Review: Staged by Olivia Cunning

Release: November 13, 2018

Genre: Rock Star Erotic Romance

Dual POV - 3rd person

Heat: explicit

Standalone - Exodus End #3

Format: eARC provided through NetGalley

Blurb

The world is his stage…
Exodus End’s legendary drummer, Steve Aimes, plays the role of a rock star better than anyone in the business. Since his divorce, he’s embraced every rock ’n’ roll stereotype and uses those vices to keep women at a safe emotional distance, while keeping their physical distance recklessly close. He vowed years ago to never give any woman the power to break his heart again. He just has to keep playing the part, and never drop his guard, and stop obsessing over the keyboardist in their new opening act. He didn’t want Roux’s band on this tour in the first place, but somehow she shattered his barriers without even trying. The only way he knows to save his heart from breaking is to make her his forever, so why does she keep pushing him away?

The stage is her world…
Roux Williams knows an opportunity like this only comes around once in a lifetime. Her band, Baroquen, has finally gotten their big break and are opening for Exodus End and Sinners—two powerhouses of rock—on the European leg of their world tour. She refuses to screw up this opportunity by getting involved with Steve Aimes no matter how gorgeous, sexy and surprisingly attentive he is. She can’t deny her attraction to him—the man has the body of a god and the face of a model—but he’s absolutely off limits. Maybe a lust-crazed weekend on a private island will get him out of her system. Or maybe she’ll fall even harder. Once the tour is over they can date, but until then she must keep her distance, because mixing business with pleasure is not only tabloid fodder, it’s professional suicide. But damn, why does he have to be so stubbornly irresistible?

When their worlds are rattled by a ploy staged to destroy them, Exodus End’s infamous bad boy and Baroquen’s not-yet-famous good girl must figure out a way to have it all and each other.

Goodreads | Amazon

My Review

★★★★☆

After Jessica from Chatterbooks Book Blog raved and raved about this author's books and how much she knew I'd love them, I figured it was about time to find out if she was right. She was! So thanks Jess for putting me on to a stellar book! 💜💜

As this was my first read from this author, I didn't know the back stories of the characters or the inner workings of their interpersonal relationships. And that was fine because the author wasn't lying when she said this could be read as a standalone. I wasn't the least bit confused and now I just want to know more about the characters who were on the sidelines of this story.

Anyhoo, the main characters were Steve, the drummer for Exodus End, and Roux, the keyboardist for Baroquen. Steve's best friend was booted from being his band's opening act on the world tour in order to make room for Roux's band. Obviously, Steve was loyal to his bestie and had some hard feelings. But his feelings weren't the only things to get hard at the sight of one band member in particular - Roux.

Jess let me know how freaking sexy this author's work was so I thought I was prepared. And while this wasn't as kinky as I expected, Steve and Roux did NOT lack in passion. However, they shared more of an emotional connection, right from the start, so it added another level to their intimacy. It was never just sex or a good shagging. It was erotic and sensual and loving. It was perfection. *sigh* Who knew a famous rock star, known for being a manwhore, could be so open and vulnerable and romantic? Steve was absolutely incredible and very easy to love. Roux was an amazingly sympathetic character and my heart immediately went out to her. She was a survivor and she had an enormous heart. Watching these two give their all to each other was quite simply beautiful.

So there you have it. On the word of two voracious readers, Olivia Cunning isn't an author to be passed on. Don't be like me and sleep on her series until everyone else has read them and you're the last one left, wondering what took you so long. Maybe, like me, it's hard for you to try a new author. I get it. But if you read no other book from her, because I can't swear her other books are this lovely, than pick this one up. You won't regret it!

About The Author

Combining her love for romantic fiction and rock 'n roll, USA Today and New York Times Best-Selling Author Olivia Cunning writes erotic romance centered around rock musicians.

Raised on hard rock music from the cradle, she attended her first Styx concert at age six and fell instantly in love with live music. She's been known to travel over a thousand miles just to see a favorite band in concert. As a teen, she discovered her second love, romantic fiction–first, voraciously reading steamy romance novels and then penning her own.

Olivia's first book in her Sinners on Tour Series, Backstage Pass, was published in 2010 by Sourcebooks. Since then, she’s added to her collection of naughty rock stars by continuing the Sinners on Tour series, and starting two new series, One Night with Sole Regret and Exodus End World Tour. She believes there’s a perfect rock star out there for everyone–as long as you like your heroes a little sweet, a little dirty, and a lot sexy.

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