Book Reviews

Book Blurb

With a sold-out tour looming and intense media attention on their every move, the Artificial Hearts are the hottest rock act in the world. It's just a matter of time until newfound fame illuminates a past Asher Beauregard would rather leave in the shadows. When he meets Leo Harpstedt, the irresistible frontman for the opening act, undeniable chemistry draws them together, but Asher’s secrecy and emotional scars keep Leo at a safe distance.

Posh and well-adjusted despite the blue hair, Englishman Leo comes from a world that Asher, a Louisiana-born high school dropout, can't imagine, never mind inhabit, but as first the Artificial Hearts' manager and then the tour throw them together, the tension between them grows uncontrollable. Leo's seeming confusion about his sexuality and Asher's refusal to let go of the persona and be vulnerable threaten to destroy the tender friendship they've built living and working together.

With help from his drag queen stylist, lesbian sound tech, and a lead guitarist with secrets of his own, can Asher overcome the public revelation of his deepest secrets and seize this chance at love?

 

Book Review

Of the many male/male romance books that I have read revolving around a rock musician and the rowdy music tour lifestyle, this is possibly the only one to which I can enthusiastically gift the title “rock opera.” A feast of tangled emotions, tragedy, hope, and sacrifice is magically melded with a world of fashion, beauty, sex, and music to produce a beautifully cadenced story of love and reclamation. The Asher Beauregard experience is not to be missed.

From his smoky Louisiana Creole accent, to his lithe six-foot-plus lean body, Asher Beauregard, the silky-haired, smoky-eyed, sex-personified, androgynous lead singer of the Artificial Hearts was born to be a rock idol. His manager knows it, his fans know it, and even his band members acknowledge that he is the reason for their rapid rise in the world of rock and roll. But Asher lives in isolation on a shadow called inevitability. In his experience good things don’t happen without worse things following. The chronic whip of inferiority is Asher’s reality and he willfully sacrifices pieces of his soul to stay the shoe that must drop. Music is his only release, and sex and drugs numb his pain. When the gorgeous blue-haired Leo offers comfort, Asher is more than amenable to a sexual romp, but his proposition is rejected. What the hell does Leo want, if it isn’t sex? And how much more of Asher’s soul will he have to sacrifice to find out?

I adored Asher Beauregard! This character’s tremendous mix of complexity, vulnerability, and raw sexual appeal made him pretty much glow from my Kindle. I could not help but cheer him on as he struggled to both control his inner demons and please those surrounding him. I loved his effortlessly sexuality and his trust in his appearance to deliver what other people wanted from him. Scenes of him shifting and manipulating his body to pose for the cameras in his video shoots were second only to the beautiful lyrics of the songs woven throughout his story. The juxtaposition of his two worlds, the beautiful exterior his fans saw and his inner world of pain, confusion, and dread are what really made this book a page-turner for me.  

A lively supporting cast served as myriad reflections of the fractured Asher and provided a wonderful kaleidoscope of stimuli that were at times heartfelt and humorous. Mini-episodes between Asher and his companions gave authenticity to the dazzling array of personalities inherent in the entertainment world and shed a realistic light on the music business. The character of Leo was charming, if spectral, in his guise as Asher’s confused “am I gay?” love interest. The lovemaking and romance between these two scorching hot men is both tender and spicy and I would love to read more about Leo… his entire story… in another book.  While Asher’s captivating story is a fast-paced, angst-driven journey to love and happiness, I could definitely go for a second book simply to spend more time with this delightful cast of characters.

Thank you, Thursday Euclid, for sharing this marvelous trip into the heart of the very special Asher Beauregard… “Mersi”.

“Sex, Drugs & Rocking Good Emotional Roll!”

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER: Books reviewed on this site were usually provided at no cost by the publisher or author. This book has been provided by Loose Id for the purpose of a review.

Additional Information

Format	ebook
Length	Novel, 311 pages/93645 words
Heat Level
Publication Date	16-June-2015
Price
Buy Link	OUT OF PRINT