I’ve never felt more fucking alive than I do right now. Toby Jeffers never thought he’d see the day where his band, As Above, slowed down. With all the fame gained, the booze forever flowing, and the girls beyond willing, settling down was the last thing on Toby’s mind. But when someone makes their way through the crowd and threatens to put the bassist right in the same stilled boots as his bandmates and brothers, the only option is to lay low. Pretend that the outside world doesn’t exist. In a cabin. With the last person he’d ever expect falling into his bed. Can Toby find it in him to let go of the hardcore lifestyle in time to embrace the last thing he thought he’d ever have in this life?
The Fix is an angst-filled rockstar romance with found family vibes and a touch of enemies to lovers. This is the third installment of the As Above series and can be read as a standalone.
This was a very emotional read for me. The Fix covers addiction, alcoholism, recovery struggles, anxiety, mental health, and body image. These topics really hit home and know that you’re more than welcome to message me if you need any support.
Please read trigger warnings before reading.
WOW.
I was at a loss for words, I still kinda am. This book healed me in ways I didn’t know I needed. The way this book not only pulled, but quite literally dragged my heart into the mud then into the ocean. The chemistry and banter was next level, I didn’t know I had a thing for guitarist mmcs til Toby freaking Jeffers. And EVERYTIME HE SAID “Hey Mama” 😮💨🥵😮💨🥵
This was my first book by Rae and I was so impressed with how well written it was. The way the words made my arms coat with goosebumps or made my hands sweaty- literally chefs kiss. I felt like I was there experiencing everything firsthand.
The Fix is book 3 in the As Above series, but can be read as a stand alone. I will 1000% be reading the first two books of this series.
Ugh, I can't even. I never thought I'd find that simple saying so attractive.
ARC reader!
This was my first book by Rae Stone. I 100% will be reading the rest of this series at least.
I love love loved Toby. His character development was beautiful to read. Is he a dick? Is he a grade A gentlemen. Who knows. His battle with alcoholism was hard to read at some points. Feeling is anguish and pain, but yet so rewarding to see who he becomes.
Now Anna, I did not like her in the beginning. I was glad to get in her head a bit and see who she really was. That dirty mouth of hers, oooooh. The dirty talk between these do is 🥵🥵
A beautiful story, I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
Hey, Mama... um, excuse me while I pick my jaw up off the floor! I was honoured to receive this book as an ARC, and this was an incredible read.
Toby is an excellent and complex character who goes through the motions of addiction and all the good, the bad, and the ugly that comes along with it... while also being a bad ass rocker and smart ass.
Anna, the uptight PR manager who struggles with her own quirks and history, is also another beautifully complex character who in some ways I found super relateable which if you have read previous reviews is a good way to make me fall in love.
Not only are the two main characters great (the supporting characters are also wonderful), but the storytelling was phenomenal, and you literally could feel the emotional roller-coaster this book was. You could really feel yourself rooting for Toby and feeling all the feels with and for him!
Would definitely recommend this book, but please make sure you check trigger warnings as there could be some distressing content and your mental health matters 💙
This story had me in tears. There were times I wanted to shake Toby and be like wtf. I wanted to hold Anna and tell her it's OK. Overcoming so much from grief to addiction and learning to trust each other, this book had me in a chokehold.
It definitely deals with a very heavy subject matter and could be triggering for some, so please make sure you read the trigger warnings. As someone who has lost loved ones to addiction, it really pulled at my heart strings, but it also reminded me that there is always hope.
Rae Stone has outdone herself and I can't wait to see what else she has in store for AS ABOVE
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Rae is a new author to me, this is the first book by them I have read. It did not disappoint. I felt Tobys' story in my soul, and his battle with addiction was so well written. And I'm glad his story got told. They way Toby and Anna's relationship progressed was both sad and beautiful. Why does the phrase "Hey, Mama" do funny things to my insides?
I wholeheartedly recommend this book, I will definitely be picking up the moment and starting this series from the beginning. I will enjoy re reading this book when I get to it.
This book in no way can be described as less than fucking awesome by me! 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
The subject matter is super heavy and will put your emotions through the wringer for sure! Please check your triggers and take care of yourself as this book deals with addiction and alcoholism, anxiety, recovery struggles, body image, mental health, and emotional outbursts.
Toby is a rockstar in the biggest band in the world and has been considered the group’s fuck-up for years. His brothers (bandmates) are used to his wild ways and yet, don’t know what lies behind the drinks. Toby has been suffering more than they realize and it takes a toll that has him on the downward spiral to no return.
When an unexpected surprise comes along, Anna as the band’s PR rep, is stuck cleaning up his shit once again. Getting him out of the public eye long enough to ease the media is the last place she wants to be. Snowed in with the person she wants to hate but can’t seem to keep away from, she finds herself dealing with ghosts from her past and seeing a future she doesn’t want to have with Toby.
Things heat up (and not just the fireplace 😏) and both are falling hard and fast, the chemistry between them is undeniably matched, but neither can admit to themselves what they feel. Toby uses dirty talk and deflection to avoid his troubles but when he begins to open up about his past, it triggers Anna and the things she deals with, and from there I was pretty much a goner and cried the majority of the rest of the book. It’s heart wrenching and raw and just so much to unpack and I hurt along with them.
As Toby deals with his addiction and Anna prepares to cut all ties with him, there’s still a few twists for us to see, especially the end. It was beautiful and I just wanted to jump through the screen and hug and cry with them.
I loved seeing the rest of the band’s cameos here and there and Mac just had me cackling all the time. We get a good bit of Leo here and I’m intrigued for the next story!
Thank you so much Rae for the chance to ARC for you again!
‘Hey Mama’…. Hot damn, never thought those two words in succession would do things to my insides, but here we are… let me just put myself back together. Tobias Jeffers, Bassist for As Above, ladies’ man, a man who resigned himself to a lonely life of a rockstar. After an eventful meet and greet event land Toby is hot water, they whisk him away for some isolation however PR extraordinaire Anna wasn’t expecting to have to go with him.
Ultimately, she is not expecting to leave with feelings, feelings which come with consequences.
The addiction, the sheer rawness that comes with the journey of recovery the passion I ate it up like a greasy burger, I couldn’t get enough, so much so that words that I write cannot do it justice, I thought book 2 was my favourite but move over Fin there’s a new man in my life In the shape of Toby Jeffers.
I am a sucker for angsty romance stories and Rae certainly delivered, from when you meet Toby in the previous books you already know he has struggles but getting down to the nitty gritty you discover another side to him, I did end up in tears at by the end of it and would love to relive it all over again!
I would highly recommend that you give this entire series a read and lap it up as I did! For fans of Rockstar Romances, Found Family, Angst That Feels so Good, Addiction, One Bed, One Dirty Talking MMC and A Whole lotta spice.
This is the third book in the “As Above” series and it is the best yet! Toby has been a little bit of a mystery in the first two books, but he becomes easy to love in book three. I liked that this book showed less of the side characters and really focused on Toby and Anna’s stories. This also makes sense for this book as Toby has to go through some things alone to be able to move forward in his life. I could’ve used a little more detail on a few things, like Toby and Anna’s family dynamics and how/why Anna developed some of her habits; but that is mostly a personal preference. Overall, this was a very well told story that dealt with the hard topic of addiction and how it impacts every person in the addict’s life. It is really fun to watch a writer grow through each book they release, and Rae’s writing keeps getting better with each book. Thank you to Rae and Flying Pig PR for the advanced copy of this book.
The Fix is the third book in the As Above series and these just keep getting better and better. Enemies to lovers, rockstar, forced proximity, good girl FMC 🤌🏼 Such a beautifully written emotional rollercoaster. Toby has one hell of a mouth on him 😮💨😮💨🥵 The angst and undeniable chemistry between him and Anna is absolutely perfect. This book touches on the topic of substance abuse and how it not only effect the person who suffers from the disease but those around them. This does have a HEA and the road to that HEA is a story you do not want to miss. I can’t wait for the next chapter in the As Above series….I am completely obsessed.
Beautiful story about love, addiction and healing.. (And there’s spice, don’t worry 😉) I’ve got opportunity as ARC reader and I’ll definitely read other books from As above. Toby’s story is amazing and his battle with addiction was so touching. I was rooting for you Big Guy all the way ❤️ Be sure to check tw before reading
He made it to the top, but at what cost? Toby's story is an emotional rollercoaster. His journey of recovery and finally finding the love he didn't know he was looking for (or even wanted) had me in tears.
This is my first time reading Rae Stone, and wow, this story touched my heart in levels I didn’t know it could.
Toby is a grumpy rockstar battling addiction whose story hit too close to home for me. I wanted to smother him with the love he deserves, and thankfully Anna was able to do that for me.
Enemies to lover Touch her and die vibes Dual POV The spice in this book is 👌🏼
First time reading a book from this author and I really enjoyed her writing style. She did a an amazing job talking and bringing to light the struggles of addiction.
I was given an ARC for this book, my first time reading anything from the author. I loved this book! It was so real, such a rollercoaster of emotions! I loved that this worked as a standalone read. Toby and Anna are amazingly written characters. Toby’s carefree, vs Anna’s uptight personalities made for some very funny banter back and forth. And when they started to fall for each other, oh my gosh. Sooo good! You just feel for the characters, when Toby is spiraling, the writing really does a great job making you relate to it and feel it. Without explicitly telling you how to feel about it.
I absolutely loved this book. I also love how all the books are standalones, each focusing on the different couples. Toby’s story had all the feels and I was emotional wreck by the end! I loved this book
Tropes: Enemies to lovers Forced proximity Opposites attract Addiction rep One bed Hard-earned HEA Rockstar
*received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
This book absolutely destroyed me. Please, please, be sure to read the content warnings before reading this tragically beautiful story, because it discusses extremely difficult topics. This is the first time I read a book by this author, but this book touched my soul in such a massive way, that I need to read the rest of the books in this series. This is book 3 in the set, and I absolutely need to read the rest of them.
trigger warning for alcoholism
The book is separated into three different portions, and I really enjoyed how it was set up. I feel like it gives the reader an honest look into how addiction really affects everyone - not only the person who is struggling but those around them. We start off seeing how someone slowly falls apart due to the addiction, it moves into someone trying to recover, and how everyone moves on once the - hopefully - recovery process continues in their everyday lives. Each time we started a new section, I took a deep breath, because I wasn’t ready for what was to come. The author’s writing style was absolutely amazing! The way her words were flowing across the pages had me truly captivated from the beginning. I couldn't put the book down!
I’m not going to lie, at first, I despised Toby. He was everything I hated in a man, in a person honestly, but the more I learned about what was going on, and realized that we were about to read HIS journey, I found myself growing the largest soft spot for him. His journey through his addiction to alcohol truly hit home for me, in a way that I wasn’t expecting. Again, the author did an amazing job - I cannot say that enough - because she didn’t just brush over his issues and gloss over his addiction/recovery, but brought us along for the journey. I adored that will all my heart, despite all of the tears it brought out of me. My father, who is thankfully sober now, struggled with similar issues, so seeing this through what I imagine was a similar thought process had my heart breaking as I read along. I grew extremely attached to his character and was so proud of him by the end of the book.
Ana had me crying. I felt so much for this woman and was cheering her on from the sidelines. She went through so many things, but she was strong and was able to push through everything! She had her own struggles, and while I wish that we got more of a look into that to see how she was able to overcome them, I see why everything was more focused on Toby. The support that she had for Toby was amazing, but I loved how she stood up for herself and learned to put herself first. I ESPECIALLY loved how she didn’t get back together with him immediately. Once they got together again, it was well deserved because the work was put in.
Hey mama. Oh. My. God. I was melting. I was a puddle. I was blushing. I’ve never read a book with this nickname and I absolutely loved this with all of my heart. When Toby first called her this in the book, my jaw DROPPED. The smut was SMUTTING. I found myself excited each time Tobby kept pushing her boundaries, respectfully of course, and took care of her. The way he was teaching her ways to relax and was slowly falling for her at the same time was amazing. The relationship wasn’t the biggest thing for me, but I truly loved them separately and together.
As you can tell, I am obsessed with this book. It is easily going to be one of my favorite books of the year. It was heartbreaking, beautiful, and so impactful. Please check it out!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I will be honest I didn’t think I would like The Fix by Rae Stone as much as I did.
The first few chapters really read like your typical bad boy meets good girl tropes and I didn't think the book would get REALLY deep into topics such as addiction (alcoholism specifically), anxiety, rehab and recovery struggles as well as mental health.
And when it did, it really did throw me for a loop, not that I didn't enjoy it. I welcome the depth and nuance the book gave.
The book made me feel so deeply and care so much for the characters that I was praying for the author to give the main characters their happy ending.
JUST LET THEM BE TOGETHER DAMN IT.
I was initially worried about Toby’s drinking habit because it was definitely not normal amounts and I am so glad and happy that the author chose the rehab alternative as opposed to the usual love will conquer all (including addictions) trope because if they had, I would've lost all interest in the book.
Another aspect that I enjoyed from reading this book was how the main characters showed the depth and nuance of their character. It made them read like they could be real people and not fictional characters in a romance novel.
I honestly don't know what else to say except I really enjoyed reading this book, it made me cry okay when never in my wildest dream I thought I would cry over what I initially thought was a bad boy good girl romance novel.
I mean the author even made me like the nickname Toby gave Anna. I won’t even say the nickname here because I thought it was too cringe but the author endeared me to the damn nickname. How the author made me come around to that nickname is beyond me.
Overall, love this book! Will buy the rest of the series ASAP!
Tropes: ~Rock band ~Found family ~“Hey Mama” ~Wild MMC/Organized FMC ~Previous character cameos
Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🌶️🌶️🌶️
The fix by Rae Stone is the book for those of you looking for a realistic storyline and romance scenes. Not too heavy on spice only & not only story.
The Fix is book 3 in the ‘As Above’ series and just as good as the first two. I do think that Toby may be my favorite as far as character development goes. BUT! We haven’t heard Mac’s story yet.. So we shall see.
I will warn thee, this book has some pretty heavy topics covered. But they are very realistic and you probably know someone who struggles like our MC’s do; if not yourself.
But if you are a TW as a grocery list type, then this book is no worries.
So, who is Tobias? I mean… the band would say their bassist is constantly f****ing things up. Toby never imagined their found family would rise to the levels of fame that they have. He has his brothers, the fame, booze, the party favors and the more than willing women.. And now there is no way he is slowing down.
Or so he thinks…
Anna, the only connection the band has left from when they dumped their label. Anna is the publicity manager for these fine men and she has her work cut out for her. No one could prepare her for Tobias.
All in all if you love a good power dynamic, forced proximity, enemies to lovers, good plot and of course spice… What are you waiting for?
I dove into "The Fix" expecting a gritty rockstar romance, and it totally delivered. Toby Jeffers is such a flawed yet relatable character—his struggles with addiction and trying to escape his wild lifestyle felt genuine and heartfelt. Watching him navigate the challenges of laying low and confronting his past was both intense and rewarding. And then there's Anna, who starts off rough around the edges but grows on you as the story progresses. Their chemistry? Absolutely sizzling and kept me hooked.
That said, there were moments where the heaviness of the themes made it a tough read, and some parts felt a bit dragged out. But overall, Rae Stone did a fantastic job of blending angst with moments of tenderness and humor. If you enjoy stories about personal growth, second chances, and the messy path to finding oneself, "The Fix" is definitely worth a read. Just be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster!
i was taken by surprise. extremely. i adored every part of this book. the emotions. the angst. the love. the banter. the hurt. the healing. the nicknames. the story was beautifully written. definitely check the trigger warnings before reading. this book talks about some heavy topics that may be hard for some people.
i adored the MMC. toby was struggling with alcohol for so long but all he needed to stop was one person. she is the reason he stopped. she is the reason he tried as hard as he ever had before. when u read this book, u feel like you’re walking with him through his journey & through his addiction. when he called her every night, trying to get her to stay… i sobbed. i couldn’t help it. it was such a raw & emotional moment. i’m so glad i read this book. i hope if u read it, that u enjoy it as much as i did bc it was a beautiful story
The journey of emotions this book took me on was intense! As someone who’s been touched by addiction in people they love this hit hard in many ways and I found myself crying more than once. But there was enough laughing and good natured eye rolling to still make it a good experience. This was a relatively quick read and I was engaged from the get go. I read it as a standalone but am now looking forward to going back to read the others in the series when I can.
Rae Stone's The Fix is the third book in the As Above series. Toby and Anna are the main characters, and they're written with such depth. He's a rockstar with an addiction and she's the public relations manager for his band with her own peculiar habits. The author gives this story a 'real life' feel with her descriptions of emotions and actions with which Toby and Anna have to navigate. While this book deals with some heavy heartfelt sadness, it also includes some lighter moments along the way. There's a cooking scene with a questionable secret ingredient and phone conversations with Toby's bandmate Mac. The spice and dirty talk weren't left out either and are on point!! This book does have a HEA, but it doesn't come easily. If you're sensitive to certain material, please check the warnings ahead of time. I was happy to have received the ARC.
This book hit me like a sucker punch to the gut. Driving down the road and randomly think about what’s going to happen next and get anxiety 😥 knowing it’s going to rip my heart out. I had to finish it in one day. A book involving addiction that will make you addicted to the page - artfully done. Loved every minute of Toby and Anna all the highs and the lows to the HEA
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This book was amazing! It also absolutely broke me. I’ve loved all of the As Above books but this one had a hold on me. It’s so raw and real. The struggle with addiction from Toby’s POV is so saddening.
It was interesting to see Anna’s POV as well. Her strength was captivating. I also connected with her and her routines and slight OCD.
Overall the story was extremely emotional but also witty and banter filled. I loved it so much.
Arc review Firstly I would love to thank Rae Stone for giving me the opportunity to read this amazing piece. Everytime Toby will talk to Anna and say “hey mama” I melted everytime he would call her that nickname, blushing and kicking my feet every single time like the whole story was perfect. If you’re looking for a rockstar read then this book is for you. I highly recommend others to read it!
***Thank you so much for the chance to read this ARC copy***
An easy read, but the trade-off is an oversimplified FMC. The book spends so much time developing the MMC that Anna's own backstory gets only a few cursory mentions. I will say, though, the steamy scenes are toe-curling good and hotter than hot!