Release Day Review ~ Credence by Delphia Baisden
Title: Credence
Author: Delphia Baisden
Length: 227 pages
Release Date: March 1, 2019
Blurb:
James Morgan, lead guitarist for the rock band Eden, seems to have it all. That is, until Theo, Eden’s lead singer and James’s secret lover, violently betrays him, sending James into a deep depression and cutting their current tour and the band’s life short.
Kieran Jackson, the lead vocalist for the less successful band Lost and Found, is at his wits’ end. At thirty-three, he never dreamed he’d still be opening for bands comprised of twentysomethings. When Eden pulls out of the last few shows of their summer tour, Kieran returns home burned out and heartbroken.
Over a year later, James, Phil, and David of Eden decide to reform under a different name with Kieran as their new vocalist. James, never having forgotten his single interaction with Kieran, nor the only time he ever listened to him perform, knows Kieran’s the best choice.
James is still closeted—and skittish after his last relationship—and one fumbling, drunken kiss threatens to undo everything he’s worked so hard to rebuild, as well as the cover he’s fought to maintain.
Can James overcome his past, confront his demons, and reclaim his former fame? Or will he and the newly formed True North remain in Eden’s shadow forever? Can he finally find comfort in who he is, accept his past, and reopen his heart? Or will the memories of Theo’s betrayal and the subsequent fallout dash any hope of finding—and trusting—love again?
James is still closeted—and skittish after his last relationship—and one fumbling, drunken kiss threatens to undo everything he’s worked so hard to rebuild, as well as the cover he’s fought to maintain.
Can James overcome his past, confront his demons, and reclaim his former fame? Or will he and the newly formed True North remain in Eden’s shadow forever? Can he finally find comfort in who he is, accept his past, and reopen his heart? Or will the memories of Theo’s betrayal and the subsequent fallout dash any hope of finding—and trusting—love again?
Trigger warning: this book contains explicit rape, as well as one failed suicide attempt by a main character.
3.75 Stars!
So much potential, I wanted to love it. It had a great premise, I love books about musicians and it was angsty. So why didn’t I absolutely adore it? I keep asking myself that question and the only answer I can come up with is that there was just something missing for me. Now, I want to stress that this is completely personal. I, unfortunately, made the mistake of watching a movie that wound up completely captivating me and left me with a bit of a hangover the night before I started Credence. Since I’m not prone to movie hangovers (I experience them with books all the time) I had no clue what I was getting myself into. But in any case here we are.
What I Loved: The blurb caught my attention right away and I knew I needed this story. The premise of a successful rock band and betrayal, the forming of a new band and the enigmatic new lead singer who may just be able to bust down the walls James, our MC, has built, ticks all the right boxes for me.
What I Liked: I liked James, he’s a character I really wanted to connect with and see get his HEA. There were more than a few times he pulled on my heartstrings throughout the story but also more than a few times he frustrated me beyond belief. I think that had he been slightly more brooding and even a tad more aloof, I might have enjoyed him that much more.
Kieran was good but I almost found him too sweet or something once he joined the band. I truly loved his attitude when we first met him, the snark was good and the way he basically ripped James a new one about the tour made me think he’d be a lot more sarcastic and maybe even a bit more unapproachable. He just didn’t fully match what I expected of him.
What I Didn’t Like: So I guess my biggest difficulty with the story was simply believability. I had a hard time with the whole suspension of disbelief. Don’t get me wrong, there is so much possibility here and I truly think it could’ve been great, it just comes back to something missing. I wanted more, I wanted to feel invested in the characters and to really see the emotional journey James was forced to go through. There was a lot of telling and not enough showing for me.
The dialogue was a bit stilted at times and I felt like it was sometimes hollow. I wanted to believe they were Rock Stars. The sweet moments were definitely sweet and the darker moments were dark but it was the in-between moments I longed for more.
Overall, as a first book for this author, I’m happy to say I can definitely see a future. A lot of the problems I had with Credence were the things we tend to see from new authors and are things that get better overtime. I’ll be looking for future books by her to see how she’s grown.
**Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by the author/publisher for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.***
Delphia Baisden is a first-time indie author. In 2016, she finally decided to use her passion for writing to tell the love stories of her heart. She is an avid rock 'n' roll fan who feels most comfortable in a band tee and a pair of jeans. She currently lives in a small town near Columbus, Ohio, with her mom, Lola, and their three cats, Cassy, Maggie, and Charlie.
For more information, please visit delphiabaisden.com.
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