SEVEN GIRLS ONE BAND ZERO RULES
IDOL PURSUITS
FORGET DEMON HUNTERS - THESE K-POP QUEENS ARE FACING A BIGGER THREAT
IDOL PURSUITS: COMPLETE EDITION
Blending whimsy and charm with haunting depths, Idol Pursuits will enchant and inspire you.
Heather Moon's on an amazing journey. She has molded six talented women into a lit indie girl group. They don't play by the rules. Instead, they listen to their hearts, challenging a system that preys on dreamers. Not content to follow the crowd, Heather forges a fresh path while helping others tap into their creativity and sense of fun. She knows that when people pursue a shared vision, special things will happen.
This is a story that will grab your emotions. It's about music, friendship, and standing up for what's right, all while dressed in high heels and sequins. Perfect for anyone who's ever felt like an outsider. Someone who knows music isn't just an art form—it's survival.
This Complete Edition version combines all three books of the Idol Pursuits series, Debut, Comeback and Legacy into one self-contained volume. It has been fully revised and updated.
This book is 100% human authored.
IDOL PURSUITS: DEBUT
Eighteen-year-old Heather Moon shines as the star of her K-pop agency class. The goal of becoming a singer is within reach. That dream shatters when an executive presents an offer she has to refuse. Banished but not defeated, Heather creates her own indie girl group, bringing together seven talented misfits who dare to challenge society's rules and create great art. The friends bond as they struggle with life as young musicians and new adults. Can they survive industry brutality before their dreams burn out?
This book is 100% human authored.
IDOL PURSUITS: COMEBACK
The struggling-artist life is taking a toll on Heather's indie girl group. They face rising expenses, a lack of performance opportunities, social media attacks, and identity confusion. The reality of show business is nothing like they hoped. While Heather's rival group becomes a global sensation, obscurity mires her own band. Their musical talent is high, but their money is running low, and time is running out. After an unexpected moment in the spotlight, a new manager gives them fresh hope. Soon, they're competing in one of the biggest music contests in the country. Can their unique approach challenge entertainment industry norms, or will a lack of money be their downfall?
This book is 100% human authored.
IDOL PURSUITS: LEGACY
After skyrocketing success, Heather hopes to build momentum with her indie girl group. But not everything is perfect. Behind each achievement, distrust and self-doubt threaten to tear them apart. Spirits sink when their acclaimed new album flops. An unexpected lifeline emerges through an invitation to a K-pop reality show. Signed to be sacrificial lambs, their immediate goal is to avoid humiliation long enough to gain relevance. But Heather has a bigger ambition in mind: redemption. Will they muster the creativity and courage to secure their legacy, or will powerful forces silence their voices for good?
This book is 100% human authored.
Enjoy this handy Youtube playlist of music from Debut.
THE SERIES
Enjoy this handy Youtube playlist of music from Comeback.
Enjoy this handy Youtube playlist of music from Legacy.
A COMING OF AGE TALE SET IN THE VIVID WORLD OF K-POP
Recent Insights From the Author
Big Wonder in Small Packages
AUTHOR'S BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
Books That Inspired Cinema Classics
Books For Starting Your Own Band
"It has a classy and intellectual tone, tackles relevant social issues, and breaks stereotypes. The world-building is great, and the imagery is fantastic."
- Risah Salazar
"An enthralling story of chasing your dreams and staying true to who you are. Protagonist Heather Moon is an excellent heroine for the piece, vulnerable but tough and very easy to adore and root for."
- K.C. Finn
"A beautiful story for fans of music. A delightful read that feels like a movie; it is fast-paced, well-plotted, and features memorable characters."
- Gobi Jane
The Reviews Are In
"For readers seeking novels about female friends with ambitious goals, this is your nirvana. Idol Pursuits passes the Bechdel test with flying colors."
- D. Manning
"Fresh and original, Rioux’s work is certainly binge-worthy"
"Stirring and impactful, this text is a sumptuous gala for all music lovers. The sheer determination and resilience exhibited by the characters in the midst of the numerous challenges they face, will endear readers to them. Fresh and original, Rioux’s work is certainly binge-worthy."
"It comes at a time of great interest in K-Pop, making its dive into the culture of idols and groups all the more intriguing."
- Shai Palmer
"If you love bands and music then you need to check out this novel as soon as possible."
"This story unveils the complexities of ambition, resilience, and the struggle for identity in the music industry. It maintains a strong sense of realism and never loses its appeal"
Heather Moon (18): Made in Heaven's main singer, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist. Known for her vibrant and charming personality, she can easily light up a room with her presence. She has a powerful voice despite her diminutive stature at 5'1". Well-adjusted to life in both Los Angeles and Seoul, she grew up in both cities.
Grace So (18): With a dominant personality, she is the group's rapper, lead guitarist, and de facto leader. Born in Los Angeles, she moved to Seoul with her parents' blessing to explore the possibility of becoming a K-Pop star. On her first day of training at 37-G Entertainment, she met Heather Moon and they became fast friends. Grace's personality is often described as "fierce," though she doesn't know whether that's intended as a compliment or not.
Sun-hee Ahn (18): A Korean native, Sun-hee is the group's talented singer and keyboardist. After being cut from an idol training program in Seoul, she opted to study music at UCLA. Her sweet voice contrasts beautifully with Heather's powerful vocals. Sun-hee is soft-spoken and aims to resolve conflicts in the least antagonistic way possible.
Meet the Group
Mindy Ito (22): Mindy is the talented veteran drummer for Made in Heaven. The daughter of a half Japanese/half Korean father, and a Ukrainian-American mother, she is a former member of the disbanded pop rock group WeR5. The chance to serve as a mentor to the younger members tempted her back into K-pop. Mindy is 5'8" with an hourglass figure. She has a good sense of humor despite being temperamental at times.
Erin MacLeay (18): Recruited as the band's bassist, she's a Korean American who hails from the tiny town of Harper, Oklahoma. Adopted as a baby by a Scottish-American couple, she grew up as the only Asian in her community. She chose to attend college at St. Ignatius in Los Angeles to be near the epicenter of Korean life in America. Her sheltered upbringing left her underprepared for life in the big city, however. Compared to her colleagues, Erin feels like an amateur among professionals.
Vanessa Nguyen (19): The group's dance specialist, Vanessa is a Vietnamese American from Garden Grove, California. Born in Vũng Tàu, she moved to the U.S. as a baby with her mother and sisters. Her dance excellence landed her a full scholarship to St. Ignatius, a fact which she brings up often. Vanessa has finely shaped physique, powerful without appearing muscular. She has iconoclastic tendencies, and rarely shies away from speaking her mind.
Made in Heaven is a hybrid K-Pop group with both dance and band units
June (Jeong) Kwan (19): Made in Heaven's main visual and a talented dancer, June dreams of becoming a top model and has the looks to achieve it. Harboring a closely guarded secret, she works hard to earn a living and learn English quickly to adapt to life in America. Despite her modeling ambitions, June frequently relies on her groupmates for practical fashion and beauty advice. At 5'9", she is the group's tallest member.
About the Author
Upon graduating from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, Robert Rioux spent two decades working in the Hollywood entertainment industry, rubbing shoulders with struggling dreamers and top-level achievers. A year spent circumnavigating the globe ignited an intense admiration of the world's varied cultures. Now married and living in Cascadia, Idol Pursuits marks the author's first attempt at trilogy form.
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