An emotional, angsty, rockstar romance from the bestselling author of The Trouble With You and Wicked Beginnings.The sweetheart of Country is about to show the bad boys of Rock, it only takes a single beat for everything to change.Evangeline Walker knows how quickly everything can change. But nothing can prepare her for the moment she meets Rafe Hunter.Intense gray eyes.Wicked smile.Tattoos inked … nothing can prepare her for the moment she meets Rafe Hunter.
Intense gray eyes.
Wicked smile.
Tattoos inked on his skin just begging to be touched.
Those aren’t the reasons Eva should stay away from him though.
The fact he’s the bassist for America’s hottest rock band is the reason she should run and never look back.
Everyone knows the greatest love stories all start somewhere.
… this is their beginning.
Rush is a 50,000 word Black Hearts Still Beats prelude novel. Rise (BHSB: pt. one) and Rule (BHSB: pt. two) are coming soon!
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Wow! What a start to this journey. It was a truly beautiful story, that by no means it’s full of hearts and flowers. It was full of a spark and a connection, that I felt would be enough but somethings are just not enough when you encounter. A beautifully broken rockstar that doesn’t only deal with his own demons but those of his older brother.
Eva is a cancer survivor, someone that doesn’t feel she deserves to be alive. Someone that thinks the others should be here and not her. Her passion is for performing and she is an amazing talent. One that is shy but completely comes alive on stage. She plays for then all.
This book is about an encounter with Rafe from Black Hearts Still Best and Eva. It’s touching, beautiful, and for a while meant to be. Until it wasn’t anymore. You get all the feels of their connection, as well as what seems a promise. One that is destined to be broken.
All the characters that feature in this book make an impact from all the band to Molly, Eva’s best friend. The ending is set to make book two one that will keep you wanting more and guessing what will happen. This is a huge recommendation from me.
Reviewer: Donna
Judging by this Novella ,this series by L.A.Cotton is going to be just Amazing.
This is the introduction to Evangeline and Rafe and the beginning of their relationship.
After entering a singing contest Evangeline meets Rafe who is a member of a famous rock band and it turns her world upside down.
I Loved both of these characters Evangeline had been through so much and I really felt for her and Rafe is just so God damn swoony ….music plays a very big part in this book Rock and country make a pretty good combination…it shows how music can be so healing and can get you through bad times.
This is such a page turner full of emotion, angst and heart and I loved every minute of this Romantic, Musical extravaganza.
I can’t wait for the next book.
Eva and Rafe
Eva has come through a year of grueling chemo and pain. The emotional pain is as difficult as the physical pain. Her family has financial problems but she is alive and supposed to be happy. Not easy. A plot between her BFF and her mom get her accepted in a singing contest. One of the judges is a member of the hottest thing in rock. Even if she is a country singer it is an amazing opportunity.
Meeting Rafe, a member not judging the contest begins what she knows is a mistaken relationship. Can she trust him? He seems to have his own problems besides being famous and the stress of touring.
The story is of two young people with pressure who try to find something outside of their stressful lives.
For Rock Romance fans this is a winner. The characters are likable with strength beyond their years. This is a cliffhanger in three parts.
Reviewed for Words Turn Me on
One of my favorite L A Cotton books so far
This is a rock star novel about a girl and a boy from two different worlds. She’s a country singer, that’s yet to become famous and he’s the already really famous rock star.
When they met there’s an immediate spark between those two. It seems like the characters have both been through a lot and at least Eva is in the process of healing.
Despite being musical geniuses these two and all other characters in the book seem so real! You feel for and with them, and that’s exactly why I love Lianne Cotton as an author – she gets you to feel it every time
This story is just the begging of an epic series and I really can’t wait for the rest
If you love a good new adult romance book – maybe even rock star novel – than you will love rush
I’m not usually an audio book fan but this storyline was compelling and the narrator had me hooked from the beginning. I highly recommend this book to read or listen to. I may have just found myself a new favorite author in L.A. Cotton. I can’t wait for more in this series.
This was my first L.A Cotton book. I listened to it through Audible and the one thing that stood out the most was the music. I wasn’t expecting to actually hear the songs but they were amazing. I did feel that the story was a bit slow but I think the slow burn built a solid foundation that got me hooked. I became quite attached Eva and I am looking forward to starting book 2 to see what her future holds, I have such high hopes for her!
Rush: The Beginning: Black Hearts Still Beat, Book One was a great read by L.A. Cotton. Evangeline knows that everything change change very quickly. She doesn’t realize how much everything will change when she meets Rafe. She knows that she shouldn’t trust him as he is the bassist of the hottest rock band in America. I absolutely loved reading Evangeline and Rafe’s story and can’t wait to read more in this series. I loved how Sarah Puckett narrated the characters so you fall deeply for them.
L.A. Cotton is coming at readers with a new rock star romance series, and I have to say, I want more!
Evangeline Walker has had more than her share of troubles in life. But, when presented with the opportunity to do what she loves best, play her guitar and sing a song she has written in a contest she takes a leap of faith and follows her dreams.
But, nothing could have prepared her for Rafe Hunter, one of the industry’s hottest new rock stars. They both knew it was a bad idea and couldn’t possibly go anywhere, yet neither could walk away until they no longer had a choice.
I absolutely loved the start to this new series. Eva is such a fighter. Her backstory is intense and emotional and I can’t help but to root for her in every way. I adored that she found her spark to perform and follow her dreams again and I can’t wait to see where this series takes her. Her BFF is pretty awesome as well!
And Rafe . . .sigh . . . he isn’t your average rock star and I need to know more about him asap. The entire band seems to be full of mates that are not quite what they seem on the surface and I just know that L.A. Cotton will be thrilling readers with their stories as the series continues.
Rush is just the beginning of this story, and while it does not end with a cliffhanger, it definitely will leave you wanting more of Eva and Rafe’s story asap. 4.5 stars
With the year that Eva had had she never expected to be entering a music competition, or that a gorgeous stranger would help her through a panic attack.
After placing in the regional finals, she goes to a party with Molly, only to be asked by Hudson, a judge and band member from Black Hearts Still Beat she finds out the stranger is the bassist Rafe Hunter.
Molly lets her know Rafe will be in Camdena with Hudson and maybe they can hang out again, she can’t deny that she felt something with Rafe, but she didn’t want to compete with fans in every town she wanted their whole heart, but she still learnt everything she could about Rafe.
Eva though that the music would start to make heal and live again, but she never expected Rafe and how hard she would fall and what she would feel for him. They both have their secrets that there not ready to share, Eva knows they have a connection, Rafe seemed so genuine, can they make it work. What will Eva do when she’s offered the opportunity of a lifetime.
Does end on a cliff hanger can’t wait for book two.
After having overcome a very serious and almost terminal illness, Eva goes on to compete in and make it to the finals in a talent competition singing and playing the guitar after some pushing from her best friend to start living her life again. During the comptetion, she and her best friend Molly meet Hudson and Rafe, two members of the band Black Hearts. The connection between Eva and Rafe is paplable and it is clear that there is so much more to their budding relationship than just physical chemistry, but it seems like there is also so much mystery in terms of the band and their lifestyle and Rafe and his troubled brother Levi and secrets that they seem to be hiding.
Rush is the prequel to the series and it definitely gave me a small taste, but I want so much more. I cannot wait to read more about all of these characters and see where the next book in the series takes us. I really enjoyed both Rafe and Eva as the main characters. Eva is strong and a fighter and so talented. I have my fingers crossed that she and Rafe can continue their relationship and get their HEA!!!
Rush: The Beginning This is the first book in the Black Hearts Still Beat Series, a Rock Star Romance. This is a great introduction to the Series. This is an emotional story, with great characters, and an interesting storyline. Evangeline is a lovely strong young woman. Rafe is an intriguing character. The secondary characters are great, and they have an important part in this story. Evangeline’s parents are supportive and caring. The music integrated in this audiobook is a fun surprise. This story ends with a cliffhanger. I would love to listen to the next books in the series, Rise: The Interlude and Rule: The Final, to know what happens next. Sarah Puckett did a great job with the narration, as always. #AudiobookObsession
–When Country meets Rock you get the beginning of something beautiful–
Ok um yeah I loved this. After falling in love with the Rixon Raider series by Lianne I knew when she announced her new Rockstar series that I was going to be hooked.
I went into this book blind and pretty much fell headover heels in love with this world and these new characters. Both Eva and Rafe were heartbteakingly beautiful souls with an insane amount of chemistry and I absolutely loved the beginning of their story.
Eva felt like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders and felt guilty for things that were out of her control. She was trying to find a way to regain her life and passion for music as well as help her parents with some financial burden. She was such a strong, raw and conflicted character and I really felt the pain behind her smile.
Rafe had demons of his own you could tell he was struggling to deal with as well as watching himself open up to the possibility of something new and something that could be good for him. He was complicated, passionate, gaurded about certain things as well as selfless. We didnt get too much of a glimpse into his character as this story is not over but I can not wait to get inside his head and see how truly beautiful I know he is.
I love Lianne’s writting style its so smooth and seamless and very easy to get lost in and let the story consume you. This is only the beginning of Eva and Rafe’s story and I can not wait to see where it goes from here
Heartbreaking and freeing at the same time. The strength it takes to overcome such tragic and hard situations is overwhelming in this book and the songs rip your heart out and put you back together. I absolutely loved this book and am excited to hear the next when it comes out.
Rush: The Beginning
Black Hearts Still Beat, Book 1
By: L. A. Cotton
Narrated by: Sarah Puckett
What a story! I love it! There is something about rock bands that make me sing(pun intended) and this one is a lot of fun. Evangeline is a high school student, recently in remission and is struggling to get her life back to normal. When her best friend enters her in a singing competition, she takes it on hoping to win, but what she gets is so much more. Rafe is part of the Black Hearts Still Beat, and his band mate is a judge for talent show. Rafe is unexpected, yet when he begins showing interest and friendship is formed, Eva can’t help but give into the attraction the two have. What is so good about this book is it gives a good background of these two. There is a lot that has happened in there lives, and it definitely reflects in who they are. We also get a glimpse of the other members the band. Cotton has a great style of adding a little angst to her romance and it makes the story tug at your heart strings, and will leave it singing in the end.
Sarah Puckett gives a wonderful performance narrating this gem. She even performs a couple of songs showing her talent and versatility! She is the master of the angsty listen, and I love how she can pull me in from the beginning and just make me feel everything. I love her interpretation of this story and can’t wait for the rest of the series.
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Rush: The Beginning by LA Cotton is a Rockstar Romance that I listened to on audio narrated by Sarah Puckett. This is a prelude novel to Black Hearts Still Beat series that are coming soon.
All I can say is Wow! This is an amazing book and I cannot wait until Rise is released on February 19, 2020. I just loved the characters and can’t wait to see how everything plays out in the next two books.
Once again Sarah knocked it out of the park. She is an amazing narrator and always makes the story come to life. I loved the original music performance throughout the book.
AudiobookObsession
AudiobookObsessionReviewer
I am not a really big fan of short stories, but I do sometimes persuade myself to read the prequel of a new series. Especially if I am sure I will be reading that specific series. I hate missing out on important details and whatnot, so skipping is not really an option.
This prequel was pretty entertaining. I mean L.A. Cotton already had me convinced of this series when I saw the word “rockstars”. Count me in!!
There was a bit of a tragedy simmering in the background and it is very clear from the start that we are dealing with two broken souls in this book…Rockstar Rafe and Country singer Eva. I am very curious to see where their story will take us but… I am gonna be honest here and say that I was much more interested in the secondary characters.
Especially Molly, Hudson and Levi. Not surprising though, because this happens to me all the time and I can only hope that L.A. Cotton will be writing their stories as well.
So even though I am not a novella fan. I really enjoyed reading this one, but I am mostly looking forward to the full novels 😉 Won’t be long now.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review
Rock-star romance reads are usually not my preferred romance trope but L.A. Cotton has wowed me in the past, so I decided to give it a shot! I was hooked from the first chapter!
The story had just enough of the music “biz” lingo and scenarios, but was so much more. So much deeper. Evangeline Walker’s character was beautifully broken, trying to find her footing after beating cancer. Being a famed country singer wasn’t her dream, but she could sing and everyone in her life knew it. Her bestie believed in her gift so much that she entered Eva into a singing competition without her knowledge. The story is based around the entire competition and what unfolds after it’s over.
Rafe, the hero, was so darn down to earth and tender-hearted for being a famous rock star. Not the usual bad boy of rock stereotype… he left that job to his older brother. Rafe not only cared about Eva, but wanted to know her on the most personal level. Every interaction between these two was captivating. He too believed she had a gift and wanted to help her shine.
I can’t wait to see where the series goes after this read! It left off in a great place, leaving me curious as to what the heck happened to the hero and how he was going to redeem himself!
I received a complimentary audio book to review from @AudiobookObsession in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Loved,Loved , Loved this story. It’s a story of second chances in life. Pursuing your dream and following thru. Knowing who your true friends are. Her one true friend, Molly, is the only one who was her constant friend in her life. Evangeline enters a talent contest with her heart set to win. There she meets Rafe, the bass player in the hottest band at the time, the Black Hearts. They both took an interest in each other. Casual, at first, then eventually fire and lust. Rafe was intrigued by her, she wasn’t like the other girls always chasing after him. Rafe asked, ” We all have our demons to bear, but what is your demon? ” Eve answered “I lived.” .It’s a story of love, finding yourself, secrets hidden, despair, and taking charge of life. L.A. Cotton story is interesting, it kept me interested throughout. Sarah Puckett narration is phenomenal. The way she can change voices from one character to the next is flawless. Another thing that impressed me was, there was actually music and singing in the story. not just someone, reading the words! That was Brilliant! audiobookobsessionreview
Awesome Story & Audible Listen Captivating & Heartfelt!
Rush: The Beginning
Black Hearts Still Beat, Book 1
By: L. A. Cotton
Narrated by: Sarah Puckett
An awesome start to a new series, this book grabbed both my attention and my heart right from the start. Rockstar romances are one of my favorites and L.A. Cotton does not disappoint with this “Black Hearts Still Beat” prelude novel. It starts off with Evangeline “Eva” Walker, we get a glimpse of her life and who she is, as well as her best friend Molly. Eva is trying to get past a rough year, she needs to start living again. She is a talented singer & musician, her friend entered her into she is convinced to participate in a talent showdown. Her friend is stoked that one of the judges is Hudson Ryker the drummer of the band “Black Hearts Still Best”. Eva a country music fan is not familiar with the band. Her first impression of Hunter was not a good one. When her nerves get the best of her she goes off to catch a breather where she got some encouragement from a gorgeous grey eyed mystery man who turns out to be Hudson’s band mate Rafe Hunter. There is great chemistry between Eva and Rafe and they were drawn to each other. While their time tougher was short lived it was meaningful. I loved how much story L.A Cotton fit into this book, she dropped enough details to make your want to know more and give you a taste of what is to come. There is plenty of drama, angst, heartfelt emotions and a start of what I hope will be an epic romance. That you L.A. Cotton for this awesome story I am looking forward to the rest of the series.
I listened to the Audible edition, Sarah Puckett is an amazing narrator and versatile voice artist. She brings these characters to life, gives each their own voice and personality. I love her ability to cover both male and female characters and making each sound different and real. You could hear how much heart she puts into her work as she captures and projects the characters emotions, passion and attitude into her performance. Her portrayal of Eva was spot on, as was her Rafe, they sounded as I pictured them to be. Sarah is an entertaining storyteller and always a pleasure to listen to. Thank you for another awesome listen
The music and songs were a great addition to the audio too.
Thank you @AudiobookObsession AudiobookObsessionReviewer
*I received a free copy of this book which I voluntarily chose to write an honest review for.
I am totally hooked now!! This is a fantastic start to new series by Cotton. Eva has been through some rough stuff so as a surprise her BFF and parents send in an audition to a huge music competition coming up in the hopes that it will make her feel better. She agrees to compete after attempting not to which will change her life forever. One of the judges is a member of a huge rock band making things quite interesting as things progress. She falls for another member only for him to leave her in the dust leading to one doozy of an ending I must say. A wonderful start to what is going to be one explosive romance. I really liked it so I give it 4/5 stars.