Broken Player

Shadow Phoenix/Ruined Rockstars #3

by Heather Ashley

The boy next door grew up to be one of the hottest rock stars in the world.

When Maddox Everleigh escaped our hometown in the dead of night, he didn’t bother saying goodbye.

I thought I’d never see him again, that he wouldn’t remember who I was if I did. I’d never quite forgotten his dark, hypnotic eyes and charming smile. He’d carved himself a permanent spot on my soul.

When his past brought him back to town, it was hard not to let him right back in, to pick up where we left off. But we weren’t the same people anymore. Sacrifices had to be made. I couldn’t afford to let my guard down, and he wasn’t a white knight riding in to save the day.

Suddenly, Maddox and I found our lives helplessly tangled together against a common enemy. If we didn’t find a way to help each other, we’d both be ruined.

THIS BOOK WAS PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED UNDER THE NAME "SAVING MADDOX"

Genres: Romance, Second Chance, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary, Musicians

ebook

Published July 21, 2020

About the author

Hi! 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.

Reviews

[Ellie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another book that most of us have read many times over, just with different names. This is the height of laziness right here. These days, more romance writers than I care to imagine wouldn't know an original idea if it hit them in the arse. So, here we have a plot that has already been regurgitated to infinity - and it sucked bog water the first time.

Why? All you need to know is in the first few chapters. Boy meets girl, boy and girl grow feelings, boy does a runner because he's 'not good enough' and he's 'saving her.' He loves her too much to risk dragging her down, blah, blah, blah.
Fuck off.

Years pass. Boy becomes famous rock star. We first meet him having a threesome. Because, you know, he loves her SOOOO much he's got to fuck his way around the world and no girl more than once.
Really? Really?! We are STILL having to endure this tired ass trope? Who the hell swoons over a self-destructive petrie dish of STI's? Who actually believes this bollocks that he'll change his ways for The One Girl? 🤣🤣🤣
I'd like to meet these readers and tell them to grow the fuck up.

Meanwhile, the heroine has remained in the deep freeze, never. even. dating, let alone allowing herself to experience sex.
Also, she's proper TSTL. I mean it. She enters into an arranged marriage with a guy she met ONCE on the night she meets him, to save her family's farm. We're supposed to be moved by her utter selflessness and self-sacrifice, right?

Try stupid and self-destructive. Doormat much?

I'm moved to spew my supper. This heroine should never be let in public without supervision, because she's clearly intellectually challenged and a danger to herself.
Seriously. What. An. Eejit.

If any of this appeals to you - angry, man whore hero, insipid, weak heroine without a shred of smart and a lot of drunk people, dick swinging and tedious sexual tension, by all means, go for it. But I would never recommend this.
Me, I'm adding this writer to my avoid list.

[Cynthia Martinez · Rating 4 out of 5]

You are my new favorite author

I read all the series in 3 days! I absolutely loved it!! All my favorite. I can’t wait to read Harrison and the rest! I can’t wait to read Jericho!

[Scarlett Pena · Rating 5 out of 5]

I waited for Maddox

There were some aspects that kind of let me down but all around it was a great book. Just as moody as I expected Maddox to be.

This will contain what could be considered spoilers!

So the whole book hints at Quinn looking at Ryan in ways a gay man shouldn't, literally right at the end of the book Quinn comes clean and says he's in love with her and I guess is bi sexual and it's like a one or two page thing and it's just glossed over and forgotten. It was so random I don't know how this wasn't a bigger thing between them or Maddox and his possessiveness. Kinda felt like the ball was dropped on that

And in the same sense, the first book with Zen talked about how him and Maddox had made out before and Maddox had a crazy girl at one point and he switched to only guys for a year but this whole book never really touches on his sexuality. The only hint that he wasn't completely straight was he let Quinn kiss him in truth or dare and in his mind he said how he was completely ok with his sexuality but it's never actually discussed. Feel like it could have been put into his book and explored maybe even a little bit. Obviously Ryan is all he wants but still. Not really much on that.

[Hart's Reader Group · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read Finding Zen, I knew I had found a new author to obsess over. And I did. I read Finding Zen twice before reading Loving True and then begging Ms. Ashley for a chance to read an ARC of Saving Maddox. Dear God and Baby Jesus this book is amaze-tits!

Maddox has always been the dark, brooding, sexy mystery of the bunch and now we know why. The heartbreak and emotional pain he carries was breaking him down, day by day, until he finally f**king realized what an ass he was and pulled his head out of said ass to get his woman. I loved how desperate and devoted he was to Ryan, and how sweet and adoring she was to Maddox. Those two are my "couple". I loved watching the once hard and heartless Maddox falling hard for the woman he left behind, and their struggle to find peace and HEA was so beautiful, I shed ugly tears.

This book stole my heart, my breath, and my soul--and I never want them back.

[Kelly McMillan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ll start with the two totally different blurbs for this book. The Goodreads one: kind of spot on for what actually happens in the book. Kindle one: wtf?! Literally NOTHING about the blurb is anything like Ryan is actually feeling towards Maddox.

I was so excited for this one, Maddox was the moody, ‘fixer’ amongst his friends. In this book we see how and why his protective streak started and why he does anything to help his friends who he considers family.

Continuity errors do my head in, clearly the proof reader didn’t do a good job. In the last book Kennedy is barely even pregnant, in the beginning of this book she’s gone six months pregnant, yet in the last book Maddox mentions he will be going back home soon for a few weeks to fix a problem at home, after stating he’s already been home to Texas towards the end of that book. Yet in this one he doesn’t fly back home until after Ryan makes her decision. This annoyed me and threw me off slightly because nothing felt like it added up.

I have mixed feelings about Ryan, she’s fun and strong and has a great sense of family but good god this girl does some stupid fucking shit and tries to take on the weight of the world by herself. Obviously a character flaw which she does mention a lot. Her family are sweet and kind but good god this family need to help each other by communicating!

I’m enjoying seeing more of Connor in these books and I hope he has one.

Quinn was a fun edition to the book and I wonder if he will end up in a MMF relationship with his own book?

Not sure I’m looking forward to Jericho book as he hasn’t really been a favourite of mine but I know that there are reasons for his ass hole behaviour which could be interesting.

[Norma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heather Ashley has done it again and this time, she didn’t leave anything up for discussion. The Shadow Phoenix series is one series that I definitely keep coming back to and with each new release, I know that I have to dive in as soon as possible because these boys are just that irresistible!

Saving Maddox is definitely the ride of my life at this point. I knew what I was getting into with this book, but I didn’t realize just how deep it would pull at me, how much it would destroy me and then ultimately put me back together again in a way that I wasn’t even prepared for.

Heather masterfully took Maddox and Ryan and wove their story together so intricately that I couldn’t help but fall in love with these two. Their story is painful and heartbreaking, but also beautiful in so many ways! When it comes to writing soul-searing stories, I know Heather will be there to pull so many emotions out of me that I don’t even know what is real anymore.

Maddox is a beautiful disaster that makes you want to hate him, but underneath all of that… his tortured soul had me falling to pieces for him. Then we have Ryan, who is a beautiful firestorm of a woman! And together, these two are unstoppable. From scammed marriages, to second chances, to things that I cannot even discuss on here because y’all need to read it to know… this book will take you on the ride of your life.

Five stars for this beautifully tragic romance that will have you feeling every single emotion throughout the entire book, and then when it’s all said and done, you need even more because you aren’t ready to let any of them go yet.

[Maddy Matos · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maddox was exactly what he wanted to be, at least he created this persona and it worked for him. He was a famous rockstar, part of Shadow Phoenix, bad boy, recovered addict and groupie banger extraordinaire. What was he hiding? He walked away from his life and the only girl he ever loved at age sixteen. So when the foreman at his estranged fathers ranch calls with problems, he heads home to deal with the problems. He acts like a jerk when she goes over to his place to say hi. This story drags and it took me three days to read. I don’t like too much reality in my romance novels but this was just ridiculous. His mother walked out on her abusive husband and left her young son with the abusive ex-husband. What mother on the planet would do that? He was so abused by his bad sometimes he couldn’t even go to school. Towards the end of the book they reconnect and she’s remarried and has another son, does Maddox call her every name in the book and tell her to drop dead? Nope he welcomed her with open arms and calls her mom! At this point I wanted to throw my kindle across the room but I always finish what I start. Also the chemistry between Maddox and Ryan wasn’t there, like at all. There’s a story with Ryan’s fiancée but it was dull. I’m not even going to bother with that. Now I’m struggling because I don’t want to read Jericho’s story. If you like bad boy with troubled past and terrible childhood you should read Midnight Blue by L.J. Shen because that story is awesome. I can’t recommend this book.

[Michelle Mastandrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well...Maddox just stole my heart ❤! Bassist for the rock band Shadow Phoenix Maddox Everleigh has been living the chiche rockstar lifestyle for the past 5 years since leaving his toxic family home in Texas and never looking back. Ryan, the girl who loved him...his best friend, confidant, was sure she would never see him again after he left..never saying goodbye. When Maddox's past brings him back home he finds his girl...the one he's secretly never forgotten engaged to another man. This is where we get to discover the "REAL" Maddox, not just the image that was on display in the previous two books. He is a swoon worthy man who will do anything to save his" Freckles " from a disastrous marriage of convenience. Longtime secrets are revealed and the HEA is definitely worth the wait! I just loved the comedic presence of Ryan's BFF Quinn and can't wait to see him in future books! This is a story definitely worth reading and has become a favorite in the Shadow Phoenix series!

(I received an ARC copy of this book by the author for an honest review 😀)

[Caroline Doig · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my absolute favourite genre rockstars, bands etc and this story got right into my heart. Ryan is a girl who gets bullied at school one day she was saved by Maddox her next door neighbour, now as an adult Ryan knew that Maddox was a rockstar and a man whore living his life the way he wanted while Ryan was stuck on her parents farm instead of being the cop that she’s always wanted to be. At the beginning I didn’t like Maddox the spoiled rockstar who got everything he wanted including women but there was always one girl who was always on his mind and he changed the way I felt about him. There is so much going on in this story but that’s all I’m going to give you, this is a fantastic story I loved it and I definitely recommend this book.

[Heather Hahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite Shadow Phoenix story so far. I fell in love with Maddox, the broken bad boy of the band. But I also fell in love with Ryan, the strong, determined woman that Maddox fell for long ago. While the story touched on a lot of the sadness that surrounded Maddox's early life, it also brought about the beauty that was Maddox and Ryan.

When Ryan gets mixed up in a situation that she doesn't think she has a way out of, Maddox and the rest of her friends/family come to her aid. Tied into this is the usual crazy for Maddox that comes along with being in the hottest band around. The secondary characters, especially Quinn, were so relatable. Okay, maybe I fell for Quinn too! With some surprises, twists, and an HEA that's amazing, I can't recommend this one enough.

[liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing

I was looking forward to Maddox's story. In "Deviant Rockers" which I read first before starting this series, Maddox was a sneaky conniving bastard who was the fixer for his friends. I was sad that his character disintegrated over the course of the novels.
I'm thinking the series was written before the prequel because the character traits were so good in deviant rockers that I've been disappointed with the shadow phoenix fellas in their stand alone novels.
Also, the story timeline is off. Kennedy was barely pregnant at the end of dirty legend when Maddox complained about TX, but when this book started it said she was already six months in.
I have issues with inconsistent time lines.
That being said the book was still okay.

[Maja · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first read from this author. I loved the first person point of view because that is the key factor in whether or not I'm going to finish the book. I loved the character of Maddox and not just because he was a bass player in the band. Okay so that was a huge factor in that decision. This was a good story and I liked it. I am giving it 4 stars though, because I had to remind myself over and over that Ryan was actually a girl. I will definitely read more from this author in the future. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Chelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Having read the other books in the series this just didn't sit right. It didn't seem to be the same character. The other books are pretty good.

But essentially Maddox is just a regurgitation of so many other pretty much identical characters from way too many books. I found him boring.

But she was insipid and stupid. She waits for 12 years not even going on one date for her childhood crush and then in one night all is forgotten for some man she's known for a few hours. She's awfully dim.

Its kind of a waste of the author's talents and my time

[R M · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not sure what to think about this one. Virgin who’s been waiting for 12 years for the boy she loves to come back. Then in a single day, she decides to marry a stranger to save the family farm?
Rock god, king of sleaze and excess, Maddox has been angry forever and left the girl he loved, to save her from himself turning into his POS father?
Pretty cliche.
This Maddox, head over heels for Ryan, is a far cry from the one we’ve seen from the prequel on.
Again, not sure what to think of this.

[Lorraine Kaplan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maddox & Ryan

This series just keeps getting better and better. I'm glad that Maddox finally went back home even if it wasn't the best of circumstances. He bought his family farm from his no good father so he could turn it back from the brink of failure. Ryan was also trying to save her family farm from from going to auction, she makes a big mistake by making a deal with the devil. Fantastic story.

[OliCatGer · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite of this series, so far. I actually laughed out loud at the banter between Quinn, Maddox, and Ryan. Connor was super surprising too. I loved the build up to their relationship and how they took care of the other issues. I thought the epilogue didn’t need to be an epilogue. Really, all of the little tidbits could have been at any point of the second half of the book and they still would have fit. But overall, I loved this book.

[Ann Olsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second chances

When you think you need to leave to protect someone from yourself you just might be wrong. However, maybe leaving allows you both to grow up and find your way in the world. Maddox leaves all he's ever loved behind to protect Ryan, but when things with his dad go from bad to worst case scenario he returns to his origins. Can he admit how he feels about Ryan? Will Ryan forgive Maddox or will the paths they've chosen destroy them both?

[Kelchickbooklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you loved the first two in this series the this is a definite read. Maddox seems like he doesn't care about family, love or being romantic,, not the case. He has had a had life which has made him have a hard shell and walls built up. The story line is gripping and just like the first two it is beautifully written.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suprising bada$$ness!!!!

Ryan can be my next crush. What would you do to keep your home from being sold? I could see how Ryan thought that was the only answer but glad eyes were opened. Loved how Maddox and Ryans history turned into their HEA. Another great addition to the series ❤

[Andrea Montano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maddox finally revealed

This was probably the sweetest one I’ve read from the series so far. Bad boy Maddox reveals his past at last. Ryan may be my favorite out of all the FMC in these books with Amara being my second favorite. You learn more about Connor (just a smidge) and a little bit more about his team. Good quick read.

[Shelleen Toland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about Maddox and we finally find out about his past and the woman who has had his heart all these years , who he tried to forget with drugs and alcohol and casual hook ups.
I am loving this series and these rockstars. who keep settling down and being there for each other and so help you if you cross one of them..

[French Press Bookworm Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

loving these guys

Each story so far has been fantastic. I thought true was my fave but mad gives him a run for his money. I loved the mad and Ryan got a second chance. And that these two reminded us that sometimes you know your in love even before you understand what love is so sweet

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Series

Enjoyed how Ryan and Maddox finally got together after many years apart and both always loving the other. Lots of drama in both their life's from past and present that they both need to deal with, with help from each other and family and friends. Looking forward to reading next book in this series.

[Kathleen Bradbury (Bulfon) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great storyline and character development made this book a hot and enjoyable read!
Extremely entertaining, captivating and interesting sexy read. I could not put it down. Wonderfully written with strong, intriguing characters. I want to read more from this author.

[Gmomy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mixed Review

I was looking forward to Maddox story. And this is a really good love story. But was it a rock star story? No. I missed the wild rock star life. Instead we spent all our time on a ranch. I’m anxious to get back to LA and see the rockers rock.

[Joyce Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Romance With Adventure And Suspense

This was a good romantic read with lots of adventure and some suspense. As always in this series, the characterizations were many, varied and unique.

[Spade Sixx · Rating 5 out of 5]

These books are ON POINT

The character development of Maddox Everleigh!!!! Love love love this series! The books give me the tinglies inside and now I’m about to start reading the next book!!

[Ritchie Ginther · Rating 2 out of 5]

series

I got part way into book 3 and had to stop the story lines are good and the steamy scenes are good but each one drags on too much. I finally lost interest no matter how hard I wanted to find out everyone’s hook up’s

[Ashleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

The chemistry, sweetness, and twists in plot kept things interesting. Add in drama and passion and you have a good read.

This review has been voluntarily submitted for your consideration.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!