Title: Wicked Beat by Olivia Cunning
Sinners on Tour Book Four
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, Romance
Length: 416 pages
Book Rating: C+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
From the moment he lays eyes on Sinners’ new front of house soundboard operator, drummer Eric Sticks knows he has to make Rebekah his. Unfortunately, she’s too busy trying to seduce guitarist Trey Mills to pay him much attention. Rebekah never planned to fall for the tall, goofy drummer with the weird sense of humor and a heart the size of the galaxy, but Eric makes her laugh and his constant attention makes her feel sexy and irresistible–exactly what she needs after the things her last lover said to her. A woman who gives as much as she takes, Rebekah makes Eric feel like a total stud–exactly what he needs after surviving a decade of watching the incredibly talented members of Sinners from the wings.
The Review:
In Wicked Beat, the final installment of the über hot Sinners on Tour series, Olivia Cunning turns up the heat and delivers a plethora of smokin’ hawt and extremely erotic sex scenes. Rebekah “Reb” Blake and drummer Eric Sticks are playful lovers who eagerly act out their raunchiest fantasies with amazing frequency.
I have to confess that Rebekah is my least favorite Sinners’ heroine. In fact, I really did not like her much in the beginning or end of Wicked Beat. Rebekah is seriously crushing on Trey, but instead, she gets involved with Eric right off the bat. Now, I’ll be the first to admit, her self-esteem is at an all time low, she has zero sexual self-confidence, and she is attracted to Eric, but the fact is, she used him. I did like her through the middle of the story. Rebekah accepts Eric and she really gets his sense of humor. They are sexually compatible and their sexual chemistry is undeniable. But her reactions to certain events later in the book sent me back into dislike territory and I never did regain respect for her.
Now Eric? I LOVED him. He is offbeat with a quirky sense of humor and he is just adorable. Fans of the series know what Eric’s kink is and yep, he and Rebekah are on the same sexual page where it’s concerned. Eric has his own sexual insecurities and in this area, Eric and Rebekah are good for each other. Right from the start, Eric is serious about Rebekah and he only has eyes for her. He is just soo freakin’ cute and sweet once he falls for her. There is depth and substance to Eric’s character but his troubled past is barely touched on and his storyline remains sadly underdeveloped.
Rebekah and Eric’s relationship is superficial and outside of getting to know each other sexually, they really do not know anything about one another. So I had real problems with how quickly they fell in love. The “I love yous” were exchanged within days and I was highly skeptical that Rebekah could fall out of lust with Trey and into love with Eric that fast. There is little romance to the novel and while the sex scenes are definitely steamy, Eric and Rebekah practically do nothing but have sex. There are so many long and drawn out sex scenes that they eventually overwhelm the storyline.
With so little substance to their relationship, it is really no surprise when it implodes. While Eric tries to patch things up between them, Rebekah takes the advice of her ex, you know the man who crushed her self-esteem. And when she finds out how he manipulated her? She forgives him! I don’t care how close your friendship is, there are some things that are unforgivable and I was furious when Rebekah overlooked everything he did.
There are parts of Wicked Beat that I truly enjoyed. Trey and the rest of the band see how much Rebekah means to Eric and they take every opportunity to throw them together. Even though Trey knows that Rebekah wants him, he becomes an unlikely matchmaker for the duo. I love, love, love Eric and I am thrilled that I got to know more about this sensitive man. While I was not crazy about Rebekah, she is a good fit for Eric and I loved that they finally found their happily ever after.
Wicked Beat is an overall entertaining read that nicely wraps up Olivia Cunning’s Sinners on Tour series. I’m gonna miss these sexy rockers and the women who won their hearts!
Read my reviews of the previous two books in the series HERE.
