Warning: This book includes mature content such as: sexual content, and/or drug and/or alcohol use, and/or violence.
Tempting Tempo by Michelle Mankin Series: Tempest #5
on 13 October 2016
Pages: 336
He sees her in a way she could never see herself. She has never felt more beautiful than when she was in his arms.
Sager Reed, the strong and silent bassist of the rock band Tempest, is well acquainted with loss. The thoughtful artist’s own tattoos only hint at his turbulent youth. He buries his guilt about it deeply within his troubled heart.
Melinda T. Belle, the daughter of a dysfunctional rock legend, as a rule avoids emotional entanglement. In fact, she has turned her back on nearly everyone and everything she has ever known. Now she is alone, trying desperately to find fulfillment in the one dream she has left, competitive skiing.
Can Sager overcome his dark past and finally believe that he is worthy of her love?
Will Melinda realize too late that he is the one that really matters?
Tempting Tempo is a strong, fast-paced story in which Mel needs to reassess her choices, while Sager has to stand strong in the face of adversity.
I’m a huge fan of The Tempest series, and I have to say that Sager and Mel’s story just might be my favorite! It deals with some very important subject matters, some that are dear to my heart, and important to talk about. Body image and eating disorders – even when it comes to elite sports people, can be a big problem. And not being able to reign in a diet and have things escalate can happen much faster than most of us on the outside can ever understand. Add in a sexy rocker, and the story takes on so much depth and so many facets I don’t even know where to start in my praise!
The character development is nothing short of amazing, and I loved that the rest of the band members and their significant others were present for parts of Tempting Tempo. The interactions between the guys are always great, and I loved how Mankin managed to include several very touching scenes during the composing of Tempest’s next album. I wish there was a real album for me to buy, I wouldn’t be averse to listening to War’s gritty voice and the lyrics that were shared here.
Tempting Tempo also showed the aftermath of Mel’s choices in Relentless Rhythm, and friendships, loyalty and forgiveness were big themes as well. Mel, especially, showed a lot of character growth, as she was used to running away from her problems rather than facing them head on. Sager was part of why she felt the need to face things, while at the same time she was so afraid to fully invest her heart in case he’d break it. The tenderness between the two of them was just as captivating as the hotness, and I loved how much Sager helped Mel rebuild her self confidence and inner strength.
Heartache was present aplenty as well, both for Mel, for Sager and even for Timmons who finally opened up a little and let the readers and one of the characters get to know her better. I keep my fingers crossed for her book in the future, as I look at the record label and its two main rock groups as my friends by now. If you’re not familiar with Black Cat Records or The Tempest series, but enjoy gritty New Adult stories where important themes are tackled just as well as the romance, you just have to pick it up! Written in dual perspectives, with chapters from Mel’s and from Sager’s point of view, in first person past tense, you will feel as if you are experiencing all their joys and sorrows – I know I did!
My losses were piling up like a season finale body count on The Walking Dead.
The rosary beads tacked above the door frames, the family photos, many including me, the statues of saints scattered in positions of prominence, the earth tones with the vibrant splashes of red and green and the love and affection that bound everything together.
I knew his reputation. I had been so eager to discover what all the fuss was about until he had introduced me to Sager. Dizzy might have been tempting, but Sager Reed was the real danger. Dizzy I had only wanted to conquer. Sager I had wanted to keep.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
About Linda @ (un)Conventional Bookworms
Linda is an English as foreign language teacher and has a Master's degree in English Language and Literature. She's an avid reader, blogger, compulsive one-clicker and a genre omnivore. Ever since she learnt how to read she has been seen with a book or two in her hands everywhere she goes.
I’m so, so happy you loved Mel and Sager as much as I did, Lexxie! They were such incredible characters, I loved seeing the dynamics between Sager and King, and seeing my other favorite characters as well. Even Mary! I also adored that Michelle took on such an important social topic – one that’s important to me as well. 🙂 I’m really looking forward to the world meeting Sager and Mel!
Happy Wednesday, wifey! I hope you have a wonderful day! <3 *BIG HUGS* <3
I agree, all the interactions were turned up a notch in Tempting Tempo, and I loved the theme as well. And you’re right, Mary needs more page time 😀 {{{BIG HUGS}}}
Wow! I’ve seen good reviews for this series. This one sounds like it really hits hard.
It’s awesome, and yes, it does pack a good punch, Sophia!
It’s great that after 5 books, it’s still good like that. I don’t think I knew about this one but I’ll have to keep the first one in mind now!
Oh you should, Melliane! I think they’re on sale this week, too 😉
Twitter: BerlsS
I need to push up reading Michelle’s books! Now that I’ve met her and love her, I feel so guilty for not having ready any of her books. And reading yours and Brandee’s reviews of her books are enough to convince me without knowing how awesome of a person she is! Which series would you read first?
I think I’d start with Black Cat Records… as there are tie-ins with Tempest 🙂 And you are going to love all of these characters and their stories, Berls!!
And I’m the same way as you, when I meet authors and I love spending time with them, I want to read their books, too. But I’m also kind of afraid I might not love their books as much as I love them…
Ooh a sexy rocker? I do really like books that deal with music, and focus on tough topics like dieting/eating disorders. Glad to see you liked this so much.
I know, right? What is it about musicians that make them so irresistible? Sager is made of awesome, and I love that there is more than the romance with all of Mankin’s stories 🙂
that is awesome that you are enjoying this so much. I always love when the authors address and are not afraid to tackle such difficult and/or sensitive subjects. Character development is always my favorite part in books <3
This series is awesome, and the fact that more difficult subjects are a part of it just makes it even better in my opinion 🙂
Twitter: kimbacaffeinate
I love when a series is still rockin’ my world well into the fifth book. Again, a new to me author but I love that it tackles difficult subjects . Awesome review Lexxie 🙂
Yeah, when a series just keeps getting better, I’m definitely a very happy reader! And you should try one of Mankin’s books, she always includes an issue that is important in the real world and lets her character(s) deal with it…