Everyone expects her to succeed...
Karen plays the cello like an angel, and it’s the only thing that makes her truly feel alive. But her father’s dream—for her to join a prestigious orchestra—leaves no time in her life for anything but music...not even love. Trapped on her path, she doesn’t know how to rebel.
Everyone expects him to fail...
Connor plays rock guitar like the devil himself, and his ability has got him all the way from a dead-end life in Belfast to a scholarship at Fenbrook Academy. But beneath his arrogance and charm, he doesn’t believe he has what it takes. He’s spent his time in New York drinking and partying, and the only future he sees is a return to Ireland as soon as he flunks out.
But what no one expects...
When Karen’s duet partner is injured, the bad boy guitarist and the shy, sheltered cellist are forced to team up. Neither likes the idea, but what begins as anger and distrust slowly spirals into love...and lust. If they can face up to their feelings, they might just have a chance together. If Connor will allow Karen to stop his fall, maybe he can show her a life she never thought possible...
Karen plays the cello like an angel, and it’s the only thing that makes her truly feel alive. But her father’s dream—for her to join a prestigious orchestra—leaves no time in her life for anything but music...not even love. Trapped on her path, she doesn’t know how to rebel.
Everyone expects him to fail...
Connor plays rock guitar like the devil himself, and his ability has got him all the way from a dead-end life in Belfast to a scholarship at Fenbrook Academy. But beneath his arrogance and charm, he doesn’t believe he has what it takes. He’s spent his time in New York drinking and partying, and the only future he sees is a return to Ireland as soon as he flunks out.
But what no one expects...
When Karen’s duet partner is injured, the bad boy guitarist and the shy, sheltered cellist are forced to team up. Neither likes the idea, but what begins as anger and distrust slowly spirals into love...and lust. If they can face up to their feelings, they might just have a chance together. If Connor will allow Karen to stop his fall, maybe he can show her a life she never thought possible...
*Squee* Another blog stop review! Before I begin, if you click on over to the News page, there's an awesome excerpt (of my choosing) AND a giveaway! If you've been following my blog or me on social media sites, you'll be aware I have been geeking out over Miss. Newbury big time. I actually think I have another girl crush, I love when I meet new authors to obsess over!
Gosh where do I even begin? I loved Dance For Me, and couldn't wait to get started on Karen's story. I fell in love with all my favorite characters all over again, and met some gorgeous new ones. In Harmony was so much more, I can't really describe the 'more' but holy skittles was it amazing! I formed a love/hate relationship with Karen, one some level I could relate to her with the controlled life and shizz. But the scenes where she needed to stand up and be a good friend, well those were scenes I felt like strangling her. Don't get me wrong there was a lot of depth to her character, I understood her passion for music and how her Cello was really an extension of her. The sheltered and controlled life making her insecure and afraid, therefore clouding her judgement big time. 60% in I though I was going to cause some serious bodily harm, I took a break and when I returned things started looking up. Helena shed a whole new light on the meaning of friendship, love and music. My favorite kind of books are the ones with lessons, and damn but Helena doesn't disappoint.
Gosh where do I even begin? I loved Dance For Me, and couldn't wait to get started on Karen's story. I fell in love with all my favorite characters all over again, and met some gorgeous new ones. In Harmony was so much more, I can't really describe the 'more' but holy skittles was it amazing! I formed a love/hate relationship with Karen, one some level I could relate to her with the controlled life and shizz. But the scenes where she needed to stand up and be a good friend, well those were scenes I felt like strangling her. Don't get me wrong there was a lot of depth to her character, I understood her passion for music and how her Cello was really an extension of her. The sheltered and controlled life making her insecure and afraid, therefore clouding her judgement big time. 60% in I though I was going to cause some serious bodily harm, I took a break and when I returned things started looking up. Helena shed a whole new light on the meaning of friendship, love and music. My favorite kind of books are the ones with lessons, and damn but Helena doesn't disappoint.
A decision had been made in my life, many years ago now. So long ago that I didn’t know exactly when it was made, or even who’d made it: me, or my father. I honestly had trouble remembering a time before it.
“I don’t care!” I told him. “I don’t care that we can’t graduate, I don’t care if we have no money. I want to live in a two-bit apartment with you, with walls so thin—”
“We can hear the neighbors fucking?” said Connor.
“Hell no. They can listen to us!”
I was completely enamored with Connor. It felt like he was an onion, and Helena was gradually peeling back the layers. I know onion sounds very unattractive, but trust me minions Connor Locke is very alluring. At times it felt like Karen's judgment was my own, but I know better than anyone appearances can be deceptive, so when she would begin her monologue on what a playboy Connor was I wanted to stuff a sock in her mouth. Her opinions kept getting in the way, but as the story progresses and Karen begins to listen you find yourself completely infatuated with Connor. I found him to be incredibly patient with Karen, and his character was just so charming, cute and appealing it was hard to resist. I felt bad for him, when things began to unravel. How hard it must have been for him, how no one really knew him or how this whole time he's felt unworthy and as insecure as all the other students. I admired him for stepping up though, I think others would have just told Karen no and walked away.
His relationship with Karen was one of blossoming friendship, becoming an incredible romance that captures your absolute attention. I felt like they fit together perfectly, balancing each other out. Much like they're music, I guess it represented two things which shouldn't really gel together finding a means of harmonizing. It was sweet, cute, fiery and so hot it was scorching! Definitely a lot more graphic than from what we see in Dance For Me, but that just made it all the more titillating. My absolute favorite scene was the dream, holy skittles it was divine I think that was a stroke of genius, giving that extra touch.
His relationship with Karen was one of blossoming friendship, becoming an incredible romance that captures your absolute attention. I felt like they fit together perfectly, balancing each other out. Much like they're music, I guess it represented two things which shouldn't really gel together finding a means of harmonizing. It was sweet, cute, fiery and so hot it was scorching! Definitely a lot more graphic than from what we see in Dance For Me, but that just made it all the more titillating. My absolute favorite scene was the dream, holy skittles it was divine I think that was a stroke of genius, giving that extra touch.
“Sir!” I gasped as his lips found my heaving bosom, “I am not that sort of woman! You mistake me for Lady Natasha, or Lady Clarissa, or Jasmine, the town harlot!”
Just as in Dance For Me, Helena gives a tremendous amount of detail into the world of music. Every move, every note and every key illustrated so beautifully you find yourself understanding music in a completely different light. In those scenes where they rehearse you find yourself in awe, picturing everything in your head as she makes it so vividly clear. Her writing style is definitely unique, there's a bewitching undercurrent to her words. I dare you to read it and not fall in love.
I was lucky: I had my music.” He sipped his coffee and looked at me. “And I have you.”
Connor kissed me again. “That’s not very rock n’ roll.”
“You could use a little taming, Connor Locke.”
“Oh.” He leaned even closer. “You going to be the one to tame me?”
*Swoon*
As I mentioned we see the whole gang, there's more Natasha and Darrell, Clarissa and Neil and Jasmine. It was interesting to see how their relationships were going from another's eyes, and I was beyond shocked with Jamsine's character. Damn is there a hell lot more going on there. She needs her own book, and I need that book. Please let it be with the sexy officer Kowalski, pwetty pwease with a chewwy on top! If you've read my review for Dance For Me, you'll know I mentioned there was no HEA, rather Natasha and Darrell working together to get to their deserved HEA, and in In Harmony we see although together they're still struggling. Everything is not suddenly hunky dory 'cause they're in love, the same goes for Neil and Clarissa, like any real relationship it's all about hard work and Helena depicts that excellently.
Now where this book fell short for me was Karen's decisions, no matter how hard I tried I couldn't wrap my head around her staying silent. How she would rather watch her friends walk down a path which is going to lead to a road of hurt, rather than speak up and be the friend they trust her to be. Like I said I understood some of her thought process, but any good friend would speak their mind when their friends could potentially end up hurting themselves, no advice is ever 100% accurate or foolproof but for your friends you take that risk. The fact she wouldn't just made me want to bitch slap her to be honest. Furthermore her relationship with Connor, although incredibly hot and sweet, was lacking that something extra. Maybe it's the fact we don't get his POV, which I'm not going to lie about really disappointed me, or how slow their relationship seemed to progress. It was like they took one step forward and two steps back, and their communication skills could have been a lot better. Karen was also a little too naive for my liking, I mean you could just smell the bitch on Ruth and yet Karen opted for being nice.
So my rating minions? 4 mind-blowing stars. Despite the slow build up to their romance, and my issues with Karen the story itself was remarkable, and when she finally woke up and took a stand I actually got up to happy dance. Long after I'd put it down, I was still smiling. This book had me swooning, cheering, cracking up with laughter, screaming in frustration and gave me warm fuzzies. And Helena is an author you want to take notice of, the woman's juts brilliant in my opinion. I definitely recommend and trust me you will not be disappointed, it has an uptight heroine and one delectable bad boy...who's IRISH! I kept imagining his accent while reading, and I actually keep saying his name in said accent. Try it...Connor...Con..nor...*swoon*.
Now where this book fell short for me was Karen's decisions, no matter how hard I tried I couldn't wrap my head around her staying silent. How she would rather watch her friends walk down a path which is going to lead to a road of hurt, rather than speak up and be the friend they trust her to be. Like I said I understood some of her thought process, but any good friend would speak their mind when their friends could potentially end up hurting themselves, no advice is ever 100% accurate or foolproof but for your friends you take that risk. The fact she wouldn't just made me want to bitch slap her to be honest. Furthermore her relationship with Connor, although incredibly hot and sweet, was lacking that something extra. Maybe it's the fact we don't get his POV, which I'm not going to lie about really disappointed me, or how slow their relationship seemed to progress. It was like they took one step forward and two steps back, and their communication skills could have been a lot better. Karen was also a little too naive for my liking, I mean you could just smell the bitch on Ruth and yet Karen opted for being nice.
So my rating minions? 4 mind-blowing stars. Despite the slow build up to their romance, and my issues with Karen the story itself was remarkable, and when she finally woke up and took a stand I actually got up to happy dance. Long after I'd put it down, I was still smiling. This book had me swooning, cheering, cracking up with laughter, screaming in frustration and gave me warm fuzzies. And Helena is an author you want to take notice of, the woman's juts brilliant in my opinion. I definitely recommend and trust me you will not be disappointed, it has an uptight heroine and one delectable bad boy...who's IRISH! I kept imagining his accent while reading, and I actually keep saying his name in said accent. Try it...Connor...Con..nor...*swoon*.
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