Face the Music

Love, Hate, Rock-n-Roll, Book 3

By: JB Salsbury

Narrated by: Peter Coleman, Emma Wilder

Pastor Ben Langley is irresistible.

His wife died giving birth to their daughter six years ago. His tragic past doesn't keep me from wanting to unravel him, strip away his buttoned-up goodness, and discover what kind of man lies beneath. If that makes me evil, so be it. I'm far beyond redemption anyway.

Ashleigh Kendrick is freedom personified, an unpredictable wind I want to grasp hold of.

Every Sunday she watches me preach from the front row, wearing her halter tops and tiny skirts, a dangerous temptation. Her favorite words are the four-letter variety, and her smile lights up the darkness inside me. I vowed to love one woman forever. I never realized that vow would be impossible to keep when confronted with a chance to love again.

Face the Music is an opposites attract romance with emotional ties to the past that run so thick they feel impossible to overcome.

©2020 JB Salsbury (P)2020 Audible, Inc.

Good next installment

This is book 3 in a rock and roll novel but the rock and roll aspect is a little less prevalent. Ben is brother to Jesse and we start with him playing with the band for one concert. Then he goes back to being a pastor. Yes, a pastor. (we knew that from prior books). Ashleigh is also someone we met from prior books. She's a bartender and so this is kind of an opposites attract romance. I liked the story but there is a lot of push and pull. Ash is really really closed off with a past that she thinks makes her unlovable. Ben is totally totally hooked on his dead wife so he's also a bit closed off and feeling guilty about wanting Ash. So there's a lot, a LOT of drama. I do inherently not enjoy stories with widowers as much because you know that the man or woman would still be with their loves if it wasn't for death. However, the characters are good, easy to like and I really enjoyed the narration for the audiobook! Peter Coleman and Emma Wilder were excellent- I have always loved Emma Wilder so I expected that but I haven't heard much from Peter Coleman and he delivered. It was a great listen.

The best so far

I appreciated all the subtleties in the characters and the themes of religion vs spirituality and faith, grief, loss, fear and regret. This had a lot going on and it was very well crafted instead of being a mishmash. Excellent narration too.

Yes, Yes, YES!!!

Pulled an all nighter for this worthy book. Just do yourself a favor and listen.

NO BOOK 4 IN AUDIBLE

So stinking pissed again that when you get into a series the last book is not in Audible! I looked by Arthur and name if book Strike a Chord is not available! You can find in hard copy or for Kindle! I HAVE BAD EYES and trying to read them.so so hard and I just can’t do it that is enjoyable! PLEASE Put all books in a series in Audible. This was a good series and would have loved to find out what happens with Ethan. Sorry JB

Slow building and emotionally charged

I was so excited when I found out that Face the Music is Pastor Ben and Ashleigh’s story. I was rooting for them way back when we met them in Playing by Heart. A windowed single dad pastor and a sexy uninhibited bartender, these two couldn’t be more opposite from each other. However, somehow they were perfect for each other and supplied what the other needed. I loved every minute of the emotionally charged journey to see them slowly find their way towards their well-deserved HEA.

Their slow-building romance was filled with angst and brought some teary-eye moments. Both of them had some heavy history and seeing both struggled with their internal demon was excruciatingly painful. Still deeply in love and grief of his dead wife, Ben had never thought about finding love again. He was fighting his attraction to the sexy and tempting Ashleigh because of guilt and loyalty of his dead wife. Hidden behind all the sexy clothes and vulgar speech, Ashleigh was vulnerable and didn’t believe in herself and her worth. She had a difficult past and she believed she would be judged harshly because of her choices.

I loved that Ben and Ash stayed true to themselves throughout the book. There were no lies, deception or games. Their interaction were natural and genuine. Ashleigh’s brutal honesty was funny at times and brash at others. Ben’s considerate and loving character made me a great man who you cannot help but swoon over. Witnessing how this unlikely match heal each other with their love and understanding was beautiful.

It was great to catch up with Bethany, Jesse and his band. It was nice to see Ben and Jesse’s reconnection as brothers. I welcomed Jesse’s brazen comments which added much humor and surprisingly wisdom. There is a little glimpse of Ethan’s (Jesse’s bandmate) desire at the end of the book and hopefully we will get his story soon.

Peter Coleman and Emma Wider’s performance was great.