Title: Rock Redemption Author: Nalini Singh
Series: Rock Kiss #3
Release date: October 6th 2015
(Sub)genres: Rockstar
Pages: 349
Buy: Amazon US
Rating:
From New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh comes the next contemporary romance in the Rock Kiss series…
Kit Devigny could have loved rock guitarist Noah St. John. Their friendship burned with the promise of intense passion and searing tenderness…until the night Noah deliberately shattered her heart.
Noah knows he destroyed something precious the night he chose to betray Kit, but he’d rather she hate him than learn his darkest secret. All he has left is his music. It’s his saving grace, but it doesn’t silence the voices that keep him up at night. Chasing oblivion through endless one-night-stands, he earns a few hours’ sleep and his bad boy reputation.
When a media error sees Noah and Kit dubbed the new “it” couple, Kit discovers her chance at the role of a lifetime hinges on riding the media wave. Wanting—needing—to give Kit this, even if he can’t give her everything, Noah agrees to play the adoring boyfriend. Only the illusion is suddenly too real, too painful, too beautiful…and it may be too late for the redemption of Noah St. John.
Kathleen ‘Kit’ Devigny is a famous actress, known for her beauty and the roles she plays in movies and television series. Growing up as the ‘fugly’ daughter of a very successful tennis player and a drop-dead gorgeous model she never got the attention she wanted from her parents. Not that they didn’t love her, but her parents were busy with their own loving relationship and the busy life that came with their social status. They simply didn’t have the time to spend with their little girl. Kit doesn’t want to lean on her parents name and fame – she wants to make it on her own and is very successful at it. During the early years of her career, Kit starts a friendship with the members of the now famous rock band Schoolboy Choir. She enjoys spending time with all the men, but she develops strong feelings for the guitarist, Noah St. John – feelings he doesn’t reciprocate.
“Sliding to the floor with her back to the door after Noah left, Kit stared at the hands that always wanted to touch Noah when he was near and shook her head. Her tears were silent this time, the hot droplets erasing the last traces of the dream.”
Noah is a famous rock star – well known for his guitar play and the wild party life that comes with his profession. But underneath the party exterior there’s a wounded man scarred by his past. A man who can only find short periods of rest by drinking himself into oblivion and by having sex with countless, faceless women. He finds himself unworthy of Kit, although he calls her the one woman he loves. When the tabloids start a rumor that he and Kit finally became a couple and Kit needs help to secure the biggest movie opportunity of her life, he decides to help her – and leave his unhealthy lifestyle behind for a while.
“Noah wanted to dance with Kit for so long, to feel the music through her body. He’d never permitted himself the pleasure, never allowed himself to put his hands on her. Because whatever he touched, he destroyed.”
Kit has been in love with Noah for a long time now. Thinking that all the time they spend together – watching movies, having diner, helping with gardening – is leading to a real relationship, she is devastated when Noah shreds her heart to pieces. Noah fully knows he has hurt her, but in his mind this is the only way to keep her away from his demons. Although he has ruined their friendship, he calls her when he’s at an absolute low-point in his life. Kit – the sweet caring woman that she is – comes to his rescue, but reminding herself to guard her heart. After some talking the couple decides on a friendship, while Noah continues to hurt Kit with his groupie sexcapades.
It takes tabloid rumors, a once in a life time changing movie role, and a persistent stalker for Noah to clean up his act and play the adoring boyfriend at the advice of his and Kit’s friend Thea. With being so much in each other’s presence, both Noah and Kit start talking about how they truly feel. When Noah finally tells Kit about his demons, the reason why he is the way he is, the couple slowly starts on the path to true lasting love.
My heart breaks for both Kit and Noah. Kit didn’t have a bad childhood, but her parents put each other and their career and social life before her. From an early age, she has learned not to expect anything from them, so it was a nice surprise every time one of them actually remembered her. I understand her love for Noah, but sometimes I just wanted her to move on, to find a man who wanted her. Not because I didn’t think they would make a great couple, I just wanted her heart to stop hurting.
Noah secret is much more devastating. What has been done to him at a very early age was horrific in its own way, his parents’ reaction made everything so much worse. I’ve wanted to hug little Noah, tell him it was not his fault, tell him I would be there for him, and hold his hand. All the things his very own parents haven’t done. I understand Noah’s need to keep his demons at bay, but it was painful to see a man – with a good friend who wanted their relationship to be so much more – bury himself in booze, drugs, and cheap women.
“It was a long, slow session full of romantic bullshit, and afterward, when they were drying off Noah realized he’d made love to Kit. Not fucked her, not had sex. Made love. He’d always thought that was a dumb phrase, but not today. Today it felt exactly right.”
I adore this book, written in the beautiful style Nalini Singh is known for. I love Noah and Kit, their cautious path to rebuild the friendship they had, and their road to love. It was good to see the other band members and their women again, I can’t wait for the next book. The only minus; I missed my beloved T-Rex.
I give this heartbreaking story 5 stars.
Leave a Reply