Michael Dean has been doing a fantastic job with the books in this series. I love the voice he does for Charlie (not one of the MCs but he’s a significant secondary character). He actually does fantastic voices for all of the characters and he makes it easy to know which character is speaking. There’s a reason that he’s on my list of favorite audiobook performers. 😊

I’ve loved all of the books in the Starting From series and Starting from Here is no exception. It’s a great friends-to-enemies-to-lovers tale set the world of two emerging rock bands going on their first tour together.

Declan and Tegan lived next door to each other when they were young but then Declan moved away and they drifted apart. Years later something happened and they became enemies who couldn’t seem to forget the incident that caused them to hate each other. Now they are in different rock bands recording for the same label and will be touring together. Their manager wants to spin a fake boyfriend scenario to keep the public interested in following the bands on social media.

Wow, this is a story that has more than a few complicated situations going on. Tegan has a family situation he’s dealing with that’s keeping him stressed. Declan doesn’t want to screw up what he thinks is his last chance at making it big. Music is his life and feeds his soul but Tegan soon comes to mean just as much to him.

Starting from Here can definitely be read as a standalone story but the whole series is fantastic and I highly recommend the other books. I’m sure you won’t feel lost if you don’t read them but I also think you’ll appreciate the series more if you read them in order.

I enjoyed visiting with the characters from previous books but I really fell in love with Declan and Tegan. This isn’t an overly angsty story but they must navigate some bumps in the road before they get to their HEA.

Reviews for Lane Hayes

Reviews for Michael Dean

Note: Michael Dean previously used the name Michael Pauley and still has some titles on Audible under that name.

Reviews for Michael Pauley

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The sound of cheerful squealing rang in the background before she hung up. I stared into space for a minute or two, feeling very…alone. I didn’t want to slip into teenage levels of self-pity. There was really nothing lamer than a privileged grown-ass adult whining about mommy issues. I flipped through television channels, pausing on a special about great white sharks. Then I tossed the controller aside and picked up my cell again.

Would you ever swim with sharks?

My phone buzzed immediately. I smiled when Tegan’s name lit the screen. Are you high?

I wish. Swimming with sharks is a thing. People get in cages and film themselves being surrounded by predators…for fun.

People are fucking crazy.

True.

What are you watching?

National Geographic. I was hoping for a sex in the wild segment, but I got sharks instead.

Shark sex?

I grinned. Nope. I don’t think I’m ready for that.

It’s not exciting. Fish sex is seriously unhot.

True.

My chuckled morphed into a belly laugh as I sank deeper into the cushion. I shared a quick story about the saucy squirrels who were getting it on outside my window last spring. Tegan teased me for being a rodent voyeur, then recommended a few human porn sites I might appreciate instead.

Btw, it’s officially midnight. Congrats.

I stared at the screen for a moment. I typed and erased two or three thank-yous that seemed a little too effusive. I didn’t want to come across as too excited or too grateful and somehow clingy, so I gave up and pressed Call.

“Hey.”

“Are you really fucking calling me?”

I chuckled. “Yeah. I am. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. But it’s midnight, and I hate talking on the phone, so good ni—”

“Don’t hang up.”

“What’s wrong?”

I stared at the TV unseeing. “Nothing. I just…I’m keyed up and I need someone to talk to. What was your first release like? I know Zero’s record is still doing well. But…what was like in the beginning? How’d you feel?”

Silence.

“You want the truth?”

“Yeah.”

“It was anticlimactic.”

“Oh. That’s kind of depressing.”

“No, it’s just life. Nothing ever happens as fast as you want it to. You’ve got to be patient and keep doing your thing,” he advised. “We came home from our summer tour thinking we made it. What didn’t turn into superstars, but we made progress. And every day it gets better. But who knows what will happen? Maybe you’ll wake up at number one. Just stay positive and…stop torturing yourself.”

I smiled when Tegan’s uplifting advice gave way to exasperation. It was cute.

“It’s what I do. I excel at the art of self-sabotage. Ask my mom. If I bomb, you can be sure she’ll be the first one to say ‘I told you so.’ She’ll choose her words carefully, though. She’ll be kind-ish before she gently suggests that it’s time to throw in the towel and join the family firm. Fuck my life.”

“But it’s your life. The honor of making mistakes or kicking ass is all yours. You wrote those songs to be heard. Not everyone will love what you do, but plenty of people will. You just gotta be right in your own head. Ask yourself if you gave your best. Did you?”

“Of course.”

“You’ll do just fine, then. If you sell a million copies, great. If not, you’ll still learn something.”

Silence.

“Thanks. I needed that,” I said softly.

“You’re welcome. Now go to sleep.”

“I’m an almost rock star, and it’s midnight. My night is just beginning,” I lied, stifling a yawn.

“Have fun, rock god,” he snorted.

“I’m kidding. I’m channel surfing.”

“You mean porn surfing?”

I barked a quick laugh. “No, I get my porn on the internet like everyone else. I was watching that show about hoarders. It made me feel better somehow.”

“You’re a freak. Get your computer and jack off. You’ll feel better, and you’ll sleep better,” he advised sagely.

“Thanks, Dr. Monroe. I’ll report back in the morning.”

“Not necessary. Especially if there’re boobs involved.”

“I watch more dick porn than chick porn. I watched a great locker room scene last night. The coach and the quarterback. Sexy as fuck.”

“Are you really sharing a spank-bank story?”

“Yeah, you want the link?”

Starting From Series

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