Book Review: Leaving Amarillo (Neon Dreams #1) by Caisey Quinn

Title: Leaving Amarillo
Author: Caisey Quinn
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Release Date: March 17th 2015
Pages: 352
Format: eARC
Source: Edelweiss
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary

Nashville meets New Adult in Neon Dreams, a dramatic, sexy series from bestselling author Caisey Quinn, about a country band’s rocky road to fame—and the ambition, dreams, and love of the people who make the music.

Dixie Lark hasn’t had it easy. She lost her parents in an accident when she was young and grew up in a ramshackle house on a dirt road in Amarillo with her ailing grandparents and overprotective older brother. Thanks to her grandfather, Dixie learned to play a mean fiddle, inspired by the sounds of the greats—Johnny and June, Waylon, and Hank. Her grandfather’s fiddle changed Dixie’s life forever, giving her an outlet for the turmoil of her broken heart and inspiring a daring dream.

Ten years later, Dixie and her brother, Dallas, are creating the music they love and chasing fame with their hot band, Leaving Amarillo. But Dixie isn’t enjoying the ride. All she can think about is Gavin, the band’s tattooed, tortured drummer who she’s loved since they were kids. She knows he feels the connection between them, but he refuses see her as more than his best friend’s little sister.

Convinced that one night with Gavin will get him out of her system, Dixie devises a plan. She doesn’t know that her brother has forbidden Gavin from making a move on her-a promise he swore he’d always keep . . . a promise that once broken will unexpectedly change the future for Dixie, Gavin and the band.

When I saw the cover for Leaving Amarillo I was done. I didn't care what the book would be about I just knew I needed this asap. So when I read the description I was iffy. I've read a few books where the main characters are already known musicians or are pursing their dreams but I haven't found one that I really really really love or connected to. That's wasn't the case with Leaving Amarillo.

Dixie is my kind of character, she has so much spunk that it was easy to instantly like her.Dixie is a girl that will fight fire with fire even if it means she gets burned. And she has a way with words, she constantly surprised me with the funny and flirty things she would say, I was just like DIXIE ROCKS! Also, I guarantee that you all are going to LOVE the tension between Dixie and Gavin, the chemistry between those two was S I Z Z I L I N G. Every time Dixie and Gavin were in a room together it was just like insta fireworks in the background, well at least to me. 

I knew this was going to be one of my best reads. How? Because I was hooked with just the prologue. Caisey Quinn manages to sway me with her words, I felt like I was the musician playing the fiddle. Caisey describes the music life, the instruments, love, and basically everything with such passion that you can't help but feel these pages light a spark in you. And don't even get me started on the heart-shattering scene, I cried the last few chapters, Caisey definitely knows how to pack a punch. I can't wait to read Loving Dallas next.