I’m a huge Roan Parrish fan and this book just cements that fact. I enjoyed Riven very much and can’t wait to see what else is in store for us.

Just as beautifully written as all Roan Parish’s books, Riven is a feast for the soul. When I read a book by RP I know I’m in for some heavy feels, and the two men in this one are dealing with some major life issues. Watching them work through it all, and get to a safe, healthy, and satisfying place was an incredible experience.

It took me a long time to read this one. It was one I’d pick up and read, then put down for awhile. I knew I’d finish it, but I guess it just felt so heavy at times. I think it’s because the two characters’ issues are so real, and the way they work through them are really intense, but gah - so worth it.

I highly recommend this truly wonderful story.

3.5 stars

Some of my favorite books are books immersed in music. Roan writes music like she writes food, with heart and emotion.
You can hear the music, feel the notes, understand how it can be this tangible thing that grips and shakes and rides the characters. Her words can make you understand how Caleb could get lost in it, the world of it. How it could take his life in its hands and own him.
You can also understand how the music can live in Theo, turn him into this person who owns an audience with the notes just bursting out of him while he is a different person when he isn't making music.
There is a lot to unpack in this story. A coming of age almost for Theo and learning to trust for Caleb.
I loved Theo. I liked how he grew throughout the book, he makes decisions for himself and does the things that will make him happy. I ended up liking Caleb more in the end than I did through most of the book.
Some of my misgivings with this story are my own hangups. I hate things like Caleb's hot and cold attitude and Theo's lack of ability to communicate. Theo feels young throughout the story and Caleb is selfish.
I get that Caleb is dealing with some BIG things, major things, but Theo just wants someone who will love him completely, support him. He doesn't ask very much of Caleb, but Caleb somehow still lets Theo down in epic ways.
They are both messy in their own ways. And since they are both trying to figure out how to make their lives worthwhile when they meet each other, their relationship feels rocky and messy right from the start. It takes until the very end to get on some solid ground. Thank goodness for the epilogue because otherwise, everything would still feel very tentative to me.

I am not sure if I will read book 2 because it is an already together kind of romance, and those just break my heart, but I may not be able to resist checking in on Caleb and Theo. We'll see.

I loved Riven and thought it was a real return to form for Ms. Parrish! She excels at the tortured hero meeting the Ying to his Yang, and in this case, it’s sometimes it's difficult to determine just who has their shit together in the pair. But in this case, I vote for Caleb – he’s a mentor/friend and lover to a ‘learning things the hard way’ Theo. But Theo has things to teach him as well & I liked their journey together.

I tend to stay away from rock star romances because of all the angst, but this one really worked for me. Theo and Caleb have great chemistry – and compassion for one another, the settings were vividly rendered, and I could feel the author’s love for musicians/bands/music (which I share!) In every page.

I really just loved this book. I have a few minor quibbles but over all it's just really enjoyable. I loved how integral music is, and how it's used to give insight into the characters. I liked the realism of being with someone who is battling addiction, because while Caleb is sober, he is very much still a struggling addict. I LOVE that love isn't treated as a cure or as something that make it magically easy to go through. And I also like that Theo had his own issues to deal with so it wasn't as if it was all Caleb all the time. Theo has horrible self worth and self confidence issues that he deals with and grows from. He really comes into his own by the end and while not perfectly healed, he makes great strides. I enjoyed their chemistry. It was really intense. But here's where my quibble comes in. Caleb is so scared of risking his sobriety on anything that he falls into a pattern of really hurting Theo on more than one occasion. And while towards the end they talk it through and come to an understand and Caleb resolves to do better. I don't know that I believe he will. I wish Theo had been supportive but made him work to earn his heart back. I feel like he gives in too easily. If it hadn't happened more than once I wouldn't have had a problem but I don't know that I trust the pattern to not repeat again. I don't know. The supporting characters were interesting enough, I like the ones I'm supposed to and annoyed with the ones I'm supposed to be. I hope the drummer forgives Theo and they maintain a friendship. I am curious if Rhys & his guy have a book? It seems like they should.

*~~*ARC kindly provided to me for an honest review *~~*

- Review to come

Review originally posted on my blog with added content on Mikku-chan / A world full of words

I love Roan Parrish's writing style and while it took me a while to truly get into this story, I ended up loving this book.

Theo is a reluctant rock star, essentially hired by Riven to write songs and be the front man, yet never feeling part of the band. Caleb is a blues musician, who on the way to success, gets sidetracked with a serious drug addiction (4 stints in rehab) and now lives in a ramshackle house away from all his triggers, striving each and every day to not succumb.

There is a lot of soul-searching here, as Caleb comes to care deeply for Theo yet worries that Theo's world will drag him back into addiction. Theo finds in Caleb someone who feels as passionately about music as he does and Caleb gives Theo the unconditional love he has never before had. The sex is incredibly steamy right from the start, but the depth of emotion and love between the two takes a while to simmer and season.

I love the way in which Roan Parrish writes of music, of redemption, of love. At times the story seemed very slow, yet the pay-off is so worth it. 4.5 stars.

I greatly enjoy Roan Parrish's writing, and Riven was a compelling read with a sweet ending. I didn't find myself as sucked-in as by some of the author's previous books, and I felt a lot of problems could have been solved by having the characters talk to each other more, which made the plot feel a bit thin in places. But the characters had great chemistry and were well written, and I still eagerly await Roan's next title.

3.5

RIVEN is emotional and spicy. Theo and Caleb are flawed and vulnerable. Their story, for me, was a little slow paced, but I was hooked by their insta-lust (turned love--obvi) and by the growth these two struggled with.

For those who want to rewrite the self-defeating tracks reverberating through your minds, ‘Riven’, by Roan Parrish, is better than any self-help book. And it’s a tender love story to boot! It earns all its five hearts for romantics, music aficionados, sensualists and those who feel alienated.

Theo Decker is the band Riven’s leader singer, songwriter. He lives to write and perform. While Theo embodies music, he hates the fame. Walking off his depression after a tour, he encounters Caleb Blake Whitman, playing guitar to himself. After four rehabs, Caleb, a once successful blues guitarist, is unsure the role his art played in his downfall. Unable to trust himself, he’s given up his muse, surviving on a farm his grandfather left to him.

In a few well-crafted words Parrish conveys how each man has depersonalized. As Theo muses to himself, “The person who got recognized was more real than I was. How could I – the actual, singular Theo Decker – exist, when the Theo Decker the world saw was legion.” Theo is so lost in self-consciousness, so worried what others will think, he has no idea what he believes of himself.

And as for Caleb, “I’d spent the last year learning to mistrust the things I wanted. Learning that chances were if I desired it, it was going to kill me eventually.” And, “That part of my life – the part where I got to simply want – was over now.” Caleb confuses love with addiction.

Readers come to realize how Theo and Caleb have locked themselves in paralysis, only as it becomes clear to them, through their gradual revelations to one another. And it makes us feel almost complicit in their intimacy.
Each man can only connect to his truest spirit through music. Can this universal language bond their connection to each other? Though I’m not a huge music buff, I found myself waiting for moments when melody would spin its magic – a new self-awareness, and deeper tone of trust.

True to form, music signals the important growth in each man. Writing new songs, Theo realizes, “I wasn’t writing them the way I usually did, like deep cross-sections where I imagined everyone else’s parts. I was writing them like they were wildfire sweeping through a stand of trees, or lightning ripping across an open stretch of desert.” Can’t you recall listening to songs like this?

But Parrish clearly adores her other senses as well. Nature and food do their part to soothe her two skittish players. “The earthy scent of the Mississippi, the bite of chicory, the sharp burst of sugar on my tongue. Ever sense was full up with a place as familiar to me as my own bed,” Caleb thinks. Sigh.

Of course, the bedroom scenes between two sensualists are pure jazz – raw and spontaneous, raucous and unscripted. Yet they are more, as Caleb reflects. “Longing like that isn’t born of lust. It’s born of loneliness. It’s born of lack. It’s born of knowing the depths inside yourself can gape wide enough to lose yourself in forever. And it’s about the hope that maybe, somehow, something has come along that makes you want to turn away from the abyss and face the light.” Amen, brother, sing it again!

On her ending dedication, Parrish writes, “For everyone who wants a fresh start.” If self-doubt flays you and you feel as dissonant with yourself as with others, “Riven” offers a note of hope, a score for finding and saving our inner songs, so we can play them for others.

I have a huge crush on books about rock stars. I do not know why. wait, is it because my first boyfriend was a musician? YOU GUYS, I JUST PUT THIS TOGETHER. self awareness, boom.

ok, that was vaguely embarrassing.

I really loved this though. Caleb and Theo were awesome. MOSTLY Theo, but oof, also Caleb. it was romantic and vulnerable and hot and music was everywhere. there were some great secondary characters too, decent writing, good dialogue, etc. if you like male erotic romance (and musicians), this is fully for you.

oh, but, also be aware there are some triggers. Caleb is a recovering heroine addict and Theo has some emotional trauma from distant, unloving parents.

arc provided in exchange for an honest review from the publisher.

Everyone else LOVES this book, but I'm getting flashbacks to when I read In the Middle of Somewhere and was the only hater of the bunch. Though I loved The Remaking of Corbin Wale, I'm thinking maybe Roan Parrish isn't for me.

Riven was far from terrible, but I just... don't get it. I found the characters to be boring and I couldn't get myself emotionally invested. There was this strange feeling of disconnect that I couldn't shake.

The music aspects were... good. I liked that these guys had passion. I didn't like the back and forth, and I really didn't feel like they had much chemistry. It just felt... bland. I do struggle a bit with books that lead with sex and don't have that tension, that buildup, but something about the writing just felt flat.

I'm going with 2-stars since I didn't hate it, but I was so out of sync with this book that I actually DNFed at 82%.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

It's been a while since I've given a new author (new to me) a full 5 star rating. In fact, I can't even think of a time I've done that on a debut (again, for me) before. This is SOOOO worth the full 5 star rating. I would even venture as far as to say that it was perfect.

Theo is the lead singer of a very popular band. The band has risen to the top rather quickly and the fame that's come with it has taken it's toll on Theo. So much so that he finds himself walking miles late at night, ending up in a bar, listening to a man playing guitar to himself. He wasn't just playing the guitar though, everything about the way he played the guitar pulled Theo in. And so it begins...

Caleb is a washed up musician. At least that's the way he sees himself. After years in the business, and multiple stints in rehab, the only way to keep himself clean and sane has been to give up the thing he loved most. But still drawn to the music, one night, while playing in his sponsors bar (oh, the irony), Theo walks in and shocks him. Why? Because not only was it Theo freakin' Decker who's hot as sin, he completely understood the emotion he was looking for while playing his song. Let the emotions begin...

You guys!!!! THIS!!! This was an amazing story. A story of inter turmoil, of starting over, of acceptance, of love. And it's not one of those, man meets man, lust, and then within a month, love each other unconditionally. Nope. This was written like a true, real story. Taking us through the ups and downs of BOTH mens' struggles, both within themselves and each other, over a real course of time.

I just can't think of anything else to say except...If you're wondering if you should read this, the answer is a resounding YES!!!!!!!!!!!

reviewed by Chris

4.5 Stars Loved it!

‘I set about the business of learning what being lonely felt like. Because being lonely was what being sober felt like. Trapped, forever, in the real world.’

A reluctant rock star and a recovering addict and former musician; Theo and Caleb. That’s who we met and fell in love with in Riven. Two very lost men finding each other by chance when they need someone the most and discovering the music that resides within them both. Roan Parish wrote two characters with such depth and detail we felt like we knew them, heard the lyrics of their soul and felt their bond and intense attraction.

‘Theo, who would never assume that people would think he was worth paying attention to because for most of his life, people hadn’t.’

Theo, the lead singer of Riven is lost. The frontman for a successful band with adoring fans he is amongst people every day but never feels part of a unity, lyrics swirling through his head; an extraordinary beat drumming in his veins. We wanted to protect this musical genius; this shy and sweet boy. Vulnerable, gifted and haunted he feels as if he fits in, well…nowhere. Until he meets Caleb. When someone sees through your layer of self-protection and encourages your inner strength it’s hard not to want to be around them. Add a passionate attraction to the mix and you have a boy hopelessly in love with a man he greatly admires.

“I hate being famous. Being…me.”
“What do you hate about it?”
“It’s too…loud. Not the music. That’s the part I love. The people. It’s like they’re too in my head. Their voices. Their opinions. Their grabby hands. They want something from me you know? I don’t like them looking at me, – or it’s like they make me into this puppet. A doll. A version of myself that isn’t real and they can control.”

Caleb is hiding. He’s a recovering addict trying to avoid anything to do with his former lifestyle as a famous musician, afraid to fall back into a life of dependency. The night he meets Theo he knows just what he’s letting himself into so he runs. Back to the countryside where temptation and flashing lights don’t exist and can’t lure him back. He can’t forget the man he met though such was the attraction and need to protect. It’s easy to let fear rule your life but when love rears its powerful head nothing can withstand it.

‘The hope on his face nearly tore me apart. Because it was all for me. This man, standing in front of me, was dreaming a dream for me, and it was humbling as fuck.’

Beautiful writing, a unique voice, such depth of character and vivid imagery made this a wonderful romance that had every human emotion depicted in such an emotional and passionate way. Caleb and Theo came across as real honest and flawed characters that truly crave nothing more than a human loving touch. Their love story was lyrically addictive and wore its heart on its sleeve. Sometimes we find our home in the heart of another, we find somewhere we belong.

“Strip away my desire/ dismantle the star/ I’ll drag this bare body wherever you are.”

Beautifully written book, I couldn't put it down. You never really know what triggers addiction or how anyone copes on a day to day basis. Caleb and Theo are so great together. They help each other balance out. This book made me cry and you can feel the angst, anger, and love in every word that iRoan Parrish have written in this book.

A very moving story.

Riven is the first story I've read by Roan Parrish but I do have other books of hers on my TBRL (to be read list). It was a very moving story and had me in tears by the end. Two tortured guys who need each other but it takes time for Caleb to comes to terms with that.

Caleb is a recovering addict who had a promising music career but his addictions created major problems for him. Once he gets sober he stays away from that lifestyle because he doesn't want to be drawn back into it.

Theo hears Caleb singing one night while he is walking home and he is drawn to him. They begin a relationship but run into problems when Theo tries to convince him to give music another chance. Caleb doesn't want to be drawn back into all of the things that go along with the life of a musician; he's afraid for his sobriety.

Caleb and Theo have a rough road to their HEA. Theo isn't really happy playing in the band Riven; he wants to make music with Caleb. Caleb has to overcome his fears so that he can get back to his music and be with the man he loves.

A very emotional story which I really enjoyed.

A review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.

Self doubt and drug addiction continues to pull them apart. Can the music that brought them together help heal their wounds?This is a gut wrenching story that makes you see that your opinion is the only one that matters. Out of love comes beautiful music!

I got an ARC of this book.

I don't go for the bad boy, rock star, or rich guy romance novels. I find them boring. I find them predictable. There has to be something large to draw me to them. The broken Caleb and the cover did me in on this one. I wanted to see how this played out. I am all about hurt/comfort.

Theo is a rock star, but doesn't really understand what that means. He is the lead singer of a wildly popular rock band. He doesn't understand that it means that people will recognize him in public, that his life is now living on a tour bus/planes, he doesn't understand that all of his life is under the microscope. He hides from the fans, he hates touring, and he feels awkward with his band. The back story that he is given is magical. I loved how much pain and sadness Theo carried inside. I loved how much it bled out into his actions before it was revealed. It allowed me to experience his pain, instead of being told it existed. It was amazing writing and character building that led me to liking Theo.

Caleb is a recovering addict. His drug of choice seemed to be alcohol and heroin or meth. There are references to heroin and cocaine throughout the book, but I'm not sure if it is ever solidified as to which one he was doing. There is mostly needle references. I am also very much not into drug addicts, in recovery or not. I literally moved out of my hometown partially because you had two options: be a heroin addict or work with heroin addicts. So that twist on broken Caleb took some forcing myself to sit through at first. Then I realized that Caleb's pain came from him punishing himself for the people he hurt and trying to stay sober through that pain, instead of just a desire to use again. It was a complex issue instead of a sensationalized one. Again, I have to give kudos for great writing and character development. Caleb's sponsor is even a character that has lines, he is called, he is real. It made the whole thing feel more substantial and believable to me. It made it easier.

The romance was very up and down because of Caleb's recovery and Theo's childhood trauma. It was an amazing ride. The sex was generally hot, though I had the same issues I have with so many romance novels. The boys engage in oral sex without a condom repeatedly, but always use a condom for anal sex. This book goes a step further and a has a "conversation" about not using a condom for sex. It is like grunting, I didn't really get the meaning until there was no condom. Then went "oh, that totally wasn't enough communication and was totally not the right time to discuss it". The author was pretty good about the use of lube outside of two scenes. One discussed using spit as lube, which in the right context can be super hot and possible so that scene doesn't really count. The other scene it just wasn't discussed at all for some reason which felt off considering how well Parrish did in all the other scenes. If there had been condoms for oral sex in the beginning then I would be praising this book as the best sex I have ever read in a M/M romance. Not all of the sex was penetrative. There was such range and fluidity that it was always a treat to get a sex scene instead of just a chore. I am impressed.

Oh my gosh you guys!

Honestly, I do not have enough words to describe the wonderfulness that was this book. No, IS this book!

Theo and Caleb could not be more perfect for each other and with this book you get everything you have come to love about Roan's work....angst...love, lust, heartache....everything!!

I recommend this book SO much!!

This is my first Roan Parrish book and I was impressed. I had applied for this book back in February and received it and forgot what the story was about, I love going into a story blind. So, I really liked Caleb and Theo as individuals as well as a couple. I enjoyed that there was a courtship and not insta love. This is an emotionally charged story. Caleb, you feel his pain and fear of relapsing. His sobriety is his number one priority. He has cut himself off the world , as he thinks this is the only way to keep the drugs at bay. It is actually quite heartbreaking to read, the desperation is very believable,
And Theo, the reluctant Rock Star. He loves the music and the creating it, but hates the notoriety that comes with it. He is not really close with his band mates and doesn't really give them a chance to get to know him. Theo, escapes when he is with Caleb. He forgets the fame and just feels and his feelings run deep for our, brooding Caleb.
This story works in many ways, it is sweet and loving. It has a bit of a "what do I do with my life?" as an underlying topic. There are many things that I think readers will gravitate to and enjoy.
I am not a real big fan of sugary sweet romance and this had that at times. The beginning was a little slow paced and a bit wordy. But all in all this is an enjoyable and well thought out story.