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Enemy Muse #4
Worth the Trouble
To the rest of the world, Rome Moreno is the Riff King. An icon, a Rock God. When I met him, he mistook me for a stripper and asked me to ride his lap. So consider me unimpressed.
I didn’t mean for him to take that as a challenge…
There’s no place for a tattooed hunk of trouble like him in the regimented life of a world-class dance princess. My days run on a carefully timed clock – where I go, when I practice, what I eat. I sold my soul to the devil to pay for my dreams, and I’ve accepted it.
But one taste of forbidden fruit can do the most destructive things. Especially when I discover Rome's scars go a lot deeper than his tattoo ink.
I honestly believed that if they already owned my existence, it meant I had nothing left to lose.
I was wrong.
I didn’t mean for him to take that as a challenge…
There’s no place for a tattooed hunk of trouble like him in the regimented life of a world-class dance princess. My days run on a carefully timed clock – where I go, when I practice, what I eat. I sold my soul to the devil to pay for my dreams, and I’ve accepted it.
But one taste of forbidden fruit can do the most destructive things. Especially when I discover Rome's scars go a lot deeper than his tattoo ink.
I honestly believed that if they already owned my existence, it meant I had nothing left to lose.
I was wrong.
350 pages, ebook
First published July 8, 2023
343 people are currently reading
930 people want to read
About the author
Eva Simmons
27 books908 followersEva Simmons writes dark contemporary and gothic fantasy romance. With over twenty published books, Eva is constantly crafting new worlds and falling for the anti-hero in all of them.
When Eva isn’t dreaming up stories or devouring every book she can get her hands on, she can be found spending time with her family, painting a fresh canvas, or playing an elf in World of Warcraft.
Eva is currently living out her own happily ever after in the Midwest with her family.
You can find Eva online at:
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When Eva isn’t dreaming up stories or devouring every book she can get her hands on, she can be found spending time with her family, painting a fresh canvas, or playing an elf in World of Warcraft.
Eva is currently living out her own happily ever after in the Midwest with her family.
You can find Eva online at:
www.evasimmons.com
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/evasimmonsb...
BookBub:
https://www.bookbub.com/profile/eva-s...
TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@evasimmonsbooks
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorEvaSim...
Books on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Eva-Simmons/e/...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 223 reviews
July 14, 2023
4.5 STARS
Rome has been such an intriguing character in this series to me. I had a feeling his story would hit me in all the feels, and it did! I love him so much, I hate to play favorites, but his damaged soul calls to me.
The writing is poetic and with the gritty tone of the characters emotions it’s such a wonderful juxtaposition. I soaked up the words and their beauty, I loved the tone it set for their unconventional romance.
Rome and Lili are two broken, emotionally isolated, haunted people who are quintessential opposites in most other ways, especially their approach to life.
Rome has been the party guy of his band. Strip clubs, women, booze and substances are his lifestyle until he hits a strange place where he is feeling no desire for anything, no pleasure to be found.
Lili is a ballerina who has a carefully controlled, structured life with very little to bring her joy. She’s intuitive and has a beautifully caring side to her. Unfortunately she hasn’t had anyone truly close to her.
The two meet and it’s very interesting to see the seemingly perfect, elegant, “uptight” ballet princess and the tatted, pierced, brash and wild rocker navigate their confusing pull and attraction to each other.
I love the pairing of these two so much. The way they see through each other’s facades is really beautiful. It’s such an emotionally satisfying part of their story.
It’s a wonderful dynamic that made my heart break for them and feel so hopeful because they had someone who understood them so well finally.
The sexual tension gives way to some very naughty and incredibly sensual encounters between the two. They are blazing hot, I love their slightly hard, intense sexual energy. They are two people trying to feel something so desperately and their time together is running short.
There are funny moments and sweet moments mixed in with the emotional, gritty and sexy.
The secondary characters are great, most are from previous books in the series, I enjoyed “catching up” with them and I love their closeness as a band and chosen/found family.
I love this book, characters and series. Rome and Lili stole my heart.
*This is the last book in the Enemy Muse series. I feel they are best read in order, technically you could read it as a standalone, but I’ve loved all of the books and each characters book leads into the next.
Rome has been such an intriguing character in this series to me. I had a feeling his story would hit me in all the feels, and it did! I love him so much, I hate to play favorites, but his damaged soul calls to me.
The writing is poetic and with the gritty tone of the characters emotions it’s such a wonderful juxtaposition. I soaked up the words and their beauty, I loved the tone it set for their unconventional romance.
Rome and Lili are two broken, emotionally isolated, haunted people who are quintessential opposites in most other ways, especially their approach to life.
Rome has been the party guy of his band. Strip clubs, women, booze and substances are his lifestyle until he hits a strange place where he is feeling no desire for anything, no pleasure to be found.
Lili is a ballerina who has a carefully controlled, structured life with very little to bring her joy. She’s intuitive and has a beautifully caring side to her. Unfortunately she hasn’t had anyone truly close to her.
The two meet and it’s very interesting to see the seemingly perfect, elegant, “uptight” ballet princess and the tatted, pierced, brash and wild rocker navigate their confusing pull and attraction to each other.
I love the pairing of these two so much. The way they see through each other’s facades is really beautiful. It’s such an emotionally satisfying part of their story.
It’s a wonderful dynamic that made my heart break for them and feel so hopeful because they had someone who understood them so well finally.
The sexual tension gives way to some very naughty and incredibly sensual encounters between the two. They are blazing hot, I love their slightly hard, intense sexual energy. They are two people trying to feel something so desperately and their time together is running short.
There are funny moments and sweet moments mixed in with the emotional, gritty and sexy.
The secondary characters are great, most are from previous books in the series, I enjoyed “catching up” with them and I love their closeness as a band and chosen/found family.
I love this book, characters and series. Rome and Lili stole my heart.
*This is the last book in the Enemy Muse series. I feel they are best read in order, technically you could read it as a standalone, but I’ve loved all of the books and each characters book leads into the next.
July 13, 2023
- Rockstar/Modern Dancer
- Past Traumas
- Reformed Playboy
- Friends to lovers
- Chance encounter
This is the fourth book and final book in the Enemy Muse series. I personally hadn’t read the other books prior to this one and honestly, I wish I had. Not just because of the spoilers (which there are), but because I just loved the author’s writing style and the ability to craft these characters that I just couldn’t help but fall in love with.
Lili Chen life is all strict schedules, diets and being controlled by her mother, while Rome Moreno’s life is full of chaos and debauchery, doing whomever, whatever, whenever he wanted. Their story was such an emotional rollercoaster filled with romance, heartbreak, trauma, pain and of course spice, and I loved every heart-wrenching second of it. I liked that neither character tried to “fix” the other, they just accepted the broken pieces they were given access to and simply just cared for one another. I will never be able to hear the words “Hey sweetheart” again without thinking of Rome Moreno and swooning.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥🔥🔥🔥
- Past Traumas
- Reformed Playboy
- Friends to lovers
- Chance encounter
This is the fourth book and final book in the Enemy Muse series. I personally hadn’t read the other books prior to this one and honestly, I wish I had. Not just because of the spoilers (which there are), but because I just loved the author’s writing style and the ability to craft these characters that I just couldn’t help but fall in love with.
Lili Chen life is all strict schedules, diets and being controlled by her mother, while Rome Moreno’s life is full of chaos and debauchery, doing whomever, whatever, whenever he wanted. Their story was such an emotional rollercoaster filled with romance, heartbreak, trauma, pain and of course spice, and I loved every heart-wrenching second of it. I liked that neither character tried to “fix” the other, they just accepted the broken pieces they were given access to and simply just cared for one another. I will never be able to hear the words “Hey sweetheart” again without thinking of Rome Moreno and swooning.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥🔥🔥🔥
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 2, 2023
I dont even know how to describe how incredible this was. I wont get over this. I felt this in my soul. From the moment Rome meets Lili, I was destroyed. Even now after finishing and reading their bonus epilogue.
Rome and Lili are both from a world where they are always on display. Rome with Enemy Muse and Lili being a dancer. Both have high walls and a mask they wear. Hiding their true selves. Theyre worlds apart. He was a mess of chaos and she was polished perfection.
Rome had a troubled childhood and has completely switched off. With his not so shiny reputation he uses women to find his calm.
Lili lives like a puppet. Moulded, conditioned & controlled by her mother to be successful, every day.
Neither were looking for anything, as neither had anything left of themselves to give. But Lili saw the way Rome hid. He didnt scare her away with his darkness. She was pulled to him and he freed her. Allowing her to live and breathe without restraint.
“He takes my air, my life, my heart. His ink might as well crawl from his skin and seep into my own. Because I’ll never escape him.”
These two when together were like a senses overload. Every interaction, I felt every emotion. The spicy scenes in this were raw and unfiltered. I cried at all but one. Ive never hurt so much thinking of something that is described as immense pleasure. (And Rome was dominating. I was weak for his mouth) The MCs were both numb, chasing both pleasure and pain to feel something.
“Ive felt all kinds of pain. Enough for it to make me numb. You’d think itd be a relief to feel nothing. But you - you hurt like hell.” …. “So do you.”
Evas way with words - my heart was shredded. She def saved the best book til last (Sorry Noah. I love you with all of my heart my beautiful broken boy but Rome has everything else)
Rome and Lili are both from a world where they are always on display. Rome with Enemy Muse and Lili being a dancer. Both have high walls and a mask they wear. Hiding their true selves. Theyre worlds apart. He was a mess of chaos and she was polished perfection.
Rome had a troubled childhood and has completely switched off. With his not so shiny reputation he uses women to find his calm.
Lili lives like a puppet. Moulded, conditioned & controlled by her mother to be successful, every day.
Neither were looking for anything, as neither had anything left of themselves to give. But Lili saw the way Rome hid. He didnt scare her away with his darkness. She was pulled to him and he freed her. Allowing her to live and breathe without restraint.
“He takes my air, my life, my heart. His ink might as well crawl from his skin and seep into my own. Because I’ll never escape him.”
These two when together were like a senses overload. Every interaction, I felt every emotion. The spicy scenes in this were raw and unfiltered. I cried at all but one. Ive never hurt so much thinking of something that is described as immense pleasure. (And Rome was dominating. I was weak for his mouth) The MCs were both numb, chasing both pleasure and pain to feel something.
“Ive felt all kinds of pain. Enough for it to make me numb. You’d think itd be a relief to feel nothing. But you - you hurt like hell.” …. “So do you.”
Evas way with words - my heart was shredded. She def saved the best book til last (Sorry Noah. I love you with all of my heart my beautiful broken boy but Rome has everything else)
July 14, 2023
When I say, run to read this one.😭 This is genuinely one of my favorite reads this year & I'm completely obsessed with this series. This is book 4 of the Enemy Muse series & can be read as a standalone.
Rome and Lili's story is heartbreaking, sexy, difficult & beautiful. It's a story of two broken & isolated souls that find each other & connect in ways that neither of them could ever have expected. In all reality, these two people shouldn't work, they're total opposites & they don't make any sense. You have a prim and proper dancer who practices control in all things & isn't allowed to have a single original thought. On the other hand you have a reckless rockstar that does whatever the f*ck he wants, whenever he wants with whoever he wants. But when you look beneath the surface, & you look beyond the front that they both think they have to put on, you see just how alike they really are.
When Lili & Rome first meet, they're explosive & the two soon realize that they can't hide anything from the other & the walls that they've built their whole lives, soon mean nothing. They're transparent to the other & they see & understand each other in ways that nobody ever has.
I loved Rome & Lili's story so much. Everything about this book from beginning to end was full on addicting & I felt so connected to their characters & story. My heart ached for them, their thoughts, their pasts & all the things they were fighting against. Eva's writing is so beautiful & she's quickly become a new favorite author. This is such a great book/series & I 100% recommend it. There are some heavy themes throughout so check TW's if you need to!
Thank you Eva Simmons & Grey's Promotions for this ARC!
Rome and Lili's story is heartbreaking, sexy, difficult & beautiful. It's a story of two broken & isolated souls that find each other & connect in ways that neither of them could ever have expected. In all reality, these two people shouldn't work, they're total opposites & they don't make any sense. You have a prim and proper dancer who practices control in all things & isn't allowed to have a single original thought. On the other hand you have a reckless rockstar that does whatever the f*ck he wants, whenever he wants with whoever he wants. But when you look beneath the surface, & you look beyond the front that they both think they have to put on, you see just how alike they really are.
When Lili & Rome first meet, they're explosive & the two soon realize that they can't hide anything from the other & the walls that they've built their whole lives, soon mean nothing. They're transparent to the other & they see & understand each other in ways that nobody ever has.
I loved Rome & Lili's story so much. Everything about this book from beginning to end was full on addicting & I felt so connected to their characters & story. My heart ached for them, their thoughts, their pasts & all the things they were fighting against. Eva's writing is so beautiful & she's quickly become a new favorite author. This is such a great book/series & I 100% recommend it. There are some heavy themes throughout so check TW's if you need to!
Thank you Eva Simmons & Grey's Promotions for this ARC!
July 17, 2023
Ohhh my, the Riff King definitely made me swoon throughout the whole book! I loved Rome and Lilli’s story so much, I really liked that these characters weren’t perfect. The story was a unique love story that felt so real and raw the way love is in real life.
Rome is a very complex, heartbroken character the same way Lili was in her own way and them building each other up and showing each other love was such an amazing way to experience a love story. They reassured themselves that they were worthy of love.
The spicy was amazing as always is, not to much but not too little, I liked that it didn’t take center stage and let the story plot be more than just spice. Watching Rome feel all the things first and being so protective of Lili was incredible.
The ending, ahhh! The epilogue omg it was all just amazing!! 🥰🩵
Rome is a very complex, heartbroken character the same way Lili was in her own way and them building each other up and showing each other love was such an amazing way to experience a love story. They reassured themselves that they were worthy of love.
The spicy was amazing as always is, not to much but not too little, I liked that it didn’t take center stage and let the story plot be more than just spice. Watching Rome feel all the things first and being so protective of Lili was incredible.
The ending, ahhh! The epilogue omg it was all just amazing!! 🥰🩵
May 14, 2025
𝘼𝙇𝘾 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙏𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙤𝙧 𝘼𝙪𝙙𝙞𝙤 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙉𝙚𝙩𝙜𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙮!
Now I know why curiosity killed the cat.
The blurb of the book really intrigued me and I thought I'd be signing up for something different or unusual but unfortunately, that wasn't the case. We get the 𝘂𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 manwhore x good girl trope, where the mmc's no.1 character trait is being a tortured, abused, neglected poor soul who can do nothing but fuck the entire female population to keep his sanity in check.
You get it right? S̶u̶c̶h̶ a̶ p̶o̶o̶r̶ s̶o̶u̶l̶:')
Not to mention, the part where Lily performed her dance routine better after she got finger banged by Rome was hilarious. If his fingers made her magically embrace her inner strength, I needed a session with him too.
I honestly don't understand how a woman who knows her self worth would EVER get together with a 'man' who was on the verge of fucking another woman but only stopped at the last moment because he got caught by her. Idk HOW a woman could ever be attracted to a man who keeps enunciating how bad he is, how he loves messing around, who admits he goes through women 'like an advent calendar', (one for each day). His inner monologue was absolutely disgusting and the only thing that got me through was the male narrator. He couldn't stop talking about how perfect Lily was, how much he wants to mess her up, how much he'll destroy her, how different they both are and blah fucking blah. The dude's entire personality was him being 'sO mUcH tRoUbLe' and a guy with severe daddy issues.
Lily's character honestly had sm potential but it all boiled down to nothing in the end because of her attraction to the mmc who wasn't even worth it imo. And the irony of making HIM a girl dad in the end? LMAOOOO
The audiobook was really good though. The narrators did an amazing job, especially the male narrator. I didn't quite like the accent of the female narrator but I guess that's a 'me' problem. Also, this is a duet narration so I don't understand why the guy mimics the girl's voice in his pov and just not let the female narrator do her part and vice versa. It's literally a duet narration so them mimicking eachother's voices was really off putting and funny.
𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: ⭐⭐⭐
𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴:⭐
Now I know why curiosity killed the cat.
The blurb of the book really intrigued me and I thought I'd be signing up for something different or unusual but unfortunately, that wasn't the case. We get the 𝘂𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 manwhore x good girl trope, where the mmc's no.1 character trait is being a tortured, abused, neglected poor soul who can do nothing but fuck the entire female population to keep his sanity in check.
You get it right? S̶u̶c̶h̶ a̶ p̶o̶o̶r̶ s̶o̶u̶l̶:')
Not to mention, the part where Lily performed her dance routine better after she got finger banged by Rome was hilarious. If his fingers made her magically embrace her inner strength, I needed a session with him too.
I honestly don't understand how a woman who knows her self worth would EVER get together with a 'man' who was on the verge of fucking another woman but only stopped at the last moment because he got caught by her. Idk HOW a woman could ever be attracted to a man who keeps enunciating how bad he is, how he loves messing around, who admits he goes through women 'like an advent calendar', (one for each day). His inner monologue was absolutely disgusting and the only thing that got me through was the male narrator. He couldn't stop talking about how perfect Lily was, how much he wants to mess her up, how much he'll destroy her, how different they both are and blah fucking blah. The dude's entire personality was him being 'sO mUcH tRoUbLe' and a guy with severe daddy issues.
Lily's character honestly had sm potential but it all boiled down to nothing in the end because of her attraction to the mmc who wasn't even worth it imo. And the irony of making HIM a girl dad in the end? LMAOOOO
The audiobook was really good though. The narrators did an amazing job, especially the male narrator. I didn't quite like the accent of the female narrator but I guess that's a 'me' problem. Also, this is a duet narration so I don't understand why the guy mimics the girl's voice in his pov and just not let the female narrator do her part and vice versa. It's literally a duet narration so them mimicking eachother's voices was really off putting and funny.
𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: ⭐⭐⭐
𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴:⭐
June 26, 2025
overall rating: 2 ⭐️
audio rating: 3.5 ⭐️
Thank you NetGalley, Tantor Audio, and the author for the Advanced Listener Copy of Worth the Trouble.
let me start by saying that you should check TWs before reading.
this was…not my favorite. i really dislike insta-love, especially when we never really see any real reason as to why they are immediately obsessed with each other?
Rome was very “I fuck anything that moves” with stripper poles installed in his living room, and then one day he meets Lili and he’s suddenly a changed man? I’m not buying it lmao
Lili was a “good girl” dancer who is under her parents’ thumbs. Her mom is a POS who is straight up abusive - forcing Lili into an eating disorder. By the end of the book, there was what was supposed to be a “redemption arc” for her mom, since she helped to allow Lili and Rome to be together. However, it just completely glossed over all of the ways that her mom was abusive. Just because she got out of the way and let you make your own decisions about who you want to be with romantically does not automatically absolve her from all of the terrible things she has done to you your whole life.
With that being said, the spice was still enjoyable to listen to. While I didn’t feel like Lili and Rome had any true or believable emotional connection, they clearly had sexual chemistry.
Maybe I would have enjoyed this book a lot more if I had read the previous ones in the series. I didn’t realize that this was a series of interconnected standalones prior to requesting this ALC. It is definitely a true standalone, but I wonder if I would have been more emotionally invested in these characters if I had read the other books first.
Audio specific review: I enjoyed the dual narrators for the most part, but it is always SO difficult to listen to a male narrator’s voice during spicy scenes when he is imitating the woman’s voice. I don’t get the same cringe factor with a woman imitating the man’s voice, for some reason. Overall, though, I did enjoy the narration itself and thought both narrators added to the story. I found both of their voices were easy to listen to and fit their characters well.
audio rating: 3.5 ⭐️
Thank you NetGalley, Tantor Audio, and the author for the Advanced Listener Copy of Worth the Trouble.
let me start by saying that you should check TWs before reading.
this was…not my favorite. i really dislike insta-love, especially when we never really see any real reason as to why they are immediately obsessed with each other?
Rome was very “I fuck anything that moves” with stripper poles installed in his living room, and then one day he meets Lili and he’s suddenly a changed man? I’m not buying it lmao
Lili was a “good girl” dancer who is under her parents’ thumbs. Her mom is a POS who is straight up abusive - forcing Lili into an eating disorder. By the end of the book, there was what was supposed to be a “redemption arc” for her mom, since she helped to allow Lili and Rome to be together. However, it just completely glossed over all of the ways that her mom was abusive. Just because she got out of the way and let you make your own decisions about who you want to be with romantically does not automatically absolve her from all of the terrible things she has done to you your whole life.
With that being said, the spice was still enjoyable to listen to. While I didn’t feel like Lili and Rome had any true or believable emotional connection, they clearly had sexual chemistry.
Maybe I would have enjoyed this book a lot more if I had read the previous ones in the series. I didn’t realize that this was a series of interconnected standalones prior to requesting this ALC. It is definitely a true standalone, but I wonder if I would have been more emotionally invested in these characters if I had read the other books first.
Audio specific review: I enjoyed the dual narrators for the most part, but it is always SO difficult to listen to a male narrator’s voice during spicy scenes when he is imitating the woman’s voice. I don’t get the same cringe factor with a woman imitating the man’s voice, for some reason. Overall, though, I did enjoy the narration itself and thought both narrators added to the story. I found both of their voices were easy to listen to and fit their characters well.
May 22, 2025
Rome Moreno is a band member of Enemy Muse. All the other band members are now in a happy relationship but he is still making his way through all the women.
After he ran into Lili in the streets, he felt something he never felt before. He couldn���t get enough of Lili and kept trying to meet up with her and get closer to her.
Lili is a world-class dance princess. Her mother has forced her into this world from a young age. Everything is decided for Lili by her mother; what she does, what she eats, and who she meets up with.
Rome is distracting her from everything she needs to do, but she can’t get enough of him. She knows he is the forbidden fruit but that only makes her more intrigued.
He is nothing but trouble, but maybe he is worth the trouble.
I don’t really know how to describe this book but I enjoyed it a lot. It’s a romance book but it explores many more topics and problems.
I liked both the main characters. They both had great backstories and problems that made them real. The chemistry between Rome and Lili was great. The book was written in dual POV so you get the story from both sides.
I listened to this book as an audiobook and the production was great. I really liked both the narrators.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
⭐️: 4,5
🌶: 5 (there are some dark scenes, please read the trigger warnings before reading)
After he ran into Lili in the streets, he felt something he never felt before. He couldn���t get enough of Lili and kept trying to meet up with her and get closer to her.
Lili is a world-class dance princess. Her mother has forced her into this world from a young age. Everything is decided for Lili by her mother; what she does, what she eats, and who she meets up with.
Rome is distracting her from everything she needs to do, but she can’t get enough of him. She knows he is the forbidden fruit but that only makes her more intrigued.
He is nothing but trouble, but maybe he is worth the trouble.
I don’t really know how to describe this book but I enjoyed it a lot. It’s a romance book but it explores many more topics and problems.
I liked both the main characters. They both had great backstories and problems that made them real. The chemistry between Rome and Lili was great. The book was written in dual POV so you get the story from both sides.
I listened to this book as an audiobook and the production was great. I really liked both the narrators.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
⭐️: 4,5
🌶: 5 (there are some dark scenes, please read the trigger warnings before reading)
May 14, 2025
“Sometimes people will always be pieces” ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lily and Rome’s story is so beautiful. Rome is a reformed (for 17 days! )playboy (yes he’s keeping count) with a pierced Yk, and she's a dancer under strict supervision. Both are broken in ways that draw you in to their stories.
The author mentions tough issues like eating disorders and abuse adding depth and “imperfections” to these characters. The narrators fit the characters perfectly making the story such a fun and easy listen.
The book does have a third act break up that last about 3 chapters due to circumstances that you’ll understand when you read it but it definitely shows the growth between the characters and how they went from not believing in love to being in love with each other.
Thank you NetGalley for the early audio!
Lily and Rome’s story is so beautiful. Rome is a reformed (for 17 days! )playboy (yes he’s keeping count) with a pierced Yk, and she's a dancer under strict supervision. Both are broken in ways that draw you in to their stories.
The author mentions tough issues like eating disorders and abuse adding depth and “imperfections” to these characters. The narrators fit the characters perfectly making the story such a fun and easy listen.
The book does have a third act break up that last about 3 chapters due to circumstances that you’ll understand when you read it but it definitely shows the growth between the characters and how they went from not believing in love to being in love with each other.
Thank you NetGalley for the early audio!
May 23, 2025
I always love seeing a “bad boy” turn over a new leaf.
This was good, Rome grew up with a father who treated him horrible, which then made him unaccepting and unwilling to love. And Lily comes out of nowhere and her life is complicated because she has no control over any decisions in her life. They both were so unwilling to let each other in but in the end love conquers all. I need to read the rest of the books in the series but this makes me excited. The drama, the spice, the real life connections, made it a really good read.
This was good, Rome grew up with a father who treated him horrible, which then made him unaccepting and unwilling to love. And Lily comes out of nowhere and her life is complicated because she has no control over any decisions in her life. They both were so unwilling to let each other in but in the end love conquers all. I need to read the rest of the books in the series but this makes me excited. The drama, the spice, the real life connections, made it a really good read.
September 3, 2023
Ehhhhh was it really worth the trouble of reading?
July 14, 2023
This book has started Strong. Lili and Rome run into each other, literally and Rome mistakes the type of dancer she is. Though I think this was more to get a rise out of her than anything, because that's the type of character he is.
While they both come from very different worlds, have suffered different things, they're broken just the same. Trying to be someone different on the outside while inside there's not much of who they really are left.
I feel sad for Rome. He comes across as arrogant, cocky, unfazed, but deep inside he's masking pain he's trying to forget. Whereas Lili, she's a perfect little doll, one that gets put on display and shown how to move, she is a puppet on strings.
I feel sad for Lili and everything she tries to be for everyone.
My heart ached for these two characters at how broken they were and how neither one of them felt capable of loving or being loved. As we move through the story you start to see all of their broken pieces slowly put themselves back together when they're with each other and you can see straight through the masks they both wear.
There was so much passion in the words this author writes and between these two characters. They had an intensity that was palpable. The feelings they have for each other feels like it goes beyond love.
You could feel how much music meant to Rome and I just loved the descriptive way this author writes, there's something really beautiful in it.
A story about two people putting up walls and pushing people away, wearing masks and only letting people see what they want to see, letting it all fall away for each other, because there was no other way. This was an incredibly well written book that I would definitely recommend to lovers of rockstar romances, or those that are simply after a love story that's worth the trouble.
While they both come from very different worlds, have suffered different things, they're broken just the same. Trying to be someone different on the outside while inside there's not much of who they really are left.
I feel sad for Rome. He comes across as arrogant, cocky, unfazed, but deep inside he's masking pain he's trying to forget. Whereas Lili, she's a perfect little doll, one that gets put on display and shown how to move, she is a puppet on strings.
I feel sad for Lili and everything she tries to be for everyone.
My heart ached for these two characters at how broken they were and how neither one of them felt capable of loving or being loved. As we move through the story you start to see all of their broken pieces slowly put themselves back together when they're with each other and you can see straight through the masks they both wear.
There was so much passion in the words this author writes and between these two characters. They had an intensity that was palpable. The feelings they have for each other feels like it goes beyond love.
You could feel how much music meant to Rome and I just loved the descriptive way this author writes, there's something really beautiful in it.
A story about two people putting up walls and pushing people away, wearing masks and only letting people see what they want to see, letting it all fall away for each other, because there was no other way. This was an incredibly well written book that I would definitely recommend to lovers of rockstar romances, or those that are simply after a love story that's worth the trouble.
August 9, 2023
These two omg!! Their connection was so good, there was so much raw emotion between them. Rome & Lili have so much soul and so much weighing them down but together it’s like they finally have the person who quiets the noise. They were so accepting of each other, their flaws and traumas. The way they worked through things together and helped each other heal was beautiful. The opposites attract, forbidden love vibes were amazing, and I love a reformed bad boy / playboy. Lili is the perfect opposite to Rome and they just fit so well.
My biggest issue with this is it felt like there was no resolution for Lili with her mum and her awful boss/ex. It seemed like she forgave her mum and that was just so quick, after like one semi apology and deeper chat. It just didn’t feel like enough or a satisfying conclusion to what was largely the root of all her struggles, eating disorder and anxiety.
Thank you Grey’s Promo and Eva Simmons for the arc <3
My biggest issue with this is it felt like there was no resolution for Lili with her mum and her awful boss/ex. It seemed like she forgave her mum and that was just so quick, after like one semi apology and deeper chat. It just didn’t feel like enough or a satisfying conclusion to what was largely the root of all her struggles, eating disorder and anxiety.
Thank you Grey’s Promo and Eva Simmons for the arc <3
October 16, 2023
loved this book!
July 12, 2023
I need a moment.
I'm back.
ARC PROVIDED BY AUTHOR FOR HONEST REVIEW.
🎸 TROPES:
✔️Modern dance princess meets bad boy rock star
✔️Reformed fuckboy
✔️Clashing of social classes
✔️Spiciest book in the series
✔️Pain, restriction, and healing
Okay so I first off when I started this series I never thought these amazingly broken but beautiful souls would take my heart and keep it forever, but that's what has happened and tbh they can all keep it. AND I MEAN ALL OF THEM!
Now moving on to this book. OMG ROME & LILI
When I got the arc for them I was in a semi dark mental state so it was kinda hard to get into it,but being the pushover I am they kept calling me. And I'm glad I answered that call.
The emotions I went through while reading were so up and down in such a good and healing way that I ended up not wanting to put it down.
While reading the other books in the series I've always wondered about Rome and his "don't care attitude" and now I get why he's that way with the band. It was so fulfilling though how Lili could just see through the façade he puts out into the world.
Ah Lili. My sweet dark dance princess.
All through the book I was telling her that she is stronger than she thinks she is and that she can stand up for herself. I just wanted to take her far away from her mother and the pressures of her career. When she let herself be free with Rome my heart was so at peace.
These two healed me in a way I was not expecting and I loved every single minute of it.
Thank you Eva Simmons for these characters who have become a part of me. Thank you do granting me the kind of escape that also healed a part of me.
I'm back.
ARC PROVIDED BY AUTHOR FOR HONEST REVIEW.
🎸 TROPES:
✔️Modern dance princess meets bad boy rock star
✔️Reformed fuckboy
✔️Clashing of social classes
✔️Spiciest book in the series
✔️Pain, restriction, and healing
Okay so I first off when I started this series I never thought these amazingly broken but beautiful souls would take my heart and keep it forever, but that's what has happened and tbh they can all keep it. AND I MEAN ALL OF THEM!
Now moving on to this book. OMG ROME & LILI
When I got the arc for them I was in a semi dark mental state so it was kinda hard to get into it,but being the pushover I am they kept calling me. And I'm glad I answered that call.
The emotions I went through while reading were so up and down in such a good and healing way that I ended up not wanting to put it down.
While reading the other books in the series I've always wondered about Rome and his "don't care attitude" and now I get why he's that way with the band. It was so fulfilling though how Lili could just see through the façade he puts out into the world.
Ah Lili. My sweet dark dance princess.
All through the book I was telling her that she is stronger than she thinks she is and that she can stand up for herself. I just wanted to take her far away from her mother and the pressures of her career. When she let herself be free with Rome my heart was so at peace.
These two healed me in a way I was not expecting and I loved every single minute of it.
Thank you Eva Simmons for these characters who have become a part of me. Thank you do granting me the kind of escape that also healed a part of me.
July 4, 2023
Rome had just gotten home from a tour and he’s happy to be home, if a person with his kind of pain and demons can actually be happy. Nope, happy would definitely be a reach for him. He’s off and his friends notice but are giving him the benefit of the doubt. Lili is a talented dancer and lives in a world of privilege, rules, constant exercise, strenuous discipline and diet. Her mother is more of tough manager than a caring mom, the woman is cold. When they meet it throws them, and fate takes a hand and keeps them running into each other. Until Rome decides he wants to go see what she’s doing. These two have chemistry and they have scars, some show, and some don’t but together they are fierce. Rome is locked up in his abusive past and Lili is locked up in her ivory tower, until he sets her free. This story grabs you from the first pages and doesn’t let you go. The ending was wonderful, I’m giving it five stars and highly recommend it.
July 8, 2023
Worth the trouble is book four in the rockstar romance series Enemy Muse by Eva Simmons.
The novel follows Rome, who to the rest of the world is the Riff King, but to Lili he means soo much more.
When Rome and Lili first meet she just sees him as the Riff King and he mistakes the type of dancer she is. They both come from different worlds but soon realises that they are both broken just the same.
Rome comes across as rude but inside he is hiding his pain that he is trying to forget.
I love how Rome and Lili have strong chemistry, despite their different backgrounds and I kept Rooting for them to have their happy ending.
Eva has done it again with a brilliant novel that ends the Enemy Muse rockstar romance series on a brilliant finale. I really enjoyed the novel and I highly recommend it.
❤️I was gifted a Arc ebook copy of the book from the author in exchange for a honest review.
❤️ Worth the trouble will be released on Amazon on the 14th July 2023.
The novel follows Rome, who to the rest of the world is the Riff King, but to Lili he means soo much more.
When Rome and Lili first meet she just sees him as the Riff King and he mistakes the type of dancer she is. They both come from different worlds but soon realises that they are both broken just the same.
Rome comes across as rude but inside he is hiding his pain that he is trying to forget.
I love how Rome and Lili have strong chemistry, despite their different backgrounds and I kept Rooting for them to have their happy ending.
Eva has done it again with a brilliant novel that ends the Enemy Muse rockstar romance series on a brilliant finale. I really enjoyed the novel and I highly recommend it.
❤️I was gifted a Arc ebook copy of the book from the author in exchange for a honest review.
❤️ Worth the trouble will be released on Amazon on the 14th July 2023.
July 11, 2023
Worth The Trouble by Eva Simmons is the fourth (and, I think final) book in the amazing Enemy Muse series. This is a rockstar series, and it has to be my favorite rockstar series I've ever read! These books are so realistic, or what I feel would be for rockstars, and I've loved each and every one of them!
This one is Rome's story, which I knew I would love, I just didn't realize how much! Rome is so broken inside, and this book shows you why. Sparks were flying from the moment he met Lili, the girl renting Eloise's house. Their chemistry was undeniable, and their story was so well-written, I could feel their emotions and their connection in my bones. Now I absolutely cannot wait for the new Twisted Roses series, but in the meantime, this whole series is highly recommended with a million stars!
This one is Rome's story, which I knew I would love, I just didn't realize how much! Rome is so broken inside, and this book shows you why. Sparks were flying from the moment he met Lili, the girl renting Eloise's house. Their chemistry was undeniable, and their story was so well-written, I could feel their emotions and their connection in my bones. Now I absolutely cannot wait for the new Twisted Roses series, but in the meantime, this whole series is highly recommended with a million stars!
July 5, 2023
I absolutely KNEW Rome was gonna be my favorite and I was not wrong!!!
What better way to end the Enemy Muse series than with reformed fuckboy Rome Moreno and dance prodigy Lili Chen? The depth of both of them floored me and I fell in love with both of them so much (though I loved Rome since book one). Lili could’ve tried to change who Rome was but instead she was completely accepting and helped him heal in ways he didn’t think possible. Their relationship was equal parts give and take and that they both saw the insides of each other and loved each other despite it all made my insides turn to mush. Rome is a god, both of the rock n’ roll and sex kind, and Lili had just the amount of sweetness to soften his hard edges where Rome’s dark side brought freedoms and adventure to Lili. God this book was everything.
Thank you to Eva and her PR team for an advanced reader copy of this book! 🩷
What better way to end the Enemy Muse series than with reformed fuckboy Rome Moreno and dance prodigy Lili Chen? The depth of both of them floored me and I fell in love with both of them so much (though I loved Rome since book one). Lili could’ve tried to change who Rome was but instead she was completely accepting and helped him heal in ways he didn’t think possible. Their relationship was equal parts give and take and that they both saw the insides of each other and loved each other despite it all made my insides turn to mush. Rome is a god, both of the rock n’ roll and sex kind, and Lili had just the amount of sweetness to soften his hard edges where Rome’s dark side brought freedoms and adventure to Lili. God this book was everything.
Thank you to Eva and her PR team for an advanced reader copy of this book! 🩷
May 28, 2025
Story: 4.25 🌟
Narrators: 4.25 🌟
Thank you to Tantor Audio and Netgalley for the ALC of this book.
This was a super easy listen with a binge worth storyline. Classic bad boy rocker with a good girl fmc.
Both Rome and Lily have past trauma that pushes them closer throughout the story. Rome deals with trauma by being a playboy, and Lily is trying to please everyone but herself.
The dual narration for this was spot on and kept me wanting to know more. This was my first book by this author, and I can't wait to read more!
Narrators: 4.25 🌟
Thank you to Tantor Audio and Netgalley for the ALC of this book.
This was a super easy listen with a binge worth storyline. Classic bad boy rocker with a good girl fmc.
Both Rome and Lily have past trauma that pushes them closer throughout the story. Rome deals with trauma by being a playboy, and Lily is trying to please everyone but herself.
The dual narration for this was spot on and kept me wanting to know more. This was my first book by this author, and I can't wait to read more!
July 19, 2023
4.5 stars! Love this series so much, with Rome and Lili’s story being no exception! I adored the passion between them, and their chemistry was so intense. I loved the character growth and how truly perfect Rome and Lili were together. Such a great read! *I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
August 18, 2023
4.5 stars! This was sooo good. Probably the healthiest rock star romance i've read. It made me smile and swoon the entire time. I loved it and it was just what I needed.
July 3, 2023
*Thank you to Eva Simmons and Word Smith Publicity for sending me an ARC copy of this book. Also, please check trigger warnings before reading!
4.25⭐️/ 4🌶️
When I tell you I was immediately intrigued by the tropes mentioned in this book, I knew I had to get my hands on it to read! This story is part of an interconnected series of a rockstar band. In this book, it focused on Rome and Lili. Rome was the outgoing, blunt, flirtatious playboy who was loving it up as a rockstar, as well as taking advantage of all the women flocking to him. Lili was a dancer who kept a strict schedule and routine curtesy of her controlling mother. Lili and Rome were from different worlds, different careers, and yet they found each other unexpectedly one night… when Rome mistakenly thought Lili was a stripper… uh oh. This story had, rockstar romance, dancer/rockstar, spice, found family, and more!
Rome and Lili were from two different worlds. One with Rome being part of a famously known rock band, and the other with Lili being a professional dancer. Rome was all about being unexpected, getting reactions out of people from the audacious things he said. Whereas Lili was all about strict control, having her routine down, and making sure everything was perfection. When first being introduced to Rome and Lili, it was clear to me that although they were in different careers, they both understood the demands when being in the spotlight. In addition, Rome and Lili each had their own share of problems and things they faced on a daily basis. So, with that in mind please make sure to check the trigger warnings as this book delved into some hard topics.
Rome was the playboy of the group, always getting with women, loving it up as a rockstar, and having no complaints about it. As much as Rome seemed unaffected by anything, deep down he held a dark past that lingered in his mind, and reminded him of his past that left marks on him. With all that Rome went through from his past, him not living it large as a rockstar had its perks, but after a while he started to see it wasn’t the same high he use to love and experience. The moment Rome met Lili, he was immediately transfixed by her innocence, beauty, and the way she was unlike the typical women he went after. Like his usual behavior, Rome got a kick out of pushing Lili’a buttons, which resulted in Lili giving him sass back or the occasional eye roll. All throughout the story, it was clear that as much as Rome was thrown off by the constant need to be around Lili, he started developing feelings for her along the way.
Lili was expected to be perfect at all times, mainly due to her mother’s demands. When she wasn’t practicing her dances, Lili was meant to be the perfect image of the ideal daughter, one who obeyed and did as her mother sought fit, but that wasn’t what Lili wanted. Yes, Lili loved the dance, but after a while of having her mom dictate every aspect of her career and life, it seemed like Lili didn’t fully have the control over her life as she wanted. The only thing Lili felt she could control was her body and how she dealt with it. In addition, Lili had always felt like she was in a crowd of fake people, and her having to pretend to be this image of perfection when in reality, she just craved that sense of freedom. With Rome now coming into her life, Lili liked the way Rome didn’t force her to be something else, he just invited her along for the wild ride that was his life, and she was able to see that she could be free and outgoing similarly to how Rome was.
With a bad boy like Rome, and his womanizing ways, I was still caught off guard with his type of sexual chemistry with Lili. Basically, if you want to read about a sexy rockstar bad boy who, will talk dirty, go at it vigorously and has that level of angst and darkness to him, Rome is the man for you! The spicy scenes included in this book had me shook! Like that scene at the strip club had me blushing! OMG! But then once it came to Lili and Rome’s first sexy time together… WHOA! The fire was burning high and mighty in that scene! I have a feeling most of you who read this book will equally get a kick out of the steamy scenes between Lili and Rome. Oh, and just another little tidbit, if you wanna read about a specific something that’s pierced… IYKYK! Again, the spice in this book was great, lots of sexy scenes, and prepare for some interesting/exciting scenes!
As much as I love to read about a sexy rockstar and a lovely dancer getting together, I actually really enjoyed the emotional depth to the story as well. Rome had a difficult and hard childhood with his father’s drinking which, led to Rome being physically beat by his father on a daily basis. The topic of abuse was mentioned throughout the story through flashbacks from Rome’s point of view as well as him talking about it. Rome’s struggles with his past definitely played a role in his story and how he viewed his life in a way. Rome wasn’t by any means a happy go lucky guy, he was jaded, did whatever he wanted, and didn’t let anyone hold him down… but Lili changed that for him entirely. Suddenly, Rome started to view Lili in a way he had never imagined with any other woman before. I loved seeing the way that despite Rome’s hard and rough exterior, he couldn’t stop the growing feeling he developed over Lili. In addition, seeing Rome start to consider the potential he could have with Lili was a changing point in his life. Rome wasn’t perfect and he owned up to that fact, and I liked how messy and unapologetic he was about everything he said and did. Rome’s character growth was something that developed over the course of the story and one that I appreciated seeing especially towards the end.
While I haven’t read the previous books in this series, I could still see how close everyone in the band was really close. The found family aspect of this story was also significant to Rome’s story in that, through all the hardships he faced in his past and in the present, he had his friends to help him out whenever. I kind of wished I had read the other books before reading this one to further enjoy all the tiny details from the other characters. From Noah, to Sebastian, Eloise, Adrian, and Cassie, and Merry, all those people around Rome truly cared about him and helped him see that not only did he deserve to fight for the love he had for Lili, but also he wasn’t alone in the battle he fought deep inside himself.
This was such a fun, exciting, emotional read! Rome and Lili were both interesting, strong, vulnerable, and unique in their own ways. I haven’t read a character like Rome in such a way that explored the things he went through in his past and also how his present was mixed in with some highs and lows. Lili was lovely, sweet, but also equally up to rise to any challenge Rome set in front of her. I could see the chemistry and tension building between Rome and Lili all throughout the story, and MY GOODNESS THE SPICE IN THIS BOOK HAD ME BLUSHING! I love a fictional man who gives a good dirty talk! OMG! Rome was a bad boy who did whatever he wanted, but I especially loved his character growth through the story. Lili and Rome each had their own issues they needed to overcome, and I loved seeing how their relationship with each other brought out things they never expected as well as saw that they could be better than the person they were at the beginning of the story. The found family was also loving and again, I wish I had read the earlier books before this one, but regardless I enjoyed it all. The way Rome and Lili’s story started, and ended really showed how much they went through in order to find love, and peace together. I especially loved the epilogues included because, one I’m always a sucker for epilogues, but also seeing the pure happiness and love radiating from Lili and Rome. A great story to read if you love reading about bad boy rockstars, a lovely/sweet dancer, found family, emotional connection, SPICE! Romance, and more!
4.25⭐️/ 4🌶️
When I tell you I was immediately intrigued by the tropes mentioned in this book, I knew I had to get my hands on it to read! This story is part of an interconnected series of a rockstar band. In this book, it focused on Rome and Lili. Rome was the outgoing, blunt, flirtatious playboy who was loving it up as a rockstar, as well as taking advantage of all the women flocking to him. Lili was a dancer who kept a strict schedule and routine curtesy of her controlling mother. Lili and Rome were from different worlds, different careers, and yet they found each other unexpectedly one night… when Rome mistakenly thought Lili was a stripper… uh oh. This story had, rockstar romance, dancer/rockstar, spice, found family, and more!
Rome and Lili were from two different worlds. One with Rome being part of a famously known rock band, and the other with Lili being a professional dancer. Rome was all about being unexpected, getting reactions out of people from the audacious things he said. Whereas Lili was all about strict control, having her routine down, and making sure everything was perfection. When first being introduced to Rome and Lili, it was clear to me that although they were in different careers, they both understood the demands when being in the spotlight. In addition, Rome and Lili each had their own share of problems and things they faced on a daily basis. So, with that in mind please make sure to check the trigger warnings as this book delved into some hard topics.
Rome was the playboy of the group, always getting with women, loving it up as a rockstar, and having no complaints about it. As much as Rome seemed unaffected by anything, deep down he held a dark past that lingered in his mind, and reminded him of his past that left marks on him. With all that Rome went through from his past, him not living it large as a rockstar had its perks, but after a while he started to see it wasn’t the same high he use to love and experience. The moment Rome met Lili, he was immediately transfixed by her innocence, beauty, and the way she was unlike the typical women he went after. Like his usual behavior, Rome got a kick out of pushing Lili’a buttons, which resulted in Lili giving him sass back or the occasional eye roll. All throughout the story, it was clear that as much as Rome was thrown off by the constant need to be around Lili, he started developing feelings for her along the way.
Lili was expected to be perfect at all times, mainly due to her mother’s demands. When she wasn’t practicing her dances, Lili was meant to be the perfect image of the ideal daughter, one who obeyed and did as her mother sought fit, but that wasn’t what Lili wanted. Yes, Lili loved the dance, but after a while of having her mom dictate every aspect of her career and life, it seemed like Lili didn’t fully have the control over her life as she wanted. The only thing Lili felt she could control was her body and how she dealt with it. In addition, Lili had always felt like she was in a crowd of fake people, and her having to pretend to be this image of perfection when in reality, she just craved that sense of freedom. With Rome now coming into her life, Lili liked the way Rome didn’t force her to be something else, he just invited her along for the wild ride that was his life, and she was able to see that she could be free and outgoing similarly to how Rome was.
With a bad boy like Rome, and his womanizing ways, I was still caught off guard with his type of sexual chemistry with Lili. Basically, if you want to read about a sexy rockstar bad boy who, will talk dirty, go at it vigorously and has that level of angst and darkness to him, Rome is the man for you! The spicy scenes included in this book had me shook! Like that scene at the strip club had me blushing! OMG! But then once it came to Lili and Rome’s first sexy time together… WHOA! The fire was burning high and mighty in that scene! I have a feeling most of you who read this book will equally get a kick out of the steamy scenes between Lili and Rome. Oh, and just another little tidbit, if you wanna read about a specific something that’s pierced… IYKYK! Again, the spice in this book was great, lots of sexy scenes, and prepare for some interesting/exciting scenes!
As much as I love to read about a sexy rockstar and a lovely dancer getting together, I actually really enjoyed the emotional depth to the story as well. Rome had a difficult and hard childhood with his father’s drinking which, led to Rome being physically beat by his father on a daily basis. The topic of abuse was mentioned throughout the story through flashbacks from Rome’s point of view as well as him talking about it. Rome’s struggles with his past definitely played a role in his story and how he viewed his life in a way. Rome wasn’t by any means a happy go lucky guy, he was jaded, did whatever he wanted, and didn’t let anyone hold him down… but Lili changed that for him entirely. Suddenly, Rome started to view Lili in a way he had never imagined with any other woman before. I loved seeing the way that despite Rome’s hard and rough exterior, he couldn’t stop the growing feeling he developed over Lili. In addition, seeing Rome start to consider the potential he could have with Lili was a changing point in his life. Rome wasn’t perfect and he owned up to that fact, and I liked how messy and unapologetic he was about everything he said and did. Rome’s character growth was something that developed over the course of the story and one that I appreciated seeing especially towards the end.
While I haven’t read the previous books in this series, I could still see how close everyone in the band was really close. The found family aspect of this story was also significant to Rome’s story in that, through all the hardships he faced in his past and in the present, he had his friends to help him out whenever. I kind of wished I had read the other books before reading this one to further enjoy all the tiny details from the other characters. From Noah, to Sebastian, Eloise, Adrian, and Cassie, and Merry, all those people around Rome truly cared about him and helped him see that not only did he deserve to fight for the love he had for Lili, but also he wasn’t alone in the battle he fought deep inside himself.
This was such a fun, exciting, emotional read! Rome and Lili were both interesting, strong, vulnerable, and unique in their own ways. I haven’t read a character like Rome in such a way that explored the things he went through in his past and also how his present was mixed in with some highs and lows. Lili was lovely, sweet, but also equally up to rise to any challenge Rome set in front of her. I could see the chemistry and tension building between Rome and Lili all throughout the story, and MY GOODNESS THE SPICE IN THIS BOOK HAD ME BLUSHING! I love a fictional man who gives a good dirty talk! OMG! Rome was a bad boy who did whatever he wanted, but I especially loved his character growth through the story. Lili and Rome each had their own issues they needed to overcome, and I loved seeing how their relationship with each other brought out things they never expected as well as saw that they could be better than the person they were at the beginning of the story. The found family was also loving and again, I wish I had read the earlier books before this one, but regardless I enjoyed it all. The way Rome and Lili’s story started, and ended really showed how much they went through in order to find love, and peace together. I especially loved the epilogues included because, one I’m always a sucker for epilogues, but also seeing the pure happiness and love radiating from Lili and Rome. A great story to read if you love reading about bad boy rockstars, a lovely/sweet dancer, found family, emotional connection, SPICE! Romance, and more!
June 1, 2025
Oh my goodness!
This was such a good read!
So, for some reason, when I spotted this book, I was convinced that I recognised the author name (having read them before?) and just had to read this book!
It happens that this is actually the first book I've ever read by this author!? Who knew.
This is also book 4 of the series - Enemy Muse - and of course I've not read the rest.
But this read so well as a standalone read and focuses on Rome - a rock king - and Lili - a professional dancer.
I absolutely loved this whole vibe throughout.
A little forbidden romance, limited time period, opposites attract and evil ex topped off with a passion that nobody could deny.
I think that having the contrast of Rome's grumpy, bad boy image against Lili's perfect, cosetted good girl vibe worked to perfection.
It was pretty damn clear where this was heading - but seeing Lili overlook each one of Rome's red flags and him fall so hard was amazing.
I loved both of our characters and their complicated backstories.
There were some tough topics explored between them - creating an authentic narrative around each of their motivations and behaviours - and these played out beautifully.
Each of them opening up just a little for each other until all walls were broken down and their broken remains, accepted.
There was a great cast of other characters and it was clear from some of the scenes that each had had their own stories - no doubt explored within the rest of the series - and I just have to read them all!
There was no shortage of spice in this read and I was totally there for it all!
Loved the writing style and will definitely now be looking to read more from this author!
I listened to this on audio and the narrators were fantastic - such a great portrayal of the characters and had me totally hooked from start to finish - I devoured this in just over a day!
This was such a good read!
So, for some reason, when I spotted this book, I was convinced that I recognised the author name (having read them before?) and just had to read this book!
It happens that this is actually the first book I've ever read by this author!? Who knew.
This is also book 4 of the series - Enemy Muse - and of course I've not read the rest.
But this read so well as a standalone read and focuses on Rome - a rock king - and Lili - a professional dancer.
I absolutely loved this whole vibe throughout.
A little forbidden romance, limited time period, opposites attract and evil ex topped off with a passion that nobody could deny.
I think that having the contrast of Rome's grumpy, bad boy image against Lili's perfect, cosetted good girl vibe worked to perfection.
It was pretty damn clear where this was heading - but seeing Lili overlook each one of Rome's red flags and him fall so hard was amazing.
I loved both of our characters and their complicated backstories.
There were some tough topics explored between them - creating an authentic narrative around each of their motivations and behaviours - and these played out beautifully.
Each of them opening up just a little for each other until all walls were broken down and their broken remains, accepted.
There was a great cast of other characters and it was clear from some of the scenes that each had had their own stories - no doubt explored within the rest of the series - and I just have to read them all!
There was no shortage of spice in this read and I was totally there for it all!
Loved the writing style and will definitely now be looking to read more from this author!
I listened to this on audio and the narrators were fantastic - such a great portrayal of the characters and had me totally hooked from start to finish - I devoured this in just over a day!
June 9, 2025
The overuse of similes and metaphors, as well as the cheesy flowery language, became laughably redundant. Any meaning is lost because of the actual lack of a real story. We simply do not need pages and pages of both characters internal dialogue telling us how they’re empty and broken. This book could easily be cut in half.
The ballerina trope is so dull. Is she uptight, rigid and desperate for a bad boy??? Welp that what you get here and a momager from hell. It’s hard to warm up to that dynamic since Lili was an adult and could stop at any point - but then there’s no story. Oh yes, and let’s not forget she is literally starving because she allows her mother to control her diet.
There was literally nothing about Lili’s character that indicated she was “empty.” She only ever told us she was. In fact, she lacked any interesting character. She was kind of bland.
The strip club scene was so weird and disjointed. This scene also effectively killed any sexual or emotional tension between the characters. Nothing ruins that faster than an ol finger bang in the champagne room.
There was nothing forbidden about this. It was two consenting adults. An overbearing mother was a lame attempt. It was a marketing ploy that was flat out deceptive. Just a gimmick like the cringy quasi-bondage/lite-knife play, smarmy cheating ex and forced third act breakup-ish. The typical dumb TikTok check list of tropes and kinks.
And honestly we’ve already read Rome’s story - because there’s just not much difference between Sebastian, Noah and Rome. Oh but throw in a pierced cock to spice it up - not cliche at all. The classic bad boy rockers - completely interchangeable. This story has been written to death and there is nothing new here.
The ballerina trope is so dull. Is she uptight, rigid and desperate for a bad boy??? Welp that what you get here and a momager from hell. It’s hard to warm up to that dynamic since Lili was an adult and could stop at any point - but then there’s no story. Oh yes, and let’s not forget she is literally starving because she allows her mother to control her diet.
There was literally nothing about Lili’s character that indicated she was “empty.” She only ever told us she was. In fact, she lacked any interesting character. She was kind of bland.
The strip club scene was so weird and disjointed. This scene also effectively killed any sexual or emotional tension between the characters. Nothing ruins that faster than an ol finger bang in the champagne room.
There was nothing forbidden about this. It was two consenting adults. An overbearing mother was a lame attempt. It was a marketing ploy that was flat out deceptive. Just a gimmick like the cringy quasi-bondage/lite-knife play, smarmy cheating ex and forced third act breakup-ish. The typical dumb TikTok check list of tropes and kinks.
And honestly we’ve already read Rome’s story - because there’s just not much difference between Sebastian, Noah and Rome. Oh but throw in a pierced cock to spice it up - not cliche at all. The classic bad boy rockers - completely interchangeable. This story has been written to death and there is nothing new here.
May 21, 2025
Worth the Trouble comes with all the good tropes, and although it left me slightly underwhelmed, I know this is going to be a favourite for many.
The sweet and dutiful dancer FMC and the messed up, emotionally stinted bad boy rock star MMC. She has no freedom, her career defines her life and she wants to break out. He is called the Riff God, has stripper poles in his living room and scars not only on his body and is annoyed that all his band mates are suddenly in relationships. Worth the Trouble uses a formula that works often and well.
The characters are simple enough. They work, the dynamic works and they both have enough space for the character development they need. Which is also what drives the story: Their dynamic and how they're bumping into each other sets of events and changes that drive the story.
The writing is smooth and light and although I didn't read the previous books in the series, I didn't feel lost and liked the glimpse we get of the side characters/previous main characters. It's also a book that works great in audio format and the narration was really good.
All that being said... I sadly found myself underwhelmed. It might be because I do read a loooot but while the book was good, it was nothing special, didn't hold my attention, didn't make me jump to read the other books in the series. This, however, is very much a me thing!
The only tangible point of critique I want to make is the continuous use of the term 'pussy whipped' and how the MMC keeps using it and its neither called out nor reflected on when things between him and the FMC progress.
Overall, Worth the Trouble was a quick and easy read, especially as an audiobook. It was a bit of a let down for me personally and couldn't quite hold my attention, but the characters are intriguing and the story works. Which is why I do understand the popularity it has already gained and am sure, it will have a vast fan base and be loved by many.
Thank you to NetGalley, Tantor Audio and Eva Simmons for an ALC of this book.
The sweet and dutiful dancer FMC and the messed up, emotionally stinted bad boy rock star MMC. She has no freedom, her career defines her life and she wants to break out. He is called the Riff God, has stripper poles in his living room and scars not only on his body and is annoyed that all his band mates are suddenly in relationships. Worth the Trouble uses a formula that works often and well.
The characters are simple enough. They work, the dynamic works and they both have enough space for the character development they need. Which is also what drives the story: Their dynamic and how they're bumping into each other sets of events and changes that drive the story.
The writing is smooth and light and although I didn't read the previous books in the series, I didn't feel lost and liked the glimpse we get of the side characters/previous main characters. It's also a book that works great in audio format and the narration was really good.
All that being said... I sadly found myself underwhelmed. It might be because I do read a loooot but while the book was good, it was nothing special, didn't hold my attention, didn't make me jump to read the other books in the series. This, however, is very much a me thing!
The only tangible point of critique I want to make is the continuous use of the term 'pussy whipped' and how the MMC keeps using it and its neither called out nor reflected on when things between him and the FMC progress.
Overall, Worth the Trouble was a quick and easy read, especially as an audiobook. It was a bit of a let down for me personally and couldn't quite hold my attention, but the characters are intriguing and the story works. Which is why I do understand the popularity it has already gained and am sure, it will have a vast fan base and be loved by many.
Thank you to NetGalley, Tantor Audio and Eva Simmons for an ALC of this book.
August 10, 2023
The fourth and final book following the band Enemy Muse
Lili Chen is a ballet dancer, who is 22, and now has the lead in an upcoming production. One night when leaving the dance studio, she runs right into Rome's chest. He's a solid block of muscle!
Lili has always had every minute of her day scheduled. She doesn't know what to do with open / free time. Rome is all about having free time. He doesn't like being tacked down with a schedule/time constraints.
Rome Moreno is the Riff King, plays in the band Enemy Muse. Rome see's that Lili struggles with having a voice for herself. She has a box of life that she's been living in. She doesn't know how to live other than in the confines she's been in. A lot has to deal with her mother, and her mother bearing down on her all the time.
With Rome Lili is herself, she is free. He wants to help her see that she can do anything, be anything she wants to. She calms him, and he pushes her to see the world around her.
I did receive a free copy of this book as an ARC book. I am freely leaving an honest review.
Lili Chen is a ballet dancer, who is 22, and now has the lead in an upcoming production. One night when leaving the dance studio, she runs right into Rome's chest. He's a solid block of muscle!
Lili has always had every minute of her day scheduled. She doesn't know what to do with open / free time. Rome is all about having free time. He doesn't like being tacked down with a schedule/time constraints.
Rome Moreno is the Riff King, plays in the band Enemy Muse. Rome see's that Lili struggles with having a voice for herself. She has a box of life that she's been living in. She doesn't know how to live other than in the confines she's been in. A lot has to deal with her mother, and her mother bearing down on her all the time.
With Rome Lili is herself, she is free. He wants to help her see that she can do anything, be anything she wants to. She calms him, and he pushes her to see the world around her.
I did receive a free copy of this book as an ARC book. I am freely leaving an honest review.
May 17, 2025
ARC AUDIOBOOK REVIEW– Worth the Trouble by Eva Simmons
I think Worth the Trouble is a solid book, but I probably would’ve connected with it more if I’d read the physical copy. The story itself kept my attention, and I did enjoy it overall—but the audiobook experience didn’t quite hit it for me.
The main issue was the narration setup. The male and female narrators had noticeably different pacing. I found myself constantly adjusting the speed depending on who was speaking, and that pulled me out of the story every time the POV changed.
Another thing that didn’t work for me: during their own chapters, each narrator voiced the other character, which isn’t uncommon, but here, it just didn’t flow. It felt off—like I was listening to two versions of the same person trying to do impressions of each other, rather than a natural back-and-forth. It killed some of the chemistry and emotional buildup that the book itself was trying to deliver.
So while I liked the plot and can see myself enjoying it more in print, the audiobook narration made it harder to immerse myself fully.
I think Worth the Trouble is a solid book, but I probably would’ve connected with it more if I’d read the physical copy. The story itself kept my attention, and I did enjoy it overall—but the audiobook experience didn’t quite hit it for me.
The main issue was the narration setup. The male and female narrators had noticeably different pacing. I found myself constantly adjusting the speed depending on who was speaking, and that pulled me out of the story every time the POV changed.
Another thing that didn’t work for me: during their own chapters, each narrator voiced the other character, which isn’t uncommon, but here, it just didn’t flow. It felt off—like I was listening to two versions of the same person trying to do impressions of each other, rather than a natural back-and-forth. It killed some of the chemistry and emotional buildup that the book itself was trying to deliver.
So while I liked the plot and can see myself enjoying it more in print, the audiobook narration made it harder to immerse myself fully.
July 12, 2023
The fourth and final book following the band Enemy Muse and it was finally time to get beneath the skin of Rome Moreno. Rome had always been a bit of an enigma, I wanted to see what made him tick and of course for him to meet the woman who would break down all his barriers. Enter stage left Lili Chen a dance prodigy as focused on her career as he is his. They both make assumptions about each other when they first meet and it was nice following them as they discovered they were more alike than they thought. They balanced each other out, she calms his harder edges whilst he pushed her to see a world beyond her rigid routines and to try new experiences. I loved that with each other they found understanding and acceptance of who they were faults and all. A great story to end this series on.
May 18, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley & Tantor audio for the ALC!
I think that this had potential for sure, but execution wasn’t the best! I did find myself enjoying this, but I do have a few things to mention.
First, I feel like the pacing of the narration was off, but very possible that that’s just a ME problem.
Second, I feel like I wanted Lily’s mom to apologize better/more for the way she was treated.
Third, something should have happened to Von, he got let off wayyyyy too easy for my liking.
I DO like when a man is a player and then turns his life around for her, big fan of that. I love that she didn’t judge him, based on his past. I do see why other people loved it though!
**I also didn’t realize that it was the 4th book in the series when I requested it, oopsies**
I think that this had potential for sure, but execution wasn’t the best! I did find myself enjoying this, but I do have a few things to mention.
First, I feel like the pacing of the narration was off, but very possible that that’s just a ME problem.
Second, I feel like I wanted Lily’s mom to apologize better/more for the way she was treated.
Third, something should have happened to Von, he got let off wayyyyy too easy for my liking.
I DO like when a man is a player and then turns his life around for her, big fan of that. I love that she didn’t judge him, based on his past. I do see why other people loved it though!
**I also didn’t realize that it was the 4th book in the series when I requested it, oopsies**
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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