Madeline knows better than anyone what it means to live a lie in the spotlight. She’s determined to help Krist without ever letting him find out what it costs her—or about her girlhood crush on him. But after a smoking hot back alley encounter with him leaves her breathless, she can’t deny she wants the snarling bad-boy rocker.
In a world of glitter and diamonds where the kisses are fake but the climaxes are real, their facades start to crack. And the publicity storm may shatter them both.
EXCERPT:
He stood stock-still, a lighthouse in the stormy sea, his gaze locked on hers. The rigid lines of his body raged at her from twenty feet away. The hard set of his jaw mocked her desperate desire for a kiss. No wonder he’d accused her of masterminding Ward’s stupid engagement scheme. Other nineteen-year-old girls made moon eyes at their crush from across campus. Only Madeline Fox arranged for hers to kiss her on the set of her new music video.
She raised her eyebrow in challenge. Maybe she deserved his scorn, but she couldn’t take the hit without snapping back. This was the animal kingdom, and the one who fought hard was the one who survived.
It felt like an eternity as he considered whether to leave her hanging. It would be the tabloids’ lead story tomorrow. Jilted at her own birthday party. She held her breath, almost wanting him to leave.
Then she could hate him.
But he didn’t leave. He stalked toward her, every inch the rocker badass. The kind of badass who wasn’t interested in a pop princess—unless they were in a back room. A back alley. Unless he could hide his face in her hair and his dick in her cunt. She knew he wanted to have sex with her…but that’s where the attraction ended.
He had no respect for her as a person, an artist. A fake engagement would be humiliating for him. The other kids on the playground might think he had cooties. She leveled him with a cold look as he launched himself onto the stage.
“What the fuck?” he muttered.
She read the words on his lips more than heard him. It was impossible to hear over the rumble of the crowd, but she could fix that. She slipped two fingers into the waistband of his jeans and tugged. His eyes widened as he fell into her.
“Dance for me,” she whispered, her lips inches from his.
He scowled at her, yanking the microphone from her hand. He kept it low enough not to catch his voice in her ear. “I don’t dance.”
Liar. She’d seen him sway his hips. She’d watched him dip to the crowd. He was a magician and Mata Hari rolled into one, but telling him that would mean admitting she’d watched his career since his first record deal.
Instead she leaned close. “It’s easy. Like fucking. Just keep moving your hips until I scream your name.”
She’d said it to piss him off. He obviously hated the way his dick got hard for her.
But instead of getting angrier, the corner of his mouth tilted up in a crooked grin. Lord. If she’d thought his frown was hot, that smile was a fucking wildfire. It lit her nerve endings one after the other, spreading over her skin and stealing her air.
She raised her eyebrow in challenge. Maybe she deserved his scorn, but she couldn’t take the hit without snapping back. This was the animal kingdom, and the one who fought hard was the one who survived.
It felt like an eternity as he considered whether to leave her hanging. It would be the tabloids’ lead story tomorrow. Jilted at her own birthday party. She held her breath, almost wanting him to leave.
Then she could hate him.
But he didn’t leave. He stalked toward her, every inch the rocker badass. The kind of badass who wasn’t interested in a pop princess—unless they were in a back room. A back alley. Unless he could hide his face in her hair and his dick in her cunt. She knew he wanted to have sex with her…but that’s where the attraction ended.
He had no respect for her as a person, an artist. A fake engagement would be humiliating for him. The other kids on the playground might think he had cooties. She leveled him with a cold look as he launched himself onto the stage.
“What the fuck?” he muttered.
She read the words on his lips more than heard him. It was impossible to hear over the rumble of the crowd, but she could fix that. She slipped two fingers into the waistband of his jeans and tugged. His eyes widened as he fell into her.
“Dance for me,” she whispered, her lips inches from his.
He scowled at her, yanking the microphone from her hand. He kept it low enough not to catch his voice in her ear. “I don’t dance.”
Liar. She’d seen him sway his hips. She’d watched him dip to the crowd. He was a magician and Mata Hari rolled into one, but telling him that would mean admitting she’d watched his career since his first record deal.
Instead she leaned close. “It’s easy. Like fucking. Just keep moving your hips until I scream your name.”
She’d said it to piss him off. He obviously hated the way his dick got hard for her.
But instead of getting angrier, the corner of his mouth tilted up in a crooked grin. Lord. If she’d thought his frown was hot, that smile was a fucking wildfire. It lit her nerve endings one after the other, spreading over her skin and stealing her air.
FIND AT GOODREADS here.
BUY AT AMAZON here.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
The boys of Half-Life are back and in emotional and professional crisis as the elevator sex tape featuring lead singer Lock, his wife Hailey, and guitarist Krist has gone public. It's caused the friendship between the two men to become strained as their image becomes tarnished which angers their management. Every look and deed is now being questioned and Krist feels responsible for letting his hidden feelings damage the closeness he and Lock once had and the future of the band. In penance, and in repayment for her help in this messy situation, he's now the official fiancée of pop singer Madeline Fox. Krist considers her a manufactured Barbie doll but as he gets to know her he discovers a lot of similarities to himself. He can't help but be drawn to her despite how dangerous she is to his vow to walk the straight and narrow for the sake of the band. He soon discovers though a kindred spirit in the fine art of hiding your true self. He finds someone just as lonely and scared of being judged as he is and against his better judgement he gives into her fiery and sensual offers that promise freedom....and something even more. Krist is compelling and oozes sex appeal. He carries a lot of weight and pain on his shoulders for the desires he keeps hidden. I was drawn to his intense personality and felt sympathy for all the pressures he had to deal with. Being with Maddy allowed him moments of carefree abandon and their scenes together crackled.
At first Maddy looks like a spoiled pop princess but as we dig deeper we see someone desperate to be herself. In hopes of getting out of her stifling contract she plays up her bad girl persona with unexpected consequences. She's always been drawn to the intense and sexually bold Krist but never thought she'd be playing his fake fiancée in hope of saving both of their futures. She enjoys bringing out his naughty side as in those moments he lets his true personality out to play. Together they make a formidable team with scenes that are scorching HOT but enlightening as to what's really in their hearts and minds. Maddy is a strong-willed woman who lost her naïveté long ago and is now jaded as she knows what her value is....a pretty commodity who longs to be more. She's brutally honest about herself and to others which made me sympathetic for all the lies she had to live behind the glitz and glamour.
This was a story teeming with intense sexuality. Both Krist and Maddy like to explore and together they scorch every scene they're in with scenes that also involve ménage. The dual POVs allows us to get to know them deeply, all their thoughts and fears about admitting who they really are, which left me cheering for them. The life of a rock star was vividly and boldly depicted both on stage and off with all the controlling facets of management, the demands of fans, and all the access to hedonistic delights. These scenes fully immerse you in this glitzy life and practically leapt off the page. Though this is the second book in the Half-Life series it's not necessary to have read the previous book, but the complexities of Krist and Lock's relationship will be better understood seeing where it all started. Considering how sexy each member of the band is why wouldn't you want to read each book as each bandmate is as drool-worthy as the next and I'm greatly anticipating party boy Moe's story as he's a true wild man! Ms. Lin and Ms. Slade have crafted an engaging and steamy series that has me hooked and I highly recommend it to others!
My rating for this is an A-
*I got this book from the authors for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
Her debut novel, Giving It Up, received The Romance Review’s Top Pick, Night Owl Top Pick, and 5 Blue Ribbons from Romance Junkies. RT Book Reviews gave it 4.5 stars, calling it “truly extraordinary.” She has been published by Loose Id, Carina Press, and Entangled.
Amber married her high school sweetheart, birthed a kid who’s smarter than she is, and spends her nights writing down her dirty thoughts. In other words, life is good.
Website // Twitter // Facebook
Website // Twitter // Facebook
Oh this is one I've had my eye on. It really sounds great! I've read Amber under her other name and enjoyed those so definitely looking forward to this one :)
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