Three and Four - The Nashville Series - Book One

I am addicted to this series!! This is the best one I have read in a long time. I have laughed with them, cried with them and really felt like I understood exactly what they were going through!!! Keep it up!! Going to get Part 5 now!!!

Loved this story from the first page to the last! Fell in love with Holden, CeCe and Thomas! Stayed up super late every night because I couldn't stop reading. I was sad when it was over and I'm hoping that she isn't finished with these characters in the book because I'd love to know what happens next:))

Synopsis:

Part One - Ready to Reach
Ever thought a dream might pass you by?

Nineteen-year old CeCe Mackenzie is determined to make her dreams come true. She heads for Nashville with not much more to her name than a guitar, a Walker Hound named Hank Junior and an old car she'd inherited from her grandma called Gertrude. But when Gertrude ends up on the side of I-40 in flames, Nashville has never seemed farther away. Help arrives in the form of two Georgia football players headed for the Nashville dream as well. When Holden Ashford and Thomas Franklin stop to offer CeCe and Hank Junior a ride, fate may just give a nod to serendipity and meant to be. Because while CeCe is chasing after her dream, she might find love as well.

Part Two - Hammer and a Song
CeCe McKenzie grew up dreaming of a life doing what she loves - singing in Nashville. When she and her Hound dog Hank Junior set out to make her dream come true, life takes some twists she hadn't counted on. Like falling for Holden Ashford, a songwriter with a gift. And also a girlfriend. Can a country music star's hunky son help her forget about Holden? Or is that even possible when her heart insists on writing the song?

Part Three - What We Feel
Hunky musicians Holden Ashford and Thomas Franklin rescue Nashville bound CeCe MacKenzie and her Walker Hound Hank Junior from the side of the road when her car catches on fire. A less determined girl might have let her dreams go up in smoke as well, but not CeCe. She’s been singing all her life, and she just wants a chance to do the thing she loves in a place where music is part of the fabric of life. As it turns out, Holden and Thomas want the same thing, and it isn’t long before they’re all chasing after the dream together.

Falling in love hasn’t figured in to CeCe’s plans, but the moment she sets eyes on Holden, her heart is asking why not? Holden is drawn to her as well, but he already has someone in his life, Sarah who still lives in Atlanta, Sarah who loves him. Who he thought he loved back until CeCe makes him realize he hadn’t really known that love could turn him inside out.

But an unexpected visit from Sarah brings to light a terrible truth and Holden is faced with a choice between doing the right thing or permanently defining himself as a guy he never thought he would be.

It is only in letting each other go that both Holden and CeCe will come to understand that in life and love, the part that’s real is what we feel.

Part Four - Pleasure in the Rain
Just as Barefoot Outlook begins to hit the big time, tragedy strikes when a rage-filled Nashville musician who hasn’t found the success he’s hoped for crashes an after-concert party and begins shooting. Among the victims are band members CeCe MacKenzie, Holden Ashford, Thomas Franklin, Beck Phillips and his country music star dad, Case.

With each of them gravely injured, one will not survive, forever changing the lives of everyone involved. Will one man’s hatred and contempt demolish all of their dreams, or will they eventually reach a place where they can even take pleasure in the rain?

Review:
CeCe MacKenzie heads to Nashville to follow her lifelong dream to become a famous singer. She loads her ancient car with her walker hound Hank Jr, guitar, and a few personal belongings and heads south. CeCe is close to her destination when her car stars acting up and catches on fire. She's quick to grab her dog and guitar but loses everything else when the fire spreads and her car explodes.
Thomas and Holden are traveling to Nashville with the same dream when they stop to help CeCe. Thomas is all for helping the damsel in distress but Holden wants to leave her there.
They end up becoming friends and moving in together while going after their dreams.
This series is a must read. Inglath Cooper pulls you into the lives of her characters and makes you feel as though everything is actually happening to you. When tragedy strikes I felt as if it was happening to me.
Packed full with Action, romance, unconditional friendship and music you don't want to miss out.

4.5*. Really liked the beginning of the story. The attraction between two of the main characters is well done. A bit of humor, almost sexiness and the start to a country music novel I would love to read. I can feel the hotness just around the corner.
The only problem for me is that each section is around 130 pages long and sells for $2.99 and there are lots of parts to come. Each one at $3 a pop. Just too rich for me on Social Security limited income. I need to wait for a sale or move on.
Oh well. The new way to sell books. Bits and pieces.

Slow and so detailed over things that could be summarized. Glad I used kindle unlimited...wanted to like a Nashville story. Depressing themes of death and cancer of heroes not like the cover seemed. Will not continue the series after the boxed set;too expensive and hate those that do not stand alone on their own merit.Try to support new writers but this one just does not make the grade for me.

AWESOME!!!! This is one of my all time favorite box sets. I gave the box set an overall 5 star rating because I couldn't give each part a 5 star rating!!!

Book 1

Thomas and Holden are driving down I40 towards Nashville TN when they spot a car on fire and a girl and her dog walking away from car. CeCe is running away from the car with her Walker Hound Hank Junior when Thomas and Holden see her. Thomas and Holden stop to help her call 911 and get the fire trucks to the scene to put out the car. CeCe has nothing but the clothes on her back and her Hank Junior. Thomas offers CeCe a ride to Nashville and Holden really doesn't want to offer her a ride but says ok.

Holden and CeCe realize they have feelings for one another when Thomas loses Hank Junior and the Animal Control people have him. While they are sitting in the parking lot of Animal Control CeCe and Holden kiss. It is a kiss to end all kisses!!! When the Animal Control officer comes in he lets them get Hank Junior but it is against the rules because the main office is not open yet. CeCe spots Hank Junior and he is with Patsy a beagle. Holden then adopts Patsy and they are on their way home. When they get back to the apartment Sara Holden's girlfriend is there.

Tornado comes through while they are playing at a local bar and all four of them have to go into the basement. Once the tornado has passed Thomas, Holden, Sara and CeCe go to check on the dogs at the apartment. While on their way back Holden notices a car with its passenger slumped over the wheel, it is his and CeCe's boss Lauren. Lauren is diabetic, which they found out by calling Case Phillips her boyfriend. Holden and CeCe take Lauren to the hospital while Thomas and Sara go back to check on Hank Junior and Patsy.

Case Phillips wants to put a band together. He offers the opportunity to CeCe and Holden , which they say they need to talk to Thomas. But they will be there the next day with the rest of the band. They make a demo the next day with Sara, Thomas, Holden and CeCe. Nothing happens with that demo till 19 months later.

Sara leaves Nashville to go back to Atlanta because she has Cancer. She doesn't tell Holden this. Holden finds a piece of paper with Sara's name on it that Hank Junior has chewed on. He has a decision to make and it is a hard one. So he goes back to Atlanta to take care of Sara. Leaving CeCe with a broken heart. But Beck is there to pick up the pieces.

Book 2

Thomas and CeCe have been playing gigs all over Nashville while holding down full time jobs. After a show one night a manager for a major country music star wants to have whoever wrote one of the songs they played that night to let the country singer record it on his next CD. Thomas tells him Holden wrote the song and he will contact him to see if he will let the country singer record his song that he wrote.

Thomas calls Holden in Atlanta and tells him the good news but Holden doesn't see it as good news. He sees it as he gave up his dream he wont go back to Nashville. He doesn't care if the country singer records it or not. He and Sara talk and Sara basically tells Holden she met someone new and that it is over between the two of them. So Holden books the next flight to Nashville and surprises Thomas and CeCe.

Holden is on his way to meet with the country singer when he asks the driver to go and pick up his friend Thomas. Driver says no problem. They pick up Thomas and head to the country singers house to meet him. The country singer and Holden talk and they make a deal for the country singer to record the song on his up coming CD. Thomas and Holden are invited to listen in on the making of the CD the next day.

Holden is a strong person but he cant stand the jealousy he feels about CeCe with Beck. You see CeCe and Beck have been dating for a year. Becks father Case offers Barefoot Outbacks (the name of the band) to go on tour with him and his band since his opening act is being fired due to drug use. Thomas, CeCe and Beck all agree, but they also offer Holden a place to come back into the band. Holden accepts and agrees not to pursue CeCe. CeCe, Thomas and Beck are all excited about the tour. They have 3 weeks to get their act together. Make it look like they have played together all their lives.

Book3

The tour has started with Thomas, CeCe, Beck and Holden all doing very well. CeCe and Holden try to let the feelings go but they are still there. One night after a show a creepy guy gives CeCe the wrong vibes and Case's bodyguards have to escort him off the property. CeCe is freaked out so she goes back to her dressing room and Holden follows. Once in the room Holden kisses CeCe and things start to heat up between them. They don't notice that Beck has walked into the room, while CeCe is telling Holden she doesn't want to hurt Beck that they cant do anymore. She has moved on

The night before the tour is over Case Phillips throws a party. At the party the creepy guy is there. CeCe notices him. Holden and she go to tell Case but Case calls CeCe, Thomas, Beck and Holden to the front of the party. While thanking everyone Case thanks Barefoot Outbacks for coming on the tour. Thomas says if he has the chance ever pay it forward he will do the same thing Case has done for them. Creepy guy says they can start with him because it has been 8 yrs and he hadn't been discovered yet. He pulls a gun and shoots Thomas, CeCe, Case, Beck and Holden. Before cops can get to creepy guy he turns the gun on himself and dies.

CeCe is the first to get out of the hospital. She only got out because she is going back to Nashville to go to Becks funeral. Thomas and Holden are still in ICU with Holden in a coma. Case is a mess at his sons funeral as is CeCe. CeCe is feeling guilty because she broke up with Beck to give her and Holden a chance. Beck just goes off the grid. Mira, CeCe's mother is a rock of support for everyone including Case Phillips who lost his son.

Book 4

CeCe is feeling lost and guilty. She works and does demos just to have something to do. Holden and Thomas are worried about her. They talk to her but it is no good. She blames herself for not telling anyone about creepy guy.

The label asks them to do interviews about that night at the party. They don't want to do it but they have to because it is in their contract. Weeks go by. The label is being understanding but essentially tells them they have to do the interviews plus record a CD.

None of them want to do any of this. But decides to do it anyway so they wont have a lawsuit on their hands from the label.

A year to the day they have a release party for their CD. Holden proposes to CeCe. She says yes and they go back to the party to celebrate with friends and people they don't know.

I wont ruin the ending for you but you need to go out and buy this box set!!!!! Pick a couple extra ones up for friends and family you wont be sorry you did!!!! So worth the money!!!

I loved this set! There are sections I will be sharing with my fellow reading friends because the words hit such a chord in my heart. The characters, CeDe, Golden, Thomas, and Beck are all well written and thought out with each displaying a passion for the music the play and the relationships they build. I could not put the series down and decided i needed to complete the entire ten segment series.

I started with book one and read it in about 3 hours and then I had to get book 2, I couldn't put these books down, they are so good, I kept reading needing to know more about cece, Holden, and Thomas and what was happening in their lives, this is a series you must read if you like country music, Nashville, TN, with a little love and drama thrown into the mix, and it even gets better with some tragic things in book 3 and 4.

Would love to read the series and don't mind paying for good books but figure out the price $6.99 to start with then 5 more in the series at $2.99 so $21.94 plus tax for 120-130 pages per book is a little bit to high for me sorry won't be reading her books....

This series was so unpleasant to read, but I'm a completionist and try not to abandon a book unless it's unbearable.

NO ONE in this series, however, is human. The dialogue is stilted and unrealistic, the mood swings are annoying, everyone is either too "perfect" or completely vapid, and the constant crying!! How they all didn't drown in the oceans of their own tears is beyond me. It's constant heartbreak and drama and bad choices and I have never met a straight man that asks ANY woman "How is your heart?" unless he's inquiring about her physical health.

This is almost disneyesque in it's "follow your dreams" type message, and despite the mess, the love triangles are always solved FAR too easily. This is almost at the level of YA fiction except for the graphic erotic scenes. Simply not a good story.