Review: Complex and interesting romance
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 29, 2012
4.5 StarsI have been on a rock and roll romance kick lately and I've enjoyed them immensely but none have made me want to become a groupie and get out my Zippo lighter to wave in the wind like this one did! GASP! (and you really much have the exclamation point behind it) is beyond good! I just finished it and I swear I feel like I could take a dive off the stage because this book has the adrenaline pumping big time through my system!Nigel Gasp is an aging rock star, he's approaching 40 and although he looks much younger than he is, he's not dealing well with his upcoming birthday. He is over the top, out of control, a complete egotistical maniac and he makes no apologies for his behavior. (I have to admit in my brain he looks a lot like Stephen Tyler about 20 years ago...yep, that's the image burned in my brain.) His personal manager who is his best friend is having a baby and her younger brother who was just discharged from the service is going to be "babysitting" him while she's out on maternity leave. He's not happy about it and believe me; he lets everyone know just how unhappy he is.Jeff Paxton just finished his third tour of duty and is not trying to decide what to do with his life. He's helping his sister out with Nigel and it's harder than anything he's done and he's done some damn hard things. He's had a crush on Nigel for years but meeting him shows him what the man is really like and he's wondering what the hell he ever saw in him.These two men couldn't possibly be more different and yet, the author weaves a very complex and interesting tale that had me spellbound.Despite Nigel's outward appearance, there is so much more to him. I love his many "characters" as he calls them. Nigel is a master at disguise and some of his best ones are when he's cross dressing. I'm sure a psychologist would have a field day with him but we got to see him in action and it was pretty mesmerizing. Jeff isn't without his own issues; he's suffering from PTSD and has horrible gut wrenching nightmares. On top of that he feels disconnected from his family and has no idea what he wants to do now that he's out of the military. I love that Jeff was able to accept Nigel for who he is even though at times it drove him nuts and made him crazy. He embraced all of Nigel and despite being quite a bit younger, was a safe place for Nigel to land. Nigel despite seeming so self centered, realizes that Jeff needs to feel wanted, useful and insists that he get help for his PTSD. I enjoyed the journey these two take towards their happily ever after. These men have many obstacles in their way and I appreciate that they weren't sugar coated and the solutions weren't easy, their relationship takes a lot of work and it was exciting to see both men figure that out.Despite that there are quite a few "heavy" moments in this book, there are many lighthearted and fun moment as well. There are also some shocking realizations and that's what makes this book so worth reading. I can't even begin to explain how over the top Nigel can be; how in control Jeff must be and how one tiny little baby can change so many lives. GASP! is without a doubt one of my favorite rock & roll hero books and although this is my first book by Z.A. Maxfield, I'll be checking out more of her work soon!Review copy provided for an honest review.