GRR Reviews Pretty Instinct (A Standalone Contempor by S.E. Hall

Pretty instinct is an interesting contemporary romance with an interesting meet-cute, an overall arching plot and mystery to solve, and some serious angst in the background for both characters.

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Carmichael lives on the go with her best friends, the Foster Brothers (Jarrett and Rhett), with her uncle Bruce the driver, and Conner, her brother, as they travel from one town to the next as traveling musicians, playing a gig here and there. Connor is an adult but acts like a kid. Later we learned that he suffered a traumatic brain injury and entered a coma, and woke up as if he regressed X years, and this injury (which was never talked about) plus her mom's suicide later, lead to an irreconcilable split between Lizzie and her father, whom she blamed for both. When Lizzie had to kick a member of the band off the bus, they were forced to consider canceling the next gig, until they spotted a guy with a guitar case and bag on side of the road. They invited him onboard as they need another performer. He is Cannon Blackwell, and he had been dumped by the side fo the road by his girlfriend, who apparently had her tubes tied without telling him, then when he confronted her in the car, basically ordered him out, dumped out his stuff (except his phone), and drove off (and never came back). Cannon was actually a pretty good vocalist and guitarist, and he fitted in right away, even as he came to appreciate this dysfunctional family... And Lizzie especially. And as Lizzie fell in love with Cannon, both have to struggle with issues. Both cannot stand betrayal, and as both fall madly in love with the other both are weary of even the possibility of betrayal... but Cannon slowly made Lizzie realize she cannot shelter Connor the way she had, and she needed to confront the past that she didn't know.

The twist I had suspected but it was sweetly emotional and powerful. The sex scenes were quite good, but may be a turn-off for some. But this is Lizzie's story, Lizzie needed to learn the truth until she can love someone.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Traveling band leader Lizzie fell for latest member Cannon, even as he pushed her to learn the truth behind her brother's injury

Tropes: Performer, forced proximity, family secrets, betrayal, coming of age

Overall Rating:  5/5