As a fan of rock star romances I found myself quickly captivated by this tale of stereotypes and its taboo theme of age differences at war with love in this fourth installment in the Jail Bait series. Keep reading to get a tantalizing taste of Getting Lucky by Mia Storm, along with my impressions of it, and then add it to your bookshelf.
“Getting Lucky”
a song by Tro Gunnison
Wouldn’t care if I could. I’m up to no good.
Taking what I want instead of what I should.
I’m made of pure greed. There’s shit that I need.
The mask is off and the demon’s freed.
I’m gonna get drunk.
I’m gonna get played.
I’m gonna get rich.
I’m gonna get laid.
And I’m gonna get Lucky.
Raised in the system, Shiloh Luck’s first sixteen years have been anything but lucky. After winning The Voice, she’s finally living the dream—a record contract, talk shows, a North American tour opening for the hottest band out there. Everything is going according to plan...until their frontman, Tro Gunnison, explodes her life into chaos. He’s shallow, self-centered, and completely infuriating, and he’ll do anything for notoriety. Including her.
Like it or not, she’s stuck with him for three months on the road, but the longer they spend together, the more she begins to realize there’s more to Tro than anyone has ever dug deep enough to find. If his attention is anything other than just another publicity gimmick, she might let herself see where it leads. But before she can risk everything, she has to be sure.
If there’s one thing that Tro Gunnison has learned in the six years since he left his past in the dust, it’s that living life big, bold, and totally outrageous keeps people from seeing past the glare. He’s buried his demons beneath six feet of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, and he’s convinced no one will ever dig them up…until Lucky. She’s young, but not naive, and without even trying, she sees past the facade to the man underneath…which scares the hell out of him. Because what started out as smoke and mirrors has somehow turned real, and for the first time in his life, there’s someone he cares about more than himself. But it turns out getting Lucky could be a double-edged sword.
He’s always been sure it would be his past that would bring him down, but it might turn out to be Jail Bait instead.
EXCERPT:
Tro
I squint against the reflection of the megawatt stage lights off the shiny cover of the Rolling Stone issue Jimmy Fallon is holding up for the The Tonight Show cameras. There’s a ripple of excited chatter from the live audience, then a girl near the back shouts, “Marry me, Tro!”
On the screen at stage right, I watch as the TV monitor pans in on the cover, a full frontal of me totally nude except for the black and red Schector C-1 Hellraiser hanging from the strap around my neck and covering the part of me that would have made the cover X-rated otherwise. She’s my baby—my first electric guitar and the only thing I own that I truly give a shit about.
Jimmy flips his hand at the image. “It’s pretty safe to say you’re comfortable in the limelight, but some people say you’re over the top.”
I almost never agree to interviews. First, you sort of have to be sober for them, and second, they’re bullshit. But Jimmy’s pretty cool, and my manager was pissed that I’d turned down every other promotional opportunity leading up to this tour, so here I am.
I loop my arm over the back of the chair next to his desk and slouch into it, crossing one black-booted ankle over the other knee. “Balls out, man. That’s how I live my life. I know some people find that offensive, but…” I give the audience my best I-don’t-give-a-shit smirk. “Who the fuck cares?”
There’s a mix of chuckles and gasps from the studio audience, and the girl in the back yells out, “I love you!”
Jimmy cringes. “And…that’s why we do these segments on tape,” he says, scratching the top of his head. He leans on his elbows toward me. “So balls out.”
I nod. “I live life on my own terms. Otherwise, what’s the point. I march to someone else’s orders, then I’m living someone else’s life. I’m not gonna waste my time worrying about what other people think. I do my thing, they do theirs, and everyone’s happy. That’s all it’s gotta be.”
A wry smile curves Jimmy’s mouth as his fingers drum the desk. “That’s pretty philosophical for a guy who’s first big hit was about getting lucky in the middle of a barroom brawl.”
I pull myself up straighter. “Let it be, let it be, let it be, oh let it be,” I sing, doing my best John Lennon. Girls in the audience scream. “That was a from guy who’s first hit was all about begging some chick to love him.” I plant my elbow into the arm of the chair and lean toward Jimmy. “And as for nailing someone in the middle of a brawl, the deeper symbolism there is that life is all about finding the positive in adverse situations—looking for the silver lining, and all that shit. So that song might have been a little more philosophical than you’re giving it credit for.”
He cuts an amused glance backstage. “Got your finger ready on that bleeper, Pete?”
I’d apologize, but I don’t. Ever. That’s part of living balls out. I live in the moment and never apologize for any of it.
Or regret it.
I spent way too much time doing that before I learned that the only thing that really matters is right now. My real life started six years ago, when I walked away from what I thought was life. I never look back at all the shit that came before. None of it matters.
“So, I’ve got to ask,” Jimmy says, setting the Rolling Stone issue face down on his desk. “How sick do you get of the paparazzi and the tabloids? You must feel like you’re living in a fishbowl most of the time.”
He’s right but, “I don’t really give a shit.”
My manager, Ray, called me last night while I was kicking back at the hotel with the guys to ask me what the fuck I was thinking. Apparently, last night’s episode of Access Hollywood had someone’s iPhone footage of me banging some actress I don’t even remember meeting on a table at the Sunset Lounge. I was pretty fucked up at that after-party, but just because I don’t remember it doesn’t mean I doubt it happened.
“The way I see it, they’re just doing their job, trying to make a buck. Why anyone would want to read or watch that shit is beyond me, but as long as there’s a market, I can’t really get too pissed about it.”
“You don’t feel like you’re entitled to a private life?” he asks.
I give him half a shrug. “Nothing they do is going to change anything I do. I’m just living my life. If they feel compelled to capture that on film, so be it.”
“That attitude will probably save your sanity.” He scoops a copy of Roadkill’s latest studio CD off his desk and holds it up for the camera. On the over, I’ve got this sort of deranged psycho-killer look in my eye and the guys are in the shadows behind me. Totally fucking sinister.
“Speaking of which, the lead single off your new CD, ‘Insane,’ debuted at number one on the rock charts last month.”
“Yeah.” I send an appreciative wave toward the audience. “Thanks, guys.”
A handful of girls scream my name and the rest of the audience applauds.
“Fuck me, Tro!” the girl in the back shouts.
I shield my eyes with my forearm and squint through the lights to a seat near the back, where two security guards are converging. “Be right there, doll.” I flick a hand at Jimmy. “Just give me a sec to finish up what I’m doing here.”
FIND THIS BOOK AT GOODREADS here.
FIND THE JAIL BAIT SERIES AT GOODREADS here.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
As a reader who enjoys rock star romances I found myself quickly engrossed in the action and characters caught up in the turmoil of the rock 'n roll lifestyle in this fourth installment in the taboo-themed Jail Bait series. Along with the vivid depiction of the ups and downs of finding fame, Ms. Storm also includes the romance of the barely legal heroine drawn to the rock star who's trying to find something meaningful in his life. It all combines to make a sensual read with surprising heart that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish, charmed by the unexpected depths to the main characters, that left me sorry to see it end.
Tro Gunnison's past is one of pain and loneliness with a deadbeat father bent on ruining his life until he runs away to turn his musical talent into fame. Wanting to forget all the pain though has him embracing the stereotypical rock star lifestyle of sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll. He lives without regrets, saying and doing whatever he wants as there's no one he feels obligated to...until he meets rising star Shiloh Luck. In her eyes he sees innocence, goodness, and mutually understandable pain. It resurrects the heart he thought he lost and has him trying to become a better man, a man worthy of her love. Giving up his vices leaves him even more lost at a time of great turmoil, but his dedication brings him even closer to Shiloh at a time when he'll need her support more than ever. I adored Tro, even at his most hedonistic as his charm always shone through. He knew he was no good, and wanted to protect Shiloh from himself, but being around her slowly changed him and had him throwing off the meaningless trappings of fame. He chose to embrace the more meaningful aspects of life and it felt as if his soul was unburdening despite the pain of starting over and it left me cheering for him with pride.
Shiloh Luck came from a broken home that left her in foster care and at the mercy of anyone bigger and badder than her. It left her untrusting of others except for her friend Lilah (seen in the first installment of this series) whose musical talent helped her gain fame and put her on a collision course with Tro. She's young and naive when it comes to music, street smart but uncertain in how to act in this world of money and pirahnas. She wants to be loved but doesn't want to be vulnerable because of those feelings. Though Tro is abrasive something about him calls to her. When they're together she wants him despite what she knows is best as he shows a deeper, and more meaningful, side to himself. They make beautiful music together, but just as she discovers a crushing betrayal close to her, he'll be battling his own demons with the return of his past. Shiloh's a bundle of energy that's jaded because of her past. She wants to believe in HEA but seen too much badness in her life to think any different which puts a strain on her burgeoning relationship with Tro. When he needed her most though she was there full of maturity and understanding to help him put his life back together.
The issue of their age difference was supposed to be seen as taboo but I never felt that way as nothing happened between them until after her birthday. They really were just friends at first as Tro wanted to be her protector. Tro was seen as older though because of his craven lifestyle but he wasn't that much older than her. Regardless of age their connection was crackling as it wavered from sexual innuendoes to playful banter to musical equals. Ample time was spent on them as individuals, to help readers see past their personas, but also as a couple with interactions teeming with sexual tension. The secondary characters of their bandmates were a motley crew and vividly depicted to make you feel a part of this glitzy world with the concert scenes pounding off the page. Seeing Lilah and Bran from Shiloh's past was heartwarming and was her shelter in the storm her life had become after discovering her heartbreaking betrayal and their scenes together brought a smile to my face. The only part of the story that frustrated me was Tro's father and the overly dramatic turn of events regarding his discovery that came out of nowhere. It felt unnecessary and took time away from the sweet and sexy early stages of Tro and Shiloh's relationship, a relationship that I wish we could've seen more of once they finally committed to each other. On a whole though I was captivated by this story and its two larger than life leads. Tro was an animal on stage with a devil may care persona that was immensely attractive, but it was those sweet words and even sweeter lyrics that showed his true heart that left me drooling over him and a recent addition to my book boyfriend list. Though this story can stand nicely on its own I'm now compelled to go back and read the previous installments as Ms. Storm's storytelling has me wanting to experience more of her talent.
My rating for this is a B+
*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
Mia Storm is a hopeless romantic who is always searching for her happy ending. Sometimes she's forced to make one up.
When that happens, she's thrilled to be able to share those stories with her readers. She lives in California and spends much of her time in the sun with a book in one hand and a mug of black coffee in the other, or hiking the trails in Yosemite.
