Review: 2 stars
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 12 13, 2011
#MAJOR SPOILERS IN REVIEW#I picked up the second book on the advise of another reviewer. I did not realize it was part of a series, so I bought "A Red-Tainted Silence" to make sure I had background on all the characters from the second book, "Long Way Home." Now I am dreading reading book two because I really did not enjoy this book.While the writing was solid and Ms. Gray shows promise as a romance writer the plot completely failed in its execution for me. Why? Completely unrealistic and melodramatic. I felt as if I was watching a Spanish telenova as at the end of every chapter there was a major reveal or cliffhanger which got more and more unbelievable as the long novel progressed. By the time I got to the dead deer in the protagonists' bed, this was very nearly a do not finish for me. But I held out, hoping that the book would improve -- it didn't.The characterizations of Brandon and Nick were fine, in fact, I loved that they fell in love at first sight and endured so much together, but the plot ultimately dragged the love story down. I knew who the bad guy was 15 pages in, so that big reveal at the end was not a surprise. The bad guy's motivations made no sense to me and so I was lost there.Also, for people with triggers, this is not the book for you. There are multiple rapes in it. MULTIPLE. Nick isn't abused once, but many times by many people, as is the other main character, Brandon. The rapes were the main focus of the plot and I hate it when sexual assault is used as a plot device. That did not work for me and was another unrealistic part of the book.I thought I was getting a book about two rock stars in the closet and their relationship woes. What I got was a stalker-rapist-thriller that did not work on any level. First the police procedure was not researched. When one of the main characters is kidnapped the FBI are not involved, just local police. Second, when crazy stalker sets off a bomb, the ATF are not called in to investigate. And lastly when does protective custody mean Rolling Stone reporters can come in interview and take pictures of where the persons in protective custody are hiding? Wouldn't that make it easy for the bad guys to find you? Hello.I just needed a little realism for this, just a little. What could have been a great love story between two bandmates turned into a angst-fest of rape, violence and a convoluted plot that had so many unbelievable twists and turns I gave up 35% of the way in. Not recommended.(I hope book two is better and has less drama, stalkers and rapes because hot rock stars in love is a favorite plot of mine.)