Book Blurb:
It was lyrics at first sight when I saw Violet Rhodes across that crowded party. She was lights and darks, swirled together. Music in motion. And all of it while looking like a hitwoman at an Elvis convention.
I had nothing to offer the intriguing girl but a one-night stand. I figured I’d revel in my last night of anonymity before my first tour and shoot her a quick “We’ll always have L.A.!” goodbye the next morning.
But nothing went according to plan.
In one night, Violet crawled under my skin and into my bloodstream. She tattooed her name across my chest and between my legs. She became my muse. And then she was gone.
Now, months later, here she is again. And in a twist I never saw coming, it turns out Violet is ultra-violet radiation. Beautiful, ethereal light bringing with her the promise of damage and destruction.
My brain tells me to walk away from this girl, but my heart can’t stop feeling like she might be one of a kind . . . the sort of girl who comes along once in a violet moon.
Confession! My name is Jessica and I'm addicted to Rockstar novels! Carissa stumbled across this little gem and told me right away. We're constantly sending links and screenshots of great book finds to each other. As soon as I learned Lauren Rowe released a book with songs and music videos to accompany it, I knew I needed to read it.
This book is actually part of The Morgan Brothers Series, but again, I did not have the patience to start at the beginning. This is book 5 in the series and I was way too impatient. I had to read this right away. My excitement could not be contained.
Dax Morgan is 22 years old and days away from embarking on his first tour with his band 22 Goats. 22 Goats will be the opening band performing for the well known Red Cart Riot. He has no clue what being a rockstar feels like when he meets 21-year-old Violet Rhodes at a party. Dax sees her from across the room and he's instantly inspired. Lyrics flood his mind and she becomes his muse before he even speaks to her. Not longer thereafter, Dax notices he's caught her eye too. Their chemistry is instant and explosive. Conversation turns to more.
Dax and Violet decide to have a one-night stand which quickly expands to plans for the weekend. They fall hard for each other stupid-fast, but are both second-guessing how crazy, right everything feels. How can they feel like they're in love in one night? Things don't normally work that way. They decide to just run with it.
When Violet finds out Dax is leaving on an 8 month tour with RCR she decides she can't spend the weekend with Dax, and the best thing for them to do is separate now. If he still wants her after an 8 month tour then they can see where they go as a couple. This leaves both Violet and Dax devastated. They want nothing more than each other, but Dax has to go on tour. His dream is to share his music. Violet wants Dax to have the rockstar experience without being tied to her. She doesn't want Dax to have any regrets or end up being unfaithful. Violet tells Dax she's been there done that and won't do it again. She encourages him to enjoy the experience without guilt.
Although it hurts and Violet never leaves his mind, Dax lives the rockstar life for the 8 months of the tour. He builds friendships with the guys who make up Red Cart Riot, but particularly Caleb, better known as C-Bomb. He also parties pretty hard occasionally. When he comes back stateside he still can't get Violet out of his mind. He plans to track her down and try to pick up where they left off.
When Dax and Violet meet back up there's a big complication. They're more connected than they realize. Violet's brother is friends with Dax's family. Also, Violet is C-Bomb's ex. Not good. He's the ex who cheated on her. C-Bomb is a loose cannon, and everyone knows he's jealous and possessive. Dax and Violet decide to continue their relationship, but keep it on the downlow. We all know this never ends well.
C-Bomb makes it blatantly obvious he want Violet back. Dax continues to be inspired by his muse and writes some of the best music 22 Goats has ever written. Violet and Dax grow closer. Dax isn't your typical rockstar looking to get laid by anything with a vagina. He's so much more than that. He seeks connection and intimacy. He's a sensitive artist who is obsessed with his family. Dax is just a sweetheart. Inevitably, though, Violet gets tired of being Dax's secret. She has some unresolved issues based on the circumstances leading to her birth. She can't take anymore. Finally, the truth comes out and they must deal with the fallout. How will C-Bomb and the rest of RCR react to the news Violet is with Dax, not C-Bomb? Will this cause any issues with the bands working together? Will they loose their record deal?
This story does have a happy ending. Violet and Dax get to be together. Everything didn't work out exactly as Dax planned, but it did work out. Our hero and heroine live happily every after. Lauren Rowe painted such a beautiful picture of the Morgan family. They're a big, boisterous family. They love hard. Everyone gets a nickname. This book had humor, happiness, tears, and the steam factor. I'd rate this as a must read, because the experience was so awesome. The characters' emotions and dialogue was so believable. Rockstar ended up being a feel-good story. Truly enjoyable although there wasn't as much angst as I expected for a book of this title or trope.
So.. I LOVE rock music and the whole rockstar romance novel trope. Combining the two?! Just wow! I've dreamed of listening to the music of the bands in the rockstar books I've read. It was a dream come true to listen to the songs 22 Goats created. To see Dax come to life in the video was mind-blowing. This book was such a unique experience!
