Review: Nashville Boxed Set (Parts 1-4) by Inglath Cooper

Nashville Boxed Set (Parts 1-4) by Inglath Cooper
Series: Nashville,
Published by Fence Free Entertainment on 2014-05-06
Length: 451 pages
Reviewing eBook from My Book Shelf
Rating:

Part One - Ready to Reach
Ever thought a dream might pass you by?

Nineteen-year old CeCe Mackenzie is determined to make her dreams come true. She heads for Nashville with not much more to her name than a guitar, a Walker Hound named Hank Junior and an old car she'd inherited from her grandma called Gertrude. But when Gertrude ends up on the side of I-40 in flames, Nashville has never seemed farther away. Help arrives in the form of two Georgia football players headed for the Nashville dream as well. When Holden Ashford and Thomas Franklin stop to offer CeCe and Hank Junior a ride, fate may just give a nod to serendipity and meant to be. Because while CeCe is chasing after her dream, she might find love as well.

Part Two - Hammer and a Song
CeCe McKenzie grew up dreaming of a life doing what she loves - singing in Nashville. When she and her Hound dog Hank Junior set out to make her dream come true, life takes some twists she hadn't counted on. Like falling for Holden Ashford, a songwriter with a gift. And also a girlfriend. Can a country music star's hunky son help her forget about Holden? Or is that even possible when her heart insists on writing the song?

Part Three - What We Feel
Hunky musicians Holden Ashford and Thomas Franklin rescue Nashville bound CeCe MacKenzie and her Walker Hound Hank Junior from the side of the road when her car catches on fire. A less determined girl might have let her dreams go up in smoke as well, but not CeCe. She’s been singing all her life, and she just wants a chance to do the thing she loves in a place where music is part of the fabric of life. As it turns out, Holden and Thomas want the same thing, and it isn’t long before they’re all chasing after the dream together.

Falling in love hasn’t figured in to CeCe’s plans, but the moment she sets eyes on Holden, her heart is asking why not? Holden is drawn to her as well, but he already has someone in his life, Sarah who still lives in Atlanta, Sarah who loves him. Who he thought he loved back until CeCe makes him realize he hadn’t really known that love could turn him inside out.

But an unexpected visit from Sarah brings to light a terrible truth and Holden is faced with a choice between doing the right thing or permanently defining himself as a guy he never thought he would be.

It is only in letting each other go that both Holden and CeCe will come to understand that in life and love, the part that’s real is what we feel.

Part Four - Pleasure in the Rain
Just as Barefoot Outlook begins to hit the big time, tragedy strikes when a rage-filled Nashville musician who hasn’t found the success he’s hoped for crashes an after-concert party and begins shooting. Among the victims are band members CeCe MacKenzie, Holden Ashford, Thomas Franklin, Beck Phillips and his country music star dad, Case.

With each of them gravely injured, one will not survive, forever changing the lives of everyone involved. Will one man’s hatred and contempt demolish all of their dreams, or will they eventually reach a place where they can even take pleasure in the rain?

Nashville by Inglath Cooper is a serial series about a young woman who heads to Music City to make her dreams come true. Along the way she meets two men with the same dream and together they make a great team!

So I’ve had part one of this serial series sitting on my Kindle for well over a year and when I came across the boxed set for free* I couldn’t pass it up. And let me tell you I’m SO glad I didn’t! The first four parts of Nashville focus on CeCe, Holden and Thomas as they set out to make their dreams of being country music stars come true. And of course a little romance on the side 😉

*I bought my version on Amazon. It is currently (as of writing this review on 8/24/15) free on Amazon Kindle, Kobo, and iTunes. I DO NOT know how long this promotion will last so as always be sure to check before you buy!

CeCe is fresh out of high school with big plans and even bigger dreams, but the good news for her is that she has the look and sound to make those dreams come to life. The bad news, everything works against her. First her car along with all her possessions burn on the side of I40. Then she has to deal with two guys from Georgia with the same dream and talent as herself. And one of the guys is a total butt to her from the get go. I like CeCe. She’s a bit naive, but hey she’s only 18. I couldn’t imagine living the life she does at that age.

Holden is the handsome, aforementioned butt. He has his own reasons though. He and his best friend Thomas finally decide to go to Nashville permanently, which means he leaves his girlfriend (or ex?) behind. He’s upset then Thomas has to go and pick up the stray girl on the side of the highway. Holden is talented at what he does – playing guitar and writing songs – and he knows it. BUT what makes him likable is the fact he doesn’t flaunt it. AND then there’s his big heart. Despite his nonchalant, brusque attitude towards CeCe, he’s kind, caring, and very rarely puts his own needs first.

The plot of the first four parts of this serial series really revolves around Holden and CeCe, even alternating chapters between their POV. This just enhances the story for me! It’s a story about falling in love but also what it takes to follow your heart, follow your dreams. There are subtle Christian influences throughout the story so perfectly interwoven with the characters’ lives that as a reader you don’t question it and if you aren’t looking you may not even notice it. It’s uplifting and encouraging. Plus who doesn’t love a story about the underdogs?!

Overall, if you can’t tell, I enjoyed the book! It can easily be read alone without continuing the serial series (BUT WHY would you want to do that?!) as it tells Holden and CeCe’s story in completion. The next parts go on to tell Thomas’s story which I’m excited to read 😀 One of the draws to this story for me was reading about a city in my own state. I love Nashville! And it was neat to read about places I’ve been in real life because I could easily imagine it and how it affected the characters. And BONUS it’s a clean read with very little curse words or romantic entanglements 😉 If you enjoy new adult, contemporary romance, or you’re looking for a light-hearted read, this is it!

Final Conclusion:

Related Posts