Practice Makes Perfect.
Everyone at Hundred Oaks High knows that career mentoring day is a joke. So when Maya Henry said she wanted to be a rock star, she never imagined she’d get to shadow *the* Jesse Scott, Nashville’s teen idol.
But spending the day with Jesse is far from a dream come true. He’s as gorgeous as his music, but seeing all that he’s accomplished is just a reminder of everything Maya’s lost: her trust, her boyfriend, their band, and any chance to play the music she craves. Not to mention that Jesse’s pushy and opinionated. He made it on his own, and he thinks Maya’s playing back up to other people’s dreams. Does she have what it takes to follow her heart—and go solo?
Author: Miranda Kenneally (Website, Twitter)
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Buy online: Amazon
**The ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**
(Actual) Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Jesse's Girl starts the story when Maya Henry was introduced to Jesse Scott by her principal, Dr Salters. Now, Jesse Scott is not just any ordinary artist. He has a wide audience that everyone, mostly teenage girls, go crazy fangirl on him and his music. Maya's school requires seniors to "shadow" a professional for a day - a career that they want to explore and experience living their dreams and learning something out of it.
Maya is a character that impressed me most of the time. Sensible, patient and she's basically full of surprises. I could relate how she feels towards guys who doesn't reciprocate the feeling she wanted from them. Also, I feel the connection with her as she describes and understands her family as loving and supportive - a healthy environment in her family. Even on the verge of giving up her dreams and losing people in the process, she pressed on to do what it takes to achieve her goals.
The mere mention of choir in the plot has me missing the good old days with my choir in school. I have to agree with Jesse and Holly (Jesse's vocal coach) about singing from the diaphragm not chest. It's the truth! The effort of getting used to singing from the diaphragm is not easily obtain. I enjoyed this part of the book very much! Very sweet of Jesse towards Maya when they spent his day off roaming around as if there's no tomorrow. I didn't think he was testing the waters to see who Maya really is, at that point. He was already captured by how amazing Maya is. I guess sometimes it's not about who that person you're sharing time with but how the person affects you that makes you feel something more and special.
The moment I saw Sam and Jordan's names in the book, I had to pause for a while and recall who were these two. All of a sudden, I burst out laughing at their funny remarks to each other and remembered, Catching Jordan, of course! That's what I find really cute about the book as well as when Jesse and Maya flirt including their inside jokes. Very straightforward and pretty honest between them.
The ending tells me the great passion in music that burns within Jesse and Maya. Their thoughtful actions has got younger musicians inspired and look up to them as role models. I silently wish more celebrities of today would do more than just getting famous and making money. However, that would be unlikely and wishful thinking.
I just couldn't help myself enjoy the freedom of reading a feel-good and fast-paced book! I was at it in just one day, glued all day reading it. I've always been drawn to Miranda Keneally's Hundred Oaks series since the beginning and I know I can't miss reading any of them including Jesse's Girl! In short, Jesse's Girl is an adorable story and predictable, in my opinion. Truly, the book has got some flaws but the development of Maya and Jesse's as friends to beyond friends is just sweet and fascinating. Satisfying, well-written and easy to catch the mood of the characters.
All thanks to Sourcebooks Fire and the author for providing an advance review copy for me to read and review 'Jesse's Girl'!
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