His Forever Muse by C.R. Alam
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Calliope, or Callie as her friends call her, has know Brandon since she was six years old. As her brother’s best friend Callie and Brandon used to spend a lot of time together. Growing up they enjoyed sneaking out at night to talk and gaze at the stars. As they grew older time and distance separated them and Callie and Brandon pursued their own lives. Brandon pursued his interest in art and formed a rock band. Callie has moved to Paris and pursued a career as an art gallerist.

Then one day in Morocco Callie runs into Brandon who has grown into a feast for the eyes. This is not the man she remembers and she is unable to deny the attraction she feels towards him. Brandon is in Morocco seeking inspiration for his art because he has hit a brick wall and has been struggling to come up with ideas. When the girl that got away re-enters his life Brandon feels inspired and will do anything to keep Callie from getting away again.

Callie has not had an easy life in Paris and has struggled to overcome a dark past. She has worked hard to get her life back together and overcome the trauma she suffered. Only those closest to Callie know her deep dark secrets and she is reluctant to let Brandon know. She is afraid of having that close connection with him but even more afraid that once she reveals her secrets that he will not want anything to do with her. When something sinister resurfaces from Callie’s past she has no choice but to reveal her past to Brandon. Rather than run away Brandon is determined to protect Callie at all costs. Can they truly have a future with Callie’s dark past coming into their present?

This book lured me into the storyline from the very beginning. The descriptions of buildings, characters, and landscapes were vivid and drew me into each scene as though I was standing there. The characters were wonderful, and I loved how the story came together between them. Brandon was not the typical good-looking, macho, full-of- himself Rockstar that one would expect. He had a soft side and his life focused on creativity and expression through his art, his music, and his tattoos. When he hit a brick wall he faltered and needed to find his inspiration again. That inspiration came in the form of a girl from his past that he had never forgotten. Callie was multi-faceted and had the weight of the world being carried on her shoulders with all the dark secrets that she was hiding. Suffering from the trauma of a painful past she has worked hard to overcome the demons and find the courage to move forward. Her strength is to be admired and it was easy to feel and experience the complex emotions she was struggling with. A beautiful read with romance, love, music, passion, mystery, intrigue, suspense, danger, friendship, trauma, and a rollercoaster ride of emotions.

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