Bended Loyalty follows Tristan as he figures out how to repair his fractured life. After his band breaks up following his twin brother's departure, the rest of his life seems to follow suit. We get to see how Tristan navigates these challenges and attempts to put his life back together. This story is much less a "coming of age" story as it is a "getting your s*** together" story.

The main character, Tristan, is really difficult to root for. He is whiny and lazy and is attempting to find any shortcut to the problems he created by his own decisions. This book tries to tackle many complex issues from debt and relationship issues to drug addiction. It felt at times that it was attempting to do too much, and as a result was unable to do any of these things well. There were too many insignificant characters that were introduced to never be spoken of again. The connection of the boxing storyline along with the band/musician storyline was disjointed and hard to follow. I kept waiting to be emotionally invested in the journey of these characters, but the time never came.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

I enjoyed this family drama, focusing on twins from a hard-luck Kentucky town and family on the outskirts of Cincinnati. I particularly enjoyed the chapters which detailed Tristen's experiences with underground boxing, which apparently is a bigger draw than most of of are aware of. The story also includes Tristan's work in the local music industry, both as a musician and in the studio.

I was entertained, and that's what books should do. Will I read more from the author and continue on with the story? Probably. The tale was engaging and I'm a little bit curious ;)

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

Guitars, Gloves & Grit—Rock Bottom Never Sounded So Good

Bended Loyalty packs an emotional punch harder than Tristen's right hook, slamming you into a gritty, soul-searching journey of family drama, betrayal, and second chances that totally rocked my world.

Bended Loyalty is a gritty, emotional journey that follows Tristen Levisay, a rising rock guitarist whose life unravels when his brother walks out on their band. The story really shines in how it balances the intensity of underground boxing with the vulnerability of fractured family bonds. I appreciated how raw and real Tristen’s struggle felt—he’s not just fighting for survival, he’s fighting for something worth believing in again. I got fully pulled into his world and found myself rooting for him the whole way through.

Betrayal, bruises, and a big ol’ guitar solo of EMOTION—this book hits like a knockout punch and a power ballad at the same time! 💥 I devoured Bended Loyalty because Tristen is the kinda guy you want to hug, slap, and cheer for all at once. His world crumbles faster than a hotel room after a rock show, and instead of quitting, he dives back into the ring like a total beast. If you love messy families, underground grit, and a comeback story with HEART, this one’s got your name all over it. 🎶🥊💔

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.