Mixing Business and Pleasure Can Rock You Like a Hurricane.
When Chaos Fuel’s reputation tanks from excessive personnel turnover, control freak Tess Lagerfeld, the label's polished new image handler, gets assigned to rehab the band’s image while they hold auditions. But protective lead singer Brad Chambers clashes with her solutions to save their integrity when they involve leveraging his precocious daughter Charlie’s charm.
But when Charlie starts to play matchmaker for her dad and Tess, things really heat up.
The music business is crazy as it is, but throw together a recovering bad boy, an 8-year-old, a PR person, and a new band recruit, and you’ve got Mayhem.
From the bestselling author who introduced you to Indigo King and Murderous Crows comes this first book in a new duology featuring bad boys of rock and roll finding out they might not be so bad after all.
Amy Booker is a full-time author and former musician now living her passion of writing complex contemporary romances that immerse readers into the realities—both beautiful and gritty—of life on stage and behind the scenes. Most feature rockstars, while some venture into the glitz of Vegas.
With over a dozen novels under her belt, Amy draws from her own experience to pen authentic plots and multidimensional characters. Never one to shy away from tough topics, her books tackle real situations with emotional depth.
When she's not crafting her next book, you can find Amy embarking on thrilling travels, getting lost in audiobooks, catching Arsenal matches, or tuning into the Critical Role D&D show. She shares her home with rescue pup Gunner and has an adult son with special needs who fills her days with both challenges and immense love.
This is my first read by this author, and it will not be my last because I really want to read the next one in the series, Dakotas' book.
This was a medium burn romance between Brad, who's the singer in a rock band, and the new PR manager for the band, Tess. There are a few ups and downs, and most of the drama and angst coming from the issues that appear because of his past. He was some sort of a player. He definitely decided to grow up and change his ways even prior meeting the heroine, which is a good point for him in my eyes.
The 3rd act conflict was pushed a little bit too far, but it fixed easily once he got his head on the right track and decided to go get her since he loves her 🤭🥹! I do think the love came too easily, considering the timeline since they met until that point, but I suppose it is doable. If you know, you know.
His daughter was adorable, a little bit too mature in her matchmaking strategies, but it's fine. She was a cute kid.
I mostly liked the FMC. She definitely should have been a little bit stronger in her beliefs and in herself.
The miscommunication between them, at the most important moment in their just established relationship, was quite annoying. Just talk it out, guys, since you are both adults and know how the music industry works. I'm glad it wasn't too dragged out.
I wanted to read more about their dynamic once they finally solved their issues and got together for good. 🥹
**possible small spoilers below**
What to expect - rockstar romance - single dad - reformed player - little bit of spice (I expected more, but the focus was on their relationship, on getting to them trusting each other and proper communicating and understanding each other) - on the sweet, angsty side of romance - he was a coward for a short period of time, because he thought that breaking up with her and let her be happy without him it would be better than just trying to communicate and be stronger together as a couple; I'm not a fan of this plot device, luckily everything solved quickly and sweetly - HEA, epilogue two months later (I actually felt like it's more of an HFN, thinking that maybe we will see where their relationship goes on the long run in the upcoming book(s))
I'm very curious about the next one, so I'll give it a try once it's published.
. . . I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. . .
"So, I pushed you out and ran away like a fucking coward.” Tears sting and prick the back of my eyes. I can’t stand seeing him like this. “You’re not a coward.” “Yes, I fucking am. And I’m sorry.”"
My first introduction to this crafty storyteller was a binge of all things Murderous Crows and Indigo King. Rock star romance? Yes please, and I loved every one of these stories! So of course, I was eagerly anticipating a new series with Chaos Fuel.
This is a band that has it going on musically, if they can just quit losing members. Along with that, their image needs a makeover, so the label brings in Tess Lagerfeld as their PR person. She'll watch tryouts for their new bass player, post about the band on social media, and try to drum up excitement for the upcoming tour. She's also the clean-up gal should any negative publicity arise.
Speaking of, front man Brad Chambers sure has his hands full. Not only is he really busy with the band, but his daughter, Charlie, is staying with him for several weeks. And then there are issues from his past that crawl out into the light. As Brad and Tessa spend time together, and Tessa and Charlie grow close, Tess’s job gets more complicated.
There are so many things I love about this one, and a couple things that didn’t suit me. While I didn’t mind the insta-love feel, I didn’t see a lot of growth in the characters. Brad was kind of a tool at times, and I much more enjoy a story where the conflict is external rather than from a character’s self-sabotage. It was wordy in places and I found myself skipping ahead, so these things made this a 3.5 star read for me.
I adored the scenes with Charlie! She stole the show and kept things lively. And I love the camaraderie with the band members as well as their manager. I can’t wait to see what’s in store next for these guys. Especially the newest member Dakota. That boy is some still waters that run very deep and I can’t wait to read his story. If you like rock star romances, you’ll love diving into this fictional world and getting to know the guys of Chaos Fuel.
Brad is the lead singer for Chaos Fuel and they are in need of a little cleaning up. That’s what Tess is there for. The band is all reluctant to have her around but she shows them that she’s there to let me keep the creativity that they have together. This also opens up the path for Brad and Tess to find their way to each other.
Brad’s eight-year-old daughter Charlie is amazing in this story and gave some much needed laugh out loud moments to give my heart a little time to take a breather. This book definitely tugged at my heartstrings and I was hoping that this couple, this family, had a chance at their HEA. I look forward for more rock books to come from this author.
I love this story about jaded rockstar, Brad and the vibrant Tess. They have such sparkling charisma and each scene literally sparks. This was such an enjoyable story that I was so surprised when it finished as it didn’t feel liked I had read a whole book. It wasn’t just about the main characters but, also about introducing a new group of people that will be focused on during this series. Wow, they are going to be deep and interesting people. I can’t wait!
Chaos Fuel have made several appearances in Amy’s books, most recently in Sustain where Ian became their manager.
This book centres on their lead singer Brad. He has quite the colourful background and between Chaos Fuel’s inability to keep band members and Brad interesting past, their record label bring in Tess to try to help raise their profile with the fans and press.
Tess and Brad hit it off almost immediately, as do Tess and Charlie, Brad’s spitfire 8 yr old daughter. But Brad’s past comes back to haunt their budding relationship.
Charlie is key to running interference and getting Brad and Tess to admit how they really feel about each other, but “sometimes, loving someone just isn’t enough!”
Wow what a start to a new series, I loved the intricacies and vulnerability shown through this book, while focused on Brad and Tess, we also learn more about the other band members. The push and pull of the relationship blossoming between Brad and Tess is filled with so much emotion, both have reasons to guard their hearts and painful pasts, then you add Brads daughter and complicated is the order of the day, can they silence the voices in their own heads to see what’s right in front of them??
First off, what a gorgeous cover. I’m drooling. This was a wonderful story. I love a story when the main characters struggle with past mistakes and try to convince themselves that they are unlovable, then, the right person comes along and everything changes. Tess and Brad are a thunderstorm with all the bolts of lightning and thunderous noise. So well written and raw. Their emotions spill out on every page. Could not put this one down. Don’t even get me started talking about Charlie…a true, angelic, yet sassy, matchmaker. Just an excellent read!
This is the first book on the Chaos Fuel series, and the first story is the vocalist Brad, a former playboy with a rocky past with the ladies, he meets Tess, a semi corporate PR who has been hired to improve Chaos Fuel's image with the fans and the public.
Brad is a Dad of a very clever and sassy 8 years old, named Charlie, who totally stole the show! So 5 big fat stars go to Charlie and her dad.
Where I had trouble was with all the instalove thing, I get it, this is a rock romance and rock stars do it differently I guess, but the timeline was not for me, within days (not even 2 weeks) a lot happens and I mean a lot! and Tess wasn't my favorite heroine, she is a 31 years old grown woman acting like a teenage girl with a crush, very immature, going from a first date to wow I have a boyfriend, I trust him , I don't, he is a player, he is good now, but girl, that happens when you just met someone!!!!!! So yes I lowkey didn't like her at all.
I'm looking forward to Dakota's story that's for sure!
"I'm going to let this be whatever it is, because I can tell it will be worth it in the end."
We first met Brad the Dad in Barely, book three of the Near Miss series back when Charlie was only six months old. Barely was Ren and Jude's love story, in case anyone hasn't already read it, which I highly recommend you do. Although he did do a bit of growing up back then and finally became a dad to Charlie, he still had a long way to go. I honestly had no idea Amy planned to write his story one day. Not a clue. I mean, he was Brad!
In Mayhem Charlie is now eight years old. Seeing Brad really being her father was a delight. And what a little meddler she is! I loved watching her play matchmaker between her dad and Tess!
The central theme of this book is growth and change. Brad finally truly grew up and by the end I can say for sure I'm not worried about him anymore. Did he make some dumb choices and mess up in this book? Of course. I mean it's called Mayhem, right? Truthful they both made mistakes but that's what people do. Their relationship wasn't easy but then nothing involving Brad is ever easy. I think Tess is actually perfect for him and I think that's why, eventually, everything works.
I'm not discussing specifics about what happens because that's not right. You need to read the story yourself. I guess you can read it as a standalone if you haven't read Barely but I don't think you will appreciate all that Brad is. And you should really read Sustain, the last book in the Rhapsody series, to get the background of the band. I would say at a minimum, read those two first. Amy does a good job writing this a standalone but I honestly feel reading at least Barely and Sustain will make this book so much better.
Next up is bassist Dakota's book. He's had real tragedy in his past and it looks like his story is going to deal with loss and second chances. I'm already stocking up on tissue in preparation.
Mayhem: A Rockstar Romance (Chaos Fuel Book 1) by Amy Booker is about the lead singer, Brad, a single dad of seven-year-old Charlotte (Charlie) while her mom, Ren, and stepdad are on tour. Tess is the new public relations representative hired to reimage the band's social media. Tess and Brad are drawn to one another as they forge a friendship. Tess gets to know the band members and offers ideas on how to find a new bass player. Brad asks Tess out on a date but ends with an ex-girlfriend drama to muddle the newly developing attraction. Tess makes publicity mistakes that infuriate Brad. Meanwhile, yes plural, Brad's former girlfriends cause a significant stir ruckus. Brad has security issues that he must work through. But amidst all this chaos, the band's music remains a constant. Will Chaos Fuel, a group of talented musicians, continue to be overshadowed by their indiscretions, or will their desire to be heard and appreciated prevail? Will Tess, with her new role, be able to steer the media's attention back to the music? These are the questions that Amy Booker's Mayhem seeks to answer. Mayhem can reliably portray a rocky group of rock-n-rollers who want to play their music but have a lot of internal issues the members are dealing with that cause so much notoriety. It explores themes of love, friendship, and personal growth amidst the chaos of fame. Mayhem describes how Brad found his HEA (Happily Ever After) with Tess, a journey filled with challenges and triumphs, as other band members will hopefully see their HEA in subsequent books. These stories promise to be as engaging and heartwarming as Brad and Tess's. I can’t wait to read them.
A completely consuming rockstar read! Giving an already been there done that vibe, it's introspective and deep as the past collides with the future, old fears jump to the front, and Brad and Tess have to wade through the murky waters to figure out if the instant connection and undeniable chemistry they have can make it through the mess left behind and more importantly if they even want to, because with his rockstar past this might not be the only time they find themselves here. Tess is an image fixer and no one needs it more right now than Chaos Fuel. The band has a member turnover problem that's making their not great image worse and she's here to improve that image as they search for a new bass player. But lead singer Brad objects to her ideas of giving the public a more personal look at the band when her ideas involve his daughter. She is off limits to the public. And totally set on playing matchmaker for her dad and Tess. With chemistry already flaring her ploys to get them to spend time together spark a flame and before long it's pure Mayhem. Loved this book, it's so different from a lot of rockstar romances with the bad boy no longer bad and his past something he's more ashamed of than gloating about. The chemistry is fantastic between Brad and Tess and they definitely have an intense connection so it's heartbreaking when his past seems determined to tear apart their future before it even gets started. But the star of this read is Charlie, she is a riot with her questions, her art projects, and no shame in her game as she blatantly tries getting her dad and Tess together. A fabulous start to a new series for Amy Booker
"I don't get to finish because he brushes the words away with his lips, teasing me with the softest of kisses." ... I love this line!
I could feel the electricity between Brad and Tess from the moment they met. I love it when there are kids in a book and Brad melted my heart the way he interacts with his daughter ... who is a little spitfire. Tess is a strong woman at the top of her profession, but she also has a soft spot for wanting a committed relationship. I think Brad and Tess are perfect together but they have lots of hurdles to jump. We also got a glimpse into the life of the newest band member Dakota ... and I want more!
Brad is the bad boy trying to change his ways and be a better father to his eight year old daughter Charlie. He also wants to change his playboy ways as he's tired of the drama when some of the women want more from him. When he meets Tess, his feelings are different towards her and he wants to explore things with her. Tess is hired to help with the band's image and she knows to keep her business and personal lives separate. But she feels this pull towards Brad and is willing to put her reputation at risk.
We met Brad in Barely (Jude & Ren’s story - Near Miss book 3/ Indigo Kings) and he was not painted in the best light so this book is his redemption story. And what a redemption it is! Falling in love with Tess, facing the mistakes of his past ways and looking after his 8 year old who in the begging of her life he neglected is a lot to handle specially when things with the band aren’t going so well. Charlie, Brad and Ren’s adorable daughter is now a sassy and impatient 8 year old with no filter. Her antics in the book are hilarious but she is the reason Brad and Tess get together. She’s quite the little matchmaker! Tess landed the job with the band without much experience with the music business but PR is PR so she was ready to tackle whatever this group of misbehaving musicians threw at her. Love and an adorable 8 year old was not part of the plan but she just couldn’t ignore her heart. When Brad and Tess face the challenges of Brad’s past and Tess’ insecurities towards men, commitment and love, their story is in for a ride. Hold on tight, but you’ll love it.
This is book 1 in Booker's new series Chaos Fuel. A great start to a new series as this book follows main characters Brad and Tess. Brad is a complicated character as he's the lead singer and front man for the band as well as a single dad to daughter Charlotte (Charlie). Tess has been hired as the new PR to help the bands image. I love the bands dynamic and camaraderie. The push and pull between Brad and Tess were addictive but at times hard to watch. Booker delivers a rockin' rockstar romance with this one (as she always does) and I felt it was well written and smooth flowing. I love the mix and balance of emotions, grit with sweet and steamy romance. I loved Charlie's character and what she brought to the book as well. Overall, a great start to this new series and I can't wait for more!
I received a free copy of this book via BookSprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Brad is a gorgeous rockstar and a dad. His life has settled into sharing custody of his daughter Charlie and music. He was into groupies and partying but not so much now, his focus now was finding a new bassist. At least it was until Tess walked into the picture. She’s their new media person in charge of fixing Chaos fuel’s image. The chemistry of these two is off the hook. Tess is there to do a job, she’s just out of a relationship, there are things she hasn’t shared with Brad and there’s a mystery. Brads daughter Charlie is hilarious, I usually hate stories with kids in it but this one was good. When Tess and Brad got together it was hot and romantic. I can’t wait for the next book and I hope it’s about Dakota, he sounds hot. I loved this book and the ending was so good. I’m giving this book five stars and highly recommend it.
Tess is hired to get better publicity for Chaos Fuel as they are not hitting all their benchmarks. Plus they keep losing bass players. She doesn't want to change the group, but help them get better. Her suggestion on the bass player worked like magic and they found a winner. However, as she is getting close to the lead singer, Brad, and his 8 year old daughter, Charlie, she makes a mistake and posts a video of the two of the them reading together. It infuriates him as all kinds of lewd remarks start coming in. Then as they start getting closer, two ex's post lies about him and it tears them apart. Charlie (in all her 8 year old wisdom ) tells him what he needs to do. Cute story.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I am happy to see the continuation of Amy Booker's rock stories with a new band, Chaos Fuel. She has worked wonders with Murderous Crows and Indigo King and her new series is equally well-done. It begins slowly, only because there is a necessary info-dump of new and old characters. I am not usually a fan of instalove, but it definitely worked for Brad and Tessa. The highlight of the story was Brad's adorable daughter, Charlie. She was a little imp, a wise soul and the perfect foil for her dad's new relationship. With a few bothersome ex issues, some problems with publicity and the need for a new bassist, this story never slows down. I'm excited to get to know more about the boys of Chaos Fuel, and especially their new bassist, Dakota!
Tess brings new energy to Brad’s band and it’s a joy to watch them become so happy. His rockstar past makes multiple attempts to create problems, but Tess is a confident, mature woman who sees solutions instead of a mountain. Brad’s daughter, Charlie, is a very smart young lady with charm to the nth degree. A little matchmaker, too! Brad and Tess have an intense chemistry that is extra spicy with some really sweet feelings. I loved their story and the band members were fun. Amy Booker did a phenomenal job: likable characters, believable story, and a love that looks very promising!!.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Mayhem is an outstandingly mesmerizing novel with deeply complex characters and a beautiful love story. Brad and Tess are each dynamic and powerful personalities with rich emotions that they convey to themselves and with others. Charlie is just the cutest and smartest 8 year old, and her character is absolutely brilliantly written. The plot is engaging, the writing style is easy to read, and the supporting characters are boldly crafted. I loved every moment of this story from the first word to the last. I’ll definitely be reading more Amy Booker novels in the future!
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Brad & Tess The glimpses of Brad in previous books have not painted him in the best light, hence Tess being brought in to sort the bands' PR. Charlie is a great addition to the book & their relationship especially. Very aware for a nearly 9 year old but with famous parents & stepdad that is to be expected. There was quite a lot of series setting in the first 25% but then I found the once picked up. I'd say it fairly low on the spice scale but packed full of emotion. A great start to a new series.
Amy Booker is a queen of rock band romance and her new series featuring the band Chaos Fuel is another example of her brilliant writing. A roller coaster ride of emotion, tension, chemistry, steam, sass, drama and humour. Brad and Tess, and adorable matchmaker Charlie are characters that all came alive and leapt from the pages. They’re realistic, relatable and captivating. Brad and Tess experience numerous challenges, both personal and professional, working through them together to get their heartwarming HEA.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Cat’s Stats MMC/FMC- Brad and Tess Genre- Rockstar Romance Length- about 241 pages Heat- slowish burn to 🌋🌋🌋🌋 Series? Y Safety? Y Triggers- explicit erotic content, language Tropes- Adorable Moppet, The Parent Trap, Reformed Man Ho-Ho-Ho, This Time Is Different, Workplace Romance Mewsings This was an entertaining story. We first met Brad in BARELY (Near Miss #3), and it’s nice to see that he has stepped up for his daughter.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I loved every bit of this read, even the crazy drama. This is the first in the Chaos Fuel rock star series features band members of the band. Such an incredible read! I love the characters! This one is about Brad and Tess. The band needs to get their act together, grow up and clean their image up. That is why Tess is hired as the PR person. The band is reluctant to have her around but she quickly shows that she is more than a PR person. Then you have Charlie, Brad's daughter, to help bring some life back into the group and her dad. I love this story and can't wait for more.
Mayhem is the first book in the Chaos Fuel series and gives us the story of Brad and Tess. It has instant attraction, laughter, drama and spice! Tess is hired to do the PR for Chaos Fuel and bad boy frontman Brad’s past decides to rear its ugly head. I do have to say that Brad’s daughter, Charlie steals the show quite often and I wouldn’t be sad if there was a next gen series written about the band kids! Another great book by Amy Booker!!
3.5 stars Pretty good rock star romance. Reformed quintessential rockstar playboy. His daughter has helped him grow up. And fame wears on him after all this time. She has had a life where she doesn’t seem to matter and is easily left behind. Drama from his former life. Ex’s with lies to tell to grab their 15 minutes of fame. The daughter, Charlie, is the smartest of the lot. The second book, Dakota’s, sounds promising.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
A really enjoyable read with such likeable characters. I really really loved Brad, he was almost perfect! Charlie was a fantastic addition to the story and I loved the bond her and Brad had. Tess was a sweetheart as well. I loved meeting all the band and I can’t wait to read their stories as they seem like a great crew. Overall another great read and the start of a fun new series.
Wow, just wow! Brad and Tess certainly have a rocky start to their relationship. All of his exes, and hers play a big part to this rocky start. Charlie is the brightest star in this whole story. I could just take her and hug her to pieces. She truly makes this whole book. This was pretty predictable but enjoyable just the same. Can’t wait to find out about Dakota.
This story is so well written, and it had my emotions all over the place as I connected with Brad and Tess. The sparks are definitely flying between these two as his daughter plays match maker between them. It is a great beginning to the series.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really enjoyed this romance between Tess and Brad. As well as the heroes the other characters in the book are well written which makes this romance keep your attention. It was wonderful to see Tess and Brad's relationship grow amidst the other chaos happening around them.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.