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Adder by Ally Blue
Music. Sex. Fame. What’s missing? Surely not the “L” word…Adder has a plan for his play his music for millions of adoring fans, who will reward him with money, fame and as much sex as he can handle. It’s a goal he’s been working toward since his teens and is on the cusp of achieving. The idea of a relationship never entered his mind—until a new drummer joins his band. One taste of Kalil, and all he wants is more.For Kalil, playing drums for Adder is a dream come true, the creative connection he’s always wanted. What he never reckoned on is the deeper connection he finds with Adder. Kalil would rather avoid sexual involvement with a bandmate, but Adder seems just as determined to break through his resistance.Attraction aside, music and sex are about the only things the hedonistic Adder and the increasingly jealous Kalil can agree on. Still, before they know it they’re on the brink of something deeper, something lasting.And it scares the hell out of both of them.
Paperback
First published April 7, 2009
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About the author
Ally Blue
90 books449 followersAlly Blue penned her first tale at age eight, relating the breathless terror of her little sister’s not-quite-fatal encounter with a bee in the backyard. That was the beginning of a lifelong love affair with storytelling. She now writes gay romance of all flavors, and has recently branched into writing her first love: horror. She continues her neverending quest to scare herself. She is not a hippie or a brain surgeon, no matter what her kids’ friends say.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
April 8, 2009
I had some mixed emotions while I read this book. Adder is one of those books that is hard for me to rate. I really liked it, until the close to the end, then a character did something I didn’t care for and well it kind of dampened my feelings toward it.
I keep trying to remember that Rock Stars aren’t like you and me. Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll is usually the creed they live by, so of course they don’t have the same thinking process any normal person like you or I might have.
Adder is a wild, talented, sarcastic, horny, spoiled brat, scene stealer and well for no better word, SLUT. (He even admits this) I could help but love his zest for life and his flirtatious manner. He’s one of those characters that is so easy to become addicted to reading about what crazy situation they end up having. For all of his boldness and blatant sexuality, Adder basically wants to be loved, and to love someone. But, since he is afraid of the “L” word, he has sex with anything that he fancies.
Adder is known for his wild angst on stage. In the first scene of the book, he is literally fist fighting with the drummer during one of their concerts. Because of Adder’s colorful personality, the crowd loves him and usually encourages Adder’s outrageous behavior, and Adder being the character he is…is never one to deny his fans of what they expect from him.
When one of his band members mention Kalil to be their next drummer, Adder agrees to Kalil auditioning for them. The moment Adder lays eyes on Kalil he is immediately fascinated with him. Not only is Kalil the best drummer he has ever heard, but he is everything Adder is attracted to in a man. Unfortunately, for Adder Kalil refuses to sleep with band mates. But, Adder never takes no for an answer so he pursues Kalil heavily until he gets his way.
You can’t help but like Adder. It makes sense that he and Kalil are together. Even with the communication problems they have with one another, they fit together pretty well. Of course, they have a pretty intense sexual relationship, and that never hurts either.
The storyline is interesting. I enjoyed watching Adder, Kalil and the rest of the band become a success. Adder and Kalil’s fear of rejection and communication problems drove me crazy sometimes, but otherwise I really enjoyed their relationship and reading this book. I wasn’t crazy how Adder made Kalil reveal his feelings for him, but that is me. I understand where he was coming from, but it still bothered me…even if he is a Rock Star.
I keep trying to remember that Rock Stars aren’t like you and me. Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll is usually the creed they live by, so of course they don’t have the same thinking process any normal person like you or I might have.
Adder is a wild, talented, sarcastic, horny, spoiled brat, scene stealer and well for no better word, SLUT. (He even admits this) I could help but love his zest for life and his flirtatious manner. He’s one of those characters that is so easy to become addicted to reading about what crazy situation they end up having. For all of his boldness and blatant sexuality, Adder basically wants to be loved, and to love someone. But, since he is afraid of the “L” word, he has sex with anything that he fancies.
Adder is known for his wild angst on stage. In the first scene of the book, he is literally fist fighting with the drummer during one of their concerts. Because of Adder’s colorful personality, the crowd loves him and usually encourages Adder’s outrageous behavior, and Adder being the character he is…is never one to deny his fans of what they expect from him.
When one of his band members mention Kalil to be their next drummer, Adder agrees to Kalil auditioning for them. The moment Adder lays eyes on Kalil he is immediately fascinated with him. Not only is Kalil the best drummer he has ever heard, but he is everything Adder is attracted to in a man. Unfortunately, for Adder Kalil refuses to sleep with band mates. But, Adder never takes no for an answer so he pursues Kalil heavily until he gets his way.
You can’t help but like Adder. It makes sense that he and Kalil are together. Even with the communication problems they have with one another, they fit together pretty well. Of course, they have a pretty intense sexual relationship, and that never hurts either.
The storyline is interesting. I enjoyed watching Adder, Kalil and the rest of the band become a success. Adder and Kalil’s fear of rejection and communication problems drove me crazy sometimes, but otherwise I really enjoyed their relationship and reading this book. I wasn’t crazy how Adder made Kalil reveal his feelings for him, but that is me. I understand where he was coming from, but it still bothered me…even if he is a Rock Star.
January 8, 2010
Thank you, Nichole for choosing this book for me to read. :)
The author of this work has a clear understanding of the mindset of a man and his fear of commitment. The fact that both of the main characters were fighting against a relationship is so typical.
This book was filled with colorful, lovable characters that stayed on my mind even when not reading. The plot was entertaining and the writing was flawless.
The author of this work has a clear understanding of the mindset of a man and his fear of commitment. The fact that both of the main characters were fighting against a relationship is so typical.
This book was filled with colorful, lovable characters that stayed on my mind even when not reading. The plot was entertaining and the writing was flawless.
April 16, 2009
This story was nice, fast read and the pace was OK.
So it’s not the story but the characters I had problems with…
I liked Adder’s character (in the first half): he is the type of guy we don't have usually in romances.
He stand out for being egoistic, egocentric, sarcastic about everything except music, someone who likes to play a lot (fans, friends) ; no commitments and no particular reasons for this choice.
He admits being a “slut” and is completely dedicated to his music.
But we can’t hate him or despise him: he is somehow funny and likeable through all his flaws.
Kalil is extremely annoying: he appears at first to be sweet, strong willed but all his actions prove wrong: in one paragraph he wants something and two pages later he wants the contrary. I found him most of the time changeable and capricious.
No chemistry at all between them, even when they have sex, and Ally Blue skipped through their possible chemistry in music.
At some point I found myself beginning to analyze all their reactions and then I said to myself: Stop, it's ok, let's finish it…
And then Adder does something really strange and Kalil’s reaction to it is even more disturbing: it all went against their character sketch!!
I would say that fortunately it happened in the last pages of the story, otherwise there was no way I would have finished it.
For me it was really 2 stars but gave 3 because I managed to finish it and I had a little fun reading the first half.
Maybe the words didn’t go through…
For those who like Ally blue's stories (I’m one of them too!!), you can give it a try because as an example I never finished “The Happy Onion » and it is really high rated.
So it’s not the story but the characters I had problems with…
I liked Adder’s character (in the first half): he is the type of guy we don't have usually in romances.
He stand out for being egoistic, egocentric, sarcastic about everything except music, someone who likes to play a lot (fans, friends) ; no commitments and no particular reasons for this choice.
He admits being a “slut” and is completely dedicated to his music.
But we can’t hate him or despise him: he is somehow funny and likeable through all his flaws.
Kalil is extremely annoying: he appears at first to be sweet, strong willed but all his actions prove wrong: in one paragraph he wants something and two pages later he wants the contrary. I found him most of the time changeable and capricious.
No chemistry at all between them, even when they have sex, and Ally Blue skipped through their possible chemistry in music.
At some point I found myself beginning to analyze all their reactions and then I said to myself: Stop, it's ok, let's finish it…
And then Adder does something really strange and Kalil’s reaction to it is even more disturbing: it all went against their character sketch!!
I would say that fortunately it happened in the last pages of the story, otherwise there was no way I would have finished it.
For me it was really 2 stars but gave 3 because I managed to finish it and I had a little fun reading the first half.
Maybe the words didn’t go through…
For those who like Ally blue's stories (I’m one of them too!!), you can give it a try because as an example I never finished “The Happy Onion » and it is really high rated.
June 4, 2012
Reading this was the last nail in the coffin.
February 4, 2011
I actually really liked this story. The first few words dragged me into the story right away and I didn't want to put it down.
I really liked the characters. Kalil is one of the best drummers ever. He's shy but still confident and just wants to make it as a musician but he's cautious when it comes to signing contracts and interband relationships especially since he easily gets jealous when he has feelings for someone. Adder is the opposite. He's outgoing, loves attention, uses his flirtation to get what he wants and he doesn't care who he screws as long as their willing and of age. And he loves it, thinks it's flattering, when Kalil gets jealous whenever someone flirts or comes onto Adder.
Like I said, I was caught up in the story. I liked how when Kalil joins the band, there's instant attraction between him and Adder. I found it funny how much Kalil was adamant on not having a relationship with Adder especially since Adder wore him down eventually to the point where they turn into long-time lovers. The book takes place over a year and in that time, considering Adder was a major slut, he never once cheated on Kalil, almost did but didn't actually go through with it.
There was only one thing that I didn't like about the book and I just have one question. I might be a little dense or something but I don't ever remember reading about the band's name. Is the band called Adder? I was just a little confused about that but there's this one scene that happens at the very end that I didn't like at all. . I would have given this 5 stars but because of what happened at the end, I can't give it more than 4 stars. :-/
Overall, the book is good. I definitely recommend it, especially if you're looking for a good book about musicians.
I really liked the characters. Kalil is one of the best drummers ever. He's shy but still confident and just wants to make it as a musician but he's cautious when it comes to signing contracts and interband relationships especially since he easily gets jealous when he has feelings for someone. Adder is the opposite. He's outgoing, loves attention, uses his flirtation to get what he wants and he doesn't care who he screws as long as their willing and of age. And he loves it, thinks it's flattering, when Kalil gets jealous whenever someone flirts or comes onto Adder.
Like I said, I was caught up in the story. I liked how when Kalil joins the band, there's instant attraction between him and Adder. I found it funny how much Kalil was adamant on not having a relationship with Adder especially since Adder wore him down eventually to the point where they turn into long-time lovers. The book takes place over a year and in that time, considering Adder was a major slut, he never once cheated on Kalil, almost did but didn't actually go through with it.
There was only one thing that I didn't like about the book and I just have one question. I might be a little dense or something but I don't ever remember reading about the band's name. Is the band called Adder? I was just a little confused about that but there's this one scene that happens at the very end that I didn't like at all. . I would have given this 5 stars but because of what happened at the end, I can't give it more than 4 stars. :-/
Overall, the book is good. I definitely recommend it, especially if you're looking for a good book about musicians.
April 13, 2009
Adder and Kalil are an explosive pair that points out that sometimes a pair can seem totally opposite but actually be on the same page and not realize it until it is almost too late.
After reading some reviews I was prepared to not like Adder, but I did like him, tremendously. He was as generous with his affection (albeit without ever admitting the dreaded L word outloud) as he is with his personality and determination to find stardom.
Kalil is a very reluctant and careful man, especially considering he is only a risk taker in his music, but nowhere else. This does create communication problems between himself and Adder that are painful for both when insecurities and determination collide.
Adder takes a unique approach to bring Kalil around to confront their feelings but it was very much in character for Adder and Kali's reaction was spot on as well.
I liked the epilogue, the angst was heartfelt and their steps to fame was plausible. Another Ally Blue satisfied customer.
After reading some reviews I was prepared to not like Adder, but I did like him, tremendously. He was as generous with his affection (albeit without ever admitting the dreaded L word outloud) as he is with his personality and determination to find stardom.
Kalil is a very reluctant and careful man, especially considering he is only a risk taker in his music, but nowhere else. This does create communication problems between himself and Adder that are painful for both when insecurities and determination collide.
Adder takes a unique approach to bring Kalil around to confront their feelings but it was very much in character for Adder and Kali's reaction was spot on as well.
I liked the epilogue, the angst was heartfelt and their steps to fame was plausible. Another Ally Blue satisfied customer.
Read
June 5, 2009First time I "met" Ally Blue, she was known as the Queen of Angst: books as Easy and Forgotten Song are without doubt beautiful books, but so full of angst. The she started to change, and she gifted us with light funny comedy as Catching a Buzz or The Happy Onion (even if, between books, she also wrote the Bay Paranormal Investigation series that's not exactly "light"), but sometime she returned back to her old habit with books like Untamed Heart. So you can understand that I approached this last book with a big question in my mind: angst or light and funny? The Show Business setting let me think that it would be the second one but then the not easy relationship between Adder and Kalil, with their incapacity to come clear with their feelings was a sure hint that the angst part was there, ready to struck.
Adder is the first violin and leader singer of a rock band. Big on stage and even bigger on life, Adder has an easy-to-go approach to sex: if they are legal and willing, he is on for the ride, not matter if with a man or a woman. And he is so easy and fascinating that no one seems to be able to hold a grudge with him, and so he has not a string of disappointed former lovers behind him, he was even able to remain friend and bandmate with one of them, Vi, the girl at the keyboard. You will think that this approach to life, all sex and denying the existing of love, would be a consequence of some broken heart in his past, and instead Adder is for real like that, he is not the jealous type and he doesn't consider exclusive sex as a possibility since he doesn't consider there is a chance for him to find someone with whom he will desire to be exclusive... until Kalil.
Kalil is the new drummer of the band and a very handsome young man. As soon as Adder sees him, he is bent to the task to seduce the man, and maybe Kalil, unwillingly, does the only thing to secure him a more than passing interest by Adder's side: he plays the role of the unreachable damsel on the ivory tower... but thanks to a drunken night that tower crushed down and Adder breaches the door of Kalil's most hidden treasure (pun very much intended). I was almost holding a grudge myself with Ally Blue since she deprived me of that sex scene (I only had to read of the two waking up together AFTER the crime), but she soon made amend and gave us a lot of other sex scenes between the two, very much intense and good... as I will say later on in this post, I believe that there is a reason for the author to not allowing us to see the performance of Adder as a top.
Coming back to out heroes, It's not that Kalil is not interested in Adder, he only doesn't want to be another notch in his belt. Anyway after that night (the only one in which Adder tops since he is a bottom for nature), Kalil's defense line are filled full of holes and it's not so much time that he and Adder drift onto a some type of relationship, with Kalil uber-jealous of Adder, and Adder that doesn't do nothing to fuel that jealousy if not being who he is, friendly and flirting. Knowing that the angst was there ready for make its entering, I was fully expecting that the jealousy issue would be the trigger point and instead I was wrong... but I will not say more ;-) (be warned, when the angst struck there is always trouble among the heroes, even if they remain "faithful" at their own way).
I like as the author plays with the characters and their behavior to make a point on the story. For example, Adder's claim that he is a bottom, you can think it's only a sexual preference, and he also gave a quite good explanation, but for me it's a proof that he is not yet ready for commitment: being a bottom allows Adder to be always at the center of the adoration, all right, he is open in a most intimate way, but he doesn't take the lead in the encounter, he doesn't claim no one as his own (with women doesn't count, since Adder doesn't risk to fall in love with a woman); and in fact, as soon as he realizes that he is starting to feel something for Kalil, he is not more able to let someone top him since that claim is of Kalil now.
On the other hand Kalil behaves very much like an animal (in the good meaning of the word): he is not able to say the word, and so he stakes his claim marking Adder with sex, everytime he can. What I like very much in this story is that the one who is accused to be not fully grown from an emotional point of view, Adder, is instead the one that understands better Kalil and their relationship. Adder knows that something is eating alive Kalil, and more than once tries to push the man to talk, but Kalil is as stubborn as a mule. I believe that Adder is not insensible, he has only reached a moment in his life in which he is ready for something serious, and maybe he is at that point since he has tasted all the possible ranges before. As strange as it could be sound, the one who needs to grow for me it's Kalil.
To a very good development of the characters, add also that the show business setting is nicely described, the supporting characters play nicely their role, being present but not obtrusive, and you will have probably one of the best romance I read by Ally Blue so far.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1605045411/?...
Adder is the first violin and leader singer of a rock band. Big on stage and even bigger on life, Adder has an easy-to-go approach to sex: if they are legal and willing, he is on for the ride, not matter if with a man or a woman. And he is so easy and fascinating that no one seems to be able to hold a grudge with him, and so he has not a string of disappointed former lovers behind him, he was even able to remain friend and bandmate with one of them, Vi, the girl at the keyboard. You will think that this approach to life, all sex and denying the existing of love, would be a consequence of some broken heart in his past, and instead Adder is for real like that, he is not the jealous type and he doesn't consider exclusive sex as a possibility since he doesn't consider there is a chance for him to find someone with whom he will desire to be exclusive... until Kalil.
Kalil is the new drummer of the band and a very handsome young man. As soon as Adder sees him, he is bent to the task to seduce the man, and maybe Kalil, unwillingly, does the only thing to secure him a more than passing interest by Adder's side: he plays the role of the unreachable damsel on the ivory tower... but thanks to a drunken night that tower crushed down and Adder breaches the door of Kalil's most hidden treasure (pun very much intended). I was almost holding a grudge myself with Ally Blue since she deprived me of that sex scene (I only had to read of the two waking up together AFTER the crime), but she soon made amend and gave us a lot of other sex scenes between the two, very much intense and good... as I will say later on in this post, I believe that there is a reason for the author to not allowing us to see the performance of Adder as a top.
Coming back to out heroes, It's not that Kalil is not interested in Adder, he only doesn't want to be another notch in his belt. Anyway after that night (the only one in which Adder tops since he is a bottom for nature), Kalil's defense line are filled full of holes and it's not so much time that he and Adder drift onto a some type of relationship, with Kalil uber-jealous of Adder, and Adder that doesn't do nothing to fuel that jealousy if not being who he is, friendly and flirting. Knowing that the angst was there ready for make its entering, I was fully expecting that the jealousy issue would be the trigger point and instead I was wrong... but I will not say more ;-) (be warned, when the angst struck there is always trouble among the heroes, even if they remain "faithful" at their own way).
I like as the author plays with the characters and their behavior to make a point on the story. For example, Adder's claim that he is a bottom, you can think it's only a sexual preference, and he also gave a quite good explanation, but for me it's a proof that he is not yet ready for commitment: being a bottom allows Adder to be always at the center of the adoration, all right, he is open in a most intimate way, but he doesn't take the lead in the encounter, he doesn't claim no one as his own (with women doesn't count, since Adder doesn't risk to fall in love with a woman); and in fact, as soon as he realizes that he is starting to feel something for Kalil, he is not more able to let someone top him since that claim is of Kalil now.
On the other hand Kalil behaves very much like an animal (in the good meaning of the word): he is not able to say the word, and so he stakes his claim marking Adder with sex, everytime he can. What I like very much in this story is that the one who is accused to be not fully grown from an emotional point of view, Adder, is instead the one that understands better Kalil and their relationship. Adder knows that something is eating alive Kalil, and more than once tries to push the man to talk, but Kalil is as stubborn as a mule. I believe that Adder is not insensible, he has only reached a moment in his life in which he is ready for something serious, and maybe he is at that point since he has tasted all the possible ranges before. As strange as it could be sound, the one who needs to grow for me it's Kalil.
To a very good development of the characters, add also that the show business setting is nicely described, the supporting characters play nicely their role, being present but not obtrusive, and you will have probably one of the best romance I read by Ally Blue so far.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1605045411/?...
March 19, 2013
March, 2013:
I originally read this book back in 2009 when I was first scratching the surface of this wonderful genre. It was a 5 star read then, and a go-to comfort read. I would skim and find my favorite scenes and it always satisifed.
I recently re-read it and it was still a 5 star read for about the first 3/4. I just love these characters, and I love the way they fall in love and stay together simply because they want to be with each other, and not because they need to fall in with any societal norms of monogamy or coupledom. It's really cute and romantic. And a lot of their more childish behavior can be forgiven when taken in context with the fact that they're in their early 20's.
It was when I got to the end, the Big Misunderstanding and the Token Breakup that it faltered. It was based on such a silly argument, I don't know if I buy that they would have stayed split up for so long, even when taking into account their youth and hotheadedness. It's just kind of dumb and far fetched.
So based on the general consensus of my friends that I should change my rating if my opinion changes on a re-read, I am taking away a star. But I still think this book is awesome and it deserves a resurgence in popularity, so I'm urging all my friends who haven't read it to pick this one up. Do it now!
I originally read this book back in 2009 when I was first scratching the surface of this wonderful genre. It was a 5 star read then, and a go-to comfort read. I would skim and find my favorite scenes and it always satisifed.
I recently re-read it and it was still a 5 star read for about the first 3/4. I just love these characters, and I love the way they fall in love and stay together simply because they want to be with each other, and not because they need to fall in with any societal norms of monogamy or coupledom. It's really cute and romantic. And a lot of their more childish behavior can be forgiven when taken in context with the fact that they're in their early 20's.
It was when I got to the end, the Big Misunderstanding and the Token Breakup that it faltered. It was based on such a silly argument, I don't know if I buy that they would have stayed split up for so long, even when taking into account their youth and hotheadedness. It's just kind of dumb and far fetched.
So based on the general consensus of my friends that I should change my rating if my opinion changes on a re-read, I am taking away a star. But I still think this book is awesome and it deserves a resurgence in popularity, so I'm urging all my friends who haven't read it to pick this one up. Do it now!
May 11, 2009
I liked this book much, till the last couple of chapters where I had a bit of a WTF moment. Some things in a romance novel just push my buttons and this one sure did that. In spite of this, I really liked the characters and read this delicious bit of goodness in nearly one sitting. Flamboyant rock stars and band drama totally dooo eeet for me! Unfortunately, one characters actions had my eyebrows nearly sitting in my hairline and I cannot say I was pleased with how it ended. It was a happily ever afterly, but….
I’ll definitely been keeping an eye out for more band boy goodness in what I am hoping is a series of books. Fingers crossed
http://sharrow.wordpress.com/2009/05/...
I’ll definitely been keeping an eye out for more band boy goodness in what I am hoping is a series of books. Fingers crossed
http://sharrow.wordpress.com/2009/05/...
April 11, 2011
There are aspects of this that I liked. The look and the feel of the band and the music the band plays. I liked the interactions between all of the characters as a unit or family.
What I didn't like was there was some relationship growth but it did not grow in proportion to the time that Adder and Kalil were in the relationship together. They had been exclusive for a year and still carried the same hang-ups. Kalil never trusted Adder and Adder remain oblivious. I thought that Adder acted out of character when Kalil was cautioning them about the contract.
The last scene totally put me off and is the reason why I gave this a two instead of a three.
What I didn't like was there was some relationship growth but it did not grow in proportion to the time that Adder and Kalil were in the relationship together. They had been exclusive for a year and still carried the same hang-ups. Kalil never trusted Adder and Adder remain oblivious. I thought that Adder acted out of character when Kalil was cautioning them about the contract.
The last scene totally put me off and is the reason why I gave this a two instead of a three.
June 5, 2012
2,5 stars.
Normally I don't like slutty characters, but I was fine with Adder until his harebrained scheme near the end of the book. Was it so hard to get the boy alone and talk to him?
Normally I don't like slutty characters, but I was fine with Adder until his harebrained scheme near the end of the book. Was it so hard to get the boy alone and talk to him?
August 15, 2009
Elisa Rolle called this the best Ally Blue book she’s read and coming from such a voracious reader, that’s quite the compliment. After finishing Adder, I have to say I think Elisa may be right. Despite a few qualms, which I’ll get to, this story was dynamic and enthralling from beginning to end. The characters were engaging and surprisingly charming, even in the face of almost too many flaws to count. Deft handling of personalities and fast moving plot with tight writing and colorful humor kept this story sailing even through angst and heartache. The unusual combination of drama and humor from an author that tends to stick to one or the other has created a solid, entertaining story that’s quick to read and sure to please most readers.
The plot is surprisingly simple for all its effectiveness. Adder is the leader of a band, whose name ironically is never explicitly stated, that includes Vi and Harpo as band mates and they need a new drummer – namely Kalil. Once Kalil joins the band, he becomes involved with Adder and the story follows the progression of both their relationship and the band’s rise to fame. The strength of the story comes from the great characterizations and the realistic conflict that plays out repeatedly amongst several personalities. The band members work together great and the music they produce is getting them noticed, however, the antics offstage create problems, as can only be expected in a rock band.
Adder is aptly described as amoral when Kalil first meets him. Adder happily screws anything that moves and his bisexual nature seems to create numerous opportunities to indulge his overactive sexual appetite. Adder maintains a relationship with Vi and occasionally manages to talk her into sex while constantly propositioning Harpo for the same. Flirting with Kalil seems to be par for the course but Kalil’s resistance initially intrigues Adder. However, once Kalil succumbs to Adder’s wiles, it’s clear their relationship is different. For a self-proclaimed slut, Adder surprisingly has few problems with the monogamous relationship. While neither man really meant for that to happen, Adder is more comfortable with the twist and his confidence carries him through any potential qualms. Adder’s ability to soothe and understand Kalil and his mercurial moods is essential to keeping what could have been a rocky relationship, strong. Adder is not without his own hints of selfishness, which lend to the uneven footing between the two men.
Unfortunately Kalil lacks the same confidence and maturity that Adder, for all his openly flirtatious and outgoing manner, exudes. Kalil instead fights almost constantly with irrational jealousy and overprotective concerns. While not completely unfounded, his fears tend to be mostly baseless and no amount of consideration and reassuring seems to help. He’s very slow to take risks, even in the face of potential success, and prefers to brood rather than communicate, creating unnecessary friction and tension before he’s able to express himself. Kalil’s emotional nature and tendency to think the worst often create misunderstandings and ultimately lead him to create problems with both the band and Adder. Kalil’s overprotective and possessive nature clashes with Adder’s easygoing, gregarious personality and sparks fly, in both hot and cold ways. Without question, the chemistry and connection between Adder and Kalil is explosive and hot, easily riding over any uncomfortable problems that might arise, although the impression is that Kalil will need a lot of reassurance and attention at all times from Adder.
Even with this, both characters are quickly dynamic and engaging. Surrounded by a solid group of secondary characters including the band’s manager and other band mates, the tightly written plot moves along at a face pace with elements of humor and angst handled well. Brightly colored condoms and emergency lube aside though, the final resolution was a problem. While the conflict and drama up to that point was understandable and kept very much in character, the resolution Adder decides on and then enacts is simply unbelievable. It certainly made little sense given Adder and Kalil’s relationship and past problems, furthermore that it actually worked was forced and stiff. Kalil’s reaction had no connection to his thought process and reasoning up until then, not to mention that the actual way Adder went about it shouldn’t have worked either when taking into account previous arguments. This was certainly almost a story destroying moment. As I want a HEA ending for two great characters, I simply prefer it make sense for their personalities and relationship and not forced simply to satisfy the ride off into the sunset. Yet for the majority of the book, the writing was descriptive and interesting, the characters engaging and a swift moving plot do carry it over the bad resolution.
Overall, this is a fun story with equal parts drama and humor set within a compelling and interesting backdrop of a rock band with its flamboyant lead singer. Fun elements of detail involving vivid colors ranging from hairstyle to condom choices to strategically placed tattoos, help offset the intensity and keep the pace quick. Well written characters keep you guessing and engaged in the story and even with the fumble at the ending, I can easily recommend this book.
http://kassa-rvws.livejournal.com/231...
The plot is surprisingly simple for all its effectiveness. Adder is the leader of a band, whose name ironically is never explicitly stated, that includes Vi and Harpo as band mates and they need a new drummer – namely Kalil. Once Kalil joins the band, he becomes involved with Adder and the story follows the progression of both their relationship and the band’s rise to fame. The strength of the story comes from the great characterizations and the realistic conflict that plays out repeatedly amongst several personalities. The band members work together great and the music they produce is getting them noticed, however, the antics offstage create problems, as can only be expected in a rock band.
Adder is aptly described as amoral when Kalil first meets him. Adder happily screws anything that moves and his bisexual nature seems to create numerous opportunities to indulge his overactive sexual appetite. Adder maintains a relationship with Vi and occasionally manages to talk her into sex while constantly propositioning Harpo for the same. Flirting with Kalil seems to be par for the course but Kalil’s resistance initially intrigues Adder. However, once Kalil succumbs to Adder’s wiles, it’s clear their relationship is different. For a self-proclaimed slut, Adder surprisingly has few problems with the monogamous relationship. While neither man really meant for that to happen, Adder is more comfortable with the twist and his confidence carries him through any potential qualms. Adder’s ability to soothe and understand Kalil and his mercurial moods is essential to keeping what could have been a rocky relationship, strong. Adder is not without his own hints of selfishness, which lend to the uneven footing between the two men.
Unfortunately Kalil lacks the same confidence and maturity that Adder, for all his openly flirtatious and outgoing manner, exudes. Kalil instead fights almost constantly with irrational jealousy and overprotective concerns. While not completely unfounded, his fears tend to be mostly baseless and no amount of consideration and reassuring seems to help. He’s very slow to take risks, even in the face of potential success, and prefers to brood rather than communicate, creating unnecessary friction and tension before he’s able to express himself. Kalil’s emotional nature and tendency to think the worst often create misunderstandings and ultimately lead him to create problems with both the band and Adder. Kalil’s overprotective and possessive nature clashes with Adder’s easygoing, gregarious personality and sparks fly, in both hot and cold ways. Without question, the chemistry and connection between Adder and Kalil is explosive and hot, easily riding over any uncomfortable problems that might arise, although the impression is that Kalil will need a lot of reassurance and attention at all times from Adder.
Even with this, both characters are quickly dynamic and engaging. Surrounded by a solid group of secondary characters including the band’s manager and other band mates, the tightly written plot moves along at a face pace with elements of humor and angst handled well. Brightly colored condoms and emergency lube aside though, the final resolution was a problem. While the conflict and drama up to that point was understandable and kept very much in character, the resolution Adder decides on and then enacts is simply unbelievable. It certainly made little sense given Adder and Kalil’s relationship and past problems, furthermore that it actually worked was forced and stiff. Kalil’s reaction had no connection to his thought process and reasoning up until then, not to mention that the actual way Adder went about it shouldn’t have worked either when taking into account previous arguments. This was certainly almost a story destroying moment. As I want a HEA ending for two great characters, I simply prefer it make sense for their personalities and relationship and not forced simply to satisfy the ride off into the sunset. Yet for the majority of the book, the writing was descriptive and interesting, the characters engaging and a swift moving plot do carry it over the bad resolution.
Overall, this is a fun story with equal parts drama and humor set within a compelling and interesting backdrop of a rock band with its flamboyant lead singer. Fun elements of detail involving vivid colors ranging from hairstyle to condom choices to strategically placed tattoos, help offset the intensity and keep the pace quick. Well written characters keep you guessing and engaged in the story and even with the fumble at the ending, I can easily recommend this book.
http://kassa-rvws.livejournal.com/231...
September 3, 2010
Once I got over how Adder talked (he didn't strike me as a southern boy at all)I enjoyed most of the story. Really, I was pretty in love with it right up until the end. The conflict and resolution felt a little too simple when there was room for a lot more emotion and action. It is a great story, though, with some really well done love scenes and some very likable characters. I would recommend it and would probably read it again on a nice rainy afternoon.
March 11, 2012
Adder does not have good luck when it comes to drummers. After spectacularly firing the band's last one, bandmate Harpo suggests that they try Kalil, a high school friend. Adder agrees, but he has no way of knowing what other changes the new member of the band will bring. Will Adder and Kalil be able to remain true to themselves and their dreams without losing each other?
Adder is a larger-than-life up-and-coming rockstar with the personality and charisma to attain his goals. He has horrible fashion sense, green hair, a steel tooth, and a penchant for colorful condoms. He's also unrepentantly promiscuous, and quite used to getting what he wants. I can see him as a leading man... but I just never liked him. He was a bit too much for me, I think, as though every stereotype of a rockstar had been rolled into one overwhelming package. He vaguely annoyed me for the vast majority of the story, and just as I was starting to like him pulled a stupid stunt that made me roll my eyes and demote him again.
Kalil is a bit of a control freak with jealousy issues. He spends most of the story with a quietly simmering anger, which made him rather difficult to root for. When he wasn't angry, he was a mire of doubt and emotional extremes, which was enough to actually be draining.
The chemistry between Adder and Kalil went a long way toward making up for their failings as individuals. Although the relationship itself was spawned by the fact that Adder wanted to sleep with pretty much anything with a pulse, and evolved into mutual self-flagellation and does-he-doesn't-he, the sex was hot. The frequency was just enough to fit into the rockstar image, without completely shutting out the plot. To me, it got a little silly at the end, though, between Adder's aforementioned stunt and the epilogue.
The supporting cast was fairly small, but mostly appealing--Vi was my favorite, I think. They served their purposes well without fading too much into the background or taking over.
The story itself was mostly good, if limited by the personalities of Adder and Kalil. The plot moved along at a fairly steady clip, though it did have some repetitiveness or unnecessary dwelling upon certain points here and there. Aside from the relationship woes, things could have gone a little less smoothly--some points and resolutions were a little too pat--but, then, that would have distracted from the personal strife. Perhaps had it been a longer story, but ultimately not truly a terrible thing.
One thing that bothered me, though this is totally a personal thing, is that I cannot for the life of me recall or find the band's name. Even after skimming the book once I'd finished it, I couldn't locate it. I took to calling it Here for Your Pleasure. Maybe I just missed it, I don't know, but it seemed odd for there to be a number of other band names in the story without Adder's being readily apparent.
In the end, despite my dislike of and later apathy towards the main characters, this wasn't a bad story. For someone who enjoys extreme personalities, it might even be a good one. For myself, well, hot sex can only carry things so far.
Adder is a larger-than-life up-and-coming rockstar with the personality and charisma to attain his goals. He has horrible fashion sense, green hair, a steel tooth, and a penchant for colorful condoms. He's also unrepentantly promiscuous, and quite used to getting what he wants. I can see him as a leading man... but I just never liked him. He was a bit too much for me, I think, as though every stereotype of a rockstar had been rolled into one overwhelming package. He vaguely annoyed me for the vast majority of the story, and just as I was starting to like him pulled a stupid stunt that made me roll my eyes and demote him again.
Kalil is a bit of a control freak with jealousy issues. He spends most of the story with a quietly simmering anger, which made him rather difficult to root for. When he wasn't angry, he was a mire of doubt and emotional extremes, which was enough to actually be draining.
The chemistry between Adder and Kalil went a long way toward making up for their failings as individuals. Although the relationship itself was spawned by the fact that Adder wanted to sleep with pretty much anything with a pulse, and evolved into mutual self-flagellation and does-he-doesn't-he, the sex was hot. The frequency was just enough to fit into the rockstar image, without completely shutting out the plot. To me, it got a little silly at the end, though, between Adder's aforementioned stunt and the epilogue.
The supporting cast was fairly small, but mostly appealing--Vi was my favorite, I think. They served their purposes well without fading too much into the background or taking over.
The story itself was mostly good, if limited by the personalities of Adder and Kalil. The plot moved along at a fairly steady clip, though it did have some repetitiveness or unnecessary dwelling upon certain points here and there. Aside from the relationship woes, things could have gone a little less smoothly--some points and resolutions were a little too pat--but, then, that would have distracted from the personal strife. Perhaps had it been a longer story, but ultimately not truly a terrible thing.
One thing that bothered me, though this is totally a personal thing, is that I cannot for the life of me recall or find the band's name. Even after skimming the book once I'd finished it, I couldn't locate it. I took to calling it Here for Your Pleasure. Maybe I just missed it, I don't know, but it seemed odd for there to be a number of other band names in the story without Adder's being readily apparent.
In the end, despite my dislike of and later apathy towards the main characters, this wasn't a bad story. For someone who enjoys extreme personalities, it might even be a good one. For myself, well, hot sex can only carry things so far.
January 23, 2011
3.5 stars
Adder is a rock star in the making. He's got a cool band, loads of talent, fabulous looks and an overload of charisma. What he doesn't have is a good drummer. Enter Kalil, a good looking drummer whose talent is a perfect fit for the band. What follows is a fabulous mixture of romance, hot sex and rock star angst. For me, that's m/m heaven!
Adder is the kind of character that elicits extreme reactions, a love or hate character. He is a little arrogant, very aware of his appeal and willing to use said appeal for fun or gain. He is a very sexual being, always willing to have a good time with male or female partners alike. Kalil is insecure, temperamental and afraid of change. He struggles with decisions both in his personal and professional life because he is too worried about what could go wrong. He does not want a relationship with a bandmate, but he can't help falling for Adder. A little bit of alcohol mixed with a good dose of Adder charisma overcomes Kalil's inhibitions and lead to one fabulous night of sex. After that, the sizzling chemistry between them is just too strong to ignore.
The funny thing about Adder and Kalil is that neither is looking for a relationship. They fall into one without even trying. Adder takes his feelings for Kalil at face value. He always does what feels right and makes him happy, and being exclusively with Kalil does just that. Kalil on the other hand struggles with his feelings. His insecurity leads to jealousy, repressed hurt and anger. As the band's popularity climbs, Kalil's insecurity is more than the guys fledgling relationship can handle and they go their separate ways. Their eventual professional reconciliation is not surprising. What is a litle suprising is the way the reestablishment of their romantic relationship comes about. It is unexpected, a little shoking and very much Adder's style.
Adder and Kahlil are surounded by a wonderfully developed cast of secondary characters. I even liked Vi and she doesn't have dangly bits! My general dislike for female characters in m/m is well known. Ally joins the ranks of several great authors that have proven there is a place for women in m/m books if the characters are well developed and add to the story rather than interfering with it.
This book has all the things I love, absolutely gorgeous characters, a focus on the relationship, a fast moving plot and plenty of angst. Notable about this combination is the fantastic balance between the different elements. I LOVE angst. Many of Ally's earlier stories are angst fests to the Nth degree. I absolutely adore those stories, but I recognize the such heavy handed angst is not for everyone. Adder has the relationship angst perfectly woven into a fast moving plot that leaves no time to dwell on it, unless you really want to. You bet I did!
Adder is a rock star in the making. He's got a cool band, loads of talent, fabulous looks and an overload of charisma. What he doesn't have is a good drummer. Enter Kalil, a good looking drummer whose talent is a perfect fit for the band. What follows is a fabulous mixture of romance, hot sex and rock star angst. For me, that's m/m heaven!
Adder is the kind of character that elicits extreme reactions, a love or hate character. He is a little arrogant, very aware of his appeal and willing to use said appeal for fun or gain. He is a very sexual being, always willing to have a good time with male or female partners alike. Kalil is insecure, temperamental and afraid of change. He struggles with decisions both in his personal and professional life because he is too worried about what could go wrong. He does not want a relationship with a bandmate, but he can't help falling for Adder. A little bit of alcohol mixed with a good dose of Adder charisma overcomes Kalil's inhibitions and lead to one fabulous night of sex. After that, the sizzling chemistry between them is just too strong to ignore.
The funny thing about Adder and Kalil is that neither is looking for a relationship. They fall into one without even trying. Adder takes his feelings for Kalil at face value. He always does what feels right and makes him happy, and being exclusively with Kalil does just that. Kalil on the other hand struggles with his feelings. His insecurity leads to jealousy, repressed hurt and anger. As the band's popularity climbs, Kalil's insecurity is more than the guys fledgling relationship can handle and they go their separate ways. Their eventual professional reconciliation is not surprising. What is a litle suprising is the way the reestablishment of their romantic relationship comes about. It is unexpected, a little shoking and very much Adder's style.
Adder and Kahlil are surounded by a wonderfully developed cast of secondary characters. I even liked Vi and she doesn't have dangly bits! My general dislike for female characters in m/m is well known. Ally joins the ranks of several great authors that have proven there is a place for women in m/m books if the characters are well developed and add to the story rather than interfering with it.
This book has all the things I love, absolutely gorgeous characters, a focus on the relationship, a fast moving plot and plenty of angst. Notable about this combination is the fantastic balance between the different elements. I LOVE angst. Many of Ally's earlier stories are angst fests to the Nth degree. I absolutely adore those stories, but I recognize the such heavy handed angst is not for everyone. Adder has the relationship angst perfectly woven into a fast moving plot that leaves no time to dwell on it, unless you really want to. You bet I did!
April 11, 2011
01/18/13: Revised rating after a couple of years of reading m/m: from 4 to 3.
I enjoyed this book, because I like rock stars and Adder is the perfect example of a bigger-than-life artist. At the beginning I found him annoying, especially because he was trying to force Kalil to have sex with him with a very heavy hand. I also think that the fact that they had sex the first time while Kalil was drunk and Adder was sober didn't sit well with me.
I liked Kalil at the beginning, but then he annoyed me. He was jealous and he never trusted Adder, even when Adder assured him that he wasn't going to screw their manager. The relationship between the two lasts a year before they break up, but they never really grow. Kalil is not able to tell Adder he loves him and Adder never seems to truly reach out to his distressed and confused lover. I think that the misunderstanding that makes them break up was very well done and it perfectly suited the inability of the main characters to build a more mature relationship. I think that Kalil's trust issues were never truly explained, I don't think they depended solely on Adder's reputation as the ultimate slut.
I don't get the last scene before the epilogue. Is that the way to win back your lover? Screwing someone else before his eyes to see if he'll claim you? Kalil should have kicked his ass, not claimed him. It was as if that scene were taken out of a different story. I lost my respect for both characters because they're behavior didn't strike me as brilliant. It ruined the mood of the story, because I don't think the angst I felt really paid off.
In spite of these things I disliked, the story is very enjoyable and I'll re-read it with pleasure.
I enjoyed this book, because I like rock stars and Adder is the perfect example of a bigger-than-life artist. At the beginning I found him annoying, especially because he was trying to force Kalil to have sex with him with a very heavy hand. I also think that the fact that they had sex the first time while Kalil was drunk and Adder was sober didn't sit well with me.
I liked Kalil at the beginning, but then he annoyed me. He was jealous and he never trusted Adder, even when Adder assured him that he wasn't going to screw their manager. The relationship between the two lasts a year before they break up, but they never really grow. Kalil is not able to tell Adder he loves him and Adder never seems to truly reach out to his distressed and confused lover. I think that the misunderstanding that makes them break up was very well done and it perfectly suited the inability of the main characters to build a more mature relationship. I think that Kalil's trust issues were never truly explained, I don't think they depended solely on Adder's reputation as the ultimate slut.
I don't get the last scene before the epilogue. Is that the way to win back your lover? Screwing someone else before his eyes to see if he'll claim you? Kalil should have kicked his ass, not claimed him. It was as if that scene were taken out of a different story. I lost my respect for both characters because they're behavior didn't strike me as brilliant. It ruined the mood of the story, because I don't think the angst I felt really paid off.
In spite of these things I disliked, the story is very enjoyable and I'll re-read it with pleasure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2010
Somehow this book just didn't work for me. Adder is led singer in a rock band ans he only lives for fame, sex and a good time. He doesn't believe in love so wanders from man to woman having serx with whomever melts his butter at the time. A new drummer,Kalil, joins the band and attracts Adder's attention. The old fight for top/bootom starts an rgument right from the beginning. The trouble for Adder is that Kalil wants him for good. Neither man is a very interesting character and both are terribly stunted emotionally. I don't expect every book I read to end HEA but these two were pathetic..my opinion only.
December 7, 2013
Hmmm....no matter how you write it...men will be men..that is to say "clueless" about relationships or the maintenance of said relationship! When you put two men together...and neither one is looking to be in a "relationship"...well, lets just say "love" will knock them for a loop and scare the crap out of them...which is what happened to Adder and Kalil...so of course the situation went downhill fast instead of either one making the first move...they just let it go...and who saved the day? You will not be surprised when you find out...you will nod your head with a "I knew that was who" and enjoy the rest of the story! I know I did!!! haha
December 19, 2014
2.75. It's so annoying when a story is built upon miscommunication. If Adder and Kalil had learned to talk to each other, most of the drama could have been avoided.
Usually, I find this author's books much more engaging. Adder was a bit annoying (the constant endearments, the "I'm so hot" attitude), and Kalil was over the top with his jealousy.
The reconciliation scene was a true WTF moment. It made no sense that that's how Adder would choose to win back Kalil or that, stunningly, it would work. It ruined the ending for me.
Usually, I find this author's books much more engaging. Adder was a bit annoying (the constant endearments, the "I'm so hot" attitude), and Kalil was over the top with his jealousy.
The reconciliation scene was a true WTF moment. It made no sense that that's how Adder would choose to win back Kalil or that, stunningly, it would work. It ruined the ending for me.
April 28, 2010
I'm a huge Ally Blue fan and this book did not fail to become a quick fave - and not only because it was about rockstars (yeah, I love rockstars). I adored both characters for completely different reasons, and I love that Ally didn't turn their relationship into a fairy tale, quick-fix romance. They were real and honest, and horribly afraid to love and be loved back - a complete and beautiful recipe for angst and heart-tugging.
February 10, 2014
A confusing love between two confusing people.,
I loved these two characters on their own, and together. Mostly that was because of Adder and his over the top behaviour and speech. I thought Kalil would bring out the better side of Adder but unfortunately he turned into an annoying, whiny person every now and then and I did not blame Adder for getting frustrated with him. I did like the book though and the musician/band storyline and I loved the secondary characters.
I loved these two characters on their own, and together. Mostly that was because of Adder and his over the top behaviour and speech. I thought Kalil would bring out the better side of Adder but unfortunately he turned into an annoying, whiny person every now and then and I did not blame Adder for getting frustrated with him. I did like the book though and the musician/band storyline and I loved the secondary characters.
July 8, 2011
2.5 stars. This book had Ally Blue's usual excellent writing, but the two main characters (Adder and Kalil) and their completely messed up dynamic never really engaged me.
August 27, 2023
La Ascención al éxito de una banda de rock y la relación entre el cantante y su baterista
October 16, 2012
For some reason, I didn’t love either of the main characters
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.
Rating: 6/10
PROS:
- I always enjoy reading about lifestyles or locations or events I don’t know much about, and this story depicts the lives of professional musicians in enough detail that the setting and storyline both seemed a bit exotic to me.
- At first, I found Adder’s old-fashioned, formal way of speaking to be odd. (Here’s an example: “Where would you like to go, my dear? The city is yours tonight, and I shall be your devoted escort.”) But after a while I got used to it, and then I started to see it as consistent with (and necessary to) his flamboyant persona.
- The secondary characters are cute. Adder and his bandmates are relaxed and easy with one another: the others are lively and care-free, but they’re also appropriately serious when the situation calls for it.
- Many of the descriptions are vivid and kind of funny: “every wispy little Goth girl in the place seemed to osmose to the front row to worship Kalil in their near-silent, disturbingly intense way.”
- Blue does a good job of showing Adder and Kalil’s relationship as it develops over time. This isn’t JUST a story about 2 guys meeting and falling in love. It’s about the meeting, the falling in love, the (inevitable but temporary) breakup, the staying in love, and the reunion. (See cons below also)
CONS:
- I found Adder amusing but not very attractive. In addition to the fact that he does something toward the end of the book that made me almost hate him, throughout the story he’s arrogant and almost always flippant, and his seduction of Kalil is too calculated for my taste. I wanted to see much more seriousness from him, mixed in with the playfulness. Even Kalil finds him a little trying at times: he refers to Adder at one point as an “annoying, melodramatic man-child with an ego the size of China.”
- Kalil was also rather difficult for me to like. He’s a nice guy, sure, but his jealousy where Adder is concerned is so intense that after a while I found it exhausting, and to be honest, I found Kalil’s brooding nature to be rather annoyingly self-indulgent at times, too.
- The early stages of Adder and Kalil’s acquaintance leap forward by weeks at a time, so we get a sense that their attraction is growing, but we don’t get to SEE much of that. I particularly wanted to see Adder get rebuffed a more times (rather than simply hearing about it) so that I had some insight into why Kalil’s resistance to Adder’s advances drives Adder so crazy.
Overall comments: I’m a pretty big fan of Ally Blue, but this simply isn’t one of my favorite stories by her. That said, it’s a light, happy little read, and although the period of angst and separation is pretty long for the CHARACTERS, we readers have to suffer through only a couple of chapters before the guys are back together.
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.
Rating: 6/10
PROS:
- I always enjoy reading about lifestyles or locations or events I don’t know much about, and this story depicts the lives of professional musicians in enough detail that the setting and storyline both seemed a bit exotic to me.
- At first, I found Adder’s old-fashioned, formal way of speaking to be odd. (Here’s an example: “Where would you like to go, my dear? The city is yours tonight, and I shall be your devoted escort.”) But after a while I got used to it, and then I started to see it as consistent with (and necessary to) his flamboyant persona.
- The secondary characters are cute. Adder and his bandmates are relaxed and easy with one another: the others are lively and care-free, but they’re also appropriately serious when the situation calls for it.
- Many of the descriptions are vivid and kind of funny: “every wispy little Goth girl in the place seemed to osmose to the front row to worship Kalil in their near-silent, disturbingly intense way.”
- Blue does a good job of showing Adder and Kalil’s relationship as it develops over time. This isn’t JUST a story about 2 guys meeting and falling in love. It’s about the meeting, the falling in love, the (inevitable but temporary) breakup, the staying in love, and the reunion. (See cons below also)
CONS:
- I found Adder amusing but not very attractive. In addition to the fact that he does something toward the end of the book that made me almost hate him, throughout the story he’s arrogant and almost always flippant, and his seduction of Kalil is too calculated for my taste. I wanted to see much more seriousness from him, mixed in with the playfulness. Even Kalil finds him a little trying at times: he refers to Adder at one point as an “annoying, melodramatic man-child with an ego the size of China.”
- Kalil was also rather difficult for me to like. He’s a nice guy, sure, but his jealousy where Adder is concerned is so intense that after a while I found it exhausting, and to be honest, I found Kalil’s brooding nature to be rather annoyingly self-indulgent at times, too.
- The early stages of Adder and Kalil’s acquaintance leap forward by weeks at a time, so we get a sense that their attraction is growing, but we don’t get to SEE much of that. I particularly wanted to see Adder get rebuffed a more times (rather than simply hearing about it) so that I had some insight into why Kalil’s resistance to Adder’s advances drives Adder so crazy.
Overall comments: I’m a pretty big fan of Ally Blue, but this simply isn’t one of my favorite stories by her. That said, it’s a light, happy little read, and although the period of angst and separation is pretty long for the CHARACTERS, we readers have to suffer through only a couple of chapters before the guys are back together.
September 25, 2014
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.5 stars
So part of the appeal of rock star romances for me is the magic of taming that ultimate bad boy. Adder is the perfect example. He is wild and outrageous and flirts heavily with everyone. He has no shame and will do or say pretty much anything. Adder is a total hedonist, living for what makes him happy and feels good. But at the same time, he is a sweet, caring man underneath. He takes his career and the band completely seriously and always puts that ahead of anything else. Adder is just such a compelling character, the guy you know should drive you crazy but you adore anyway. I love all of his flirty ways, his total hedonism and lack of shame. He makes such a great contrast to the much more reserved Kalil.
Kalil does his best to resist Adder’s charms, but he wants the man from the first time they meet. Kalil has a lot of anxieties about just about everything — his relationship with Adder, their new manager, their recording contract, Adder’s fidelity. He wants to trust Adder, but he is just so scared of being hurt and taking risks. Kalil’s issues end up affecting not just his relationship with Adder, but the band as well. I loved Kalil, but did find myself frustrated with him sometimes. How many times can your lover reassure you that they are not cheating? You either have to trust that person or decide to end it. So I did find myself a little worn down by the constant jealously and repeated fears about Adder and their manager. I mean, we see nothing that suggests Adder interacts with her any differently than anyone else, but Kalil can’t let it go. So a little frustrating at times, but I did enjoy the contrast between these two guys. As one of their bandmates puts it, Kalil is too possessive and Adder is not possessive enough. So there is an inherent conflict there the men must work though.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4.5 stars
So part of the appeal of rock star romances for me is the magic of taming that ultimate bad boy. Adder is the perfect example. He is wild and outrageous and flirts heavily with everyone. He has no shame and will do or say pretty much anything. Adder is a total hedonist, living for what makes him happy and feels good. But at the same time, he is a sweet, caring man underneath. He takes his career and the band completely seriously and always puts that ahead of anything else. Adder is just such a compelling character, the guy you know should drive you crazy but you adore anyway. I love all of his flirty ways, his total hedonism and lack of shame. He makes such a great contrast to the much more reserved Kalil.
Kalil does his best to resist Adder’s charms, but he wants the man from the first time they meet. Kalil has a lot of anxieties about just about everything — his relationship with Adder, their new manager, their recording contract, Adder’s fidelity. He wants to trust Adder, but he is just so scared of being hurt and taking risks. Kalil’s issues end up affecting not just his relationship with Adder, but the band as well. I loved Kalil, but did find myself frustrated with him sometimes. How many times can your lover reassure you that they are not cheating? You either have to trust that person or decide to end it. So I did find myself a little worn down by the constant jealously and repeated fears about Adder and their manager. I mean, we see nothing that suggests Adder interacts with her any differently than anyone else, but Kalil can’t let it go. So a little frustrating at times, but I did enjoy the contrast between these two guys. As one of their bandmates puts it, Kalil is too possessive and Adder is not possessive enough. So there is an inherent conflict there the men must work though.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
August 11, 2011
I really did enjoy this book, a lot, but I just don't get Adder. I like the whole "rising rock star" thing, and Adder had a definite "do whatever it takes" attitude that will take him far, but...as much as he was willing to fight for anything and everything to get what he wanted from life (starting with moving out of his family's home at 15), I was disappointed that, when he finally realized how much he cared for Kalil, and how much he hurt him, he didn't make more of an effort to fix things. Internal conflict is all well and good, but it was sort of glossed over, and I wanted him to fight for his relationship. Of course, I was a bit disappointed in Kalil for taking the extreme end of the Big Misunderstanding and just walking out, without making any attempt to just calm down and talk it out.
On the other hand, the method Adder used, once Kalil rejoined the band, to get him back was completely and utterly *Adder*, so that worked for me. And I also think it would have been nice to see a little more grovelling, not to mention more of an attempt on both Adder's and Kalil's parts to communicate more effectively and openly with each other. Boys *can* do it (mine does), it just takes effort and determination on their parts, and patience on the part of the partner. (convoluted much?)
Overall, fun and angsty.
On the other hand, the method Adder used, once Kalil rejoined the band, to get him back was completely and utterly *Adder*, so that worked for me. And I also think it would have been nice to see a little more grovelling, not to mention more of an attempt on both Adder's and Kalil's parts to communicate more effectively and openly with each other. Boys *can* do it (mine does), it just takes effort and determination on their parts, and patience on the part of the partner. (convoluted much?)
Overall, fun and angsty.
September 22, 2015
Setting - Georgia
More of a 3.5 but I will round up. Rock star MM romance is one of my favorite reads. Love me some man love among rock stars!! Enjoyed the band - Harpo, Vi and the ultimate slut, Adder. I did like this book but had some quibbles. The author makes clear that Adder and Kalil have been involved for almost a year but I would have liked to see more on page interaction both musically and as they built their relationship. Both are clearly excellent musicians but you didn't see much of the musicianship. Their sex life is hot but I missed the connection between the two because all I saw, for the most part, was the sex. I loved the condoms. That was a hoot! I was also very frustrated with Kalil. His actions made him, IMO, very immature. I get that he couldn't say the words, but good grief, he and Adder needed to talk to each other. And to maintain that jealousy even after Adder's reassurances - I wanted to punch him in the nose!! Now Adder I really liked in all his green hair, glitter wearing glory but that last effort to was over the top crazy. And then for Kalil to . I did like the HEA, though. Very appropriate. Would love to catch up with these characters in a future read.
More of a 3.5 but I will round up. Rock star MM romance is one of my favorite reads. Love me some man love among rock stars!! Enjoyed the band - Harpo, Vi and the ultimate slut, Adder. I did like this book but had some quibbles. The author makes clear that Adder and Kalil have been involved for almost a year but I would have liked to see more on page interaction both musically and as they built their relationship. Both are clearly excellent musicians but you didn't see much of the musicianship. Their sex life is hot but I missed the connection between the two because all I saw, for the most part, was the sex. I loved the condoms. That was a hoot! I was also very frustrated with Kalil. His actions made him, IMO, very immature. I get that he couldn't say the words, but good grief, he and Adder needed to talk to each other. And to maintain that jealousy even after Adder's reassurances - I wanted to punch him in the nose!! Now Adder I really liked in all his green hair, glitter wearing glory but that last effort to was over the top crazy. And then for Kalil to . I did like the HEA, though. Very appropriate. Would love to catch up with these characters in a future read.
October 6, 2010
I'm normally a huge Ally Blue fan, but I must admit this one fell short of being a favorite for me. I liked the characters and the story. Most of all, I loved that this was a rockstar story - but that's also what I had problems with.
I wish the author had taken more time to develop the music aspect of the story. The chapters that talked about their performances or practices began just after or ended right before the band would play. I love it when authors writing about rockstars or music include lyrics and describe the band actually performing, and this story didn't have that. As a result, I felt like the reader never got to 'see' them play or 'hear' the music. The story took us through the stages of playing at better venues and eventually signing a recording contract, but I never believed they deserved it because I couldn't tell how good they were - the author simply saying they were amazing wasn't enough for me.
Despite my problems with the story, I did enjoy this one - it just wasn't up to the standard of what I normally expect from Ally Blue. I ended up thinking of it as 'a cute little story' when it could have been much more.
I wish the author had taken more time to develop the music aspect of the story. The chapters that talked about their performances or practices began just after or ended right before the band would play. I love it when authors writing about rockstars or music include lyrics and describe the band actually performing, and this story didn't have that. As a result, I felt like the reader never got to 'see' them play or 'hear' the music. The story took us through the stages of playing at better venues and eventually signing a recording contract, but I never believed they deserved it because I couldn't tell how good they were - the author simply saying they were amazing wasn't enough for me.
Despite my problems with the story, I did enjoy this one - it just wasn't up to the standard of what I normally expect from Ally Blue. I ended up thinking of it as 'a cute little story' when it could have been much more.
April 15, 2016
I had two huge problems with this book, and the first one almost made me stop reading it. I did finish but just barely. In the beginning (so it isn't much of a spoiler) there is a scene where Adder sleeps with Kalil while Kalil is drunk and Adder isn't. That is dubious consent at the very least and in many cases rape. It isn't handled at all. Kalil is only upset about Adder sleeping with him because he didn't want to go to bed with a band member, not about the fact that he actually had no say in the matter. If consent can't be given, it's not consensual sex.
The second problem was the ending. Adder's plan to get jealous Kalil back was ridiculous and stupid and it should've failed. That would've never worked.
The other problems I had with the book were minor compared to these two. The writing was okay, and the writer clearly had researched music business so I almost gave it two stars for those, but the lack of plot and depth (nothing happened and characters were very very thin), so I couldn't. This had so much potential. That's probably why I was so miffed after I'd finished it.
The second problem was the ending. Adder's plan to get jealous Kalil back was ridiculous and stupid and it should've failed. That would've never worked.
The other problems I had with the book were minor compared to these two. The writing was okay, and the writer clearly had researched music business so I almost gave it two stars for those, but the lack of plot and depth (nothing happened and characters were very very thin), so I couldn't. This had so much potential. That's probably why I was so miffed after I'd finished it.
February 26, 2016
An excellent book! What more can you ask for?... hot rock stars and lots of angst (sigh) My kinda book. Adder is your typical eccentric lead singer rock star and Kalil is a friend of the guitarist who tries out to replace the drummer. He's the perfect fit and Adder is obsessed with him. Kalil is drawn to Adder but has a rule against sleeping with band members. He's found his perfect fit and if the relationship goes bad, he doesn't want to lose his band. Adder soon works his way through Kalil's defenses. As you can probably predict, the breakup Kalil feared does happen, which gives us lots of opportunity for extra doses of angst. Things work out in the end and we get a really great HEA. Kalil and Adder make a great couple. It's a sweet story, with lovable, likeable characters, the right amount of angst with a great HEA... oh ya, and the sex is really hot too :0)
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