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Starstruck
The faceless woman who haunts rock legend Jesse Maurello’s dreams is just a myth, a steamy byproduct of his vivid imagination and too many days on the road. Yet something about the green-eyed vision he meets on the plane to New York calls to him, in more ways than one. He will have her beneath him—or on top of him—tonight.
Career-driven graphic artist Samantha Raven has many talents, her psychic abilities among them. But nothing could’ve prepared her for the talents of a sexy rock god who seduces her into his bed—or the obsessed fan who threatens her life. Her sizzling night of passion with the infamous Jerico front man is purely chance…or is it? Betrayal and danger follow their wild ride of orgasmic exploration. Seems fate had a plan neither Jesse nor Sam saw coming.
Career-driven graphic artist Samantha Raven has many talents, her psychic abilities among them. But nothing could’ve prepared her for the talents of a sexy rock god who seduces her into his bed—or the obsessed fan who threatens her life. Her sizzling night of passion with the infamous Jerico front man is purely chance…or is it? Betrayal and danger follow their wild ride of orgasmic exploration. Seems fate had a plan neither Jesse nor Sam saw coming.
- GenresContemporary Romance
325 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 20, 2013
1 person is currently reading
216 people want to read
About the author
Paige Thomas
9 books260 followersPaige Thomas' debut novel Starstruck was originally released by Ellora's Cave Publishing in 2013, with her first short story Count Me In following close behind. Since parting ways with the now defunct publisher, she decided to become an independent author.
Paige is a contemporary romance author who loves to add splashes of other genres into her work. Whether it's thriller, suspense, mystery or paranormal, someone's usually sarcastic and someone always gets laid.
She lives on the central coast of New South Wales, Australia with her husband and son, and continues to battle her addiction to dark chocolate and hot musicians.
She wants to be Stephen King when she grows up.
Paige is a contemporary romance author who loves to add splashes of other genres into her work. Whether it's thriller, suspense, mystery or paranormal, someone's usually sarcastic and someone always gets laid.
She lives on the central coast of New South Wales, Australia with her husband and son, and continues to battle her addiction to dark chocolate and hot musicians.
She wants to be Stephen King when she grows up.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
May 13, 2013
Paige Thomas weaves a sizzling tales of lust, love and obsession set against the backdrop of the world of rock and roll that will certainly linger long in the mind after the last page is done. Samantha Raven is a graphic designer who stumbles head over heels into the world of Jesse Maurello, the lead singer of the world's biggest rock band, and it isn't long before they're enamoured with one another. It's a bond stronger than mere lust, but the life of the most famous man on the planet isn't always a simple one to be a part of, and soon jealous exes, press attention and dangerous forces conspire against them.
Thomas has an incredible gift for building a story and her skill at writing passionate scenes, both physical and emotional, is second to none. The story moves at a great pace through the various twists and turns, and her characters are well drawn and likeable, through action and incredibly natural dialogue. Having previously read and loved her short story COUNT ME IN - featuring another character from STARSTRUCK - I couldn't wait to see Paige's writing in a novel format, and I was thrilled with how wonderful the book is. I can't wait to read further stories with Jerico.
Highly recommended!
Thomas has an incredible gift for building a story and her skill at writing passionate scenes, both physical and emotional, is second to none. The story moves at a great pace through the various twists and turns, and her characters are well drawn and likeable, through action and incredibly natural dialogue. Having previously read and loved her short story COUNT ME IN - featuring another character from STARSTRUCK - I couldn't wait to see Paige's writing in a novel format, and I was thrilled with how wonderful the book is. I can't wait to read further stories with Jerico.
Highly recommended!
April 3, 2013
Just finished reading Paige Thomas's wonderful story about a successful rock singer and an intriguing woman who enters his life, seemingly out of nowhere - but were they perhaps destined to find each other? Maybe... I believe this is Paige's first novel, and I must say that I really did enjoy following along as romance blooms between its two lead characters graphic designer Sam and acclaimed singer/musician Jesse, who bares an unusual similarity in background and appearance (and sexiness) to a certain New Jersey 80s rocker with three names and a legion of female fans the world over. Hmm. Coincidence? Probably not.
Jesse is alluring. Sam is thoughtful and likable. I enjoyed watching these two find each other after each struggling with their own past doomed relationships.I didn't anticipate another underlying storyline that brought suspense and mystery to it woven throughout. Interesting other aspect to the story.
The romance is mesmerizing, the love scenes quite sensual and there's a wonderful attention to detail that I really appreciated as a reader. I will be definitely be exploring other Paige Thomas titles... ~ck
Jesse is alluring. Sam is thoughtful and likable. I enjoyed watching these two find each other after each struggling with their own past doomed relationships.I didn't anticipate another underlying storyline that brought suspense and mystery to it woven throughout. Interesting other aspect to the story.
The romance is mesmerizing, the love scenes quite sensual and there's a wonderful attention to detail that I really appreciated as a reader. I will be definitely be exploring other Paige Thomas titles... ~ck
March 25, 2013
Gotta love a girl who drinks Jack Daniels and likes to pash! Welcome to erotica with a dash of Australiana. If rock’n’roll fantasy is your bent, then let me tell you this – her novel, Starstruck, is better than a night in the hay with Jon Bon Jovi – though Ms Thomas may disagree with me on this.
Author Paige Thomas has a beautiful ease with dialogue, natural and cheeky. Her evocative imagery of erotic play is perfect and I loved the dashes of Aussie flavour peppered throughout, lifting scenes with humour and a natural down to earthness. Biased? Maybe, as a Sydney girl myself, I may get more out of it, but I would be the first to tell you if it didn’t work, if it was too colloquial or at all cringe inducing. It is just right, exotic and as playful as a platypus.
This book made me smile often. I was hypnotised by the storyline, the romance, the sex. I become yet another obsessed groupie of lava hot, sex-on-a-stick, rock god, Jericho frontman - Jesse Maurello, my lastest fictional crush.
After some synchronis events, Australian graphic designer, Samantha Raven enters the dream and real world of Jesse. Sam is a supernatural beauty with a gift of visions pure and when love hits hard sometimes you just have to lie back and enjoy the limo ride.
Guided by spectres of love, who often decide Sam’s fate, her visions not always pleasant, help and protect her, to lead her life, but more often than not it is other lives that she sees deeper into and not clear enough in her own destiny which could be her downfall.
Jesse’ parents brought him up well, his Italian heritage and love for his family is sweet. Food is another constant in this book. “You can tell how big a woman’s heart is by her appetite” Jesse’s Mum would say and Sam isn’t like the bird seed eating chicks that he often fell for in the past. I’m sure this quote doesn’t just apply to food. Sam’s sexual appetite is awakened. She is famished, hungry for touch, true affection, love and discovery – something her last relationship was thin on but only Jesse has ever fulfilled, “she was beyond ecstasy, she’d left the planet”.
There are the parties, the full rock star treatments, drummer jokes, the poison of paparazzi and of course jealous nutters, stalkers who may get in the way of love. I exhaled and sighed often, that’s how potent a storyteller Paige can be. She seduced this reader with her words and her fun and suspenseful storyline lulled me into dreams sweet, lust filled and in full colour - sex turned up to eleven!.
Starstruck will quickly seep into your subconscious and lead you to sensual, fantastical realms. It was like Paige could read my thoughts at times with the most pleasurable of positions ever written on a page.
Did someone say hot tub? A girl after my own heart. Just when you think you can put the book down you will be sadly mistaken. It teases and taunts chapter after chapter, page after page, you see what lies ahead and you can’t wait to turn on the jets.
Best read in a bath fragranced with citrus notes and surrounded by candles. Thank goodness for waterproof rabbits.
Author Paige Thomas has a beautiful ease with dialogue, natural and cheeky. Her evocative imagery of erotic play is perfect and I loved the dashes of Aussie flavour peppered throughout, lifting scenes with humour and a natural down to earthness. Biased? Maybe, as a Sydney girl myself, I may get more out of it, but I would be the first to tell you if it didn’t work, if it was too colloquial or at all cringe inducing. It is just right, exotic and as playful as a platypus.
This book made me smile often. I was hypnotised by the storyline, the romance, the sex. I become yet another obsessed groupie of lava hot, sex-on-a-stick, rock god, Jericho frontman - Jesse Maurello, my lastest fictional crush.
After some synchronis events, Australian graphic designer, Samantha Raven enters the dream and real world of Jesse. Sam is a supernatural beauty with a gift of visions pure and when love hits hard sometimes you just have to lie back and enjoy the limo ride.
Guided by spectres of love, who often decide Sam’s fate, her visions not always pleasant, help and protect her, to lead her life, but more often than not it is other lives that she sees deeper into and not clear enough in her own destiny which could be her downfall.
Jesse’ parents brought him up well, his Italian heritage and love for his family is sweet. Food is another constant in this book. “You can tell how big a woman’s heart is by her appetite” Jesse’s Mum would say and Sam isn’t like the bird seed eating chicks that he often fell for in the past. I’m sure this quote doesn’t just apply to food. Sam’s sexual appetite is awakened. She is famished, hungry for touch, true affection, love and discovery – something her last relationship was thin on but only Jesse has ever fulfilled, “she was beyond ecstasy, she’d left the planet”.
There are the parties, the full rock star treatments, drummer jokes, the poison of paparazzi and of course jealous nutters, stalkers who may get in the way of love. I exhaled and sighed often, that’s how potent a storyteller Paige can be. She seduced this reader with her words and her fun and suspenseful storyline lulled me into dreams sweet, lust filled and in full colour - sex turned up to eleven!.
Starstruck will quickly seep into your subconscious and lead you to sensual, fantastical realms. It was like Paige could read my thoughts at times with the most pleasurable of positions ever written on a page.
Did someone say hot tub? A girl after my own heart. Just when you think you can put the book down you will be sadly mistaken. It teases and taunts chapter after chapter, page after page, you see what lies ahead and you can’t wait to turn on the jets.
Best read in a bath fragranced with citrus notes and surrounded by candles. Thank goodness for waterproof rabbits.
March 6, 2013
New author Paige Thomas has a terrific debut novel in Starstruck, and I am very pleased to have discovered this gem of a story. Jesse Maurello is a world-renowned rock star who is old enough and wise enough to recognize his soul mate when he meets Samantha Raven; after all, he has been dreaming of her forever. I loved both of these characters for their wit, creativity, and passion they have for life and for each other. While their relationship starts out fast, their connection feels real and very down to earth, yet has some otherworldly influences at play, too. I loved the psychic component, and the descriptive flashes really added some nice details to the story as well as depth to the characters. The mystery of the psycho stalker is well-crafted and kept me guessing until the end as to who the culprit actually was, and secondary characters, Rick and Caitlin, were nicely developed, too. Most of all, though, I really enjoyed Ms. Thomas's talent in conveying the characters' artistic abilities and deep feelings toward each other. The description of Sam's artwork, Jesse's song, and many other musical references made the story very real, and I knew without a doubt Jesse and Sam were meant for each other. Thank you, Paige, for a truly wonderful story--I'll be on the lookout for more in the future!
May 19, 2013
Snowed in at the airport, rockstar Jesse Maurello can’t help but be intrigued by the woman who was sitting next to him. Something about those green eyes haunts him with familiarity from a dream years ago, even after she tried to maim him with a rampant jelly bean. Samantha Raven knows who Jesse is, as well as his reportedly affairs courtesy of the tabloids. It doesn’t stop her from accepting an invitation to dinner, after all they are both waiting for their flight.
Dinner, drinks, and a sensual night in bed leads to a couple more. Jesse doesn’t know what is happening between them, but he isn’t ready to let Samantha go just yet, he is hesitant to confess the real reasons why since both of them are just out of relationships, but he is certain this is no rebound. When a stalker seems intent on eliminating Samantha, Jesse will do anything to protect her but with others looking to tear them apart Jesse knows his time is short with proving to Samantha that he is the one for her.
Full review on Sensual Reads
http://sensualreads.com/?p=12045
Dinner, drinks, and a sensual night in bed leads to a couple more. Jesse doesn’t know what is happening between them, but he isn’t ready to let Samantha go just yet, he is hesitant to confess the real reasons why since both of them are just out of relationships, but he is certain this is no rebound. When a stalker seems intent on eliminating Samantha, Jesse will do anything to protect her but with others looking to tear them apart Jesse knows his time is short with proving to Samantha that he is the one for her.
Full review on Sensual Reads
http://sensualreads.com/?p=12045
May 20, 2013
Took me a while to get into the book but once I did I loved it! The story flowed really well and I loved getting to know the characters, lots of love, lust and wit.
would definitely recommend
would definitely recommend
October 26, 2013
Night Owl Review
Original Review Published here: http://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Rev...
Jesse Maurello’s dreams are haunted by a faceless woman but when he meets Samantha Raven she calls to him in ways he did not expect. The one thing he does know is he has to have her. Samantha does not expect to be seduced by a rock star but shortly both have feels for the other. They are afraid to face these feeling and just want to spend time together. However, when Samantha’s life is threatened Jesse has to face parts of Samantha’s life he did not expect to hear about.
Jesse is a rock star who keeps his personal life, work life and his family life completely separated. Samantha is the one person he wants with him all the time. He is a standup guy. He means what he says and tries to do the right thing. Jesse is very fascinating and sexy guy.
Samantha is good at everything she attempts but it does not let that go to her head. She is also psychic but uses it like a sixth sense in her life. She is puzzled as to why she can’t get a read off Jesse. Samantha is a truly likeable person. I don’t think she has a mean bone in her body.
The chemistry between Jesse and Samantha is blistering hot. These two are made for each other. The sex scenes were sizzling hot. It was easy to see that these two characters had feels for each other right from the start.
Starstruck kept me on my toes and guessing who was behind the attempts on Sam’s life. It was the last person I thought it would have been. I really liked that. I hate it when I can guess it right at the beginning of the story. Overall, this was a great story. I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future.
Original Review Published here: http://www.nightowlreviews.com/v5/Rev...
Jesse Maurello’s dreams are haunted by a faceless woman but when he meets Samantha Raven she calls to him in ways he did not expect. The one thing he does know is he has to have her. Samantha does not expect to be seduced by a rock star but shortly both have feels for the other. They are afraid to face these feeling and just want to spend time together. However, when Samantha’s life is threatened Jesse has to face parts of Samantha’s life he did not expect to hear about.
Jesse is a rock star who keeps his personal life, work life and his family life completely separated. Samantha is the one person he wants with him all the time. He is a standup guy. He means what he says and tries to do the right thing. Jesse is very fascinating and sexy guy.
Samantha is good at everything she attempts but it does not let that go to her head. She is also psychic but uses it like a sixth sense in her life. She is puzzled as to why she can’t get a read off Jesse. Samantha is a truly likeable person. I don’t think she has a mean bone in her body.
The chemistry between Jesse and Samantha is blistering hot. These two are made for each other. The sex scenes were sizzling hot. It was easy to see that these two characters had feels for each other right from the start.
Starstruck kept me on my toes and guessing who was behind the attempts on Sam’s life. It was the last person I thought it would have been. I really liked that. I hate it when I can guess it right at the beginning of the story. Overall, this was a great story. I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future.
September 16, 2014
I loved this. Not a genre I normally read but but it's a credible romance without undue slush. Characters are well rounded and the plot draws you in, causing you to feel and engage with the characters. The reference the author makes to the paranormal is not a distraction to the story, it's gently written in and works well.
I find it hard to believe but I'm now a huge fan of Paige and I'm eagerly waiting for her next book. A talented author with an eye for detail and a great feel for a good tale.
Merged review:
I had rated this on Amazon but I'm new to Goodreads, here then is how much I really enjoyed Starstruck :-)
Starstruck is an excellently written piece of romance with a generous drop of erotica. Though the author does justifiably make mention of a paranormal aspect, if that puts you off, don’t let it. The paranormal influence is gently done and though integral to the ultimate plotline, it is subtle and doesn’t detract in the slightest from what is a well crafted story. The characters are credible and engaging and each transition through the plot is smoothly written
For myself, I have read few books from within this genre but if you like the premise, you will love this book.
Were I measuring Paige Thomas against some of my favourite authors and their works, Starstruck would rate a strong 4 star rating; against other works in this vein, the five star is deserved.
I find it hard to believe but I'm now a huge fan of Paige and I'm eagerly waiting for her next book. A talented author with an eye for detail and a great feel for a good tale.
Merged review:
I had rated this on Amazon but I'm new to Goodreads, here then is how much I really enjoyed Starstruck :-)
Starstruck is an excellently written piece of romance with a generous drop of erotica. Though the author does justifiably make mention of a paranormal aspect, if that puts you off, don’t let it. The paranormal influence is gently done and though integral to the ultimate plotline, it is subtle and doesn’t detract in the slightest from what is a well crafted story. The characters are credible and engaging and each transition through the plot is smoothly written
For myself, I have read few books from within this genre but if you like the premise, you will love this book.
Were I measuring Paige Thomas against some of my favourite authors and their works, Starstruck would rate a strong 4 star rating; against other works in this vein, the five star is deserved.
September 21, 2013
I read this straight on the heels of Count Me In (which I thought was great) and so was really looking forward to another great story featuring Jerico - now one of my favourite fictional rock bands - and I wasn't disappointed.
This story has it all, great sex, sweet romance, drama, mystery and some paranormal elements... I really couldn't have asked for more! At no point did my mind begin to drift while reading this story, a few chapters in and I was hooked.
Paige Thomas has a wonderful way of writing, of turning a phrase, and it really makes her work a pleasure to read. Even when a situation isn't funny the way it is worded can make you smirk and snort with humour.
I loved the interactions between Sam and Jesse, I loved that they were simply meant to be and that they got their happy ending. I was thrilled to see Rick get happiness too as he was a cracking character in this book... I'd like to see more Rick though - hint hint with a dash of begging to the book gods!!
A must read if you like your romance with an extra splash of sexy!
5 out of 5 stars!
http://where-did-the-sun-go.blogspot.co.uk/
This story has it all, great sex, sweet romance, drama, mystery and some paranormal elements... I really couldn't have asked for more! At no point did my mind begin to drift while reading this story, a few chapters in and I was hooked.
Paige Thomas has a wonderful way of writing, of turning a phrase, and it really makes her work a pleasure to read. Even when a situation isn't funny the way it is worded can make you smirk and snort with humour.
I loved the interactions between Sam and Jesse, I loved that they were simply meant to be and that they got their happy ending. I was thrilled to see Rick get happiness too as he was a cracking character in this book... I'd like to see more Rick though - hint hint with a dash of begging to the book gods!!
A must read if you like your romance with an extra splash of sexy!
5 out of 5 stars!
http://where-did-the-sun-go.blogspot.co.uk/
December 9, 2014
Wow...! I'm going to start this review by saying I don't like rock star stories but damn Paige Thomas has just changed my ways! I absolutely loved this book!
The relationship between the two main characters built fast but beautifully. I never found myself rolling my eyes at the speed, it was perfect. She was a nice strong girl, he was confident yet not afraid to show his feelings (without being a doormat!).
The suspense throughout was killing me, and I found it very hard to put this book down. That hasn't happened in a while. I did NOT expect what happened in the end! I was certainly guessing all along but still got it wrong.
The writing style was amazing. I like third person point of view, gives the reader a chance to see the story from all points of view. Nailed it!
I was so stoked to see one of my favourite albums and songs get a mention too! Bernard Fanning, Tea & Sympathy, the song 'songbird'. Damn! I think this book was written knowing exactly what I like!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance and/or suspense :D
The relationship between the two main characters built fast but beautifully. I never found myself rolling my eyes at the speed, it was perfect. She was a nice strong girl, he was confident yet not afraid to show his feelings (without being a doormat!).
The suspense throughout was killing me, and I found it very hard to put this book down. That hasn't happened in a while. I did NOT expect what happened in the end! I was certainly guessing all along but still got it wrong.
The writing style was amazing. I like third person point of view, gives the reader a chance to see the story from all points of view. Nailed it!
I was so stoked to see one of my favourite albums and songs get a mention too! Bernard Fanning, Tea & Sympathy, the song 'songbird'. Damn! I think this book was written knowing exactly what I like!
I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance and/or suspense :D
March 26, 2013
This is the second book I read this year that I can't get out of my head. I love the passion that Jesse and Sam show, not only for each other, but for their careers and their loved ones. At the beginning I found myself thinking that their relationship was going way too fast, but throughout the story I realized that these two are kindred spirits and they were meant to be together. I like the way the author describes scenes and they're so well written that you feel that you're right there with the characters living every single emotion. I didn't know this was Paige's debut book and I'm impressed. I'm looking forward to Count Me In that comes out in a few hours and whatever else she comes up with next.
April 25, 2013
If you enjoy romance with a kick than this story is for you! I was hooked after only being a few pages in. It's well written, with some suspense. Jesse and Sam are great characters and the humour is brilliant, made the story flow and of course the bedroom action was first class! A lopsided grin, a waggle of the eyebrows, low slung jeans, 'hello' I'm starstruck too. Enjoyable, funny, heartwarming, VERY sexy, sometimes scary. Class read, I recommend.
April 8, 2013
I LOVED this book! I highly recommend you schedule in long sleepless nights before you start because you will not want to put the book down.
I love a book that makes me fall in love with the characters and that's what happened. Around Chapter 19 you'll start to slow read in the hopes to prolonging the read :)
You won't be disappointed. Great read.
I love a book that makes me fall in love with the characters and that's what happened. Around Chapter 19 you'll start to slow read in the hopes to prolonging the read :)
You won't be disappointed. Great read.
June 3, 2013
Wow wow wow! Romance, crime, spiritual and a whole lot of hotness this book had it all and had me on the edge of my seat!!!!!!! Loved it! I cried laughed and everything inbetween! Really can't wait for the next! The charactors were so well thoughtout and had great personalities!
A love that's meant to be will prevail all evil :)
A love that's meant to be will prevail all evil :)
June 8, 2013
WOW! Could not have enjoyed this book more.
Fantastic love story with a slight supernatural twist.
Jesse and Sam were just meant to be together and the story of how their lives entwined before they met is so romantic.
I loved the element of mystery in this book along with all the naughty sex scenes.
I thoroughly enjoyed every moment and couldn't put it down. Five stars well deserved.
Fantastic love story with a slight supernatural twist.
Jesse and Sam were just meant to be together and the story of how their lives entwined before they met is so romantic.
I loved the element of mystery in this book along with all the naughty sex scenes.
I thoroughly enjoyed every moment and couldn't put it down. Five stars well deserved.
June 14, 2013
This was a really intense yet light at the same time kind of read. The romance was hot, the crime had me guessing different characters and the spiritual side gave me a little hope that there really is more out there. Sam is the kind of girl both boys and girls will love and Jessie is just phwoar!!! Really enjoyed it xx
March 27, 2014
This book has it all. An amazing story, hot rock n roll god, a heroine who would be your best friend, a suspenseful twist and steamy hot scenes. I laughed, fanned myself a couple hundred times, my eyes popped out of my head and even had a few "what the hell" moments. I have read this book twice and have loved it each time!
March 19, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed this. paige writes with passion, wonderfully colorful words. I want to read this again very soon, iam a romance junky and have read many many books, she writes like a seasoned author. Looking forward to the next release.
August 1, 2013
This book is rock and roll with a twist the two main characters have already met in there dreams and when they eventually meet well its just electric there's romance ,thriller it's well worth the read 10out of 10
August 2, 2013
One of the best erotic romances I've read. Ms. Thomas has a writing style that pulled me right in from the first page and held my attention to the very last. Couldn't put this down and read it in one day. Can't wait for the second novel in this series!!
August 7, 2013
Paige Thomas you have wrote an amazing book. I've fell for Jesse n Rick. The story line was fantastic, hot, steamy and passionate. Loved the twist and turns that Sam had to face, all for love. Will there be a sequel. Would like to read more of these two x
May 18, 2013
Really enjoyed this book, loved the twists, it kept me guessing
April 29, 2013
4.5 stars! A really great book! I has read some rocks star duds lately, and this was a pleasant surprise! Loved Jesse Maurello and Sam was a great character!
August 10, 2013
Loved the book, loved the characters ! You fall in love with them from the very beginning. Couldn't put it down. Hope there will be a second !
August 2, 2013
Don't normally read this kind of book but I was thoroughly impressed! Great read!!
April 14, 2014
Sweet mystery/romance.
April 27, 2021
So, I feel kind of bad rating this one only two stars, because it isn’t bad, especially for a debut novel, but there is too much here that simply did not work for me.
Maybe I simply expected a different kind of story based on the blurb and was unhappy when I got something else, but it managed to mix a bunch of tropes I really dislike when it comes to contemporary romance, so I won’t be finishing it.
Without spoilers, I’ll try to summarize what I didn’t like, just in case you want to check it out.
Plot:
I liked the idea behind it, but the weird mix of genres that didn’t quite blend seamlessly together, and the pacing ruined it for me.
We start with the basic rock star premise, of a random woman meeting the lead singer of a popular band by chance, and having an instant connection with him. So far, so good.
But after the first ten chapters or so, we are introduced to a mysterious stalker that wants to tear our happy couple apart, so, rather abruptly, we go from a generic contemporary romance to a wannabe suspenseful thriller, coupled with a few random paranormal elements thrown in for the heck of it. (Our main character happens to be a psychic).
I don’t think this works very well. The story was already rife with potential conflict, from Jesse and Sam’s very different lifestyles, to their own personal drama and past relationships. It didn’t need the added craziness of a psycho on the loose or witchy nonsense to be interesting.
I don’t have a problem with any of those elements separately, but I don’t think Thomas did a good job meshing them together in a way that didn’t feel out of place. Furthermore, Sam’s “powers” were used as a shortcut to develop certain things, or give her insight into situations, without having to do the heavy lifting of actually showing said things or situations instead of telling us.
Another big problem was the pace. Within the first 80 ish pages, we get two, hour long chapters depicting our main characters having dinner. Just dinner…nothing else. I understand wanting to show the couple getting to know each other, but so little happened on so many pages, it got boring rather fast. I don’t need to know what outfit these people wore every time they changed, or what shampoo they used, or every meal they ate. There is a definition for these kind of unnecessary details, and its filler.
That being said, the prose was really good. Thomas has a lot of potential as a storyteller, she simply made rookie mistakes, which is understandable and forgivable.
Like I said, the story could have been good, if it weren’t bogged down by certain elements that just didn’t quite work. The band members and Sam’s family and personal history were interesting, and could’ve made for a great real life drama.
I also noticed that the blurb and cover market the novel as a stereotypical rock star romance, but I don’t think it has many of the tropes people look for within that subcategory, so, if like me, you wanted something along the lines of Backstage Pass, you won’t find it here.
If you wanna pick it up based solely on the steam factor, I’ll say go ahead. The sex scenes were super-hot and well written. (And numerous).
Jesse:
Think Christian Grey if he was a nice guy without emotional issues and abusive tendencies.
This is definitely personal preference, but I really hate the billionaire guy who sweeps our heroine off her feet by solving all of her problems trope.
He didn’t want to get into a relationship right away because he recently broke up with his girlfriend, but two days after meeting the h, he is off buying her diamond necklaces and taking her to expensive restaurants and hotels. If this is an escapist fantasy you enjoy, then great, but it wasn’t for me.
He’s basically a Gary Stu. Usually, these type of characters are brooding, drug addicted manwhores who reform upon meeting the right woman, but Jesse was just perfect from page one, so character development is pretty much nonexistent.
His relationship with Sam borders on insta love, thanks to some of the psychic nonsense I talked about earlier, so I wasn’t overly invested. It reminded me of the fated mates trope often found in paranormal romances.
The romance itself was incredibly sappy and sugary, with both main characters shedding literal tears after the amazing one night stand they just had, so yeah, not for me.
Sam:
Not much to say. She didn’t have much in the way of a personality. All her conflicts revolved around other people, instead of any internal struggles, so nothing special.
Everyone else:
Didn’t read enough to really get to know them, but they seemed more interesting than the main characters. I have to admit, I was actually intrigued when it came to Charli and Tom, but the mystery wasn’t enough to get me through the rest of the book.
Maybe I simply expected a different kind of story based on the blurb and was unhappy when I got something else, but it managed to mix a bunch of tropes I really dislike when it comes to contemporary romance, so I won’t be finishing it.
Without spoilers, I’ll try to summarize what I didn’t like, just in case you want to check it out.
Plot:
I liked the idea behind it, but the weird mix of genres that didn’t quite blend seamlessly together, and the pacing ruined it for me.
We start with the basic rock star premise, of a random woman meeting the lead singer of a popular band by chance, and having an instant connection with him. So far, so good.
But after the first ten chapters or so, we are introduced to a mysterious stalker that wants to tear our happy couple apart, so, rather abruptly, we go from a generic contemporary romance to a wannabe suspenseful thriller, coupled with a few random paranormal elements thrown in for the heck of it. (Our main character happens to be a psychic).
I don’t think this works very well. The story was already rife with potential conflict, from Jesse and Sam’s very different lifestyles, to their own personal drama and past relationships. It didn’t need the added craziness of a psycho on the loose or witchy nonsense to be interesting.
I don’t have a problem with any of those elements separately, but I don’t think Thomas did a good job meshing them together in a way that didn’t feel out of place. Furthermore, Sam’s “powers” were used as a shortcut to develop certain things, or give her insight into situations, without having to do the heavy lifting of actually showing said things or situations instead of telling us.
Another big problem was the pace. Within the first 80 ish pages, we get two, hour long chapters depicting our main characters having dinner. Just dinner…nothing else. I understand wanting to show the couple getting to know each other, but so little happened on so many pages, it got boring rather fast. I don’t need to know what outfit these people wore every time they changed, or what shampoo they used, or every meal they ate. There is a definition for these kind of unnecessary details, and its filler.
That being said, the prose was really good. Thomas has a lot of potential as a storyteller, she simply made rookie mistakes, which is understandable and forgivable.
Like I said, the story could have been good, if it weren’t bogged down by certain elements that just didn’t quite work. The band members and Sam’s family and personal history were interesting, and could’ve made for a great real life drama.
I also noticed that the blurb and cover market the novel as a stereotypical rock star romance, but I don’t think it has many of the tropes people look for within that subcategory, so, if like me, you wanted something along the lines of Backstage Pass, you won’t find it here.
If you wanna pick it up based solely on the steam factor, I’ll say go ahead. The sex scenes were super-hot and well written. (And numerous).
Jesse:
Think Christian Grey if he was a nice guy without emotional issues and abusive tendencies.
This is definitely personal preference, but I really hate the billionaire guy who sweeps our heroine off her feet by solving all of her problems trope.
He didn’t want to get into a relationship right away because he recently broke up with his girlfriend, but two days after meeting the h, he is off buying her diamond necklaces and taking her to expensive restaurants and hotels. If this is an escapist fantasy you enjoy, then great, but it wasn’t for me.
He’s basically a Gary Stu. Usually, these type of characters are brooding, drug addicted manwhores who reform upon meeting the right woman, but Jesse was just perfect from page one, so character development is pretty much nonexistent.
His relationship with Sam borders on insta love, thanks to some of the psychic nonsense I talked about earlier, so I wasn’t overly invested. It reminded me of the fated mates trope often found in paranormal romances.
The romance itself was incredibly sappy and sugary, with both main characters shedding literal tears after the amazing one night stand they just had, so yeah, not for me.
Sam:
Not much to say. She didn’t have much in the way of a personality. All her conflicts revolved around other people, instead of any internal struggles, so nothing special.
Everyone else:
Didn’t read enough to really get to know them, but they seemed more interesting than the main characters. I have to admit, I was actually intrigued when it came to Charli and Tom, but the mystery wasn’t enough to get me through the rest of the book.
April 21, 2013
3 1/2 stars
Well it took me a while to get into the book as it was a liitle slow but when i got to about 50% it picked up with the story better and there were a few twists and turns that were good, once i got near the end it felt a bit rushed.
My opinion Overall it was a nice story with good characters but there wasn't an easy flow to it all the way through but apart from that it was good.
Well it took me a while to get into the book as it was a liitle slow but when i got to about 50% it picked up with the story better and there were a few twists and turns that were good, once i got near the end it felt a bit rushed.
My opinion Overall it was a nice story with good characters but there wasn't an easy flow to it all the way through but apart from that it was good.
June 24, 2014
This book did not do it for me AT ALL. I skimmed at least 50%. Not a fan of the psychic, psycho, etc. premise. Just not my cup of tea.
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