The music world gets even grittier in this intensely sexual read about one man's dark desires and the girl who he wants to claim for himself yet keep safe from himself. Keep reading to get a tantalizing taste of the erotically-charged Rough Rhythm by Tessa Bailey and then add it to your bookshelf.
God help the woman I take home tonight.
Band manager James Brandon never expected to find the elusive satisfaction he’d been chasing, let alone stumble upon it in some sleezy Hollywood meat market. Yet the girl’s quiet pride spoke to him from across the bar, louder than a shout. Troubled, hungry and homeless, she’d placed her trust in him. But after losing the grip on his dark desires that one fateful night, James has spent the last four years atoning for letting her down.
This time I’ll finally crack him.
Rock band drummer Lita Regina has had enough of James’s guilt. She wants the explosive man she met that night in Hollywood. The man who held nothing back and took no prisoners—save Lita. And she’ll stop at nothing to revive him. Even if it means throwing herself into peril at every turn, just to get a reaction from her stoic manager. But when Lita takes her quest one step too far, James disappears from her life, thinking his absence will keep her safe.
Now it’s up to Lita to bring James back…and ignite an inferno of passion in the process.
EXCERPT:
“Oh, goddamn you.” Lita plucked the card from his fingers and hurled it back into the hallway with a muffled scream. “Four years leads to this, huh? You’re just going to dump me in this fucking…”—she waved her hands to encompass the hotel—“…rock star purgatory and bail? If you’re doing this to teach me a lesson, I will never forgive you, James."
“I’m not.” He cleared the cobwebs from his throat. “That’s not what this is."
Without looking at Lita, he knew she’d be chewing her bottom lip, leaving teeth marks that would take until nighttime to fade. “I guess we really meant a lot to you if it’s this easy. No notice. Just…peace out, suckers."
James swallowed the urge to shake her. “I think you know this is the furthest thing from easy."
“No. I don’t know anything,” she shouted, before several silent beats passed. “Except that you’re a coward. You can’t even look me in the eye."
He surged forward, pushing her back against the doorjamb. Going to break. Too much. I shouldn’t have come up here. He’d made the mistake of looking down into green eyes swimming with moisture, calling her bluff. “Does the thought of you hurting yourself to get my attention make me a coward? Yes? So be it, Lita.” His fingernails dug into the flesh of his palms. “If something happened to you, I wouldn’t make it to the next sunrise."
Lita’s body deflated, head falling back. “You can’t say something like that and leave,” she said, lips hardly moving. “It’s cruel."
“I’m a cruel man."
“No.” Lita moved into the elegant room, booted feet dragging. A miniature hurricane in a gilded cage. He’d chosen the room himself, another sign of his madness, his need to control her surroundings. Have knowledge of everything she touched. His neck grew hot when she turned, sliding a gaze down his front.
Turning and leaving was imperative at that moment, but he couldn’t resist hearing what she would say next. Delaying the good-bye.
“Remember what you called me the first night we met?” She sat down on the edge of the bed. “Before you leave, call me that one more time."
“No.”
BUY AT AMAZON here.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
Readers who like their romances with a bit of edginess will find that this rock star romance meets all their dark desires with its intensely erotic sexual interludes and a hero that sees himself as tainted. Readers will get quickly immersed in this fast-paced read where painful pasts weigh heavily on the future HEA between a young woman full of life and the older man who's cool and controlled. As these two apparent opposites continually wage war over their feelings for the other fireworks ignite and heartbreak ensues in a story that deals with the darker aspects of life and love.
James's childhood was one of pain and fear due to an abusive father. Fearing that his familial blood will turn his dark desires into abuse leads to a lot of loneliness as he fights to contain his needs. Meeting the young Lita though unleashes his desires during an unforgettable night that leaves him conflicted as he juggles shame, guilt, and obsession while protecting her for the next four years. With Lita's final ultimatum weighing on him James is forced into dealing with his past while discovering the power of free-will and unconditional acceptance. Throughout his journey to enlightenment he and Lita engage in intense sexcapades that have him looking deep into his soul and breaking reader's hearts with his fears and self-loathing. Lita was the one bright spot in his dark and lonely existence as she was the only one to make him smile. Though they were opposites they brought something to their relationship that the other lacked to make them perfect together. I liked James and found the issues of nature versus nurture that he dealt with believable and thought provoking. He exuded quiet control in public but Lita brought out a wild side that was immensely erotic and drew you to him even more. His dirty talk was steamy and made their encounters even more erotic with a taste of the forbidden.
Lita had a violent upbringing too which left her lonely and bruised when she first encountered James and it affected their interactions for the next four years. Though she was young in age she matured through all the harsh life lessons she endured which only made her stronger, but with James's protective instincts already kicked in he saw her only as a little girl. As she was drawn to James from the moment they met she's desperate to have him see her as a woman which leads to dangerous decisions and attention-seeking choices that only fan the flames of their combustible connection. When James gets pushed to his limits one time too many, Lita issues a final ultimatum that changes their relationship and how they see themselves, irrevocably. Lita may appear broken at the start of the story but she's anything but that as she's a survivor. She took her pain and used it to become a star, she never let it consume her like James. She never doubted herself or her feelings for him either which in the end showed a level of maturity he lacked until he sees himself through her eyes. Lita's an entertaining and admirable heroine and I enjoyed the erotic battle of wills she and James engaged in and all the resulting naughty encounters.
From start to finish Ms. Bailey crafted a compelling story full of eroticism and heavy emotions. Dark desires were weighed against stereotypes to reach a believable and richly rewarding HEA based on unconditional love and acceptance. The main characters were strong-willed and larger than life and their conflicted relationship had me fully invested in their HEA. Though some readers might be uncomfortable with the darker side of love on display here, I found myself mesmerized by the power and strength this kind of relationship brought to James and Lita. It's an intoxicating and unconventional connection between them and Ms. Bailey does it beautiful justice in this latest installment in a memorable series of naughty stories!
James's childhood was one of pain and fear due to an abusive father. Fearing that his familial blood will turn his dark desires into abuse leads to a lot of loneliness as he fights to contain his needs. Meeting the young Lita though unleashes his desires during an unforgettable night that leaves him conflicted as he juggles shame, guilt, and obsession while protecting her for the next four years. With Lita's final ultimatum weighing on him James is forced into dealing with his past while discovering the power of free-will and unconditional acceptance. Throughout his journey to enlightenment he and Lita engage in intense sexcapades that have him looking deep into his soul and breaking reader's hearts with his fears and self-loathing. Lita was the one bright spot in his dark and lonely existence as she was the only one to make him smile. Though they were opposites they brought something to their relationship that the other lacked to make them perfect together. I liked James and found the issues of nature versus nurture that he dealt with believable and thought provoking. He exuded quiet control in public but Lita brought out a wild side that was immensely erotic and drew you to him even more. His dirty talk was steamy and made their encounters even more erotic with a taste of the forbidden.
Lita had a violent upbringing too which left her lonely and bruised when she first encountered James and it affected their interactions for the next four years. Though she was young in age she matured through all the harsh life lessons she endured which only made her stronger, but with James's protective instincts already kicked in he saw her only as a little girl. As she was drawn to James from the moment they met she's desperate to have him see her as a woman which leads to dangerous decisions and attention-seeking choices that only fan the flames of their combustible connection. When James gets pushed to his limits one time too many, Lita issues a final ultimatum that changes their relationship and how they see themselves, irrevocably. Lita may appear broken at the start of the story but she's anything but that as she's a survivor. She took her pain and used it to become a star, she never let it consume her like James. She never doubted herself or her feelings for him either which in the end showed a level of maturity he lacked until he sees himself through her eyes. Lita's an entertaining and admirable heroine and I enjoyed the erotic battle of wills she and James engaged in and all the resulting naughty encounters.
From start to finish Ms. Bailey crafted a compelling story full of eroticism and heavy emotions. Dark desires were weighed against stereotypes to reach a believable and richly rewarding HEA based on unconditional love and acceptance. The main characters were strong-willed and larger than life and their conflicted relationship had me fully invested in their HEA. Though some readers might be uncomfortable with the darker side of love on display here, I found myself mesmerized by the power and strength this kind of relationship brought to James and Lita. It's an intoxicating and unconventional connection between them and Ms. Bailey does it beautiful justice in this latest installment in a memorable series of naughty stories!
My rating for this is an A-
*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
Tessa Bailey is originally from Carlsbad, California. The day after high school graduation, she packed her yearbook, ripped jeans and laptop, driving cross-country to New York City in under four days. Her most valuable life experiences were learned thereafter while waitressing at K-Dees, a Manhattan pub owned by her uncle. Inside those four walls, she met her husband, best friend and discovered the magic of classic rock, managing to put herself through Kingsborough Community College and the English program at Pace University at the same time. Several stunted attempts to enter the work force as a journalist followed, but romance writing continued to demand her attention. She now lives in Long Island, New York with her husband of eight years and four-year-old daughter. Although she is severely sleep-deprived, she is incredibly happy to be living her dream of writing about people falling in love.
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