Riven: A Novel

***4 ‘Dismantle the Star’ Stars*** The cover was the bait. It’s stark simplicity drew me in and after reading the blurb I decided to give it a go because I like M/M and I like rockstar romances, so why not? And I was pleasantly surprised by Riven. Not, that I had gone into it with any true expectations since this is my first book by the author. But it was more than I thought it would be. There was a flow to everything that captured my interest and had me needing to know how Theo and Caleb would tackle their demons and get their HEA and in the end it all worked for me. Theo is a star, but doesn’t really see it. He’s not entirely naive. He knows he has talent and that people “know” him, but he’s the guy that’s about the process and creating the art and that’s what I loved about him. He just wanted to be. He is also that person that doesn’t want to let other down, so he pushes himself and goes against what his heart and mind are telling him he truly needs. Caleb has a lot of demons to fight and though he’s stumbled in the past, he’s determined to stay on the straight and narrow, even if it means isolating himself from everything that once made him whole. I really liked Caleb, even when those internal conversations ~ which were more like spontaneous outbursts of random sounds ~ occurred in his head. He’s sweet, compassionate and a man who is trying hard to be a good man, even though he already is. Theo and Caleb’s journey starts off hot and heavy, but isn’t insta-love ~ at least not as far as I was concerned. Insta-Lust. Insta-Interest. Yes, but love, No. The physical attraction is there, and they are HAWT together, but their connection through music was even more intense, and though much of it did go over my head, the mutual respect and awe they had for each other was obvious. What I found the most interesting was how the power balance between them shifted around a lot. Sometimes Caleb was the stronger of the two, while Theo was in others. The dynamic was fascinating and I loved watching as they both grew as their relationship progressed and thought they fit each other perfectly. I’m very happy that I decided to give Riven a go. The writing was engaging, the pacing was good and I enjoyed the dual 1st person POV’s. As for the supporting cast of characters, Rhys and Huey were the hands down favs, but my feelings towards the Riven crew are a little...tepid. I understood why they felt, acted and reacted the way they did to things, but when I look at everything, I just wasn’t that impressed, though if I had to pick a favorite it would be Ethan because, in the end, at least he tried. So, if you are a fan of character driven romances and like M/M romances and music, then I’d say give this one a looksie. ~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~

Riven by Roan Parrish is my first read by this author and I was hooked the minute I started reading. It was a mix of two of my favorite romance genres, Rockstar and M/M with a bit of an age gap thrown in. Theo is dubbed the Reluctant Rockstar by the media and while his fans may think that it is just a persona, the title is a true reflection of his hatred to the fame. He loves the music just not everything else that comes with it. Caleb has been where Theo is, only he loved the fame and everything that came with just a bit too much. After multiple stints in rehab he finally has his life together and plans to keep it that way. Theo wasn't a part of those plans, but the more time that they spend together the more his plans change. I loved Theo and Caleb, they were the perfect couple. They complemented each other in the best of ways. Not to mention the chemistry between them, HOT! Their story was realistic, with multiple ups and downs and no easy fixes in sight. I only wish that there was more interaction with the secondary characters, I absolutely adored Rhys and I think that Ethan had the potential to become a great character if he had been given more of a voice. 4.5 stars *Review by Amy W., Late Night Reviewer for Up All Night w/ Books Blog*

Ok first, the cover to this is cool. Secondly, I just want to wrap Caleb and Theo in bubble wrap and keep them in my pocket. Theo is a rock star, but more of a self-conscious, twitchy, shy guy with a talent for music and just wanting to feel accepted and loved. He's stuck on a path that makes everyone happy but him, his upbringing was kind of sad (he had never even carved a pumpkin, the poor sweetheart). Caleb is a fallen star, afraid to take any step in case he trips again. He's just as talented as Theo, but living a shell of a life. Every time they make progress, he pulls away from fear and it just breaks my heart for them both. There is some fierce chemistry, some deliciously sexy scenes, but they are even better because throughout you can just feel the connection. Riven was an emotional book that pulled me in. It was told from dual pov with a happy ever after and was a great journey from page one to done.