Book Review – Lick: Stage Dive 1 by Kylie Scott

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• Buy LICK (Paperback)

“So congratulations. You’re married to a rock star.”

I’d been wishing for a new rock star book and this one hit the spot and rocked my world!!

Lick is an addictive blend of heart-warming passion and light-hearted fun. It’s a story you can lose yourself in. The perfect rock star romance! 5 stars!

This book had one of the all-time best beginnings ever. I challenge anyone to try and stop reading after the first page!

Evelyn wakes up one morning with a killer hangover and painfully fuzzy memories, in bed with a gorgeous, heavily inked man she doesn’t remember with his name tattooed on her body and a giant sparkling diamond on her finger. Needless to say, this happened in Vegas 😉

From the very beginning, my heart was already breaking a little for this guy though because he clearly remembered what had happened despite her mindblank.

“Let me get this straight, you don’t remember anything?”
“No,” I said, swallowing hard. “What did we do last night?”
“We got fucking married.” he growled.

After getting over the shock she’s faced with the question… to divorce or not to divorce??

Plan A involved just trying to put everything behind her but she got about as far as the plane before she was hounded by hordes of paparazzi. Turns out that her mystery husband was not only in a band but in a world-famous-fall-on-your-knees-and-worship-them kind of band and by this point literally everyone on the planet (except her still) knew a version of what happened that night.

So Plan B came into effect and off she headed back to his place to try and settle things that way…

Me: Private jet was amazing. Though his fans are crazy…
Lauren: Whatever happens, do not break up the band!!!
Me: Got it.
Lauren: But break his heart. He wrote San Pedro after what’s-her-face cheated on him. That album was BRILLIANT!
Me: Promise to leave him a broken quivering mess.
Lauren: That’s the spirit.
Me: xx.

But she’d stepped into a crazy rock star world. No one was pleased at her new role in it, she just wanted out, and she couldn’t read David but he sure as hell just seemed plain unhappy. But I loved that Ev took it all in stride. Sure, it was overwhelming at times but she was such a strong character and didn’t let anything bring her down.

There was, however, something undeniable between them. A spark… something ‘more’. So they took the weekend to give them a second chance to explore that feeling between them that just felt so ‘right’.

“I… actually, I’d like to be alone for a minute.”

He made a growly noise and suddenly his arms wrapped around me, pulling me in against him. He caught me off guard and I stumbled, my nose bumping into his chest. It hurt. Bur he smelled good. Clean, male, and good. Familiar. Some part of me remembered being this close to him and it was comforting. Something in my mind said ‘safe’. But I couldn’t remember how or why.

I totally fell for David. Everything about him just made my heart melt. He was just so sweet and tender. Definite swoon material but at the same time, my heart broke for him…

“It’s not fair that I remember and you don’t, Evelyn.”

Ev was a refreshingly down-to-earth, non-ditzy, understanding heroine. I honestly did not feel frustrated with her even once. I respected her decisions and loved the way she handled everything.

The writing was so real! This author had a way of describing things that put you ‘right there’ in the moment seeing everything play out in front of your eyes. It was witty, smooth flowing with just the right touch of snark to keep me smiling throughout.

Ok – now here’s what really and truly made this book GOLD to me. The characters were just so functional!! Never once did I want to throttle anyone or throw the book at the wall.  Now, don’t get me wrong, there was heart-break, the characters messed up and it was certainly not all sunshine and rainbows but the way they reacted to everything was believable and never over-the-top.

I also loved that the drama in this one was very personal. Yes, he was a world-famous rockstar but the issues here were all very relationship focused and ‘internal’ having to do with “them”, not with paparazzi or his fame or anything.

I was totally connected to the characters every step of the way. I was happy when they were happy and my heart broke along side theirs.

“Love isn’t always smooth or straightforward. It can be messy and painful,” he said. “Doesn’t mean it still isn’t the most incredible thing that can ever happen to you.”

I loved that they talked through their issues. I loved that there was no instant forgiveness and yet at the same time nothing was dragged out. It felt very balanced to me. Their healing after the heart-break was very believably paced and so by the end, I really felt that their happy ending had a foundation.

“His hands cupped my face, holding me to him. The kiss was so sweet and perfect. It was a promise, one that wouldn’t be broken this time. We’d both learned from our mistakes and we’d keep learning all our lives.”

This is a book about taking chances and following your heart and dreams. It was a feel-good rock star romance with just the right amount of everything you could possibly want in one.

Seriously guys, this book has no game-playing, no stupidity, no unnecessary drama, believable issues, and understandable reactions. It has very “real” characters who make mistakes and yet try to fix them. It was a great blend of warm fuzzies, hotness and heart ache with a wonderfully happy ending that took it’s time and made me ‘believe’. Bottom line… I loved it!!

Highly recommended!

5 stars!

PS – this is the first book in a series but it reads as a standalone. No cliffhanger. Each book will be about a different couple and I can’t wait for the next in the series!

• Buy LICK (Kindle)
• Buy LICK (Paperback)

Casting

• David #1, David #2

*** SERIES READING ORDER ***

Each book is a standalone about a different couple
but it is recommended to read them in order.

Stage Dive 1 — LICK (David)
Buy for Kindle | Buy in Paperback | Read my Review

Stage Dive 2 — PLAY (Mal)
Buy for Kindle | Buy in Paperback | Read my Review

Stage Dive 3 — LEAD (Jimmy)
Buy for Kindle | Buy in Paperback

Stage Dive 4 — DEEP (Ben)
Buy for Kindle | Buy in Paperback