Stoned by Mandi Beck

7/13/2016

“A rock star with no rhythm is a man with no soul.” – Stone Lockhart

As the lead singer of one of the hottest bands to hit the rock scene, fucks are free, drugs come easy, and music is life.
For as long as Stone can remember, Willow has been his music – the notes that weave his soul together.
His rhythm.
Until he threw her away.
All he has left is a handful of pills and a few lines of powder to make him forget her.
And he tries, over and over.

Clean and ready to make things right, he’s faced with the fact that Willow’s moved on. She’s not the same girl he cast aside. Willow’s a woman sure about her purpose in life. Sure about who she’s meant to love.
Stone may be lost without his rhythm, but Willow has found so much more.

4 Star Review by Ashley

Think of everything you don't like to read in a book....cheating, love triangle, drugs. Now mix that with everything you love to read...alpha male, rocker, true love and you've got Mandi Beck's latest. I loved reading something different from this author. Stoned hooked from the opening sequence of events and I read furiously to find out just what would become of the couple who was in so much pain.

Stone what beautiful, tragic mess that man was. He stole the show with his dirty mouth and soulful spirit. Somehow, he found the strength and reason to fight his way out of the hole he has been simply existing in. Willow. His heart. His rhythm. Too bad she wasn't having any of it. And I commend her for that. She is probably one of the strongest female characters I've read. What she endured at the hands of Stone and all that she struggled with after, and when I learned just how much she suffered, had my heart in pieces. I was so glad she found some solace in her work and music again because it was what started her healing. The other piece of her healing puzzle belongs to Joaquin. The swoony singer with a heart of gold. He should be so easy to fall for, but Willow just couldn't conjure up feelings that weren't there.

It was Stone's persistence that won my change of heart (and Willow's, too). The lengths he went to prove to himself and Willow that he was the man she wanted, needed and deserved had me swooning my socks off. That's not to say it was all sunshine and lollipops because it wasn't, far from it actually. When he pushed Willow shoved. There was a lot of hurt, resentment, anger and forgiveness that had to be worked through.

Mandi Beck took a big risk with this book and I have to say that it paid off. This is far from your typical rocker romance. While the subject matter could turn some away, it kept me glued to my kindle. Stoned was raw, and gritty and ugly. It was also sad and heartbreaking while at the same time uplifting and full of promise. There was this constant undercurrent of it has to get better. Willow and Stone got wrecked by their love/ But their undeniable love is also what healed them and gave them back their rhythm.

Kobo