What do you think?
Rate this book
Full Exposure
There’s more than one way to be a rock star.
Evan Pak is a card-carrying geek (he even has the job to prove it), but when his photographer brother invites him to tag along on a photo shoot with rock star Riley Flood, he figures it will be two days of ogling and eye-rolling and nothing more. But the reckless bad boy is nothing like he expected, and Evan is mesmerized by the mix of cocky and sweet he sees in Riley. When a spontaneous idea ends with Evan stripping down under the hot lights for an intimate portrait for Riley’s next album cover, Evan is absolutely sure their connection won’t end when the lights are turned off. Especially since Riley can’t seem to keep his hands off the tattoos Evan hides under his clothes.
Even a spoiled rock star wants to give up control sometimes, if only for a weekend. The world is full of people who want things from Riley and the demands on him never stop. Evan knows exactly how to turn off the noise in Riley’s head and it starts by putting him on his knees.
Together, they will push each other higher and farther than either one of them have ever gone before. It’s easy to take risks when there’s a time limit on the game. But when their time is up, what comes next if they don’t want the game to end?
Evan Pak is a card-carrying geek (he even has the job to prove it), but when his photographer brother invites him to tag along on a photo shoot with rock star Riley Flood, he figures it will be two days of ogling and eye-rolling and nothing more. But the reckless bad boy is nothing like he expected, and Evan is mesmerized by the mix of cocky and sweet he sees in Riley. When a spontaneous idea ends with Evan stripping down under the hot lights for an intimate portrait for Riley’s next album cover, Evan is absolutely sure their connection won’t end when the lights are turned off. Especially since Riley can’t seem to keep his hands off the tattoos Evan hides under his clothes.
Even a spoiled rock star wants to give up control sometimes, if only for a weekend. The world is full of people who want things from Riley and the demands on him never stop. Evan knows exactly how to turn off the noise in Riley’s head and it starts by putting him on his knees.
Together, they will push each other higher and farther than either one of them have ever gone before. It’s easy to take risks when there’s a time limit on the game. But when their time is up, what comes next if they don’t want the game to end?
78 pages, ebook
First published July 30, 2015
53 people are currently reading
640 people want to read
About the author
Amy Jo Cousins
46 books624 followersTo get updates on Amy Jo's new releases, sign up for her newsletter at http://eepurl.com/YdVW1.
Amy Jo Cousins lives in Chicago, where she writes queer romance, tweets more than she ought, and sometimes runs way too far. She loves her boy and the Cubs, who taught her that being awesome doesn't necessarily have anything to do with winning.
Amy Jo Cousins lives in Chicago, where she writes queer romance, tweets more than she ought, and sometimes runs way too far. She loves her boy and the Cubs, who taught her that being awesome doesn't necessarily have anything to do with winning.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
July 31, 2015
~4.25~
This isn't a prompt that grabbed my attention. Suffering rock star stories are a dime a dozen, after all.
Trust Amy Jo to follow the prompt to a T and yet transform the story into something true and intense.
When computer geek Evan travels with his photographer brother to a photoshoot, the last thing he expects is to fall for the wild, unpredictable Riley.
Evan's there for an adventure; he wants to tell stories of the spoiled rock star's outrageous behavior at his local bar.
But Riley's not what Evan anticipated, and the two spend a long, steamy weekend together.
It's not just a sexual connection for Riley and Evan, but Evan's afraid of being rejected, so even as Riley offers more, Evan pushes away and cowers.
The time Riley and Evan spend together is written in the present tense, third-person POV from Evan's perspective; the rest of the story is in the past tense. This makes Riley and Evan's weekend seem immediate and personal.
Everything is brighter, lighter, as Riley sheds his bad boy persona and becomes just a man ... mercurial, sensitive, beautiful.
I fully expected to like this story, because I'm a fan of Amy Jo's writing, but I loved it just a bit more than that.
This one is sexy, daring, and emotional with a strong HFN. (I would have killed for an epilogue.)
Big thumbs up for a snarky, tattooed Korean-American MC who chatters incessantly and is willing to strip himself naked to make a point and get his man.
This isn't a prompt that grabbed my attention. Suffering rock star stories are a dime a dozen, after all.
Trust Amy Jo to follow the prompt to a T and yet transform the story into something true and intense.
When computer geek Evan travels with his photographer brother to a photoshoot, the last thing he expects is to fall for the wild, unpredictable Riley.
Evan's there for an adventure; he wants to tell stories of the spoiled rock star's outrageous behavior at his local bar.
But Riley's not what Evan anticipated, and the two spend a long, steamy weekend together.
It's not just a sexual connection for Riley and Evan, but Evan's afraid of being rejected, so even as Riley offers more, Evan pushes away and cowers.
The time Riley and Evan spend together is written in the present tense, third-person POV from Evan's perspective; the rest of the story is in the past tense. This makes Riley and Evan's weekend seem immediate and personal.
Everything is brighter, lighter, as Riley sheds his bad boy persona and becomes just a man ... mercurial, sensitive, beautiful.
I fully expected to like this story, because I'm a fan of Amy Jo's writing, but I loved it just a bit more than that.
This one is sexy, daring, and emotional with a strong HFN. (I would have killed for an epilogue.)
Big thumbs up for a snarky, tattooed Korean-American MC who chatters incessantly and is willing to strip himself naked to make a point and get his man.
August 5, 2015
Amy Jo Cousins, welcome to my neighborhood.
*pats sofa cushions*
Come. Sit a spell. Whisper more of your delightful words in my ear.
And this story is delightful. Cousins allows Riley and Evan's relationship to bloom and grow into a palpable thing of beauty right before our eyes.
They meet on a photo shoot and ooze chemistry. It is a foregone conclusion that they will spend the weekend together. We're given glimpses of that weekend. Each window gives kernals of truths about each of these characters.
They compliment each other but neither are perfect. Riley is a bratty and moody rock star who reminded me of The Bieb. Evan is a sci-fi geek with a tendency to word vomit when nervous. Together they are extraordinary.
They take advantage of their weekend together, neither wants to part, but obligations call. Promises are made. And broken. Only a grand gesture can possibly rectify the situation.
This story captured my attention from the get go. True, it was the name drop of Neiman Marcus that made my eyes glassy and pupils dilate, but it was the writing that kept me invested and left me with squishy good feels.
The side of kinky power dynamics didn't hurt. I especially loved how sensual the writing was without being explicit and how tactile they are with one another. And that edging bearskin rug scene.
*stares into space*
Bearskin rug cheesy, you say?
Bearskin rug hot, Cupcake replies.
I will be on the lookout for more from this author in the future and my thanks to her and her team for contributing to the LOR event.
*pats sofa cushions*
Come. Sit a spell. Whisper more of your delightful words in my ear.
And this story is delightful. Cousins allows Riley and Evan's relationship to bloom and grow into a palpable thing of beauty right before our eyes.
They meet on a photo shoot and ooze chemistry. It is a foregone conclusion that they will spend the weekend together. We're given glimpses of that weekend. Each window gives kernals of truths about each of these characters.
They compliment each other but neither are perfect. Riley is a bratty and moody rock star who reminded me of The Bieb. Evan is a sci-fi geek with a tendency to word vomit when nervous. Together they are extraordinary.
"What would you pay me to do to you, Riley Flood?" He whispered the words against that mouth, feels Riley's lips open to speak and Riley's breath on his face.
"Everything."
They take advantage of their weekend together, neither wants to part, but obligations call. Promises are made. And broken. Only a grand gesture can possibly rectify the situation.
This story captured my attention from the get go. True, it was the name drop of Neiman Marcus that made my eyes glassy and pupils dilate, but it was the writing that kept me invested and left me with squishy good feels.
The side of kinky power dynamics didn't hurt. I especially loved how sensual the writing was without being explicit and how tactile they are with one another. And that edging bearskin rug scene.
*stares into space*
Bearskin rug cheesy, you say?
Bearskin rug hot, Cupcake replies.
I will be on the lookout for more from this author in the future and my thanks to her and her team for contributing to the LOR event.
August 26, 2016
DNF at 60%
This did absolutely nothing for me. I’ve enjoyed Amy Jo Cousins’ writing in other books, but this was such a jumbled mess, I couldn’t get used to it.
I mean, why is “I don’t want to be in my own head anymore.” code for, I want to bottom? I just don’t get it.
And the sex scene I read was at first detailed and all of a sudden we got:
He lays Riley on it, facedown, and fucks him like he doesn’t matter. Tells him with hands and mouth and words how very much he does.
Good way to make me feel detached from the whole scene.
And why on earth is the first half in past tense and all of a sudden we switch to present tense? Very confusing.
Not the books for me.
This did absolutely nothing for me. I’ve enjoyed Amy Jo Cousins’ writing in other books, but this was such a jumbled mess, I couldn’t get used to it.
I mean, why is “I don’t want to be in my own head anymore.” code for, I want to bottom? I just don’t get it.
And the sex scene I read was at first detailed and all of a sudden we got:
He lays Riley on it, facedown, and fucks him like he doesn’t matter. Tells him with hands and mouth and words how very much he does.
Good way to make me feel detached from the whole scene.
And why on earth is the first half in past tense and all of a sudden we switch to present tense? Very confusing.
Not the books for me.
May 4, 2016
4 stars!
Full Exposure is another great addition to the DritC event of the m/m romance group here on Goodreads. When I read the promt to this story, I was immedietly hooked and I was so curious to find out what Amy Jo Cousins made out of it. And she did great!
When Evan, an IT geek is inivted by his fotographer brother to assist him at a celebrity shooting, he can't wait to take his brother up on the offer. Looking forward to having stories to tell about Riley, a spoiled rock star, he travels to North Carolina and suddenly gets way more than what he has been waiting for.
I loved the way Riley was characterized. I already read quite a few stories where a rock star meets an ordinary person, but this one was very different. Riley's character is complex; it isn't easy to understand him and his mood swings at first. But when I started to understand his vulnerability, I immediately fell in love with him.
The tone of the story is very intriguing finding a perfect balance between the ups and downs, between melancholy and happiness. I would have loved to read more about Riley and Evan, this free short story has so much potential for being a full-length novel.
Wonderful cover art!
Full Exposure is another great addition to the DritC event of the m/m romance group here on Goodreads. When I read the promt to this story, I was immedietly hooked and I was so curious to find out what Amy Jo Cousins made out of it. And she did great!
When Evan, an IT geek is inivted by his fotographer brother to assist him at a celebrity shooting, he can't wait to take his brother up on the offer. Looking forward to having stories to tell about Riley, a spoiled rock star, he travels to North Carolina and suddenly gets way more than what he has been waiting for.
I loved the way Riley was characterized. I already read quite a few stories where a rock star meets an ordinary person, but this one was very different. Riley's character is complex; it isn't easy to understand him and his mood swings at first. But when I started to understand his vulnerability, I immediately fell in love with him.
The tone of the story is very intriguing finding a perfect balance between the ups and downs, between melancholy and happiness. I would have loved to read more about Riley and Evan, this free short story has so much potential for being a full-length novel.
Wonderful cover art!
![Profile Image for annob [on hiatus].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1674812294i%2F68231680._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
December 28, 2022
Loved it, 4+ stars!
Went in with low expectations and was pleasantly surprised. The characters were great, a rockstar with an unusually crafted personality and the main character a great match. The setup chemistry was there, the development of the relationship excellent. I even enjoyed the epilogue.
Went in with low expectations and was pleasantly surprised. The characters were great, a rockstar with an unusually crafted personality and the main character a great match. The setup chemistry was there, the development of the relationship excellent. I even enjoyed the epilogue.
October 17, 2018
Thanks to the author for participating and offering this freebie
RE-READ
Still love these characters, a hot, cute story, but still wish it was a full book!
-- --
I loved the characters; mercurial, vulnerable, rock-star Riley and pov character (third person) Evan who is a sassy, tattooed, Korean, computer nerd. Riley strips away the make-up to show the likeable man beneath the hype and Evan forgets about novelty to see something special.
Their chemistry was instant and intense. There were hot sexy-times yet the story still felt like there was a whole lot more than sex between them. Despite their limited time together I bought into the stronger emotions and wanted the HEA.
The HEA - Evan knows how to get Riley to look at him and isn't afraid to expose himself!
It left me happy but wanting further glimpses, the ending felt a bit quick.
What I didn't love was the mix of present/past tense. Caught up in the story it took me awhile to figure out what kept throwing me off, it's used as a deliberate device but I'm ambivalent. Still enjoyed too much for it to loose a star.
Kind of wish this was a full length novel. Really enjoyed meeting these characters.
RE-READ
Still love these characters, a hot, cute story, but still wish it was a full book!
-- --
I loved the characters; mercurial, vulnerable, rock-star Riley and pov character (third person) Evan who is a sassy, tattooed, Korean, computer nerd. Riley strips away the make-up to show the likeable man beneath the hype and Evan forgets about novelty to see something special.
Their chemistry was instant and intense. There were hot sexy-times yet the story still felt like there was a whole lot more than sex between them. Despite their limited time together I bought into the stronger emotions and wanted the HEA.
The HEA - Evan knows how to get Riley to look at him and isn't afraid to expose himself!
It left me happy but wanting further glimpses, the ending felt a bit quick.
What I didn't love was the mix of present/past tense. Caught up in the story it took me awhile to figure out what kept throwing me off, it's used as a deliberate device but I'm ambivalent. Still enjoyed too much for it to loose a star.
Kind of wish this was a full length novel. Really enjoyed meeting these characters.
August 10, 2015
Evan Pak meets Riley Flood in one of those meet-cute/one-off chance situation. Evan is helping his older brother Tommy in a photo-shoot for Riley's newest cover album. Immediately, I fell for Evan's narrative voice. I always love snarky-rambling-when-nervous characters, and Evan fits that to a "T". I wasn't really sure of Riley at first though -- since the story was written solely from Evan's perspective, Riley came as a bit mysterious, a bit arrogant, and totally unpredictable, even until the very end.
After the photo-shoot -- where somehow Evan was roped into being part of the cover, naked -- Evan and Riley spent the weekend together. I also admit that I didn't know what to think about this at first. I mean, it sounded like a set-up for another instant-love (though, thankfully, it wasn't filled with pages and pages of sex scenes)
.... until ...
This might be silly for other readers, but you want to know what changed my view towards this story? The part where Evan took Riley to watch the movie Pretty Woman. Suddenly, I felt nostalgic, and I read this part in whole different attitude. Imagine these two, in that short intimate weekend situation, in which they had sex, watched a classic, played video games, went bowling ... it felt romantic and almost fairy-tale like. My dreamy side took over completely.
So yes, when we get to the third part, where there was the reunion, I was completely in love with it.
A little dreamy. A little melancholy. A fair dose of sexy. A lot of heart. A whole lot of goodness. I got all emotional and choked up by the end.
PS: Some reviewers mentioned the past/present tense switch -- but since I am not an English native speaker, I never understand the difference between them anyway, so I wasn't bothered with it. For those of you who are sensitive about this, proceeds with caution.
After the photo-shoot -- where somehow Evan was roped into being part of the cover, naked -- Evan and Riley spent the weekend together. I also admit that I didn't know what to think about this at first. I mean, it sounded like a set-up for another instant-love (though, thankfully, it wasn't filled with pages and pages of sex scenes)
.... until ...
This might be silly for other readers, but you want to know what changed my view towards this story? The part where Evan took Riley to watch the movie Pretty Woman. Suddenly, I felt nostalgic, and I read this part in whole different attitude. Imagine these two, in that short intimate weekend situation, in which they had sex, watched a classic, played video games, went bowling ... it felt romantic and almost fairy-tale like. My dreamy side took over completely.
So yes, when we get to the third part, where there was the reunion, I was completely in love with it.
A little dreamy. A little melancholy. A fair dose of sexy. A lot of heart. A whole lot of goodness. I got all emotional and choked up by the end.
PS: Some reviewers mentioned the past/present tense switch -- but since I am not an English native speaker, I never understand the difference between them anyway, so I wasn't bothered with it. For those of you who are sensitive about this, proceeds with caution.
July 31, 2015
Another fabulous free read! To me, this was perfection. I loved it. Just, gah!
August 15, 2015
Such a good story (and that cover is hot as fuck).
Read
August 20, 2015Huh. This one didn’t really work for me. Couldn’t connect with the writing. I’m going to put it down to my-previous-read-was-so-good-that-any-book-that-followed-it-didn’t-stand-a-chance.
But also:
I didn’t understand Evan’s ‘I want to have an adventure so I can have a good story to tell later’. Why not have an adventure for his own experience and for the memories to cherish later? So with this early on I remained skeptical about Even through the rest of the story.
Riley I liked better but having read a few romances featuring rock stars who were not what they appeared to be under all the makeup I have to say I didn’t find anything that made him stand out.
The switch from past to present tense irritated me too much to have the intended effect on me.
The romance was nice though. Just wasn’t enough to make me enjoy the story.
*shrug*
August 2, 2015
Extremely well done story for the Love is an Open Road event. At first I was imagining that Riley was a mix between Jared Leto and Justin Beiber (I KNOW! :cringe:) but he became his own "person" as I read further on. I also liked that the author made Evan Asian without descending into any of the usual stereotypes. Very nicely done.
I've only read one book and one other short story by AJC so I think now I'll have to check her other M/M books, since she really impressed me with this one.
I've only read one book and one other short story by AJC so I think now I'll have to check her other M/M books, since she really impressed me with this one.
August 7, 2015
3.5, rounded up
Loved the beginning, not so happy about the separation part or the quick wrap up :(
Side notes:
Liked the element of D/s, but it seemed to come out of nowhere. Some early hints would have been a nice tease, the later action a reward for the wait.
I really wanted to see reactions of people when the album cover was revealed, especially people Evan knew.
Loved the beginning, not so happy about the separation part or the quick wrap up :(
Side notes:
Liked the element of D/s, but it seemed to come out of nowhere. Some early hints would have been a nice tease, the later action a reward for the wait.
I really wanted to see reactions of people when the album cover was revealed, especially people Evan knew.
August 14, 2015
As shorts go, this was practically perfect.
The build up, I know that we all know what is going to happen, but man it was great, the build up was superb, really beautifully paced.
I loved the characters, I have read many, many books where the writers have struggled to get this much emotion and honesty into 200 pages, let alone 80, and for me this is where AJC excels.
I know this is a novella, but the bloody ending was too swift, and yes, I know I'm ungrateful
The build up, I know that we all know what is going to happen, but man it was great, the build up was superb, really beautifully paced.
I loved the characters, I have read many, many books where the writers have struggled to get this much emotion and honesty into 200 pages, let alone 80, and for me this is where AJC excels.
I know this is a novella, but the bloody ending was too swift, and yes, I know I'm ungrateful
February 15, 2021
Well, despite randomly throwing in 3rd-person present tense in the second chapter, this was good. And even the 3rd-person present didn't annoy me like it usually does; I could see what the author was going for there and it mostly worked, even though I didn't think it was necessary.
I liked Evan and Riley. They worked off each other well, and while they could have easily been obnoxious, Cousins kept them grounded in reality. Riley may be a rock star, but that doesn't mean he's invulnerable or impervious. Evan may just be a tech guy, but that doesn't mean he's not adventurous. I don't know how realistic the conditions at that photo shoot were, but come on, it's Romance™. Sometimes you just have to turn off your brain and go with it, lol.
I liked Evan and Riley. They worked off each other well, and while they could have easily been obnoxious, Cousins kept them grounded in reality. Riley may be a rock star, but that doesn't mean he's invulnerable or impervious. Evan may just be a tech guy, but that doesn't mean he's not adventurous. I don't know how realistic the conditions at that photo shoot were, but come on, it's Romance™. Sometimes you just have to turn off your brain and go with it, lol.
Read
August 5, 2015Full Exposure is up at Amazon and some of the other vendors, although a couple of vendors are still processing. While I wait for Amazon to price match it to free (don't pay for it! it won't be at 99 cents for long, I hope!), any royalties earned will be donated to The Crib at the Night Ministry in Chicago, a youth homeless shelter whose population is about 80% LGBTQ.
Thank you Armi for the terrific prompt that sparked the idea for this story! I very much enjoyed writing about Riley and Evan. :)
Thank you Armi for the terrific prompt that sparked the idea for this story! I very much enjoyed writing about Riley and Evan. :)
August 13, 2015
2.5 stars
The first chapter was very promising with the sexy photo shoot and all that delicious tension building up. But the change in tense in the second chapter really threw me off and unfortunately it took me out of the story. I was glad it switched back, but by then it was already nearing the end of the book and I had a little trouble feeling invested in the characters. I thought their little dates and outings in the middle chapter were really sweet but then the ending seemed to be rushed, considering they had been apart for a year. I think I was mostly disappointed that the album cover which started the whole thing wasn't a bigger part of their story - we didn't get to hear about any of the buzz it generated or how it affected them immediately after its release. Just imagine all the tongues wagging at this picture of a beautiful rock star who had not only cut off his long hair, but was posing naked with another gorgeous naked dude - who also happened to be sporting cool tattoos. Among other things. My tongue would still be wagging.
The first chapter was very promising with the sexy photo shoot and all that delicious tension building up. But the change in tense in the second chapter really threw me off and unfortunately it took me out of the story. I was glad it switched back, but by then it was already nearing the end of the book and I had a little trouble feeling invested in the characters. I thought their little dates and outings in the middle chapter were really sweet but then the ending seemed to be rushed, considering they had been apart for a year. I think I was mostly disappointed that the album cover which started the whole thing wasn't a bigger part of their story - we didn't get to hear about any of the buzz it generated or how it affected them immediately after its release. Just imagine all the tongues wagging at this picture of a beautiful rock star who had not only cut off his long hair, but was posing naked with another gorgeous naked dude - who also happened to be sporting cool tattoos. Among other things. My tongue would still be wagging.
September 15, 2015
I swear I had already marked this as read as well as reviewed it....strange!
Any way, I liked it. I really wish it was longer as I enjoyed reading about both characters!
Any way, I liked it. I really wish it was longer as I enjoyed reading about both characters!
September 30, 2017
4.5 stars
October 23, 2015
Labelled as NSFW, although I think it's fine
Offered for FREE from the M/M Romance Group's Love Is An Open Road event. Thank you too all the amazing authors who participated!
I really enjoyed this, and Ms Cousins went through a full story arc in 60ish pages. That's impressive. The first half is fun and a little flirty, it's hard to tell how things will play out. Then I loved seeing the other sides of Riley in their weekend together. I wasn't ecstatic with the choice right before the HEA , but things worked out and I really liked both these guys. This could totally be expanded to a full novel, with some more detailed background on Riley and a few heart-to-hearts during their weekend. Recommended!
This isn't actually tagged as 'BDSM' but 'mild dominance', which was fine and I get why Riley's character craved it, although it wasn't necessary or integral to their story. I also like the creative license that the author took with the prompt picture. She kept the basics and the vibe, but 1) lost Riley's bad tattoos 2) changed assless chaps to sexy rocker leather pants 3) made Riley rocker skinny, and 4) gave us a soulful blue-eyed gaze.
Offered for FREE from the M/M Romance Group's Love Is An Open Road event. Thank you too all the amazing authors who participated!
I really enjoyed this, and Ms Cousins went through a full story arc in 60ish pages. That's impressive. The first half is fun and a little flirty, it's hard to tell how things will play out. Then I loved seeing the other sides of Riley in their weekend together. I wasn't ecstatic with the choice right before the HEA , but things worked out and I really liked both these guys. This could totally be expanded to a full novel, with some more detailed background on Riley and a few heart-to-hearts during their weekend. Recommended!
This isn't actually tagged as 'BDSM' but 'mild dominance', which was fine and I get why Riley's character craved it, although it wasn't necessary or integral to their story. I also like the creative license that the author took with the prompt picture. She kept the basics and the vibe, but 1) lost Riley's bad tattoos 2) changed assless chaps to sexy rocker leather pants 3) made Riley rocker skinny, and 4) gave us a soulful blue-eyed gaze.
August 9, 2015
I've not read many 'Don't Read in the Closet' stories, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Plus, if I'm honest, I tend to avoid books less than 100 pages long. That's kind of my random,' I consider this worth my time' length. But AJC posted a teaser of this somewhere and it did its job. It made me want the rest of the story. I'm glad of that because I really quite enjoyed it.
I love that it broke so many stereotypes. The rockstar who wasn't an alpha-Ahole, the sexually versatile Korean MC, the geek who gets the star. Plus, there was diversity in the cast, no unseemly penetration politics, and light D/s that was played instead of lived. Oh, and it was hot without resorting gratuitous sex.
I did think Even felt almost psychic in how he so immediately knew what Riley wanted and needed, unless there were coded clues I missed, there were no hints. The ending also seemed rushed. In fact, the rushing seemed to start with the change in narrative style at almost exactly 50%. But all in all, I had fun with it.
On a side note: I love that cover. I do, it's awesome. But as much time as was spent describing the album cover, I wish that it could have been used. Of course, I understand the reality of the cost of producing an original cover balanced against a freebie story. But a girl can wish.
I love that it broke so many stereotypes. The rockstar who wasn't an alpha-Ahole, the sexually versatile Korean MC, the geek who gets the star. Plus, there was diversity in the cast, no unseemly penetration politics, and light D/s that was played instead of lived. Oh, and it was hot without resorting gratuitous sex.
I did think Even felt almost psychic in how he so immediately knew what Riley wanted and needed, unless there were coded clues I missed, there were no hints. The ending also seemed rushed. In fact, the rushing seemed to start with the change in narrative style at almost exactly 50%. But all in all, I had fun with it.
On a side note: I love that cover. I do, it's awesome. But as much time as was spent describing the album cover, I wish that it could have been used. Of course, I understand the reality of the cost of producing an original cover balanced against a freebie story. But a girl can wish.
August 11, 2015
I enjoyed this so much! It's very different from Amu Jo Cousins' Bend or Break series which I love but it's totally engaging in a tender, softer, understated way. A refreshing out-of-the-box take on rockstar romance and as diverse (ethnically this time) as this author's books usually are.
One of the best stories in the DRitC event this year for me!
One of the best stories in the DRitC event this year for me!
September 1, 2017
3.5
Liked it. Loved Riley, the rock star. Wanted to hug him, really. Evan, the dork (but not really), deserved a serious wake-up call toward the end of the book.
Another great way to spend an hour.
Liked it. Loved Riley, the rock star. Wanted to hug him, really. Evan, the dork (but not really), deserved a serious wake-up call toward the end of the book.
Another great way to spend an hour.
October 15, 2015
3,5 stars
January 2, 2016
Definitely my favourite work of Amy Jo Cousins. It's full of tension, emotions and interesting three-dimensional characters who are not specifically designed to be liked, but you still root for them.
This story was about people, first and foremost, and it will work even if you don't like musicians (especially spoiled musicians) theme. I loved the way Evan acted and thought around Riley - not unbelievably nonchalant, but not annoyingly melting in a puddle either.
The ending grabs you right by your heart.
Great story, thank you, Amy Jo Cousins!
Two minor niggles: Riley was a pop-star on one page, rock-star on another, then glam-rocker, then pop-star again, then rocker once more... Just pick one, please, Amy Jo!
The switch from past tense to present in narration in some scenes was distracting and, in my opinion, quite unnecessary.
This story was about people, first and foremost, and it will work even if you don't like musicians (especially spoiled musicians) theme. I loved the way Evan acted and thought around Riley - not unbelievably nonchalant, but not annoyingly melting in a puddle either.
The ending grabs you right by your heart.
Great story, thank you, Amy Jo Cousins!
Two minor niggles: Riley was a pop-star on one page, rock-star on another, then glam-rocker, then pop-star again, then rocker once more... Just pick one, please, Amy Jo!
The switch from past tense to present in narration in some scenes was distracting and, in my opinion, quite unnecessary.
December 15, 2016
2.5 stars
The story was perfectly nice, but the writing style completely ruined it for me.
The story was perfectly nice, but the writing style completely ruined it for me.
June 19, 2017
A lot of little details come together to make this a very enjoyable romance.
Both of the heroes are well hmmm smug? It is hard to describe but they both act selfishly and a bit carelessly with others and yet they end up being very tender with each other and dedicated to those in their lives.
This is a nice novella that thinks about making a relationship work despite the internal and external pressures.
Both of the heroes are well hmmm smug? It is hard to describe but they both act selfishly and a bit carelessly with others and yet they end up being very tender with each other and dedicated to those in their lives.
This is a nice novella that thinks about making a relationship work despite the internal and external pressures.
August 13, 2015
The author did a good job bringing this prompt to life. I enjoyed the characters and the chemistry between the MC's. I had too many image disputes in my head between the photo in the prompt, the characters in the book and the photo on the cover. I felt the story was good but needed just a little more teasing out of the timeline. Overall good job!
July 30, 2015
I want to know Riley's history. Such a lovely story
April 27, 2016
Didn't love this one...I found Evan to be a bit of a jerk. He was always making rude comments to Riley. If found him too distant.
September 10, 2015
This little rockstar story is delightful, I am glad I stopped passing it by on my Kindle.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews