Is Love Just Another High - Book 2 of the Better to Burn Out Series

Is Love Just Another High: Book 2 of the Better To Burn Out Series by DM Needom

ass Player, Nigel Hartagan awoke from his medical emergency haunted by a life with a woman he thought he didn’t know.

A chance encounter with this very woman almost a year before changed his destiny. However, he didn't realize how much. When he discovers she exists, he all but upends his life to have her. A girlfriend or lifelong friendship doesn’t matter. He wants what he wants, and that’s Ava Richards.

He knows there is an unspoken connection and his soul won’t be denied until he claims her and makes her his.

Book 2 in the Better to Burn Out Series is Nigel's point of view.

Tropes: Rockstar Romance

Age Gap

Enemies to Lovers

Love Triangle

Forced Proximity

1984

What Readers are saying on Goodreads:

Tina - 4.5 stars and I'm still Team Nigel.

I liked how we got a different view of Helen when reading this from Nigel's POV and I'm not sure I like her anymore. It comes across that she has an agenda of her own as far as Russell and Ava are concerned and I would like to find out what that is.

I found myself still a little frustrated with Ava and had to remind myself that she's only 18 in these books. I still think she's too critical of Nigel based on what three people have said to her (two who are manipulating her) because she adored him as a younger teen. My teenage idolisation of some celebrities gave me blinders until someone took them off.

But I digress.

Is Love Just Another High picks up, for Nigel, where My Daze with the Dark Muse finishes. Nigel is fresh out of his coma, sees Ava, and decides to pursue her. Though almost a year has passed since their initial meeting, Nigel is plagued by an unshakable feeling that he must find and connect with Ava. It's almost like a spiritual tether connecting him to Ava. He views his coma dream as prophetic and talks about changing things that happened and it appears like he hopes it means the ending to the other dream will change too.

One of the standout elements of the book is the exploration of the unspoken connection between Nigel and Ava. The author artfully weaves this theme into the story, creating a sense of destiny and inevitability that draws readers in. Nigel's belief in this connection and his determination to claim Ava as his own add a layer of intensity to the narrative.

I liked how his pursuit of her comes from a genuine place and not as a way to win her from Russell. Winning Ava's affection is treated like a cat-and-mouse game from Nigel's perspective in a fun, hard-to-get way but he doesn't overstep or manipulate her. He defends her when no one else does and he doesn't want to use her. He also doesn't claim ownership of her like John does and Helen implies for Russell. He sees her as a person with her own value and worth outside of her abilities or career.

I love a stoic but sarcastic bodyguard, I could stand to see more of that and I feel like their relationship could use a little more humour. Nigel needs someone who has his back because it doesn't look like anyone else does.

I enjoyed how Nigel wanted to be friends with Mindy for her, not for her connection to Ava and I would have liked to see more of them hanging out as friends. Maybe there will be room for this in the next installment, because Fairy Tales & I Love You, and this book both take place over a short period of time.

In Is Love Just Another High, DM Needom skillfully explores the complexities of love, destiny, and the unspoken connections that bind individuals together. There seems to be a parallel between Nigel's addiction to drugs and his addiction to Ava, as the title suggests. Nigel's journey to claim the woman he desires is both passionate and humorous, and readers will find themselves immersed in his world as he grapples with the profound emotions that drive his actions. While the book leaves room for further character development and exploration, it is a compelling addition to the "Better to Burn Our Series" and will resonate with fans of the series, romance, and emotionally charged narratives. 

I am excited to see where this goes and see what happens when Ava meets Nigel's family and their time in London. And also to see Russell's reaction to everything that happened in the book.

Jean - 5 Stars

This book is the 2nd book in the Better to Burn Out Series. It is told from Nigel’s POV. This series is for anyone that has ever dreamed of being a model and dating or marrying a rockstar. It is set in the 1980’s. If you were a teenager in the 80’s this book is for you. I am the quintessential fangirl and this series for me is like a nostalgic blast from the past. It is a fun and spicy read. 

Nigel Hartagan is a British rockstar that has done everything. The adage sex, drugs, and rock & roll describes Nigel’s life motto. In this book Nigel wakes up from a medical emergency and as a result his view of life and love has changed. He seeks out the life and love that occurred in his coma dreams. Are dreams better than reality? Can dreams help one to change the course of their life path? 

Nigel has done things in his past that were behaviors expected of a rockstar and one “chance” meeting backstage impacts the course of his future. It is fair to say it creates an obsession of a sort. 

Ava Richards grew up listening to Nigel’s band, Sambuka. He was her pinup fantasy and musical inspiration. In book 2, Ava wins a modeling contest and becomes the Face of Today. It changes her entire world. Fantasy becomes reality. Reality becomes fantasy, but the lines blur. 

Nigel wants to be a better man for Ava. He entertains the fantasy of the white picket fence to have some normalcy in his life and Ava fuels that fire. He will stop at nothing to have her, even if it means alienating one of his best friends. 

Again, I recommend this series for a blast of 1980’s nostalgia. Such a great read with likable characters. You can see character growth through out the series. 

Team Nigel all the way!!

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