Reviewed by Kat
TITLE: Beat of Their Own Drum
SERIES: Replay #3
AUTHOR: K.M. Neuhold
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 380 pages
RELEASE DATE: November 12, 2018
BLURB:
Jude
Every rock band needs their bad boy, right? That’s me. Hookers, drugs, DUIs— been there, done that. I’m in a Downward Spiral and proud of it (see what I did there?). When the band manager, Archer, hires Bennett to keep me from screwing up while the band is on hiatus, I may have finally met someone who won’t take my attitude lying down. With the three of us cooped up together for weeks on end, I have a feeling things might get interesting.
Archer
Downward Spiral is my baby. Not only am I the band manager, I discovered them ten years ago when they were nothing but a bunch of high school kids playing in a hole in the wall bar on the weekends. But it’s obvious I haven’t done a great job because they’re falling apart. If the lead singer isn’t trying to kill himself, it’s the bass player telling me he can’t write any new songs. And no one gets under my skin more than Jude, who seems determined to snort and drink himself into an early grave. There’s only one man I can think of who might be able to get Jude back on the right track, Bennett Schmitt. Unfortunately, he’s also the man I let get away sixteen years ago and haven’t gotten over since.
Bennett
If there’s one thing I know how to do, it’s taking control of a situation. In fact, control is kind of my thing. Which is probably why I’m the best in the business when it comes to getting out of control celebrities back on track. When my ex calls and tells me he’s desperate for my help, I can’t turn him down. Between the infuriatingly sexy drummer with no idea what kind of trouble he’s asking for, and my ex looking better than ever, there’s no way this isn’t about to get messy.
* This is an MMM romance with D/s play and mild daddy kink (NO age play), check inside for more details on what to expect
REVIEW:
I have be awaiting this book. I have loved the first two books in this series and this one is a triad!
Jude is the very talented drummer for the super star rock band Downward Spiral. But, unfortunately, the band’s name seems to be their destiny if Archer, their manager, can’t get these men to quit self-destructing. Jude has made a name for himself as the band’s bad boy. He has a well publicized taste for hookers and coke. Little does the world, or even his band mates and manager know, it is all self preservation. A little bump of nose candy and a rent boy that won’t get attached numbs him so he can protect himself from the years of hurt for not being good enough.
Archer knows that he has to personally get Jude under control and that means calling the one man that can destroy his heart most, his ex-fiancé. Bennett is known for being “the one to call” to get the rich celebrities back under control. What Archer and Bennett weren’t prepared for was the draw they would feel for the desperate young man. Now they need to figure out is what to do with those feelings and how to get Jude on board.
One of my big problems with this story was the D/s storyline. Yes, I agree that Jude needed structure but what he needed the most was acceptance and love. His “acting out” was a product of his childhood and his non-relationship with his father. However, Bennett’s way of being a Dom was off putting to me. Being a hard-ass ex-military does not make you a Dom! Aftercare is essential after a scene but these weren’t scenes and there was no aftercare by Bennett. I know that the author had Archer fill that role but it was against every basic guideline for a true Dom follow I have ever read. I also felt it pushing the boundaries to have a double penetration so soon with a virgin bottom like Jude. It just didn’t work for me for his “punishment”. Jude running off was all Bennett’s fault. After an experience like he had just gone through he needed his men to surround him with love and support not sit cuddling together on a couch watching a movie and basically ignoring him when he needed them the very most!
What did work for me was the triad itself. But I think that was more for Archer and Bennett’s behalf. They didn’t work together in the first place but adding Jude to the equation worked for all three. I know that they had Jude call Archer Daddy but this wasn’t any kind of daddy kink to me. Archer was the caring and nurturing type so it worked that way but it wasn’t being a “daddy”.
I love this series and was waiting eagerly for this book. Unfortunately, although I liked it, it fell short in several areas for me. I did like that the men all seemed to complete and compliment each other and that their relationship worked. I know that the book is listed at 380 pages however it read much faster than that and felt way shorter.
I am eager to see what happens next with the direction that the band is moving. I was thrilled so far to see that they are changing their lives for the better and are looking out for their own mental health and well-being. They were all so very young and inexperienced when the band was discovered and they were thrust in the limelight, touring and making oodles of money but they were to young to make good choices. They each desperately needed this break after ten long, grueling years of non stop touring and recording or something really bad was on the edge of happening. Something that even Archer couldn’t undo. I am also eager to see what’s up with Benji.
RATING: 
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