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Wounded Martyr
Sometimes having it all means losing everything. Ice is an asshole, but he’s working on it. He’s two years sober, no small feat when you front a heavy metal band facing waning popularity and dismal ticket sales. But the pieces of a life torn apart by alcoholism are finally coming back together. His band, Wounded Martyr, has written a great album with the potential to launch them back into relevancy. And Ricky, probably the biggest, most important piece, has finally forgiven him for the wreck he made of their relationship. There’s only one problem. Ashton. It was to be expected. As his best friend and bandmate for almost twenty years, it’s only natural they should find each other in the loneliness of the road. Ricky knows about their one night together, but he doesn’t know that Ice can’t stop thinking about it, about his long body and whiskey-flavored lips, and the guilt of it has him on the brink of backslide. Now that Wounded Martyr is poised for a long tour, Ice must find a way to resist temptation or risk blowing their last chance and destroying his relationship with the two most important men in his life.
212 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 16, 2019
12 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
December 23, 2019
Wounded Martyr, Courtney Maguire
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: Romance, LGBTQIA
I really thought I'd like this book, I love romance, love m/m romance and love the rock star trope. And yet I just feel confused about this story. I got to the end and it wasn't with the satisfaction of a good read, but with the feeling of What did I just read? Was that really how it would end?
Its very well written, the words convey really clearly the downsides of addiction, of how staying sober seems the hard choice when everyone around you is drinking. How difficult it is to like the person you are now, when all you've known for years is the addict, how even though you know how awful you are when high or drunk you don't really seem to be a better person sober. All that came over so very clearly, along with the difficulties of relationships when touring, when distance separates and opportunities come unasked for.
Yet somehow the sheer grimness of Ice's life just got me down and coloured what I was reading. He didn't know what he wanted, and Ricky paid the price, band mate Ash was equally ambiguous, and the band after twenty years together seemed to have no kind of camaraderie or affection left. It was just grim all the way, and for me it was too much.
I kept wondering, if they'd been together twenty years and were playing to thousands why were they sharing rooms when they didn't want to and ought to have had the money to room alone – heck, have a suite alone. Does coke really only cost $50 a vial? Why did they still continue when the band really didn't seem close, were they ever close, did any of them actually enjoy the life anymore?
Ash and Ice, friends since childhood, and yet apart from some moments of lust and jealousy I didn't feel anything much between them. I guess I just needed more detail about the characters, their history, and something light to enliven the atmosphere of doom that seemed to live over the band.
The ending seemed a bit of a cop out, I didn't really feel as if anything had changed, except for the one major point, and wasn't convinced of long term happiness for any of them. Where was Sid gong to fit in with the Ricky/Ice/Ash grouping? And wasn't that going to cause more issues? The root causes of the problems still hadn't really been resolved I felt, and the way it seemed to finish held more problems in store IMO.
I find it hard to actually class this as romance, it didn't have any of the love, intensity of emotion, the feel good factor that romance holds for me, and even when it got close to a good emotion it was coloured by jealous thoughts.
I
Stars: Two and a half. Writing quality is four star for making me feel whats happening, for sheer realism, but content for me was just scraping a two, and unfortunately content is the greater sway when I'm reviewing how I feel about a story.
Arc via Netgalley and publishers
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: Romance, LGBTQIA
I really thought I'd like this book, I love romance, love m/m romance and love the rock star trope. And yet I just feel confused about this story. I got to the end and it wasn't with the satisfaction of a good read, but with the feeling of What did I just read? Was that really how it would end?
Its very well written, the words convey really clearly the downsides of addiction, of how staying sober seems the hard choice when everyone around you is drinking. How difficult it is to like the person you are now, when all you've known for years is the addict, how even though you know how awful you are when high or drunk you don't really seem to be a better person sober. All that came over so very clearly, along with the difficulties of relationships when touring, when distance separates and opportunities come unasked for.
Yet somehow the sheer grimness of Ice's life just got me down and coloured what I was reading. He didn't know what he wanted, and Ricky paid the price, band mate Ash was equally ambiguous, and the band after twenty years together seemed to have no kind of camaraderie or affection left. It was just grim all the way, and for me it was too much.
I kept wondering, if they'd been together twenty years and were playing to thousands why were they sharing rooms when they didn't want to and ought to have had the money to room alone – heck, have a suite alone. Does coke really only cost $50 a vial? Why did they still continue when the band really didn't seem close, were they ever close, did any of them actually enjoy the life anymore?
Ash and Ice, friends since childhood, and yet apart from some moments of lust and jealousy I didn't feel anything much between them. I guess I just needed more detail about the characters, their history, and something light to enliven the atmosphere of doom that seemed to live over the band.
The ending seemed a bit of a cop out, I didn't really feel as if anything had changed, except for the one major point, and wasn't convinced of long term happiness for any of them. Where was Sid gong to fit in with the Ricky/Ice/Ash grouping? And wasn't that going to cause more issues? The root causes of the problems still hadn't really been resolved I felt, and the way it seemed to finish held more problems in store IMO.
I find it hard to actually class this as romance, it didn't have any of the love, intensity of emotion, the feel good factor that romance holds for me, and even when it got close to a good emotion it was coloured by jealous thoughts.
I
Stars: Two and a half. Writing quality is four star for making me feel whats happening, for sheer realism, but content for me was just scraping a two, and unfortunately content is the greater sway when I'm reviewing how I feel about a story.
Arc via Netgalley and publishers
December 16, 2019
You ever sit down and start a book and dont stop until it's finished?!??!!!
This was that book.
And to be honest I dont even know if I can describe whether or not I liked it.
This book in a nutshell is about addiction and other stuff but I wouldn't necessarily say it was a romance....
Yes there was sex and a few MC's and rock and roll.
And the ending left me feeling incomplete, like wrapped up in a bow and done.
I felt like I didnt get the closure that "I" needed with this book.
I liked it but I also didn't like parts of it.
Mare~Slitsread
This was that book.
And to be honest I dont even know if I can describe whether or not I liked it.
This book in a nutshell is about addiction and other stuff but I wouldn't necessarily say it was a romance....
Yes there was sex and a few MC's and rock and roll.
And the ending left me feeling incomplete, like wrapped up in a bow and done.
I felt like I didnt get the closure that "I" needed with this book.
I liked it but I also didn't like parts of it.
Mare~Slitsread
December 14, 2019
Ice is the lead vocalist for Wounded Martyr. He’s sober. But he makes one of those mistakes that you usually make when you’re drunk… he has sex with bandmate and best friend, Ash. From that point forward things in Ice’s life begin to come apart.
This is an interesting novella with a lot of substance in it! Ice’s issues with alcohol (and later cocaine) are the way that he deals with … everything. The one place that he seems comfortable, is buried in his music and working with the band. The problem is that one night of sex with bass player, Ash, changes the dynamics of everything. Ice finds himself jealous of other people who are receiving Ash’s attention and he’s struggling with thoughts of Ash invading when he’s with his partner Ricky.
Substance abuse and interpersonal relationships are the backbone of this novella. Maguire has written a great depiction of the backsliding that can happen when one is one the recovery road. Little things become an excuse for Ice to drink … big things are a justification.
The interesting twist to this plot of the way in which Ice is struggling to maintain a relationship with his best friend, Ash… and begin anew with his partner, Ricky. Ice relies on the two men differently but they both have a significant place in his life. He seems to need them both… sometimes that manifests itself physically other times it’s emotionally. As his struggle becomes more intense things cycle out of the control until Ice hits bottom.
I would have loved to have read more about the conversations with Ricky and Ash… ultimately they seem to come together and realize that they have to accept each others’ presence if they want to keep Ash alive. I felt as though I was really missing out by not being able to be a party to how they came to that understanding. While the premise was set up exquisitely, I really wanted to know more about what would happen between the three men and what the dynamic of their relationship would ultimately become.
The end of the story felt a little rushed. Once Ice’s health was affected, Ricky and Ash united quickly to support him and I felt I needed more of an understanding of how that happened.
Overall, this is well-written and a very accurate depiction of a person struggling with addictions.
This is an interesting novella with a lot of substance in it! Ice’s issues with alcohol (and later cocaine) are the way that he deals with … everything. The one place that he seems comfortable, is buried in his music and working with the band. The problem is that one night of sex with bass player, Ash, changes the dynamics of everything. Ice finds himself jealous of other people who are receiving Ash’s attention and he’s struggling with thoughts of Ash invading when he’s with his partner Ricky.
Substance abuse and interpersonal relationships are the backbone of this novella. Maguire has written a great depiction of the backsliding that can happen when one is one the recovery road. Little things become an excuse for Ice to drink … big things are a justification.
The interesting twist to this plot of the way in which Ice is struggling to maintain a relationship with his best friend, Ash… and begin anew with his partner, Ricky. Ice relies on the two men differently but they both have a significant place in his life. He seems to need them both… sometimes that manifests itself physically other times it’s emotionally. As his struggle becomes more intense things cycle out of the control until Ice hits bottom.
I would have loved to have read more about the conversations with Ricky and Ash… ultimately they seem to come together and realize that they have to accept each others’ presence if they want to keep Ash alive. I felt as though I was really missing out by not being able to be a party to how they came to that understanding. While the premise was set up exquisitely, I really wanted to know more about what would happen between the three men and what the dynamic of their relationship would ultimately become.
The end of the story felt a little rushed. Once Ice’s health was affected, Ricky and Ash united quickly to support him and I felt I needed more of an understanding of how that happened.
Overall, this is well-written and a very accurate depiction of a person struggling with addictions.
April 21, 2020
Ice is an asshole, but he’s working on it. He’s two years sober, no small feat when you front a heavy metal band facing waning popularity and dismal ticket sales. But the pieces of a life torn apart by alcoholism are finally coming back together. His band, Wounded Martyr, has written a great album with the potential to launch them back into relevancy. And Ricky, probably the biggest, most important piece, has finally forgiven him for the wreck he made of their relationship. There’s only one problem. Ashton. It was to be expected. As his best friend and bandmate for almost twenty years, it’s only natural they should find each other in the loneliness of the road. Ricky knows about their one night together, but he doesn’t know that Ice can’t stop thinking about it, about his long body and whiskey-flavored lips, and the guilt of it has him on the brink of backslide. Now that Wounded Martyr is poised for a long tour, Ice must find a way to resist temptation or risk blowing their last chance and destroying his relationship with the two most important men in his life.
This was an interesting read about alcohol and drug about. Not so much about romance. Having been surrounded by addicts since I was a child, I had a real appreciation for the detail the author went through on this. It was well written. I just didn’t care for how the relationship part of the book was done and since that’s how the book’s description was laid out, it was a bit disappointing.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book
This was an interesting read about alcohol and drug about. Not so much about romance. Having been surrounded by addicts since I was a child, I had a real appreciation for the detail the author went through on this. It was well written. I just didn’t care for how the relationship part of the book was done and since that’s how the book’s description was laid out, it was a bit disappointing.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book
December 23, 2019
I wanted to like this book more than I did but unfortunately, for all that the writing wasn't bad, I found that I didn't really care for any of the characters, especially not the main character. I understand that addiction is a difficult thing and I thought the author dealt with it well. It wasn't something, however, that made me want to continue reading it. Honestly, it felt more like a chore, needing to see the ending just to say that I could and thankfully, it was short enough that I was able to. Then again, perhaps with a longer book I would have got more attached to the characters, I would have understood how the people who have supposedly been in a band together for 20 years could act as they did, and understand why they still stuck together (beyond the whole money thing). I struggled to understand why Ricky or Ash even liked Ice and could still help him with such kindness. I don't believe it isn't impossible, just that we never saw anything that totally demonstrated why they should do that. We didn't see too many of his good moments. In fact, the majority of his good moments with Ash were just them creating music. The only reason I haven't given this lower than 3 stars is just because I think a significant proportion of my problems are person (although I really, really got bored of Ice just growling at everyone).
Thank you to NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 28, 2023
S*x, drugs, lies and rock and roll. The life of a musician is rough lol he’s going on tour. Ice has a addiction, not only to alcohol, but to his best friend, Ashton. One night on tour, Ashton is drunk, but not too much to not what was going on. Ice, not resisting, acts on the impulses with him and Ashton. All it takes is one night for things to go wrong or strange. One thinking it was a mistake, and the other doesn’t see why anything should change. Over time, things get a bit complicated. Ice and Ricky(former lover) are starting to rekindle their relationship. He tells Ricky about what happened the night before with Ash. Well, long nights and weeks on the road can have an affect on your relationship. Things are going great with them, but Ice starts to feel torn between the two. Secrets and lies can tear you apart and eventually it drove Ice to drugs. After the major scare, he has come to terms with everything and no longer in wants there to be secrets between him and Ricky. This story had me on edge looking into the life of a Rock Star. There is an HEA but it seems like a long road to get there.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 31, 2019
2.5 Stars!
Source: eARC for Honest Review Courtesy of NineStar Press via NetGalley
Genre: MM Rock star romance
Standalone
The synopsis is what pulled me in but there were parts that didn't do it for me in the long haul.
The story is about Ice whom is the lead singer of Wounded Martyr. He's also an alcoholic but has been in recover for 2 years. Ashton has been his best friend and band mate for over 20 years. Never have they crossed the line until this tour which drives Ice back to his ex-boyfriend Ricky and back to his addict ways.
I thought the parts about addiction were done well but the love triangle I didn't quite feel the intensity of it nor did I get the emotional downward spiral. I saw the potential of this writing but didn't quite feel it. The back and forth between Ricky and Ice confused me a few times. And then in the end I wasn't sure how their triangle was left. Was it Ricky and Ice and Ashton as a friend. Or the three of them together. The line and solution between the three wasn't quite clear enough for me.
I liked the idea of the story then the story in the end unfortunately.
Source: eARC for Honest Review Courtesy of NineStar Press via NetGalley
Genre: MM Rock star romance
Standalone
The synopsis is what pulled me in but there were parts that didn't do it for me in the long haul.
The story is about Ice whom is the lead singer of Wounded Martyr. He's also an alcoholic but has been in recover for 2 years. Ashton has been his best friend and band mate for over 20 years. Never have they crossed the line until this tour which drives Ice back to his ex-boyfriend Ricky and back to his addict ways.
I thought the parts about addiction were done well but the love triangle I didn't quite feel the intensity of it nor did I get the emotional downward spiral. I saw the potential of this writing but didn't quite feel it. The back and forth between Ricky and Ice confused me a few times. And then in the end I wasn't sure how their triangle was left. Was it Ricky and Ice and Ashton as a friend. Or the three of them together. The line and solution between the three wasn't quite clear enough for me.
I liked the idea of the story then the story in the end unfortunately.
May 22, 2022
WOW!!! What a Rollercoaster Ride of Emotions!!!!
Like many others that have reviewed this book, my emotions are all over the place and I am confused by them. My heart broke for Ice, even though he can be a thoughtless pig! This book clearly portrays a more realistic struggle for an addict and the havoc addiction reaps for those around them. I loved the love triangle between Ice, Ricky and Ash. Without labeling it, the author demonstrates the enabling of Ricky in regards to Ice’s addiction. I found the end to be rushed and the resolution has been left open for the reader to interpret. A great book keeps the reader thinking about it even after it concludes and this book is an example of that phenomenon.
I strongly recommend this book for people to read. If you are looking for something light, that wraps up neatly, pass this one by. If you want real, gritty and emotional, one click it!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Like many others that have reviewed this book, my emotions are all over the place and I am confused by them. My heart broke for Ice, even though he can be a thoughtless pig! This book clearly portrays a more realistic struggle for an addict and the havoc addiction reaps for those around them. I loved the love triangle between Ice, Ricky and Ash. Without labeling it, the author demonstrates the enabling of Ricky in regards to Ice’s addiction. I found the end to be rushed and the resolution has been left open for the reader to interpret. A great book keeps the reader thinking about it even after it concludes and this book is an example of that phenomenon.
I strongly recommend this book for people to read. If you are looking for something light, that wraps up neatly, pass this one by. If you want real, gritty and emotional, one click it!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 8, 2020
this book was about relapsing.
I read it in one sitting, didn't realise I'd not moved until I finished it.
the thing is it was so unemotional.
there was no emotions in his relationship with Ashton, we just were told, sorta that they were best friends, maybe, but not really. they knew each other for twenty years, that's for sure.
there was no real emotion for Ricky, because he was lusting after Ashton the whole way so even though it was told that there was a relationship it wasn't really shown.
honestly by the end i wondered what the hell the book was about to begin with. it wasn't a romance, not really, it was about addiction i guess, or relapsing, but overall there was just no emotion on the page and therefore I didn't really feel anything and will probably forget all about it, unfortunately.
will probably pick something up for the author again.
I read it in one sitting, didn't realise I'd not moved until I finished it.
the thing is it was so unemotional.
there was no emotions in his relationship with Ashton, we just were told, sorta that they were best friends, maybe, but not really. they knew each other for twenty years, that's for sure.
there was no real emotion for Ricky, because he was lusting after Ashton the whole way so even though it was told that there was a relationship it wasn't really shown.
honestly by the end i wondered what the hell the book was about to begin with. it wasn't a romance, not really, it was about addiction i guess, or relapsing, but overall there was just no emotion on the page and therefore I didn't really feel anything and will probably forget all about it, unfortunately.
will probably pick something up for the author again.
July 4, 2020
I wanted to love this book. I really did. It had so much catnip and the writing really was well done. However, I struggled to connect with the story or to believe the relationships. Ice's addiction and all the ramifications that come with it are by far the best part of this story because the author delves deep and they feel real. But the relationships? The endless doom and gloom and sadness hanging over everything? It got to be a bit too much.
I'm not sure I'd even call this a romance. It doesn't *feel* like a romance. The atmosphere is all wrong and it misses all the important story beats.
That all being said, I believe this author has some solid potential. With the right editorial guidance, and an open heart, she might be able to create something wonderful. This story just wasn't it for me.
I'm not sure I'd even call this a romance. It doesn't *feel* like a romance. The atmosphere is all wrong and it misses all the important story beats.
That all being said, I believe this author has some solid potential. With the right editorial guidance, and an open heart, she might be able to create something wonderful. This story just wasn't it for me.
did-not-finish
December 29, 2019I'm going to honest and admit that the only reason I requested this book was because I did not understand the synopsis in the slightest. Maybe I was sleep-deprived in that moment or just stupid, nonetheless I did not understand it. Sadly this carried over to the book. By 37% I still wasn't sure who the actual couple was to be, because the two guys that I think will get the HEA in the end were still sleeping with other people at 37% and had maybe exchanged 10 sentences with each other. You might have noticed that I mentioned 37% twice, that's because that is how far I actually got into the book. I had to stop after that. I was annoyed and still confused... Maybe I'm just stupid and this is a "it's me, not you"-situation?
March 15, 2022
*ARC provided by the publisher via BookSirens*
This was so intense and... Blurry, is a way to put it. I guess the story, with its inexplicit (but perfectly clear) ending, is an accurate reflection of Ice's chaotic nature.
Suspension of disbelief was a must, but the writing was so on point that it was the easiest mental gymnastics ever.
A wonderful cast of characters among which Ice, our star, is barely the tip of the iceberg. I do wish we could have seen more of the rest of the band, know a bit more about them (and about Ice himself- but what little we do see about him is perfectly in tune with his guarded nature, so I can't even be mad about it).
I think it's safe to say I will be coming back for more from this author.
This was so intense and... Blurry, is a way to put it. I guess the story, with its inexplicit (but perfectly clear) ending, is an accurate reflection of Ice's chaotic nature.
Suspension of disbelief was a must, but the writing was so on point that it was the easiest mental gymnastics ever.
A wonderful cast of characters among which Ice, our star, is barely the tip of the iceberg. I do wish we could have seen more of the rest of the band, know a bit more about them (and about Ice himself- but what little we do see about him is perfectly in tune with his guarded nature, so I can't even be mad about it).
I think it's safe to say I will be coming back for more from this author.
April 29, 2025
Ok so this was very all over the place emotionally exhausting. But that's the life of an addict, and the chaos they bring. Anywho, I really liked the characters somewhat. I'm not going to lie I was getting more angrier, because I was like when are they going to mention these men washing they a**!! All this drinking, f*cking, and smoking, in the beginning not even a mention of brushing their teeth. Just getting up, putting on clothes, eating and going...
And then eventually you started talking about showers and letting the waters run. That's just a bad pet peeve of mine about cleanliness in a storyline with romantic characters. Other than that the book had what it takes for Romance, Turmoil, Betrayal, and Redemption, with a slice of Side-Eye.
And then eventually you started talking about showers and letting the waters run. That's just a bad pet peeve of mine about cleanliness in a storyline with romantic characters. Other than that the book had what it takes for Romance, Turmoil, Betrayal, and Redemption, with a slice of Side-Eye.
June 18, 2025
I really went through a range of emotions reading this book, and I just wanted to keep reading, even though I did have to put it down.
Ice is the lead singer of Wounded Martyr, he has struggled with addiction previously, but is currently sober. But on tour his band mate and best friend Ash crawls into bed with him and the temptation is too strong. But then their night together seems to have destroyed their friendship and despite having his ex-boyfriend Ricky back in his life Ice spirals out of control.
Even though he was thoughtless and difficult my heart ached for Ice.
Ice totally hits rock bottom back on tour and looks like he has lost everything, when he wanted everything, but of course eventually Ice gets what he wants.
I strongly recommend this book for people to read.
Ice is the lead singer of Wounded Martyr, he has struggled with addiction previously, but is currently sober. But on tour his band mate and best friend Ash crawls into bed with him and the temptation is too strong. But then their night together seems to have destroyed their friendship and despite having his ex-boyfriend Ricky back in his life Ice spirals out of control.
Even though he was thoughtless and difficult my heart ached for Ice.
Ice totally hits rock bottom back on tour and looks like he has lost everything, when he wanted everything, but of course eventually Ice gets what he wants.
I strongly recommend this book for people to read.
February 22, 2020
Ice is now sober and working to stay that way. His band suffered because of what happens when substance abuse is a part of the story and they are trying to pull it together and climb back up. But there are personal things that are getting in the way. Ice and Ashton - his bandmate and friend, had a one night stand that they must work beyond. And Ice is in a relationship with Ricky. There is a lot going on in this well written story. It really is about the three of these men finding their rhythm and making things work as they recover forward.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
December 21, 2019
Wounded Martyr is a story with a complex relationship between two band members.
It's messy and complicated, as one is torn between love and lust.
Oscar's a recovering alcoholic, which is well explored.
It has a ton of potential, but it feel very short for me. I felt like I missed something, like from a previous book. I wanted to like it, but I just didn't feel the connection between the men.
It's messy and complicated, as one is torn between love and lust.
Oscar's a recovering alcoholic, which is well explored.
It has a ton of potential, but it feel very short for me. I felt like I missed something, like from a previous book. I wanted to like it, but I just didn't feel the connection between the men.
March 11, 2022
3.5 stars
Love the writing quality and the story has so much potential but I'm not satisfied with the ending. A bit of a cop-out and I feel that it'll create more problems in the future, relationship wise, no matter what the current "arrangement" they had.
And with the band. *sighs* So unrealistic that I sometimes forgot that they're together for 20 years. No deep relationship among them, still sharing rooms.
Ugh, such a shame because I'll give 4 stars on the wrting quality alone.
Love the writing quality and the story has so much potential but I'm not satisfied with the ending. A bit of a cop-out and I feel that it'll create more problems in the future, relationship wise, no matter what the current "arrangement" they had.
And with the band. *sighs* So unrealistic that I sometimes forgot that they're together for 20 years. No deep relationship among them, still sharing rooms.
Ugh, such a shame because I'll give 4 stars on the wrting quality alone.
August 30, 2022
We live life as best we can. Some days have more ups than downs. Some days have more downs than ups. Life is a juggle between the two. Our self medication may not be classed as an addiction, but everything we do to 'take the edge off' borders on an addiction. None of us should look down our noses at those struggling with a defined addiction. (I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)
September 16, 2022
I am in two minds regarding this book....
It concentrated a lot on the repercussions of addiction, whether it be alcohol, drugs or sex.
The storyline is good but it does tend to get confusing and stagnated at some points as the characters do not show any growth as the story progresses only near the end.
You as reader do not know who to root for as the main character cannot make up his mind who he wants so who does he choose?....
I would have liked to have more povs from Ash's side but other than that it was a good gripping story with a HFN!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
It concentrated a lot on the repercussions of addiction, whether it be alcohol, drugs or sex.
The storyline is good but it does tend to get confusing and stagnated at some points as the characters do not show any growth as the story progresses only near the end.
You as reader do not know who to root for as the main character cannot make up his mind who he wants so who does he choose?....
I would have liked to have more povs from Ash's side but other than that it was a good gripping story with a HFN!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 6, 2020
I don't really get why this didn't work for me, it was well-written and the characters were engaging but I just did feel any kind of way about them. Maybe I wasn't in the right mindset at the time but it's only a 3.5 for me, maybe I'll like it more if I reread it at a later date. All in all an okay read.
*I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley*
*I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley*
January 10, 2020
The story was interesting and the characters were decent, but I failed to really get into this story very much. The relationships would have benefited from more background. The love triangle angle didn't really feel real with so little time given to any sort of relationship back story. We are told that Ricky and Ice have history but you don't feel it.
March 5, 2020
This is the 1st book I've read written by Courtney Maguire; she has done a great job at writing a good book; I can’t wait to read more of her books.
The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
January 12, 2022
This was my first book by this author and I really didn't enjoy reading this book. It had me confused from the beginning and the ending didn't do me any justice. With that said I will definitely read another book from this author as I don't let just 1 book that wasn't really me to decide not to read another book that could be really amazing. I received an ARC of this book for my honest review.
December 29, 2019
I didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did! I’ve discovered that I am a sucker for a MM romance, involving a band! Also, I suppose this may be a spoiler (?), however there is a love triangle of sorts, and I hate this trope, but it was done in such a way that I actually didn’t mind it! I do wish that they had really gone into more exploration around this part of the story as it seemed to resolve itself a little too quickly to be believable.
I loved the look into addiction; I don’t know how realistic it was, but it added a whole other element and layer to our MC and the story overall.
There were some moments there where I was genuinely tearing up, which NEVER happens in MM romances, so that was a super wonderful surprise, and one of the reason I rated this one so highly.
I would definitely give this one a go if you’re into ‘famous MC’ romances!
This book was provided to me by Netgalley.
I loved the look into addiction; I don’t know how realistic it was, but it added a whole other element and layer to our MC and the story overall.
There were some moments there where I was genuinely tearing up, which NEVER happens in MM romances, so that was a super wonderful surprise, and one of the reason I rated this one so highly.
I would definitely give this one a go if you’re into ‘famous MC’ romances!
This book was provided to me by Netgalley.
June 4, 2022
This is a good story but it took a bit to really hold my interest. I am glad that I held on to the end though.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
dnf
February 21, 2024DNF @ 29%. So much anger all the time. Not my thing.
August 3, 2024
Rushed and unrealistic. I want to give it an extra star just because it’s gay heavy metal musicians, but I’m not going to.
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