The title of this book made me think 'Ok another Rockstar book' but I was wrong. Ashley & Zeke's story is beautiful & messy.

 

Ashley is Smart mouthed,  Sexy and Sassy. She also likes to be in control & have the last word. Ashley's life is completly mapped out for her, I'm surprised she can pick her own underwear. Ashley only feels she's in control, when shes having sex with a willing male. She makes no promises, it's just her time to get back some control in life. Is Ashley's wide range of one night stands her just rebelling or does she truely like doing this sort of thing? Ashley has never had control ever since her mum left her at a young age, but was Ashley's mum leaving all as innocent as her dad led her to believe? Could a mother really just up and leave her daughter? 

 

Ashlee atends college about a three hour drive from home, but still under her father's watchful eye. He has teachers watching Ashley and reporting back to him on her progress, or weather shes doing something she shouldn't be. Her Father even chose the subjects in which she would study and the dorm in which she would stay. Ashlee has set off to college with one thing in mind... not to be how she was her senior year... a complete bitch! She slept with other girls boyfriends, and wouldn't think twice about breaking up a happy relationship.

 

In her senior year Ashley was assaulted, but the thing was she was warned by a girl who hated her and she still put herself in that situation. When Ashlee told her Father and went to the police about the incident she had to go ALONE! Her Father is an ARSE & you will repeatedly see this throughout the book.

 

Queue Zeke. The first time Ashley sets eyes on Z is when she is having a flash back of her momma in the libary and she literally runs into him. She mesmorized by his chocolate brown eyes. The chocolate brown eyes she can't get out of her mind. The first actual meeting they have is in class & Zeke really puts his foot in it and upsets Ashlee, well makes Ashlee realises she's not 'OK'

 

Zeke has started college two years later than anyone else his age, but why is this? Z also goes home every weekend, again.. why is this? Does he has a girlfriend back home or is it something alot bigger than that? He's at college now, trying to make his family proud and get his grades so he can provide a life from his family. Ashley called Zeke when he was home one weekend and heard his momma in the background, from this moment I thought it was obvious why Z goes home every weekend but I was just waiting for the confirmation. Even though Z has a life back home that he can't initially share with Ashley, he still wants her in his life. Is Z being selfish or doing the right thing by keeping Ashley in the dark? Once Ashley finds out what exactly it is that Z is hiding will she run for the hills or will she understand?

 

"I think sometimes it's easier to stay with someone out of habit than it is to let them go."

 

Mac is another character I loved in Changing Tunes. Mac is Ashley's roommate/Best friend. Ashley soon realises she has never had someone who she would class a friend, that is until Mac attacks her with her friendlyness. Mac shows Ashley what it is like to have someone to care for her, she also shows her she doesn't need her Daddys money to get through college. Mac gives Ashley the boost she needs to stand up to her father. Will he listen or will she have to walk away from the only family she has left?

 

Let's face it Mac, Zeke, Austin and Nick are more family to her than her Father ever was anyway. 

 

Austin and Nick. I loved these cheeky chaps, after hitting on Ashley & Ashley putting them in their place, they actually become a really good group of friends. Well in actual fact they are more like two big brothers that Ashley never had. Ian also appears, he is Nick and Austin's friend but he isn't featured largely. Ian has a girl back home that Ashley and Mac have spoken to and built a good friendship with. Ashley being surrounded by all this people that care about her is odd. She never had a family or and friends that actually cared, just a Father that was more like a Drill Sargent. The only parent that even showed her love with her momma, but with her gone Ashley is left with noone. 

 

All in all I really enjoyed Changing Tunes. I connected with the characters almost instantly, they were lovable. I'm hoping these group of friends will feature in the second book in the Changing Tunes series. Nothing major but I wish there was more on the Ashley & her momma front. You saw Ashlee go and see her mom & got little snip bits of how they were getting along and talking, but you never got a conversation between her and her momma.  I would've also like to see what Zeke's family thought of Ashley when he took her home the first time. Maybe Z's point of view when he introduced her to Lara? It was obvious in the epilogue what they thought of Ashley but maybe just a little sneak peak inbetween than and now... For them few reasons alone I'm giving it a 4.5 stars. Loved the storyline though, it just shows that people can and do change. Can't wait to read more from Heather Gunter. Fabulous writer.