MORE THAN COMICS by Elizabeth Briggs

I’ve thrown on one of my many geek tees to write up my review of Elizabeth Briggs’ MORE THAN COMICS, just released this week! (hint, hint, hint) It seemed only right to get my geek on since this book is set at Comic-Con, folks! I have never had the privilege of attending, but man, would I love to. Of course, this book only further solidifies that and leads to daydreams of cosplay, camping outside Hall H, and all that fun stuff. For now, I've got this book to transport me. So, let's get started!

For those of you who have already read Liz’s debut, MORE THAN MUSIC—If not, what are you waiting for?—I can assure you that this sequel won't disappoint because guess what? We get to hang out with Jared, Maddie, Kyle and the rest of the gang from Book 1 all over again! (The sequel picks up one week after the events of the first story.) And these characters don’t just show up in some itty bitty cameo either; they’re woven all throughout Hector and Tara’s story. This is absolutely one of my favourite aspects of MORE THAN COMICS. Revisiting a great cast of characters from another angle (secondary characters becoming primary characters) makes me pretty darn happy. * I’m not sure why authors don’t do this more, to be honest.

So let’s talk about Tara and Hector. These two had great chemistry and not just the steamy kind. (Though there was plenty of steam. Much more than Book 1.) From the very beginning we learn that Tara and Hector have already established a solid friendship through an equally solid working relationship thanks to their joint efforts on a graphic novel--Tara writes and Hector illustrates. They have already spent time getting to know each other in every way but in person, so the shift from friends to more than friends is only natural. The events of the novel take place over four days, so thanks to their shared history, their romance doesn’t feel rushed or unbelievable. There are roadblocks in the way of their romance, which comes as no surprise, but I never felt as though these issues were unrealistic or easily solved. Sure, certain things could have been resolved through open and clear channels of communication, but that isn’t the way things happen all the time in real life either. Both Hector and Tara had (mostly) valid reasons for holding back, real concerns. We also can’t discount the impact of past experiences on their present decisions. Exes hovering, huge choices to make about life direction, crossing that line from friendship to more and everything that entails, family dynamics and personal history that have played a part in shaping the characters… All of these things are valid, all of them legit challenges on the way to reaching a happy ending.

In order to fully experience both Tara’s and Hector’s sides of the story, we are presented with a dual point of view. I am happy to report that this was done particularly well. One of my greatest pet peeves as a reader is having to flip back to the start of a chapter to find out whose perspective I’m getting thanks to a marked lack of differentiation between voices. This is not at all the case with MORE THAN COMICS. When Tara is narrating, we always know it is her speaking and likewise with Hector’s point of view. I want to cheer when an author does this well, so kudos to Elizabeth Briggs for pulling this off.

But back to that Comic-Con setting for a moment… Like I said earlier, I’ve never been but have always wanted to go. It was clear that the author has been to Comic-Con through the myriad little details that only someone who has attended this event would be able to relate. The cosplay moments were particularly great and, of course, the mentions here and there of superhero tees and the like. Without going into details, the campout outside Hall H was especially memorable because, well, steamy reasons(!) and I’ll just leave it at that. Overall, this was a great choice of setting for Tara and Hector's story, one that will appeal to anyone who has ever wanted to attend or anyone who has been to Comic-Con or other cons like it.

If you like romance with loads of swoon and steam with a good dose of geekery tossed in, then you’ll want to give MORE THAN COMICS a read. You don't need to read MORE THAN MUSIC first, but why would you deny yourself that privilege?

* Up next, I believe we’re getting Julie’s story in BEHIND THE SEAMS. Can’t wait to read this one because it involves fashion! You can also check out MORE THAN EXES, a standalone novella about Villain Complex's bad boy keyboardist, Kyle.

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MORE THAN COMICS (Chasing The Dream, #2)

Release Date: February 23, 2015

They're friends online - but can they be more in real life?

Writer Tara McFadden has been friends with artist and drummer Hector Fernandez for years, long before his band became famous on reality TV – yet they’ve never met in person. They finally have a chance to connect offline when they’re both sent to Comic-Con to promote the graphic novel they collaborated on.

Hector's secretly been in love with Tara for as long as he can remember, and once they meet, she sees him in a new light. All the years of longing lead to an incredible night of passion after one of his concerts, but neither is sure if their online relationship can translate into a real life romance – or if this will ruin their friendship forever.

Over four crazy days at Comic-Con, Hector and Tara must decide if they want a future together. But when their story seems to be over, it’s up to Hector’s entire band to make sure he and Tara get their happy ending.   [Add it on GOODREADS.]

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elizabeth Briggs is a full-time geek who writes books for teens and adults. She plays the guitar, mentors at-risk teens, and volunteers with a dog rescue group. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and a pack of small, fluffy dogs.

Where to find Liz:

Website: http://www.elizabethbriggs.net/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ElizabethBriggsFans/

Newsletter: http://smarturl.it/elizabethbriggs

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lizwrites

Where to buy Liz's books:
Amazon (US) (CAN) (UK)
Barnes & Noble
iTunes
Google Play
Kobo
All Romance
Smashwords