MayhemMayhem #1
By:
Jamie Shaw
Published:
January 20, 2015
Publisher:
Avon Impulse
Source:
eARC from the publisher for an honest review
Add to Goodreads
Here
GR's Summary:
When college freshman Rowan Michaels meets gorgeous, up-and-coming rock star Adam Everest, she knows a player like him is the last thing she needs after her ex-boyfriend shattered her heart. But she can't stop thinking about the kiss they shared on his tour bus.
On the first day of school, Rowan is stunned when Adam saunters into her French class. He's soon failing miserably, and, on a whim, she offers to tutor him. But Adam doesn't recognize her as a makeup-free, glasses-clad college student—a far cry from the beautiful, mysterious "Peach" he met at his concert.
During a wild weekend on tour with the band, Rowan can't help falling for the sweet guy buried beneath Adam's rocker persona. Yet she knows she could never compete with the girls constantly throwing themselves at his feet. She'd just end up hurt … again.
Peach is all Adam thinks about, though, and when Rowan realizes this, she has a decision to make: stay just friends to protect her fragile heart … or reveal the truth about the night they met and admit she's fallen completely, hopelessly in love with him.
On the first day of school, Rowan is stunned when Adam saunters into her French class. He's soon failing miserably, and, on a whim, she offers to tutor him. But Adam doesn't recognize her as a makeup-free, glasses-clad college student—a far cry from the beautiful, mysterious "Peach" he met at his concert.
During a wild weekend on tour with the band, Rowan can't help falling for the sweet guy buried beneath Adam's rocker persona. Yet she knows she could never compete with the girls constantly throwing themselves at his feet. She'd just end up hurt … again.
Peach is all Adam thinks about, though, and when Rowan realizes this, she has a decision to make: stay just friends to protect her fragile heart … or reveal the truth about the night they met and admit she's fallen completely, hopelessly in love with him.
My Thoughts:
I love rockstar romances. There is something so special about letting your imagination run away and take you to a place where you can live out a fantasy. That's what Mayhem did for me. I saw through the eyes of the main character Rowan "Ro," and felt like I was living this fantasy through her. I cannot believe that this is Ms. Shaw's debut novel! The way her characters and the plot completely drew me in, usually only happens for me with more experienced authors. I am suffering from a M-A-J-O-R book hangover right now! I wish I had Riot, the second book in the series, in my hand right now. I read Mayhem in one sitting, with only small necessary breaks in between. It completely blew me away!
In Mayhem, we get Ro's story. Ro is the quiet, intelligent, and studious person who is a loyal friend and a casual dresser. Her best friend, Deandra "Dee," is the wild one. One night when, Ro and Dee are going out to club, Mayhem, Dee convinces Ro to dress out of her comfort zone. Ro wears high heels, a tight short spandex skirt, and revealing sexy top. She feels naked, but decides to live a little, and have a great time with her best friend. Ro is a little disappointed that her long term boyfriend couldn't make it out with them, because he had to work. So, imagine Ro's shock, when she see's her boyfriend Brady kissing another girl at the bar. She is devastated, and goes to sob outside, where none other than hot playboy and lead rock singer, Adam Everest is smoking a cigarette. One thing leads to another and these two exchange a few drinks and kisses in the back of his tour bus. He is about to go on stage with his band, but asks her to meet him after their set. She never does...
A few days later, Ro begins her freshman year of college, and is shocked when she see's that he is in her level two French course. Unfortunately, Adam doesn't recognize her. For one, he's distracted by his entourage of groupies, and for another, Ro looks way different then the night that they met. She is wearing eyeglasses, no make-up, a messy bun, and homely clothes. After a month passes, and Adam is about to get kicked out of French by the professor, Ro, steps in and says that she is his tutor, and rescues him. This begins an adventure in where, Ro, travels with the band for the weekend, so that she can tutor Adam. The more time she spends with him, the harder she begins to fall, but Adam isn't the relationship type, or is he...
I loved all of the characters in this story. Adam was dreamy, sexy, sweet, and misunderstood. I fell for him hard! Ro, was the girl next door and extremely likable and relatable. Dee kept things interesting with her antics and commentary, as did their good friend, Leti. The members of the band where each good looking, swoon-worthy, and had unique personalities. It was hard to chose just one favorite! Adam, Shawn, Joel, and Mike, make for a great group of guys and I am hoping to get each and every one of their stories!
The plot in this story kept my attention from start to finish. What a page-turner! The chemistry and sexual tension between Ro and Adam was deliciously intense! When they finally got together, it was everything I had hoped for.
My Rating:
Book Excerpt:
"When the door opens behind me, I sit up straight and hurriedly sniff in my tears as I wipe my shaking fingers across my slippery cheeks. I hear the flick of a lighter, and then someone sits down next to me on the stairs, puffing a cigarette. When I look over at him, I nearly choke.
He gazes back at me, starting at my hot-pink heels and then raking his way up, and then he chuckles. “Are they letting people in yet?”
Adam. He’s ditched the shades and cap, and now his dark brown hair is framing his gorgeous face, stretching almost to his chin. I look away quickly, hoping he can’t tell I’ve been crying.
“Sorry about that,” I say. And I hear the hoarse sadness in my voice, but I couldn’t keep it out.
When he reaches over and brushes my tangled hair away from my eyes, I tense.
“Is everything okay?” he asks, and I half laugh.
No, everything is not okay.
“Everything’s fine.”
“Then why have you been crying?”
“No reason.”
“You get all dolled up to sit outside of rock shows crying by yourself?”
I lift my gaze to stare into his eyes, and something in them makes me believe he really cares. Or maybe that’s just what I want to see, but I suddenly need to tell someone. “My boyfriend’s in there.”
“And?"
“With another girl. I just caught him cheating.”
Adam takes a deep puff of his cigarette, nodding as he sighs it back out.
“Want me to fuck him up?”
I laugh, and he smiles at me.
“Would you?”
“If you want me to.”
“Why?”
He shrugs.
“Because I offered.”
“Why’d you offer?”
“Who knows why I do anything I do?” He stares at me while I wait for an answer. “I just do.”
That’s a good enough explanation for me, so I look back to my knees again, letting out a shaky breath. I can’t believe I just laughed. At a time like this, Adam Everest made me laugh.
“Anyway, your boyfriend is a dumbass,” he says out of nowhere.
“How do you know?”
His gray-green eyes wash over me. “Look at you.”
I blush like hell, but I know he’s just trying to make me feel better. “You thought I was an idiot when you first saw me.”
Adam chuckles and shakes his head. “I thought you were cute as a peach.” His lips hold the cigarette in his mouth as he stands up, holding a hand down to me. My heart stops; Adam Everest is offering me his hand. In faded denim jeans, all torn up at the knees, and a fit olive-green button-down rolled up to his elbows, he makes my heart race to a nonexistent finish line. “Come on, Peach.”
I take his hand, and he lifts me to my feet, leading me away from the building.
“Where are we going?”
“To get you a drink. I think you need one.”
“I’ve had a few,” I think out loud, slowing to a stop.
Adam gazes over his shoulder at me, his eyebrow cocked when he asks, “Are you saying you don’t want another?”
I take a moment to consider his question.
Just a moment, and then I keep walking."
--Jamie Shaw, Mayhem
About Jamie Shaw:
The only book like this I have read is Open Road Summer, and I enjoyed it way more than I thought I would. So, this one is definitely interesting me in a big way. I really think that I need to check this one out. Especially if this is an debut, and the author is already that dang good! Thank you for the review!
ReplyDelete