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Rock Rhapsody #2
Rock Him
Asher Lowe, rock god, notorious womanizer and rebellious son of ruthless billionaire Sterling Lowe, has spent two decades building Spade into the most successful rock band of the era and living down to his father's expectations. His antics on and off stage are the stuff of fantasy and legend.
Fiercely independent Maddy Anderson doesn't back down from a challenge, even when it hurts. She's spent ten years dealing with chronic illness and is succeeding on her own terms, just a semester away from finishing her degree and starting her lifelong dream of a career in education.
When tragedy strikes, Asher's life is torn apart. He hires Maddy to care for his dead sister's child, and discovers he has a lot to learn about love and commitment. She makes him want to be the kind of man who can care for them both. But can this rock star make the leap from sexy front man to family man or will their bright future be sacrificed to the past?
Fiercely independent Maddy Anderson doesn't back down from a challenge, even when it hurts. She's spent ten years dealing with chronic illness and is succeeding on her own terms, just a semester away from finishing her degree and starting her lifelong dream of a career in education.
When tragedy strikes, Asher's life is torn apart. He hires Maddy to care for his dead sister's child, and discovers he has a lot to learn about love and commitment. She makes him want to be the kind of man who can care for them both. But can this rock star make the leap from sexy front man to family man or will their bright future be sacrificed to the past?
211 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 2, 2013
16 people are currently reading
1052 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Cross
22 books156 followersRachel Cross writes fast-paced contemporary romance with a twist. She lives by the beach in SoCal with her husband, two children and two dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
September 7, 2013
Rock Him was touching and sweet with a slow build romance that left my heart soaring!
Asher Lowe is the lead singer, and founder of Spade, a tremendously famous rock band. While he was never one to all-out party, as Asher approaches forty, some of the aspects of his lifestyle have lost their appeal. With all that said, he’s far from prepared to handle raising a five-year old on his own, which is the situation he has been thrown into. After receiving the devastating news that his sister, Dee, died in a car accident he is left with the care of his five year-old niece, Ella. He loves her to bits but between dealing with his own grief and Ella’s he’s treading water fast.
Enter Maddy, she’s a college grad student in her last semester of school. She catches the eye of Asher when she helps him out with Ella on a plane ride home. She isn’t the usual star-struck fan he encounters, and she’s a total natural with his niece. When he can’t find anyone to click with Ella, Asher barges into her life and convinces her to be Ella’s nanny. Maddy’s care, concern, and affection for Ella touch Asher’s heart. When he finds out Maddy is dealing with chronic rheumatoid arthritis, and the way she deals with it, strong and determined, it makes him admire her even more. Before he knows it, he’s falling fast and hard.
Maddy is skeptical of Asher and his ability to care Ella. But after she reluctantly accepts the position as nanny, she’s touched by how much Asher cares for his niece. Living with Asher, Maddy is surprised to find that he isn’t the party animal or womanizer she thought he would be. Even trying to keep boundaries up she can’t fight the brewing attraction between them:
Each time she glimpsed his mouth, every time she got close enough to smell his citrusy leather scent, her body quickened. Her feelings for him were much more complicated than lust. Lust she could deny. Her heart ached for him.
"I want you," he admitted baldly, "More than I've ever wanted anything in my life."
Rocker romances are always a little tricky for me. I struggle to believe that someone in that business would find a woman and stay true to her. This wasn’t the case for me with Rock Him. Asher has been in the business for a while and is already at the point where the endless opportunity for women no longer holds the thrill it did when he was younger. Plus, he seemed like a serious person who wasn’t all about the “fun” aspects of being in a band. Apart from the fame and fortune, he seemed like a normal guy struggling with finding balance. Maddy certainly helps him with that and they slowly fall for each other in the process. Seeing his protective and caring instincts come out for not only Ella but also for Maddy with her illness melted my heart!
I appreciated how the author incorporated Maddy’s chronic illness into the story and it felt like a realistic portrayal. Maddy leads a mostly normal life, but it shows some of the struggles a person with RA would have to deal with on a daily basis. So many times you read of “perfect” heroines when real life mostly isn’t like that.
This is my second Rachel Cross story and it won’t be my last. She has a way of immediately sucking you into a story! I read this story with rapt attention in one day, and in one sitting.
A copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Asher Lowe is the lead singer, and founder of Spade, a tremendously famous rock band. While he was never one to all-out party, as Asher approaches forty, some of the aspects of his lifestyle have lost their appeal. With all that said, he’s far from prepared to handle raising a five-year old on his own, which is the situation he has been thrown into. After receiving the devastating news that his sister, Dee, died in a car accident he is left with the care of his five year-old niece, Ella. He loves her to bits but between dealing with his own grief and Ella’s he’s treading water fast.
Enter Maddy, she’s a college grad student in her last semester of school. She catches the eye of Asher when she helps him out with Ella on a plane ride home. She isn’t the usual star-struck fan he encounters, and she’s a total natural with his niece. When he can’t find anyone to click with Ella, Asher barges into her life and convinces her to be Ella’s nanny. Maddy’s care, concern, and affection for Ella touch Asher’s heart. When he finds out Maddy is dealing with chronic rheumatoid arthritis, and the way she deals with it, strong and determined, it makes him admire her even more. Before he knows it, he’s falling fast and hard.
Maddy is skeptical of Asher and his ability to care Ella. But after she reluctantly accepts the position as nanny, she’s touched by how much Asher cares for his niece. Living with Asher, Maddy is surprised to find that he isn’t the party animal or womanizer she thought he would be. Even trying to keep boundaries up she can’t fight the brewing attraction between them:
Each time she glimpsed his mouth, every time she got close enough to smell his citrusy leather scent, her body quickened. Her feelings for him were much more complicated than lust. Lust she could deny. Her heart ached for him.
"I want you," he admitted baldly, "More than I've ever wanted anything in my life."
Rocker romances are always a little tricky for me. I struggle to believe that someone in that business would find a woman and stay true to her. This wasn’t the case for me with Rock Him. Asher has been in the business for a while and is already at the point where the endless opportunity for women no longer holds the thrill it did when he was younger. Plus, he seemed like a serious person who wasn’t all about the “fun” aspects of being in a band. Apart from the fame and fortune, he seemed like a normal guy struggling with finding balance. Maddy certainly helps him with that and they slowly fall for each other in the process. Seeing his protective and caring instincts come out for not only Ella but also for Maddy with her illness melted my heart!
I appreciated how the author incorporated Maddy’s chronic illness into the story and it felt like a realistic portrayal. Maddy leads a mostly normal life, but it shows some of the struggles a person with RA would have to deal with on a daily basis. So many times you read of “perfect” heroines when real life mostly isn’t like that.
This is my second Rachel Cross story and it won’t be my last. She has a way of immediately sucking you into a story! I read this story with rapt attention in one day, and in one sitting.
A copy was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
August 30, 2013
4 solid stars. I have never had the privilege of being asked to review a book BEFORE it is released, so when I got a message from the author asking me if I wanted to read
for an honest review, I jumped up and down like a fan-girl, while shrieking manically at my computer, "DOES A WILD BEAR SH#* IN THE WOODS?!?!?!?!!!!....HELL YES!!!!!!!" I managed to be somewhat more professional in my reply. I don't think it had any swear words, and I only used a couple of exclamation marks at the end of my YES!! Needless to say, I was pretty excited.
I read
which is the story of Alec Sawyer, the guitarist for the rock band Spade. I really liked it, so I was looking forward to reading his friend Asher's story.
Asher Lowe is the lead singer of Spade. He is a very hot, very sexy womanizer, and an all around bad boy. He is the epitome of a rock star, and his reputation is legendary. Not only is he famous, he is notoriously naughty. Asher also comes from a very wealthy family that he drives crazy with his rock star reputation. He was raised with money and privilege so he does not know what it means to be poor, or not be able to get what you want, whenever you want it. He lives for himself. Both parents were essentially absent growing up, and he does not have a relationship with either. The example they set has left him cynical of marriage, and of relationships in general.
Then there is Maddy. Maddy Anderson is barely scraping by. She is trying to finish her degree in education so she can be a teacher. Growing up, she never had it easy, and for the last ten years she has been living with a chronic illness. She is at a job that she doesn't like because she needs the money, but mostly because she needs the insurance.
When a tragedy occurs in Asher's family he finds himself with the responsibility of his five year old niece, Ella. He meets Maddy and hires her to be Ella's nanny.
This is not your typical rock star story. The fact that he was a rock star just gives us the information we need, so we understand why he acts the way he does. The real story is how Asher has to grow up, and be responsible for someone besides himself. He is responsible for a 5 year old little girl who has lost her mother, and is grieving. The journey for Asher is sometimes difficult, partly because he knows nothing about little kids. Fortunately, for Asher and Ella, Maddy does. The relationship between Asher and Maddy starts as employee/employer, and grows from that. No insta-love here.
The fact that Maddy has a chronic illness is also a major factor in this story. I think that it is handled beautifully, and realistically. To be honest, I usually want my H/h to be perfect and beautiful. They can be emotionally flawed, but I like the outside to be flawless. I'll admit, I like the fairytale. The author showed us that even in the midst of hardship, and not just temporary hardship, but a handicap that isn't going to go away, that love can make a fairytale. I started off thinking how lucky Maddy was that Asher loved her and wanted to take care of her, to thinking that Asher was the lucky one, because she loved and wanted to take care of him. Maddy became much more than her illness. I went from thinking that he loved her in-spite of her illness, to her illness being a non-issue.
I KNOW!!....I'm a "perfect heroine snob"....*hangs head in shame* but after this book I feel I'm reformed. I have another book that I haven't read, where the heroine has a handicap. It's been on my TBR list forever, not read, because of my aforementioned snobbishness. Geez......how shallow is that?? I'm going to read it now.
Rock Him was a great read. It had great characters, a sweet love story, and a wonderful storyline. A really great book! Thank you, Rachel Cross, for asking me to read and review it.
And just in case any other authors out there read this review, and wonder if I would be interested in reading another ARC????? See paragraph #1. The "Wild Bear" idiom, taught to me by my Grandma from the backwoods of Arkansas.....where I am assuming there are a lot of wild bears.....will not be what I put in my reply. However, it will be what I am thinking, when I answer with a resounding......YES!!!
for an honest review, I jumped up and down like a fan-girl, while shrieking manically at my computer, "DOES A WILD BEAR SH#* IN THE WOODS?!?!?!?!!!!....HELL YES!!!!!!!" I managed to be somewhat more professional in my reply. I don't think it had any swear words, and I only used a couple of exclamation marks at the end of my YES!! Needless to say, I was pretty excited. I read
which is the story of Alec Sawyer, the guitarist for the rock band Spade. I really liked it, so I was looking forward to reading his friend Asher's story.Asher Lowe is the lead singer of Spade. He is a very hot, very sexy womanizer, and an all around bad boy. He is the epitome of a rock star, and his reputation is legendary. Not only is he famous, he is notoriously naughty. Asher also comes from a very wealthy family that he drives crazy with his rock star reputation. He was raised with money and privilege so he does not know what it means to be poor, or not be able to get what you want, whenever you want it. He lives for himself. Both parents were essentially absent growing up, and he does not have a relationship with either. The example they set has left him cynical of marriage, and of relationships in general.
Then there is Maddy. Maddy Anderson is barely scraping by. She is trying to finish her degree in education so she can be a teacher. Growing up, she never had it easy, and for the last ten years she has been living with a chronic illness. She is at a job that she doesn't like because she needs the money, but mostly because she needs the insurance.
When a tragedy occurs in Asher's family he finds himself with the responsibility of his five year old niece, Ella. He meets Maddy and hires her to be Ella's nanny.
This is not your typical rock star story. The fact that he was a rock star just gives us the information we need, so we understand why he acts the way he does. The real story is how Asher has to grow up, and be responsible for someone besides himself. He is responsible for a 5 year old little girl who has lost her mother, and is grieving. The journey for Asher is sometimes difficult, partly because he knows nothing about little kids. Fortunately, for Asher and Ella, Maddy does. The relationship between Asher and Maddy starts as employee/employer, and grows from that. No insta-love here.
The fact that Maddy has a chronic illness is also a major factor in this story. I think that it is handled beautifully, and realistically. To be honest, I usually want my H/h to be perfect and beautiful. They can be emotionally flawed, but I like the outside to be flawless. I'll admit, I like the fairytale. The author showed us that even in the midst of hardship, and not just temporary hardship, but a handicap that isn't going to go away, that love can make a fairytale. I started off thinking how lucky Maddy was that Asher loved her and wanted to take care of her, to thinking that Asher was the lucky one, because she loved and wanted to take care of him. Maddy became much more than her illness. I went from thinking that he loved her in-spite of her illness, to her illness being a non-issue.
I KNOW!!....I'm a "perfect heroine snob"....*hangs head in shame* but after this book I feel I'm reformed. I have another book that I haven't read, where the heroine has a handicap. It's been on my TBR list forever, not read, because of my aforementioned snobbishness. Geez......how shallow is that?? I'm going to read it now.
Rock Him was a great read. It had great characters, a sweet love story, and a wonderful storyline. A really great book! Thank you, Rachel Cross, for asking me to read and review it.
And just in case any other authors out there read this review, and wonder if I would be interested in reading another ARC????? See paragraph #1. The "Wild Bear" idiom, taught to me by my Grandma from the backwoods of Arkansas.....where I am assuming there are a lot of wild bears.....will not be what I put in my reply. However, it will be what I am thinking, when I answer with a resounding......YES!!!
August 5, 2013
Thanks for the ARC..
*Supplied with ARC for an honest Review*
I'm so glad I liked this book!
This was only my second ever ARC and I was nervous about it. I hate writing a reviews to begin with and especially when I don't have a favorable opinion about a book cause I figure who the f am I to critique books, so I try not too, I just give my opinion on whether I like a book or not and I liked this book, a lot.
Who doesn't love a rock God and that's exactly what you get with Ash, but instead of the same old bad boy rockers story you get a twist, a love story between a man and women brought together by tragedy and the love of a little girl.
This is a definite recommend for me.
*Supplied with ARC for an honest Review*
I'm so glad I liked this book!
This was only my second ever ARC and I was nervous about it. I hate writing a reviews to begin with and especially when I don't have a favorable opinion about a book cause I figure who the f am I to critique books, so I try not too, I just give my opinion on whether I like a book or not and I liked this book, a lot.
Who doesn't love a rock God and that's exactly what you get with Ash, but instead of the same old bad boy rockers story you get a twist, a love story between a man and women brought together by tragedy and the love of a little girl.
This is a definite recommend for me.
September 12, 2013
Liked this one. Might get to do a proper review at some stage ....
August 5, 2015
I really enjoyed the first 100-150 pages, but the book lost me after that and I skimmed to the end (the epilogue was well done). Too much happened (including an overly dramatic introduction of Asher's mother) and it all happened too quickly (the had sex, said they'd take it slow, but on the next page Maddy was moving her things into Asher's room). This needed a plot development edit and line edit (at one point, Ella is called Emma).
Read
August 29, 2013This one is just not working for me. I made it to the 50% mark and it is so much about the hero's niece and not enough romance. He isn't very rock star-ish either.
May 20, 2018
When Asher Lowe, frontman and lead guitarist for the band Spade, found out his sister had died in a car accident he nearly lost it. Leaving behind her five year old daughter, Ella, Asher fought his dad and gained custody of her because his sister never mentioned who Ella’s father was. But Asher is in no way equipped to handle and care for a five year old. His lifestyle consisted of drinking, partying, women and he does not know any different.
He hires Maddy as a nanny for his niece. Maddy has rheumatoid arthritis and all her life has been spent mostly in hospitals dealing with pain and medications. She is now trying to complete her degree in education and she took up the nanny job as a gig to put herself through school.
But what she discovers about Asher behind closed doors shocks her. His facade as Spade frontman is just that. A facade. Behind all the glitz and glam he is just a regular guy who is lost and looking for the woman who will own his heart. With the inclusion of Ella, they make the perfect family, if Asher can find it to open his heart to love and if Maddy can fight pass her disease. But Ella has a dad somewhere out there and he can shatter all their dreams of a family together if he comes to claim his daughter.
Kudos to this author for highlighting the daily struggles an RA patient faces. I’m tired of a lot of authors portraying the heroine as perfect and flawless. We need more books where the heroine is not perfect and still she finds her HEA with a guy who seems unattainable. Asher is a rock god and he is hot as sin. Normal women would think he is way out of their league and as such would think he would be marrying perfect Barbie dolls. But this author just smashed that idea to hell by putting a normal regular sickly heroine with a hot hero who comes to love her as no one else can.
Ella is also a major driving force behind Asher and Maddy being together. Children have a way of bonding adults and I’m glad and happy that Ella was the one who did that. Sterling, Asher’s father was another very good character never mind he was very manipulative at first. He added authenticity to the story.
This is my first read by this author but it will definitely not be my last!!
He hires Maddy as a nanny for his niece. Maddy has rheumatoid arthritis and all her life has been spent mostly in hospitals dealing with pain and medications. She is now trying to complete her degree in education and she took up the nanny job as a gig to put herself through school.
But what she discovers about Asher behind closed doors shocks her. His facade as Spade frontman is just that. A facade. Behind all the glitz and glam he is just a regular guy who is lost and looking for the woman who will own his heart. With the inclusion of Ella, they make the perfect family, if Asher can find it to open his heart to love and if Maddy can fight pass her disease. But Ella has a dad somewhere out there and he can shatter all their dreams of a family together if he comes to claim his daughter.
Kudos to this author for highlighting the daily struggles an RA patient faces. I’m tired of a lot of authors portraying the heroine as perfect and flawless. We need more books where the heroine is not perfect and still she finds her HEA with a guy who seems unattainable. Asher is a rock god and he is hot as sin. Normal women would think he is way out of their league and as such would think he would be marrying perfect Barbie dolls. But this author just smashed that idea to hell by putting a normal regular sickly heroine with a hot hero who comes to love her as no one else can.
Ella is also a major driving force behind Asher and Maddy being together. Children have a way of bonding adults and I’m glad and happy that Ella was the one who did that. Sterling, Asher’s father was another very good character never mind he was very manipulative at first. He added authenticity to the story.
This is my first read by this author but it will definitely not be my last!!
January 24, 2017
Great story, thank you Rachel Cross!
This was a very sad, happy, tragic, triumphant, and wonderful love story. Life has many ups and downs, the peaks of those are so much easier, and always better to share with family and friends.
This was a very sad, happy, tragic, triumphant, and wonderful love story. Life has many ups and downs, the peaks of those are so much easier, and always better to share with family and friends.
January 25, 2018
Touch my heart
This book touch my heart in so many ways.Maddy and illness,and Ella losing her mom and Asher losing his sister.and All them learning how to love again.
This book touch my heart in so many ways.Maddy and illness,and Ella losing her mom and Asher losing his sister.and All them learning how to love again.
December 23, 2019
Den var bra. Jag gillade dock inte att han i alla fall i början var en så dåligt vårdnadshavare till Ella.
March 17, 2023
There’s no plot.
September 11, 2016
I really wanted to like this story more than I did. When I first came across it, the blurb gave me hope that it would read like one of Kristen Ashley’s book with the Alpha hole who falls in love with a special woman. In some ways, this story was like that; Asher was most definitely a jerk but he cared about family and Maddy was unique and strong and didn’t let life get in the way of her dreams. However, I couldn’t get as deep into the story as I normally do, and as a result, I didn’t connect with the characters.
I saw the care and concern Asher felt for his niece and sister but he still came across as petulant and self-centered. This is not unusual in a rock star romance–sometimes it’s the best part–I don’t think his character was fully fleshed out to explain why he was like this and why we should like him in spite of these failings. Maddy, too, wasn’t shown to full advantage. We saw her handle her disease and the obstacles around it with grace and perseverance but we also saw how she faltered when it came to handling Asher. She totally wimped out; I knew she had to have had a good reason for this but I couldn’t figure it out with the way the story was presented.
I think the fault wasn’t so much with the writing as it was with the length. This story needed to be longer so I could get a better handle on the character’s motivations to understand their actions. I can admit I often have this problem with category romances though. The required length often requires parts of the story to be assumed or skimmed over and I’m not smart enough to understand the implied bits. :P
Despite the issues I had with Rock Him, I’m interested enough to read Cross’ other book Rock Her. I enjoyed this story for the most part and the author’s voice was strong. Although it was category length, the story flowed well with no gaps of paragraphs or thoughts from the characters. I had no trouble understanding who was speaking at a particular time.
I do want to mention one of the most interesting aspects of this story was the disability–do I call it that or should I use the world illness?–given to the heroine. She had rheumatoid arthritis, an auto-immune disease that is non-curable. The author didn’t attempt to make this illness all rainbows and hearts, nor did she propose a wonder cure that would make Maddy more “perfect” for the hero. She made it an issue for the couple to deal with and I really liked that there were no resolutions in site. (I don’t think Asher seriously thought about what a life between them would be like with her illness but I liked the added struggle anyway.)
*review copy provided by publisher
I saw the care and concern Asher felt for his niece and sister but he still came across as petulant and self-centered. This is not unusual in a rock star romance–sometimes it’s the best part–I don’t think his character was fully fleshed out to explain why he was like this and why we should like him in spite of these failings. Maddy, too, wasn’t shown to full advantage. We saw her handle her disease and the obstacles around it with grace and perseverance but we also saw how she faltered when it came to handling Asher. She totally wimped out; I knew she had to have had a good reason for this but I couldn’t figure it out with the way the story was presented.
I think the fault wasn’t so much with the writing as it was with the length. This story needed to be longer so I could get a better handle on the character’s motivations to understand their actions. I can admit I often have this problem with category romances though. The required length often requires parts of the story to be assumed or skimmed over and I’m not smart enough to understand the implied bits. :P
Despite the issues I had with Rock Him, I’m interested enough to read Cross’ other book Rock Her. I enjoyed this story for the most part and the author’s voice was strong. Although it was category length, the story flowed well with no gaps of paragraphs or thoughts from the characters. I had no trouble understanding who was speaking at a particular time.
I do want to mention one of the most interesting aspects of this story was the disability–do I call it that or should I use the world illness?–given to the heroine. She had rheumatoid arthritis, an auto-immune disease that is non-curable. The author didn’t attempt to make this illness all rainbows and hearts, nor did she propose a wonder cure that would make Maddy more “perfect” for the hero. She made it an issue for the couple to deal with and I really liked that there were no resolutions in site. (I don’t think Asher seriously thought about what a life between them would be like with her illness but I liked the added struggle anyway.)
*review copy provided by publisher
July 11, 2014
Mixed Feelings
I have really mixed feelings about this book.
I loved the first part and couldn’t literally put it down, but the second half to me was disappointing, a bit stilted and not very engaging. It seemed like the story was proceeding too slow-paced and the author was compelled to rush in all the sex, angst and drama in the last half of the book. I liked the characters and I find the idea of having the main female character cope with a chronic disease a nice and moving touch. The problem for me was that the relationship between Asher and Maddie got from friendly employer/employee to boyfriend/girlfriend way too fast in a night of passion I found a bit out of context. It really seemed to me that the author wanted to fit other events planned and so just got over the whole relationship building quickly. I would have skipped the whole Jacqueline business to be honest, I found the story could have done better without it and with some more exploring in other situations.
All in all I liked the book, but it has some flaws I can’t completely overlook. I would have totally loved it if it maybe was longer or developed in a series of sort.
Last thing to mention: in my version there were a few mistakes a good editor might have fixed, nothing major and that influences the story, though.
I have really mixed feelings about this book.
I loved the first part and couldn’t literally put it down, but the second half to me was disappointing, a bit stilted and not very engaging. It seemed like the story was proceeding too slow-paced and the author was compelled to rush in all the sex, angst and drama in the last half of the book. I liked the characters and I find the idea of having the main female character cope with a chronic disease a nice and moving touch. The problem for me was that the relationship between Asher and Maddie got from friendly employer/employee to boyfriend/girlfriend way too fast in a night of passion I found a bit out of context. It really seemed to me that the author wanted to fit other events planned and so just got over the whole relationship building quickly. I would have skipped the whole Jacqueline business to be honest, I found the story could have done better without it and with some more exploring in other situations.
All in all I liked the book, but it has some flaws I can’t completely overlook. I would have totally loved it if it maybe was longer or developed in a series of sort.
Last thing to mention: in my version there were a few mistakes a good editor might have fixed, nothing major and that influences the story, though.
September 4, 2013
P.E.R.F.E.C.T.I.O.N!!
I had to finish it in 1 day, could not put it down!
Life as he knows it is about to change for legendary Rockstar Asher Lowe when all of a sudden he becomes the guardian of his 5 year old Niece Ella. Due to one of Ella's meltdowns on the plane ride home he meets Maddy, who becomes Ella's live in Nanny after a bit of pursausion. For once in over 20 years Asher can be totally himself around Maddy although she's a big fan of his music she's not starstruck around him!
It was really good to see that there was a story inside the story, by that I mean the fact that Maddy has a chronic illness(Rheumatoid Arthritis) It really shows people that you can be the same as everyone else even if you suffer from a chronic illness. People who suffer from a Chronic Illness deserve love as much as anyone else.. Even a Rockstar can fall in love with you ;) look at Maddy & Asher <3
I had to finish it in 1 day, could not put it down!
Life as he knows it is about to change for legendary Rockstar Asher Lowe when all of a sudden he becomes the guardian of his 5 year old Niece Ella. Due to one of Ella's meltdowns on the plane ride home he meets Maddy, who becomes Ella's live in Nanny after a bit of pursausion. For once in over 20 years Asher can be totally himself around Maddy although she's a big fan of his music she's not starstruck around him!
It was really good to see that there was a story inside the story, by that I mean the fact that Maddy has a chronic illness(Rheumatoid Arthritis) It really shows people that you can be the same as everyone else even if you suffer from a chronic illness. People who suffer from a Chronic Illness deserve love as much as anyone else.. Even a Rockstar can fall in love with you ;) look at Maddy & Asher <3
September 7, 2013
4.0 out of 5 stars
Rock's Best Opener
Rachel Cross's Rock Him begins with what I'll call one of the best openers in Rock Romance history. From there, the story is equal parts touching, real, and always entertaining. Although it's rock romance, this is a grown-up story with grown-up characters. Asher Lowe is pushing forty, not a twenty-something bad boy, and both he and the heroine, Maddy, deal with pretty significant issues as adults. Cross's style puts it all out there, the sadness, the unfairness, and sometimes the hilarity that makes for great reading and a great story. You'll root for tough Maddy and earnest Asher, and you'll be super happy when they get their HEA. Oh! And did I mention Asher's really hot? Yeah, that never hurts in a rock romance, does it?
Four Stars to Rock Him. Nice job, Ms. Cross!
*I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
Rock's Best Opener
Rachel Cross's Rock Him begins with what I'll call one of the best openers in Rock Romance history. From there, the story is equal parts touching, real, and always entertaining. Although it's rock romance, this is a grown-up story with grown-up characters. Asher Lowe is pushing forty, not a twenty-something bad boy, and both he and the heroine, Maddy, deal with pretty significant issues as adults. Cross's style puts it all out there, the sadness, the unfairness, and sometimes the hilarity that makes for great reading and a great story. You'll root for tough Maddy and earnest Asher, and you'll be super happy when they get their HEA. Oh! And did I mention Asher's really hot? Yeah, that never hurts in a rock romance, does it?
Four Stars to Rock Him. Nice job, Ms. Cross!
*I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
February 3, 2014
3 1/2-4 stars. I really enjoyed the premise for this book. Rock star gets custody of his 5 year old niece. Unsuspecting woman suddenly becomes nanny for the child. Relationship occurs. I liked how the hero, Asher, wasn't the "perfect" guardian in the beginning, and had to learn from his mistakes. I really liked Maddy's character--she was sweet and strong, and didn't let her illness stop her from doing what she had to. I thought the build up to the romance was rushed, even though nothing happened intimately until well into the second half of the story. Maybe if the book was longer, this aspect could have been explored more. I felt there was some sexual tension, then they "did the deed", then-BAM-she's moving into his room. There was also some questions about the child's father at the end that I wished went into more detail. Aside from that, I thought it was an entertaining read.
May 24, 2016
A decent sequel to Rock Her. I loved the fact that Maddie suffered from a chronic illness and the author made it authentic. But the romance felt rushed and because of that I didn't feel a connection between the MCs. There was too much plot crammed into the last half of the book.
And I had a hard time warming up to Asher. The opening scene of the book has him waking up after a threesome. That didn't endear him to me very much. And I know he changes from his womanizing ways because the author tells us he does. But I'm not convinced because we're not shown how he's changed or given any internal dialogue from his pov. Also, (and this is just a small annoyance on my part) I refuse to believe that a 40 year old man-whore, who has slept with more groupies than he can count, can remain STD free. It bugs me when authors write these types of characters yet they suffer no consequences for their years and years of behavior. That is all.
And I had a hard time warming up to Asher. The opening scene of the book has him waking up after a threesome. That didn't endear him to me very much. And I know he changes from his womanizing ways because the author tells us he does. But I'm not convinced because we're not shown how he's changed or given any internal dialogue from his pov. Also, (and this is just a small annoyance on my part) I refuse to believe that a 40 year old man-whore, who has slept with more groupies than he can count, can remain STD free. It bugs me when authors write these types of characters yet they suffer no consequences for their years and years of behavior. That is all.
June 28, 2016
This is a fun romance with Asher, the rock star, and Maddie, the nanny. Asher is famous and the son of a billionaire when his sister is killed in a car accident leaving a five year old daughter. Asher is not on good terms with his dad and is determined to raise his niece, Ella. He meets Maddie on a plane and she helps him with Ella thus gaining her points in Asher's eyes to help him with his niece. Ups and downs occur as Asher attempts to adjust his life style with a child. His Dad is suing for custody himself and antics abound. Maddie is the mature character in the story that teaches Asher how to be a parent and she is not impressed by his fame. She falls for Ella and eventually Asher as she sees his heart and his desire to commit to Ella. The course of true love never runs smooth and is rocky for these two. I did enjoy the character development and the story line with Maddie having a Chronic illness. Was an entertaining quick read. Thanks to Goodreads
July 26, 2013
Another knockout hit from Rachel Cross! Remember Asher from Rock Her? When we first met him, he wasn't exactly what you'd call boyfriend material. In Rock Him, Asher grows up and develops into the man he was meant to be. When tragedy strikes, he's forced to step up, grow up, and make some major changes. He'll need help, and that comes in the form of Maddy, the nanny he hires.
Their relationship blossoms unexpectedly amidst the turmoil of Asher's new life. Raising a child is harder than he imagined, and stepping up to accept responsibility isn't easier for a rock star who's never had to answer to anyone.
Rock Him has it all: a beautiful love story with real depth and explosive chemistry, celebrity, blackmail, and deep emotion. It's well-written and artfully developed. Check out Rock Him--you won't be disappointed!
Their relationship blossoms unexpectedly amidst the turmoil of Asher's new life. Raising a child is harder than he imagined, and stepping up to accept responsibility isn't easier for a rock star who's never had to answer to anyone.
Rock Him has it all: a beautiful love story with real depth and explosive chemistry, celebrity, blackmail, and deep emotion. It's well-written and artfully developed. Check out Rock Him--you won't be disappointed!
July 26, 2013
Oh My Asher! What a wonderfully written book and I literally devoured it in one day! Asher is the epitome of a rock star and lives that lifestyle to the fullest until a tragedy occurs and now he is the guardian of his 5 year old niece. Talk about a lifestyle change lol! He literally meets Maddy on the plane when she steps in and helps curtail a meltdown that Asher's niece Ella is having. Maddy knows who Asher is, isn't affected by celebrity and treats him like a normal person. Maddy is immediately drawn to Ella, and wants to help her any way she can. Maddy lives with a chronic illness, but she never let's it run her life. This is a love story that occurs between two people not looking for love, but find it! Loved this book and I want to thank the amazing author, Rachel Cross for allowing me read this fantastic book in exchange for an honest review.
August 15, 2013
I won an ARC edition to read and review. This is the first book by Rachel Cross that I have read and was pleasantly surprised. I really didn't know much about the premise of the story so was totally blown away when I was introduced to Maddy and Asher. Both characters have a lot of depth to who they are which enhances where this relationship goes within the story. The real connection starts with a tragedy and how to help a 5 year old child deal with death. Ella establishes the connection between the 2 but it's when they both let down their guard and show their true selves to each other that something wonderful happens. I did get totally sucked into this story and had several surprises along the way which had me yelling at the book at one point. Definitely worth the read if you are looking for a great romance with some real life thrown in.
September 3, 2013
I've never heard about Rachel Cross and read her books until today. I was in between books and decided to try something I had no idea about. I can't say that Rock Him shook my world or make my reading year. But the unexpected surprise was a story within a story, the h's struggle with rheumatoid arthritis. this subject is very personal to me and made me appreciate this book on a different level. Not many people understand living with chronic pain and it's OK. But those who do would admire Maddy, who chose living with pain instead of suffering from it. There is a love story and a struggle with death and grief, so this book isn't only about RA. Rock Him is written exceptionally well. The only issue I had was I didn't feel much chemistry between H and h. Other than that, the book was great and I'll definitely check Rachel Cross's other books.
September 22, 2013
ABHA'S REVIEW
4 STARS
Asher has it all; he is a rock star, literally! A true bad boy, born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Maddy on the other hand is fairly ordinary with a medical condition. They are thrown into a situation where Maddy comes to work for Asher, which is when the fun begins. Asher can get whomever he wants just not Maddy. She is a grad student who isn’t affected by his charm.
Asher’s relationship with his father and his niece are interesting aspects of this romantic story. Asher’s character is very well developed whereas Maddy’s is more enigmatic. This was an enjoyable read and a heartwarming story. I did like how Maddy’s struggle with rheumatoid arthritis was incorporated into the story; I learnt something about RA where previously I knew nothing.
Overall I give it 4 stars. I will have to check out the other books written by this author.
4 STARS
Asher has it all; he is a rock star, literally! A true bad boy, born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Maddy on the other hand is fairly ordinary with a medical condition. They are thrown into a situation where Maddy comes to work for Asher, which is when the fun begins. Asher can get whomever he wants just not Maddy. She is a grad student who isn’t affected by his charm.
Asher’s relationship with his father and his niece are interesting aspects of this romantic story. Asher’s character is very well developed whereas Maddy’s is more enigmatic. This was an enjoyable read and a heartwarming story. I did like how Maddy’s struggle with rheumatoid arthritis was incorporated into the story; I learnt something about RA where previously I knew nothing.
Overall I give it 4 stars. I will have to check out the other books written by this author.
June 24, 2014
Lovely story! This page turner book entertained me till the last page.
I liked the sexy tattooed rock star and his transformations. Also sweet Ella earned my heart.
While reading the book I realized how much I would like to be kind and strong as Maddy was. Loved her answers to different situations.
This is a very sensitive story worth reading. There are turning points and emotional moments that spiced up everything.
Would love to meet Maddy and Asher in the next Rachel Cross’s book, I already miss them.
They are many quotes I've liked in this book. Here are just some:
“...placing too much trust in other people to manage vast sums of money – and people – was ill advised.”
“...my feelings for you don’t have an off switch.”
“Sometimes doing the right thing could be disastrous.”
I liked the sexy tattooed rock star and his transformations. Also sweet Ella earned my heart.
While reading the book I realized how much I would like to be kind and strong as Maddy was. Loved her answers to different situations.
This is a very sensitive story worth reading. There are turning points and emotional moments that spiced up everything.
Would love to meet Maddy and Asher in the next Rachel Cross’s book, I already miss them.
They are many quotes I've liked in this book. Here are just some:
“...placing too much trust in other people to manage vast sums of money – and people – was ill advised.”
“...my feelings for you don’t have an off switch.”
“Sometimes doing the right thing could be disastrous.”
August 19, 2013
This is an ARC review...
Asher Lowe is a walking wet dream who personifies sex. Lead singer in a band, Asher seems to have it all until his world crashes all around him. Losing his sister in an accident,he finds himself now caring for his five year old niece. Asher needs to re-evaluate his life style if he's to have a chance with her. He can't do it on his own and he enlists the help of Maddy.
Little did Asher know that employing Maddy would change his life forever. This is a story of two people finding love, forgiveness, and family when least expected.
Rachel Cross delivers another beautifully scripted story about learning to forgive in order to truly love.
Loved it. Love Asher. Thank you Rachel.
Asher Lowe is a walking wet dream who personifies sex. Lead singer in a band, Asher seems to have it all until his world crashes all around him. Losing his sister in an accident,he finds himself now caring for his five year old niece. Asher needs to re-evaluate his life style if he's to have a chance with her. He can't do it on his own and he enlists the help of Maddy.
Little did Asher know that employing Maddy would change his life forever. This is a story of two people finding love, forgiveness, and family when least expected.
Rachel Cross delivers another beautifully scripted story about learning to forgive in order to truly love.
Loved it. Love Asher. Thank you Rachel.
July 23, 2014
There were several things that I liked very much about this story. The heroine with a chronic disease that is not minimized was them. However, the way the heroine wimps out at several points just didn't make any sense to me.
The hero was typical rock god type: petulant and a bit selfish but with a soft core. That said, he kept reverting to jerk-dom too easily every time something went wrong.
The whole deal with his mom just took word space that could have been better used to develop the romance, imo.
As for the resolution, it was way rushed.
As a personal pet peeve, what is it with pairing 40something heroes with fresh young 20something heroines? The story would have worked just as well or better with a younger hero and a slightly older heroine.
The hero was typical rock god type: petulant and a bit selfish but with a soft core. That said, he kept reverting to jerk-dom too easily every time something went wrong.
The whole deal with his mom just took word space that could have been better used to develop the romance, imo.
As for the resolution, it was way rushed.
As a personal pet peeve, what is it with pairing 40something heroes with fresh young 20something heroines? The story would have worked just as well or better with a younger hero and a slightly older heroine.
March 8, 2014
This was an enjoyable romance and can I just say that I REALLY enjoyed a romance that had a main character who dealt with a very real chronic illness and it's daily effects. Romantic leads are so often so physically perfect or 'imperfect' in like romantic comedy ways like dowdy or something - having a real physical difficulty, well, ya know, it just made it feel real, and for the millions of us out there dealing with daily chronic illnesses, it was nice that an author was willing to represent! And just a great story with some flawed characters who go on a very satisfying emotional journey. Great read!
April 20, 2015
A nice sweet romance.
Both Asher and Maddy feel the attraction to each other but choose to ingore it for the greater good of his niece. But along the way they become friends that actually care about each other....so when they finally give into the passion between them, they make an deep intense connection.
But there are many things standing in their way to happiness.
This book was a wonderful read about forgiveness, understanding, respect, believing in yourself, love, fame, and doing the best for someone even if it hurts you.
This was another great book that can be read as a standalone or part of the series.
Both Asher and Maddy feel the attraction to each other but choose to ingore it for the greater good of his niece. But along the way they become friends that actually care about each other....so when they finally give into the passion between them, they make an deep intense connection.
But there are many things standing in their way to happiness.
This book was a wonderful read about forgiveness, understanding, respect, believing in yourself, love, fame, and doing the best for someone even if it hurts you.
This was another great book that can be read as a standalone or part of the series.
June 8, 2016
* I received a copy of this book through the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway Program. *
I read this book in an afternoon while floating in the pool - it was a fast read with compelling characters that you instantly fall in love with! The plot is so fast moving that I never realized how much time was actually going by. The main characters are completely opposite but before you know it they are drawn together by a 5 year old. Emma is a major character in this story and she makes some of the scenes totally hers! How can a partying rock star and a college student going to figure out how to make things work?!? Well they can and they do in this book!!
I read this book in an afternoon while floating in the pool - it was a fast read with compelling characters that you instantly fall in love with! The plot is so fast moving that I never realized how much time was actually going by. The main characters are completely opposite but before you know it they are drawn together by a 5 year old. Emma is a major character in this story and she makes some of the scenes totally hers! How can a partying rock star and a college student going to figure out how to make things work?!? Well they can and they do in this book!!
September 16, 2013
This was such a great story. I absolutely loved Asher. Maddy was such a strong and caring character. I knew the minute the two met that they would be perfect together. This story moves quickly. They hesitate a little towards doing something about their attraction, but these are older characters so you don't get any back and forth. There are a couple of issues, but everything is resolved quickly. No jealousy to deal with. No cliffhanger, just a great book with wonderful characters. You'll love Asher instantly, smile while reading this story of finding the one!
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