Dirty Little Secret by Jennifer Echols

Bailey wasn’t always a wild child and the black sheep of her family. She used to play fiddle and tour the music circuit with her sister, Julie, who sang and played guitar. That ended when country music execs swooped in and signed Julie to a solo deal. Never mind that Julie and Bailey were a duet, or that Bailey was their songwriter. The music scouts wanted only Julie, and their parents were content to sit by and let her fulfill her dreams while Bailey’s were hushed away.
Bailey has tried to numb the pain and disappointment over what could have been. And as Julie’s debut album is set to hit the charts, her parents get fed up with Bailey’s antics and ship her off to granddad’s house in Nashville. Playing fiddle in washed-up tribute groups at the mall, Bailey meets Sam, a handsome and oh-so-persuasive guitarist with his own band. He knows Bailey’s fiddle playing is just the thing his band needs to break into the industry. But this life has broken Bailey’s heart once before. She isn’t sure she’s ready to let Sam take her there again…

No matter how many Jennifer Echols’ books I read, they never lose their magic. This was especially evident when it comes to Dirty Little Secret. I’ve read and loved all of Echols’s romantic dramas, so I admit, I was skeptical to read this one. I thought it couldn’t possibly top her last four romantic dramas. I was wrong. I loved Bailey’s story. It was interesting and unusual, and made for a really awesome read.

Bailey was a great character. She was spunky and talented and overall really unforgettable. When staying with her grandfather and working at the local mall, she meets the mysterious and adorable Sam. Sam is yet again another perfect heartthrob. I will never tire of the boys in Echols’s books. They are all incredibly swoon-worthy. I loved that Sam was able to convince Bailey to step outside of her shell. The two of them had drama, but ultimately  they both helped each other grow as individuals. I really liked that Bailey’s family played a part in this. Though they weren’t always there, it was really clear how Bailey felt about her family- and especially her sister. All of the characters in Dirty Little Secret were written flawlessly. They each had their own attributes, and were overall really likeable.

One of my favorite parts of Dirty Little Secret was the plot. You don’t see very many YAs that have to do with music. I always get super excited when I get to read a YA with music involved, because they’re always amazing. So I was happy to see that Dirty Little Secret fit the bill. Nashville was the perfect location for this novel. It really adds to the story, and plays such a big part that it’s kind of like a separate character.

Dirty Little Secret is an adorable, well written, unforgettable novel. Jennifer Echols never disappoints. For anyone who hasn’t read her books, you really should. Echols has become one of my favorite YA romance writers. Her books, including Dirty Little Secret, are always immensely original.You can’t help but fall in love with the characters and their story.

FTC- Received for review.