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Shadow Phoenix/Ruined Rockstars #1
Finding Zen
Finding a rock legend on the verge of being kidnapped wasn’t on my list of typical Monday night activities. But it happened. And when it did? Sparks flew.
Too bad I didn’t realize who he was.
If I hadn’t been so afraid of the world, I might have known what was in store for me. When Zen flashed me his panty-melting smile, I was a goner.
My life as I knew it was over whether I wanted it to be or not.
But I wasn’t ready for what was coming. I didn’t think I was strong enough to handle it.
Zen Taylor could be the death of me if I wasn’t careful.
Literally.
But I knew I’d never be able to resist. And I didn’t want to.
For the first time, I was living my life for me, and even if it meant the end, I knew it’d be worth it.
Too bad I didn’t realize who he was.
If I hadn’t been so afraid of the world, I might have known what was in store for me. When Zen flashed me his panty-melting smile, I was a goner.
My life as I knew it was over whether I wanted it to be or not.
But I wasn’t ready for what was coming. I didn’t think I was strong enough to handle it.
Zen Taylor could be the death of me if I wasn’t careful.
Literally.
But I knew I’d never be able to resist. And I didn’t want to.
For the first time, I was living my life for me, and even if it meant the end, I knew it’d be worth it.
Paperback
Published February 24, 2020
1648 people are currently reading
4782 people want to read
About the author
Heather Ashley
24 books658 followersHi! I’m Heather.
It’s great to meet you! I’m a socially-awkward introvert who loves love stories. I’m not awesome at singing or keeping my house clean, but I somehow find the time to obsessively read romance novels. I consider it one of my many talents.
In my opinion, you can never have too many books (or french fries…), messy buns are a girl’s best friend, and I’d probably die without my laptop. If I wasn’t over-committing myself to future stories or procrastinating to meet my deadlines, I’m not quite sure what I’d do with myself.
Be sure to find all sorts of sneak peeks and my more than likely cuss-word filled rantings over on the blog. Oh, and if you’re a fan of getting in the mood to read and connecting to the characters that way, check out the playlists that accompany each story in the “Playlists” tab.
Peace, love, and abs for days.
It’s great to meet you! I’m a socially-awkward introvert who loves love stories. I’m not awesome at singing or keeping my house clean, but I somehow find the time to obsessively read romance novels. I consider it one of my many talents.
In my opinion, you can never have too many books (or french fries…), messy buns are a girl’s best friend, and I’d probably die without my laptop. If I wasn’t over-committing myself to future stories or procrastinating to meet my deadlines, I’m not quite sure what I’d do with myself.
Be sure to find all sorts of sneak peeks and my more than likely cuss-word filled rantings over on the blog. Oh, and if you’re a fan of getting in the mood to read and connecting to the characters that way, check out the playlists that accompany each story in the “Playlists” tab.
Peace, love, and abs for days.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
December 19, 2021
Nearly DNF not realistic and stif more editing could help
Sweet nice fairy tale but too unreal
Sweet nice fairy tale but too unreal
December 19, 2021
2.5 stars
Too long. Boring. Not much conflict. Everyone was pretty useless in dealing with the “danger”. The relationship was too cheesy.
Did I say this was wayyyy too long?
Too long. Boring. Not much conflict. Everyone was pretty useless in dealing with the “danger”. The relationship was too cheesy.
Did I say this was wayyyy too long?
Read
June 22, 2021The premise is that a male rockstar falls in love with a woman who is a recluse with severe anxiety problems and panic attacks.
I DNFed at 50% -- his goal is to try and help her get over her deep-seated anxiety issues that have plagued her for years despite having been to extensive therapy... And he seems to be succeeding at the halfway point despite the fact that they've just met.
It's sweet, gentle, and very loving... But I didn't believe any of it.
I DNFed at 50% -- his goal is to try and help her get over her deep-seated anxiety issues that have plagued her for years despite having been to extensive therapy... And he seems to be succeeding at the halfway point despite the fact that they've just met.
It's sweet, gentle, and very loving... But I didn't believe any of it.
August 31, 2023
I was desperate for a rock star romance, and this one was subpar. When you read the synopsis and know there is going to be a stalker, it’s frustrating when you figure out right away who it is, but know it’s going to take the characters another 300 pages. The moment you meet Chloe she says she’s trying to be a celebrity blogger, you’ve just started dating one of the biggest rockstars on the planet, and then don’t look into that?? Also I love smut as much as the next girl but it’s okay to close the door every once in a while. These two were so all over each other that I would be annoyed if I was their friend. Poor Connor having to listen to them constantly have sex in the back seat of the car without a privacy screen. I was curious about the other guys in the band, but with how idiotic and frustrating the main characters are in this book, I have no desire to continue this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2023
Wow. If I could give this book zero stars I would.
Let me sum it up for you:
Love story: nauseatingly obnoxious instalove
Inner thoughts: repetitive AF
Plot holes: more like plot canyons
“Secret” stalker: GLARINGLY obvious
Yeah, definitely wish I would have quit this one.
I would give more detailed complaints, but I refuse to waste any more time on it.
Let me sum it up for you:
Love story: nauseatingly obnoxious instalove
Inner thoughts: repetitive AF
Plot holes: more like plot canyons
“Secret” stalker: GLARINGLY obvious
Yeah, definitely wish I would have quit this one.
I would give more detailed complaints, but I refuse to waste any more time on it.
Want to read
May 11, 2021🎁 FREE on Amazon today (4/23/2020)! 🎁
October 26, 2021
This was an amazing book. It drew me in, made me want it to never end. I have a new go-to author.
November 27, 2022
Incredibly repetitive… dnf’ing at 72%
July 31, 2021
This was book 1 in the
"Shadow Phoenix"
Zen Taylor has it all he is a hot sexy rock star with a popular band Shadow Phoenix he has women throwing themselves at him. When he is roofied and almost kidnapped he is saved by a woman. Kennedy Adams is a bookstore owner who was in the right place at the right time she saved a man from being kidnapped. Kennedy had no idea that the hot sexy man that she saved was a rock star. Zen can't believe is hot sexy sweet woman came to his rescue. After a sex tape scandal, he is sent up to Washington to wait for the publicity to die down. Kennedy who has anxiety doesn't leave her apartment much. I liked both of these characters Zen is hot and sexy and very protective of her. These two have some hot sexy chemistry. When the word gets out that Zen is in town the paparazzi begins stating out her store and Zen's crazy stalker begins targeting Kennedy. This was a really good read and my first time reading this author. I loved the secondary character's in this book and I loved Kennedy's best friend. This book was well written with no errors in grammar or spelling I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
Zen
Zen
January 6, 2025
Okay this has been on my TBR for ages and I cannot fathom what took me so long to finally read it
The chemistry between Zen and Kennedy was unbelievable and I love how brave she head overcoming her past as well as her anxiety and how Zen helped her through it was just swoon worthy
I Can’t wait to see Amara and Trues story as they definitely have chemistry
The chemistry between Zen and Kennedy was unbelievable and I love how brave she head overcoming her past as well as her anxiety and how Zen helped her through it was just swoon worthy
I Can’t wait to see Amara and Trues story as they definitely have chemistry
May 21, 2022
Them against the world….just brilliant 🥰
I read this back in March but wanted to share my quick review from Amazon.
I absolutely loved this story. It was so refreshing to read that from the start they just wanted each other. No playing around, no cheating, no hiding behind their feelings…..just open and honest. I’ve read so many books where the main female character is made to feel awful and jealous. This author hit the nail on the head with giving the readers exactly what they needed, an honest ‘fall in love’ story.
With a lot billionaire/rockstar stories the main narrative is that the female lead character had to fight for the affections, whilst he continues to sleep around. Whilst I do love those books, as there is a lot of ‘push and pull’, this book was completely different e.g no flirting with the flight attendant and them hitting on the male lead!
It was just a refreshing, honest, love story and really well written.
I read this back in March but wanted to share my quick review from Amazon.
I absolutely loved this story. It was so refreshing to read that from the start they just wanted each other. No playing around, no cheating, no hiding behind their feelings…..just open and honest. I’ve read so many books where the main female character is made to feel awful and jealous. This author hit the nail on the head with giving the readers exactly what they needed, an honest ‘fall in love’ story.
With a lot billionaire/rockstar stories the main narrative is that the female lead character had to fight for the affections, whilst he continues to sleep around. Whilst I do love those books, as there is a lot of ‘push and pull’, this book was completely different e.g no flirting with the flight attendant and them hitting on the male lead!
It was just a refreshing, honest, love story and really well written.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2021
Good Premise but Lots of Filler and Rambling
The book had a great story line. It drew you in early and you found yourself ready for a strong roller coaster ride. Unfortunately, about 25% in, you start feeling like you were reading the same thing, over and over and over again. I stayed true, reading page by page until a little over 50%. At that point, I no longer had the patience or tolerance to read things in repeat. I really feel like the author was forced to stretch the story to meet a maximum goal, and as a result dragged out the storyline.
The book had a great story line. It drew you in early and you found yourself ready for a strong roller coaster ride. Unfortunately, about 25% in, you start feeling like you were reading the same thing, over and over and over again. I stayed true, reading page by page until a little over 50%. At that point, I no longer had the patience or tolerance to read things in repeat. I really feel like the author was forced to stretch the story to meet a maximum goal, and as a result dragged out the storyline.
February 5, 2023
Dnf @ 17% because everybody is an asshole. Oh and if my best friend would say “I know what you’ve been through, we’ve talked about it and we don’t need to rehash it.” to me after I told her that YEARS OF THERAPY didn’t help me to allow myself to date again and continues with “You’re missing out” and orders me a vibrator, she wouldn’t be my best friend anymore.
February 11, 2021
I absolutely loved this book. Can’t wait to read the rest of the series
January 13, 2023
This is just an evolved form of one direction fanfiction
June 13, 2023
Too insta lovey. Felt like all they did was tell each other how much they couldn’t be without each other from like the very start. Where is the build up?
December 1, 2023
Dnf w 1/3. Nie jest to zła książka, ale chłop mówi, że nie obchodzą go związki, a na następnej stronie już jest niemal zakochany
July 24, 2021
Perfectly written
I loved Zen and Kennedy story. A perfect rock star romance with suspense. So well written. Great job. Highly recommend.
I loved Zen and Kennedy story. A perfect rock star romance with suspense. So well written. Great job. Highly recommend.
February 26, 2020
I received a copy of this book for an honest review.
Finding Zen is a rockstar romance that literally had me on my knees. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I opened the book, but I definitely wasn’t expecting what I got. This book hooked me in from the beginning and didn’t let go, even after I finished it, and even a couple hours later when I laid in bed.
Zen is your typical alpha rockstar. He isn’t my favorite person in the world at the beginning, but he is everything by the end of it. Honestly, he is what you would expect out of a rockstar from the start. Working his way through women, drinking… it’s who he has embraced himself as. And then he meets Kennedy and the world he knew just doesn’t exist anymore. Kennedy is seriously my hero. I LOVE everything about her. She is brave and strong, and with Zen at her side, she is unstoppable.
These two together are fireworks. Plain and simple. I am absolutely obsessed with everything they are. Through all the twists and turns, ups and downs… you can’t help but fall even more in love with them and their story.
Heather is a new to the scene author and her writing blew me away. I was enthralled from the very beginning and couldn’t put the book down. My husband had a full conversation with me without my input because I was so into the book, I didn’t hear a word he said. Eh, he should be used to be it by now. Her attention to detail and the emotions she put into her writing really brought everything together. I can’t wait to read more of her work!
Five stars for this beautifully written rockstar romance that will have you on your knees, feeling every emotion as you fight with and for Zen and Kennedy.
Finding Zen is a rockstar romance that literally had me on my knees. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting when I opened the book, but I definitely wasn’t expecting what I got. This book hooked me in from the beginning and didn’t let go, even after I finished it, and even a couple hours later when I laid in bed.
Zen is your typical alpha rockstar. He isn’t my favorite person in the world at the beginning, but he is everything by the end of it. Honestly, he is what you would expect out of a rockstar from the start. Working his way through women, drinking… it’s who he has embraced himself as. And then he meets Kennedy and the world he knew just doesn’t exist anymore. Kennedy is seriously my hero. I LOVE everything about her. She is brave and strong, and with Zen at her side, she is unstoppable.
These two together are fireworks. Plain and simple. I am absolutely obsessed with everything they are. Through all the twists and turns, ups and downs… you can’t help but fall even more in love with them and their story.
Heather is a new to the scene author and her writing blew me away. I was enthralled from the very beginning and couldn’t put the book down. My husband had a full conversation with me without my input because I was so into the book, I didn’t hear a word he said. Eh, he should be used to be it by now. Her attention to detail and the emotions she put into her writing really brought everything together. I can’t wait to read more of her work!
Five stars for this beautifully written rockstar romance that will have you on your knees, feeling every emotion as you fight with and for Zen and Kennedy.
March 4, 2024
1. Kennedy took a picture of Zen to send to her friend, Amara, as “an added layer of security”; it would have made much more sense for her to take a picture of his ID after she took his wallet out of his pocket.
2. When Zen woke up in Kennedy’s apartment and went out to her kitchen, the book said, “…the most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes on was in the kitchen”. Then it said, “her back faced me”. How did he know she was the most beautiful woman he’d even laid eyes on if she had her back to him? Then, the book went on and said, “she had a blissful smile on her face.” I thought she had her back to him? 🙄
3. Zen decided that Kennedy was “it for him” and that he would be with her forever after they’d been together for two days. 🙄
4. Kennedy’s anxiety seemed awfully convenient. She couldn’t go out to dinner but she could go to the park, to yoga class and to a bar every week to play trivia with her friend and her brother.
5. Is there a law that says that the H in every romance novel has to smirk and say, “Like what you see?” This book actually had it more than once. 🙄🙄
6. Why was Zen running around without a bodyguard when he knew that he had a stalker and that someone had even been inside his house?
7. Zen had a stalker and they had managed to get into his house more than once. Yet, he thought it was ok to sleep with “the entire wall” of the bedroom “open to the ocean”.
8. The identity of the stalker was obvious right from the beginning.
2. When Zen woke up in Kennedy’s apartment and went out to her kitchen, the book said, “…the most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes on was in the kitchen”. Then it said, “her back faced me”. How did he know she was the most beautiful woman he’d even laid eyes on if she had her back to him? Then, the book went on and said, “she had a blissful smile on her face.” I thought she had her back to him? 🙄
3. Zen decided that Kennedy was “it for him” and that he would be with her forever after they’d been together for two days. 🙄
4. Kennedy’s anxiety seemed awfully convenient. She couldn’t go out to dinner but she could go to the park, to yoga class and to a bar every week to play trivia with her friend and her brother.
5. Is there a law that says that the H in every romance novel has to smirk and say, “Like what you see?” This book actually had it more than once. 🙄🙄
6. Why was Zen running around without a bodyguard when he knew that he had a stalker and that someone had even been inside his house?
7. Zen had a stalker and they had managed to get into his house more than once. Yet, he thought it was ok to sleep with “the entire wall” of the bedroom “open to the ocean”.
8. The identity of the stalker was obvious right from the beginning.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2022
Not for me.
Characters were inconsistent, the story dragged along and the constant repetition made the whole thing fairly dull. Any threats to the couple seemed very much like a device used to make what would have been an uninteresting novel interesting but it wasn't developed properly into the plot and was solved way to easily. Even the security teams were essentially useless, even with all their supposed military experience, against a young girl.
I didn't feel any real connection between the 2 main characters. 1 day they were strangers and pretty much the next day they were in love. And as this happened so early in the book there was no real point to the rest of it.
I did however like the touches made on the fmc condition even if at times her anxiety was played down into 'if I just make myself it will go away' . As someone who lives with anxiety I know this is not the case and triggers can be vastly varied.
The ideas in the story are great but, for me, it just lacked something.
Characters were inconsistent, the story dragged along and the constant repetition made the whole thing fairly dull. Any threats to the couple seemed very much like a device used to make what would have been an uninteresting novel interesting but it wasn't developed properly into the plot and was solved way to easily. Even the security teams were essentially useless, even with all their supposed military experience, against a young girl.
I didn't feel any real connection between the 2 main characters. 1 day they were strangers and pretty much the next day they were in love. And as this happened so early in the book there was no real point to the rest of it.
I did however like the touches made on the fmc condition even if at times her anxiety was played down into 'if I just make myself it will go away' . As someone who lives with anxiety I know this is not the case and triggers can be vastly varied.
The ideas in the story are great but, for me, it just lacked something.
December 4, 2022
I think I got a cavity reading this, and I'm not complaining. Zen is so, so sweet and supportive and loving towards Kennedy. I just love him. They really didn't have any drama between them, just his rock star lifestyle and celebrity status catching up to them both. It was a nice change of pace to see MC's who can communicate well and aren't constantly screwing themselves over with miscommunication.
I know we're introduced to him as being this bad boy rock star who has a different woman every night and rarely stays sober and is really kind of an a-hole, but we see so very little of that because as soon as he meets Kennedy, he's different. I personally don't care that that narrative is less than 1% of the book, because I might not have fallen for him so quickly.
I can't emphasize it enough, if you need a super sweet book boyfriend who won't let you down, and you want only mild suspense rather than a high stakes roller coaster ride of a plot, read this one.
I know we're introduced to him as being this bad boy rock star who has a different woman every night and rarely stays sober and is really kind of an a-hole, but we see so very little of that because as soon as he meets Kennedy, he's different. I personally don't care that that narrative is less than 1% of the book, because I might not have fallen for him so quickly.
I can't emphasize it enough, if you need a super sweet book boyfriend who won't let you down, and you want only mild suspense rather than a high stakes roller coaster ride of a plot, read this one.
March 23, 2024
DNF at 18%
So you are telling me that this girl who has a panic attack at the thought of going to a restaurant, who has had multiple therapists and is basically terrified of everything just allows this stranger into her house and life no questions asked? And that this man who brags about the fact he’s a man whore and loves to talk about how great in bed he is decides that because she has no idea who he is, and the fact she acted like a decent person he’s gonna be with her and completely change overnight.
So you are telling me that this girl who has a panic attack at the thought of going to a restaurant, who has had multiple therapists and is basically terrified of everything just allows this stranger into her house and life no questions asked? And that this man who brags about the fact he’s a man whore and loves to talk about how great in bed he is decides that because she has no idea who he is, and the fact she acted like a decent person he’s gonna be with her and completely change overnight.
December 18, 2020
Overly long detailing of Kennedy’s panic issues. Overly long description of Zen’s devotion and they’re sex scenes.
Zen is totally jaded by his rock star life. Kennedy literally picks him up out of the gutter. He’s been drugged and almost kidnapped.
His devotion helping Kennedy overcome her issues is epic.
The villain of the story was obvious to me early on. Why wasn’t it to the crack security team?
Not a bad book. Could have been better with some edit work.
Zen is totally jaded by his rock star life. Kennedy literally picks him up out of the gutter. He’s been drugged and almost kidnapped.
His devotion helping Kennedy overcome her issues is epic.
The villain of the story was obvious to me early on. Why wasn’t it to the crack security team?
Not a bad book. Could have been better with some edit work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2021
DNF for me!
I couldn't get past the characters names. Maybe they were stage names but it didn't mention that. I couldn't stop rolling my eyes long enough to read anything else. I hate stage names. It just sounds dumb. It's not an acting gig. It's a musical performance. Use your own names. So DNF. I gave it two stars because the author finished a book which is more than I have done.
I couldn't get past the characters names. Maybe they were stage names but it didn't mention that. I couldn't stop rolling my eyes long enough to read anything else. I hate stage names. It just sounds dumb. It's not an acting gig. It's a musical performance. Use your own names. So DNF. I gave it two stars because the author finished a book which is more than I have done.
October 3, 2022
Almost a DNF. I got about 20% into the book, thought it was almost over, and was shocked to see how much was left. It was super repetitive and drawn out. I skim read the remaining 80% of it, but I still caught things like the PR manager being introduced like we’d never seen him before at least a couple of times. And characters just thinking the same things over and over. Could have edited out a majority of the book and it might have been an ok read.
December 16, 2023
Repetitive and annoying
I thought the MFC concept was going to be really good but as part of a support system for someone with crippling anxiety, this was poorly researched and unrealistic.
I also almost DNF’d given the ridiculous number of times each MC rehashes how “excited” the other one makes them and how much they love the other. The story could’ve easily been half what it was.
I thought the MFC concept was going to be really good but as part of a support system for someone with crippling anxiety, this was poorly researched and unrealistic.
I also almost DNF’d given the ridiculous number of times each MC rehashes how “excited” the other one makes them and how much they love the other. The story could’ve easily been half what it was.
December 10, 2024
It definitely had some entertaining moments and fun characters, but the internal monologue of this guy was absolutely awful at times. Curiosity about what would be happening next made me soldier on, but I instantly knew who the culprit was and from there on out it just became worse and worse. I had to force myself to continue reading it so much that it turned into hate reading. Only forced myself to finish it just so I could add it to my finished list. What a waste of time.
March 19, 2023
DNF at 17%
Almost insta love is not for me. Most books when I start them and I have to go off and do something like go to work or eat my dinner, I itch to get back to reading. I went to work the morning after starting this and it’s the weekend and I’ve just remembered about it. I doubt I’m going to enjoy it. Let’s leave it at that.
Almost insta love is not for me. Most books when I start them and I have to go off and do something like go to work or eat my dinner, I itch to get back to reading. I went to work the morning after starting this and it’s the weekend and I’ve just remembered about it. I doubt I’m going to enjoy it. Let’s leave it at that.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews