Gathering Storms

Wild at Heart #4

by Lex Martin

What’s more complicated than a marriage of convenience? Falling for your husband.

After losing my apartment and librarian job in the same week, I'm one bad day away from hitting rock bottom. That's the only reason I consider Jace Walker's offer to be his toddler's nanny while he goes on a national tour.

I don't even like the man. But he recently had a baby he didn't know about dumped on his doorstep, and for once in his charmed life, he's as desperate as I am.

The plan seems simple — until his label says only spouses can join the tour. And Jace Walker, it turns out, would rather lose the chance of a lifetime than leave his daughter behind.

So when he asks if I'd consider marrying him, I know exactly what I am: his last resort.

I agree to his four-month marriage, convinced he'd never tempt me. Besides, he's too charming, too handsome, too talented to look twice at a quiet bookworm. I have rules and walls up for good reasons.

Except life on the road with this rugged cowboy has other plans—bandmates who resent me, his conniving ex who joins the tour, and a deranged fan who leaves us creepy gifts.

And nothing prepares me for Jace himself. The man underneath the charm. The father who'd give up everything for his daughter. The one who makes me feel things I buried a long time ago—and the storm building between us reminds me exactly why I buried them.

If you enjoy reformed playboys, swoony cowboys, single dads who adore their daughters, or prickly, closed-off librarians who would rather read than hang out with country stars, this one is for you!

Genres: Marriage Of Convenience, Forced Proximity, Romance, Small Town Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Cowboy Romance

461 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 9, 2026

About the author

Lex Martin is the USA Today bestselling author of the Wild at Heart series, Varsity Dads, Texas Nights, and the Dearest series. She writes contemporary romance novels, the steamy kind she hopes her readers love but her parents avoid. A former high school English teacher and freelance journalist, she resides in Texas with her husband and twin daughters. Drop her a line. She loves hearing from readers.

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Reviews

[Megan Coggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love when I’m reading a romantic suspense and I have so many theories and speculations.
When you don’t know The Who or how it’s going to play out. That’s how I know it’s going to be good.

And gosh there were a few people I straight wanted to two hand throttle.

Jace & Rory
Our country lead singer star brother
Is going on tour!
But there’s a surprise baby.
And he needs a nanny
And bam she is jobless and homeless.
Our cute little shy librarian.

This was a whirlwind.
I wanted to shake Rory. And then I was you go girl!
I wanted to punch Jace and then awe.
The plot was plotting hard.

Arc review ✨

[Jessica Alcazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

Solid 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 because it is not a 4 star story.

This series has been a #win for me from the very beginning so of course I knew this story would be a good one. Spoiler: IT WAS MORE! Stop the madness with all the swooning!

If you’ve been here from the beginning, Jace Walker might just be a surprise to you. I mean, let’s be honest, of all the Walker men, he’s pretty much the playboy of playboys. Feel me? Life had other plans for our love ‘em and leave ‘em Walker and with what seemed like a snap, life got real real and so did he! #swoom From the very beginning, he was waving green flags for me, and I was here for it.

Rory Anderson is one of the greatest FMCs that I have ever read. This chic! Listen, I was rooting more for her than their HEA and I really wanted a HEA for them. She’s lived a whole lot of life but none of it has tainted her spirit. She is a strong, resilient, selfless person who wants only the best for everyone. And she does all of that before she does for herself. MY GOD, she took my breath away at times!

Rory & Jace didn’t exactly have a rainbows and gumdrops start to their relationship, but they are a true yin and yang! Their connection is like puzzle pieces. My heart was so happy throughout this story that even right now, as I type this, I have a huge smile on my face over the story as a whole.

I’m not going to say that every single plot point in this story was hearts and flowers for me because there were quite a few that made me twitchy. I found the overall “rockstar” situation to be trite and cliché too many times. I’m not saying some of those things didn’t need to happen, but they could have used some imagination. The one thing that did not need to happen is the ex factor. None of it. A “groupie” would have delivered the same impact. Had the ex not slinked away after Jace goes off his rocker and screams “she’s my wife”, I would not have been able to round up to 5 stars. But she did so here we are. NOW, about the stalker … 👏👏👏well done!👏👏👏 The outcome of that was legit mastermind material and I saw none of it coming. NONE. Again, 👏👏👏👏!

I’m really looking forward to seeing what Lex has up her sleeve for Isaiah and Liberty's story and the audiobook of this story!

[Sim-fully Ever After · Rating 5 out of 5]

5🌟, 3🌶️

I absolutely love when a romance has me making theories every few chapters, only to prove me completely wrong.

Jace and Rory completely won me over. Rory’s quiet strength and kind heart made her so easy to root for, while watching Jace grow into fatherhood was every bit as swoon-worthy as the romance itself. Their marriage of convenience felt believable, heartfelt, and filled with the kind of slow-burn chemistry that made every moment between them worth the wait.

What really made this story unforgettable was how effortlessly it blended romance, family, humor, and suspense. Just when I thought I knew where things were heading, another twist had me questioning everything. I went from smiling at the sweetest moments with Layla to wanting to shake a few characters, then straight back to completely melting over Jace and Rory. Their emotional connection felt genuine, and watching them slowly become each other’s safe place was easily my favorite part of the book.

By the time I reached the final chapters, I was completely invested in every outcome, and the ending still managed to surprise me. This is the kind of romance that keeps your heart full while keeping you guessing, and I loved every second of it. Jace, Rory, and Layla have easily become some of my favorite characters, and this story will be living rent-free in my head for a very long time.

This delivered everything I could have wanted and somehow even more.

~~~~

Huge thank you to Lex Martin and Team for the ARC! 😍 All my bookish thoughts are completely my own. ✨

[Cokiereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gathering Storms

Rory has just found out that she's going to lose her apartment and she just lost her job. What a week. Her friends have an idea... Be a nanny for their brother-in-law who just found out that hes a dad. The guy who's never noticed Rory. He's going on tour and he doesn't want any more lost time with his baby.

Rory agrees but theres a problem, she can't stay on his tour bus as a nanny... but she could as a wife.

Thus begins a crazy ride with an awful man stealing sister, in your face ex's, grumpy band members who don't want Rory there and a stalker.

I loved sweet Rory. She took such good care of Jace's daughter. And I liked how she was kinda meek but then not. Jace, Jace, Jace... I loved the guy but there were times I just wanted him to hurry up and man up. Those bandmembers I wanted to slaaaaaaap too much.

There's also a slight thrill. Someone is stalking the tour and leaving Rory some pretty menacing gifts/messages. I had NO idea who it was. And when it was revealed I was shocked. SHOCKED!

Its slowly romantic. These two are in close quarters, constantly moving with a new baby. It gets rough. But I loved how Jace finally made the right decisions. And I can't wait for the last Walker!!!!!

[BookAddict · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aurora Anderson agrees to marry Jase Walker in order to go on tour with him as his nanny. But let me back up a second.

In one fell swoop, Rory loses her apartment and job as the town librarian around the time Jase finds a baby he never knew about dropped on his doorstep as he's getting ready to go on the first ever US tour with his band, Wayward Sons.

Jase refuses to tour without his daughter (knowing what that parental abandonment feels like), and management says only spouses can accompany the band on tour. Rory has her reservations, because Jase shares too many similarities to the guy who broke her heart (and, hoo boy, is that ever a story).

Not only do we have the perfect setup for a heartfelt, compelling romance, but this gifted wordsmith delivers it perfectly. This one is amazing! Jase and Rory are so freaking sweet together, but holy wow, are there ever a lot of forces working against them.

I loved the drama and suspense with the side of mean-girl diva, but the twist? Knock-your-socks-off terrific! Jase, bless his heart, made some poor choices, but he really stepped up when things got critical. I loved seeing his growth, but it was Rory finding her faith in herself and growing into the woman she was meant to be that really stole the show. A truly phenomenal read in every imaginable, this is one you won’t want to miss!

[Van · Rating 1 out of 5]

Atrocious
Very immature man and a doormat
Not romantic at all, I don’t believe for a second that he was in love with her

Everyone in this book humiliates and steps on heroine, her family, the hero loser, ahis band, his ex, his fans… and at the end she is glad to continue a relationship with all of them and even apologize, I don’t know why? For breathing?

He humiliates and humiliates her all through the book, honestly either the Arc are from author’s friends or they don’t know a good love story
She is his daughter nanny and there was nothing sexy about it, just a creepy relationship
We all need to have more self respect, women
She should have left, he was almost ok with that idea…

His ex is with him and his band on tour and they pretend they are together or flirting for the fans in front of heroine! It’s a cluster freak show
He never thinks about her at all or fight for her and his band mates treated her horribly!
🤢

[Kelli M.E · Rating 1 out of 5]

How does this book have such a high rating??
I’ve tried reading a few books from this author before. This should probably be my last. I don’t think it’s a writing style that I enjoy.


Overall This MMC is a loser
- First, he sings a really seductive song about his ex’s body with the ex on stage in front of the FMC while flirting with ex (they are a couple at this point)

- the ex “accidentally “ dumps a plate of pasta all over FMC

- Then the eX sits on his lap when they’re doing some kind of fan signing event and he just lets her sit on his lap for a few minutes because he just doesn’t wanna make it look bad even though him and the FMC are already together at this point

- The FMC gets a threat against her instead of reporting to the police . He puts his career and his band first and just says we’ll get you pepper spray.

- Jace doesn’t see her for days so he can record and lost his phone. Like he literally can’t borrow someone’s or have her come to the studio which is like 5 minutes away for dinner . So he just ignores her for days while she’s watching his child

- Jace promises he won’t perform with his ex again after he did the first time. Then he does a secret recording at the studio with his ex and doesn’t talk to Rory first

- Rory has a bad feeling and she shows up at the studio to catch Jace who hasn’t talked to her in days and she has to see him flirting with his ex and laughing

- To put the cherry on top, she’s his social media manager, so she has to take a video of them flirting and singing a love song together and then post it on his account

- The whole tour is only supposed to be for four months and then without telling her he considers signing to make it last even longer

- She asked him one thing before marry to never humiliate her and if he’s going to be with the woman, he has to tell her first. But all he does is humiliate her through this whole fucking book.

- Then out of nowhere, his ex has to ride on the tour bus with him. Like at this point, this man hates Rory like there’s no reason he should make her go through all this pain yet he’s doing it.

- Oh, and his entire band hates her and treats her like shit

- Again, he just lets her put up with this and doesn’t do anything to stop it

- Oh, he gives a little apology and she forgives him for all of this. By the way literally another woman was on his lap. How was that not cheating??

- OMG at one point Rory is like well if he just gives some space between him and his ex then it’s OK I don’t want him to leave me. She is so spineless this is embarrassing.

- Jesus Christ Rory‘s bashed over the head and locked up somewhere and the band manager refuses to call an ambulance for her because he didn’t like the way it would look like what the fuck is wrong with these people

- The band mates who are awful to her and call her a mouse and make fun of her. They literally want her off the tour and treat her like shit for months. But then at the end, they give her some flowers and say I’m sorry. Literally two words and she laughed and smiles and says it’s OK.

- Oh, and when she goes missing cause she’s been attacked one of the bandmates refuses to look for her and just brushes it off. Like how was it? It’s OK that he just says sorry and we’re all friends?

- This was definitely a rage read this chick has no spine and neither does the male character for that fact. He lets everyone treat his wife like shit because he just doesn’t wanna upset anyone. What a fucking loser.

- At around 80%, maybe 85% into the book Jace finally stands up for Rory and puts her feelings first. This whole time she’s still putting him above herself. She literally has given up all her dreams just to follow him around on a tour bus.

Lots of ow drama
Could be cheating or at least crossing lines depending on your boundaries

[Jetscarbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a lot. It’s full of OW drama, and the heroine gets humiliated over and over again.

📍Some people may classify this as cheating. MMC does let his ex OW sit on his lap, hug up on him, rub her hands all over him, and he pretends to like her. They sing a seductive song together. He does lie or omit info to the heroine about OW. (We know from his POV he has no interest in OW and he’s just doing this for the VIPs) 📍

(Possible spoilers ahead) Long rant with a recap

Jace dreams of being a rock star. He’s tired of living with his brother, brother’s wife, and all their kids.
He used to *kind of* date this OW, but she broke his heart. He self-destructed for a bit after that. He became the town slut and slept with everybody. When the book starts, he’s been celibate for 9 months or so. He’s been given a great opportunity to tour for 4 months with promises of a record contract afterwards. (This is important to remember because this is always the excuse. “I’m doing this for a record contract.”)

Right before he leaves on tour, a past groupie OW drops off a baby that’s almost a year old. OW doesn’t want the kid. Now Jace is a daddy.
His family suggested he talk with the heroine (they already know her) because she just lost her job at the library and he needs a nanny.

So the heroine used to have a boyfriend (he was also some big act), but she caught him sleeping with the heroine’s slutty stepsister. The heroine tends to avoid Jace because he reminds her of her ex. Anyway, Jace needs a nanny to travel with him. The heroine agrees. Well, only married people can travel with the band, so they get “fake” married. (This makes zero sense)

Jace’s friends, aka bandmates, are not happy the heroine is traveling with them. The one teammate (can’t remember his name) has a girlfriend, but he continues to cheat on her throughout the book. 🥴 I don’t even understand why they’re such a-holes to the heroine.

Jace is actually a very sweet, but dumdum guy. He really wants a record deal, so he tends to go along with anything. I thought he was immature and some of his jokes were just ick.

As soon as they leave on tour, that’s when everything starts to happen. We also find out Jace has a stalker, and he’s had one for a while. Ummm, makes sense then that you’d bring a baby and innocent woman into this dumpster fire.

About 35% the MCs start their smexual relationship. It’s basically a FWB, and he tells her countless times he’s not looking for anything serious. She agrees. 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

Years ago, Jace wrote a very sexy, seductive song about the OW (the one who broke his heart)
That song is now their biggest hit.
Wait for it.
3
2
1
💥
OW makes an appearance. We find out she’s also a singer. And she has her eyes set on Jace because she wants him back. 🙇‍♀️

This is when the book and Jace take a hard left turn right into the dumpster of hot trash. We see and hear about what Jace is *willing* to do and put up with to be a BIG STAR ⭐️. And we see how great the heroine is at being a total wet puddle. I did start to skim some after this point, because I just knew this was going into humiliation hell.

The VIPs want Jace to be with the OW. It’s selling tickets. So basically one of the first betrayals is that Jace takes off his wedding ring. The heroine moves her ring to the other hand. They won’t tell anybody they’re married. Huh? What was the point of getting married?

One night, while the heroine is on the back of the bus with the baby, Jace comes back to the bus with his bandmates and a whole lot of women. One is running around naked. One is all up on Jace. Ummm THERE IS A BABY ON BOARD 😱 (eta: the reason Jace said they all came back to the bus was he wanted to keep his bandmates from trouble and he didn’t want them blaming the heroine because they couldn’t party on the bus. So goofy)

Jace sings with OW on stage. It’s that sexy, seductive song he wrote about her. OW is rubbing all over him like he’s a genie in a lamp.
OW posted on her social media pictures of her and Jace all hugged up on each other.
OW is bitxhy to the heroine and dumps pasta on her. Jace says to OW *crickets* nothing.

So the heroine talks with Jace and tells him her boundaries. The only thing the heroine asked for when she took this nanny job was for Jace not to humiliate her. (He fails over and over and over again)
Jace is very apologetic, and he always seems to be able to smooth the situation. He does seem very sincere. The author tries really hard to make him oblivious about all this.

Jace starts to omit or straight-up lie about stuff.
Like OW sitting on his lap during a fan greet. Or recording a song together. Or making a video together. Jace even disappeared for a couple of days, lost his phone, and didn’t bother letting the heroine know he was in the studio with OW. Poor heroine had to show up and see them sitting side by side together. He even reached over and let OW have a drink of his drink. Cozy. 🤡 They are laughing and smiling at each other. Awesome. All this happened while the poor heroine has been with a teething baby.
He doesn’t even tell the heroine that he’s thinking of signing up for a longer tour.

Okay, tbf to Jace- we do see his POV during all this. He has absolutely no interest in the OW. He knows the situations are being manipulated for ticket sales. All his POVs show a different side to these betrayals. For example, Jace not contacting the heroine for a couple of days. From his POV, we learn he lost his phone (oh okay. I guess nobody else has a phone you can use)
He knows the stuff the VIPs are asking him to do is wrong, but he’s conflicted because he wants this contract. He also wants the heroine and has strong feelings for her. He’s basically a doormat for the VIPs…..and his trauma is that his mom just left him when he was a kid 🎻🎻🎻🎻

Now…IMO the worst betrayal is the stalker. The stalker has now started to target the heroine. Destroys and rips up the heroine’s stuff. Nobody wants to contact the police. wtf? The fact these people have a baby on tour with them should be the number one reason to contact police AND hire more security.

The bus gets switched. Instead of a master bedroom in it, now it has all bunk beds. OW is traveling with them now 😱 This OW is so ridiculous.

You’d think at this point the heroine would look at Jace and go “here, take your kid. I’m out of here” but nah. 🫣 She gives him the cold shoulder. Yeah, that will teach him.

There’s a ton of other little small betrayals sprinkled throughout this plot. Jace is a big dumbarse and the heroine is not any smarter. I feel for the kid at this point.

Naturally, this dumpster fire kicks it up a notch by having the heroine get kidnapped and put in the cargo hold. Jace saves her. She’s recovering, then the stalker is revealed. Omg hahahahahahahahahaha. It’s the manager’s wife. The old lady. What? Bahahahahaha. 😂😂🙃 She did all this because she didn’t want Jace distracted with the nanny. She started stalking him way back because she wanted him to quit his whoring ways. He did, but now she’s mad he’s with the nanny.
I probably said wtf at least 5 times and not because that was a shocking twist.

The crappy bandmates apologized to the heroine, and she just laughed and said, “Okay. We are all good”
Jace and the heroine instantly are like ILY with each other.

The epilogue is at Christmas. Jace had promised her a bookstore so she can follow her dreams, but she’s decided to put that on hold. She’s gonna follow him around and let him have his dreams. Ugh. They agree to hold off on publicly announcing they’re married until he gets his final contract. Aargh! We are back where we started. 🙄

Hey, at least he’s now got free childcare.


I guess if you’re into OW drama, then you may enjoy this. There were times I wondered if this heroine has a humiliation kink. This is usually why I don’t like rock star romances. I think it’s mostly due to the fact that I can see some women actually putting up with this when it involves a rock star. 🤷‍♀️

#savebabylayla
#shitparents

[Natalie]

NTS: Adding this shit to my "never open" list because watching an FMC with a fatal humiliation kink survive off crumbs is not fucking romance. But the MMC is the real loser here. Standing by while his love interest gets dragged, only to turn around and flirt with the mean girl, proves he is working with negative three inches both upstairs and downstairs. A man with that little going on in his pants has no business being in a romance novel, and it is honestly embarrassing that this trash has such a high rating.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You're not the consolation prize, Aurora. You're the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow."~Jace😍

"They have my whole heart."~Rory🥹

"Darlin' you look like something out of a cowboy's dirty dream."~Jace😈

"...he's mine now, and I plan to keep him."~Rory🥰

"I want to make your dreams come true too, not just mine."~Jace🫠

🎸🎶📚📻🤘🏻👢👢🚍🤠👶🏻🎸🎶🥵🌠🛻💋❤️‍🔥😚

Welcome back to Wild Heart, Texas, y'all. It's time to go back to the Walker ranch, visit the brothers, their sassy wives, playful kids, and get wrapped up in their funny family drama(s).😂 There's never a dull moment. And we wouldn't want it any other way. This time it's Jace Walker, 27, who's going to get his world shook then flipped upside down.🔮 He's not ready, but then, who is?😉 Especially when a woman from his past knocks on the door with a one year old little girl in a car seat. His little girl.🤯 Now, Jace, how can I put this, Rory called him a manw*ore. Yeah. That should summarize it.🤭 No judgement Jace.lol This guy has had his share of groupies and women galore. But he is on a s3x cleanse. Abstinence. I have to say, I like that Jace made a change for himself b/c he didn't like where that path was leading him. It's different. Did I mention he's in a band, and the lead singer? An opportunity has presented itself to be an opening act for a famous singer, after 10yrs of waiting and hoping, but how can he do this, he just found out he has a little girl.🫢🫢🫢🫢 He won't leave his child at home.

Aurora (Rory) Anderson, 25, is very smart, loyal, and a librarian. She's sweet and doesn't like to make a fuss about things. She's an introvert and an over-thinker. Relatable. And yes, she dresses in long baggy clothes. She wears glasses. But don't underestimate where beauty lives.🫡 People aren't very nice to her. She's overlooked. A wallflower. But that girl is beautiful. Jace will show her and make her feel it.🥰🥰🥰🥰 Rory gets up, hurting, even as she keeps tripping and falling.😖 I don't think she's clumsy but it is what it is. Just know, that as this story progressed, there's less of that happening. I saw Rory grow, get out of her comfort zone, speak up for herself and shut people up, down and sideways. Yassss girl!🎉🫰🏻🫰🏻🫰🏻 Finally mama. Do your thing.🙌🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👍🏻 She loves to read, loves kids, doesn't have a lot of friends, and has trust issues. Well things are about to turn to... 💩💩💩😫 very quickly!!!!!! Rory gets evicted, she even got fired from the library. Ughhh. The nerve.🌧️🌧️🌧️🌧️ Her friends, Paige, Honey, Baylee, who are they, Jace's sister-in-laws. You see where I'm going here? Jace needs a road nanny and she needs a job. Rory doesn't like Jace much. He's too much of a player and is too d@mn good looking. Her cheating ex was in a band. But deep down, I know that she finds Jace very attractive.😜✨✨🧲🧲🧲✨✨

The hitch is: she can go on the road, but only as his wife.😱😱😱😱😱😱🙀🙀🙀🙀🙀🙀🤥🤥🤥🤥🤥🤥

Non-negotiable.🚍🛄

Time to get hitched and pack your bags honey!💍

What's the worse that can happen?

Besides sharing some serious time together, caring for Layla, and a bed. Really? What could possibly happen?🤔😲😲😲🥵🥵🥵🥵🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥💋💋💋💋🫦🫦

With a crazy @$$ stalker!😬🍒👥👤👥🍒

I was, still am, excited that I got to read the next Walker brother get his whirlwind love of a lifetime.🫶🏻 This is a sloww burn romance. It doesn't just leap in but builds from the ground up. I appreciate that even more. It doesn't drag but smoothly flows the characters, this family, in being supportive, showing up, and giving love. Expect opposites attract, close proximity, suspense, a bit of a mystery, a twist, drama, will they or won't they, humor, a cute little baby named Layla, marriage of convenience, online presence, photos, lies, misunderstandings, jealousy, heat, flirting, kisses, Jace wrote a song for Rory and sings it((his firefly)), horses back at the ranch, a romantic evening under the stars, and some serious changes and developments. He even wants to buy her a bookstore. Love that.♥️📚 These 2 people went out on tour together and found what they never expected in each other.😽😽

Now Ms Martin will put her readers through it ((in a good way)) and having you read late into the night, one more chapter becomes ten. You may look like a zombie as you go into work in the morning.🧟‍♀️🤣🤣 And all you'll be thinking about is: when is lunch so you can read the book again. It's like that. The true story of book realness✧⁠\⁠(⁠>⁠o⁠<⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠✧(⁠☉⁠｡⁠☉⁠)⁠! Jace makes mistakes. Rory didn't reveal her feelings. Whyyyyyy?! But they both protect and support each other. I figured out who the evil troll was. Noooo, I'm not telling you. As if!!!😂😂 I'm invested here. Worth it.🎖️🎖️🎖️🎖️🎖️ It's such a good book. Great job, Ms Martin!🥳🥂

I love the book cover. There's horses in the background. I adore this couple. The story is written well. There's spice too.🌋🌋 Naughty talk from Jace.☺️ I recommend. It's a standalone but interconnected with the first 3 books. They're all worth reading. Put them on your TBR pile.🌟🌟🌟🌟

Shout-out to Dreamer🐴, Fluffy🐑, and the many nameless horses, chickens out on the ranch.🐴🐴🐴🐴🐓🐓🐓🐥🐥🐥🐔🐔🐔 And also Bluebell a VW🚙 and a van named Pamela Vanderson.🚐 Happy reading.*•>§<•*💜🩵💜🩵💜🌪️

🚩🚩Read the TWs. 18+ read.🚩🚩

🧑‍🎤💘👩🏻‍🏫Thank you to Ms Martin and Grey's Promotions for an early book. This is my honest review on the book I read.👩🏻‍🏫💘🧑‍🎤

[Amanda Blanche · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 4 in the Wild at Heart series that features the Walker brothers. This book is about Jace - the rockstar brother. Tropes include: single dad, marriage of convenience, OW drama, wallflower and reformed player kind of dynamic.

Aurora (Rory) is happy to stay in the background, cozy and happy in her library with her books. Having had enough betrayals and disappoints in the past, she keeps to herself. But when she loses her job and gets a notice of eviction from her landlord - the calm and life she worked hard for disappears. Enter Jace - his band is finally going to have their big break and go on tour - until he gets a surprise dropped on him. A baby. His baby. With no idea she even existed and her mother leaving her with him (permanently), he is thrust into being a single parent. But with the tour now at risk, he has to think fast - his family suggests having Rory become his nanny so she can travel with them on tour. But there’s a little problem, only spouses can travel on the bus with the band…

[Lillian Christenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not expecting a suspense filled story when starting Lex Martin’s newest book in the Wild at Heart series. This book is Jace and Rory’s story. Jace Walker is a musician. Rory is the local librarian. When Jace and his band land a summer tour, he feels like everything is going right. However, it wouldn’t be a good book without a few twists and turns. First, twist…Jace is a daddy and the baby’s Mama doesn’t want to be a mama anymore. Second turn, Jace can’t bring the baby on tour but he could if he was married. Enter Rory….

They didn’t expect to fall in love, but this is a good romance, so they do. But not without a stalker, an ex, and some twists and turns. Lex Martin kept me engaged throughout the entire book. There were times I wanted to yell at Jace to stop being an idiot, but it all ended as it should.

Thank you to Grey’s Promotions for this advanced copy.

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in this phenomenal series, and this is Jace and Rory’s story.
Jace is in a band he loves, and becomes a single dad to his baby daughter, whom he never knew about, and Rory is the local librarian. When Rory hits rock bottom when she loses her apartment and job in the same week, Jace needs a nanny for his daughter while he is on tour, but when the label states only spouses can join, they agree to a marriage of convenience. Rory becomes a target of a deranged fan, the band mates resent her, and Jace’s conniving ex, so life is not easy for her.
This is a well written easy to read story, with family, friendships, emotions, romance suspense, intrigue, marriage of convenience, opposites attract, forced proximity, humour, witty banter, challenges, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, twisted, and unpredictable, small-town romance.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.

[Alison Chisum · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing felt very lazy and immature. The plot had potential but there were so many things that weren’t explored deeply enough.

The first thing that infuriated me was that their main character’s best friend was actively cheating on his girlfriend and BOTH of the main characters were just like, “eh, not my business.” All while the FMC’s whole storyline of how she was cheated on in the past and how much it messed with her. And she sees this guy cheating and just shrugs it off?

Then, the same guy from above is an absolute asshole to her the whole book for no good reason and at the end when he gives a lame apology she’s like, “Ok! Let’s hug it out.”….

It was just a very underwhelming book and a lacked a lot of substance.

[Alexia Gauthier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fake vows. Real chemistry. Absolute perfection.

5 ⭐️ | 2.75 🌶️

Lex Martin… I need answers.

What is in these books? Meth? Kryptonite? Some kind of addictive literary sorcery? Because every single time I pick up one of her novels, I tell myself I’ll read “just a few chapters”… and then suddenly it’s 2 a.m., I’ve devoured the entire book, and I’m wondering how she managed to hijack my life for the last 24 hours.

Gathering Storms is the fourth instalment in the Wild at Heart series, and somehow Lex Martin keeps raising the bar.

Rory is the kind of heroine I instantly adored. She’s a quiet librarian, a homebody, happiest surrounded by books rather than people. After losing both her apartment and her job in the span of days, she’s desperately trying to stay afloat when an unexpected opportunity lands in her lap.

Enter Jace Walker.

Cowboy. Musician. Certified charmer. Newly surprised single dad to an adorable little girl he never knew existed. When the opportunity of a lifetime sends him on tour, he needs someone to help care for his daughter. The solution seems simple… until tour rules dictate only spouses are allowed to travel with the band.

Cue one of my favourite tropes: marriage of convenience.

What I loved most about this book wasn’t the trope itself; it was how beautifully Lex Martin made it unfold. Nothing felt rushed or forced. Rory and Jace don’t simply fall into each other’s arms. They slowly peel back each other’s layers, discovering the people hidden beneath their carefully built walls. Their relationship feels authentic, vulnerable, passionate, and incredibly earned.

And Jace? Good grief.

Watching this former playboy transform into a fiercely devoted father was enough to melt my heart. Seeing the way he loved his daughter made every romantic moment hit even harder. Add in the cowboy charm, musician lifestyle, protective instincts, and emotional vulnerability, and you’ve got a book boyfriend who deserves every bit of the hype.

But don’t let the sweet moments fool you.

This story has tension simmering beneath every page. Between life on tour, complicated relationships, lingering emotional scars, jealous band dynamics, an ex who refuses to stay in the past, and increasingly unsettling events surrounding the tour, there’s this constant feeling that something bigger is coming.

And when it finally arrives…

HOLY. SHIT.

I genuinely did not see that plot twist coming. Not even a little.

I love when a romance surprises me, and this one absolutely delivered.

Lex Martin has such a gift for writing love stories that feel deeply emotional without ever losing their addictive pacing. The romance is swoony, the chemistry is electric, the emotional beats land exactly where they should, and every page leaves you desperate for just one more chapter.

If you’re looking for a romance that’s sexy, heartfelt, funny, emotional, beautifully written, and impossible to put down, Gathering Storms deserves a spot at the top of your TBR.

If you love:
🤍 Marriage of convenience
🎸 Rockstar × cowboy
👶 Single dad
📚 Quiet librarian heroine
❤️ Nanny romance
🌩️ Slow-burn tension with incredible payoff
🤠 Reformed playboys who fall hard

…then trust me, you’ll be just as obsessed as I was.

Thank you to Grey’s Promotions for the eARC, and congratulations to Lex Martin on another unforgettable Wild at Heart novel (out July 9th)!

[Lorna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing read this story follows lead singer Jace and the librarian/nanny/ social media assistant Rory.

Rory and Jace first meet is at Jaces brothers wedding that they are paired up together as bridesmaids and groomsmen. Everyone thinks Rory has a crush on Jace but she doesn't in fact she doesn't have the best impression of him especially when she overheard him and another guest who called her a dog and he said nothing.

So a few days before Jace is due to go on tour with his band "Wayward Sons" a groupie knocks on his door and leaves without her 10 month old daughter Layla telling Jace that she's his daughter and she can't do it anymore. His manager doesn't want Layla going on tour with the band but Jace refuses to leave her behind and ends up marrying Rory so she's allowed to come and look after Layla.

As the tour kicks off and each stop is a bigger stage and audience than before their manager Frank along with some Reps, (record label) decide in order to sell more tickets and help get their name out their more they should team up with Marlowe and The Dusty Roses which happens to be Jaces ex and if that's not bad enough they want Jace and Marlowe to sing "Red Light" (a song Jace wrote for Marlowe) together as a duet, Marlowe takes this as her chance to flirt and try to win Jace back.

[Brigid Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved EVERYTHING about this book!! Lex Martin absolutely knocked it out of the park with Gathering Storms. It had me laughing, swooning, tearing up, smiling, and wondering what the heck was going on. I was hooked from the first chapter.

Jace Walker is confidence and swoony swagger. He has been working so hard for the past decade to make on the country music scene, and just when his big chance has finally happened, life has thrown him a huge curveball- a 1 year old daughter.

Enter Rory. She his opposite. She's shy, completely introverted, and doesn't trust easily. Down on her luck and desperate she agrees to be his nanny. Did I say nanny? I meant fake wife. But oh boy, with their chemistry they were destined to be real. Was it an easy ride to their HEA? Nope, but then that makes it all the better.

Jace and Rory's story reminded me why I love Lex Martin's books so much. She writes characters who feel real, romances that make your heart ache in the best way, and love stories that stay with you long after you've turned the last page. So if you're a fan of single dads, marriage of convenience, slow-burn romance, found family, and protective heroes, do yourself a favor and one-click now!

[Elaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Gathering Storms was such an immersive and surprisingly insightful read. What starts as a marriage of convenience between a reformed playboy rockstar and a quiet librarian quickly turns into a story about responsibility, trust, and building a family in the most unexpected way.

Jace , the lead singer of a famous band, suddenly finds himself becoming the father of a baby girl he never knew existed just as he's about to leave for tour. Rory, recently fired from her librarian job, accepts a temporary nanny position that soon turns into a fake marriage so she can travel with the band. It's a setup that could have felt overdone, but Lex Martin makes it feel fresh through the characters.

Rory was easily my favorite part of the book. She's thoughtful, steady, observant, and quietly funny without even realizing it. I loved how she never rushed into decisions but stayed present in every situation, whether it involved caring for baby Layla, navigating life on tour, or supporting Jace through difficult moments. Her calm nature balanced Jace's more laid-back personality beautifully.

And baby Layla was a sweetie at every scene she appeared in.

I also enjoyed seeing Rory's personal growth . She begins as someone whose world revolves around books and routine, but touring with the band pushes her outside her comfort zone and helps her discover a more adventurous version of herself without changing who she is at her core.

What made the story feel especially wholesome was the sense of family surrounding the characters . Rory has spent much of her life feeling unsupported by both sides of her family, so watching Jace’s brothers and sisters-in-law welcome her, value her opinions, and show up for her in small everyday ways was incredibly heartwarming. At the same time, Jace also has a strong support system in his brothers, who constantly help him think through problems and stand beside him when things get difficult. That contrast between Rory’s loneliness and the warmth she gradually finds with Jace’s family added an emotional depth that I really loved.

My favorite touches were the original songs Jace writes throughout the story. The snippets of lyrics , especially Firefly, felt like little gifts woven between the chapters. They offered a sweet pause amidst the romance and drama while also showing his feelings in a way that words alone couldn't. Those moments made the relationship feel even more intimate and memorable.


One aspect I wasn't expecting to enjoy as much was the behind-the-scenes look at the music industry. The touring life , contracts, publicity, social media, and the pressures of fame added an interesting layer that made the story feel more authentic and gave me a greater appreciation for everything that happens beyond the stage.

The middle portion does bring plenty of drama. . But those conflicts also highlighted the importance of standing up for your partner, communicating honestly, and making each other feel valued despite demanding careers and outside pressures.

The suspense surrounding the stalker kept me invested, and I appreciated that Rory's intelligence and presence of mind played such an important role instead of relying on unnecessary drama.

Overall, this was an easy, fun, and incredibly addictive read. Once I started, I genuinely didn't want to put it down. My only advice? Make sure you don't begin it when you desperately need sleep—the emotional roller coaster in the middle will keep you turning pages. And yeah, it is definitely spicy.

A heartwarming romance with a lovable baby, a golden retriever rockstar, a quietly brilliant librarian, and a reminder that sometimes the qualities that carry us through life's storms are steadiness, trust, and choosing each other every single day.

recommended for readers who want
TROPES:
💜 marriage of convenience
💜 single dad
💜 opposites attract
💜 forced proximity
💜 small town
💜 romantic suspense

Thank you, The Author Agency team, for providing an ARC. All thoughts are my own.

[Court]

Wow, I’ve been dying for Jace’s story and the wait was so worth it! Jace and Rory will steal your heart in this fake relationship, close proximity, drama filled, suspenseful story. Rory is out of a job and place to live. Meanwhile, Jace is about to go on tour and just finds out he’s a dad. They both need help and they are the answer to each other’s dilemmas at the moment. Rory and Jace decide to get married so she can be his daughter’s nanny on tour. As these two spend time together on tour, the chemistry that’s been there since they’ve met is growing and becoming harder to ignore. Rory and Jace have to figure out their relationship, who’s leaving threatening gifts, and deal with an ex on tour - it will test their limits. Then add in the adorable moments with Jace’s daughter and you’ll be swooning. Rory and Jace are magic, both have been through a lot and they have to figure out if their fake marriage is worth the fight or with everything going on around them ruin it before they make a decision?! I devoured this book and could not put it down until I knew what happened. Jace is my favorite in this series now, stole my heart.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could exist in Jace and Rory’s story forever! They are phenomenal. Their love is phenomenal. Their story is phenomenal.

The stories and characters Lex gives us are so unique and addicting. This story had all the perks of a Lex Martin book and then some with the suspense! Definitely going to need more twisty suspense from her! 💯

Since Gathering Storms HAD to end, I’ll be over here greedily awaiting Chasing Shadows.

[VoraciousReader · Rating 1 out of 5]

The H hurt and humiliated the h over and over and she just took it and came back for more.

[Kristee Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

love them!!

“I’ve never believed people who say they felt a spark kissing someone, but I get it now.”

This book! Loved it! Did I stay up way past my bed time to finish it? Why yes I did and it was so worth it! 🙌🏽

Jace found out he’s Dad right before his band goes on tour, enter Rory. Rory all of a sudden has no job or a place to live so when Jace needed a nanny/wife she reluctantly agreed to a marriage of convenience and to travel with him and his band so he gets to be with his daughter while on tour.
Now they’re sharing a bed and spending lots of time of together but Rory knows Jace’s type and she swore to never again fall for the charming musician but Jace is not who she thought he is. Now she’s trying her best not to fall for her husband but she seems to be failing.

Jace is such a great dad, a reformed playboy just wanting the best for his daughter. But with all the stress of making sure his band finally gets signed, an ex that’s all of sudden everywhere and fighting the attraction he has for his wife, a man can only deal with so much! He’s not perfect but oh he’s close, bring on the swoon and spice!
Rory, gahhh I just want to give her a hug! Her family is awful but the Walker family is amazing and they embraced her right into the fold!

That twist! I definitely didn’t see that coming! And Marlowe is awful! Go read the book and let me know what you think! 😂

[Sabrina Cullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did I have a big work project to do the next day?… yes
Did I stay up until 2am devouring this amazing freaking book!?….. OF COURSE!

Jace and Rory are officially my new fav couple from the Wild at Heart Series! The ANGST was amazing and killer all at the same time. I love how sweet and soft Rory was, but she could absolutely bring the sass when it came to Jace. And I loved watching Jace go from playboy -> floundering dad -> amazing husband. It was NOT an easy ride for these two but my God their story and love is amazing! I wish I could go back and experience this book for the first time again.

Guess I’ll have to settle for an instant reread!

Thank you Lex and Grey Promotions for the ARC!
I’m so excited to finally hear Isaiah’s story in the next book!

[Lorena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arc Review

•Single Dad x Nanny
•Marriage of convenience
•Country star + Librarian
•Forced proximity
•Romantic suspense


“𝑫𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕? 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒂𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝑻𝒆𝒙𝒂𝒔 𝒄𝒓𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝑱𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒅.”

“𝑵𝒐 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆.”


I’m amazed how Lex Martin keeps writing these fantastic books.
She throws in some suspense into the series that keeps you on your toes, your in it for the romance but there is a bit of mystery in the book, that adds an extra layer to it.

Jace Walker, country rock star finds out he’s a dad, so he must balance his music career and fatherhood. Rory, town librarian is in a bit of a rough patch. So she must do what she needs to do to help out Jace but also make a way for herself to get her life back on track.
Jace and Rory together just fit perfectly, opposite attracts, but similar In a way.
All the walkers are top notch but Jace might be my favorite MMC.

The whole series is a must read but it can be read as a standalone.

We are getting Isaiah’s book next and I’m here for it. He is such a mystery, we don’t know much about him but i know it’s going to be good.

[Holly Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gathering Storms

By: Lex Martin

(Wild At Heart Series Book Four)

I always write down thoughts, quotes, and point out any errors..my review is afterwards. I’ve never read anything by Lex Martin, but I love discovering a new (to me) author! Anything quoted from the book will be in parentheses! Enjoy!

1. like the cover! It’s nothing over the top, the background is cute, and I like the softness of the colors.

2. This is cute, and so true! (To my bookworms, to the wallflowers, to all the quiet girls out there… Someone sees you.) (pg. 10)

3. One of our boys' middle names is Isaiah and I call him Zay sometimes. (“It’s cool. Zey covered for you.”) (pg. 58)

4. Exactlyyy!! (“You listen to Eric Clapton?”) (“What classic rock lover doesn’t?”) (pg. 62)

5. Ha! This made me giggle. Nobody is Dave Grohl…except Dave Grohl! 😍(He snorts. “You’re not Dave Grohl.”) (pg. 69)

6. I love this analogy!! (My ex was a bad weather advisory, but Jace Walker? He’s a category-five storm.) (pgs. 114/115)

7. I’m loving the flow of this book and how smoothly Alex Martin writes. It’s like I’m right in the mix with the characters!

8. I’m pretty sure I know who Cherry Smasher is! How does Rory not see this ughh I wanna yell at her to open her eyes!!

9. Yes! Kids make you forget because life truly begins when you have kiddos!! (“It’s almost like I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have a daughter.”) (pg. 283)

10. Ugh Jace is so sweet! The bond between him and Rory makes me tear up.

11. I love a protective man!! (“No one touches what’s mine.”) (pg. 288)

12. Hmmmm!! (Did Marlowe do this?) (pg. 309)

13. Wait…what if it’s not Marlowe, but it’s actually….😳

14. I freaking knew it!! 😱 (I warned you!” ___ yells.) (pg. 372)

15. 😳 Well, didn’t see that coming!

🖤🫶🏻🖤🫶🏻🖤🫶🏻🖤🫶🏻🖤🫶🏻🖤🫶🏻🖤🫶🏻🖤

This is the first book I’ve read by Lex Martin and I absolutely loved it! It is the fourth book in the series, so while I wish I read the first three I’m going to read those next. The cover is cute! It definitely matches Rory and her personality, but there are little things in the background that relate with Jace. I like when a cover actually matches the storyline. We say “don’t judge a book by its cover”, but we all know the title and cover catches our attention! So this one is really nice!

The way Lex Martin writes is so smooth. I love the flow, it’s not too rushed or boring. I love the familial moments with not just the baby, but the Walker gang too. Now I love some rockstar romance, opposite attracts, and instant family type of books and this one is all of that, plus more.

I’m bad at pointing out any errors in a book, it’s a pet peeve, but this one had zero errors! I enjoy the creativity that’s in this book. From the beginning to end, plus the two bonus chapters, it’s full of sweet moments, as well as artistic, shocking, funny, intense, and steamy at times.

I love how opposite Jace and Rory are, but they fit together perfectly. I was rooting for them from the beginning! I’m excited to read other books about the Walker brothers and the ladies since the side characters are so interesting! And how cute is baby Layla?! Lex Martin hit the baby talk on point. It wasn’t too overly done or stretched out. She wrote exactly how majority of babies sound at one.

The authors attention to detail is great. She shows us the characters, settings, and surroundings wonderfully. I love when an authors shows instead of tells. It makes things way better. I was able to envision everything perfectly and played the book in my mind like a movie!

This book had me giggling, full belly laughing, tearing up, and even yelling out loud at it! Lex Martin is an incredibly talented author. I checked out her list of book and honestly, I’m excited to read all of her other books! This single book has made me a fan!!

If you love a rockstar romance book with some suspense, laughter, love, and of course steam, then this is one you need to read! I really enjoyed it and can’t wait to read the other books in this series!!

[Nicole Wills · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jace freaking Walker. I have loved nearly every character in this series but Rory stole my heart. The way her confidence grew and how she truly came out of her shell was amazing! And why did that happen? Jace. Freaking. Walker. Did he make mistakes? Huge ones, but absolutely nothing that couldn't have been fixed. His willingness to do whatever it took to fix it? Swoon! I loved the way they actually TALKED, even if it took a minute, they still came to the table. I can't not mention the whirlwind that happened with the suspense - I never would have guessed the bad guy! All the stars Lex! I cannot wait to see what happens next in Wild Heart!

[Shonna · Rating 5 out of 5]

TITLE: Gathering Storms

AUTHOR: Lex Martin

SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

RATING: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🅜🅨 🅡🅔🅥🅘🅔🅦-

Gathering storms is the 4th book in the wild at heart series.

I am truly at a loss for words for how incredible this story was. I devoured this beautiful story and I didn’t want to put it down. Lex Martin is a phenomenal storyteller. I adore everything she writes but Gathering storms will hold a special place in my heart.

Jace walker is an aspiring country rock star who has dreams of making his band hit the big time. He has a wonderful support group by his brothers and their wives. Jace unexpectedly gets a surprise on his doorstep in the form and the cutest little girl. Jace dives head first into the role of the doting father who will do whatever it takes for his young daughter. But Jace is stuck in abit of a dilemma he has a tour coming up with his band and has no one to help out with child care his only alternative is to hire a nanny but no one can travel with the band unless they are a spouse.

Rory is the quiet librarian who keeps to herself. She’s shy and very reserved after she has just lost her job and is soon to be homeless her friends come to her with a solution to her problems that will help her out and also help Jace out.

Jace and Rory couldn’t be more opposite if they tried yet they were incredible together. Their chemistry was undeniable and I loved how protective Jace was with Rory. Jace and Rory’s romance isn’t all rainbows and sunshine with jace’s band members taking a disliking to Rory and with Jace having a stalker who sends creepy gifts which seems to get darker and more sinister every time they send them. Will Rory and Jace have what it takes to overcome the obstacles in their path or will it destroy their relationship before they even have a chance to try and make it work.

I have loved every single release in this series but for me jace’s story is by far my favourite. I am throughly looking forward to reading the next book in this series. I cannot recommend this story enough!

If you’re a fan of single dad, marriage of convenience and country rockstar romances then make sure you read this phenomenal story!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC review

You just had to do it didn’t you?!?!
😭😭😭😭

First off:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

Now… sexy librarian and sexy musician, fake marriage, and secret baby????

WHAT!!!!

Jace is in his prime. FINALLY getting the chance of a lifetime to tour and make his band known nationwide until a baby is dropped on his doorstep. The funny, single, partying, one night stand, lover boy is now a dad. But what about the tour? No women are allowed to travel unless they are married. Who’s going to take care of the baby? His sister in laws make a suggestion. Rory. The woman who hates him with a passion.

Rory has had crap luck with love. With no family around after some EPIC drama, then suddenly disaster happens at the library. But not only that, with her living situation. Without a job or a place to live, she’s stuck on what to do, until her friends suggest being a nanny. Only one problem… She has to marry the man she hates to take the job.

Rory takes the job and marries Jace. She’s Layla’s nanny and starts falling in love with her.
Of course there’s drama with the band mates and old flames pop up. But the guys have some creepy stuff happening while on tour. In every city. In every place they go. Who is it?
What happens with Rory and Jace? What happens with the band drama? What about this fake relationship that isn’t so fake anymore?

I was crying by chapter 49 and lord woman it was over the smallest thing. But you had me in my feelings. I loved this book so so much!

[Carm Readers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love getting ARCs from authors I already know and love. It’s even better when it’s a book I’ve been eagerly waiting for in a series I’ve been thoroughly enjoying.

That’s exactly what I got with Gathering Storms, book four in the Wild at Heart series by Lex Martin.

This is the ultimate unlikely-couple romance. Jace, a musician and now single father, finds himself entering into a marriage of convenience with Rory, a quiet librarian, homebody, and someone who is unapologetically herself.

After a series of unfortunate circumstances, Rory joins Jace on tour as not only the nanny to his daughter but also his wife and a rockstar world she is not used to.

One of my favourite things about this book was that, although the attraction between Jace and Rory was obvious from the beginning, Jace actually had to work for it. Rory doesn’t simply fall at his feet, and I loved that about her. There were definitely moments where I wanted to tell her she was worthy, but her insecurities and personal journey added so much depth to the story.

In classic Lex Martin fashion, there are plenty of twists and turns, a few genuine WTF moments, and when the spice hits, it hits.

I’m genuinely disappointed that there’s only one book left in this series, but I’m already counting down the days for Chasing Shadows.

Thank you to Lex Martin and The Author Agency for sending me this ARC. This review is my own personal opinion x

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Jace and Rory because they were a couple that didn’t make sense on paper but ended up being perfect for each other. I ate this story up because there was so much going on that kept me on the edge of my seat till the very end. This couple goes through some ups and downs with a few unexpected twist to get to their HEA.
Jace Walker has put everything into his band and when he finally gets his big break, he finds out he has a daughter. Jace is not sure how he is going to go on tour with his daughter and thinks he is going to have to let his band down. Rory is having a rough time, she has lost her job as the town librarian and her apartment. Rory’s friends suggest that they she join Jace on his tour as his nanny. In order for Rory to join Jace on tour, they have to be married, so they agree to a marriage of convenience and to get a divorce at the end of the tour. While falling for each other Jace and Rory face a bunch of obstacles like angry bandmates, a meddling ex, demanding tour schedule, and a crazy stalker. You will have to read Gathering Storms to see how Jace and Rory handle everything that comes their way and if they are willing to fight for their relationship. I enjoyed watching these two fall for each other because Rory was nervous about going on tour because she was going to be stuck on the bus and doesn’t like big crowds, but as her and Jace grew closer, she gained confidence in herself and Jace started to imagine a future he never thought possible.