Luka

The Rhythm #2

by Jane Harvey-Berrick

I'm not a good man.
I'm not a bad man.
But I've made some bad mistakes, made the wrong choices.
Who hasn't? But the consequences are tearing us apart.

I love two people.
I love them differently.
The world tells me I have to choose. Why? Why do I have to choose?
Loving hurts. Dancing heals.

Love makes you soar, makes you fly and sets you free—and then it lets you freefall until you're smashed and bleeding on the ground. Ultimately, love is the worst thing that can happen to a human being.

Im my opinion.
I love two people.
I love them differently.
One is a man.
One is a woman.
And they are brother and sister.

**** A stand alone novel in the best-selling Rhythm Series. ****

Genres: M M Romance, Contemporary Romance, Romance, New Adult, Contemporary

308 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 16, 2016

About the author

Author also writes under Jane H. Berrick

Writing is my passion and my obsession. I write every day and I love it. My head is full of stories and characters. I'll never keep up with all my ideas...

All through 2021, I'll be including a new and original short story in my monthly newsletter. You'll get a FREE copy of my little heartbreaker PLAYING IN THE RAIN when you do.

http://janeharveyberrick.co.uk/newsle...

I live in a small village by the ocean and walk on the beach every day. It’s on those beachside walks that I have all my best ideas.

Writing has become a way of life – and one that I love to share.

I've just published my first ever historical romance - partly set in Britain during World War Two, and partly set in Iowa and Las Vegas today: THE LILAC CADILLAC

Did you know that I also write books with STUART REARDON, talented, kind AND handsome!
UNDEFEATED
MODEL BOYFRIEND
GYM OR CHOCOLATE?
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO VINCE
THE BABY GAME (Nov 24th 2021)

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Reviews

[Amanda]

This doesn't feel like a romance to me. Yeah, there is an underlying theme of love. But mostly this book is about Luka, his choices and life circumstances. Is quite an angsty and frustrating read, whereby I want to sneak into the book and sucker punch some people who treated my Luka so badly. Urg! I wish this is a straight up M/M, I might feel better if it is.

[Carol***BeautyandtheBeastlyBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.5 IMPOSSIBLY MOVING stars

***ARC received in exchange of an honest opinion***

Review posted at: https://beautyandthebeastlybooks.word...

When I read the blurb of Luka I was worried. First because I don’t like love triangles and I don’t do them anymore. Second because I definitely don’t do MM books. Then imagine how worried I was when I saw a love triangle between two men and a woman??

I have to confess I was very worried and I doubted it. I never doubted Jane’s talent, because if you ever doubt her talent to write and captive you with her stories you are a fool, my friend. No, I was worried because I didn’t think I’d relate to the story and that is essentially why I don’t do MM, I can’t relate to the characters 99% of the time. But then I find a book that is in the rare 1%. Not because it has a MM plotline, it’s in the 1% because it’s rare to find a book that will move you from the beginning.

Joke was on me, because if there’s one thing I can count in Jane’s writing is the way she makes me relate to her characters and their story. And I’ve never been so glad I was wrong about a story!!! Just like Luka I believe that love shouldnt be labeled. It doesn’t matter the gender of who we love, or if we are able to love both men and women. Love is beautiful BECAUSE it’s beyond all that! And I have to thank Jane for showing me this once again!

You know how Slave to the Rhythm is on my TOP list of reads this year. That book moved me in a way I can’t ever truly describe. It’s so powerful in every way. But then here I am reading Luka (and as I’m writing this I’m at 82% so I don’t even know how it ends yet), and I’m met with a book that is so powerful in such a quiet way. There’s a quiet power in this book, and it doesn’t make it less powerful than Slave to the Rhythm. It’s a different kind of powerful, but powerful nonetheless. The way Jane is able to move not only me, but also my heart, with her stories always leaves me speechless. I can literally feel my heart crying reading a book like this. Not of sadness, but because I’m overwhelmed with so many emotions. I absolutely LOVE Luka. Both the book and the character. It’s hard not to fall at least a bit in love with Luka, he is what love should be. Generous, funny, beautiful and unprejudiced. So once again, thank you, Jane for making my heart soar reading such a beautiful book!!

 



 

Now that I finished the book..WOW. JUST WOW! I thought it would go to a direction, and it didn’t, but Jane made me love what she did and then in the last 18% of the book she completely TURNED the story upside down! And I’m glad. I’m glad she is an author who has the guts to write a book that isn’t all rainbows and butterflies. I’m glad she shows us that life isn’t a fairy tale after all and that some things can’t be mended, no matter how great they were. If you want a book that is real to its very core you definitely have to check Jane’s books. I have no idea how she does it, I truly don’t and I’m happy and honored to say I “know” her, because it makes me so proud when I get to read a book like this written by someone I know.

She made my heart soar for sure. From Slave to the Rhythm I thought I had an idea of how Luka’s love life and interest would go. And he had to go through a lot for Jane to show us a glimpse of that! There was, specially, a moment between Luka and his grandmother that made me intrigued and made me smile, because I just KNEW there was something there.

 



 

And there is a character that stole my heart. Elizabeta. She made me laugh and cry. She made me cry so hard and I loved it! She made the book more real for me.

I love books like this, that constantly change our minds and I love that something I had an intuition about turned out to be right. But I loved it even more because I never saw it coming how Jane would play it off. And it needed a whole ride for it to be even a possibility. I love Jane’s writing. Seriously. There’s really something about books that do that, that surprise us so much and so close to the end, but in which the story doesn’t get lost. Just the opposite. This story makes so much sense and not once did anything seem out of place.

It seems like I need to thank Jane again. She changed my mind about something and then changed it again. It seems this book is the rare 1% not because of the MM part after all, as I mentioned before, but because it’s rare to find books that move us like this.

Luka is SO MUCH more than a story that has a male couple. It’s much more than a story that has a straight couple. Luka is simply MORE. And trust me, you definitely need to read it. If you don’t like MM, whatever are your reasons, you still need to read this book. It didn’t turn me into a MM book reader, but it turned me into a better reader, not because of it, but because Jane wrote it!

And I may need to cross what I said earlier. The power in this story might not be so quiet after all. It’s hidden, but it’s there and when you see it, it’ll crash into you and you’ll never see it coming. Amazing job, Jane! I’m really honored I got to read this book and seems like your books always seem to find me when I need them most. I definitely needed Luka in my life (both the book and the character). It changed my views on things and it confirmed some of the ones I had before. Sometimes love isn’t enough and things can’t be mended. But if you’re lucky enough you’ll find something better and even more worth fighting and living for. I needed this story today. I needed to feel this much today.

I can’t wait for Jane’s next book, because I can’t wait to have all these feelings again. I crave them. And it seems this exact kind of feelings only Jane can bring into my heart. So hurry, Jane, because my heart wants more of the soaring only you can make it do!! <3

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhh Jane Harvey Berrick does MM. Lordy me this was scorching hot, emotional, poignant and unusual. It's such a treat to get to enjoy such a well crafted, original story.

Luka is a gifted dancer who we first met in Slave to the Rhythm although this stands alone. He's an unusual character, talented and devoted to his craft, loyal to his friends, yet a total manwhore. Oh yeah.

To my delight, he's a manwhore with men and women, completely bi, so he faces some prejudices along the way from both gay and straight partners which was an eye opener to read about. Where it really began to get interesting though was when he takes his latest male hook up home with him and discovers his repeat hook up is kinda related to the last woman he shagged...

Oops. #awkward

I must admit, I read the blurb and thought, horrors, a love triangle but it's not really; my heart wasn't torn in two by the choice he faced or anything. Rather the circumstances he finds himself in got me all riled up on his behalf. It's kind of hard to talk about without spoiling the plot, so all I'll say is I was absolutely gripped and was desperate to see how it all all played out. Yes it was angsty but in an exhilarating not miserable way. I don't do misery.

I loved Slave but adored this one. Highly recommended, especially for lovers of angst and good writing, you're in for a real treat.

*Thanks to the author via Neda for my arc!*

[Shanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hate to give a low rating on a JHB book because I am a fan; but this didn’t work for me. I really enjoyed Slave to the Rhythm but I spent most of my time reading Luka’s story either angry or irritated.

I will start by saying I really liked Luka. He seemed to really know who he was and was comfortable with it. Luka was also a standup guy and didn’t run from his responsibilities; I seriously loved that about him. My issues stemmed from my dislike of Sarah and Seth. I didn’t get why Luka fell for Seth. I didn’t feel the connection and a lot of that had to do with Seth’s viewpoints on Luka’s lifestyle. I didn’t get why Luka would love a man that couldn’t accept him for who he was. Seth could be ugly and selfish and I couldn’t root for anything between them. Sarah was equally as selfish in her desire to get what she wanted and once she had it, she shit on it.

If you read Slave to the Rhythm you will see the beginnings of a friendship bloom between Yveta and Luka. I really wish that would have been explored more. I can’t say I loved the ending regarding this either; it just left me unsatisfied. I don’t mind reading non-traditional romances but there really isn’t a romance here for me at all. I will say though that there is a love story for Luka (I won’t say who or what, no spoiling) and it was a beautiful love.

*copy received in exchange for an honest review*

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This is the story of living with mistakes made, finding love in new places, the importance of family and personal sacrifice. This is not your average love triangle. Expect the unexpected.

Luka's story was so much more complicated than I expected. He makes not one, but two big mistakes, which change the course of his life. And how they tie together will make your heart hurt from him. Unfortunately, to avoid spoilers, I can't go into much detail. Instead I will focus on the complex characters this author has created.

Luka - as you can guess from the synopsis, he is bisexual. After taking a break from the Slave tour, he decides to spend the summer in London. He never sought out love, just pleasure. Yet too people make him look at love differently, and not always for good reasons.

I really liked Luka's character. Yes, he makes a series of reckless decisions, but he pays for it, so I don't feel like I need to beat him up any more.. The most important thing about him in this story is his growth, taking responsibility for his mistakes. And that new side he shows, just makes everything else hurt so much more.

Now, I need to do something unusual when it comes to the two partners. You may learn their names in other reviews, but not in mine. I will keep that spoiler from you, although it is not too hard to figure out. Instead, I'll just refer to them by sex.

Before I talk about them individually, I wanted to point something out. The complexity of this love triangle are evident when you read the book. There is contempt, disgust, and jealous for the other partner, who just happens to be related. How they handle this was a huge shock. Some could say it is honorable and the obvious option, but the individual actions by the male and female create so much unnecessary heartbreak. One is completely selfish, one is completely selfless. And both destroy Luka. I hated both of them for different reasons.

Female love interest - from the moment Luka and this female together, I had a feeling where things would go. I didn't mind it at first, but as more details are provided, I became very leery of this woman's intentions. She has these lofty dreams as to how things should be, and is so convinced of those dreams, that when they don't come true, she begins to punish Luka. Over and over. I didn't care for this character at any point in the book.

Male love interest - I would love to say that I had warm and fuzzy feelings about this character, but I can only say that happened sporadically. I would like where things were going, and then he's say something stupid, usually out of jealously. What was clear though, was the love Luka had for this male was very different than the love for the female. And look where it got him? This male character shares a love for Luka, but he never puts him first. That seems to change everything. (Note: of the two, the sex scenes between this character and Luka were the hottest).

I will say this, as much as hated these two characters, I kept thinking Luka had a chance for love. He does find it, and not where you'd expect. Someone that changed his life, gave him new direction. It is heartbreaking what he has to do to fight for that love. I was so made at the people who never once thought about his feelings.

This story shocked the hell out of me. I never thought that the author would take things in this direction. While she beat Luka up pretty good, I think the path she took him on was challenging and completely new. That's why I always return to this author. She steps out of the romance mold and shakes things up, creating something completely different, each and every time.

*An ARC was received for an honest review.

For more reviews, visit

[Akknieszka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nie wiem ile godzin rzeczywiście zajęło mi przeczytanie tej książki, bo w trakcie czytania nie piłam, nie jadłam, ani nie oddychałam. Oficjalnie epilog skończyłam o godzinie 4 nad ranem i od tamtej pory nie robię nic innego jak tylko zastanawiam się nad oceną.
Pierwsza moja myśl? Genialna. Pięć gwiazdek bez dwóch zdań. Czy aby na pewno?
Sekundę później myślę sobie, że nienawidzę jej. Książka nie zasługuje nawet na jedną gwiazdkę z mojej strony, ale to niewiarygodne jak ciężko jest mi tą gwiazdkę przyznać. Jane Harvey-Berrick była jedną z moich ulubionych autorek od czasu Dangerous to Know & Love, ale teraz? Teraz obiecałam sobie, że nie sięgnę po żadną z jej książek. Serio.. jak można tak człowiekowi napieprz*ć w głowie?
Kolejne niedomówienie? Oznaczenie tej książki jako MM. Kiedy ją skończyłam, to nie wiedziałam czy się śmiać czy płakać, bo ta książka jest daleka od bycia MM. Parę scen seksu męsko-męskiego nie czyni tej książki gejowskim romansem. Nie po TAKIM zakończeniu. Seth i Luka byli idealni razem... O Boże w życiu nie widziałam bardziej uroczej pary, a za każdym razem kiedy się droczyli, to byłam pewna, że będą razem bez względu na wszystko. Jednak cała książka opiera się na wyborach, a nie ma ani jednej osoby, która dokonałaby właściwego. Sytuacja z Sarah była tak niedorzeczna, że wręcz do przewidzenia, kiedy jest się sterowanym przez kogoś innego. Ale to w co nie mogę najbardziej uwierzyć, to fakt, że Seth zrobił coś takiego. To złamało moje serce na więcej niż milion sposobów.
Kolejna rzecz nad którą się zastanawiam, to fakt, czy autorka tak bardzo nienawidzi gejów, czy może myślała, że wprowadzenie tego motywu sprawi, że wszystko będzie zagmatwane jeszcze bardziej?
Sięgnęłam po tą książkę tylko dlatego, że była oznaczona jako MM, choć opis wywoływał we mnie sprzeczne emocje. Nie czytam książek FM od bardzo długiego czasu, więc przerażało mnie to, co mogę w niej zastać, ale się nie pomyliłam. Wszystko co myślałam o tej książce, sprawdziło się. Mam ochotę powiedzieć, że nikomu bym jej nie poleciła, ale ze względu na to, że pierwszą moją myślą było danie jej pięciu gwiazdek - nie zrobię tego.
Podsumowując. Nie byłam tak wściekła na książkę od czasu przeczytania Arsena ponad dwa lata temu, chociaż nie wiem czy ta nie jest gorsza, a że Luka całkowicie zdobył moje serce, to zasłużył na te 5 gwiazdek z mojej strony. Jednakże to tylko ze względu na niego, bo wszystko inne w tej książce zasługuje na pogardę.

[Lelyana's Reviews]

* Be careful of what you wish for, sometimes, it might be come true*

It's been a month since I've read this book. I knew Luka from Slave. Wanted his story of his own.
Wish came true. Jane's book, with my forte, an MM story, what's not to love?
Guess what, not every wish that came true is what you're looking for. I think I'm just too hard to please, ya know.
This is one of those 'it's me not you' case. I found out some of my friends floved this book so hard, so, this probably a book for you tho.

I have no idea how to rate this book, except for Jane's writing and the bunny, if based on that, I'll give 5* in a heart beat.
It doesn't feel like romance to me. It's more angst after angst after angst. I felt pain for Luka.
Sarah was a bitch since the beginning, but she's getting worst and I hated her.
Enter Seth, at first, i thought, oh yeah, here we go, a charming fun Seth. Can be good for Luka, right?
WRONG!
I was mad and upset. Evil twins? Too much for my sanity.

I've had a high expectation about Luka's story. But I was kinda disappointed for the execution, and how Seth and Sarah did what they did to Luka.
As for Luka, I don't know, I think he's the weakest of Jane's hero after all. I don't think he knew what would he do for his life , he's still weak even at the end of the story.
I don't believe he's going to last with who he's with now. Highly doubt that.

I hate writing this review, but I wouldn't be fair for myself since I read this 'twice'! just to get to know and understand what was going on, I need to let my thoughts out or I'll be in prolonged depression.

So, I think I better left this with 'no rating' , and here's my thought.

*ARC was given by Author for a fair and an unbiased review*

[Lea ★]

Unfortunately, this one is DNF at around 30% for me.
I love Jane Harvey-Berrick books. I love her writing and I can easily place her in my top 5 authors, so I won't rate this book this time.
It's not that this book is bad.. au contraire... writing is brilliant as always. The thing is, I usually don't do m/m romance books (in this case it's more of a m/m/f kinda situation). Why? I simply can't relate to the subject, I can't connect to the characters so it would be unfair to rate it. Another thing... I am not a fan of love triangles. Sure, I read about them, but all this packed in one book was a bit too much for me.

[Bia · Rating 5 out of 5]

***** 5 STARS *****



I loved Slave to the Rhythm. Definitely, one of the best books I read this year. So complex, so dramatic. It was everything that I love on a book. And at the end we discover that there’s going to be another book and it was about Luka, Ash’s best friend. So my first guess was that Volkov would be back to torment the one that was playing him. And then came the blurp and it was nothing like I’d imagined. So my second guess was that it would be a love triangle between 2 men and a woman. Another thing that got me really excited. But I didn’t know how wrong I would be about it.

We have Luka’s POV during the book and we got to meet this sensitive dancer that’s finally going to have some time to himself after the last tour of Slave. It’s after the last performance and everyone is celebrating. Sarah, his best friend, is so drunk that can’t go home, so he takes her to his hotel room. But what should be a caring gesture ends up with a hot (and really messy) hook-up. Sarah leaves to Australia on the next day and Luka is alone in London. And then we have another party, another drunk Luka and another hot hook-up. This time is with this sexy banker called Seth. But he wasn’t expecting to feel such a deep connection with him, especially because he finds out that Seth is Sarah’s twin brother.

So you might be thinking: this really sounds like a love triangle. I thought it too. And until half of the book I was kinda disappointed. There was drama, a lot, but not enough for me to feel something. But it’s a Jane Harvey-Berrick book. I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed. So I just had to keep reading. And then everything changed.

Luka is an incredible dancer, so as Ash. But he’s more emotional. He uses his dance to express what he’s feeling and to escape reality. It’s the time where he truly can be himself. And with everything that was happening with his life, all the dance scenes were incredible to read. I was imagining what must be to watch someone like him dancing live. It must be incredible. But dance it’s not the focal point on this book. Love is.

And not love about a man and a woman. We know that Luka loves Sarah. She was his best friend, the one he could always talk to when they’re on tour. But she became someone totally different during this book. So many times I wished I could jump into it and just slap her hard. So when I was reading I wished that he would end up with Seth.

But the book isn’t about love between a man and another man as well. Seth is sweet and cute at first, but he’s also so selfish. When he start saying that Luka can’t truly be himself in front of his friends, I wanted again to jump into the book and slap him. And after that, you will hate him even more, little by little.

It’s a book about love. Love comes on all forms, on the most unexpected places. And we can see Luka finding it, it’s just nothing what you have imagined. It’s such a complex history, that’s so hard to talk about.

Don’t give up on this book because the first few chapters aren’t what you’re expecting. Luka, as a book, is so much more, so much more of everything. It’s again a top read for me.

**ARC provided in exchange of an honest review**

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me so sad, but hopeful at the same time.

I can't say I wasn't expecting the flood of emotions that hit me while reading Luka's story, considering how much Ash and Slave to the Rhythm affected me, but I wasn't quite expecting the most powerful emotions I'd feel would be frustration, anger, and sorrow. Frustrated for Luka, angry at his circumstances, and so, so sad for everything he went through.

Luka is a bit of an anti-hero, and I really loved that about him. He’s not quite the strong dominating force you’d expect; there is a lot of vulnerability to his character that honestly took me by surprise. My heart truly hurt for Luka, throughout this entire book. Like the blurb says, he’s not a good man, but he’s not really a bad man either…he’s a very real man. His flaws, imperfections, and mistakes…they all combine to make Luka a very complex individual.

His story is complicated and heartbreaking. It’s a journey that really didn’t give me the conclusion I wanted, but it held true to Luka. I hope, really hope, that Jane gives us more of Luka in the future...I'm not quite ready to let him go.


***An arc was received in exchange for an honest review.

[Marieke ~ Marieke's Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

A couple of months ago I’ve read Slave To The Rhythm, the first book in ‘the Rhythm series’ by Jane Harvey-Berrick. Although the book told about the brutal reality of human trafficking, I loved the story and the romance between Ash and Laney, the main characters. One of the secondary characters being introduced is Luka, Ash’s best friend; a handsome, charming dancer who takes no shame in his sexual preferences. Luka tells us his story.

"I’m not a good man. I’m not a bad man. But I made some bad mistakes, made the wrong choices. Who hasn’t? But the consequences are tearing us apart."

From a young age Luka knows he’s different from the other boys in his family and neighborhood; he loves to dance and preform, and is attracted to both men and women. While he accepts this as being who he is, his parents don’t. After a brutal fight with his father he moves in with his grandmother and stays with her until he can live on his own. Dancing is Luka’s life; he loves the adrenalin, the music, to become one with the music. Over the years he has stayed away from relations, and never gets involved with colleagues. Due to his work schedule Luka is very close with Sarah, his dance partner. It’s obvious she has feelings for him, feelings he doesn’t have for her, but he loves her in an innocent friendly way.

“I don’t want to be your friend,” he murmured against my lips. “I want a lot more than that.” And then he left. I was stunned. But I was smiling.”

When Sarah goes abroad for a much deserved vacation, Luka moves into her apartment and meets Seth. He isn’t the type of guy Luka normally feels attracted to, but he feels comfortable around the man. Slowly, Luka and Seth start to develop a relationship, something Luka normally tries to stay away from. Early on the men find out Luka’s friend Sarah and Seth’s twin sister Sarah are the same person, but this doesn’t stop the growing feelings between them. Sarah’s return to England however, changes everything.

“Her blue eyes were so worried, so warm, I leaned in and kissed her on the lips. “I’m fine,” I breathed against her mouth. “We’re going to be fine.”

My heart hurts for Luka. Being kicked out by his parents because of his sexual preference was hard, but throughout his life Luka has to defend his orientation. Women want to ‘cure’ him, while gay men sometimes react very harsh on his bi-sexuality; therefor Luka doesn’t do commitment. Meeting Seth is an eye-opener, and Luka finally has a chance at the kind of loving relationships his friends have. But what could have been so good, turns into a nightmare in the blink of an eye.

“My heart lurched and I had to look away. Six weeks wasn’t long enough to forgive or forget. Maybe in time. Maybe. Maybe not.”

Luka isn’t the bad man he thinks he is; he is a good man in a bad situation, who tries the best he can and gives it his all. And that isn’t enough. My heart breaks for him; he doesn’t deserve to be ‘punished’ the way he is. Both Sarah and Seth live in a dream world, see only the things they want to see and react accordingly. And Luka is the one who pays the price for their actions. The fun, laidback man introduced in Slave To The Rhythm changes in this book, into a man who knows who he is and what his priorities in life are.

“I don’t know. Maybe it didn’t end. Maybe it’s beginning. Let’s just say things with us are . . . simple. We’re friends, yes. We’re . . . I don’t know what we are. More? Maybe.”

Luka isn’t the typical romance book I normally read, but I love it. I love Luka’s journey – even though it’s gut wrenching – and the small glimpses of his future. I give Luka 5+ stars.


For more of my reviews: www.mariekesbooks.com

[Sejla · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Jane Harvey-Berrick announced that she is going to write a book about Luka Kokot (Ash's best friend from Slave to the Rhythm) I was so excited!

After finishing the book I need to honestly say though that Luka left me with a very different feeling than Slave to the Rhythm (which is among my top favorite reads of this year) did. I wanted to love it like the first one, but I simply couldn't. One of the reasons was that the main characters annoyed and frustrated me to the point that I wanted to strangle them!

Luka was anything but a perfect hero. He had many flaws but some good sides too. Like mentioned in the blurb, he is not a good man but not a bad man either. I had no problem with him being bi-sexual. He was always honest about that. My problem with him was that he made some terrible choices in life that came with some drastic consequences. I wanted him to man up and fight for his happiness and not let himself be pushed around.

Sarah seamed to be a good sport. She was always so joyful and I thought I knew her from book 1. It turned out I was entirely mistaken! Her selfishness and her inappropriate behaviour disgusted me! She disappointed me beyond words and I ended up hating her with great passion.

I liked Seth from the beggining and could totally understand how his shy, sweet and funny temper made Luka fall in love with him. But sadly, some people show their true face at the moment you least expect them to.

The reason why I still give this book 4 stars is because of Jane's fantastic writing. Kudos to her for making me feel so many different emotions: love, hate, devastation, hope, the list goes on and on. I loved the secondary characters (Ash, Laney, Gary and Yveta which we already met in book one). They trully are a very special bunch, a huge family of people that found each other at the worst time in their lives. I was so glad that they had Luka's back when he needed them most! We can't choose our family, but we can choose our friends. His dancing crew is not his family by blood. They are his family because his heart chose them!

The ending of the book left me a little unsatisfied but still hopeful. Maybe it was Jane's intention to not give a flawed hero like Luka the perfect HEA. To sum it up: Luka made me reflect on a lot of things in life. If I learned anything from this book is that love can't be forced, it comes naturally. You can't control someone else's heart. But sometimes even the wrong decisions lead to something good in the end. 4 stars!

I was given an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Selma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luka is the second story in The Rhythm series by Jane Harvey-Berrick who is one of my most favorite authors. I've loved the previous book - Slave to the Rhythm - with every fiber of my heart. It's among my top reads this year and definitely one of the best ones Jane has ever written. My expectations for Luka have therefore been very high. Unfortunately, I have to confess, that I didn't enjoy this one as much as I did Slave for several reasons. One of them is that I had major problems with the main characters. Their behavior and acts have often frustrated me to no end and I wanted to slap them so hard on many occations. I also wasn't happy with the ending and the epilogue. They didn't leave me in a good place. There were still lots of unanswered questions left. Jane's beautiful and captivating writing was flawless as always which is why I'm giving this book ultimately 4 out of 5 stars.

I will not write much about the storyline since everything I say could be spoilerish. We already know from the former book that Luka Kokot is Ash's best friend who loves him like a brother. He is a talented and hot dancer from Slovenia. Luka is equally attracted to women and men and is very open about his bisexuality. After the European tour of their dance show Slave the cast members say goodbye to each other heading in different directions. Luka decides to stay in London for the summer eager to get to know the city and enjoy his life to the fullest. Never could he have imagined that his whole world is going to be turned upside down after one crucial night. His heart is going to be torn between two siblings - Seth and Sarah Lintort. Luka will love them both, but he will love them differently. How can he choose between two people who mean so much to him? Or is the choice going to be taken away from him in the end?

I had a love/hate relationship with Luka throughout the whole book. He is one of the most flawed characters Jane has ever written. Luka was a man-child who needed to grow up and face the world. He made mistakes, terrible ones, and he had to bear the consequences. In many ways he was very naive and too trusting which cost him a lot in the end. My heart went out to him since nobody deserves to be betrayed the way he was by the people he cared so much for. I wished that he was brave enough to listen to his heart more than to his conscience. He was easily manipulated by other people who wanted to guilt trip him into doing something he didn't want to. I'm happy that his dancing company - his real family - always had his back no matter what. He deserved that!

I have to say that I really liked Sarah a lot in Slave to the Rhythm. But in this book I hated her guts! Seriously, this woman is pathetic, selfish and spoiled. Sarah has a very weak personality which annoyed me. I wanted to smack her with my kindle. I loved Seth at the beginning and could understand why he clicked with Luka right from the start. They were the perfect match for each other. He is funny and charming, awkward and shy. But some things he said and did were simply unforgivable.

This book had a lot of messages. Among them that love can't and shouldn't ever be labeled. It simply is. You can't force your heart to love or not to love someone. And sometimes we love and trust the wrong people. Not every broken relationship can be mended. Not every mistake can be put right but in the end we just need to learn from them and do the best out of a difficult situation.

Luka's journey was not an easy one. It was full of trials and trepidations. The author put my poor heart through the wringer with this story making me feel a bright range of emotions. Well done Jane!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Mo · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. I'm blown away right now. This book, this journey, was so much MORE than I thought it would be.

I have so many emotions right now, I don't even know how to process it all...

Full review to come!

[Marthea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ocena i komentarz jest dla Luki. Tylko i wyłącznie dla niego. Dla Luki, który przez całe życie dostawał w tyłek i który naprawdę zasłużył na swoje "żyli długo i szczęśliwie". I który tego nie dostał. To, w jaki sposób autorka go potraktowała, tak strasznie mnie rozczarował... i zasmucił... i wqrwił na maksa...
Zdenerwowała mnie ta książka. Nawet bardzo. Nie sądzę, żebym kiedykolwiek do niej wróciła - w przeciwieństwie do części pierwszej... Luka - jak człowiek i jako bohater literacki - dostaje maksa 💙💙💙, autorka - za to, co wymyśliła dla niego - wielkie zero...

[Funzee Shu · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** 3.75 Confusing Stars ***

I'm not a good man. I'm not a bad man.

***




I loved two people.
I loved them differently.
One was a man.
One was a woman.

Love isn’t supposed to be that hard...

***

I've been waiting that one day Jane will fulfill my curiosity by writing MM story since one gay character appeared on AYB&C. An then my hope rising when one of Kes friend also gay. I just wish someday Jane will dare herself to write one. She said that "You'll never know" & "Never say never".

And then there's Luka....

No, he's not gay, but bi and when I know that Luka will have his own story. My first reaction was YASSSSS!

Luka had stolen my full attention since his first appearance at Slave To The Rhythm as Ash fellow dancer from Slovakia and also his best friend.

And finally, I read his story...



I don't know how to review Jane's book this time....

I Iove the first 37% (9 chapter), hate the next few chapters after that, and then I can't decided what I felt after 77% reading.

I'm mad, I'm sad and I need to punch something for what happened on the last few chapters...and then....
I CRIED....

I hate Seth for what he did to Luka, but I hate Sarah MORE for what she DID to MY Luka!
Add the 'old bitch' to the line, and it boiled my mind to the highest level.

What I wanna do for after 70% reading is hugs my Luka....and Beth....

The hell with "The Demonic Duo" & their Evil mother !

I wish I could ' hate' Jane for what she DID to my Luka, but I can't...

She succeed - again - toying with my emotions to the level I almost cannot tolerate.

There's so many time I want to throw my kindle when 'selfish' Seth made one side decisions or when Sarah did all those 'childish' things or when Luka made 'that' decisions for all the chaos happened in his life.
All those moments really dragging my emotions and build an anger in me to the Deadpool level and woke up the inner killer in me!



BANG! HIT! SLASH! NO MERCY!

Can I say I hate you Jane for make me feel like this?
Sigh....just wish I could...

This book succeed made me confused with my own feelings....too many emotions.

It was like having a flower in my hand as I pulled the petals off one by one.

I hate this book...no you're not....
I hate this book...no you're not....
I hate this book...no you're not....

I think I 'hate' and love this book equally!

One thing that I'm sure in this story is....
I LOVE Luka and my heart bleed for him....



ARC is kindly provided by the Author for a fair review.

[Meagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stayed up reading this till 4am and it WRECKED ME. I've been in a fog all day because I cannot stop thinking about it. I'm getting ready to go to bed and I still can't get it out of my head. I'm definitely going to need a bit to get my thoughts together before I write a proper review because right now it would only consist of swear words and crying emojis.

That ^^^ was my first review for Luka. And honestly? I still don't know if I've recovered yet. I don't remember the last time a book affected me like this. This book is the epidemy of "It's complicated." Every time I think of Luka and what he went through I feel seconds away from crying. My husband will attest to this.



Husband: What would you like to eat for lunch?
Me: How can you think about food after everything Luka has been through? Do you have no heart?! *sobs uncontrollably*

Love hurt. Love flayed you raw and left your skin hanging from your body in bloody strips. It left you branded and burned. Ultimately, love was the worst thing that could happen to a human being. In my opinion.

So what is this book about? In a single word, love. It's about the love you can have for a friend, a lover, family, and dance. Luka is an equal opportunity lover, he's attracted to men and women. Sarah is one of Luka's best friends as well as a dancer in the same show. Sarah wants Luka badly, but he has a strict rule about sleeping with people you work with. He also has a feeling Sarah isn't looking for something fun. Which he is totally right about and it doesn't long for us to see how conniving Sarah really is. After a drunken night together Sarah leaves London to enjoy her time off with an ex-boyfriend in Australia. She's gives Luka her apartment to use while they're on break from their show. On his first night out on the town, he finds a lavish party to blow off some steam. He wakes up the next morning in an unfamiliar apartment with a gorgeous blonde who wants to make him breakfast. Luka isn't looking for anything serious but Seth charms Luka, and soon the two are involved in a committed relationship. There are signs however that Seth isn't as sweet as he seems, like making Luka lie about being bisexual to his friends. When Sarah comes home from Australia early it's a shit show of epic proportions as Seth figures out Luka previously slept with his sister. But here's the kicker, that's not even the craziest part about this story. Oh no, this story becomes epically complicated and it's AMAZING.

“And what? Just what am I to you, Luka?”

I swallowed and grabbed his hand. “My soulmate.”

I thought for a second that I’d gotten through to him, but then his lip rose in a sneer.

“Life just got fucking real, didn’t it? You need to grow the fuck up.”

There's not a lot more I can say that doesn't give away big spoilers and believe me you want to find out those surprises on your own. You're going to want to cry, laugh, swoon, and bitch slap every character at least once. Maybe twice.

“And Sarah?”

“Yes?” she whispered, her eyes wide and wary.

“I’ll never forgive you for this. Ever. If you think this over, you’re wrong.”

I. Freaking. LOVED this book. Love, love, loved it. I want to buy it for all my friends and make them read it I loved it so much. And then we can all cry and eat tubs of Ben & Jerry's together. Read this book!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jane sent me this to read to see what I think because she has ever so kindly used my name as one of the main characters in the book! Yes she has immortalised me in one of her amazing books..I was so honoured just to have that so when she asked me to read through it and tell her what I thought I was even more honoured and excited!!
I absolutely loved Slave to the Rhythm and had read about Luka in this already. Luka having his own book is brilliant and has been written so well..as usual!
I honestly wasn't sure what to expect, what with it being a love triangle and MM too...which I haven't actually read yet either. But this book completely blew me away, it had me hooked from the start and I totally fell in love with the whole story as well as Luka. He is such a loveable character, he does what he feels is right from the start, no matter if it's best for him or not, he puts others first and believes in love no matter what the gender. I absolutely love his outlook on this and Jane has made this obvious from Luka throughout the book. A strong message definitely.
Sarah, 'my character' lol I think is great. She has her moments and at times I really just wanted to shake her and for her to sort herself out, but she comes from quite an upper class family and their views on things are put on Sarah a lot.
I really liked Seth too, at first anyway! He seemed perfect but after a few twists that Jane took us through in the book I wasn't convinced about him. I'm not going to spoil it and give anything away..You'll just have to read it!
As is with all Jane's books though I found myself going through a lot of emotions in this book, the story was amazing, flowed fantastically and I instantly connected with the characters. Jane's writing is beautiful, this story so much more than I expected from reading the synopsis. I loved it!!
The ending wasn't what I expected, I thought I knew how it was going to end but I was wrong! It was brilliant and if Jane was to do a book 3 then I'd love to read it! *hint hint* lol
5* aren't enough for this book...highly recommend it!!

[Betül · Rating 2 out of 5]

**Received ARC in exchange for an honest review**



"Not everything can be mended. Not every mistake can be put right.
I'm not a good man.
I'm not a bad man.
I've made some bad mistakes, made the wrong choices.
Who hasn't? "

The first book in the series Slave to the Rhythm is one of my favorite books this year so I was pretty excited about Luka's story. However I did not like this book as much as I wanted to. The first thing that just didn't work for me was Seth. Luka and Seth sleep together and that results into a relationship. For the first time Luka is feeling something serious for someone.

This is my first MM book but the thing that bothered me the most was Seth's character. In my opinion Luka and Seth did not work together. For me their relationship came across as forced. I adore Luka but after playing the field for years he falls for Seth pretty fast. I also did not like Sarah, Seth's twin sister and Luka's dance partner, she was fun at the beginning but later on she is so childish. I just couldn't stand her! I couldn't stand Seth either. Luka deserves so much better. There is one character who would've been perfect for him and I would've loved that person to play a more important role in this book, which unfortunately was not the case. I was also quite disatisfied with the ending. I wish there was a sequel or I hope we will get to see more of Luka in the upcoming books in this series.

[AussieMum · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
I liked this but I didn't enjoy reading it - if you know what I mean.

This blurb sounds juicy but I really wasn't prepared for how it would all play out nor for the extreme amount of angst this book has, and the level of hatred I would have for some of the main characters.

Poor Luka. OMG. Let me say it again. Poor Luka. He definitely isn't perfect but far out, with the level of shit people keep throwing his way you would think he'd tortured and killed a puppy to create that kind of karma. Heading towards the ending when he was finally getting it together it was like the author said "hmmmm what other fucked up thing can I make someone do to him now."

The epilogue was a hint of a possible HEA but definitely too many loose ends to balance the level of anguish I went through reading this. It was subtle and I needed a sledgehammer.

[Livros A Go-Go ~Joyci ~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 amorosas estrelas porque a Jane nunca decepciona!

Luka chegou e mostrou que a autora veio disposta a fazer algo diferente assim como fez em Slave to the Rhythm, o livro anterior da série The Rhythm.
​
Novamente temos um dançarino como protagonista, mas sua jornada e seus dramas são mais internos, diferente do livro anterior em que o protagonista lutava para sobreviver e mostrar sua arte.
N​o início da leitura ​pensamos que a história ​será sobre um triângulo amoroso, passadas algumas páginas constatamos que será um romance gay, já ​na metade achamos ​que na verdade é sobre autoconhecimento e descobertas e já n​o final chegamos à conclusão ​que na verdade a história é sobre o encontro de um homem com seu verdadeiro amor.

Luka se encontra ao final de sua turnê e decide prolongar a estadia em Londres afim de descansar, conhecer a cidade e seguir seus treinos de dança com novos professores. Já na primeira noite algo acontece (o que ele sempre evitou de acontecer com​ companheiros de trabalho)
​ entre ele e sua amiga e companheira de espetáculo Sarah, que está de partida do país.
​O dia passa e já sem a companhia da amiga, ​ele conhece Seth em uma festa​, alguém cuja personalidade é totalmente diferente do que o atrai.
​Já no início do relacionamento eles descobrem que tem a Sarah em comum entre eles (irmã de Seth) mas essa informação não muda o desejo de se conhecerem melhor. Como Luka diz, se ele sente uma conexão com a alguém, sendo homem ou mulher, ele segue seus instintos e "​deixa rolar" e é
​com essa informação que passamos a torcer pelo casal. A interação entre eles é tão bem escrita que o fato de serem dois homens se torna irrelevante, lemos com foco de que​ tudo dê certo ​entre eles . O tempo passa, Sarah retorna, a vida dos três ganha novos sentidos e a vida de Luka dá um giro de 360°.
Um ponto interessante do livro é ele ser escrito na visão de Luka o tempo todo, o que faz com que ele tenha nossa simpatia desde o início. Sentimos e lamentamos todas as situações desagradáveis por ele sofridas e em determinadas partes até mesmo suas angústias, dúvidas e o sentimento de rejeição somos capazes de sentir.
Isso é resultado também do talento da autora, que escreve de forma madura e conduz seus personagens dessa forma. Jane tem a capacidade de nos fazer simpatizar e repudiar seus personagens com a mesma intensidade.Ela tem a capacidade de mostrar os dois lados da moeda, de desenvolver os personagens e suas atitudes fazendo que o leitor entenda a razão de suas atitudes e sentimentos, sendo bastante real e sem apelar para algo novelístico e absurdo.

Seth e S​arah​ trouxeram para a vida de Luka as dores e as delícias de sua jornada e isso é o que acompanhamos no livro, sua vivencia, suas descobertas sobre desejo, paixão e o amor puro.
Luka usa sua arte para se iludir e se afastar do mundo real e as cobranças acerca do amor e paixão. Ele é dedicado tanto à sua dança quanto a todos que fazem parte de sua vida e não repara nisso, tanto que desperta o interesse de uma de suas melhores amigas (Sarah) sem se dar conta.
Sarah desde o início já chama a atenção de forma negativa, por conta de sua insistência e posteriormente por suas atitudes. Ela criou na cabeça dela um conto de fadas sem se importar com os protagonistas deste e se perdeu pelo caminho,viu que na vida real as coisas podem ser bem mais complexas.Ela muda muito ao longo do livro e o o mesmo acontece com Seth, que no início tinha minha simpatia e no fim todo o meu ódio (sentimento destinado também à Sarah).
E Elizabeta...ah! Ela é responsável por tudo de bom na vida de Luka e nos ganha desde o início. Nos sentimos desesperados e preocupados com sua vida além de felizes e apaixonados por ela e por toda a leveza que trouxe consigo.
Ela é a responsável por trazer à tona pelo lado bom que Luka pensava não ter ou precisava mostrar viesse à tona.

​A autora saiu do convencional e aqui o final e epílogo são diferentes dos típicos "E viveram felizes para sempre". O livro tem final feliz, um que creio que a maioria dos leitores irão desejar! Diante de tudo que acompanhamos durante a leitura, é o que torcemos para que o final seja como foi e nesse último momento é passamos a adorar mais ainda a autora!

Sonhando com um livro 3 para essa série.

*Arc gentilmente cedido pela autora em troca de uma resenha honesta.

[Romance Readers Retreat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brought out such mixed emotions in me, one minute I was irrationally angry, the next I was wanting to sob in sympathy for Luka.
Luka himself brought out a variety of feelings in me, some moments I was annoyed about the choices he made and wanting to slap some sense into him, some moments I could have cried for him and how he was being treated.
Sarah I mostly had one feeling for and that was pure anger. I think as a reader I'm supposed to have developed some level of understanding for her and the things she did, but I just didn't. I mostly hated her and when I wasn't hating her I was at least irritated by her. I think maybe I'm supposed to have found a certain level of sympathy for her, enough to find some level forgiveness for her ways, but I just can't. I pretty much despised her. I thought she was sly, cunning, manipulative, desperate, weak and just generally a nasty piece of work. Yep, a fan I was not!
But Sarah's character being as it was just pushed me to love Luka all the more, every bad thought I had about her made me just want to cuddle Luka.
I adored Slave to the Rhythm but I actually loved this book more. That's not to say I preferred Luka over Ash, I adore them both the same and I couldn't possibly pick, but I found this story gripped me so much more. I tend to say I can't handle a lot of angst but when it comes down to it I do end up enjoying those books more haha!
I'm hoping to see more from Luka in the future, I don't think this book is the end of his story and I'd be ecstatically excited to read more of him. Here's to hoping!!!

[Georgina Parkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC for an honest review.

4.5 stars, because I thought this book was amazingly realistic and could relate to many parents today. I hated Sarah for her manipulation to the point that when she gets depression after the birth of her child, I couldn't feel any sympathy for her just because of what had happened during her pregnancy and even how she got pregnant in the first place. I ended up growing to hate Seth also which I didn't think would happen. He got on my nerves at times with him telling Luka to hide his sexuality and keep him a secret, but there was one line where he talks about how he feels on Lukas sexual fluidity that ruined me liking him forever. I'm 100% happy with the outcome of this book. It wasn't dark like the first book but definitely focused on emotions and guilt and all that juice stuff and I really really enjoyed reading it!

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sad to say this is the only book I've read so far this year. So I had to give it at least 3 stars because it got me out of a loooong book funk.

The ending was a let down. I am not one who needs happy endings but the ending just felt blah and unfinished. Sarah was a loathsome character, hated how Luka seemed to always make excuses for her. Seth's reasoning for his stupid decisions just seemed ridiculous to me, I get loving your sibling but come on.........

[Notas Literárias · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simplesmente encantador.

Intenso e realístico de um jeito sensacional!!

[Caro · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s no secret, that I love Jane Harvey-Berrick’s books. Her writing just clicks with my mind, I get her and her characters (mostly). Whereas she doesn’t shy away from writing about taboo issues like a minor falling in love with a woman a decade older than him or a young, deaf man struggling to make ends meet, she created a new and darker world with her first book in this series “Slave to the Rhythm”. It was a very realistic and heartfelt story about a bunch of dancers, who got into the fatal hands of human traffickers and fell victim to too many crimes known to manhood. Some parts of book one were so real, that they made me sick to my stomach but bow down to this amazing author at the same time.

In this second installment, another dancer of this dancing-crew is in the spotlight, Luka. We’ve met him in book one, but I couldn’t really get a read of him, he was an enigma. This changed in “Luka”, I got to know a beautiful soul and good person, whom I’d love to befriend, if he was real. Jane’s writing and her characters make this story seem so real, that I really ponder each and every time I read a book by her, if she has been in her character’s shoes herself. But I guess, she’s just a highly talented author. At least, I hope so…

The level of darkness in this story was not as significant as in “Slave to the Rhythm”, but that wasn’t necessary for “Luka” at all. This story took a whole other direction and I was very surprised by the new course of action the author took. Everyone, who shied away from book one, because it was a dark romance, I can definitely say that you can go on and read “Luka”, it may be a bit dark but not in the same way as book one – but more in the sense of the realistic display of very real and human problems like depression.

And as a mom and passionate reader, I have to yet again thank Jane Harvey-Berrick, for not shying away from ‘taboo’ issues but for calling those out, who make certain things taboo to society. I truly love her for it!

Also, I was sooooooo happy about Jane, finally pulling the plunge for an M/M-story! Ever since “The traveling man”, I was so in love with a gay character she created and hoped for her to write his own story. But all encouragement aside, she didn’t do it *sniffle*. To learn, that her latest character Luka is bi-sexual and that he is together with a man and a woman made me almost pop a vessel, I’ve been so excited. And let me tell you, she aced the M/M-parts perfectly!!!


The only thing that bothered me a bit was the ending. Because even though everything fit together in the end, it felt too abrupt. Maybe it was just my own wishing for another ending. But I can say, that I personally would have loved for a bit more at the end, maybe a look into the future of a few months or even years. Just to have a bit more of closure. But in the end, I guess it was a happy ending where it counted, since this was Luka’s story with a dose of romance interwoven.

This book was very angsty, most of all the second half of it made me grind my teeth more often than not and even cry a few tears of frustration. Angst-fans: Read the book. NOW! LOL


All in all, I rate “Luka” with 5 stars and can recommend it to everyone. Due to explicit situations of sexual content, I recommend readers 18+.

[Heavenly · Rating 5 out of 5]

6+ AMAZING stars

Luka is the second book in the Rhythm series and follows titular character who we first met in Slave to the Rhythm. I LOVED the first book and was so excited to hear that we were getting more of these characters. Let me tell you this book was just as good, if not better, than the first!!! This story had me feeling the gamut of emotions...half the time my heart was in my throat.

"Then the music blasted out in an explosion of sound and light, and I was on stage, alive, powerful, doing what I was born to do."

Luka lives to dance. For the past year, he has been on tour with Slave, the show based on events from the first book. There, he has become close friends with all the dancers, but one woman in particular, wants more. But Luka does not get involved with colleagues and doesn't do relationships. So they part ways for the summer, as the show takes a break.

"I couldn't imagine willingly being with just one person for the rest of my life. And despite the crazy, full-on, balls-to-the-wall way I lived, I believed in the possibility...for other people."

Luka learned at a early age that he was attracted to both men and women. While on vacation, he meets a man and ends up spending the night with him. This is where things start to change for Luka. He begins to open himself up to having a relationship. Unfortunately, things are complicated by the truth Luka discovers...his new lover is the brother of his friend from the tour.

"I meet someone, and there's a connection or there isn't. It doesn't matter if they're male or female, gay or straight. It's a connection."

Then things really get complicated when Luka's friend returns home from the summer. Suddenly, Luka is caught in the middle between two people he loves...His whole life is turned upside down and inside out. My heart broke for Luka. He is such a good man, always looking out for his friends and family. He hasn't had an easy life and just when he thinks he can have some sort of happiness, the rug is pulled out from beneath him.

"Love made you soar, made you fly and set you free-and then it let you freefall until you were smashed and bleeding on the ground."

As always, the writing was superb, sucking me in from the start. There are quite a few twists as well, that kept me from guessing where the story was headed. I really did LOVE everything about this book, and I thought the ending was perfect. When I closed the book, I didn't want it to be over, and I was left wanting more of these characters. I hope we get more books in this series!!!!

"Love hurt. Love flayed you raw and left your skin hanging from your body in bloody strips. It left you branded and burned. Ultimately, love was the worst thing that could happen to a human being. In my opinion."

[MJLovestoRead · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again I am lost in the world of dance. The world of heartbreak and ultimately the world of hope. Jane Harvey-Berrick continues to dazzle my brain with unique and spirited story-lines while warming my soul with her splendid and lively characters.

Luka, the man who just wants to dance. Who repeatedly favors only mild attachments to others yet in less than a few days time finds himself firmly and almost incredibly devoted to not one but two people. Never guessing that his laissez-faire attitude with respect to sexual encounters would lead to him to finding not only the love of his life but the very heart that he didn't even know he was missing.

This book had me all over the place and happily so. To watch a man like Luka, literally transform before not only my eyes but those around him was spectacular. He went from being a bit selfish to being incredibly selfless. Putting his responsibilities first and foremost was no easy task and yet I loved watching him figure out, through much trial and error, that he could have it all and still respect himself.

There is a ton of angst throughout and I found myself changing my tune about certain characters right along with Luka. I adored Seth but was wildly disappointed in him by the end. Sarah had her issues which I kind of understood but she too let me down. Thankfully the entire crew from Slave to the Rhythm book is on hand, and provide our guy with the true support he needs to get through this new stage of life.

I encourage you to let you mind go. Some may have an issue with Luka being bisexual but I loved that he stayed true to himself throughout. Love really is love and our guy showed the world that in the end his capability to care for those closest to his heart was both joyful and admirable.

It's a beautiful book well worth your time.

A solid 4 stars!

[Stacey Broadbent · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first time I've read any of Jane Harvey-Berrick's work and I have to say, she has a new fan! I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and was a little skeptical when I read the blurb - I've never read a love triangle quite so complex before. Two men and one woman.
Having never read any MM before, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I have to say, I really enjoyed this book.

I love the character, Luka. He is a brilliant dancer in the hit theatre show, Slave. When the tour takes a break and the cast all go their separate ways, things get interesting.

I really can't go into too much detail, without giving away the story! What I will say, is that you end up on a roller-coaster ride of emotions. The heartbreak Luka endures over these two people, who say they love him, is just about unbearable. I felt such anger towards these characters. One more so than the other.
One of them was so unbelievably selfish. The other, thought they were trying to do the right thing, still caused a world of pain.

Watching Luka grow as he strived to be the best he could be, was one of the highlights of the book. That, and his relationship with his dance family. When Luka felt that all was lost, they picked up the pieces and helped him to see his way through.

I really enjoyed this book, and think I might just have to grab the first book in the series to discover more about these characters.

[Tam Tam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jane Harvey-Berrick never disappoints me in her writing. I love how each story or series can vary so much. This book is the second in a series. You probably could read this book as a stand alone but I would highly recommend you read the first in this series before you begin "Luka". It will help you appreciate certain characters in the story and the baggage they carry from their past and how it impacts Luka in a good or bad way.

Luka was such a lovely complex multi-faceted man. Nothing is simple about him or the situations he finds himself in. She did such a great job of writing someone that made me feel all of his sadness, anger, vulnerability, confusion, and elation. Luka is someone who avoids falling in love, yet he has a magnetism that draws so many to him that they cannot help but fall in love with him. I liked how unpredictable the story was and that I was unsure of how it would end and most importantly, how I wanted it to end. Yet, I loved going on this emotional journey with Luka.

This story left me wanting more. Please tell me there is another book on Luka! I have not had quite enough of him yet.