BEAT OF THEIR OWN DRUM
REPLAY SERIES, BOOK 3
K.M. NEUHOLD
M/M ROMANCE
RELEASE DATE: 11.08.18
BLURB
Jude
Every rock band needs their bad boy. Hookers, drugs, DUIs— been there, done that. I’m in a Downward Spiral and proud of it (see what I did there?). When the band manager, Archer, hires Bennett to keep me from screwing up while the band is on hiatus, I may have finally met someone who won’t take my attitude lying down. With the three of us cooped up together for weeks on end, I have a feeling things might get interesting.
Archer
Downward Spiral is my baby. Not only am I the band manager, I discovered them ten years ago when they were nothing but a bunch of high school kids playing in a hole in the wall bar on the weekends. But it’s obvious I haven’t done a great job because they’re falling apart. If the lead singer isn’t trying to kill himself, it’s the bass player telling me he can’t write any new songs. And no one gets under my skin more than Jude, who seems determined to snort and drink himself into an early grave. There’s only one man I can think of who might be able to get Jude back on the right track, Bennett Schmitt. Unfortunately, he’s also the man I let get away sixteen years ago and haven’t gotten over since.
Bennett
If there’s one thing I know how to do, it’s take control of a situation. In fact, control is kind of my thing. Which is probably why I’m the best in the business when it comes to getting out of control celebrities back on track. When my ex calls and tells me he’s desperate for my help, I can’t turn him down. Between the infuriatingly sexy drummer with no idea what kind of trouble he’s asking for, and my ex looking better than ever, there’s no way this isn’t about to get messy.
* This is an MMM romance with D/s play and mild daddy kink (NO age play)
4 Stars
Beat of Their Own Drum is the third installment of the Replay Series. First, there was Linc and Jace, then Lando and Dawson, and now we have the much-awaited story of Ben, Archer and Jude. I liked the first two books in this series and had been itching to get my hands on this story that had been hinted at in the previous two books, and boy it did NOT disappoint.
The Replay series is about Downward Spiral, an openly gay group of rock superstars. The series runs concurrently for each member during the group’s hiatus 10 years after they make it big and have been touring and recording non-stop. Nearly all the members of the group are burnt out and broken.
Beat of Their Own Drum is Jude’s story. Not only is he burnt out, but he’s strung out too. He uses drugs to numb the pain of his family not really caring about him. He also only sleeps with prostitutes after their band manager, Archer, seemingly rejects him 10 years ago, to keep emotions at bay.
This story picks up at the beginning of the hiatus when Archer reaches out to his ex-fiancé Bennett, who is a master sober coach. After being apart for 16 years, Archer contracts with Bennett to get Jude on the straight and narrow. The three of them end up at Archer’s remote cabin. In the end, the three of them fall in love and become a throuple. The build-up of the romance is totally believable and this is one of the best written throuple books I’ve read. The three of them just seemed to fit perfectly - Bennett the dominant, Archer the nurturer, and Jude in need of both of them.
For me, two things kept this from being a 5-star review. The storyline implied Jude had been a cocaine user and smoker for a while, but he had no withdrawal or relapse issues. It felt almost swept under the rug, which seemed unrealistic. Another thing that seemed unrealistic to me is there was no fall-out due to Jude’s career. He’s a rock superstar in a gay throuple and there’s no angst or issue with respect to his career. I mean, Archer is his band manager! I kept waiting for that in the book and it never came.
Having said that, I cannot wait for Benji’s story!
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
5 Stars
I think I fell in love...with all three of these men! Each one had so much to give but were lost on their own.
Jude is my favorite MC of the three books as of yet, he gave me all the feels. He was bratty but vulnerable, and I loved seeing what went on behind his carefree mask.
Archer had me smiling with how much he wanted to just take care of Jude but had to restrain himself. He has so much to give but holds himself back because he still loves Bennett. Archer is a beautiful soul and I am glad he got his happy ending.
Bennett had me giggling from the minute he appeared. His way with Jude was so good that I never wanted it to end! The interaction between these two had me rolling, but it also made me love Bennett because he never gave up on either man.
This series gets better and better with each book released. I can’t wait for the next book and every other after!
*** Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie for my reading pleasure, a review wasn't a requirement. ***
EXCERPT
I’m at my desk, doing my daily news check to make sure there haven’t been any new stories picked up in the past few days, when a sharp knock comes at my door. I tense in my chair, memories filling my mind of Bennett in my office, in my bedroom, following me with his eyes, tempting me to give in to something that can only end in heartbreak.
“Archer?”Jude’s voice is quiet, almost unsure, and like nothing I’ve ever heard from him before.
“Come in,”I call back, my heart beating faster as the door pushes open to reveal the young drummer looking slightly flush after his morning run with Bennett. He hesitates in the doorway for several seconds and I take the time to take him in. I know we’ve only been here nine days, but I can already see a difference in Jude—he seems more settled, less volatile, maybe even happier? I suspect that has more to do with whatever he and Bennett were up to last night than the cabin itself.
My stomach twists at the memory of last night, Bennett and I having a wonderful chat, just like we used to when we were in college. Then Jude came by to say he was going to bed and Bennett excused himself to follow a few minutes later. It doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together, which is a good thing because I’m obviously not a genius, getting jealous over my ex and my client.
“What can I do for you?”I ask gently. It’s not Jude’s fault my feelings are all mixed up and I refuse to take it out on him.
“I don’t...um…”He looks a little lost like he’s not even sure what he’s doing in my office, let alone what brought him here.
“Why don’t you come in and have a seat,”I suggest, waving to the small couch in the corner of the room. He gives a jerky nod, stepping all the way inside and closing the door behind himself before making his way to my couch. “Things good with Bennett?”I check, worry rising up in my chest that maybe he’s here because something happened that made him uncomfortable.
“Hm? Oh...um...yeah.”
Not the most reassuring answer I’ve ever gotten.
“Look, I know it’s not my business and the last thing I want is to pry for details but are you happy with the arrangement you have with Bennett? Are you comfortable with the things he wants you to do?”
I'm an author of m/m and new adult romance. I have a strong passion for writing characters with a lot of heart and soul, and a bit of humor as well.
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