Joelle married Rob Williams, lead singer of the rock band Zenith, before she was old enough to know better. She has spent years following Zenith around while they struggle to become rock stars. Only now, alcoholism has replaced the talent that once was going to make Rob a legend, leaving Joelle’s life spiraling out of control. The problem is there isn’t a soul in the world that cares, including … including her husband.
Nick Lassiter is a powerful business magnate in Seattle, Washington, and was acquainted with Joelle long ago, before she became Joelle Williams. Nick’s return to Joelle’s life gives her a link to a world outside of Zenith. A world that starts to become far more appealing than the crazy, alcohol dominated one she lives in. Until the fateful night when her entire life implodes and Nick is the only person she has to run to. Joelle soon sees only one thing clearly: Nick Lassiter has become so much more than just a friend who can save her.
When Zenith disbands and Rob tries to get sober, Joelle begins to discover her own identity outside of Zenith, and the person she finds is nothing like the young, fragile girl who needed rescuing when Nick first met her. Who she discovers just might be a woman worth loving.
Please be warned that all my titles contain swearing, sexual situations, mature content matter and often mild violence. Mature audiences ONLY
No cliffhangers.
Recommended Reading Order for The Zenith Trilogy
Zenith Falling
Zenith Rising
Zenith Fulfilled
more
This is the 1st book in the trilogy and it is an emotional heartrending story. I liked it and I felt bad for Joelle with her rough upbringing and her Bad relationship. Then it was Nick to the rescue and her life started to make a turn around for the better.
A long, but worthwhile story that sees how the relationship between Nick and Joelle ends up at the end. This story also introduces other characters which will develop into other books in this series. Loved this book and all that came with it. Well worth the read!!
This is the first book I’ve read by Leanne Davis. Let me just say, I love it and could not put it down. I felt bad for Joelle and the lifestyle she got stuck in. But eventually she meets Nick and everything starts falling into place. This book with break your heart and then put it back together again.
At first, I wasn’t sure about this book. I love the musician trope. However, the musicians of Zenith (however talented they apparently were) were lazy druggie alcoholics and that turned me off. It was hard not to feel for Joelle, who worked three jobs (while her husband did half work on his music), while still making it to his performances. It was hard not to see the push towards Nick, who was a little difficult for me to read in the beginning. Joelle was hiding through her clothes, hair, and makeup which made the world either scared or dismissive of her. She was stronger than she thought, and I loved her character. The story of Joelle and Nick evolved slowly and it was a little “loud” at times, but it was nice to read of a man who helped with no questions asked. He was mostly patient and was there to fall on, to rely on, and to love her for how she was.
Joelle Williams life is spinning out of control while she is married to rock star wannabe, the lead band of Zenith. The plot is already known from the beginning of drugs and alcohol. The marriage is doomed from the start.. She’s married to a wannabe rock star Rob, lead singer of the band Zenith. The plot thickens when an old friend swoops in to help save her. I love how she potrayed Joelle’s life battered and beat down. She is desperate to escape the hell of a life she has wound around her and making it hard to escaape. She is bound to her husband thinking she needs him and can’t live without him, like an emotional cinderblock around her neck. I won’t tell how the book ends, but I know that the crusade is heart wrenching. I don’t care for the drug and rock star scene, but again she gets a five on this book for describing the vicious cycle of degradation and desperation of a life with someone swowping in to save a friend. Good book however. It was long and it took me a while to read, but however I do like it.
Joelle and Nicks story shows us that we should never settle for anything accept true love. Two people involved with others find their HEA with each other. I don’t usually read cheating novels but this one seemed to work. Will definitely be reading the next book.
I loved this book. It was a true to life story which drew you in. To see Joelle who had a poor upbringing meet up with Nick, brother of an old friend who came from the opposite type of family. Never had to want for anything, yet he worked hard for what he had. Their journey to the beginning of a happy ending was captivating and kept you on the edge of your seat. Totally loved this book and how they both grew as people and as a couple.
This is a book where Joelle grows up really fast. She marries young to the lead singer of the band Zenith. She runs into her old friends brother when she was leaving a meeting. She didn’t know how he recognized her. She changed a lot. Blue hair, tatooes and piercings. He became a rich business man. She is torn between her husband who has stopped noticing her and to a guy that is noticing her. I liked it but the the back and for from Joelle. Make up your mind. I liked the ending. Ahe stopped and figured out what she really wanted.
Omg! Loved this story. Joelle and Nick suck you into the story. Joelle is dealing with challenges of her life and she is alone even though she isn’t. Nick comes along and can be see as a knight in shining armor character.
Leanne Davis is becoming one of my favorite authors. This book has steamy moments as well. Loved it!
Joelle is married to Rob. The lead singer for Zenith. Rob lives the fast pace life but is married to Joelle. He doesn’t really see her anymore and one night she runs into her old friends brother, Nick. At first they are so different that they don’t really speak until one night at one of the meetings Joelle’s car won’t start and Nick goes past the lot and wants to help Joelle. Joelle has no one in her life that will take a few minutes to listen to her. She’s pretty much feeling lonely and unwanted and uncared for. Rob is focus all on him and doesn’t notice that Joelle is making herself sick trying to be the best for them not her. Nick becomes a savior and helps Joelle make her life better. There’s a lot in this book but it’s great.
I loved this book about a young married girl struggling with identity, responsibility, her neglectful wannabe rockstar husband, realities of life choices. lassisster Her friend, boss, eventually her lover I loved I really liked his protective, generous, giving personality with this fragile woman. I didn’t connect with her husband Rob. He was self absorbed alcoholic. Loved Joella, but she could be contradictory. Well written dimensional relatable characters. Loved Erica, generous warm character, Spike too. Joellas growth was fun to read, I wanted to protect her, too. recommended.
When you read a Leanne Davis book you know it’s going to be something so painfully emotional, and tragic, that your stomach feels knotted while reading it. When I saw she had a new series coming out I was both happy and scared at the same time. Her characters go through feelings of guilt, sadness and devastated sympathy before getting there happy ending and as a reader you are along on that emotional journey from beginning to end. This is the first book in a 3 book series. The series is based loosely around the members of a band called Zenith.
The heroine Joelle Williams is married to the lead singer. Joelle lost both her parents for different reasons and by high school she was in foster care and alone. When she met Rob Williams she was just 19 and lonely with no sense of self and had radically changed her appearance. They married shortly after and now 4 years later she is attending Al-Anon meetings and trying to stay afloat living with an alcoholic husband and the band members in squalor. She doesn’t know who she is anymore. She’s become a doormat to her husband who controls her emotionally but she is so scared of being alone she puts up with everything until she runs into the older brother of a childhood friend at the Al-Anon meetings. At first she is embarrassed for him to see what she has become and figures he is going to judge her based on her hair, tattoos and piercings. But he soon becomes her lifeline and the only friend she can depend on when things get worse with Rob.
Nick Lassiter was such a uniquely written character. From the start he never saw what was on the outside of Joelle. He only saw what was on the inside and he knew she needed saving. Most of that comes from having to be the man in his family from the age of 13 when his father suddenly died leaving a grieving mother with many daughters left to raise. Nick appointed himself as Noelle’s rock until she was able to be strong for herself. This was not an easy or fast path as Joelle had so many issues along with a husband she had walked away from but was hesitant to completely let go of.
Joelle’s journey back to herself was not an easy one and at times was very painful to watch as she would move a couple steps forward then she would ultimately find something to sabotage it and take a few steps back. Even though Joelle wasn’t the addict here she still had to go through the steps to start making the right decisions for herself so she could start a new life.
We were introduced to all the characters who will be in the next two books in this book and I for one cannot wait to read their stories.
Most books in this genre romanticize rock stars, but Zenith Falling takes the opposite approach as Rob and his band only rock out rock bottom. This gritty approach felt raw and real, leaving me heartbroken for Joelle who really tried to mean those whole “for better, or for worse” vows they had made. But the worst in others tends to bring out the worst in ourselves, and it became a depressing toxic cycle. Enter: Nick. The older white knight with a hero complex, determined to help Joelle save herself, no matter how many times she attempts to self-destruct. I always enjoy Leanne Davis’ stories because her characters feel flawed and real in a way that seems like so much more than fiction.
Joelle Williams is 23 years old and is married to Rob, the lead singer of the band Zenith. She once believed that Rob was everything but lately things have gotten so out of control with his drinking and she knows that they are struggling to make ends meet. She prays that Zenith can make it big but until then she needs to work to keep the income coming in.
Nick Lassiter is 35 years old and a successful businessman. When he sees Joelle at an Al-Anon meeting he remembers her from when she was best friends with his younger sister, Trina. When he sees how much she is struggling he wants to help her get back on her feet but understands she is too proud for handouts.
As Joelle struggles through things she finds that Nick is the only one she can count on but will he be there for her when she needs him the most? When Joelle must make some heard decisions about her own life will Nick support her through everything and when Joelle is faced with his family will they support Joelle or throw her to the wolves?
This was an interesting book with some twists and turns to make you wonder what was going to happen next.
My heart broke for Joelle as she did marry Rob for the right reasons at the time but she was young and had no clue on how Rob would change with the lack of success of Zenith. She did her best to bring in income but it could not have been easy living in a house with the entire band.
Nick was definitely interesting as he saw something in Joelle that he wanted to help and he was able to get her working a more stable job but it also cost her a little bit as she didn’t have the qualifications and people resented her for it but he never had to face what she did. Nick was also very private and wasn’t open about certain things with Joelle.
Their was definitely chemistry between Joelle and Nick but both were in relationships so nothing could go anywhere.
My heart broke for what Joelle went through at her house and I was so happy that Nick and Erica were there for her and I loved Erica and how well she treated Joelle!! I was so angry at Nick’s family for how they treated Joelle, especially Trina.
Towards the end I felt bad for Joelle as she really felt like she did not belong in Nick’s world and she left the party and then things just completely spiraled out of control. I was so mad at Nick with Brittany, especially for what she had done to Joelle. I knew why Joelle had to see Rob and get things the way she wanted.
I was so proud of Joelle for taking the time she needed to get herself together at the end and I was happy how things ended!
Joelle has had a tragic life. Both of her parents died and she was in foster care. She met and married Rob at 19. Unfortunately her husband is an alcoholic and treats her horribly, yet she stays with him because she doesn’t want to be alone. She meets Nick and instantly craves his friendship.
Nick is a great character and helps Joelle find her way in the world even though it’s a huge struggle, but he never gives up on her. Very emotional read that will keep you reading and not wanting to stop.
Zenith Falling by Leanne Davis is book 1 in the Zenith Trilogy. This is the first book I have read from the author and I really enjoyed it. This book is well written and will take you on an emotional journey. I look forward to reading the next book.
This book had a decent storyline to it, but Joelle was despicable. She played the “poor me, I’m so confused in life” card far too often and was an indecisive, wishy-washy little girl for all but the last few chapters. Nick was okay, but he was no real prize either. He did stand up for Joelle against his family and her ex-friend (who was a vile, self centered, meaner than mean girl herself), but he was too quick to stalk off and not listen (much like he accused Joelle of doing), and was all but willing to throw his chances at Joelle away because he was mad. The only redeeming qualities of this book were the two supporting (in so many ways) characters: Erica and Spike/Spencer. Erica was truly kind and caring and S/S obviously cared about his friendship with Joelle and just wanted her safe and happy. I will read the next book to see how their story goes.
I enjoyed the journey with Joelle, Nick and Rob. I cheered for the way Nick took care of her. I hated that she loved Rob even though he wasn’t showing her anything in return. Seeing some of the stuff she went through was heartbreaking but Nick was always there to pick her up and put her back together
This was quite a slow burning book. Sometimes these bore me and I would give up but this one was well written and kept you drawn in to find out what happens. Nick has the patience of a saint to deal with Joelles issues.
It also draws you into the others characters as you go from hating the situation she is in to rooting for Spike and Rob to find their own happy ever after.
Very nice read. Kept my attention all the way through. I really enjoyed the suspense of trying to figure which man the main character would end up choosing. Looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.