Hi there! Long time no posts… EEP!! I got sucked into overtime in the past two-weeks, and my life went haywire. That said, I’m still reading tons, so today I’m sharing a review for a new contemporary M/M rock romance from Roan Parrish. RIVEN features a lead singer at the top of his fame falling for a musician hiding from his addictions.

About the book:
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.

My Review:
Theo Decker is the lead singer of Riven, a rock band formed by his three bandmates: Coco, Ven and Ethan. He was brought on board and his vocals and songs have propelled the band into stardom. But, Theo’s always felt like the odd-man-out, in his band and his family. Disconnected and frustrated by the stifling trappings of his unwanted fame, he stumbles into a dark bar called by a haunting tune drifting into the alley.

Caleb Blake Whitman was a top blues guitarist and songwriter, but for trips to rehab has left him a shell of the vibrant man he’d been. Clean from his heroin habit for the past year, he’s just starting to write songs again. Meeting the sexy, yet shy Theo isn’t in his life plan. They have some serious chemistry in the bedroom–so much so that Theo tracks Caleb down when he’s off tour. Caleb isn’t thrilled about the prospect of dating a rock star because fame brings drugs–and he’s unsure if he can be around Theo and avoid the pull of his addictions.

I liked the slow steps these guys took into making their relationship work. Theo only feels truly at home when he’s near Caleb. They build a camaraderie that makes a safe zone for Caleb to write music again–songs for himself, for his former lover and best-friend, and songs for Theo. Theo’s writing is changing, too, and his new music isn’t in sync with Riven’s style or brand. Being loved by Caleb is a big bolster to Theo’s self-esteem. His disenchantment with touring and fame has been taking a huge toll on his emotional health. The few times Caleb’s able to be with Theo when he performs are big steps for both of them, but Caleb’s fear of failing in his sobriety is a huge barrier to their happiness. Caleb holds Theo at arm’s length in fear that the love he’s feeling is too close the the high he got while using. It’s a tough balance actually, and takes some hard truths from his sponsor and his bestie to get past his fear.

Theo’s ready for a big change, and while he’s been building some stronger friendships within the band, he knows that continuing that lifestyle is untenable. Especially if he’s going to build a life with Caleb. Theo’s emotions are so palpable, and overwhelming. He’s a guy who craves love, and Caleb’s attention is the most love he’s had in a long time, maybe ever. I liked this one a lot. Theo and Caleb are both out, and their problems aren’t related to their sexuality. Instead, they struggle with finding healthy love that supports and affirms. Theo’s sterile childhood set him up for a lonely adulthood, which is paradoxically reinforced by his fame. Caleb never had a problem with fame, it’s drugs that ruined his life and career. Each man has to learn to love himself, first, and that helps them to each be better partners for the other. It’s a sweet story with yummy sexytimes.

Interested? You can find RIVEN on Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Kobo. I read a review copy via NetGalley.

About the Author:
Roan Parrish lives in Philadelphia, where she is gradually attempting to write love stories in every genre.

When not writing, she can usually be found cutting her friends’ hair, meandering through whatever city she’s in while listening to torch songs and melodic death metal, or cooking overly elaborate meals. She loves bonfires, winter beaches, minor chord harmonies, and self-tattooing. One time she may or may not have baked a six-layer chocolate cake and then thrown it out the window in a fit of pique. She is represented by Courtney Miller-Callihan of Handspun Literary Agency.

You can find Roan online on her website, Facebook and twitter.

Thanks for popping in and keep reading my friends!