~Book Review~
4.5 Stars
Daisy Goodwill is a recent high school graduate on her own, lonely, and getting by with a job, apartment, and skimpy wardrobe all courtesy of The Choosy Beggar’s bassist’s generosity and wheeling & dealing.
Meanwhile, Choosy Beggar’s drummer Shae Kristakakos is an almost nineteen-year-old single dad, also barely getting by. The last thing he thinks he needs or wants is a girl or a neighbor. But he’s coming face to face with both.
Told via their dual alternating POV, the characters engaged me right from the start. Like the previous book in this series, Shatter, the character development is strong. You really get a sense of what weighs Shea and Daisy down and what lifts them up. And while they pull you into the ups and downs of their lives, the supporting characters, toddler included, also add to the fullness of the story—creating an admirable group of friends— as well as entertaining.
For example, Minnie was a hoot:
“‘You could pull the zipper down now and then. Let loose. Pound the duck….This is me watching my language.’”
And Mutt…You can’t muzzle him, and I certainly wouldn’t want to.
“‘We won’t be coming out until Satin’s skank has been exorcised….And Shae, either handle this right or start a go-fund-me page so you can afford a working set of balls.’”
Oh Mutt made me want more from him, his own story up next. And I was happy to see Tia from the previous.
“‘Who wants easy?...Take exhibit A. You don’t think that took some patience and work?’”
But back to our hero and heroine, Shae bowed me over with how amazing he was as a dad. Despite his rough and sometimes grouchy exterior, he was such a sweetie underneath, so devoted and so selfless. Even though he was reluctant at first, I liked how once he got to know Daisy, he never doubted her. They complimented each other well.
“He blinks and the tides rush in. He moans with pleasure and this daisy blooms.”
Shae was definitely a keeper and rocked the romantic hero role. He will make reader’s hearts, ovaries, and panties melt.
This is a largely a new adult tale with a nice balance of heartwarming, heartstring-pulling, adventure, sweetness, and sexy. There’s fun banter and reveals I did not see coming that kept me on my toes and turning pages. And while the characters have their struggles and heartaches, the angst was kept in check nicely keeping the tone and mood positive.
“I don’t think there’s any way it could get any better, but we should practice…a lot…just in case. Maybe, probably even again tonight. At least once more…”
At this point, I’m definitely invested in the Choosy Beggar bunch. I kinda didn’t want it to end. They have a great little crew of misfit friends and I look forward to reading more of their stories.
Safety Recap:
GOOODREADS BOOKBUB AMAZON
~Character Interview~
Book Boyfriend Data Sheet
Name: Shae Kristakakos
Age: 19
Birthday: 🎂 August 25 ♍
Birthplace:🌎 Upstate NY
Measurements:📏
Height 6'4"
Weight: 260 lbs.
Length: That’s personal
Girth: What the hell is girth?
Turn-ons:👍 Daisy in a yellow dress
Turn-offs:👎 Mutt in a yellow dress
Guilty Pleasures: Sometimes, late at night, I google Sabian Artisan cymbals. I put the 13” Artisan Hi-Hats in my cart and let them sit in there for a while.
Idea of a perfect date: I skipped this question, answered the others and came back to it. I thought about all the fancy places I could take my girl, but I’d really just like to sleep with her. Actually sleep. Literally sleep. Raising a two-year-old is exhausting. Getting time alone isn’t easy. Give me a king size bed so my feet don’t hang off the end. Let me spoon my gal, sleep in without setting an alarm … I’m a happy man.
Favorite song to sing: 🎵 My bandmates came up with a really aggravating song called Gravy Toad that’s catching on with our fans. Now I’m adding lines about a dirty dog and a yardbug. Payback is sweet.
My next tattoo will be: A daisy. Right under the word Amo over my heart.
You're stuck in an endless line at the DMV, and Patrick is squirming. When you reach into your backpack, you realize there's only one book, which you'll be reading on repeat. You're thankful it's not one of Daisy's, but which title do you hope is there— Goodnight Moon, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Go Dog Go, or The Monster at the End of this Book? 📘 I would never be caught at the DMV without a backpack full of toys, books and snacks for my boy. But I’ll play along and choose Go Dog Go. Colors, rhyming, counting, up and down concepts … it’s got everything.
Mutt pulls some epic strings and gets a celebrity drummer to perform alongside you at the next Choosy Beggar gig. Who is it
—Ringo Starr, Tommy Lee, or Dave Grohl? 🥁 I hate to miss out on Tommy Lee and the chance to play the Dr. Feelgood drum part … it’s iconic, but I’d probably pick Dave Grohl, just so I could ask him about his time in Nirvana. I’d avoid the topic of Foo Fighters and just keep asking about what it was like to write with Kurt Cobain.
Daisy is wearing her Lick Me tee and holding a pint of ice-cream🍨 in her right hand and a container of cupcake frosting 🧁 in her left. Your choice, which one are you tasting off her? Sounds sticky. Do you have any idea how hard it is to clean up melted ice cream? And frosting is pure sugar and fat. No thank you. All I need is pure Daisy.
A big thanks to Charisse for making Shae available! 💜
I'm so delighted to be included on this amazing blog with so many incredible titles and talented authors. Seeing my cover, reading such a generous review and ... yes, I'm the weirdo who read the interview with my own lead character more than once ... I am Snoopy dancing. Thank you, thank you Riley. Devoting your time, energy and effort to supporting emerging authors ... I just can't say enough. You are the best of the best.
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