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The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes
by Xio Axelrod
Publication Date: 5/4/2021
Blurb:
Her nameโs Antonia โToniโ Bennette (yeah, sheโs heard all the jokes before) and sheโs not a rock star. Neither are the Lillysโnot yet. But the difference between being famous and being almost famous can be a single wrong noteโฆor the start of something thatโll change your life forever.
Growing up in dive bars up and down the East Coast, Toni Bennetteโs guitar was her only companion…until she met Sebastian Quick. Seb was a little older, a lot wiser, and before long he was Toniโs way out, promising theyโd escape their stifling small town together. Then Seb turned eighteen and split without looking back.
Now, Toniโs all grown up and making a name for herself in Philadelphiaโs indie scene. When a friend suggests she try out for a hot new up-and-coming band, Toni decides to take a chance. Strong, feminist, and fierce as fire, Toni B. and the Lillys are the perfect matchโฆexcept Sebโs now moonlighting as their manager. Whatever. Toni can handle it. No problem. Or it wouldnโt be if Seb didnโt still hold a piece of her heartโฆnot to mention the key to her future.
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Excerpt:
The smile on Toniโs face faltered as Seb approached, eyes wide with disbelief. She banged the sharp edge of her guitar case into Jordanโs leg, and he made a pained sound.ย
Toni winced. โOh God! Iโm so sorry.โย
Jordan laughed it off. โItโs okay. Seb has that effect on people.โย
Her hair had fallen into her eyes, hiding her from him. It wouldnโt do. Seb itched to reach over and brush it back. After so many years apart, he needed to see her, to look into her eyes. He needed to apologize, though no apology would ever be enough for what heโd done.ย
As if steeling herself, Toni took a deep breath and raised her head to meet his gaze.ย
Seb watched as confusion morphed into suspicion before giving way to unmistakable anger, which coalesced white-hot as her gaze narrowed.ย
After a few moments of awkward silence, Jordan cleared his throat. โToni Bennette, this is Sebastian Quick,โ he said. โSeb, Toni the phenom.โย
Lilly nodded to Seb in greeting and pulled Tiff over to the piano, where a pile of headshots lay spread out on its ebony top.ย
Sebโs heart hammered in his chest. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. The connection between his brain and his vocal cords had been severed, which was just as well. He had noย ideaย what to say.ย
โNice to meet you.โ A flush spread across her cheeks, but the ice in her voice sent a chill down Sebโs spine and made his jaw snap shut.ย Nice to meet you?ย
Despite the greeting, Toni made no move to shake his hand, clutching her phone in one and her guitar in the other. Her eyes were steely and there was a clear statement in them:ย I donโtย knowย you. Or, maybe, I donโt want to.ย
Seb managed to nod. He wasnโt sure how to play this but thought maybe it was best to follow her lead. He owed her that.ย
Jordan arched an eyebrow as if to sayย What the fuck is wrong with you?ย
From his left, Seb could feel Candiโs stare burning into the side of his face. He needed to get his shit together.ย
โNice to meet you, too,โ he finally said. And kudos to him for not screwing that up. โNice stuff.โย
โNice stuff,โ Candi repeated, mocking his stiff tone. She stuck her hand out to Toni. โYou know your shit, missy.โย
Toni held Sebโs gaze for a beat before she turned to her, giving her a warm smile as she shook her hand.ย
โThanks so much. Youโre Candi, right?โย
โThe one and only,โ Candi replied pointedly before dropping her hand and walking over to Lilly.ย
Again, Toniโs smile faltered.ย
โOkay,โ Jordan said loudly, his eyes still on Seb. He turned to Toni. โWeโll definitely be in touch.โย
โThatโs great, thanks,โ Toni replied, her eyes kind for Sebโs best friend. โIโll keep my phone charged.โย
Jordan gave Seb one last look, sent Toni a little salute, and jogged over to the others.ย
Seb found Toni studying him again, her expression indecipherable.ย
Finally, she rolled her eyes with a huff and moved toward the door.ย
Before he could think better of it, Seb followed. Grabbing the door before it could close behind her, he trailed Toni into the hall.ย
She was moving fast, giving him a healthy dose of dรฉjร vu.ย
โWait up!โ He caught up to her in front of the bank of elevators. Seb watched her shoulders rise and fall on heavy breaths.ย
Despite her distress, Toniโs voice came out even. Measured. Glacial. โYouโre the last person I expected to see. Again.โย
โYeah, wellโฆโ Seb rubbed the back of his neck.ย
Slowly, Toni turned to face him, and they stared at each other for a long moment.ย
Seb couldnโt read her at all. โYou sounded good in there. Great, actually.โ His words were so fucking inadequate.ย
โThanks.โย
Now that she was in front of him, Seb floundered. He needed to organize his thoughts. Figure out a way to approach her that didnโt cause her to shoot daggers out of her eyes.ย
โI, uhโฆ Howโ?โย
The elevator doors opened, interrupting whatever Seb thought he might say.ย
Lifting her eyes to his, Toni walked slowly backward until she was inside.ย
โSee you around,โ she said, dropping her gaze. โMaybe.โ
Excerpted from The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes by Xio Axelrod.
ยฉ 2021 by Xio Axelrod. Used with permission of the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, an imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Author Info:
Xio Axelrod is an award-winning, USA Today best-selling author of contemporary romance. In 2017, she founded the Philadelphia RWA chapter. Xio grew up in the music industry and began recording at a young age. When she isn’t writing stories, she can be found in the studio, writing songs, or performing on international stages (under a different, not-so-secret name). She lives in Philadelphia with one full-time husband and several part-time cats.
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Giveaway:
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