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Kyle and I…we always seemed inevitable.

After getting kicked out of my house at sixteen, my boyfriend Kyle’s family took me in. And the two of us, with his brother at the helm and two other friends, formed Intent to Murder, a hard rock band with dreams of a bright future. We play local bars and gain a small following but never get off the ground.

When one of our band members dies of an overdose, everything changes.

I’ve been ignoring the fact that Kyle and I aren’t yin and yang, meant to complement and fulfill each other; we’re oil and water, destined to never mix. Together, we’re volatile.

So when we finally recruit Wolf, an older man who plays guitar, to replace our deceased friend, the band starts to heal. We become better than before.

Meanwhile, I figure out Kyle’s not right for me.

That doesn’t mean Wolf is, either…but he seems to get me, to understand what makes me tick.

And I find myself dreaming about his chiseled body. Thinking about him all the time. Finding ways to share stolen moments with him.

It doesn’t matter that he’s probably not the right guy, either.

And when we finally kiss, he tells me he’s too old for me. He’s not boyfriend material. He wouldn’t treat me right.

But I don’t believe him.

Maybe I should.

Because I might have to make a choice between the fame I want and the love I think I need…because I probably don’t deserve to have either.

CONTENT WARNING: This story includes discussion of childhood trauma, domestic violence, past drug abuse, and death. Please read with caution.

480 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 21, 2024

70 people are currently reading
87 people want to read

About the author

Jade C. Jamison

112 books1,805 followers
Jade C. Jamison writes steamy contemporary romance that’s full of heat, heartbreak, and hard rock. Known for emotionally raw rockstar romances, sizzling billionaire stories, and unforgettable second chances, Jade delivers passionate stories with fierce heroines and brooding heroes.

When she's not writing, she's jamming to metal, sipping strong coffee, or spoiling her pets and family. Whether set in small-town Colorado or on tour with a band, her books take readers on an intense, romantic ride—one story at a time.

Learn more at www.jadecjamison.com or join her newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/JadeCJa...

New to Jade? Start with Bullet!

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5 stars
33 (49%)
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
Profile Image for Doris.
3,594 reviews138 followers
January 8, 2024
Powerful

This is one of those reviews that I don’t know how to write because I want to do justice to this book. As always Ms. Jamison is all about rock n roll and that shows through in this book with the start-up of the rock band Intent to Murder. It showed me a side of what it takes for young kids starting out with stars in their eyes trying to become relevant. The hard work and the sacrifice was eye opening. I loved following along with them on this journey hoping they can get their break.

Now for what makes Ms. Jamison’s books stand out is the emotional turmoil that her characters go through in their lives. Hayley is the lead singer and has been through so much in her life and is looking for acceptance and love. She thought she had it with her friend and bandmate Kyle. The band has already dealt with losing a member to drugs and are struggling until the older bartender at the bar they practice at becomes their guitarist and tries to mend this very promising band and becomes Hayley’s next relationship focus. I loved Wolf and Hayley and was hoping they get their HEA.

I look forward to the next book in this series and with this author I know things can drastically change in no time which makes her books so intriguing. I highly recommend this book if you can handle some deeply developed characters that bring you into their lives and follow the makings of a rock band this is a book you don’t want to miss.
Profile Image for Elizabeth Connor.
1,463 reviews40 followers
January 11, 2024
Thanks to the author for an ARC of this book. I generally love Jamison’s stories, but this one disappointed me. Told entirely from the POV of Hayley in first-person, past tense, it almost felt like reading a diary. Hayley seems immature, and as a result, the writing reflects that immaturity. Although this is a good thing, theoretically, it annoyed me. It makes sense that a diary would be written in the past tense, but it wouldn’t include any clear foreshadowing. In this case, Hayley always seemed to end chapters with how the events related could have been a sign of what was to come. I found the repeated foreshadowing to be a bit heavy-handed and could have done with less of that. I think that the actions of the characters should have been enough to convey what might happen, even if Hayley didn’t understand at the time.

Although the writing and storytelling is fine, it doesn’t reflect the caliber I’ve come to expect from Jamison. If this were the first book of hers I was reading, I might not want to read another. Thankfully, I have read others so I know how good she can be. It could be that I just didn’t empathize with any of these characters; I didn’t relate to them. And I much prefer strong heroines who know their minds and aren’t afraid to follow their instincts. If it’s simply that I didn’t like the heroine, I have to admit, Jamison did an excellent job of portraying an uncertain, immature young woman who suffers from a serious lack of confidence in her romantic relationships. Fortunately, she doesn’t feel that same inferiority when it comes to her singing.

Typical of her writing skill, Jamison takes the smallest of details to paint a bigger picture. Hayley and Kyle are roommates and neither seem to ever have money. She works at Early Rise, a coffee shop, and he works at Burger King. At one point, Hayley goes to their refrigerator to grab a Coke and describes what was in there. Aside from the Coke, “...the only other things in there were Parmesan cheese, ketchup, and baloney.” I loved the baloney detail, which seems like it must be the cheapest of meats. The Parmesan cheese made me wonder why they’d have an upscale cheese like that—although it could have been the Kraft shakeable kind—and that added some intrigue. It made me wonder if there was something more to know about them. Finally, the ketchup is fun because it’s such a superfluous item, but one you’d expect to see there. My only suggestion is that packets would have made more sense, since Kyle worked at Burger King.

Kyle, who seems like such a jerk from the beginning, surprised me with a show of emotion. After dating for seven or eight years, fighting almost from the start because they were so young, Hayley finally realizes they will be better off if they’re not together. When she talks to him about it, he pulls her into his arms and she cries. But as she pulls back from him, she can see that he was crying too. This, alone, helped to give Kyle more than two dimensions. He became more than a caricature of a moody, selfish a-hole. When he finds love, which I assume he will do in a future installment of this new series, the reader won’t see him as undeserving.

One of their bandmates in Intent to Murder, Pedro, has a lot of good one-liners, but this one was my favorite. Flirting with the waitress, he asks where she’s been all his life and insists he needs her number. She tells him what works on most men, “I have a boyfriend.” His rejoinder was awesome. “We won’t tell him. He’ll just wonder why you’ve started smiling so much.”

If you’re not already a fan of Ms. Jamison, I wouldn’t suggest this as a first foray into her writing. There are so many others I’ve rated higher. Since I’ve read them over the course of many years, and since I’ve undoubtedly matured along with her writing, I wouldn’t feel comfortable recommending one in particular (although I really enjoyed the Bullet series). All I will say is that this is probably more for her hardcore fans because it’s not her best.
1,738 reviews10 followers
January 24, 2024
Hayley & Wolf

I liked this book but not as much as I had hoped & expected from previous books by the author. I think that it was due to the single pov & the semi-biographical / memoir style. The epilogue / alt pov of Lone Wolf helped to explain some behaviour but I would have preferred dual pov. It felt like it was looking back, rather than currently happening, with overt foreshadowing, it was ok but not my first choice of timeline.
I did like Wolf's 'take me as I am' attitude and his confidence to speak up at poor behaviour & insults towards all, but especially in defence of Hayley.
The sensitivity shown by the author to the past & current traumas was great, as I expected from previous books.
Hayley is very mature beyond her age but also carries a lack of self worth that hinders her relationships.
Hopefully we will see more of Wolf & Hayley in other bandmates book as I would have liked more time with them as couple navigating a longer term relationship.
Profile Image for JLBBM.
185 reviews6 followers
January 7, 2024
Verses is book one of the Rocky Mountain Rockstars series. Jade C. Jamison is, as far as I’m concerned, the Queen of rockstar romance books and she’s written another winner. Twenty-four year old Hayley Young has been with her boyfriend Kyle since high school, started a band with him, his brother and two friends. They’ve done okay in their small hometown but when Kyle’s brother dies the band and especially Kyle is floundering. The fighting between Hayley and Kyle finally convinces her that they are better friends and band mates than a couple and she ends their relationship.

When the band members find out that the older bartender, Wolf Jackson, is also a guitarist they convince him to join the band. He’s the best thing that could happen to Intent to Murder and Hayley thinks he could be the best thing for her too. But Wolf thinks their almost 20 year age gap is too much, even if he is attracted to her. Will she convince him it’s not? Will the baggage, drama and angst be too much for both of them? There were a couple of times I wanted to yell at Hayley to grow up but realized I didn’t have the type of childhood she did so maybe she’s entitled to feel and act the way she did. This book not only entertained me, but, fingers crossed, taught me to be more forgiving of others actions. I can not wait for the next book in this series.
513 reviews1 follower
January 22, 2024
Amazing read and loved it . Jade rocks at writing rockstar books. Tks for the arc
Profile Image for Twinsie Talk Angie J.
1,809 reviews
January 3, 2024
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Verses book 1 of Rocky Mountain Rockstars by Jade C. Jamison
I was given this book by the author for an honest review.
I love the rockstar worlds Jade writes. Her Bullet series is one of my favorites of all time. When she sent the ARC for this book, the blurb made my heartbeat. I mean it sounded like a great toxic love story for sure. Toxic for sure it was….sigh a good old rip your heart out story. LOL
Hayley and Kyle….man these two. They were high school sweethearts who grew up, used drugs together, and loved but they loved in a not so great way. She was kinda terrible and he was just the same. When the story starts out, we see the toxic relationship from the jump. The couple seem to be together just because they have always been together and is expected to be together??? Anywho, they are also dealing with the loss of the leader of their band. They are left with 2 others struggling to figure out what to do. Hayley starts to chat with the bartender and *Gasp* does he flirt with her??? As time moves on and he joins the band, GASP he is still flirting with the newly SINGLE Hayley.
Wolf/Miles is a good guy. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. He says he isn’t a but he sure the crap is as far as I was concerned. He was everything Hayley needed. She was everything he needed too. The age gap was his “push” away but once they got all the cards on the table, It was GO TIME!!!
I really enjoyed the couple. He stood up for her LOTS of time and let her see she is worth more then she gives herself credit for. He also helps her see things for what they are and to accept that sometimes it just is what it is. Hayley showed Miles that not all women are like his past relationships and she is the genuine person he has always claimed her to be.
THEN right when I couldn’t love him anymore, Wolf was an asshat and then Kyle starts to sniff around. I was like hella no. I am with my girl Hayle and gonna stay single and heart guarded forever…..and then Wolf is back…and again I am swooning because damn it Miles I love you!!!!
I cannot wait for the next book….best friends sister…oooof Pedro is gonna have some issues!!
614 reviews6 followers
January 20, 2024
Verses: A steamy age gap rock star romance (Rocky Mountain Rockstars Book 1) by Jade C. Jamison about the rock band Intent to Murder’s rise from the grief of losing a bandmate from a drug overdose to the beginnings of gaining recognition. The band was floundering after losing their lead guitarist, primary songwriter, and band leader, Liam, who had been Hayley’s boyfriend Kyle’s brother. Hayley didn’t play music but wrote songs and was the lead singer for their band. Hayley and Kyle’s relationship was spiraling long before Liam’s death, but afterward, it only accelerated the toxicity between them. Wolf was bartending at the Apothecary bar where the band Intent to Murder practiced and told Hayley he could play lead guitar when she inquired about finding another lead guitarist to replace Liam in the band. Wolf and Hayley were attracted to one another, but an almost 20-year age difference bothered Wolf more than Hayley. Each band member was individually dealing with their grief over Liam and trying to hone their musical skills to a higher level. Hayley’s songs and verses that are wrung from her soul are outlets for dealing with the horrific traumas she suffered in her home as a child. The raw emotional internal rage she feels spews out in the poems or verses she writes, but instead of healing her old wounds, it constantly reopens the festering soul- deep cuts that never scabbed over. Wolf has wounds that have never recovered properly, so he has begun to react and act in previously established patterns. Patterns that don’t help but hurt others. Verses remind me of real bands that had in-band romances and how they tore asunder the members more than held them together. Jade C Jamison’s verses contain hauntedly beautiful verses and songs that profoundly describe pain and heartaches. Jade Jamison does not shy away from traumatic events or circumstances but writes about them with sensitivity and grace as she never fails to deliver on a rocking rockstar romance.
Profile Image for Sue.
1,945 reviews25 followers
January 29, 2024
This series is written by the author of one of my all-time favorite rock star series Bullet. Jamison knows how to write compelling dramas that incorporate not only rock music, but the emotions behind the songs and the deepest secrets of those who write and perform them. The lead singer Hayley is a young woman who has lived a life full of some traumatic events and of course Kyle, the man she chooses to be with has addiction problems and behavioral issues. Enter the newest member of the band, Wolf, who happens to be way older than the rest of the group but somehow really fits in. What happens between him and the much younger singer is inevitable but not without some rocky moments. It was a good start to a new series. Although I didn't find it as hard-hitting and devastating as Bullet, I am hoping the next books in the series will have more impact. If you love rock romances you should give this author a read!

***** 4.5 ***** "the road to success and happiness is not easy" stars
716 reviews10 followers
January 19, 2024
Great Read!
I absolutely love Jade C. Jamison’s writing style and read every one of her books that I can get my hands on. I was so excited to find out she was writing a new Rock Star Series as she is absolutely the Queen of Rock Author. She did not disappoint me. This is a well written steamy age gap rock star romance that captivated my attention as soon as I started reading. It is not just about romance it also includes the emotional trauma of dealing with childhood sexual abuse, failed relationships, drug abuse and death by overdose. Hayley, Wolf and Kyle have all been through so much in their lives that they need to come to terms with to move on happily. The emotional growth of the characters in this book made the story. I cannot wait to read book 2 about Pedro and Adrian’s sister Maria next.
Profile Image for Karen Ruedisueli.
268 reviews1 follower
March 30, 2024
The trouble with books with a part 2 is that book one stretches on with filling/repetition to make it worth one book but interesting enough to see you to part 2.

Well, this was not interesting enough to go to part2. I didn't understand Wolf's POV and for 50% of the book he struggled with his age. He was an interesting character 😎.

Harley was interesting but with their age dilemma stretching out forever...with Harley quite immature most of time....it wasn't my cup of tea.
Profile Image for Karol Southerland.
348 reviews1 follower
April 3, 2024
Becoming a rockstar

Hayley is the girl who as an amazing voice and rough life growing up. Her boyfriend, Kyle and Hayle end breaking up. They have been trying
start a band when her boyfriend's overdoses. Hayley finds a new guitar player Wolf, who is older than them who turns out to the influence they all need. I like how they seem to find love even though their pasts have bad histories. A well written book and I cannot wait to read the next one.




1,353 reviews3 followers
February 5, 2024
wow

Wow, just wow! I’ve really enjoyed getting to know the members of intent to murder. Hayley and Wolf traveled down a rocky road on their way to happiness. The abuse Hayley suffered as a child affected her self-esteem. Wolf had been manipulated and used by women so it was hard for him to trust. I’ll be anxious to see what each of the band members brings to the table.
Profile Image for Lynn.
231 reviews
March 21, 2025
Great read!

An awesome age-gap rockstar romance. One you surely won’t put down right away. There are many ups and downs in the whole story some that will make you frustrated and some that will make you cry. haley has to deal with the trauma of our childhood and Wolfe is still dealing with the trauma of two divorces how they come together is what makes this a true love story.
91 reviews1 follower
January 28, 2025
This book amazed me

There are no bad guys in this book, just in perfect human beings that are trying to improve themselves.

One of the reasons I like this book so much, is because they didn't try and make the big time in the first book!
Profile Image for Anita.
250 reviews1 follower
February 8, 2024
Meh

This book could have been a lot short, lots of repartition, writing wasn’t that great in this storyline! Wouldn’t recommend!
Profile Image for Caryn.
2,393 reviews3 followers
March 25, 2024
Long live Wolf and Songbird!

This was one of those great stories that stick with you. I loved all of these characters especially Miles (Wolf) Jackson. He really struggled with continuing a relationship with Hayley and it almost ruined their love story. Wolf is several years younger than Hayley and it bothered him at first. All of these band members have distinctive and interesting personalities and I can’t wait to read more about them!

Great start to Jade’s new series!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews

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