Snapshot (The Jamieson Collection #2)

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Music

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Synopsis:

Marti Hunter hates rockers and anything remotely related to the rock-and-roll lifestyle. She thought she’d left that all behind, along with her drug-addicted mother and absent-minded rock legend father. Now she lives with her grandmother, and Marti’s life is finally normal. Just the way she likes it.

For Adam Jamieson, normal is not possible. He is the genius guitar player of the band Jamieson. He’s ecstatic to finally get a two-week break from his micromanaged life and a chance to hang with regular teens. Adam’s shaving off his trademark curls and going undercover.

But when Marti, the reluctant rock princess, and Adam, the undercover guitar wizard, meet, sparks fly in more ways than one. They spend their time alternating between making out and driving each other crazy. But their summer adventures of skinny dipping, storm watching, and stolen kisses are brought to a halt when tragedy strikes.

Suddenly, they’re on opposite sides of the country, just when they need each other the most. Can Marti survive life with her dad and his vicious girlfriend? Will Adam get so fed up with his over-managed life and controlling parents that he quits the band?

Snapshot. A moment in time that changes two people forever.

Who didn't dream of having a father to be a rock star celebrity? Well, Marti Hunter never needed to dream about it because her father is Steven Hunter, a former rock star that acts and lives like one. Parties, booze, drugs and rock n' roll is everything Steven Hunter knows about life, such is the rock live that he named all his kids after famous alcoholic drinks. 

After failing in the parenthood department, Steven Hunter lets her daughter, Martini Hunter leave his house to live with her grandmother in Wisconsin. Because, if Steven Hunter is a mess at parenting, her mom's even worse. So, Marti only has her sweet grandmother to rely on.

However, this summer is different, because with a scholarship to help Marti's grandmother pay the Gallagher Institute Arts Camp, Marti's finally got the chance to go to a summer camp where she'd be able to study the hobby she likes the most: photography.

Adam Jamieson is seeking for a way to life a normal life. He thinks if he shaves is adorable curls, the ones that drive his fans crazy, and goes as AJ to a photography camp nobody would notice that he is really the teen rock star and lead guitarist of the Jamieson band Adam Jamieson.

And when Adam's and Marti's world collide, sparks fly. They are instantly drown to each other and between bonfires and secret night welcoming parties to the camp, they kiss.

There's just one problem. Marti hates rock stars, because of her father, and Adam's one of them. And when Marti finds out who he really is, their world is turned upside down. She is determined to not like this gorgerous and funny boy who clearly is into her. But as much as Marti tries to push Adam away, Adam returns stronger. 

All their perfect little magical world of love-hate shatters, when some tragic event leaves one of them devastated. That's when they need each other the most, but it seems that destiny forces them to be apart. How are they gonna survive this? And would they be able to say to the other "i love you" before is too late?

Who would have thought that, after all, falling in love with a rock star would not be as crazy or as impossible as Marti thought it would be.

After we have finished the first book of this heartbreaking series, Rock and A Hard Place, just a few days ago, we needed to read the second book. Already aware of Stanton's writing style and ability to make us feel with the book characters, we did not hesitate a second. We were glad to confirm that once again, this story flows effortlessly and with some beautiful moments and places she has the power to draw you so deep in the story that you cannot seem to leave the book until you have finished it. 

The book starts with a view from both main characters. Adam Jamieson cutting his hair to go unnoticed to the camp and Marti arriving to the camp with her grandmother who spots a guy that she thinks is cute. Guess who? 

Marti is one of our favourites strong girls, yet also sensible and is determined to forget about her past with her neglected parents. Such is her determination that she has this rule where she does not want to date, not even mention marry, a rock star. Leaving the profession of her father aside, Marti is like any other average teen and it's easy to identify with while reading this book. 

We had met Adam Jamieson a little bit in Rock and A Hard Place, however, this time seemed more mature. He's determined to have a regular teenage boy experience at this camp he has begged his parents to let him go and being surrounded by boys their age and girls makes him feel like he's living a dream come true. 

We were a little bit worried that the romance between Marti and Adam happened so fast in the story that we would be disappointed with the course of the book. Nevertheless, not a long time passes when Marti realises that AJ is really Adam Jamieson and she starts to convince herself that she's no longer interested in the hot Jamieson boy. 

We were relieved to see how, step by step, Adam wins over Marti again and how she finally lets herself feel what her heart was screaming for Adam since the first night at the bonfire when they first kiss.

When we read about the tragic event on the description of the book we had the feeling of who would affect and what was this event. We were right and we did not like, for once, being right. This tragic event made us really sad and could not believe what Marti's mother did after it. It was really awful and she was totally a witch.

That's when Marti lands again on Steven Hunter's house. We were glad to see that finally this character redeems himself doing the right thing for once without losing the image of rock star. We really liked this character, because not matter what the trouble he is in, he does not loose the humour. 

We were glad to keep track on our other beloved couple, Peter and Libby, also on this book and to know what they were up to know. We were really happy that Stanton did not forget about them and to show Peter as a person who Adam could rely on and tell even the scariest secrets he was afraid of saying.

We loved the camp and the landscape that Stanton describes in the story. Also, the group of friends both main characters make are pretty cool and funny, so we have had a great time with this book also thanks to them. 

To sum up our review and not write hundreds and hundreds of things that made this story unique to us, we wanted to add that we love the adamant determination of both Jamieson brothers in saving the girls that make them different and alive for a long time now.

In brief, we really enjoyed with this book. It's totally different from the first one, although, as we have said before, Angie Stanton does not loose the power to captivate you and to make you go all emotional about the story. This refreshing, unique and romantic story about another of the Jamieson brothers would make you don't want to leave the book until you have finished it and would make you hungry for more! That's one of the main reasons this book is in a high ranking in our system rating, like the first one. Therefore, we need to strongly recommend this book to you, Book Addicts, because we know for sure that you are gonna loved it like we did and you are gonna feel the Jamieson's lure as much as we did.