Review: The Words

 

Title: The Words

Author: Ashley Jade

Release Date: January 20, 2022

From USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ashley Jade comes an edgy, enemies-to-lovers standalone romance about mistakes, forgiveness, and second chances.

He was the talented bad boy everyone wanted.

I was the irrelevant geek everyone hated.

He was the sun...drawing all of us in.

I was a black hole...taking up space.

He was destined to be a star.

I was destined to remain an insignificant no one.

Until he made me believe I was special...

And then he destroyed me.

I never thought I'd see Phoenix Walker again after he broke my heart, but fate had other plans.

One tour. Eight weeks. Forty shows.

Countless opportunities to make him pay.

The world thought he was a God...

But I knew the truth.

Phoenix was one of a kind, destined to be a star. A talented boy whom everyone wanted- including Lennon, until he broke her heart. She never thought she would see Phoenix again.  Now, four years later, after Phoenix and his band mates rise to stardom, Lennon gets an offer of a lifetime. To go on tour with Phoenix's band, and babysit him. One tour, right weeks and countless opportunities to make Phoenix pay for what he did. If only it was that easy. 

I love a good enemies to lovers romance, and rockstar romance and this combines the two, and adds in second-chance romance as well. 

Lennon and Phoenix knew each other briefly in high school, their relationship was fleeting. Lennon helped Phoenix, and in return her broke her heart in more ways than one. It took her months, years to get over it, but she built up her walls around her. But when life came crashing down on her, the opportunity and cash she would get to tour with Phoenix was too good to pass up. Now, she had the chance to get him back for what he did to her, also, while making the money she needs to deal with life. Eight weeks on tour in close quarters with Phoenix, what could possibly go wrong. Besides the fact that he was spiraling and needed something to help pull him out. But Phoenix's suffering was exactly what she wanted, wasn't it? 

I loved the angst and tension between Phenoix and Lennon. The push and pull and build up between the characters. Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes. I also love me some Rockstar romances. And this book had it all. It was not only filled with angst and tension, but betrayal and guilt and emotion. It was an amazing read, and I fell in love with Phoenix and everything he has been through and felt for Lennon too. These characters were real and gritty and this book artfully done. This may be the first book I read from Ashley Jade, but it won't be the last, and I looked forward to more from this author, and even this world she built with these characters. 4.5⭐ out of 5⭐.