Olivia Cunning
ISBN #: 978-1402244421
Publisher Name: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Date Released: October 2010
Page Count: 384
Price: $4.76 (Kindle Price)
Genre: Erotica/Contemporary; Erotica/Ménage
Book Format: Print

BACK COVER BLURB:


When Brian Sinclair, lead songwriter and guitarist of the hottest metal band on the scene, loses his creative spark, it will take nights of downright sinful passion to release his pent-up genius . . .


When sexy psychologist Myrna Evans goes on tour with the Sinners, every boy in the band tries to seduce her. But Brian is the only one she wants to get her hands on . . .

Then the two lovers' wildly shocking behavior sparks the whole band to new heights of glory . . . and sin . . .

COVER SNARK:
Kinda boring. The book is way better than the cover. Wish it was more imaginative.


FIRST LINES:

A stack of handouts tumbled from Myrna's laptop case to the floral-patterned carpet. Un-freakin'- believable. She'd forgotten to zip the compartment in her haste to flee the seminar room.

FAVORITE LINES:

Brian held up the three centermost fingers of his right hand. "Read between the lines, asshole."

(SIDENOTE: I AM SO GOING TO USE THAT ONE)

He grinned. "It's more of a personal challenge. Do you have any interest in getting to know me at all? Personally, I mean."

"Can't I just Google you? Isn't your entire life somewhere online?"

He scowled. "Probably."

BACKSTAGE PASS pulled me in right away. And that surprised me. Confession time: I've been kinda lukewarm to Sourcebooks novels that weren't Pride and Prejudice adaptations or reprints of other romances. I totally have to eat crow for having that belief, because BACKSTAGE PASS sucked me in from the first page.

Heroine:
Myrna was an interesting character. A PhD who teaches Human Sexuality, she is at a conference when she spies the Sinners, her favorite rock band in the hotel lobby. They stand out from the staid college professors at the conference (even herself). Since she speaks about music and sensuality in her courses and uses the band's music as teaching points, she is intrigued to meet the band in person. And later she decides to go on the road with them to do a study on the psychology of the Groupies who follow the band around.

I liked and didn't like Myrna. I understood she wanted the chance to explore something different and have a one-night stand with Brian. I totally got that given her job and her interest in the band. I understood why all she wanted was a one-night stand. What I didn't get was how she felt no qualms about allowing herself to be used as an object that first morning (for those who read the book, I am not discussing how Brian wrote out the music for the song but another matters that occurred in the band's hotel room). I lost respect for her, for not respecting herself and not demanding that Brian respect her as well.

However once Myrna began her "relationship" with Brian I began to like her more although I did wish that more emphasis was put on their developing feelings for each other beyond having sex 24/7, no matter how hot the sex was. And it was hot. Very, very hot.

Hero:
Brian was an interesting character. I'm not one of those who follow celebrities and their lives, but he seemed realistic, while not being your typical rocker hero. Ms. Cunning did a great job rounding out his character, more so him than Myrna in my humble opinion. Brian is the son of a famous guitarist, who was able to make the very rare transition to fame in his own right. He's your typical tattooed, pierced, crazy-haired rocker, yet he's a musical genius and he has a sensitive, romantic side that his fellow band members tend to mock.

Brain has spent months in a creative drought that increases once he discovered his girlfriend smexing one of the other band members. That didn't cause animosity, which I though showed the strength of the band members' relationship, especially as the other member did it in an attempt to show Brian that his girlfriend didn't give a damn about him. Anyhoo, he's in the lobby plastered when he encounters Myrna. Everyone is hitting on her, but he is humbled when it appears that he is the only one that has captured Myrna's interest. So he goes back to her room and the next morning they have sex and smexing with Myrna is not only amazing but magical as he hears music inside his head when he has his pee-pee in her vajayjay.

BTW. Yes, I know that sounds totally corny, but it works for the book and I totally bought into that. However, I didn't buy into him dragging her around half-clothed so that he can try to play the music he composed. I mean really. I know this is the technology age, but pen and paper hasn't become extinct. And she's a professor; I know she had some lying around to transfer it before taking her anywhere. Really.

While I enjoyed Brian much better than Myrna, I still had some issues. He was so wishy-washy. He's all, He-Man. Myrna is mine, do not look at her, do not touch her, or I will destroy you; yet, he puts her in situations where she has to deal with his other band mates on that level. Despite my like of Brian, his immaturity (for lack of a better word) annoyed the crap out of me.

Secondary Characters:

I will say that Ms. Cunning did an awesome job on the rest of the band. She made them distinct individuals who I felt I could pick out who was who blindfolded; even though they were complete individuals in their own right I never felt that they overshadowed Myrna and Brian and their relationship, which you know is one of my biggest pet peeves.

Overall:
I'm really glad that the publisher decided to lower the price on this. And I hope that when Sed's book comes out that it's set at a reasonable price as well, because I'm intrigued to hear his story. This was a solid read that I highly recommend.

WHERE PURCHASED:
Brought with my own money.


RATING: