Before Now

by C.G. Blaine, M.K. Blackwood (Narrator), Christian Fox (Narrator)

“She’s a sinner pretending to be a saint, crushing your soul while you kneel at her feet.”

Remi

They chant his name. They play his songs. Adams North has the world in a chokehold. Rock god on the rise. Except, the frontman for Of Men and Wolves isn't Adams to me. He's Foster West, the man whose voice stole my heart five years ago. The one I left behind and needed to forget. Now I'm directing his band's documentary, trapped on tour, sleeping on their bus. And Foster doesn’t intend to make my job easy. Because while I ache from reminders of what we could have been, Foster hates we happened at all.

Foster

I broke every rule for her. Trusted her. Laid myself at her feet. I fell hard for the sad girl who shared whispered promises. Then she shattered them—walked away like it wasn’t real. Now my worst mistake is coming on tour. She’s filming us on stage and off, giving a glimpse of the men behind the band. I'm expected to be open. Vulnerable. Let her in after the wreckage she caused. I hate how I still crave her. I hate every look and word, threatening to drag me back under. Remi Sinner nearly destroyed me once. This time around, there’s no escaping this beautiful liar. Before Now is an angsty, second-chance rockstar romance and book one in the Of Men and Wolves series of interconnected standalones.

forced proximity, emotional wreckage, found family, secrets, and a broody frontman who can't stay away.

Genres: Forced Proximity, Found Family, Second Chance, Second Chance Romance, Audiobook, Enemies To Lovers, Music

Audible Audio

Published October 15, 2025

About the author

C.G. Blaine writes contemporary romance and new adult novels. At one time, she was cool. Now she lives in the middle of nowhere with her husband and plays pillow to a forever-hangry blind cat. She’s terrible at texting back, and if she’s overly nice to you, chances are she’s not a fan.

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Reviews

[Jessica Alcazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

🎧🎧AUDIO REVIEW🎧🎧

THIS is how you write a rockstar romance!

I’ve read quite a few different “rockstar romances” in the past and while I don’t normally gravitate towards them easily, there was something about the synopsis of this one that captured me immediately. These types of stories come with an inherent level of emotion and wreckage that goes beyond conflict and angst. It’s the nature of the beast, as they say. Characters typically have extreme life circumstances to muddle thru alongside the romance journey, and the stories are conflict driven. That being said, in my opinion, not just anyone can write them, even “seasoned” authors. I only speak from experience on this and I’m only mentioning it to really hammer in the point that as soon as I finished listening to this audiobook, the very first thing I thought was, "THIS is how you write a rockstar romance!”

Musicians who rise to the level of rockstar, bring to the proverbial table a whole lot of circumstances/baggage in and of themselves, add in the fact that said rockstar and documentary filmmaker (MFC) have history which is not exactly resolved or “clean”, there is going to be mountains to scale in order to get to the ❤️sweet spot❤️. It’s going to take a lot of development and growth and most of it will probably not be rainbows & gumdrops. C.G. Blaine delivered on all these fronts and then some! This story was a perfectly executed blend of past and present. The tension and chemistry were spirited, sexy, dramatic and beautiful. The growth of the main characters was a journey not easily predicted with enough spins to have me reeling. My heart hurt and soared at every turn. Absolute perfection!

🎙️The first time I had the pleasure of listening to M.K. Blackwood narrate an audiobook wasn’t long ago and this only makes the second one. I’ve listened to a ton of different audiobooks by Christian Fox in this #AudioEra I find myself in but nothing prepared me for the two as a team! Their voices and styles are completely in sync with each other’s and it honestly made for one of the best audio experiences in my #AudioEra thus far! This was such a perfect casting I don’t even think I have the words for it! The author’s writing and storytelling skills captured my attention from beginning to end, but it was M.K. & Christian that grabbed me by the throat and made my heart skip and squeeze for 15(ish) hours. It was their performance that took an already tension fueled storyline and ignited it to epic levels. I could not stop listening. I listened right through a workday and lucky for me, I am my boss! Just 👏👏WOW👏👏!

[Kat W · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just discovered a new author and a new narrator and chewed through this audiobook like my life depended on it.

This has everything I love in a rock star romance.
Missed opportunities.
Messy emotions.
Filthy talk.
Filthier actions.
A feisty FMC.
Hurt/Comfort.

And it came with a side of suspense! I will definitely be looking at some of C.G.’s back catalogue. I need more of these messy romances. Give me alllllllll the emotions.

What more could you want? Fantastic narration? Check. Singing? Check. Voice actors who absolutely smash each and every scene from heartbreak to desperation to joy and everything in between. Check. Check. Checkety Check!

M.K. Blackwood is a new narrator for me, and you bet I’m going to be ferreting out other titles she’s worked on because she was fantastic! And Christian was perfect as Foster. He gave us the brooding, the sulking, and then the total mission to win Remi over.
This audiobook was perfection.

[Allie Darling · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterpiece

My jaw is still in the floor. I refuse to accept that this book has ended. I’m forever in Prague with Foster & Remi. My mind will continuously be wandering the pages of this book. C.G. Blaine can write one heck of a story. Full of rich detail, suspense, angst, tension, grief and passion. This wasn’t just a book… it’s art… written with a rhythm that keeps you wanting more. It’s a masterpiece in the way that, once all the pieces come together, you can’t help but sit back in awe of the growth and strength in the characters because of what they had to endure and how they conquered what was supposed to break them.

While C.G. Blaine held me with her writing, M.K. Blackwood and Christian Fox set my bones on fire with their performance. These two narrators are THE dynamic duo. They were incredible as Remi & Foster. They did not just read these words. You could tell that they put all of themselves into these characters so that we could feel what the characters were feeling. The heartbreaks, betrayals, the love and the longing….

UGHHH I could seriously go on and on about this book and the audiobook. Just do yourself a favor and don’t just take my word for it. This book…this story… NEEDS to be experienced in whatever capacity suits you. Whether it’s Eye ball or Ear hole reading… just PLEASE. Read. This. Book. (Remember to check those TWs though)

[Doris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved This Rock Romance

Remi knew Foster from five years ago but he has transformed since then becoming Adams, the singer for Of Men and Wolves. When she has the chance to film a documentary on the band, she has no idea what she’s in for.

This was a great second chance rock romance that turned into a huge page turner for me. If you love rock romance books angsty this is a perfect fit for you.

[Jodi - JodiReadsnListens · Rating 5 out of 5]

** Audio Review **
Be still my HEART! Before Now by C.G. Blaine was an angsty, emotionally charged rockstar romance that rocked my heart from start to finish. I couldn’t get enough of Remi and Foster’s tension-filled, steamy chemistry that had me wishing and willing for these two to get the second chance they both truly deserved. This is my first C.G. Blaine book and won’t be my last!

M.K. Blackwood and Christian Fox perform this audiobook in duet-style narration, and WOW were these two absolutely phenomenal, delivering every single emotion Remi and Foster had to give. Blackwood’s soft, soothing voice added a certain vulnerability and passion to portray Remi that made you empathize with her and every challenge she faced. Fox’s warm, mellow tone exuded every conflicted, concerned, and charismatic feeling Foster portrayed making me melt. Not to mention, Fox sings, and it’s heavenly!

Overall, I LOVED this book. If you are a fan of a rockstar romance with a passionate documentarist, a hunky dedicated rockstar, now and then chapters, second chances, a travel app meet cute, spy glasses, fountains, touring with the band, bus spice, truths about the past, annoying assistants, getting to know the band, intense steamy moments, intimate conversations, love declarations, angsty jaw dropping moments, and a HEA that will sing to your heart, then you will love Remi and Foster’s story. I am looking forward to more from C.G. Blaine.

[iowagirlreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obsession doesn’t even begin to cover how I feel about this story. I originally grabbed this ALC because Christian Fox was one of the narrators and I can never resist a good rockstar romance…but this one hit on every level.

From the very first moment Remi and Foster meet, their connection is electric—unique, emotional, and so achingly real. Their chemistry is that perfect mix of tension, vulnerability, and heat that just makes your heart hurt in all the right ways. I was completely lost in their story, hoping against hope that these two would find their way back to each other.

If you love rockstar romances with a passionate documentarian, a devoted musician, a travel app meet cute, bus spice, emotional honesty, and a second chance that feels earned, this one’s for you. It’s got touring chaos, heart-pounding chemistry, truths that hurt (and heal), and a happily ever after that sings straight to your soul.

This was my first C.G. Blaine book, and it absolutely won’t be my last. The angst, the emotion, the second-chance intensity—everything about it pulled me in and refused to let go.

🎧 Audiobook Thoughts
Phenomenal. M.K. Blackwood and Christian Fox bring this story to life in duet narration, and they are pure magic together. Blackwood’s soft, heartfelt delivery captures Remi’s vulnerability so beautifully, while Fox nails every layer of Foster’s charm, conflict, and oh his dirty mouth. His voice melted me—and yes, he sings, and it’s every bit as heavenly as you’d imagine.

I’m still not over it—and I don’t want to be.

TROPES
🎤Rockstar Romance
💞Second Chance
🗓️Dual POV/Timeline
🫶🏻Found Family
🎸Band on Tour
🫦So Angsty & Emotional

[Randi (randi_reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first C.G. Blaine book and the first in this new Of Men and Wolves series.

This story is about Foster (AKA Adams North) and Remi. It is told in dual POV with before and after chapters for both of them. It's an emotional journey for both characters who have a history and now have to work together. "Adams North" is the front man of the band Of Men and Wolves and Remi is sent to create a documentary on the band.

I really enjoyed the cameo of Sav Loveless from the Hometown Heartless series by Brit Benson!

Read this if you like:

Rockstar romance
Second chance
Forced proximity
Spicy
Dual POV

This is an emotional, angsty romance and I definitely recommend it. I listened to the advanced listeners copy performed in duet by M.K. Blackwood and Christian Fox. The audio is so, so good. The actors' performances really kept me interested in the story. Plus, Christian Fox sings!

Thank you to the author and Must Love Audio for the advanced listeners copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Jessica (jpbooklife) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I freaking loved this book so hard! This was my first time reading a book by C.G. Blaine and I will definitely be picking up more.

First, the writing. This emotional roller-coaster of a story is brilliantly written. Its got a dual timeline that helps build the tension as well as the chemistry between Remi and Foster(Adams). This is a second-chance/rockstar romance, but it's so much more than that. These two characters are so multifaceted. The way the author lets you get to know both of them piece by piece as the story goes on builds the understanding of who they really are. I fell for both of these broken souls and was completely wrapped up in their story.

Second, the narration. This was some epic casting. M.K. Blackwood is a new to me narrator but Christian Fox has been on my top narrators for years. They were both absolutely incredible. This is a perfect example of good casting making a great book even better. They brought such a deep emotional range to Remi and Foster. And gave so much character and personality to the side characters as well. They were fantastic.

This was an angsty, witty, sometimes humorous, very emotional book and I cannot recommend it enough. It was incredible.

[Kaelea Babner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit, I was not prepared to love this audiobook as much as I did! I do love a rockstar romance, but this book was so much more than that.

I was sucked in to the storyline from the very beginning. I loved that we got the now and the before. It really allowed the readers to see their relationship grow, what happened, and how they found each other again.

The way the author showed character growth was perfection. We got to see the characters grow from when they met, to who they are now. How the past changed them. What they went through in the years they didn’t know one another. I ate this up!!! This story had me feeling so many emotions. Both characters were relatable. Their family dynamic wasn’t the best, but how they found happiness in art and seeing the world around them was very poetic. I loved that they had that enjoyment together.

The narrators, M. K. Blackwood and Christian Fox really sucked me in with their storytelling abilities. I felt the emotion, the angst, the want, the need, all of it. They did a phenomenal job as bringing these characters to life. It brought so much more enjoyment to the story than had I just physically read the book.

I highly recommend this book and cannot wait to continue this series!! I have so many questions about the other band mates!! Thank you to the author and home cooked books for the ALC of this book!

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALC REVIEW
DUET Narration by MK Blackwood and Christian Fox

Before Now is an angsty, second-chance, rockstar romance that gripped me from the very beginning and held on until the very end. My first book by CG Blaine, and her storytelling hit every mark I want in a good rockstar book. Told in before and now timeline, with a good mix of spice, secrets, emotional wreckage, enemies-to-lovers vibes, with fantastic storytelling, and narration.

Remi was a feisty, passionate, and determined heroine who was the documentary filmmaker for the band. Foster "Adams North" was a broody and devoted rockstar. They had a past that not everyone was privy to, with lingering unresolved issues. Remi and Foster had an undeniable connection, a special bond that only they shared. Their traumatic pasts played into their paths crossings and missed timing, but made for the most heartbreaking yet healing journey for them. Overall, if you are a rockstar fan this is one you don't want to miss!

Duet narration by MK Blackwood and Christian Fox was incredible. They were well cast for these characters, and they made a dynamic duo bringing Remi and Foster to life. Their performances were on point and had me feeling all the emotional wreckage, from the joyful and fun times, and everything in between. I would love to listen to them narrate together again in the future. A plus was also having Christian doing a little singing in the audio!

[Wendy Shouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Audiobook Review*
I had never listened to anything by C.G. but imagine my surprise when I recognized names of people and bands from another series by another author, Brit Benson. I loved this crossover so much. I found out later they are friends. This audio had all the angst and steaminess I want in a Rockstar romance. I need more, C.G.
Duet narration by Christian Fox and M.K. Blackwood. 5 stars!!

[Alexis Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very emotional read for me. There were so many emotions going through the book and so many difficult situations that had this book in a whirlwind. I liked seeing the struggle these two had and see them work through their problems eventually. I enjoyed seeing them get their happy ending

[Laura Fabian · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review

Before Now was my first introduction to C.G. Blaine's writing, and I loved it so much! The author gave me everything I love with Remi & Foster's love story: she broke my heart, made me fall in love madly with this couple, ALL of her secondary characters, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book, its plot, and especially the way it blended these characters' past and present. So now I can't wait to find out which of the guys is next, and I'm crossing my fingers that C.G. gives me the story of the guys in the band, BUT also of Colton, Christian, Chase, Sage & Miles because I'm in love with all of them.

Remi is a character that broke my heart a lot from the first chapter, her family situation is very complex and heartbreaking, and even though the author gave this girl people with whom she can feel safe and trust, like Roman, Sage, Miles, and Foster himself, I can't help but feel that loneliness and pain that always accompanies Remi when she remembers her past, and I think that's why this book became my first favorite of the month, because I love a good story that breaks my heart and I can't deny that C.G. Blaine did exactly that with this girl. BUT she also gave me the most touching moments reading and learning more about her relationship with Roman, reading how Remi can feel like a normal teenager when she's with Sage & Miles even when she hides the reality of her life at home from them, and I think that's why I loved so much where the author took this part of our heroine's storyline. Also, I loved that she gave Remi that little moment of, I don't know if I should call it revenge, but a proper closure to finally leave the traumas of her past behind and start living. Finally, I think letting us get to know Remi through her love and the complexity of her feelings towards her dad was also one of my favorite things about this book.

Foster is such a complex and heartbreaking character like Remi. His family life isn't ideal either, and he faces it in a very brave way, even though he always seems to lose to his father. I loved reading him with Chase & Colton, I LOVED that the connection, friendship, and bond he has with the brothers is unique and different from the one he has with the other., and reading the guilt he feels for "having failed both of them" broke my heart. I also really enjoyed reading about his dynamic with Felix & Dev, how much they both mean to him, how close the three of them, Colton and Christian are, and I think that's why I would have loved for the author to show me how the band came to be and how they met and bonded, something I hope with all my heart to see in future books.

Remi & Foster have a history together that goes from the past to the moment she shows up on her tour to direct the Of Men and Wolves documentary, but I think it's much better to discover the nature of their relationship while reading/listening to the story, so I'm not going to go into details, I'm just going to say that I madly LOVED the way these characters connected from the beginning, how they became confidants, each other's safe place and how they fell in love. And although it broke my heart to read them in the present fighting with their feelings, I really liked that the author was showing me their history together interspersing the past and the present, not making me wait to know the reason behind the big misunderstanding that broke Foster & Remi's hearts, making the story much more interesting, and showing me the growth of both of them, the way they decide to give each other a second chance, to heal and to trust each other again.

🎧Audiobook Review🎧

🎸Narrators: M.K. Blackwood & Christian Fox
💙Duet Narration
📹Narration: 5/5
🥵: 4/5

This audiobook was also my first time listening to these narrators, and I think they are in part responsible for how much I enjoyed this story! C.G. Blaine couldn't have chosen better people to play Foster & Remi and bring this story to life.

M.K. Blackwood gave me all the vulnerability, strength, and pain that Remi experienced in her past, she made me love this character with the way she portrayed her and everything she conveyed throughout the story. Something Christian Fox didn't fall behind on, as this pair of narrators excelled at delivering their characters' most emotional moments, they also gave me all the smiles, laughter, and expressions that helped me connect more deeply with Remi & Foster. And when Foster sang at some point in the book? Christian surprised me completely with his voice!

🎸Foster: 5/5
📹Remi: 5/5
🎸Plot: 5/5
📹Love story: 5/5
🎸Secondary characters: 5/5
📹Cover: 5/5
🌶️: 4/5

ALC amablemente proporcionada a cambio de una reseña honesta

Before Now fue mi prime acercamiento a la escritura de C.G. Blaine y me gustó muchísimo! La autora me dio todo lo que amo con la historia de amor de Remi & Foster: me rompió el corazón, me hizo amar con locura a esta pareja, a TODOS sus personajes secundarios y disfrutar muchísimo de este libro, de su trama y especialmente de la manera en la que mezclo el pasado y el presente de estos personajes. Así que ahora no puedo esperar a saber cuál de los chicos es el siguiente y estoy cruzando los dedos para que C.G. me de la historia de los chicos de la banda, PERO también de Colton, Christian, Chase y Sage & Miles porque estoy enamorada de todos ellos.

Remi es un personaje que me rompió mucho el corazón desde el primer capitulo, su situación familiar es muy compleja y desgarradora, y a pesar de que la autora le dio a esta chica personas con las cuales sentirse segura y en la que confiar, como Roman, Sage, Miles, y el mismo Foster, no puede evitar sentir esa soledad y dolor que siempre acompaña a Remi cuando recuerda su pasado, y creo que por eso este libro se convirtió en mi primer favorito del mes, porque amo una buena historia que me rompa el corazón y no puedo negar que C.G. Blaine hizo exactamente eso con esta chica, PERO también me dio los momentos más conmovedores leyendo y conociendo más de su relación con Roman, leyendo como Remi puede sentirse como una adolescente común cuando está con Sage & Miles aún cuando esconde de ellos la realidad que vive en su casa, y creo que por eso me gustó tanto hacia donde llevó la autora esta parte de la trama de nuestra heroína. Además, me encantó que le diera a Remi ese pequeño momento de, no se si llamarlo venganza, pero si un cierre adecuado para finalmente dejar atrás los traumas de su pasado y empezar a vivir. Finalmente, creo que dejarnos conocer a Remi a través del amor y la complejidad de sus sentimientos hacia su papá también fue una de las cosas que más me gustó de este libro.

Foster es un personaje tan complejo y desgarrador como Remi. Su vida familiar tampoco es ideal y la enfrenta de una manera muy valiente, aún cuando siempre parece perder contra su padre, me encantó leerlo con Chase & Colton, AMÉ que la conexión, amistad y vinculo que tiene con los hermanos sea único y diferente al que tiene con el otro y leer la culpa que siente por "haberle fallado a ambos" me rompió el corazón. También disfruté mucho leer como es su dinámica con Felix & Dev, lo mucho que ambos significan para él, lo unidos que los tres, Colton y Christian son y creo que por eso me hubiera encantado que la autora me mostrara cómo surgió la banda y como se conocieron, y unieron todos ellos, algo que espero con todo mi corazón ver en libros futuros.

Remi & Foster tienen una historia juntos que va desde el pasado hasta el momento en el que ella se presenta en su gira para dirigir el documental de Of Men and Wolves, pero creo que es mucho mejor descubrir la naturaleza de su relación mientras se lee/escucha la historia, así que no voy a entrar en detalles, solo voy a decir que AMÉ con locura la manera en la que estos personajes conectaron desde el principio, como se convirtieron en confidentes, en el lugar seguro del otro y como se fueron enamorando. Y aunque me rompió el corazón leerlos en el presente luchando contra sus sentimientos, me gustó mucho que la autora fuera mostrándome su historia juntos intercalando el pasado y el presente, no haciéndome esperar para conocer la razón detrás del gran malentendido que le rompió el corazón a Foster & Remi, haciendo la historia mucho más interesante, y mostrándome el crecimiento de ambos, la manera en la que deciden darse una segunda oportunidad, sanar y volver a confiar en el otro.

🎧Reseña del audiolibro🎧

🎸Narradores: M.K. Blackwood & Christian Fox
💙Narración en dueto
📹Narración: 5/5
🥵: 4/5

Este audiolibro también fue mi primera vez escuchando a estos narradores, y creo que ellos son en gran parte responsables de lo mucho que disfruté de esta historia! C.G. Blaine no pudo haber elegido a mejores personas para interpretar a Foster & Remi y darle vida a esta historia.

M.K. Blackwood me dio toda la vulnerabilidad, fortaleza y dolor que Remi vivió en su pasado, me hizo amar a este personaje con la manera en la que la interpretó y todo lo que me transmitió a lo largo de la historia. Algo en lo que Christian Fox no se quedó atrás pues este par de narradores se destacaron por hacer un trabajo excelente en los momentos más emocionales de sus personajes, además, me dieron todas las sonrisas, risas y expresiones que me ayudaron a conectar mucho más profundamente con Remi & Foster. Y cuando Foster cantaba en algún momento del libro? Christian me sorprendió por completo con su voz!

🎸Foster: 5/5
📹Remi: 5/5
🎸Trama: 5/5
📹Historia de amor: 5/5
🎸Personajes secundarios: 5/5
📹Portada: 5/5
🌶️: 4/5

[Marrissa Horton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has all of my favorite things!! Rockstar, second chance, angst and emotion, a dual timeline, suspense, and broken characters with a deep connection and undeniable chemistry. There is such a fun and intriguing spin on it, the meet cute aspect is so unique. I could not get enough of this story. I don’t want to give anything away and definitely recommend going in blind! I really loved CG Blaine’s writing style and I can’t wait to dive into her backlist.

P.S. I was so pleasantly surprised to find a little connection to Brit Benson’s Hometown Heartless series!!

🎙️𝗔𝗨𝗗𝗜𝗢𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 ⇣
The narration is absolute perfection. The way Christian Fox and MK Blackwood brought this story and these characters to life… ahh I just have no words. Christian is so versatile and his voices for different characters were all amazing. And the singing!! And MK is also so incredibly talented. I am very glad I was recently introduced to her work, I’ve been loving her in these new releases, and will definitely be checking out more from her.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 ⇣
Rockstar
Second chance
Found family
Forced proximity
Dual timeline
Mental health rep
Damaged FMC
Secrets
Dual POV
Spice

Thank you Must Love Audio for the ALC!

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Narrated in Duet by Christian Fox & M.K. Blackwood

Let me just start by saying that I absolutely ate this story and audio up! I was completely gripped the entire time. Definitely check your trigger warnings, these two main characters have had their share of trauma in their lives.

Story Review:
This is a dual timeline story, (its very easy to follow if we're in "Before" or "Now") and I really loved the way the author wove their two love stories together. Pieces of their past come out bit by bit, intertwined with their reconnection, learning how they met how they connected and ultimately what happened to them throughout the book, ramping up in intensity as their current timeline begins to ramp up as well, the more time they spend together. The full scope of the story pieces itself together as you go, giving you just enough at a time to keep you interested without telling you everything all at once. There were times I started to get frustrated but then I'd get a bit of the past and behaviors made sense. I think learning about their past parallel to their present made watching how they found their way back to each other so much more interesting. You would think that watching them fall in love twice might feel repetitive, but it wasn't, instead it clutched my heart because you could feel how these two were meant to be together, especially seeing how they now navigated all the things that happened before that pulled them apart and lead to feelings being hurt, and the way they dealt with it.

This is an angsty story of unfortunate events that had a domino effect on each other, and easily could have fallen victim to that feeling that too much bad is happening, however, it never actually did for me, because the bond and pull to each other that these two had was so palpable that it felt like it counteracted so much of the bad, The goodness that they brought each other balanced against the bad so and it had me rooting for them so hard that I couldn't turn this audio off, I had to keep following along as they fought for all the good through all the hurt and pain they both held onto regarding each other and their own individual pasts.

Having this be not only a forced proximity story (he's a rockstar in a band and she's the director assigned to film a documentary on them), but also having that forced proximity be the first time they were actually together in person (they had never actually met previously, their prior relationship being forged in such a beautiful way through being beta testers for a sight seeing app and then eventually over text/the phone, never seeing each other's faces), really dialed up the tension as well, because there was so much they dreamed about doing when they were finally together that they never got the chance to do before everything crashed down around them, and you could feel all those broken wishes they still wanted while they tentatively danced around each other.

Audio Review
Simply put, this was one of my new favorite audios of the year. Christian and M.K. absolutely crushed it, they were both phenomenal in this. I've enjoyed the few audios of Christian's that I've listened to in the past, but he's still not a narrator I have listened to extensively, though I've wanted to, and I hadn't experienced M.K. yet, but they both blew me away. Christian really balance the different sides of Foster so well, between his angsty, broody anger in general, and absolute charm he had when it came to Remi, and all the levels of emotion he experienced in between came through so clearly and natural. M.K. voicing the mostly reserved, and skittish Remi was right on point, her personality came through the the mostly quiet nature, with the peeks of life and brightness that shined through when she was talking about her passion or when any of the guys managed to crack the armor she wears. She also just absolutely crushed me in the emotional scenes both sad and angry ones, making me realize I need to familiarize myself with her work more because she was fantastic. Having this be duet narration really benefited this story, I think especially when it came to how they first connected with each other, the back and forth of the flirting through the app and their phones felt more dimensional and it really added even more weight to the emotional stuff they faced together.

This book broke my heart so many times in so many ways, but it felt anchored by the chemistry of the main characters and the love they had for each other, like that meant to be chemistry kept me invested and engaged when it could have easily gotten exhausting. And after all that angsty heartbreak, we got one of the sweetest/cutest epilogues ever, it was nice getting to be giddy for them after making it through the storm. All that said, I cannot wait for the second book in this series. There's an entire cast of characters to choose from and I can't wait to see who's story is next.

Thank you Homecooked books for this Advanced Listener Copy, I thoroughly enjoyed this one!

[Cahdii · Rating 4 out of 5]

🎧 Audiobook Review 🎧
🎤 Duet narration by M.K. Blackwood and Christian Fox

Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Performance: 🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️ 🌶️

👀POV: Dual, first person, present tense
📖 What to expect: Rockstar Romance, Second Chance, Forced Proximity, Dual Timeline, Broken FMC, They both have secrets
⚠️Content Warnings: On page - sexually explicit content, vulgar language, domestic violence, death of loved one, threats of rape and sexual assault, mental illness, drug and alcohol use, addiction, abuse of power. Off page - child abuse, cheating (not between MCs), physical assault


Gosh, this book was such a wild ride. It’s got angst, heat, heartbreak, healing, and found family, and my favourite thing to read in a book – the villain gets his comeuppance.

The story takes place across two timelines, opening in the present before flashing back to five years earlier when Remi and old Foster (aged 18 and 21 respectively) first met through a virtual tour app. It’s actually quite a cool concept. I wish it existed in real life. Foster is signed up as a tour guide and Remi basically pays for him to show her around the city he’s in (Prague). They form a friendship through that, sharing pieces of their lives and slowly developing feelings for each other. Then one day, Remi just stops responding. Five years later Remi, a budding filmmaker, arrives in Prague to film a documentary on a popular band and comes face to face with the guy she ghosted.

This is such a great story about resilience, forgiveness, and how love and understanding can bring peace after years of hurt. Both Remi and Foster carry deep scars from their pasts, and the author does a great job of showing how those experiences shape who they are and how they love. They’ve both lived through betrayal and loss, and even though their pain looks different, it connects them in a really powerful way. As artists, they feel everything more deeply – their pain, their joy, their love – and that sensitivity makes their journey hit even harder. I loved how their reunion wasn’t just about rekindling old feelings, but about confronting the ghosts of their pasts and learning to let go of the guilt they’ve been carrying. It’s raw and messy, and so satisfying to watch their growth.

As much as I enjoyed this book, it wasn’t a five-star read for me because I struggled a bit with the dual timeline and the pacing in the first half. The timeline shifts sometimes had me confused about where we were in the story – we’d see something happen in the present, then flash back to a past scene that echoed it, and if I got distracted for a minute, I’d lose track of which time we were in. The slower pacing also made it harder to stay fully engaged at first, though I suppose it takes time to unpack their trauma and build up their emotional backstories. It paid off eventually, though. Once I hit the 50% mark, I was completely invested – and since it’s a 15-hour book, there was still quite a bit of story left to tell. The pace picked up, the action intensified, and the revelations started landing one after another.

Christian Fox and M.K. Blackwood are both new-to-me narrators and I really enjoyed their duet style performance. They did such a great job capturing all the emotion in the story, which is more impressive considering how heavy it gets at times. M.K. Blackwood brought Remi’s resilience and quiet strength to life while Christian Fox nailed the brooding, tortured rockstar that is Foster. Foster sings a few lines at the start, and Christian did a pretty good job with that. I actually wish there’d been more singing.

This is one of those stories that hits harder when you don’t know exactly what’s coming – so I’d recommend going in blind and letting it wreck you.

*I received an advance copy from Homecooked Books. Thes opinions are entirely my own.

[DarcyLovesLiza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pitch perfect narration for this angsty rockstar romance…

💖📚 Story: 4 ⭐️s
🎧🎤 Narration: 5 ⭐️s

At its heart, C.G. Blaine’s Before Now has a great deal of what I love about a rockstar romance. Remi is a documentary filmmaker, and she gets the opportunity to follow Of Men and Wolves on tour. The forced proximity of the tour bus is its own brand of joy and leaves room for some genre beats that Blaine handles with a deft hand. Plus there is the second chance of it all, which Blaine has given such a unique flavor; the wander app that she has Foster and Remi meet on was one of my favorite aspects of the book. This manner of allowing them to get to know each other by what they show and are shown, as well as not, was something I haven’t encountered, so I thought it was pretty cool. And while I’m not typically a big fan of jumping back and forth in time from chapter to chapter, that method of connection made things interesting so that I didn’t mind so much. The MCs’ singular history together adds something to engaging the second chance aspect of the story.

As far as MCs go, I thought Remi and Foster were a good match and I enjoyed following their journey. They had compelling attraction across all levels emotional and physical. And while some of the angst started to wear a bit thin for me, I did enjoy myself overall. Remi is an appealing FMC with a gifted eye for her professional crafts and a hard lock on her emotions that’s just waiting to pop. My one gripe is that I wish she’d been a little bit more aloof with Foster at times. Given how he often behaved towards her, I felt like she should have made him grovel a little bit more. Sometimes she took it on the chin from him a little too much, but on the whole they’re a good pair with great chemistry and an interesting history. As far as supporting characters go, Colton and Chase were my favorites, which was great, but also a bit odd in comparison to Felix and Dev. It’s a rockstars romance, so I expected to get a stronger feel for the other band members rather than Foster’s childhood best friends. Felix and Dev feel less concrete by comparison. I’d absolutely still read books about them, but I felt more of a dynamic between Foster and Colton, than between Foster and his bandmates, so the loyalty and connection between the band felt more often told than shown.

The audiobook book is excellent. I had a good time with Blaine’s story, but the narration absolutely made my experience better. Christian Fox and M.K. Blackwood are not only perfectly cast, but they are in DUET, so that’s pretty much an automatic plus. Blackwood gives Remi this beautiful vulnerability and pathos. Her performance allows me to let go of any frustrations with the character on page. As for the fantastic Mr. Fox, what more can one say? He was my favorite thing about his character; there is no narrator quite like him and he was the ideal match for Foster. He played all the character beats and fleshed out the traits so purposefully. I’m in a glass box of emotion over here! Fox is just all that every reader/listener wants in their rockstar romance MMC. Well, any romance MMC to be honest.

This book is absolutely worth a listen, especially if you love a rockstar romance! I hope Blaine brings on the next and that it’s Colton. 🤣

I’m grateful to have received an ALC copy of the audiobook via Home Cooked Books. Also read via KU. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Bette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Book Rocks! Awesome Story & Narration🎧

Before Now
Of Men and Wolves, Book 1
By: C.G. Blaine
Narrated by: M.K. Blackwood, Christian Fox

The rock star romance trope is one of my favorite tropes, and C.G. Blaine rocked it and her story blew me away. I loved everything about this book, from Blaine’s impressive writing style, to the amazing characters and storylines she created, to the perfectly cast narrators who bring it all to life from the pages to your ears. This book is the first in her new “Of Men and Wolves” series, and is Remi and Foster’s story, a second chance romance, and a complex multi-layered story, that hooks you in right from the start and holds your attention hostage the entire time. Complicated characters with tragic pasts and demons that continue to haunt them. Remi may have run from her past, but she still carried the scars from it, but that did not stop her from pursuing her dreams, going to NYU, landing a job in a field she loves, working behind the camera and doing interviews. Her next assignment, on her own, is working on a documentary for a rock band, Of Men and Wolves, which means filming them while on tour. Foster West is now Adam North and the frontman of the band she is doing the documentary on. There is a history between Foster and Remi, unresolved feelings and a chemistry between them that never died. Foster is not sure if Remi is a sinner or a saint, but the pain she caused him makes her a sinner. Through flashbacks, their past unfolds, revealing how they met, as well as what they were going through, including family experiences that were gut-wrenching and a reason for their broken selves. Foster harbored a lot of anger towards Remi, an anger she didn’t completely understand, something neither can get past until all the truths come out. It was great watching these two first dance around each other, then grow closer, before something else tore them apart. This wonderfully plotted story has the perfect balance of drama, angst, heartfelt emotions and steamy romance. The character growth and development, as well as the world building, are fantastic too. Loved the cameo of Brit Benson’s characters, yeah, another of my favorite rock star romances. C.G. Blaine, thank you for this amazing story and emotional rollercoaster ride.

🎧📚🎧 M.K. Blackwood and Christian Fox are a perfect pairing, and they did a fantastic job voicing these characters, sounding believable in every role. Blackwood nailed it as Remi, grasping every aspect of her personality from her vulnerabilities to her fierceness and all in between. Fox rocked it as Foster, embodying his personality completely and playing a swoon-worthy, angsty rockstar, one with a heart, and he sings! Both were just as amazing performing the roles of the side/secondary characters too. They set the ideal tone for the story, conveyed all the characters’ emotions in their performance and had you feeling every single one. Their duet performance elevates the story to another level, a performance that keeps you hooked to the story. They are entertaining storytellers and a pleasure to listen to.

[Eleanor Butler · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story that grab a hold and don’t let go until the end, C. G. Blaine gives a story that’s has every vibes similar to author Britt Bensons Home Town Heartless series and I’m not mad.

Audiobook Review ALC 🎧📚
Before Now (Of Men and Wolves Bk 1 )
Author: C.G. Blaine
Narrators: Christian Fox & M.K. Blackwood

Story: 5⭐️
Spice: 2.5🌶️
Performance: 10/10🎤🎧📚

🎸
Foster and Remi story


“She’s a sinner pretending to be a saint, crushing your soul while you kneel at her feet.”


Remi
The girl Foster hates after what happened in the past.. the girl who held in all the trauma all the lost all hurt memories while missing the wondering boy who made her unbearable life bearable.
But the secret she holds after discovering a heinous crime led to her life turning into a different direction. But her thoughts were never far away from him..until the met again, but this time there’s no doubt he hated her.
If only he knows what she had to endured.



He's Foster West
the man whose voice has captured millions of heart, he only wanted to capture one person heart …Remi Saint.. The one that left him behind and the one he needed to forget.
But being the frontman for the band Of Men and Wolves now put this girl back in his world,a director for the documentary series being done on the band but specifically him. Now she is going on tour with them…
But her presence is bringing back memories of a time he thought they meant more to each other, now Remi Sinner is it seems is back to do more damage.

🎸
SHE SUSTAINS ME AND OBLITERATES ME,


AND I'M STILL BEGGING FOR MORE


💭
Remi and Foster chemistry has undeniable chemistry. But their journey is one that’s hard fought as each has a past that played a major part in their lives.



But Listennnn🎧
What in the world can this man not do.. Christian Fox is Ahhmazing! when I heard him sing I was on the floor!
This man is one of my favorite people to have in my ears and I am in awe!
Christian Fox & M.K. Blackwood brought this incredible emotional story to highs with their incredible performances they made the entire story so much more compelling and beautiful and so special!

💭
This author C.G. Blaine, who’s new to me created a beautiful romantic suspense.. one that as I stated before reminds me very much of Britt Bensons Heartless series. This was one heck of a story which had me intrigued from the beginning to the very end. So many twist and moving parts that eventually led to a very satisfying ending!




Vibes in Before Now
🎸forced proximity
🎞️Second Chance
💜Rockstar Romance
🎸emotional wreckage
🎞️found family
💜secrets
🎸Angsty
🎞️Duet Narration
🎤Fantastic narration!


A shout out to HBC and to you for reading my review and ramblings!
Be sure to check this out and I hope you’ll enjoy listening to it as I did!
Until next time
One Love 💕 One book at a time.
🦋~Georgious~🦋

[Sarah Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW

Listening to Before Now broke me in the quietest, most beautiful way. There’s something about hearing pain spoken aloud — not read, not imagined, but heard — that makes it hit different. The voices in this audiobook didn’t just tell the story; they bled it.

This book is all regret and second chances. It’s love that never really ended, just got buried under time and mistakes and the kind of silence that eats you alive. And hearing those words… the cracks in their voices when the walls finally come down… it felt so real. Like you’re not just listening to a story, you’re eavesdropping on two people trying to forgive each other and themselves.

Let’s start with Christian Fox, because good lord. His voice isn’t just narration; it’s a full-body experience. That low, rough tone that slides straight into your bloodstream? The way he says her name like it physically hurts him to let it go? I swear I could feel his heartbreak vibrating through my headphones. Every time he broke, I broke. Every sigh, every whisper, every apology he choked out. It felt too real. He doesn’t perform; he bleeds.

And then MK Blackwood. She’s all emotion and fragility and quiet strength. She delivers every line like she’s balancing on the edge of breaking apart but refuses to fall. There’s this soft tremor in her voice that makes every confession feel like it’s being ripped from somewhere deep inside her. I found myself whispering “oh my god” into the void because she felt it all. Every ounce of guilt, longing, and love.

Together? They’re absolutely lethal. The chemistry between their voices is insane. It’s this push and pull that’s almost unbearable in the best way. You can hear the history between their characters in the silence between words. Every scene they share feels like standing in the middle of a storm: chaotic, electric, and so, so beautiful.

And the story itself... it’s heartbreak with a pulse. It’s everything I crave in a second-chance romance: regret that still tastes bitter, love that refuses to die, pain that makes you feel alive. But hearing it performed by them turned it into something else entirely. It wasn’t just a story anymore, it was a possession.

When it ended, I just sat there — earbuds still in — feeling that hollow, beautiful ache that only certain stories leave behind. The kind that makes you miss people who never existed and mourn moments you never had.

So yeah. MK Blackwood and Christian Fox didn’t just narrate Before Now. They destroyed me. And I’d thank them for it while sobbing into my pillow. It wasn’t just a listen. It was an experience. One that will stay with me long after the last word faded.

[DMN · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are so few times when rummaging around in this genre where stories are just so vastly different from the norm. Not actually cut from the same cloth of everything else being put out there. Books where you just know not even 20% of the way through that it's going to stick with you always. Take for instance books like The Words or Between Never and Forever - character names and plots I can never forget because they were so impactful. I promise you, if you are reading this and are having any doubts about this one, lay them to rest. Because this is one of those that will stay with me always.

The writing is so incredibly good without being chock-full of purple prose just to fill the pages; every word was so intentional, with a plot that actually kept me salivating for more, even when I really thought there was nothing left to be said. There were no holes in the story line (aside from wondering where the side characters might end up taking us in the future) and even tie-ins with another author - looking at you Brit Benson. Everything about this was so visceral, I actually dreamt about these characters mid-way through, forcing myself to sleep to savor the rest the following day.

I don't know if I will ever be able to let go of Remi and Foster - they're such rare gems in a sea of been-there-done-that's and heard-it-all-before's. Closely akin to Lennon and Phoenix, and Sav and Levi.

In truth, I'm pretty positive I stumbled upon the teasers/tropes for this book from another author's story on IG while doom scrolling (as we all often do), and since it was of the rockstar romance genre, I pre-ordered without even thinking twice. Release day came, and again without thinking, I ordered the paperback, because that's just the kind of reader/book collector I am. After giving it a week, I finally sat down and put it to the test - C.G. Blaine is a new-to-me author after all, so my skepticism was at an all time high. Unwarranted, perhaps. But no more.

Thank you for this beautiful story, C.G. Blaine. It was everything I didn't even know I needed.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Holy. Shit.

I'm going to need a day or two to process and collect my thoughts - perhaps a few more nights of these characters infiltrating my dreams - before I can give this the review it deserves. But just know: there's definitely something to be said when I find myself annotating the author's acknowledgements.

Review to come ... (see above)

[BookishMya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful Angst! I know I say angst is my love language, I live for that heart clench but I was not prepared for this beautiful pain. Two broken souls. A level of parrallel tragedy that rips you to pieces. I have never felt so much anguish in a story. This is more than a story it is a journey, a cleansing and a healing. Foster & Remi both have this incredibly traumatic backstory that we bounce into from time to time and it is so sad and compelling and a thousand other emotions that tear at your heart. Fast forward to present day and all the ripples of the past echo to create intense heartache, drama and a longing so intense it aches. The excitement of life on a rockstar tour creates the backdrop for an emotional reconnecting. Surrounded by fabulous supporting cast to add all of the found family vibes to this story. I loved seeing Remi bond with his bandmates and seeing her fighting spirit come out in more fun ways. She had such a wonderful personality, full of spark and sass. This story moved me in ways I cannot articulate, the overall healing though provides a cathartic balm to ease the pain of the shared trauma. It truly felt like you were watching from right outside, feeling all the ripples of tragedy. C.G Blaine created a true cinematic world where you were afraid to blink and miss something. I was glued to my seat and pining for their well-deserved happiness. Never have two characters deserved it more. I cried, I ached, I wailed..but in the end they were tears of joy. A truly moving story that everyone should read as it shines a light on the struggles of abuse , the stigma of addiction and the importance of caring for your mental health.

M.k. Blackwood & Christian Fox give absolutely stellar performances in this one. They absolutely nailed the emotional trauma, you felt it to the core. I have only listened to a handful of books narrated by Blackwood but I am continuously impressed by the range of emotion that she wrings out of each story. She brought such real pain to Remi’s character that you just wanted to reach in and hug her. This is not to say Christian Fox gave any less, because Foster’s pain provided the same opportunity for that skill, and he delivers. Add to that the musical stylings of this performance and it really underlies his talent. I recently called him ‘Firefox’ as his narration is always fire! If you must choose a format for this story,I highly recommend audio.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before Now by C.G. Blaine is a deeply emotional and angsty second-chance rockstar romance, and the first book in the Of Men and Wolves series. The masterful blend of emotional wreckage, forced proximity, found family, and secrets will keep you on the edge of your seat. The narration by M.K. Blackwood and Christian Fox is supremely well done and brings the story to life.


The story alternates between "before" and "now," following Remi and Foster's journey. Before, they connect through a unique app that allows them to "wander" together without ever showing their faces. This experience creates an intense, emotional bond. The ending to their "before" story is a mess, filled with a heartbreaking secret from Remi and deep-seated resentment from Foster. Now, years later, Foster is a rising rock god named Adams North, and Remi is hired to direct his band's documentary. She's trapped on tour with him, and he’s determined to make her job difficult. While she aches for what they could have been, he's full of hate for what they were. This forced proximity reignites their undeniable chemistry, forcing them to confront the past that shattered them both.

This book was an emotional whirlwind, full of difficult situations and raw feelings. I was completely invested and couldn't put it down. Remi and Foster's journey to work through their problems and find their way back to a happy ending is both gut-wrenching and beautiful. The way they interact is charged with tension and emotion, from their laugh-out-loud funny banter to the next-level passion. Remi is a fierce and resilient woman, a force to be reckoned with who holds her own in a male-dominated world. Foster, now known as Adams, is a complex and broody frontman with surprising emotional depth. The way he speaks is captivating, and his internal struggles make their eventual reconnection all the more poignant.

Before Now is a story of second chances and the enduring nature of true love. C.G. Blaine masterfully captures the raw emotions of her characters, painting vivid scenes that pull you into the world she's created. If you are looking for an emotionally charged romance with well-developed characters and sizzling chemistry, this book is a must-read.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Audiobooklover__ · Rating 5 out of 5]

📖 ʙᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ ɴᴏᴡ ʙʏ ᴄ.ɢ. ʙʟᴀɪɴᴇ
🎧 ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ: ᴍ.ᴋ. ʙʟᴀᴄᴋᴡᴏᴏᴅ & ᴄʜʀɪꜱᴛɪᴀɴ ꜰᴏx
📚 ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ: ᴏꜰ ᴍᴇɴ & ᴡᴏʟᴠᴇꜱ, ʙᴏᴏᴋ 1
👥 ᴘᴏᴠ – ʀᴇᴍɪ ꜱɪɴɴᴇʀ & ꜰᴏꜱᴛᴇʀ ᴡᴇꜱᴛ (ᴀᴋᴀ ᴀᴅᴀᴍꜱ ɴᴏʀᴛʜ)
⏱️ ʟᴇɴɢᴛʜ: 15ʜ ᴀɴᴅ 6ᴍ
👄 ᴘᴏᴠ: ᴅᴜᴇᴛ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ
🎁 ᴀʟᴄ ᴘʀᴏᴠɪᴅᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ & ʜᴏᴍᴇ ᴄᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ʙᴏᴏᴋꜱ

Huge thanks to C.G. Blaine and Home Cooked Books for the early audio copy!

If you need a Rockstar Romance that will emotionally devastate you and then sweep you up into a whirlwind of Angst and Obsession - this is your book!
'Before Now' is a masterclass in heart-pounding Second Chance Romance, with insane chemistry that starts the second the hero and heroine are trapped together on the tour bus.

Remi Sinner is forced to direct a documentary for the band Of Men and Wolves, which throws her straight back into the path of Foster West (now rock god Adams North), the scorching hot frontman who has hated her since she broke his heart five years ago.
The unbearable tension of Forced Proximity and the dual timeline contrasting their past promises with their present resentment makes this story utterly addictive. You simply cannot stop listening!

🎧 A Soul-Shattering and Sensual Audio Experience
Christian Fox and M.K. Blackwood are a dream team, and they are the reason to grab this audiobook. 🎤

Christian Fox is the perfect Foster West! His voice captures the vulnerability beneath the arrogance and the sheer pain of the rockstar. He brings an intensity that makes you feel his fury and his fierce desire. M.K. Blackwood delivers the sincerity and strength needed for Remi amidst all the chaos. Their dynamic is so powerful in Duet Narration that it sounds like they are right there in the room. And hearing Christian Fox sing (yes, he sings!) was a moment of pure perfection that hooked me instantly.

Bottom Line: My heart was broken and rebuilt again and again. This is the ultimate emotional, steamy, rock drama about secrets, forgiveness, and found family. I cannot wait for the next book in this series! 💗😁

5 ⭐

#cgblaine #ofmenandwolves #BeforeNow #MKBlackwood #ChristianFox
#currentlylistening #amlistening #audiobooklover #audiobook #audiobooks
#audiobookworm #audiobookaddict #mustlisten #listener #narrator
#audiobookstagram #audiobooksofinstagram #bookstagrammer #readersofig #igreads
#booksofinstagram

[Bookgirlytay · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW
BEFORE NOW
By C.G. Blaine

✨Let’s celebrate! BEFORE NOW by @cgblaine! Grab it in KU!

I really enjoyed this book - great stories behind both FMC and MMC. They both had such shit childhoods and the author really makes you connect with them.

The meet through an app and they kick it off right away, the tension and ease of their friendship is great I loved being along for the story. They lose contact and then it jumps to 5 years later and they both FINALLY meet each other face to face. They navigate working together while having huge reasons to why they lost contact which is revealed along the book and so many great plot twists happen - this book had me on the edge of my seat through it all. I cant wait to see what C.G. Blaine has written.

🎸Rockstar Romance
🎸Second Chance
🎸Forced Proximity
🎸Dual timeline
🎸Hate to want you
🎸They both have secrets
🎸Damaged FMC

“She’s a sinner pretending to be a saint, crushing your soul while you kneel at her feet.”

Remi
They chant his name. They play his songs.
Adams North has the world in a chokehold. Rock god on the rise.
Except the frontman for Of Men and Wolves isn't Adams to me.
He's Foster West, the man whose voice stole my heart five years ago. The one I left behind and needed
to forget.
Now I'm directing his band's documentary, trapped on tour, sleeping on their bus.
And Foster doesn’t intend to make my job easy.
Because while I ache from reminders of what we could have been, Foster hates we happened at all.

Foster
I broke every rule for her. Trusted her. Laid myself at her feet.
I fell hard for the sad girl who shared whispered promises.
Then she shattered them—walked away like it wasn’t real.
Now my worst mistake is coming on tour.
She’s filming us on stage and off, giving a glimpse of the men behind the band.
I'm expected to be open. Vulnerable. Let her in after the wreckage she caused.
I hate how I still crave her. I hate every look and word, threatening to drag me back under.
Remi Sinner nearly destroyed me once.
This time around, there’s no escaping this beautiful liar.

Thank you so much for this ARC @theauthor.agency & @cgblaine
#newrelease #cgblaine #kindleunlimited #theauthoragency
1m

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio/Ebook Review
Narrated by M. K. Blackwood & Christian Fox
4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

“The truth is. I’ve been wrecked over you all along.”
He kisses me again, swiping the fresh tears away with a sweep of his thumbs.
“Christ, I’ve missed you” He mumbles against my mouth.
“I knew something was missing. It was you. It was always you.”

CG Blaine has me in on emotional rollercoaster and with Christian Fox and M. K. Blackwood it couldn’t have been better. I don’t know what it is about Christian’s voice but lord it’s so calming and soulful and perfect for Foster.

In the past, Remi and Foster started connecting online over a social app finding comfort with one another when each of their lives was in distress. They never shared their faces to each other. Maybe it was safer as they found salvation in each other as both are struggling at home with some serious stuff. Now, Remi’s been hired to make a documentary film about the band and its enigmatic front man, Adam North. But she has no clue that she already knows him. But Adam wants nothing to do with her and she can’t figure out why. Their chemistry is on fire and the tension between them just adds to it.

“We should...”
“Not Stop.” I bite her jaw before scraping my teeth lower and then nipping right above her collar. She gasps when I suck the same spot only letting up when I guarantee a lasting mark. She’ll have to work to cover it, but the need to see me on her borders on obsessive.”

In the first quarter of the book, it’s a bit confusing as we go into the past and you see how Remi and Foster are connecting through this app but you don’t quite understand fully how. It’s continually evolving the back story. But give it time as the pieces of the puzzle come together. It’s super angsty in a good way. I did feel it was a tad too long and could have been reduced by a few hours.

I couldn’t have asked for a better narrator pairing than Christian Fox and M. K. Blackwood in duet style. They’re chemistry is amazing. Blackwood does a wonderful narration for Remi, someone going through family trauma. She has a slight quiver in her voice when the character is faced with stress and emotional scenes. Fox’s smooth delivery really captures Fosters emotional depth. I really got invested in these two.

[Nikki Yoder · Rating 5 out of 5]

🎧⭐️ALC Review⭐️🎧
I didn’t know how badly I needed to listen to a rock star romance until I started this book. It was amazing and I did not want to put it down. It was incredible. It was the perfect book at the perfect time with amazing writing, plot, angst, and spice. I don’t usually enjoy books that jump between the present and the past, but this one was done so well done, I loved the back and forth, and the emotion portrayed in the dialogue and the performances. I’ve listened to several books narrated by M.K. recently and have absolutely adored all of them. She is so authentic, and it comes through in her performance. Then there is The Fox, Mr. Christian Fox. I’ve been a fan of his for a long time and so glad he gave voice to Adams/Foster. This pairing was incredible. You absolutely must listen to this book.
Narration: Duet narration, first-person present tense, multiple-POV jumping between past and present

Tropes: rockstar, second chance, met on an app, abusive/neglectful parents, travel, mistaken identity, miscommunications, drug use, v!olence, domestic @buse, touring, close/forced proximity, found family, secrets, danger

Overall: 5 ❤️
Spice: 3.5 🌶️
Humor: 2.5 😂
Drama: 3.5 🎭
Darkness: 3 🖤
Narration: 5 🎧

Remi is getting the chance of a lifetime, to take the lead filming a documentary on the lives of the band members Of Men and Wolves. What she doesn’t know is she is already very familiar with one of the band members, the front man Adams North, but she knows him by a different name…

Foster has been a closed off version of himself for five years, ever since the girl he fell for disappeared from his life. Now she’s everywhere filming him and his bandmates on and off the stage, and worst yet, she’s traveling with them on their tour bus.

Being in such close proximity, and Remi getting close with everyone on tour, Foster wants to get close to her again, but the secrets and the unknown from each other’s past keep getting in the way. Will they be able to overcome what they think they know and learn the truth? And when they do, will it bring them closer, or tear them apart for good?

[Amanda Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite authors recommended this book (multiple times) and I went for it. No regrets for me.

It wasn't until I was like 65% in that I realized the book's name is Before Now and the story has a Before portion and Now portion. Yeah, I was a bit slow on picking that up. Well done though.

As I said, there's a before and a now part of the story but it bounces between the two. It wasn't hard to follow though. They flowed and made sense having them go between the two. Remi and Foster meet through an app. An app that seems super cool actually. The user pays a fee to "wander" around somewhere with another person holding the camera. Remi was able to see Prague through Foster's eyes while he's there. Super neat idea. Through this experience, the two get to know each other. They have a rule to not show their faces to each other though. I don't know how they did it, but they did. I know I couldn't! This is all the before portion of the story. The ending to their before story was a mess. Remi had a reason for what transpired and it's sad. Foster has his own interpretation of what transpired and has so much resentment about it.

Now Foster is in a band that's becoming more and more popular, but he now goes by Adams. His label has decided they want a documentary on the band. Remi is sent because the director she works for is unable to travel with the band at the time. Through this job, Remi and Foster reconnect years after they stopped talking cold turkey. He doesn't even give her a chance to give her side of the story either.

Overall, good story. My own drawback is how choppy the writing is. Yes, the timeline flows but there were a lot of parts where you'd be reading in the chapter and the scene would completely change without any break. There's no smooth transition. At one point the characters can be backstage then the next line they're on the bus. It was like an abrupt change. It didn't put me off in finishing the story, it's just something that I found to be frequent. However, I have ADHD so my brain didn't struggle catching up.

[HEATHER · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨Audiobook Review✨

I'M IN LOVE!!! This is the first book I have listened to by C.G. Blaine and she gets a standing ovation from me!! I wanted to listen to this based off the tropes and nothing else and let me tell you I was pulled into this story from the beginning and I didn't want this to end.

The narrators M.K. Blackwood and Christian Fox were Chef's Kiss 💋!! They made me feel so connected to the characters and their story. I loved how they held my attention and kept me entertained the entire time I was listening to this book. These two were made to work together!

REMI MY HEART BROKE for this character! Remi was just the sweetest character but this girl has gone through so much in her life and all she needed was for life to fall into place for her. When she's hired to direct Of Men and Wolves documentary she didn't know that this job was going to change her life. The front man is known as Adam North but to her he'll always be Foster West the voice that stole her heart 5 years ago.

FOSTER IS EVERYTHING! He also had a rough past with a lot of painful moments to overcome. He fell in love with a girl he finally let in and trusted and she just walked away. Then one day there she was in front of him to direct their documentary. As their filming he needs to open up but it's hard to open up when she hurt him the first time but over time these two finally start to see puzzle pieces click together that they didn't know were missing.

This story is heartbreaking at times and you just want to throw things, scream and cry all at the same time but let me tell you it's all worth it. You will also moments you laugh, smile, swoon and in the end you get such a beautiful ending. I could talk about this book all day! I seriously just fell in love with this book and all these characters. I loved getting to know the band mates but look forward to their own stories. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this audiobook. C.G. Blaine thank you for this masterpiece!

Thank you C.G. Blaine and Home Cooked Books for allowing me to listen to this ALC for my honest opinion.

[Monica (The Accidental Romance Blogger) Barbosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks @cjblaine and @mustloveaudio for the ALC! 

Remi and Foster/Adams meet in an app where you log in and 'wander' around a city with someone online. Soon they're getting closer and closer even without ever showing their full faces. They finally do and Remi ghosts Foster, crushing him.

Fast forward a few years and Foster is now Adams North, frontman of Of Men and Wolves, a band that blew up after being 'discovered' by Sav Loveless of The Hometown Heartless. The label wants a documentary, an 'on the road, behind the scenes' real look at the band. They hire a famous director to do it and he sends his assistant - Remi. On a bus together during the tour, secrets will come. They may clean all the festering wounds they both sport or set them apart forever.

The story is told in dual timelines and the curtain is slowly pulled off on how things happened. That's where I will stop saying anything so that you can discover everything that happened that sent these obviously 'meant to be' people apart. I loved CJ Blaine's style of writing and I can't wait to follow the series. 

Now let's talk audio because this one is a masterclass in storytelling through narration. Narrated duet-style by MK Blackwood and Christian Fox in award-deserving performances. MK gives us a very nuanced delivery, showing us incredible range. I'm in awe and I want her to narrate all the things. The Fox is absolutely swoon worthy as the rockstar who carries so much hurt. Foster/Adams is top tier tortured soul, rockstar goodness. And to put a final nail in our coffins... he SINGS. Scrape me from the floor, just saying. 

I absolutely loved this story of people who are meant to be but who have the Universe throw everything it can at them. We have a boy obsessed, a friends to enemies to lovers, forced proximity, 'secret identity' , 'it's always been you' and very angsty incredible story. I can't wait for more! 

Loved the cameo by The Hometown Heartless! 

Content notes: on page: domestic violence, death of loved one, threats of rape and SA, mental illness, drug and alcohol use, addiction, abuse of power. Off page: child abuse, cheating (not MCs), physical assault