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Metal Heart
Scott King swore off rock stardom after his band, King Phoenix, crashed and burned. Now in his forties, Scott lives a quiet life as a music producer and session guitarist. But in a box hidden in his wardrobe lie the relics of the past he left behind—a past filled with drugs, booze, and broken hearts. For sixteen years, Scott has had no contact with his former bandmates, so when he’s asked to play at a benefit gig for King Phoenix’s old sound man, his world turns upside down. A King Phoenix reunion means a run-in with Scott’s ex, Ash Walker—and sixteen years ago, believing Ash wanted to leave the band, Scott OD’d and almost died.
Since then, Scott has ruthlessly suppressed his feelings. As a result, he's completely unprepared for the impact of seeing Ash again, or for dealing with his emotions about the band’s demise. He definitely didn’t expect Ash to want to start up where they left off. Now Scott has to decide between his safe existence and the twenty-year-old love song that could cost him his sobriety—and his heart.
Since then, Scott has ruthlessly suppressed his feelings. As a result, he's completely unprepared for the impact of seeing Ash again, or for dealing with his emotions about the band’s demise. He definitely didn’t expect Ash to want to start up where they left off. Now Scott has to decide between his safe existence and the twenty-year-old love song that could cost him his sobriety—and his heart.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 27, 2013
6 people are currently reading
454 people want to read
About the author
Meredith Shayne
13 books54 followersA scientist in a past life, these days Meredith Shayne mainly uses her scientific training to poke holes in television pseudoscience. Originally from Australia, she moved to New Zealand a few years ago and hasn't regretted it for one minute, even if she frequently wishes that the New Zealand weather was a little better. Meredith travels a lot, so much so that she has developed a shameful love of airplane food and knows her passport number off by heart. When she is at home she enjoys baking, horrible music from the 1980s, and reality television.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 88 reviews
September 30, 2013
4 stars.****Review completed September 30, 2013
Metal Heart starts off with a prologue which is set in 2011. Scott King, 41, is a well-known music producer and the former lead guitarist of King Phoenix. The band split up sixteen years ago, and since then Scott preferred to live a rather secluded life together with his sister and his niece in rural Berry, Australia. However, when Scott gets a phone call from his former boyfriend and love of his life, Ash Walker, who is also the former lead singer of King Phoenix, asking him to join their band for a benefit gig, he can't decline the request. Their former sound man 'Slapper' is dying and they want to raise money for his wife and kids.
It's hard for Scott to meet his band members again because the circumstances of their break-up were dramatic. Scott I will get back to my spoiler in my review because I almost threw a fit and wanted to smack Scott for being so stupid and selfish and self-righteous. I had to deal with a long-known problem that many stories provide frequently: Lack of communication. Oh, yes, let's jump to conclusions, shall we?
Fast-backward to the year 1990. Dean Jones is telling Scott that King Phoenix is on the lookout for a new lead guitarist. When Scott is listening to their demo tape something specific is pretty outstanding. The front man's sexy voice.
So, when Scott is auditioning in front of the three band members, everyone is impressed by his skills and they hire him on the spot. Also, Scott and Ash feel an instant attraction for each other (Rosa…no insta-love though).
I liked the first half of the book but around the 53 % mark I was ready to throw a fit. At that point Scott freaked out because of Then at 55 % we fast-forward to the year 2011. All things considered, what stands out for me is the second half of the story. It was filled with tension (not only the sexual kind of tension) and plenty of conflict situations. Even though I wanted to shake both Ash and Scott, telling them to FINALLY have THE $£?!!*%£&"+? TALK, I was willing to wait and give them time. Boy, but it was hard on me! I won't lie, it was really frustrating. I always had an inkling that Ash WTF? I mean…seriously…for sixteen f@cking years you don't take your finger outta your ass to clear up the air? It was obviously enough what Mel (his sister) said. Again, I was ready to…ugh…ugh…ugh.
I did understand Ash's disappointment. Granted, he made mistakes but it was nothing compared to Scott's shitty behavior. In fact, none of his band members told him to Scott never wanted to listen to Ash and made the wrong decisions and dug his own pit. He fell prey to a On the other hand, when you're twenty-four-years old then you are old enough to think about the consequences of your deeds or so I thought.
November Rain by Guns N' Roses
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SbUC...
The writing is solid and engaging and the chemistry between the main protagonists is irresistible. Maybe there was a tiny bit too much narrative for my liking during the first half of the plot. The first half depicts the life and struggles of an upcoming band, life on the road abroad and falling prey to temptations. But it's also about Ash and Scott's 'secret' life as lovers and how everything fell apart.
When Ash and Scott finally talked, it was so cathartic and I thought "Yes! Now the road is clear and they will confess their undying love." Yeah, when pigs fly, right? Let's just hit the next wall. To sum up, I can say that I enjoyed the second half of the plot a lot which provided less narrative. Scott had to deal with long buried emotions and feelings but the conflicts somewhat drained me and it was an exhausting road to witness Ash and Scott's HEA. Still, it's definitely worth reading.
Recommended read but you'll need some metal nerves. Just saying...
P.S. I really loved their "grown-up" sex scenes! <3
Metal Heart starts off with a prologue which is set in 2011. Scott King, 41, is a well-known music producer and the former lead guitarist of King Phoenix. The band split up sixteen years ago, and since then Scott preferred to live a rather secluded life together with his sister and his niece in rural Berry, Australia. However, when Scott gets a phone call from his former boyfriend and love of his life, Ash Walker, who is also the former lead singer of King Phoenix, asking him to join their band for a benefit gig, he can't decline the request. Their former sound man 'Slapper' is dying and they want to raise money for his wife and kids.
It's hard for Scott to meet his band members again because the circumstances of their break-up were dramatic. Scott I will get back to my spoiler in my review because I almost threw a fit and wanted to smack Scott for being so stupid and selfish and self-righteous. I had to deal with a long-known problem that many stories provide frequently: Lack of communication. Oh, yes, let's jump to conclusions, shall we?
Fast-backward to the year 1990. Dean Jones is telling Scott that King Phoenix is on the lookout for a new lead guitarist. When Scott is listening to their demo tape something specific is pretty outstanding. The front man's sexy voice.
But the hooks weren't what had Scott transfixed. That was the fault of the singer, who possessed a deep, gravelly but surprisingly melodious voice that had just enough growl to it in the lower registers that shivers ran up and down Scott's spine at the sound of it. It was a dirty voice, a smoky, sexy voice that promised all sorts of filthy things. It made heat curl low in Scott's belly, but he welcomed that feeling and didn't try to fight it. Lust was good for music. Lust and music went hand in hand, because lust was about feeling heat deep in your bones, and so was music.(…)
So, when Scott is auditioning in front of the three band members, everyone is impressed by his skills and they hire him on the spot. Also, Scott and Ash feel an instant attraction for each other (Rosa…no insta-love though).
"This is meant to be, Scott. Can you feel it? I can feel it in my fucking bones."
"Jesus Christ," he said softly. "This isn't a band, it's a fucking circus."
"You can say that again," Ash said.
"I--I didn't know any of that."
"No, you wouldn't, would you? Because all you ever do is think the worst of me, don't you?" You did it then, and you're still doing it now. Did you ever fucking ask what happened?" Ash stepped toward him. "Even if you didn't want to talk to me, did you ever ring Dean and fucking ask him?"
I liked the first half of the book but around the 53 % mark I was ready to throw a fit. At that point Scott freaked out because of Then at 55 % we fast-forward to the year 2011. All things considered, what stands out for me is the second half of the story. It was filled with tension (not only the sexual kind of tension) and plenty of conflict situations. Even though I wanted to shake both Ash and Scott, telling them to FINALLY have THE $£?!!*%£&"+? TALK, I was willing to wait and give them time. Boy, but it was hard on me! I won't lie, it was really frustrating. I always had an inkling that Ash WTF? I mean…seriously…for sixteen f@cking years you don't take your finger outta your ass to clear up the air? It was obviously enough what Mel (his sister) said. Again, I was ready to…ugh…ugh…ugh.
I did understand Ash's disappointment. Granted, he made mistakes but it was nothing compared to Scott's shitty behavior. In fact, none of his band members told him to Scott never wanted to listen to Ash and made the wrong decisions and dug his own pit. He fell prey to a On the other hand, when you're twenty-four-years old then you are old enough to think about the consequences of your deeds or so I thought.
"Hey, every rock band needs a good ballad."
Scott laughed. "Not this one."
November Rain by Guns N' Roses
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SbUC...
The writing is solid and engaging and the chemistry between the main protagonists is irresistible. Maybe there was a tiny bit too much narrative for my liking during the first half of the plot. The first half depicts the life and struggles of an upcoming band, life on the road abroad and falling prey to temptations. But it's also about Ash and Scott's 'secret' life as lovers and how everything fell apart.
When Ash and Scott finally talked, it was so cathartic and I thought "Yes! Now the road is clear and they will confess their undying love." Yeah, when pigs fly, right? Let's just hit the next wall. To sum up, I can say that I enjoyed the second half of the plot a lot which provided less narrative. Scott had to deal with long buried emotions and feelings but the conflicts somewhat drained me and it was an exhausting road to witness Ash and Scott's HEA. Still, it's definitely worth reading.
"I'm still not very good with words."
That's all right. If it's your song, I don't need lyrics to know what you're saying, Scotty.
"I can barely even talk to you now, but…my heart is in that song. Tell me you can hear what it's trying to tell you." He closed his eyes again. "Please."
(…)
"It's your song, isn't it?" Ash said, tilting Scott's face up, brushing their lips together. "Of course I can hear it. It's muffled right now, but…I can hear it."
Recommended read but you'll need some metal nerves. Just saying...
P.S. I really loved their "grown-up" sex scenes! <3
November 25, 2016
This was a pretty nice read even though there were some things that bothered me. One of those things was the lack of communication between these men
I have seen some divided reviews on this one. Some were pissed at Scott, others at Ash. To be honest, both MC's pissed me off and I think they both made some shitty mistakes.
Other than that, this was an enjoyable read with medium steam.
The book starts in the present, then flashes back to 16 years ago. Halfway into the book, it goes back to the present. The first part is in Scott's pov and the second in both.
It didn't wow me, but it sure wasn't bad either
3,5 stars from me ;)
I have seen some divided reviews on this one. Some were pissed at Scott, others at Ash. To be honest, both MC's pissed me off and I think they both made some shitty mistakes.
Other than that, this was an enjoyable read with medium steam.
The book starts in the present, then flashes back to 16 years ago. Halfway into the book, it goes back to the present. The first part is in Scott's pov and the second in both.
It didn't wow me, but it sure wasn't bad either
3,5 stars from me ;)
November 24, 2016
Second chance romance is a favorite trope of mine, but sadly there aren't enough books about it in the genre! I don't know how I missed this book, but I'm so glad I read it.
The first half is a little slow and wordy (too much stuff about the band and other details). I also think that the ending was a little abrupt and an epilogue would have been great.
All this did not diminish my enjoyment, though. I was totally invested in the story and the characters, and the second half gut-punched me with FEELS! Amazing dialogue too. I'd definitely like to read more from this author.
Recommended!
The first half is a little slow and wordy (too much stuff about the band and other details). I also think that the ending was a little abrupt and an epilogue would have been great.
All this did not diminish my enjoyment, though. I was totally invested in the story and the characters, and the second half gut-punched me with FEELS! Amazing dialogue too. I'd definitely like to read more from this author.
Recommended!
January 14, 2014
4.0 Stars
Wowzer. That was one wild, angst-filled ride and I looooved it. Generally, I don't like romance books that deal with addiction. It's like a big, fat, wet blanket: way too heavy and uncomfortable for my liking. Having said that, I enjoyed this book. Scott and Ash were loveable for their imperfections. But, honestly, I was beyond hurt and disappointed in Ash for . Ash's explanation at the end placated me a little but it still wasn't enough. Ash should've tried harder to . To that end, I wouldn't have blamed Scott in the least from just giving the whole thing a pass. But alas, I'm ecstatic that he didn't! Like other reviewers, I wished that the book hadn't ended as abruptly as it did. But wishes and dreams and all that.
Bottom line: m/m rocker romance, Aussie style.
Wowzer. That was one wild, angst-filled ride and I looooved it. Generally, I don't like romance books that deal with addiction. It's like a big, fat, wet blanket: way too heavy and uncomfortable for my liking. Having said that, I enjoyed this book. Scott and Ash were loveable for their imperfections. But, honestly, I was beyond hurt and disappointed in Ash for . Ash's explanation at the end placated me a little but it still wasn't enough. Ash should've tried harder to . To that end, I wouldn't have blamed Scott in the least from just giving the whole thing a pass. But alas, I'm ecstatic that he didn't! Like other reviewers, I wished that the book hadn't ended as abruptly as it did. But wishes and dreams and all that.
Bottom line: m/m rocker romance, Aussie style.
November 15, 2015
A bit unpolished and unnecessarily long in the first half, better but a bit convoluted and unbalanced in the second.
But rockers/musicians are my cryptonite, and the second chance/lovers reunited trope is among my favourites, so I still enjoyed this.
And I'll definitely be reading more by this author.
But rockers/musicians are my cryptonite, and the second chance/lovers reunited trope is among my favourites, so I still enjoyed this.
And I'll definitely be reading more by this author.
January 2, 2015
Very good read. I had the feelz! Just in sore need of an epilogue.
February 8, 2018
4.5
Another book I was very surprised by, and man it’s awesome when that happens. Metal Heart brought out all kinds of emotions in me, if you follow me on twitter and Goodreads then you already know this. There is something very charming about the story, and refreshing about the characters that I just fell in love with. Plus, its rockstars and they're always all kinds of kickass.
The book is broken down in two parts: the 1990s and 2011 (the books present time). In 1990, Scott King is looking for a band to make it big with so he can quit his day job and go on to superstardom. When a friend tells him about a band one man short, and gives him their demo, Scott knows he's found his band. With the smooth sultry voice of the singer giving him feels below the belt, and with a name like King Phoenix it’s like a match made in heaven. When Scott finally meets the band they hit it off right away but it’s the singer Ash that has Scott in a twist. Ash is sexiness personified and Scott is close to losing his shit over the sexy singer, but he's got the music to get lost in and keep his crush under control. Working their way to up in the music scene comes with a lot of hard-work and disappointments but they knew the road to fame wouldn't be easy. From the small gigs, and rocking out at every club/pub they get to play at Scott's feelings for Ash intensifies but he knows that nothing will ever come of it. Until he gets a glass to the face at a gig gone wrong, and Ash is jumping in to take care of him and pouring out his feelings while they lie together in bed. Things seem almost perfect, because together they will take over the world with their music and rock on.
A series of ups and down, and finally all their hard work is paying off. Scott and Ash are in love, but the relationship remains a secret, regardless their happy being with each other. King Phoenix is the next big thing, and people are noticing. Boom, comes the record deal, KP is finally touring, and things couldn't be any better. With a few good years under their belt, suddenly performing for larger crowds has Scott suffering from stage fright and it’s taking a toll. When friends introduce him to pick me uppers that will take his fear away, Scott feels like he can fly. Next, he's using things to stay awake, drugs to go the sleep, and he is just one addicted mess. His love for Ash won't save him this time and everything starts to fall in between the cracks. When Scott realizes he might be losing Ash, he goes on the bend and ODs, and a dream for a band goes up in flames.
Now it’s 2011 and Scott has tried to forget a time when he almost died, and lost the man he loved more than anything. So when he gets a call to a reunion show for a friend who is dying to raise money for his family. Scott can’t be an asshole and say no, but it would mean seeing the band for the first time in 16yrs but most off all it would mean seeing Ash. He decides to do it but it doesn't mean he's gonna be nice about it, because while he was fighting for his life his bitch ass band upped and disappeared. It's that Ash up and disappeared is what hurts the most.
So this book was made of awesome, and I am just surprised by how much it I love it. Though I am singing praises, it did piss me the eff off. First, Scott really knows how to hold a grudge and though I can understand him being pissed about them not coming to see how he was doing, he can’t blame them for his drug use. No one held his face to a line of coke, so he has no one to blame but himself. I am also pissed at all the band members because the douche bag faces could have visited him or at least called to see how he was doing, especially Ash. They were in love and together for years, and just like Scott I can't forgive him easily. No matter the excuses I was all "It Doesn't Matter"all your stupid asses could have called in the last 16 bloody years.
Meredith doesn't shy away from writing the drug use, and you get to see how intense it all was for Scott. The relationship between the men was a real sweet case of young love, and it’s heart breaking to watch them crash and burn. But they were so young going after a dream without any form of guidance. I wouldn’t have minded if this story was a bit longer because I feel a lot of things weren't explored to their full potential. There is a lot of blame, without any real solution so I am feeling a bit dissatisfied with how it all ended. I am crossing my fingers that I get another story, because I am so in love with Scott and Ash.
Should You Read It?I am going to give this one a big YES, because I cried while yelling at this book. This was my first time reading Meredith Shayne and it will not be my last, I loved the rockers, loved all the angst, and I loved Scott/Ash. The writing had such a wonderful flow; I could have easily read another hundred pages. Metal Heart was superb!
February 3, 2013
This was a fantastic and truly emotional read for me. There were parts of this story that ripped my heart out, but I still loved every second of it. God, Scott's spiral into drug-use broke my heart. And I don't even know where to begin with describing my feelings for Ash. I loved him so much, and my heart broke for him too, especially when we finally saw things from his perspective. I didn't blame him at all for what happened to Scott. All I wanted to do was hug him and cry and tell him that everything would be okay. Don't get me wrong, this isn't as angsty as you might expect, or as much as it could have been. It's certainly heartbreaking in places, but the love between the two main characters is never in any doubt.
My only real complaint about this book is that I wish it hadn't ended so soon. It didn't feel rushed or anything, but I just wanted a little bit more. Even a two page epilogue would have been nice. While it was a really sweet ending - and perfect in many ways - I'd have liked to see more. I'd have liked to see everything with these guys. They deserved their happy ending so much that I was totally invested in seeing their whole story playing out.
My only real complaint about this book is that I wish it hadn't ended so soon. It didn't feel rushed or anything, but I just wanted a little bit more. Even a two page epilogue would have been nice. While it was a really sweet ending - and perfect in many ways - I'd have liked to see more. I'd have liked to see everything with these guys. They deserved their happy ending so much that I was totally invested in seeing their whole story playing out.
December 14, 2018
* 4.5 *
When I started this I was pretty convinced it was going to be a flawless 5 * review and it kind of is but for a couple of significant -enough to make me drop my rating by a half - niggles. I actually loved the story, it was different from the usual "famous rockstar in love with band mate" trope that we usually get in this type of book. It's set in Australia and the whole feel of the band is far more the grungy playing the pubs rock band than flashy, famous rock band that tends to be in the American based novels. I read this nonstop into the early hours again ( insomnia! ) and still round about the 96% point of the book I was on the edge of my seat on the will they/won't they make it issue!! First niggle was in the first part of the story. To me, Scott's slide into drugs seemed a bit too contrived. I got the why but his character and strong connection with Ash didnt gel with how and who starts him in that direction but I realise this is a major factor in the plotting of the book and without it there wouldn't be a story, so its not too much of an issue.
The book starts in the year 2011 and Scott is in his early 40's, living with his sister and niece and still in the music business but now producing and playing the odd session gig. He gets a call from Ash his ex lover and band mate who he's not seen or spoken to for 16 years, asking him to reunite with the band for a one of performance in aid of a past friend who is dying of cancer. There's obviously bad blood between them that starts Scott reminiscing, and its at this point we get a long flashback to the nineties, that chronicles how the band gets together, the start of Ash and Scotts love affair, the bands struggle to get noticed, its climb in the industry and then Scott's introduction to strong drugs that lead to his ODing, his and Ashs' split and the bands Break up. Obviously there's a lot more flesh to those bare bones but to go into more detail would be a major spoiler, so not going there.
When it comes back to 2011 and they all meet up again It's obvious that Ash still loves Scott but their separation has been so long, grudges are being harboured - mainly by Scott - and old wounds are still open so their reunion is unstable and rocky from the word go. The second part of the book was my favourite but it also contained the main thing that bothered me. The angst and misunderstandings are deliciously attention grabbing and the tension palpable but Scott's character has become so unforgiving that there where times when I found myself starting to actually dislike him because of the way he treats Ash ( who for reasons that will only become apparent when you've read it ) doesn't deserve the cold treatment Scott's giving him, and for one fleeting moment I hoped Ash would tell him to go to hell and move on with his life, he was behaving like such an arse! I HATE it when I'm made to feel like about one of the main romantic leads because I always root for my guys to get their HEA! Luckily Ash does grow some balls and let's just say the ending is a bit nail biting but I was extremely satisfied with how it turned out and I did forgive Mr PIA!! :)
I was honestly torn between ratings so I'll give it 4.5* but round it up because despite my odd reservations I was totally glued. :)
When I started this I was pretty convinced it was going to be a flawless 5 * review and it kind of is but for a couple of significant -enough to make me drop my rating by a half - niggles. I actually loved the story, it was different from the usual "famous rockstar in love with band mate" trope that we usually get in this type of book. It's set in Australia and the whole feel of the band is far more the grungy playing the pubs rock band than flashy, famous rock band that tends to be in the American based novels. I read this nonstop into the early hours again ( insomnia! ) and still round about the 96% point of the book I was on the edge of my seat on the will they/won't they make it issue!! First niggle was in the first part of the story. To me, Scott's slide into drugs seemed a bit too contrived. I got the why but his character and strong connection with Ash didnt gel with how and who starts him in that direction but I realise this is a major factor in the plotting of the book and without it there wouldn't be a story, so its not too much of an issue.
The book starts in the year 2011 and Scott is in his early 40's, living with his sister and niece and still in the music business but now producing and playing the odd session gig. He gets a call from Ash his ex lover and band mate who he's not seen or spoken to for 16 years, asking him to reunite with the band for a one of performance in aid of a past friend who is dying of cancer. There's obviously bad blood between them that starts Scott reminiscing, and its at this point we get a long flashback to the nineties, that chronicles how the band gets together, the start of Ash and Scotts love affair, the bands struggle to get noticed, its climb in the industry and then Scott's introduction to strong drugs that lead to his ODing, his and Ashs' split and the bands Break up. Obviously there's a lot more flesh to those bare bones but to go into more detail would be a major spoiler, so not going there.
When it comes back to 2011 and they all meet up again It's obvious that Ash still loves Scott but their separation has been so long, grudges are being harboured - mainly by Scott - and old wounds are still open so their reunion is unstable and rocky from the word go. The second part of the book was my favourite but it also contained the main thing that bothered me. The angst and misunderstandings are deliciously attention grabbing and the tension palpable but Scott's character has become so unforgiving that there where times when I found myself starting to actually dislike him because of the way he treats Ash ( who for reasons that will only become apparent when you've read it ) doesn't deserve the cold treatment Scott's giving him, and for one fleeting moment I hoped Ash would tell him to go to hell and move on with his life, he was behaving like such an arse! I HATE it when I'm made to feel like about one of the main romantic leads because I always root for my guys to get their HEA! Luckily Ash does grow some balls and let's just say the ending is a bit nail biting but I was extremely satisfied with how it turned out and I did forgive Mr PIA!! :)
I was honestly torn between ratings so I'll give it 4.5* but round it up because despite my odd reservations I was totally glued. :)
January 31, 2013
4.5 STARS
I absolutely loved this book though I felt like I got cheated at the end. Throughout the book I felt my heart breaking for Ash and Scott and what a great relationship they let slip away, so at the end I wanted a more detailed HEA. I wanted to see how Ash fit in the daily controled life that Scotty lives now and I really wanted the author to show us all that Scott's fears of started to use coke again were not coming true. I mean wasnt the whole last third of the book about him and his fear to let Ash back into his life? For me this was to abrupt of an ending. I would love for a secong book about the way they reconnect and strenghten their relationship. And how about the rest of the band? Do they stay friends or not? Is Ash's musical career continuing or not? Never mind, I'll stop my ranting....
Now on the bright side....HOLY SHIT the sex between them was so damn HOT!!!! It's hard sometimes to make the reader feel the connection and emotion that the characters are feeling during sex but the author nailed it! I mean not only I felt my heart bursting with the love they felt for each other but it gave me goosebumps and all I could think was HOLY SHIT CAN SOMEONE PLEAAAAAASE PUT THE FIRE OUT!!
I also loved how the author never sugar coated anything when it came to Scotty and his addiction to coke. Yes it's bad, it distroys relationships and drives away the people that mean the most to you and there is absolutely nothing they can do to stop it. I couldn't feel frustrated with Scott like other readers said they felt at the end, because the author did such a good job with allowing us to see and feel what Scott was feeling. I understood how the drugs affected his perception and understanding of the events that lead to his OD, and I also understood how no matter how many years later, he is still affected by everything. And also let's not forget that when you live for 16 years believing that you were left behind by your lover and band and feeling rejected and abandoned down to your very soul by the one person that promised to stay by you no matter what.....it takes more that an explanation and the knowledge that you misinterpreted things to find the strenght to put your trust in the same person again. So I understood where Scott was coming from. Beatiful book, great characters, fantastic transition between past and present!
I absolutely loved this book though I felt like I got cheated at the end. Throughout the book I felt my heart breaking for Ash and Scott and what a great relationship they let slip away, so at the end I wanted a more detailed HEA. I wanted to see how Ash fit in the daily controled life that Scotty lives now and I really wanted the author to show us all that Scott's fears of started to use coke again were not coming true. I mean wasnt the whole last third of the book about him and his fear to let Ash back into his life? For me this was to abrupt of an ending. I would love for a secong book about the way they reconnect and strenghten their relationship. And how about the rest of the band? Do they stay friends or not? Is Ash's musical career continuing or not? Never mind, I'll stop my ranting....
Now on the bright side....HOLY SHIT the sex between them was so damn HOT!!!! It's hard sometimes to make the reader feel the connection and emotion that the characters are feeling during sex but the author nailed it! I mean not only I felt my heart bursting with the love they felt for each other but it gave me goosebumps and all I could think was HOLY SHIT CAN SOMEONE PLEAAAAAASE PUT THE FIRE OUT!!
I also loved how the author never sugar coated anything when it came to Scotty and his addiction to coke. Yes it's bad, it distroys relationships and drives away the people that mean the most to you and there is absolutely nothing they can do to stop it. I couldn't feel frustrated with Scott like other readers said they felt at the end, because the author did such a good job with allowing us to see and feel what Scott was feeling. I understood how the drugs affected his perception and understanding of the events that lead to his OD, and I also understood how no matter how many years later, he is still affected by everything. And also let's not forget that when you live for 16 years believing that you were left behind by your lover and band and feeling rejected and abandoned down to your very soul by the one person that promised to stay by you no matter what.....it takes more that an explanation and the knowledge that you misinterpreted things to find the strenght to put your trust in the same person again. So I understood where Scott was coming from. Beatiful book, great characters, fantastic transition between past and present!
December 2, 2014
This story has two parts - in the current day, Scott and Ash have been apart for 16 years after their band and their relationship imploded in a messy spiral of drugs, stress and impossible conflicts. In the middle of the book, in a section set in that past, you get to see them fall in love, and to watch how all the good parts died. How two young men who are compatible in bed, in music and in life, crash and burn on the stress of the music biz, and Scott's drug addiction.
They don't talk for 16 years afterward, until the impending death from cancer of their old soundman brings them together for one last benefit concert, and the pain of facing what might have been.
I really enjoyed the present day parts of this book - while Scott needed a bit of a kick, I could feel how fragile he still saw his recovery, how each day without drugs or booze or cigarettes was still something he noticed. So I could believe the care with which he approached the thought of even seeing Ash again. Recovering addicts can be selfish, but sometimes it's a necessary self-care, because the consequences of failure are potentially fatal. I liked that the guys were older, and a bit weary. The emotions were palpable.
I wasn't quite as crazy about the back-in-time section. It seemed just a little bit perfunctory. This was all of the back-story that explained what was happening now, but the writing didn't seem to be quite as enmeshed in the emotions of the guys. We saw what happened, but it didn't make me ache like a few of the current-day moments did.
Perhaps it suffered a bit for me reading it close after Beneath the Stain - every reader has a writer who drags their heart out of their chest, and for me that's Amy Lane, so with the echo of her story of sex, drugs and music so fresh in mind, I didn't feel this one as much. Or perhaps the author really was more invested in her modern tale of second chances and redemption, and gave the past a little short shrift. Either way, 5 stars for the modern bit, 3.5 for the past, averaged out at 4. A good read if you like a bit of angst, some music business, and a second chance at love.
They don't talk for 16 years afterward, until the impending death from cancer of their old soundman brings them together for one last benefit concert, and the pain of facing what might have been.
I really enjoyed the present day parts of this book - while Scott needed a bit of a kick, I could feel how fragile he still saw his recovery, how each day without drugs or booze or cigarettes was still something he noticed. So I could believe the care with which he approached the thought of even seeing Ash again. Recovering addicts can be selfish, but sometimes it's a necessary self-care, because the consequences of failure are potentially fatal. I liked that the guys were older, and a bit weary. The emotions were palpable.
I wasn't quite as crazy about the back-in-time section. It seemed just a little bit perfunctory. This was all of the back-story that explained what was happening now, but the writing didn't seem to be quite as enmeshed in the emotions of the guys. We saw what happened, but it didn't make me ache like a few of the current-day moments did.
Perhaps it suffered a bit for me reading it close after Beneath the Stain - every reader has a writer who drags their heart out of their chest, and for me that's Amy Lane, so with the echo of her story of sex, drugs and music so fresh in mind, I didn't feel this one as much. Or perhaps the author really was more invested in her modern tale of second chances and redemption, and gave the past a little short shrift. Either way, 5 stars for the modern bit, 3.5 for the past, averaged out at 4. A good read if you like a bit of angst, some music business, and a second chance at love.
May 16, 2018
wiem wiem. beznadziejna jestem z tymi 5tkami. ale cholera...urzekła mnie ta historia:P no nic na to nie poradze ze mi sie podobala jak szlag! mimo ze to historia jakich wiele nic nowego i takie tam. ale mi sie podobala i nawet sie wzruszylam i tyle. 5!
May 15, 2018
muzycy mają w sobie to coś. nie obraziłabym się jednak za jeszcze dwa rozdziały ;)
February 11, 2013
See this review on Hearts on Fire http://heartsonfirereviews.com/?cat=5
There’s a lot to like about this story about a record producer reuniting with his former bandmates. The story is cleanly written with well drawn characters that resonates with the reader.
When I think mm rocker storyline I usually imagine a story featuring a twenty something twink with the gayliner, leather pants, the posturing rock star image and sexy tattoos. But the blurb on this one promised something a little different as it’s about an older music producer no longer looking for rock stardom.
In actuality, we get a little of both storylines with present day forty something Scott receiving a phone call from his ex, Ash requesting they get together for a reunion concert. Scott is very perturbed by this call and we learn why as we flashback to the 1990’s when Scott first joins the band King Phoenix as their lead guitarist. Flashbacks can be an annoyance but perhaps because this one took up over 50 percent of the book this didn’t feel intrusive.
We get to see 20 year old Scott when he first joins the band and meets & falls for the lead singer Ash. The two of them together are sweet & hot with the innocence of first love. Their love story develops against the backdrop of a somewhat typical rock story complete with some of the requisite affectations including tattoos(matching of course). But these guys are wannabees at this point just playing local gigs in their home country of Australia. Their big break comes when they’re asked to be the opening act for a hot European group.
As they achieve more & more success things start going off the rails for Scott & Ash and the rest of the band as they stumble into a world of drugs, alcohol & partying.
The author uses an interesting technique in that the first half of the novel is told completely from Scott’s viewpoint. It’s only when we get to the second half of the novel, which jumps to present day that we start to realize that Scott may be an unreliable narrator and we’re finally introduced to Ash’s point of view. I found this a different but effective way of getting to the truth of the story.
Both characters are not always likable or behave in the most commendable ways, especially Scott in the later half of the book. You wonder how he got away with his lack of introspection, follow through & not taking responsibility for his actions for so long. Some of this behavior doesn’t seem very realistic even if it does feed the storyline.
But the writer did succeed in making me care for Scott even when I wanted to wring his neck at times and for the more sympathetic but still sometimes stubbornly uncommunicative Ash. Guys not communicating with each other, now that’s totally believable and realistic.
Despite having a very clear happy ending, this is one story that definitely needed an epilogue. There were some loose ends that were not cleared up satisfactorily including Scott’s sister’s role in the original separation. We spend a lot of time with Scott & Ash struggling & struggling to get back together and rehashing what happened 16 years ago. When they finally do the book just ends.
I really wanted to see more closure and to see Scott & Ash as this now older & possibly wiser couple . I don’t think we needed a sequel necessarily as frankly, Scott & Ash are a little exhausting, but one extra chapter that tied things up better would probably have bumped this one in the ratings. As it is, it’s still a very good rocker story that I enjoyed quite a bit.
flag
There’s a lot to like about this story about a record producer reuniting with his former bandmates. The story is cleanly written with well drawn characters that resonates with the reader.
When I think mm rocker storyline I usually imagine a story featuring a twenty something twink with the gayliner, leather pants, the posturing rock star image and sexy tattoos. But the blurb on this one promised something a little different as it’s about an older music producer no longer looking for rock stardom.
In actuality, we get a little of both storylines with present day forty something Scott receiving a phone call from his ex, Ash requesting they get together for a reunion concert. Scott is very perturbed by this call and we learn why as we flashback to the 1990’s when Scott first joins the band King Phoenix as their lead guitarist. Flashbacks can be an annoyance but perhaps because this one took up over 50 percent of the book this didn’t feel intrusive.
We get to see 20 year old Scott when he first joins the band and meets & falls for the lead singer Ash. The two of them together are sweet & hot with the innocence of first love. Their love story develops against the backdrop of a somewhat typical rock story complete with some of the requisite affectations including tattoos(matching of course). But these guys are wannabees at this point just playing local gigs in their home country of Australia. Their big break comes when they’re asked to be the opening act for a hot European group.
As they achieve more & more success things start going off the rails for Scott & Ash and the rest of the band as they stumble into a world of drugs, alcohol & partying.
The author uses an interesting technique in that the first half of the novel is told completely from Scott’s viewpoint. It’s only when we get to the second half of the novel, which jumps to present day that we start to realize that Scott may be an unreliable narrator and we’re finally introduced to Ash’s point of view. I found this a different but effective way of getting to the truth of the story.
Both characters are not always likable or behave in the most commendable ways, especially Scott in the later half of the book. You wonder how he got away with his lack of introspection, follow through & not taking responsibility for his actions for so long. Some of this behavior doesn’t seem very realistic even if it does feed the storyline.
But the writer did succeed in making me care for Scott even when I wanted to wring his neck at times and for the more sympathetic but still sometimes stubbornly uncommunicative Ash. Guys not communicating with each other, now that’s totally believable and realistic.
Despite having a very clear happy ending, this is one story that definitely needed an epilogue. There were some loose ends that were not cleared up satisfactorily including Scott’s sister’s role in the original separation. We spend a lot of time with Scott & Ash struggling & struggling to get back together and rehashing what happened 16 years ago. When they finally do the book just ends.
I really wanted to see more closure and to see Scott & Ash as this now older & possibly wiser couple . I don’t think we needed a sequel necessarily as frankly, Scott & Ash are a little exhausting, but one extra chapter that tied things up better would probably have bumped this one in the ratings. As it is, it’s still a very good rocker story that I enjoyed quite a bit.
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January 30, 2013
4.5 Stars
Finishing this book I’m left with a sad heart and feelings of regret. This story being a romance is not good enough a description. It felt real, it was heartbreaking and it starts with such great emotions displayed right on your face from the very first chapter.
Scott King, a guitarist and producer, comes face to face with the larger, darker, scariest ghost of his past. His old band-mate, lead-singer and ex-love of his life Ash, when the latter contacts him after sixteen years.
And in a flashback the story takes us back when Scott was only twenty years old. We see how he started his career as the guitarist of the band King Phoenix, we see how he met with Ash and the rest of the band, we live with him their career take off and his relationship with Ash in the same time. The two are linked and we witness the crash and burn of both when Scott overdoses.
And how very clinical I’m being while I write this down. It doesn’t compare to what I read last night and how it made me feel. The emotions overflowing the text without it even being noticeable. The writing just perfect, the character so very real, so deeply flawed I couldn’t help but love them and hate them at the same time. The life of the rising musician portrayed so well made feel like the groupie I never was. What astonished me even more was the way the relationship was described, the balance and the care between the romance plot and the storyline. Not one moment did I feel like some things were too much, or too little.
The flashback ends when the story comes all the way to present, all being narrated as if looking Scott’s side without indulging deeply into his head or his inner feelings. That made for some suspense, we know how he feels, but we do not understand the depth of it, at least not yet.
As we read from the present on, we witness the scars of the past, the deep wounds that are still bleeding. We might have thought that Scott was the one being thrown away and the one hurting but we get surprised when Ash’s point of view/side of the story comes to enlighten us. And the pain starts again, the heartbreak for Ash this time as we witness how helpless he was and still is, how completely wounded and hopeless he still feels for what happened to them, for the waste still going on.
As the band reunites for a final gig, they have to get past the past and work thing out between them, but sixteen years is a long time, and anger along with ego are still the strongest feelings both men still have.
For me this book was brilliant. By the end of it the frustration that hit me with Scott was nearly shocking, I was so engrossed with the story and the characters, so deeply invested in the plot, I nearly forgot this was fiction. Beautifully written this is a book I strongly recommend to fans of the genre.
Thommie
Finishing this book I’m left with a sad heart and feelings of regret. This story being a romance is not good enough a description. It felt real, it was heartbreaking and it starts with such great emotions displayed right on your face from the very first chapter.
Scott King, a guitarist and producer, comes face to face with the larger, darker, scariest ghost of his past. His old band-mate, lead-singer and ex-love of his life Ash, when the latter contacts him after sixteen years.
And in a flashback the story takes us back when Scott was only twenty years old. We see how he started his career as the guitarist of the band King Phoenix, we see how he met with Ash and the rest of the band, we live with him their career take off and his relationship with Ash in the same time. The two are linked and we witness the crash and burn of both when Scott overdoses.
And how very clinical I’m being while I write this down. It doesn’t compare to what I read last night and how it made me feel. The emotions overflowing the text without it even being noticeable. The writing just perfect, the character so very real, so deeply flawed I couldn’t help but love them and hate them at the same time. The life of the rising musician portrayed so well made feel like the groupie I never was. What astonished me even more was the way the relationship was described, the balance and the care between the romance plot and the storyline. Not one moment did I feel like some things were too much, or too little.
The flashback ends when the story comes all the way to present, all being narrated as if looking Scott’s side without indulging deeply into his head or his inner feelings. That made for some suspense, we know how he feels, but we do not understand the depth of it, at least not yet.
As we read from the present on, we witness the scars of the past, the deep wounds that are still bleeding. We might have thought that Scott was the one being thrown away and the one hurting but we get surprised when Ash’s point of view/side of the story comes to enlighten us. And the pain starts again, the heartbreak for Ash this time as we witness how helpless he was and still is, how completely wounded and hopeless he still feels for what happened to them, for the waste still going on.
As the band reunites for a final gig, they have to get past the past and work thing out between them, but sixteen years is a long time, and anger along with ego are still the strongest feelings both men still have.
For me this book was brilliant. By the end of it the frustration that hit me with Scott was nearly shocking, I was so engrossed with the story and the characters, so deeply invested in the plot, I nearly forgot this was fiction. Beautifully written this is a book I strongly recommend to fans of the genre.
Thommie
March 1, 2013
4.5 stars
I loved it and really engaged and connected with the characters. So much so, that I mostly forgave it when I encountered the Big Misunderstanding. Granted, I may have uttered a disappointed oath or two. And rolled my eyes. And groaned. And paused to consider how else the plot could have worked without the BM. But then I moved on and put it behind me, and other than that one moment it didn't interfere with my enjoyment of the book.
The characters are my age, so even though I'm neither a rock star nor Australian, I felt like I could relate to them more than many m/m characters. The first part of the story took place when they were in their 20s in the 1990s, and the second part took place modern day in their 40s. I could wish they'd wasted less time with the BM - and I did - but part of the point was their regret at the wasted time. I definitely got a sense of that, but I think it could have been done up just a little bit more for maximum effect.
I felt a little frustrated that it ended where it did, as it seemed to me a rather tenuous HFN. I have no objection to HFN, and in fact much prefer it over insta!love or insta-resoultion-of-major-problems. But I like a HFN that at least feels solid, that I can trust will last more than a day or a week. And this one probably will, but it would have been nice to have a greater sense of that at the end.
But, mostly, I think my objection to the ending was because I wasn't ready to be done with these characters. I hope the tenuous HFN ending means there will be a sequel, as I would really love to spend more time with them and see them get their HEA. I'm still thinking about them, wanting to pick the book back up and read more of them, the day after I finished it. That doesn't happen all the time. Or even often. So, overall I loved this story despite several niggles.
I loved it and really engaged and connected with the characters. So much so, that I mostly forgave it when I encountered the Big Misunderstanding. Granted, I may have uttered a disappointed oath or two. And rolled my eyes. And groaned. And paused to consider how else the plot could have worked without the BM. But then I moved on and put it behind me, and other than that one moment it didn't interfere with my enjoyment of the book.
The characters are my age, so even though I'm neither a rock star nor Australian, I felt like I could relate to them more than many m/m characters. The first part of the story took place when they were in their 20s in the 1990s, and the second part took place modern day in their 40s. I could wish they'd wasted less time with the BM - and I did - but part of the point was their regret at the wasted time. I definitely got a sense of that, but I think it could have been done up just a little bit more for maximum effect.
I felt a little frustrated that it ended where it did, as it seemed to me a rather tenuous HFN. I have no objection to HFN, and in fact much prefer it over insta!love or insta-resoultion-of-major-problems. But I like a HFN that at least feels solid, that I can trust will last more than a day or a week. And this one probably will, but it would have been nice to have a greater sense of that at the end.
But, mostly, I think my objection to the ending was because I wasn't ready to be done with these characters. I hope the tenuous HFN ending means there will be a sequel, as I would really love to spend more time with them and see them get their HEA. I'm still thinking about them, wanting to pick the book back up and read more of them, the day after I finished it. That doesn't happen all the time. Or even often. So, overall I loved this story despite several niggles.
September 7, 2021
Uwielbiam książki, w których pozornie się nic nie dzieje - nie ma wielkich dramatów, wymyślnych sytuacji, krzywdzenia w sposób niewyobrażalny - a pomimo to nie można się od nich oderwać i czyta się jednym tchem. Książki, w których bohaterowie są wyraźnymi osobowościami, mają zdecydowanie charakter i kręgosłup i potrafią podejmować własne decyzje - nieważne, czy dobre czy złe. W których słownictwo i opisy branżowe (muzyka czy sport) nie dominują w treści, zasłaniając całą historię. W których, jeżeli coś się psuje między bohaterami (a psuje się zawsze 😉), nie jest to winą jednej strony, bo druga jest nieskazitelnie czysta, bez żadnych odcieni szarości. I TO JEST właśnie TAKA KSIĄŻKA :-) I tylko szkoda, że się skończyła, bo zakończenie zostawiło niedosyt - niewątpliwie miałam ochotę na więcej Scotta i Asha po powrocie do siebie.
February 9, 2013
Review posted at The Armchair Reader.
I had to request this for review as soon as I could because, hello.. rocker book! I, like many of you, just can't get enough of them and it seems like there's one every month or so that comes out (sometimes fewer, actually) and it just enough to curb my appetite until another is released. So, I started reading this as soon as I got it and it did it's job in getting me to next month's (hopeful) fix. I didn't, however, love it -- and the reasons are purely subjective. I'll outline those, because in this instance I'm sure that what I don't like about the book is something that some others will.
This story is split into two major parts. The first half of the book takes place in the 90s and covers the genesis of the band King Phoenix and the relationship between Scott and Ash. The second half of the book details their rise from ashes, not necessarily professionally, but personally. I was worried at first, because the book starts with a prologue in the present day and then jumps back to the beginning of their story (the 90s) in the first chapter, and I'm really not a fan of flashbacks. I always get nervous when I feel one coming because it takes a very talented author to juggle the art of jumping back and forth in time and lose the momentum of the story. Thankfully, this dodged that by cleanly breaking the book into two halves, which mostly worked for me, but wasn't without adding to another difficulty I had with the story.
I felt at odds much of reading the first half. The story covers several years in the rise of the band, from their initial formation, through their bar playing days and then into superstardom and world tours. That is a large chunk of time and much of it was glossed over. I felt a bit like I was stuck between a rock and a hard place, unable to decide if I wanted more or not. Because so much time as glossed over, much of this was exposition -- the author detailing what has happened since the last shift forward a few months or a year ago and then a swift narration of where things stand. More often than not there was a summary of events rather than a scene in present time. That frustrated me, because I never felt like I really got to know Scott and Ash as a couple. However, I was also thankful in a way, because they were both so.messed.up that I was reluctant for the story to completely drop into their lives. By the time of their real success their relationship has become a casualty of the rock and roll lifestyle and fears of band breakup, and I just couldn't decide whether I could have dealt with the real angst of that situation. As it is, we see it, but because we're somewhat removed from the situation -- only getting pieces of them here and there over months and years -- it isn't nearly as intense as it could have been.
So I was happy, in a sense, when time jumped forward to the present around the halfway mark in the book. The situation the band was in, like a pressure cooker growing more dense and dangerous, was ready to explode. And I was happy I didn't have to read the direct fallout of that. That meant, however, that the characters went their separate ways, which saved all that hurt that was never dealt with for another time. And those feelings just fester over the years. I think that this was what I had a hard time reading the most. While the author doesn't create a classic Big Mis situation, it does have many of those hallmarks, which was frustrating for me. The Big Mis(understanding) is, of course, where characters have a falling out for lack of a better term over a miscommunication, or misunderstanding and only deal with it later, realizing how stupid they were (along with us realizing how stupid they were). And I felt like though this were a real situation, not something stupid which is where the term The Big Mis is usually awarded, it hinges on a technicality, a decision made by a few very secondary characters. I don't think this will actually bother many readers as much as it did me, and many might not consider it a Big Mis situation at all. But the effect of those decisions by the characters and the author in how the book is paced and structured directly correlated to the amount of angst, which is my hot button.
So, that's why this was a difficult read for me. There are parts that I certainly liked. The last bit of the book was a nice read for me, one a lot of the issues between Scott and Ash were worked out, but I never quite settled into the book and I never really warmed up to the characters. So, if you like your rocker books with a bit of angst, and maybe a tale of second chances and characters making up for past mistakes, then I'd say give this a try. And try not to gauge my feelings about the amount of angst in a book against yours, I'm probably way more sensitive than you ;)
I had to request this for review as soon as I could because, hello.. rocker book! I, like many of you, just can't get enough of them and it seems like there's one every month or so that comes out (sometimes fewer, actually) and it just enough to curb my appetite until another is released. So, I started reading this as soon as I got it and it did it's job in getting me to next month's (hopeful) fix. I didn't, however, love it -- and the reasons are purely subjective. I'll outline those, because in this instance I'm sure that what I don't like about the book is something that some others will.
This story is split into two major parts. The first half of the book takes place in the 90s and covers the genesis of the band King Phoenix and the relationship between Scott and Ash. The second half of the book details their rise from ashes, not necessarily professionally, but personally. I was worried at first, because the book starts with a prologue in the present day and then jumps back to the beginning of their story (the 90s) in the first chapter, and I'm really not a fan of flashbacks. I always get nervous when I feel one coming because it takes a very talented author to juggle the art of jumping back and forth in time and lose the momentum of the story. Thankfully, this dodged that by cleanly breaking the book into two halves, which mostly worked for me, but wasn't without adding to another difficulty I had with the story.
I felt at odds much of reading the first half. The story covers several years in the rise of the band, from their initial formation, through their bar playing days and then into superstardom and world tours. That is a large chunk of time and much of it was glossed over. I felt a bit like I was stuck between a rock and a hard place, unable to decide if I wanted more or not. Because so much time as glossed over, much of this was exposition -- the author detailing what has happened since the last shift forward a few months or a year ago and then a swift narration of where things stand. More often than not there was a summary of events rather than a scene in present time. That frustrated me, because I never felt like I really got to know Scott and Ash as a couple. However, I was also thankful in a way, because they were both so.messed.up that I was reluctant for the story to completely drop into their lives. By the time of their real success their relationship has become a casualty of the rock and roll lifestyle and fears of band breakup, and I just couldn't decide whether I could have dealt with the real angst of that situation. As it is, we see it, but because we're somewhat removed from the situation -- only getting pieces of them here and there over months and years -- it isn't nearly as intense as it could have been.
So I was happy, in a sense, when time jumped forward to the present around the halfway mark in the book. The situation the band was in, like a pressure cooker growing more dense and dangerous, was ready to explode. And I was happy I didn't have to read the direct fallout of that. That meant, however, that the characters went their separate ways, which saved all that hurt that was never dealt with for another time. And those feelings just fester over the years. I think that this was what I had a hard time reading the most. While the author doesn't create a classic Big Mis situation, it does have many of those hallmarks, which was frustrating for me. The Big Mis(understanding) is, of course, where characters have a falling out for lack of a better term over a miscommunication, or misunderstanding and only deal with it later, realizing how stupid they were (along with us realizing how stupid they were). And I felt like though this were a real situation, not something stupid which is where the term The Big Mis is usually awarded, it hinges on a technicality, a decision made by a few very secondary characters. I don't think this will actually bother many readers as much as it did me, and many might not consider it a Big Mis situation at all. But the effect of those decisions by the characters and the author in how the book is paced and structured directly correlated to the amount of angst, which is my hot button.
So, that's why this was a difficult read for me. There are parts that I certainly liked. The last bit of the book was a nice read for me, one a lot of the issues between Scott and Ash were worked out, but I never quite settled into the book and I never really warmed up to the characters. So, if you like your rocker books with a bit of angst, and maybe a tale of second chances and characters making up for past mistakes, then I'd say give this a try. And try not to gauge my feelings about the amount of angst in a book against yours, I'm probably way more sensitive than you ;)
March 24, 2013
I absolutely loved this story!
It was emotionally involving from the very beginning, with both main characters so easy to love. It was fascinating to get to know Scott and Ash in their early twenties, before fame and to then see them in their forties. The impact of their parting was obvious, how they had moved forward and changed but not forgotten one another.
The sense of anticipation in the first half of the book was enormous, I was nervous and tense knowing something big was going to happen, something that would part Ash and Scott and keep them from each other for 16 years. The second half of the book was spent hoping and praying that they would have their happy ending.
"Why wouldn't you coming back now scare me? Right from the minute I met you, I've never been able to control how I felt about you. For sixteen years, my whole life has been about control."
"After sixteen years you walk into a room and make me want to throw away everything I've worked for, every bit of willpower I have, just to kiss you again. What will happen if I give in to that, the one thing I want most? Will I give in to everything else too? I can't risk it. I can't risk going through that again. If I lose control, this time it'll kill me, I swear it. It'll kill me."
As a Sydneysider, it was interesting to read a book set in all the places I have been, referring to local TV, food, and places.
I will definitely be checking out more from this author.
It was emotionally involving from the very beginning, with both main characters so easy to love. It was fascinating to get to know Scott and Ash in their early twenties, before fame and to then see them in their forties. The impact of their parting was obvious, how they had moved forward and changed but not forgotten one another.
The sense of anticipation in the first half of the book was enormous, I was nervous and tense knowing something big was going to happen, something that would part Ash and Scott and keep them from each other for 16 years. The second half of the book was spent hoping and praying that they would have their happy ending.
"Why wouldn't you coming back now scare me? Right from the minute I met you, I've never been able to control how I felt about you. For sixteen years, my whole life has been about control."
"After sixteen years you walk into a room and make me want to throw away everything I've worked for, every bit of willpower I have, just to kiss you again. What will happen if I give in to that, the one thing I want most? Will I give in to everything else too? I can't risk it. I can't risk going through that again. If I lose control, this time it'll kill me, I swear it. It'll kill me."
As a Sydneysider, it was interesting to read a book set in all the places I have been, referring to local TV, food, and places.
I will definitely be checking out more from this author.
February 14, 2013
I mostly liked this, with a few reservations. I was a teenager during the early and mid 90s, so this story hit me in a very nostalgic place. It's well written and more realistic than other m/m music romances. I loved the early part of Scott and Ash's relationship. It felt very sweet and urgent.
I did have issues with the structure and pace, though. Perhaps this is just a matter of personal preference, but I'm not crazy about starting in the present day and then moving into an extended flashback. I knew things were going to go bad, so I felt tense and uncomfortable through most of the book. Near the end, I was sure we were going to run out of time before a resolution. (At 98%, I even checked DSP's website to make sure this wasn't part of their bittersweet line.) Things end happily but abruptly. Another chapter or an epilogue would have made a huge difference.
I did have issues with the structure and pace, though. Perhaps this is just a matter of personal preference, but I'm not crazy about starting in the present day and then moving into an extended flashback. I knew things were going to go bad, so I felt tense and uncomfortable through most of the book. Near the end, I was sure we were going to run out of time before a resolution. (At 98%, I even checked DSP's website to make sure this wasn't part of their bittersweet line.) Things end happily but abruptly. Another chapter or an epilogue would have made a huge difference.
January 15, 2014
The flashback portion of the book kind of dragged for me but the present day story had me carrying my kindle around with me. I may have weeped a little bit and I may have wanted to punch them a little bit which only made me love it more!
September 21, 2016
This was a captivating read, once I was into it I couldn't stop reading. Nevertheless, something was missing for me and I can't put my finger on it. I have to read some other reviews to perhaps finding out what it is.
October 14, 2019
Takie 4+
April 5, 2014
Four and three quarter stars. Before I begin this review I want to make it clear that I am friends with the author. Good friends. I have tried very hard to not let that friendship influence my thoughts on Metal Heart, but I feel it best to disclose the friendship and let each of you decide for yourselves whether my review justifies the rating :)
Metal Heart is a book of two parts, well...three if you count the prologue. In the prologue we meet the Scott of 2011; we then follow him down memory lane to the 1990s (hereafter referred to as the past) and then back to 2011 (hereafter referred to as the present). I know some people aren’t fans of flashbacks. (Or prologues for that matter.) Going the flashback route was definitely a gamble, but for me it pays off. Without knowing...without living through how Scott and Ash met, how and why they fell in love and what led up to their breakup I don’t feel I would have completely understood where they were coming from in the present. How...reticence and...stuck they were. The flashback is from Scott’s POV, whereas the present has alternating POVs. Another gamble as the reader is left overly sympathetic to Scott, but I thought by not knowing Ash’s POV in the past we were able to learn it alongside Scott in the present. (And I always thought there was far more to the story than what Scott [and I as the reader] knew.)
A number of things worked for me in this book. The first is in the imagery. The author paints an amazingly clear picture of the rock scene in Australia in the 1990s. I could all but smell the cigarettes and stale beer :) The second is the characters. Both primary and secondary. In fact, although I adore both Scott and Ash (although I must confess a preference to Scott :), the secondary characters were just as three-dimensional. What is more, they felt organic to the story and not just stuck in as a plot device. Also, it was nice to have one of the primary characters have a positive, long-term relationship with female characters who were not caricatures. And Scott’s relationship with his sister and his niece (and theirs with him) was integral to the character. Thirdly, I loved that fault was on both sides. And that there wasn’t a ‘you’re cured’ wand wave...that Scott kept in contact with his drug counsellor, that his family worried about his potential for relapse, even 16 years later. That it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Did I think it weird that Scott and Ash had waited so long? 16 years long? Well...no. It actually made sense. Sometimes things get in the way, you keep waiting for the right moment and then you realize so much time has gone past and you don’t know where to start. So you don’t. And I’m not sure if the people Scott and Ash were in their mid 20s had the...self awareness they did in their early 40s to sort things out.
I loved how the book came full circle in not one, but two ways. Firstly the way the prologue ended was mirrored in a scene near the end of the book, and secondly with regard to the song. And I loved that the ending was, in fact, a beginning...rather than an explicit HEA.
Going back to those amazing secondary characters...do I want Justin’s story? Hell to the yes! I loved that even though he was the ex-boyfriend he wasn’t bitter or twisted; he wanted what was best for Scott. On the plus side, being good friends with the author I canenquire nag her for updates :) Which leads me to the author’s writing itself. I was lucky enough to read the author’s first book before it was published and I love how her writing has developed and progressed from that book to this one.
Metal Heart is a book of two parts, well...three if you count the prologue. In the prologue we meet the Scott of 2011; we then follow him down memory lane to the 1990s (hereafter referred to as the past) and then back to 2011 (hereafter referred to as the present). I know some people aren’t fans of flashbacks. (Or prologues for that matter.) Going the flashback route was definitely a gamble, but for me it pays off. Without knowing...without living through how Scott and Ash met, how and why they fell in love and what led up to their breakup I don’t feel I would have completely understood where they were coming from in the present. How...reticence and...stuck they were. The flashback is from Scott’s POV, whereas the present has alternating POVs. Another gamble as the reader is left overly sympathetic to Scott, but I thought by not knowing Ash’s POV in the past we were able to learn it alongside Scott in the present. (And I always thought there was far more to the story than what Scott [and I as the reader] knew.)
A number of things worked for me in this book. The first is in the imagery. The author paints an amazingly clear picture of the rock scene in Australia in the 1990s. I could all but smell the cigarettes and stale beer :) The second is the characters. Both primary and secondary. In fact, although I adore both Scott and Ash (although I must confess a preference to Scott :), the secondary characters were just as three-dimensional. What is more, they felt organic to the story and not just stuck in as a plot device. Also, it was nice to have one of the primary characters have a positive, long-term relationship with female characters who were not caricatures. And Scott’s relationship with his sister and his niece (and theirs with him) was integral to the character. Thirdly, I loved that fault was on both sides. And that there wasn’t a ‘you’re cured’ wand wave...that Scott kept in contact with his drug counsellor, that his family worried about his potential for relapse, even 16 years later. That it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Did I think it weird that Scott and Ash had waited so long? 16 years long? Well...no. It actually made sense. Sometimes things get in the way, you keep waiting for the right moment and then you realize so much time has gone past and you don’t know where to start. So you don’t. And I’m not sure if the people Scott and Ash were in their mid 20s had the...self awareness they did in their early 40s to sort things out.
I loved how the book came full circle in not one, but two ways. Firstly the way the prologue ended was mirrored in a scene near the end of the book, and secondly with regard to the song. And I loved that the ending was, in fact, a beginning...rather than an explicit HEA.
Going back to those amazing secondary characters...do I want Justin’s story? Hell to the yes! I loved that even though he was the ex-boyfriend he wasn’t bitter or twisted; he wanted what was best for Scott. On the plus side, being good friends with the author I can
February 26, 2013
What do I want when I read a rocker romance? Sex, drugs and rock & roll… of course. Seriously though, I do want to read about their lavish lifestyle. I want to see the crazy antics, the excess, and the jaded stars. Metal Heart has exactly what I wanted.
It begins with a phone call asking Scott to do a reunion concert with the band he hasn’t seen in 16 years. The band had a nasty break up, but that was nothing compared to the break up of Scott and the lead singer, Ash. Scott knows he has to do the concert, but it’s going to take every ounce of his strength to face Ash again. Scott is left unbalanced by the phone call. He pulls out the box of memories he hid in his closet so long ago. As he looks through the contents, he begins to reminisce about the past, and the book jumps back in time.
I’m not sure how I feel about the way the book began. Here I was reading this wonderful romance about two guileless young guys falling in love. Through hard work and good luck they were finally getting the chance to realize their dream of being rock stars. They were young, they were happy, and they were in love. It was everything I wanted, but the entire time I was reading, I knew it was all going to self-destruct. I didn’t know exactly what would cause the break up, but I knew it was coming and it was going to be bad. It was like this huge black cloud hanging over my head. I loved what I was reading, but my anxiety didn’t allow me to fully enjoy it. Once the break up finally happened, and the story moved back to present day, it was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
The book jumps back into present day with the first meeting between Scott and Ash. Sixteen years apart didn’t do anything to heal the pain of the past. There was a lot of hurt, anger, and bitterness between Ash and Scott. I mean really, Scott almost died of an overdose one night and the man Scott loved took off and Scott never heard from him again! They were going to have a nasty reunion. I would never have believed a happy, forgive and forget type of reunion. Those first few encounters weren’t pretty, but they felt genuine, so it worked for me.
My one complaint was with the ending. Scott and Ash had spent so much time arguing and avoiding each other that I had a hard time adjusting to them being suddenly back together. I knew it was going to happen, I wanted it to happen, but there wasn’t enough to convince me they could make it work long term. I was left wanting more, either a couple more chapters or the promise of a sequel, because the ending didn’t feel complete.
Metal Heart is one of the better rocker romances I’ve read. The cast of characters were great. I love Scott and Ash, flaws and all. The other band members helped to balance them out and kept it real. My favorite side characters were Scott’s sister and niece. It was fantastic to see two strong women portrayed in such a positive way. Their love and support of Scott added so much to the story. They made it bigger and better.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a good rocker romance.
It begins with a phone call asking Scott to do a reunion concert with the band he hasn’t seen in 16 years. The band had a nasty break up, but that was nothing compared to the break up of Scott and the lead singer, Ash. Scott knows he has to do the concert, but it’s going to take every ounce of his strength to face Ash again. Scott is left unbalanced by the phone call. He pulls out the box of memories he hid in his closet so long ago. As he looks through the contents, he begins to reminisce about the past, and the book jumps back in time.
I’m not sure how I feel about the way the book began. Here I was reading this wonderful romance about two guileless young guys falling in love. Through hard work and good luck they were finally getting the chance to realize their dream of being rock stars. They were young, they were happy, and they were in love. It was everything I wanted, but the entire time I was reading, I knew it was all going to self-destruct. I didn’t know exactly what would cause the break up, but I knew it was coming and it was going to be bad. It was like this huge black cloud hanging over my head. I loved what I was reading, but my anxiety didn’t allow me to fully enjoy it. Once the break up finally happened, and the story moved back to present day, it was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
The book jumps back into present day with the first meeting between Scott and Ash. Sixteen years apart didn’t do anything to heal the pain of the past. There was a lot of hurt, anger, and bitterness between Ash and Scott. I mean really, Scott almost died of an overdose one night and the man Scott loved took off and Scott never heard from him again! They were going to have a nasty reunion. I would never have believed a happy, forgive and forget type of reunion. Those first few encounters weren’t pretty, but they felt genuine, so it worked for me.
My one complaint was with the ending. Scott and Ash had spent so much time arguing and avoiding each other that I had a hard time adjusting to them being suddenly back together. I knew it was going to happen, I wanted it to happen, but there wasn’t enough to convince me they could make it work long term. I was left wanting more, either a couple more chapters or the promise of a sequel, because the ending didn’t feel complete.
Metal Heart is one of the better rocker romances I’ve read. The cast of characters were great. I love Scott and Ash, flaws and all. The other band members helped to balance them out and kept it real. My favorite side characters were Scott’s sister and niece. It was fantastic to see two strong women portrayed in such a positive way. Their love and support of Scott added so much to the story. They made it bigger and better.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who likes a good rocker romance.
April 23, 2014
I quite liked this. It did take me a bit to get into. I think most of it had to do with reading other reviews and was apprehensive about it. I was expecting the worst, but it actually wasn’t bad like I feared.
This book was so very Australian. That's not a criticism, I swear. I knew a few colloquialisms, even though I’m american. I had no idea of the distance between cities and towns/suburbs, so when they traveling to different places I just went with it.
I do feel like there was more telling than showing. But at the same time, I’m not sure how the told part could’ve been expanded on and still fit within the perimeters of the overall story. I do wish we got Ash’s point of view on the first half of the book as much as we got Scott’s. I also would’ve liked to know whather or not he was an out rockstar as we get into the future. Probably not, but it’s something I’d like to have a definitive answer on.
I wish the gap that Ash and Scott hadn’t seen each other wasn’t so big. I thought the reason Ash didn’t contact Scott after their big blow up was a tad flimsy, but valid. I could see a few years of a “cooling off” period, but 16 years? I don’t know, man. But it does show that you never get over your first.
I did really feel for Ash because I know what’s like to love someone who has an addiction. I don’t think he was a bad person for abandoning Scott, though as I said, I wish he did make contact with him sooner. I really felt for him when he went through Scott’s hot/cold routine.
I really did like this a lot and I would definitely read a follow up story with these two.
4 stars.
This book was so very Australian. That's not a criticism, I swear. I knew a few colloquialisms, even though I’m american. I had no idea of the distance between cities and towns/suburbs, so when they traveling to different places I just went with it.
I do feel like there was more telling than showing. But at the same time, I’m not sure how the told part could’ve been expanded on and still fit within the perimeters of the overall story. I do wish we got Ash’s point of view on the first half of the book as much as we got Scott’s. I also would’ve liked to know whather or not he was an out rockstar as we get into the future. Probably not, but it’s something I’d like to have a definitive answer on.
I wish the gap that Ash and Scott hadn’t seen each other wasn’t so big. I thought the reason Ash didn’t contact Scott after their big blow up was a tad flimsy, but valid. I could see a few years of a “cooling off” period, but 16 years? I don’t know, man. But it does show that you never get over your first.
I did really feel for Ash because I know what’s like to love someone who has an addiction. I don’t think he was a bad person for abandoning Scott, though as I said, I wish he did make contact with him sooner. I really felt for him when he went through Scott’s hot/cold routine.
I really did like this a lot and I would definitely read a follow up story with these two.
4 stars.
December 2, 2014
I read this book fairly quickly. I started reading it yesterday and kept reading without a break. It then was 1.30 am and I was still reading, only needed to read another 50 pages, but knew I really needed my sleep. So first thing today I finished the book. It doesn't happen that often to me that I feel the need to keep reading a book.
The story starts at present time with Scott getting a phone call from Ash. In the beginning you don't know much of the characters mentioned and what their relationship with each other is like, so you get curious really quickly. The next part of the book is all in chronicle order from the day Scott met Ash and the other band members Rory and Tommy. You read about how they started as a band, their first gigs and of course their big break. During their rise as a band you also read how Scott and Ash came to be and how things went from good to great to worse. The second part of the book is during present time where Scott meets Ash and the others for the first time in sixteen years again and the preparations for the benefit gig.
I felt emotional throughout the book. I think the emotions that especially Scott were feeling were expressed and formulated well and, at least for me, make you pick Scott's side in the story. However, further in the story you learn more about Ash and his feelings during the events and you start to see things more from both perspectives and I started to see Scott more as an asshole as the story progressed on. I think that's very well done, since it creates some real development with the characters as well with the story.
I liked this very much and it had me hooked from the beginning. Definitely recommend it.
The story starts at present time with Scott getting a phone call from Ash. In the beginning you don't know much of the characters mentioned and what their relationship with each other is like, so you get curious really quickly. The next part of the book is all in chronicle order from the day Scott met Ash and the other band members Rory and Tommy. You read about how they started as a band, their first gigs and of course their big break. During their rise as a band you also read how Scott and Ash came to be and how things went from good to great to worse. The second part of the book is during present time where Scott meets Ash and the others for the first time in sixteen years again and the preparations for the benefit gig.
I felt emotional throughout the book. I think the emotions that especially Scott were feeling were expressed and formulated well and, at least for me, make you pick Scott's side in the story. However, further in the story you learn more about Ash and his feelings during the events and you start to see things more from both perspectives and I started to see Scott more as an asshole as the story progressed on. I think that's very well done, since it creates some real development with the characters as well with the story.
I liked this very much and it had me hooked from the beginning. Definitely recommend it.
January 7, 2013
I love a good rocker book! And this one definitely lived up to my definitions of good. It had all the bits I love: imperfect characters, tension (sexual as well as other), and great story-telling. This had it all in spades. The fact that it's set in familiar surroundings definitely helped as well lol.
But one of the greatest tells of how much I loved it is that I couldn't put the book down and ended up reading till the wee hours of the morning. Scott and Ash just grabbed me and wouldn't let go!
But one of the greatest tells of how much I loved it is that I couldn't put the book down and ended up reading till the wee hours of the morning. Scott and Ash just grabbed me and wouldn't let go!
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