The second book in Kat Mizera’s Rock Hard series grabbed me from the start. This book was emotional and had a bit more angst than I normally like, but it was mostly warranted. A hero who has tried to lay low and forget his felon past and a heroine ready to get a life after graduating law school. It was only supposed to be one hot night, but that night is one neither can forget.
I fell a little bit in love with Stuart (Stu) in the first book in this series when he steps in to make the embattled Ariel feel a bit more at ease with the band. I knew going in his book would be a bit more emotional and I wasn’t wrong. As a felon and labeled a murderer for a car accident that killed his friend and former band member, Stu was worried about joining Nobody’s Fool, but for him it has always been about the music and while he lost sight of that for awhile, he realizes now more than ever after being in prison and released that he needs music in his life; relationships not so much.
Finishing law school, Lindsay is happy to be celebrating her birthday in Las Vegas where her best friend Lexi and her band are performing. The fact that Lexi’s band member Stuart Killorn is Lindsay’s teenage crush makes things all the better, so when he overhears them talking about him, he decides he is going to give Lindsay one memorable night.
These two were such a contrast but I think that’s what made them work. Lindsay was steady, astute, and looked at life in a much different way than Stu. I loved that right away she realized that Stu had demons that were keeping him from fully living. This wasn’t a fast or easy relationship, they had their night, then a bit of time months later, and it grew from there. Stu was very up front with Lindsay that he wasn’t ever going to be able to open up completely, but over time he did share bits and pieces. I felt like Lindsay’s immaturity about life, love, and relationships let her make some mistakes, but I also felt like she learned from them. While I do think there was too much of a “fairy tale” solution to her job situation, I didn’t hate it because Madeline Aronson, their record company’s attorney, is a bada$$.
Stu had a lot of baggage both personally and professionally and at times it was painful watching his work through it especially when he was taken by surprise, but in the end he came out of it wiser, strong, and happier.
A good addition to this series Pause contained likeable characters, an emotional journey for the hero, a heroine reevaluating her career path, and a roller coaster relationship that was inevitable.
Review copy provided for a voluntary review.