Quick Review: Beyond Here Lies Nothing by C.J. Duggan

Beyond Here Lies Nothing
by C.J. Duggan

September 30, 2019
266 pages

Goodreads Summary:

When a big city agent wants to rent the abandoned chapel on the Bowen’s property for an obscene amount of money, it seems like the deal of a lifetime … there’s just one small catch.

Nathaniel Black.

Disgraced, broken-down, whisky-swilling Rock God Nathaniel Black is set to make a comeback, or at least that’s what his long-suffering agent is hoping.

It’s Nathaniel’s last chance for salvation, to lock himself away from the temptations of his wicked life. With no women, no booze, no drugs: only the music. The one thing he didn’t count on was forming a complex, life-changing bond with a reclusive, talented songbird, Sadie Bowen.

Twenty-three-year-old Sadie has all of Nathaniel’s vinyl records under her bed and his poster lining the inside of her wardrobe door. And now he was here, in her backyard, eating her food and sharing her bathroom—a dream come true, right? Until Sadie soon realises her teenage idol is the most infuriating, arrogant man-child she has ever met.

Will seclusion lead to destruction? Or will Sadie finally get a chance to learn who the real man is behind the music? One thing is clear, despite every voice inside her head telling her to stay away, she couldn’t.

She couldn’t help it, couldn’t fight it.

Nathaniel Black was about to become her favourite mistake.

Review

I love C.J. Duggan's love stories so I've been waiting for Beyond Here Lies Nothing ever since she announced it (which was a couple years ago!). It really saddens me to say that I didn't entirely love this book after finishing it.

What I Like:
- Sadie and her personality, especially her resilience
- everything about Sadie's grandfather

The Not So Much:
- the whole storyline felt a little "loose" with not enough story
- some things were just too convenient
- I wasn't wholly convinced of the blossoming romance between Sadie and Nathaniel
- not enough sexy times
- ending felt rushed and unfinished

Despite not loving Beyond Here Lies Nothing as much as I wanted to I'm still a fan of C.J. Duggan's writing. I still look forward to what love story she'll give me next and fingers crossed I'll fall in love with it.