Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Book Release Blast for Snared by Stephanie Kay (REVIEW)……

 A female drummer in the usually male-dominated role is a dream come true for Charlie who just wants to be admired for her playing.  But when her heart becomes involved things turn complicated for her and her new band's manager with their fake marriage quickly becoming all too real.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Snared by Stephanie Kay, along with getting my impressions of it, then add this third installment in the Steelwolf series to your bookshelf!

He's been the bane of my existence since the day we met, so how did I wind up wearing his ring?
Charlie Jones is living her dream as the drummer for Steelwolf, one of the top rock bands in the country. But as the newest member of the band, and a woman, the scrutiny is endless. Steelwolf has had more than enough drama over the years and she's not planning to add to it, so she focuses solely on her career, pouring her heart into every beat.
Josh Harrison has everything he's ever wanted. He's been Steelwolf's manager since the beginning and they've been through it all. But he epically screwed up a few months ago. To get back in the band's good graces, he's agreed to do whatever they want, including being their lackey for the rest of the tour. Which means he'll be on a bus with the woman who's gotten under his skin since she walked into the studio two years ago.
She thinks he sees her as a gimmick to sell albums. His cockiness grates on her nerves. He thinks she's amazing. He craves her. But he has one rule: no hooking up with musicians, especially not a client. Now--- somehow --- she's in his bed, in Vegas, with a ring on her finger. And she's agreeing to stay married to him until the end of the tour.
When their fake marriage starts to look --- and feel --- all too real, Charlie must decide. Will she listen to her head and run? Or has the man who drives her crazy finally snared her heart?


BUY here.


MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

As a fan of rockstar romances I jumped on this one the moment I read the synopsis. With its strong-willed female drummer, a manager trying to make amends, and its colorful and outspoken bandmates, Ms. Kay has crafted an entertaining tale of forbidden romance set in the world of rock music.  A bit of angst, a lot of witty banter and steamy interludes, makes this a satisfying yet unexpected romance between two people trying hard to not give in to the attraction eating at them.  When a morning after in Vegas leads to an out of the blue marriage, what started out as fake soon becomes all too real!

Charlie Jones is that rare female in the male-dominated world of drummers, a role she's honored to have.  Past experiences as a bandmate have left her burned and desperate to be seen for her talent instead of her sex.  Joining Steelwolf gives her just such an opportunity as her new bandmates treat her like one of the guys, engaging in playful banter and anointing her with a nickname.  With the guys she gives as good as she gets, treating them like brothers in a connection that took on a familial feel.  When it comes to band manager Josh, though...well, she definitely doesn’t feel brotherly around him.  The moment these two meet there's sparks!  There's a definite attraction that both try to ignore, but a stop in Vegas changes their lives irrevocably as what happens in Vegas won't stay in Vegas.  Once the media learns about their "marriage" Charlie will need to decide whether to listen to her head or her heart as what was once fake soon becomes all too real.  Charlie's a likable heroine, down to earth with tons of talent.  She's a good fit with the other members of Steelwolf, easily engaging in playful banter that made her seem like one of the guys.  She wants to be taken seriously as a drummer, have the focus be on her talent instead of her looks, and I rooted for her to achieve that desire as she truly earned it.  She and Josh are a sizzling pair and I enjoyed seeing their connection grow with each turn of the page.

Josh Harrison, the smart and controlled manager to top rock band Steelwolf, messed up big time by letting a recent secret get out to the media.  To make amends to the band he agrees to go on tour with them and do whatever they ask of him.  It's a rocky journey for the arrogant manager, being given menial tasks, but it's even rockier being so close to the sizzling new drummer.  Though there's a no-fraternization policy, Josh can't help being attracted to the sexy and talented Charlie.  Up until now he's been able to keep his hands to himself...but being in close quarters with her makes it harder to ignore his desires.  When the two of them blow up the internet with a wedding ring and a morning after in Vegas, Josh will have to prove what his heart has known all along...that he and Charlie are meant to be together.

Not having read the first two books in this series wasn't a detriment to enjoying this one. It was easy to see and feel the brotherly bond between the bandmates, seen in their witty banter and playful nicknames for each other.  The rockstar world was realistically depicted, the highs and lows of fame, along with the pressure of reaching the top of the charts.  The overall storyline of this installment was familiar though, has been done before, and I was left hoping for something more/something different from these two assertive characters.  The connection between these two though was satisfying.  Their connection crackled from the very start and I applaud Ms. Kay for making Josh work for his HEA in a journey that had a few bumps along the way but had a nice balance of steam and heart and soul!  Along with the appealing main couple were the other bandmates of Steelwolf, sexy and larger than life men who playfully poked at one another.  Among them, it was Jax who kept me smiling the most with his nicknames and outspoken nature.  He's everything you hope to see in a rockstar and I look forward to seeing him take center stage in matters of the heart!

My rating for this is a B+

*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.


AUTHOR INFO:

USA Today Bestselling Author, Stephanie Kay has always loved a good romance, and she got hooked on the dirty ones at the tender age of 14, when she told her mother that if the cover wasn’t a bodice ripper, then there was no sex in the book. As an avid mystery reader, her mother never checked to see if Stephanie was lying. Twenty plus years later, Stephanie’s most prized possession is her Kindle, and she may have a Hallmark movie obsession.
​She has called California and Maryland her home, but now lives in New England with her husband where she asks him incessant questions until he escapes to go hiking in the mountains. That’s the only time she can get him out of the house so she can get her writing in. Married couples shouldn’t both work from home!
​Sports were never her thing, but after beta reading for another hockey author and buying NHL Game Center within one month of watching her first hockey game a few years ago, she dove into learning everything she could about the sport and the hot men that play it. Now she spends her spare time visiting hockey arenas in the name of research and loving every second of it.
Follow Stephanie on Instagram and Facebook for updates and puppy pics. And join her reader group, Stephanie Kay's Sassy Strikers to talk about books, hockey, hockey butts, and dessert!
You can also email her HERE.

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