Coby Kennedy and his drummer twin, Bruce, have steered their band, Patchwork Heaven, to the top of the country charts, bucking difficult band members and personal demons along the way. As cowboys do.

The top of the heap makes them an easy target, though. Trouble starts with anonymous letters, but quickly escalates to sinister gifts and wanton destruction of their personal space.

Enter the Detail, a specialized security firm, and its owner, Gregor. As the stalker gets closer and more violent, Coby’s struggle with his own fears and phobias begins to shred his bond with his twin and draw uncomfortable attention to Gregor’s unsettling past. While Coby is convinced Gregor is not the threat, Gregor isn’t sure he’s the right man to keep Coby safe, either from the stalker, or his own growing interest in the singer.

Sure, he needed a bodyguard. But who was going to protect his heart?

First edition published by Dreamspinner Press, September 2014.

 

Book Review

“To share your weakness is to make yourself vulnerable; to make yourself vulnerable is to show your strength.” ~ Criss Jami

Coby and Bruce Kennedy are identical twins and, as twins often are, very close. In fact, their intimacy is often mistaken for more than that, which is ludicrous, but the paparazzi love a scandal - real or imagined. The twins are exceptionally talented, together and in their own right, and share an uncanny connection of thoughts and feelings. Although it's often a good thing, this closeness can and does have negative effects too, especially when one twin is experiencing mental or physical distress. The voices in their heads intermingle to the point of distraction. In order to function more efficiently, Coby and Bruce need to learn to manage this phenomenon so it's an asset and not a detriment.

Coby suffers from a stress disorder and often wonders why he's in a profession that demands he put himself out there so much, but he's talented and loves performing with his brother and their country band, Patchwork Heaven. Coby is also has synesthesia, a fascinating neurological phenomena wherein the brain accesses two or more senses at the same time with remarkable results. In Coby's case, he feels and sees emotions in color and musical notes connected to those feelings, and translates them into lyrics. This also bleeds into his real life, i.e., when things are bad, he is surrounded by blackness and practically paralyzed by fear. When they are good, Coby sees bright, uplifting colors which he transcribes into music. Coby is only able to make this happen when he is emotionally stable. Considering his band is being stalked, this is a difficult time for him to be productive. Regardless of how tight the bodyguard, Gregor, makes security, the stalker still manages to find ways to terrorize them, escalating his efforts each time. Coby and Gregor eventually become lovers, and Gregor attempts to teach Coby to trust his feelings inside rather than having to always see his colors. The only way to overcome a fear is to face it.

As in any mystery, several suspects arise, Gregor being one of them. Things go from bad to worse with Coby being injured and his twin, Bruce, being wounded by a gunshot. Bruce has always been the strong one, the one who made all the decisions. With him hurt, Coby has to learn how to step up and carry the load for a while. This allows Bruce to be vulnerable for once and face a few of his own demons, including re-discovering an old flame.

There's a lot happening in this book, on several levels: the brothers' relationship; the stalker; the other band members; the love affairs, and the security company's role which all come together in what is an interesting but complex tale. The characters are just as complicated as the story and I had to dig a bit deeper to understand their personalities. This novel takes more concentration than usual, but is worth it. Jaime is a great writer whose stories always intrigue and challenge me. This book is no exception. I recommend this story to those who enjoy country musicians, bands, suspense, angst, intrigue, and redemption. Thanks, Jaime!

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. The first edition of this book was provided by the publisher for the purpose of a review.

 

Additional Information

Format	ebook and print
Length	Novel, 422 pages
Heat Level
Publication Date	20-September-2022
Price	$5.99 ebook, $15.99 paperback
Buy Link	https://www.amazon.com/Patchwork-Heaven-Jaime-Samms-ebook/dp/B0BCX7ZVGW