NOW A WASHINGTON POST, AMAZON MOST SOLD, AND TOP 3 AMAZON BESTSELLER“Heartbreaking…soul-shattering.” – Diary of a Book Fiend.“Hands down my top favorite rockstar romance ever.” – Dirty Girl Romance Blog.From bestselling author L.J. Shen, comes a new, standalone, contemporary romance. It should have been easy.I needed the money. He needed a babysitter to keep him from snorting himself to death.I … babysitter to keep him from snorting himself to death.
I was cherry-picked especially for him. Responsible. Optimistic. Warm. Innocent.
The worst part is that I should have known better.
Alex Winslow. British rock star. Serial heartbreaker. Casanova with whiskey eyes.
“Don’t get near the devil in a leather jacket. He’ll chew you up and spit you out.”
Guess what? I didn’t listen.
I signed the contract.
World tour. Three months. Four Continents. One hundred shows.
My name is Indigo Bellamy, and I sold my soul to a tattooed god.
Problem was, my soul wasn’t enough for Alex Winslow. He ended up taking my body, too.
Then he took my heart.
Then he took my all.
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Mrs. Shen always writes great stories and this one doesn’t disappoint. This one is a great story about a man’s redemption, not only in the eyes of the person he comes to love, but in himself. As Alex learns to overcome his addictions, he had to learn to heal and rely on himself. He has to learn to stop blaming others and start taking responsibility if he wants to whom back the heart of the girl he carelessly broke. Because he carelessly hurts all those around him. This is a book that can annoy you as you read it because you think “Why is Stardust only blaming Alex for what happened to her parents; why not Fallon or William? Why is everyone being so hard on him?” As I think about it more, she was angry because his complacency was what really lead to her heartbreak. His addictions being more important than life. it’s a good book to listen to and read.
It should have been easy. I needed the money. He needed a babysitter to keep him from snorting himself to death. I was cherry-picked especially for him. Responsible. Optimistic. Warm. Innocent.
Alex Winslow was a British rock star. Serial heart breaker and broken asshole. World tour. Three months. Four Continents. One hundred shows. I absolutely loved this book it was a page turner from the beginning, the characters were both broken but were able to take the chemistry that burned between them and help each other to grow and heal. The sex was dirty and hot and the story line was addictive with it’s emotional depth and hidden twists, I never wanted it to end. This is a must read.
Audiobook version:
Picture this… watching a train travel down the tracks… realizing it is going the wrong way and is going to majorly crash and burn… you are screaming but no one heads your warnings… This was me while reading Midnight Blue! If was a train wreck waiting to happen~ The characters were constantly frustrating me with their decisions yet no one listened when i tried to warn them! This one keeps you on the edge of your seat and never comfortable.
Narration was great! Shane East killed it with his amazing accent. Muffy’s voice is perfection and a dream to listen to. They both gave killer performances!
Great Read!
This is a hard call to make since all of Ms. Shen’s books are great, but is the best in my opinion!!! I could not put it down! Indie was a little bohemian waife that captivated Rockstar Alex from the beginning. It didn’t matter that she was his sobriety nanny. She got him and he saw her. Their souls entwined as they embarked on a tour across continents.
But what they didn’t know were all the lies and subterfuge that lay between them. That they were they on a on a trip they had no way of finishing unscathed. This book pulls at all your heartstrings as it deals with profound loss, addiction, dependency, control, and opening yourself up to heartbreak. I absolutely loved this book, cried ugly tears, and was so glad when Alex and Indie finally got their HEA! This is a 5 Silver Star Book!!!
I adored the premise for this story as soon as I started reading. I think indie is a very likeable heroine and Alex is the self-absorbed alpha male we all love to love/hate.
There were times when I wanted to scream at Alex, and possibly throat punch him, but equally jump his bones. Any novel that gains that reaction from me goes on my “hell yes” shelf.
Absolutely loved it!
I’d read it again and again.
Alex is the ultimate rockstar book boyfriend! He is misunderstood, gorgeous and incredibly talented. I love the connection between the two characters and how different they are contrasted to how beautifully they fit together. Definitely one of my favourites by LJ!
I wanted to hate everything about Alex Winslow. From the beginning of the story he is an arrogant jerk. Nothing about him was attractive to me. I wondered how LJ Shen could put such a leading man in her story. I related to Indigo as the simple, caring and determined woman who is willing to anything she can to better her life and help her family. There was no way Alex and Indie would every be a believable couple.
Then came the switch in my attitude towards them.
LJ Shen made me fall head over heels in love with Alex. I’m still shaking my head as to exactly when my heart switched and exactly how she did it. Page after page, I stayed up for hours needing to know more about them.
Then came the twist! I screamed at my iPad! Blindsided! Not at all what I expected.
This was my first book by LJ Shen. I have already downloaded the next one.
If I could rate it higher that 5 Stars it would be at the top of my list! Not just for a Rockstar rom but on my overall list!
The Audio Review- this book is also available on Audible
The narrators fit perfectly with the characters. I was able to distinguish each person without any confusion which is sometimes difficult to pull off. The switch between genders and narrators flowed seamlessly.
The Redheads Book Blog MUST READ RECOMMENDATION!
The writing in this one really carries you along like a river. Parts are slow and gentle, others pick up and feel fast and a little on the edge, while still others feel like you are caught up in the rush to and through the rapids. Very well edited.
Alex is a rock star in need of a babysitter. He has lived the last few years like he was on a runaway train to the collapsed bridge over a canyon. After a stint in rehab, he needs to finish a tour to keep everyone else happy. Enter, Indigo ‘Indie’ Bellamy. She is hired to be his sobriety companion – a fancy name for the babysitter that keeps him on the straight and narrow. He doesn’t want her and tries to run her off just like the last 8 to 10 sitters before her. But Indie needs the job and the pay it will bring. Surprisingly, Indie won’t allow Alex to run her off. She stands her ground, determined to last the necessary 3 months and help her family. Even more surprisingly, Alex finds a muse in her, writing new music and songs during midnight chats in hotel hallways. Along the way, Alex and Indie let each other in, only to have a shocking revelation tear them apart. Will time heal all wounds? Will Alex finally realize he has something to live for? Will he leave the alcohol and drugs behind? Will Indie let him back in?
This was such a good read. Much focus is placed on Alex, and how he learns to deal with the world he inhabits, the people who really care, and real, deep emotion. There are so many beautifully phrased passages in this book. Truly – Enjoy.
First off, and I know this might sound strange, I loved Indie’s name and nickname (Stardust) in this book. Sometimes I’ll read a book and not like the name of a character, but in this case I thought the name Indigo Bellamy is fun, unique and prefect.
I loved that she had icy blue hair and that she wore dresses that she made herself. I used to sew a lot a long time ago, even making some clothes for myself. So it’s details like that that can really make a character more real to me.
Anyway, I loved the story of Alex and Indie. And even in the beginning when Alex was rude to her she didn’t take any of his crap. It was nice to see Alex soften around Indie. For them both to open up to each other, to be honest with each other.
The twist in the story, never saw that one coming. My mouth dropped when that was revealed. But as most who read romance, like myself, we want that happily ever after, and thankfully we got it, and it was just another thing that I loved about the book. 🙂
I definitely recommend this author.
This is a dual review because I couldn’t put this book down. I had to either read it on my breaks or listen to the audiobook on my way to work and home. This book was full of so many emotions. The love, the pain, the anger, swooning over the passionate encounters and laughter were present in equal measure. There was so much anguish and definitely many WTH moments I was not expecting.
I love Shen’s heroes because they are not perfect. They a raw, manly, incorrigible, infuriatingly cocky, jerks most of the times, sexy hot and passionate. Her heroines are badasses, sexy, beautiful, quirky, and special. Alex Winslow and Indigo Bellamy were no exceptions.
Alex Winslow, a huge British ROCK STAR. Like must he has fallen in the tragedy of addiction. His friends and manager needs to pull him through and want to make sure he is watch 24/7. Here comes Indigo” Indie” Bellamy. She was supposed to be his “sitter” and shadow for just three months. Alex never thought this little pixie of a woman would turn his life around.
This story is sexy, provocative, intense, passionate and full of many beautiful words. The lyrics both enchanting and poetic. The push and pull between tge characters will drive you crazy at times and make you laugh in others. You won’t get enough.
I love reading this book but if you are a audiobook lover I recommended you listen to this one. Shane East as Alex and Muffy Newton as Indie made a fantastic pair. They bring to life all the emotions Shen intended to add to this story. I absolutely love everything about Midnight Blue. Like I always say there’s no better bad boys like Shen’s men.
*** AUDIO BOOK REVIEW ***
OMG This book! :clutches chest: L.J. Shen broke my heart and then put it back together again with this story. Alex is a famous musician whose life is spiraling out of control. He is fresh out of rehab and on a comeback tour. He cares about nothing except his fans and winning back his ex who cheating on him with his supposed best friend. Indigo is a quirky girl with blue hair and self made dresses. She is hired to be his babysitter pretty much. She has to make sure he doesn’t do drugs or drink alcohol. She needs to money bad for her family. She figures three months on tour will be easy. She is wrong. Alex is set on getting rid of her at first. She isn’t going to be hard to get rid of. They go toe to toe with each other. The hate turns into attraction and even something more. But truths are exposed, mistakes from the past were made and that love may not have a chance at surviving.
I loved these characters! Alex was a jerk but I couldn’t help loving him. The things that came out of his mouth had me laughing out loud looking like a crazy person with my headphones in. Indigo is now one of my all time favorite characters. I felt I could relate to her. I loved that she didn’t give into worshiping Alex like everyone did. And she did the one thing no one did, told him No. I was rooting for her happiness the whole time. And can we talk about the chemistry between these characters? So addicting and simply beautiful.
L.J. Shen is quickly a new favorite. The way she wrote this story had me in awe. Her description had me seeing it right in front of my eyes. Muffy Newton and Shane East were perfect picks for the voices. She kept surprising me at every turns. I had so many shocked moments. There were many things I didn’t see coming. This book is a must read or listen. I can’t express enough how highly I suggest it. It definitely deserves more than five stars.
Alex Winslow is just wow!!!
“I was a semi-automatic weapon, fully loaded and ready to fire. I was my own downfall, and deep down, I knew it.”
I ‘ve been dying for this book since it was announced. I love rockstar books. There nothing better than a cocky sexy alpha rockstar and Alex Winslow fit the bill to a t. He was so annoying throughout this book he was mean arrogant and thought the world owe him everything. His story was sad he was broken but would let anyone in. He was always defensive ready to attack it didn’t matter who they were. Even the people he was close to got. Life wasnt easy it mite of looked that way but it wasnt. He was dealing with so much. A cheating ex with his ex best friend drugs and drink then rehab. His career was goin down the toilet he was destroying himself. So his agent got him a babysitter this is where the gorgeous Indigo “Indie”“Stardust” Bellamy came in.
“YOU ARE THE GLUE. ”
Indie hasn’t had it easy. Her parents dyed when she was young leaving her brother to look after her. Money was never there to luxuries but she never cared. Once she had her brother Craig his girlfriend Nat and her nephew Ziggy life was good. But when a job came up that would give her and her family less money worries she has to take it. Even if it was with the bad boy rockstar Alex Winslow. It was only 3 months she could do it right.
“Alex Winslow was both an addict and an addiction.”
This story was just so so good. The twists and turns in this book were just brilliant I didn’t see them coming at all. Alex and Indie’s story was never goin to be hearts and roses it was a fast rollercoaster. Alex was so messed up in the head that he couldn’t see what he had in front of him at times. He has so much hate in him that he let it eat at him. Indie was the total opposite to him. Even while dealing with him and his attitude and everything else goin on at home. She still kept her head up and dealt with it all. Indie is such a strong woman she could deal with anything well that’s what she thought.
““God, you’re beautiful.” And oh, was she ever. Like a painfully short, brilliant song that keeps you thirsty for more.”
I m a huge fan of this author. Every book she has written as been amazing. Her work just keeps getting better and better. The characters she creates are so good it’s hard to get them out of your head. And Alex and Indie are another pair to add the the list of great characters. Once I started this book I couldn’t put it down. I was sucked into Alex and Indie’s story from the start to the end. There is nothing that I didn’t like about this book. I would highly recommend it.
Alex. Winslow. Is. Everything
Well, LJ Shen has excelled herself. I already knew she was the queen of writing alpha jerks that you can’t help falling for, but Alex Winslow in Midnight Blue? Holy shizzle. He sucked me in with his moody, bad boy issues, his broken soul and cocky charisma. Never mind Indie… He took MY heart – owned it, broke it, then put it back together again. I properly cried. And swooned. And smiled. Love, love, love this book.
Such a beautiful book.. I cried so many times when I went into every chapter… Indie and Alex are two broken soul with deep pain and hurt…
when you were in pain and denial.. word fly so sharp..
A rockstar fell for a simple girl… the emotion was so raw.. heart breaking.. its almost too hard to swallow… Midnight Blue is by far LJ Shen best book.. I loveee the play… its not a simple romance.. every romance has it flaw and inperfection… who need a perfect one? Devour the book and you wont regret.. its sickening good 🙂
All the elements of a good rock star romance. Didn’t think it needed the twist at the end, though. Loved the lyrics.
A gritty love story.
A bit of a stretch…the lack of hot women surrounding this rock star and his entourage. Still, heart warming and funny moments make it a worthwhile read.
“People where you live,” the little prince said, “grow five thousand roses in one garden… yet they don’t find what they’re looking for…
They don’t find it,” I answered.
And yet what they’re looking for could be found in a single rose, or a little water…”
Of course,” I answered.
And the little prince added, “But eyes are blind. You have to look with the heart.”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince
The Little Prince’s contemplations are amazingly insightful about the world/environment in which we live, and even though Alex Winslow’s world is one that was developed and constructed in L.J. Shen’s mind and her imagination, many truths about our society…about our choices in life are exposed and then explored in such a manner that resonates the beauty that life holds as well as the many ways that people allow certain lifestyles and certain people to destroy everything they ever thought was precious…everything that used to mean the world to them…simply because the WANT…the DESIRE…the NEED to fill their lives to the brim with everything they thought they wanted slowly and insidiously turns to their downfall…to a life that is no longer their own, and then the battle becomes how to break free from the users and abusers, after it has become their norm for so long, without completely losing their lives to the demands, to the demons, to the addictions that must constantly be battled, all because they refused to see success in its simplest terms and strove for a stardom that would ultimately expose just how volatile, how dark, and how manipulative a life on the stage can be.
I’m a huge fan of anti-heroes. There’s something to be said about a male lead who moves beyond stereotypical characteristics and has an edge to him that deviates from the norm, making him a unique mix of a cold and calculated alpha male, a devilish asshole, and the man beneath the stage persona who simply wants his music, his friends, and quite frankly his life to be more about the songs and their meanings instead of what people can take from him until they’ve sucked him dry of his passions, his sense of self, and his soul.
Alex Winslow is such a character, but while my characterization of him in Midnight Blue is apt, I don’t quite see him as so much of an anti-hero as a man who has lost his way…a man who has been used by too many people and feels the need for retribution when it comes to his so-called friends, Fallon, and the people who have done nothing but take from him ever since he became a superstar. Because while I can’t deny that Alex was one hell of an asshole throughout the course of the story, readers get an explanation for every devious action…every asshole comment…every emotion felt and shown and while I might not find him commendable, I can handle THAT kind of damaged jackass…it’s when the hero does it just to do it that pisses me off and leaves me feeling like he’s a douchebag just because he can be.
Indie Bellamy entering Alex’s life may come with a massive amount of headaches and even heartache due to the nature of her contract as Alex’s sobriety companion, but regardless of how many times she becomes his toy…his doormat…his punching bag, because readers are privy to Alex’s perspective, we are able to understand his recourse for acting that way and while he’s definitely a major prick at times, there are also moments between Alex and Indie that illustrate just how much her presence has allowed his addictive personality to be tempered and his erratic moods to find some sense of balance and while both of those fixes may be temporary, Indie has also allowed Alex to get back to basics when it comes to his music, his songs, his lyrics, and by finding his musical outlet again, he’s able to become less tortured and perhaps even less lost but the length of that clarity is unclear, especially when his ultimate goal is something that could not only tear his world and his career apart but also force his muse…his soul to fracture even further.
L.J. Shen created a kickass heroine in Indie. She definitely comes with her own baggage and she’s just as broken as Alex is, but she chooses different outlets for her breakdowns The fact that she’s not a rock star also allows Indie’s struggles to not play out on social media, which is one area Alex has no control over. Indie has a backbone, but she’s also delicate in ways…she’s more innocent than most girls her age, so when she steps into Alex’s world, it’s a bit overwhelming, but she handles everything that’s thrown at her with grace and learns to traverse through the many faces and moods of Alex Winslow, and the longer she remains his glue…the person who looks out for his best interests when it comes to reverting back to bad habits, the more readers see just how much power Indie seems to have over Alex, even if never feels that way about their situation.
Alex and Indie’s story showcases L.J. Shen’s ability to create characters who are multifaceted and so rich with personality that readers receive new insights into who the hero and the heroine are up until the very last page of the book.
And while Shen is known for her angsty plot lines, there’s always a reason for the torment…there’s always a backstory that allows an understanding to be established and it’s for that very reason that I can endure the angst because it’s not staged…it’s not there just to cause chaos, and I appreciate that the emotional conflict I feel as a reader is not contrived; it is so easy to get caught up in the world and the characters that Shen creates because it feels so real and that’s due to the way she writes and captures the essence of her characters’ feelings and their actions.
I continue to be captivated by L.J. Shen’s broken princes and princesses and the fact that their souls find a way to survive teaches me that even with pain and suffering, finding one’s true place is possible.