Have you ever read a book that you enjoyed at the time, but also knew that you'd forget about it in a few days? That's where I'm at with this one. Reiss' skilled writing keeps this from being a lackluster read, but it's not her best work. I did love this tone from her though; it's different from her usual - lighter and a slower burn with less focus on the steam. That definitely worked for me, and I'd love to see more in this style. There's all sorts of potential in the storyline - I was entertained from start to finish - but nothing that made me invested in seeing this couple find their happy ever after. It could've benefited from a hero who felt like he cared just a bit more.

The story follows Kayla, a woman making a cross-country move. She's leaving her old life behind and gets a new phone number, but that comes with its own set of complications. When Kayla starts receiving calls for someone else, she meets Justin. He's a musician with a bad reputation, and Justin needs Kayla to pass along his messages. As these two get to know each other better, Kayla sees behind the public persona to the guy behind the image. While Justin may come off as entitled and aloof, there's something about Kayla that keeps him interested. But there's a reason Kayla left her old life behind, and it may not stay in the past.

I think there's a lot of good here, as well as a few things that could've been developed further. Dealing with some heavy subjects (including drug use, adultery, and the Me Too movement), there was the potential to have this be a powerful read. While those topics are explored to a certain point, the book remains mostly light and easy. I did love the slower burn and light tone, which was unexpected from the author but not unwelcome. However, Justin's personality makes it difficult to understand how he's feeling most of the time, so I sometimes thought he didn't have a lot invested in the relationship. That's probably the biggest issue here; there was nothing major that irritated me about the plot, but not all that much that made me care deeply either. I liked it, but I definitely didn't love it. I received an ARC via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review of this Hollywood romance.

CD Reiss just has this knack, no matter what she writes, where she can draw me into her story. LEAD ME BACK is another that held me captivated from the first page. It is the story of a bad boy rockstar and the woman who enters his life, albeit accidently, and gives him a new perspective. This is a slow-burn romance that will warm your heart.

Justin Beckett is the bad boy of rock ... a man whose recent actions have caused the split up of his band ... but was everything as it appeared? Now, thanks to his manager and others, Justin must maintain a squeaky clean image. Kayla Montgomery is a garment designer, escaping an incident in New York to start over in L.A. Kayla's purchase of a new phone and number leads to a very interesting cute meet with Justin. Knowing that Kayla is his only link to his old band, Justin decides to keep her around and finds a job for her working on the set of his movie. From here everything changes for both of them.

As the story progresses, a friendship develops between the two, which becomes more of a slow-burn romance with both yearning for more. Both Justin and Kayla need to resolve incidents from the past before they can move ahead. Kayla is willing to help Justin, but when it comes to what Kayla wants to do to help herself Justin is not completely on board. Kayla realises that being loyal to Justin doesn't exactly mean he will be loyal to her. Can Justin redeem himself in Kayla's eyes before he loses her?

I really enjoyed Justin and Kayla's story. It was a lot of fun with a bit of seriousness to balance it out. Their banter was hilarious at times, and I just loved the way in which Kayla made him work for her trust ... she never gave into him easily. He really was a bit of a douche at the beginning, but as the story progressed his character deepened, I ended up really loving the guy. Kayla was just a spitfire from the start, she knew what she wanted and went out and got it.

Another great read from CD Reiss

Read and Reviewed for Reading Is Our Satisfaction

FOUR AND HALF STARS

4.5 stars

I absolutely fell in love with this book. The story was one that I knew I was going to enjoy from the first chapter. This is a story that isn't plain sailing. Although the connection between the lead characters is very prominent from the first meeting. They denied it to themselves for a long time. Until they couldn't.

Justin and Kayla both have demons that they are running from. And a lot of those demons are other people's problems, lies, and actions that create what occurs throughout this story. Justin is the typical bad boy, one that it's easy to blame for everything. But Kayla takes a lot of heat for something that's disgusting that was done to her. They both are great and heartwarming characters under the armor that they both wear.

Although this is a beautiful romance, it has really bad undercurrents, drugs, booze, scandal, and sexual assault/harassment. All of which are there but aren't described in detail but they need to be there in respect of the story.

This book is a huge recommendation from me. I have read a few of this authors' books and I absolutely love her style of writing and she always brings a beautiful love story that makes your heart happy in the end.

New York City and Hollywood cross paths, one grew up and worked in the fashion industry while the other was in a boy band, turned actor. What happens when their paths cross by receiving a call to the right/wrong number?

Christine Reiss has a way with words, her voice is clear, concise, and competent writer that has been in the business of creating scripts and stories and her knowledge of Hollywood brings about authenticity in her novels.

4 Stars for this rockstar romance!

I really liked the characters in this book ... even all the supporting characters were good. I just thought that Kayla gave in way to easily ... all Justin had to do was say jump and she asked how high. Even though Justin was an arrogant player, I couldn't help but like him because he was trying to do the right thing ... he was just really bad at it. I loved Justin's grandmother Louise ... what a character!

Kayla ran away to LA from her life in New York and she hoped that it wouldn't follow her. So when she gets a new phone in LA and gets a call from Louise and Louise asks "Justin" to bring her flowers for Ned, Kayla decides to buy the flowers and take them to Louise because she has no idea who Justin is and where to find him. But when she drops the flowers off at Louise's she never thought in a million years that Justin was The Justin Beckett .. the rockstar actor. Justin is in a bind ... and he needs Kayla to answer his calls on his old number because his manager is trying to control him from getting out of hand ... again. But Justin is waiting to hear from his ex-bandmates and they only know is old number. It doesn't take long for Justin and Kayla to realize that there is a spark between them that they both want to explore it.

I sure hope that there is going to be more books because there are lots of characters that are just waiting for their stories to be told ... the other guys in the bank and Kayla's friend Evelyn.

I received an early copy courtesy of Montake Romance through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

This is about Kayla, who is trying to make a new living, away from her past. She wants to be free of what had happened in New York. The moment she arrive in LA, she met Justin who offered her to be a buffer and take any calls from his ex-band members. He's trying to clean up his act and he needed to stay away from them after what happened a few months back, because his reputation was dragged through the mud. They both need a do over and a brand new clean image. Could they do it together or will Justin have to let Kayla go?

This was a fun story to read, I enjoyed it. And Louise really stole the show. Her antics are just so funny, and she made me think she really killed her boyfriend.

Kayla has moved to LA to escape from a bad situation in New York, and she meets Justin Beckett her first day there. He's the lead singer of a boy band, most recently famous for a very bad night at a hotel that basically broke up the band, and his style is referred to as "douchecore." Both of them have family drama and current work issues. I really liked some of the other characters in the book (friends, his grandma, her dad and sister), but I just wasn't totally drawn into the relationship between Justin and Kayla. The pacing seemed off, and she seemed much more concerned about what sort of impact her baggage would have on him than on being thrust into the spotlight if she were with him.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love when C.D. Reiss writes Hollywood stories. The glitz and glamour, the scandals and gossip. It's so fun to read about. This time around we meet a young up and coming designer who is running from her past who through a twist of fate ends up in the middle of Justin Beckett's world. The hot young boy band-er who is building quite a reputation for attracting trouble.

Kayla had just the right amount of tough exterior with a gooey soft center. She took no crap off of Justin, who is almost too much to handle. He's gotten himself into a ton of trouble recently, breaking up his band, going solo and breaking into movies. His handlers are trying to keep him under control, but Justin does what Justin wants. Even though he comes across as douchey and arrogant, underneath that rebel exterior, his heart is truly in the right place and he's struggling hard to figure out how to make amends and make everyone happy.

I loved the dynamic between Kayla and Justin, how she never cut him any slack and how he showed her his true self. As usual, C.D. brings us a story full of lyrical prose and she tells a story that is very relevant right now in our society. Not gonna lie, I am not a Justin Beiber fan. Never have been, never will be. But the Justin in this story grew on me and I loved him and Kayla together.

This was a fun story to read, even with the heavy undertones of certain topics. I loved several of the secondary characters, particularly Kayla's dad and a couple of her coworkers. I wouldn't mind seeing more of this cast of characters in future books!

Another Amazing Story from CD Reiss! Elizabeth @ Carolina Chic’s Read

Kayla Montgomery is down in her luck at the moment. Having left New York City for Los Angeles she is must start over. Thinking her past is behind her this tender hearted girl becomes an unintentional assistant to a star; Justin Beckett.

The series of events and attraction to this man lead her a life she could love and her heart wants him for her own. Kayla’s past is coming back to haunt her and she must choose to hide from it or use it to make things right.

I loved this book! It was written beautifully and kept me hooked the entire way through it.

5 Stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

After Only Ever You, I was very happy to receive another arc from CD Reiss. CD Reiss creates an interesting story about two opposites, who both struggle with their pasts. As unlikely as it seems, Kayla and Justin are slowly opening up to each other. But coming from different worlds, they have different issues.
Can they overcome their differences? And what will happen, when Kayla's past is creeping up on them? Will their tentative relationship withstand the storms?
A sugary sweet, funny read. Loved all the turns and events and I especially adored Justin's grandmother. She is a hoot! Four out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

It isn’t often that I get to the end of a book and then want to read it all over again because I loved it. I so want to read it again.

The way CD Reiss writes just hits my buttons. She writes so matter of factly:
this is what happened
this is how they looked
this is what they said

It’s like she’s recounting actual events to me and then she’ll throw in a random observation about a billboard or an item of clothing and I’m there hanging on her every word.

Justin Bieber doesn’t do it for me but Justin Beckett, totally does. I love how the fact that his life exploding didn’t him stop in his tracks. Sunset Boys break up, easy go get an acting job. Stay cool. Stay classy. Don’t stop loving and being faithful to your friends.

Kayla Montgomery is the same. New York turns against you; go to LA and live in your grandpa’s abandoned movie theatre. Use your sewing skills, get a new job.

The way the two meet through a random wrong number and the amazing side character of Louise aka Weeze is perfect happenstance. Weeze is hilarious. I wish she was my grandma.

Lead Me Back is a funny, sweet, easy breezy read with great characters and film worthy scenery. Now to go find some character inspiration and listen to Sunset Sons, who are an actual band and one of my favourites.

Lead Me back was another fun C.D. Reiss story that held my attention from beginning to end. This story was full of swoons and delicious banter. Kayla and Justin were sexy and engaging and I loved this compelling celebrity romance.

While I love Reiss' usual serious and often times uber alpha stories, Lead Me Back was unique in it's own way. Justin was not like her usual alpha male heroes but he was no less addicting as a young celebrity. I also loved his banter with Kayla as their connection felt genuine. She was very real and gave as good as she got. Overall, this was a sweet and sexy read. 4 stars! ~Ratula

I’ve read quite a few books from this author, and really enjoyed them all, each on of them full of suspense, character depth and great storyline, so when I got the chance to read this new release I jumped at the chance. I love a good Rockstar story, but this one just fell completely flat for me, in fact I didn’t even finish it, which is rare for me. Started off okay, Justin is a rockstar who has been involved in an “incident” and has fallen from grace in the public eye, but he’s trying to get back his “brand” by entering the acting scene. Kayla is just moving to the LA area from New York under suspicious reasons, changes her phone number so she can start fresh and ends up with a number that used to belong to a person whose grandmother (Louise) calls her not realizing her grandson has changed his number. Confused yet? I honestly stuck with this story longer than I should, I kept waiting for it to get better but it sadly didn’t. Three stars is being extremely generous, but the premise of the book was okay. Just got tired of the non chemistry between these two characters. Didn’t care for his handlers at all, and her dads situation didn’t make sense at all. Overall, not worth the read,

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book.

CD Reiss did it again, Lead me back is a sexy, fun and emotional story, and the banter between Kayla and Justin is everything.

Justin is a sexy Hollywood star who is trying to leave all of his troubles behind. Kayla is a brave girl who has been running from New York, a misunderstanding makes them known and it was so much fun, I laughed out loud at their first meeting. I loved the characters and how their relationship developed. I swooned so hard!

This is a captivating romance that will hook you from beginning to end!

A gripping read!!

This book has suspense and romance. What else could you ask for to keep you hooked until you finish? Justin and Kayla's story will do that to you. I enjoyed it from beginning to end. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

3.5 STARS

C.D. Reiss is one of my top favourite romance authors and Lead Me Back is a light contemporary romance from her. Though this story had the moments of brilliance that made me C.D. Reiss fan, overall I failed to connect with the story.

Kayla has come to LA to escape her old life as designer assistant in New York. And on the first day, she is facing a whole lot of problems. She was provided with boyband superstar Justin Beckett's old phone number from the store. As her new number. After series of wrong calls and miscommunication, Justin helps her to get a job in the set of the movie he is working. He is rebuilding his damaged image after his band broke up and he is not supposed to stay in touch with his past. But they are his family and so he needs Kayla's help. This thing is going to get complicated.


I couldn't connect with the characters. I loved Kayla for her sassy and hard attitude but within the relationship, she came across as finicky. I feel the pain from her past but i don't get her present decisions. And I was so excited about Justine! Bad boy rockstars with broken heart could have been pure gold coming from C.D. Reiss ( like it has before). But he was a superficial character. He is funny, impulsive and reckless. The author tried to give him a balance of bad and good. But somewhere down the line, he wasn't someone who could hold my attention. I didn't feel their chemistry. I felt they spent almost no time together and they were saying I love you's. I missed the heartaching emotions and intense passion that I get from CD Reiss. The writing was smart ( sometimes too smart) and the details were impeccable.


I wouldn't recommend this book if you are new to C.D. Reiss. But if you love Hollywood romance or rockstar romance, this one is worth giving a try.


Received ARC from Netgalley for honest review.

Contact PassionFlix because I have your next hit movie. Lead Me Back read like the perfect summer romcom. Adorable, quirky female who gets the old cell phone number of a former boy band singer turned movie star. On paper they were magic, on cinema they would be gold!

Justin Beckett is trying to rebrand his image after a falling out with his former bandmates. A horrible misunderstanding that of course the media blew out of proportion which only drew a deeper wedge between him and his lifelong friends and colleges. So part of cleaning up his image was giving up his old cellphone number which then ended up in the hands of one Kayla Montgomery, a new resident to California.

Kayla was running from her old life in NY and that meant giving up her old phone. She wasn't expecting a call right away after leaving the phone store, considering no one had her new number, but when a seemingly confused older woman asked her to bring flowers for her date later, Kayla didn't exactly have anything else to do so she showed up with said flowers on Justin Beckett's grandmother's doorstep. 

Their meet-cute wasn't exactly cute or intentionally a meeting. He was rude and actually asked her to be his call girl...well not in the sexual relationship sense. He wanted her to take messages if anyone called for him. As much as she tried to tell him no, he just didn't understand that word. Soon Kayla found herself immersed in his world and she wasn't sure what to think about it.

Their back and forth is hilarious fun, they both need it more than they know, especially while navigating through their sticky life situations. Lead Me Back is a page-turning summer good-time read.

Okay first of all, I liked how these two didn't bs and hide their feelings. It wasn't always easy but it was honest. Justin is unlike most romance heroes I read (every time he said the word "Nah" I laughed). But I totally got a picture in my mind of him, and when I read the Afterword, I found I was on the right track. This poor guy is trying to dig out of a hole in his career and in the media with a fresh start, but they cut him off from everyone and it's not like his new interest, Kayla, is drama free.

Kayla ran from New York to Cali, trying for her own fresh start. She's got sass and class, is hardworking, and genuine. I love her dad and sister, oh and now I mention it, I totally love Justin's crazy grandma too. But dating for these two isn't like for you and me. Their careers and pasts can complicate everything.

One more thing, the very very end cracked me up. Oh and this cover is awesomesauce.

I'm usually a huge CD Reiss fan, but this one didn't wow me like her others. I liked Kayla’s character but not Justin’s. He just seemed like a douche through most of the book and I didn't feel their connection until almost the end (emotional or physical). Also, some parts of the story were a little difficult to follow because conversations went in different directions or were choppy.

I did like Louise (Justin’s grandmother) and Kayla’s dad. They were great supporting characters. The storyline was also really unique and I always enjoy seeing mentions of characters from other books (Bodyguard, Bombshell, Shuttergirl/Starcrossed).

This one was just ok. I'd still recommend if you're looking for something fairly light to read.

It all started when she changed her phone number, one more way to cut ties with her previous life. What she didn’t plan on was answering her new phone (and getting a ticket for talking on her phone while driving) and getting caught in the web of Justin Beckett. Yes, that Justin Beckett, wealthy and arrogant rock star. Kayla Montgomery was moving to Los Angeles to be near her sister, Talia. Somehow, she ended up with Justin’s old phone number and he is willing to pay her to take his phone messages. She rebuffs him time and time again, but Justin doesn’t give up. Finding out that you can’t really outrun your past, will she finally succumb to Justin’s charm? I didn’t really care for Justin’s character (reminded me of Justin Bieber) and felt Kayla deserved better. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)