Sometimes life gives you what you need, even if you don’t believe you deserve it.Kate Daniels wants it all—a big, crazy life, lots of kids, and an adoring husband. Someday. For now, she’ll be happy just to survive her first semester of college. Billy McDonald wants it all, too. Since the day he got his first guitar, he’s had one goal—to prove he’s worth something. His dream is so close, he can … so close, he can almost touch it.
Thrown together during a freak snowstorm, Kate and Billy’s lives become permanently entwined. On the outside, they have nothing in common, but scars aren’t always visible and abuse doesn’t always leave a mark. Kate keeps the pain of her past buried, while Billy carries his like a weapon.
In spite of finding love, Billy continues to be haunted by his childhood and tempted by the excesses of the music industry. He struggles to keep his career on track and his inner demons at bay, until one night, he makes a mistake that could cost him everything. Kate may have found her happily ever after, but for Billy, the nightmare has just begun.
Set against a backdrop of heavy metal and emerging grunge, At This Moment is the first book in the Of Love and Madness trilogy. A love story that unfolds over twenty-five years, it’s the tale of two damaged people trying to make their way in the world without destroying themselves or each other in the process.
more
Great rock romance!
Books 1-3 Of Love And Madness Series
For quite some time the Of Love And Madness series has been registering on my radar, but this was the first opportunity I had to sit down and read it. This went beyond a binge read and entered into meaningful and captivating territory after the first page of book one, At This Moment. In this series Ms. Cimms gives her audience an all-encompassing love story where every hug was enveloping and every kiss was soul sealing.
The leads in this work had a presence that reached far beyond the pages they occupied and the singular draw they felt toward each other easily translated to this writer’s readers. Billy and Kate were full of imperfections, there were times that they both made choices that gave readers’ reasons to question their appeal yet despite their lows there were just as many highs and what emerged were two incredible characters that offered so much in their frailty that it ultimately became their biggest strength. Details gave readers’ a chance to form complicated opinions and showed the depth of this author’s portrayals to their advantage. This couple’s relationship was stripped down and the emotions were raw, real and lingering. Ms. Cimms showed Billy and Kate at their most vulnerable making no attempt to glamorize their bond and in doing so made them accessible to each other and reader’s alike. The clarity this author had in expressing her characters miscommunications and misguided need to protect each other was done compassionately and expertly. A standout and memorable secondary cast not only enhanced but contributed significantly to this series.
The insight, intimacy and devotion Ms. Cimms had with her portrayals was rare and touching. She guided them through the best and worst of times and stayed true to her characters, never glossing over their flaws and never deserting them in their worst moments even as she elevated them in their best. This was an emotional read with no shortage of heartbreaking moments and full on sobs. If you are looking for a series to invest your time and heart into Karen Cimms’ Of Love And Madness series is a must!
*Other than the first book in this series the works in this series are not stand alone.*
Wow! This book was AMAZING! Karen Cimms is such a great writer! I loved this book so much that about halfway through I decided to order the entire series in paperback because I knew this series was going to be epic and I can’t wait to start book two! It’s going to kill me to have to wait for them but I know it’s going to be so worth it! Kate and Billy’s story was something I’ve never read before. I’ve read plenty of rockstar books but this was very different. Yes the good girl fell for the bad boy rockstar but this wasn’t the same at all. It was so much more.
At this Moment is the first in the Of Love and Madness trilogy and Karen Cimms debut novel. I would never have guessed this was a first novel with the level of storytelling and depth of characters backstory. This trilogy will span twenty five years with flashbacks to childhood, though this book is their young adult years.
Their downfall is always going to be secrets and miscommunication. Billy isn’t forthcoming with the truth often enough from guilt and Katie is close lipped and accepting far too often. Joey, Katie’s bff seems to be the only one telling it like he sees it. They’re both a mess from their crappy childhoods and it’s going to be a problem for a long time it looks like. Billy got his dad’s horrible temper but he doesn’t seem to notice his substance abuse problem gifted from his mother which causes him to make really poor decisions. Katie had goals and dreams up until she met Billy and they have vanished. If she’d put pen to paper and become the writer she said she wanted to be, they might have had an easier time with more income.
I love how they love each other. I love how they make each other better but not quite good enough. I love how they love their kids. The life of a talented rocker right on the cusp and never quite making it is heartbreaking. The industry is full of sharks who eat people alive for their own sport. The life of a mother raising kids alone a lot of the time because of a traveling husband is just as heartbreakingly lonely. I want them to catch a break, but if everything was smooth sailing it would be a boring story.
I’m looking forward to reading the two remaining books in this trilogy.
Awesome rock romance. I’m looking forward to reading the next one!
This book was quite the ride! This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There was so much adversity Kate and Billy experienced, I was amazed they survived! I was rooting for them at every turn! But Billy, geez, he frustrated the heck out of me! His whirlwind changes in his emotions left me with whiplash! I loved Billy, but he sure had the capability to make some crappy choices!
There are secondary characters to love, like Joey, and hate, Christa and Katie’s mother. This ends with a cliffhanger, not the typical cliffhanger, but so much was left unresolved. I just downloaded book 2.
This is quite a rollercoaster of a story and I recommend you go for a ride!
“Katie, not too long ago you thanked me for rescuing you, but in truth, it’s you who rescued me. Until you came into my life, I was free falling. I had goals, but no direction. You threw me a lifeline, and now you’re my anchor, my rock. It’s for you I want to reach those goals, for you I want to succeed, and it’s with you I want to share my life, whatever comes our way – both the good and the bad. In the words of Pedro Calderon de la Barca, ‘When love is not madness it is not love.’ You are my madness and my love.”
“You know I hate you, don’t you? I really hate you.”
The words stung, but it was easier hearing them from Joey than from Kate. He nodded as he reached for the doorknob.
“If it’s any consolation, you can’t possibly hate me as much as I hate myself.”
This is the 1st book in a new series and what a fantastic introduction this is! Kate meets Billy in a bar when she goes there with her new roommate, and he is in the band. There is an instant connection between them, and they end up stuck together during a freak snowstorm. Both characters are broken and damaged and being together bring to the surface feelings which Billy tries to bury deep inside, and they both realise that they have more in common than they first thought. This is a well written story which is an emotional roller coaster, and has drama, heartbreak, dreams, and love. I was intrigued and hooked throughout, and I cannot wait to read more in this series, and I recommend for all readers.
gotta say, this was a pretty damn good story. I might even put it in the same ball park as Thoughtless. Billy may not be a Kellan, but he’s not far off.
it was a sweet, unconditional, but honest true love right from the start. smitten would describe it. poor things got thrown into the deep end of life with only each other as a life line. with a quirky best friend.
What I don’t understand though is where did the hot angsty smut go? it started hot n heavy but by a 1/3 of the book in, gone. alluded to, but then disappeared. It’s a shame cause it was a big part of their relationship. not the only part, but disappointing to pitter out before she’s even 20. And so many potential turns that could go down some dark holes of despair, but never quite did.
Let’s see what happens as he tries to keep this secret from her. on to book 2!
When Kate met Billy at a bar she thought he was the most beautiful man she ever met even better than Joey her best friend. Kate has been ruled by a very strict family and meeting Billy and spending the night with him was the most daring thing she has ever done. Billy wants to play guitar and make music nut something about Kate makes him pause to revaluate his life. Billy and Kate stay together but so much changes and so many times in this book your heart is breaking for them both it makes you want to reach in and slap some sense into them. This book is not a standalone because there are just too many things not settled and it stayed with me long after I was done. Really looking forward to reading book two.