Defining Destiny by Deanna Chase
Series: Defining Destiny #1
Publication date: February 16th, 2014
Pages: 300
Synopsis (according to Goodreads):
When destiny fails...
Singer-songwriter Lucy Moore thought her life was perfect. At just twenty-one, she's already met her soul mate and together they've landed a recording contract. But when her father dies and the love her life betrays her in more ways than one, she returns home to pick up the pieces. On the shores of Mendocino, California, Lucy has some decisions to make. Should she start a solo career? Or should she leave it all behind for some semblance of normalcy in the quiet town she grew up in? And what about Seth, the tortured artist who always seems to be there when she needs him?
Seth Keenan has demons of his own. Eighteen months ago, he was involved in a horrific accident that he never talks about. His career as an accomplished oil-plant artist has been abandoned, replaced by the buzz of his tattoo gun. And women--well, he never sticks around for longer than a few hours of pleasure... until he meets Lucy. After one evening of listening to her seductive voice, he's pulled under. But what about the vow he made to never get close to anyone again?
In a world where everyone has one true soul mate, can these two find love in the arms of each other?
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Review:
I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have recently been finding myself dancing between contemporary romance and contemporary reads (young adult, new adult, or... adult adult). This was an acquired read that I found interesting. I have noticed an influx in musical contemporary romance novels. Rocker romance is being the new fad. I had to check it out and this seemed a good book to dip my toe into that particular pool of popularity.
Lucy is reeling. She has just lost her father, has a mother who is way too involved in her personal life, a career that has lost all it's appeal, and a soul mate who lies to get his way and cheats. She needs a break from it all. She needs to get away and be by herself so she can remember what she loves about singing. She returns home after catching her soul mate in a compromising position with some groupies after a show and starts to pick up the pieces of her life. She reconnects with her best friend who begs Lucy to sing at her birthday party. It is there that she meets exotic and dangerously handsome, Seth.
Seth is known around town as the guy who lost his soul mate tragically and also as the small town's lady's man. Seth jumps from bed to bed not staying with a woman longer than one night of passion. He doesn't see the point. He doesn't want anyone else. He has really never had a woman catch his interest, until he meets Lucy. Not only is she beautiful, but she's quick witted and a fantastic singer. He is bewitched by her from the beginning. He starts to let his guard down more and more around the girl, despite knowing she already has a soul mate and that what they have is just a passing attraction that will burn out once she gets back to Caden.
Seth and Lucy struggle with their devastating pasts and their overwhelming future. In a world where you are destined to be with the other half of your soul, can two people still manage to make it work?
I liked Seth a little more than Lucy. Seth seemed to have a hard time with his past and coming to grips with everything but he made a really strong effort. Lucy was clearly not as strong and flip-flopped back and forth. In some ways this made the story more realistic. One expects the woman to be more emotionally driven while the man is determined and headstrong. I liked their chemistry together. They meshed well and I found myself rooting for them.
This book does not read like a typical contemporary romance. This is an entirely new world created where soul mates are common knowledge and everyone has one eventually. Once a person finds their soul mate they are destined to be with that person for the rest of their lives. It has a slightly dystopian-like feel to it without it being a strong change that it can fall into that genre. At first I didn't realize it was supposed to be a new world way of thinking. I just thought the main characters were being cheesy when they kept talking about soul mates. But it was a worldwide accepted concept in the book. That makes a difference. Trust me.
Defining Destiny is unlike any book I have read before. It combines an element of fantasy with the classic contemporary genre to make something completely new and fresh. Deanna Chase did a fabulous job combining two uncomplimentary writing styles into a dynamic story of love, loss, and following one's heart.
