The Deviation

by Rebecca Raine

When my quiet life fell apart, he turned up the music in my soul. How do I pretend we never happened?

Johnny
I did everything my parents got a respectable job, married my childhood sweetheart, and pushed my rock star dreams into the background. It was enough for me… until my divorce cracked open the cage.

Now old cravings rush to the surface, and I ache to satisfy each one. Starting with the gorgeous man I lock eyes with at a music festival. Calum is all kinds of perfect. As a manager, he could accelerate my music career. As a man, he reignites the fire in my soul. I can’t have him both ways.

When my band signs with Calum’s company, we agree to keep our distance. No one can know we’ve met before. How far we’ve gone. How deeply we’ve tasted. Our futures depend on the secrets we keep.

Calum
If I’d known who Johnny was the night we met, this never would have happened. Getting involved with a client is forbidden, and I can’t risk my job—or my sister’s security—for some lust-fuelled romance.

Working together doesn’t have to be complicated. That’s what I tell myself every time we avoid touching. When his eyes tease, and his lyrics seduce. As our professional successes mount, the connection between us only grows stronger.

There are lines we can’t cross. Boundaries we can’t break. But when Johnny is all I want, all I think about… how do I stay away?


The Deviation is Book Three in the Experimental Love MM Romance series by bestselling Australian author, Rebecca Raine. This 90,000 word Rock Star Romance can easily be enjoyed as a standalone novel, but reading in order is recommended. The Deviation features found family, workplace romance, first time bisexual romance, plenty of heat, and copious amounts of delicious pining. HEA guaranteed!

Genres: Workplace Romance, Found Family

306 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 17, 2025

About the author

Rebecca is a long-time lover of all things romance. Whether it’s a book, movie, or real-life, she will always have more fun if there’s a love interest thrown into the mix. She lives in Queensland, Australia with her very own hero husband, two adorable children and one big, black dog. Other than reading and writing books, her favourite things include loud music, enjoying a glass of wine on the patio, organising everything in existence, and spending too much time on the Internet.

Reviews

[Evelyn Bella (there WILL be spoilers) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The kind of yearning that has these men apart, knowing why they have to be apart, but so into each other they go into silent jealous fits whenever they think the other is seeing someone else and both know how shitty that feels so they make time to reassure each other that while they're NOT together, they're also NOT seeing anyone else, don't worry.

💀

I swear I'm not cheating on you or our relationship that's not happening and can never happen, okay? I still like you as much as I ever did, more even.

Taking a minute in alleys to breathe each other in but NOT TOUCH. Just exist next to each other for a while before they have to go back to pretending to be nothing more than artist/manager.

Yes, please. I was very here for this dumbassery.

“I’m not… seeing anyone.” He releases a breath, his shoulders sagging as his head falls forwards between us. “Fuck.” I swallow hard. “What about you?” Lifting his head back up, he looks at me with tired eyes. “No.” My lungs start working again, and I take a deep breath as relief floods my body.

“I’m so hard I think I could come from the smell of you alone.”

💀

Like. Okay. Just touch each other. There's really nothing about an artist and manager relationship dynamic that requires this degree of separation of church and state. I think it's enough to have tried😂

THEY WERE PANTING FROM CONVERSATIONS😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

This is the type of lust that's talked about in the Bible.

Also the kind of pining that I absolutely love. Dramatic, over the top and horny af.

Beyond the main romance, which I clearly adored, I loved the side plot of Johnny's relationship with his parents, and how it evolved during the course of the book, as well as Calum's struggles with learning to trust again, after having been abandoned by his parents.

Still. The resolutions to all the issues are a little too saccharine sweet and tidy for my angst loving self. So not full stars. But absolutely worth the journey.

Full disclosure, when I requested this ARC, in my mind I'd requested a Rebecca Rathe book, and when I realized it wasn't hers I was like 'Great, now what if I hate this but still have to leave a review?' but now I'm glad I made that mistake, because I think I'm going to enjoy Rebecca Raine's books.

[Saskia Veldhuis · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.25 stars. An interesting take on a young starting band manager and a band with no early intentions of becoming famous. The pining between Johnny and Calum was really touching, and they were quite mature about their situations. The pressure on both MCs from different origins was well described, and the people around them were really enjoyable. The unpleasant side of people profiting from artists was clear, and Calum was very impressive in standing against it.
Thanks for the advance copy, I am happy to leave a voluntary review.

[Queenbeereads_sugarandspice · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

It took me a while to properly get into this one, but I’m glad I persevered as I really enjoyed the second half of this book. I appreciated though that most of the plot didn’t go the way I expected, and that’s partly why I was so determined to see how things worked out.
 
What appealed to me most was the exceptional found family feels among the band and their families, including their solid support for each other and how quickly and wholeheartedly they accepted Calum and his sister into their group. The affection and unitedness between them brought so much to the story for me in the latter half, and that’s when I really felt the warmth and heart of the book. Their encouragement seemed to influence our MMCs in such a positive way.
 
I think my stand-out character ended up being Hannah, Calum’s sister, probably because I saw a bit of myself in her (definitely not the musical side!). I loved her and Johnny’s instant rapport and her strong relationship with her brother. I was really pleased that we got to see some of her character’s growth too as she came out of her shell.
 
If you enjoy forbidden musician-manager romances, pining, and awesome found family vibes, you should definitely pick up this book.

-‐------
Some of my favourite quotes

“The one thing I’m glad about is that I will always be the first man who tasted you.”

“Music is fundamental to who you are, Johnny. I saw it the first time I watched you play. You were like… You shone like the sun.”

“When I saw you that first night, you struck a spark that brought me back to life. Then you turned out to be the dream manager, too. One would have been enough, you know. Both is overkill.”

“I need to get close to you, even if it’s only for a minute, even if I can’t touch. And wanting you hurts, like on a cellular level, but it hurts so fucking good.”

“This part of your life—the band, me—it’s no dream, Johnny. This is as real as anything else you do. You are never more real to me than when you’re on stage with a guitar in your hands.”

“I can’t breathe for how stupid in love with you I am.”

“This is the part where we stop, yeah?” “We’re supposed to stop.” “No, Johnny. This is the part where I surrender. Because I love you and I don’t want to stop anymore."

“I need to know this is real, that we’re together now. Tell me I don’t have to let you go.”

“Who you are is my kryptonite, Johnny. I’m helpless against you…” “I don’t want to be your kryptonite, though. I want to make you stronger, the way you do for me.”

“I love you because I can’t stop myself from loving you. I trust you, because you’ve earned my trust. I want to share my life with you, because being apart hurts like hell.”

[Ashley Carrillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. This is the first time reading this author's work and after reading this book it's a tragedy that I haven't read the first two yet. Which is something I'll be fixing after ASAP. You dont necessarily have to read book 1 or 2 to read or understand this one but I think it'll add to this book as a whole if you do. (So I'll be re reading this one after the first two) Johnny and Calum were everything. They were the right amounts of angsty, swoony, hot, raw and just so right for each other. The problem? Calum is a manager who needs to sign a band and a good one for his career and for him and his sister to survive after all the hurt they've had to endure at the hands of people who were supposed to love them. And Johnny, who is Fifth Circle's guartarist and who put the bad together, band is the perfect one. Only their lead singer is reluctant and they promised to stay how they are and not involve outside sources. But Johnny can't help but need more. He's already sacrificed his wants, needs and desires for his parent's sake so they can be proud of him. He put his love of music on the back burner and made it a hobby, he went on to become a pharmacist even though his parents wanted him to become a doctor and he married his high school sweetheart who ended up breaking his heart anyway. Now he wants two things. His band to make it further and Calum. Only with Calum managing the band he can't have him and if he wants him then he can't have the band. Bring on the angst, pining and longing. I was holding my breath every time Johnny and Calum were around each other. They wanted to do right by the people they loved but they also couldn't control their attraction and the intense pull they felt for each other. This puts them in a tough descion and makes for such a good book. I couldn't put it down. I'll definitely keep my eye out for this author in the future.

[Larissa_S · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5 stars*
The Deviation is the third installment in Rebecca Raine's compelling Experimental Love series. This story is yearning through and through, centered on a background of rock-and-roll ambition.

Johnny tells himself he's content working as a pharmacist while playing guitar in Fifth Circle, a pub band enjoying itself without any real designs on making it big. Calum is the opposite: his life is lived in laser-focused pursuit of a dream - building a future in music management that will provide security for him and his twin sister, Hannah. When Johnny and Calum meet, it's fireworks and suddenly staying on the straight and narrow of their respective chosen paths becomes much more complicated and challenging.

Raine's writing is always top notch, but she's particularly adept at painting visceral emotional pictures with her words, like the push-pull of desire constrained by principle we see in the dynamic between Johnny and Calum. Johnny and Calum’s chemistry is undeniable from their first encounter, and their scenes together are incendiary both in and out of bed. But Raine gives emotional weight to their relationship that we deeply feel through stolen moments before contracts are signed, constant tension where they each desperately want but try to hold themselves back, and ever-present fear that they're wobbling on a tightrope and are bound to fall, bringing everything down with them.

As usual, Raine's characters are multi-layered, likeable and well rounded with a supporting cast of found family that lighten things up and ground things in the real-world. The Deviation is an immersive read that keeps your heart invested and your hands turning the pages. Highly recommended.

[Anne Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn’t put it down
Johnny has been part of the band for many years. He had met his wife at school and had married many years later, but it didn’t work out and now they are divorced. She couldn’t take how much of his time was taken up by the band and she cheated on him. Johnny has very ricked old-fashioned parents who think he is just playing with the band and he should take his job more seriously, but for Johnny the band was his sanity. He couldn’t see working in a Pharmacy for the rest of his life as fulfilling as being in a band with his best friends. They get a chance to play at a festival and if honest Johnny really had to get Ned his best friend and lead singer to take a chance. Thankfully they make it to the festival and Johnny after being divorced for so long is hoping to find somebody to hook up with and that is when he sees the ginger hair guy making eye contact with him. Johnny has always known he was bisexual, but he had never acted like it before because he took his bowel seriously to his wife as he walks out of the tent he comes face-to-face with the most enchanted man who has seen before he asks him a question. His name is Callum and he has one rule not to get involved with a musician so Johnny said he’s a pharmacist in his mind. It’s not a lie but it’s not the whole truth but as the weight of these two men kissing and Johnny feeling electric all over he tells Callum the truth Callum is furious with Johnny and walks off and he doesn’t see Callum again until he is packing up his kit from playing as a small pub.

[SNik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Third in series (Experimental Love), but can be read as a standalone. Close proximity. Found family. Dual POV.

Johnny is a pharmacist by day and lead guitarist of a band by night, when he gets the chance to make his rockstar dreams come true it comes with the condition that he gives up a chance at love. Calum has built his whole life around taking care of himself and his sister, his career and job is everything, and being in a relationship with a musician he manages is forbidden.

Boy howdy the yearning. Calum and Johnny get a glimpse of an instant connection, a possible deep love, and chemistry off the charts but have to deny themselves due to outside forces. They both were likable, earnest, loyal and the fact that neither of them could imagine being with someone else while they orbited each other was super swoony. This was a beautifully written love story, with supportive secondary characters, and two men that can’t imagine letting the other go but unable to make that final leap until pushed. 4.5 rounded up

[ButtonsMom2003 · Rating 5 out of 5]

★彡 𝟓 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒 彡★

I loved reading The Deviation. The chemistry between Johnny and Calum is off the charts – the sexy time is hot AF – but they can’t be together because Calum could lose his job. Calum has been caring for his younger sister since she was thirteen so he can’t afford to lose his job, no matter how much he wants Johnny. Johnny has family problems, too. His parents want him to settle down and take his job as a pharmacist to the next level by buying his own business. They think he’s just playing around with his band and that it’s no more than a hobby.

Everything about this book grabbed me and didn’t let go. I loved the found family – Johnny and his band and how readily they accepted Calum and his sister into that family. The epilogue set one year later was just perfect. I love finding out how characters are getting along after the main story ends.

An advanced copy of this book was provided to me at my request; my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.

[Bluemoonchild · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was intrigued by the premise of this book from the start - hidden desires, forbidden relationships, the chacne to finally live your dreams. I've always been drawn to books with forbidden love, especially when the characters are forced to face the truth and make a choice. In this case, whether or not to risk it all for the man you love. Just like real life, it's never an easy choice, no matter how much we like to think it would be, and this book nails that tension perfectly.

Johnny and Calum have a connection that feels realistic and emotional, while also being combustible and layered with longing. The restraint they show, the quiet yearning for what you're not supposed to have, raises the stakes and makes everything feel more believable. The push and pull top tier, and the found family aspect really adds to the heart and soul of the story.

I had a hard time putting this one down. Prior reading isn't required, but you'll want to go back and read the first two books in the series.

[I received an advanced copy of this book. All reviews and ratings are my own.]

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up

If you enjoy a story full of hurt-comfort, lots of yearning, tough choices, over-the-top sexual tension, and the love and support of found family, you'll love this story. Rock guitarist Johnny and manager Calum fight a losing battle against the instant recognition they feel the first time they see each other across a crowded room. Cliche? Yes, but =nothing else about this story is boring. Frustrating? Also yes. And I kept having to figure out how I felt about the fact that Calum, whose career path stretched credibility, is three years younger than Johnny, but doesn't usually act it. Yet sometimes I forgot they're young adults still struggling with identity issues when they overreact or act impulsively. But what made me finally round it up to 4 stars was the fact that there's no magic rabbit pulled out of a hat to get Calum back into the good graces of the management company, but he still has the career he has, as well as the man he loves. Bad things happening don't mean the end of hope ... it's a message I can get behind wholeheartedly.

[L H · Rating 5 out of 5]

​This story was a well crafted look at what happens when two desires collide. What do you want more - potential fame and fortune or a love that comes out of nowhere and means a lot? Johnny and Calum are on different paths. Johnny is working by day in a pharmacy and playing in a band without expectation that he is in a bar band going nowhere special. Calum is all about taking care of business and his sister and finding love is not on his agenda. They feel the pull but the choice is a tough one. Johnny gets to go for it with his music with Calum as manager, but they cannot be together under those circumstances. Oh the longing - being in each other's orbits but not being able to go for it. And not being able to resist. This was really a good read and emotional in all of the good ways. Tough choices, but it turns out love can be tougher.
I received an ARC from GRR and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[C.B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding! Johnny, submerged his wants and dreams to be the man his parents wanted and did not live his truth. His passion is music, but it becomes a hobby. When he takes charge of his life, he divorces Ellie and embraces his band, Fifth Circle whole heartedly. Calum, is a jinior talent scout who is moving up the ladder, working under Arthur. Arthur, is all about Arthur. It is against the rules for Johnny and Calum to have a relationship per the company, Rush. Fifth Circle sign with Rush and Calum sets goals and expectations which Fifth Circle meet and exceed. Rebecca, brings us an outstanding group of musicians and family that set a solid foundation for romance, friendships, loyalty and committment. Arthur, is a bit of a tool and operates in an ethics desert. The story is sweet, exciting with a bit of adventure thrown in. The dialogue is fun and Johnny and Calum are delightful. Great cover art! Nicely done. I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Vols77 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A highly emotional and complex book that will draw you in from page one. Johnny is a pharmacist who longs to be a rock stat, but he has spent his life following expected paths of others, caring for others, and never thinking of himself. That all changes when he experiencing a divorce...all bets are off as he decided to care for himself. He sees Calum at a music festival and starts fly, Later they reconnect to learn that Calum is Johnny's new manager. Both decide the past must be left as the past for this all to work. Of course their connection is strong and while they work hard not to allow anything to happen, their hearts do not agree. Despite whatever the consequences might be, love prevails. A great read.

[Kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Deviation is the Third book in the Experimental Love Series but can be read as a standalone.

By day Johnny is a pharmacist, but he really dreams of being a rock star. He has spent his life doing everything he was supposed to do to please everyone else. After his divorce he decides to take care of himself for once.

Then comes Callum. They meet at a music festival and the Sparks fly. Later they end up having to work together and they try to keep their distance and be professional. And we all know that never happens when the attraction is so strong.

Tropes:
• Australian Author
• Rockstar/ Manager
• Forbidden
• Workplace
• One night stand
• Pining
• Hurt/Comfort
• Found Family
• First times

[Deb Kel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an emotionally charged romance full of longing and restraint. Johnny’s rediscovery of his passion, both for music and for Calum, is handled with real sensitivity, and the conflict between desire and responsibility gives their story a constant undercurrent of tension.

I particularly enjoyed the slow burn and the way their connection deepens through stolen moments, music and unspoken understanding. The found family around them adds warmth and balance, making the emotional stakes feel even higher. Thoughtful, heartfelt and packed with pining, this was a satisfying and romantic read.

I received a free ARC copy and this is my honest review.

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It was so easy to fall for Johnny and Calum, become invested in their relationship, and hope for a happy ending. The two MCs are wonderful characters but both have obstacles to overcome, so while there is an instant attraction between them there is not an instant romance, and they have to work to get one. Their story is sweet, emotional, has heat and some angst, and once I’d started, was very hard to put down. While it’s part of a series it can easily be read as a stand-alone and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

[stardragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Calum is working hard as an assistant in the Rush Music Management machine, not only to become an agent but also to provide for his sister. Johnny is a pharmacist but also guitarist and song writer for Fifth Circle a local pub band. When Fifth Circle agrees to sign with Calum so many things happen. This book with not only shred your heart but put it back together. The love and faith these band members and their partners have with each other is more than a found family it’s a family bond.

[Juniper · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s so much depth of emotion here: the yearning, the pining, the feeling— it’s all intense and powerful and moving. These characters are easy to root for, and their story, once you get caught up in it, is easy to invest in. Johnny and Calum are interesting in all the best ways as individuals, and their chemistry makes it easy to see why they belong together.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[J K H · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the very first book I’ve read by this author but it definitely won’t be the last! The characters are rich and complex, the heat is on point and it is wonderfully written. Johnny and Calum are absolutely perfect together - one trying to keep his family together after an incredible loss, one who believes he can never be himself or he’ll be letting his family down. Their journey is beautiful and I feel privileged to have read it.

[Johanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this is Book 3 of the Experimental Love series it can be read as a standalone.

The characters drove the storyline and they were so very appealing and likeable and complex and complicated and absolutely perfect together. Plot was well written and developed. World building was solidly drawn. Thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend.

Grab a copy, kick back and enjoy!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Fay MMBookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic.., Johnny and Calum are so great in this, it helped that I connected with them. The hot sexy scenes are smoking and I loved their chemistry, highly recommend for the reading list. I received an GRR advance reader copy and this is my honest thoughts of the book.
My Full Blog Review Link

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was hard for me. It wasn’t just pining; it was yearning and yearning is so much more strong. Yearning means you know what you could have and you’ve had it already but damnit it’s out of reach now.

And that’s these 2 men. They yearn. 😭

Still it’s a solid read and one I can recommend.

Thank you, Gay Romance Reviews, for the copy.

[Jo Atkins]

This book was a bit of a slow burn. Johnny the musician who doesn't want to be famous and Calum the new talent manager who needs a successful band. They don't know this when they first meet at a music festival, and this story is about them overcoming their differences and does expose how the music industry can be very difficult to succeed in. Well written and I would definitely say keep reading.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute take on a forbidden style read. The chemistry between these two was good and they really had to work to get their HEA. This is book 3 in series but also reads pretty good as a standalone. A really enjoyable read!!!!

[Adoraboy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Calum and Johnny's chemistry is amazing. I fell in love with them and loved going on the journey with them!!!!

[AL · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great take on a forbidden romance with a rockstar as one of the MCs. The author created totally lovable characters and sure did make them work for their HEA! I enjoyed the book a lot!

[Ida Umphers · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author does a great job of showing us how Johnny at the beginning has spent his life being the person his parents wanted him to be - fitting into the box of job and marriage his parents demanded. When he finally breaks free and starts to become his own person, he and Calum discover what they can be together but try to stay apart now because of a refusal to get involved with a person they work with as they are now musician and manager. Fortunately, they have an inescapable connection that forces them to find a way to overcome all obstacles.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book three of the Experimental Love series and this is another great addition, this is an emotional story about Calum and Johnny.

[Didi Ps · Rating 5 out of 5]

Johnny is trying to get a new head start after a divorce, and see where his new life will take him. He meets Calum at a music festival, and after a hot first meeting, they end up having to work together.

They try to keep their distance from one another, since no one should know that they’ve been together before, which should be simple, since they just can’t cross those lines.

But... how can they stay away from each other when the attraction is so strong?

Love the ending...

I received this free ARC, and this is my honest review.