'Drive' by Kate Stewart is a gripping tale that revolves around a love triangle involving the main character, Stella, and two charismatic men, Nate and Reid. The story unfolds through flashbacks and present-day events, showcasing Stella's journey of love, heartbreak, and self-discovery. The author's writing style intricately weaves together themes of music, love, and emotional turmoil, making it a compelling read that draws readers into the angsty and emotional rollercoaster of Stella's life.

Characters:

The characters are well-developed, with Stella as a determined heroine, Reid as a tortured musician, and Nate as a supportive partner, showcasing various emotional struggles.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style combines poetic and emotional prose with strong dialogue, often incorporating music to enhance the storytelling.

Plot/Storyline:

The story follows a love triangle involving the protagonist Stella and two men, Nate and Reid, told through flashbacks as she drives home. It explores her emotional journey and decisions about love.

Setting:

The setting is primarily in Austin, Texas, enriched by the music scene, reflecting the characters' emotional journeys.

Pacing:

The pacing alternates between present and past, creating tension and emotional depth, although some may find it uneven.

“I’m coming!” I yelled to my sister, Paige, who was making her way down the crushed-shell cement steps toward her car. Locking her front door, I gripped the phone to my ear while it rang as I slowly d...

Notes:

Drive is written by Kate Stewart and features a love triangle.

The story includes a Latina heroine, but some readers found her portrayal lacking authenticity.

The plot involves flashbacks as the protagonist, Stella, drives home and reflects on her relationships.

Stella becomes involved with two main male characters at different stages of her life: Nate and Reid.

Reid is a drummer and has some characteristics reminiscent of Dave Grohl.

Music plays a significant role in the narrative, with playlists linked to chapters that enhance emotional impact.

The book explores themes of love, heartache, and personal growth over a span of several years.

Readers have mentioned it as an emotional rollercoaster, often leaving them in tears.

There is no cheating in the love triangle, as the relationships occur at separate times in Stella's life.

Some readers expressed a strong emotional connection to the characters, particularly rooting for Nate over Reid.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Medium content warnings may apply due to themes of emotional trauma and complex relationships.

Has Romance?

Romance is a prominent aspect of the narrative, featuring intense romantic connections between characters.

explicit steam level

From The Publisher:

Music . . . the heart's greatest librarian.The average song is three and a half minutes long; those three and a half minutes could lead to a slow blink, a glimpse of the past, or catapult the soul into heart-shattering nostalgia.At the height of my career, I had the life I wanted, the life I'd always envisioned. I'd found my tempo, my rhythm. Then I received a phone call that left me off key.You see, my favorite songs had a way of playing simultaneously. I was in love with one man's beats and another's lyrics. But when it came to the soundtrack of a life, how could anyone choose a favorite song? So, to erase any doubt, I ditched my first-class ticket and decided to take a drive, fixed on the rearview. Two days. One playlist. And the long road home to the man who was waiting for me.

Ratings (36)

Incredible (7)
Loved It (16)
Liked It (9)
It Was OK (4)

Reader Stats (80):

Read It (38)
Currently Reading (2)
Want To Read (31)
Not Interested (9)

1 comment(s)

fimbud315

It Was OK

9 months

This is not a book for me and it is definitely not what I needed right now, even if I initially thought otherwise.

The blame is largely on my side. I've known for a long time that I don't like the new adult genre. Nevertheless, from time to time I try to read a book in this genre. With various results, but more often bad than good. And this book reminded me of what I don't like about this genre.

First, this first-person narrative from Stella's perspective. I generally prefer third person narration. Being in the head of the main character is too often tiring. And it also happened this time. Already around a third of this book, I was starting to get exhausted by Stella's voice. Her thoughts, dilemmas and a flood of emotions – it was too much. I don't think I ever liked her.

Second, listening to all the thoughts of the main character, who is a young woman, usually means that all emotions are like on steroids. And of course it means endless drama. Naturally, there was a lot of it in this story, because how else could it be? It will be a SPOILER, but I think the reader should be aware that there is a love triangle in this book. How typical of the new adult, by the way. The problem was, at one point, I completely stopped caring about who Stella would end up with. I just wanted this emotional swing and the constant pulling and pushing to be over.

The last part is completely my problem. Some time ago I discovered that I hate flashbacks. If part of the plot happens in the past, before the events that this book begins with, I don't care about it at all. And that's what happened in this case as well. Most of this book is Stella's memoirs. And since I learned from the prologue that there is a good chance that Stella will not be with Reid, it was very difficult for me to care for their relationship later.

I absolutely do not consider this book to be particularly bad. On the contrary, I think fans of this genre will find everything they are looking for, because it's quite a typical new adult book and not even badly written. Perhaps if I had read it at another time, I would have had more patience with it. And so, I would definitely recommend it to the fans of this kind of stories.

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Drive?

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Drive

Kate Stewart