Book Review: Anya and The Shy Guy by Suze Winegardner

Anya and the Shy Guy by Suze Winegardner

Pages: 200
Publish date: July 14 2015
Publisher: Entangled: Crush
ASIN: B00ZOGRDD2
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

It’s always the quiet ones…

Anya Anderson doesn’t just need a big break, she needs any break. Living on the streets doesn’t leave a girl many options, so when she scores a gig reporting on the Seconds to Juliet tour, she jumps at the chance to earn enough money to sleep somewhere safe. And the paycheck will get bigger—and keep her off the streets for good—if she can dig up dirt on Will Fray, the irritatingly hot “shy guy” of the band.

Problem is, Will Fray isn’t who everyone thinks he is. In fact, he’s not Will at all. Matt, Will’s identical twin, is actually the guy onstage, reluctantly covering for his brother while he’s in rehab. To make matters worse, Matt’s being shadowed by a cute reporter with troubled eyes determined to get the scoop. On him. And he’s having trouble finding the willpower to keep his distance…

But if the secret gets out, it won’t just be his head on a platter—it’ll be the whole band’s.

Anya and The Shy Guy:

I received an e-arc of Anya and the Shy Guy by Suze Winegardner from Entangled Publishing: Crush via NetGalley in exchange for a review, this has in no way influenced my thoughts on the book in any way.

This is the 4th Book in the Backstage Pass Series from Entangled Publishing: Crush, and the 3rd book I have read in this series. I missed reading the 3rd in the series somehow, but I will get to it hopefully soon. From all the books that I have read in the series, Anya and the Shy Guy is probably my favourite. It may have to do with the fact that I started reading it before I headed to the 5 Seconds of Summer concert and finished it when I was home.

Anya the female protagonist of Anya and the Shy Guy was someone that I really enjoyed reading. I don’t know what it practically was, but I liked being in her perspective on her journey finding more about herself and the people around her. Anya has suffered more than enough; being homeless since she was fifteen and not really have knowledge of the ‘outside’ world, so when she goes on tour with Second to Juliet she struggles.

Anya has been hired by a magazine to dig some dirt on Will Fray the ‘shy guy’ from Seconds and Juliet, but there is a problem. One big problem, Will Fray isn’t, Will Fray it’s his identical twin Matt.

Matt (the male protagonist) is taking Will’s spot in the band while he is in rehab recovering from pain killer abuse. Matt is quite similar to Will except for one thing – his not shy. While Matt struggles to act like Will would, react when he hears ‘Will’ and remember the words of the songs that he has to sing on stage nearly every night, he must also keep his identity not only from his band members, but their manager and now, Anya.

Like Anya, I really enjoyed Matt in Anya and the Shy Guy. He was interesting and mysterious, but also the reader is able to see him break down, as the pressure starts to build.

I enjoyed the writing style of Suze Winegardner in Anya and the Shy Guy, more than the other books in the series. It was more refreshing and didn’t have too many cliché responses like the other books. There were still some here and there, but I found it more toned down from the other books.

Furthermore, I really enjoyed the banter between Anya and Matt. While they tried to shy away from each other because of all the secrets that they both hold, they are drawn to each other and they both have to do their jobs. Anya find some dirt of Will Fray and Matt has to keep his brother being in rehab a secret.

The romance like the other books in the series moves fast. If you don’t like fast moving romance, then Anya and the Shy Guy might annoy you. But If you don’t mind a fast past plot and romance, then I am sure you will love it. I am not the biggest fan of fast moving romances, but occasionally I just need a cliché romance.

I loved seeing the other boys throughout the book and it’s awesome to see the interaction of the boys from different perspectives. What the boys think of each other, how the different girls seem them together. It’s fun and different.
I also like the friendships that build throughout the book. It creates the book into something that isn’t solely focused on the love side of it but Anya and the Shy Guy has a combination of friendship, family and love.

If you like a fun, fast paced, but emotional read that will have you screaming and giggling at times, then Anya and the Shy Guy is the book that you need. Suze Winegarnder’s writing style is clever and entertaining, while her characters and plot keep the reader engaged.