Backstage

The Back-Up Series, Book 4

By: A.M. Madden

Narrated by: Charlie Noble

Length: 10 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Trey Taylor was loving life. Bass player to the world famous rock band Devil's Lair, chicks falling to their knees at every turn, no one to be held accountable to for his actions...life rocked. He had all he needed: food to sustain his body, sex to sustain his libido, rock to sustain his soul. For years, he walked to the beat of his own drum and made no excuses to anyone.

Running and hiding can temporarily distract your fate, but it won't derail it. Fate was coming for him, whether he liked it or not. His past was gaining ground and threatening all the secrets he desperately tried to hide. His present was slowing him down, making him feel emotions he buried years ago. The two are about to collide. Will Trey survive the impact?

©2015 A.M. Madden (P)2016 A.M. Madden

the worst narrator ......

I was very interested in this story after the last 3 books... but it was ruined by the narrator.

Love this series!

I love this series. Through everything, Trey Taylor has always remained a mystery and I was thrilled to finally get his story. For me, the beginning of this book was a little drawn out, but I do think it was necessary to get to where Trey was today. I loved seeing the interactions from Trey's point of view and seeing what made him the person he was. Tara was the one person who could bring Trey back to life and it was amazing to watch him start to live again. I continue to love this series and can't wait to continue on!

The narration brought this story to life. When the narrator became Trey though I wasn't a fan of the voice he used for him. I always think of Trey as more of what the narrator just naturally sounds like so it sounded a little forced to me. Love this series though!

it not all about the bass

the story is good, but I was so annoyed by the bass sound starting every chapter. I also like the narrator of the other books better.

I TRIED TO LOVE TREY'S STORY..BUT IT WASN'T FOR ME

I've really enjoyed this series so far and I am absolutely gutted that this story left me cold and wishing I hadn't spent many lost hours listening to it.... hours where I could have been listening to a much more rewarding book. I do realize that I may be in the minority but sometimes, for whatever reason, you just can't connect to the main characters, the narration, the plot.... or perhaps all three.

Trey had grown up with Taylor the love of his life and they were just waiting until she was 18 before they could run away and be together but Trey's evil wicked religious Father had other plans in mind and orchestrated a devious and heartbreaking plan of murder. The tragedy rocked Trey's world and he still left but he was a changed man vowing never again to let love in. Instead he changed his name and reinvented himself into an unsociable, arrogant, cocky and cold-hearted manwhore. On top of the hidden heartache, he was played by one of his hook ups and ended up being a pawn in a sex game he unwittingly played which shook his trust in friendship too. So now he's just an empty shell of the loving man he used to be - only interested in three things.... music, eating and pussy.... and his attitude never changed - even when he joined the Devil's Lair Rock Group (at about 40% into the story) and it epically continued when they made it big. The rest of the members of the band were friendly, supportive and understanding that he just wanted to be left alone and respected his wishes which went on for ten long years and during that time the secrets of Trey's hidden past were never shared and the lies just kept flowing from his lips.

But when he met Journalist Tara (about 60% into the book) the similarities to his long dead girlfriend Taylor were uncanny, they could have been twins, and suddenly he was mezmerized.... but he still felt toxic and not good enough for her. So he fought the attraction as best he could but the chemistry was too great and reluctantly (but desperately) Trey gave in to lust..... however he absolutely denied love. He didn't even quit his whoring ways determined to push her away - which he eventually succeeded in doing. I can't believe a successful woman would allow herself to be treated so badly and the relationship always seemed one-sided. But then the past caught up with him and, once again, it was his love interest Tara who paid horrifically for a past she knew absolutely nothing about. The devastating consequences ripped them apart but time heals and so too does letting the poison of the past out so healing can begin.

I really didn't like Trey's attitude, his character or the lies he told. Oh I understand he was a wounded broken soul who had had his heart torn out, but IMO it didn't make for a very nice listen. On top of this it was a long long time before the love interest arrived and, by this time, I was just praying for the end. There was tension and drama when Tara was kidnapped and I know I should have felt sorry for Trey but I didn't - it was poor Tara who my heart went out to who had only been loving, understanding and kind and who never deserved the abuse and cruelty she went through. Told from Trey's warped POV, it was good to catch up with the rest of the band - especially Jack, Leila and Hunter, the narrator was good but I didn't like Trey's voice at all.

Worth a credit? (Mmmmm.... does this really need answering?). Well, IMO, sadly NO, not one of my credits anyway - but you may be far more forgiving and understanding than me and forgive his sorry ass, overlook his nasty character, enjoy his relentless self-hatred and see the bigger picture. I saw it but I sadly just didn't like what I saw.... and witnessed.