This was pretty tame compared to other books by Olivia Cunning which was disappointing. I prefer her raunchier ones because I feel like she's really great at writing the erotica aspect of her books but her story-developing lacks a certain spark.

I'm have to be honest and say this book was only an OK read for me. I had a hard time connecting with the characters and I'm not sure whether it was because I have not read the other books from this series or simply that I was not fond of the characters themselves. The plot was interesting and there was lots of drama and emotional turmoil.

Roux had a horrible childhood until she was put into a foster home with a bunch of girls. Those girls became her sisters and are now the rock group Baroquen. They won the chance to be the opening act of Exodus End world tour. Steve is the bad boy drummer and swears never to give his heart away after his divorce. At first he hates the girls because they took his best friends bands spot. But he quickly realizes what a sweetheart Roux is. Roux finds out that Steve isn’t as bad as he makes out to be, there is a soft and romantic side to him. Someone is trying to destroy him and they just might make him lose the love of his life. I thought it was a great story. I hated how Roux wanted to keep them a secret to protect her sisters. Plenty of sex, alcohol, and rock n roll. All of Ms. Cunning’s books with leave you need a cold shower. * voluntarily read and reviewed this for NetGalley.*

It’s been awhile since I’ve dived into the rock and roll world that Olivia Cunning has created. I didn’t read the first two books in this series but I was fine picking up this one and not getting lost on who everyone was. Ive read most of her other books so it was cool catching up with the other characters. Yeah this one was really long, but also super hot, it took me a couple of days to finish it but I’m glad I read it. I’m really looking forward to Dare’s book. I was all kinds of intrigued by him the minute I first read about him years ago.

I have been hooked on Olivia's rock star books since the Sinner's series. I love these bad boys that have an edge to them. Steve is no exception with Exodus End. Our yummy drummer wears his heart on his sleeve. You really would not believe it from the previous books when he made his appearances. But wow! What an insane roller coaster ride Staged was. Steve has been burned to ashes before. Once he meets Roux, he is a mean a*hole and I was not sure if they would be able to happen.

Olivia Cunning gives you a surprise story for Steve. It is one of the "softer" edginess for her books, but somehow it just fits for these characters. With all the story line having us twisted up towards the end, you just want to reach out to these characters and give them a hug. The sexiness factor is still ah-mazing. The room temperature will get hotter and hotter as you are flipping the pages! And with a new girl rock band on the loose, all is fair in the war of love! Ha! I cannot get enough of the Exodus End guys and extremely excited for Dare's story!!!

So much Rock Star redemption fun. I really enjoyed this book. The interplay of the established characters and the new band characters was great.. It was fun to see the behind the scenes of how those we look up to have their own demons and insecurities. I loved this book.

Staged, Olivia Cunning.

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: Romance

Way back when I got my first kindle I found a free book I liked the sound of. It was Brian and Myra's story, the first Sinners book. I loved it and went on to buy the rest. I wasn't so taken with the Sole Regret novels, liked them but as one off reads. I was so keen to read Exodus End books, having met Dare several times in Sinners novels. I'm still keen to read his story, he's a solid, quiet, unassuming guy, and I think his novel will be special.

Still, we're book three into Exodus End, and I'd expected to devour this story. I'll be honest, Steve wasn't one of my favourite characters, but we see some suprising depth to him here. At first though I really disliked him, sulky and sullen, whining because his best friend's band has been replaced as opener, and the way he treats ladies....yep, he was misogynistic. Speaking of his best friend, Zach is a great character, and though he's not involved in any of the bands so far, I think he has a great story in him.

I really wanted to like this story, but it took a while before events of last two books came to me, its been a while and several hundred novels since I read them. As well as the characters we already know, there are quite a few new ones. I did find this and some of the plot-lines a bit confusing, and at times the story was hard to believe, mainly the Tamara/Bianca/Susan aspect.
I felt too, that in this book the sex became the story – its fine for many readers but not me. In other novels the sex has always been to the fore, these are very erotic novels after all, but balanced with solid plots. Here the main plot seemed pretty thin, much of it only developing in last part of the book, and at a pace that felt rushed. I felt there were pages and pages and pages of sex, interspersed with a little bit of story and then yet more sex. To be honest after a while its gets boring, there's only so many times I want to read about sex, only so many ways to write it without it becoming repetitive. Here it became just mechanics rather then sensual. There were several times when I felt the sex and the conversations about sex became OTT, frankly reading about Roux not being hungry any more because she'd had too much come, ( no I just can't use the US expression...) and whether it was vegetarian or not was more than I wanted to read. Likewise his request for her to text him everything – even when she was “having a dump”. Really, that's a good line – or lines, it came up more than once- for the story??

Then there's That event, which I felt was incredibly serious, sadly happens too often, but between brushing it off or demanding it be reported I felt it wasn't really given enough time, not the treatment it deserved. When copious pages have been devoted to sex surely a few more could have been spared for this. Its a horrific thing to happen, would it have been treated this way if it happened to a female? I felt it really let down its importance that it was just added almost as a quick filler plot.

Stars: Two. Overall this book wasn't a success for me. I still love the others and want to read Dare's story, but this one just didn't cut it.

ARC via Netgalley and publishers

Roux Williams has overcome so much in her life. Her and her bandmates of Baroquen, have finally gotten their big break and are opening for Exodus End, on the European leg of their world tour. She won't let a little thing like lust for their drummer, Steve Aimes, ruin their big chance, regardless of how amazing he can be.
Steve Aimes had given up on Love and silly embraced the Rick start life after his bitter divorce. Trusting a woman is not high on his list at this point, yet he is blindsided by Roux. And a silly rule about not dating or being together on tour isn't going to stop him. All she needs is a taste to get addicted.

I never read any of the previous books, but I was able to figure everything out. I enjoyed this one and am looking forward to going back and reading the previous books in this series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance read

Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll…if any of those words are offensive to you, just stop reading now and move on...

To Exodus End drummer, Steve Aimes, the world is his stage. Hiding behind the persona of a typical sexed and drugged up rock star, no one would believe he has a heart of a hopeless romantic. That is until up and coming rock band Baroquen is introduced, and Steve sets his eyes on keyboardist Roux Williams. Steve is all in when it comes to winning over Roux’s attentions, and even when Roux shares her painful past, he loves her all the more.

Roux Williams is determined not to become another notch on Steve Aimes’ drumsticks. But when he lets his guard down to allow her to see past his legendary reputation, Roux takes a chance with her heart and allows herself to fall in love.

Roux and Steve are both characters hurt by their past, but made all the stronger for having survived. “She made him feel something he never thought he’d feel again. Hope. Hope that someone on this dark and twisted planet might be able to see him for who he truly was and love him because of it, not despite it.”

Even after a long hiatus between stories, Olivia Cunning has reminded this reader the joy of her sensuous writing style and the love for smexxy hawt rock and rollers! Loved this latest installment of the Exodus End series and highly recommend!


*Readers note, while this is book 3, it may be read stand alone. Highly recommend the author’s Sinners on Tour series as well.*

A fun and hot edition to Cunning's Exodus End series. New readers can jump in, but will be interested in reading the earlier books in both this series and her Sinner's series if they enjoy this one, so make sure to have them on hand as well.

After a very long wait we finally have the next Exodus End book. Steve was surprisingly sweet, and was well worth waiting for!

Staged, is about the length of two novels. A lot for your money.
Roux is rather mature and smart for her age and all she went through in her youth. I admired her throughout the whole book. And the way she stands by her man is awesome.
Steve is the most romantic of the band members. Lucky Roux gets all the romance her heart could desire.
I can't say enough that I love all of Olivia Cunning's books.

Since his divorce, rocker Steve Aimes has embraced every rock ’n’ roll stereotype; and uses those vices to keep women at a safe emotional distance. He vowed years ago to never give any woman the power to break his heart again. He just has to keep playing the part, and never drop his guard, and stop obsessing over the keyboardist in their new opening act. He didn’t want Roux’s band on this tour in the first place, but somehow she is shattering his barriers without even trying.

Roux Williams knows an opportunity like this only comes around once in a lifetime. Her band, Baroquen, has finally gotten their big break and are opening for Exodus End and Sinners on the European leg of their world tour. She refuses to screw up this opportunity by getting involved with Steve Aimes no matter how gorgeous, sexy and surprisingly attentive he is.

Nice to finally have Steve's book; but this was a tad anticlimactic and unsatisfying compared to the first two books in the series.