Rock the Heart by Michelle A. Valentine [Review]

Rock the Heart (Black Falcon #1) by Michelle A. Valentine
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: November 12, 2014

Black Falcon
1. Rock the Heart - Paperback | Kindle
1.5. Rock the Band
2. Rock My Bed
2.5. Rock My World
3. Rock the Beat
4. Rock My Body

Michelle A. Valentine
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Synopsis (Goodreads):

For the last four years, good girl Lane has regretted breaking up with Noel Falcon. She thought she was sensible when she told him his dreams of being a rock star would get him nowhere, but now that he's a rock god and her career is stagnant, she realizes just how wrong she was. When Noel hires the marketing company where Lane is an intern, she’s forced to see him again. If she wants to land her dream job as executive within the company, she has to win him over and secure his account. Too bad Noel is still pissed at her for breaking his heart.

When Lane’s company flies her to a Black Falcon concert to gain Noel’s attention, emotions run high the moment she sees him and realizes she’s far from over him. But Noel’s countless trysts with groupies and his cocky attitude make Lane believe he isn’t the same guy she once loved—now he seems to only want her body. Then after Lane discloses she needs him to procure a job, Noel proves he’s a changed man by forcing her to go on the road with him in order to get it.

After Lane reluctantly takes Noel up on his offer, she becomes willing to do whatever it takes to keep him satisfied, even if it means succumbing to his seductive ways. Lane soon finds deception is a dangerous game and she’s not the only one playing.

Thoughts on Rock the Heart: I liked this book overall, but a lot of what Noel did to get Lane back felt very manipulative. And, yeah, I get that he was desperate and only wanted to convince her to stay with him, but... ouch. The lying alone would have been a deal breaker for me, but I'm kinda vindictive and mean. Clearly Lane is a better person than I am.

(As an aside, I'm going back and forth in my head between calling her Lane and Lanie. Really, the only one who calls her Lane is Noel, but the blurb has Lane, so I'm sticking to it.)

Now, there was a point in this book where I had a full-on "do I really want to finish this?" moment. It's the secrets, guys. THE SECRETS. No one wants to find out they've been played a fool by someone they trusted and Lane's heartbreak over finding out Noel's secrets kinda hurt. While secrets are often a mainstay in romances, I'm not the hugest fan of them. Especially when the heroine could have VERY easily ferreted them out if she'd only been slightly curious about him and run a Google search.

(I'm going to handwave the lack of googling, though. Don't ask me why, I don't have an answer.)

So. Noel. Like I said, a lot of what he did felt manipulative. Using her contract against her to keep her nearby. Pushing her for a relationship when he had things going on in his life that were CLEARLY going to cause issues down the line didn't sit well with me. Yeah, I get where he was coming from because of his daddy-issues, but I don't understand how he thought things were going to play out down the line because the thing he was hiding wasn't something that could remain hidden forever.

Despite all my griping, I did like the book. The members of Black Falcon are engaging and Noel and Lane's romance had steam. I have the next couple books in this series already and I can't wait to see how Riff convinces his lady he's willing to be faithful. Because that boy has some issues of his own going on.