Tied in Leather

Up in Lights

by C.L. Menegon

Tied in Leather is a thrilling dark romantic suspense and a complete standalone.

CAMERYN

I was ten when my world was engulfed in flames, the memories in my bones sizzling to dust.
A broken girl left cradling the smoldering embers of her blackened heart.
I walked through life like a tortured ghost, just another shadow drifting in the darkness.
It was no different when my car rolled through the looming iron gates of Shadow Heads School of Performing Arts.
I covered my wounds, but Tyler Pierce saw the shredded flesh that flayed beneath the leather.
He pulled me out of the roaring inferno of my past.
Each hit of his drums matched the steady pulse of my bass.
I should have known evil before it unveiled its fierce, malevolent eyes.
When he was done with me, he relit the match, set me on fire, and watched me burn alive.

TYLER

I almost killed her.
Cameryn Ellis.
She stood in the middle of that dark, murky road, soaked in the blood of her past.
I saw the pain lurking in her veins, and she felt mine splintering the surface.
We were decaying bones trying to crawl out from the graves of our hidden torment.
We needed each other, whether we liked it or not.
Our haunted souls simply wouldn’t survive on their own.
But I had a secret, and the shrapnel of my past left me suffocating beneath the searing cinders of one buried truth.

The music never lies.

Genres: Dark Romance, Dark, Second Chance Romance, M F Romance, Thriller, Spicy Romance, Second Chance

500 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 19, 2023

About the author

C.L. Menegon writes chilling romantic thrillers and gritty suspense. Her stories harbor a plethora of cut-throat emotions, each weaving you through a web of twists and turns, tragedy and angst, with a sprinkling of hope. Her writing has been described as raw, darkly disturbing, and beautifully poetic, encompassing vivid imagery and thrilling intensity.

C.L. lives in Australia.

@clmenegonwriter
clmenegonauthor.com

Reviews

[Ajla Obic]

This book is criminally underrated! The gripping prologue had me hooked from page 1. This was such a captivating story full of twists & turns, darkness, trauma, hurt, pain, heartbreak, grit & anger. The horrifying & cruel events that both Cameryn & Tyler go through are written in such a raw, powerful way. The writing is so lyrical & poetic, which pairs perfectly with the overall rockstar aesthetic of the story. I loved the found family trope in the second half of the book🖤

Despite every horrific thing that Cameryn has been through, she is still a badass. She’s brave, strong, confident, & force to the reckoned with. Tyler is cold & aloof at first, but through his interactions with Cam we see his flirty, kind, caring, protective, charming, & cocky side.

The immediate tension between Tyler & Cam was intense & had me kicking my feet. The pull between them was undeniable, as was their chemistry. The angst was suffocating! I loved the way they healed one another, were vulnerable with each other, accepted one another’s flaws, & were each others light in the darkness. Such a gritty, strong, dark story that I highly recommend🧡

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞: second chance romance, found family, dark romantic suspense, trauma/healing, boarding school, forced proximity, time jumps, rockstar romance

[Melissa Melfessity]

Tied In Leather is the best dark romance of the year!! (for me) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

GUYS GUYS GUYS.
This book.!! THIS BOOK!!🎸🤯❤️‍🔥🖤🌶️🤘🏻😩
Tied in Leather was such a rollercoaster of emotions and events and I loved every second of it. So much adrenaline, terror, trauma, sadness, ROCK&ROLL, love, fear, more love, tension, plot twists, paiinnnnn, friendships, survival and moree love !! ❤️‍🔥

The author did a fantastic job of taking us through on-page horrible events to being strong and healing and growing up and living. There were so many instances were I stopped and said.. this is real dude. Ive felt this way myself. I became one with the characters and their journey. I felt everything they felt. It's a world I wish I could stay in with them, because god damn that ending!!! PHENOMENAL!!!

The writing- blew me away. Pacing? No complaints at all.Plot? 10/10 Im ruined forever. Tyler?! WHERE ON PRIME CAN I GET ONE OF HIM?! Cameryn? MF BADDIEEE. We love STRONG WOMEN. Friendships? All kinds.! Suspense? Yes. Adrenaline? Yes. Tension/heat/🌶️/? Yep yep yep. Heart melting one liners? YES. Music music music rockstar vibes all the way? YES. (Also the playlist for this book another 5/5⭐️)

TRIGGERS? YES. PLEASE ADVISE NOTHING IN THIS BOOK WAS AN EASY PILL TO SWALLOW. PLEASE READ THE CONTENT WARNINGs PAGE AND TAKE IT SERIOUSLY. Your mental health comes first 🥹

"You're too f*king beautiful to want to die" (SOBBING MY EYES OUT FOREVER)😭😭😭

Tied in Leather is book 2 in the "Up in Lights" series. The book drops on Kindle Unlimited and Amazon on March 19th.. MEANING YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO BINGE BOOK 1 "Because You Said".

Best book Ive read in a while tbh is🤘🏻

[Cheyenne]

4.5 stars!! So so so good!!!

[Kelsey]

"Whether or not she likes it, I can read her like a book and, fuck, if she's not a book I want to study hard.
I want to work through each bleeding page, memorize every painful word while picking out each thorn. I will ensure there is only room for flowers to bloom."

I was lucky to receive an ARC copy of C.L. Menegon's newest musician standalone book, Tied In Leather (book two in the Up In Lights Series).

Tied In Leather is the first book by C.L. Menegon that I have read, and I was amazed by her writing. It is so emotional, raw and gritty that you can tell the author has poured her heart and soul into this heartbreakingly beautiful story.

While this book is dark and contains very triggering heavy situations, I devoured it in a day and could not put it down. The author has a way of pulling you into the story and captivating you while taking you on a hell of an emotional ride right alongside Cameryn and Tyler.

Many times, my heart completely broke for Cameryn, but I am in complete awe of how strong she is after everything she's endured. Like Cameryn, Tyler had his demons to overcome. From the moment Tyler saw Cameryn, he could see the tortured look in her eyes and knew he would do anything to protect her

Thank you so much to C.L. Menegon and @peachykeenas for the ARC 🧡

⚠️ * Please check the trigger warnings before reading! * ⚠️

[jordan]

this story right here, Ty and Cam’s story, really breaks your heart but also puts to back together. and CL writing is lyrically beautiful and deeply haunting at the same time. truly amazing!!

[dinithi]

“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐡𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐦 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐬 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐭. 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐢𝐭. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐢𝐭.”
↡
𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ★★★★.5
↡
happy ty & cameryn day! i can’t believe their story officially out in the world. it’s so gritty, raw, dark, and emotional, and they deserve all the love! 🖤🔥✨

- rockstar romance
- second chance love
- boarding school
- romantic suspense
- ⚠️ [major TWs]

when cameryn ellis survives the worst night of her life, she seeks to disappear—run from everyone who has ever hurt her. and shadow heads performing arts academy is the one place she can turn to. she expected to lose herself to her music, flunk her classes, and bury her demons under drugs and alcohol, she never expected to cross paths with the eventual love of her life, ty pierce. they’re drawn to each other, their souls beating to a melody of their own making, and their fierce connection is undeniable. but they both have dark secrets, skeletons in the closet that would wrench them apart for vengeance. and when they do get ripped apart, their harmony cleaved in two, will they ever find their way back to the light, together? or will they be doomed to the darkness forever?

this book was so much more than i ever expected. it was dark and gritty in the best way possible. it’s a book written about survivors, and as such, it’s as if C took a knife to her heart and bled out onto the page, exposing every ugly truth, dark secret, and raw emotion that befell ty and cam. their story is not a pretty one—it’s difficult to swallow down, and leaves more battle scars than not—but it’s the kind of story that sticks with you. their story is riveting from start to finish, with twists and turns that you’ll never see coming. it’s a tragic score rife with harmony and dissonance, but it’s about love, about music, about surviving, and it is a must-read! ❤️‍🔥

.

.

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⚠️: sexual assault, suicidal ideation, murder, substance abuse, death of a loved one, emotional trauma, blackmail, explicit violence, and more.

[Anshul (stories.buddy)]

The prologue gave me chills and the story confirmed the feelings too. It was not an easy ride for Cameryn and Tyler but the journey was full of learning, healing, coping, and finding their own persons. It’s a dual pov story that goes back and forth from past to present and explains every hurt in detail and creates a curiosity to see what happens next and how they are going to deal with it.

The author has summarised the story beautifully with a lot of inspiring and hot quotes. Do read triggers before starting the book and fall in love with Tyler as we move forward in the story. They both have their own set of demons and coping mechanisms of it but meeting each other or say bumping into each other, changed a lot of things for them and their heart.

When life throws you the lemons, you don’t sulk and die but you just be brave and make yourself a lemonade and then sit back and enjoy how life works. You cannot avoid fates, and looking at things happen where they are meant to be, is just super amazing and enjoyable. The chemistry is intense and the plot progression is very interesting too.

There is so much support system in place for both of them which helps them heal and the back and forth with each other hurts a lot but in the long run, it was all meant to be. It’s a fast-paced story with friends that are more than family. They are the best way to enjoy oneself and they are there when your own blood betrays. If you want to read something fast with a solid plot, hearty emotions, and situations then go forward and fix things.

The beautiful thing about the title is that it’s very rightfully curated and sums up the book on point. It’s a reflection of everything happening in it. Amazing title.

[Whispering Chapters]

“If she thinks I’m going to sit back and do nothing, she’s got another thing coming. I’m just biding my time until I can pour this shit in gasoline, light the match and burn down everything that’s keeping us apart.”

IF YOU LIKE:
🖤 Dark Romance
🤘🏽 Rockstar
💔 Angsty
🥰 Found Family
🥺 Second Chance
🎸 Bass Playing Heroine
🥁 Drummer

C.L. Menegon's writing always consumes me; it's so raw, gritty, and powerful. This story is filled with so much grit and hurt and trauma, while also adding beauty through the ashes. And these members of the band have gotten deeper in my soul and have made residence there. The found family aspect is so fucking beautiful, it makes me tear up just thinking about it.

“I’m not a victim; I’m a fighter.”

Tyler and Cameryn's story is absolutely brutal, but so worth the read. The things Cameryn goes through… That girl is tough as nails to survive it all. And Tyler, he had my heart from the get go, and the way is 100% in for Cameryn, always there to lift her up and guide her and love her.

“I will not let you fight this on your own. Your skeletons are mine. Let me take them.”

Being back with Harmony, Asher, and both their bands was fantastic! The whole group felt like one big family I so desperately want to be a part of. I truly cannot recommend this series enough!

“Music brought us all together. We owe it all to the fucking rhythm.”

[Diana]

We have broken people who are looking for a safe place, this is the place they found in each other.

I feel so sorry for Cameryn, and I want to hug her to give her the love that was taken away from her. My girl…
I'm glad that Tyler met on her way and she was able to feel safe with him, despite the fact that they had to go a long and difficult way.

Tyler is broken, and the fear for his loved ones has always been with him.

As in the first book, the end of the second book amazed me! Such plot twists always add intrigue!
That's why I liked both books!
There are different events, bad and good, but at the end there is a bomb, because of which I open my mouth and can't believe what is happening! Damn. I read the book without a second thought and without any suspicion, because I'm not trying to find something like this, but they give it to us! And I like it!

Cameryn and Tyler, all you had to do was talk, not hold a grudge for a few years! This problem is always with everyone, conversation is important in a relationship. I hope everyone will learn from these mistakes! Communication! And once again communication, building a dialogue with your partner! That's what's important in a relationship.
This proves once again that you should always listen to your partner. Otherwise, you will regret the lost time.
.
.
Baby, thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book before it comes out. I congratulate you, I am so glad that you are moving on!

[Kat Polcher]

“He’s just become my oxygen force, and I, his. He’s going to be the reason I stay here. He’s the reason why I’m still alive.”

“He has demons, too. And ours are about to find solace together.”

The chokehold this book had on me is tighter than Tyler’s grip on Cam’s neck.

This rockstar romance read follows two people battling their demons but still drawn to each other in the meantime, but neither willing to give in…at first 😏 This story is filled with dark ideations, thrilling scenarios, and amazingly graphic storytelling and is absolutely brilliant in every way. Please check trigger warnings before starting because this shit is DARK. But I’m telling you, it’s worth every single moment. The way C.L. Menegon tells this story is unlike anything I have ever read before and I am obsessed with this story. I can’t wait to hopefully see more of these characters because I NEED TOO KNOW more about about Chase and Harlan and Blaine!

This was the easiest 5 star I’ve ever given and is easily in the top two of favorite books of all time. Run, friends. Don’t wait on this one. It’s thrilling, sexy, dark and oh so fun. Even my thriller lovers will enjoy the twists in it!! When you read it, tell me so we can discuss!!

[Life on Readpeat]

𝗧𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 is book two in the 𝗨𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 from C.L. Menegon and 𝗗𝗔𝗠𝗡 this story 𝗦𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗗 my 𝗙*𝗖𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 soul—and it's taken me some time to recover after an epic 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗥.

Cameryn and Tyler's story set my heart 𝗔𝗙𝗟𝗔𝗠𝗘 and left me utterly 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗛𝗟𝗘𝗦𝗦 as I 𝗜𝗡𝗛𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗗 every 𝗗𝗔𝗥𝗞 and 𝗚𝗥𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗬 moment. I'm 𝗢𝗕𝗦𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗘𝗗 with these two so 𝗙*𝗖𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 much and I was wholeheartedly 𝗜𝗡𝗩𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗗 in every bittersweet second of their 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗗 journey from start to finish. I loved how their story took us back to the beginning—when they were in college—and we get to see how 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗦𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗬 𝗛𝗢𝗧 their chemistry was and how one 𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗟𝗘 misunderstanding tore them apart for several years. However, the moment they see their 𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗘 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘—old feelings resurfaced and it's as if no time has passed—if only Cameryn is willing to let Tyler back into her heart...

C.L. Menegon takes her readers on an 𝗘𝗠𝗢𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬 𝗚𝗨𝗧-𝗪𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 journey packed full of 𝗥𝗔𝗪 and 𝗦𝗣𝗜𝗖𝗬 moments that will captivate your 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗧 and 𝗦𝗢𝗨𝗟! I don't want to spoil anything but I will say—get ready for a story full of 𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗣𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗘𝗦 that will leave you guessing every 𝗙*𝗖𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 step of the way!

[ciin_leest]

This was such a amazing story to read! It has it all. A great love story, friendships, music, but also trauma, hurt and so much pain. So much emotions running everywhere. It was a wild rollercoaster but worth every second! C. L. Menegon has a writingstyle that has you hooked from the first page untill the book is done. 

It was so nice to get the backstory of Tyler, didn't know I needed it this much untill I read this. And it's easy to connect with both Cameryn and Tyler because of the dual POV in the book. It was nice to get a look inside their minds. The chemistry between Tyler and Cameryn was so deep and raw out there, it's amazing how the author put that on page. And some of the twists almost made me throw my ereader away. This book is really one of the best books I read this year! 

Thank you so much C. L. Menegon for the Arc to read.

Please read the TW before reading!

[shane.]

“𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐬. 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒚."

Just like book one in this series, this consumed me. I literally had to push my self to finish this book because I didn’t want it to end. It’s that good.

Tyler and Cameryn’s story had me in an emotional roller coaster. So much trauma and pain, but there was also a lot of love. A story of two broken people who found solace in each other.

C.L.’s writing was beautiful, raw, and heart wrenching. The plot? Amazing. I loved the twists and suspense.
I can not wait to read more from this author and do highly recommend reading this series.

*ARC for honest review.

[Bekah Jaymes]

5🌟4🔥

Ok, so let me preface this review with that fact that I didn’t know this was book 2 in the series. I received this ARC and it has put me in a slump for MONTHS.

Cameryn, a teenage girl with a mother who manipulates and uses her emotions to her advantage, and a father who doted on her who is dead. Summoned home when her mum tells her she has a terminal illness, Cameryn’s life changes forever. But not because of the reason you may think. Lies have been told and darkness engulfs her in a savage way at the start of this book.


As truths emerge, Cameryn heads off to music school to follow in the footsteps of her Father. A killer bass guitar player, she meets Tyler. A guy with his own baggage and a manipulator to match. Feelings start to grow and Cameryn finds her place in a group of friends – except for the local psychopath.

This story is full of twists and turns that you really don’t expect, but the story does come full circle. The writing was phenomenal. I had chills reading it. The way the author writes like it’s the last things she will ever do, bringing the music to life as well as the characters is just *chef’s kiss*


Now I'm out of the slump I'm actually going to read the book I missed to start with!

Quotes ;

I was ten when I lost my father – ten years old when my rosey insides burned to black charcoal.

My Mother is gone. She’s not coming back. She’s found a home in the darkness, and that’s exactly where she's always belonged.

I’m an injured soul of my past. I have the scars and bruises to prove it, and once he realizes that I'm a broken corpse he can’t fix, he will wish he never found a home in the cinders of my ashes.

I lose myself amid the melody, and with each drift over the notes, my skeletons crawl out of the deep graves, exposing every mutilated bone to his lustful eyes.

[Joy Avery Lovesbooks]

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ Spice: 🌶🌶🌶

Angst: 💔💔💔💔

Cliffhanger? ❌️

Do I recommend it? ✅️

Tropes: dark romantic suspense, second chance, rockstar, Performing Arts school

Cameryn Ellis was ten years old when her world was lit into flames. She went on through life like a ghost in darkness. She was still that girl when she rolled through the gates of Shadow Hands School of Performing Arts. She tried to cover her wounds, but Tyler Pierce saw through the leather to the wounds beneath. He was able to pull her from the fire of her past. Each hit of his drums matched the pulse of her bass. She should have seen the evil within before he relit the flame and watched her burn alive. He had seen her pain just as she had felt his. Whether they like it or not, they needed each other. Their haunted souls wouldn't survive on their own. But Tyler had secrets, and his past felt suffocating beneath the truth. The music never lied, though.

Why have I not known about this author before this book? It didn't take long for their story to turn into a serious addiction. I truly didn't want it to end. It was raw, gritty, and emotionally gripping. My heart and soul felt mangled until the author put it back together. It was one hell of an emotional rollercoaster ride. It was pain and surviving that pain. Most of all, it was beautiful in its reality. There are triggers, so please educate yourself. Prepare to add to your 2023 favorites list. This is my honest opinion, freely given.

[Demi]

𝐄𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞. 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐬…𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐞.

Up in Lights Book Two,
(ʙᴜᴛ ᴄᴀɴ ʙᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴀꜱ ᴀ ꜱᴛᴀɴᴅᴀʟᴏɴᴇ).

What to expect:
❤️‍🔥Rockstars
❤️‍🔥Performing arts school
❤️‍🔥Second chance
❤️‍🔥Thrilling dark romance
❤️‍🔥Overcoming trauma
❤️‍🔥Dual POV

What do I say, where do I start?

Ty & Cam go through their own shit and have their own haunted secrets..so when they cross paths at the same performing arts school they can’t help but be drawn to each others beats.

“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞, 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫?”

This is raw, gritty and so frigging real. The way C has written this is so eye opening to the different ways people deal with trauma. It’s a tough ride but one I didn’t want to get off of.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬. 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐨𝐛𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬. 𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭.

I’m just attached to this world so much. The old characters with the new we are learning along the way. The world is so addictive.

Cameryn is just someone I really related to, not because of the trauma she went through but just how she dealt with what was thrown at her. & Ty is someone I’ve loved since because you said. Then bringing these two together. Their story is brutal, hard and an explosive inferno. 🔥

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥 𝐟𝐚𝐭𝐞…. 🧡

There are so many scenes that took my breathe away & were so powerful… it makes you FEEL. Its a ride you have to experience yourself.

𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 🎶

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★.25

[Debleena]

Ugh, miscommunication tropes really get in my nerves, especially when the person who's adamant enough to not hear from someone they love get easily forgiven for such transgression.
Cam was strong, no doubt there but her stubbornness got on my nerves when Tyler was nothing but an angel with all his supportive, encouraging and loving nature.

This book started with a banger but Cam's stubbornness and Cam and Tyler's treatment towards Blaine during the second half destroyed my mood. Blaine deserved way better than Tyler and Cam as her friends. Tyler literally ghosted the one girl who remained loyal and was his biggest cheerleader and Cam turned callous towards Cherry and her own friendship,the second she had to flee after the whole fiasco with Step Daddy dearest, and because I am a petty bitch I am gonna say that Blaine don't forgive these two meatheads and be a petty badass bitch, because girl you certainly deserve better.

[Jai Rahim]

4.5 stars
First time reading this author.
I enjoy rock star romances, and this one was no exception. There was a suspenseful twist to this story giving it an uncommon flair, that set it above the norm. I loved this broken, beautiful young couple. They were incendiary. Brought together both by the music, and the fractures in their battered souls. Tyler chalked it up to fate bringing them into each other’s orbit, then reuniting them five years later, giving them a second chance to right some wrongs and to recapture their incredible magic. I loved the sense of brotherhood, sisterhood and found family in this story. Also, that Blaine will re-appear in their lives in her own book, with Harlen, and I’m excited for it—but what I’m really hoping for, is to see Chase get his HEA 🤞. Also, I am reading this series out of sequence, so I’ll be reading book one after I’ve read book three.

[Sandy]

Mhhh I'm having mixed feelings for this one.. I really really wanted to read this because of the good reviews. I do love music and I also loved C.L.'s playlist for this book! However, sometimes I was a bit annoyed by the overuse of the word "little".. and the abuse of alcohol and drugs. I know this is a rockstar dark Romance but come on! I don't even know when the FMC and MMC were sober 🤷🏾‍♀️ what annoyed me the most, was the grande Finale, when they were about to get back together and Cam was just like "I hated him for five years and I will never forgive him" then he kisses her and asks her ONE question and she's like "awww dang, I guess we're good now".. like... What??? Five years of bottled up hatred and she just forgives him? Yeah.. sorry. I guess this just wasn't really the book for me.
3,5 ⭐

[Katie Wastlund]

This was my first time reading a book by this author .This is second in a series but can be read as a stand-alone .This is a dark romance with some trigger warnings .The author did an amazing job with this book .I fell in love with Cameron in this book.I devoured this book in one day .I can not wait to read more by this author .Thanks to the author and peachykeenas for an advanced copy.

[Jessica]

I had to really sit on this book because I felt so many things most of all heartbreak I FELT it through Cameryn (Leather), I really did. I felt the anger, the fear, the reluctancy to know if you deserved to be happy after all of it. But what struck me the most was how she never gave up. She was NEVER the victim. She never gave in. She continued to fight. Even when you (as the reader) wanted her to rest. She never did— a warrior at heart. Tyler fought for her tooth and nail, it brings tears to my eyes thinking about it. Then he turned her walls into rubble because he heard her silent screams. One of my favorite things about this couple is how Tyler didnt try to fix her. He only wanted to help her carry it. We all carry demons. They are little bloodsuckers picking at scabs we thought were scars. We tell ourselves we’re over something and then they pick at the scab and its bleeding all over again. Leather and Tyler helped each other to heal so only scars were left, reminders of a past you survived and ultimately left behind. I could wax poetic for a while on this book…clearly. But I won’t much more ….
Because You Said sent an arrow through my heart because I KNOW what Harmony went through. Though I have not experienced what Cameryn did it hit just as hard, my heart broke just as much. As opposite as it sounds my mind kept going to the song Sun to Me by Zach Bryan as I read this book. “Find someone who grows flowers in the darkest parts of you.” And as macabre as it sounds— kill the demons and grow flowers on the scars. Beauty can come from blood and ashes, it is how we are reborn.

[Mellie melliesbookshelf]

C.L. Menegon has done it again with her sophomore novel, Tied In Leather. I absolutely loved her first novel, Because You Said, and was anxious to sink my teeth into her latest effort! Revisiting the characters that I came to know and love in BYS was a real treat!

Tied In Leather really kicks things up a notch in more way than one. The darkness, the lust, thrills, just MORE. And the paperback is GORGEOUS!

C has a way of writing that just provides the reader with the most amazing visuals. I could picture the characters and locations so easily in my mind because of how she sets things up and the descriptions she offers!

Music has such an immense power to connect us, and Cameryn & Tyler are the perfect examples of this. Two tortured souls brought together by fate. Together, they can crush their demons. I think through Cameryn, C teaches us a valuable lesson about trauma. We can either let it consume us and live under the cloud of darkness it created, or we can use our trauma as fuel to drive us to create a life better than we could have ever dreamed. We get to witness Cam struggle between the two, but I love where she ends up. 🧡

This book is not for the faint of heart, so please check those content warnings if you have triggers.

Lastly, I will never look at a set of drumsticks the same. 👀

Thank you so much to @clmenegonauthor for the ARC!

[Taylor Bush]

5 stars - uh YEEAAAAAAAHHHH. buckle up kids, we’re going in.

this book was absolutely fucking insane. the description of this book doesn’t do it justice bc i had no clue what i was getting myself into. in a way it was almost better that way bc i was holding on each word, on every page, like it was my last breath. this is one of the DARKER romances i have read this year (which is saying a lot bc a bitch is dark) but it was done so tastefully that i couldn’t put it down. i had to figure out what was going to happen.

cameryn- hands down the strongest woman. she went through things so woman, no PERSON should ever have to go to. she let herself become the strong woman she is by allowing herself to be vulnerable. which is not an easy thing to do. she trusted in those around her and loved tyler fully. before she even realized it

tyler - honest to god just WOW. he is a breath of fresh air in a dirty and cloudy sky. he breaths fire for cameryn and would do anything for her. his vulnerability is everything bc you don’t always see it in male characters. he loves fully and the way he cares for cameryn but those around him is beautiful. he embraces it his vulnerabilities and allows cameryn to pull him out of the fire and light themselves aflame instead. they burn so beautifully together.

the relationships throughout this entire book are so warming, i couldn’t help but smile at the end. i felt so many damn emotions throughout the books. my heart was pumping, i had a cheesy smile on my face, and everything in between. buckle up bc this book is like no other. i wish i could erase my memory and read it for the first time again.

[Bonnie]

“You can’t control fate.”

5/5. This freaking sequel blew all my expectations out of the mosh pit—yes, I'm using music references. How can I not when I’ve just discovered a new favourite?! This dark romantic suspense novel was like a love letter to music. An emotional read mixed together with thrilling rockstar vibes and an intoxicating love story formed between the musical notes created by a pair of drumsticks and a bass guitar. Gut wrenching, painful, traumatic…purifying. Major props to C. L. Menegon because the writing style in this novel has improved tenfold from the writing in her debut. I was so immersed into the plot and felt connected to all the characters. It was like I was seeing them in a new light where they felt real. The found family dynamic and friendship between them all was *chef’s kiss*. The thing that surprised me the most: not being overly bothered by the usage of the miscommunication trope—one of my least favourite tropes. Don’t get me wrong, it was so frustrating and I felt like screaming at the characters to just talk most of the time but in this case I’ll let it slide because I can understand the why. If I were in Cameryn’s shoes, I wouldn’t have talked to Tyler either. But alas, her stubbornness and his persistence were almost the death of me. Almost. The only reason I didn’t rate this masterpiece a five stars is because the last portion was slightly rushed. Yes, this novel is already long enough but I still would’ve liked a little more angst, a little more talking and a lot more tension when they reconnected. To sum this up, Cameryn and Tyler have become my new obsession. These characters own my whole heart now and their story of trauma and healing is one I will remember for a lifetime. Now I’ll be here eagerly awaiting more form this author!! I hear Cherry is next…

READ IF YOU LIKE:
- Second Chance Romance
- Famous Rockstar
- Dark themes
- Past Trauma
- Romantic Suspense
- Lyrical Writing Style
- Aesthetically Pleasing

Trigger Warnings: sexual assault, r@pe, violence, graphic murder, suicide references, suicide ideation, near-death experiences, emotional trauma, depression, anxiety, PTSD, substance abuse, blackmail, mental abuse, manipulation, foul language, explicit sexual scenes.

[Michelle (Michellesbookshelf)]

Tied In Leather by C.L. Menegon

“You ready to step out of the shadows with me, Leather?”

Cam and Ty—the living beats to one another’s rhythm.

C, you’ve gone and done it again. Stolen my heart and soul in a consuming and passionate narrative of two fragmented and desperate souls, holding out for the sole melody to their tune.

Tied In Leather is book 2 in the interconnected standalone series “Up In Lights”. An electric rockstar romance, with multifaceted and intriguing characters, sets the rock n’ roll stage for a thrilling, raw, and melodically dark romance.

“Remind me that I’m alive.”

Told through the lens of Camryn and Tyler, we get a backstage pass to the deep and gritty realities that these two characters call life. The use of dual narrative highlights the unique trauma of both our main characters—and also made the romantic scenes all the spicier, if I do say so myself.

C, if I didn’t already believe in destiny, you’ve certainly made me a believer now. Cam and Ty are like gasoline to the embers. The chemistry that burns between these two, ignites through their passion of music. I found it truly fascinating to see the strength and resilience exhibited by both Cam and Ty. Their demons and skeletons are heavy, and I urge you to check the trigger warnings, but the journey they made to emerge from the ashes was incredible.

The realness and honesty in C’s writing gave me goosebumps. Her ability to communicate heavy topics of hurt and trauma, while adding elegance and grace to the flames is simply amazing.

Anyways—before this becomes a ramble let me simply say, the story was written with the skill of a seasoned writer. The facets of the individual characters were unique. I loved the connections that were made to book one (Because You Said), and the romantic suspense added so much to the already captivating plot. I recommend.

[Marcy Sorenson]

Tied in Leather by C.L. Menegon

🥁🎸🥁🎸🥁
5/5

❗️MAKE SURE TO CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS ❗️

This story is Cameryn and Tyler’s, and it’s a heavy one, but so beautiful all the same.

Cameryn has had some absolutely terrible things happened to her. Some of which was at the hands of her mother. When she was ten, she lost her father, and was left with a mother, who didn’t want to be a mom…

After another tragedy hits Cameryn, she leaves and enrolls in Shadow Heads Performing Arts program. Here she meets Tyler, who they’re studying too. There’s an instant connection between them when they play music.

Having faced the unimaginable multiple times, Cameryn is not quick to trust, she even self sabotages because she doesn’t feel worthy. Tyler has demons himself, and isn’t going to give up easily. After some “chasing” they end up together, and then they’re torn apart.

Five years later, they’re thrown together again through music. Cameryn swears she’ll never give him a chance again…. Until she notices he is carrying his demons too, and wonders if she was wrong…..

This story switches between a few time lines, but it’s done seamlessly in a way that really makes this story. C.L. Knows how to speak to my soul, and hold that hurt within me. If you’ve faced the unimaginable, know you’re not alone.

Includes
- dark romantic suspense
- Trauma bonding
- Who hurt you?
- Touch her and 💀
- Broken, but resilient fmc
- Damaged, but strong mmc
- Second chance
- Spicy
- Suspenseful
- Twists and turns
- HEA

[L]

‘𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐯𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐬. 𝐈𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞.’

From the very start, Cameryn and Tyler pulled me into their world and I didn’t want to leave. You know those stories that are just so raw, gritty and real that you feel EVERYTHING?! This book is one of them. I felt every characters mix of emotions. It makes you feel what each and every character is going through. CL is such a brilliant emotive story teller. You can feel the depth of love that she has for every single character and she showed each character such deep respect when sharing their stories.

‘𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐧𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐢𝐭. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 - 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐞.’

TIL is a brilliantly gripping story that will hook its claws into you. It pulls you into a chokehold and makes you feel the raw truth. TIL is definitely up there alongside my favourite dark romances. I always know when it’s a favourite because all I want to do is read it again and I need to go back into their world!

Cam is the definition of strength and Ty oozes compassion and is very selfless (and not to mention freaking hot 🥵 ). Does he have a brother?… if so… he’s mine 🙋🏼‍♀️

Thank you CL for wrapping your arms and your heart around such a sensitive topic and bringing it to light.

‘𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬. 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐨𝐛𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬. 𝐎𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭.’

[Mrs A]

Wow! Just wow. This was my first book by this author. The author’s note really set the scene for me in terms of what was coming! This has got to be one of my favourite reads this year. This is not an easy book to read, it is raw and emotional and gritty and you can tell the author’s poured her heart and soul into it.

I am still processing what I’ve just read and had to review whilst it was still fresh on my mind.

Cam and Ty are two souls who recognised the broken parts of each other and together they were made whole. Their story is gritty full of passion, secrets, betrayal, fame, growth and healing and most importantly, music!

There are some very sensitive topics discussed which the author does with care. Please be mindful of your triggers as this is not an easy read. however if you persevere with the book your heart mend itself.

I felt so many emotions being this book- I wanted to throw my kindle a few times too.

I loved all the side characters, I hope we get to read more about the rest of the the band/ best friends and siblings.

“ there’s beauty that lies within each of our fractures. Sometimes it’s obvious. Other times, you just have to hope someone will find it”

[Quinn]

CL never fails to amaze me. Her debut “Because You Said” was poetically beautiful in every way, but I could see such a big change in her writing of “Tied In Leather”.

Cameryn and Tyler’s story is painful but oh my gosh is it passionate. The connection between them was tangible and instantaneous and right off the bat, you could tell it was going to be a wild ride. Just like with Harmony and Asher, music is what tied them together and really allowed them to discover each other. Watching them grow and fall in love was so beautiful, which made it all the more painful when things went south.

Cameryn’s story hurt my heart and it seemed that she could never catch a break. For being so young, she’s experienced too much heart ache and pain and I wanted nothing more than for her to truly live and be happy. I was so happy Tyler felt the same. Their miscommunication frustrated me, but I knew all along that they would find their way back to each other. Their connection was too fierce and undeniable for it to just forgotten.

CL, you are incredible and I am beyond excited for whatever you have up your sleeve next🎵🧡❤️‍🔥

[Ms Cat's World]

Beautiful Fractures 💔 🎶🎸🥁🎹🎶

Cameryn 🎸 🎹, deemed "Leather" by Tyler 🥁, at Shadow Heads School of Performing Arts.

Masking 🎭 her vulnerability and pain losing herself to her nightmares. He quickly becomes her dark knight, who has his own deadly secrets he strategically keeps her away from.

Both losing themselves to the 🎶 🎵 they create together. Finding solace in each other's arms, then ripped apart. Years later, ending their demons, finding peace once and for all.

Lengthy raw, dark, and gritty rockstar romance where two broken 💔 souls are drawn to each other, healing the scars of their past. I feel for author's that write such raw reads; emotionally draining, yet satisfying. New to me author, I read every visceral detail. Enraptured, each page of pain drowning me further.

"I didn't realize you could hate someone so much, yet still crave them as hard as you hate them."

"There's beauty that lies with each of our fractures. Sometimes it's obvious. Other times, you just have to hope someone will find it."