Single Sundays: While this blog may be focused on reviewing book series as a whole, we can’t forget about the good ole’ standalone novel! On Sundays, I will review a novel that is considered to be a standalone novel. Here is this week’s offering:
Synopsis for A Righteous Man (from Goodreads):
Salinger Dolan.
You know his name.
You’ve seen his face.
You’ve spent money on the endless amount of useless crap he endorses.
Of course, you’ve heard the stories.
You know the ones…The one that claimed he was hard to work with and totally unprofessional on set.
The one where he got caught doing drugs on the set of the most popular, family-friendly show in America.The one where he ruined the reputation—and career—of America’s sweetheart.
There’s more truth to those stories than his fans want to believe because Salinger is the kind of thoughtless, careless, dangerous Hollywood bad boy the paparazzi and fame-hungry starlets can’t get enough of.
Eventually, the shine of his flashy lifestyle started to fade, and Salinger realized the only thing he’s famous for nowadays is his bad behavior and well-documented struggle with addiction.
The former golden boy is beyond tarnished, and the only person who can help him get his glow back is the one woman who wants absolutely nothing to do with him.Maren Copeland.
You might recall her name.
It’s possible you vaguely remember her face.
You’re probably wondering where she went. After all, you’ve heard the stories…The one where she exposed Salinger Dolan’s drug use all those years ago.
The one that said she tried to ruin his career because she was envious of his popularity.
The one about how she went from being everyone’s favorite to a pariah overnight.
Maren Copeland is now known as the comeback queen. After years of hard work and purposely avoiding entanglements with problematic heartthrobs like her first co-star, she’s on track to revitalize her career and rearrange her priorities after a very messy and very public divorce.
For the first time in both her professional and personal life, she’s the one calling all the shots.
Unfortunately, the path to get her where she wants to be leads directly to none other than Salinger Dolan.
He’s the one and the only person she swore she would never work with again.
Once upon a time, he cost her everything. He’s back to make amends and promised to give her anything she wants if she’ll just give him a chance to prove he’s grown up.
She doesn’t trust him.
She knows she’d be a fool to believe he’s changed.
After all, what are the odds that a spoiled, entitled brat like Salinger Dolan could become a righteous man?
SERIESous’ Top Picks: Must Read Author
Author: Jay Crownover
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Heat Rating: Toasty
Point of View: First Person, Alternating
Publication Date: December 27, 2020
Source & Format: Public Library–Audiobook
Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:
I stumbled upon this standalone book when I was reading Jay’s Forever Marked Series. I didn’t even realize she had released a standalone novel! I’ve only really read her series, which are usually standalones in the same world, so I was curious to see what this new book that seemed to be completely unrelated to her other works would be like.
The Plot:
This is a second chance romance about two people learning to let the past go and see what the future has in store. It had a good balance between the plot and the romance for me. I would have liked to have a little more from the plot though; there was just something missing for me to take it to that next level.
The Characters:
I really loved the personal growth of these two characters. While we don’t see everything that has happened since they last saw each other, you can see how that time has impacted the people they are now. I thought they were both really strong, well developed characters.
The Romance:
These two had great chemistry! I feel like their past was handled appropriately in the present in order to prove they could have a future. It’s a little odd to say it is a second chance romance when their past wasn’t really romantic at all. But I kinda liked the idea that things happen when they happen. It added this extra element to their relationship.
My Audiobook Experience:
I really enjoyed the audiobook. I think it did a great job of bringing these characters to life and it definitely enhanced my connection to them.
My Rating: 3.5/5
This is a solid standalone that I think contemporary romance readers will love. And I wouldn’t mind a spin-off with two particular characters…
Read if You Like: age-gap romance, second chance romance
Avoid if You: dislike romance
- One More Time by Laurelin Paige
- Rebel Heir by Vi Keeland (Rush Duet #1)
I’m not a big fan of second-chance romances but this sounds lovely! And the fact that the chemistry between the MCs is amazing makes me want to read it😍
It was a very character driven story which I appreciated. It’s a borderline second chance romance; maybe it’s better to say a “second chance at learning to love”? I hope you enjoy it if you do pick it up!