Maddox Kershaw is the main vocalist of the world’s biggest boy band. He’s at the top of every music chart, every award show, every social media platform, and every sexiest-man-alive list. He’s the bad boy, the enigma, the man everyone on the planet wants a piece of.
He’s also burned out and exhausted, isolated and lonely. Not in a good headspace at the start of a tour.
Roscoe Hall is Maddox’s personal manager. His job is high-flying, high-demand, high-profile, and he loves it. Maddox has consumed his entire life for the past four years. Roscoe knows him. He sees the real Maddox no one else gets to see.
He’s also in love with him.
When the tour and stress become too much, when the world begins to close in, Roscoe becomes Maddox’s lifeline. But as Maddox knows already, and as Roscoe is about to learn, the brighter the spotlight, the darker the shadow.
Amazon – Kindle Unlimited
Audible
I admit that I am an NR Walker junkie. I just love how prolific she is, always writing LGBT (MM) romance, but the tropes are always different. This one is probably classified as a rock star romance, but it’s a group of 5 guys who make up the band. And besides Maddox playing guitar, I think on stage they sing and dance, no instruments. I hesitate to call it a boy band, but…
I read the book when it came out and really enjoyed it. So of course I had to listen to the audio version. Kind of an epic task for Nick Russo as there are 5 members of the band, 3 hands on management people, a couple of big wigs from the record label and a couple of security people who are in the background but still have dialogue. And it was really well done.
As for the story, the 5 members of Atrus are about to embark on a world tour. For the 5 guys there are 3 hands on managers/handlers. Maddox has been pushed to the forefront as the face of the band and as such has his own manager Roscoe. The other four guys are split between the other two managers.
Throughout the tour Maddox has really bad anxiety issues and Roscoe becomes his rock. Maddox also flirts shamelessly until Roscoe caves. Not that Roscoe wasn’t into it- but it is strictly forbidden and part of his contract.
We follow them on their tour, different cities and countries. Going out sight seeing, fighting jet lag, bodies pushed to the max. Roscoe really does try to do the right thing but can’t deny Maddox.
The book shows a pretty good glimpse into what celebrities go through. From how hard they really work to how they are stalked in real life.
As for the narration. As I said, he did a really great job. The nuances between the voices were subtle, but there. I knew who was talking easily but none of it was over the top. I have no idea how narrators keep all the voices straight. Amazing.
4.5 pieces of eye candy