Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: Riven
SERIES: Riven #1
AUTHOR: Roan Parrish
PUBLISHER: Loveswept
LENGTH: 235 pages
RELEASE DATE: May 29, 2018
BLURB:
Theo Decker might be the lead singer of Riven, but he hates being a rock star. The paparazzi, the endless tours, being recognized everywhere he goes—it all makes him squirm. The only thing he doesn’t hate is the music. Feeling an audience’s energy as they lose themselves in Riven’s music is a rush unlike anything else . . . until he meets Caleb Blake Whitman. Caleb is rough and damaged, yet his fingers on his guitar are pure poetry. And his hands on Theo? They’re all he can think about. But Caleb’s no groupie—and one night with him won’t be enough.
Just when Caleb is accepting his new life as a loner, Theo Decker slinks into it and turns his world upside-down. Theo’s sexy and brilliant and addictively vulnerable, and all Caleb wants is another hit. And another. That’s how he knows Theo’s trouble. Caleb can’t even handle performing these days. How the hell is he going to survive an affair with a tabloid superstar? But after Caleb sees the man behind the rock star, he begins to wonder if Theo might be his chance at a future he thought he’d lost forever.
REVIEW:
I am so thankful that I found this new-to-me author and I got the chance to review this book series.
Theo Decker may look like he has everything that a person could ever want…more money than he could ever possibly spend in his lifetime, superstar fame, and a voice and musical talent that is beyond amazing and gifted! But he doesn’t have what he really needs. He doesn’t have the ability to go out for a simple bowl of soup or cup of coffee without being recognized and mobbed. He can’t even go for a walk to clear his head. He loves what he does, preforming and writing his music for his fans, but he just needs a bit of privacy so he can collect his thoughts. Oh, and some one to truly love him, something he has never experienced before in his life. Caleb Blake Whitman is finally getting back on his feet. He may be shaky but, with the help of his friend Rhys and his sponsor Huey, he is starting to moving forward…maybe the fourth time will finally take? One night, at Huey’s bar in the city, Caleb is sitting and playing his guitar while singing. Theo is halted by the music and goes in to watch. Both men seem to be mesmerized by the other and then one thing leads to another and soon a night of exhilarating passion and phenomenal sex occurs. When Theo wakes up the next morning Caleb is gone but he sticks with him as Theo goes on the next leg of the tour. When he can’t get him off of his mind Theo has his agent figure out where Caleb is. When Theo shows up on Caleb’s country farm they both know there is something there but can they take a chance on it or will Caleb’s problems be too much to be with a superstar?
This book really opened my eyes to something I hadn’t thought about before. When I was young I knew what all the guys names and faces were in bands like The Beatles and The Monkeys. But now it tends to be just the front man that gets known and chased while his band mates get to step out and not be so easily recognizable. I loved that Theo was so wrapped up in his music and that he wasn’t a diva that craved that attention. It was the music in him that led him, not the fame and its trappings. I also loved his naivety. He was so absorbed in the creating music that he never realized that he was taking the full brunt of the media storm. When he and Ethan finally discussed his being mobbed I think that at least Ethan finally was understanding who the real Theo was and what his life was like. I think that Coco did too somewhat but Ven craved what Theo was getting and was extremely jealous of all the attention and stardom he received but didn’t want.
I fell for both men. Theo because he was this sweet, wonderful guy that just wanted to create music and be loved. But Caleb, and his addiction, was it for me. The fight that he endured daily to try and stay clean. What he was willing to try and endure so that he could be with Theo. Especially when Theo pushed. I get that he was scared. Four times in rehab would make you very leery. And I get that he felt like a failure to those around him. He kept disappointing them each time he failed. What he failed to recognize was that they all still loved him and just wanted the best for him. I think that it took a sweet, naïve guy to show the old, broken Caleb that life and love was not only possible but obtainable for the long haul.
That is what I loved about this book. It gave life a chance and made it sweet and caring. Was their journey easy…Hell No! But was it worth all the confusion, self-doubt and second guessing…a resounding Hell Yes! I was invested in these characters and wanted to see how they would make it work against all the overwhelming odds. It is no secret that I love Rock Star series but this was more than a rock star on tour book. This was the book of all the trappings that can come from being a star and how to survive them and still get your songs out. It was the story of pain and perseverance to be the person you wanted to be. And, above all else, it was the story of Love! Love isn’t always easy but it is so worth the trip to get to the good stuff! As you can probably tell, I really, really loved this book and didn’t want it to end! A HUGE THUMBS UP!!!
RATING: 
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