The author's writing had some poetic quality that make reading RIVEN a sublime experience. It contains some magnificent characters and a connection with music that was mesmerizing.

Theo loves music, but that's about everything he loves about the music world. He hates the tours, the paparazzi but most of all, being famous. Caleb is trying to stay strong. Being alone has given him the peace he'd been looking for. He's still fighting his own demons when the sound of music connects their paths, making the need for each other start growing stronger and changing their lives as they knew them.

This was a beautiful experience. I loved the author's writing. It felt a little complex at the beginning and, for a moment, I thought I would have trouble with translation because of the frequent use of words that were unknown to me, but after a while it was easier to get myself into the story, even though there were a few times when I felt the need to seek a word's meaning. I still enjoy the writing a lot. It was beautiful to see how the phrases flow in a very artistic way that seem in sync with the overall emotion of the book. It is a little slow-paced but it fits perfectly the romantic feeling of the story.

The relationship between Theo and Caleb was fantastic. I tend to prefer a more slow burn development but they had an amazing chemistry from the start and it was perfect. They were perfect for each other. There was nothing about them that I didn't like. The sex scenes had a perfect match of sensuality and sweetness that I love to read in such intimate moments. They were such a perfect match. I loved them as a couple and I loved them as individuals. Theo's struggle to fit was endearing. His awkwardness outside the stage and the different persona on it remind me of stories I heard from beloved rock stars and it fit him perfectly. Caleb's owns struggles were also interesting to see and felt so realistic that there were moments when it was painful to see him willing to make so much sacrifices to keep his life in order.

Overall RIVEN was a stunning book, the few issues I had with it were minor inconveniences for the things I loved about it. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a MM Romance, but especially for people who enjoy music. I think they might appreciate the constant presence and importance of it in the book.

I LOVED this book! The writing was superb! The two main characters, Caleb and Theo, I fell in love with. I enjoy reading books based on musicians, this has been my number one favorite so far! Roan has a beautiful way of telling a story and making you feel like you are in the book. It is a male/male romance, which I love reading, but I feel anyone that loves romance books would love this book, it is just so well done! 5 stars all the way! Highly recommend!

ARC provided via Netgalley.

I don't know that I've read a lot of Roan Parrish. I can't say this was a overwhelmingly positive in my book. Theo and Caleb fall into lust when they first meet. I think what made that okay was the fact that Theo fell in love with Caleb's music and who he is as a musician. When stories have these other soul-connecting factors, like music, it makes the insta-love/attraction/lust palatable.

Everything about Caleb and Theo went really well in my book. The chemistry and character development were strong, but what I didn't like was how little the supporting characters of Riven were seen. Per usual with stars there's the scandal of a paparazzi picture which is what happened with Caleb, no surprise there. The thing is, that it seemed like it was just plopped into the story with no real affect to the story. All the other characters of the band were just there. I didn't like how Parrish just "talked" all of the story. There wasn't much depth in that aspect of the story because only Caleb and Theo had any interaction throughout the story which just made it slow. I hate being told a story without being shown the world its in.

Parrish did a really good job with the musical expression in relation to the characters and the romance as well, but everything else felt lackluster to me.

Theo is the lead singer for Riven. Worn down with touring, never really connecting with the other band members, he's alone. Loving the music, hating the rock star he's become. The band has just ended a tour and he's walking the city trying to relax. He goes into run down bar and hears a beautiful man sing a beautiful song and is entranced.

Caleb, playing one of his songs for himself, doesn't expect a gorgeous dark haired man to sit down beside him and start deconstructing the song. Trying to figure out what is different about it and what makes it work. The music pulling Theo towards Caleb.

Caleb, recently out of another stint in rehab, is afraid of his music. He knows the music led to his drug use. He is trying to come to terms with the version of himself he no longer recognizes.
Drawn to Theo, he gives into the pull between them. They want each other but both of them come with a lot of baggage. Misunderstandings abound, tearing them apart, love bringing them back together. The music drives the story.

I liked the book, although at times the problems seemed to break up the storyline to much.

5 Star Read
Received ARC in exchange for an honest review

I was not sure if I should request this book first time reading not only this author but genre M/M relationship. I read a few of the previous NG reviews - all excellent & so is mine

Praise for this author who writes an amazing story of two people trying to find love. Theo & Caleb were such amazing characters & together they are just phenomenal...

Theo is a reluctant Rock Star & lead singer for the band Riven. He meets Caleb a recovering addict formerly in the music business - their chance meeting in a bar where Caleb is just holed up with his AA sponsor working some of the new material / lyrics floating around in his head .& playing his guitar.

There is Immediate & intense chemistry between the two but Caleb keeps pushing Theo away not wanting to go down the path that might set him on his 4 attempt in rehab.

These two are so good for each other -when they do put all their issues behind them it’s such a tender love story.

Just read please such an awesome love story !!

Can you possibly imagine having everything you’ve ever wanted and feeling lost? Constantly seafood the one thing that seems missing. Theo had it all but felt at a loss for the instant fame that followed him everywhere. Only one person truly understands everything that he is going through and sees Theo for the person he is. Two damaged souls that some how fit one another. Finding strength to achieve their dreams and push the fear that has consumed them for far too long to the side. Definitely reminds you of how important it is to find your soul mate and to give you the push that will change your life forever.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author but it won’t be the last. I love this story. Normally I don’t like rock star stories but something drew me to this. It’s much more about two guys who were both hurting each in their own way. How they are put into a relationship and how that relationship progresses kept me hooked. I really liked not only the main characters but some of the secondary characters are very attractive. I feel the character development is good. I feel I understand where these guys are coming from and why they feel the way they do. I think the story flowed right along not giving me anywhere I wanted to skim over. I am very happy with the ending even though I would have been happy to spend a little more time with these two. I look forward to more books by this author.

I got a copy of this ebook from Netgalley and to be 100% honest, I didn't expect it to be great. At best, I expected a novel full of fanfic-esque tropes where we all know the two mains are going to end up together, but they spend the entire novel somehow managing to avoid any sort of meaningful communication until the last chapter. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Riven was nothing like this.

I am usually fairly picky about realistic fiction, because I feel like too much of the plot hinges on lack of communication causing problems that don't need to be there. Riven completely avoids this pet peeve of mine, and I was thrilled. Yes, Theo and Caleb's relationship is not easy, and they get in a few fights. But the difference is that these fights are based on real issues that cause tension in their relationship and need to be talked about, and even more importantly, they are talked about! After fighting, the characters reflect on their actions, and after a little time, they talk to each other about the problem and work it out together. I mean, talk about groundbreaking! It shouldn't feel revolutionary to read about a couple who don't spend hundreds of pages fighting and giving each other the silent treatment because of a simple miscommunication, but unfortunately, it is. Theo and Caleb actually talk about their problems, work out their issues through open communication, apologize for their mistakes, and work to build a trusting and healthy relationship where they can both grow as individuals as well as a couple, and I found it immensely refreshing.

The conflict in the novel is not "will these two people end up together," but rather that Theo and Caleb both have their own issues based on their life situation and their past, and these issues are something that affect them as individuals as well as affecting their relationship. Their relationship is not a cure-all or a replacement for actually working on their issues (in Caleb's case, addiction and recovery, and in Theo's case, a lack of fulfillment in his rock star status and a profound feeling of isolation from the people in his life); rather, they help provide a catalyst for each other to start addressing these issues and moving forward, with the support and encouragement of a loving partner. Falling in love is not *the solution* to their problems, but having a healthy relationship is certainly a positive influence as well as a challenge.

Without going into too many details about the plot, I also really appreciated the musical aspect of the novel. I felt like I got a cool look into the process of creating music, and how different people relate to that experience in different ways. It was written in a way that seemed genuine but also accessible to readers.

On the whole, I truly enjoyed this novel and I thought it was a great example of how a novel about two people and their lives and relationships can be interesting without contrived miscommunications or unnecessary tragedy. On the surface, not much actually happened compared to the action-packed sci-fi/fantasy I usually read, but by the end of the novel I felt like there was a complete and very satisfying story arc. It felt real and very relatable, and it felt very hopeful in the end. I don't read realistic fiction often, because often it bums me out and makes me feel bad about my own life, but Riven felt very uplifting. If these two characters could work through their problems and move forward with hope for the future, then so can the reader.

My one disappointment in this novel is the lack of female characters. Like many books about romances between men, women were few and far between and did not play a major role in the story, which was a bit of a bummer, especially in a book coming from a female author. Female-authored male/male romances where women are almost non-existent are unfortunately, quite common, but I always am a little disappointed, especially when books are this well written. The supporting characters were lovely (I especially liked Rhys, and would have loved to read a book about how his relationship with his husband developed), and I have no doubt that the author could have written interesting and well-developed supporting characters that were women.

On the whole though, I did really really enjoy Riven, much more than I expected to. It's probably one of my favorite realistic fiction novels, and I would definitely recommend it.

There are some books that are hard to review because there are just no words to adequately describe how much you loved the book. This book was one of those. All I can say is, wow! This book was nothing like I expected. I expected the typical rock star romance, but it was not that at all. It was full of emotion, realness, heartache, struggles, laughter and self-reckoning. It was heartbreakingly beautiful. It was one of the best books I've read in a very long time and that says a lot when I read 200+ books a year.

Theo Decker is the gay lead singer of rock band Riven. They are super popular, touring the world and Theo is going along with the motions and living the lifestyle of a rock star while he's at it. But he's not happy. He loves music, but he hates the attention and popularity it gives him. He's one person on stage and in public, but we see that he's very vulnerable and shy when he's away from all that. He was absolutely adorable and endearing. I loved Theo's character so much and how much he grew as a person and artist in this book. I would certainly go buy his album!

Then there's Caleb Whitman, a recovering drug addict and musician who is trying to get his life back together by living at his grandfather's old farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. Caleb keeps himself isolated, but every now and then, he'll head into the city, visit his sponsor and even play some tunes in his sponsor's bar. He's just playing around on his guitar there one night when Theo walks by, is drawn by the music and walks in.

And the rest, as they say, is history. Well, there's a lot more that happens after they hook up that night, but it's the start of their life together. But it's not without some battles, Caleb running away from Theo when he was scared, Theo not doing what will make him happy, etc. They certainly had a lot of personal issues to deal with, more than most people would in a relationship. But somehow, they managed to overcome them. I wasn't sure how it would play out since they were both so damaged in their own ways, but they did together.

I loved the ending and how far they had grown in both their personal lives and their relationship. I wish the author had given more of a future view so that we could really see where they were now, but at least the view we got was sufficient to make me happy with the ending :-)

Oh and this was my first Roan Parrish book - not sure how that happened! But it definitely won't be my last.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Riven is the story of two musicians who don't know how to make much-needed changes in their lives. Theo is the famous frontman for a rock band who wants a family to belong in, and Caleb is a recovering drug addict who is hiding in an isolated farmhouse. They meet over music, almost by chance.

Roan Parrish specializes in characters who have dark places making connections with each other. None of her characters get "fixed" or cheer up, but she nudges them, carefully and sensitively, into better places in their lives. It's always satisfying to read.

ARC review for NETGALLEY, Roan Parrish is really hit or miss with me. For me this one was not grabbing my attention and I gave up about 15% of the way. This is most likely a case of just not clicking for me as everyone is loving this book. I may give it another go sometime later down the road.

Let me start off by saying I'm not sure what it is about this cover but I love it. Riven was such a great rock star romance read. I absolutely loved Theo and Caleb and I also enjoyed the side characters. You have two people who are broken in very different ways trying to do what's right for them but realizing that everything has its risk and sometimes the risk is worth reward. They just have to have enough faith and love to take that leap. This is the first book I've read from this author and I definitely look forward to reading more of her work. I would definitely recommend this book. It's a great book for readers that enjoy a good m/m romance read.

Theo is a reluctant rock star and lead singer of the band, Riven, while Caleb has stepped away from the music industry after years of addiction and rehab. How they meet, slowly get to know each other, and come to realize what is important in life makes a beautiful story, enhanced by two heroes who struggle but eventually discover what love really means. Told in both of their voices, the book is enhanced by a strong sense of music and what an important role it can play in people's lives. This is the first book by Roan Parrish that I have read, but I will be reading her earlier works and definitely looking forward to what comes next.

I think what I loved most was Parrish's gorgeous exploration of music and the process of creating it. The entire book had a dreamy quality to it, that I often feel when I get lost in a good song. Theo and Caleb were great characters, and I appreciated how their issues were rough edges that they had to smooth out.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were real, had troubled pasts that realistically affected their outlook on life and relationships. Both Theo and Caleb were engaging and endearing in their own ways.

I can’t get this book out of my head. It was-

breathtaking

soulful

magical

poetic

passionate


I don’t think I can write a coherent review for it. Riven is one you have to experience. It’s about two men going on a journey together; it’s about healing, trust, new beginnings. It’s also unlike any rockstar book I’ve ever read. It didn’t rely on typical cliches. It was just so full of feeling.

Trust me, friends, read this book. Sorry to be so vague but you’ll be the better for it.

5+ GORGEOUS Stars.

This was an outstanding read. The authors prose really grabbed me from the start. I could feel the emotion between Theo and Caleb. Also, this one touches on some very specific issues that can be used in a not great way. ( I'm trying to avoid any spoilers) but this one issue is one I personally battle with and not many authors get it right. This one did.

5 stars.

"How strong the stories we told ourselves were. What power they had to shape how we saw the world, even when confronted with evidence to the contrary."

This book was breathtaking.

I just...I'm blown away by how much I loved this.

I loved Caleb and Theo. Their love for music, for each other, to be happy again, to find what makes them want to live.

"There was this moment before, the first note left my mouth, when everything changed. There was the before and the after, the quiet and the noise; the off and the on. It was the moment when I felt like I appeared, pushing everything that I was out of myself like the notes I sang were a strong-currented river, able to disgorge me."

Riven is an honest and beautiful book that makes you shake your head, want to throw your kindle and pull at your hair. But it's real and it's raw. And it makes you feel everything that the characters feel; their nerves, the fear, and the happiness. What it feels like to live in fear and not be able to do anything about it. Or that it takes you a while to find you happy place.

"I wanted to be the center of my own life again. I wanted to matter."

It was about Theo and Caleb being 'reborn' in a sense. And there isn't a book like this out there. And that is why there is absolutely nothing that I hated about this book or would change.