AnnaLund2011

Such a different take from the Con Riley we’ve all gotten used to—this story is sidestepping and dancing and singing and I was simply waiting for the bomb to drop.

But there was no melancholy or sadness; there is just life after losing a friend and finding a love.

These boys danced into my heart, and will stay there for a long time. The friendship between contestants is uplifting in this dog eats dog world, and two grown men helping and befriending a 16-year-old girl made me giddy with happiness.

Riley is adding more diverse figures in this story, with a backdrop of London, Cornwall, and Afghanistan. Soldiers, mothers, mansions, and project housing, all in one huge swirl of her paintbrush.

I loved this. I loved the fandom aspect (that not everybody will get, but that’s okay), I loved that Ed (-ward) got whiplash, and I loved the nod to the boy bands out there. I loved that the bad-guys don’t always win, and that smarts can still out-maneuver them.

Yeah. I loved this.

Uplifting seems to be my go-to-word when it comes to Riley’s books. Here it is again.

5 uplifting and shiny stars

***

I was given a free pre-edit copy of this book by the author, and a positive review wasn’t promised in return.