“Every element to this book is raw and real. It’s romantic, it’s heartbreaking, it’s hard, it’s complicated, it’s sexy as hell, it’s beautiful, it’s funny, it’s life!” (reader review)Shay, the Irish drummer of the world-renowned rock band Rogue, has a bad habit of taking care of everyone but himself – including the brother who is always looking for trouble. After way too many years of this, … years of this, something’s gotta give.
Jessica is a Black-Asian American who has prematurely given up her dance career. Ballet was the one place where, despite the odds stacked against her, she felt at ease. But now she’s determined to find a new version of herself.
When Shay and Jessica meet in a chance encounter, he’s smitten and she’s dubious. They live in different worlds – he’s a millionaire who has been around the world while she has three roommates and eats ramen noodles most nights.
Still, if they give it a chance, could their unlikely pairing hit that sweet spot?
This book has an HEA, but the series continues in Finding Rhythm.
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As this author brings us through the ups and downs of each of the members of the band Rogue, I think, “This is the story I wanted to know about.” And as each story is told, I find myself caught up in a new member of the band and desperate to know his story. This one focuses mainly on Shay, the quiet drummer who has kept secret some horrifying truths about his childhood and continues to find his future tied up with that past, especially when his drug addled brother, Danny Boy, keeps making his life as difficult as he possibly can at every turn.
It isn’t until he meets Jessica, a waitress who has some secrets of her own, and convinces her to move to Dublin with him. But when she finds herself mixed up in the circus that is his life, and the return of Danny Boy puts a wrench in the works, she can’t take it anymore. My heart went out to both of them as they pushed away from each other and continued the search for what would make them happy, wondering if they would discover that they would only find that happiness together.
It isn’t until they part ways that they each discover where the problems in their relationships have stemmed from, and each of them has to do an inner examination to find out if they can make another go at it or if this is the end of something sweet.
In the meantime, Gavin is still finding his balance after the news of Sophie and Conor’s one night affair. Working on his relationship with his best friend, Conor, and the woman he’s always loved, Sophie, and getting over the anger a jealousy is a hurdle that isn’t easy to cross. But that isn’t all. Felicia isn’t finding it easy to deal with how well Sophie knows Conor and the path they are choosing to take in their relationship either. She’s suspicious of them and afraid of Conor going back to his old, playboy ways.
Jealousy abounds, and misunderstanding is the word of the day. And each misstep is played out in the tabloids and on social media. It’s up to them to take control of their hearts and their lives as they forge through the dirt to find a path that gives them new meaning (and new song writing material).
Each book by this author is filled with the backstories and the real dirt on the characters, and she has a way of drawing the reader in, wishing we could become a part of this close knit family of sorts. And each book has me looking forward to the next story, to finding out if each of these men will finally find what they were searching for, the one thing that will make them as happy as the music they love.
So glad I came back to this series. I got pulled away to another one and the writing and storytelling were like night and day. You appreciate a well written book so much more. Lara Ward Cosio is a great author! Authentic and real with just the right amount of detail and descriptions that put you in the room with these characters and a third person POV that gives you a window into their emotions and a view of their history through flashbacks. Many series start with one couple and move on to another in each subsequent books and while these do that to some extent, Lara weaves the stories of the first and second couple into the third. It is the perfect balance and blend of keeping the characters prominent in each book as the overall focus may change but all the supporting characters are still very much a part of the story as their lives continue in parallel.
There are so many great things about this series. The depth of brotherhood of the band, the strength and perseverence of the women, the truth of their love for one another, and honest need for each other. But the best part of the writing is the realistic storyline with such plausible events and accurate accounts of where they are and what they are doing! Gosh, I would love to do the on location scouting of each city they go to – ever place is described perfectly. They trapeze all over the world and I feel like I am walking right along with them.
Not once, in any of these books, did I roll my eyes like that couldn’t happen – which lets be honest, happens a lot. Everything was so believable, realistic, and plausible that you become invested in the story, the characters, and their relationships. I love every aspect of this series.
This book definately Hit That Sweet Spot.
This book is book 3 in the Rogue Series and is Shea’s story. BUT I can’t say how thrilled I was to see that his band mates who are also his best friends from books 1 & 2 continued to be present in book 3. While they don’t take over Shea & Jessica’s story, they are present enough to let me see what’s still going with them. I Love that about these books so far!
I wasn’t sure that I’d love Shea, but I do! And Danny Boy, gzzz I hope he can find his way permanently from his addiction! Shea & Jessica’s story is heart breaking, heart warming, and captivating. I love how Gavin saw to their HEA!
Now on to Martin. I don’t know about him either. He seems to be happily married and content in his own bubble outside of band time. Let’s see where his story goes in book 4! Bring it on!
It’s mainly about other characters. Which is really disappointing, because those other characters are boring and typical. But they’re the Mary Sue inserts, and the supposedly main characters are deliberately made lesser. Blech.