Another intense story from Tara Leigh this one about popular rock star Shane and anonymous girl Delaney. A dark intense story with a lot of drama, passion, angst and dark secrets who can destroy lives. Shane needs a new fake girlfriend to escort him on a tour and keep him in a straight line so the perfect candidate seems anonymous Delaney. Who of course receives an offer that she can not refuse.So let the rollercoaster begins to spin. Delany is the first person to see Shean who he really is and he is with her safe enough that he starts to reveal himself. After a few bumpy rides Shane sees Delany as someone perfect. A little does he know that she also carries a big dark ugly secret that can destroy everything. They are both very interesting and well-developed characters. I am glad that we didn't see Shane at his worst but know when he is sober and has a clear mind, we see how passionate is he and that he develops more that attraction toward Delaney. Delaney, I didn't love her she was ok, interesting girl but there was something in her actions that made me not to fall in love with her- Maybe because she was strong and smart she didn't act like it. I did like her support that she shown Shane and that she didn't let him treat her like a tramp. The end was also unpredictable and I can't wait to see what happens with Piper in the next book.
I volunteered to review an ARC of this book for Netgelly

Firs I want to thank the author for giving me this book. It has no influence whatsoever on my rating.



3 “it’s not you it’s me” stars

Let me say something already: I’ve read this book after having finished a monstrously powerful book and it was a disservice to this story. It’s really difficult to come right after a phenomenal read.



What is the plot and who might love this book?

The plot is a classic trope of singer rock star plagued by demons and hiring a “fake” girlfriend to keep groupies at bay and keep him in line. Said “girl friend” has her own demons and need the mone paired with another promise dear to her heart.

Shane has been battling with addiction for years. Alcohol, drugs and sex. He knows that he can’t lose his status as it’s protecting him from a dark and dramatic past that we’ll discover later.

Delaney has her own secret, her own guilt and wants really badly to help her father.

Instant attraction. Delaney fights it as she does not want to be discarded with a borken heart later.



If you love these tropes with really attractive heroes but harboring deep secrets and thinking they don’t deserve love then you’ll love it.



Why didn’t it work for me, book hangover aside?

Well I had a problem with the author’s writing. Not that she did a bad job but her style was not my cup of tea.

When I read :”Shane raked a hand through the famously rugged hair that framed his face like a lion’s mane. Paired with his luminous topaz eyes, he bore a vague resemblance to Mufasa, surveying his domain with a wary kind of confidence. When Rolling Stone proclaimed Shane Hawthorne the new King of Rock, they had definitely gotten it right.” I think it’s overdone.

Overdone as in less adjectives and exaltation. Don’t describe the hero. Make me feel him. Make me taste what he eats. Make me feel his sweat crawling between his ribs after a concert. This is the Showing vs Telling.

Don’t tell me what he looks like. Make me experience it. Show it.



As a result I never really connected with the characters. I got that their pas was sad but I wasn’t sad. It wasn’t my emotions.



Now as I said it’s a personal taste and this book is getting many good reviews so I would advise you to try it. Or try a sample and see if it floats your boat.

I’m only one reader in a sea of millions. One small fish in a vast ocean.

The thing that bothered me the most when it came to this book was Shane. I might have felt that his reaction was justified if I hadn't spent half the book reading about how Delaney stood by Shane's side while everything was going down. Delaney was a rock to him, someone to rely on and when she revealed her secret he broke up with her. Even though he was loving her. In one sentence he was saying how much he loved her and in the other that he didn't want her and that she had betrayed him. And he didn't even have to groove much for her to take him back! He needed to do something grand if you ask me. I wasn't happy with Delaney for that. She deserved better. And I am saying that, the person who is always judging the heroines more harshly than the heroes. I couldn't relate to the Delaney let Shane get his way. I could relate to the Delaney who fought to keep her relationship with Shane. For me, Delaney's was ruined and she was the only good thing about this book because she made it different from your average rock star book. Because that's what this book is. An average rock star book.

I've been a fan of Tara Leigh from the start. I've fallen for her writing just a little more each time I read one of her books. And let me tell you, ROCK KING took the top spot on my rockstar romance list. I wanted to devour this book in one sitting. And I kept checking the percentage through the story because I wanted more and wasn't ready to be done. Shane and Delaney were both flawed and so perfect. If you have this book on your TBR, move it up on the list. Don't wait. Read it now.

Received in exchange for a honest review.

You can feel the guilt and pain that Shane is in literally coming off him in waves in this book. It surrounds him and just engulfs him. It is his shadow to the point that to drown it he does things he isn’t proud of. He turned first to alcohol and drugs..Now he is more in control but less in control of who he is.

To control his addictions and keep his restlessness at bay he has his manager hire someone to pose as his girlfriend while on tour. It isn’t because he doesn’t respect females but to keep them at bay and him from losing himself to addictions and the tiresome ways of what some believe the rockstar life is. In reality, Shane is a very caring man. He had a tough childhood and made mistakes that haunt him. He keeps everything bottled and doesn’t let many see who he is.

ONly the moment Delaney enters his world, it tilts off kilter. He sees someone he wants to know and who he wants to see the real him. It isn’t easy though for she was hired to be his girlfriend.

Delaney has guilt of her own that swamps her. She also has secrets that are eating away at her. As you read her view you see just how torn up she is. and as Shane tells her who he is and his secrets, she is feeling more guilt because she is holding back. As they move from fake to real in the relationship, Shane confronts his demons with Delaney by his side and begins to feel the weight of guilt life as she stiles wallows in hers and doesn’t let go.

The story is written in both Delaney and Shane’s views and Shane’s is the one where we see the most change and growth. He struggles with his guilt and feelings but doesn’t let them stop him from forging ahead. In the end he lets fear take over until he realizes how to forgive himself and once that happens he does go find his heart again and gain his happy ever after but it is a struggle for him. It is written in a real and emotional way that you are just feeling all that he is and watching it unfold is riveting.

Delaney your heart goes out to but you also get frustrated with. She is hot and cold and does not always treat Shane well with her words. It’s also hard to see her give Shane the advice she does and than hold back and not do as she preaches. When she does, you can’t blame him for his initial reaction. But you become proud of hers afterward. She finally does what is right and in her heart.

the story is riveting and engrossing. The chemistry between Delaney and Shane jumps off the page as do their demons and pain. Watching shane on his journey to love, a second chance with his brother and forgiveness with himself and from others is heartbreaking and heartwarming. Delaney’s journey is just as emotional but takes awhile to occur.

I thoroughly enjoyed this angst filled Rockstar romance with a twist. It kept me thoroughly gripped with the suspense and outcome of this story. The hidden secrets and common ground the two lead characters share is eerie and maybe would be strange if it played out in the real world but you just never know.

The love connection that you read is book is beautiful, powerful and intense but one that has a magical quality about it. Shaun and Delaney are a match made in heaven and also in there own private and similar hell.

This book is a great read and a huge recommend from me. I look forward to reading more for this author.

3.75 stars

Shane Hawthorne is not what he seems, his name a brand an escape a new start. Plagued with his past he left for California
and became King of Rock. Now he battles his vices and addiction of that rocker lifestyle he needs a companion of sorts to keep him away from that and as a pretend girlfriend to keep groupies away. Not the best way to deal with addiction but in this case it helped him somewhat.

Delaney Fraser is also trying to hide from her past moving far from her old life. Things is her past that also make her wish to start a new. Something she and Shane have in common. What starts as a mutual agreement and a rocky start becomes a unexpected relationship in the making. The chemistry and tension built up.

When Shane's past comes up it also brings back some of things Delaney is hiding from. It was a setback in their budding relationship and tested it. While it wasn't easy to deal with both issues they did. I feel like the author did for Shane's. I would have liked to have gotten more of Delaney's and what happens next for them. They resolved the problems were wrapped up fast for her end. I hope it will continue in the next book for the other band mate. Not bad start to a series.

This was a good start to the NOTHING BUT TROUBLE series by Tara Leigh, the sexual tension between Shane and Delaney was great and I really enjoyed both Shane's and Delaney's back stories.

Shane has a problem with Drugs and Alcohol so he hires "girlfriends" to go on tour with him to help keep him away from things he shouldn't be doing, this is where Delaney comes in, but he is also hiding a big secret a secret he hopes never gets exposed. Delaney has her own reasons for going along with this farce, which brings its own secrets. Did I mention there are a LOT of secrets? So much angst that you are wondering how they are going to work through everything that is going on.

If you love stories that not only fall under the trope of Rock Stars or Fake Girlfriend but also second chances then this is a story I would recommend to you. Tara Leigh does a wonderful job with creating two characters that are not only great for one another but she has you rooting for them right from the beginning.

When I read the blurb for Rock King, I knew I wanted to read it. A story about a rocker with secrets, yes please! Add to it the angst, god the angst. It drives me crazy, but I love it in my stories. And this one tested me in so many ways. I am literally surprised my eReader is in one piece!

I liked Shane. His past was not an easy one and it weighed on him. As the lead singer of Nothing But Trouble, he had everything he wanted at the tip of his fingers. But all of it just hid what he carried deep inside. Now even the drugs, alcohol and women were no longer helping.

Though Delaney also has a sad past, she was so strong and determined. She runs into an old friend that invites her to a party that will change her future. Se was strong and determined and I like that about her.

When Delaney meets Shane, she is not like other women. She does not fall under his charm and get swept away. No, for her it is not the Shane the worlds know that she falls for, she falls for the man he hides from everyone. Delaney is hired to be a fake girlfriend/sober partner for Shane. Will she be able to help him?

This book had it all! Rock stars and all that comes with that lifestyle and the angst, that angst! Tara Leigh is a new to me author and I am so glad I found her. I am very excited to see more of this series as well.

Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.

Meine Meinung zu „Rock King“:

Dies war mein erstes Tara Leigh Buch, dass ich gelesen habe. „Rock King“ ist das erste Band von der „Nothing But Trouble Series“. Da ich ein wahrhaftiger Rockmaniac bin, konnte ich auf dieses Buch nicht verzichten. Ich liebe alles rund um dieses Thema: sei es Music, Filme oder halt wie in diesem Falle, ein Buch. Somit musste ich bei dieser Blog Tour mitmachen.

Anfangs war ich eher geschockt wegen Shane und Travis‘ handeln, bezüglich Shanes Fake Freundinnen. Geschockt war ich eher, weil ich genau wie Delaney an wahrhaftiger Prostitution gedacht habe. Aber dann erklärt Travis ja in einem Abschnitt, was es mit diesen Fake Girlfriends auf sich hat. Die Autorin, Tara Leigh, beschreibt auch zusätzlich in einem Abschnitt, dass es in diesem Business normal ist und es nicht als Prostitution angesehen wird, sondern eher als PR für die Berühmtheiten dient.

Einer meiner absoluten Lieblings Szenarien, war direkt einer der ersten Kapitel und zwar die Szene, in der Shane nach Travis‘ Party zu Delaney nachhause fährt und sie es kaum fassen kann, dass er tatsächlich vor ihrer Haustüre steht. Danach machen sie einen Spaziergang und anschließend stehen sie dann vor einer Karaoke Bar. Sie gehen hinein und Shane bittet Delaney für ihn zu singen. Sie sucht sich einen ganz tiefgründigen Song von Shane aus und singt diesen Song für ihn. Er ist ganz außer sich und fasziniert von ihrer natürlichen Performance. Anschließend erkennt er, dass dieser Text seines Songs auch Delaney sehr tief getroffen hat und er will sie umso mehr an sich reißen. Ab dem Moment an, weiß er, dass sie genau so ist wie er und sie zueinander passen.

Mir hat generell diese Liebesgeschichte zwischen Shane und Delaney gefallen. Ich freue mich schon so sehr auf das zweite Band von dieser Reihe. Ich hoffe es wird dazu wieder eine Blog Tour geben, denn ich wäre einer der ersten, die da wieder mitmachen würde.

Tara Leigh’s Schreibstil ist wundervoll, vor allem wenn sie aus der Sicht von Shane schreibt. Er klingt wie ein wahrhaftiger Mann und hauptsächlich wie ein Rockstar. Die Autorin hat wirklich sehr gute Arbeit, bei diesem Werk, geleistet. Die ganze Geschichte hat sie toll hinbekommen und die Charaktere waren auch echt cool. Meine Lieblings Charaktere waren natürlich Delaney und Shane. Ich fand es immer so amüsierend, wenn Shane immer Delaney „Fucking“ Fraser in sich gedacht hat. Das war total lustig.

Ich bedanke mich herzlichst bei Buoni Amici Press, Tara Leigh für diese zauberhafte Blog Tour und ich bedanke mich auch herzlichst bei Netgalley.com, für dieses wunderbare Rezensionsexemplar. Es hat mir wirklich viel Spaß gemacht, dieses Buch zu lesen und Teil der Blog Tour zu sein.

* All Material Written on and from the Rockmaniacs Bücher Welt site and posted on different Sites like: Amazon.de, Youtube, Goodreads, Whatchareadin.de, Vorablesen.de, Facebook, Twitter, Lovelybooks, etc., is Copyright © by the Owner "Lee-T81" (Rockmaniac)*

Delaney is hired to be a girlfriend to Shane the rockstar. Fake becomes too real as they deal with the mistakes in their separate pasts. I enjoyed this rockstar romance and the development of the characters.

kicking off her nothing but trouble series, rock king introduces us to shane hawthorne, lead singer and guitarist for the highly successful band. he's got some addiction issues. and some guilt issues. and when he meets and connects with delaney fraser he's drawn to her the way he hasn't been drawn to anyone for a long time.

so he hires her to be his fake girlfriend. but then he finds that with her, he wants things to be real. and so he opens himself up to all the grief and trauma of his past. and delaney understands it all because she also has the same guilt issues. and she's also got some trust issues. and some self-esteem issues. because she doesn't believe that shane loves her the way she is in love with him. and part of her believes that she doesn't deserve his love.

these two couldn't be more on the same page if they tried. so they just need to get over themselves, and believe that no matter what happened in their past, they are still entitled to live their lives and find something happy. this was angsty and swoony and a quick read. the pov switches here happened within chapters, and this kept the pace heightened, i think.

**rock king will publish on february 20, 2018. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/grand central publishing (forever yours) in exchange for my honest review.

Here are my links. Thanks. S.

Rock King

http://myreadingjourneys.blogspot.com/2018/02/rock-king-by-tara-leigh-book-review.html

https://www.amazon.com/review/RT7LNFC6RPOGE/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2304763427

As a fan of rock star romances I was immediately drawn to this emotionally intense series starter full of painful pasts, angst, and acceptance. Set in the chaotic, glitzy, and sensual world of music this book brings together two people carrying the weight of a tragic event from their pasts on their shoulders while finding personal peace on their bumpy journey to HEA.

Shane Hawthorne’s upbringing was a tragic one full of abuse, lack of love, and ultimately a heartbreaking event that left him reeling from guilt and on a downward spiral. From the outside, Shane’s life at the top of the charts seems perfect but behind the scenes is a man still fighting his addictions and hiding his pain behind the facade of a Rock King. For far too long he’s tried to numb his pain, buried himself in his music and surrounding himself with women who he can use and leave behind...until he sees Delaney. The moment he meets her he realizes he can no longer stay hiding as she demands to see the real man behind the sexy rock star facade and together they work through their painful past to make a HEA. Shane’s a delicious hero who doesn’t always do right, makes a big misstep late in the story, but is still immensely appealing as his emotional bruises had me wanting to hug him. When readers first meet him he’s manufactured and constantly on edge, superficial in his relationships as he doesn’t want to deal with his past head-on. With Delaney though he becomes a man worthy of love, a man willing to slay the demons from his past in order to make a future for him and the woman he wants to keep forever. It’s an emotionally draining journey he undertakes, a journey that I was fully invested in from the first page to the last.

Delaney Fraser was a good girl growing up with a perfect family until one moment took it all away. With the loss of her mother, and the incarceration of her father, Delaney left it all behind to run from truths that are slowly catching up to her. Since reaching the West Coast, Delaney’s just existing as she doesn’t feel she deserves happiness for all that transpired in the past. Meeting Shane though gives her a glimpse of a future and happiness she desperately wants. With their pasts coming back to claim their future it’s a rocky road full of heartbreak and self-destruction that kept me frantically turning the pages to the hard-fought conclusion. Delaney’s a likable heroine, an admirable one unwilling to be with Shane until she gets to see the man behind the mask. She’s an honest woman too that always tries to do right who guides Shane into being a better man while demanding that she be a better woman and quit running from her past. Her past though is just as painful as Shane’s and it binds them together while making them stronger. From start to finish Delaney’s the epitome of the supportive heroine, supporting Shane through all his ups and downs, and it made them an unforgettable couple.

Though there’s much about this book that’s stereotypical, it’s still a well-written story that held me captive through its moments of melodrama and frustratingly self-destructive decisions. The rock star world is on vivid display here with glimpses of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll and show a world full of vice and energy that’s both satisfying and dangerous as well as a haven and an escape for Shane. The main couple is larger than life with a powerful connection based on their mutual loss that made my heart ache while I rooted for them to accept the joy they found in each other’s arms. Theirs is a romance teeming with sensuality, a crackling connection, battered by a past beyond their control that pulled me in wholeheartedly. It’s a romance that pulled at the heartstrings while scorching up the pages courtesy of numerous erotically-charged encounters. Surrounding this appealing main couple is an equally intriguing cast of secondary characters, some more likable than others. There’s Shane’s manager Travis, the quintessential fixer who I never quite trusted along with his assistant Piper who knew Delaney in high school and who has a secret past with a musician who broke her heart. Readers also got a brief introduction to the other members of Nothing But Trouble and they too are stereotypical with Landon, the drummer who’s slowly losing himself in women and partying, along with fellow bandmates Jett and Dax who are still a mystery. The final addition to the cast is Shane’s brother Gavin, who has his own guilt that he’s carrying over leaving his brother behind as he made a better life for himself. These characters all add bits of emotional intensity to a story that went on a bit too long but still kept me fully invested in these character’s outcomes from the first page to the last.

3.5 stars.
A rock star romance that was high on drama and angst.
Both Shane Hawthorne and Delaney Fraser (the H&h) have a similar dark secret from their past that haunts them both and affects their ability to lead a normal life.
So when they meet there is a connection that is deeper than their initial sexual attraction and chemistry .
Though Shane wants to hire Delaney as his fake girlfriend for an upcoming tour, part of him wants to step away for fear of ruining her with his lifestyle. His world is full of paparazzi, sleazy tabloids, and unrelenting fans. In the past Shane has used drugs, alcohol and meaningless sex to numb his feelings and avoid facing his past and inner demons. The "fake girlfriend" thing is how he currently avoids these temptations.
Travis (his lawyer) draws up the contracts for all these pseudo relationships. Delaney reluctantly agrees to this plan when Travis is smart enough to discover something that he can do to help her father in return.
Delaney recognizes a fellow troubled soul in Shane and wants to help him. As their relationship progresses she finds herself developing stronger feelings for him, but even when he opens up to her about his deeply troubled past she still remains silent about her own.

This was very much the rock star romance novel.
Shane and Delaney were both so deserving of love and happiness even though they were both broken people in need of redemption.
It was also a very "steamy" and sexy book but the "angst" level was so high that I almost had to put it down at times. It was a lot more than I can usually deal with but I enjoyed this book and I am happy that I read it.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

Shane had one more week before the Nothing but Trouble tour started. He had been a bundle of nerves since they had finished recording their album. When on the tour two hours out of twenty four his view would be of a stadium packed with fans yelling his name. The rest would be filled with hotel rooms, private planes, tour buses, and too many people he didn’t want to see or talk to - selfies, groupies. Shane felt it was time he met someone he could really care for. Getting lost in his mind was dangerous for Shane and nay one around him. The first few weeks of a tour were especially nerve wrecking. So many new people, so many moving parts. It wasn’t easy to get back into the groove of touring- Shane needed needed the people of his inner circle to stay the same: his agent- Travis, his bandmates, his tour manager, and ….his girlfriend. His girlfriend that he would be spending close quarters with for six months. Shane was lead singer for the band Nothing But Trouble which had a list of hit songs, more money than Shane knew what to do with, a dozen grammys. And even and Oscar for the best original song last year in a movie. Shane had hired travis years ago to build up his career. But Losing everything would be easy - just an offer of things he should resist - Jack Daniels and cocaine. So maybe Shane would meet his new girlfriend tonight- someone who would be with him night and day but not silly enough to fall in love with Shane. Love was the one luxury Shane couldn’t afford. Delaney’s father had been found responsible for her mothers death in the car accident but Delaney knew he was innocent. Her father was in a maximum security prison, her mother was dead and for Delaey to keep in touch with old friends was too painful. She wanted what they still had - Family, and security. Delaney was waitressing when Piper recognized her.. They had known each other forever but were never friends. But Piper introduced Delaney to her boiss Travis and he invited Delaney to come to his party that night. Delaney tried to get out of it but ended up agreeing to go. Piper was to pick her up after work with something for Delaney to wear. Shane showed up at the party and seen travis talking to a girl and Shane knew it was his girl. The girl was delaney. No one had been able to hang on to Shane not his father who beat him or his mother who could barely look Shane in the eye, not his older brother who hadn’t been there when Shane needed him the most, not the parents of his best friend Caleb who had let Shane live with them after his parents had died while he was still in H S, not the cops who were probably still itching to charge Shane with Caleb’s murder. Shane Hawthorne was the persona he created , the barrier Shane needed between him and everything. Life. Then Shane talks to Delaney and she does know who he is. Even though Delaney was filled with desire she walked away from Shane and left the party. She had no room in her life for him. He was a distraction and one Delaney couldn’t afford. She didn’t have room in her life there was only room for one man who was sitting behind prison doors because of her. She was the only one who knew her father was innocent but he made delaney promise not to say anything. She was free because of him. Cut then travis went to delaney’s apartment building and she went for a walk with him but then still turned him away when they returned to her apartment. Then Travis showed up with a non disclosure contract for delaney to be Shane’s fake girlfriend. They didn’t have to sleep together that would be their personal business if they decided to. She said no even though the money being offered would pay for Delaney to get her degree in school. Then Travis brought up the last page of the contract he would get her dad placed in a minimum security prison things would be easier for her dad. Since it was her fault where her dad was she then signed the contract.
I loved this book. I loved the pace and plot. I loved Delaney and Shane together. Also how Delaney and Shane taught each other to live again and so much more. This kept my attention form the first page until the last page. I choked up at times while reading this but it was a beautiful romance as far as I am concerned but there was a lot of grit and emotion.I couldn’t find anything to criticize which was great. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I highly recommend.

Well damn – this one blew me away. I loved it, loved it, loved it. Can someone give me book two right this moment? I need more, and I need it now.

Having read and enjoyed Tara Leigh’s Deal Breaker, the second book in her Billionaire Bosses series, I knew I needed more of the author’s work. Already I have Penthouse Player sitting on my Kindle waiting for me to dive into, but I found myself reading Rock King first. How could I not dive into it as soon as the chance arose? The synopsis alone was enough to leave me begging, in dire need of more. I went in with high expectations, and I was not disappointed in the least.

Deal Breaker earned a four-star rating from me, yet it pales in comparison to Rock King. Rock King is a solid four-point-five-star rating – one of those books where the picky side of me prevented me from handing off a five-star rating. It happens more often than it should, with quite a few of my favourite books having a four-star rating for something small. It’s odd – you see, I hate giving out one-star ratings yet it seems I’m more willing to hand them out than five-star ratings. Rock King is a prime example of how I always hold back on those top ratings. This is good, damn good. I’m sure most will gladly hand over a five-star rating. When compared to other rock star romances I have read, this one certainly sits at the top. In fact, it has set the standard of what I expect from future rock star romances so high that I’m questioning whether any will live up to this one. There is no doubt this is my favourite rock star romance, one you need to pick up.

I’ll be honest, I was a little bit tentative at first. The synopsis had me expecting something quite dark. Part of me was imaging a dark suspense filled read, one that would suck me into a truly twisted story. It wasn’t quite what I was expecting, and due to that I was worried. Despite my worries, I found I was sucked in for other reasons. I was lost to the story, turning page after page at a rapid pace. It may not have been what I was expecting, but it was a powerful read in many other ways. In fact, I came to love it all the more because it surprised me.

You see, this book is filled with emotion. I don’t simply mean the romance – which is wonderful within itself, something I will come back to – I mean it in regards to so many elements of the story. Each of the characters has a painful past, has secrets they are keeping buried deep. The way they are played with, the events that occur, make for a deeply moving story. On the surface there is a lot of drama, a lot of secrets, but when you look deeper there are so many layers to be found. Loving oneself, loving others, forgiving, coming to terms with the past, and so much more occurs throughout this one – it hits a number of hard places, a knock to the solar plexus of those who can find a connection to any of the deep topics mentioned throughout.

More obvious, what everyone sees on the surface, is the brilliant romance between the two characters. I was pulled into their relationship straight away, loving the play between the two of them. I loved the characters as individuals, and completely adored them as a couple. They went so well together, and I found myself desperate for more. Even the element that didn’t win me over due to personal preference when reading romance – the speed of things, the way everything happened too fast for my liking – managed to win me over in the end, with there being plenty layers added to the story.

Without a doubt, Rock King was a wonderful read. There is no doubt I will be reading the second book in the Nothing but Trouble series, as I have very high hopes for the places this series will go.

Bring on book two – I need to know what happens with the side characters I’m so intrigued about!

Trigger warnings: child abuse (in the past), drug use (in the past), alcoholism (past and one instance in present)

I have a bit of a soft spot for rock star romances, even though I dislike a lot of the tropes associated with them (other person drama, for instance). This, however, had a lot of depth to it. It's all about the power of guilt and shame and, most of all, secrets. So, if you can't guess, it is SO ANGSTY, which normally I'd run like crazy from, but I really liked this.

“As soon as I did, I could feel Shane Hawthorne descending, the persona I’d created, the barrier I needed between me and…everything. Life.
I wore Shane like a geeky teen slipping into the personality of his buff, heroic alter ego in his favorite video game. Shane Hawthorne was my avatar, and everyone thought he was real.
Every girl wanted to fuck Shane Hawthorne.
Every guy wanted to be Shane Hawthorne.
No one more than me.”


I liked both Delaney and Shane. They both have tragic backstories, and neither are quite what they seem. Shane, though, has been repressing his particular trauma for many years longer than Delaney, and has dealt with it in the past with the good ol' sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll, though by the time the book starts, he's come to the realization that those aren't the healthiest of coping skills. Instead, he has his agent hire a "girlfriend" for him for every tour - the times when he's tempted the most by his old lifestyle. The girlfriend's job is to provide a barrier against the groupies, and to help him stay on the straight and narrow. So, besides the sex (which is not contractually required), she's mostly more of a nanny than a girlfriend. After meeting Delaney at one of his agent's parties shortly before the start of a new tour, Shane gets fixated on her and decides she's the one that he wants. Shane's, well, not in instalove, more like insta-obsessed, with Delaney, to the point of stopping by her apartment after she walks away from him at the party. Delaney, for her part, was very likable, though she had her moments of overly annoying insecurity. Unlike Shane, it's only been three years since the moment that changed her life, and she had the bedrock of a pretty normal family life before that to rely on. When offered the girlfriend contract, she naturally reacts with a whole barrel of "WTF" and is pretty set against it, even with the promise of enough money to finish her college - and they throw in something else she can't refuse - until she glimpses underneath Shane's rock star mask.

“Shane was like a thousand-piece puzzle bought at a garage sale. The chances of all the pieces being in the box were slim to none, and even if I slowly and laboriously fit the jigsaw together, I had no idea if the pieces would eventually form the picture on the cover, something else entirely, or if they were just a bunch of mismatched segments I couldn’t figure out no matter how hard I tried. And yet giving up was unthinkable.”


A good portion of this book is concerned with the effects that keeping secrets has on the characters. I felt like Delaney's journey was very believable and heart-wrenching. I truly felt for her, and was really torn by some of the hard decisions she felt she had to make to protect herself. Unlike Delaney's journey, Shane's felt much more extrinsically motivated - without her pushing him, I don't think he would've made the right choices. Also, after the big misunderstanding, I felt like Shane needed to do a lot more groveling than he did, and I wasn't 100% sold that he had changed enough to not screw up in the same way again in the future.

“I was done letting someone else dictate what I would say. Where I should go. What I should think. How I should feel.
Who I would love.
One day my heart would be whole again. One day I would love again.
Someone who loved me back just as fiercely. Someone who would fight for me, who would fight alongside me.”


So, while I did enjoy the book, I did have some issues with it. The pacing had a few uneven spots, mostly, I think, because it got a bit overly verbose at times. I didn't particularly care for any of the side characters, even Piper, who's the heroine of the next book. Shane's band members were also annoyingly crude - at one point, one of them tells him to stop playing with his "toy," referring to Delaney. Ick.

Overall, though, I liked this. Recommended for anyone looking for a delightfully angsty rock star romance!

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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.

Incredible rock star romance with so much depth and drama that it is consuming. Shane is hiding from the world through his music and when he’s on tour, he needs a woman around to keep him away from the drugs and alcohol. His agent, Travis, is tasked with finding a woman for the next tour. When he meets Delaney at a restaurant as his waitress, he knows he’s found just what Shane needs. Delaney is skeptical of this request after she meets Shane at a Travis’s Hollywood party but there was something in Shane’s eyes that captivated her. Delaney has her own secrets that she is hiding from which changed her path in life and she hasn’t found a way back. Shane and Delaney are lost souls, both struggling to cope with tragedy in their own ways. Their journey is intense as they both have to face hard truths but can they open themselves to love. Will they see themselves as worthy to be loved? Definitely not your typical rock star romance, it is so much more while delivering all the over the top sexiness that the rock ‘n roll lifestyle provides. I voluntarily read an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.