Rocking Karma by Kaje Harper (Road to Rocktoberfest 2023 book 1)

It's Fall and that nip will eventually be in the air, but in the meantime, it's time to kick off the next season of one of my favourite multi-author series - The Road to Roctoberfest 2023!  Up first this year is Kaje Harper's Rocking Karma, which definitely deals out a karmic hand!

From the blurb:

Dax

I've cut and run on my life more than once in my thirty-one years, leaving everything behind, even my name. Now I'm Dax Crow, long lost half-brother and mixing technician for Jameson Crow, the lead singer of Corvus Rising. I'm using my hard-won skills to help my brother make it big. The rest of the band are incidental to me, although new bass player Lane Bennett is a hot mess of young talent who urgently needs someone to take him under their wing. Not my job. I never get close to anyone. Until some douche of a boyfriend begins jerking the kid around, and I've been there, done that. Maybe I can at least give him some advice.

Lane

Playing with Corvus Rising is my dream come true, and I can't believe in October we'll play for sixty thousand fans at Rocktoberfest. I just hope I can measure up. The last six months have been a steep learning curve, but I have my secret boyfriend to encourage and direct me whenever he's around. I wish we could go public, but he's with the record label and it wouldn't look good. I also have my secret joy— performing drag as Ms. Fox, when I get the chance. It's hard juggling everything while touring with the band, but I think I have it under control. Then my worlds collide and my boyfriend shows his true face. I find myself getting surprising advice and support from Dax, the gorgeous, secretive guy behind Corvus's sound. But I doubt even Dax can turn this disaster into a triumph.

content warning: emotional abuse, coercion

Rocking Karma is a book in the multi-author Road to Rocktoberfest 2023 series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but why not read them all and see who hits the stage 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!

Heather's Review:

Being seen is so important to developing a relationship, so when you both hide pieces of yourself, it's hard to connect.  It's also hard when one of you is in another relationship.  There is no cheating in this story, but if you focus solely on the story of the two MC's there is also a huge slow burn and friends to lovers arc... that being said, we do read scenes where one MC is with another man before karma swings his way and he understands that he's worth more than what he's been coerced into believing he has.

This book definitely has a lot of twists and turns on the way to Lane and Dax's HEA, and the love story is a very slow build as both men deal with their pasts and present.... Ms. Fox was a fabulous character and I would have loved to see more of her!

Rocking Karma was a great start to this years Road to Rocktoberfest and I can't wait to see what else is in store for this year!

Rating: 4 Stars

Sheena's Review:

This is my first full novel by this author, and on the strength of this I'd definitely pick up another. This is part of the multi-author Road to Rocktoberfest 2023 series, and I haven't read any of the others. As such, I really enjoyed this as a standalone. I liked all the characters in this story, honestly. I'm always all for a corrupt executive abusing his power being taken down a peg or two (or destroyed, that works too 😂), and this was a fairly epic takedown.

I loved the slow burn between Dax and Lane, and the slow revelation of Dax's past as the story unfolded. Loved the idea of Lane being a drag queen, and the support of the whole band when they discovered the truth. Found family is my thing, and this was so well done. I loved how they all immediately stood up for Lane and were willing to help, even if it might affect them negatively too. Dax and Lane were so cute together too, especially once Princess came on the scene. This was a fun, slow-ish burn with a decent amount of heat and a bad guy you will hate, and just want to see him get his comeuppance. 

I enjoyed the whole thing.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Rocking Karma is available in paperback and e-book format and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited subscription.

More about the series:

@mmromancereviewed The Road to Rocktoberfest begins tomorrow! Visit www.mmromancereviewed.com to see all the reviews beginning with Rocking Karma #roadtorocktoberfest #roadtorocktoberfest2023 #mmromance #gayromance🏳️‍🌈 #gayromancebooktok #booktok #comingsoon #rockstarromance ♬ original sound - Heather - mmromancereviewed

The Road to Rocktoberfest is just starting!  You can preview and pre-order the entire series of twelve books by clicking this link: https://amzn.to/46AOAs8