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Rival

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Harper, lead singer of glam rock sensation The Rade, knows his face, his body, and his voice are beautiful -- so what if he secretly suspects he's an unlovable mess? He and his bandmates escaped a tortured existence in Fairyland years ago, and now they use their glamour and style to delight mortals instead of enthralling them. They love what they do, so when another band starts talking trash on their authenticity, Harper has to clap back.

Beck O'Leary, lead singer of hard rock outfit Fireborn, has three platinum albums and the perfect life, and he's miserable. His bandmates are a joke, his family is held together with emotional duct tape, and his writing is, for the first time in his life, uninspired. He starts trash talking The Rade out of a petty grudge, but then keeps doing it for the thrill he gets from Harper's livestreamed reactions. And hates himself for both.

When the two front men finally meet, they can’t deny their physical attraction. Sparks fly after a charity football game, but fan gossip takes a dark turn. Between Beck's disintegrating life and Harper's secret Fae existence, there's a lot to handle if they want to hang onto the magic they've found in each other. Or maybe two lead singers in one relationship is just too much?

251 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 12, 2024

3 people are currently reading
31 people want to read

About the author

Katey Hawthorne

61 books153 followers
Hi! I'm Katey. I write superpowered and fantasy romance of an LGBTQIA bent. I live at Superpowered Love -- kateyhawthorne.com.

I know, I know, it looks like I don't read anything here at GoodReads. But I do, I swear. My reviews and stuff are all over at my other GoodReads thingie, KV Taylor. Relevant shelves to Katey Hawthorne stuff:

Romance
LGBTQ
and
Comics, Graphic Novels, and Trade Paperbacks

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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
Profile Image for Joyfully Jay.
9,097 reviews520 followers
October 17, 2024
A Joyfully Jay review.

3.75 stars


Rival is the first book in the new The Rade series by Katey Hawthorne, featuring the members of the fae rock band. Things start out with an enemies-to-lovers vibe, as Harper and Beck are already in the midst of this online feud. It isn’t really intense hatred or anything, mostly it’s good natured ribbing with an undercurrent of irritation at the other man judging their band unfairly. But it sets Beck and Harper up to be poking at one another, at the same time that they are finding the other totally hot. For Beck, it is kind of a surprise, as he hasn’t been into guys before, but he doesn’t worry much about it. This story took a little time to settle for me at the start, before we really get to know these guys past their online feud. But I ended up really enjoying their dynamic, as despite an outward confidence, both Harper and Beck have some insecurities that are soothed as they realize how much the other truly likes them.

Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.

Profile Image for MaeBae.
110 reviews2 followers
November 5, 2025
Thanks so much Katey Hawthorne and Gay Romance Reviews for the book. I was given this book as an advance review copy (ARC) for free, and I am leaving this review completely voluntarily.

This is the first book in the new The Rade series, and honestly, I wasn’t sure what I was getting into when I picked it up. This was my first book by this author. I’ll be honest, I went into it totally blind. I just needed something new to read, went scrolling through upcoming ARCs, saw this cover, and said, “Okay, let’s do this.”

I was a little confused when I started because it throws you right into the story. But after two or three chapters, I found my footing and started to really enjoy it. I think I mentioned in a recent review that I’ve been reading a lot of really great rock-star and band romances this year, and this one definitely earned a spot on that list.

Things kick off with our two MMCs, Harper and Beck, stuck in this hilarious online feud that totally gave me “kids picking on their crushes” energy. 😂 The enemies-to-lovers setup worked so well here. The whole rivalry-between-bands angle felt believable, there’s always that competitive vibe in the music scene, and it made their chemistry even better. The push and pull, the secret moments, the slow unraveling of their connection … all of it added to the overall deliciousness of the story.

And then there’s the paranormal twist! The Rade being made up entirely of fae members was such a fun and unique element. It added this unexpected layer that really hooked me. That said, I do wish the fae world had been developed a bit more. I used to read a ton of paranormal romance, so I could fill in the blanks myself, but I definitely wanted more detail from the author.

Oh, and the spice? Steamy. 🔥🔥🔥

Overall, this was a really fun surprise. I wasn’t expecting to get sucked in, but I totally did. I’m excited to see what happens next in The Rade series and I’ll definitely be checking out more from Katey Hawthorne.

Happy reading friends,
~ Maebae 💚

I’m a fellow book lover reviewing the good, the bad, and everything bookish in-between. All thoughts, opinions, and reactions are completely my own. I wasn’t paid, sponsored, or influenced in any way.
182 reviews2 followers
November 9, 2025
Stared this yesterday, finished it today. A strong start to what will be a vibrant, glitter filled series, I’m sure. Books 2 and 3 are already out (I believe? With 4 on the way)

Harper is Fae and part of a band (three other members, also all fae) that is taking the human world by storm. He’s hot, he’s flashy, he enjoys corsets and lingerie and he’s more than annoyed when Beck, the front man of an opposing bad, starts throwing shade their way.

It starts off as a bit of a mud slinging competition between the two but quickly turns into something more and REAL when the two meet in real life. They fall hard, they fall fast, all against the backdrop of ‘rock and roll’ and drama from outside forces - particularly those in Becks life. Add in the fact that Harper is Fae and has to sort of keep that secret from Beck and you start to wonder… how the hell are these two rivals going to make it work?

I was rooting for these two from the moment Harper sat his garter covered legs and perky butt on Becks lap and his tongue damn near fell out of his mouth. Harper is unapologetically himself, so bright and bubbly, self aware and just the kind of sunshine Beck needs. Becks in a tough place personally and with his band members. He’s at a crossroad and it was lovely seeing him embrace and acknowledge the things that Harper could give him and realise that maybe he’d been looking in the wrong places and making assumptions that were affecting his overall happiness and actually do something about it.

Harpers band mates, who each get their own book?, are interesting and supportive but not enough to steal the show or focus away from the main couple, just enough to whet the appetite though and peak interest. I was most intrigued by Robbie and want to read his book ASAP.

Some things are left unresolved - the whole life span thing for one - and I personally would have loved another 30-50 ish pages of build up and tension and/or them being together which would have bumped this up to a five star for me. That’s just personal preference though, as I prefer a slow burn over a fall fast/fall hard situation.

If you love MM romance, a touch of the paranormal in the form of fae, men in lingerie, rock/pop star vibes and fast burn then this is one for you. ✌🏼
Profile Image for Mari  Cardenas.
2,294 reviews28 followers
October 31, 2024
4.25 Stars

I don't think I've read any books by Katey Hawthorne, but it was a great first experience. 

Rival is the first book in The Rade series, which follows a fae glam rock group. This is Harper and Beck's story, who are in rival bands and like to taunt each other on social media. When they finally meet, Beck is immediately drawn to the alluring Harper, who loves to dress in lace and garters and seems interested in Beck, too. After a passionate night, Beck retreats to familiar ground to come to terms with being bi or pan, before going for more with Harper. They start dating in secret, since Beck is in the closet, but Beck quickly realizes he wants to share Harper and what he feels for him with the whole world. 

I loved Harper and Beck, although Beck was my favorite. He goes through so much with both his bandmates (who are horrible, btw) and taking care of his family. I loved how supportive he was of Sean, his brother who was fighting with addiction, and Lisa, his twin sister. Harper and Beck's attraction was instant, but it wasn't without some bumps in the road, which made their HEA all the sweeter. Their connection was explosive and the sexy scenes were hot and passionate. 

I also enjoyed the interactions with Harper's bandmates, Wren, Robin, and John, all of whom have rejected their fae past and families in favor of living in the real world. It'll be interesting to see where Ms. Hawthorne will take us next. 

This was a fun, sexy read with some light angst thrown in for good measure, which wasn't dragged on for too long. Very recommendable! 

*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
Profile Image for Nicole.
183 reviews17 followers
November 10, 2025
Review for (The Rade-1) Rival by Katey Hawthorne

I love me some stories with singers; the life they lead is a great change. You have Harper, who knows what people see when they look at his face: beauty. What others don't realize is that Rade lives with the feelings that he isn't worth much or that why would others love him when he doesn't find himself lovable. Yes, he and his group escaped Fairyland years ago. I found this a great, different type of storyline that I really enjoyed. You read a lot of rock star books that are a lot alike. You can't put this in that type when it has paranormal elements, where they are from Fairyland. I mean, come on, that is different. Then there is Beck O'Leary, who is a lead singer of another band that starts to badmouth Harper's group, just setting his hackles up. How dare they say the things they do?  What Harper doesn't realize is that the lead singer of the other group is not happy with his life. His group is holding on just barely. His family is barely holding together, and then throw in that he hasn't been able to write anything good. I found the way these two felt they were worthless, that they are gods to the people who listen to them and buy their music. If only they knew how human these two are. I felt this was written great. I need to read more of this series and author.

Nicole Harvey
3,044 reviews22 followers
November 10, 2025
The concept of two rival lead singers, each with their own thing that they need to deal with/worry about, finding that they are attracted to one another in the midst of a social media, trash talking snit fit attracted me to want to read this story. The fact that Harper and his whole band are Fae and keeping it secret, safer that way, added another wrinkle. Harper is the lead singer of the Rade, an up and coming band that is really enjoying making music and entertaining humans. Beck is the lead singer of Fireborn and despite their past success he is in the midst of a period of burnout where even writing music is not coming easily. When he starts to trash talk the Rade, Harper responding to him gives him something to look forward to. When they meet, sparks fly. This enemies to lovers story was delicious in so many ways. Meeting Harper was good for Beck. He needed perspective given what is going on with both his bandmates and his family and being with Harper helps him find it. Their relationship was spicy! I can't wait to read the next book in this series.
I received an ARC from GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.
12 reviews
October 18, 2024
I enjoyed this rivals to lovers, bi awakening, Fae/human story so much I read it twice back-to-back.
The story centers around the lead singers of rival bands The Rade, a Fae rock band making all of their dreams come true, and Fireborn, a human band who are not at the top of their game. The real life, relatable, struggles of the MCs, their friends and families (including addiction and mental health) are written very well, and the love story is seamlessly woven through the plot. I found the whole story to be well paced. The heat is hot, the magic is cool, the nerdy references are fun, and the love between, and surrounding, the MCs is strong.
I 100% recommend Rival to anyone looking for a queer romance with a strong, well written story.
142 reviews1 follower
December 1, 2025
This is an enemies to lovers modern fantasy book. The two MCs are lead singers in their respective bands. Harper is the lead singer of Rade, made up of a group of fae (unknown to others) and Beck who is the lead singer of Fireborn who have a social media feud with each other, but once they meet the spark is hard to ignore. The characters are interesting and real. Their romance plays out realistically. The side characters and storyline are also intriguing. It’s got magic, sass, real world problems, yummy sex scenes, and more. I can’t wait to read book 2 in the Rade series. Note: this book has drug use and a non MC that’s dealing with drug addiction.
Profile Image for Melissa.
645 reviews1 follower
November 8, 2025
Wonderfully spicy white still having heart. Beck and Harper's story may appear to be a "we hate each other but let's make with the smexy times" but it actually has a deeper connection. There was never any shame or embarrassment about thier genuine attraction though they did taunt each other for a bit ;) I also really loved the peek into the fae world and the hints of what might be to come in more books.
Profile Image for Ida Umphers.
5,543 reviews48 followers
November 16, 2025
What a wonderful idea for fairy-born to decide to use their skill in enthralling humans to create a successful rock band. Too bad the frontman for a rival band can't stop trolling them. As the leaders of the two bands meet and discover they have a fiery connection of a different sort, both have to be careful that secrets they are hiding don't come out and bite everyone in both bands. Really enjoyed this series beginning.
Profile Image for Virginia Lee.
2,474 reviews34 followers
November 24, 2025
Who doesn’t love a story that throws a fae and a human into the same chaotic spotlight? Add the pounding rhythm of the music scene, and every moment hits like a heartbeat. Harper thrives on dazzling humans, but the instant he crosses paths with Becks, everything tilts off balance. The tension snaps tight, the chemistry burns hot, and the angst between these two frontmen surges until it’s impossible to look away.
Profile Image for K-Me.
2,847 reviews
November 3, 2024
You never know what a little online feuding might lead too! I enjoyed how both Harper and Beck were successful in their own right career wise, but both needed quite a boost in their personal lives. Quite an out of place start for these two so I enjoyed the more realistic journey as they got to know and support each other.
Profile Image for Jvles.
332 reviews
October 30, 2025
This is a solid rivals-to-lovers romance story with a paranormal touch. The characters were complex, the two MCs had an interesting dynamic and I really enjoyed the found family vibes with Harper's bandmates. I would have liked to know a little more about the paranormal aspects of this world. It definitely was an enjoyable, light-hearted read.
Profile Image for Deanna.
293 reviews1 follower
November 5, 2025
I enjoyed this rockstar, enemies to lovers, fae story. Lots of heat, and a bit of angst as both Harper and Beck reveal their insecurities. A fun take on the whole fae business, and all of the Rade were interesting characters. The whole vibe of the book was kind of good natured and explorative even when Beck had to make hard decisions.
Profile Image for Deb Kel.
2,451 reviews8 followers
November 9, 2025
Wow what a fantastic start to this new series by Katey. An intriguing storyline that i wasn't sure about at first about the rockstar theme as nor really my theme but it really grew on me. Brilliant characters and loved Harper's secret Fae existence adding a paranormal element. Looking forward to the next one
I received a free arc copy and this is my honest review
Profile Image for b00ks_in_nature.
900 reviews13 followers
November 15, 2025
This is more of an annoyance-to-lovers story than enemies. It started a little slow/confusing for me, as it launches right into the story without much introduction, but I caught on quickly and really enjoyed it. I loved the forbidden/secret aspect of it, especially with the PNR twist of one band being all fae. I'm looking forward to reading more about other band members!
Profile Image for Amanda Reeves.
3,654 reviews36 followers
November 3, 2024
Rival is the first book in the Rade series by Katey Hawthorne and the first book I have read by them. This was a rivals to lovers, bi-awakening, fae/human, steamy read about fae rocker Harper and human rocker Beck.
2,325 reviews16 followers
November 14, 2025
This is the first book in a new series called The Rade about two Rival lead singers Harper and Beck and how they navigate forming a relationship as their chemistry is electric, I really enjoyed their story and am looking forward to reading more from this series.
Profile Image for Marta.
365 reviews1 follower
November 21, 2025
A paranormal twist to rock star romance.
The dynamic between Harper and Beck was surprising and hot. The journey from enemies to lovers fun to read and great secondary characters.
A good first in a series book, leaving me wanting for more.
Profile Image for Meg Birch.
127 reviews2 followers
November 12, 2025
3.5 ⭐, a good time

This one was tough to rate because it sits somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars—so that’s what I landed on, in a roundabout way.

The writing could use some polishing, and a strong editor might’ve pushed this solidly into 4+ star territory. But honestly? I loved the characters and the little world Hawthorne built for them.

We’ve got a low-angst, fae-vs-human, rockstar rivals romance that gives off Scarlett Drake’s Hamartia vibes (though not quite in prose). Harper was such a fun character to get to know—loud, dramatic and impossible not to love—while Beck was his perfect foil: calm, grounded and quietly obsessed. Their chemistry worked beautifully.

And the spice? Fantastic. Purposeful. Thoughtful. Never thrown in just for fluff or shock.

Our secondary characters are just as interesting, and yes, made me want to read their books, too.

Is this Shakespeare? No. Does it have to be? Nope. Did I have fun reading it? 100%.

Give it a try. It's a good time.
Profile Image for Reatha Klein.
506 reviews16 followers
November 17, 2025
I am so excited for this series and I'm hoping all the bool are as awesome as this one is!
Profile Image for Terri.
1,664 reviews
November 16, 2025
This was an entertaining rockstar romance between lead singers, one mortal and the other fae. I really liked the relationship between Beck and Harper, and I enjoyed seeing how they made each other better. Their interactions were great, and the heat between them was intense. I loved the bonds between the fae members of The Rade, and I can't wait to read more about them as this series continues. The author did a terrific job pulling me into this world, and I will definitely be diving into the Katey Hawthorne backlist. Well done!
Profile Image for Kate.
2,602 reviews6 followers
December 5, 2025
**********Contains Spoilers**********

This is the first book that I’ve read by Katey Hawthorne and it won’t be my last. I really enjoyed this book and thought that it was a good start to The Rade Series. I liked getting to immerse myself in this world that Katey has created. This book is a rivals to lovers story between Beck, lead singer of hard rock band Fireborn and Harper, lead singer of glam rock sensation, The Rade. Back’s life is pretty sh*t atm as he has so much on his plate with his band falling apart and him spending a lot of time taking care and worrying about his siblings, the only thing that he’s really getting enjoyment out of his his petty feud with Harper.

When they actually met face to face the tension between them was palatable and it doesn’t take long for it to snap. I thought that they were great together and their chemistry was completely off the charts. I enjoyed meeting the rest of the colourful characters of Harper’s band and They’ll each be getting their own stories as the series continues. I’m looking forward to reading Guardian next, as well as more books by Katey Hawthorne in the future. I’d definitely recommend this book, series and author to others.

******I received a complimentary copy of this book through GRR. I would still happily review this book even if I purchased it myself. My thoughts and feelings about this book are completely unbiased******
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