Twisted Wishes lead guitarist Dominic “Domino” Bradley is an animal onstage. But behind his tight leather pants and skull-crusher boots lies a different man entirely, one who needs his stage persona not only to perform, but to have the anonymity he craves. A self-imposed exile makes it impossible to get close to anyone outside the band, so he’s forced to get his sexual fix through a few hot … nights with a stranger.
When computer programmer Adrian Doran meets Dominic, he’s drawn to the other man’s quiet voice and shy smile. But after a few dirty, demanding nights exploring Dominic’s need to be dominated, Adrian wants more than a casual distraction. He has no idea he’s fallen for Domino Grinder–the outlandish, larger-than-life rock god.
Dominic is reluctant to trust Adrian with his true identity. But when the truth is revealed prematurely, Dominic is forced to reevaluate both his need for Adrian and everything he believes about himself.
One-click with confidence. This title is part of the Carina Press Romance Promise: all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. It’s a promise!
This book is approximately 93,000 words
Carina Press acknowledges the editorial services of Mackenzie Walton
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Okay, hot dayum, folks, this week’s read was killer. Counterpoint, by Anna Zabo, is book two in the Twisted Wishes miniseries from Carina Press. I haven’t read book one, but you can bet your booty that bad boy is already purchased and sitting in my Kindle to start reading as soon as I’m finished with this review. Because, holy smokes, I fell so flippin’ hard for these characters. I cannot wait to see Ray and Zavier’s story, because I just know it’s gonna be crazy hot and delicious and just… Okay, sorry, I’m totally getting off topic here.
Let’s return to the review at hand, shall we? The totally amazeballs, steamy pile of yumminess that is Dom and Adrian’s story. So, where to start? This book is a wonderfully fun twist on the rock star romance trope… and it has some hella hot, well done BDSM, too. I mean, come on, what more can a gal ask for??
Dominic Bradley—aka Domino Grinder, the rockin’ lead guitarist of the hit rock band, Twisted Wishes—is a delightfully nerdy, shy, and anxiety-filled mess in his private life. The only way he can step onstage and manage the pressure of stardom is to don the larger-than-life persona of Domino. For years, he’s lived this double life, unsure of who the real Dom is. He’s studiously kept his two halves separate, fearful of what might happen if they were to ever intersect.
That is, until Adrian Doran enters his life. What starts out as a ridiculously smokin’ hot and wonderfully playful chance encounter eventually turns into so much more—for both men. The only problem is, Adrian only knows about his loveable, beautiful, submissive little Dominic. He’s completely clueless his boyfriend is a rock star in hiding.
Sounds like a recipe for disaster, doesn’t it? In a way, it is. But, oh, what a blissful mess. It wrenches your heart, but it’s so raw, and real, and amazingly deep. We’re shown their love, pain, and everything in between with vivid, heartrending words that cut and soothed and left me wanting more, more, more.
When I hit the end, I was both satisfied and disappointed. Satisfied because the story was rich, the characters were charming, and the ending was a dream. Disappointed because it was over and I desperately needed more. More Dom, more Adrian, more Twisted Wishes. Just more of everything. And, thankfully, I’ve got book one to read.
Let’s just say, I’ve already warned my husband to steer clear once I finish that book. I might be a bit on the grumpy side of things when I realize I have to wait for the next installment. (Because, there dang well better be… if these two books are it, I might melt into a puddle of unfulfilled readerly goop.)
Wow. This is what my first reaction to the book was. It is an amazing read, with all the band members present, but focusing on Dominic and his stage persona Domino. Most of the focus, for most of the book, is on Domino, the nerd, the twink (his words), and not on Domino.
When Dominic and Adrian meet, there is barely any doubt that they have to end together. Especially after they don’t hook up the first night, but rather arrange the other meeting. Adrian, working in a bank, is not really interested in music, which makes it understandable that he doesn’t connect Dominic to Domino, as he has no idea who Domino is.
This book is about as long as Syncopation, and also about as amazing, but without asshole manager trying to roofie and nearly kill someone. But it has loads of pies and bondage.
My favourite part of the book was explicit consent. SO MUCH OF IT. And consent is sexy, and especially when it comes to BDSM, necessary. I adored how Adrian always asked Dominic, always made sure Dominic was cool with everything, and okay.
When the band found out Dominic has found someone, they keep telling him to trust Adrian, but they are still protective of Dominic and when Zavier finds out that there are BDSM elements involved, he checks out the guy through the mutual acquaintances, to make sure he is okay. He also tells that to Dominic. I loved the family feeling of the band. They really are one tight family, taking care of each other and it’s so sweet and amazing.
The complications in the book come in the form of Adrian finding out the other part of Dominic’s life just before Dominic decides to tell him, but this is a minor blip they get through together, and the press finding out Domino’s private life.
Of course Dominic goes on the ‘I don’t want you to have to deal with it’ mode, but luckily Adrian, with the help of his friend, doesn’t give up. The epilogue is the sweetest moment and I really loved it.
It is a long book by many standards but it totally didn’t feel that way. I enjoyed every word of it. Mx. Zabo is a wonderful writer and I am looking forward to reading more of their books!
This was an amazingly tender love story, extremely well-paced and beautifully worded, crescendoing into a very intense, emotional conclusion. Very enjoyable read.
I completely fell in love with Dominic/Domino. What a wonderful idea to have a nerdy booklover, who struggles with anxiety, hide beneath the persona of a cocky, untouchable rockstar.
Dom hides in plain sight, changing his clothes and hairstyle when circumstances call for it, in true Clark Kent/Superman style.
He has a hard time reconciling these two aspects of his personality, and coming to terms with the fact that he doesn’t have to pick one over the other. Dominic is Domino and vice versa. He is still himself, regardless of how he dresses. Domino can only be strong and self-assured thanks to Dominic’s core of inner strength.
Domino Grinder is very important though, serving two purposes: he allows Dom to perform on stage without succumbing to a panic attack and he offers Dominic Bradley privacy and much-needed anonymity, enabling him to lead a “normal” life, unhindered by paparazzi or fans.
Still, Dom knows his true identity will be revealed sooner or later and then his carefully constructed house of cards will come tumbling down. When he meets and falls, hard, for Adrian Doran, that house of cards seems even more crucial to him, but also far more precariously balanced.
Adrian Doran is a great character. As soon as he meets Dominic, their connection seems inevitable in a meant-to-be, happily ever after way. They click immediately and have insanely intense chemistry together, to say nothing of how utterly sweet they are with each other.
I think Adrian has Dom from the second he shows him his magnificent library. Worked like a charm for Beauty and the Beast, and Dom is equally enchanted!
I adore Adrian for his patience and the care he takes with Dominic. He knows full well that Dom keeps secrets from him and is so respectful of his lover’s privacy, doing everything he can to show Dom that he can trust him.
I loved the camaraderie and playful yet caring dynamic between all the members of the rock band. Their friendship is so important to Dominic. Adrian, likewise, is incredibly fortunate with his friends, Jackson, and Janelle.
Part of a series, but can be read perfectly as a standalone.
There’s something about Anna Zabo’s writing that I click with. I loved Syncopation, the first book in the Twisted Wishes series, and I loved this one too. Maybe not as much as I loved Ray and Zavier, but nonetheless a five-star read!
It started off a bit slow for me and there wasn’t anything in the first couple of chapters that wow’ed me (in fact, I put it down a couple of times), but once I got past them, I was glued to Dom and Adrian and didn’t want to put the book down ever again.
One of my favourite things about this series is that the main characters in both books actually talk to each other, so they have a maturity that’s sometimes lacking in romance. It’s a breath of fresh air! That’s not to say that Dom and Adrian tell each other everything, because they don’t. But each acknowledges that the other has secrets—they actually talk about the fact that they, especially Dom, are keeping secrets. But it’s there, it’s out in the open. They’re up front with each other from the beginning.
I won’t comment too much on the BDSM or D/s angle of their relationship because I’m not familiar with the scene other than what I’ve read in books, but I do want to say that I enjoyed that aspect of Dom and Adrian’s relationship. It worked for them as a couple and as individuals. I don’t usually read sexy scenes anymore, but these were so well crafted and served as a plot tool to move the story along, just like they did in Syncopation.
Dom and Adrian as individual characters were quite compelling. I loved seeing Dom interact with his bandmates, and I loved seeing Adrian with his friend Jackson or at work. But my favourite parts were the scenes where they were together and getting to know each other. They were perfect for together, and a great balance for each other, that it felt like they became my friends and I didn’t want the book to end (which is also how I felt about Syncopation, which I also loved. If you care enough, you can read my review of that one here).
I can’t wait for Mish’s book, and I look forward to picking up more books by Anna Zabo. My only complaint about Counterpoint—if you can even call it a complaint—is that I would’ve loved to see Adrian give his boss and meddling colleague the finger!