Holy Shit. Jimmy. My heart still belongs to Mal but Jimmy is absolutely sexy. An asshole, yes, but sexy. I loved this book and it was so great to finally read about the famous lead singer and get to know and understand him better. I loved all the Stage Dive books so far. I love Kylie Scott's writing style. She always adds just the right amount of humor, passion, emotion and she writes these characters to perfection. You feel like you're really getting into their head, to know and understand them, to grow and mature with them. You want to hang out with them and be part of their 'crew'.

Right from the very beginning I was drawn in. I could not put this book down. I fell in love with Lena right from the start. She's smart, witty, funny, loyal and fierce. She doesn't back down and she doesn't just roll with the punches she gives it right back. Lena was the perfect match for Jimmy. She was exactly what he needed. Lena comes with her own baggage but she doesn't let it weigh her down. She holds her head up high and tries her very best to overcome it.

"I'm not allowed to look at you? Really? Is this like one of those strange directives you hear about famous people having? No one's allowed to talk to you or look at you, and there must be bowls of chocolate pudding everywhere you go from now on?"

Jimmy is a hot mess. He is so much more than what you think. He not only struggles from his addiction but from his childhood as well. He surely has some anger issues but he's a rock star right? smashing shit is part of the job, lol. We get to see different sides of Jimmy and it will only make you fall in love with him even more. There are moments of heartbreak and loss that you can feel the devastation and grief pouring right out of the pages.

"His grip was brutally tight as if he expected me to fight him, to reject him. But I just stood stunned. His whole body shook, the tremors passing through into me, rattling my bones. He didn't make a sound, however. Something dampened the front of my shirt, making it cling."

You will absolutely love Jimmy and Lena's story. Their journey is not all rainbows and roses. It's deep, raw, emotional, funny at times and heartbreaking. This was such a great edition to the Stage Dive series. You get to hang with all the crew and see glimpses of where everyone is at and how they have grown as individuals and as a couple. I love the family dynamic the band has. A definite must read. I cannot wait to read the next book. Ben is mysterious in this one and I can't wait to find out if he'll find his HEA.

Give me a tortured soul and I am in love.... Jimmy. <3 I loved his journey and the Sassy Lena! It took me forever to pick this series back up again but then I devoured Lead in less than 4 hours! I can't wait to start DEEP!

My Thoughts:

Why haven't I ever read anything written by Kylie Scott before?!!! I have been wanting to read the Stage Dive series for quite a while now! I remember hearing a lot of hype over these characters and their stories, but I just never got around to reading them. Stage Dive has been on my TBR for quite awhile, and you can believe that the rest of the books in the series have become priority reads, after reading Lead!

I love stories about rockstars and romance. To think of a gorgeous, sexy, and talented rockstar becoming smitten with an ordinary girl is the stuff of many ladies daydreams. Well, Lead was an excellent read! Full of swoons, emotional heartfelt moments, grins, and giggles and the much sought after happily ever after! I highly recommend it if you're in the mood for a great rockstar romance reading escape!!!

Jimmy, the lead singer of Stage Dive, has been sober and off of drugs and alcohol for the last six months, after his brother and the rest of his bandmates gave him an ultimatum, get his act together, or he was out of the group.

Enter our leading lady, Lena. She's been working at a temp agency and hasn't had much luck. When Stage Dive see's her spunk, sass, and strength, they decide she will be the perfect person to live with Jimmy, and make sure that he doesn't fall off of the wagon. The pay is great, so she decides to take the job. However, she quickly see's that Jimmy is moody, aloof, and can be a pain in the rear end.

One day changes the whole dynamic between these two. Lena and the reader get a glimpse of Jimmy's vulnerability and heart. From this point on, we are in for a beautiful, and touching love story. We also see the mood swings and struggle that battling addiction entails. We learn how even the most painful past and traumatic of scars can begin to heal with unselfish, pure, and unconditional love. Jimmy and Lena's love story was a slow burn. We get to see them transition from complete strangers, to the very best of friends, to the awakening of a passionate and all encompassing love.

I enjoyed all of the secondary characters, Ev, David, Mal, Anne, Ben and Lizzy were great additions to Jimmy and Lena's story. However, honorable mention must go to Mal. He was hilarious, nosy, and loved pushing both Jimmy and Lena's buttons! He was such a fun character, which makes me really want to read his story next. It was great how Anne could check him like no one else!

I have to say, one of my favorite parts of the story was when Jimmy was trying to "help" Lena get over her crush on him, so that she wouldn't leave the job, because he had grown attached to her. One of the items on this list was that she had to get out and date. It was hilarious the way Jimmy tried to control and insinuate himself in every situation! All boundaries went out the door! He had me cracking up, and I got so many good laughs out of this story. I also shed a few tears, and smiled a whole lot! I highly recommend Lead! 5 Stars!!!

Its been a long time since I read these books and to be honest I cannot recall what I thought of them at all.

Mare~Slitsread