‘Tis the season to reunite everyone’s favourite rock divas—who haven’t spoken in decades. Meet Melody Gallard, daughter of music royalty, whose life is quiet and quaint. Preferring to spend her days restoring old books and avoiding the cameras, she’s the perfect opposite to Beat Dawkins, the lead singer’s son, who is adored by the paparazzi. Growing up under the eyes of millions who just want Melody and Beat’s respective mothers to reunite and sing epic songs again, Melody and Beat have a lot to deal with and they’re just fine not stoking the fires of reunion rumours. That is, until a producers offers them a lot of money to reunite their mothers’ band on live TV. Together, they will try their best to make the Steel Birds soar once more by Christmas.
While dealing with a camera in their faces 24/7, mobs of adoring fans and the seemingly impossible task of getting their mothers to reunite, Mel and Beat can’t seem to help their intense chemistry and attraction. And what starts out as a way to gain independence from their headstrong mothers and earn a whole lot of money might just be the start of a newfound love.
But Christmas Eve is fast approaching, and a decades-old scandal could ruin everything Melody and Beat have been working towards—most of all their happily ever after.
“You’ll never leave my system, Mel. You’re one half of it.” Excuse me, nothing to see here, just catch me simping for Beat Dawkins the way he simps for Melody. If you like the “he fell first AND he fell harder” trope, add this book to your TBR right this second. In all my years as a romance fan, I have never seen a man be that gone for a woman and I was very much here for it. One fateful first meeting between the two of them when they’re teens turns into a love story for the ages when the two are thrown together to reunite their parents’ band and old feelings surface. And honestly, who can blame them, even I fell in love with both of them just reading that scene.
Melody and Beat have uncanny chemistry from the very first moment they meet. I loved all the scenes between them, from Beat’s protective instincts to Melody’s kindness and hilarious running commentary on everything they were experiencing. It’s so painfully obvious that these two are meant to be together and I just wanted to tell them to get smooching already (just like all the fans watching their livestream). Rarely have two characters been so in tune, whether it comes to the way they understand each other’s fears and reluctance to open up or simply to the way you can charm somebody’s pants off.
While I confess that the secrecy around Beat’s kink and his reluctance to tell it to Melody seemed a tad ridiculous to me (I’m a veteran indie romance reader and let me tell you, that kink is like the most run-of-the-mill one there is when it comes to romances), I think it made a lot of sense, especially considering the way it was heavily influenced by his inability to trust anyone who wouldn’t use it to exploit him.
This brings me to another highlight of Wreck the Halls, and that’s the sensitive touch with which Bailey approaches the topic of trust in here. Both Melody and Beat find it hard to trust others because of the way the media has been treating them over the years and the way Beat is being exploited by someone that should care for him. I loved how we got to see the ways in which this has influenced their attitudes toward others—Beat has perfected his performance in front of his friends and loved ones while Melody shies away from being too vulnerable and opening up her heart. Individually and together, they both have a lot to learn and it’s a fascinating journey following them to their happily ever after, all mixed together with hilarious situations with their mothers, the ups and downs of falling in love and casually being hunted down by adoring fans. Because, lest you think this story is super heavy, Bailey excels as always at balancing the heavy with the light, and every sad scene is easily counteracted with one that makes your stomach cramp from laughing.
In all honesty, their mothers Octavia and Trina, while only present for a few key moments, are the cherry on top of an already incredibly delectable story. Their animosity, smart banter, and eventual scheming perfectly rounded out this intense yet hilarious romance. I think this just might be “the” holiday rom-com of the year.
A story of love, forgiveness, and learning to trust after being burned, Wreck the Halls is the unputdownable holiday romance you’ve been waiting for!
Wreck The Halls is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of October 3rd.
Will you be picking up Wreck the Halls? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
A sexy, hilarious standalone holiday rom-com about the adult children of two former rock stars who team up to convince their estranged mothers to play a Christmas Eve concert…
Melody Gallard may be the daughter of music royalty, but her world is far from glamorous. She spends her days restoring old books and avoiding the limelight (one awkward tabloid photo was enough, thanks). But when a producer offers her a lot of money to reunite her mother’s band on live tv, Mel begins to wonder if it’s time to rattle the cage, shake up her quiet life… and see him again. The only other person who could wrangle the rock and roll divas.
Beat Dawkins, the lead singer’s son, is Melody’s opposite—the camera loves him, he could charm the pants off anyone, and his mom is not a potential cult leader. Still, they might have been best friends if not for the legendary feud that broke up the band. When they met as teenagers, Mel felt an instant spark, but it’s nothing compared to the wild, intense attraction that builds as they embark on a madcap mission to convince their mothers to perform one last show.
While dealing with rock star shenanigans, a 24-hour film crew, brawling Santas, and mobs of adoring fans, Mel starts to step out of her comfort zone. With Beat by her side, cheering her on, she’s never felt so understood. But Christmas Eve is fast approaching, and a decades-old scandal is poised to wreck everything—the Steel Birds reunion, their relationships with their mothers, and their newfound love.
