Sandy M’s review of The Breakup Tour by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka
Contemporary Romance published by Berkley 24 Jan 24
When I read the blurb for this book now, I’m not sure why I decided I wanted to read it. I’m usually not one to go for musician/touring stories, but something hit me somehow and I ended up with it. This is also my first book by Emily Wibberely, and sorry to say, I didn’t notice there’s a second author involved – so obviously my first book by him too. I have discovered the authors are a couple, having met and fell in love in high school. They did their own thing during college, then married, and now are writing books together. So it’s a good guess this book comes from a place of romance and love.
And I wish that’s enough to have made me warm up to Riley, our heroine. To a point I understand her reluctance when it comes to Max, but not when it comes to her future. Maybe that’s the age difference between young adults and the older me.
Riley and Max were young and in love, had the same dream and were on the same path – until they weren’t. Riley wasn’t about to lose her dream when Max decides he has to stay home to take over the family retirement home when his parents decide to step down. Riley continues with their plans and eventually hits the big time. Now she’s written an entire album about her breakups over the ten years since she last saw Max. Her ex, who is a famous movie star, is causing problems when it comes to her No.1 hit, so she heads back to her hometown.
Max has been happy with his life, ten years of family, including those retired members whom he plays piano for nearly every night. Then suddenly things are thrown for a loop when Riley shows up, needing his help. Max is her inspiration for the song her ex is high jacking in the news, so she’s asking Max to go public with her to get the truth to the masses. Needing money to fix up the home, to stave off closing it down, he agrees only if he can go on tour with her. Maybe he will find some of those long-ago dreams after all.
I enjoyed the premise of this story. I like the look into the camaraderie on the buses, songwriting, and the balance of real life and fandom for stars. What I have a hard time with is Riley. While she hasn’t totally given in to fame – most of the time she has a good head on her shoulders – but there are areas where she’s just a youngster without enough guidance, especially when it does come to her failed relationships – enough to fill an entire album with songs about those failures. She also can’t give up the fame – even when she realizes near the end of the tour she still loves Max. He still isn’t enough for her to slow down.
Max is the high point, the spotlight, if you will, in this book for me. He’s grown over those ten years, accepted responsibility, and knows himself quite well. He doesn’t need constant adulation to keep going. He knows when to step down, what’s important in life. Yes, dreams matter, but there’s a lot more to life down the road. So I’m happy he’s known both worlds. He’s a much more rounded character than Riley, by a long shot. I sure wish she’d been the one to do the growing up and groveling, so to speak.
All in all, I still enjoyed the story, loved Max, and may try another book by this duo in the future.
Grade: B
Summary:
Riley Wynn went from a promising singer-songwriter to a superstar overnight, thanks to her breakup song concept album and its unforgettable lead single. When Riley’s ex-husband claims the hit song is about him, she does something she hasn’t in ten years and calls Max Harcourt, her college boyfriend and the real inspiration for the song of the summer.
Max hasn’t spoken to Riley since their relationship ended. He’s content with managing the retirement home his family owns, but it’s not the life filled with music he dreamed of. When Riley asks him to go public as her songwriting muse, he agrees on one condition: he’ll join her band on tour.
As they perform across the country, Max and Riley start to realize that while they hit some wrong notes in the past, their future could hold incredible things.And their rekindled relationship will either last forever or go down in flames.
No excerpt available.
