Review: Every Beat of My Heart by Kianna Alexander

Every Beat of My Heart by Kianna Alexander
Published by Harlequin on June 1st 2016
Genres: African American, Contemporary, Fiction, Multicultural & Interracial, Romance
Pages: 224
Format: Paperback
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three-half-stars

The rhythm of love Lina Smith-Todd is a winning bid away from owning a piece of musical history. The auction heats up when she discovers that her chief competition for a piano owned by Thelonious Monk is the man who once shared her bed. But the priceless baby grand isn't all that the seductive, supremely confident musician intends to possess. Rashad MacRae wants a second chance to be with Lina. Rashad's passion for music was inspired by the legendary Monk. But if walking away with the prize means losing his shot at a future with Lina, he's ready to concede defeat. To entice her back into his arms, Rashad has to find a way to regain the self-sufficient attorney's trust. And now a family revelation could cost him everything. Can doubt be swept away by the promise of an everlasting love song they both know by heart?

I am on a roll! I read Every Beat of My Heart by Kianna Alexander on the same Sunday afternoon as His Loving Caress and Cappuccino Kisses. I need to reward myself more often when I have productive Sundays like that last one. Obviously my form of rewards includes a book (or 3) haha.

Every Beat of My Heart follows Rashad and Lina; ex-lovers who are both intent on buying a famed Thelonious Monk piano at an auction. Lina wants it for her mother, Rashad is an avid music fan and local musician who wants this piece of history for himself.

These two dated briefly but due to Lina’s trust issues from her previous marriage and Rashad’s reluctance to bare his soul within the first five minutes (ok I’m exaggerating, it was more like a couple of months), these two ended. Rashad still wants her and seeing her at the auction house for the piano seems like a strike of good luck on his end. To get her back though and show her that his love for her is true and worth letting go of his mistrust, he may need to give up the priceless piano he so desperately wants.

Lina annoyed me in a way that I haven’t been annoyed by a character in a very long time. I understand that she had been hurt before but goddamn. She took it overboard a few times too many. Rashad is a talented musician. Of course musicians, especially males, get a lot of attention from the opposite sex. Do you expect him not to throw them a smile or sign an autograph if they ask? Girl. Stop. Rashad was a lot more patient than I think I would have been in that situation. There were major trust issues on Lina’s part and I honestly don’t feel like they were fully resolved.

While she did do a bit much in this book, I will give Rashad wrong for not disclosing his full wealth to Lina. I think he made it out to be a bigger deal than it was. I hate to sound crass but it’s just money. If he had been upfront about his trust fund from the beginning, I think they could have avoided a lot of this mistrust and back and forth.

In the end, doubt was swept away and both Lina and Rashad’s minds were put at ease. This was another story about a second chance at love and the importance of being forthcoming about details that may potentially hinder a relationship.

Every Beat of My Heart was the third music focused romance novel I’ve read recently and I have to admit I now need to read some more. I’m definitely in the mood for a little jazz.

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Natalya

Natalya is an Account Manager by day and an editor and author's assistant to passionate creatives by night. When she is not adding to her enormous book collection or stationery supply, she is catching up on her favorite television shows.

Natalya is the author of All The Things I Never Said, a soul-stirring collection of short stories, prose and love letters for the soulful wanderers, the brokenhearted and the hopeless romantics.

You can follow her rantings and occasional sparks of brilliance on Twitter @NatalyaMuncuff.