Heated Harmonies. Alexandra Warren. 2017. [Source: Kindle Unlimited.]
A weekend of great reading continued with the release of Heated Harmonies. It’s centered on pop icon Zalaya as she tries to redefine not only her image but also her sound. She fixes her sights on unknown producer Gabriel, but instead of jumping at a chance at stardom, he wants nothing to do with Zalaya or the music industry.
Zalaya is used to getting her way. Being harshly rejected by a “nobody” is a bitter pill to swallow, so she doesn’t. In fact, she’s a bit relentless — if not reckless — in getting Gabe on her musical team. However, in trying to find musical chemistry, they actually find a nice amount of personal chemistry as well. It really stands out that their “relationship” actually started from platonic (even if it doesn’t always stay that way).
As with Warren’s other books, Heated Harmonies doesn’t disappoint. There’s just enough involvement from other characters from previous books to provide good background without being heavily influenced by them. This is definitely a standalone novel, but it’s just better having the additional context. I appreciated getting to know Zalaya’s mother better; her initial appearance left me with a sour taste in my mouth, but it’s clear in this book that she’s done some growing throughout Zalaya’s career.
Zalaya and Gabe are the central focus of the book, but both are also battling personal issues as peripheral plots. Zalaya is struggling to show her growth from a pop superstar into a true musician. Her label isn’t supportive, and those around her don’t necessarily believe the change is for the better. Gabe has huge hangups about the music industry as a result of his mother’s failure. His inability to separate her shortcomings from his potential gets in the way of him exploring his true talent on a broader scale. Because of this, Heated Harmonies has a depth that makes it interesting beyond sex scenes.
Heated Harmonies is a solid book that you can easily read within a day. It is well-written and paced, with relatable characters who seemed genuine and realistic. This book definitely gets my recommendation
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