Beneath the Burn

by Pam Godwin

They meet by chance. The timing is wrong.

Three years later, she finds him again, but their separation was poisoned with narcotics and bloodied by enslavement.

Her freedom gambled away, Charlee Grosky escapes the international businessman who held her captive. But his power reaches beyond her protective barriers and threatens everyone she has come to love.

Jay Mayard wears his tortured secrets under his rock god facade. Drugs are his release, even as he seeks to be the man forged of the steel only she can see.

In a celebrity world filled with paparazzi, groupies, and drugs, Jay and Charlee must face their worst fears. When the battle is over, what will be left...Beneath The Burn.


Romantic Thriller
Stand Alone (no cliff-hanger)

Genres: Dark, BDSM, Romance, Erotica, Dark Romance, Abuse, Contemporary Romance

509 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 31, 2013

About the author

New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author, Pam Godwin, lives in the Midwest with her husband, cats, retired greyhounds, and an old, foul-mouthed parrot. She traveled the world for seven years, attended three universities, married the vocalist of her favorite rock band, and retired from her quantitative analyst career in 2014 to write full-time.

Her interests veer toward the unconventional: bourbon, full-body tattoos, and tragic villains. Equally peculiar are her aversions to sleeping, eating meat, and dolls with blinking eyes.

SIGNED BOOKS and MERCH: pamgodwin.com/shop
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/pamgodwinauthor
TIKTOK: tiktok.com/@pamgodwinauthor
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/pamgodwinbooks
AMAZON: www.amazon.com/author/pamgodwin

Reviews

[Bibi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've entered that diminishing enjoyment zone of SADBSC. What's that you ask? Same Author, Different Book, Same Characters.

Beneath the Burn is my fifth foray into the worlds as created by the very talented Pam Godwin, but sadly, I can't bear to read about another grown ass female who chooses to remain a victim while waiting for her white knight in tarnished armour to save her. It's depressing and unimaginative. And that stuff gets old rather quickly.

Don't believe me?

1. Laynee from Incentive, a 40-year-old movie star with a plethora of daddy and past relationship issues. Guess what? She gets saved by 28-year-old Decker.

2. Kaci from Dirty Ties: 38-year old business executive; blackmailed into marrying her gay best friend then endures a decade of incessant sexual harassment from her "father-in-law". Guess who saved her? Yes, Logan/Evader.

3. Then Ivory from Dark Notes, 17, raped countless times by boys at her school and by her brother's best friend, had sex for money because she was dirt poor. Emeric, the rich white music teacher saved her.

4. Liv from Deliver: kidnapped as a child and sold into sex slavery only for her to become a kidnapper and abuser. Guess what? I DNF'd

That brings me to this book, which, unfortunately, is about Charlee, another beautiful woman on the run from a psychotic abusive ex.

Guess what?

[Pam Godwin]

DARK ROCKSTAR ROMANCE (Stand-alone)
Amazon: mybook.to/beneaththeburn
Apple: apple.co/2NoaAhc
Kobo: bit.ly/3hXHBQu
B&N: bit.ly/2zM3eCf
Google: tinyurl.com/y6r3eq4y
Audible: adbl.co/2rRhd2R
Signed Paperback: pamgodwin.com/product/beneath-the-burn

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Burning stars!!!



There is nothing better for me than a dark read with a damaged hero. This book was a PERFECT Christy read! I finished this book late last night and started a new book right after... now I have a problem. I still have Jay and Charlee on the mind! This story was raw, intense and amazing! The writing was fabulous. I loved this one!

“Love is like a series of improbable, lonely notes landing together in meaningful chaos. Where every channel carries a rhythm that conveys an expression of emotion. It doesn't feel flat or fake or hollow. It's not exaggerated with overtones. The complexity might feel organized, but the creation is never controlled.”

Charlee is a tattoo artist who has been on the run for the last few years. There is someone very rich and very powerful who ‘owns’ her. She escaped him and she never wants to go back.

Jay is the lead singer of The Burn. Jay’s childhood scared him inside and out. He has unhealthy ways of coping, but he has never truly learned how to deal with his issues. After a show in St. Lois, he decides to try something new. To get a tattoo to cover those scars. Maybe that will help...

Two strangers. Two tortured souls. One night. Once chance meeting. They will be forever changed.

Charlee does something for Jay. Something he will never forget. He can’t get this woman out of his mind. She consumes his thoughts. That night changed him. That night changed things for Charlee as well. After being recaptured by her tormentor Roy, she holds on to Jay’s strength. Thats the only way to get through the tough times.

She would lock his strength deep inside her, would mimic his steel undercarriage and make it her own.

After two months of touring, Jay makes it back to St. Lois. He needs to see Charlee. When get gets in town, she is no longer there. He learns that the tattoo shop owner and her boyfriend were both killed the same night he got his tattoo. He is completely devastated. Maybe he didn’t know Charlee, but that doesn’t matter. She changed things for him. She wasn’t just some girl. She was the girl.

Back to Charlee... she is with Roy. Degraded, abused, held captive. She has to find a way out. She did it once before, and it’s not looking like she can do it again. Luckily someone on the inside is there to help her. Nathan, her dead boyfriends brother. Her savior. He gets her out, but they have to be careful. They are on the run and they can’t be found. Roy Oxford is a powerful man. Nothing is out of his grasp. Charlee can’t go back to him.

Fast forward a few years later... Charlee and Jay meet again. Jay is not in a good place. He is not some unknown musician anymore, he is a famous rock star. Along with that, he is using anything he can to cope with his past, cope with losing Charlee. Women, drugs, whatever does the trick. As long as the women don’t touch him, he’s okay. Then he sees her again. Her hair is red instead of blonde, but she still has those eyes. Those beautiful blue eyes he could never forget. He is willing to do anything to make it work with her. Charlee and Jay have this deep connection. It’s like they were made for one another.

Life was jaded like that, throwing them together when he couldn’t tolerate affection and she was desperate for it.

Digging too much into the story line from here would probably be too spoilerish, so I’m going to just talk about my thoughts and try not to give away too much of the story.

They both have pain. A past that haunts them.

‘Dare to be vulnerable with me.’

Jay wants to be there for Charlee. No matter what. He will do anything for her to trust him. To let him be there for her.

‘To be trusted by you is the greatest compliment I’ve ever received.’

They are each others strength.

“I fucking love you. I don’t deserve to love you, but I will spend the rest of my life earning that right. You are my music, do you understand?”

Jay and Charlee were both amazing main characters. I’ll start with Charlee. Charlee is resilient. No matter what she has been thorough, she endures. She never gives up. She is still trying to live and move on with her life. Her strength is admirable.

“She’s broken inside.”
“Nothing about her is broken. She’s the strongest fucking person you will ever have the privilege of knowing.”


Then there is Jay. Jay hits all of my damaged man buttons. He is a beautiful soul who was abused and mistreated and deals with it the only way he knows how. He wants to be better. He wants to overcome his demons. He is a strong character as well. Willing to trust, to try to overcome hurdles he has been dealing with his entire life... it’s a courageous thing to do.

‘More than anything, I want to learn how to bend to your touch without breaking.’

‘Putting your trust in someone is the most vulnerable thing you can do.’

Jay and Charlee together were beautiful.

She was his greatest possibility. His reason. His why. He would give whatever she needed to be whole and happy, because loving her was essential as drawing air.

Beneath the Burn had it all. Action, romance, suspense, kink, and even some humor. It had its dark and twisted parts, it’s steamy, sexy and kinky parts, intense, raw and gritty parts. It was the whole package. It’s one of those books that will completely and utterly hold your interest, keep you biting your nails waiting to see whats going to happen next. It was a beautiful story of healing, overcoming your past and surviving. I loved it from start to finish. This is one I would highly recommend!

[Pavlina Read more sleep less blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 DARK HOT STARS

This is an emotional roller coaster...Words cannot describe how I feel about this book...
I really do not know where to start with this review because the book absolutely blew me away...

Beneath the Burn is Jay and Charlee's story....



Charlee and Jay meet when they least expect it..Jay is the lead singer for The Burn. He's lived a horrible childhood causing him to don't want people to lays a finger on his skin.. He tries to escape the pain with drugs and sex but one night he was looking for something different. Which leads him to Charlee’s tattoo shop...




Jay finds Charlee interesting...She can understand his pain because she has feel pain too..but fate had other plans for them..it wasn't their time ....

The same night she meets Jay her past catches up to her and she disappeared...

During the three years apart Charlee is held captive by an international business man..

Roy is obsessed with Charlee and does nothing but treat her awful
...by abusing her physically and mentally...and Jay doesn't know where she is...He thinks she is dead..

He is heartbroken and starts writing songs about love and lost and he falls deeper into his vices. .

When she's finally free, Jay is determined to never let her go away from him and he is dealt to protect her..

But can he keep her safe??

An amazing book!!I love it!It is so captivating...

The chemistry between Charlee and Jay is very strong. They both endure very horrible pasts.. and still trying to deal with them...Charlee is scare and her sexual life is fucked up. She needs some major pain, and Jay in the beginning can not bring himself to hurt her.. It's really sad to see Charlee beat on herself in the beginning because she feels so awful about her odd conditions... Jay really is the perfect person for her...
They really do complete each other.

"This is going to sound really forward, Charlee but I want to kiss you.I've dreamed of it for three years.I've enacted it in my head so many times."

"I don't know what you're doing to me Charlee, but whatever it is melts everything else awat.It's the best feeling in the world."


"I don't just want to be where you need me." "I want to be what you need."


Jay,Jay,Jay...I love him so much!!! He really cares about Charlee.He wants her for him and he wants to keep her safe..

I like Charlee to!!She is really a very strong character!

If you like a very dark,emotional,intensely sexy, book. ..This is what you need!!

[KristenReviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I already posted a quick review for this book, Steffi and I just completed a joint review for the blog Swept Away By Romance. I feel this gives a more well-rounded review than my original.

Kristen: 4 1/2–GRIPPING–Stars! Holy Cow! I LOVED THIS RAW, GRITTY, TWISTED, DISTURBING, AND EXTREMELY ADDICTIVE STORY! This author writes my kind of dark romance.

Steffi: 4 Stars

What worked

Kristen: Pretty much everything about this book worked for me, from the intense and dark plot to the cast of perfectly imperfect characters. I was enthralled from the first page to the last.

Steffi: I love how Pam Godwin has the ability to tell a dark, disturbing story while including lightness and hope at the same time. I’m actually not a fan of dark romance but this author tells a realistic and gripping tale that captures my attention every time.

What didn’t work

Kristen: I did NOT enjoy the harrowing scenes during Charlee's captivity with her psychotic captor. The author held nothing back, NOTHING, and I still can't decide if the detailed descriptions where really that necessary.

Steffi: Different from Deliver, I had trouble feeling the connection between Charlee and Jay. There are so many obstacles in their way, towards the end it was one too many for me and I wasn’t sure if they were strong enough as a couple.

Best scene(s)

Kristen: I have a few favorite scenes but the one that stands out the most is the reunion between Charlee and Jay. Jay's "flipped out" fight with Nathan was so vividly written that I quickly read it again just to relive the experience.

Steffi: I can’t reveal my favourite scene without giving away spoilers, but I greatly enjoyed seeing Jay grow up and become more secure in himself and his music – enough, to step out of the shadows.

Favorite character(s)

Kristen: I loved the main couple, Jay and Charlee. Their past left them both terribly damaged and troubled but at the same time resilient, especially Charlee. I really admired her character. She had an inner strength that blew me away.
I also have a special place in my heart for Charlee's loyal and stout protector, Nathan. He's a true hero in every sense of the word and I fell just as much in love with him as I did with Jay.

Steffi: I absolutely loved Nathan. He pretty much sacrifices his life to make sure his brother’s love is safe. He makes it his mission to avenge his brother but never seems bitter. I especially appreciated that he got a small side story and actually found his own happy end.

Overall Thoughts

Kristen: I loved this book. It's a character driven story with a plot that is raw, gritty, twisted, disturbing, and extremely addictive. The author holds nothing back and though there were times I felt pushed...no, shoved...out of my comfort zone due to scenes that were unsettling, painful, and hard to read, I never felt revolted or traumatized.
One of the things I love about this author is her ability to give me not only a darkly twisted tale but also an intense romance that I can't help but become obsessed over.
Pam Godwin has become my favorite dark romance author. I can't seem to get enough of her work. ~4.5 gripping stars

Steffi: Pam Godwin has a special way to tell a story which I’ve never come across before. She tells a dark romance with lightness and, sometimes, humour. Her characters are unique but realistic enough to be relatable. I’m very glad Kristen introduced me to this author. I would have missed out on amazing books and great writing! A Pam Godwin book is truly an experience! ~ 4 stars



WARNING: This book contains graphic content that may not be suitable for all readers. Please be warned there is rape, bondage, anal sex, and violence. This book is not for the faint of heart.

[Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Burning Stars

"You showed me beauty in survival. I’ll show you strength in healing."

How do I even go about reviewing a book that I'm pretty sure had me highlighting every other page. I'm not even slightly exaggerating. I highlighted the hell out of this book. This is the first testament of how much I enjoy a book. If I can't stop highlighting, I know that I'm hanging on to every single word.

Love is like a series of improbable, lonely notes landing together in meaningful chaos. Where every channel carries a rhythm that conveys an expression of emotion. It doesn't feel flat or fake or hollow. It’s not exaggerated with overtones. The complexity might feel organized, but the creation is never controlled."

This was the story about two beautifully broken souls finding a healing peace with each other. A dark and emotional story of pain, abuse, and learning to heal. The characters were amazing, the love scenes incredibly erotic, and the writing? Devastatingly brilliant! I loved every single dark and gritty page.

I will try to review without giving away any spoilers, because you really must discover all the details for yourself. I wouldn't want to take away from any of it.

Three years ago, Charlee and Jay have a chance encounter at her tattoo shop that effects them both immensely.

Inexplicably drawn to one another for reasons they don't yet thoroughly understand, fate unfortunately has different plans for them. Charlee's life takes a dark turn that night, while Jay goes on to become a famous musician.

Now three years later, fate reunites them once more but with many more painful memories and scars darkening their present.

For nine years, she didn't know who she could cling to, or if she would ever be able to take that risk, but clinging to Jay felt… elemental. As if deep within him lay the map to emotions she’d lost and maybe some she never experienced. She wouldn't let go. No matter how contagious his pain. If she were tough enough to endure hers, could she shoulder his too?

Charlee was such an amazing heroine. You couldn't help but feel for her. She was so strong, yet undeniably broken.

The darkness and pain that she has experienced at the hands of an obsessive psychopath is beyond anything I can describe. Pam Godwin spared no detail in describing any of the darkest details. I consider myself to be pretty used to dark reads, but even I found myself cringing at some parts. The abuse that she experiences was incredibly difficult and disturbing to read. But it helps paint a very vivid picture of how it effects her and forms her into the person that she is now.

Jay, my beautifully broken and damaged Jay. How I loved him in this book. I'm pretty sure I fell for him in the first few pages. The mystery of his past is what intrigued me the most about him. He tries so hard to deal with the nightmares of his past, but the loss of Charlee 3 years ago sends him into another tailspin.

Lost in a haze of drugs, alcohol, and meaningless sex, he struggles to bury his dark secrets as deep as he can. That is until Charlee walks into his life again, and he finds himself wanting to be the man she deserves.

I want to learn how to bend to your touch without breaking." He stroked his cheek along hers, the rise and fall of his chest intoxicating her. "I want you to touch me inside and out."

While their relationship was anything but smooth, I absolutely loved the two of them together. It was emotional

Will you walk to me? Will you move so close that the ground wobbles, the walls between us crumble, and your thoughts rip open until we’re melding our fears and hopes as easily as we share air?"

Beautiful

She was his greatest possibility. His reason. His why. He would give whatever she needed to be whole and happy, because loving her was as essential as drawing air.

And erotic as hell


If you love dark, emotional, and erotic stories, I couldn't recommend this one enough.

This book captured my heart, the characters wove their way into it, and their story is one that will be staying with me for a long while.

For more reviews visit

[✝✝ Ⓓaisy ❣ ✝✝ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I begin? I am having way too much of emotions right now!



The story was certainly wowzer! Completely blow me away. Feels like a whole new world out there to explore.

Let's begin with our heroine, blue-eyed Charlee
" A girl on the run needs plain looks to go unnoticed. No identifiable marks"



Hero, hottie gorgeous rock star, Jay
He wasn't an addict. He was a self-medicating nut job



And finally villain, Roy
Delusional psychobabble.

Beneath the Burn is gritty, intense, passionate. I experienced an untold amount of emotions. There are some intense scenes, but it was comfortable to read. Totally gripping from the first page, heartbreaking read. What Charlee has to go through is just horrible, miserable and sick! But she is so brave & strong, and Jay.... *melts* He was simply amazing.







Charlee and Jay's characters definitely touched me deeply. Jay is the perfectly tortured artist. Their connection was wonderful and steamy too! With an absolutely perfect ending. N I love effing loved rock stars



"No matter what happens, no matter where we go from here, we go together."

[Amber Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had the privilege to be a beta reader from the very beginning. Pam giving me only a couple of chapters at a time and every single one ended with a cliff hanger. Who does that? Pam Godwin does. Or at least to me she does.

This book does not leave off a cliffhanger by the way since it's a stand alone. Just wanted to make that clear.

Finally being able to read this book through left me with a heart fuzzy feeling. I read this book when there was only 1 chapter and now it's finally finished, is a little emotional for me. Hey you wouldn't think that I'd be the emotional one but I am. Just reading a book grow and reading the characters develop into their own is a magical thing. Pam does this. I am not saying this because she is my bestie. I am very hard on her when it comes to reading a book. I know what I like and I know what I want to read. So, when I say this deserves 5 stars that's what I feel it should get. Okay, that was just me raddiling on. Onto the book now.

"Putting your trust in someone is the most vulnerable thing you can do."

Beneath the Burn takes you into a darker side of the book. But not to dark that you won't see the light. Quite a bit of erotic taste, but there is the thrill in this book that will keep you going until the end.

Let's meet some cast shall we?

MY Jay

"I don't know what you're doing to me, Charlee, but whatever it is melts everything else away. It's the best feeling in the world."

Jay is the lead singer of the band The Burn. Jay is struggling from the very beginning of the book. He has a demon that is eating at him to the very core. He has these nerve ending, blood sucking, ticks, that sets him off from everyone else. But, he is very lovable, I want to wrap my arms around his body and curl him into me so, I can hug him forever. There are some flaws. Flaws that I will not share because you will have to read the book. But, those flaws come out and he shines.

I fucking love Jay. He has become one of my new favorite rock band boyfriends.

Now lets meet

Charlee

"You might be free of your chain, sweetheart, but we both know you aren't really free.

Charlee.... It's hard to put into words of how to talk about her because it would ruin the plot. But I will say, she has been through hell and back and is still fighting to stay strong. She is a survivor.

For nine years, she didn't know who she would cling to, or if she would ever be able to take that risk, clinging to Jay felt...elemental. As if deep within him lay the map to emotions...she'd lost and maybe some she never experienced. She wouldn't let go. No matter how contagious his pain. If she were tough enough to endure hers, could she shoulder his too?

It's hard to say who has been through more between Jay and Charlee. They are both one broken soul trying to gain more into each other with their love. Both have horrible past that keeps popping up. But when both of them are together in a room the temperature goes up. You want them to be together. They need it for their sacks... This is a very emotional roller coaster ride from the beginning till the end.

Fanastic job Pamber! Loved every minute of it. "You're my oyster." ♥

[Georgia ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two broken souls, brought together and irrevocably bound, stronger and forged... in fire.



Jay Maynard
Flames engulf you... Your skin on fire. The memories will haunt you and the scars, the burn marks won't let you forget. Make the scars steel and build the armor to conquer the world. Follow your heart and claim the happiness you deserve. It's liberating.

Charlee Grosky
Fire will purify the most damned soul of all. Only in her burning embrace, sanctuary and heaven lies. You are not afraid to die, so don't be afraid to live and fight just like always, for every morsel of happiness. Never ashamed of your darkest desires.

5 Burning, Riveting, Mindblowing, Rock Stars

“You showed me beauty in survival. I’ll show you strength in healing.”

Sweet Mother and Holy Batman of Books, 
what did I just read....

First things first... Our Storyline

Rock Star in the making, drug addict, agoraphobic, broken and too scared to live, Jay Maynard, will enter a tattoo parlor in the middle of the night to erase his scars. The encounter and the session that follows with the artist, will make his scars badges of honor and will teach him to live. A cathartic event that will alter the way he views the world.



When he will come back to claim the artist that stole his heart, an unbelievable tragedy will threaten his healing and only a miracle will make him return to the world of the living.

The tattoo artist hides pain and abuse behind her tough exterior. Sold to slavery at sixteen, despicably abused and on the run, she sees a soul mate in Jay. But her captor will catch up on her and another turn in slavery will almost break her spirit. Only the memories of their encounter and his songs, always about her will keep her sane and alive.

Brought together again by fate, they will fight Hell and the Devil himself for the right to belong to each other.



What a story, what a ride. Heartbreaking and mindblowing, unforgiving and unapologizing, it grabs you by the throat, punches you in the gut and kicks you when you are down for good measure.



I despaired, cried and wanted to pull my hair out with the injustice inflicted from people upon people. I thrilled and overjoyed at the stars in a couple's eyes. I laughed at the antics of rock stars. I cheered for Jay and Charlee when they conquered their fears and found their OWN passion. I almost threw my Kindle against the wall and stayed awake until 5 a.m in the morning biting my nails and crying buckets. But above all, I sighed and smiled at love...

“Love is like a series of improbable, lonely notes landing together in meaningful chaos. Where every channel carries a rhythm that conveys an expression of emotion. It doesn’t feel flat or fake or hollow. It’s not exaggerated with overtones. The complexity might feel organized, but the creation is never controlled.”



A rock concert. Sex, drugs and rock an' roll. Abuse, scars, fears and dark desires. This isn't the feel good, rose garden kind of story. These people are truly broken, so don't expect a smooth and wrinkle-free healing. It will be hell, they will stumble, make stupid mistakes and try to give up. But you won't be able to pull your eyes away. You will care for them and flinch at every hitch. A lesson in survival and heroism. I don't know what else to put in paper, because Pam Godwin, said it all... A great book that I won't be able to forget soon. It will stay with me chilling my blood and warming my heart at the same time. Amazing!



P.S. My Soundtrack for Jay and Charlee...

[.Lili. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beneath the Burn is the story of two tormented souls.

Jay, an up and coming, who suffers from mental anxiety caused by childhood memories.

He abuses drugs to drown out those memories from his past.


One night after a show he decides to get a tattoo and meets Charlee, the tattoo artist.

She's on the run from Roy, a sadistic man who sexually assualted her and kept her prisoner for years.

During this chance meeting that Charlee frees something in him and inspires him to be a better man worthy of her. He leaves that night, never imagining that it would be years before they would meet again and that they would both be held hostage in their own private hell.





I don't want to go any further because I don't want to spoil their story. It is beautiful to read the strength they find in each other. This story will take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions-

It was the whole package. This book despite being dark and gritty, was also sweet. This was an easy 5 star rating!

[Jess-i-ca · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Is this the best book I've ever read? No, but does that matter?
Was this book long? Yes but its way better than splitting it into two books.
Was this book realistic? Not really but how many books realistic these days?
Did it keep my attention? Yes!
Is this a standalone? YES!
Should you read it?



Nice new vocabulary words I learned
Cockblockaplypse- the huge act of a cockblock
Rockognition- recognition of a rock star
Rockatize- the act of rocking out
Rockstrap- rock star's thong





Since I cannot even begin to explain this book I'll leave you with a montage of my thoughts while reading this book:















and finally

[Aestas Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark, gritty and intense!!

I repeat: DARK. GRITTY. INTENSE. (oh, and kinky!)

All I knew going into this book was that there was a tortured hero slash rock star and some kind of captivity theme mixed in with a second-chance romance... and while it's rare for me to go into a book blind, I have to admit that that was enough to sell me on it.

The story centers on Charlee and Jay. Charlee has spent years held captive by a brutal, powerful and sadistic billionaire who uses and abuses her in every way possible. Jay is a tortured soul, haunted by the nightmares of his past, trying his best to lose himself in music. They cross paths and although the timing isn't right, they each unknowingly become the other's salvation - inspiring the strength to endure throughout suffering and the drive to become a better person.

Three years later, they meet up again by chance but the past years have been tainted by more horrors. She's now on the run, a survivor trying to heal from the physical and mental scars left over by her captivity and he's now a broken rock god who has turned to drugs to find release from the pain he keeps buried inside, and yet sometimes in a crazy world full of evil psychotic billionaires, endless crowds of paparazzi, and a rock tour that must go on, they help each other help to heal and find happiness again.

"You showed me beauty in survival. I'll show you strength in healing."

I loved that Charlee was able to immediately see past Jay's scars. To her, they just were a part of him and she fully accepted him just as he was. She knew his boundaries and respected them while also gently pushing them to try and help him heal. And, in turn, her acceptance of him made him determined to become a better man for her.

"That decided it. He would confront the thing that made him like this. He would become a man she could hold, despite his tattered and worn edges."

It was heartwarming to watch these people finding support and healing in each other. They understood each other's pain and also recognized the extreme necessities of each one's situation.

"You trust me not to put my hands on you, and I trust you not to take my control."

"Putting your trust in someone is the most vulnerable thing you can do... Dare to be vulnerable with me."

I think initially I fell in love the book because the dark, gritty intensity just really punches you in the face when you start it. It's shocking in the best of ways. It put my heart in my throat and kept me flipping pages like mad because with the way each chapter ends, it really compels you to keep reading. It's definitely the kind of book that can keep you up til 4AM. But, once the shock wore off, I'm not necessarily sure how I feel about all the details of the story.

This book was fast-paced. There was always something new happening. It moved from scene to scene quickly and at no point did the story drag. Every time I thought I had a handle on where it was going, it veered in a different direction. But, there were times when I felt like it was a lot, almost too much, to pack into one book. It was like a mash up of a dark and kinky BDSM book, a rock star book, and an action flick mixed in with a little second-chance romance. But at the same time, it all kind of worked.

On a random note, I have no idea how to work this quote into the review so I'm just going to throw it in here for fun  as a bit of a glimpse into the crazy rockstar world just because it made me laugh ;)

"OhmyGod, you're haaaaawt, Jay Maaaaaayard."

Click. Click. Click….

Did a boob just flash in his face?

"I love you, Jayeeeeeee. Looking good. You're so handsome."

No, several boobs. Huge naked boobs… How far away was that damned car? .. More crying. More bouncing nipples.

Teehee. Ok, back to the review.

I found a few of the scenes just a little too blatantly over-the-top while others just didn't quite add up. The middle of the book got a little craaaazy a times and there were a few parts I had to read twice to be sure of what had happened. But still, again, this is fiction so I pretty much just decided that I'd rather enjoy the story than pick it apart so I just went with whatever happened and tried not to ask too many questions because at the end of the day, I really couldn't put it down.

It's all told in third person but we still get alternating POVs. I found the transitions smooth and easy to follow and appreciated being able to get both sides of the story.

I warn you though - this book is not for the faint of heart. Heed the disclaimer warning on the blurb of this book because some of the captivity scenes in here make Captive In The Dark look tame. Okay? I'm serious. But, despite those scenes, this is not a Stockholm Syndrome book. Not at all. Charlee's captor is a cruel, evil, sadistic psychopath and at no point is the reader made to feel anything but extreme hate for him.

My heart really broke for her. I think the freakiest part was that she was held captive right in the middle of town. She was right before everyone's eyes and yet completely hidden from the world. "Every action supervised. Every. Single. Breath." Her captor had everyone (even the cops) in his pocket and his intense obsession with her was so unnerving because hiding was nearly impossible. What do you do when the person who has made it his life's mission to hurt you pretty much owns the world? Where do you turn?

This book is also full of dark twisty kink. It is graphic, it is hot and did I mention kinky?? There was this one scene that ... um, hmm, ok all I'm going to say is this: Sandpaper. Belt. Cheese grater. Ice Pick. Plug. Ginger root. Drumstick. Cable. Bamboo pole. Guitar pick. Oh, and... a nipple clamp. That's it. My lips are sealed on the rest ;)

In all seriousness though, I liked that Charlee and Jay were able to give each other what they needed. They didn't choose what had happened to them and had no choice but to live with the scars left behind from their pasts and rather than succumb to them, they embraced them and embraced the things that the other needed to heal - even if those things made them uncomfortable and pushed the boundaries of their comfort zones.

"I fucking love you. I don't deserve you, but I will spend the rest of my life earning that right. You are my music, do you understand?"

I felt like I wanted a little 'more' out of the story overall but, I still liked it. I was in the mood for dark and twisty and this certainly delivered.

I'm a little torn on rating here. I'm going to give it 4 stars because overall that's where it sat with me... but there were moments that dipped down to 3.5 stars and others that almost reached up to 4.5 so it's really not a clear cut rating.

It did have a happy ending though so you are rewarded at the end of the 510 pages with the characters finding peace and happiness. I did find it a little rushed at the end, but I was happy that they were happy.

"No matter what happens, no matter where we go from here, we go together."

I'm sorry, I don't have casting at the moment because I'm not at my main computer. I'll add them in later.



They meet by chance. The timing is wrong.

Three years later, she finds him again, but their separation was poisoned with narcotics and bloodied by enslavement.

Her freedom gambled away, Charlee Grosky escapes the international businessman who held her captive. But his power reaches beyond her protective barriers and threatens everyone she has come to love.

Jay Mayard wears his tortured secrets under his rock god facade. Drugs are his release, even as he seeks to be the man forged of the steel only she can see.

In a celebrity world filled with paparazzi, groupies, and drugs, Jay and Charlee must face their worst fears. When the battle is over, what will be left...Beneath The Burn.


Genre: Romantic/Erotic Thriller

Content warning: Includes graphic rape, sex, anal, bondage, and violence. Age 18+ only.

*****************************************

For more of my reviews, book news and updates:
✦ Main blog: Aestas Book Blog
✦ Facebook Blog Page
✦ Twitter

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You showed me beauty in survival. I'll show you strength in healing."

What.A.Book.

Beneath the Burn was a dark, gritty, emotional, and at times heartbreaking story that will stay with me for a very long time. It was unlike any other book I've ever read and certainly not your typical rock star story. It had it's rock star romance moments but more than that, it was also filled with angst, action and lots of twists and turns that will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time you are reading it. It's also a story about love and healing about finding something worth fighting for tapgat will give you the strength to move forward. It's a story about two broken souls finding strength in each other in a beautiful and heartwarming way.





They meet by chance.

Jay Maynard is a upcoming musician and talented singer of the rock band The Burn, looking for a distraction on a lonely night after one of his concerts in St. Louis by walking into a tattoo shop.

Charlee Grosky is the tattoo artist with an eye for detail and a sassy attitude that's determined to create a tattoo that will turn Jay scarred back into a work of art. She also a girl in hiding, a girl who's been on the run for years trying to escape the hands Roy Oxford the cruel, sadistic tormentor who kept her prisoner but who she managed to escape with a little bit of luck.

Their first encounter is one that lasts only one hour but it is one that will forever change both of their lives.

"I don't know what you're doing to me, Charlee, but whatever it is melts everything else away. It's the best feeling in the world."

During their one hour conversation, something transpires between that connected both of them on a deeper level. They realize how much they have in common and how hard and lonely both of their lives have been up to that point.

"You and I have lived equally lonely lives. I wish we would have had each other growing up."

But then life happens and they are taken away from each other in a painful way.

Three years later, they meet again.

But life has taken its toll on either one of them. They are forever changed by life's cruel ways.

"Life was jaded like that, throwing them together when he couldn't tolerate affection and she was desperate for it."

But their connection remains intact. In fact, their one encounter is what helped them through some of the toughest parts of the past few years of their lives and both of them are willing to wait and fight for each other so they can both finally find their peace and happiness.



What follows in an emotional, intense, raw, nerve-wrecking journey of two people fighting to stay together and trying to escape the hands of a cruel, unrelenting, powerful man that's willing to do whatever it takes to break them apart. Just when things seemed to be going well, there was always the underlying tension and fear of everything bloeding up in their face. And trust me, that happened plenty of times... On top of all of that, they also struggle with finding a balance in their relationship that will help them both forget about the past.

"More than anything, I want to learn how to bend to your touch without breaking."

Jay is a tortured hero. He makes mistakes and he isn't perfect but he does his best to become the man Charlee deserves. I really felt for him and the things he had to go through as a child. But in the end, he did come out stronger and with the help of Charlee he fight to overcome his deepest fears.

"For nine years, she didn't know who she could cling to, or if she would ever be able to take that risk, but clinging to Jay felt...elemental. As if deep within him lay the map to emotions she'd lost and maybe some she'd never experienced. She wouldn't let go. No matter how contagious his pain. If she were tough enough to endure hers, could she shoulder his too?"

Charlee was such a strong heroine. I really admired her strength and determination. She'd already been through so much and still she never gave up and managed to find a way to cope with all the harshness and pain she had to go through. I seriously HATED Roy for the things he did to her. He's sadistic bastard of the worst possible kind and I'm so glad he got what he deserved in the end. Still, call me crazy, but his character kind of fascinated me in a way too and I would have loved to find out how and why he became the way he is, just so I could maybe understand his actions a little better.

"It was a known fact that every song slipped in a riff where the chords went to a unique unexpected, place. She was that song, those non-scale chords. Fuck, did he love this girl."

Beneath the Burn was a highly emotional roller coaster ride that I will not easily forget. Due to some explicit content, including violence and non-consensual sex, this book might not be for everyone, but all I can say is that I absolutely loved it. I was impressed with the author Pam Godwin's easyflowing and gripping writing style and I'm already looking forward to reading much more of her work!



4.5 STARS.

[Alexis Hall]

Source of book: Bought for myself
Relevant disclaimers: None
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.

And remember: I am not here to judge your drag, I mean your book. Books are art and art is subjective. These are just my personal thoughts. They are not meant to be taken as broader commentary on the general quality of the work. Believe me, I have not enjoyed many an excellent book, and my individual lack of enjoyment has not made any of those books less excellent or (more relevantly) less successful.

******

I think this must be an early book from the Pam Godwin catalogue and, I’ll be honest, it’s not my personal fave. I think it must have been written when rockstars were the big romance thing because, while it doesn’t feel forced exactly, it’s one aspect of what already feels like a fairly incident-overloaded and slightly exhausting book.

The basic premise here is that the heroine, Charlee (yikes, that’s the most American name I’ve ever heard) has been a sex slave since the age of 16--at which point her father gave her away to evil kinky billionaire, Roy Oxford. Having escaped her captivity, she re-invents herself as a tattoo artist, in a relationship with some random if lovely guy. Apparently on a whim, tormented rockstar Jay, wanders into her tattoo parlour and demands she cover up the intense scars on his back. Refusing to do this, she non-consensually works the beginnings of a design around them inside, suggesting he come back when he’s ready to have it finished, accepting his scars as strength not weakness. Unfortunately, before Jay can come back, she’s re-kidnapped by Roy Oxford, the random lovely guy is killed, and Jay is told she’s been killed, sending him on a fresh spiral of drugs and destruction. Escaping Roy yet again (I don’t mean to be rude, but you’d think he’d develop better strategies for containing his sex slaves) she is taken under the protection of RLG’s brother, Nathan, and the two go on the run … until they encounter into Jay again. And that’s, like, only the first 30% of the book.

On the Pam Godwin Richter scale, I would put this closer to, say, Sea of Ruin than some of her books, but while it Goes There, in the same way SoR does, for me it lacked some of the exuberance. Like, this is a dark book. A seriously dark book. There’s fairly graphic scenes from Charlee’s POV while she’s in Roy’s keeping that were, for me at least, genuinely difficult to read. And, while it’s somewhat less graphically presented, Jay too was heavily physically (and, it’s strongly implied, sexually) abused as a child. I don’t think there’s anything per se “worse” than Sea of Ruin, but perhaps the historical setting, alongside some of the wilder elements (like Chekov’s Citrus Allergy) took Sea of Ruin into a kind of imaginative, absurdity-abutting other-space that the contemporary setting of Beneath the Burn simply does not allow it.

There’s also a character we’re supposed to like (and, indeed, who is likeable) who uses the f-slur casually--in that locker-room way that certain straight men do. It’s probably, I won’t lie, an relatively realistic character beat but I still didn’t like it. And let me make very clear (since I always get an upsurge in cishet people caping defensively into my comments the moment I say something bothers me as a queer person) that I’m not calling Pam Godwin a homophobe. And you might want to say “well, sheesh Alexis, why are you all hot and bothered about a bad word when there’s a woman getting SA-ed on page right in front of you” but, the thing, the SA is handled with nuance, depth and sensitivity and, for better or worse, Charlee’s experiences are part of who she is and who she becomes. Whereas I think Lars--amiable dudebro that he is--could have been written just as successfully without making casual use of a slur part of his depiction. Plus, in my personal experience, and admittedly it is only my personal experience, amiable dudebros who indulge in that kind of language (be it sexist, racist, or homophobic) tend to turn out not-so-amiable after all. Kind of in the same way people who are rude to waitstaff are showing their true colours too.

There’s also a couple of other lowkey … again … I don’t want to say homophobic (Neon banner: for the last fucking time, I am not saying PG is homophobic) but shall we say unexamined incidents that are along similar lines. Like, at one point Lars loses a better, and has to get a rainbow tattoo or whatever, and like … I don’t feel personally attached to the rainbow. I don’t actually like the fucking rainbow. But it’s not great, to me, to use a symbol of a marginalised group as a means of humiliating a person who does not belong to that group. Again, it’s just unnecessary. Like there a tonne of embarrassing things you could get tattooed on yourself if you lost a bet, a picture of Winnie the Pooh, a heart with “Mom” written in it, it’s possible the rainbow as meant to just be girly and/or saccharine (since he’s a rockstar) but I do think its association with queer identity is inescapable.

All of which said, I’ve never seen PG fall back on this kind of lazy, thoughtless bullshit in anything else she’s written. So, while it didn’t personally thrill me, I saw it mostly as an inexperienced writer still finding her voice, writing in a somewhat different time and place. I mean, I wouldn’t like random phrases from my earlier work to be held against me in perpetuity either (though, from what people have said to me on social media, I understand they are).

All of which also said, I should add that while, between the casual slurs, the extremity of the sexualised violence and a tendency to position the heroine as superior in every way to nearly every other women in the text (many of whom are treated quite badly), Beneath the Burn wasn’t quite for me, there is still lots here that’s cool and interesting and a little bit unusual. I mean, at its heart, it’s a story of two deeply traumatised people essentially becoming other’s saviour, which gives it an emotional balance that can be lacking in recovery-from-damage romances. And while Charlee has been inescapably shaped by her experiences with Roy Oxford, she’s also direct and unapologetic about her need for submission and pain within a fully consensual context. I also liked the frank exploration of how … like … demanding masochism can be, physically and emotionally, not just on the masochistic themself but on the person fulfilling the masochist’s needs. It’s not a very glamorous, or necessarily sexy, thing to write about, but it struck a sincere and authentic note to me.

Even when her books aren’t speaking to me personally, however, I will never not admire Pam Godwin for her fearlessness and her style. I think in Beneath the Burn you can see the shape of the more controlled and artful author I would later become mildly obsessed with. This is one for the PG completionists, perhaps, or for readers who are really in the mood for rockstars and trauma.

[Lucia · Rating 3 out of 5]

DELICIOUSLY DARK, TWISTED AND SEXY! This is story about broken rockstar and deeply damaged woman. Just do not expect anything lovey-dovey and read disclaimer first.

My Charlee and Jay:


Jay is scarred (emotionally and physically) and he tries to hide his dark memories in drugs and mindless f*cks but nothing helps him to forget permanently.

After two years of terrible enslavement, Charlee is on escape, hiding her true identity from her current boyfriend, unwilling to bring him into darkness and constant danger that consumes her.

When the two of them meet, Jay sees better future with her, while Charlee sees someone who would understand her true self. But their hope is short-lived and their paths get separated. Will they ever meet again?



Beneath the Burn is a harsh story. Displays of sexual abuse were difficult to stomach but still, I could not tear myself from reading. Amazing writing style and exciting storyline kept me glued to this book from beginning to the end.

The three main characters were perfectly depicted. I admired Charlee's will to survive, Jay's determination to be a better man and Roy, Charless's captor, was a magnificent villian, a sick perverted monstrum that I hated from the bottom of my heart.

"Love is like a series of improbable, lonely notes landing together in meaningful chaos. Where every channel carries a rhythm that conveys an expression of emotion. It doesn't feel flat or fake or hollow. It's not exaggerated with overtones. The complexity might feel organized, but the creation is never controlled."

*ARC provided by author as an exchange for honest review*

MORE REVIEWS ON MY BLOG Reading Is My Breathing

[Amy | Foxy Blogs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jay is a rock star whose childhood still haunts him. Drugs and sex are his coping mechanism. Charlee is a woman who is running from an evil man. Trapped like an animal and held captive during her teen years she is always looking over her shoulder as she hides in public.

Jay's pain brought them together when he walked into her tattoo shop looking to cover his scars.

"Your pain brought us together."

An unfortunate event tore them apart for three years. Even though they are reunited there is still a threat against their survival.

"You showed me beauty in survival. I'll show you strength in healing."

As both of them try to gain control of their sordid past evil is always lurking around the corner for them.

"You can't control love. It's like creating music."
"Love is like a series of improbably, lonely notes landing together in meaningful chaos."

Beneath the Burn has all the elements for a good dark book; rock stars, tattoos, kidnapping and slavery.

Standalone

150th book of 2013

[Brenna · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars. I have yet to wrap my head around this one. There was A LOT going on here!

I was really excited to start this one because I was in the mood for something darker. This is definitely an intense read, especially in the beginning because you are thrust into the heroine’s awful situation dealing with rape, physical/sexual/emotional abuse, captivity, and more. I was really into this story for a while, but then my interest just gradually tapered off and eventually I was just ready to be done with it.

When we meet Charlee, she has been running from her captor, Roy for four years. She became his “property” at age sixteen as payment for her dad’s debt. One night she meets, Jay who is the lead singer for a band on the rise called The Burn. He comes to her tattoo shop and they spend one hour together. Their meeting is unusual because they don’t exchange many words, but they are both profoundly affected by each other.

“I love your scars. They inspire me.” She softened her voice. “I’ve never met another person who has experienced pain like—”

The night of their meeting Roy abducts Charlee again. This is when we get to see first hand the abuse she is subjected to. It was definitely sick, disturbing, and hard to read at times. Luckily she gets away from him again. She lives life on the run with her friend Nathan all the while Jay thinks she is dead. During their years apart they have used the memory of each other as strength. Their brief meeting gave each other something to hold onto and focus on to get through their horrible situations.

She had a memory of a man with back full of scars. Beneath the superficial damage was a devotion to survival, an instinct to dominate his future. Most probably didn’t see that when they looked at him, but she hadn’t just recognized it, she’d felt it and wanted it. She would lock his strength deep inside her, would mimic his steel undercarriage and make it her own.

When Charlee finally finds Jay three years after her second escape, it is all very intense, very quickly. He is in rough shape; he’s been self-medicating all these years with drugs and sex, anything to get by. He has a traumatic history, massive issues, and triggers that he deals with on a daily basis. The two of them together is a recipe for disaster, she’s on the run, he’s in the public eye, and they both have scars (literally) from their past, but somehow they try to make it work.

How could she let herself want someone so unobtainable? He was a celebrity and she was on the run. He had some kind of fucked up tactile defensiveness and drug issues, and she didn’t have the background or expertise to deal with it.
---
“We are not too fucked up to make this work.” It was a vehement promise. Holding his face, she slid a hand across his shoulder blade and traced the first raised edge she encountered.
“Your pain brought us together.” Tenderness melted his eyes.
“I came to you that night to erase it, so I wouldn’t have to remember.” His cheeks lifted beneath her hand.
“And you gave me something I never want to forget.”

The beginning of this book hooked me instantly, but I eventually lost interest. As Charlee and Jay come back together it is all very unrealistic and over the top for my taste. They were both so caught up in the idea of each other and acted on that, but ultimately it ended up feeling very much like insta-love because the timeline of things was INSANELY fast. Their deep connection that I felt early on began to feel forced and cheesy because it seemed so unnatural. I really could understand their draw to each other and that years of thinking about each other would make for an intense meeting, to an extent, but this was too much. I always am kind of irked by the idea of healing because of someone else. I think love or a positive influence can be helpful, but everything takes time and this didn't depict that at all.

The length was also an issue for me. It’s over 500 pages and I’m not saying a lot doesn’t happen, because A LOT happens, but it felt unfocused. To me this book seemed like two books in a series pushed into one book. The first 20% (which literally is all I've told you about) it seemed like a captive/captor dark read, and then it turned into a sappy love story with BDSM undertones, a rock star book, and all the while there’s this issue with her all powerful billionaire sadistic abductor. It all ended up being very predictable and repetitive. I was almost tempted to let someone tell me how it ends just to be done with it.

Don’t get me wrong, this is a well written book. The author definitely has talent and that’s why it felt so wrong when I found myself skimming. I did actually like the characters though and I was glad there was actually talking about their issues. I think it just comes down to too much, too many ideas, too fast, all in one book which eventually left me feeling disconnected and just over it. I liked the idea of this book and some parts were great, but it just wasn’t for me.

“You have the heart one expects to see at the center of a fire, bending and twisting like steel, but never breaking. If something happens to mine, yours would be stubborn enough to beat for both of us.”

[Dee Montoya · Rating 2 out of 5]

** TWO STARS **

(BR with the lovely L.C Moon)



I know I'm in the minority here since everyone loves this book and even though I'm a big fan of Pam Godwin's gorgeous writing style, unfortunately the plot was not for me. I struggled with the storyline and the characters the entire time; they both had an incredible amount of emotional baggage and the insta-love also didn't work for me. This is a case of, Is not you, it's me and I'm sure there's many people out there who would adore this book.

Not loving this book is not going to discourage me from reading another PG book; I look forward reading her other novels. The lady has a talent for dark and sexy stories.

I want to Thank my lovely friend L.C for doing this BR with me. Girl you always make me laugh, and I love reading books with you, hopefully we'll have better luck with our book next time. Besos!!

[Jx PinkLady Reviews ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Burning Stars



A brutal business man, a rock star and a girl called Charlee.

One of them is evil personified, "He's like the most powerful man in the world. How is that even possible?"

One of them has intimacy issues, "...he was way too beautiful not to be touched."

One of them had their freedom gambled away. Unbelievably true!!!


"She wanted to destroy him."

This book starts with a bang...... a big one!!! Good grief, I was seriously not expecting what happened in the first 10% of this book.... Needless to say it gripped and intrigued me from the start with its suspenseful, gritty and at times brutal drama. It made me wince in places but that is what you want from this kind of book!!! It was marvelous and refreshingly different.... in places.




Yummy, sexy, vulnerable and troubled rock star Jay.....
"....he was a virile man. Women wanted him. Men wanted to be him. He needed to get out there and fuck the world."
What are his deep, dark secrets????




It's ferociously brutal in places and in others smoking hot with lots of kinky, dark, dominant, bondage qualities!!!! Mmmmmm, the more I think about this book the more I love it!!!


"In the next breath, he was on her, in her, and kissing her with ferocity."



Why not 5 stars? It's superbly written, maybe a little over detailed in places, for me personally. I would have loved more of the shock factor... I think I found some things towards the end very slightly predictable but that isn't necessarily a bad thing and did not detract from the fact that I really enjoyed this reading experience, 4.5 stars is AMAZING and my heart still beat fast at the intensity at the end....there was so much in there..... I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish because it completely gripped me!!!!

I LOVED Charlee's story and ALL the characters surrounding her. ♥





"She met Jay by chance the first time. Destiny brought them together a second time."

Could they stay together???
Could evil rip them apart???
Could they love each other??

In the end....
"She was his greatest possibility. His reason. His why.......loving her was as essential as drawing air."

"My heart, my life, and my love are yours. I give you those things because I love you." She lowered the phone... then what??? READ AND FIND OUT!!!!!





READ THIS BOOK, IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY!!!!!



♥ BR with one of me besties... the other was 'all night' partying!!! True story!!!

[♥ Barb ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5... HEALING stars







This is the story about Jay and Charlee. Jay is the lead singer of the group, The Burn and meets Charlee one night, when he strolls into her tattoo shop. Both are broken and have pasts....
Charlee is 22 and has been running....Jay in his own way is running too....Can two broken, damaged people find love? You will just have to read this to find out!!!
This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole entire time...it was dark, intense, nail biting, exciting, and a bit of romance all rolled into one.
If I were to describe this book in a sentence....
"It's Captive In The Dark meets Fifty Shades of Grey"
So if this sounds like your cuppa...I recommend you give this a whirl...you won't be sorry :))








"You showed me beauty in survival. I'll show you strength in healing."

"Love doesn't need to know. It just.....IS."

"Life was jaded like that, throwing them together when he couldn't tolerate affection and she was desperate for it."

"You have the heart one expects to see at the center of a fire, bending and twisting like steel, but never breaking. If something happens to mine, yours would be stubborn enough to beat for both of us."































"They're a reminder....that you SURVIVED and HEALED."

"You weren't just a girl. You were a vision. And with that vision, I choose to live."




The broken clock is a comfort, it helps me sleep tonight
Maybe it can stop tomorrow from stealing all my time
I am here still waiting though I still have my doubts
I am damaged at best, like you've already figured out

I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
With a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain there is healing
In your name I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on
I'm barely holdin' on to you

The broken locks were a warning you got inside my head
I tried my best to be guarded, I'm an open book instead
And I still see your reflection inside of my eyes
That are looking for purpose, they're still looking for life

I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
With a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain is the healing
In your name I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on (I'm still holdin'), I'm holdin' on (I'm still holdin'), I'm holdin' on (I'm still holdin')
I'm barely holdin' on to you

I'm hangin' on another day
Just to see what you will throw my way
And I'm hangin' on to the words you say
You said that I will, will be ok

The broken lights on the freeway left me here alone
I may have lost my way now, having forgot my way home

I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
With a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain, there is healing
In your name, I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on (I'm still holdin'), I'm holdin' on (I'm still holdin'), I'm holdin' on (I'm still holdin')
I'm barely holdin' on to you
I'm holdin' on (I'm still holdin'), I'm holdin' on (I'm still holdin'), I'm barely holdin' on to you





**BR with one of my besties Jxxx :))

[Tessamari ♥Many Waters...♥ ~ Sweet Spot Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five +++++ Stars!!!

♥♥ ♥Jay & Charlee ♥♥♥



**Possible spoilers below**

Dare to be vulnerable with me.

Holy. Shit. This story is so fucking good.

Two hours of sleep. That’s all I had. I could not put this down. It’s one of those stories that will stay with me for a long, long time. As soon as I finished, I cried with exhaustion, but yet I wanted to turn back to the beginning and start this rough and heartbreaking journey all over again.

It is not for everyone. The first 20% or so was hard to stomach. It’s explicit, graphic, and violent; it does not hold back. It will violate you, make you cringe and cry. But just so you know, underneath all the ugliness, the burn it leaves behind will leave a lasting impression.

Life was jaded like that, throwing them together when he couldn’t tolerable affection and she was desperate for it.

Jay is broken. He doesn’t like to be touched. He hides himself in a haze of drugs and women. The only solace is his music. When he stumbles into Charlee’s tattoo shop after a late night haze, all he wants is to feel numb; to lose himself underneath the sting of a needle. No one has ever touched him, nor seen the scars on his back. But one look in Charlee’s blue eyes, has him feeling thing he has never felt before. After leaving her, he feels the need to change for her. He will return to her after the completion of his tour, a new man, a worthy man. However it wasn’t mean to be. He returns to learn that his Charlee was dead, at least that’s what he was lead to believe.

He could try all he wanted. Her tears were involuntary, but she was not broken and her strength was her own.

Damn. I love Charlee. She has got to be one of my favorite heroines. She’s endured so much pain and torture under the hands of Roy Oxford. No matter how hard she tried, she could never outrun him. He will always hunt what is his. After two years of his abuse, she escaped, only to be brought back to him four years later. Abducted again soon after meeting Jay. The short memory of their encounter fresh in her mind. Those scars. Wow. What he must have gone through. The strength she sensed in him would get her through this. But escaping Roy this time around will be much harder.

She was his greatest possibility. His reason. His why. He would give whatever she needed to be whole and happy, because loving her was as essential as drawing air.

Three years later…
Thank God for Nathan Winslow. If it wasn’t for him, she would still be in Roy’s clutches. Nathan is an ex-marine and brother of Noah, Charlee’s loving boyfriend at the time of her abduction. They are constantly on the run from Roy and his seemingly infinite amount of dirty connections. But things are about to change when fate intervenes and Charlee is on the cusp of seeing Jay again.

By this time, Jay is a mega rock star. His songs about Charlee, the heartache, the longing, catapulting him and his band to superstardom. Losing Charlee destroyed him. He’s constantly in a drug induced state while burying himself in countless, faceless women. But once she comes back into his life, he cannot believe his salvation, has been alive all this time. When he finds out why she disappeared, he has a new purpose: He will keep her safe at all costs -- he will not lose her again. But how long can he keep her safe from Roy especially in a drug haze he constantly fights? Can he give her what she wants as a lover? Charlee, too, is fighting her own demons.

“I fucking love you. I don’t deserve you, but I will spend the rest of my life earning that right. You are my music, do you understand?”

The things Charlee and Jay went through were both horrific. The strength they found in each other was a beautiful thing to witness. The lengths Jay & Nathan went through to keep her safe was beyond admirable.

I cannot begin to express how much I loved this story. It was non-stop action, love and suspense. So much was happening and the story never lost its edge. I was captivated from beginning to end. It wasn’t pretty and wasn’t easy, but FUCK! was it worth it. FUCKING LOVED IT!!!

-----
FOLLOW ME

Blog: www.sweetspotbookblog.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/SweetSpotBookBlog
Twitter:@thessamari

[Gitte TotallyBookedBlog · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars - Jointly reviewed for Totallybookedblog.com

Gitte: So wow Jenny, I did not expect anything remotely close to what this story turned out to be did you? I mean it was downright horrific, gritty and raw, emotional and gut wrenching whilst full of hope, human perseverance, strength and above all the love of the soul mate variety!

Jenny: You’re so right G. The story that developed was unlike anything I expected. This book literally drew me in from the first sentence! Talk about gritty! I was entrenched in this story from the first page. Yes, it was extremely uncomfortable, and I do mean uncomfortable, reading at times and it certainly had my heart racing, melting and twisting all at the same time. It certainly had all the elements we love in a story, and all delivered in such a unique way.

Gitte: We meet Jay first who is the lead singer of The Burn. My heart bled for this guy. Jay is so tormented by his past it rules his actions in the present. This gorgeous haunted man is separated from enjoying what life can offer him. Instead he lives in his music, singing in the shadows repulsed by touch and attention; seeking release and relief from his demons. Seeking love and affection.

“Sometimes, he would imagine what being loved felt like….Was it warm and soothing? Powerful and protective? In his twenty-four years, he had never experienced closeness with another.”

He meets Charlee after making a snap decision and their journey begins as the reader gets carried away on one hell of an emotional roller coaster ride.

“Fuck him but he’d found a beacon of salvation in this gorgeous girl. And lost his goddamned mind.”

“Perhaps she was the missing element of his soul?”

I seriously fell in love with Jay as this story unfolded. He’s being eaten from the inside out by the demon from his past. His voice lyrically burrowed into my heart where it’ll stay, no question. His love and persistence to be with and understand Charlee, even his efforts to give his soul mate everything she craved. Well it was beautiful and emotional. You loved him too didn’t you Jenny?!

Jenny: Sure did G. I fell completely for this enigmatic tortured soul who finds solace in drugs to numb his pain. What a wonderfully poetic and fascinating character he was. Jay, with all his demons, who, tragically, possessed so much self loathing, yet such beauty, completely stole my heart.

“She wanted to learn more about him, wanted to nestle deep inside and unearth the man who seemed all too familiar with pain. Real pain.”

As his past was revealed and his horrors exposed, I ached for this man who, as you say, lived in the shadows, frightened and revolted by a mere touch. Jay truly was a remarkably written character.

“You build me up and turn me inside out. I’ve never felt so defenceless and yet….so daring at the same time”

There was so much depth to this man and in Charlee he found a piece of his soul. This woman was his light, his muse, his everything and their journey was one that had me completely captivated, addicted and horrified in equal measures.

“I don’t just want to be where you need me.” His tone was deep, sharp. “I want to be what you need.”

Gitte: Now, Charlee’s a mystery, she instantly comes across as very self-assured which is a-bloody-stounding all things considered. It’s not long though before we learn the true horror of who Charlee really is and the horror of abuse she has lived for years.

“She narrowed all thoughts on building her armor. She’d created the mental barrier at sixteen, and over the two years that followed she thickened her skin with it, layer after layer, training her subconscious to unleash it.”

This girl’s story broke my heart into small pieces. The horror of it, wow, yet she displayed such amazing strength and had such courage in her convictions.

As soon as we met Charlee I knew that this girl was something else, her story was sickening and soul destroying yet she fought with every bit of strength her captor was unable to beat and force out of her. Without doubt she’s one of my favourite heroines in a long time. Do you feel the same Jenny?

Jenny: Gitte, after spending time with Charlee, I seriously want kiss this author for giving us one of the most impressive and inspiring heroines I’ve met in quite a while.

“Even face down, Charlee made a picture that inspired men to fight, live, and write music”

After quite a few DNF’s due to annoying or unrelatable heroines, I have to say that not only was Charlee Jay’s saviour, she was also mine. To witness, experience and feel Charlee’s shocking journey and live through her unbearable treatment and humiliation nearly broke me, but Charlee would not allow it to break or define her. This tenacious, beautiful woman showed so much strength, so much determination and a bloody lot of heart. How she communicated with Jay, how she sought to heal him and how she was so resilient and open to him and his issues was remarkable. I admired this woman unquestionably.

“Yes! – she told herself that he was every bit as fucked up as she was. “

Gitte: In some respects I think this story was mostly Charlee’s journey. The abuse, the hurt and pain and the continuous quest for her freedom and finding her soul mate, a memory of a one night encounter keeping her sane through her depths of despair. The way she ‘handles’ Jay, I’d almost go as far as to say Charlee is Jay’s saviour as he is hers.

“One of these day’s Jay Mayard, you will wear those scars with pride.” – Charlee

“If you stay close to me Charlee, my faith will stay close, too.” - Jay

This story is very hard to read at times, it’s ugly and the baddie, well Roy is right there at the top of book villains! One word comes to mind, obsession, at all costs, be it with cruelty and force. You’ll want to make a pin cushion out of him.

“Happiness is fleeting. An unquantifiable nonentity. Her real needs were met by my hand. She simply couldn’t live without me.” – Roy

However, beauty can come out of pain and Jay and Charlee’s story certainly is a fitting example of this. These two were meant for each other, their souls recognised the other. Survivors of abuse, with the scars to prove it.

“I love your scars. They inspire me. I’ve never met another person who has experienced pain like–“

“She’d created the epitome of beauty and strength in pain. And yes, it fucking celebrated the freedom in survival.”

There wasn’t a single character in this story that didn’t play an important part, I loved them all, well except Roy and his Craig’s!! Everyone else brought humour, suspense and intrigue.

One of my favourite scenes in this story was strangely enough the emotion that bled off the pages involving Charlee, Jay and his band mates when they make a shocking discovery of the sheer magnitude of the effect Charlee has on Jay. What she has enabled him to do…to feel. I read this scene through tears!

Now, so why not a five star? Well, I had one issue with this story and that was the length. I felt there was a lot of repetition and parts were unnecessarily over written. I had to catch myself from skimming, which in the case of this emotionally and beautifully written story would be devastatingly unjust. Despite this though I kind of want to give this Author a standing ovation for writing one of the most unique and refreshing stories I have read so far this year! Be prepared for one hell of a scary, horrible, nerve-wracking yet intensely beautiful ride!

“She was his greatest possibility. His reason. His why. He would give whatever she needed to be whole and happy, because loving her was as essential as drawing air.” – Jay

How did you feel about their journey and not forgetting Roy (grrrrrr….) Jenny?

Jenny: My feelings were all over the place in Beneath The Burn. It was an intense, suspenseful, gritty, powerful, emotional, erotic and evocative read. This story, about two unlikely saviours bringing salvation to one another was an addictive, heart pounding read.

“Love is like a series of improbable, lonely notes landing together in meaning chaos.”

Charlee’s story especially brought me to my knees. I loved her, I felt her and I suffered with her because this author wrote a character that was so warm and relatable. We get to experience Charlee’s suffering first hand, and as a result we are taken through the intensity of her feelings as she faced unimaginable horrors and it was testament to her character that she survived at all.

“It was funny how a passing of time could rip you apart, and all it took was one freeing moment to solder the pieces back together.”

As for Roy!! Don’t get me started. He was one of the most disgustingly evil villains I have met. Pin cushion? I wanted to rip off his testicles and shove them down his throat. I despised the man, and I was sickened by his cruelty and the power he wielded.

I agree with you Gitte and my reasons for not giving Beneath The Burn 5 stars are for the reasons you stated and I also have to add that there were some minor inconsistencies in the story, but they these were minor and did not impact on my overall feelings for this story.

Beneath The Burn tore me apart and moved implicitly, it lifted me to dizzying heights and plummeted me to the pits of despair and all from the very first page and with my heart in my mouth. Jay and Charlee will forever have a place in my heart. These two extremely flawed characters who showed bravery beyond anything even they themselves thought they were capable of left me breathless.

“I don’t know what you’re doing to me, Charlee, but whatever it is melts everything else away.”

ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review

[Aimie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart stopping brilliance. Loved it!

"You gave me something I never want to forget."

[image error]

OK, Let me try and write a review to do this amazing story justice.
*Spoiler Free. Some direct quotes.*

This was most certainly not your average rock star romance novel. Oh no Sirree. This packed a serious punch to the gut. One of which I can still feel the effects from 24 hours later.

Expect to be disturbed, shocked, thrilled and at times completely appalled.
[image error]

A pretty lengthily book of 484 pages, but everyone of those pages was absolutely necessary to convey this heart wrenching story of Charlee and Jay. Both damaged beyond comprehension and both unknowing of how to love and just feel.

"More than anything, I want to learn how to bend to your touch without breaking."

The writing was gritty, raw and real. Pam Godwin did an amazing job of making me feel like I was glued to a premier seat in the cinema, watching the drama unfold in 3D. Just brilliant.

There is no cliff hanger. None of this trilogy nonsense. This was a complete package.

Thanks for the experience, Pam. Thanks too for the recommendation, Amber.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every so often I read a book that reaches in and touches my soul. This was one of those books! It touched me in so many ways, and the characters were written with such realism that I almost felt like I was sharing their pain right alongside of them. Pam Godwin has such a poetic way with her writing, and so many of the words she wrote were ones that I won't ever forget. I loved the way she describes love:

"Love is like a series of improbable, lonely notes landing together in a meaningful chaos. Where every channel carries a rhythm that conveys an expression of emotion.It doesn't feel flat or fake or hollow. It's not exaggerated with overtones. The complexity might feel organized, but the creation is never controlled."

The relationship between Jay and Charlee is one that is just so intense and pure, I won't ever forget them. I felt that they were two broken souls that experienced such tragic torture in their lives, they gravitated towards one another because they recognized the darkness that each of them had inside. How beautiful is it that they found their strength within the other person and helped lift each other up. At first, it almost seemed like a terrible joke because Jay had such a major aversion to affection and touch (he literally could not let anyone touch him without having a terrible reaction to their touch)and on the other hand, Charlee craved touch and affection from others. They were able to learn how to deal with their demons together. It took some time, but their love carried them through. Their bond was one that I don't even think death could break.

"You showed me beauty in survival. I'll show you strength in healing."

"You build me up and turn me inside out. I've never felt so defenseless and yet...so daring at the same time."

"You have the heart one expects to see at the center of a fire, bending and twisting like steel, but never breaking. If something happens to mine, yours would be stubborn enough to beat for the both of us."

Jay is in a band that is called, "The Burn." He has endured major trauma in his life and because of it he is a troubled soul who turns to drugs, sex, and isolation to cope. When he was six years old he experienced something that most people would never recover from, and in a lot of ways the life he is living, is not living at all. No one has ever seen the scars that cover his back, and if he has his way no one ever will. One night, he hits an all time low and spots a tattoo shop where he hopes to go and use the pain of the needle to erase the pain in his soul. This is where he lays his eyes on Charlee..and his life will never be the same.
Charlee is on the run, and has been for three years. When she was just sixteen, her father gave her to a man named Roy as payment for his gambling debt. Roy, is obsessed with Charlee and he abused and tortured her for years until she finally escaped. The night that she meets Jay, she feels the connection as well; but things go wrong for Charlee very quickly after Jay leaves. Once again, Charlee will have the fight of her life. What will happen to Charlee and Jay? When will they see each other again? This is the story of two people that have suffered far more than most do in their lifetime, but they find peace within one another and they begin trying to heal themselves so they can live a life of joy.

This story took me on a roller coaster ride of emotions. I was fully absorbed into their journey, and their were times when I wish I could read the words faster than I was. The adrenaline I felt during certain scenes was amazing! I was literally pacing around my house as I was reading because I couldn't relax until I found out what happened next. Their were times I laughed out loud, and then there were times when I balled my eyes out. I am actually emotionally drained right now after I finished the book. And guess what? I loved every single minute of it!!! This book will be going on my all time favorite top ten favorites. Jay is a hero I will not ever forget. His vulnerability was heart warming, and yet, he could be drop dead sexy when he wanted to. HE was such a variety of characteristics all wrapped up in one gorgeous and kind package! The lengths that guy would go to make HIS Charlee happy was amazing, and the way he was willing to be a better man for her was inspiring!
This book is a love story; but it isn't always pretty. At times it is down right maddening, and some of the things that this couple experience is very hard to read. This is a dark tale, and Charlee and Jay have suffered through some terrible things in their lives. It is beautiful though, in the way that they are willing to sacrifice their own comfort levels to help the other person get through some major hang ups. To me, that is what makes their love unbreakable and real..
There were some events that I wanted to rip my hair out and throw my Kindle; but I will say that even though the ride was rough at times, I am so glad that I went on it! If I hadn't of, I would have missed out on a very beautiful love story that in my opinion is an EPIC story. So, do I recommend this book? Hands down yes!!! Just expect a dark bumpy ride, but don't worry there are some smooth sailing moments and they more than make up for the bumps! Pam Godwin is an author who I now adore! I will read anything she writes, and I will sit here and wait for the next book of hers to come out! I love it when I find a gem of an author, and she is definitely talented! I wish I could have done her book justice, my review can't possible convey the total beauty of this book. It will be forever in my mind though; right beside where Jay and Charlee now reside!!!

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+++ stars



It’s been nine years of living in hell, different kinds of hell, but hell none-the-less, the only thing that made it worth living was three years ago Charlee met a guy, a guy who survived his own hell and had the scars to prove it. In him she found strength, hope and peace, something she never really let herself feel until him. How is it that an hour in a stranger’s presence do you build your hopes and dreams around, how could the words that were never said but the strength behind their eyes guide you through your darkest days? It’s crazy, right?not really...

Pound after pound, he took from her.

Flesh. Blood . Tears.

Jay’s a self-medicating nut job , who loses himself in his music, drugs and willing girls. Nightmares haunt him, the slightest touch threaten him, and in this girl with the gorgeous blue eyes does he see salvation. Charlee took the time to celebrate his scars and his pain, making him want to be the man worthy of her praises.

"Huntress of the room in my head.

Fearless and knowing.

Your blue eyes plunder the depths of my song.

Tonight is only the beginning.

Nothing can stop me.

To be who you saw.

To be the steel.

To be yours.

You showed me beauty in survival.

I’ll show you strength in healing."

They never would have guessed it would be Three years later… that they would find each other again. Jay’s band The Burn has made it BIG, all thanks to his songs about Charlee. For three years he’s been trying to forget and existing only in a haze of drugs, alcohol and females. Even though they were never enough, but now she’s back and there is no way he will let her out of his sight again. She knows the risk that she's taking, but she can’t live another day without seeing him, even if it means putting everyone around her in danger, the last reminder still burned into her memory.



For three years she hasn’t stopped running with the help of her personal bodyguard to keep her safe, moving from one place to another, never settling and never truly living. With Jay’s insistence they decide on a new way to keep Charlee safe, and hopefully get her to live again. What better way to hide from those who can hurt you most than in the public eye. They know it's far from over, there is nothing Roy wouldn’t do to get Charlee back and he will happily destroy anyone and anything that stands in his way.

“… you just used up another one of your nine lives. Problem is, I don’t have nine lives and I fucking die every time you do.”

Jay and Charlee have a lot to learn about each other, this unbreakable-connection between them leaves no choice but to learn what makes each other tick, what their hard limits are and most importantly how they can be enough of what they need.

“Charlee, fuck . Tell me I’m not dreaming . You’re my here , my now, and God, if I’m lucky, my hereafter.”

Beneath the Burn is a CRAZY-AMAZING-BEAUTIFULLY-FUCKED-UP story that just blew me away. Everything about it had my emotions all over the place, I was laughing, cringing, seething, swooning and falling in love with Jay and Charlee’s story. It was all so unexpected, this reaction from me and I don’t regret acting like a fool while reading this book, I loved every bit of it. I wasn’t ready to say good-bye to them and I’m secretly praying that maybe, just maybe, there will be some follow-up novella to see what everyone's up to.

*Thanks to Lisa P. & Amber's Reading Room for recommending this amazing story :)

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!!!



Wow I really don't know what to say about this book. It was just crazy from start to finish and totally messed up. But totally addictive had me dying to know more even at the end where I may of had a lil heart attack. God the twists and turns were just brilliant and keep on the edge of seat I couldn't get enough of it. The story is dark and it would be for everyone. I have always sat on the fence with dark romance but over the last year they have become one of my favourite books. This author really knows how to do them well and has become one of my favourite authors. Her books really push my boundaries and I luv that about her books and this book was no different. The story was intense scary sexy heart breaking and happy. I had mixed emotions throughout this story. The characters were amazing. I luvd Charlee and Jay straight away. They have had to deal with some really horrible things. They haven't had an easy life at all they were both dealing with demons from there past that just kept haunting them.



My heart broke throughout this book. Charlee has been through some really horrible moments in her life and she just couldn't get away from them. But what I luvd about her was she was still strong. After what she has been through you think she would be this weak girl that could deal with a thing. Ye what happened made her want certain things but after what she has clearly with that was nothing. She just needed the right person to make her see that. Jay was that guy but getting to him wasn't easy but her life wasnt. It was just could he deal with what had happened to her and could she deal with his demons after she saw a part of his.



Jay wow this guy is crazy sexy. I'm a sucker for sexy rocker stars throw in a bit of messed up past and Im hooked. Jay is a really complicated character. His past as really messed him up and being a musician wasn't the best job to choice. But he was brilliant at it writing singer and playing was his calling. Coming from both to being in The Burn was what kept him goin. Then he met the most beautiful blue eyes girl he had ever seen. Only to lose her she was the girl that could change everything he knew it. It might of only been an hour he spent with her. But he knew she could read him and understand he crazy ways. He needed her more then anything he would alway remember Charlee.



This book was amazing and I would highly recommend it. Like I did say before it is dark and there are few parts that the subject could be touchy. But there are books out there that are worst. If you luv dark books you have to read this and even if you don't give it try. It's what I did and now I can't get enough. The writing is brilliant I really luvd how this was written. Everything about it was great. I can't believe I'm only reading this book now. I can't wait to see what else this author can come up with.

[Rosanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Fucktillian, Cockblockalypse stars!

I'm not going to give a rundown of the book. It's in the blurb and honestly, I think everyone should go in mostly blind to get the best effect.





The story of Jay and Charlee is not one that I will forget anytime soon. In true, Pam Godwin fashion, she.....
1. Starts us off with a bang.
2. Keeps us turning pages with suspense.
3. Gives us a few minutes to breath.
4. Then out of nowhere, hits us up-side the fucking head over and over again!

Repeat steps 1-4

Then, when your feeling safe.... BOOM! she hits you with the mother of all finales! (Sadist)

Needless to say, I loved every minute of it.
The authors descriptive writing was fantastic! I felt an instant connection with the characters.
Although, I have to be honest and say I was a little skeptical of the insta-love. Normally, when I come across an insta-love book, it usually goes into my DNF pile. However, in this particular story, the author nailed the execution. Nailed it.

"He wasn't an addict. He was a self-medicating nut job."

I'm a complete sucker for the "broken" man book. That's what really drew me in. Jays character was amazingly written. There are so many things I want to point out about him, but I can't because it would be a spoiler.


Charlee is an amazing character as well. This author knows how to write a heroine. Charlee is both strong and soft at just the right times. Again. It's the authors exceptional writing, and execution that brings the heroine to the right shade of gray.
I can't tell you how many time I did a fist pump in the air reading a line from Charlee.

"Get out before I start punching on your underdeveloped tits."

The other characters in this story were also amazing. The band members added so much humor I wanted to quote everything they said. Laz, of course, being my favorite. I would absolutely love a book for him.


“What do you say? A date with Laz Bromwell? Since your married, I'll do you both." He shrugged. "I'm magnanimous like that."

This is a must read book! Love it!

[Lady Vigilante (Feifei) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS!!! Oh you are on my pedestal Pam Godwin!

So I had this book for the longest time and just let it sit there on my shelf. The blurb really caught my attention, but for some reason, I always put it off. Looking back, I think it's because of the "rockstar" part. 95% of the time, I have no patience reading about rockstars and Hollywood drama, but damn, Pam Godwin NAILED it here! I'm not flowery with words so Imma just say this. If you love dark romance, broken-but-not-really characters, an effed up villan, and mix some kidnapping, BDSM, and rockstar business in there, this is the PERFECT book for you! Oh, it's also the best one to get you out of a book slump. TA-DA! The book in a nutshell!

Hi-fiving myself for finally jumping aboard the crazy train!



P.S. I was reading this during a house party because, I mean, who wants to grind on the dance floor when I got a book in my hands? I didn't know that this older lady was reading over my shoulder (CREEP!) and she was making all these faces when I got to some gritty scenes. This gif describes me and her perfectly! (I'm the dude in this one)

[Alessandra Torre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take a tiny bit of Captive in the Dark, add in a dash of rocker bad boy, plus a kick-ass heroine, and you have Beneath the Burn.

This book covers some dark ground. Torture, rough sex, rape, drug use... but Pam Godwin embraces it - dives into without fear or timidity, and wrestles it to the ground beautifully. Please don't think that because it has those aspects it is a dark read. She manages, during the dark points, to keep a thread of hope throughout the book. And it ends wonderfully. I was tearing up at the end and I...geez. Haven't cried during a read since...well its been a couple of months.

Pros: excellent strong heroine, excellent writing, a fast-paced keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat plot, some hot ass sex
Cons: Would have liked more of a physical description of the male lead. I couldn't envision him in my mind.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND! GET IT GET IT GET IT!

[Mercedes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book spans a few years of Jay and Charlee’s life, with a look at both their time spent together and time spent apart. Both Jay and Charlee have severely traumatic pasts that continue to bleed into their present. If there’s ever been a story with insta-love, this is one. If I’m being totally honest though I fell in love with Jay and Charlee just as quickly as they fell in love with each other.

Charlee’s trauma was front and center for the duration of the book. She experienced ongoing suffering and imprisonment. Charlee survived through awful circumstances and managed to find happiness. There were quite a few times when Charlee had to be strong enough for both her and Jay because he was suffering. Her strength and willpower were awe-inspiring. She was able to love and be loved despite her past and this didn’t seem forced by the author, it seemed like a genuine part of Charlee. She was a pretty kick-ass female character.

Jay was much more of an enigma than Charlee. We knew that he had suffered severe abuse at some point in his childhood but he keeps the details under serious lock and key. When we first meet Jay his band is struggling to break out and he’s trying desperately to hide his past. Charlee helps him see the strength he possesses. After years apart, Jay is no longer the struggling artist she first met but a quintessential rock star with an abundance of fame, money, women, booze, and drugs. His first meeting with Charlee had a profound effect on him and their time apart has an equally noticeable effect. He uses drugs and women to help bury his pain and secrets. We get to watch Jay struggle with who he’s been, who he is and who he wants to be. He makes a valiant effort to become the man he wants to be, a man worthy of Charlee.

This was my first book by Ms. Godwin, and I can't wait to meet some more of her tortured characters. I would suggest it to anyone looking for something that's dark but not too dark, a dark-lite if you will.

I read this book as part of the Sinister Desires anthology