Summer of Hush

Summer of Hush #1

by R.L. Merrill

Hush is back… and it’s about to get loud.

After two years grieving the death of his best friend, Silas Franklin is back on the road with his metalcore band, Hush. With a new member, a brilliant new album, and a headlining spot on the last cross-country Warped Tour, life couldn’t be better—unless Silas could meet the intriguing music blogger known only as the Guru. Silas has followed his blog for years and feels the Guru might be the only person who “gets” him.

For years Krishnan Guruvayoor has reported on the metal scene as an anonymous blogger, and he’s just landed an internship on the Warped Tour as well as a potential position with a well-respected music magazine. His best friend arranges for him to meet singer Silas Franklin—but only as Krish the Intern. Their chemistry is instant, and Krish is thrilled to get to know the man behind the music.

The rock star and blogger quickly go from meet-cute to cuddle session, but secrets, overprotective bandmates, meddling media, and a terrible accident all conspire against them. Can their romance survive the summer of Hush?

Genres: Romance, M M Romance, LGBT, Contemporary, Queer, Gay, Amazon

214 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 8, 2019

About the author

Whether she’s writing contemporary romance featuring quirky, queer, and relatable characters or diving deep into the supernatural to give readers a shiver, R.L. Merrill loves creating compelling stories that will stay with readers long after closing the book. Ro writes inclusive romance for the Happily Ever After collective, contributes paranormal hilarity to Robyn Peterman’s Magic and Mayhem Universe, and pens horror-inspired tales and music reviews for HorrorAddicts.net. A mom, wife, daughter, and former educator, you can find her rocking out in her Bronco with Great Dane pup Velma, being terrorized by feline twins Dracula and Frankenstein, or headbanging at a rock show near her home in the San Francisco Bay Area! Stay Tuned for more…

Reviews

[Cadiva · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was in two minds about accepting this ARC request for a number of reasons, not least because it was about the metal scene and I'm seriously picky when it comes to that particular genre 😉 and also because I was a journalist who did a lot of music reviewing during my career.

But let me state here and now for the record that I'm fully on board with The Summer Of Hush because I really enjoyed this excellent examination of life on the road with a metal band.

There is a lot of depth to this narrative especially considering it takes place over a relatively short time period.

Both Silas and Krish are likeable characters and I loved that this was an interracial romance and that Krish's Indian heritage wasn't overlooked.

I will say that it didn't hit 5* for me only because I didn't really think the angsty bits for why they couldn't be together actually made much sense.

And by that, I mean there was an additional weight given to the fact Krish hadn't come clean about being The Guru that I didn't feel was given enough time to sink in as to why it would be an issue - him being a sort of journalist, him not telling the truth when he found out Silas was a big fan - but they'd literally met like two days earlier.

The second reason was that it felt like I'd stumbled into a series without having read the other books, which isn't the case as this is book one.

But there's loads of background stuff which has happened and which is constantly referenced or coming back up in the plot that it seemed like I should have read a Prologue first.

Having said that, it never spoiled what was going on with Silas and Krish and it set up lots of possibilities for more books and yes, I definitely want to know what's going on with Brains and Paul, as well as Jordan's baby brother Jake and sullen guitarist Burke.

My first book from this author but not, I suspect, my last.

#ARC kindly received from the author in return for an honest and unbiased review.

[Gerbera_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

A love story between a blogger and a rock star! This was a completely new setting for me - bus tours, tents, bon fires and many creative volatile people who gathered together one last time to perform at Warped Summer Festival. This is a story about forging an unbreakable bond through music and words, about falling in love with what's inside the person before even meeting them.

I loved both MCs - Krish and Silas. They might have come from different backgrounds but they have a lot in common. They both suffered loss and are finally ready to live to the fullest. Krish is a voice that resonates with many, his presence is like an anchor to Silas's emotional and creative persona. Together they just fit and get one another on the level that not many do - they speak and breath music, and that cements what they have as something special to be cherished. They were there for each other for years unknowingly, and now they will be able to to be so much more.

I enjoyed Silas's band mates - it's a smorgasbord of temperamental, talented, at times wild personalities who are passionate about their craft and the music they create. Everyday whirlwind of living as a rock star gets to all of them, and it's fascinating to discover how they deal with it all as well as each other. There was fun and romance, angst and misunderstandings, excitement and joy in celebrating music as well as two men falling in love. I enjoyed this book a lot. This is a new to me author, and I will definitely be checking out what else she has to offer. Copy received for my honest and unbiased review

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

3.75 stars

R.L. Merrill gives us what I think might be the first novel in a new series focusing on a member of the metalcore band, Hush. Summer of Hush introduces us to all the members of the group and gives us just a taste of the idea that all hide something in their past that has shaped them into who they are today. Beginning with Silas and his online crush for the Guru (aka Krish), the novel takes us through some pretty insane moments on the start of their summer tour and musical comeback after the sudden death of one of their members. While we never really seem to get the full story on why Gavin chose to commit suicide, the band is still reeling from the event a year after it happened. Now with a new guy in his place, they are trying to get their careers back on track and secure their place as top performers.

Alongside this minor plot point, the author gives us a tiny bit of information on each member and what I felt became some strange moments featuring them in order to reveal they have a backstory that has left behind issues they are still dealing with today.

Read Sammy’s review in its entirety here.

[Kilby Blades · Rating 5 out of 5]

The queen of rock 'n roll romance rules again with another heartfelt tale of complex heroes whose epic love is destined to be. With Silas and Krish both recovering from the heartbreak of losing their best friends, they're looking toward the Warped Tour for fresh starts and the healing of their scabbed-over wounds.

"Summer of Hush" is secret identity meets secret crush meets mutual hero worship, all rolled up in one. The sweet, pulsing rhythm of the music enhances every scene and deep, emotional undercurrents--Merrill's trademark--always strike the right chord. Five stars.

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I liked the camaraderie of the band members and I thought the connection between Silas and Krish felt real as they both lost someone and they shared experience of grief - I just couldn't forget the fact that ALL of these intense LOVE happened within DAYS (like less than a week?!).

Yeah, not my favorite from Merrill. AIt was written 6 six years ago, so maybe I enjoy her more recent works.

BUT!! I admit that I do want to know more about Brains and his Paul - a.k.a. the next book. Despite it seemed that their love story also happened within days.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads.

This angsty rockstar romance played hard on my emotions while also celebrating the heady, youthful joy of summer music festivals. It’s a romance but also a story about a band rebuilding after a tragic loss and a young music journalist finding his place in a difficult industry. I loved Krish and Silas and I loved Hush as a band.

Krish and Silas are both addictive characters. As a famous rock star and an equally famous but anonymous blogger, I love the vulnerability these two bring out in each other and I love the way they make each other stronger. The fact that they are fans of each other before they even meet brings a sense of fate or kismet to the relationship. It’s an instalove relationship that readers can believe in because there’s already a lengthy shared history between them.

While I love Krish and Silas, I did struggle some with the inflated conflicts that come between them. For two relaxed metalheads, the angst is a little much. I still don’t understand how Krish’s identity revelation caused such an issue with Silas and I still don’t quite get why Krish runs away. I think part of the problem is the instalove hookup at the very start of the book. Without some concocted drama, there wouldn’t have been enough story for the rest of the book. The pacing is the weakest element of this story. The beginning is fun and exciting but the story limps to the end. However, I loved the adulting/coming of age elements of the book as Krish attempts to find his place in the music industry and Silas starts to think about his future. However, I do think that more time could have been spent developing these threads rather than inventing angsty drama between two otherwise chilled characters.

Oddly, this feels like the third or fourth book in a series instead of the first. With all the references to previous events, I actually had to check Goodreads to see if I’ve somehow missed a few books. I haven’t. This is the start of a series that starts well before the start of this first book. It’s all a bit confusing. Maybe we’ll get a few prelude stories?

[Roberta Blablanski · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of rock star romances and gobble them up like candy. Unfortunately, this one didn't work for me. I struggled to keep interested in the story, and the characters didn't grab me. There seemed to be too much behind-the-scenes telling and not enough character interaction, at least for me. Also, I was put off by the constant mentioning of one of the minor character's digestive issues. Maybe it was supposed to be amusing, but it was a turn off.


***ARC provided by A Novel Take in exchange for an honest review.***

[Barb ~rede-2-read~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Metalcore band Hush makes a comeback to the Warped Tour two years after their lead guitar player, Gavin, committed suicide. Lead singer, Silas Franklin, was his best friend and still grieves the loss, but one thing gave Silas comfort, led him to believe in himself and the band, and gave him the courage to move forward— that was a blog post by well-known music blogger, the Guru. No one knows who the Guru is, but it’s evident he understands Silas as he lost his own brother the previous year and his words touch Silas deeply.

Krish Guruvayoor, nicknamed Guru by his older brother, a Marine who was killed in action in Afghanistan, has blogged on the metalcore scene for years. A new college grad, he’s taken an internship on the promo team for the Warped Tour and hopes to meet his idol, Silas Franklin. When he does, their chemistry is instant. It helps that his friend is the brother of their new guitarist, so he’s not just some creepy guy following them around. But there is something between Silas and Krish that is fated. The problem is he doesn’t want to tell Silas he’s the Guru, especially after he learns how much the Guru’s words helped Silas when Gavin died.

Recipe for disaster? Well, yes, but not a total one. The young men quickly work out their issues, but the band is tougher to convince. After all, who wants someone in their intimate circle who might spill their private lives to the world? Unfortunately, at this point the author introduced angst—lots of angst. Both Silas and Krish frequently fret and wallow in self-doubt and even break up for a short time, but angst, especially self-induced angst, is something I totally dislike. Thankfully, they didn’t wallow all the way to the end. On a bright note: all the characters were well-developed and engaging and I hope to meet many of the secondary characters in future stories.

There’s plenty going on in this book, and those who like metalcore or who can recall the smell of beer in the air at a summer music festival will appreciate the attention to detail the author provides. The few sex scenes are brief, so this would be a good story for those who like young adult or new adult stories. There’s also a subplot about the band’s drummer, Brains, and the guy who helped him when a tent collapsed that will no doubt lead directly to book two. And I have to be honest in saying that their chemistry was intriguing, and I’m looking forward to reading Brains and Brawn.

*2.5 stars

NOTE: This book was provided by the author via GRRT for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.

[Cee Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

•*´¨)✯ ¸.•*¨)
✮ (¸.•´They were both anonymously crushing on each other

I like fast paced books, but this was so fast paced [and yet so slow in storytelling], that I am sure I got whip-lashed. For me, there was just too much going on, including this tour that seemed never ending.

There was Krish's and Silas's love affair, that happened so suddenly [think insta-attraction], filled with love and laughter and more break ups than I care to name. These guys spent a short time together and did so much.

Then there were the other things that seemed to be happening concurrently. The constant flashback about several off page stories/events, that tried to tie the scenes together. At first I thought I was missing something, but then I realised the author was setting the stage up for the next book. And in all this, there were some romantic relationships that I guess will be told in upcoming stories? because Brian and Paul [you have to read the book to get it] left me with so many questions and they need to be answered.

I was all over this book like a rash when I first saw it advertised. But two months later, you can say, I really had a Summer of Hush.

Fear not, I plan on reading the next book because I hate not knowing what went on or if anything got resolved.

I voluntarily and honestly reviewed this book without bias or persuasion from the author through LesCourt.

[jennrubenstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. Content warning for discussion of suicide, both of a fictional character (a member of the band and close friend of many characters) as well as real musicians. I often struggle with books that deal with suicide, including a book by a different author I recently tried to read and had to stop. I did not have that difficulty with this book (the death had already occurred when the book began; there is minimal detail, this is more the aftermath for the band and friends of Gavin once he's gone). That said, this book is intense, at times emotional, funny, dark - and also bright - and beautiful. I loved learning more about Krish, his family, and what lead him to the point that he met Silas. Silas and his bandmates are complex, complicated, silly, fun, and even closer than before after losing their friend (and brother). I've never gone on the road with a band for something like the Warped Tour, but from working with bands for several years, as well as knowing an advocacy nonprofit who was on Warped for a summer, I think this story is an accurate representation of that experience. This is one of my favorite books I've read in a while, and I know Krish and Silas will stick with me for a long time.

[Stephenee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read all of author R. L. Merrill's books and each one gets better than the previous one...this one is no exception! This book gives us angst, drama, grieving, new love, betrayal, and forgiveness...all wrapped up in a sweet tidy package!

We meet Silas, who is grieving his best friend and band mate, we meet Krish (AKA The Guru) who has a few secrets, and we get to see how a heavy metal tour gets going. The reader can feel the authors excitement, joy, anguish and upset straight through the pages of the book. The reader can feel the author's heart and soul come through her words and the reader can't find a stopping point to put the book down to do "real life, adult things".

The book grabs the readers attention from the start and never lets it go! Be prepared to do nothing else once you start reading this one! A Must read and a Must read NOW! This is another amazing book by this author and I am already looking forward to the next book she writes!

** Review done in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official. For more information regarding our reviews please visit our fan site at http://www.facebook.com **

[Athira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blogger and rockstar romance! This is a really good book and while I've read a lot of rockstar romances, I've never read one about a blogger before. I loved Krish and Silas together. They had a connection even before they'd met each other. Very beautiful first meeting too. They're very cute together.

The first time I read the blurb, I'd thought Krish might have been from South India, maybe even Kerala(The Guruvayoor Temple is located here). But no, he's from the North and also speaks Hindi.(I was sort of excited that he might be from South)

This book also gives a lot of importance to the brotherhood between the band and I loved the camaraderie between the members. I'm looking forward to Brains and Paul's book. Hopefully we'll get one soon. I hope Jake, Krish's best friend, gets a book too.

*ARC provided by the author via A Novel Take PR in exchange for an honest and unbiased review

[Anabela.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book offers an interesting behind the scenes of rock band life,which in this case was not as crazy as I would of expected it. The most messy the members of Hush get is not cleaning after themselves in the bus they use while on tour. And they were all fun to know,with a bit of their back stories,the group dynamic and shenanigans.

A word often used in the story is fate. Because fate seems to have had a lot to do with the way Hush was  formed and with some of the events in the band's existence.

Krish and Silas definitely appear to be fated to meet. I found their history of keeping track of each other's movements through the years captivating. It's no wonder how strong a connection they have from the moment they touch for the first time. I've got to say,they are so cute together. And hot.

Summer Of Hush is gripping, with the right balance between serious issues and fun.

Recommended.

*ARC provided by A Novel Take PR in exchange for an honest review.

[Teal Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Summer of Hush by R.L. Merrill is a contemporary m/m romance and I definitely hope more books come out surrounding this band, these characters. Because I'm hooked on Hush.

The love story is between a rock star and a blogger and the friendship love story of a band of "brothers". Because even though I loved the romance aspect of this tale, the beauty of these band brothers is something to appreciate and smile about. As for Krish and Silas, they had a connection even before meeting that helped them through bad tines. Their meetcute and cuddle sessions were super sweet and then they got steamy too. The story had a little angst just to add spice, lots of feeling and a great dose of humor. Overall, this is a fun read that made me want even more.

I received an advanced reader's copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review and recommendation.

[Sebastian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seeing the reviews this maybe be a case of 'It's me, not the book, but I'm sorry to say but that this one did not work for me. First, it feels that you are thrown in the middle of a work in progress or book 2/3 of a on-going series (I actually had to check several times if there were previous books). It's filled with lots of references to past events and characters with little context making it all a little messy.
Second, the insta-love/lust. Usually, I don't mind it but this time it truly felt unbelievable that they get to the point they get in just 2 days (with the whole guru thing too). I just didn't believe it and that made me lose interest in Silas and Krish's relationship.

ARC provided by the author through A Novel Take PR

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good, solid read. The characters were interesting and mostly believable; the pacing worked; the book was free from excessive typos/errors. I found the central "why they can't be together" premise a bit hard to swallow, but all in all, I enjoyed the protagonists and the secondary characters, and I was happy to keep turning the pages. This book didn't make me immediately search for everything else the author has written, but she clearly knows how to tell a story. If there's a sequel about Brains and Paul, I'm there!

My thanks to A Novel Take PR for an advance copy of this book.

[Calila · Rating 4 out of 5]

*A copy was provided by the author for free in exchange for an honest review*

I really really liked this one. A lot. The romance is quick but well done. The characters are all great, and the plot is interesting. I loved the setting of a rock festival tour. It was a nice twist on the regular old "rock tour" romance. All of the drama is pretty internal, though this is a bit of a disaster that complicated thing. But mostly it's all about and because of the guys internal issues. I love that. I really hope there's more to come in this series (which I think there is but not 100% sure).

[Denise GremoryKohta · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is so much to say about this book. I have never read this author before and I wasn’t sure how well they could do a rock star romance. They nailed it. Not only was it a deeply emotional reads, it brought back a lot of memories for me. My son and I have spent many hours over the years talking about our love of music and remembering those that have passed. This book hit me hard and I am going to recommend my son read it as well. It’s so much more than a romance with its ups and downs. This really got to the heart and soul.

[Belinda Zamora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silas is a rock star musician who's dealing with the tragic loss of a band member.
Krish is a blogger and is also dealing with a devastating loss.
He has an internship with a music festival that puts them in contact with one another
Silas has had a crush on the mysterious blogger for a long time.
These men were able to help each other heal from the pain they're carrying by learning how to be vulnerable with one another.
I loved the music festival atmosphere and the core band of brothers vibe.

[Janet Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silas and the band Hush are back on the road after losing one of their bandmates two years before. Silas wants to meet the mysterious Guru, who is a music blogger. Guru has an internship on the Warped Tour. He becomes Krish the intern. The two have an amazingly instant chemistry that is off the charts. I loved all the bandmate personalities! This a great start to a new series, absolutely loved it!! I am voluntarily leaving a review form an ARC that I received. My reviews are solely based on my thoughts and opinions.

[Jennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this well written rock star romance.
Journalist/blogger Krish and rock star Silas were funny, witty and entertaining together.
A journey of love, trust and hope but twinged with a touch of sadness, grief and hardship.
The support these men found with each other and their friends was touching.
I really hope we get more of these guys. I really look forward to reading Brains and Pauls story.

[Joscelyn Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silas and Krish were interesting, engaging characters and I enjoyed following along with the Blogger and the Rockstar and they fall for each other amidst the metal music scene. This my first book from this author and it was a very enjoyable introduction to her work.

*I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book provided by A Novel Take PR*

[Love Bytes Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Kat

A new Rock romance from a new-to-me author!

Krishnan Guruvayoor has just graduated from college and life is looking up. He is an intern for his favorite rock tour, Warped Tour, and is looking at landing his dream job as a writer for his favorite and most respected music magazine, Alt-Scene! But is he ready to give up his anonymity and become known by all or is he happiest hiding behind his blog and his pen name The Guru? Silas Franklin has had a really rough couple years after his best friend and band mate, Gavin West, committed suicide. One of the things that got him through it all was The Guru’s blog. That man understood what it was like to lose someone close to him. Now he has to meet him! They all know The Guru is supposed to make at least one visit to the Warped Tour but no one knows exactly who he is because he has hidden himself so well! But Silas is determined to meet the man that has become his fascination. Little does Silas know that Krish has had a crush on him for years. What will happen when the two men finally meet?

This was a fun cute-meet fast-forward to love relationship book that took a little bit to finally grab hold of me. I understand Krish’s reluctance to divulge his secret identity but when Silas basically asked him if he was The Guru in so-many-words after their little overnight heavy-petting make out session that was the time to come clean. They let each other know that they were beyond liking each other and it was time to man-up! I get it though, Krish and The Guru may have been the same person but they were two different personalities. Such is the same with most authors and their pen names vs their real lives. But, when intimacy and budding relationships are involved, honesty needs to be key to make sure they can thrive and survive.

The part of the relationship equation that surprised me most was Silas and his forgiveness level. I know it is stereotypical to type cast the famous rock star as the broody, difficult one, but he seemed, at least to me, the more rational and solid one. Could be because of his age and also what he had endured in the last couple years, but he wormed his way into my heart more and more as this story went on. And truly, as evident in the past with their group and media, the one with the most to lose.

One of the biggest reasons I rated this as 4 Hearts was that I kept thinking that I must have missed an earlier book. The characters would refer to something and I would have no clue what they were referring to. It would become confusing and draw me out of the story. Most of it was resolved later in the book, but it was a bit infuriating during those moments.

Although I never saw it listed in anything, I have high hopes for this being a series with these final words…“The End. Stay Tuned for more from the Summer of Hush…,” and I for one am looking forward to more.

This book was provided for free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.

[Keisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I say, unknown requited romances- I love them. Add in music culture, best friends by your side, band mates closer than brothers with tons of angst and I'm hooked.

I recently was able to finish book one in the Summer of Hush series, expectantly titled, summer of hush. It is a fun fast-paced whirlwind type romance. Of the two main characters, (Silas Franklin and Krish Guruvayoor) my favorite was Krish. His character was introspective and empathetic, which made for very angsty read.

Although Krish is my favorite character, that
doesnt mean the other characters were not equally developed and interesting. While reading this novel, twice I had that feeling you get when you're reading a side character and you think, there is a story here. I want to know more about this one. For me, those two characters were Brains and Los.
I really want to know more about Los's past, which makes this being a series all the better.


I enjoyed the character writing and the depth of atmosphere Merrill is able to instill. Take the individual musicians, for instance, they dont feel one dimensional, they each are incredibly technically knowledgable about their craft.

I felt like I was behind the scenes of a music festival. The fact that there is a scene where Brains is teaching a workshop, and it's not all 'party like a rock star' made this more down to earth for me.

Also, the way subject matter is handled in Summer of Hush is well written. From suicide and familiar death, and their emotional aftermath to career ethics and multiple topics revolving around LBGTQ youth (like having a safe space to talk, coming out, and sexual safety) are handled in a comfortable manner . Most of the latter are mentioned but do not go in great depth in the narrative, but I am happy they are mentioned.

I feel I would be remiss if I didn't mention the humor. While filled with angst and romance,( which I love) there were a few moments of levity I liked. One in particular came near the beginning when Silas is reading the latest post from The Guru, there is a full on conversation involving scatalogic humor. It's extremely brief, but I laughed out loud. Maybe its just my sense of humor, but I thought it was funny.

I am giving Summer of Hush by R. L. Merrill, 5 out of 5 stars. I would recommend this novel to adult readers of romance as there are a few intimate scenes that are slightly graphic. Readers should also be aware of topics of suicide and familar death that are a recurring theme within the novel. If you are interested in a fast-paced, at time intense romance to read next, this series may interest you.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I confess, I didn’t even read the blurb before getting this book, but whenever I see an SRC opponent or a published book by RL Merrill, I grab it, because I love this author! And once again, this book didn’t disappear. I love how Gavin is such a central part of the book, even though he isn’t physically there, but his impact on his band, his friends, the music they make afterwards, the relationships they create after he’s gone… it’s just so beautifully portrayed! And I appreciated how the tour life was portrayed in a more reality way, not only rainbows and roses, but disagreements, tensions, stress, but also good things as well. And I loved how Silas and Krish are entering into a relationship that is meaningful, not based on simply pretty looks or nice bodies, but who they are, and they see each other in all types of circumstances l good and bad, making their relationship stronger. I’m usually not a big fan of books with bands and stuff like that, but I always will make an exception for RL Merrill, because their books are more than just about a band, or music, or whatever, they’re about people, with lives and realistic problems, creating connections with others, sometimes under great circumstances, other times, not so great, but the characters are always so life like, so realistic, and I love cheering them on towards their HEA. I’m super happy that there are 2 other books I can read after this one, because I’m not ready to let go of Hush.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Metalcore band Hush is back on tour supporting their first album in two years, following the death by suicide of Gavin, one of their founding members. Lead singer/songwriter Silas is still grieving, but determined that the band will come back and have success in this last Warped Tour. Beyond that he really, really hopes to meet the secretive music blogger who writes under the name “the Guru.” Krish (aka, the Guru) is also traveling with the tour, albeit as an intern with the administration. Along the way he hopes to write about being on tour with the various bands, and hopes for a shot at ‘real’ journalism job. His favorite band is Hush, and his best friend Jake’s older brother (Jordan) has taken Gavin’s place in the band.

Silas is shocked at how instantly comfortable he is with Krish, though Krish feels guilty not revealing his secret identity. Merrill does a great job showing the instant love, as well as both characters’ past trauma. The secret identity, of course, causes problems… any more would be spoilers.

Having read Merrill’s “You Can Do Magic” – part of the Carnival of Mysteries universe, which is also set on this Warped Tour, I had a general idea of who the band members were. It was great to see the origin of some of the relationships. I also liked the discussion of the tour having booths from a number of organizations focused on help or social justice. She shows Krish writing a blog post about one – Two Write Love on Her Arms – that may be fictional, but could really help a lot of young people.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Silas and the Anonymous Guru . . .

After the suicide of one of the band members of Hush, lead guitarist Gavin West, the band took time to grieve and deal with the painful shock of his loss. Two years later, when the last "Warped Tour" is announced, the band decides to make their comeback there in support of their new album. Even more exciting for lead singer Silas Franklin, he finds out the talented and popular blogger known as the Guru, whom Silas has had a crush on, will be attending as well and they will get to meet each other finally. He is not aware that Krishnan Guruvayoor ("Krish") has just gotten an internship on the Warped Tour and perhaps a possible journalist position with a well-respected music magazine. Krish is introduced to them only as "the Intern" and it doesn't take long before Krish and Silas become aware of the attraction occurring between them. Krish is uncomfortable keeping his identity as the Guru secret, but for now, it seems necessary. Where will their relationship ultimately lead them? Or will it fade away when the hectic Warped Tour is over and everyone moves on?

[Deb Kel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really engaging, emotionally rich romance set against the chaotic, sunburnt backdrop of the final Warped Tour. The mix of tour buses, late-night conversations and live music felt immersive, and I loved how strongly music shaped both the setting and the relationship.

Silas and Krish are easy to root for from the start. Their connection feels genuine and layered, built first on shared grief, creativity and understanding before turning into something deeper. I particularly enjoyed the contrast between Silas’s public rock-star persona and his quieter vulnerability, and how grounded and perceptive Krish is in response. The band dynamics added plenty of tension and humour, while the secrecy and outside pressures kept the story moving.

A heartfelt blend of romance, angst and found family, this was a compelling summer tour love story that stayed with me after the final page.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[K.S. Trenten · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet, almost magical romance where rocker Silas and secret blogger Krish connect in a way where everything clicks into place between them. The two men are both recovering from major personal losses, losses they share with other characters. Obstacles come between them, to hurt and crush their dreams. Family and friends are protective, suspicious, always snarky, and ultimately supportive of both Silas and Krish. Solutions have to be made fast for more than one accident that nearly stops Silas’s band Hush on its tour. Major choices have to be made where the characters learn again and again they’re not alone. Ultimately it’s an upward journey as more than one character has secrets, a past coming back to haunt them, and a romance brewing in the background of the main love story in a cast of strong, likeable characters. It was fun being along with them for the ride.

[Fay MMBookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars Bonus points for the blurb at the start of the book, which I love.
When members of Hush the music band go on tour Silas, Los, Brains and Jordan start something new. Silas was their lead singer who was amoured by a blogger called The Guru as they found out he was to attend the Wrapped Tour. Jordan would bring more than music to the group. 😉Krish was going on tour but as an intern to a magazine all undercover. He had loved Hush in the past but now they had a new band member. A great first meeting between the characters as insta attractions connect them. The band warns Silas about his past hookups and getting close to Krish. Dramas happen with injuries included. This is a great rock group story to read for the first of the series with Silas and Krish.

Trigger warnings as this includes suicide death and grief features in the story.