Review: Rock Redemption (Rock Kiss #3) by Nalini Singh
Contemporary Romance
Released October 6, 2015
Self Published
Reviewed by Sheena
Kit Devigny could have loved rock guitarist Noah St. John. Their friendship burned with the promise of intense passion and searing tenderness…until the night Noah deliberately shattered her heart.
Noah knows he destroyed something precious the night he chose to betray Kit, but he’d rather she hate him than learn his darkest secret. All he has left is his music. It’s his saving grace, but it doesn’t silence the voices that keep him up at night. Chasing oblivion through endless one-night-stands, he earns a few hours’ sleep and his bad boy reputation.
When a media error sees Noah and Kit dubbed the new “it” couple, Kit discovers her chance at the role of a lifetime hinges on riding the media wave. Wanting—needing—to give Kit this, even if he can’t give her everything, Noah agrees to play the adoring boyfriend. Only the illusion is suddenly too real, too painful, too beautiful…and it may be too late for the redemption of Noah St. John.
Favorite Quote: “Want to Fuck Hallucination Kit?”
Rock Redemption gave me a major case of the feels. A total departure from what I expected, though beautifully Nalini through and through. Rock Kiss 3 brings us the story of Kit and Noah and one of the most profound secretly-requited-unrequited love stories I have had the pleasure of reading. Their love story was white-meat, bone marrow deep, raw and emotional. I have been flayed! In a word- authentic. Singh tackles some heavy subject matters, including, addiction, trauma and personal sacrifice. All of it so deep it touched my soul’s soul.
“Wake up if you want to sleep in a bed.”
“Not your bed,” he mumbled.
Kit tried not to let his words draw blood.
“Yeah, you’ve made that clear. Now get up.”
Annnd that is where we begin with these two. It’s been months since they’ve seen one another and Kit is still licking her mortal wounds from a particularly ruthless blow dealt by Noah in his effort to destroy the budding amorous feelings blossoming between them. They were the best of friends, yet Kit fell in love and Noah- well Noah loves her right back but just can’t deal and falls back on his playboy, jackassedness that he knew would eviscerate their nascent love connection. Noah’s only hope is that in the process they can somehow salvage a friendship from the ruins. Kit is shattered, Noah is in tatters and the band, School Boy Choir is back together again working on new album material!
What I appreciate about Rock Redemption is that the story is so multi-faceted, that the plot soars, each scene more engaging than the last. Noah flicked Kit off and is living hell on Earth without her. Nalini Singh does the work. Is it enough for a man to spiral and go on substance abuse benders and engage in empty sexual exploits and in general recklessly risk his life simply because he lost his woman? Sure. It’s romantic fiction. We live for that shit. But this book turns the dial-up several notches. The back story and demons that feed Noah’s mania are real and kept me up at night. I felt for him deeply. I felt harder for Kit’s fight to reach him. Watching her battle her way to save him, even at the expense of her own happiness and sanity was awe-inspiring.
True to all things awesomely Nalini Singh, this author weaves in strong supporting characters. We get to see favorite characters from the first two novels, Rock Addiction and Rock Hard and they do not disappoint. There are all sorts of relationships on display, stable love, divorced-but-damn-baby-why-didn’t-we-fight-harder agony, and even light domestic violence. No one was perfect and though an HEA is promised, the journey is where the real payoff lies. Kit and Noah spend a vast majority of the novel rebuilding their friendship and forging a relationship. Trust and emotional availability are key factors in their reconstruction, and because I got this, I understood why they were not a couple and in HEA land by chapter 14 and making babies by chapter 20. Rock Redemption is aptly titled and realistic and authentic to its core.
I would be a troll of the lowest order if I spoiled a second of this book for you, just know that it has substance and is blow your balls sexy. Noah confronts his heartbreaking past and comes to term with his childhood trauma, scraping his life together, re-molding himself into a man he can respect and a man worthy of Kit whom he placed on his highest pedestal. It was not enough to fall in love- they were already there. This is a story of what you do when love isn’t enough. When we have to dig deep, get our hands dirty and build a future with our soulmates when their foundation is under excavation; And when all we freaking want to do is offer them our beating, bloody hearts yet they can only, barely manage to tentatively hold our hand in friendship…and how utterly effed up that freaking feels because they have major issues to work out. This is that story.
As compelling as the subject matter is, it is still utterly romantic and funny. There are LOL moments that take the bit out, just when you are feeling a little gnawed upon. The balance of humor, despair, hope and sensuality was genius. On the whole, Rock Redemption begs the question, how far would you go to save the person you love. How much strength can you muster when tough love is the only love that can see your beloved through the other side. And in the end, the answer is as clear day. This novel is a game changer. I want to scream this was so good. I’m lying. I screamed.
Five stars. Five.
Dude. Five.
Grade: A+
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**POSSIBLY SPOILERY***
I wish I loved this book as much as you! I think the structure of the book really kept me from fully engaging emotionally — the way it started with their relationship already underway and then fracturing was a little off-putting and I couldn’t care as much as I was supposed to. Then the long slog dragging out of his issues drove me bonkers and I felt like the book was spinning its wheels for about 80% of it with the same conversation and issues ad nauseum. Finally, the lack of professional intervention— Really? That made any HEA feel like a pipe dream to me given the very big issues they would have to deal with (and I thought the reasoning behind avoiding therapy was pretty weak– so many uber famous celebs see therapists after all).
It was a very readable book, but most of my emotions were frustration and then disbelief. I wanted Noah to get real help and I wanted Kit to wind up with someone who wasn’t just hanging on by a thread.
Ah well.
But but but but but Kit can’t be with anyone else, she’s Noah’s Hallucination girl!
Haha I’m sorry it didn’t do it for you!
I’ve only read, Rock Hard. Can this be read as a stand alone?
It’s clear you LOVED this book. I wish I could say the same. As a huge Nalini fan, I feel guilty for not loving it. While I liked Kit and Noah, there were things that just did not sit well with me. And having so much revealed so late in the story with no explanation as to the “why” of people’s actions just ruined it for me. I had questions and felt short changed that some of these issues were not fleshed out. In the end, I did like the journey of Kit and Noah, but some of the back ground stuff for Noah left me scratching my head.
I DNF’d the first book, LOVED the second book and if you give this five stars, I am SOLD. *runs to buy*
*ice cream dribbles down chin*
Whaaaaa…Who are you, Helyce, is that you??
*whips out the giant thermometer*
I know, I’m sorry…I’ll email you later.
Hi Olivia,
Yes, this can certainly be read as a stand alone :-)
Fantastic review. I agree on all points, and I loved this book just as much.
Joanita :-) Glad you enjoyed!
I loved Rock Hard so much, but I haven’t read anything else from the series, or any other books by Nalini Singh. But this one! Everyone is raving about it and I need to read it!
Crap on toast. I really did not like the first book either and I bought the 2nd and liked that one much better. I didn’t go batshit crazy for it though. Rock stars are my guilty pleasure though… so it sounds like I need to get this one too!