Drop Beat

The Heartbeat Series, Book 2

De: Ryleigh Sloan

Narrado por: Erin Mallon, Jason Clarke

The second stand-alone novel in The Heartbeat series

Maddie

Three things are more important to me than anything else: family, baking, and fun. So when I saw Keller Cannon, drummer of LP-45, perform at a charity concert, I knew he’d be the perfect guy to have heaps of fun with.
It was temporary. No strings attached. A pretty damn perfect arrangement if you ask me.

Until it wasn’t. Until being with him highlighted just what I was missing.
But having more wasn’t an option. He made that perfectly clear.

Keller

Music is my escape. When I’m behind my drums, I’m granted temporary respite from my demons and a small reprieve I don’t deserve.

Until Maddie. Maddie is a distraction I can’t afford and crave at the same time. I drown in her, and she breathes life into me. She offers peace - the comfort and promise of a life free from the torment. But I don’t deserve her. And I can’t need her like I do. I just can't.

©2020 Ryleigh Sloan (P)2020 Ryleigh Sloan

Growly Jason FTW!

- Plot - Sexy drummer Keller is looking for his next no-strings-attached hookup when he meets Maddie after a concert. Maddie is ready to rock when Keller proposes some naked fun before she heads back to South Africa. Keller is hooked on Maddie after just one night, but he has demons to conquer before he can fully commit. Don’t worry, this isn’t an angst fest. Wonderfully crafted secondary characters bring playful banter to ease the tension as Keller and Maddie move toward their HEA.

- Narration - Jason’s deep rumble as Keller creates a warmth that will make you swoon from the first word. Specifically, I like the way he drops the “g” in words ending in “ing.” Erin does a nice job with Maddie’s bubbly but self-assured personality. You’ll notice that Erin doesn’t use a South African accent. This appears intentional. Maddie tells us that South Africa has 11 official languages and a wide variety of accents. The fact that every resident (even family members) sound different makes me comfortable with the decision to withhold an accent from Maddie. I’d prefer no accent to one that’s indistinct.

- The Heat - Erin handles the majority of love scenes in Maddie’s POV. Her male voice is smooth and natural sounding. I prefer a male narrator during love scenes but Erin doesn’t disappoint.

- Style - Ryleigh Sloan’s writing flows smoothly, drawing in the listener for chapters at a time. Her character development is thorough and we understand the characters’ motivations. As the plot progresses, moments of understanding come from natural progression instead of predictable cliche. When sharing a character’s backstory, Sloan realistically yet respectfully incorporates the effects of trauma. A relatively new author, Ms. Sloan is on her way to building a strong catalog of titles that transport readers and listeners into the story.

- Memorable Quote - “I’m not a complete jerk. Well, I guess that depends on who you’re asking but I don’t (bleep) and chuck ‘em. I enjoy sleeping next to someone. But as soon as our (bleep) has run its course, I like to move on; no attachments, no drama, no distractions.” -Keller

My favorite book thus far from this series

I seriously enjoyed this book, I must say this book was by far better than the first book and Maddie and Keller are my new favorite couple in this series. The story line I felt was much more believable and Keller’s inner turmoil added just the right amount of angst. Maddie was such funny and lovable character; I’m looking forward to the next book in the series. Worth the credit.

⭐️ Gotta keep a Rockstar grounded.

I love a good Rockstar romance . And you can never go wrong with Jason and Erin.. I loved the flow of this book, never a dull moment . It always amazes me when one person or both wants nothing to do with marriage or relationship until they meet the “ ONE ”.. Very well written, I can’t wait to listen to more of Ryleigh’s work...... Especially if she keeps having Jason and Erin Narrate..

Love this series!!

Story was great, narration was perfection how can you go wrong with Erin & Jason🥰



So worth the money!

5 ⭐️ Rockstar!

I really enjoyed Drop Beat! The story was started out super hot, and ended super sweet. I love a sexy rockstar romance, and Maddie and Keller’s story did not disappoint. This audio book is narrated by Erin Mallon and Jason Clarke. (Always one click narrators for me!)

Erin Mallon portrays Maddie perfectly! Maddie is carefree and adores her best friend. She loves life, and Erin does a great job bringing that to life in her narration. Jason Clarke’s deep, smooth voice is just what I imagined for Keller. Keller has demons in his past, and only wants something light and fun. Jason does a great job portraying the different layers of Keller. Both narrators’ voices complimented each character in the best way.

Overall, I loved this story. It starts off quick and hot! It will hook you, and leave you swooning over Maddie and Keller! This rockstar romance is not to be missed! I'm looking forward to more from this author!

Fun Rockstar Romance

Jason Clarke and Erin Mallon do a fantastic job narrating Keller and Maddie. Keller is the drummer of LP-45. Maddie has dreams of opening her own coffee shop where she can sell her pastries. Seems simple but this story is so much more.
She is strong and confident. He is cocky but loveable, and he's haunted by a dark past. Their chemistry is instant and believable. Together, they are awkward and funny and sexy and romantic and really perfect for each other.

I love a great Rockstar Romance

I loved this book! Erin was amazing (as always) as Maddie. She portrayed her adorable, funny quirky personality perfectly. Jason was spot on as Keller, the tortured, sexy yet sweet drummer of LP-45.
This book starts off hot and it stays hot, no slow burn and I loved every bit of it! This couple has off-the-chart chemistry together and thanks to Maddie's easy going nature, Keller was able to let go of his 1 night stand rules and fall in love before he knew what hit him.
Ryleigh built a great story around Keller and his baggage without needlessly drawing out too much drama. I, for one, as a reader appreciate that sometimes we just don't need or want an extra 3 hours of angst just to make a book longer.
This was a perfect read and now I need to read book 1! Thankfully, you don't HAVE to read in order, but I think it would be better overall to get more out of this since book 1 ia about Maddie's BFF, Blair.

Excellent story with top-notch narration!

Sometimes a book just connects with you on multiple levels. Maddie and Keller are exactly the story I needed with all the best of a tortured musician meets independent woman. What starts out as a fling snowballs into the feels before they know what hit them. They are so natural together I found myself grinning ear to ear for the way they interact and come together. They are both very sexual and express themselves together beautifully! Keller has a painful past and is torturing himself, thinking he doesn’t deserve happiness. Maddie is a sex-positive breath of fresh air who isn’t afraid to go after what she wants. The dual point of view really weaves the journey together from fling to something that cannot be denied as the best kind of love between friends who respect each other and can’t keep their hands off (the perfect blend). Jason Clarke and Erin Mallon are so good together it is toe curling story! They bring the characters to life in a way you can’t get outside of an audiobook performance! I was swept away in the fun they have together, the way they come together, and when things fall apart I was lost as well. I had all the feels from A to Z with this one and have listened twice already.

I received this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. I’m really looking forward to more stories in this series. This is my favorite so far, but they are both excellent! The characters being revealed are very interesting!

Book 2 in the series - even better than book 1!

Book 2 in the series, following Back Beat, which is the story of Maddie's best friend Blaire, and Dean. Maddie appears several times in Back Beat, so we do get to know her. She's fun and quirky, and lives in South Africa. They speak on the phone and Blaire returns home at one point, so they spend time together, and we get to know her a bit more.

Book 2, Drop Beat, is her story entirely. It starts where book 1 ends off, at a concert where Dean is proposing to Blaire, and the band performing is one of the other coach's. Maddie has the hots for the drummer, Keller. This is their story!

Neither Maddie nor Keller really "do" relationships. Maddie is a carefree spirit and Keller has a dark secret in his past, and besides - he's a rockstar! Rockstars don't do relationships. Maddie showing up is a perfect opportunity - the girl is hot, interested in him, and from South Africa - she's only here for a couple of days. What could be better?!

However, after their amazing night together, he finds that he can't stop thinking about her. He keeps getting in touch, sending her international gifts, asking Dean and Blaire. What's wrong with him? This has never happened before! His dark secret will turn her off (everyone off), so he needs to get a grip on himself. He keeps trying to distance himself, but with Dean and Blaire's wedding around the corner, she's going to be returning to LA so he's going to see her again. Why can't he make himself stop calling her, thinking about her?

Will his dark past catch up with him, and will Maddie be able to see past it and her feelings (long-time crush) overcome everything? This is an amazing, well-written (and of course, amazingly narrated, by the great Erin Mallon and Jason Clark) story of love and triumph and overcoming so many obstacles. Awesome job Ryleigh! I can't wait for book 3 - there better be a book 3!

What a brilliant story and narration

From the characters to the story line to the narration, everything was just fantastic! Maddie has to be one of my all time female leads! She had spunk and quirkiness, positivity and a genuine heart. From beginning to end a truly wonderful ride!