After reading M.L. Rio’s other books, I’m really not sure her writing is for me. There’s a lot of atmosphere and vibe in them, but it comes off as pretentious to me. It also seems that this one is being marketed more as some mystery/thriller as opposed to the slow family drama emotional story it is in reality. Suzanne is not very likable or interesting enough for me to want to continue this slow paced story and unfortunately I had to DNF 30% in.

Thank you NetGalley & Simon & Schuster for letting me read and review this book!

Unfortunately, this book was a real disappointment for me. I considered putting it down multiple times but pushed through — and that’s never a good sign.

My biggest issue? It was completely mis-marketed. It was labeled as a mystery/thriller, but honestly, it couldn’t be further from that. If I had to categorize it, I’d say it’s more of a slow-burn coming-of-age story.

The pacing was a major problem. I could see where the story was headed and just needed it to get there faster. And when it finally did? The resolution fell flat. I love literary fiction, and I’m always open to sad or moving stories — but only when there’s some sense of closure or purpose at the end. That didn’t happen here. The loose ends remained, and not in a thought-provoking way.

Ultimately, I think this book will resonate deeply with the right audience — but for the rest of us, it’s likely to miss the mark.

M. L. Rio’s HOT WAX made me nostalgic for a time I wasn’t even alive. The author’s fragmented prose and inventive use of an A/B side format to display Suzanne’s POVs stylistically sets the work apart forcing the reader to converge their own perspective as the story goes on. I laughed out loud a few times as I read this outside in the “diabolical Florida sunshine”

Thank you Simon & Schuster for the Advance Review Copy of HOT WAX.

This is the best book of the year!! You can FEEL this novel, from the heat baking off an Airstream in the modern road trip timeline to the sticky sweat and candy of the '80s rock-tour flashbacks. I love so many of these messy, complicated characters, and I hate so many others. The book is visceral, thrilling, and beautiful, and I can't wait to soak it up again now that summer has started!

Unfortunately this was a DNF. I had SUCH HIGH hopes for it but it wasn’t for me. I’ll definitely try it again later on.

Thank you to S&S for the arc!

I really wanted to love this, but I fear Hot Wax let me down hard. ML Rio’s writing is great, but I haven’t been this bored in a book in a long time. I really felt nothing for the characters, and the plot felt like it was going nowhere. The back and forth timeline usually is a hit for me, but it did not work for this story. I thought this would be a lot more of an emotional journey as well as an adventure with a band, but it wasn’t.

Hot Wax marks a compelling, if not flawless, return to the emotionally rich storytelling that first drew me to M.L. Rio’s work. While it doesn't quite capture the magnetic perfection of If We Were Villains, this novel finds its strength in its grit, atmosphere, and sheer emotional resonance. This is a slower burn—one that simmers beneath the surface with a tense undercurrent of loss, longing, and legacy until it finally erupts into something unexpected and soul-shaking.

Suzanne’s journey, both literal and internal, is equal parts haunting and healing. Her fractured relationship with her rockstar father and the unresolved trauma of her childhood provide the backbone for a narrative that sprawls across decades, road maps, and broken identities. The flashbacks from the chaotic, toxic music scene of the late '80s contrast beautifully with the quieter, yet equally unstable, present as Suzanne attempts to outrun a stale marriage and the emotional weight of everything she’s buried. At times, she’s a maddening narrator—messy, impulsive, and unpredictable—but never boring, and always heartbreakingly human.

The novel’s pacing does waver, particularly in the middle stretch, where the plot seems to drift in favor of mood and introspection. And yet, that drifting somehow fits the essence of the story—this is less a tightly plotted thriller than a lyrical, ragged search for meaning in the ruins of fame and family. Rio’s prose remains lush and immersive, painting vivid scenes of dusty highways, wild nights, and the ache of memory. The writing pulses with emotional depth, and the bond Suzanne forms with her fellow road travelers Simon and Phoebe adds heart and levity when the story dips into darker territory.

This isn’t a book that hits you all at once—it creeps in, much like a forgotten song you suddenly remember every word to. While it didn’t blow me away the way Rio’s debut did, it’s still a solid, thoughtful, and layered read that offers just enough heartbreak, nostalgia, and redemption to leave a lasting impression.

A very huge thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing a digital reviewer copy of this smart and beautifully written novel in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I hate to admit it, but this is a DNF for me. M.L. Rio has such a way with language -- that hasn't changed -- but I guess what gripped me so well in If We Were Villains was the dark academia setting, the theatre elements, and the murder mystery, all of which are missing here. I thought that M.L. Rio's prose could transport me anywhere, but I just don't care about rock n roll, I guess? Neither the current day setting nor the flashback setting worked for me, and I haven't been connecting with the characters or any of their relationships, either.

Beautiful prose, of course, again, which is why I still give it 3 stars, but ultimately not worth finishing, for me.

What the hell was this? The comically hateful husband, the random store clerk suddenly raised to influential music producer, the throuple I didn’t believe liked each other, the excessive shiny descriptions of, well, everything, but especially “rock and roll” as a concept. I think maybe I’m just over “famous people” books. I didn’t care about what happened to any of these characters.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

"Raw, restless, and soaked in rock-and-roll grit—Hot Wax is a fever dream of memory, music, and identity."

M.L. Rio delivers another beautifully written, emotionally jagged story in Hot Wax, a novel that thrums with the pulse of 1980s rock and the ache of a haunted past. With the same lyrical intensity she brought to If We Were Villains, Rio shifts gears into a wilder, messier register—this time through the eyes of Suzanne, a woman caught between the trauma of her childhood and the woman she longs to reclaim.

The atmosphere is thick with nostalgia: the burn of cassette tapes, the haze of late-night gigs, the chaos of backstage egos clashing at full volume. Suzanne is a complex and often contradictory narrator—sharp, cynical, deeply wounded—and her journey across decades and highways in search of truth and self-redemption is both compelling and heartbreaking.

Rio’s prose is as lush and cinematic as ever, but occasionally the narrative leans so heavily into poetic introspection that it loses momentum. There were moments I found myself craving more plot clarity or emotional resolution, especially in the modern timeline. Still, when this book hits, it hits—with devastating insight and gorgeously rendered scenes that had me reeling.

What I loved most was the unapologetic recklessness of Suzanne’s search for meaning, and the way Rio captures the intoxicating, brutal beauty of chasing something that once felt larger than life. Hot Wax is not always an easy read, but it’s a fiercely resonant one—perfect for fans of Daisy Jones and lovers of flawed women on the edge of reinvention.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Hot Wax by M.L. Rio.

I'm so sorry to say that this is a DNF. I'm so bummed because I LOVED If We Were Villains, so I had such high hopes.

It's hard to put into words what turned me off about this book. First off, it's too long, just way too dense for the content. Second, I never knew what was happening between the two timelines, which meant that the more I was lost, the less I was caring.

So far the reviews are great, so this might be more a case of "not-for-me-itis" so take what I say with a grain of salt.

Hot Wax was a satisfying read and a welcome return to the kind of layered storytelling I loved in M.L. Rio’s debut. The writing is lush and thoughtful, with the kind of emotional weight she does so well. After feeling let down by her second novella, this felt like a return to form. While not everything landed perfectly for me, there was real depth here and it reminded me why I was drawn to her work in the first place. Definitely worth the read.

WOW! I finished Graveyard Shift a few weeks prior to finding Hot Wax and I was thrilled to read another book by M. L. Rio. Hot Wax was just as good as Graveyard Shift. I loved the alternating timelines from present to childhood. It was a unique plot and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC!

Overall, this felt like a daring novel and I liked it. Even though our protagonist is in her early 40s, I would describe this as a slow burn coming of age novel. I loved the prose, appreciated the multiple timelines, the themes (feeling disconnected from womanhood, breaking cycles of abuse, learning self-compassion), the relationships, and the complexities of each of the characters. Like Suzanne, I have a soft spot for Gil but was oh so disappointed in him.

This is definitely not a fast paced novel and it takes its time to build the character dynamics. I did struggle a bit with the pacing at times, but it's also not my typical style of book. It didn't affect me in the same way that If We Were Villains did, but I think these characters will stay with me for a long time.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The only thing better than getting to read one of your most anticipated books of the year, is when your most anticipated book exceeds your expectations by miles.

Hot Wax bleeds cigarette smoke, hums like a crackling vinyl, purrs like a vintage car, and crashes through diners and dives with a rowdy rock band—all while dropping you straight into the wreckage of a stolen childhood.

It’s difficult to articulate exactly how incredible the prose, character work, and plot progression are—but just know, it’s so clear how much Rio trusts her readers with this story. She doesn’t give you a guided tour with obvious tropes and neon signs pointing to hidden meanings, but rather treats the reader as the copilot, not the passenger.

Sitting in the unexpected with these characters truly immersed me. I was not expecting quite literally any of the turns that the story took (compliment), and there were a handful of pearl-clutching moments as well. Like I have no more pearls to clutch.

I don’t smoke, but I (respectfully) need a cigarette after reading this masterpiece. If people can have a drunk smoke, I should be able to have a reflective “just finished Hot Wax do not disturb” cig. Just saying.

I highly recommend preordering this, if that wasn’t already clear. Nuanced art is so back!

(Booktok Review coming as well)

4.5

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Anyone who knows me knows that M.L. Rio’s debut novel, If We Were Villains is a book I rant and rave about even 4 years after I first picked it up. I was so thrilled to get an ARC for her next full-length novel after winning an ARC of Graveyard Shift from a Goodreads giveaway and I immediately set aside my current read to dive into Hot Wax.

This book is one of those stories that digs its dirty, gritty claws into you and just keeps digging until you think it can’t possibly reach deeper. And then, somehow, it does and rips out your stomach in the process. Rio’s prose is biting and painful and at times just as melty as the title promises. Going into this expecting something identical to her previous works does not do this book justice in the slightest. This book, like IWWV, is a slow unraveling of details and of characters and you’re forced to try and make sense of the dual-timeline story as Suzanne makes sense of her own life. The characters, as is a common thread in Rio’s work, are messy and complex and, yes, you will hate all of them at some point, as another review said. But is a book really fun if you love every single character all the time??? (For me, the answer is no.)

By the end, you can expect to be fully gutted, those claws finally coming out dirty and bloody. And I think the book even smiles in the face of that, in a “yes, that really just happened” kind of way. It’s delicious, it’s frightening, it’s just all around an addictive and sweaty time (which truly matches the electrifying energy of Gil and the Kills), and you have to be willing to embrace that part of it to really find the core of this book. This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I’m so excited for it to be out in the world and on my bookshelf in a physical form.

God M.L. Rio is just one of those authors that I will constantly hype up no matter what they put out. I absolutely adored "If We Were Villains" and "Graveyard Shift", and this one is no different. Her characters are always so well developed, and the way that she comes up with books is mind blowing. I met her around a year and a half ago, and she is just a wonderful person. I think everyone should be reading her books, if they aren't already.

Thanks to University Press of Kentucky and #netgalley for the gifted advanced copy/ies of this book!
I love this author and the cover sealed the deal. I loved the music throughout the story. I never knew where the story was going.

4.25 stars!

Wow, that was a lot. I've never read a book like this, and I don't think it's perfect but it's definitely special in a gritty, sweat-soaked way.

At ten years old, Suzanne joins her father as he tours with his rock band and witnesses all of the remarkable intensity and gut-wrenching lows that life on the road has to offer. Many years later, outrunning her failed marriage, Suzanne takes to the road again with the remains of her now-passed father's belongings in a journey to come to terms with her past. I took my damn time with this, and I will say that it's quite slow for a good portion of the book. There's not really any active, tangible conflict until about the 2/3rds mark, so don't go into this look for something fast-paced. Having said this, this book is unrelentingly atmosphere, redolent with the scorching heat of the desert and the grime of the late-80s hard rock scene. Suzanne as a character kind of threw me for a loop in a good way, because she is inconsistent and complex in a way that feels very human. I really liked seeing her open up with Simon and Phoebe, and I wasn't a huge fan of the earlier timeline at first but once it picks up those chapters just hum with tension and ferocity.

I think it goes without saying that this is extremely different than If We Were Villains, but the intricacy, tension, and intensity are the same in a lot of ways. I'm curious to see where M. L. Rio goes from here, and you know damn well I'll be there to read it!

Thank you to M. L. Rio and Simon & Schuster for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!

Happy reading!

Everyone pop a record on the turntable, hit a little grass, and relax in your beanbag chair. It's time to go on a wild ride.

With Rio, you can expect her to set the perfect mood, making you feel her words deep in your bones and weaving a story that won’t fade with time. After finishing this tale, many of these impressions still hold true. While the story was captivating, it doesn't have the lasting impact of 'If We Were Villains.'

Initially, the story didn't impact me immediately, but it grew on me. I enjoyed reading about Suzanne's past and present—how she became who she is today and her experiences traveling with her rockstar father. It was intriguing, but there was one part that made me want to scream and throw the book across the room. Oh, trust me, you'll know it when you get there. It genuinely broke my heart. Sadly, such occurrences do happen in our world, and I wish we could change things.

Suzanne was a wild character and a tad bit confusing. Who I felt more for was her dad and her husband, Rob. Poor fellas. Although this was Suzanne's story to tell, I wish there had been more focus on her aging father and the consequences of her band’s rising popularity.

"Hot Wax" was a great read. If you love Rio, then you'll enjoy this book as well. It's definitely different from her other works, but it’s still one you'll love.