Volatile: Alternate Cover

Unlucky 13 #6

by J.R. Gray

Welcome to my hell. Banished to this forsaken celebrity timeout—with my best friend—to play emotional chicken because I can’t admit I’m attracted to him. I spent the last decade performing next to him. I’ve never looked at him as more until—he wore a skirt on stage. With smeared eye-liner and his filthy smile bent over, singing to a packed crowd and it’s getting too hot under these stage lights. I can’t be with him—not like that. Not where we grew up. My father beat every inch of anything ‘unmanly’ out of me. Aspen I finally found the courage to embrace who I am. Costumes and skirts and fishnets—fully owning my grungy punk rock lifestyle. The fans love it and the internet goes wild, driving us to a whole new level of fame. I’m on top of the world and finally dealing with my trauma until I realize my best friend won’t speak to me. He won’t even look me in the eyes when we are on stage. And then it hits me—is he—turned on? Two can play this game. I’ll push every button until he gives me what I want.

Genres: M M Romance, Friends To Lovers, Romance, Contemporary, LGBT, Music, Forced Proximity

304 pages, Paperback

Published September 2, 2023

About the author

When not staying up all night writing, J.R. Gray can be found at the gym where it's half assumed he is a permanent resident to fulfill his self-inflicted masochism. A dominant and a pilot, Gray finds it hard to be in the passenger seat of any car. He frequently interrupts real life, including normal sleep patterns and conversations, to jot down notes or plot bunnies. Commas are the bane of his existence even though it's been fully acknowledged they are necessary, they continue to baffle and bewilder. If Gray wasn't writing…well, that's not possible. The buildup of untold stories would haunt Gray into an early grave, insanity or both. The idea of haunting has always appealed to him. J.R. Gray is genderqueer and prefers he/him pronouns.

Reviews

[moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus] · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars ☆

"What do I feel like when you touch me?"
"Fresh air. Like I can breathe. Happiness. More purple." He closed his eyes and slid his hand around the back of my neck. "Captured in flower-filled fields.
Captivated by joined hearts.
Created, made for one another."
My heart felt like it would explode. "Where is that from?"
"I made it up." He opened his eyes and returned to his breakfast like it was nothing.
— BRB SOBBING 🥹

after not being invested in the second book of the Pretty Broken series, binging three J.R. Gray books back to back AND enjoying all of them was the last thing i expected to happen... yet here we are. 😭 Aspen was a side character in the series i was intrigued by as he was often compared to being similar to Iris (whom i loved), but just a bit more mysterious. how could i not love him? and yet, when i finally read his book, he was so much more. 🥺 i loved how fiery he was, the way he stood toe to toe with Royal and didn't take his shit? the way he knew his worth? the way he was unapologetically himself? i loved everything about him. but his past was so sad that i also wanted to hug him. :( Royal, on the other hand, was a bit more stubborn when it came to accepting his feelings for Aspen, but i thought his fear on why he had a difficult time accepting it was very much valid. despite that, i still loved the way Aspen wasn't afraid to put himself out there and let Royal know "i like you, but i'm also not gonna sit around and wait for you". it definitely brought a lot of good jealousy moments from Royal, which i personally enjoyed. Royal wasn't only stubborn though, he was also blunt, hot-tempered, and always willing to defend and protect the people he cares about. he was so unintentionally funny too that i found myself randomly laughing at times with what came out of his mouth. 😭

I glared at him. "Fuck."
"So do you see merit in not allowing others to push you to those extremes?"
"Maybe," I huffed.
"So what should you do next time someone provokes you?"
"Pay someone to kill them." I deadpanned.

this scene?? i fr bursted out laughing, LMAO.

i loved the dynamic between Royal and Aspen bc, despite Royal's stubborn ass, Aspen fought back just as hard and once Royal finally accepted his feelings for Aspen? all their scenes after that were so cute and beautiful!!

But before I could speak, he went on. "Why does me worrying make you smile?!"
I laughed, grabbing hold of his throat so he couldn't back away like he was trying. "Because I find it adorable."
He glared. "Adorable? I don't want to be adorable."
I smirked, enjoying the swing of his mood more than I probably should. "Why not? I like it."
"Because adorable isn't sexy."
I dragged him forward. "It is to me. I like all the parts of you, and if you think I don't know them well, you're sorely mistaken. You can't hide them from me now. So stop trying."

THEY'RE SO FUCKING CUTE- lemme go cry in the corner 😭

overall, this book surprised me bc i was hoping to like it, sure, but i didn't expect to love these two together so much?? Cas and Iris were my favorite couple before, but i feel like Aspen and Royal has them beat a lil, ngl. 👀

ALSO!! shout out to Levi for being the best manager and Royal's mom for being the best mom. <3

[Jan]

DNF

[Amina · Rating 3 out of 5]

✰ 3 stars ✰

“I hated that something that brought me so much turmoil brightened his star. I felt like the biggest asshole in the world for dreading every night.

I shouldn’t have to wilt while he bloomed, but I couldn’t go on like this. I couldn’t stop thinking about him.”

So, here goes - my foray into the Black Diamond Spa verse - kicking off with Volatile, since it is a continuation of J.R. Gray's previous series. And yes, it is slightly more understandable if you are familiar with the characters from it, since there are several allusions to their respective storylines.

“Is that all this is? A stunt?” I didn’t know if that would be better or what it meant I was feeling. “Are you torturing me for a stunt?”

“No, it’s a benefit.” He wasn’t giving me a fucking inch.

“Of what? A thing you’re going through?”

“An expression of my moods. I like to dress up. I like the high I get from it...” he trailed off, getting a faraway look in his eyes. “Torture? Why would it be torture?”

Fuck. Did he not know?”

It is a inviting premise - two best friends-bandmates, Aspen and Royal, who met under unlikely circumstances in their teen years, finally start to dance around this unexpected discovery that there is an innate attraction to one another when one of them starts to dress differently, in order for them to express themselves more openly. I did not fault Aspen for being more vocal and expressive in his style of clothing that allowed him to embrace a part of himself that he didn't want to shield anymore. I FELT the frustration and hurt that resulted in Royal blatantly ignoring him and ghosting him, simply because he was irritated by these thoughts of attraction he was feeling for his best friend - having been straight for so long. 🥺🥺

“We stayed there, locked in the embrace. I’d grabbed his forearm at some point and hadn’t realized. He didn’t move to break apart, and neither did I.

“Please,” I whispered, not sure what I requested.

“I can’t.” The anger was gone, leaving behind sorrow.

The raw realness of his words etched themselves into my heart. He would never be what I needed, and I didn’t think I could forget this.

How could the one who’d protected me for so long be the one I couldn’t have? But maybe that’s how life worked.

It couldn’t be him. He’d never accept it.

“I know.”

What bothered is that I was expecting this to be a story set more at Black Diamond Spa - sadly, nearly 50% of the story revolved around the storyline from JRG's previous series - the ramifications of their actions - the ups and downs of their fame - and how Aspen and Royal's current rage with each other was negatively effecting their star status. 🤦 So, by the time they actually end up at the spa - a place to relax and unwind and sort out their pent up emotions and feelings - within a day or two of being there - their problem is solved! With a snap of a finger and a thrust of a hip, the deed is done and all is well - without protection, mind you! Like, he was geared to know exactly what to do - so perfectly! 😒😒

“Let me make it more clear. The issue was I wanted to fuck him and was avoiding him. So the fuck solved the issue, and unless he breaks up with me, we should be good on that front.”

That just --- it just ruined the tempo for me - I liked the angst that was resonating between the two of them - I felt how Royal was denying his feelings, refusing to comprehend what was the cause behind the rage - while Aspen accepted that it was never going to work between the two of them, no matter how hard he pushed him and because he knew about his own personal issues that haunted him. 😟

But, right after all the open taunts of flirtation with Aspen's suggestive choice of clothing and all the flagrant teases of coaxing out more, Royal just suddenly figures out what was making him act out the way that he was - submit to his attraction to his best friend, and they're a couple. As he has so vehemently expressed, that he doesn't have to explain his reasoning to anyone, but a little tact and consideration to accepting that you've been in love with your best friend for so long could have been warranted. 😮‍💨😮‍💨

“Having an issue with myself and struggling with how I feel doesn’t mean I hated anyone. I don’t care who you’re dating. When you put it in my face, it made me uncomfortable with
myself, not with you. I didn’t understand it then, and I was a dick. I’m sorry for that.”

This felt more as a continuation of the series, rather than an actual representation of the Black Diamond Spa. I mean, 50% of the story had already taken place, before the couple had to be sent there to sort out their anger management issues. Not that I didn't mind seeing familiar faces again - but, I would have wanted more of the spa, rather than the quick few entertaining and kinky times they shared at the spa. It was just a very quick acceptance for an unapologetic Royal, who I get doesn't need to justify his feelings to anyone, but it made me, personally not appreciate their insta-love, all that much.

I DID see some improvement in how J.R. Gray writes, meaning that his ability to capture the intensity of the scene or convey the character's emotions was slightly clearer. While, there was still some some slight confusion in recalling who was speaking when, since the conversation was very back-and-forth, it captured the feelings and expressions a little bit better. Sadly, I did catch a couple of times, where there were errors in the narration - ie, it's actually Aspen's POV, but it suddenly shifts to Royal's, so as a stickler to these little things - some slight editing would help improve it.

“Are you serious? You and Aspen?”

“I am.” I held my breath, half expecting her to throw the spoon at me. She shuffled past, going to the dining room.

“What the fuck?” I muttered as I followed to find her hugging Aspen.

“You’re finally my son,” Ma said as she squeezed him.

Aspen met my eyes and shrugged but hugged her back. “I’ve always been your son.”

There were still some precious moments that I enjoyed that are worth mentioning. Once they got together, they were ridiculously sweet with each other - I'm glad that Aspen didn't immediately accept that Royal could easily embrace his change of heart. That he didn't hesitate to voice his apprehensiveness about it - that Royal was determined to show that it was only him that made him feel this way. I enjoyed their adventurous and explosive possessive nature to their romance - that they were so keep on trying out new kinks and flaunt their sexual appeal to show how comfortable they were as they are. 😏😏

I loved the chaos and unity and all-together wholesome vibe of family that the band shared. Aspen and Kingsley had a very deep-rooted bond as brothers and I loved seeing how protective he was of his older brother - how he didn't so readily accept Royal's quick 180, till he saw for sure how committed he was and wasn't at all the way he was portraying himself. The New Year's moment at Royal's Ma's house was really very endearing, and you could really feel this sense of camaraderie and love that they had built for themselves. 💜💜💜

At the end of it all, it was nice to return to JRG's world - if not, for the dismissive way in which Royal admitted he was at fault and the quick jump into the sack, I might have appreciated this a little bit more. And, it does make me slightly wary - if not mentally prepared - of what to expect for the future books in this series. 🤷

[Jamie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m not really sure. I didn’t love this book but I also did not actively dislike it.
Usually three stars is my “didn’t love but didn’t actively dislike” while two stars is my “I actively disliked” but I just couldn’t bring myself to give the third star, this book was weird.

We never really got any back story on the characters, just a quick prologue then a 20 year time jump. I guess a lot of Royals behaviors are influenced from his upbringing with his dad, but that’s never shown so it’s hard to understand why he acts the way he does. But also I guess that doesn’t matter since his personality completely changes once they reach the island.

I’m also not sure this authors writing style is for me.

[Jacqueleen the Reading Queen♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"And no matter how much it was beyond my control, I hated the demons he lived with from those long nights before he came home with me. I'd spent the last twenty years watching him battle those demons."


Aspen and Royal man. These two just could not get out of their own way. If you've read the Pretty Broken series then you'll know these two as members of Pale Pink Lips, the band that Alister's boyfriend Kingsley is a member of. In fact, Aspen is Kingsley's brother. Royal's been taking care of Aspen long before their band became famous. It was a stroke of luck they even met as kids. They formed a bond. The best of friends. An unspoken pact to always have each other's backs.


"Aspen might think of himself as ruined because of what happened to him, but I can't imagine loving him any other way. I wouldn't want him to be any other person."


Aspen has spent many a night in Royal's bed to keep his nightmares at bay. But as the years have gone by, it's gotten harder and harder to climb into his best friends bed and lay next to him, when all he truly wants is to climb on him instead. Royal, the oblivious idiot, has no idea. It's not until Aspen sports a flirty new look that the truth hits Royal like a ton of bricks. He fights it. Oh boy he fights his attraction hard as hell. But no one ever said life was fair and Aspen sure doesn't play by anybody's rules but his own. When Aspen finally realizes what's got his best friend so worked up? GAME ON BABY!

I loved the steam between these two. It was rough and passionate. It was punishing and soothing. It was everything these two ever wanted but never had. I liked how at the start both of them were resistant to the reason they were at Black Diamond, the reason being anger management therapy. Then as the book progresses, along with their relationship, they start to change their tune. They find merit in some of the things they are being taught and even go on to use it when they return to the real world. It was nice to see and gave me hope that their relationship would continue to flourish while living their HEA.

[E.L. Ough · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m loving the rock star book, well punk but you know what I mean!! I loved the gender fluid of Aspen he totally owned it.

Aspen and Royal both have a past, they had been friends when they were younger but circumstances brought them even closer, so close that they did everything together and Royal always looked after Aspen.

As they become big in the punk world, Aspens confidence on stage grew, but with his new freedom and identity come the animosity from his best friend, the cracks appeared then they ripped open. Both struggling with new and old feelings they were sent to black diamond to sort their shit out before the band went under.

This was a great angsty book, with lots of anger and emotional tension with some angry sex thrown in!! I love a guy in a skirt it just does something to me! Throw in some eye liner and a possessive a-hole and I’m a puddle on the floor!! Great book in the series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️.5

Triggers in front of book

💚Bi awakening
💚Friends to lovers
💚Sexually charged forced proximity
💚Rock star
💚Angry Sex
💚So much sexual tension

[caffeinated.crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is gonna be the death of me, and I'm not even mad.

Royal and Aspen are friends from childhood, and they're currently band mates. They've been attached at the hip since Aspen was 14, and now they're "old punk grandpas," 😂😂😂 which probably puts them at my age LOL. They get sent to Black Diamond for "anger management" by their manager and band mates.

But the bigger issue that opens up all this conflict is the fact that it took Aspen wearing ONE SKIRT to make Royal realize he wasn't as straight as he always thought he was.

Now, before you go rolling your eyes, Royal is a secret cinnamon roll who would literally carve his own skin off if it made Aspen happy. He was just in denial.

And I'm not giving anymore of the story away. There are a lot of things that happen, issues with band mates, exes, managers, familial expectation, rando movie stars and a SUPER crazy ex and that's before they even make it to Black Diamond.

I'll be honest. I wasn't loving the characters at the beginning of the story. But I'm so glad I stuck it out. Royal was absolutely worth it. 100%.

"I hated that something that brought me so much turmoil brightened his star."

[Redacted] ... “Fresh air. Like I can breathe. Happiness. More purple.” He closed his eyes and slid his hand around the back of my neck. “Captured in flower-filled fields.  Captivated by joined hearts.  Created, made for one another.”

Come on with this. SWOON. And let's get real, the synesthesia is pretty swoon worthy. I can't with the dreamy factor.

I absolutely recommend, if all my swooning wasn't an indicator.

[Julia (bookish.jka) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Before he could finish what he was saying, I grabbed him. One hand on his shirt, one on his jaw, I dragged his body to mine. Our mouths met with a clash. This was nothing like a romance novel. This was hard and aggressive and visceral."

Volatile by J.R. Gray is book 6 in the standalone, multi-author, MM, Unlucky 13 series, which is set around an all inclusive, private resort built exclusively for the troubled elite. This is Aspen and Royal's story and I LOVED it!

Honestly, this whole series to date has been really lacklustre for me, so I was soooo happy that Volatile lived up to all my positive expectations. It's a follow-on from the author's Pretty Broken series - well, not so much a follow-on, more a complementary read - and whilst you can read Volatile as a standalone, it's so much better if you read it after the Pretty Broken series.

Whilst Volatile is part of the Unlucky 13 series and the Diamond Resort and Spa, a lot of the book is set outside of that environment, which wasn't an issue for me at all given the relationship between the main characters.

Expect:

🌶️MM slow burn
🌶️First times
🌶️Bi-awakening
🌶️Rockstar romance
🌶️Forced proximity
🌶️All the steam
🌶️Best friends to enemies to lovers

Highly recommended!

4.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Ky · Rating 4 out of 5]

* 4.5 stars *

I've been waiting for Aspen and Royal's story ever since they first appeared in the Pretty Broken series, and their story is finally here!

It's part of the Unlucky 13 series, where each book is written by a different author, and they're both side characters in other stories in JR Gray's Pretty Broken series, but despite all that, I think it can work as a standalone.

Aspen and Royal have had a deep connection since they were young, and Royal helped Aspen get through some awful times in his life. He's been Aspen's support system and confidant ever since, and along with Aspen's brother, Kingsley, they help him navigate his trauma.

When Aspen decides to push the lines with his wardrobe choices during some shows, Royal is blindsided by his reaction to the sight. In an effort to deny his feelings, he acts hostile and distances himself from the rest of the band without explaining the reason.

After months of walking on eggshells and various confrontations, their manager decides enough is enough and admits both of them to an anger management program at Black Diamond Resort and Spa.

The close quarters and Aspen's behavior eventually make Royal snap, accept his feelings and act on them. And once they get together, there's no looking back.

I liked their story and Aspen's journey to be freer with what he wears and how he expresses himself. After every show, his star shone brighter, and he became more confident and sure.

Honestly, I expected this story to be darker just from what I had read about those two in the previous books. Instead, it was light and fun, and easy to read.


~ Copy provided by Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure. A review wasn't a requirement. ~

[Sheena · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars

[Kaitlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝑽𝒐𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝒃𝒚 𝑱.𝑹. 𝑮𝒓𝒂𝒚

ℝ𝕠𝕪𝕒𝕝 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔸𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕟

« You've always come above everyone else, Aspen. Nothing will change that. »

x ᴍᴍ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ
x ʙɪ ᴀᴡᴀᴋᴇɴɪɴɢ
x ꜰᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ᴘʀᴏxɪᴍɪᴛʏ
x ʀᴏᴄᴋꜱᴛᴀʀ
x ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅꜱ ᴛᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇʀꜱ
x ʜᴇᴀ

Rating: 5/5 ⭐
Steam: 4/5 🔥

𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘

This was my first read by the author and I really enjoyed it!! From the beginning I really despised Royal and wasn't sure if that would affect my thoughts on the book but I'm so glad I kept reading because I learnt to really love him by the end! Aspen on the other hand was an absolute gem of a character and my emotions for him were all over the show! I loved how they weren't instantly put together, that they had to work for their happiness and while I wanted to scream at them at a few points, I also loved the direction their story took them. The spice was absolutely melting hot and I was living for the drama between them because it lead to some delicious scenes! Overall a great read and I can't wait to read this authors backlist!

[Jen (Fae_Princess_in_Space) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was… okay. I’m not sure why I didn’t love it as it had all the elements I love - childhood friends to lovers, rockstars, found family. There were some parts of it I loved but some fell a bit flat, and I really REALLY didn’t like Royal. He had this attitude like he didn’t give a shit, and I know that’s very rockstar of him and it fit with the theming, but it made him very hard to get close to as a character - I also felt like his general ill-treatment of Aspen in the beginning was never resolved.

Idk, as I said there were some great elements - I really enjoyed Aspen’s character, the bratty sweetheart in skirts and lingerie, but I felt like he was constantly being taken advantage of, especially by Royal. As always I loved the Black Diamond resort itself - man, I wanna go there for a little bit ha!

Overall an okay read but nowhere near as good as some of the others in the series!

[Book Binge: Reviews by Melissa DaSilva · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by this author but it definitely won’t be my last! I loved everything about this book. It sucked me into the story from the very first page! This is another fantastic addition to the Unlucky 13 series! I am loving reading all the books to see the different takes on Black Diamond!

Aspen and Royal were amazing together. Their chemistry and intensity were off the charts. It was a slow burn in the sense that nothing happens between them for a fair portion of the book but it honestly didn’t even feel like that because of the tension between them! This author did a fantastic job with that!

This book is more angsty than some in the series but I felt it was a great level of angst. And the reward and HEA was wonderful! I loved their time on the island. Their therapy sessions had me laughing out loud! But we also got a lot of time with them off the island too and we really got the rockstar vibes as they are on tour.

This book is related to Pretty Wreck by this author as those MCs are in this story. I didn’t find I missed anything by not reading it but I’m sure if you’ve read it, it will make the experience that much better! I am looking forward to reading more by this author as well as more in this fantastic series!

[Collandherbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

𝙃𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙤𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”

Volatile is the story of best friends turned enemies turned lovers - Royal and Aspen. Their story is set in the same world as J.R's Pretty Broken series with some crossover of characters.

Aspen and Royal are best friends and band mates. They've been friends for years and are inseparable. One day Aspen decides to express himself more and starts wearing skirts on stage. His fans love it. Royal though, he does not. And not because he doesn't like seeing Aspen in skirts. Oh no! Because he likes it too much. And he doesn't know how to deal with these new feelings towards his best friend.

"𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙄 𝙜𝙤𝙩. 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙞𝙩 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛*𝙘𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙨.

Aspen's actions on stage are riling up Royal. Making him angrier and more unsure of his feelings. He tries to distance himself from Aspen at a deteriment to their friendship. A friendship that has become exceptionally volatile. Their manager, having had enough, sends them both to Black Diamond, for anger management and to repair what they broke.

On the island, they cannot escape each other, and soon their conflict reaches a boiling point. And it's at this point that they both give in to their true feelings. They spend their time on the island healing and repairing their relationship. But wait! The world is not done f*ucking with them and they have to fight for their HEA.

I loved this book and this couple. I adored their dynamic and how they were always in each other's corners. Aspen had a traumatic past and Royal was always there to hold him when his fears were too much. Offering him comfort and love.

I especially loved Royal, with his grumpy demenour and massive heart (for Aspen only) and how once he had accepted his feelings, Royal was ALL IN.

A really great read and addition to the Unlucky 13 series.

[Anne Melvine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sorry i just couldn’t with the stupidity of the plot
Dnf 30%

[reading_paiges · Rating 3 out of 5]

updated review:
I did end up going back to this book and finishing it, and I am glad I did.
It gets SIGNIFICANTLY more enjoyable once they get to the island.....but that does not happen until 43% in! There is entirely too much repetition in the front half of this, but if you are willing to trudge through that the characters are far more interesting & the banter is a million times better in the back half.Their problems seemed to be fixed very suddenly and a little too easily to be believable, but I ended up really loving these two as a couple.

I still stand by my statement that some of the "lyrical" writing is giving Tumblr angst, BUT it turns out one of the characters has synesthesia (tasting words, feeling colors, etc) and that context would have been really appreciated in the first half! Some of the lines are still cringey, but at least I would understand why he is thinking things like "His touch came purple, and came textured like summer scents."

original review:
DNF at 33%
The premise of this book sounded fun, but the writing and the banter were weird. I found myself having to frequently reread sentences because they did not flow and I felt like I was missing a lot of context from other books. I want to give this the benefit of the doubt and reiterate that I only made it 1/3 of the way in, this could get better later on but I may never know because this book takes too long to get going.

The story is very repetitive in the beginning and nothing has happened other than a bi awakening over seeing his best friend in a skirt. His fetish with skirts is far more obvious than any feelings he may or may not have for his friend.
Sir, do you even like your best friend or are you just a skirtsexual??

The tortured artist “lyrical” writing was the straw that broke the camel's back for me. It was about as lyrical as angsty tumblr in the early 2000s. Put these quotes in a *unique* font against a generic background found on google image and you would not be able to tell which came from tumblr and which came from this book.
That would actually make a decent drinking game.

[Ren || Reading What I Want · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volatile by J.R. Gray is book 6 in the shared world of the Unlucky 13. It has soooo many amazing tropes: bi-awakening, friends to lovers, forced proximity, rockstar. I was so happy to be back at Black Diamond!! And Oooooooooo, Y’ALL, it has one of my favorite sensory quirks (I have one and that’s what I call it)!!!

ʜᴇ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴠᴏʟᴀᴛɪʟᴇ.  ᴠɪᴏʟᴇɴᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ.  ꜱᴄᴏᴡʟɪɴɢ ᴀᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ. ʙᴀʀᴇʟʏ ꜱᴜɪᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴘᴜʙʟɪᴄ.

I’ll admit the first half or so of this book is tough. I was NOT fond of either of the MCs, honestly. For them to be best friends, I felt like their reactions to each other and the silence and awkwardness were almost too much. BUT when they finally come to their sense, a complete 180 happens and I ended up obsessed with this duo.

I had to sit on this one overnight because my emotions were everywhere. By the end, I could honestly see why they both acted as they did at first. BUT it lasted for so long in the book, my mind still held a minor grudge against them both and minutely kept my focus even after they got together.

ɪ ʜᴀᴛᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʙʀᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ᴍᴇ ꜱᴏ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴛᴜʀᴍᴏɪʟ ʙʀɪɢʜᴛᴇɴᴇᴅ ʜɪꜱ ꜱᴛᴀʀ.

No third act break-up, and in fact, it’s utterly adorable! Royal and Aspen have the cutest relationship when they get it together. I wanted to hug them! Black Diamond worked its magic once again!

POV: 1st, Dual
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
ANGST: Moderate; the first 50+% was a bit emotional with miscommunication

𝘼𝙍𝘾 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙛𝙧𝙚𝙚. 𝙈𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙞𝙨 𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙮.

[B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first JR Gray book and enjoyed it overall!

I was worried initially as I didn't really like Royal but by about 40% when things start kicking off a bit more I really liked him!

I loooove Aspen. I could really picture him and loved his chapters, I do almost wish there was a bit more background of him but I'm also glad there wasn't more, as it obviously would have been very upsetting.

This was slow burn and then explosion, I liked that Royal did just flip how he thought, I think that is as realistic as people who think things over and over. He just went oh whatever doing what I want and I really liked this.

The spice in this was S P I C Y. Loved it!

There was a few bits for me that I didn't really enjoy such as this not being standalone which did bother me, for some people it will probably make them want to read the series but for me it does the opposite unfortunately, and I have been wanting to read the Pretty Wrecked series for a while. But now I know the couple gets together which I know I know already cos it's a romance book but.. I would hope that if you see the couple again everything is kinda resolved and it didn't seem like it was to me.

~I received an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews and this is my honest opinion~

[xxBooksILovexx · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another awesome rock star story from JR Gray! This story is a slow burn. Tropes are rock star, bi-awakening and forced proximity. Something changed for Royal when Aspen started wearing skirts. But he was unable to communicate exactly what he was feeling. This led both of them to Black Diamond Resort & Spa for Anger management. Loved the direction this story took!

[Aimora]

56% in one sitting then gave up. I'm not enjoying the writing style. Felt like I was dropped into a world and not getting the background, wondering what I'm missing having not read the other book, even though this is a standalone.

[mads ☽ · Rating 2 out of 5]

bored

[Bookbingewithsteph · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

[Perla Najera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved that this was a bi-awakening but my favorite was Aspen’s sass and the need to push Royals buttons. This series keeps getting better and better, literally read it in one day. I loved that after they left Black Diamond they came back telling their manager/band that they fixed the problem by “fucking”. This book made me laugh and definitely recommend reading it!

[Brittany St Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Both of them have pasts that broke them.
Royal had to hide who he is.
Aspen's body & spirit were broken by life.
These two found each other and never let go. They have a long friendship that is put through the wringer when Aspen decides to start doing what he wants - being true to him. It causes tension because Royal doesn't know how to process it or move past the teachings of his past.
Fights break out, drama ensues, and they are forced to Black Diamond to get their lives together. The people around them don't know, or understand, what's going on between the two of them, which only hurts their situation.
It's a lot of drama.
They have to work hard to get to the truth. Royal accepting his truth takes a lot of commitment on his part, but he works through everything when one night puts a lot into perspective for him.
I absolutely loved it. I couldn't put it down. While yes, they're dramatic, they also are fierce and love hard. Once they get back to best friends, and see past their fears, their relationship explodes. Their support grows, their love blossoms, and they really find themselves.

[Katkejt ☾. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Royal • Aspen

Out of context spoilers:

- “I don’t know who he was before he was that boy I met all those years ago, but this was the version of him I didn’t want to lose.”
- .
- “He looked just like the type of guy who’d have his hand around your throat, and you’d like it.”
- .
- .
- “To say I was trying to stay afloat would be an understatement. I barely had my lips above the water. Floating would have been a relief.”
- .
- “He lifted his chin, and his eyes would haunt me for the rest of my existence.”
- .
- “Aspen squared up against me and met my anger. It rolled off of him, and it was the best we’d felt in a month.”
- .
- “How good your rage tastes.”
- .
- .
- “Get up. You’re going to get eaten by a shark or something.” 🦈 😂.
- .
- .
- “Aspen tasted like his music. His touch had always been warm and purple. The music he made and his voice came with a rich, almost neon color. His songs varied in shade, but they always came back to the core of his color.”
- .
- .
- “Do it then. You shy? You’ve been teasing me for months.”
- .
- “I didn’t want to leave here with the ashes of us. So I’d light the memories on fire and burn this whole mother fucker down.”
- .
- “Being inside him intensified the colors I felt around him. The purple darkening. He lit up parts of my brain previously unstimulated. I tasted his colors while the shape of him encapsulated us. He was a high of his own kind.” (!!!) 👀.
- 17.
- .
- “Fear shone in his eyes, and I knew. This was when I lost Royal for good.”
- “Will you kiss me when you’re not mad at me?”
- .
- “Proved you wrong there.”
- .
- “A fucking fist fight.” He bit my lip, telling me he was serious.” (!!!)
- “Very.” (!!!)
- .
- “Good. Ride my dick like you hate me.” 👀👀👀👀👀👀…
- .
- “They should know I made my choice when I brought you home that night. You’ve always come above everyone else, Aspen.”
- .
- “Are you hiding someone in the basement?” 😂.
- “Stop reading the stalker mail from my office!” 😂😵.
- .
- .
- “There was a smile and warmth to his words. They felt purple and blue over my skin. Little knots of love as I squeezed his hand.”

….

This was my first take on any J.R book and let me tell you about tension. This book was tension in the best possible form. The chemistry between the two characters - the molecules, atoms and ions were flying. What caged me in - was the talk about colors. The use of colors. Beautiful. Truly.

What I am taking with me:

🌊. Sharks. (Why you obsessed)

🌴. “I wanted to destroy him while he wore one of those skirts”

🌊. “I’d burn this entire island to the ground before I let anyone else touch him looking like that. Mine.”

🌴. “He’d been a prick as long as I’d know him, but he was my prick.”

🌊. The color talk.

🌴. That therapy session chap. 24. 😂.

🌊. Pencil skirt.

….

“I didn’t need words. I knew my best friend. This was war. And he’d burn us both down before he stopped. I had two choices: surrender, or we’d both go up in flames.”

…

Next up on the island:

Unlucky #7 my beloved Bailey Nicole 💚. Consumed 🩵.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story has great bones. The premise is fantastic, Aspen and Royal are childhood best friends turned rock stars. When Aspen decides to express his sartorial identity with a skirt, Royal is suddenly seeing him in a new way and he is NOT comfortable with it. This is my first book from the author and there were definitely high points. You really feel the tension and anger between these two. Aspen’s bewilderment at Royal shutting him out wrung my heart, and Royal’s self-loathing rage made me want to hug him. Angst and questioning are my jam, so this should have been a slam dunk, but ended up just being a decent read.

The pacing was off for me - not uncommon in novellas. With this one, a scene or sequence would step right up to the line of blowing me away, but then shift in another direction or skip over some needed plot-building, leaving me wanting. The spice was hot, but with the tempo of the story out of sync, I didn’t get the full emotional impact. I’m okay with being edged as a reader, but I do require the payoff! It’s a quick read, and definitely worth picking up if the tropes interest you, but this wasn’t a standout in the Black Diamond series for me. I will try this author again, I think a full-length novel could pan out differently!.

I received a free copy of this book via Indie Author Creative and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nadine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Volatile was my first book by J.R. Gray and my first book in the Unlucky 13 series by multiple authors.

The blurb sounded right up my alley which made it easy to just dive in.

One of my main problem with this book is the lack of communication between two best friends who have been inseparable for more than 20 years, are now in their mid thirties and yet still unable to talk to each other about things that matters most.
It's simply frustrating that their issue could have been solved or nearly solved with an open heart-to-heart conversation. For this alone the first part of the book felt dragging.

However, this might be the fuel needed that you could really feel the tension and anger between Aspen and Royal. Through this I really got to like Aspen's temperament and how his mental health struggles were portrayed. I loved how he started to embrace his true self and to show it off unapologetically.

What I loved about Royal is his ability to see colors in life, music, people, touches. That's quite an intriguing topic I wish would have been placed more prominent through the book.

[Bookish Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall: 4.25/5
Spice level: 3/5
Tropes: bi-awakening, best friends to lovers, rock stars, band mates

CW: sexual assault (not on page), homophobia, parental death (not on page)

I tore through this story. Read it in a day, which is rare for me. I was glued to it! Aspen and Royal had the best friendship and something just clicked for Royal one night before a show.

Their upbringing made it difficult for Aspen to be himself so Royal always protected him. As it carried over into adulthood, Royal realizes he always loved him, just that it shifted.

They had amazing chemistry and the way Aspen teased and antagonized Royal was sometimes comical.

I also loved how Aspen's character was written. The whole time in my head I'm screaming "protect Aspen at all costs"! I saw this beautiful, broken human who just wanted to his most authentic self but struggled. The stage was his opportunity to be just that and it was welcomed.

There was some amazing character development among these 2, if sometimes it was a bit dramatic. I really enjoyed the story though.

[Taylor.Reads.Smut · Rating 3 out of 5]

“What do I feel like when you touch me?”

“Fresh air. Like I can breathe. Happiness. More purple.” He closed his eyes and slid his hand around the back of my neck. “Captured in flower-filled fields.  Captivated by joined hearts.  Created, made for one another.” 

My heart felt like it would explode. “Where is that from?” 

“I made it up.”

Aspen and Royal are so adorable together. Loved the push and pull between them. Loved their backstory. Loved their chemistry. That was probably all I loved about this though. Definitely a letdown for me compared to the other books in the series. Definitely would’ve loved to see new characters by this author and not characters from another series. They weren’t even at Black Diamond long. It didn’t even feel like they were there at all. At least they made it to the waterfall though.

[Bkwrm24 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Royal and Aspen ❤️
4 Stars ⭐️

✅Best Friends
✅Rock Stars
✅Bi-Awakening

This was another great story in the Unlucky 13 Series that brings us back to the Black Diamond Resort and as a bonus, it features side characters from J.R. Gray's Pretty Broken Series. Umm, YES Please! The journey Aspen and Royal take from friends to lovers isn't without drama but once their relationship changes, hang on tight because you are in for an angsty, lust fueled, and emotional ride. I am loving these books and this fits perfectly in this multi- author series. It was sweet, sexy and leaves these two on the road to their well deserved HEA.

* I received an ARC from GRR, this is my open and honest review *