Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Alex is a trust fund kid with nothing but time. His sister bugs him to do something with his life, but his only passion is singing, so he auditions for a local rock band and makes the cut. He gets along great with 2 of the members, but the 3^rd, Lindsay, is pretty quiet and doesn’t seem to talk much.

Lindsay is gay and in an emotionally abusive relationship that ends up physically abusive. Alex helps him recover and they begin to fall for each other.

This book was refreshing for me in that it was set in the very early 90’s. That difficult music transition from straight up rock and glam rock into what comes next. There are no computers, no cell phones, no texting. If someone didn’t answer their phone, they weren’t home. It was also a time of HIV, when not all people realized yet the importance of using condoms.

Long hair, make up, midriff baring shirts and spandex. And that was on the guys. This book brought me right back to my early adulthood and growing up surrounded by this.

This is Alex’s first relationship. With man or woman. Lindsay is scared that Alex is going to freak out and leave because of that. What tears them apart is something else entirely.

I liked seeing the relationship grow with these two men. Even though one had been hurt and the other pretty much didn’t know what he was doing, they stumbled through it together. Friends first, lovers later, bandmates always.

I’d say what pulled my rating down to 3 ½ stars is that the ending of the book seemed to wrap up too quickly, too neatly. One character basically disappears (ok, there is a reason, but come on. He won’t call his old friends to say hello?), and another is introduced but kind of left hanging.

If you are a fan of old school glam rock like Bon Jovi and Poison, you’ll love this book for that alone. The romance between Alex and Lindsay will make you love it more.

Cover art by Maria Fanning is gorgeous, stunning in design and model.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 220 pages, also in paperback
Published August 31st 2015 by Dreamspinner Press LLC
original titleBeautiful Thunder
ISBN 1634763947 (ISBN13: 9781634763943)
edition languageEnglish