Dress Rehearsal

Rock Star Romance #1

by Sandra Alex

The tormented guitarist. The fearless security guard. The kiss that’s seen globally. The razor blade that threatens to end everything.

Billy Nestor has everything he’s always wanted: a band, the best guitar skills, a creative edge like no other, a thick skin, and the chops to climb the charts. The one thing he’s missing is a supportive father. While his mom is his biggest fan, his father has chided him since the day he picked up an instrument, slating that the boy would never amount to anything unless he applied himself to something other than heavy metal.

Michelle Parsons has seen the world through the eyes of the battlefield. She’s determined, tough as nails, and has enough brains and drive to get her anywhere she wants to go in the world. Until she gets fatally shot in combat and has to take a backseat job as a security guard for a nothing band, and what’s worse, she gets the job after her dad calls on a friend for a favor. Despite the disappointment, she quickly learns that protecting a band is almost as exhilarating as dodging landmines behind enemy lines.

In the band’s third month of touring as an opening act, the city that they play in is riddled with an unexpected, potentially life-threatening situation. Michelle has to put her life on the line once again, only this time, without her hard hat and camouflage. After getting the band on the stage safely, a certain band member seeks her out once the applause quiets, and a fast friendship evolves. Billy finds himself seeking Michelle out, escaping the sheltered life inside the hotel room, until Michelle and Billy come to an impasse on a serious topic, one close to Billy’s heart. But little does Billy know that Michelle has also become close to his heart, and he doesn’t realize it until she climbs onto the shuttle bus to go back to the airport…out of his life forever.

A heartbreaking, true-to-life story about the trials and tribulations of being a rock star, and falling in love unexpectedly, with someone you would never have expected to fall for. A story that covers sensitive subject matter, readers will see rock stars in a whole different light, and the people that love them, too. Dress Rehearsal has sensitive scenes, violence, course language, drug use and graphic sex, so please be forewarned. Billy and Michelle’s story is a standalone that will leave you laughing, crying, and rooting for the main characters as they take you through their journey of love, heartbreak, success and triumph.

Genres: Romance, Music, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance

279 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 3, 2021

About the author

Meet your next book boyfriend.

Love stories that could actually happen.

New to Sandra Alex? Download your FREE BOOK and see what you've been missing https://dl.bookfunnel.com/9ak1h8gll1

About the Author

Sandra has been writing poems and short stories since middle school, and writing full length, self-published novels since 2010, using several pen names.

Writing full-length steamy romance series has quickly become a love for this author. Her stories have elements of humor, family issues, suspense and personal growth. Her books take the reader right into the bedroom with the characters to feel the same intensity as the lovers do in the story. Sandra's goal is to have the reader rooting for the main couple...and she doesn't disappoint.

You'll find this author working out weekday mornings at ungodly hours. She's gluten and dairy free, and is probably the only person on earth who doesn't do coffee or chocolate.

Her favorite movie is Bohemian Rhapsody, her favorite tv shows are Friends and The Connors. She's also a die-hard Rocky fan and has read the Fifty Shades trilogy and watched the movies more times than she cares to admit.

Sandra is married with two daughters and is a lover of all things four-legged, including her own two furbabies.

The Ford Brothers series focuses on five swoon-worthy brothers who each served in the military, and lost their billionaire father suddenly, which left them to run his airline after his death. Each book features one brother, but they make appearances in all five novels. In case you haven't guessed, the titles in the Ford Brothers series have been inspired by hazard warning signs, an idea the author came up with after completing a health and safety course prior to starting the series.

The Miles for Love series is about unexpected love, and it features the Lynch family; four brothers and one sister, who are each passionate, imperfect, and are just like you and I...but way sexier and with much more interesting lives. They are very individual and each have a unique story to tell.

The Rock Star Romance series is inspired by the death of Eddie Van Halen on October 6, 2020. It is a standalone series unlike any other this author has written. Look for this series! It's available now!

Ford Brothers Series order:

Proceed with Caution (Colton and Julia) second chance romance

Enter at Your Own Risk (Wade and Kendra) rock star/hate to love romance

Handle with Care (Garrett and Nora) second time around/betrayal romance

Slippery When Wet (Dalton and Amelia) widower romance/younger man & older woman

May Explode if Heated (Jack and Kristina) bad boy romance

Trespassers will be Prosecuted (Bryn and Liz) billionaire romance

Miles for Love Series order:

Crossing Boundaries (Daniel and Kayla) best friends to lovers romance

Crossing Oceans (Aleks and Mallorie) long-distance romance

Crossing Roads (Christopher and Ashley) hate-to-love romance

Crossing Hearts (Tyler and Ripley's story) second chance romance

Crossing Borders (Grant and Frankie's story) second chance romance

Rock Star Romance Series order:

Dress Rehearsal (Billy and Michelle's story)

Opening Night (Jimmy and Cindy's story)

Platinum (Tommy and Debbie's story)

World Tour (Danny and Diana's story)

Big Bands, Big Hearts Series order:

Dreams
Jump
Secrets
Unchained
Runaround

To learn more about Sandra, you can check her out here:

Website: https://www.sandraalexbooks.com
BookBub: www.bookbub.com/authors/sandra-alex
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/SandraAlexBooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SandraAlexBooks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandra_alex...

Join her Facebook reading group Sizzling Reads by Sandra Alex:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/32052...

For a FREE Prequel for 'Proceed with Caution', 'Crossing Boundaries', and an

Reviews

[Lisa McCombs · Rating 4 out of 5]

When former soldier Michelle leaves her military career, she continues work in another combat role: body guard. Her first assignment is to travel with the rock band Storm. It’s not all fun and games, but she quickly begins to bond with the lead singer Billy, whose reputation far exceeds her personal knowledge of sex, drugs and rock and roll. Fellow band members begin to notice a subtle change in Billy’s prior behavior when Michelle is around and put the pieces together long before either the body guard or the singer realize where their hearts are headed. As Billy adapts the protective demeanor of the alpha male toward her Michelle continues to remind him of her former career which included being the target of live gunfire. Was she too much for him to handle? Did he even want to try?

Dress Rehearsal: A Rock Star Romance by Sandra Alex combines a raw reflection of life on the road with an unexpected innocence of a battle-scarred soldier. Author Sandra Alex provides an inside view of into the often caustic existence of musicians trying to make a name for themselves while maintaining a clean public image. Fast-paced, at times erotic, and highly descriptive, A Rock Star Romance if the perfect beach read. This feel-good romance includes just the right amount of danger to propel the action but redeems the reader with all the perks of a solid storyline. While at first a predictable in plot, Sandra Alex includes enough of the unexpected to keep the reader turning pages.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book one in A Rock Star Romance Series and it is Billy and Michelle's story. Billy is in a band and they are on tour and that is where he meets Michelle who was in the military but due to a injury she is now a bodyguard for the band and that is how they form a great friendship but can it turn into anything more for Billy and Michelle. There are many twists and turns along the way and I couldn't put this book down and throw in the emotional situations and you have a book that is so addictive. What a great start to a new series by Sandra Alex who is an amazing author and writer and I definitely recommend you read this book and others by her and you will definitely not be disappointed.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Belinda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this ARC and voluntarily give my review. A page-turning emotional read, Dress Rehearsal is the first book in the Rock Star Romance Series. Billy is a member of the band Storm and Michelle is part of their security team. Billy is going through some family issues and finds that Michelle is a good listener. As their friendship develops and starts to blossom, major events begin to test them and takes the reader on a roller coaster ride full of alarming twists. A wonderful read.

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (7/14/2021)! 🎁

[Marika · Rating 1 out of 5]

⛔️

[AJ Martin · Rating 2 out of 5]

We all know by now that my favorite type of romance is a rockstar romance. They can, however, be pretty hit or miss. To me, this one was a miss. I really struggled to connect with not only the characters, but the story itself as well. The writing style wasn't my favorite either, and I found myself zoning out a few times.

[Jacquie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! Can’t wait to read more in the series! Such a fantastic writer, have thoroughly enjoyed reading her books!

[Bookaddict · Rating 5 out of 5]

An carusel of emotions!
This story will will catch you and you will not be able to let it go!
I love the characters, the story, the twists and turns!
This seems to be an wonderfull series!

Michelle is an unusual woman, with a lot of qualities.
And Billy is not quite the rock star you expect - not the drugs, sex and rock and roll type.
And as their initial friendship evolve in love, they seem to be the rock that each other need.

I received an ARC copy and I leave my voluntary honest review.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved that this story took place in the 80s. It was a refreshing change to say the least.

I found a few small parts a little repetitive but over all I really enjoyed the read. It was emotional, heartbreaking, sweet and hot all in one! My heart was pounding in one particular scene. I wanted to scream out to help! I was so drawn in. I was able to feel a strong connection with Michelle and that made it impossible to put the book down.

I hope we get to see the rest of the guys find their happiness in the series.

[Stacey T · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Rock Star romances - the bad boy rock star with women throwing themselves at them until they meet the one that changes them so profoundly. This book had a great premise but it fell short in my opinion. There were some inconsistencies in the story in the beginning and it felt incomplete at the end. I also had a difficult time with how the sexual assault was handled - I get that Michelle was former military and had gotten shot, but no one goes through attempted rape without having some kind of an emotional fallout. She was just like, I've been through worse, like it was nothing. The ending was so abrupt and I feel an epilogue clearing some things up (Danny, Billy's father) would have been a good addition.

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

I really enjoyed this book! The storyline was well developed, the characters were complex and well developed and the story world was detailed. The writing drew me in and I felt immersed in the story! I always look forward to more books by this author and would recommend this book!

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A interesting story that had some really great moments. I liked the twist up on the character job placement. It was very entertaining to read and added some interesting aspects that made the story better in my opinion. I liked the subtle intrigue that caused some drama between the characters. It was an enjoyable story.

I requested a copy of this book so I could provide an honest review.

[Michelle Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dress Rehearsal is book 1 of the Rock Star series by a favourite Author of mine, Sandra Alex.

This was a nice easy read and it didn't take much at all to slip in and get swept away with Michelle and Billy's story.

All the characters were good, story line was good as well although the Dad had dodgy written all over him so wasn't really surprised with what happened.

The chemistry between Michelle and Billy was nice to read. I enjoyed it was a medium slow burn.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading Dress Rehearsal by Sandra Alex because it was such a wonderful story about Billy and Michelle. Billy was in a band that was up and coming. Michelle was a security guard hired to protect the band while they were on tour. It definitely had some intense moments that I had no clue what was going to happen next. After a scary situation, Billy and Michelle started to become closer. It had some steamy moments and funny moments and moments that you really just felt for the characters. This book packed a powerful punch with the feelings. I would highly recommend reading this book. It was so wonderful!!!! I also love the cover of this book. Billy is so good looking!!!!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jennifer Soppe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gritty, hard rocking romance

Michelle, former military, gets a job working security for the band Storm and finds herself trying to get Billy, lead guitarist, and his band mates to their dressing room at a venue the band is playing. As the story progresses a friendship is formed, a line is crossed, and realization may come too late to save them. Sandra Alex created a gritty, hard rocking romance in Dress Rehearsal with character flaws and redemption. I would absolutely love to see Neal and Ivan in their own books. Please note reader discretion advised due to dark subject matter and/or possible triggers contained in this book.

[L H · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were many things I liked about dress rehearsal. Most of all, I enjoyed the fact that Michelle was the bodyguard and Billy is the talent in need of protection. It was also neat that what started as a guard me from outside threats beginning grew into an intensely personal relationship between Michelle and Billy that had a real impact on him over time. I also liked that there are layers to security, emotional and physical that play out in their relationship.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Caroline Doig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow I’ve never read a rockstar story like this before it has action, suspense, danger, twists and turns, drama, romance and so much more to keep you entertained and turning the pages. I loved Billy’s and Michelle’s story it’s exciting, thrilling, nail biting and very emotional, this is my 1st read and review for this author and I look forward to reading whatever this author brings out next. Sorry guys no spoilers so read the blurb and that will give you the gist to this brilliant story and I definitely recommend this book.

[KL Cassanello · Rating 5 out of 5]

Billy's the guitarist in a band on their first tour. Michelle is former military, and part of the band's security team. They become friends, able to talk to each other about anything. The story includes the violence, drugs and sex that you'd expect from a rock band. But it's also an incredible friends-to-lovers romance. Fast-paced, well-written, with enough twists to keep the story interesting - a 5-star read that kept my attention throughout the entire book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Haz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book, in the rock star series, this Michelle's and Billy story they when Billy's on tour Michelle ex military due to a injury is now bodyguard to Billy and the band they start up a friendship at first but things lead to another could there be something happening between them and how far are they willing to go. This was a good read that I would recommend

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first book in the A Rock Star Romance series, Billy Nestor and Michelle Parsons are two people who have to let go of the past in order to move forward. I enjoyed seeing their story come together, they where meant for each other. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a good, and enjoyable emotional roller coaster ride romance read. The story has a good story line. The characters are good, and they have good chemistry.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Noreen Bennett · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a bit to get into the story but once I did I enjoyed it.
I think to really enjoy it you need to be into the Roch scene.

[Sheelagh Regan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set on the 80’s but it’s a fun story action passion and a happy ending just what you want in a modern romance book

[Rochelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I saw how many pages I settled myself in for what I thought would be a bit of a slow burn (with it being rock star related) and a happily ever after. I definitely got the HEA. The slow burn not so much. The tension building was great. I could easily read his feelings, hers less so, but you could definitely feel their chemistry. I did tear up a tad when Billy’s at his lowest. I think most can relate (though our actions can be different). So major kudos for the authors ability to incite emotion on that level.

But the moment they got together which was halfway through the book, it just felt like icing on the cake and more epilogue based. It could’ve been wrapped up quite quickly and more reflection based. It also ended abruptly for me and though the book is good, I’m personally one of those readers that likes a slow exit, a wind down to our final goodbye with a smile on my face.

The first 50 odd pages of another book was a surprise addition but that might be why I felt I was short changed on a slow burn. Expecting more chapters not the end.

A solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating

Review given as a VRO.

[MissMaj · Rating 3 out of 5]

TRIGGER WARNING: Story includes drug use, sexual assault, offensive word and suicide. They're not graphic, but read at your own discretion.

I really like the plot itself, but it wasn't executed properly. Story fell flat. The group were written as a typical rock and roll band in the 80s, with all the sex and drugs. But they end up sounding childish and juvenile. At least this was only in the early chapters, as the story progresses, they become better. I don't know how I feel about Michelle. I don't feel the tough security guard or ex-military attitude in her. She was just meh.

I did like that Michelle and Billy's relationship didn't begin with ~sparks~. The chemistry and character buildup were good. A lot of cheesy moments, but tolerable.

Characters guffaw a lot. Billy giggles. And there were lots of tongue kissing. I know that's not constructive criticism, I just find these parts amusing.

And Neal was my favourite character.

I recieved this ebook from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.

[Kate Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guitar player falls for security team member

Michelle and Billy have a romance set against the rock and roll world of the 1980s. MTV still shows music videos, people use pay phones and young rocking stars live the high life. Michelle is ex military and the band members all like her as a friend but Billy is drawn to her and they develop a warm friendship before anything romantic happens. They get closer and open up to each other. There is some dinner ama with the band, attempted sexual assault, then there is a misunderstanding between the lovers. When they overcome their difficulties, their happiness is so bright and sweet. Billy is a sweet and patient as well as passionate man who worships his love. It was a nice change from the modern tropes that don't focus enough on mutual respect and parity is a relationship. Highly recommend.

[Claire Trickett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book to read.

Easily dragged into the storyline and makes you want to hug, laugh and cry with the characters.

I knew Billy's dad was dodgy before he handed money over.

I do think this book needs it warning with the descriptive scenes about the attack and near rape of Michelle and how low Billy felt, to the point of self-harm. There's also lots of drug use, which I suppose is a thing with rock stars.

I loved that Michelle was a strong, fiesty and fearless character and she deserved her HEA.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.

[Agata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Billy is a member of the band Storm and Michelle is part of their security team. Billy is going through some family issues and finds that Michelle is a good listener. As their friendship develops and starts to blossom, major events begin to test them.
There are many twists and turns along the way and I couldn't put this book down and throw in the emotional situations and you have a book that is so addictive. I definitely recommend you read this book and others by her and you will definitely not be disappointed. A wonderful read.

I received the book through Voracious Readers Only and I leave voluntary review.

[Michelle Chew · Rating 5 out of 5]

ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT! I need to go and fine myself a rockstar ;D
I love how the female lead was written to be someone who can stand on her own, strong and independent. She’s the one that does the “protecting”. Love the chemistry between Michelle and Billy. Sweet at times, but equally hot and steamy!
Sandra had the ability to really transport you on set and touring with the band. It’s like you’re there witnessing all the banter and drama first hand.
I couldn’t put the book down!! Can’t wait for my next read by Sandra Alex!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dress Rehearsal is a great romance novel that held my interest from beginning to end. The main characters are all loveable and realistic. The relationship between the two main protagonists sizzles with passion. It is believable how their relationship became as strong as it was, in spite of the fact that it progressed quickly.

I received this book for free, and I am voluntarily writing this review.