“They took broken and made it art.”From award winning author LJ Evans comes a novel inspired by Bon Jovi songs that shows how love and acceptance can heal even the toughest scars.SETHI’m a trash artist. I’m a recovering alcoholic.I’m a rude bastard.It’s why I was better of alone until feisty blogger PJ Hensley entered my life with her fairy-like quality. Suddenly I couldn’t imagine a life without … entered my life with her fairy-like quality. Suddenly I couldn’t imagine a life without her in it. And when she loved me and left me, it was what I expected but it isn’t what I wanted.
And because I couldn’t just let her go, I’ve spent the last five months writing her letters trying to convince her to come home even though I know she won’t. I don’t deserve for her to come back.
PJ
I was ignoring my screwed up past and a bunch of stalker like posts while focusing on graduating college. The last thing I needed was a moody trash artist entering my world. But like all things Seth, he entered my life anyway with an intensity and focus that left me breathless.
And when the summer collided into one big mess, I ran. To try to heal. To try and escape. But Seth’s letters are tearing at my soul and slowly reeling me back in. He’s almost convinced me that he can weld our lives back together into something beautiful. Almost…
SPOILER ALERT this book can be read as a stand alone novel, but it has spoilers to both the 1st and 2nd book in the MY LIFE AS AN ALBUM series.
Praise for books by by LJ Evans
The BookLife Prize calls it “fast-paced, stirring, beautifully written and a pleasure to read”.
“Evans delivered a phenomenal tale of true love.”
“Evans managed to create a complex character that is both difficult to love YET also impossible not to love.”
“This story is told through love letters, music and art, in a raw and powerful way.”
“There’s a lyricism to Evans’ writing.”
“Do not pick up this book unless you’re ready to invest your heart.”
“Ms. Evans has created another raw and powerful story about love and hope and forgiveness!”more
***This can be read as a Standalone but there is a major spoiler for book 1 so I HIGHLY recommend reading in order***
I knew Seth’s story wouldn’t be easy. I also knew I would swoon over it. This book is definitely my favorite of the series. We got a glimpse of what Seth’s life was like in the first two books but when I learned the whole story I was even more heartbroken for him. PJ (Bella) didn’t not have a perfect childhood either, loosing her parents as a teenager. But her demons are much different than his. This is as much about her redemption as it is Seth’s. Seth loves her fiercely but that intensity (along with a few other things) drove her away to NY. Now he is writing letters to her to try to get her to come back to him. So we learn about their relationship with him reflecting on their past, how they met, their first date, etc.. And then we get alternating chapters from PJ’s POV with her reaction to the letters in the present as well as her past POV which usually continue that part of the story from her. I enjoyed this format. And like the other books in the series, each chapter starts by quoting song lyrics- this time from Bon Jovi.
This book had me in tears reading his pleading to her. I fell hard for Seth. (I’m such a sucker her the bad boys with their hearts of gold.) I don’t think her can be topped but I’ve thought that before. On to Mix Tape.
My goodness…..
I am not even really sure what to say as I write this review. My thoughts and emotions as I listened to this audiobook ran the full gamut. This story is intense. It is gut-wrenching and heartbreaking and so angsty.
Seth and PJ are complicated and messy, and their story is too. It is not a sunshine and roses romance story. Having said that, I appreciated how much Seth loves PJ and how protective he is of her. It wasn’t always pretty and he didn’t always do it in the right way, but his heart was in it and he was fully invested.
I think both people could have handled things a little better in the story at times so there was some frustration at various points, but I appreciated the fantastic writing by the author and the work the characters ultimately put in before they could have a relationship that was healthier than the one they were in before and one that would put them on the path to their happily ever after.
This wasn’t my favorite story in the series, but the story evoked a ton of emotions which I think is a hallmark of a great author. I have been very impressed by this author as I am new to her work. The audiobook was very well done and the narrators did a great job bringing all of the emotions of this story to life. I am looking forward to book four next!
I loved this so much!!
After meeting Seth in book 1 (My Life as a Country Album), I knew I wanted…no wait… NEEDED his story.
I knew his story was going to be intense. I knew it would squeeze my heart, and I just knew I would fall head over heels for him. And that, I certainly did.
LJ’s words are poetic. They pick me up and carry me away, pull me into the story, make me love the characters, then leave me so happy and satisfied after I’ve finished the last page. This story did exactly that.
I loved, loved, loved the way this story was told. The letters from Seth to PJ were from way deep down in his heart and soul. And I felt every single word.
And her responses to each letter?
Made me want to hug someone, everyone. She needed and wanted him so badly, but felt so undeserving. My heart ached for her.
Seth is such a beautiful, broken, misunderstood man. He’s passionate, and he loves hard. But he has a different way of showing it. He might come across as possessive, overbearing, and even obnoxious at times, but he means well. Really, he does.
He’s an artist, an angry, frustrated artist, getting his feelings out, taking his aggressions out on the pieces he creates. Everything he’s feeling inside, all of his loved that’s bottled up inside is poured into his work.
PJ & Seth…sigh…these two souls, so beautiful, so beat down, and so absolutely perfect when they’re together. They are like two magnets drawn to each other, they never want to be apart. They were meant to find each other, to heal each other. The power of their love made my heart skip a beat. Their story was so captivating, so beautifully written, I devoured every word.
If you’ve read and loved the first two books in this series, you’ll want to read this one. It is SO GOOD. All of the characters hold a special place in my heart.
And I must mention the playlist…Bon Jovi, y’all!! Need I say more?
This is the third book of LJ’s I’ve read and with each book, I become a bigger fan.
Bring on book #4!!
In passing, I wondered during the last book of Seth would have a book next, but brushed the thought off. Eee! This book held a lot of pain and mistakes, it had some suspense, and was written in a very unique way. Make sure you keep track whether you’re reading in the present or the past I feel like this series is steamier then the anchor series.
I had no idea Bon Jovi songs could be so heartbreaking! My Life as a Rock Album could be read as a stand alone story, but I highly recommend the entire series (there’s a box set available with a 4-book set). I’m not usually a big fan of tear jerkers, but this series is very well done and the excellent narration makes it well worth your time. Sarah Puckett does exceptionally well conveying regret and Neill Thorne makes a great Seth. Their performances add to the story and bring it to life.
#AudiobookObsession
I just can’t get enough of this series. My Life as a Rock Album was another excellent addition to this series and had me hooked from beginning to end. This is Seth and PJ’s story and it will take you on an emotional roller-coaster ride. Based on lyrics from Bon Jovi, this novel is told mainly through love letters and will give you all the feels. LJ Evens gives us a powerful tale of true love and takes us on a heartfelt journey with two complex multi layered characters you will fall in love with. The story was evenly paced and well written and told in dual POV. Without a doubt another phenomenal love story, I would highly recommend this novel to all romance lovers.
The audiobook version was narrated by Sarah Puckett and Neill Thorn . These two were amazing together and brought the story to life. They were a perfect fit for the characters and infused the right amount of emotion into the story. Their voices blended well together and both gave a flawless performance. It was an absolute pleasure listening to them narrate this novel.
AudiobookObsessionReviewer
Just when I thought my love for anything LJ Evans writes couldn’t get any bigger, enter My Life As A Rock Album DAAAAMN this book takes the cake for me! I know each of these books can be read as a stand alone but this one had a completely different vibe than the previous two in her series. There were so many things I loved about this book I almost don’t even know where to start so if I start to ramble in my gushing let this much be clear, YOU NEED TO READ THESE BOOKS. I felt like Evans really dialed her writing up a notch with Seth. She captured his achey angst and pure raw emotion with perfection. You could absolutely feel just how deeply he felt things. Rock Album took two people who were broken and melded them together with a love story you wanted to swoon for yet weren’t totally sure if either of them could handle the magnitude of that love. One of my favorite things about this book was the way Evans chose to format it, it’s written in alternating chapters between letters from Seth to PJ and then PJ’s reactions to reading those letters. So through all of that you get to see their story unfold in such a unique and creative way. Like the other books in this series each chapter starts off with a song lyric and this one features Bon Jovi. Another thing I really enjoyed about this book was the bit of suspense that was intertwined into the plot. It pulls you into it in this whole other way that I just had to know how it would all play out.
Audiobook Review
I am so in love with this series!! My Life As A Rock Album is based of Bon Jovi lyrics. It is told in love letters from Seth to PJ reminding them of what they had, where they’ve been and where they went wrong. Talk about emotional roller coaster ride! This one will hit you all in the feels! I never wanted to stop listening! If you love second chance romance, I highly recommend this one!
Sarah and Neill put on an amazing performance! They fit their characters perfectly and I could feel everything the characters were feeling!
***** AUDIOBOOK REVIEW *****
This story was painful but it was beautiful. It’s an interesting mix. PJ and Seth both have had such a hard life and they have so much baggage. Sometimes when life is hard you seek out ways to cope and not all of them are healthy… this is something that so many people deal with. It’s hard to hear about and I felt this story. It’s easier to use something to block out life than it is to face it. It’s easier to be dependent on another person for validation than it is to validate yourself. So just go in knowing that… this Rock album story is much more difficult than the earlier books. This one might have some triggers, so go in knowing that you’re mentally aware. That’s all I’ve got as far as the storyline… this one if a heart breaker so grab those tissues!
I really like the way LJ Evans set up this story. It felt kind of interactive with the letters and the responses. It flowed so easily and it was just so different of a flow to most other books out there and hearing it in audiobook was amazing! I’ve never heard Neill Thorne previously. He and Sarah Puckett had a hard job in front of them. These characters were emotional and full of… drama, I don’t really want to say drama but the emotional upheaval was deep and heavy. Pucket and Thorne really portrayed those emotions and just seemed to embody those characters.
#AudiobookObsession
This is the third book in the My Life as an Album Series written by LJ Evans. This story can be listened as a standalone, but you don’t want to miss one book in the Series. I like how each chapter is themed with a lyric from Bon Jovi’s songs. Seth and PJ’s story is heartwrenching, emotional, intense, and beautiful, filled with misunderstandings, a lack of communication, and a little suspense. The story is slow paced, and the back and forth, past to present, is well done. Seth’s letters are beautiful. The ending is heartwarming. I love to have both POV. The supporting characters are great, and they have an important part in this story. Sarah Puckett and Neill Thorne did an amazing job with the narration. Sarah Puckett is already one of my favorite narrators. I like her reading as PJ. Neill Thorne is a new narrator to me. He has a great voice, really pleasant to listen to. He is perfect as Seth. I enjoyed it. I love this Series. Looking forward to listen to My Life as a Mixtape, the last book in the Series.
Wow a gut wrenching, emotional, story based on songs by Bon Jovi. Another great wonderful read by LJ Evsns. each book in this series is phenomenal
Seth is a renown junk artist, a recovering Alcoholic, domineering, confident, possessive. But underneath, all he really wants is someone to love him. His broken background keeps him from knowing what real love is. It’s hard for him to communicate his deep feelings with PJ. They only way he can show her is in his sculptures, art and touch.
PJ parents died when she was 13, She lived with her brother who was in college, giving up his dream of going to med school.
Her insecurities and low self esteem in high school gave her a false sense of love. Did the boys really love her or just used her?
PJ never met anyone as intense as Seth. His possessiveness eventually will drive her away
The story is about their emotional break, his letters to PJ and explaining his feelings, his tormented childhood and what was behind his actions.
Seth portrayed their relationship in one of his sculptures. It’s knots twisted, coming together as one. The symbolism in this story shows how broken both are but come together in the end.
Oh I can’t say how much Sarah Puckett and Neill Thorne are phenomenal in their narration. Their voices and personalities for each character were spot on! The ability to transition from one character to the other is flawless. Both showed PJ and Seth at their strongest, weakest and most vulnerable moments. I thoroughly enjoyed listening tothe story.
#audiobookobsessionreviewer
There is a lot of present and past time back and forth in this book but in these letters, their heart and souls are poured out. I really liked these two and seeing them overcome such tragic pasts and find love together makes for a really good listen. The narration in this book is phenomenal.
My Life As A Rock Album by LJ Evans is a novel inspired by Bon Jovi songs that shows how love and acceptance can heal even the toughest scars. This is the third book in the My Life As An Album series that can be read as a standalone. I listened to the book on audio narrated by Sarah Puckett and Neill Thorne.
This is the second book of LJ’s that I have read and it definitely won’t be my last. She does an amazing job pulling you into the story. You can’t help but root for Seth and PJ. This story was absolutely amazing.
Sarah and Neill did an amazing job on the narration. I could feel all the emotions that Seth and PJ were going through.
AudiobookObsession
AudiobookObsessionReviewer
My Life as a Rock Album
My Life as an Album, Book 3
By: LJ Evans
Narrated by: Sarah Puckett, Neill Thorne
I have heard so many good things about LJ Evans and the previous books in this series. I haven’t had the pleasure yet of listening to those, but now I know what all the buzz is about. This book is amazing. Taking lyrics from Bon Jovi songs to represent each chapter, and sucking me into a whirlwind romance between bad boy, Seth and good girl, PJ had me wrapped up in their story all day. Seth is a little of everything I love. He is a man, broken and flawed, but loves with his whole heart. PJ is strong and confident, knows what she wants and will not be swayed. Written in a way that had me entranced, we have PJ’s point of view and letters to PJ from Seth. It alternates and gives us a great insight to both sides and making us feel it all. The love, the frustration, the fear and the desire. It’s all there in both of them. Evans also adds a thread of suspense, which I loved! It adds a layer to the emotional states of all. I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be going back to listen to the others.
Sarah Puckett and Neill Thorne bring this story to life. Puckett always gives me all the feels, and she brings it all to the surface. I love her as PJ! This is my first listen for Thorne and all I can say is WOW, this man can narrate. He gives Seth creates all facets of his personality and lets it out in those letters. This team enhances this book and lets us into PJ and Seth’s life as a rock album.
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Audio Review: My Life As A Rock Album (My Life As An Album) by L.J. Evans, Narrated by Sarah Puckett, Neill Thorne
The amount of heart that went into Seth and PJ is evident by emotions they made me feel. There were moments when I almost got chills from the heartache. Puckett and Thorne may be leading the tour, but Evans is never far away. Rock Album shoves you through the rain toward a rainbow that proves itself to be a well hidden and hard earned reward. A captivating whirlwind.
A Beautifully Moving Story! Fantastic Narration
My Life as a Rock Album My Life as an Album, Book 3
By: LJ Evans
Narrated by: Sarah Puckett, Neill Thorne
LJ Evans continues to wow me with her amazing “my life as an album” series. She is a gifted author who writes novels that are realistic, she takes her readers and/or listeners hearts and rips them out breaks them into a million tiny pieces and then puts it back together again. The characters are complex, their stories are intense, raw and real, I was easily lost in their story, it not only captivated my attention it captivated my heart too. Seth Carmen played a part in Cam’s life and he did not leave me with a good impression in the first book. He still beats himself for what happened with Cam and I will say learning more about him and what he’s been through gives you more understanding, I am not giving him a pass but he certainly redeems himself in this book. He cleans up his act but he still has an angsty attitude, comes off rude but he always keeps it real, he knows he is broken and has issues. He is a successful artist and is making a name for himself for his masterpieces and creating beauty from junk creations. When PJ caught his eye she was all he wanted and he worked his way into her heart. PJ Hensley, college student working at her brother’s gym and hoping to get into Pratt for Grad school. She is broken in many ways too, at first she blows Seth off but he eventually wins her heart. But their relationship was doomed from the start, he was possessive and overbearing she had her battles with her inner demons. A person stalking her does not help matters either. I loved how everything plays out in this book, it is cleverly plotted and uniquely presented and told. Inspired by Bon Jovi lyrics, Seth finally reveals his thoughts to PJ through letters, we hear his thoughts and her inner thoughts and reflections as their story is told. There is never a dull moment with plenty of drama, angst, a twist with some mystery leading to some thrilling and suspenseful moments, loads of emotional moments, both heartfelt and heartbreaking, and a true romance. I loved how these two characters grew, they were great together and perfect for each other. It was an intense journey for them but love wins in the end. LJ Evans, thank you for another magnificent story and the emotional rollercoaster ride.
I listened to the Audible edition, Sarah Puckett and Neill Thorne are fabulous narrators and voice artists. They do an amazing job portraying the characters, bringing them to life and humanizing them with their emotions, attitude and personality. They are amazing voice performers, they do more than giving their characters their voices, they fall into the roles and become the character. They are entertaining storytellers and a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for this awesome listen
** Audiobook review **. Let me preface this with an apology. If I sound stunningly inarticulate in this review, I can’t help it, listen (or read) this series and you’ll completely understand. LJ Evans has a special gift that allows her to write a story that will make you think, it’ll rip your heart out, run it through a cheese grator & then mend it back together again piece by piece. This is a deep, intense, gut-wrenching breath-takingly beautiful five star book. You will laugh, cry, be frustrated, want to punch someone and/or something yet you’ll completely fall in love with these characters and the story. Sarah Puckett & Neil Thorne do an absolutely phenomenal job narrating PJ & Seth’s story. And Neil’s voice is sexy as hell. Don’t think twice…just download & listen to this audiobook (as well as the rest of the series!). You will NOT be disappointed. I was given a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
My Life as a Rock Album takes on a slightly different and unique set up for the delivery of the story – love letters written by Seth Carmen. Those letters are the insight to the building and breakdown of a beautiful man and romance. Those letters ran the gamut of emotions. And then following each letter, PJ gives voice to her feelings and emotions regarding the intimate details of Seth and their relationship.
Seth Carmen is a talented and extremely sexy “trash” artist with some pretty heavy baggage. But those love letters show a loving and committed man as well. They give such a clear picture of the man he wants to be.
PJ Hensley hasn’t had it easy. She’s a contradiction, but aren’t we all. She’s a gorgeous woman, strong-willed and yet pliable. She wants to be her own person yet adored and loved deeply. Those feelings resonate. They also frustrate.
Their trials are not easy but they are supported by a great cast of characters that love them and want to see them happy. This is a well-written, hard fought, second chance romance that was truly enjoyed.
We met Seth in the first book of the series and he was tortured even then, so it was nice that he got his own book. As an artist, his emotions are strong, he feels with every inch of him. So when he meets PJ, who he nicknames Bella, he’s hooked. PJ doesn’t have a good history with men, so knowing that Seth is a bit of a player, she’s not all that interested. But his persistence is charming, and he’s easy on the eyes. But she’s just not sure she’s ready to date.
The two of them come with their fair share of baggage, and they are putting their issues unfairly on each other. Seth is controlling and PJ has a dark past she can’t get over. But together they can heal each other’s scars. This book was emotional and sweet, with each chapter titled from a Bon Jovi song. I think Evans idea to do this with the series is unique and creative. I would have liked to see each of them be a bit stronger, but I can completely understand being bogged down with the past. With emotions running high, it’s hard not to get caught up in their story
This book was an interesting read. It was done in a unique way, however it was hard for me to read in this context.
PJ and Seth have a unique relationship that you find out about in their letters back and forth to each other and from them reminiscing about their time together leading up to them being reunited.
This was a different read than what I have read before. Which made it hard to review. 3.5 stars.