Rock Star’s Heart by Kella Campbell

NEW ADULT ROMANCE

Publication date: 2/28/2018
Kindle Unlimited: No
Cliffhanger: No

Kella Campbell is a new-to-me author, and I always get really excited before I read anything from a new-to-me author. You just can’t have too many 1-click authors, you know? But I almost always tone down my excitement right away. Hope is a dangerous, dangerous thing, y’all, and I’ve been let down more times than I care to count by new-to-me authors. I’m pleased to say that Rock Star’s Heart didn’t let me down. Was it perfect? No. I had a few gripes. But overall, I’m glad I gave it a chance.

Let’s start with the positives:

1. I appreciated the fact that the story didn’t paint a rosy picture of the rock star lifestyle. This story was gritty. The hero is a drug addict, and the love of the heroine alone isn’t enough to “save” him. He has to make the choice to get clean and sober on his own, and he does (eventually). It’s not easy for him, though, and the fact that he struggled made him more relatable as a character (in my opinion).
2. Crys, the heroine, is a very level-headed, quick-thinking young lady. She was loyal, and helpful, and sweet—and in the end, she came through for the hero in a big way. I enjoyed reading about a young heroine who wasn’t at all flighty, flaky, and/or annoying.
3. At times the book read like a reality show that featured the backstage lives of a world-famous rock band. It was strangely addictive to read about the little backstage details that didn’t really have anything to do with the hero and heroine’s love story.
4. The other characters in the book were interesting without being obvious sequel/series-bait.
5. I love the old “fake girlfriend” trope.   
6. Blade, the hero, had his addiction issues, and it was hinted at that he occasionally (ahem) indulged in groupies, but I never got the idea that he was a disease-ridden manwhore, which is probably my biggest problem with rock star romance overall.
7. I won’t give anything away, but Blade’s proposal at the end of the story was the most romantic totally unromantic proposal I’ve ever read. I adored it.        

Now for the stuff that irked me a little:

1. There’s a bit in the beginning where Cyrs is hanging out after the concert with her friends and a couple of guys they’d just met. It becomes apparent fairly quickly that Crys’s friends are somewhat judgy and un-accepting of LGQBT folks. Crys had no such hang-ups, but I didn’t see why the author needed to make Crys’s friends so...unlikeable. They never really surfaced in the story again, which made it all the more puzzling.
2. Crys sure did sign on the dotted line and agree to give up her life for a whole year for what essentially amounts to a babysitting job for a dude she doesn’t know. I mean, if I’d been offered a similar deal to babysit Jon Bon Jovi, even back in the late 80s, I would’ve had to think pretty hard about giving up a year of my life and school to hit the road with the band. (And I REALLY loved Jon Bon Jovi.)
3. I would’ve liked to see a few chapters from Blade’s POV. We never really got a clear picture of what he was thinking and feeling. He was interesting and I would’ve liked to learn more about him throughout the story.
4. I both loved and hated how calm Crys always way. That kind of zen-like calm is something I admire (and totally lack)—but there were times in the story that I kind of wanted her to freak out and yell and scream. It would’ve made her feel more real, you know? Real people couldn’t see the things she saw without being at least a little freaked out.
5. It wasn’t instalove, but Crys and Blade did fall in love pretty quickly, without ever really having too many actual conversations. I would’ve liked to see them communicate a little more before declaring everlasting love and all that mushy junk.           

But, minor quibbles notwithstanding, this was a solid rock star romance that fans of the trope will enjoy. It’s definitely worth a read.

Total disclosure: we received an ARC from the author free of charge.

Does this book contribute to or help crush the romance stigma?
No rehab needed. This one’s clean and sober.

Other reading suggestions
Check out our favorite rock star romances here. We also have several “fake girlfriend” recommendations you might enjoy. Happy reading! ​

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