I love a good rockstar romance.
This one has the expected things that they usually have.
Addiction✔️
Secrets✔️
Lies✔️
Angst✔️
I liked that both main characters had secrets haunting them. That it wasn’t just the famous one with big issues. Nice twist there in my opinion.
They were in similar situations.
It starts out as a fake romance.
They really have great chemistry!
Will they be able to move forward?
The characters are likable and I enjoyed the story.
I felt for them and their pain/demons.
Good story and characters. Will read the author again.

I loved the characters in Rock King. I loved the plot and the story behind each character, where they came from and their histories. Their connection is palpable and the intensity of their relationship was perfect for romance lovers who dig the angsty push/pull of tortured characters. The friendship and trust building between the two also kept me so interested in their story. Secondary characters allowed me to get more invested in the story on a broader level, interest in other band members for example. However, the repetitive conflict of the story and they way it was continuously played out kept me from rating this book higher. It seemed like every chapter the same conflict and issues would arise with each character and those same issues would be presented with a different euphemism or analogy to mask them as being fresh. A handful of times I noted it within the book and thought it cumbersome while reading. Some of those points could have been fleshed out more with more depth to really make this stand out more. If you like rock star romance this book is definitely worth the read.

Wow, Shane and Delaney both have had rough lives and it takes a lot to get them to a place of healing and love. Both are broken in their own way but it was great to watch them pick up the pieces and fall for each other. Plus, I just really love rock star romances.

I love the rock star genre and was excited to find this book from Tara who is a new author for me. What an amazing story I just could not put it down!

Everyone thinks that Shane Hawthorne is a rock god living "the dream" which is far from the truth. Although he loves his fans he hates the attention from the press, hangers-on and groupies and all the chaos that goes with a tour. To avoid bad press and unwanted attentions Shane's manager Travis "hires" fake girlfriends to make appearances with him. Usually these girls further their careers by being in the spotlight with someone so famous. Both parties then move on with no hurt on either side, both getting what they want out of the encounter. However the newest "girlfriend" Delaney is different from the rest. Shane is immediately attracted to Delaney when they meet at a party, before he even knows that she will be his companion for his upcoming tour. What starts out as a business arrangement quickly becomes more as they fall for each other, but both of them have a dark past.

Shane and Delaney are both very compelling characters. Their story is so well written that as a reader, I got to feel the pain that they each keep so deeply hidden inside while presenting an empty facade to the world. Eventually as he falls in love with Delaney, Shane shares his secrets, but Delaney is unable to tell him hers. As both of their pasts are revealed their lives become fodder for the world to devour and this along with the lack of trust drives them apart.

This story is incredibly powerful as they both learn to forgive each other and more importantly themselves. I was really blown away by the strength of these two characters and their story. I am really looking forward to reading the other books in this series if this one is a sample of how good the author's writing is. This is a not to be missed story, highly recommended.

This book was fantastic. I always love a rocker book, and this one was no exception!
A rocker with issues is one of my favorites and this book was similar in writing style to a couple of authors I really love. As I was reading, there was so much happening & it seemed that there would never be a time they found happiness. I am so excited to read more in this series - these characters have totally drawn me in.

3 Show more
Review This story, this story, this story!
The depth. The heart. The emotions.

Tara Leigh is a new author for me and she has owned my fucking soul. How do I get over such a book? How do I "move on" from these characters?

Delaney, Shane they were...they left me in awe.

I can't seem to find the proper words to explain myself in this review, just READ THIS FUCKING BOOK.

Rock star tropes are often hit or miss with me. I tire of the same ole traits time and again. Surprisingly, I found this one a bit easier to fall into even though it followed a similar theme. Tara Leigh took it a step further with some unexpected depth and powerful punches in a story that held both secrets and twists and turns for both main characters.

"We were on a goddamn merry-go-round of secrets and lies. Bliss and betrayal. Fuck-ups and forgiveness."

The author takes readers up and down the scales in this tit-for-tat arrangement. (No pun intended.) The rock star needs a fake girlfriend to help him hang on to a clean image – and the fake girlfriend is a nice girl, working as a waitress while trying to get her life back on track, in desperate need of cash. This temporary arrangement could be the answers to both their problems and neither expected anything more, until fate stepped in with other things in store.

I really enjoyed both Shane and Delaney, who are complex characters. Mistakes and tragedies plague both their lives. The raw emotions and life challenges conveyed by these characters were undeniably powerful. Those personal predicaments demanded sympathy from readers, and the way they deal with their past mistakes is told in a well-developed and affecting manner.

Their story included much more than just your average rock star romance, although you’ll find an emotional rush from the heat and passion, as well. A solid start to this new series.

In the beginning things started a little off-key, but it didn’t take long before the meshing of words, phrases, feelings and vibes blended into a harmonious melody.

Summer, 2018 will bring Piper’s story in the second installment of the Nothing But Trouble Series.

I really enjoyed this book a lot. Shane and Delaney are really good characters they both have pasts that they struggle with and when she is hired to be his next fake girlfriend but as they get to know each other and feelings start to develop what will happen when their pasts are discovered and made public will they stand together are will it tear them apart.Super read I am looking forward to the rest of the series

Music has always been there for him until she came into his life. It was supposed to be a simple contract but Delaney Fraser is far from simple. Shane Hawthorne never had trouble with women before and loved that Tara Leigh made him work for this woman. The chemistry is all there but there is much more of Shane his fans don’t know. Two people from different lifestyles yet so much in common. Tara Leigh has one hot series with this band not all are bad but mysterious in their sexy ways. Nothing but Trouble series by Tara Leigh is one you dont want to miss.

“I received an eBook copy from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own.”

Whoa!

That's really the only word I can think of to say that describes this book. After finishing it, I started to feel the dreaded book hangover. This book is full of emotional roller coaster rides. Just when you think everything is perfect, the author laughs and says nope!

Shane Hawthorne has a dark past that he keeps hidden from the public's eyes. Delaney Fraser keeps quiet about her dark past too.

Shane is a nice guy but has one heck of a temper. He's quick to react and ask questions later. Delaney is a sweet woman just trying to live her life. Shane is good to Delaney.

All I can say is to only read this book if you are emotionally stable to as it will be one heck of a ride for you.

Overall it was a fantastic book that was beautifully written. Well worth 5-stars.

Tara, bring on Landon and Piper. Their book is sure to be scandalous and delicious.

Received for honest review
This book started off really slow for me. I put it down a couple of times. However about half way thru it started to pick up and get pretty interesting. Shane and Delaney meet and start a relationship under unusual circumstances. they made an arrangement for Delaney to be Shane's pretend girlfriend. She is really there to keep him from falling victim to his addictions. They quickly realized they wanted things to be real.I liked Shane and Delaney together. The guilt they both harbored caused them both to shut out people. They felt like they were not worthy. They both are hiding secrets from their pasts. When things come out and the dust settles, who will remain standing?

This story had alot going for it. Shane was a rock star who couldn't get over the factt that he was driving the car that killed his best friend. He changed his name when he left town so the case was still open. He had had a drug and alcohol problem so his manager hired girlfriends to keep him sober. He met Delaney and knew he wanted more with her. The contract got out and it was very messy, Delany was also hiding a big secret and it did not go over well when he found out about it. I got this book from Netgalley for an honest review. Truthfully, it kept me engaged every minute of the story. Both people had issues but together they healed each other. Very Nice book

I still haven't read many rock star romances, but this one I found myself to be quite fond of. Shane was making himself into a legend and his media presence wasn't really doing him justice. He felt like his entire life was a sham, no one really knew the man inside, and he had to constantly remind himself of his purpose. In order to stay away from temptation, especially on tour, he hired women to play the role of his 'girlfriend' to keep him on the straight and narrow. That's where Delaney fits in. Her personality was nothing like what he thought he wanted, but she was exactly who he needed.

This story was about the internal struggles that these characters constantly faced. Guilt for past acts and for unforeseeable tragedies ate away at them. I kept screaming for them to unburden themselves to each other. But their resistance to spilling the truth added to the angst of the novel. This story was well-written, although it did lag in some places, and gave me the chance to feel something. Delaney angered the heck out of me. So I'd say the book was worthwhile.

2 stars

Synopsis: Shane is the sexy lead singer for a famous band. In order to keep from using drugs and alcohol to numb his emptiness, he essentially hires a girlfriend for each tour. This time, his manager manages to find Delaney. Shane is haunted by his past and the things that he did before he became a famous musician.
Delaney is also running from her past and what happened to her parents. She started on the east coast, and has finally worked her way to the west coast. She plans to continue her schooling once she gets enough money. Then one day, she is invited to a party, and catches the eye of Shane. Delaney is resistant to the notion of being a girlfriend-for-hire, but eventually decides that it will give her a start in continuing her education.

What I liked: seeing Shane and Delaney support each other as they get to know one another.

What I didn't like: how quickly everything went, and how being attracted to a person over-ruled all their ass-like behaviour. Delaney came across as a spoiled brat, not a sympathetic character, and Shane seemed like an empty shell of a person to me. He never bothered to check and see if what happened when he was a kid had any actual impact on his life? Why? Wouldn't you want to know? And although there is a note at the end of the book about Shane's path not being a sure-fire way to cure addiction, the <b>entire</b> story was about how his pretend girlfriends were there to keep his addiction in check. Why not hire an actual addiction specialist and have them pretend to be his girlfriend? Grrrr.

*I received a review copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Delaney and Shane are both running from past mistakes. Delaney has given up her future of finishing college to pass the time. Shane is a famous rock star who hides behind contracts and his agent to keep his life on track. When Delaney becomes Shane's contracted girlfriend, she is faced with more feelings than she thinks she deserves. Shane feels theses feelings too. When the past comes to light and lies are revealed will a contract be able to keep them together, or will their relationship crash and burn?

Delaney is a lost sould who is grieving the lost of her mom and missing her father. She is alone in the world and has no one for support. She has walls a mile high and refused to get close to anyone.

Shane is also a broken shell of a person who uses his rock star persona as a shield. This way no one ever gets to know the real Shane.

Even though this was your typical rock star, insta-love story, I thought it was very entertaining. The secrets just kept coming and I couldn't wait to see how the characters dealt with each other's past.

Tara had a way of keeping the suspense moving and writing in a way that made you feel like you could feel Shane and Delaney's struggles and pain. I will definitely be reading more of her books.

DNF at 40%

I am just not feeling it. I am not connecting nor feeling the chemistry between Shane and Delaney.

I liked the writing though, so I plan on reading future books by this author.

I really enjoyed this book, the characters were likeable and realistic. The plot line was engaging and fantastic

3.5 stars

I always find it difficult to review a book that hasn't stirred powerful emotions in me. Be it anger or love, strong emotions tend to fuel my reviewing. So when a book comes along that does neither, I find it hard to articulate how it made me feel and describe to others what it evoked. It's also worse when I have this feeling that everyone else loved it but for some reason I didn't. I'm the odd one out. Again. So let me just say from the get go that just because I didn't fall head over heels for this doesn't mean you will not.

My problem with this book, is the same problem I had with the previous book I read by this author. And it's also the reason I feel like the odd one out. This specific style of writing just doesn't agree with me. There's barely any dialogue,any actual interaction. It's all introspection, inner thoughts and self analysis.

Shane Hawthorne is a rockstar. He appears to have it all. Fame, fortune and his every whim catered too. He's also an addict. Loosing himself in his addictions in order to forget. Until he has a wake up call and decides to clean up his act. His "fixer"/manager comes up with the perfect idea. Hire "girlfriends"/nannies to stop him from indulging in his addictions. Someone that's with him all the time without attracting the media attention as anything other than the next flavor of the month. Shane's voice took some getting used to. I stopped and started this book at least 5 times until I managed to stick through it and come to Delaney's POV.

Delaney is working as a waitress when a former classmate bumps into her and introduces her to her boss, Shane's manager. He immediately sees her as the perfect next "girlfriend" for Shane. Her POV was smoother, less douchey but still so wordy. So much inner castigation all around. They both had tragic backstories that you find out later on in the book. They set up much of the colour and tone in the book and it's mostly dramatic. Not so much actual drama, just more dramatic and in my opinion more melodramatic than anything. It depressed me. Both POVs brought me down so low. They both make excuse after excuse especially Delaney. It just made me so tired.

"The truth was, no one deserved me. I was a jagged knife,the tip of my blade edged with the poison. Brutal. Messy. Lethal."

"At my core I'm a hustler, too. Been hauling around a five-pound sack filled with ten pounds of problems since the day I was born."

"Who am I?I don't even know anymore. Fraud."

"Then again, I didn't know what home felt like. Never had, really. Was it a place, a concept?"

"Her tears were because of me. Because I was an inconsiderate, self-centered asshole. And she was right."

"I would destroy her. But maybe, just maybe.. she could save me. It had been done before, right? I mean, billions of people believed they were saved."

"I was falling for Shane, every minute with him another chance to break my heart. And yet with every fibre of my being, I wanted to heal his."

"I was just scrounging for an excuse to linger in the darkness myself."

"Because the truth wasn't going away. It was out there, as restless and angry as the lighting I felt in my bones but couldn't yet see."

All these quotes are inner reflections. I'm not saying that what they went through wasn't traumatic or major. Just after the whole murderer mention in the blurb, I expected actual bloody murder. Maybe my interpretation of that word is wrong...

murder
ˈməːdə/Submit
noun
1.
the unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another.
"the brutal murder of a German holidaymaker"
synonyms: killing, homicide, assassination, liquidation, extermination, execution, slaughter, butchery, massacre;

And so my perception and expectations of this were altered. It was just too melodramatic for me after the revelations. The interactions with the secondary characters were at the very minimum making it even more esoteric and the building of relationships and bonds to be strictly between Shane and Delaney. Even a reunion with Shane and his brother got bare bones coverage.

As you can see all this is purely a matter of taste. I know many people that love the drama and the dramatic and the melodrama. I'm just not one of them. Don't let my review stop you from giving this one a try if it intrigues you.

This story tackles substance abuse head-on. Shane may seem to have it all but he's hiding behind a facade. Women, drugs and partying are his coping mechanisms. He does everything in excess in hopes of burying his turbulent past until he meets Delaney who strips his front layer by layer.

Delaney was merely surviving when opportunity knocked on her door. Keeping her head low, she managed to lead a barely-there existence until she meets Shane at a party. Despite her apprehension but fuelled by her attraction, she agrees to act as his girlfriend; a cover Shane needed.

Their healing process is painful but necessary and this is very well-described throughout. Some parts are brutally honest. Delaney's vulnerability is relatable and makes her more human. Finding solace in each other, each takes steps towards the road to recovery in his or her own way. Shane is chameleon-like, he has lived so long with his faux front, it takes a lot of effort for him to trust, to re-learn the process of loving others and himself. Loved these two characters.

Solid story and I can't wait to read about Piper and Landon.

*ARC provided by publisher/author via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Okay so I am such a sucker for a rockstar trope. I will immediately throw that out there. I also love reading new to me authors and enjoying new stories and writing styles. This was a double bonus for me. Tara Leigh is a new to me author, but I will definitely be getting to know more of her stories.

This story was combustible! The chemistry was off the charts sexy and the characters were seriously steamy together. I loved these characters. I thought they matched well together and I love me an alpha hero. This is definitely a storyline that has been done before, but it stell felt fresh. The writing kept me intrigued and kept me reading without taking a break.

I loved this story and can't wait to read more!