On an Island in Costa Rica and a Tour Bus Across America - Present Day

Jack Price, with his business partners and best friends, run TA, Thrillseekers Anonymous, arranging extreme outings for a fee. Brought to Costa Rica to do what they do best, Jack and the rest of the crew find themselves bored out of their minds. The person they were commissioned to do the outing for is only interested in two things: getting drunk and carousing with two hundred of his closest friends. Audrey LaRue, arguably one of the biggest pop stars around today, whom the birthday boy brought to Costa Rica along with her entourage, came to privately perform for him. Jack seriously wants some alone time.

The night before they are to leave, Jack decides to escape to the other side of the island to relax, but Audrey, the diva herself, seems to have the same idea. Jack tries to get rid of her and she refuses, ultimately they come to a compromise. One thing leads to another and they kiss; sparks fly. But Audrey has a boyfriend, and, since becoming a star, isn’t sure whom she can trust anymore. When Jack is caught in a lie, she runs away.

Audrey receives threatening letters; Lucas, her boyfriend of eight years and business manager, decides that she needs security before beginning her concert tour. Lucas insists on hiring the men from TA, but they decline because they don’t have the experience. Jack, who had served in the military before joining TA, accepts the job. Even though he makes a good living, he wants to open his own flight school, which takes a lot of money. Although Jack is haunted by the passionate kiss he and Audrey shared on the Island, he is not interested in doing anything other than his job.

AMERICAN DIVA centers around Audrey LaRue and her life as a pop star as seen through Jack's eyes. It will be hard for readers not to make comparisons between Audrey LaRue and real life pop stars who rise to celebrity status only to crash and burn. However, Audrey is actually a talented musician unsure of how to handle her sudden fame. She is constantly surrounded by people whom she does not trust, and she is singing music she does not like. She feels lonely. Lucas, Audrey's boyfriend, was her rock for many years, but lately Audrey wonders why her rock has transformed into being more like a noose around her neck.

Written in the third person, from the points of view of both Jack and Audrey, it is Jack’s view that readers will trust. Readers will see what Jack sees and will alternate between wanting to save Audrey and shake some sense into her. Jack is sexy, honest, straightforward, passionate, and compassionate -- every woman should have a Jack in her life.

As much as I liked and am recommending AMERICAN DIVA, the story may have been better served if its 314 pages had been shortened. While the dialogue is sharp and draws readers further into the story, toward the end it becomes a little too sentimental. The subplot involving someone sending Audrey threatening letters lacks tension because, from the beginning, readers know who the culprit is, and it adds very little to the story other than as a device to keep Jack and Audrey in close proximity to each other for a couple of weeks. But maybe Ms. London was using the subplot more as a metaphor.

With strong writing and moments that ring true, readers will believe the world that Ms. London has created, be entertained, moved, and drawn into the story. Is Audrey LaRue really a diva? I am not telling. The only way to find out is to head to your local bookstore and pick up your copy of AMERICAN DIVA today.

Nickole Yarbrough