Lick by Kylie Scott (Stage Dive #1)
July 1, 2013
Contemporary Romance
Momentum

Reviewed by Mandi

There has been much chatter about this book from my friends on Twitter, especially Kati who encouraged me to request it from NetGalley – so thank you Kati. I love trying rock star books and with the premise that the hero and heroine get drunk and marry in Vegas the night they meet appealed to me.

The problem for Evelyn or Ev getting drunk and married in Vegas is that she wakes up the next morning with the mother of all hangovers and no idea who the man is sleeping next to her in bed. Or why she is wearing a 5 carat diamond ring. Or why she has the name “David” tattooed on her left butt cheek. When David wakes up and announces they are married, she is not sure it’s the hangover or the shock of what he just said that makes her vomit. Not that David isn’t sexy – he is all bad boy rock star:

David’s dark hair had been tied back in a little ponytail with strands falling around his face. What should have reeked of scummy drug dealer worked on him. Of course it did. He could probably make a dirty back alleyway seem like the honeymoon suite. A gray T-shirt molded to his thick shoulders and faded blue jeans covered his long legs. His black army-style boots were crossed at the ankles, easy as you please, because he belonged here.

Girl. Get on it! *wink*

This doesn’t go over so well for David. They were both drunk the previous night, but he didn’t realize she was that drunk. Ev seriously has no recollection of the night before, she barely even recognizes the huge rock star and guitarist from the popular band Stage Dive as she is more of a country music girl. So when she flees Vegas to go back to her hometown of Portland and runs into the frenzy of the paparazzi who have learned she married David, she knows she is in big trouble. Ev has plans. She has plans to go to school to become an architect and other studious things. She didn’t have in her plans to go to Vegas for a weekend and come home married.

David asks her to come out to LA until they can get the divorce papers finalized, and Ev decides that is probably the best place for her. As she spends time with David, and as he slowly tells her all the reasons he fell for her that night, she starts to realize, she likes him. She wants to get to know him and annulment plans get put on hold.

For a book that starts out kind of silly with a drunken, Vegas wedding, some real emotions come into play in this one. I actually liked the beginning with David feeling hurt that Ev has no memory of their special night together and how the media pressure and crazy LA lifestyle make Ev feel so uncomfortable. When David and Ev escape to his Monterey home, they very quickly decide to make a go of their marriage. This made me roll my eyes a little, I admit. I felt insta-love reared its head and I was afraid it was going to be all ooey-gooey the last half of the book. But thankfully that isn’t the case.

David has issues from a previous girlfriend cheating on him (I believe he is in his late twenties in this book). Ev is twenty-one and in her first real relationship. There are bound to be trust issues and they definitely come into play in the second half of this book. They felt like real problems a couple like this would have. I think Ev handles herself quite well for being forced into a new atmosphere. Relationships are strained with her parents. Squeeing ensues with her BFF when she learns she is married to a rock star. And eventually, Ev has to find herself and her place in this new lifestyle. The emotions and drama that come into play took ahold of me in the second half of the book and I really like how it all plays out and ends. I still wish that these two hadn’t decided quite so easily to stay married, especially toward the beginning, but I guess that is rock ‘n roll man.

This book is definitely not all drama. Having a rock star hero means having rock star sex. One thing I’ll take away from this book is the fact if you are going to have a serious discussion about issues, it’s best to do it with no shirt on. David is a boob man. He loves her rack. No really.

“Mm. And I’m over there, trying to talk business with Adrian, but I can’t. I’m totally fucking distracted because I love your rack.”

Normal discussion in the kitchen about serious relationship stuff? Take the shirt off then discuss. It makes things much more fun.

David reached for the back of his T-shirt and dragged it off over his head. “Rule number two, if I take my shirt off you have to take off yours. The shirt-off rule now applies to these sorts of conversations. I know we need to talk about stuff. But there’s no reason we can’t make it easier.”

Adding greatly to the story is the drummer and David’s good friend Malcolm (Mal) who is a fabulous character. A total smart ass and I’m already in love with him.

I think this is a nice start to a rock n roll series. Very much looking forward to the next one.

Rating: B

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