Tattoos and Heartbreak
By: Quinn Marlowe
Series: Trouble Next Door
Book # in Series: 1 of 2
Genre: Rockstar Romance/Emotional
Publisher: Spitfire Press
Publication Date: December 5th, 2023
My Rating: ✮✮✮
My Reading Format: I received a complimentary copy from the author to review honestly
Synopsis:
He’s got everything she ever wanted. She’s got everything he’s always needed. But it will take a bad agreement, a road trip, and a contract for them to make it work.
As an aspiring country-western star, there isn’t much Lila Potter wouldn’t do for a chance to make her dreams come true. So when words gets out that two bonafide superstars are giving away a recording contract, she’s prepared to follow their tour for as long as it takes to get lucky. But when she unexpectedly falls into the arms—and bed—of the nation’s most troubled rock star in the process, her entire plan is endangered.
Singer Rivers Shine is the epitome of a bad boy, and he’s got the reputation to prove it. His agent, once patient with his adventures, is now fed up with his antics. Desperately in need of some good PR for her this proudly bad boy, she issues an ultimatum: Either Rivers agrees to fix his image or his band loses its spot as the opening act on the biggest tour of the year.
Rivers doesn’t like it, but he knows he has no choice. Agree… or lose his band the chance of a lifetime.
And it shouldn’t be that hard, right? According to his agent, he just has to pretend he finally has a steady girlfriend and might actually be thinking about settling down.
And she already has the perfect woman in mind. She knows they have chemistry. She knows they can’t keep their eyes off each other.
The girl he’s already taken to bed once.
The girl who sees him for who he actually is.
Now, everything depends on Rivers and Lila convincing the public that they really are a couple. If they succeed, Rivers and his band continue on the tour. Lila gets the recording contract she’s always dreamed of.
Easy.
But when very real feelings start to get in the way of their very fake relationship, things get complicated. The more they see of each other, the more real sparks begin to fly. After several late-night chats, a forced road trip, and more than one physical encounter that leaves them both shaking with desire, Lila and Rivers are forced to admit that there might be more to this fake relationship than they thought.
But is there a happily ever after waiting at the end of their publicity stunt? Or will they both be left with nothing more than tattoos and heartbreak?
Tattoos and Heartbreak is the first in the Trouble Next Door series, and is a spicy story that promises a broken rock star, a girl who’s too sweet for him, and a chance at the HEA neither of them knew they needed. Look for the next in the series, Guitars and Mistakes, out in spring of 2024.
Tattoos and Heartbreak is the first novel in Quinn Marlowe’s Trouble Next Door series. This also happens to be the first novel i have ever read from this author, So let’s get started with this review.
Rivers has a challenge in front of him, rewrite his reputation or say goodbye to his recording contract, his tour, and his manager. But sometimes the broken ones can’t easily be fixed.
Enter Lila, the epitome of girl next door. Lila and Anna dreamed of one day hearing their voices on the radio. So when Anna hears about a contest where the winners get a chance to tour with big names, Lila can’t say no… little does Lila know, this contest isn’t going to be the biggest challenge she has to face.
When a deal is offered to both Rivers and Lila, Lila simply can’t refuse the offer. All she has to do is be seen in public and fake date the broody tattooed rockstar, and the contract she’s dreamed of her whole life will be hers.. FINALLY. AH, fate at it’s finest.
My Thoughts:
This is my first novel from author Quinn Marlowe and I have to say, this author has a way with words. I’m a sucker for Rockstar romance novels, especially when the rockstar is a bad boy and falls hopelessly for the good girl. I love how the man typically finds it in himself to be a better version of himself without even being told to. He changes for the right girl, and that’s exactly what Rivers went through in this novel.
And then we have Lila. Lila is as sweet as sugar with a heart of gold. But if you get on her bad side, she will rain down hell fire on you. I loved the fact that she brought a more playful side out of Rivers. I loved seeing each give something that was needed in the other. My heart swooned and my heart fell in love.
The only hangup I had was the fact that I wanted more detail, description, and emotional scenes between Rivers and Lila. I wanted to dive deeper into these two characters, I wanted a more personal insight into their thoughts, their wants, and their needs. I wanted to feel that irrevocable heartbreak, I wanted to feel the passion between the two more and I wanted to feel the impending doom of a goodbye that is on the outskirts. Bottom line, I wanted more and I felt this novel was a tad bit too short for the impact these characters had on me. That is the reasoning behind why I gave this one a 3 star rating. I wanted to get to know these characters on a personal level. I wanted flashbacks of Rivers hardships and neglect as a minor in the rock industry. I also wanted more of a sisterhood between Lila and Anna. My heart loved the premise of this one, but I wanted much much more!
Overall, if you’re looking for an ‘in one sitting’ ‘2 hour read’, and you love rockstar romances and bad boys you’ll probably enjoy this one as I did. I just wanted a bit more from the beginning of Lila and Rivers relationship…. UGH, I’m a spoiled reader.
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Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3RtdrJL
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Peace Love and Happy Reading,
