“Alyson’s writing is gorgeous: passionately poetic; brutally, yet delicately, descriptive; strikingly raw; and insanely sexy. I’m in awe of, and in love with, Limelight…and Alyson.” – Kim Holden, Author of Bright SideA standalone NSB novel.I’m unpredictable.A genius, an underachiever.I’m the song, the voice, the passion, the pain.I am failure.I do music because it’s what I am, but sometimes … because it’s what I am, but sometimes that’s not enough.
A slave to my nature, I wait for it to show mercy and drop a gift in my lap.
Because the music chose me.
I’m its victim not its gift.
She destroyed my career.
Ruined my life.
Pushed me from the shadows and exposed my lies.
She’s the fire that destroys lesser men,
and now her flames are aimed at me.
She loves to watch me burn,
but the part we never saw coming?
Sometimes it takes a fire to ignite a spark
And slay the darkness.
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I love this book with a fury.
Limelight is a stream of consciousness, of art in its purest form, while prodigy Jesse Everett disappears inside his brain, letting words, music, color, emotions take over and he channels them into heart-stopping music.
This book is darkness melding with hope, reality fighting nightmares fighting dreams.
Jesse is FIVE-dimensional, swelling off the pages and into your face and heart, while the only one able to stagger him is that one crazy, unbelievable girl, who steps up and takes charge, the one you’d never even suspect.
I. Love. This. Book. With. A. Fury.
I read it. I drank it. I absorbed it. This is literary romance at its best.
As a reader, you emerge on the other side knowing you’ll never forget.
There are millions of books out there. Heck, billions.
In this gosh-darn jungle, aren’t we lucky to have found LIMELIGHT?
“Traitor. Faker. Promise-breaker.”
Alyson Santos has the incredible ability to paint a picture of addiction so clearly it will leave you breathless. Limelight took me on Jesse’s journey, and let me tell you guys it was quite the emotional ride. The book is solely through Jesse’s eyes and it’s so real and raw. An addict with an effed up childhood. Memories and experiences that haunt him, taint him. Demons are hiding and he struggles to fight them daily. Jesse frankly is a hot mess. On top of the world when thanks to his carelessness and a certain ruthless blogger it all comes crashing down.
“So many words. So much emotion, and none of it will sort into any kind of manageable shape. No, it’s chaos in there. Screams, sobs, blows, and every combination in between.”
The pressure on him grows tremendously as his band mates look at him for answers and solutions. Sometimes it was hard to be in the head of this talented man. To feel him drowning and giving up the fight over and over again to succumb to the darkness and the nothingness. I adore Alyson’s rockstars, they are so atypical, unique and real. While Limelight is essentially a love story it’s so much more. It’s a story of a man who is down and beaten but he doesn’t let go of who he is. It’s a fight through his darkness and the voices who try to drain him. It’s a story about strength and overcoming your demons. About forgiveness and healing. Addiction is a disease and Alyson gave her readers the gritty real deal as we fight right alongside Jesse till the very end.
Alyson Santos once again delivers a gut punching rock tale with flawless writing and lyrics that should be made into songs and be on albums and celebrated at the Grammys!!
4.5 Beating those Demons Stars
I didn’t take much notice of Jesse Everett in the previous books of the NSB series. I hadn’t realized he was even getting a story. But a story he got! It’s no cakewalk. Honestly, it’s a really hard journey and a struggle I felt deeply. My heart broke reading the disaster and fallout. My heart ached with all the unconditional love.
Life laced with addiction and abuse is a tough subject to tackle. I appreciate that Alyson Santos does not hold back or sugarcoat. And I have to honestly say that even though there is a love interest for Jesse, this story is more about him and his ups and downs on the road to living the life he wants and deserves. Believe me, he deserves it.
This story took me on a ride.
It was powerful, it was emotional, and it grabbed ahold of my heart a didn’t let go.
Getting inside of Jesse’s head was brilliantly written by Alyson. Covering sensitive topics such as depression, tragedy, and addiction, was done with care and expertise.
Not only did this book break my heart more than once, it also made smile, it pissed me off, and actually made me laugh out loud a few times (usually Derrick).
If you loved the other books in this series, I’m confident Jesse and his story will steal your heart.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Zachary Webber – he was the perfect Jesse.
This is such a wonderful read!
Beautiful, heartfelt and totally engrossing, this is another fabulous book from Alyson which has gone straight onto my favourites list. Bringing us old friends and new, Limelight weaves a story of fragility and strength, of stress and courage, of weakness and strength. With wit and skill, Alyson succeeds in drawing characters that dwell in my heart long after I have finished her books and this is no exception. Jess is such a beautiful soul, Mila…what a great surprise! Parker. I am not going there. And Derrick! Thank you for Derrick! His craziness created a perfect balance for this wonderful, challenging book.
Jesse is everything.
Limelight (NSB Book 4) by Alyson Santos is a contemporary, enemies to lovers, rockstar romance. Although this book can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend starting at the beginning with Night Shifts Black and reading the series in order as each story picks up where the previous one ends. They’re all beautifully addicting books – you won’t be disappointed!
The story follows Jesse Everett, frontman and sole songwriter for Limelight, and is told from his point of view as he deals with the fallout of a scathing review from world-renowned music blogger Mila Taylor. Creative genius and tortured soul, Jesse’s musical inspiration stems from the constant pain of reliving the nightmare of his upbringing. He uses casual sex and substance abuse as a coping mechanism and is spiralling out of control.
When Mila’s review damages the band, Jesse fights back on social media which starts a back and forth banter between the two. Social media posts turn to emails, texts, phone calls, and eventually meeting as Jesse and Mila are inexplicably drawn to each other. But can Mila save Jesse from the damage he inflicts upon himself? You’ll have to read to find out.
Alyson Santos paints a heartbreakingly raw, realistic picture of someone suffering from PTSD and substance abuse. I absolutely loved Jesse and Mila’s story. It was haunting, dark, heart-rending, thought-provoking, profound, and inspiring hope. A great addition to one of my favorite series.
So many rock novels show the “Limelight” to be a place of hero worship, fan adoration, the high life, fast woman, drug and alcohol binges with no real casualties, the stars always seeing success.
Alyson Santos turns that imagery on it’s head from the opening page in her story of Jesse Everett, frontman of Limelight, in this 4th standalone instalment of the NSB series.
Jesse’s world is crumbling and his band floundering after blogger Mila Taylor slaughters him online following a personal meltdown that became media fodder.
It’s quickly and clearly apparent in this story that Jesse is special, despite the outwardly typical muso behaviour of over indulgence and “God complex”persona, there’s a lot more going on under the surface.
He’s savant-like in his musical ability, though so fragile, inwardly tortured and driven by personal demons that drive his creative juices but are slowly etching away at his ability to cope with the real world.
He and his fellow bandmate and brother, Parker, have not had the picket fence perfect upbringing or the charmed road to success despite their early wins in the industry, they have fought tooth and nail and yet there is much Jesse is hiding from his brother despite their close seemingly unbreakable bond.
When the snarky Mila continues to poke the bear and Jesse continues to bite back, its sets the scene for confrontation, but not how you might expect.
A meeting of hearts and minds, support from unlikely sources, a chance at redemption and the continual darkness of past and present demons all conspire to either return Jesse to his former journey to greatness or plunge him into the darkness.
The beautiful imagery Alyson creates through Jesse’s music adds vibrant colour and clarity to Jesse’s story, and the roller coaster of visceral emotions will have you clutching and rubbing at your chest for relief. This book broke my heart and left bleeding pieces of it amongst it’s pages.
An incredibly moving story of musical beauty, brotherly love, survival, drive and success, so very worthy of 5 stars!
This book pulls at every emotion, book four in the Night Shifts Black series, and they just keep getting better.
Front man Jesse Everett is a tortured soul, supremely talented but with no sense of control over that talent. His work consumes him, it takes so much from him and leaves him spiralling. Mila Taylor has ruined his life, but she might just be the only person who knows how to reach him.
This is not what you call an easy read, I felt everything for Jesse as I watched his struggle, Alyson has a way of writing about the difficult subjects of mental health, addiction and trauma that is so raw and beautiful. Its compelling.
Prepare to have your heart broken and your soul stolen. This is a must read!
I never thought I’d have another book boyfriend knock some to #3 on my favorites. Jesse has knocked Cugs from Sunniva Dee ‘s Path of Thieves down and taken his place. Oh my gosh. I love the NSB series, and I loved Limelight SO FREAKING MUCH! Alyson Santos did an amazing job. Her heart and soul definitely went into bringing Jesse’s story to life.
The character of Jesse is one that remains with you, his struggles and ultimate triumph is wonderful.
Holy SNOT DRAGONS!
It started off a bit slow. Maybe b/c this is my first read in the series but book number 4. I did feel lost at times, but that was ok.
My heart bleeds for Jesse. B.L.E.E.D.S.
There were times I was looking at my % left and going there is NO way this can wrap up. NO WAY. Then the tears and snot started around 90% (can’t exactly remember the exact percent but you will leak from all the face holes). GD Alyson, why to rip out a heart just as you patched it up some.
I’m not sure if I can read the other books if they are even half as heart wrecking as this one.
LIMELIGHT is the newest release in the Night Shifts Black Series, but could very well be read as a standalone. To understand the characters from all the books, I recommend starting with Night Shifts Black. I read that first and have been hooked ever since.
Jesse Everett is the frontman of the band Limelight. He writes the songs, is the voice, the passion, but also their pain and failure. There is no Limelight without him. Jesse is one of the most broken and destroyed characters that I’ve ever read. And the demons that haunt him, the nightmares that taunt him, and the never ending pain. He has scars inside and out. The other band members, including his own older brother Parker, try to help steady his fragile hold on reality.
Mila Taylor is the top music blogger in the world. Her nasty and mean criticism can make or break a band. We have met her in some of the other Night Shifts Black Series, and she is one nasty woman. When she writes a scathing review about Jesse and his wasted talent, it does damage to the career of the band that had been on their way to success. Jesse’s coping mechanism was substance abuse, and all the trauma of his childhood made him make bad decisions.
Most musicians were afraid of Mila’s far reaching influence, but not Jesse. He let her have it for the damage she had inflicted on him and his band. Soon they would text back and forth, then talking, and least expected hooking up. She was hated by his band and other bands they were associated with. When she and Jesse connect, she chances her tune. That was an unexpected outcome.
Alyson Santos wrote a story full of angst, darkness, cruelty, yet love, forgiveness and compassion. How two people can both destroy and heal each other. It was a 5 stars book all the way till close to the end. Then something happened that I could not fathom happening and it was too much. So only 4 stars!
Throughout your life you meet a person that captivates you and makes you stop and think. Alyson Santos is that person for me, her writing slays me, her words are meticulous, thought provoking and fluid.
I first read Night Shifts Black just after it came out and was captivated by this story, it made me think about life and the impacts people have in it. It was in that moment that I knew Alyson was not only a special person but her stories had substance and grit. Fast forward a little and I was hanging out for each instalment of the NSB series and each time I was elated and Captivated.
This is a Rocker series (NSB, Tracing Holland, Viper and now Limelight), but one like no other, these characters have been carefully constructed, their stories are unique, gritty and heavy. I am a little in love with each of them because they all express themselves differently but If you think you have met your match with Broody Rockers I’m going to say you haven’t until you’ve met them. It won’t absolutely be the broody bit that will grab you it will be these characters and their intense back stories.
Fast Forward to the latest instalment in the series Limelight, after meeting and loving that Sexy AF Wes in Viper I was early awaiting Jesse Everett’s book and I want to start by saying straight off the bat it was EPIC. It is absolutely hard not to fall for each of these rockers but Alyson, Jesse’s story was brilliant. It’s the detail, that palpable feeling you get while reading something so intense you almost feel your in the middle of it. This is why I love this and all of your books. You are a wordsmith one that’s not afraid to touch the sensitive topics.
Jesse is intelligent, talented but also broken and lost.
His constant battle with not only himself but others is what kept me reading. Queue Mrs Trouble Maker herself Mila Taylor, I’m going on record for the twentieth time to say I had strong feelings about her throughout Viper (none of them pleasant) but Alyson you won me over in the Mila stakes. I loved the banter between these two it was fantastic, even though there was absolutely no love lost between Mila and well most people. There are definitely raw and emotional moments throughout and that is why this is one of my fav reads this year.
I’m not going to giving much more about them other than to say YOU will absolutely enjoy the hell out of this ride. That Epilogue though……Breathtakingly Emotional yet Beautiful.
This book and in fact the series if you haven’t read it yet is a must read for me. It will touch you when you least expect it. Congratulations Alyson on Limelight this book is Everything and More.
This book can be read as a stand-alone.
Heartbreaking. Soul crushing. Raw. Poetic. These are some of the words that come to mind when I think of Alyson Santos’s latest release. Limelight ripped my heart open as I traveled Jesse Everett’s journey through drug addiction. With a gut wrenching past, I wanted to take this man in my arms and just hold him.
Not only is he the lead singer of the band Limelight, he also writes all their lyrics. And OHMYGOD those lyrics are POWERFUL. You feel all his pain, every emotion.
Mila Taylor is a famous blogger who’s word is gospel in the music industry and her words about Jesse and his band knock them down hard. But something about her lights a flame in Jesse and they’re drawn to each other.
With incredible writing, the real nitty-gritty on addiction, and a front row seat to Limelight’s rise and fall, Alyson Santos delivered a novel that I couldn’t put down.