Rocked by the Billionaire (Billionaire's Club: Texas, #3)

by Mandy Baxter

[EBookObsessed]

I was torn between loving and hating this story. There were moments when their bond moved me, and then others when their actions bothered the hell out of me. Luke’s brother calls it at the end of the story telling them they are still acting like the teenagers they once were, and that’s when it hit me what the problem was, their feelings were that of mature adults and their actions were still rooted in the teenagers they were when they originally fell in love.
I picked up a copy of this novella after it was so highly recommended by another blogger that I follow. Since it was only 87 pages, I squeezed it in between stories.

We begin this story as Luke “Lucifer” Blackwell, front man of the popular band Riot 59, has returned to his hometown to spend some time with is big brother, Ryder, on the family ranch. Actually, he is hiding from his troubles in L.A.

The first person he sees on his return is his childhood best friend and first love, Kayleigh Taylor. Luke and Kayleigh were inseparable since middle school. After graduation, Luke wanted to head out to L.A. to try and get his band noticed, but Kayleigh had no interest in leaving her parents and everything she has known. For the last eight years, she read the magazine articles about Luke and saw the pictures of all the women on his arm and in his bed while she nursed her heartbreak. What Kayleigh doesn’t know is that Kayleigh is the inspiration for all of Luke’s songs. She is Luke’s first and only love who’s name is tattooed on his chest for all the world to see.

Now that Luke is home, he wants to start up right where he left off. There has never been anyone as important as Kayleigh in his life and this time he is going to do everything in his power to convince her to return to L.A. with him because he realizes he needs to keep his muse by his side because walking away from her again just isn’t an option.

THOUGHTS:
The chemistry here was fabulous. When Luke and Kayleigh were together, they sizzled. Their connection went much deeper than just sex. When each thought about the other, you felt the strength of their love for each other.

Storywise, I was not completely happy. Luke wonders into Town after being gone eight years and immediately wants to start where he left off with Kayleigh. No concern that he broke her heart when he left Town. No thought as to what she was doing for the last eight years. No concern whether or not she is dating anyone. It’s almost like he expected her to stay in a state of limbo while he was living his dream in L.A. and now that he’s back, she would be sitting at home waiting for him. He is very childish and self-centered that way.

I was disappointed when Kayleigh (1) tosses her boyfriend to the curb as soon as Luke gets to Town although her feelings for him were meh at best; and (2) that Kayleigh nearly jumps into bed with Luke the first moment he shows up at her house. As I said, their chemistry wasn’t in question, but you would think after being tossed aside eight years ago, she would try a little harder not to be Luke’s layover booty call and get her heart broken again. Some backbone and self respect would have made her character better.

Plot issues that I had on this included what are the odds that the poorest family in Town get so lucky as to have all three sons become billionaires in three different fields, and none with more than a high school degree. If Luke and Kayleigh were inseparable BFFs since middle school, why was Rachel introduced as Kayleigh’s best friend Rachael since high school in the beginning of the story and never heard from again? Again, Luke and Kayleigh were young high school lovers but also best friends. Kayleigh was also the last thing he thought of and the first thing on his mind every day for the eight years they were apart, but Luke never tried to contact her in eight years to see if maybe she wanted to be with him?

Luke and Kayleigh had a lot of internal conversations about how important the other was and how their lives were never the same, but never did Luke open his mouth to say, I want you to come back to L.A. with me or let’s figure a way to be together since I have billions I can have a jet fly me back home to you between recording sessions and concerts. And never did Kayleigh ask if she meant more to him then vacation sex. Although inside feelings were very adult, their outside actions toward each other was very high school.

While the story had some very sexy moments, overall Luke and Kayleigh were not that memorable of characters for me.

Received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.