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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
Review originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick
Finding My Way is the fourth book in the Beaumont Series by Heidi McLaughlin. This can be read as a standalone though because it is a prequel to the series and is about how Liam Westbury became Liam Page. I have been hearing a lot of great things about this series, and they have been on my TBR list for awhile now. When I got the chance to review Finding My Way, I decided that I wanted to wait to read the rest of the books after I read this one. I like to get the beginning of the story and see how the characters got to where they are, so this was the perfect way for me to begin this series. After reading Finding My Way, I am even more intrigued by this series and can't wait to see what happens.
Liam Westbury is his town's golden boy. Captain and quarterback of the football team, his life has been planned by his parents since he was a kid. The plan is to attend a college in the SEC (his dad wants Auburn) and then enter the NFL. He has been pushed into camps all his life and is repeatedly told that he is a Westbury and that he is required to be better than others. Liam's girlfriend is the captain of the cheerleading squad and is a part of his plan for the future. His dad doesn't approve of Josie though and keeps trying to separate them. It seems like Liam has the perfect life, except he isn't happy except with Josie and he is starting to dislike football. He has been getting more interested in music, and that is the only other time he is happy. When Liam gets the chance to leave football behind and pursue his music, he jumps at the chance and ends up breaking not only Josie's heart but his own. Years go by and he makes the transition from quarterback to rockstar. He has moved on, but never forgot Josie and knows that there will never be anyone else like her. What happens when he finally heads back home to Beaumont and comes face to face with his past?
I really liked Liam. I was really glad that I hadn't read anything about him before, because it really allowed me to see the changes and progression of his character. I thought that he was a really great guy that was in a bad situation with his family. He was never encouraged or given the support that he should have been from his parents. They had a one track mind and even then they only tore him down. I liked his relationship with Josie, and he was really sweet and committed to her. He was honest and didn't have a problem laying all his feelings out when it came to her. He was just an easy character to relate to and root for. I was really glad when he finally decided to start living his life for him rather than what others expected, and it was nice to see him really take a chance for once. Josie was likable and I thought that she was really devoted to Liam as well. I did however have a few problems with her, and the biggest was that she seemed to be all about the plan for Liam rather than about what he wanted. He opened up to her about his music and even played a song he wrote for her, and her response was so sad. She didn't even really tell Liam anything about it or encourage him, but just started talking about football again. That frustrated me, and honestly I felt like Liam deserved so much more right then. I did feel like Liam and Josie had a really great connection though and they had not only the chemistry and physical attraction but the emotional bond as well. I just think that Josie was used to him being the football star and was a little short sighted when it came to him being anything else.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and I loved seeing the journey of Liam Westbury to Liam Page. I liked the secondary characters, and seeing how Liam's band was formed. I am really looking forward to seeing more of all these characters and how their stories play out, especially Liam and Harrison's. I felt like the first half of this book was a little repetitive, and seemed to be all about Liam and Josie loving each other and having sex. But after that things started to pick up and we started to get more of Liam's transition. If you are a fan of the Beaumont series, you are definitely going to want to read this and see where everything started. If you haven't read any of the Beaumont series yet, I think that this is a great place to start. I really feel like I already know a lot about the characters and their history, and I think that I am going to really enjoy going into Forever My Girl having already met the characters. I highly recommend this story. I can't wait to dive into the rest of this series and see what else Heidi McLaughlin does in the future.
**ARC provided by Inkslinger PR**
Finding My Way is the fourth book in the Beaumont Series by Heidi McLaughlin. This can be read as a standalone though because it is a prequel to the series and is about how Liam Westbury became Liam Page. I have been hearing a lot of great things about this series, and they have been on my TBR list for awhile now. When I got the chance to review Finding My Way, I decided that I wanted to wait to read the rest of the books after I read this one. I like to get the beginning of the story and see how the characters got to where they are, so this was the perfect way for me to begin this series. After reading Finding My Way, I am even more intrigued by this series and can't wait to see what happens.
Liam Westbury is his town's golden boy. Captain and quarterback of the football team, his life has been planned by his parents since he was a kid. The plan is to attend a college in the SEC (his dad wants Auburn) and then enter the NFL. He has been pushed into camps all his life and is repeatedly told that he is a Westbury and that he is required to be better than others. Liam's girlfriend is the captain of the cheerleading squad and is a part of his plan for the future. His dad doesn't approve of Josie though and keeps trying to separate them. It seems like Liam has the perfect life, except he isn't happy except with Josie and he is starting to dislike football. He has been getting more interested in music, and that is the only other time he is happy. When Liam gets the chance to leave football behind and pursue his music, he jumps at the chance and ends up breaking not only Josie's heart but his own. Years go by and he makes the transition from quarterback to rockstar. He has moved on, but never forgot Josie and knows that there will never be anyone else like her. What happens when he finally heads back home to Beaumont and comes face to face with his past?
I really liked Liam. I was really glad that I hadn't read anything about him before, because it really allowed me to see the changes and progression of his character. I thought that he was a really great guy that was in a bad situation with his family. He was never encouraged or given the support that he should have been from his parents. They had a one track mind and even then they only tore him down. I liked his relationship with Josie, and he was really sweet and committed to her. He was honest and didn't have a problem laying all his feelings out when it came to her. He was just an easy character to relate to and root for. I was really glad when he finally decided to start living his life for him rather than what others expected, and it was nice to see him really take a chance for once. Josie was likable and I thought that she was really devoted to Liam as well. I did however have a few problems with her, and the biggest was that she seemed to be all about the plan for Liam rather than about what he wanted. He opened up to her about his music and even played a song he wrote for her, and her response was so sad. She didn't even really tell Liam anything about it or encourage him, but just started talking about football again. That frustrated me, and honestly I felt like Liam deserved so much more right then. I did feel like Liam and Josie had a really great connection though and they had not only the chemistry and physical attraction but the emotional bond as well. I just think that Josie was used to him being the football star and was a little short sighted when it came to him being anything else.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and I loved seeing the journey of Liam Westbury to Liam Page. I liked the secondary characters, and seeing how Liam's band was formed. I am really looking forward to seeing more of all these characters and how their stories play out, especially Liam and Harrison's. I felt like the first half of this book was a little repetitive, and seemed to be all about Liam and Josie loving each other and having sex. But after that things started to pick up and we started to get more of Liam's transition. If you are a fan of the Beaumont series, you are definitely going to want to read this and see where everything started. If you haven't read any of the Beaumont series yet, I think that this is a great place to start. I really feel like I already know a lot about the characters and their history, and I think that I am going to really enjoy going into Forever My Girl having already met the characters. I highly recommend this story. I can't wait to dive into the rest of this series and see what else Heidi McLaughlin does in the future.
**ARC provided by Inkslinger PR**
I'm just cruising through this series and I'm intrigued to see what the next book will bring me.
Finding My Way was a roller coaster ride full of emotions. I honestly wasn't expecting the first half of this book to be so sad and depressing. Yet, somehow, Liam wormed his way into my heart and I started to fall for him. Trust me, it took a while because of how he was in this book. Then there's the history between him and Josie, which was nice to dive back into since I read the first book a while ago.
I'm not going to lie.. a lot of these characters made bad decisions. It wasn't really refreshing for me to see it all on paper or anything. I just knew that it was going to happen or that it did. Then there's things that kind of annoyed me because of the lack of communication. Which, I guess, tends to happen when people are sort of thrown into these situations.
In the end, I guess I just need to rip off the band aid and dive into the next book.
Finding My Way was a roller coaster ride full of emotions. I honestly wasn't expecting the first half of this book to be so sad and depressing. Yet, somehow, Liam wormed his way into my heart and I started to fall for him. Trust me, it took a while because of how he was in this book. Then there's the history between him and Josie, which was nice to dive back into since I read the first book a while ago.
I'm not going to lie.. a lot of these characters made bad decisions. It wasn't really refreshing for me to see it all on paper or anything. I just knew that it was going to happen or that it did. Then there's things that kind of annoyed me because of the lack of communication. Which, I guess, tends to happen when people are sort of thrown into these situations.
In the end, I guess I just need to rip off the band aid and dive into the next book.
This book is amazing and will have your emotions everywhere. MUST READ
So I am new to the Beaumont series annd I was a little worried that I was going to be lost because I hadn't read the other books yet since this was a prequel. Boy, I was wrong. I think it might be better to start with Finding My Way.
We meet high school golden boy Liam Westbury. He loves football but is clearly struggling with the choices that are being laid out in front of him. He loves his girlfriend Josie more than anything and she is the one person who makes all the conflicts in his life go away. His dad and mom are not ideal parents. His father is pushy, unloving and only wants what he thinks is best for Liam. His mother only exists to look like a perfect wife and she just takes up space in their house. He and Josie have planned out their life together and Liam thinks he is good with all of it. However, secretly, he has been teaching himself how to play guitar. It is the only thing that makes him content, at peace and happy. He doesn't even share it with Josie at first and when he does, she doesn't really know what to do with it which kills Liam.
As signing day rolls around for college, Liam makes a huge decision based off his heart and not his head. He does what is best for his best friend Mason instead of what is best for him. This decision causes a chain of events to unravel that change the course of all of their lives. As Liam decides to leave college and Josie behind to pursue music in LA, your heart breaks for both him and Josie. For me, I thought sometimes young love is just young love and nothing more but Heidi McLaughlin really has you rooting for these two. The last part of the book dives into how 4225 West is formed, the early days of the band and Liam trying to forget about Josie.
For those of you who read Forever My Girl, this book fills in all the holes. For those of you like me, Finding My Way opened up a new series to me and I enjoyed the book so much that I downloaded the rest of the series.
Reviewed by Candace for Cocktails and Books
We meet high school golden boy Liam Westbury. He loves football but is clearly struggling with the choices that are being laid out in front of him. He loves his girlfriend Josie more than anything and she is the one person who makes all the conflicts in his life go away. His dad and mom are not ideal parents. His father is pushy, unloving and only wants what he thinks is best for Liam. His mother only exists to look like a perfect wife and she just takes up space in their house. He and Josie have planned out their life together and Liam thinks he is good with all of it. However, secretly, he has been teaching himself how to play guitar. It is the only thing that makes him content, at peace and happy. He doesn't even share it with Josie at first and when he does, she doesn't really know what to do with it which kills Liam.
As signing day rolls around for college, Liam makes a huge decision based off his heart and not his head. He does what is best for his best friend Mason instead of what is best for him. This decision causes a chain of events to unravel that change the course of all of their lives. As Liam decides to leave college and Josie behind to pursue music in LA, your heart breaks for both him and Josie. For me, I thought sometimes young love is just young love and nothing more but Heidi McLaughlin really has you rooting for these two. The last part of the book dives into how 4225 West is formed, the early days of the band and Liam trying to forget about Josie.
For those of you who read Forever My Girl, this book fills in all the holes. For those of you like me, Finding My Way opened up a new series to me and I enjoyed the book so much that I downloaded the rest of the series.
Reviewed by Candace for Cocktails and Books
Pleasantly surprised
I was a little apprehensive in reading this thinking it would just be a repeat of what we already knew but boy was I wrong. It was really good. I'm so glad I read this. I loved seeing Liam's POV seeing all he went through. This was a great addition to the series
I was a little apprehensive in reading this thinking it would just be a repeat of what we already knew but boy was I wrong. It was really good. I'm so glad I read this. I loved seeing Liam's POV seeing all he went through. This was a great addition to the series
Lord that was sad
This book made me sadder than all the others combined. I could not imagine being so lonely and sad all the time. His story is necessary to get the full impact of the series but man it hurt to read.
This book made me sadder than all the others combined. I could not imagine being so lonely and sad all the time. His story is necessary to get the full impact of the series but man it hurt to read.
This is a precursor to My Forever Girl told entirely from Liam's perspective as he navigates his family, relationship with Josie, friendships and choices that naturally come at the end of high school.
Liam is a local football hero as long as his high school team keeps winning, but he is losing his passion for the game. At home he is anything but. Pressured by his father and basically ignored by his mother.
The only real lights in his life are Josie and his emerging love for playing the guitar and songwriting.
But he is afraid to tell anyone. He makes a few feeble attempts to show Josie but she doesn't take him seriously and he doesn't push the issue.
We follow Liam through his decision making, leaving Josie and finding his fame.
I've always liked Liam as a character throughout the Beaumont series. This shows how be became Liam Page, met his band members and got famous. His grandmother was a great character and made Liam more realistic. Sometimes, when done well, prequel books add to the series and this one does it well.
Liam is a local football hero as long as his high school team keeps winning, but he is losing his passion for the game. At home he is anything but. Pressured by his father and basically ignored by his mother.
The only real lights in his life are Josie and his emerging love for playing the guitar and songwriting.
But he is afraid to tell anyone. He makes a few feeble attempts to show Josie but she doesn't take him seriously and he doesn't push the issue.
We follow Liam through his decision making, leaving Josie and finding his fame.
I've always liked Liam as a character throughout the Beaumont series. This shows how be became Liam Page, met his band members and got famous. His grandmother was a great character and made Liam more realistic. Sometimes, when done well, prequel books add to the series and this one does it well.
I am a series whore and I absolutely FLOVE this series! I was very excited when I heard we were getting a book about how Liam Westbury became Liam Page. In Forever My Girl, we meet Liam and get flashbacks of his younger days and the choices he made but never specifics. This book is ALL LIAM, ALL THE TIME! I didn't think I could love him more. The writing is outstanding in this book. Heidi tells a heartbreaking story that made me cry more than a few times. We get to see a younger Liam with issues and baggage and what led him to make the decisions that he did. I felt for him. I cried for him. I wanted to hug him and tell him it was going to be ok. And, even though, I know how his story turns out (Book 1, Forever My Girl) I was still on the edge of my seat with worry. I loved seeing how hard the decision to leave was for him. I loved that we only see his point of view. I love that we get to see Mason AND, I love that we get to meet My Man, Harrison! I've read all of Heidi's books and they just seem to be getting better and better. I immediately wanted to start reading the series again. Don't miss this one!
"Damn girl you're a walking textbook of sins and I'm about to commit each and every one of them."
I smile despite being alone. It's a good feeling to have, being able to hear something you've created. That's not something that can be done on the football field.
Harrison shakes his head. "They want to sign you." I step forward and hand him the card. "Not this time, Harrison. You're coming with me."
The last verse bellows from my mouth and I'm surprised and humbled to see fans singing along. Is that a sign? If so, I'm taking it and running with it. If I can create something that others can relate to maybe this is my destiny.
"Damn girl you're a walking textbook of sins and I'm about to commit each and every one of them."
I smile despite being alone. It's a good feeling to have, being able to hear something you've created. That's not something that can be done on the football field.
Harrison shakes his head. "They want to sign you." I step forward and hand him the card. "Not this time, Harrison. You're coming with me."
The last verse bellows from my mouth and I'm surprised and humbled to see fans singing along. Is that a sign? If so, I'm taking it and running with it. If I can create something that others can relate to maybe this is my destiny.
I have not read this series in awhile and when I finally read this, it brought back memories on why I enjoy reading the series. I’m freaking glad that she wrote Liam’s story in is POV because it made better sense on what going on his mind before he chose the path he wanted to take. I felt the frustrations, the hesitations, his mentality on why he made the choices that he did.
We got to see how deep his love for Josie was and explore his journey of finding himself and his place in life. It was heartwarming, broken, feeling lost (and at times lonely) filled with ambitions to be more than what he is expected. It took sacrifices and one that may or may not be regrets later in life.
We also got to know how his supporting characters came in to play some time in his life. I was hooked and could not put it down and the life of the characters got me reminiscent the life of small town Beaumont again.
We got to see how deep his love for Josie was and explore his journey of finding himself and his place in life. It was heartwarming, broken, feeling lost (and at times lonely) filled with ambitions to be more than what he is expected. It took sacrifices and one that may or may not be regrets later in life.
We also got to know how his supporting characters came in to play some time in his life. I was hooked and could not put it down and the life of the characters got me reminiscent the life of small town Beaumont again.
The moment has finally come. We met Liam Page in FOREVER MY GIRL, and followed his life alongside his bandmates and his forever girl, Josie, in the Beaumont series; but now it's time to find out how QB1 Liam Westbury, became 4225 West lead singer, Liam Page.
Up until this point, the Beaumont series has been Adult Contemporary Romance, but author Heidi McLaughlin tries her hand at New Adult Contemporary Romance for this prequel, that sees 18 year old Liam, struggling with the expectations to be who everyone around him, wants him to be.
I loved going back in time with these characters. Seeing young Liam, Josie, Mason, Katelyn, and Nick, in school and just knowing how their lives are going to turn out, because of the choices they make during this time was great, and seeing Liam move to LA, and meet Harrison - who is my absolute favourite band member - was beyond exciting.
We know the basics of how the band came to be, but actually seeing it all play out in this latest release was fantastic. It's like a fictional groupie's dream.
It's the perfect read for fans of the Beaumont series, to get inside Liam's head a little more, and be able to better understand the decisions he made, that lead to one of our favourite fictional rock bands, and series.
I don't want to believe that this series will ever end because I love it so much that I never want to have to say goodbye to these characters, and their lives.
FINDING MY WAY is the perfect addition to the Beaumont series, and has left me desperate to start the series again from the beginning. I can't get enough. I'm definitely a 4225 West girl for life.
"I love you Jojo. You're forever my girl."
Up until this point, the Beaumont series has been Adult Contemporary Romance, but author Heidi McLaughlin tries her hand at New Adult Contemporary Romance for this prequel, that sees 18 year old Liam, struggling with the expectations to be who everyone around him, wants him to be.
I loved going back in time with these characters. Seeing young Liam, Josie, Mason, Katelyn, and Nick, in school and just knowing how their lives are going to turn out, because of the choices they make during this time was great, and seeing Liam move to LA, and meet Harrison - who is my absolute favourite band member - was beyond exciting.
We know the basics of how the band came to be, but actually seeing it all play out in this latest release was fantastic. It's like a fictional groupie's dream.
It's the perfect read for fans of the Beaumont series, to get inside Liam's head a little more, and be able to better understand the decisions he made, that lead to one of our favourite fictional rock bands, and series.
I don't want to believe that this series will ever end because I love it so much that I never want to have to say goodbye to these characters, and their lives.
FINDING MY WAY is the perfect addition to the Beaumont series, and has left me desperate to start the series again from the beginning. I can't get enough. I'm definitely a 4225 West girl for life.
"I love you Jojo. You're forever my girl."