"What do I honestly know about the music industry? I'm just another idiot with a dream who is naive enough to hope that I might be the next big star."
Etta Millhouse has always had big musical ambitions to match her big voice, but she's also got three very big problems - the addiction she won't admit to, her godmother's illness that she can no longer ignore, and her godmother's useless business partner (who she wishes she could ignore).
Keeping an eye on Arielle's poor business decisions is the last thing Etta wants to do when she's offered the chance to record a demo with a top producer. But, a promise is a promise, even if it has her reaching for another pick-me-up... And then another. And then one more.
When the secret she must keep for her godmother, Felicity, sends her drug habit spiralling out of control, can Etta battle her demons in time and make her dream happen? Or, will her music career be over before it's even begun?
B-Side sits between Lost (out now) and Found (out August 2016) in the Arielle Lockley series - read Etta's version of events in this gritty Lost spin-off.
To most people Etta is snarky, rude and kind of a mess. Whilst she often encompasses these things, she's also loyal, sweet and feisty. I loved her no nonsense attitude and fierce protectiveness of Felicity. A lot of her prickly attitude is merely a front and way of protecting herself from failure and grief.
Felicity is Etta's godmother and has been a strong support for Etta and her brother. Etta is understandingly worried by Felicity's increasing illness and declining health, so when she thinks somebody is taking advantage of her, she decides to help Felicity by getting rid of the threat - cue lots of hilarious ranting about Princess Arielle.
Etta is lost. In another world we could have seen her take centre stage rather than Arielle. She seems almost scared of pursuing her big dream and dealing with the past. So drugs and bad decisions are her go to coping mechanism. I kept hoping she'd be able to put aside her grievances with Arielle and focus on her career and family.
Etta slowly won me over with her dry humour and hilarious inner ranting. B-Side sets up the story nicely for the conclusion in Found. Holy cliffy batman!
Elle Field writes romantic comedies, and is the author of the Arielle Lockley series and Geli Voyante's Hot or Not. She grew up in Yorkshire, then moved to Scotland to study International Relations and Social Anthropology at the University of St Andrews. Elle now lives in London with her boyfriend and their cat. She's a massive fan of sunshine, giraffes, The Killers, Audrey Hepburn movies, playing Scrabble and tea. Oh, and reading, of course!
Prizes are Amazon vouchers, a paperback set of the full Arielle Lockley series (Kept, Lost and B-Side), and a set of vinyl coasters.
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