WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.720 Hey everyone, welcome to the show. Great to be 00:00:01.720 --> 00:00:04.960 here. Today, we're diving into something pretty 00:00:04.960 --> 00:00:09.380 intense. Think dazzling fame, deep love, but 00:00:09.380 --> 00:00:14.019 also that sharp sting of betrayal. We've both 00:00:14.019 --> 00:00:17.000 been reading Kate Callahan's Not Another Rockstar. 00:00:17.260 --> 00:00:19.620 And wow, yeah, it's definitely an emotional ride, 00:00:19.719 --> 00:00:22.379 isn't it? It really is. And you know, while it's 00:00:22.379 --> 00:00:25.100 like... technically in the romance genre, it 00:00:25.100 --> 00:00:28.179 feels like so much more. There are some serious 00:00:28.179 --> 00:00:31.760 dramatic elements, suspense too. It kind of pushes 00:00:31.760 --> 00:00:34.820 those boundaries. Totally. So, okay. The main 00:00:34.820 --> 00:00:36.899 character is Phoebe. She's this really talented 00:00:36.899 --> 00:00:39.280 artist and things are going great for her sellout 00:00:39.280 --> 00:00:41.280 exhibition, Career High. Yeah. Big moment for 00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:44.060 her. Her fiance, Cillian Hunt. He's the front 00:00:44.060 --> 00:00:46.020 man for this huge band, Brothers of Anarchy. 00:00:46.520 --> 00:00:49.640 He's not there. And that absence just hangs heavy 00:00:49.640 --> 00:00:51.659 right from the start. Exactly. And then things 00:00:51.659 --> 00:00:53.929 take a turn. Phoebe ends up going to Munich. 00:00:54.109 --> 00:00:57.469 Ah, Munich. Yeah, and she finds something out, 00:00:57.490 --> 00:00:59.750 something that just completely shatters everything 00:00:59.750 --> 00:01:01.829 she thought was real. Yeah, it's a gut -punch 00:01:01.829 --> 00:01:03.710 discovery. It really changes the whole trajectory. 00:01:04.109 --> 00:01:06.230 So what really stood out for you? Without giving 00:01:06.230 --> 00:01:08.939 too much away, of course. For me, it was definitely 00:01:08.939 --> 00:01:11.299 the exploration of fame, how it puts this immense 00:01:11.299 --> 00:01:14.120 pressure on relationships. Oh, definitely. It 00:01:14.120 --> 00:01:16.500 wasn't just, you know, Cillian's job. It felt 00:01:16.500 --> 00:01:18.840 like this third entity in their relationship 00:01:18.840 --> 00:01:21.500 constantly demanding things, casting shadows. 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:24.019 Yeah, like a destructive force almost. Yeah. 00:01:24.120 --> 00:01:26.519 You really see the compromises and the weirdness 00:01:26.519 --> 00:01:28.620 that comes with one person being constantly in 00:01:28.620 --> 00:01:31.000 the public eye. Exactly. It makes you think about 00:01:31.000 --> 00:01:33.900 those unique challenges. And building on that, 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:37.909 what I really loved was Phoebe herself. Her strength. 00:01:38.530 --> 00:01:41.909 I mean, she faces some really awful stuff, betrayal, 00:01:42.750 --> 00:01:46.909 tragedy, but her resilience, it's incredibly 00:01:46.909 --> 00:01:48.650 well portrayed. She doesn't just like fall apart. 00:01:48.849 --> 00:01:50.709 No, she finds a way. It's not just about surviving. 00:01:50.790 --> 00:01:53.430 It's about actively rebuilding, finding a new 00:01:53.430 --> 00:01:56.069 path. Yeah. And finding support in unexpected 00:01:56.069 --> 00:01:58.790 places. Yes. That was another thing. These connections 00:01:58.790 --> 00:02:00.950 that kind of emerge out of the crisis. Right. 00:02:01.010 --> 00:02:04.010 People step up. Yeah. Genuine bonds form and 00:02:04.010 --> 00:02:07.170 they become these like. anchors for her it shows 00:02:07.170 --> 00:02:10.830 how connection can be so healing even when things 00:02:10.830 --> 00:02:14.689 seem totally bleak it does yeah okay but on the 00:02:14.689 --> 00:02:17.449 flip side were there things that frustrated you 00:02:17.449 --> 00:02:20.530 oh definitely look no spoilers but some character 00:02:20.530 --> 00:02:23.419 choices Let's just say they tested my patience. 00:02:23.659 --> 00:02:26.020 You're reading it and thinking, really? Why would 00:02:26.020 --> 00:02:28.979 you do that? Some actions felt so impulsive. 00:02:29.180 --> 00:02:31.240 I know. Almost self -sabotaging sometimes. You 00:02:31.240 --> 00:02:33.340 just want to shake them. Exactly. It adds to 00:02:33.340 --> 00:02:36.099 the drama for sure. But yeah, frustrating. And 00:02:36.099 --> 00:02:38.580 tied into that, I guess, is just the sheer emotional 00:02:38.580 --> 00:02:43.159 turmoil. The book doesn't pull punches. You really 00:02:43.159 --> 00:02:45.580 feel Phoebe's pain, the messiness of it all. 00:02:45.719 --> 00:02:47.810 No, it doesn't shy away from that. Which, you 00:02:47.810 --> 00:02:49.689 know, makes it impactful, but it can be tough 00:02:49.689 --> 00:02:51.909 going as a reader sometimes. You really experience 00:02:51.909 --> 00:02:54.969 that weight with her. Yeah. It's intense. Yeah. 00:02:55.009 --> 00:02:57.710 And another thing, the ending. Right. It gives 00:02:57.710 --> 00:03:00.050 you closure, sort of. But not everything is tied 00:03:00.050 --> 00:03:02.530 up neatly, is it? No, not at all. There are still 00:03:02.530 --> 00:03:06.629 lingering questions, unresolved tensions. Maybe 00:03:06.629 --> 00:03:08.810 you're left wondering a bit about their futures. 00:03:09.110 --> 00:03:10.909 Which I actually kind of liked. It felt more 00:03:10.909 --> 00:03:13.319 real. You know, life isn't always neat little 00:03:13.319 --> 00:03:16.919 bows. Agreed. That refusal to provide easy answers 00:03:16.919 --> 00:03:20.560 definitely adds to the realism. OK, so considering 00:03:20.560 --> 00:03:23.419 all that, the great stuff like the look at fame, 00:03:23.879 --> 00:03:26.599 Phoebe's resilience, those unexpected bonds. 00:03:27.699 --> 00:03:30.680 Balanced against the frustrating decisions and 00:03:30.680 --> 00:03:33.159 the emotional heaviness. Where do we land on 00:03:33.159 --> 00:03:35.240 a rating? We talked about this and I think we're 00:03:35.240 --> 00:03:37.419 pretty aligned. Yeah, I think so. We're giving 00:03:37.419 --> 00:03:40.590 not another rock star a strong. Four out of five 00:03:40.590 --> 00:03:43.710 stars. Yeah, solid four. It's compelling. It 00:03:43.710 --> 00:03:46.449 draws you in deep. You get really invested in 00:03:46.449 --> 00:03:48.830 Phoebe's journey. Definitely. Heartbreak, healing. 00:03:49.150 --> 00:03:51.289 It makes you think about fame, connection, all 00:03:51.289 --> 00:03:53.650 that stuff. It sticks with you. For sure. It's 00:03:53.650 --> 00:03:55.870 a story that sparks thought about relationships 00:03:55.870 --> 00:03:58.629 under, well, pretty extraordinary pressure and 00:03:58.629 --> 00:04:01.030 finding strength when you least expect it. So, 00:04:01.030 --> 00:04:02.750 yeah, if this deep dive has got you interested. 00:04:03.240 --> 00:04:05.539 You should check it out. Absolutely. There's 00:04:05.539 --> 00:04:07.439 a link to buy the book on Amazon right there 00:04:07.439 --> 00:04:09.139 in the description below this. And hey, if you 00:04:09.139 --> 00:04:11.199 enjoyed our chat, found it useful, maybe give 00:04:11.199 --> 00:04:14.580 us a like and subscribe. Yeah, please do. It 00:04:14.580 --> 00:04:16.319 really helps us keep doing these deep dives. 00:04:16.379 --> 00:04:18.540 We appreciate the support. And we'd love to hear 00:04:18.540 --> 00:04:21.980 from you, too. Tell us in the comments maybe 00:04:21.980 --> 00:04:23.920 what part of this discussion caught your ear. 00:04:24.259 --> 00:04:26.860 Or if you've read it, maybe a favorite non -spoiler 00:04:26.860 --> 00:04:29.259 moment. Yeah, keep the conversation going. Let 00:04:29.259 --> 00:04:31.439 us know what you think. Anyway, thanks so much 00:04:31.439 --> 00:04:32.740 for tuning in today. Thanks, everyone.