Then her father disappears and she’s left with only the money in her purse and a contract for the management of hot, indie rock band, STORM. She plans to sell the management company, one or another, then head back to law school with her designer wardrobe and wait for this whole mess to blow over.
But lead singer, Jack Colt, has other ideas and he’s messing with Hannah’s head. Not to mention her heart.
With the help of crazy rock chick, Angie, Hannah sets the band on their first steps to the big time and learns that poor people can have a lot of fun.
But this isn’t some game she can escape from and soon her secrets get exposed.
He’s arrogant and infuriating but he’s the one that’s there for Hannah when her world comes crashing down. With secrets of his own, will Jack Colt save Hannah or destroy her?" (Candy J Starr)
Title: Bad Boy Rock Star
Author: Candy J Starr
Date Published: 2012
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary Romance
TL;DR Review:
I am not a fan of this novel but neither do I hate it with a vengeance. Bad Boy Rock Star began rather rocky and I almost gave up. Starr's portrayal of the posh princess seemed designed to inspire hatred and dislike for her which turned me off even when the posh princess was knocked off her pedestal. The novel, however, is saved by the characters who dominate the music of the novel, a world that Starr seems to be familiar an comfortable in. Jack Colt is the epitome of the novel's title and is designed to be as swoonworthy as possible. Angie, Hannah's sidekick and punk rock groupie, is raw and real and uninhibited. She is witty, charming and street smart, everything that our female lead is not. Even Jack's band mates are colourful and vibrant. However, what really saved this novel for me is Starr's insight and experience in the music industry that lends her writing voice an experience that research is not able to provide. I wouldn't rush to get the next book but it was a good read while it lasted.
Review: [May Contain Spoilers]
I have a love-hate relationship with this novel. On one hand, I was waiting with bated breath for the ending and on the other, the novel started off obnoxious and arrogant. It was impossible to find a connection with Hannah for she constantly complained. The emphasis the Starr placed on class difference between Princess Hannah and the musicians and their fans continued for quite a number of chapters with Hannah constantly comparing her designer duds to the laid-back, punk or grunge style of the fans.
However, once I got past that, Bad Boy Rock Star wasn't such a bad read, after all. Starr crafts a very believable story, allowing readers to empathise with the fallen princess and her struggles. There was something enthralling about watching the downfall of a socialite and her very real struggle of getting back on her feet.
While I didn't like Hannah (even towards the end), I loved Jack Colt who is the epitome of the novel's title. And as always with romance novels, he has a hidden side to him that just makes your heart melt with every turn of the page. He might have been a prick at times but what girl does not want a rocker of her own?
While Hannah soured the novel for me, Jack lifted it right back up.
I also loved Angie. She was real and raw juxtaposed against Hannah's smoke and mirrors socialite (up till when she immersed herself into Jack Colt's world). It is my belief that Starr is good at writing characters that she knows and is familiar with. However, she doesn't deliver the same finesse with writing a character that is not yet a part of the band and music world.
The amount of detail that Starr goes into with anything that deals with her musicians draws on her experience as a band manager. It makes the novel seem more real than if written based on research. All the parties, all the concerts and even down to the tiniest detail such as the merchandising provided incredible insight into the world of up-and-coming musicians. I am a huge fan of All Time Low and their associated acts (but mostly ATL) so this got me quite excited. It felt like I was peeking into a foreign world.
However, I did feel as well that there are certain scenes in the novel that were extremely unnecessary. She took her characters out of their comfort zones and threw them alone together. Their chemistry could have been forged in their comfort zones around people that they care about rather than out of it.
My pet peeve with this novel is the way Starr treated her only Asian character. He is a walking cliché of Asian people with his kimchi and his Korean food.
Lastly, I hate with a vengeance self-published authors who are determined to end their novels on cliffhangers so better to prompt readers to purchase the following novels. It doesn't prompt me to get the next one, it just prompts me to Google the ending.
While I didn't find much fault with this novel and I couldn't put it down for a good half of it, I'm not a fan of Bad Boy Rock Star. I liked it and it was enjoyable but Hannah isn't a character that I adored or even championed. I loved Angie and Jack and I wanted to read so much more about the world of punk rock music but as they say, first impressions last the longest.
Some Quotes:
Chapter 3: "A band is nothing without social media these days."
Rating: 3.5/5
Other Details: I read the Kindle version, approximately 196 pages and published 2013.