While I’ve been reading more and more contemporaries lately, Olivia Cunning’s Sinner’s series was one of the first contemporaries I started reading. I fell in love with the down to earth rock stars, so when I got a chance to read a galley of Double Time, I jumped on it. I really loved it…with one exception that has nothing to do with the story, it involves the characters….but I’ll save that for just a bit later.
Trey Mills, the notoriously sexy Sinners rhythm guitarist, gives up his bisexual lifestyle and is swept into a hot, heady romance with Reagan Elliot, a female rock star sensation. But when Trey encounters Reagan’s sexy bisexual roommate, Ethan Conner, he can no longer deny who he is or what he wants. Reagan heartily agrees to a solution that opens up a hot new world of sexual experience–and love–with the two men she wants the most.
Ah Trey…our tortured guitarist. Tortured because of his feelings for his best friend…who is married. Cunning does Trey justice with Double Time. Trey has had feelings for his best friend and fellow band mate for his entire adult life. It started out as a teen crush after he and Brian shared a couple of evenings together…and not just the platonic evenings ;). But now Brian is married…with a son. Trey knows Brian won’t ever reciprocate the feelings but he hasn’t ever been able to let Brian go. So, just tossing in a heroine who fits Trey’s personality and calling a day would not have done Trey justice. Cunning gives us what we as readers need to see. We need to see the struggle, the decision to really let Brian go. You know the heroine will have to be super awesome and fit just perfectly, as well as be patient and understanding once she figures out Trey’s secret. Cunning gives us that in Reagan.
Double Time captured perfectly, imho, all we needed Trey to go through in order to get his HEA. You knew it wasn’t going to be easy and it wasn’t. My heart went out to Trey. He clearly struggles throughout Double Time. He knows he has to let Brian go…not only because it’s time but because Reagan is just friggin awesome. One thing I didn’t like was how quick he seems to just accept to try this relationship thing with Reagan. He meets her at a point when he’s particularly vulnerable. The physical chemistry is there from the first look, which is believable. But his split second decision to have her as his girlfriend…well, that is a part I had a bit of a “uhhhh….ok” reaction to. But, I can understand why this tactic was used. There’s so much other going on with Trey…concerning the fallout of his feelings for Brian and his resolution to finally let him go, that he needed some sort of anchor…a reason to really try and stick to that resolution. Reagan provides that.
And Reagan…well she kind of needed Trey, too. You meet her when she’s auditioning for Dare’s band (Trey’s brother…and him and his bandmates will be the star of the spin-off once all our Sinner’s have their stories *G*). She of course lands the gig and is thrust into basically instant stardom. Going from this regular girl, who works as a barista and was the guitarist for a now defunct band into sudden fame because she’s now the guitarist for one of the hottest bands of the time, well it of course will be a huge adjustment. She needed someone to help her learn the ropes of going on tour, handling the limelight and being on stage in a huge performance venue. Who better than a fellow rockstar who’s still fairly grounded?
Now for the part I didn’t like that I mentioned above. It has NOTHING to do with the story. I don’t think I’ve ever done this and admit I’m sort of reluctant to do so now. But, I feel this needs to be said. From my understanding, the Sinner’s series is set to be a 5 book deal. Also, my understanding was that Trey’s book was supposed to have been the final book before the spin-off. However, take note that Double Time is book 3. You see the other 2 band mates, Eric and Jace, with their wives/fiancées, and the first 2 books are Brian and Sed. Soooo nope you didn’t miss anything. But it sure as heck feels that way. Eric and Jace’s books are NOT out yet and are both scheduled with 2013 release dates. Um..WTH?! I’m not entirely sure why the publisher made this decision. Now I want to be clear, this is my opinion only, but I feel this was a horrid decision on the part of the publisher. I loved Trey’s story but it would have been so much better if the original release schedule had been adhered to and Double Time was in fact the last book before the spin off series. First, we would have had more angsty Trey. The buildup to Double Time, by prolonging this angst, would have made this HEA even sweeter. Plus, you do feel like you’ve missed something. There are lots of references to Eric and Jace and their women. It’s very clear that you should have already known the back story to those relationships. Now, I’ll still read those stories when they come out, but I’m less inclined to put them at the top of the TBR mountain. After all, I already know what is going to happen and the why behind it. I feel horrible for Ms. Cunning on this end. I feel this was a big mistake on the part of the publisher. Hopefully they won’t make the same mistake when it comes to the spin off series.
So, I’ll leave it up to you as a reader here. I adore the series, but a part of me wants to tell you that you may want to wait til later in 2013 to read Double Time. Ya know…after Eric and Jace’s books are released and you can read those first. On the other hand, I want Ms. Cunning to have success out of the gate with Double Time. I fear that the possibility could be there that those books won’t get released or that the spin off won’t happen if sales are low here. I feel torn between a rock and a hard place. I promise Double Time will rock your socks off and you may not care that you have some spoilers to books that were obviously meant to have been read first, but just aren’t on the market yet…. I know, no help am I? *sigh*
Published Read Order for Sinners on Tour
Backstage Pass
Rock Hard
Double Time
Hot Ticket (2013)
Yet to be titled #5 (2013)
Suggested Read Order for Sinners on Tour
Backstage Pass
Rock Hard
Hot Ticket (2013)
Yet to be titled #5 (2013)
Double Time
