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GAGA
"I absolutely LOVED this story!"Monty is ready to rock. Funny thing is, she doesn't know it yet! When her husband releases her from a stagnant marriage, forty-five-but-looks-thirty Monica Reese Taylor, freelance writer for Home & Goddess Magazine, gets the career opportunity of a lifetime. All she has to do is leave her daughter behind, change her name, dress like a crazed groupie, and for one month follow a comeback rock band as they tour the eastern United States. But that's not Monty has to spend time with the famous lead guitarist in order to get her story. A hot musician whose poster she kissed every night in her bedroom back in the eighties! With her undisclosed agenda well hidden beneath Aqua Net, Maybelline, and leather, Monty plays the part of groupie with finesse, never suspecting that her rocker crush has a few tight-lipped secrets of his own...secrets that make hers seem like child's play... secrets that could change Monty's life forever. This is the surprisingly fresh story of a coming-of-middle-age woman who believes that pretending to be someone else isn't the best way to discover who she really is. Or is it?
389 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 20, 2015
About the author
Leslie Tall Manning
7 books222 followersHello, Lovely Readers! I am an award-winning novelist who loves writing about grown-ups (GAGA, MAGGIE’S DREAM, and KNOCK ON WOOD) and young adults (UPSIDE DOWN IN A LAURA INGALLS TOWN, I AM ELEPHANT, I AM BUTTERFLY, and RULES OF FALLING). I especially love digging into universal ideas such as friendship, bravery, and self-forgiveness. When I'm not spending quality time with the characters in my head, I speak at libraries, schools, and book clubs. I am proudly represented by Uwe Stender at the TriadaUS Literary Agency. I am currently gearing up for my new book FERAL MARIL & HER LITTLE BROTHER CAROL, about a young girl who aims to steal back her mentally challenged brother when they are separated by the foster care system. May 1, 2024.
A bit about Me the Reader: I also work as a private tutor so I get to re-read classics as well as jump into newer books. My personal reading tastes are eclectic, but I can get into most genres as long as the book is well written. I do not lean toward heavy romance, erotica, early middle grade, animal books, or super fantasy. I am picky about what I read, just as I am picky about what I write. I've been reading since I was five and creating stories since I was six.
Here are some writing accolades I've worked hard to earn:
Indie Brag Award
Firebird Literary Award
Sarton Women's Literary Award
NC Author Project Award
Taleflick Road to Development Finalist
Taleflick Top Pick
William Faulkner Words and Wisdom Finalist
Story Monsters Certificate of Excellence
Library Journal Self-e Selection
International Book Award Finalist
Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Finalist
Readers' Favorite Bronze Medal Winner
North Street Book Prize Longlist
Historical Fiction Competition Finalist
Readers' Choice Award
CIBA Finalist
The Letter Review Longlist
Santa Fe Literary Review Longlist
I would love to meet you! Connect with me on Goodreads, Wordpress, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Linkedin.
A bit about Me the Reader: I also work as a private tutor so I get to re-read classics as well as jump into newer books. My personal reading tastes are eclectic, but I can get into most genres as long as the book is well written. I do not lean toward heavy romance, erotica, early middle grade, animal books, or super fantasy. I am picky about what I read, just as I am picky about what I write. I've been reading since I was five and creating stories since I was six.
Here are some writing accolades I've worked hard to earn:
Indie Brag Award
Firebird Literary Award
Sarton Women's Literary Award
NC Author Project Award
Taleflick Road to Development Finalist
Taleflick Top Pick
William Faulkner Words and Wisdom Finalist
Story Monsters Certificate of Excellence
Library Journal Self-e Selection
International Book Award Finalist
Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Finalist
Readers' Favorite Bronze Medal Winner
North Street Book Prize Longlist
Historical Fiction Competition Finalist
Readers' Choice Award
CIBA Finalist
The Letter Review Longlist
Santa Fe Literary Review Longlist
I would love to meet you! Connect with me on Goodreads, Wordpress, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and Linkedin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
July 12, 2023
When she was fifteen, Monica who is known as Monty to her friends and family, dreamed of her favorite rock star, Donny Digits, seeing her at a Grope concert and falling as much in love with her at she had fallen for him. The reality was a nightmare of Monica embarrassing herself and the rock star not even noticing her or her embarrassment.
Thirty years later an about to be divorced Monica has the opportunity to change that nightmare into a different reality. As a freelance writer she has been pressured into taking an assignment to go undercover and become a groupie for the very same rock star and his band. Her boss wants this writer, who looks much younger than her actual age, to get the real story behind the band that is now making a come back.
I loved it! Didn’t every teenage girl have a crush on a rock or pop star? Didn’t we all dream of being noticed at a concert? Didn’t we think we could be their new girlfriend? Well, I admit, I did, but that only lasted for a few years, until I had a real boyfriend.
Reading this book brought back a few memories of my own and I really enjoyed reliving those crazy years along with Monica. The storyline was so well thought out and made for such a fun read but I have to admit toward the end I couldn’t put the book down because I wanted Monica to get exactly what she wanted and I just couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next. Terrific read! Not every book can make you smile and chuckle every now and then while reading it.
I won this ebook in a First Reads giveaway. Thank you to the author Leslie Tall Manning.
Thirty years later an about to be divorced Monica has the opportunity to change that nightmare into a different reality. As a freelance writer she has been pressured into taking an assignment to go undercover and become a groupie for the very same rock star and his band. Her boss wants this writer, who looks much younger than her actual age, to get the real story behind the band that is now making a come back.
I loved it! Didn’t every teenage girl have a crush on a rock or pop star? Didn’t we all dream of being noticed at a concert? Didn’t we think we could be their new girlfriend? Well, I admit, I did, but that only lasted for a few years, until I had a real boyfriend.
Reading this book brought back a few memories of my own and I really enjoyed reliving those crazy years along with Monica. The storyline was so well thought out and made for such a fun read but I have to admit toward the end I couldn’t put the book down because I wanted Monica to get exactly what she wanted and I just couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next. Terrific read! Not every book can make you smile and chuckle every now and then while reading it.
I won this ebook in a First Reads giveaway. Thank you to the author Leslie Tall Manning.
July 17, 2015
When I sign on as a new follower on a blog, I sometimes joke that I'm the blogger's "newest groupie," although I can't imagine me ever being... or even wanting to be... an honest-to-goodness band groupie. Not even when I was a teenager. Not my thing.
BUT, I certainly enjoyed reading this wonderful book, which I won (Thank you!) through a Goodreads giveaway, about a 45-year-old journalist's one-month stint as a pretend groupie. It helped that Monica looked youthful enough to pass for thirty. It also helped that the juicy assignment came her way right after her husband of twenty years dropped the bombshell that he wanted a divorce. And it reeeeeally helped that the band whose tour she was going undercover to follow was the very one that had once fueled her love-sick teenage dreams. Especially the lead guitarist/ singer. Her heartthrob. After all these years,looking at his picture still made her heart beat a little faster. And NOW, she was going to have the magazine-given opportunity to get to know the band and *HIM* in a more up close and personal way. After all, she's got front row seats for many of the concerts... and backstage VIP passes... not to mention a new hip and sexy wardrobe. Anything could happen! Is it possible for her one-time fantasies to become reality, or is she just too darned old for all that loud rock 'n' roll and those decades-old dreams?
Was the story totally believable? Not entirely. But who cares? It is a fun read. It's as simple as that. I'd give it four and a half stars.
BUT, I certainly enjoyed reading this wonderful book, which I won (Thank you!) through a Goodreads giveaway, about a 45-year-old journalist's one-month stint as a pretend groupie. It helped that Monica looked youthful enough to pass for thirty. It also helped that the juicy assignment came her way right after her husband of twenty years dropped the bombshell that he wanted a divorce. And it reeeeeally helped that the band whose tour she was going undercover to follow was the very one that had once fueled her love-sick teenage dreams. Especially the lead guitarist/ singer. Her heartthrob. After all these years,looking at his picture still made her heart beat a little faster. And NOW, she was going to have the magazine-given opportunity to get to know the band and *HIM* in a more up close and personal way. After all, she's got front row seats for many of the concerts... and backstage VIP passes... not to mention a new hip and sexy wardrobe. Anything could happen! Is it possible for her one-time fantasies to become reality, or is she just too darned old for all that loud rock 'n' roll and those decades-old dreams?
Was the story totally believable? Not entirely. But who cares? It is a fun read. It's as simple as that. I'd give it four and a half stars.
July 17, 2015
GaGa by Leslie Tall Manning
Standalone, Fairly Clean Romance
I love Rock Star books, and I love books with older heroines, so I thought GaGa would be totally up my alley. As a mom in my 40s, I find it hard to read about teenagers so often. But I still fantasize about a hunky rock star! Don't we all? The thing is, my son IS a rock star. Luckily his favorite bands are the ones I listened to growing up, and he has been getting us backstage to concerts for the last few years. So I know the scene, maybe a bit too intimately for a fully fair review.
Gaga was a great concept. Monty is 45. Her husband just divorced her after a boring marriage. She has a 15 year old daughter and is a freelance writer. Monty is beautiful and can easily pass for 30. So when her magazine gave her an assignment, with a "do it or you're fired" caveat, she had no choice.
Monty is to go undercover as a groupie for a comeback rock band called Grope for one month. Monty LOVED the band as a teenager. The lead guitarist/singer was her teenage crush, and she kissed his poster every night before bed. With trepidation and excitement, Monty set off on the adventure of a lifetime.
Her sweaty hand gripped tightly to her ticket, and her heart pumped almost as loudly as a rock and roll band whose music was once her reason for living."
When she got to her front row seat, all Monty noticed was that the audience was almost all women, all dressed up. The closer to the front, the younger they were, with giddy teenagers in the front row.
I have gone to almost every comeback concert there is in the past 4-5 years. I have never seen this. I go backstage to these concerts, and I don't see young teenage girls crawling all over. Security is tight, bands are tired, and usually have family they want to hang with. Even 70 year old Gregg Allman just had his 27 year old girlfriend backstage and no other groupies. Young teenagers aren't screaming their heads off and crying for bands that were big in the 80s. The people in front rows are usually the ones with money, not the young hotties. So this aspect of the book bugged me a lot, it just isn't really what the music world is like anymore. But I still enjoyed the read.
I still love the idea with her maybe hooking up with her teenaged heart throb, how awesome is that? As Monty aka Melody traveled undercover, the whole experience lost it's luster very quickly. The same setlist nightly, the same screaming fans, and she missed her daughter. The only thing that still excited her was Donny Digits, the lead hunk with the stupid name.
As Monty got closer to the band, she realized how much her contract sucked. She couldn't reveal her true identity, even as she falls for the guy. You would think that makes for a predictable end, but it was anything but. There was a strange twist of events, which I'm still not sure I understand the reason for.
Likes:
•I love the concept of an older woman and a rock star.
•Excellent writing.
•She was a great mom and it showed.
•The breakup of her marriage was well done and realistic, and they handled telling their child very well.
•I really liked the characters, especially Monty and her daughter.
•Monty was mature, and there were no stupid, stubborn moves on her part.
•There were a lot of deeper underlying themes, about forgiveness, expectations, family and love.
•It was a quick, easy read.
Dislikes:
•The groupies and screaming teens were silly and over the top, concerts, especially for comeback bands just aren't like that.
•I'm not sure I understood the whole twist and the purpose of it.
•The big time jump at the end, I felt like a chapter was almost missing.
•No descriptive sex.
Rating: 3.75 stars, 2.5 Heat
The Down and Dirty:
If I did not go to concerts and go backstage as much as I do, I think I would have enjoyed this book a lot more. I found myself rolling my eyes at the way groupies were described, because it just isn't like that, especially for comeback bands. Overlooking that, there was a lot of good in the story. I read it in 2 sittings, looking forward to what came next. I loved that Monty was a good mother, and even in the face of her teenage crush, she was rational and mature. I think GaGa is as much about a woman finally discovering herself after a divorce, as it is a rock star book, and I enjoyed the combination. I just wish there was some hot sex!
Purchase GAGA by Leslie Tall Manning
August 7, 2021
GAGA by Leslie Tall Manning is an amazing story about self discovery, forgiveness, deciding what you want and having the guts to take a chance and going for it. Monica Taylor is writer for a magazine, a mother and a wife until her husband,Brent says they need to split up and divorce. Their daughter Rachel is devastated at the start but soon realizes neither of her parents had been happy. Monica receives an assignment to go undercover as a groupie for the band she loved and fantasied about for years. Donny Digits is the lead guitarist and singer for the band of Grope, who’s poster Monica kissed and talked to all the time as a teenager. Monica has to pretend to be someone else to get the ultimate story on the band, looking for dirt and smut the only way she knows how. Monica/Melody gains the attention of the bands drummer Tim as well as Donny. But is everything or anything real. Can it be when she hasn’t been honest? How do you know if they are being truthful when she hasn’t been able to be (with the threat of losing her job hanging over her head) for the story she needs to write. She finds a friend in Kendall a young roadie who has her back. I absolutely loved this story!! I received the advanced readers copy free and am writing this review voluntarily. Again absolutely LOVED this BOOK!!
April 5, 2018
Gaga is a fun light read and those who are less prudish than me would probably enjoy it. The ending is predictably happy and the main character is lovable and has some rather delightful weaknesses that add comic relief.
This book was recommended to me as a good clean read and I was disappointed that it was not in my judgment all that clean. But, I don’t know what I expected from a book about a newly divorced woman posing as a rock star groupie, so my bad.
This book was recommended to me as a good clean read and I was disappointed that it was not in my judgment all that clean. But, I don’t know what I expected from a book about a newly divorced woman posing as a rock star groupie, so my bad.
January 13, 2020
Easy to read, a cute romance.
July 28, 2021
Less “coming of age” and more “coming to self” with a lot of romance
Monica Reese Taylor aka Monty has just been told by her husband Brent of 20 years that they should get a divorce. Wow! That came out of the blue for Monty. Start over at 45yo although she looks much younger. Can she do it? At the same time her teenage daughter Rachel being 15yo is overly dramatic with the change. Meanwhile, Monty’s boss Carla at “Home & Goddess” magazine has an assignment for her that takes her back to her teen years. Carla wants Monty to follow an 80’s band, Grope to write an undercover story. Monty is to become Melody a 30yo groupie to follow the band throughout their new reunion tour. Can Melody/Monty act that well for that long? Will she get the scoop that supposedly will save “Home & Goddess” from going out of business? Will her teenage crush on Donny be rekindled? Lots of surprises in store!
Oh. My. Word. Being a woman of a certain age, this book appealed to me on so many levels. This was a beautifully told realistic story that I could not put down. Rachel is hilarious but sensitive to her mom after she gets over the initial shock of the divorce. Her ex-Brent is likewise sensitive and more of a good friend than former husband. Loved the characters in the band, except one maybe. Read it and perhaps you’ll feel the same. There are humorous moments, sad moments, poignant moments and a wonderful HEA. If you like true romance with less steam but no less passion, read this book. I volunteered to review an ARC of this book through BookSirens and I would give it more than 5 stars if I could.
Monica Reese Taylor aka Monty has just been told by her husband Brent of 20 years that they should get a divorce. Wow! That came out of the blue for Monty. Start over at 45yo although she looks much younger. Can she do it? At the same time her teenage daughter Rachel being 15yo is overly dramatic with the change. Meanwhile, Monty’s boss Carla at “Home & Goddess” magazine has an assignment for her that takes her back to her teen years. Carla wants Monty to follow an 80’s band, Grope to write an undercover story. Monty is to become Melody a 30yo groupie to follow the band throughout their new reunion tour. Can Melody/Monty act that well for that long? Will she get the scoop that supposedly will save “Home & Goddess” from going out of business? Will her teenage crush on Donny be rekindled? Lots of surprises in store!
Oh. My. Word. Being a woman of a certain age, this book appealed to me on so many levels. This was a beautifully told realistic story that I could not put down. Rachel is hilarious but sensitive to her mom after she gets over the initial shock of the divorce. Her ex-Brent is likewise sensitive and more of a good friend than former husband. Loved the characters in the band, except one maybe. Read it and perhaps you’ll feel the same. There are humorous moments, sad moments, poignant moments and a wonderful HEA. If you like true romance with less steam but no less passion, read this book. I volunteered to review an ARC of this book through BookSirens and I would give it more than 5 stars if I could.
June 27, 2015
All the gurus say we don’t grow unless we take risks and experience life outside our comfort zone. But how many of us do this? That’s exactly what Monty did, though, in Leslie Tall Manning’s novel GAGA, and after vicariously traveling beside Monty by reading her story, I now feel a more urgent desire to seek out my own adventures! So, thank you, Leslie Tall Manning, for the theme you embedded in this story: that life can offer surprises, joy, doubts and pain too, but eventual happiness, if we take a chance once in a while and do the unexpected.
However, I’ve never aspired to become a music groupie and even now, I think it’s the last thing I might try. Following a musician around the country, immersing myself in his breathtaking performances…and also his life, couldn’t be further from my life experience or aspirations. So, when I started reading Manning’s book, I have to admit, I felt some inner resistance. But isn’t that what makes reading stories so unforgettably wonderful?--we get to live through others, experience different worlds, and learn from them too.
Very soon, due to the author’s vibrant writing style and vivid characterization, I became immersed in Monty’s life: a wife who’d lived an empty shell of a marriage far too long, a mother whose teenage daughter wanted some space to live elsewhere, a professional writer who was offered a chance to make it big in the magazine world by traveling incognito with a band she’d idolized since she was a teenager.
The rest of this story’s surprising plot turns and exciting adventures I’ll leave to readers to discover themselves. Suffice it to say, though, that this book is about secrets, betrayals, forgiveness and yes, redemption too.
I hope you enjoy and learn from this story, as I did! Now I’m off to define my own next adventure!
Note: I rarely give 5 stars except to literary books that have won awards, so my best rating is usually 4 stars, and you will notice that I’ve awarded GAGA this top rating!
However, I’ve never aspired to become a music groupie and even now, I think it’s the last thing I might try. Following a musician around the country, immersing myself in his breathtaking performances…and also his life, couldn’t be further from my life experience or aspirations. So, when I started reading Manning’s book, I have to admit, I felt some inner resistance. But isn’t that what makes reading stories so unforgettably wonderful?--we get to live through others, experience different worlds, and learn from them too.
Very soon, due to the author’s vibrant writing style and vivid characterization, I became immersed in Monty’s life: a wife who’d lived an empty shell of a marriage far too long, a mother whose teenage daughter wanted some space to live elsewhere, a professional writer who was offered a chance to make it big in the magazine world by traveling incognito with a band she’d idolized since she was a teenager.
The rest of this story’s surprising plot turns and exciting adventures I’ll leave to readers to discover themselves. Suffice it to say, though, that this book is about secrets, betrayals, forgiveness and yes, redemption too.
I hope you enjoy and learn from this story, as I did! Now I’m off to define my own next adventure!
Note: I rarely give 5 stars except to literary books that have won awards, so my best rating is usually 4 stars, and you will notice that I’ve awarded GAGA this top rating!
June 11, 2015
I’m not sure if the title or cover of this book does it any favors. The description is what pushed me into giving it a chance.
For women like me pushing into their 40’s, GAGA captures a little bit of what we all might be feeling as we age. Seeing those crazy teenage years through our children’s struggles as well as looking back at our own choices since that age can be a thoughtful moment. The story became fantasy fulfillment through the eyes of a main character I could see myself in. Fortunately I haven’t been through the divorce side of things, but there is that small sense of complacency that comes with a long term relationship. So many of us have that dream of “What if…” in the back of their minds and it’s fun how the author put it into a setting (rock and roll!) we all can relate to. Monty taking that risk and doing something so against her type is the kind of thing I wish I had the courage to achieve in real life (but on a much smaller scale!). I loved Monty’s growth as a woman and as an individual throughout the story. She starts off jaded, comes to embrace the fantasy and then slowly begins to see the reality of it all. In that journey she learns how to judge herself not against her role as Wife/Mother but for the choices she’s made to get to where she is. Her final decision to live her life for herself was a wonderful happy ending that I could imagine will include other people she’s met along the way.
For women like me pushing into their 40’s, GAGA captures a little bit of what we all might be feeling as we age. Seeing those crazy teenage years through our children’s struggles as well as looking back at our own choices since that age can be a thoughtful moment. The story became fantasy fulfillment through the eyes of a main character I could see myself in. Fortunately I haven’t been through the divorce side of things, but there is that small sense of complacency that comes with a long term relationship. So many of us have that dream of “What if…” in the back of their minds and it’s fun how the author put it into a setting (rock and roll!) we all can relate to. Monty taking that risk and doing something so against her type is the kind of thing I wish I had the courage to achieve in real life (but on a much smaller scale!). I loved Monty’s growth as a woman and as an individual throughout the story. She starts off jaded, comes to embrace the fantasy and then slowly begins to see the reality of it all. In that journey she learns how to judge herself not against her role as Wife/Mother but for the choices she’s made to get to where she is. Her final decision to live her life for herself was a wonderful happy ending that I could imagine will include other people she’s met along the way.
February 20, 2024
Who hasn't wanted to be a groupie at one stage of their life? Hell, I'd sign on to be one today for the right band.
I enjoyed this way more than I expected to.
I loved Monica's relationship with her daughter Rachel.
I loved how Rachel wasn't written to be a cloying, too cutesy or too smart character. She was an average teenage girl.
I loved how Monica and her had an authentic relationship. Monica didn't skirt around tough things and gave her sage advice.
Seeing Monica develop some self confidence and a backbone - especially where her ex was concerned - was great. It made her a better parent and well rounded woman.
The fact that she was in her mid-forties was another awesome element. A lot of rock star romance features younger characters. This made a nice change.
I wish we'd seen more of her interacting with Donny sooner.
I would have loved to see Donny and Monica's respective kids interact with each other.
The surprise around her being on the tour was unexpected but a good little twist for readers.
And, I wish she had told Donny about her teenage experience at one of his concerts.
I think Donny may have sung himself into my book boyfriend list.
For a while I thought this was going to be a burgeoning divorcee has fun on a tour and her husband realises what he's missing, second chance. I have never been happier to be wrong.
I definitely recommend this.
I received a complimentary copy from BookSirens. All opinions are my own.
I enjoyed this way more than I expected to.
I loved Monica's relationship with her daughter Rachel.
I loved how Rachel wasn't written to be a cloying, too cutesy or too smart character. She was an average teenage girl.
I loved how Monica and her had an authentic relationship. Monica didn't skirt around tough things and gave her sage advice.
Seeing Monica develop some self confidence and a backbone - especially where her ex was concerned - was great. It made her a better parent and well rounded woman.
The fact that she was in her mid-forties was another awesome element. A lot of rock star romance features younger characters. This made a nice change.
I wish we'd seen more of her interacting with Donny sooner.
I would have loved to see Donny and Monica's respective kids interact with each other.
The surprise around her being on the tour was unexpected but a good little twist for readers.
And, I wish she had told Donny about her teenage experience at one of his concerts.
I think Donny may have sung himself into my book boyfriend list.
For a while I thought this was going to be a burgeoning divorcee has fun on a tour and her husband realises what he's missing, second chance. I have never been happier to be wrong.
I definitely recommend this.
I received a complimentary copy from BookSirens. All opinions are my own.
May 24, 2021
The book is a good, and enjoyable funny second chance romance read. The story has a good story line. The characters are good, and they have good chemistry. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 25, 2018
I felt for Monty. There she was with the perfect life, she thought, and her husband says he’s leaving because he’s bored! Actually, I do know somebody that happened to, but she wasn’t a writer for a magazine with the editor from hell.
Monty has to sign a contract to be Melody, a groupie fifteen years younger than she really is, and write an exposé, or she’ll lose her job. The group making a comeback Beatles and Stones style are Grope, and who had the lead singer/guitarist’s picture stuck on her bedroom closet as a teenager? Monty.
The author delivers on the showbiz backstage story, but that isn’t all. This is an in-depth study of self-worth and its effects on Monty – sorry, Melody. Along the way, we meet dozens of people and not one is cardboard; they step off the page and live.
Super book you won’t want to put down, so reserve some me-time.
Monty has to sign a contract to be Melody, a groupie fifteen years younger than she really is, and write an exposé, or she’ll lose her job. The group making a comeback Beatles and Stones style are Grope, and who had the lead singer/guitarist’s picture stuck on her bedroom closet as a teenager? Monty.
The author delivers on the showbiz backstage story, but that isn’t all. This is an in-depth study of self-worth and its effects on Monty – sorry, Melody. Along the way, we meet dozens of people and not one is cardboard; they step off the page and live.
Super book you won’t want to put down, so reserve some me-time.
March 16, 2021
If life hands you lemons…follow an aging rock band. At least, that’s what Monica Taylor does.
When Monica’s husband, Brent, says he wants a divorce, Monty answers a call from her magazine editor, Carla, to follow the coming-out-of-retirement rock band Grope, fronted by her teen crush Donny Digits. Donning trendy clothes, posing as a younger woman, and assuming the name Melody, Monty travels from concert to concert, in hopes of gathering information for an exposé on the group. Unaccustomed to taking risks, Monty embarks, not only on an assignment, but on a journey of self discovery that brings nostalgia, romance, and surprises at every turn.
If you love Leslie Tall Manning’s writing, as I do, you will be delighted with GAGA, a fun and flirty romp that will leave you begging for a sequel.
When Monica’s husband, Brent, says he wants a divorce, Monty answers a call from her magazine editor, Carla, to follow the coming-out-of-retirement rock band Grope, fronted by her teen crush Donny Digits. Donning trendy clothes, posing as a younger woman, and assuming the name Melody, Monty travels from concert to concert, in hopes of gathering information for an exposé on the group. Unaccustomed to taking risks, Monty embarks, not only on an assignment, but on a journey of self discovery that brings nostalgia, romance, and surprises at every turn.
If you love Leslie Tall Manning’s writing, as I do, you will be delighted with GAGA, a fun and flirty romp that will leave you begging for a sequel.
October 15, 2018
GAGA is a beautifully written journey of self-discovery. When one door closes, another opens. After 45-year-old Monty’s husband unexpectedly tells her he wants a divorce, she doesn’t fall apart. Instead, she opens herself to new opportunities, including a sought-after writing assignment following the band Grope and the lead singer she crushed on as a teenager. Monty discovers self-truths as she goes undercover as a groupie following the band around the country. There are many unexpected plot twists and turns and valuable lessons subtly imbedded within the story. After Monty gathers the courage to step out of the mundane, she learns that childhood dreams can come true. A highly recommended, fun read!
July 14, 2018
Leslie Tall Manning develops her characters magnificently!
Monty's a woman stuck in a lifeless marriage, a mother whose teen-aged daughter wishes to spread her wings, and a professional writer who's been offered an opportunity to become a household name in the magazine industry.
We follow Monty as she becomes a groupie and begins to follow, and soon travels with the band she crushed on when she was a teenager for her job - the chance of a lifetime.
Leslie Tall Manning writes an adventurous, humorous, secretive, and most importantly, plot twisting book that captured my attention from the first page to the last.
Monty's a woman stuck in a lifeless marriage, a mother whose teen-aged daughter wishes to spread her wings, and a professional writer who's been offered an opportunity to become a household name in the magazine industry.
We follow Monty as she becomes a groupie and begins to follow, and soon travels with the band she crushed on when she was a teenager for her job - the chance of a lifetime.
Leslie Tall Manning writes an adventurous, humorous, secretive, and most importantly, plot twisting book that captured my attention from the first page to the last.
July 30, 2021
This book gripped me. Amazing characters, Monica is such a captivating character that underwent so much growth. So well written with a great storyline and flow. Full of powerful and meaningful quotes that can be applied to anyone's life. I was so captivated that I even dreamed about these characters and this book and where I thought it would go...I loved that our main characters are mature, grown adults that are still learning life lessons. An absolutely wonderful read!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 22, 2021
Blindsided by her husband's news, the main character, Monty comes to grips with a new trajectory for her life. Follow her on her journey of self-discovery as questions of identity, her place in this world, and secrets dominate her new position as a rock star's groupie. But not just any rock star--one she loved as a teen.
Leslie Tall Manning has done it again with her novel, GAGA. A fun read that will get you swooning and reminiscing over the memories of your own childhood singing/band crushes. What would it be like if you got the chance to meet him or her? A fun read!
Leslie Tall Manning has done it again with her novel, GAGA. A fun read that will get you swooning and reminiscing over the memories of your own childhood singing/band crushes. What would it be like if you got the chance to meet him or her? A fun read!
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June 26, 2021Gaga is so much more than a muso fan story. It's a story about growing , pushing yourself and giving yourself the opportunity to find out who you are.
Three dimensional characters and a moreish storyline had me continuing to turn the pages well after I should have been asleep.
Thank you for a lovely story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Three dimensional characters and a moreish storyline had me continuing to turn the pages well after I should have been asleep.
Thank you for a lovely story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 12, 2021
A good book about discovering who you are and starting life over. A plot twist towards the end had me a bit confused but otherwise good characters and story. Who wouldn’t want the chance to live out their teenage fantasy of being a groupie?!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 24, 2021
I loved this book!! Not just the typical novel, it had a couple of turns in it I wasn’t really expecting. I enjoyed how the characters developed but you felt like you knew them from the start. Great writing.
I received a free copy of this book and am leaving a review voluntarily.
I received a free copy of this book and am leaving a review voluntarily.
August 7, 2021
Good book. Not what I was expecting, but that isn't a bad thing. This is a romance, sure, but it is much more a book of self discovery. I think we are all guilty, at some point through our lives, of just coasting through. Guilty of letting the daily monotony suck us under and essentially zap the life out of us. I know I am. Monty had done just that. Then she is given the opportunity of a lifetime, exactly when she needs a good kick in the tail. The life experiences she gains are priceless. The clarity of what she learns in the end beautiful. Really great, eye opening book. It started off painfully slow. I was 45% in and still debating on if I really even liked it enough to finish. I pushed through and am glad I did. The last half of the book and the twists make the beginning slowness worth it. Great self-reflecting book. I would have loved a little more substance behind the love story. More steam would have been great too.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 28, 2019
I enjoyed reading this fun book.
April 28, 2021
The characters were well written and very relatable to. I enjoyed the story’s theme and was surprised with the twist. I couldn’t get through the book quick enough to find out would happen next.
Loved the relationship with mother and daughter and how it only got stronger with mum being away. It really is a case of, absence makes the heart grow fonder, and in this case the daughter starts to appreciate mum that bit more
Was let down with the epilogue would have liked a bit more.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Loved the relationship with mother and daughter and how it only got stronger with mum being away. It really is a case of, absence makes the heart grow fonder, and in this case the daughter starts to appreciate mum that bit more
Was let down with the epilogue would have liked a bit more.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 24, 2017
What a fun, easy read. Gaga tells the story of Monty a 40+ writer. On the same morning her husband asks for a divorce, her boss asks her to go undercover as a groupie to follow her favorite band from highschool, Grope. She hesitates at first but after her boss threatens to fire her and her soon to be exhusband promises he will keep their teenager daughter adjusted and happy she agrees to do it.
Following the band she dreamed about for so long is way outside of her comfort zone. And Monty struggles to succeed at staying undercover without compromising her morals. At the same time she is being persued by not one, but two members of the band. What ends up happening isn't so stereotypical that you can't enjoy it and I give credit for that entirely to the talented author, as many authors would have taken the fun book and made it into something just too unbelievable.
I won this book through the goodreads giveaway program, and the author was kind enough to throw in a handwritten note, and some bookmarks as well. It has been one of my favorite reads so far this summer.
Following the band she dreamed about for so long is way outside of her comfort zone. And Monty struggles to succeed at staying undercover without compromising her morals. At the same time she is being persued by not one, but two members of the band. What ends up happening isn't so stereotypical that you can't enjoy it and I give credit for that entirely to the talented author, as many authors would have taken the fun book and made it into something just too unbelievable.
I won this book through the goodreads giveaway program, and the author was kind enough to throw in a handwritten note, and some bookmarks as well. It has been one of my favorite reads so far this summer.
August 21, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is a beautifully written story about self discovery and living your life to the fullest.
June 12, 2023
Good book. Like a fairly tail.
August 9, 2015
Since I like to celebrate strong women in my writing, I was attracted to the story line for this book when first approached to do a review. Monty is a strong woman, and there is much to like as you share her foray into a new life after her husband dumps her.
Monty takes a giant leap out of her comfort zone to pursue the story about the rock band and maybe pursue something else in her life, and the uncertainly of that leap is handled well in the story. Monty alternates between being self-assured, as any successful professional would be, and totally questioning her every move, as every just-dumped person would do.
In addition to the main plot of taking a chance, I appreciated the deeper underlying themes of forgiveness, family and love, as well as the relationship between Monty and her daughter, Rachel. The family interaction was endearing, with the natural push/pull between parent and child very real on the pages.
For the most part the writing was excellent with good descriptions that didn’t bog down the story and dialogue that was crisp and natural. In some places the story dragged just a bit because of minutia that didn’t seem necessary, and I tired of the constant references to the poster and the closet and the teenage Monty who was in love with Donny Digits.
Even before reading the author’s bio, I knew she had play-writing or scriptwriting experience because instead of naming two characters in a scene, she referred to them as Girl #1 and Girl #2. That works in a script, but I found it distracting in a novel. Tripped me up and pulled me right out of the scene.
Still, this was a fun read, and I would recommend the book to anyone who likes a quick summer read.
Monty takes a giant leap out of her comfort zone to pursue the story about the rock band and maybe pursue something else in her life, and the uncertainly of that leap is handled well in the story. Monty alternates between being self-assured, as any successful professional would be, and totally questioning her every move, as every just-dumped person would do.
In addition to the main plot of taking a chance, I appreciated the deeper underlying themes of forgiveness, family and love, as well as the relationship between Monty and her daughter, Rachel. The family interaction was endearing, with the natural push/pull between parent and child very real on the pages.
For the most part the writing was excellent with good descriptions that didn’t bog down the story and dialogue that was crisp and natural. In some places the story dragged just a bit because of minutia that didn’t seem necessary, and I tired of the constant references to the poster and the closet and the teenage Monty who was in love with Donny Digits.
Even before reading the author’s bio, I knew she had play-writing or scriptwriting experience because instead of naming two characters in a scene, she referred to them as Girl #1 and Girl #2. That works in a script, but I found it distracting in a novel. Tripped me up and pulled me right out of the scene.
Still, this was a fun read, and I would recommend the book to anyone who likes a quick summer read.
June 8, 2015
What if we could step back in time to our teenage years? What if we could slip into our slim teenage bodies, with their high-powered energy and passion? And what if, at the same time, we had the wisdom of our older selves? The novel Gaga explores this fantasy when 45-year-old Monty receives a plum assignment from her editor: go undercover for a month as a groupie for the rock band, Grope on its comeback tour. Monty, who could pass for a 30-year-old, leaves behind her teenage daughter and soon-to-be ex-husband, and goes undercover as a groupie with a secret assignment to find out about the “real” Donnie Digits, the lead guitarist and singer in the band. Soon, Monty’s teenage passion for Donnie is re-ignited and she is drawn to him all over again. As Monty spends more time with Donnie, she finds it harder and harder to play the groupie and penetrate the layers of artifice to find Donnie’s true persona. Along the way, Monty finds out important things about herself and love. Gaga is a great adventure with unexpected plot twists that had me racing to the finish. At the same time, Leslie Tall Manning teaches us valuable lessons about love and being our authentic self…no matter how old we are.
July 28, 2015
Received this book for free thru Goodreads Giveaways.
I do not like the title of the book. I know that's not important, but it doesn't have much to do with the story. I mean who wouldn't be gaga over their musical-superstar crush? But I just don't like the title.
Onto the story. As I already said, who wouldn't be gaga over their musical-superstar crush? Especially if one could interact with them? The entire time I read this, I couldn't stop thinking what it would be like to meet mine and get to go to a museum with him or share a cup of tea? Now his wife would be upset I'm sure, but in my mind, Donnie Wahlberg from NKOTB is still single and waiting for me! Haha!
But seriously? This story seemed like a dream come true for Monty, but not everything is as it seems. Going to a concert night after night would get old I'm sure. And having the "wrong" band member hitting on you would be tough, not overly tough because they would still be a mega star, but tough when the one you have pined for since adolescence seems to not be interested. I enjoyed this book. It may have been a bit predictable and a little long, but I giggled and swooned for this Donny pretending it was my Donnie!
I do not like the title of the book. I know that's not important, but it doesn't have much to do with the story. I mean who wouldn't be gaga over their musical-superstar crush? But I just don't like the title.
Onto the story. As I already said, who wouldn't be gaga over their musical-superstar crush? Especially if one could interact with them? The entire time I read this, I couldn't stop thinking what it would be like to meet mine and get to go to a museum with him or share a cup of tea? Now his wife would be upset I'm sure, but in my mind, Donnie Wahlberg from NKOTB is still single and waiting for me! Haha!
But seriously? This story seemed like a dream come true for Monty, but not everything is as it seems. Going to a concert night after night would get old I'm sure. And having the "wrong" band member hitting on you would be tough, not overly tough because they would still be a mega star, but tough when the one you have pined for since adolescence seems to not be interested. I enjoyed this book. It may have been a bit predictable and a little long, but I giggled and swooned for this Donny pretending it was my Donnie!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2015
Monty is a woman who has hit a stage in life that is both frightening and thrilling. She's trying to rediscover herself as she navigates a divorce, a teenage daughter, and a new, exciting opportunity for work... writing about a band that she loved as a teen. The scenes with the band, on and off stage, give us a great glimpse into the life of musicians on the road, and sometimes I could hear the music in my head. This is a fun, breezy read from Leslie Tall Manning. The story made me laugh and tugged at my heart too, because... as a 40-something woman, I can totally identify with Monty! While many of the character's problems are not mine, I understand where she was in life, and I felt emotional as Monty discovered there are times when we MUST make the big, tough decisions and be okay with change.
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