“What’s it like?” he asked me. “To be happy all of the time?”Truth was, I didn’t know how to put it into words. So I showed him. Love, laughter, and life. I gave Dark Tide’s lead guitarist a glimpse of it all. He wanted more. I longed to give it to him. But every so often fate slips up. Soulmates meet while on incompatible paths. The only thing certain about our future was that there couldn’t be … was that there couldn’t be one.
“What’s it like to be happy?”
I’m not sure I know anymore.
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I think Down Beat may have been my 1st Max Henry book and I knew it wouldn’t be my last. I loved her portrayal of Dark Tides front man, Rey and his sometimes volatile personality as he fought his demons, sometimes very publically. His mood swings often ruled the bands success or failure on any given night they’re onstage. He’s alot to handle, but without him, there is no band.
Kris, lead guitarist for Dark Tide, has always had a sensitive side to his personality. He’s the quiet one, the dark horse. A traumatic event from years ago has kept him in limbo, not able to move on from his sadness. He hides in the shadows most of the time, an empathic observer of those around him, unless he is performing. That’s the only time he wants to shine and be seen and even that’s sometimes a stretch. Music is his life, he just doesn’t like all the obligations that come with it.
Everything begins to change when he someone new joins their tour. It seems he and Rey are sharing a new guitar tech, a beautiful woman named Henley. Her light is shining in on his darkness and he isn’t sure what to do or think about that, but he is curious for the first time in so long and he wants more of that sunshine. A good thing, right? Maybe even a miracle.
Henley is on a quest to make it or break as a roadie it in the world behind the music. This is her biggest chance so far to prove herself in this male dominated profession. She is torn between Kris, his sweet loneliness draws her right in but what she does she want for herself? Can both get what they need?
These characters are so relatable and their stories so well written. Sometimes hard to read about someone struggling with personal, inner demons but I really felt for Kris and wanted him to find peace and love again in his heart, with no panic or sadness in sight.
I am not one to shy away from reading about tough issues, they seem to make the stories feel even more real and I love when an author can do what Max Henry has done with both Down Beat and Amplifier. I’m very much looking forward to the next story in this series… featuring the friend who made it his mission to make Kris’s world light back up again, even when he didn’t think it possible himself, Emory.
Amplifier is not the typical rockstar romance I’ve come to expect, it’s so much more. Full of complex and flawed characters, honest emotion and difficult yet relatable matters Kris’ story did not disappoint.
After being introduced to the mesmerizing members of Dark Tide in Down Beat I felt drawn to their quiet and mysterious lead guitarist, Kris Moran. There’s always been an allure for me to the characters who find comfort like I do in the shadows. Dark Tide’s own dark horse, Kris, had his own battle he struggled with daily just like so many others like myself do. I loved how the author didn’t shy away from telling his story in a truly beautiful, heartwrenching and inspiring manner.
Henley was the blue-haired pixie who took Kris’ world by storm. Able to see past the mask Kris wore for the world Henley shed a bit of her brightness into his darkness. I loved how she never felt the need to fix him and accepted him fully for who he was.
Kris and Henley stole a piece of my heart with Amplifier. This story is one that is close to my heart because I could really identify with Kris. I enjoyed seeing his character evolve and though there were moments I wanted to growl in frustration the journey he took me on was heartfelt and unforgettable. After having my heartstrings tugged by Kris I can’t wait to see what Emery has in store next!
I missed Dark Tide a lot! I loved this band since I read Down Beat and Kris was always my favorite. Now after reading his story I understand him and I still love him to pieces!
Kris secret is out! Totally explains why he’s so reclusive, he went through a lot when he was younger and that made him the man he is today.
When Henley arrives as his tech, Kris doesn’t trust her a bit. It takes time for him to see she’s not a groupie and all she wants is to pursuit her dream career. But she understands him more than any other person, she sees all of him and feelings start to grow between them.
I enjoyed a lot this book but I feel something is missing from the story… perhaps I was expecting a lot more angst than it has, I can’t really point what it is… but it is a great story!
Amplifier is book two in the Dark Tide series. This is Henley and Kris’ story. I immediately fell in love with Kris, the lead guitarist of Dark Tide.
Lead Guitarist Kris Moran is the quiet one, Dark Tide’s very own Dark Horse.
It’s clear from the very first page this is one very troubled, shadowed man, prone to intense introspection and self doubt.
During the last leg of the tour, Henley walks on as a guitar tech. Seemingly starstruck, Kris immediately suspicious of Henley. Is she a groadie (groupie-roadie) and can she be trusted? As he tries to discover the truth, he starts to feel his walls crumbling.
Though this is a true standalone, for those that have read the first of the series, Down Beat, we again see more of the equally troubled lead singer Rey and have more of an insight and contact with bassist Emery, whose story I’m also now dying to read!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading more books from this author – it looks like Emery is next!
Deserved of way more than 5 stars! This book is a MUST READ! I received an advance copy of this book. I am voluntarily giving my honest review.
God have I missed the way Max crafts her words so seamlessly together, she doesn’t just bring us a story of a couple coming together she brings us a story of life! The good, the ugly and the stuff nobody wants to talk about that goes on in our darkest hours. She gives us a deeper understanding of how each persons little quirks and thoughts affect every aspect of there life especially when it comes to allowing someone else to get a front row seat to there show!
Amplifier much like Kris was complicated and addictive, his thirst for the shadows while living his life on the main stage made me hurt for him at times throughout the book. His sense of self doubt ingrained into him from a young age broke my heart because he was one of the nicest and most talented guys you could meet wrapped up in his armour of make up and dark clothes this his only way to keep everyone at a distance, his only way to protect his heart. It worked for a short time but his struggle was relentless. Living his life in his past he can’t find a way to look to the future but one ray of sunshine gives him hope, he now has to realise he is deserving of the happy future he longs for.
Henley lived her life in colour, chasing her only dream although the tides tried to pull her under so many times her strength to pull herself above those waves made my admiration for her grow more throughout the story. Her fight for what she wanted broke her way more than she realised but sometimes you have to take a step back before you can jump forward!
I love this book, I admire Max for the honesty she poured into these pages it takes strength and balls of steel to step up and show every facet of ourselves for the world to judge but she did it with beauty and grace and allowed us the readers to embark on this amazing journey with her I can’t thank you enough for that opportunity.
**Kris is beautiful, emotional and still ever the sexy rock god**
Max has beautifully told Kris’ story, and that of everyone who has suffered from anxiety and panic disorders. My heart broke for his childhood, and I know there are still parents today who are divided on the mental health status of their children, despite the plethora of educational and governmental acknowledgement. The stats for our teenagers in NZ are shocking, so books like this one from Ms Henry are especially poignant to be reading.
I felt every emotion from tears, to a thumping heart as Henley described her vision of Kris in his stage get-up, like the perfect rock god and perfectly sexy man that she’s long crushed on, and now has chemistry with. She was also an admirably strong character in keeping her integrity intact while working in the men only environment of the Dark Tide guitar techs and roadies. I especially loved that she knew where Kris’ head was at during one of his moments and was able to be there for him.
Max has rounded this book out perfectly for me with the icing on the cake that makes this so special. The one that makes me resent the 5 Star rating system, because its deserves so much more. It touches on my personal need for continual music to quieten the chaos in my head, and knowing most songs in this book, and having the perfect song in the background of my mind as I read each chapter, made it so much more special to read.
Even though it is a stand-a-lone, it runs concurrently with the end period of Rey and Tabby’s book. So, although I would highly recommend reading Down Beat first, because it is also an amazing book, it’s not necessary.
Amplifier is a very slow burn, highly emotional read from Max Henry and showcases her talent in creating a story that is very much in the vein of the Dark Tide series, but so much it’s own style as it tells the story of Henley and Kris. The intricacies of the backstage environment as Henley works as a guitar tech for Kris and helps out in all other areas backstage, really rounded out the whole Rocker atmosphere of the book. If you love Rockers, you need it. Absolutely 5+ Stars!
I fell in absolute love with Dark Tide last year with the release of Down Beat. That book was a masterpiece and I did wonder how the author would live up to the phenomenal start with the follow up, Amplifier.
I needn’t have worried for a second. This book raises the bar higher. Amplifier is such a beautiful, empathetic story of a man struggling with crippling anxiety, it moved me to tears. Seriously, I’m sitting here writing this review with big fat tears rolling down my face.
Kris’s anxiety was caused by many factors and his inability to deal with it is a product of his emotionally negligent upbringing. He copes in the only way he knows; to become invisible, a shadow of his past self.
Henley is struggling to be taken seriously as a woman in a male-dominated industry. She second guesses every decision she makes as others opinions of her is more important than her own.
These characters are beautiful in all their flaws. Their thoughts and feelings are described so well you can’t help but understand their sometimes twisted reasoning. They are both also guilty of massively over-thinking everything, which just adds to the angst and frustration.
There’s not a single thing I dislike about this book. The storyline is excellent, the language and words flow effortlessly across the page and the accompanying Spotify playlist is the cherry on top of the cake. Everything contributes to making this book unmissable. Read the blurb, buy the book and grab the tissues. Amplifier is another freaking masterpiece.
Hopefull
There’s a darkness in the Dark Tide books that can resonate with the reader. So while I read to escape, I also appreciate the real struggles of the characters. Kris Moran, guitarist in Dark Tide is hurting and we now know why. Henley the new guitar tech assigned to him is the light at the end of the tunnel. Seems simple. Not so much. Both have fears to overcome but nothing worth having is easy.
Looking forward to Emory’s book and Max ummm what’s up
with Rey???????
4.5 stars
I absolutely adored this broken rockstar romance. It was a totally different read from the first book in this series. But it wasn’t any less enjoyable. Kris is the dark horse of the band and there is a complete reason for him to be as he is. Our past often shapes us, sometimes you just can’t help but let it effect your future.
This book makes you soul search and evokes emotions that makes your heartache. I just wanted to grab the characters and just hug them. Henley walks into the world of Dark Tide and sweeps Kris the lead guitarist into her world. She has a healing entity about her and I think it’s completely what’s needed.
This book isn’t easy to read, the story isn’t all pretty, but it is beautiful. I fell in love with all these characters, you see some of the first book from a different perspective and you also get to see more of Emery and without him this story would have had a very different end.
I totally recommend this book. But you must read book one to really get the best from it. Just know it maybe a book about broken people but at least we get the pleasure of watching them mend
Right from the first page I knew I was going to like this book, how could I not with great writing like this…”…when you’re an over-enthusiastic girl with a knack for being all fingers and thumbs. Or empathetic with flair, I like to say.” – Henley I immediately felt comfortable with the story, settled in for a good read and a great story it is too.
Kris Moran, lead guitarist of Dark Tide, is known as the observer in the group, the quiet one. He suffers in silence and makes your heart melt and uses his skills on his guitars to communicate. Henley is a blue haired, nearly twenty-eight year old guitar technician with a fun, bright personality and I absolutely adore her character, she is so real. It’s easy to relate to both characters and their life concerns.special mention must go to Emery, I have new insight now and love him more too!
The angst and raw emotion this author garners in this story you feel deep inside, it stays with you for quite a while too. I absolutely loved ever bit of this amazing story, this author truly knows how to make magic happen with words.
Amplifier is not your typical rockstar book with a playboy hero with lots of groupies and lots of sex, but is rather an engaging story with perfectly imperfect complex characters. I immediately fell in love with Kris, the lead guitarist of Dark Tide. He is the quiet observer, the dark horse, and one who tries to shut down his feelings and instead focus on others. It’s always the quiet, mysterious ones that capture my heart!
During the last leg of the tour, Henley walks on as a guitar tech. Seemingly starstruck, Kris immediately suspicious of Henley. Is she a groadie (groupie-roadie) and can she be trusted? As he tries to discover the truth, he starts to feel his walls crumbling. A bad experience in his past renders towards crippling anxiety and triggers panic attacks that hold him back out of fear of losing someone. It was wonderful to see how Henley helps him evolve, slowly chipping at his walls and making him feel. As someone who suffers from anxiety, there were aspects and behaviors from Kris that I could really identify with. Anxiety isn’t always rational and it can be debilitating as the author so accurately illustrates throughout the book.
Henley is a strong character in that she stands up for herself and doesn’t put up with anyone’s nonsense and is also a hard worker. You don’t often see females working as roadies (in this case as a guitar tech) and so I liked that the heroine was a member of the road crew. I love that she was dedicated to her career path and is working hard to prove to both herself and to her father that working with bands can be a fulfilling, full-time job where she can support herself. At times, I was frustrated with her because sometimes it seemed like her dream job was more important to her than Kris, but I think the author did a great job on showing us her mindset and that she had reasons for why she behaved the way she did.
I loved seeing all of the other band members in this book and I am really intrigued by Emery who has a bigger role. Watching the band is almost like watching a train wreck as it is heartbreaking to see each of the members and in turn the cohesiveness of the band fall apart, but I also know that each of these complex men will get their own HEAs. Amplifier will put you through all the feels, but it isn’t as intense or raw as Down Beat. The other band members are featured prominently in this book which I absolutely loved. We get to see a lot of Rey and his downward spiral and if I hadn’t read Down Beat, I would have strongly disliked him. So seriously, go read Down Beat if you haven’t already because his story is amazing. There is also a secondary character who shows up more toward the end that immediately snagged my attention – Jasper. I would love to know that guy’s story!
Amplifier is rockstar romance that has very likable, beautifully flawed well-developed characters with an engaging plot that moves at a good pace. The author doesn’t shy away from tackling a difficult subject matter (the anxiety and panic attacks) with great sensitivity and respect. There isn’t a lot of steam in this book as the focus is rather on the development of their relationship as well as each of the characters evolving as their experience love and acceptance. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to reading more books from this author – it looks like Emery is next!
Lead Guitarist Kris Moran is the quiet one, Dark Tide’s very own Dark Horse.
It’s clear from the very first page this is one very troubled, shadowed man, prone to intense introspection and self doubt, yet with so much to give; and the only avenue he’s able to do so has been through his music.
Henley wants to make music her life, and in her new role as guitar tech for rising stars Dark Tide, she is determined to prove to herself and her father that she can make a career in the industry and not just be a fangirl on the sidelines.
But Kris is skeptical, he doesn’t trust that this colourful, optimistic pixie is all she says she is and is not just there to “hook up” with the band.
So in his attempt to uncover what he sees as a ruse, he evidently gets so close that he allows her to get even closer to him, and starts to chip away at his own carefully constructed walls, pushing himself way outside of his comfort zone.
The authors account of anxiety and it’s crippling effects is all at once heart wrenching and inspiring as Kris tries to salvage the emotions he has kept himself from feeling for so long, and hold tight to the light and life that Henley has opened him up to, whilst she tries to remain true too her own aspirations and heart.
This is not a steamy read, and is perfect for it’s exclusion; it’s romantic and nurturing, and executed with great respect for the characters.
Though this is a true standalone, for those that have read the first of the series, Down Beat, we again see more of the equally troubled lead singer Rey and have more of an insight and contact with bassist Emery, whose story I’m also now dying to read!
Superbly developed characters, vivid and honest emotions and a rich well crafted storyline is a Max Henry guarantee, and this book does not disappoint.
“All I’ve ever wanted is somebody who gets why music is all I can ever do with my life. What I want is somebody who doesn’t want to f**king fix me. I want someone who wants me exactly as I am.”
At the end of the day we all want what Kris seeks; acceptance for all that we are, the broken and the whole. Deserved of way more than 5 stars! This book is a MUST READ!
What a beautifully emotional story for Kris and Henley. Dark Tide is band rising in fame but off stage they are a hot mess. Each member is broken in their own way and those demons are catching up to them and affecting their friendship as well as their performances. Kris suffers from anxiety. He was a character I could relate to on a deeply personal level. His appearance gives off a moody, emo vibe; which is his defensive mechanism, but inside he’s all heart and deep feelings. He’s spent his life being selfless and doing what he can to make others happy. This only puts more pressure on himself that leads to feeding his anxiety monster.
When he meets Henley, he’s skeptical. Not sure if she has ulterior motives when it comes to the band, but just a short time with her he’s learned her smile is infectious. Her vibe gives him a sense of calm he hasn’t felt in ages and their bond grows quickly and deeply. But she’s also on the start of her dream career. Sure, she’s a fan of Dark Tide, but being a stage tech IS her dream job. How do you choose between an undeniable connection with your possible soulmate and a career you’ve longed for? That’s what Henley has to decide.
With Kris’s anxiety and fears of not being “enough” and Henley’s fears of losing her dream- their story was an emotional rollercoaster that had me on the brim of tears. It was so beautiful to watch them work through their issues to find a way through it and come together.
Another remarkable story for the Dark Tide series. I’m excited for more.
Boy have I missed words by Mrs Henry, but it was definitely well worth the wait.
This series so far has taken readers on self discovering journeys of living life with mental health. As a mental health sufferer myself these books have truly spoken to me.
The books in the series so far show how the stigma is finally being banished and that it’s ok to not be okay.
One click, you won’t regret it.
Would give more stars if I could.
Wow, this book gives you a very real view of what living with anxiety is like! Certainly not an easy read, but one that will stay with you long after you finish. At times I felt it was a bit hard to connect with both Kris and Henley’s characters and what they were feeling, but I think that just added to the story, anxiety affects people in different ways, it’s often hard to understand their train of thought, feelings and reactions etc. Overall, I felt like it was a very realistic, raw book and I appreciated that nothing was sugar coated and explained away to make the story more cookie cutter perfect like so many books.
I’m very excited for Emery’s book!
Max Henry does not write books that are like other author’s work. She is extremely original in her plots and characters, so even if she wasn’t a good writer, she has that quality—but she is also a great writer!!
Kris’s another broken soul from Max’s mind. He is the guy everyone depends on, yet even his best friends do not know his heartbreak or secrets. Henley is getting her big break as a guitar tech and refuses to give up her dream for anyone, even though it hurts.
This is an amazing series that deals with emotional and psychological issues in a very real way. And now the wait for the next installment!