Author: Sarah Darlington

First Published: 05 February 2020

Rating: 4 stars

 

 

 

“I’d always be the better gamble. Her gamble.”

I will start by saying that I was given an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own. Thank you so much to Sarah for sending a copy my way! Also thank you for including me in the Never Love a Rockstar Bookstagram Tour

IN LOVE WITH A ROCKSTAR?
No, I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

Rebecca Cooper knows what dating a rockstar is like. It’s late nights, months on the road, and constantly sharing your man with everyone else. It’s coming second. She’s been there, done that, and walked away with a broken heart. So how it is possible she’s put herself in this position again? In love with yet another rockstar. This time, his brother.

Luke Mills is bitter. He’s bogged down by years of guilt and heartache. He goes through the motions. He’s rough with everyone around him. And then Rebecca walks back into his life. Sweet Rebecca. She shouldn’t be here. She shouldn’t have come back. But Luke sees her and can’t help the way his heart wants to respond. But, no, not in a million years—he’d never let her have a spot in his frozen heart again. Not when she was always his brother’s girl.

 

I was worried going into this book because we have the cheating element, which I’m not a fan of, but I shouldn’t have worried. I adored it. It’s crazy to think because when Rebecca first appeared in Never Trust a Rockstar I didn’t like her at all.

Rebecca Cooper is one of the strongest women I’ve ever read. She walked away from Caleb and Luke four years ago and never intended to look back. However, she’s a single mother to an autistic son, Caleb. She is struggling to provide the medical support and therapy he needs so swallowing her pride, she walks back into their lives.

Sunset Revival’s lead guitarist, Luke Mills is the perfect grumpy hero. He’s loved Rebecca from the beginning but after a messed up introduction he missed out and then she was dating his brother. He doesn’t hesitate to invite her and their son into his home and make them part of his life. He’s the sweetest, most caring and protective man even when he’s pretending to hate Rebecca.

Both Luke and Rebecca made several mistakes when they were younger, but you can see the chemistry is right there from the beginning. When they meet up again, they still care about each other but it’s buried underneath years of hurt, rejection and insecurities, which have festered into a bitter rage. I loved seeing their relationship build from a tense mix of small acts of kindness and hostility to being an adorable family unit.

Seeing Luke step up and take on his parenting role was just perfect. Honestly, my ovaries just about exploded. He’s patient and takes the time to learn Caleb’s routine. Not once does he shy away from or ignore Caleb’s autism.

The story unfolds in alternating first-person perspectives from Rebecca and Luke. Interspersed throughout the story, we see the events from four years ago. I loved this element of the story. It highlights the complex nature of their relationship. Sarah Darlington has created the perfect balance of providing a reasonable situation for why Rebecca cheated while also not excusing her for it.

Unlike the other two books in the series, Never Love a Rockstar doesn’t focus on the band and music side of things. Rebecca doesn’t want to be pulled back into the world of a rockstar. Her focus is her son and creating a home where he has all the support and love he needs. And Luke is disenchanted with the lifestyle. He’s been so focused on his guilt and heartbreak that it feels like it needs a break from his band.

A running trending with this series and me is that I wish it were longer. I could read endless pages of the small family’s domestic life. It makes my heart happy. Also with how bitter and hurt they are, Luke especially, it seems the tension is resolved and put behind them pretty quick.

I think I can safely say that this book is my favourite in the series. If you love a second chance romance and a grumpy hero this is a perfect read. Next up we have the final book in the series, which make me a little sad because I don’t want to leave this world, and we get a look at the band’s playboy, Ollie Mills.