Guest Post & Book Review - Beau North

Today I’m excited to share an exclusive guest post written by author Beau North as part of her blog tour celebrating her new novel Modern Love. Scroll on to read the author’s guest post and my review of her new novel!

Guest Post By Beau North – Modern Love Blog Tour

He smiled crookedly and asked, “So, what is it with you and David Bowie?”

“My mom,” I said with a shaking breath.

Modern Love

There is a moment near the end of Modern Love where the main character, Allie, learns that David Bowie has passed away. The news is met with complete devastation, uncontrollable and heart-rending sobs. She wonders why she’d react that way over someone she’s never met, a celebrity. I’ll admit—this was Author’s Voice at work here—me dealing with my own feelings through writing.

David Bowie’s music was a soundtrack to my childhood, along with Prince, Queen, Talking Heads, REM, U2, and The Clash. Every Sunday my dad would make an enormous breakfast but not before cranking up Suffragette City loud enough to rouse me and my brother. I might have been the only kid in Mrs. Adams’ second grade classroom that knew the words to Changes. The association to childhood memories, the good ones and even the not-so-good ones, are right there, hidden under the soft buzz of radio static.

One day almost ten years ago exactly, I got a call from my mom telling me that Duke Medical had found a suitable organ match for my dad, who’d been just recently pushed to the top of the waiting list for a liver transplant. I was living in Minnesota at the time, where Modern Love is set. A few hours later, I was on a flight to North Carolina, my mp3 player cycling through the songs from those bacon-and-waffle Sunday mornings. I wanted to reclaim those hours, reach into the past and bring them forward again, afraid that there wouldn’t be another chance to be startled awake by the sounds of David Bowie crooning about eyes of blue and green.

I’m one of the lucky ones. Or, at least, Dad is the lucky one. He made it through the long operation and ten years later is still going strong, but I’ll never forget those fraught hours on the flight, listening to every song he loved.

So, when I heard the news that Bowie had passed away, a few days after his birthday (which was a few days after my own birthday), it all came back to me in a flash. The initial shock of disbelief and the sick, tilting feeling of the ground dropping out beneath my feet. My feelings for my father were so tightly wound around the artists I associate with him that it felt so close, so personal. The loss of someone who, while I’d never met him, touched my life regardless.

In this case, art imitates life. Allie mourns for David Bowie because I mourned David Bowie. His music touched my life in so many ways, from those Sunday mornings to that distraught flight home. I was nervous about publishing such a personal story, but then I wondered what he’d do. He’d do what was brave, and he’d do it in style.

Modern Love playlist link: https://open.spotify.com/user/lauronist/playlist/2oRBueYh4nE5yejBkELG7P

~~~

My Review

Modern Love was an interesting story about marching to the beat of your own drum. This is the story of Will and Allie and the idea that in many instances timing plays a large role in whether or not a relationship will work. There are multiple dynamics that factor into that but for some, timing can make or break a relationship.

I enjoyed reading from both Allie and Will’s perspectives. This novel has great examples of what modern relationships can look like and it’s always reassuring to see that relationships aren’t perfect, but that people generally make it work and find what works for them and their life. There was an important theme laced throughout the story that you shouldn’t judge people based on superficial appearances like cars and money, but rather you should consider people based on the content of their character, their actions, and their words. Sometimes people will surprise you and the people that you thought would never mesh well make for the best relationships.

I must warn that there are a few somewhat blush-worthy scenes, so steer clear if those make you uncomfortable. Some of those scenes have a bi-sexual element in regards to Allie’s character, so if that makes you uncomfortable steer clear. Addiction is a serious topic that’s addressed in this novel and I thought it was done so in an interesting way. If any of those situations are bothersome to you, I wouldn’t recommend this novel. If you’re okay with these topics, I would recommend this to you if you enjoy reading modern women’s fiction.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

I received an ARC from the author via the CLP Blog Tours. My reviews 100% reflect my honest opinion.

About the Book

Title: Modern Love

Author: Beau North

Published: July 11, 2017

Book Blurb:

“Love at first sight wasn’t meant for millennials,” thinks Alice Aberdeen: art student, recovering addict, David Bowie enthusiast. Alice is among the recently dumped and only wants to keep her nose to the grindstone until she finishes her degree. Her sister has other ideas and sets her up with new-in-town Will Murphy–tall, dark, and aloof. To say it wasn’t an instant attraction is an understatement: He finds her abrasive, with her sharp tongue and don’t-screw-with-me attitude. She thinks he’s excessively reserved, too damn serious. But the more time Alice spends with Will, the more their slow burn begins to thaw her heart. A man of two worlds, half-Irish, half-Indian, Will feels at home with Alice. He soon realizes her tough shell is hiding extensive scar tissue–from her addiction and recovery to her spectacularly bad ex-girlfriend to the loss of her mother. Modern Love isn’t a story about love at first sight but learning to love yourself before being able to see the one you love.

Book Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads

About the Author – Beau North

Beau North is a native southerner who now calls Portland, Oregon home with her husband and two cats. She attended the University of South Carolina where she began a lifelong obsession with English Literature. In her spare time, Beau is the brains behind Rhymes With Nerdy, an internet collective focused on pop culture.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram