Review: ROCK KING by Tara Leigh

I'm not who you think I am.

Shane Hawthorne has it all. At least, that's what the headlines say about me. I have millions of fans, awards, more money - and women - than I know what to do with. But what you don't see is the wreckage I've caused. The memories and pain I can't escape, even when I pour them into music and spin them into gold.

I tried to forget. To lose myself in booze and groupies. It didn't work. It hurt me and - worse - it hurt my band. That's the last thing I want to do, so I'm cleaning up my act... starting with Delaney Fraser.

Gorgeous, smart, drama-free, and even nice - Delaney is the perfect "girlfriend." When I'm with her I don't have to pretend. It's like she sees the real me. And I can see a future with her. But that's dangerous. Because the truth is, Shane Hawthorne doesn't actually exist. He's a shield to hide who I really am. Fraud. Runaway. Addict. Murderer.

And it's impossible to love a lie, right?

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2r82aRE

REVIEW

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I still haven't read many rock star romances, but this one I found myself to be quite fond of. Shane was making himself into a legend and his media presence wasn't really doing him justice. He felt like his entire life was a sham, no one really knew the man inside, and he had to constantly remind himself of his purpose. In order to stay away from temptation, especially on tour, he hired women to play the role of his 'girlfriend' to keep him on the straight and narrow. That's where Delaney fits in. Her personality was nothing like what he thought he wanted, but she was exactly who he needed.

This story was about the internal struggles that these characters constantly faced. Guilt for past acts and for unforeseeable tragedies ate away at them. I kept screaming for them to unburden themselves to each other. But their resistance to spilling the truth added to the angst of the novel. This story was well-written, although it did lag in some places, and gave me the chance to feel something. Delaney angered the heck out of me. So I'd say the book was worthwhile.