DISSONANCE

by Adeline Humphries

For readers who loved The Edge of Darkness Trilogy and The Words, DISSONANCE is a haunting second-chance romance about a spiraling rockstar, the woman he left behind, and the powerful forces that never truly let him go.
It is the first installment of The Falling Star Trilogy.


The world knows Jude Graves as the untouchable rockstar with a wicked smile and a platinum record.

Emma Easton knew him before the fame.

Before the darkness.

Before the night he shattered her heart and disappeared without a word.


Seven years later, a very public overdose sends Jude crashing off tour and straight back into her life.

The headlines call it reckless, but Emma isn’t so sure.

He’s unraveling in slow motion, desperate to hide the reasons why.

And this time, she refuses to look away.

Because Jude didn’t walk away all those years ago.


He was forced.


Powerful people still own him. Still control him. The kind who stage narratives, bury secrets, and silence anyone who gets too close.

Including her.

Loving him once nearly destroyed her. Trying to save him now might destroy them both.

Genres: Dark Romance

ebook

Published March 28, 2026

About the author

THE CROWNED MONSTERS DUET is her debut work as a dark romance author. It has since been re-released with updates.

Her upcoming release is THE FALLING STAR TRILOGY (2026), a dark rockstar romance.

Adeline Humphries is a 31 year old dark romance author who writes stories that readers are unable to put down.

Her debut, Monsters Wear Crowns, ranked "Top New Release" on Amazon.

When she's not writing classically "unhinged," morally ambiguous characters who you can't help falling for, she's living a private life in the US with her husband and cat.

Reviews

[Hailey P · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a MUST READ dark rockstar romance. And i mean DARK!! (think edge of darkness dark!!!)

Every character goes through so much my heart BREAKS for them.

And yall… Jude is my new top tier YEARNER. HE KEPT A PHOTO OF EMMA IN HIS POCKET FOR SEVEN YEARS. SEVEN. This is all while they’re broken up mind you!!!

Gah I cannot 😭

not only are Jude and Emma EVERYTHING— but the side characters?!! Micah & Heather?! Perfect friends. They are absolutely 100% who you want fighting in your corner.

This is book 1 in a trilogy and it is ABSOLUTELY a book you’re going to want to add to your tbr. Immediately.

[Emma Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first rockstar romance and I will definitely be needing more.

Jude and Emma’s relationship hits so hard. That feeling of first real love, only for it to be stripped away by the most vile people… actually heartbreaking. I really need my girl Emma and Jude to get their HEA because they’ve both been through way too much.

Micah and Heather are not just “side” characters. Their story is one I found myself really invested in. Micah is such a teddy bear who just needs a little guidance, but he loves his people so deeply. And Heather is such a mama bear—she will absolutely put up a fight to protect her people, and that’s what makes them so great together.

Jude… he deserves SO much better. And Emma, I just hope she takes care of herself too while fighting for Jude because I can already see her starting to spiral and I cannot have that.

I’m really excited to see where the story goes next. I’m sat for the next one.

Definitely check your trigger warnings on this one.

[Sarah Rassool · Rating 5 out of 5]

I keep seeing a comparisons with The Edge of Darkness Trilogy and The Words. With my whole chest, this is DISSONANCE full stop. My first top 6 star read of the year.

Adeline's writing captivates you into the story as if you're experiencing it yourself. Whether through the rawness of the words on the page (or screen) or consumed feeling like you're in the cottage with the characters. You're in the car with Jude, you're on the deck with that sweet memory. You feel the pain when Jude and Micah are painting through Emma's POV while Can You Feel My Heart by BMtH is playing. Some of the most amazing, and enthralling writing that deserves recognition.

Jude is fighting for his life in the start of this trilogy. He's still there, the man he wishes he was before everything. When he comes back home to heal and sees Emma, welcoming her back in his life after seven years of their split, he realizes he does have a reason to fight, to end things, to LIVE.

But the journey to healing is never linear and when you're just a piece on a chessboard that 3 others are controlling, reaching for the light-for her-isn't possible. Second chance, addiction, mental health, abuse, dark, masked un-aliver, and the most beautiful pain in a dark romance. Check your triggers!!!!

[Bounded and Bookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS is the dark rockstar romance you need to read. If you liked the edge of darkness trilogy, you will love this!!! The ending has my heart breaking and I know book 2 is going to break it even more 😭 this is a super dark story of a rockstar’s struggles with addiction, sexual assault, and being “owned” by others and forced to do terrible things. The FMC is a loving and supportive art therapist. She is the light that balances his dark. Both of them YEARN for each other (including the 7 years they were apart!). And I absolutely loved their best friends and their side love story. Micah is also struggling but not as severely as Jude, so his attempts to help his best friend were simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking 😭 I love this book and HIGHLY recommend it. This is easily a top dark romance for me!

[Mikaela Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very fortunate to have received an arc for this book! If you are looking for an mmc who gives kade mitchell vibes but make him into a $lutty little rockstar, this book is it! I am forever in my rockstar romance era and this story is everything!!

We follow Jude Graves as he navigates his life which isn’t what it seems like on the surface and how he gave up the love of his life 7 years ago. Emma Easton is living her life, doing her favorite job, and still longing for the man who broke her heart 7 years ago.

This second chance romance is everything and it mixes in angst, longing, healing, trauma, and darkness. Please read your trigger warnings.

This story was so incredibly painful yet beautiful to read and I just want to hug them both. The ending of this was absolutely insane and I cannot wait to dive into the next book!

[autumnoneal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave me allll the feels ugh. Gave me the same feelings I had while reading the edge of darkness trilogy, my heart hurts for Jude. As someone who has loved ones who’ve struggled with addiction this one hit home and i related sooo much to emma. Truly a gut wrenching story about the reality of addiction & loving someone with addiction.

Normally not a fan of past & present timeline stories BUT Adeline wrote it in the PERFECT way. She wrote just enough about their past to make you feel that connection and yearning, but not to the point where I was forgetting what was going on in the present. I FELT the longing between the two and it was so raw and real and brutal

This book made me feel so much and yanked me out of my slump from chapter 1!

I absolutely adored this book and can’t wait to dive into book 2 & 3.

[Andrea Gleditsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I live and breath dark and traumatic stories, and always have a heart for edge of darkness series this really hits the spot for me😍 Jude Graves the man you are, and so many emotions during the read.

Without a doubt a must read and my favorite read this year❤️‍🔥

[Giulia · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I love you more than anything. I need you to know that. But we weren’t supposed to find each other again.”

When you think you’ve finished the book, but it’s the book that finished you. My heart is still racing at the thought of it.

This is a dark, intense, and deeply unsettling story that will make you question so much. It's about love, pain, survival, and the choices people are forced to make. Please check the trigger warnings before diving in. It’s raw, heartbreaking, and brutally real. A powerful blend of angst and passion, touching on addiction, violence, and the kind of first love that never truly lets go.

Jude, the MMC, had me in a chokehold from start to finish. What he endures, and what he’s forced to become just to survive, is devastating. He’s a pawn in a dangerous game far bigger than him, and watching him struggle through it is both painful and gripping. His internal monologue is especially haunting; the weight of his trauma and suffering is constant and suffocating.

And yet, through all of it, Emma remains his anchor. The fact that he’s held onto her (literally carrying her picture for years), thinking of her even in his darkest moments, says everything about the depth of his love. She’s the one piece of humanity he refuses to lose.

Emma, on the other hand, is strong in a quieter but equally powerful way. She’s compassionate, stubborn, and incredibly resilient. I admired her determination and the way she refuses to give up on Jude, no matter how dire things become. I also loved seeing glimpses of her work—it added another layer to her character and showed her strength beyond their relationship.

The flashbacks to their past were beautifully done, giving us insight into who they were before everything fell apart, and making their present-day connection even more emotional. The romance is intense and there are definitely some spicy moments, but they never overshadow the story itself.

I also loved Jude and Micah’s friendship: fragile, messy, and deeply loyal. Even when everything is falling apart, they never fully let go of each other.

I’m honestly a little terrified (and very excited) to see where this story goes next.

Thank you to the author for the advanced copy!

[ashstynandbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ARC Review✨

whew where to start... I don't want to put all my eggs in one basket yet because I feel like book two is about to ruin me in the best way possible and I want to save that 5 for that one. That is not to say this was not great in so many ways! I was not sure how I felt at first honestly I didn't really know where this was going and thought Idk if I just wasn't connecting with the characters, but boy was I wrong I ended up falling for the 4 main people for different reasons. I really enjoyed the dark themes in this book they were done well and there was one point where the FMC pissed me off and I wanted to shake her! But that was really the only time she irked me other than that she was fine and I could see how she approached Luke and not want to scare him away. Ugh I could honestly go on and on... I hope we get more answers in book two I'm excited to jump into book two soon! That cliffhanger had my jaw on the floor! after everything I can't believe you added in the big bad wolf how can anyone come back from that!?!? I guess we will see...

ohhh my sweet Luke and Emma's story was so raw, heavy and devastating to read... so many times I wanted to scream and pull my hair out the addiction in here was heavy AF and so real from both POVS... I wanted hug all of them!!!

I'm really excited to get more of Micah and Heather too!!! I love them soo much the best ride or die besties ever!!! 🥺

[R. Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOWW. I cannot tell you how incredible this book is. You just have to read it! It definitely has a similar vibe to The Edge of Darkness trilogy and I LOVE that. I wish I had this book for the hangover I had after EOD lol.

Jude Graves is my top 3 dark romance men of all time now. This book has flashbacks from Jude and Emma's relationship in the earlier days, and they're all so well written. Jude is a damaged rockstar on the road with his band, clinging to the memory of his first and only love, Emma Easton. Although he left her 7 years ago, it's not for reasons she thinks.
Emma Easton is an art therapist who has a beautiful and kind heart. When Jude overdoses publicly, she realizes that he's being sent to their hometown (Seaside, OR) to lay low for a while. She is very determined to see and help him, but doesn't realize exactly what she's getting herself into.

The spice in this book was fantastically written! No cringey words (you know the ones, lol). Anyway, this book is one of my favorite reads because of how tragically dark and brutal it is, as it really makes their love even brighter.

DEFINITELY CHECK TRIGGERS!! The author graciously places them in the beginning of the book so you know what you're getting into.

Dare I say this could be the next dark romance obsession??? :)

[Harmeet K · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t expect this book to hurt the way it did. It broke my heart in the quietest, most devastating way possible 😭💔

Jude and Emma meet when they’re young teenagers trying to figure out life, love, and who they’re meant to become. What they find in each other feels intense, real, and unforgettable. But life doesn’t always protect the things that matter most… and one awful night changes everything.

From that moment on, Jude’s life spirals into a darkness that’s painful to witness. The addiction, the guilt, the slow unraveling of who he is it hurt to read. And yet, I couldn’t stop rooting for him.

Jude is broken, flawed, and drowning in everything he carries, but my heart genuinely ached for him throughout the book. Watching him struggle with everything he’s been through was incredibly emotional 😭

The friendships in this story deserve just as much love.
Micah is the kind of friend everyone deserves loyal, supportive, and standing by Jude even while carrying his own scars 🤍 And Emma having Heather by her side through everything she goes through made the story feel even more real

This isn’t just a love story.
It’s about pain. Addiction. Second chances.
And the people who stay when everything else falls apart.

✨ I had the opportunity to read this as an ARC, and I’m so grateful for it

[Katie Boyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to start by saying this book has a lot of potential. I really enjoyed the darker tones woven throughout the story. Poor Jude was so innocent and ended up pulled into a world he had no idea he was stepping into.

Micah, his best friend, was one of my favorite parts of this book. I absolutely adored their friendship and the loyalty between them. There were even a few moments that got me a little teary-eyed because all Micah truly wants is to save Jude from the spiraling world they’ve been thrown into.

Where I struggled a bit was with our FMC. I didn’t fully connect with her character the way I hoped to. Since she’s a therapist/psychiatrist, it sometimes felt like she treated Jude more like a patient than the ex-boyfriend she hadn’t seen in seven years. I kept waiting for more emotional depth between them, especially with a story this intense.

That being said, the darker elements in this book were done really well and definitely kept me invested.

And that ending… 👀
It definitely left me curious to see where the story goes next, especially since we’ve been told that book two is supposed to be three times darker than this one.

Overall, it was a solid read, and I’m hopeful we get even more depth and intensity in book two.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5 stars)

[Andrea S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book absolutely blew me away! I see everyone comparing it to Edge of Darkness, and I agree (similar vibes of pain). I have never read a rockstar romance before, and I can now say I'm hooked. After this review, I'm going to dive into The Words since it was mentioned as a comparable book.

I first want to thank Adeline for offering me the chance to read this early. Jude's story is tragic and sad, but when Emma is brought back into his life, she's the light he can't help himself to reach for. He describes his life as full of darkness, so clinging to a spark of light is irresistible even if he knows that their long term relationship isn't realistic. She's stubborn, and demands to help him escape his toxic manager who uses him to launder money and drugs through his tours.

I love Emma's willingness to stand by him and try. She's an art therapist, and feels like she needs to walk the fine line of professionalism and someone who loves him. I can see her struggle to do so, because she wants to help him in the best way possible. "Do I love him or treat him" kind of energy that I can relate to. I'm in healthcare, and I often find myself having this predicament when it comes to loved ones.

Overall, this one is wildly better than anything I've read for a while. I am happy to see Adeline improving in her craft, and I'm proud to be an original supporter.

[Libby K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG!!!!!! Excuse me if I crash out???? This is everything 😭 PLEASE READ THIS.

Dark, rockstar romance where two people who have never stopped loving each other reconnect. There is so much pain, and so much trauma, and Adeline did it all JUSTICE.

My heart hurts for each character in different ways and how they are processing and dealing with their past. Jude is such a sad, broken, lover boy and I want to HUG HIMMM. His friend Micah??? The best.

These characters are FAMILY. The way they all balance each other out, I just—

This book is for the emotional girlies. The ones who want their hearts ripped open. The ones who want to feel what the characters feel. The ones who have hope for a second chance at love despite it ALL. If you enjoyed EOD, I fear you need to read this!!!!

I cannot WAAAIT to see where this goes (and it better be with Jude + Emma together.. miss Adeline… OR ELSE!!!!!! 🫵🏼)

[kayla_loves_reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is my new fav from Adeline! I connected so deeply with these characters and the emotions they carried throughout the story. This book was dark, raw, and incredibly psychological but what stood out to me most was how real everything felt. The pain, the survival, the complicated choices, nothing felt simplified or easy.
Every character felt layered and human, shaped by what they've endured and the paths they've been forced to take. I found myself constantly sitting with their emotions, trying to understand them, even when things felt uncomfortable or messy. That's what made the story so powerful to me.
If you love dark romances that dive into heavy themes, morally gray characters, and stories that stay in your mind long after you finish, this one is absolutely worth reading..


Ps. The spice!!!!!! 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Kelsey Hartley · Rating 5 out of 5]

AHH ADELINE YOU HAVE MY HEART🖤
dark rockstar romance
drug addiction
murder
DARK themes of abuse

I don’t even know where to begin, First thank you so much adeline for trusting me and allowing me to read your book!! I can’t wait for book 2!!

This book absolutely sucked me in and didn’t let me go until the end..
I don’t wanna say too much!!!
but there’s so much pain and yet beauty in the little moments and flashbacks in this book🥺
The love shown in this book is so strong and has never left but unfortunately for Emma no matter how hard she tries it’s not enough to save Jude from himself or the situation he’s in.
I just wanna jump in the book and save him myself.
Don’t even get me started on how good a friend Micah is even though he is struggling himself, and DEFINITELY don’t get me started on how it ended… 🙃

[Bri Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possible Spoilers!!!!

I was given the opportunity to be given an arc copy of this book. Let me tell you, I was blown away. I am a sucker for dark and rockstar romance and this book blended it so well. This book is the first book of her debut series. It follows the story of Emma, Jude and their heartbreaking love story. Childhood sweethearts to strangers, you will fall in love and in some ways related to the characters. It will have you laughing, swooning, screaming but most of all an emotional wreck. If you love The Words by Ashley Jade and The Edge of Darkness Trilogy by Leigh Rivers then you will love this book. This story hits on some HEAVY topics so make sure read the trigger warnings and always remember your mental health matters more. I was left speechless and I cannot wait to read the rest!

[Destiny tarver · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book deserves ♾️ stars & nothing less.

If you know me , I’m completely OBSESSED with The Edge of Darkness trilogy. I’ve spent years chasing the feelings it gave me … AND THIS IS IT.

Sprinkle in the fact that I’m a sucker for a rockstar romance 🤤
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I cannot even begin to tell you how amazing this book was. From page one it just draws you in. You get the pain , the yearning , the heartbreak , you feel the trauma they go through . I’ve CRIED for these characters like I know them personally. You fall in love with the side characters ( or atleast some )

My sweet sweet babies 😭 . Might I say this will be my TOP series of 2026 and this is only book one 👀

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE check trigger warnings as they are HEAVY.

[Kaitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

JUDE GRAVES IS EVERYTHING! If you are looking for your new book boyfriend look no further! My heart breaks for him as you see the effects he goes through during drug addiction & mourning the life he could have had when he comes back into Emma’s path. He’s the MMC you think you can fix & you’ll do anything to help him get there. The love he has for Emma takes my breath away. I cannot wait for the roller coaster the rest of the trilogy takes me on.

[Melanie Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hurt in the absolute best way possible! Combining dark romance and rockstar romance into one is honestly something I didn't know I needed this much! The writing was so good and the friendships between the characters felt so genuine.
This is a dark book, so please check triggers as there are some uncomfortable themes of addiction and assault.

Jude is now right up there for me alongside Kade and Ryat. I love love him so much. I'm excited to read the next two books!

[Amy Griebenow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartbreaking story of a boy coping with substances from being used by the industry he so badly wanted to be a part of.

JUDE left her all those years ago to protect her from the industry that’s eating him alive.

EMMA only wanted to love him and help him along the way.

Beautiful story with twists and turns and a couple of VERY hateable villains