Review: Going Deep

Prepare to be swept off your feet #bookreview Cady makes this story #mustread @annecalhoun

Going Deep by Anne Calhoun
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Prepare to be swept off your feet. Ms. Calhoun hits a home run for me in the latest book in her Alpha Ops series. This book can be read as a standalone. For a better feel of this world, reading the previous books in this series is recommended. This book features Cady Ward a rock star coming home for the holidays.

Lest a reader think that Conn McCormick is the character who will sweep us off our feet, let me correct this assumption immediately. It is Cady Ward aka Maud who charms and entices. Cady could be a snotty nosed rock star who deigns to talk to the little people from her hometown. Some believe her to be an overnight sensation. They would be wrong. Cady put in her time and learned from her experiences singing on street corners and at dive bars. She worked hard to achieve her success. Better yet, she never forgot her roots. She is grounded and a genuinely nice person. I really liked and admired Cady. She is the reason I enjoyed this book so much.

Cady personifies a person who does the right thing. Even in the face of betrayals from loved ones and those she believed to be friends, she still gives them chance to explain. She does not cut people off at the smallest slight. She gives people a chance to repair their relationship. She shares her perspective through a powerful medium… her lyrics and her music. Her highs and lows are all captured and used for others to connect with her. Who wouldn't like her?

Conn is the character in this book who needs to be saved. He is not exactly the damsel in distress but it is clear that he is the one who needs love most. Whilst this romance may feature an alpha male, he is not the white knight saving a damsel in distress. He does solve several mysteries for Cady, but it is Cady who brings him out of darkness and saves him from a life of loneliness. It isn't so much the love of a good woman to "fix" a man trope. It is more the confidence, belief and trust which Cady generously gives which helps to heal Conn. My heart weeps for Conn. His isolation and constant rejection pulls on the heart string of most romance readers. My heart was not exempt from his plight. Ms. Calhoun does a lovely job of creating lovable characters who enchant a reader and invites them into an exciting journey. This contemporary romance is recommended to readers who enjoy a bit of suspense, a strong female lead and a happily ever after.

*provided by NetGalley