Lowdown And Lush by Selena Laurence

Mike Owens is the devil. Sexy, snarky, and as lowdown as they come, he's one of the world's greatest guitarists and one of Portland's most notorious bad boys.

Jenny Turner is an angel. A preacher's daughter, she's a good girl with a great voice and a dream to hit it big in country music.

When these two opposites meet, the attraction is undeniable, but something's stopping the bad boy from pursuing what he desires most. Can this angel handle the truth behind her devil? Or will his secrets be too Lowdown and Lush?


I have been forever intrigued as to how Mike's story would go about. Although it was pretty clear from the many obvious teasers in the previous book of this series that Mike was going to be with Jenny, I was pretty excited at how their story would progress.

As soon as I finished reading this book, I realized that the previous book is still my most favorite book in the series...yet. (Because hello! Walsh.) The story here wasn't as gripping as the first two books in the series but nevertheless told in classic SL awesomeness. It was beautiful in its simplicity.

My take-aways from this book? The complexity of the family unit. SL was able to weave a romance that incorporated beautifully the family stories of both protagonists in a trope that remained romantic. I just melted at the way Mike took care of his father. And I loved reading at how Jenny slowly mended her relationship with her own father who disapproved of her becoming a musician. And there was the family that was the Lush band. Even if they had already disbanded, broken up, they still managed to get together and remained friends. This despite a difficult history that they had learned to live with and continue to improve from. Weaker characters would have crumbled but this lot aced it...and we are not even done with the series yet!

I am so, so, soooooo ready for the next book! I'm gonna be an ugly mess waiting for it. Ugh.


Final verdict: 9/10. Great read.


Lush series reviews:
A Lush Betrayal
For The Love Of A Lush

For The Love Of A Lush by Selena Laurence

Six months ago, Walsh Clark was the drummer of America’s hottest rock sensation, Lush. Now he’s living at the Double A Ranch in north Texas, home to cows, cowboys, and lushes—like him. He’s survived alcoholism, rehab, and the breakup of his band. But the one thing Walsh might not survive is the return of his ex fiancée Tammy DiLorenzo. 

Tammy and Walsh met at fourteen, and she was with him on every step to fame and fortune—until one fateful night when she betrayed him. Now she’s back, begging for forgiveness and ready to fight for her man. But some betrayals are too painful to forget, some mistakes can’t be repaired, and Walsh is certain that he and Tammy can’t ever be together again. 

But DiLorenzo women don’t back down, and Tammy always gets what she wants. In the wake of the lies and losses, she’s prepared to do whatever it takes for a second chance. She’ll give it all—for the love of a lush.


When I fell in love with this series, I knew it included getting down with the dirtier side of all that was shiny and pretty in this series. When I finished reading the first book, I did not expect how I would react to this second one because my shallow self had started to form my own biases.

I am thankful though for the dual POV because I thought it was more than important that we know the two sides of this story equally. Tammy and her conscious decision to do what she did to betray her fiance; Walsh and his coming to terms with the bigger picture, of his indirect role in Tammy's betrayal.  But most importantly, how does one take responsibility of her actions? Or better himself after years and years of self-destruction?

Infidelity isn't my favourite book conflict but sadly, that was what got thrown into the mix in this series. More like its pivotal moment, really. For me, it will be very hard to fix a relationship after it happens, if at all. And yet somehow, it became slightly easier to read as I realized how Tammy dealt with it--the initial guilt and then eventually owning up to the deed and being responsible for her actions. She had to give her all to show how much her actions in the past had changed her, how much she wanted to keep Walsh in her life. This was a painful but necessary part to the story.

And there was Walsh, the wronged party. Who wouldn't understand his pain? But after all the fingers had been pointed to two other people, it was still easy to arrive at the conclusion that yes, he did a play a part in the turn of events, no matter how indirectly. And he was the bigger man for not just wanting to fix the immediate concern but by trying to heal himself to the core from an addiction that was his downfall. It was a lengthy, painful process but the end result? It was well worth the effort.

If infidelity leaves a bad taste on your mouth, period, then this isn't the book for you. But if people trying to better themselves after the lowest of lows and to triumph over a painful past, if forgiveness of one's self, and deciding that keeping the people you love is more important than keeping the hurt they have caused you, This. Is. Your. Book. Trust me.

Get this, read this. You will not regret it. Also, the next book is just around the corner. Ohhh, be still my heart.


Final verdict: 12/10. Great, what-are-you-still-doing-reading-this-review, must-read.


Lush series reviews:
A Lush Betrayal

A Lush Betrayal by Selena Laurence

Joss Jamison has it all. He's the lead singer for the world's hottest rock band, Lush. He's wealthy, sexy, talented...and miserable. Twelve months ago, Joss lost his finely honed control and made a mistake he can't undo. A mistake that could end up costing him his best friend, his band, and maybe his heart.

Mel DiLorenzo has it all. She's been hired to document the world tour of her sister's fiance's rock band. She's gorgeous, talented, loved...and sick of being the little sister. When she agrees to the summer job, Mel has no idea she's walking into a minefield of friendships lost and hearts destroyed. She also has no idea what it means to be the object of Joss Jamison's affections.

One hot rock star plus one life-altering mistake, add a dash of sexy younger sister and a handful of broken hearts, and you've got a recipe for fire. Life on the road can be hot, but for the boys of Lush, it's about to get a whole hell of a lot hotter.


I wasn't really planning on starting with a new rockstar series because I still have one that needed to be finished. But what the heck, I couldn't say no to this book anymore. Rockstars are my weakness, what can I say?

Reading the blurb, I knew what to expect already and if I hadn't, I would have stopped reading as soon as I learned what the heck was going on. I am and I will never be a fan of cheating but my curiousity got the better of me. I was glad that I gave in and read this though.

(Disclaimer: There is a prequel novella to this book but as it tells the story of when Joss and Tammy did their 'big mistake,' I have opted not to read it. I just want to put the incident in the past. It's difficult enough reading about it in reference.)

Joss may have fancied himself in love with Tammy but I still found it hard to understand why they did what they did to betray to Walsh. But there wasn't time time to judge them as it was clear that what happened was an accident, that circumstances pushed them to do it. That fact that both of them were genuinely guilty made it easier for me to take in Joss and Mel's eventual relationship.

It was a relief to read about Joss moving on with Mel. Although at the back of my head, I hated it that he was getting a HEA while Tammy was still struggling with her guilt. And when the truth finally came out into the open...boom! The characters were a mess. I was a mess. A rockstar romance was making me cry, damn it! But the best thing about the blowout was that in the aftermath, Tammy and Mel remained to be great sisters. And Joss was able to reconnect with his father. The blowout was really a catalyst of many things.

This was a surprising great read about family, love, loyalty, forgiveness, and redemption while in the backlash of betrayal. This book is not for those looking for a light romance read. Expect yourself to start asking yourself what you really value most.


Final verdict: 9/10. Great, must read.