Feuds and Interludes: Review
Feuds and Interludes by R.L. Merrill | Goodreads | Amazon | Bookbub | My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Feuds and Interludes is a rock and roll MM Romance about two rockers who have been each other’s nemesis in the press for years. A Happy ending is guaranteed, but it does take some time to get there. Buckle up, rock star, we’re going on a ride.
Blurb
Boone Collins and Shane Butler are two of rock music’s brightest stars today. Their grandfathers founded a powerhouse rock supergroup that ruled the airwaves in the late 1970s, and the grandsons grew up in their shadows to become frontmen of their own successful bands. The epic rivalry between Boone and Shane is notorious, and it’s about to blow up.
When Shane’s grandfather Bruce inducts his deceased bandmate into the Rock Music Hall of Fame, he admits to the world that he wrote the band’s biggest hit about his best friend’s widow—Boone’s grandmother Vera Jean. The two want to rekindle their relationship, and their grandsons are determined to keep them apart. Only, working together for a common goal reveals surprising similarities between the rock stars as well as a chemistry they cannot ignore. Shane sees behind Boone’s glittery facade to the secrets he hides from his bandmates, and Boone is there to pick up the pieces when Shane’s professional world implodes. Together, they plot a musical collaboration to celebrate their grandfathers’ accomplishments instead of fighting—a star-studded tribute at the storied Rocktoberfest event in the Nevada desert—but will being in the spotlight prove to be too much for their fledgling romance to handle?
Feuds and Interludes is part of the multi-author Road to Rocktoberfest 2024 series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but why not read them all and see what antics our bands get into next? Hot rockstars and the men who love them, what more could you ask for. Kick back, load up your Kindle, and enjoy the men of Rocktoberfest!
Feuds from the Start: Backstory
Boone Collins and Shane Butler’s lives are inexorably linked because of their legacy: Their grandfathers were in a legendary music group together in the 1970s. That musical partnership brought all the drama and ups and downs that can accompany emotional, passionate, and talented musicians. Their fictional band, California, coined hit songs that are still renowned in the rock world.
The book opens by detailing the years-long Boone and Shane are stuck in. They trade petty disputes in the press, and before a tribute performance at Boone’s deceased grandfather’s induction ceremony to a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (type thing, not the real Rock Hall of Fame), they actually square up and nearly come to blows, pushing and trading barbs. It impeccably sets up the antagonism between the two MCs, showing not only their entwined history but also that as things are, they are oil and water. Nothing, it seems, will bring them together.
Feuds and Interludes seamlessly weaves a fictional world filled with bands and music together with real-world music groups. And it does it well, so much so that I had to google a few names of bands to see if they were a real group I just hadn’t heard of. I especially enjoyed it when the book cuts to a magazine article about someone, the tone matches real entertainment copy so well.
Nepobabies
Both the MCs are deeply motivated to distance themselves from their nepobaby label. They work hard to become successful on their own, despite their famous grandparents. They are each famous in their own right. And despite their intertwined history, they bristle when asked about the other. It’s cataloged in the press from both angles, how much they hate each other, even though with words they try to downplay the antagonism. But fans can just tell they can’t stand the sight of each other.
Boone
Boone was raised by his grandparents, John Boone and Vera Jean Collins. John Boone is a musical legend, a true rock star and guitarist in the group California. California ruled the airwaves in the 70s. Vera Jean is a film star. John and Vera Jean raise Boone after tragedy strikes. They raise him right, and despite his early trauma, he becomes a rock star too, following in his grandfather’s footsteps to be a top-selling artist. When the book starts, it’s about a year after John passes away. Boone lives with Vera Jean in their beautiful Hollywood mansion as Boone’s group “Stellar” enjoys success.
Boone also has some health issues. He’s newly diagnosed with type II diabetes and it’s proving difficult to keep his condition stable. It leads to several misunderstandings and some surprising hurt/comfort when the MCs are still technically enemies.
Growing up, Boone was always around when the band rehearsed or at parties. The other star of California, Bruce Duncan, often brought his grandson Shane to these get-togethers. So Boone and Shane have known one another since forever. To kids, a few years difference in age seems like a whole lot more than it does when older. So, when Boone would follow Shane around at parties Shane didn’t like that at all. That’s when their antagonism started, it seems.
Shane
Shane is a metal musician who has a serious temper. He is notorious in the musical world for being firey and volatile. Also, Shane is a control freak. Shane writes all his band’s songs and doesn’t let his fellow bandmates do much, so it’s unsurprising when they break up with him. It sets him up for some downtime and he and Boone finally getting together inspires him with the creative drive to pursue something new with Boone, musically as well as romantically.
Legends of Their Time
Shane and Boone’s grandfathers are rock and roll legends. Shane’s grandfather, the surviving member of California, is a whole character. Boone’s grandfather John is deceased before the start of the book. I liked learning about him and it was sad that he died. But his death moved the story along.
Love Can Bring Us Together
Boone and Shane seem stuck in a never-ending cycle of back and forth. They can’t get the right footing around one another, and always end up pissing the other off. What finally changes? Their grandparents, mostly. When Bruce reveals, in dramatic fashion, that he wrote California’s most famous song Paisley pining for Vera Jean who went on to marry John, it sets the gears in motion for the ground under Boone’s feet to start shaking.
Vera Jean and Bruce
They decide that they’ve dilly-dallied for too long. They are going to be together for the years they have left. Love birds, teenage-style. Except they are in their 70s. Septeenagers, or something along those lines. Well, Boone and Shane, neither of them likes that idea at all. And for once, they agree on something and they have an actual conversation. It doesn’t take much for both of them to realize that they don’t really hate each other, they actually maybe like each other. After all, it’s a thin line between love and hate.
There Was Only One Bed Recording Studio
What finally tips the scale into sexy-time land? The musicians end up double booked at a recording studio/retreat. When they spend time in close proximity for a few weeks, they suddenly can’t keep their hands off each other. Recording studio hijinks ensue, hickeys galore. I am sure the producers wouldn’t want any bodily fluids on that expensive equipment, but that’s what happens.
Rock Stars
Rock Stars are, by nature, immature and emotional. This rings true in Feuds and Interludes. The way the MCs act is immature, from time to time. And they definitely let their emotions rule their reaction to things. The main conflict, in fact, shows that they have the emotional maturity of teenagers in grown men’s bodies.
Conflict Resolution and Emotional Maturity
It happens late in the story. Things are good, no, great. The two love interests are in love, and their troubles seem to be behind them, even with some ups and downs with band breakups along the way. They play an amazing show at Rocktoberfest. And then? Well, I guess the author felt like the story needed some conflict so the immature rock stars push each other away one more time.
I didn’t care for this, because it seemed petulant on Shane’s part to push Boone away when Boone really could have used the support of his boyfriend on his long overseas tour. Shane stomped away and pouted for a few months instead of being there for him. It all works out in the end but I wish the character had shown some growth and maturity and instead of making a grand gesture had just been there emotionally to support Boone on his tour. Maybe that’s just me, I don’t know. I didn’t think the story needed that whole part. I did enjoy the ending, it was gratifying to see them finally come together for keepsies at the end.
Feuds and Interludes: Overall Reccomend
Feuds and Interludes keeps you entertained. Spice level is piquant. I liked the book overall.
MM Romance Book Reviews
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