BLOG TOUR: Music of the Heart by Katie Ashley

 

 For Abby Renard, the plan was supposed to be simple—join her brothers’ band on the last leg of their summer tour and decide if she’s finally ready for the limelight by becoming its fourth member. Of course, she never imagined stumbling onto the wrong tour bus at Rock Nation would accidentally land her in the bed of Jake Slater, the notorious womanizing lead singer of Runaway Train. When he mistakes her for one of his groupie’s, Abby quickly lets him know she sure as hell isn't in his bed on purpose.

Jake Slater never imagined the angel who fell into his bed would resist his charms by promptly kneeing him in the balls. Of course, the fact she seems like a prissy choir girl makes her anything but his type. So he is more than surprised when after betting Abby she wouldn’t last a week on their tour bus, she is more than willing to prove him wrong. But as Jake’s personal life begins to implode around him, he finds an unlikely ally in Abby. He’s never met a woman he can talk to, joke with, or most importantly make music with.

As the week starts comes to a close, neither Abby nor Jake is ready to let go. Can a sweetheart Country songstress and a bad boy of Rock N Roll actually have a future together?

I am so excited to be catching up with Abby Renard, the new lead singer for Jacob's Ladder and currently touring with her super cute fiance - Jake Slater of  Runaway Train fame. She is squeezing me in on her tight schedule. Waiting at the Stadium, as the groups are arriving for their sound check for tonight's concert ~ I am so fan-girling waiting for her to arrive. Maybe I can get a peek at the guys too. :)

Abby with her favorite guitar - a gift from Jake

Hi Abby! Thank you so much for allowing me to tag along with you today. I know your schedule is full with the tour and so I really appreciate you squeezing me in for this interview.

Thank you so much for having me.

So you and Jake kinda met in an unusual way. What was going through your mind when you realized that you were on the wrong bus?

Extreme panic! I mean, I’ve been in tough situations before, but I never thought I would be in some stranger’s bed and then find three strange guys. Not to mention the fact that Jake gave me a little too much of a welcome.

The guys seemed to have welcomed you with open arms. Especially A.J. J How would you describe your relationship with the rest of the band? Were you surprised they were so well behaved?

Oh, I love the guys of Runaway Train!! What sweethearts. They each bring different gifts to the group. Brayden is such a sweetheart and made me feel just like I was with my brothers. Rhys is a true Southern gentleman. And AJ…he’s just a mess! I can’t wait to see the girl who is able to end up with him. He’s got such a giving, sweet heart, great dance moves, and a sexy voice,

Ha, I wouldn’t say they’re well-behaved. I think they just know how to reign themselves in when a girl demands it of them.

How do you think growing up in the ministry helped with adjusting to your life on stage?

I think it has naturally affected all areas of my life. I want to give as much as I can to people—to my audience. Being the child of missionaries, I was used to a rootless existence at times, so that also helps when it comes to being on the road.

Being the baby of the family, has it been hard to get your brothers or even your parents to “Let go”?

Abby on Stage, doing her thing.

Very, very hard, lol. There’s four years between me and Gabe and Eli and then six with Micah, so I was the “surprise” baby in many ways. Even though my parents got married when they were my age, they aren't really happy that Jake and I are getting married—it’s not just the fact Jake is a rocker. I don’t think they want to admit I’m grown up enough to be getting married.

So how is it touring with both your brothers and with Runaway Train? Is it a little much with all those boys? And practical jokers at that! You must really have to be on point all the time.

I think if I hadn't grown up with three brothers, I’d have died within a few hours!! They really are considerate guys, but yeah, they do keep me on my toes. And you have to give it back as good as you get or you’re sunk!! The worst is when Brayden or Rhys decides to pull something on me—I mean, I expect it with Jake and AJ, but those two can be sneaky!!

So what is next for you and Jake, besides the wedding?

Abby Renard, Jacob's Ladder

Our Crossover Tour with Jacob’s Ladder and Runaway Train’s comes first before the wedding. Touring together is also a good starter for what it will be like with married life.

Oh I am sure it will be! Thank you so much Abby for taking the time to talk with me and next time you are home in Texas – I would love to catch up with you again! 

Thanks again for having me. And if you’re in Atlanta, come by and see us. That’s where Jake and I will be settling down. 

                                       

From the first few paragraphs of this book, I was in LOVE! Abby is all set to meet up with her brothers (The Christian Crossover Group - Jacob's Ladder) to start her life as part of the band. She flies out to meet up with her family at a Mega Concert, much like Woodstock, and finds herself rushing to catch their bus before they take off for the next town. Weaving her way through hundreds of buses that all look alike, she asks a Roadie who was a little "busy" with a groupie trying to find her way into a bus, that she asks for directions and swiftly gets put onto the bus before it pulls out. The only problem is, she finds outs later that it's not her family's bus, but the bus of superstars - Runaway Train.

The comedy insues from there and this book had me laughing and crying from laughing over and over again. The boys of the band are sweet and protective of Abby, especially against their own lead singer Jake Slater. Slater the known womanizer of the band, has thoughts and plans going through his head about Abby. But he has met his match in this southern spitfire. You don't mess with a girl who grew up with 4 older brothers.

If you love The Propostion and The Proposal - you will love this book. Not only is Jake funny and swoon worthy - so is the entire band - Brayden, AJ and Rhys. Abby is a spunky, spitfire who stands up for herself and doesn't back down. I giggle every time I hear Like A Virgin now. I LOVE THAT!!

Katie Ashley pulls me in more and more with each book that she writes and I cannot wait for more books coming our way from her!

*I was given an ARC of Music of the Heart in exchange for a honest review*

                           

Music of the Heart by Katie Ashley Playlist 

Abby sings an acoustic guitar version for the boy of Adele's Someone Like You.

Abby gives Jake a run for his money by knowing how to play AC/DC's Highway to Hell

AJ and Abby dance to the La Tropa Vallenata version of Los Caminos de la Vida

AJ and Abby sing a duet to Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton's Islands in the Stream

Abby proves Jake wrong singing Madonna's Like a Virgin

Abby tries to get Jake to keep song writing by mentioning Eric Clapton's Tears in Heaven

Then Alter Bridge's In Loving Memory

And Dolly Parton's I Will Always Love You

And singing in codes like in the 60's with The Byrds Mr. Tambourine Man

Abby is dancing to Michael Jackson's Beat It while cleaning the bus when Jake interrupts her!

Jake helps Abby prepare for her duet with Garrett to Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson's Don't You Want To Stay

Jake and Abby hang out together and jam to duets like Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn's Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man

Ozzy Osbourne and Lita Ford's Close My Eyes Forever

For her first song with her brothers, the boys of Jacob's Ladder, Abby sings a cover of The Band Perry's If I Die Young

At his sister, Allison's, Sweet Sixteen, Jake sings Chrissy Hynde's Forever Young for her.

At the Sweet Sixteen, AJ and Abby dance to Paula Rubio's Dame Otro Tequila to show how the kids how it's done

One of the most important song is Aerosmith's Angel that Jake sings to Abby on stage

Susan asks Abby to sing the old hymn Angel Band for her.

With her brothers, Abby sings Pink's Beam Me Up at Susan's Benefit Concert

She also sings Pink's Great Escape, which she dedicates to Jake

At the benefit concert, Jake and Abby do a duet to Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's I Need You

They also sing Paul McDonald and Nikki Reed's All I Ever Needed

Katie Ashley is the New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon Best-Selling author of The Proposition. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her two very spoiled dogs and one outnumbered cat. She has a slight obsession with Pinterest, The Golden Girls, Harry Potter, Shakespeare, Supernatural, Designing Women, and Scooby-Doo. 

She spent 11 1/2 years educating the Youth of America aka teaching MS and HS English until she left to write full time in December 2012.

She also writes Young Adult fiction under the name Krista Ashe.

Website:         

http://katieashleybooks.blogspot.com

FB Page:        

https://www.facebook.com/katieashleybooks

Twitter:
@ katieashleyluv

Goodreads:    

http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6546441.Katie_Ashley

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