Backstage (Book 4 of The Back-Up Series) by A.M. Madden

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Teasers

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Synopsis

Trey Taylor was loving life. Bass player to the world famous rock band Devil’s Lair, chicks falling to their knees at every turn, no one to be held accountable to for his actions…life rocked. 

He had all he needed, food to sustain his body, sex to sustain his libido, rock to sustain his soul. For years he walked to the beat of his own drum, and made no excuses to anyone. Running and hiding can temporarily distract your fate, but it won’t derail it. Fate was coming for him, whether he liked it or not. His past was gaining ground and threatening all the secrets he desperately tried to hide. His present was slowing him down, making him feel emotions he buried years ago. The two are about to collide. Will Trey survive the impact?

My Star Rating

(5 Stars)

My Review

I have a strong love of Jack and Leila Lair. Through them I found a love for Devil’s Lair, Cliffhangers and A.M. I honestly thought the man of few words, behind the dark shades would never do it for me as much as Jack. It is time for me to eat my words. I was blown away by Trey’s story. I was beyond intrigued and emotionally invested while reading. I literally cried through whole chapters, Trey’s story was touching and his history was so heart achingly emotional. It only made Trey and his love story all the more of a 5 star read and an amazing fictional adventure.

I knew Trey had a dark past from reading books 1-3… but I never imagined how dark. I read the first four chapters with a constant stream of tears running down my face. I’m sure there are some of you that don’t enjoy books that will make you cry but for me it makes them more real and makes the good parts that much more rewarding, to see Trey find success, a family (his band and even little Lair), love and to read about him overcoming his demons after everything he had been through was an emotional rollercoaster I would gladly ride over and over again.

Excerpt: 

They say time heals all wounds. They are fucking liars. They never took into consideration those wounds that no one sees. Those that make your heart look like someone took a whip to it repeatedly. Those are the kind of wounds that never heal.

They decided I wasn’t allowed to have happiness. When fates were being handed out, they decided I was to be alone, unhappy, constantly suspicious…constantly hurting

They can go fuck themselves.

This excerpt reveals so much; how much Trey is hurting, how low his belief is that his life can be good, how angry he is, and how much he has been though. We see something we never saw in Trey before, the foundation of his rock star image slips right from the beginning, in the prologue. We see that he wishes his “fate” were different.

Excerpt:

I’ve come to the conclusion that everything in life is a crapshoot. Who decides those who are rich, or those who are poor? Who deices why some are hungry while others are gluttonous? Who decides why some families are picture perfect while others are pure evil?

It’s a lottery that no one has control over.

I was dealt a crap hand. I want a new deck.

No one is giving me a “do over” on a silver platter. So, I’m about to take control of my own destiny, tempt the fates, and tell the universe to fuck off.

With one sentence the Trey Taylor we know from the previous books is born. “I’m an asshole that’s up to no good.” Welcome to the world Trey Taylor. We see Trey’s life as a teenager, what his home life was like, who he turns into when he sets off from home, and how he finds his way to becoming the cocky, man-whore, guitar playing, rock god.

Through the reading journey of Trey’s life we meet Tara. She is a strong accomplished woman who can keep Trey on his toes but also be there for him in those rare moments he finds himself vulnerable. With Tara in his life we see him transform from the loner behind the glasses to a man hopelessly in love. But let’s be real, he’s still Trey Taylor. He’s still got great one-liners to torture Leila and Hunter with, there are moments and decisions where he returns to his old ways, and you know he’s still got the shades.

My personal goal is to have Madden’s first words be “fucking, Hunter.” Leila isn’t happy about my goal.

This novel really is everything “Trey”; it’s heartbreaking yet sarcastically funny. Backstage is book 4 in The Back Up Series and I believe it could be read as a stand-alone but I highly recommend against that. By reading the set you get a better grasp on Trey’s story and you have all the background of Devil’s Liar. I don’t think I would have really grasp how phenomenal Madden’s mind is, how great the story is, and the full respect of the relationship in the story had I not read these books in order. If there are any of you who believe Trey could never measure up to Jack, as I did. Give him the chance, I can almost guarantee you won’t regret it. For those of you who don’t enjoy a book that would make you cry, please please still give it a chance. I’m on board with you, when the sadness comes from something like a main character dying, but this is so different. Reading a book that evokes emotions in you because the story is so brilliantly dark but ends so very good is SO different. It makes the happy ending just that much better.

Purchase Backstage, here