Official Description: Our late night calls were fascinating. His attitude in person was frustrating. Stupid radio host with the velvety, seductive voice. Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde? Will the real Tony Masen please stand up? AH. M for language and lemonade.
Don’t miss the The Outtakes!
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I was pleasantly surprised when I was asked to write a review for this particular story not only because I like the story, but also because I happen to really admire the author. If you’re familiar with Just4Ale’s work, you know she can be counted on to deliver something original with a dynamic plot. Tunes doesn’t disappoint in this regard.
Tunes is an all human story told from Bella’s POV, that primarily takes place in San Francisco. Tony Masen is the DJ of a Hits of the 70s radio show. Bella is recently divorced and religiously spends the early morning hours listening to Tony’s show. Bella regularly calls in to answer Tony’s trivia questions and to exchange witty banter. The two strike up a phone friendship. Tony becomes her ideal man, at least on the radio airwaves and the phone.
But when Bella find herself in some trouble and finally meets him in person, it’s definitely a WTF moment:
He stepped in, closed the door behind him, and turned on the light. He was momentarily startled and we both froze as our eyes met. Fear quickly turned to recognition and then anger in a few brief seconds. In two strides, he was on me, grabbing my right arm and aggressively pulling me out of the corner. I stumbled into him as I struggled to gain some balance. Both of his hands moved to grasp my biceps. For a moment, I thought he was trying to help stabilize me, but I was wrong.
“What the hell are you doing in my house?” he snarled, shaking me. “How the fuck did you get in?”
“I-I picked the lock,” I stammered, trying to pull away. While he wasn’t as tall or as wide as Jacob, his body language was threatening…..
“How do you even know where I live?”
Oh yeah, this is going well. “I followed you home one day,” I admitted.
“What are you, some kind of fuckin’ crazy stalker chick? I thought I was pretty clear with you that day, lady! Something wrong with your memory?”
But before you panic, we find out there’s a reason for the baffling DJ’s behavior:
He reached for my hand and held it on the bed between the two of us. We both looked at our clasped hands. “I didn’t want to be emotionally close to anyone. I was raw from what [she] had done and my guilt over my part in it all. Physical encounters were all I could take. Just sex.”
Huh. Just sex. I’ll bet it was good. I smiled wistfully. “Clearly you have a type,” I said, looking at him.
He was still looking at our hands, as he began rubbing mine with his thumb. “Clearly my type has changed,” he said softly, turning to look at me.
The story is 14 chapters in and is a great read. Each chapter is named after a 70′s music artist and Just4Ale does a great job of weaving a mention of each chapter’s namesake into the story.
I have to be honest, it took me a few chapters to really get into this story, but once I did. Holy shit. I could not stop reading. There is so much about this story that I want to gush about, but if I do, it will totally ruin what Just4ALE has set up with the way this plot plays out.
I can tell you that Bella is a newly divorced woman, who’s recently moved to San Francisco. I’m a sucker for stories that are set where I grew up, and that include places I’ve actually been to. It’s nice to be able to see what the character is seeing without having to make it up. Anywhoodle, we find out that Bella has found solace in the voice of a stranger on the radio, and through seventies music (except disco) trivia – she forms an unlikely friendship with the DJ of a late night talk show titled: Tunes with Tony Masen.
For seven long months, these two talk at four nights a week into the wee hours of the morning (in between phone calls to the radio station). They don’t share much personally in their discussions, but the relationship obviously goes beyond that of a regular caller / DJ.
“Hey there, darlin’,” he said in his smooth radio voice. “Do you think you know it?”
“I always think I know it. As you know, many times I’m proven wrong.”
He huffed. “Not often. All right, going live now. Stay on after, okay?”
The UST between these two is off the charts, because it’s clear there’s more, even though they’ve never met face to face. And they don’t even really know who the other person is.
“Well, I do stack the odds in my favor sometimes. I chose that first question with you in mind. We’ve talked about your love for the piano men before. With the recent film screening, the Giants/Mets game AND Mr. Joel’s birthday this upcoming weekend, you were on my mind and I went for it.” He paused for a beat. “I baited you.”
Those last three words came out like butter. Good Lord! I’d heard of bedroom eyes but this guy had bedroom voice.
‘Step into my parlor, said the spider to the fly’.
I felt myself flushing again and was instantly grateful that he couldn’t see me. I steadied myself. “That’s kind of cheating,” I chastised.
“I never said I played fair,” he responded. “Oh, hold, call coming in.”
After Bella gives in to the begging of her closest friend in the city, Jake, she ends up poised for a chance to meet her elusive Tony Masen. But things aren’t always what they seem… You definitely need to hop on this story and find out what’s going on, and then join me in begging Just4ALE for another update.
Tunes With Tony Masen is a new fic to me – I started reading last week and could not put it down until I got all caught up. Of course, now that I am, I’m dying for the next chapter. It’s got it all – secrets, intrigue, a strong but flawed Bella who gets to kick a little ass, unbelievably thick UST. Oh, and it has a Nessie I don’t want to strangle, which rarely happens. All of it’s set in and around San Francisco, one of my very favorite cities.
I don’t want to give anything away because it’ll spoil all the twists and turns, so I’ll stick to the safe stuff. Jasper is Bella’s therapist, who is quite insightful, and it’s usually through those sessions with him that we find out things about Bella’s past. Jake and Nessie, a married couple (and Nessie and Bella look so much alike they could be sisters), are two of her closest friends, along with Leah and Angela. Tony Masen is the late night DJ who spins out seventies music trivia, someone Bella has a strange relationship with until, well… never mind. You’ll have to read yourself to see.
Just4Ale has Bella thinking in movie quotes and music lyrics, but the dialogue is also nice and snappy, and there are subtle clues buried throughout, like little gold nuggets, which makes me love this fic all the more.
One of my favorite passages includes a fun event in San Francisco:
He laughed. “Yeah, baby, but it’s the seventies, and your man is nowhere around to put a stop to it!” His voice boomed, “If you need me, let me know, gonna be around, if you’ve got no place to go, if you’re feelin’ down…”
“Seriously Jake, no-”
Suddenly a voice from behind us was singing along with Jake. “If you’re all alone, when the pretty birds have flown…”
“Honey I’m still free, take a chance on me!” several other voices to our left sang.
I walked alongside him and shook my head, all at once horrified and marveling at the fact that he’d started a sing-a-long. People around us were singing and walking.
Finally, someone called out, “No more FUCKING ABBA!”
“YEAH, Go Priscilla!” someone else shouted.
Three more miles and sixty-seven naked bodies – yes, I counted – behind us, we were in the homestretch making our way through Golden Gate Park. Jake suddenly pulled me close to him, wrapping his arm around my waist.
And no – I don’t think it spoils anything to tell you Jake is not a love interest in this, so for those of you who are Jake-adverse this is a safe read. By all means, you should put this in your alerts. I’ve been really super picky about starting new fics recently, and this was a definite find.
I love this story so much. As a matter of fact it was the story that was pwning me last week and it still continues to pwn me. It has the right amount of humor, drama, angst, mystery and of course the UST.
“It’s Spring, kids, which means our nation’s favorite pastime has begun. What do you think of our chances this year? Will our beloved Giants go all the way? Hope springs eternal.
Well, in honor of our team’s trip out to play The Mets later this week, I have this tidbit for you:This was the first artist in history to perform at all four of New York City’s major sporting venues: Shea Stadium, Yankee Stadium, Giants Stadium, and Madison Square Garden. The 1965 Beatles concert at Shea Stadium was the first major concert to be held there and in 2008, this artist held the last.
Name the artist and tell me what other rock legends played at “Last Play at Shea” with this artist.”
~#~ Oooh, I definitely knew this one! I scrolled through my phone list and pressed the station’s speed dial number.
“Okay, hit me with it, Izzy Baby,” the velvety voice answered after only one ring.
I shook my head and laughed, “Hey, Tony.”
Izzy/Bella spends her nights calling in to a local radio station answering trivia questions. After several calls she ends up starting this unusual friendship with the DJ, Tony/Edward. When they do finally end up meeting, it is not what Bella is expecting. Add some shocking events (that I don’t want to give away here) and unexpected secrets (you need to read the story to find these out) and you have a story that will have you impatiently waiting for the next chapter.
Since you already know everything you need to know from these great reviews (recap: read it rtfn), I just want to add that I really like this fic and can’t wait to find out what happens, either! Check it out.
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