This Road, Part One (A Road Son Rockstar Novel) by Karolyn James

Sometimes falling in love with the wrong girl just feels right...

But Bryce's problem is that the woman he loves has been with Blake, his cousin, band mate, and best friend, for years.

Then, Bryce gets a call that changes everything…

After years of addiction and self abuse, Blake is gone. Now, Bryce is going back home to bury his cousin and hopefully reconnect with the band and crew he once considered family. Road Son used to be a group of four bikers who loved music. When Bryce picks up a bass, he starts playing as though he never put it down. 

The moment he spots Clara, all his old feelings come rushing back. And soon he's about to learn that Clara had a deep, dark secret of her own for years. She never wanted Blake... she always wanted Bryce. 

Can this forbidden love stand a chance... or will a band, a crew, and a town be ripped apart?

REVIEW

There was the obvious old history between Bryce and Clara but friends and band mates will make their relationship to continue. A death brings them back together but will they truly be together after all the years that have passed? 

I love rock star books so I was looking forward to this one. I was a little let down though. I felt the story line was good but I couldn't seem to connect with the characters through the book. 

3.5 stars

Amy
Eye Candy Bookstore (Manager)

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(Clara)

“Can I come in?” a voice said.

That voice.

Clara touched her chest and felt her heart racing.

Rachel hesitated, but then she backed up and held the door open. “Sure, come on in.”

What the hell is she doing?

Standing near the fridge, sort of trying to hide, Clara watched Bryce walk into her apartment and right back into her life.

She studied him for a second. Black boots, jeans, a leather cut over a tight black t-shirt that hugged muscles that were much bigger than Clara remembered. His arms were tattooed, but not too much. He jaw looked like it had been cut from rock. He turned his head and when he saw Clara, his eyes opened wide. His dark brown eyes instantly tore down the wall she had built around her heart.

“Hey,” Bryce said.

“Hey,” Clara replied.

She licked the inside of her mouth and took a couple steps from the fridge. She always knew Bryce as a quiet, good looking guy, but this version of Bryce was different. Better. He was a man now. A strong, incredibly sexy man. And he was standing in her apartment.

At least she had Rachel as some kind of buffer.

“You know what?” Rachel said. “I’m going to take your advice, Clara. I’m going to go give Harlan a call. See what he’s doing.”

“Rachel…”

Rachel grabbed her stuff and stopped, grabbing Bryce’s arm. “It was good to see you. Hope you stick around for a few days at least.”

Bryce nodded.

Rachel went to the door and looked over her shoulder. Bryce's back was to Rachel as she bit her bottom lip and bent her knees a little before mouthing ohmyfuckinggod… he’s so hot…

She then smiled and closed the door behind her.

Tension flooded the room and Clara had no idea who was supposed to say something first. So she started small.

“Can I get you a drink or something?” Clara asked.

“Beer?”

“Yeah. Sure.”

Clara grabbed a beer from the fridge and handed it to Bryce. When he took it, his fingers grazed hers. Clara’s heart raced. She couldn’t control her emotions right now.

Bryce twisted the cap off and drank. He put the bottle down and let out a sigh.

“What a day,” he said.

“Yeah, I know. It's been like this a lot longer than a day though.”

Bryce nodded. “Was it bad?”

“It was bad,” Clara said. “You know that though. He never changed. Only got worse.”

“Damn,” Bryce said. “I'm sorry I was gone.”

“You left because you wanted to. Or because you had to, right? That’s what you told me.”

Bryce stared and his lip started to curl. “It wasn’t the easiest decision to make. Everyone thinks I just went to sell a song and sold out. Hardly.”

“I never thought that,” Clara said. “You were better than everyone else for making that kind of decision.”

“What about you?” Bryce asked. “What did I leave behind?”

Bryce looked angry, but it didn’t seem to be at Clara. He seemed pissed off at himself.

“I’m right here,” Clara said. “I survived.”

“No help from me though.”

“Wasn’t your job to help me. Remember? We had a long talk that night, Bryce. A long talk. You told me…”

“Forget whatever I said,” Bryce said. “I was mad at the world. I wanted…” Bryce grabbed his beer and turned around. He shook his head.

“What?” Clara asked.

“I wanted you, Clara. I couldn’t have it so I left. That has never settled well with me.”

Clara wasn't sure what to do. Her dress felt tighter than ever. She felt exposed in front of Bryce… and it wasn’t exactly a bad thing. He looked over his shoulder at her. His eyes were freaking deadly.

“I need to get out of this dress,” Clara said. “I hate wearing this stuff.”

“I know you do,” Bryce said. “You always hated dressing up.”

“Always have and always will. Not much has changed.”

“Doubt that.”

“You weren’t here, remember?”

Bryce closed his eyes and swallowed hard. “Thanks for that.”

“Sorry…”

Clara felt her throat tightening, so she hurried away from the kitchen and from Bryce. Tears were streaming down her cheeks before she could get to her room. She slammed the door but didn’t lock it. She ran to the dresser and almost fell into it. She looked in the mirror at herself.

With her hands shaking she reached back and unzipped the dress. Her heart was racing and body ached to be touched… the right way… and the right way was the way she always imagined Bryce would touch her.

Clara stepped out of the dress and bit her lip, wondering what would happen if Bryce walked into the bedroom right now.

(Bryce)

She shook her head and when she started sobbing, it was all Bryce could take. He wrapped his hands around her arms. He hesitated as she slowly looked up at him. A tear fell from her eye and Bryce’s finger chased it down.

“What did you tell him, Clara?” Bryce whispered. “Please. Tell me.”

“I don’t want you to get mad at me.”

“I never would. Not after what I’ve done.”

Bryce touched her face. She was soft and warm. Blinking away tears, little black lines of makeup on her face, Clara was still incredibly beautiful. She used to be a pretty girl that liked to hang out with the band, but now she was a beautiful woman.

“Clara,” Bryce said. “Tell me.”

“I told him I wish I had been with you.”

Bryce froze. It took him right back to the night he left and the feel of Clara's lips on his, just once.

Bryce started to move down as Clara’s shaking lips parted. Another tear fell from her eye and Bryce stopped himself from making a bad decision. He wiped the tear from her cheek and then pulled her close.

He held Clara, just like he had done before.

He loved her… and that was going to be a big problem.

Karolyn James is the author of several bestselling series, including Brothers of Rock which saw the first book – All Access – hitting both the NY Times and USA Today bestsellers list as part of a boxed set. Other series include Back Down Devil MC, written under the pen name London Casey, as a bestselling romantic suspense series. Writing under the pen name of Claire Charlins, Karolyn has seen success on the western romance and historical romance charts. Now she has her sights set on the groundbreaking rockstar romance novella series titled This Road.

 

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