Steady (Band Nerd, #1) by Danica Avet

Steady (Band Nerd, #1) Reviews

• 
  Talltree

  Low angst, sweet romance about hot jock H and nerdy musician h. Many books with jock H's show the H on the verge of making it into the big leagues or at their professional height, but I liked that this story touched on what happens to players at an age when you're passed over for newer guys with lesser injuries.It was nice that H didn't get bitter, he stayed positive and chose to do something that was meaningful to him. I also liked the campus setting. Both the h/H were very likeable, mature and communicated clearly. Having bad experiences with their previous partners helped them realise what they had was the real deal and the H didn't let much time pass before he snapped the h up!
  
  4 stars!
• 
  Janie

  This is my first read by this author and it definitely won't be my last. I adored the MCs, the secondary characters, the setting and plot.
  
  Shaun "Steady" Decker got his name for a reason. When he wants something he goes for it with steady determination and he wants Katie Frost in his life. Katie was a little leery in the beginning and it was totally understandable under the circumstances but Steady never gave up. He offered friendship and was a champion at her side when she needed one. Katie knew she was fighting a losing battle but needed him to show he was going to be there and be proud to be with her.
  
  This is a low angst read mixing the football and band parts of the story seamlessly within. There were laugh out loud moments and Katie's nerdiness drew Steady right in from the beginning. I'm off to start book 2 in this series right away.
• 
  Barbara➰

  This was so sweet! Being a band nerd myself, I enjoyed all the band lingo and activities. I could totally relate.
  
  I absolutely loved Shaun. He was amazing. He did need some "bitch-be-gone" though. I liked Katie and while I definitely understand her hesitation where Shaun was concerned, I would have liked her to come around a little sooner. Other than that, it was great.
  
  This is my first book by this author and I'll definitely be reading more.
• 
  GimmeAllTheWerdssss

  Soooooo perfect!
• 
  ♡Tonya♡

  Football star meets band nerd and sparks fly. This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. My biggest complaint was the fact that there was no epilogue whatsoever.
  
  -no cheating between the main characters
  -OM/OW drama -Hero was married but in the process of a divorce when they met. The heroine did NOT cause it. Also, the heroine ex, that she had been with for years, turned out to be married. Both cause some drama but the hero and heroine stayed strong
  -some pushing away by the heroine
  -no violence
  -no epilogue
• 
  Celestine

  Drum roll, please.....
  
  While this book didn't punch my "loves adventure" button, it hit a lot of others: more mature love interests (mid-30s), nerdy/geek (our heroine is a college marching band director), sports (yeah, football!), hunky hero with a beard (yum!), and a firm stand on cheating. In fact, cheating is front and center in this novel since both Shaun and Katie have experienced it before in their personal lives. There is other woman/other man drama, but fortunately of the crazy ex- type rather than intentional cheating by our main characters.
  
  The novel starts with changes for Shaun and Katie - in their love lives, in their jobs and in their geography. The two meet on a plane to New Orleans, experience a fantastic night in The Big Easy, and then months later find themselves on the same college campus with new jobs on staff.
  
  Shaun's nickname is "Steady" Decker, and his steadfast determination is evident throughout the book. He is sure of what he wants, and that is cute Katie, complete with curves, librarian glasses and impressive dexterity with....drumsticks.
  
  Being the band nerd that she is, Katie is unaware of the fame of her Big Easy hookup until much, much later. This ignorance is what make their relationship work at first for him, but then it comes up to bite them both. Dealing with fame, new jobs, old embarrassments and career goals adds a more mature aspect to the story. I loved that the book focused a lot more on drum lines and marching bands than the football field. I also adored that Shaun is turned on by Katie's challenge of the hotshot section leader.
  
  If you are looking for a feel-good book to start the new year, then I suggest picking up this one. There is some drama, but not really between Shaun and Katie. They are adorably cute together, and I ate up the little moments between them like popcorn at a movie theater. "Steady" Decker, coming off a disaster of a first marriage, goes after Katie intentionally, methodically and respectfully. These two are hot, hot, hot whether making out behind a door in the band building, trading dirty talk and shy smiles, or enjoying a super deep tub after an all-night marathon. Cuddle-icious is my made up word for this smile-inducing, sweet and steamy romance between the band geek and the NFL star. The made up word is especially pertinent since the author definitely needed a proofreader a time or two. (I forgive her!). On to book two.....
• 
  Amanda

  Sign me up for more nerdy goodness!!
  
  Shaun "Steady" Decker has lost his longtime successful football career injury and wife to the young player that replaces him. Looking to figure out what happens next he takes a job interview for the Sauvage Spartans football program. In the flight to New Orleans for his interview he meets Katherine.
  
  Katherine "Katie" Frost just realized that her boyfriend of three years is married with one kid and another on the way. When this unfortunate event takes place in public, at the grocery store, in front of a gossiping judgmental colleague, she is forced to resign from the school she teaches music at. Through an old connection she lands at interview with the Sauvage State Marching 300 she jumps at the chance for a change of pace. Having vowed to give up men she meets Shaun on the flight to New Orleans for her interview.
  
  Though the initial meeting between these two is filled with silly mishaps and one sided dislike the chemistry in instantly recognizable. Add in a few fortuitous run-ins and some insta-lust/love and they end up sharing a life changing night together only to have a misunderstanding send Katie running the next day.
  
  This book is what's considered safe. There's a five month period between the first and next time they sleep together and aren't with any other people during this separation. This was a first from this author for me and I loved this story! Super sweet, possessive alpha male whose surprised by these tendencies he's never shown before. Strong, shy, smart and beautiful Katie is the ultimate adorable band nerd. Other than some ex drama on both sides this is a fairly steamy, low angst read. I can't wait for more nerdy goodness!
  
• 
  Alex ♈

  I couldn't get over the fact that the hero was married almost till the end of the story. His wife cheated on him, there was a photo proof and he still couldn't get the divorce. Why? His wife played him well.
  I liked the heroine and especially that she wasn't a "standard" beauty but a real woman.
• 
  Honeyeater

  Read it. Enjoyed it. This was nothing too complicated. The guy was nice (and had a beard - extra points) and the girl was also nice and plus sized but presented as absolutely sexually desirable, YAY!
  
  The characters were in their mid thirties and were moving on from previous jobs and relationships. Probably the ex's were just that little bit too much on the evil side of things but that did sharpen up the conflict.
  
  The sex was hot and there wasn't too much of it. And I learned a lot about how seriously college football is taken in the US. Wow. Crazy. It's a wonder any of these students have time to -you know- study.
• 
  Ginette

  DNF 40% just couldn't connect with the characters. Again, just my opinion
• 
  Dawn West

  
  
  
  
  **Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for honest review.**
  
  Two broken hearts on the mend...
  
  
  
  Katie gets the shock of her life when she discovers that her seemingly perfect boyfriend is really a piece of scum. The revelation leads to her dismissal from work and some deep self-guilt. The betrayal is bad enough but now her ex won't leave her alone, spitting even more lies to try to win her back. She needs a clean break and applies for a new job in a different state.
  
  Shaun finds himself in a similar situation. When his marriage turns out to be a sham and he finds himself unemployed, a change of scenery is in order. Taking a college football coaching job may not be his first choice, but it's his chance for a fresh start. Then, he meets Katie... In a big way!
  
  Their whirlwind romance isn't a basket of roses, however. Misunderstandings, self-doubts, and social media, all threaten the life they might try to build together. Our couple has to battle against persistent and vengeful ex's in order to find their happily ever after.
  
  I immediately felt terrible for Katie. Within the first chapter, my heart broke for her. To have not only discovered that her lover was unfaithful but to become the "other woman" and publicly shamed for it... Yikes.
  
  So when Katie and Shaun come together and need a distraction from their troubled lives, I was all on-board for this train!
  
  
  
  The pacing was quick enough that I read this entire thing in under 6 hours. I was drawn into the love story instantly and really connected with both characters. I could feel their pain, shame, frustration, and hesitation. The romance was hot and never became repetitive.
  
  In closing...
  This was a great first installment in the series. I've already read (and loved) book two, so I'm impatiently waiting for the next book! Four suns!
  
  Full review on blog:
  http://uptildawnbookblog.blogspot.com/2017/02/review-steady-by-danica-avet.html
• 
  Sabahat

  This was a cute book. It was nice to read about a athlete after his glory days because you usually read about them just before they're about to get started or during it, but this guy was forced out after an injury and with younger guys joining the team. I liked both the heroine and hero and understood why the heroine was reluctant to start something with the hero but I loved how he never gave up and was patient with her. I also really liked the relationship the hero and heroine had with their students, it was entertaining and I loved how the students had their back towards the end. I don't really have any bad things to say about this book, it was sweet and very enjoyable and I had a smile on my face when I finished it, but I can't say I'll remember a lot about it.
• 
  Dilinna

  First book by the author and I wasn't disappointed, I actually enjoyed it! Loved the characters esp the H cos of his determination to stick by the h no matter what. I jst love heros that don't waiver in their love for the heroines. He didn't give her any chance to think he didn't want to be with her and I love the band story line...something different.
• 
  Escapist

  I love this hero so much. I couldn’t stop swooning. He was a sweet, understanding hero. He is definitely my type. SHAUN, I LOVE YOU!! But not to forget about the heroine. I love her too. She’s funny, strong and most importantly she didn’t make the stupid mistake that most heroine did, which is misunderstood their man.
• 
  Chris

  Sweet story - loved all of the marching band/drum corps.
• 
  Kim

  This was good. I liked the heroine, Kate. She's down-to-earth and slightly nerdy. She unknowingly makes some bad choices when it comes to men and gets burned very badly. She then doubts herself, but not to the point of stupidity. The hero, Shaun, is pretty great and probably not at all like any real man out in the world, but that's the point, sometimes. He's hot and completely in to Kate from the very beginning. Kate has no idea who he is and she does wonder why he's interested in her, but it's fleeting rather than being an entire book of her questioning it. Shaun does screw up hugely by not telling her a key piece of information before they hook up and that causes a lot of conflict. I do question why someone that famous, with that much money and as large as Shaun's described to be, would apparently travel coach on an airplane (Kate and Shaun meet when they are seat mates on a flight). But, the majority of the conflict is around both of their ex-significant others and both of those people are painted so very blackly rather than in shades of grey, that it bothered me a little. Both of them fall in to the "my ex is completely evil/insane" stereotype and it's a little disappointing. It also felt like the author regularly switched between past and present tense in the same sentence throughout the book. I found it very off-putting, but eventually got over it or automatically translated it in my head. Despite that, I liked this enough that I will keep an eye on the price for the second in the series and pick it up eventually.
• 
  Maura

  Katie, coming off of a really bad relationship with a guy who, it turns out, was married, she moves to Louisiana to work as a marching band director for a university. While staying in New Orleans, she meets and hooks up with Shaun Decker, but doesn't realize he's an ex-NFL player. The morning after, she sees a text from his wife and believes it's happened again. Shaun is of course in the midst of a divorce, so he's disappointed that Katie is gone and he doesn't know how to find her. He's overjoyed to learn they're now working at the same university and he's determined to get her back. But his celebrity status and the obstacle of his wife and their very messy divorce could keep them apart.
  
  This was a really good starting out story. I've never read this author and I'm impressed. Shaun and Katie have some pretty frickin awesome chemistry and Shaun is just a great, big, possessive teddy bear. This is the way to write strong, fluffy alpha males without making them into creepy stalkers. Katherine is the ultimate band nerd and I love me some geekiness. I was never in band, but I know and love the type. Katherine also had very good reason for her wariness in being with Shaun, so I had no problem with her avoidance of him...nor with his refusing to accept it. I wasn't a huge fan of the VERY public confrontation between the heroine, the wife and the heroine's ex and making their private business into a university affair. I mean, they discuss everything in front of a stadium full of people who chime in with their own opinions. It was a bit awkward and those things always feel a bit cheesy for me. That is totally all down to preference... I've never really cared for public displays of relationship stuff unless it has a definite purpose. There really wasn't much reason for this to be a public airing of grievances. It was just one scene in an awesome book so it didn't color my perception all that much. I'm definitely tuning in for more because I love how she writes the hero.
• 
  April Harvey

  The story opens with Kate Frost living in Chicago and wildly in love with her boyfriend of 3 years, Adam. He is a successful business owner who has spent quite a bit of time away on meetings with clients. It has been working well for them because Kate is always busy as a music teacher at a very prestigious school. She is so happy with her life until a shopping trip the next town over leaves her reeling. Adam has been married their whole relationship and his has a son with another baby on the way. Pretty shitty right? Not only does she literally run in Adam and his happy family but it is also witnessed by the one staff member she hates more than anything at her school. Did I mention she works a very conservative, religious school? Yep and they fired her while she was down and out.
  
  Then you get to read Shaun Decker's back story. Super hot ex-NFL player who was forced into retirement by a leg injury. He was living the kind of life most guys wanted...hot career, tons of money, and a gorgeous wife. But wait for it....he is in the middle of a meeting with his agent trying to figure out his next move when a friend texts him a picture of his wife all over the newest guy on his team. The new guy also happens to be his direct replacement. Now he is forced to find something else to do with himself.
  
  Both Shaun and Katie end up teaching at Sauvage State and when they meet the fireworks go off! I loved the refreshing down to earth tone the writer uses in this story. The characters are totally relatebable, funny, and charming. The storyline was so good. I think this is one of my favorite stories I have read so far this year! I am too excited for the rest of this series to come out. FYI...the chemistry is off the charts between these two. I am not going to give away the story but trust me it is a worthwhile read!
• 
  N. Kuhn

  *I received this in exchange for an honest review*
  I loved this book! I enjoyed the geeky woman, who was sexy and didn't know it. The football hero that everyone wants but he appreciates the woman that is real and not fake! The story is funny, witty, romantic and more! "Steady" certainly made for a sexy hero that any reader will fall in love with! It was a great story! I couldn't put it down!
  "Babe, you're hot, and you got this cute band nerd thing going on..." so awesome.
  Such a great read!
  More focused on romance than sex and it really pulled me in!
• 
  Laura

  It was great book
  
  I wasn't sure about this one in the beginning because of the cheating aspects. I know he was separated but I still don't like reading about it. I think the author did a good job of writing around it though. He should have pushed harder in the beginning but I understand why he had to wait. Besides that I loved this story. It was different them your typical nerd\jock book. Great read and I am definitely buying the next in the series.
• 
  Sara

  I loved everything about this book. I bought it as an impulse because I too was a band nerd. Steady checked all my boxes. It had a alpha hero, a quirky heroine, humor & steamy sexy time. I can't wait for more in this series.
• 
  Amanda

  2.5 stars. This was the first book that I've read by this author and while I liked the storyline, I didn't feel a connection with the characters.
• 
  Hannah

  Kate and Steady were adorable.
• 
  Lady Lioness

  This is a book about a band nerd. That is even the name of the series. If you've been following my reviews for a while, you know that I tend to be attracted to things that are out of the norm.
  
  I've never read a sports romance type of book that focuses on the marching band before, and it's also one where the hero is already on his second career after playing pro sports, so this was right up my alley. I knew Avet's name because I have one of her eroticas in my TBR pile, but once I read the blurb, I was hooked. I really liked that the heroine was nerdy, but she was confident in her abilities and established herself in her new job. The drum-off was very cool to read. I also liked that the hero pursued her, because who doesn't want to read about a band nerd getting swept off her feet by a jock? It's like the basis of all the Disney Channel movies from the '90s.
  
  This is adult contemporary romance, but the setting reads as authentically college, so new adult fans should definitely check it out. If you have KU, give it a shot, because what do you have to lose? I'm trying to think of a read-a-like, but I'm drawing a blank because MARCHING BAND DIRECTOR. Name me one other book where the heroine is one of the directors of a marching band. No, seriously, do, because I will read that too!
• 
  Emma

  2.5* but I rounded because she included a playlist :)
  
  Shaun and Katherine are quite a nice couple. He is an aging football star and she is a music academic. This story was pretty much as expected. Jock/nerd trope with the obligatory sex scenes that really do not add to the narrative. Writing was not inspired but not dreadful. What was slightly out of the ordinary was their age. This is a story about adults who act like adults. She is over 30 and he is nearly 40. She is not tempted by the cute student who flirts with her. He is working at his new job and not moping around feeling sorry for himself. I can see myself reading the next one in the series (despite the freaky cover) but not just now.