Rock Hard (The Sinners on Tour) [Kindle Edition]

Olivia Cunning (Author)

Book Description

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Top Reads of 2010 Awards

Love Romance Passion * Alpha Reader

Fiction Vixen * Loves Romances * smexy Books



Top Sex Scenes of 2010 Awards

Good Books, Good Coffee, Good Life * Smokin' Hot Books
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Trapped together on the Sinners tour bus for the summer, Sed and Jessica will rediscover the millions of steamy reasons they never should have called it quits in the first place...

Praise for Backstage Pass:



"Olivia Cunning's erotic romance debut is phenomenal."

-Love Romance Passion



"A sizzling mix of sex, love, and rock 'n' roll...The characters are irresistible. Can't wait for the second book!"

-DforDarla's Definite Reads, 5 Stars



"These guys are so sensual, sexual, and yummy. This series...will give readers another wild ride..."

-Night Owl Romance, 5/5 Stars, Reviewer Top Pick

Editorial Reviews

Review

Sizzling Sex, drugs, and Rock-n-Roll... Absolutely Perfect!

About the Author

Raised on hard rock music from the cradle, Olivia Cunning attended her first Styx concert at age six and instantly fell in love with live music. She discovered her second love, romantic fiction, as a teen-first, voraciously reading steamy romance novels and then penning her own. She currently lives in Nebraska.

Product Details

• File Size: 691 KB
• Print Length: 436 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1402245777
• Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca (April 5, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004MMEG5C
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,219 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

69 of 73 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars More Sexy Sinners, Love, Sex, Rock'N Roll March 16, 2011

By LeaF

Format:Paperback

After reading and enjoying Brian Sinclair and Myrna Evans' story, Backstage Pass, the first book in Olivia Cunning's Sinners On Tour series last year, I have to admit I wasn't sure how she would further develop Sedric "Sed" Lionheart's character in Rock Hard. The lead singer and heart of the Sinners came across as an egocentric narcissist, who utilized his charismatic stage presence to his own advantage, the innumerable nubile females falling at his feet were used for sex, nothing more. Moreover, he hurt people, and could be downright cruel and controlling. Not to lessen Sed's musical abilities, he is a talented performer and lyricist. However, through skillful characterization, Ms. Cunning redeems Sed who proves to be a man who has loved one woman and only one since falling for Jessica Chase 2 years earlier. In addition, he is a strong, thoughtful man, who while doesn't always communicate his thoughts and feelings effectively will do whatever it takes to take care of those he loves.

Sed and Jessica fell in love quickly, were engaged for a short period and because he didn't show support of her dream to attend law school she left, taking his heart with her. At the time of their short relationship the band was still struggling for success, money was tight and Sed was stressed, trying keep the Sinners afloat. There were therefore a number of pressures at play that caused their break-up. But, in Jessica's eyes her fiancé wanted to control her life, and Sed gave her good reason for this belief.

Jessica is an extremely independent, intelligent, attractive and driven woman. She has a magnetic sensual aura, (that she is unaware of) and a wicked temper to boot.... In the 2 years since leaving Sedric Lionheart she has attended school working extremely hard to attain her goal of becoming a lawyer. One of Jessica's scholarships is running out so she must look for a way to earn a substantial amount of money over the summer break. Her best friend and roommate Beth convinces Jessica that working as an exotic dancer is the best way for her to earn money quickly. Admirably, Jessica refuses to get into debt or be reliant on anyone to pay her way. She therefore accepts a job as a stripper in a bar. Little does she know that this is the catalyst that will bring her face to face with Sed again.

To say the heroine and hero of Rock Hard have a tempestuous relationship would be an understatement, it's evident they love each other, however the foundation of their previous short term engagement was sexual and they never really knew each other. Both these people have voracious sexual appetites and like to be daring. Sed and Jessica are perfectly matched in this regard, and their reunion after being apart for so long is nothing short of volcanic. As with the series predecessor Backstage Pass, Rock Hard is a nuclear grade hot erotic romance, Ms. Cunning continues to pen extremely sensual, sexually explicit love scenes. Over the course of the novel, however both Sed and Jessica come to know one another on an intellectual level and misconceptions are revealed. Initially they agreed to have a purely sexual summer no strings attached fling, however things change and their relationship evolves into much more.

Ms. Cunning continues to adeptly explore the lifestyle and struggles of the Sinners as an extremely popular hard rock band. The lack of privacy and inability to go out in public without a disguise for fear of being mobbed by rabid fans is addressed. Conversely while not on tour, these guys enjoy a life of luxury and Sedric certainly throws money around like it were confetti at a wedding. The band also has to deal with shock and anguish when one of it's member's is critically injured in a bar fight requiring hospitalization, life threatening surgery and a protracted recovery for a variety of reasons. Band members rally to his aide and it is here that the depth of Sed's caring for his friends is evident. Ms. Cunning shows how these guys are much more then members of a rock group. They are a family, somewhat weird and dysfunctional, but a family nonetheless. lol They are there for each other through thick and thin, and their camaraderie shines through in a narrative that is laced with this author's signature humor.

Myrna and Brian are secondary characters in Rock Hard, their love and commitment to one another is evident. Myrna, is quite the mother hen and plays a small but pivotal role in the storyline. Readers also learn more about the other band members, particularly the enigmatic Jace (bass guitarist), whose story I'm really looking forward to. Outside of his, um interesting sexual appetites, Jace proves to be a musician with far more talent then the Sinners had previously realized. His story Hot Ticket, will be the next Sinners On Tour book to be released! (WOOT)

At it's heart Rock Hard is an erotic romance with a lover's reunited theme, but IMHO Ms. Cunning has crafted a multilayered story about two unusual and complex people who travel a very bumpy road to commitment. This story was emotionally touching, funny, and curl your toes hot! Rock Hard was a non-stop thoroughly enjoyable read for me and I hope those of you that choose to read it will enjoy it too. While I think Rock Hard can be read in isolation it would be far more beneficial to read the series in order beginning with Backstage Pass. Read more ›

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I Love the Sinners! March 21, 2011

By K. Hartzel

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

You know it's a good book when you can't put it down. When you keep thinking about it after you've finished it then you know it was fantastic!

After reading Backstage Pass, I eagerly anticipated the continuation of these super smokin' hot rockers. I was a little worried when I found out the second book was about Sed and all I could think was, "He's such a jerk and a player. I'm not sure I am going to like a story about him." I was soooooo wrong! Rock Hard was so good I couldn't put the book down! Sed is definitely an alpha male with some trouble with the filter between his brain and his mouth. I won't divulge any spoilers, but I really ended up liking his character and found myself rooting for his HEA. I also liked the character development. It happens far too often in erotic romances that while the sex is hot, the character development either lacks or is non-existent. That is not the case for this series! As far as the sex...HOT, HOT, HOT! Did I mention HOT??? The next time I take my kids to a waterpark I am sure I won't be looking at it quite the same way ;)

Can't wait for book #3! I am already going through withdrawal!

29 of 34 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Didn't rock my socks off... April 3, 2011

By Dee18 TOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Sedric Lionheart is lead singer of the fabulous rock band, `The Sinners'. He is the growling heart and soul of the band, but he has also been the thorn in the side of his band mates for the past two years . . . because two years ago Sed got his heart eviscerated by the only woman he has ever loved.

Jessica Chase had dreams before she met Sed, and shortly after they became engaged it looked as though one of those dreams was going to come true. Jessica was accepted into law school - and well on the path to becoming a renowned lawyer. But `The Sinners' didn't have the same success two years ago as they do now, and Sed forbade Jessica from taking the scholarship. Money was tight and Sed couldn't stomach the thought of his fiancée leaving him for dusty school books and stuffy lecturers. So Jessica called off the engagement. She did the unthinkable and walked out on Sedric Lionheart . . .

Two years later and Sed is an infamous rocker with the reputation to match. `The Sinners' have become his sole focus in life, and the band's groupies have helped him to forget Jessica. But along the way he has also stolen women from his band-mates, Brian Sinclair in particular has had to bear the brunt of Sed's insatiable sexual appetite. But on the eve of Brian's wedding to the one woman Sed didn't manage to snatch, the Sinners go on the bachelor party from hell. Because in a sad little Las Vegas strip club Sed comes face-to-face with the woman who crushed his soul, as she swings around a stripper pole. It only takes one scantily-clad twirl to ignite Sed's territorial instincts, followed by a bouncer-brawl as he drags his woman from the stage.

Sedric Lionheart has stormed back into Jessica's life, and he's just as addictive as she remembered.... Being around Sed triggers all of her lusty wants, and she can't deny that the attraction is still fierce between them. Sed has turned up like a bad penny - right when Jessica's law scholarship is in jeopardy and she desperately needs tuition money. And worse than that, being with Sed again has reignited her extreme need for public displays of affection . . . but what happens when one X-rated PDA winds up on the internet? Is Sed just a bad addiction that Jessica needs to flush out of her system, or is he a changed man desperate to win back her heart?

`Rock Hard' is the second book in Olivia Cunning's contemporary erotica series, `Sinners on Tour'.

I went into `Rock Hard' with high expectations. I love, love, loved `Backstage Pass' and the sweetly erotic story of lead guitarist Brian Sinclair and sexy professor Myrna Evans. I especially loved the series premise of `The Sinners'. I could not believe that Olivia Cunning had tapped into such an obvious erotic setting and characters - rock stars on tour! Brilliant! I loved getting to know all the Sinners, their quirks and cravings.

I have to admit, I didn't like Sed in `Backstage Pass', and for good reason. Sedric had stolen every single one of Brian's girlfriends, until Myrna. There was a cryptic reason for Sed's insatiable sexual cravings, and it all centred on the one that got away, Jessica Chase. I didn't like Sed when he was introduced in the first book, but I was curious to find out about his battered heart . . . Sadly, I found `Rock Hard' to be a lukewarm follow-up to `Backstage Pass'.

My biggest problem with `Rock Hard' was the characters of Sed and Jessica. I did not like them, at all.

I think Cunning was on the back-foot from the get-go by giving Jessica and Sed a romantic past. The book opens two years earlier, when Jessica storms out on Sed and their engagement because he literally forbids her from going to law school. Straight away I thought Sed was a misogynistic ape. And, to some extent, I immediately considered Jessica an idiot for ever going out with him. After that little snatch of a scene I found myself reluctant to explore Sed and Jessica's relationship further . . .

The story then skips ahead to two years later, when Jessica is failing a law class. Once again, I came up against a barrier to my liking the character. Jessica isn't just failing because she's burned out or because she handed in a sub-par paper. She's failing because her mean, female lecturer has it in for Jessica . . . in particular; this lecturer seems to think Jessica attracts too much male attention and must therefore be a dimwit bimbo. Thus begins a long and tragic exposé about how Jessica is stunningly beautiful, and completely unaware of her gorgeousness. The poor dear is always getting asked out on dates, and judged on the size of her bra rather than the content of her character. *Sigh*. She's a bit of a Mary-Sue, and therefore a lot hard to stomach.

Then there's Sedric Lionheart. At the beginning of the book I had him down as a womanizing Neanderthal, but by the end of the novel I thought he was a little too whipped. It might sound crazy, but Sed's promiscuity was one of the more interesting things about him. I was curious to delve into his psyche and learn why he went through groupies like they were going out of fashion. But the second he sees Jessica twirling on stage at a strip club, he clicks into territorial mode and decides he still loves Jessica, and needs to have her back in his life. Sed's voracious sexual appetite was the cause of Brian's distress in `Backstage Pass', and he was set-up as the classic rocker man-whore in that book . . . but it doesn't take long before he's a committed and doting boyfriend to Jessica in `Rock Hard'.

Now, admittedly, this wouldn't be much of a romance if Sed was banging groupies all while trying to win Jessica back. But I thought it would be interesting to understand his need to seek sexual comfort and gratification from his female fans. And I thought that Jessica would be a little more concerned with his two years worth of promiscuity while they were broken up. . . as it is, Jessica seems satisfied to learn that Sed never kissed any of the women he slept with (seriously? Not even a talk about "have you been checked for STDs in between having groupie orgies?").

I really thought that Sed and Jessica's reunion was a little too easy. There wasn't enough tension, for my liking. There were no real obstacles to Sed and Jessica getting together . . . except maybe their respective egos. It only gets worse when a grainy YouTube video of Sed and Jessica getting down n' dirty makes its way around the internet.

I know Sed is a rock star, and he has to have a certain level of egotism to get up on a stage in front of thousands of adoring fans. But seriously, it's not an attractive quality in a man. And Jessica's just as unlikeable - a veritable Yoko Ono.

Even the sex scenes were frustrating in `Rock Hard'. There were too many, for starters, to the point that Sed and Jessica seemed to replace actual conversations with mad grunting and fornicating. And the plentiful sex scenes were also too technical . . . sometimes I found myself having to re-read paragraphs just to know where whose arm went where while they were being balanced against the wall (but then how did his hand get there to do that?!). It's not a good sex scene when the logistics leave your head spinning.

Quite a big focus of `Rock Hard' is on the crazed fans that follow the Sinners around. It was touched on in `Backstage Pass' when Myrna started collecting scientific data on what drives women to fandom. . . but in `Rock Hard' Jessica clashes with quite a few of Sed's fans. It's quite an interesting exploration in the book, and it always makes for funny and/or frightening scenes when certain female fans get a little too rambunctious with the Sinners and their female companions. I think Cunning is setting up a storyline with the Sinners fanatical fans, so I am interested to `watch this space' and see where that plot goes. . .

I really didn't like Sed and Jessica. But `Rock Hard' reiterates what's so great about Olivia Cunning's overall series focus - the band! I loved reading about the other band members. Cunning has great pace in `Rock Hard', and always when I was sick to death of Sed and Jessica's yo-yoing emotions, a scene would focus on the other band members. We're learning more about Jace's place on the bottom of the band totem-pole (and his need to exert himself in other aspects of his life). Trey has a very harrowing storyline in `Rock Hard', and I am interested to see how it develops in future books. And Eric, though the funniest band member, has a vicious streak that I look forward to picking apart in future books. And, of course, first favourite Brian and his lovely Myrna make a reappearance and assure fans that they are still just as hot for each other in `Rock Hard' as they were in `Backstage Pass'.

This much-anticipated book left me a little cold. Sedric was promiscuous one second and whipped the next. Jessica was a `woe-is-me' stunner who was as emotionally stunted as her rocker boyfriend. Luckily, the other band members picked up the slack for Sed's disappointing instalment. I can't wait to read Jace and Eric's books, but Trey has fast become my favourite Sinner. I didn't love `Rock Hard', but I still love Olivia Cunnings `Sinners on Tour' series, and I want more, more, more! Read more ›

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Rock Hard March 29, 2011

By Fiction Vixen

Format:Paperback

In Backstage Pass, the first book in the Sinners On Tour series, Sed was notorious for behaving badly. He openly seduced the girlfriends of his band members without regard for his friend's feelings and was generally quite promiscuous. It turns out he was suffering from a shattered heart. Jessica left Sed after a brief but very intense relationship two years prior. Now she is back, and through a series of events she is now on tour with the band earning money for law school. The spark that was between them once upon a time is still there and the chemistry is undeniable so they act on it agreeing it will only be for the time that Jessica is on the tour, then they will go their separate ways.

Sed and Jessica are two very headstrong protagonists that clash frequently. Instead of communicating verbally, they work out their frustrations with each other in the bedroom--or out of it as the case may be. There was a lot of really hot sex going on, but when there were words between Sed and Jessica they were occasionally very hurtful. They are both very passionate people but beyond the really hot sex scenes, I had a difficult time with both of these characters.

Sed really rode line when it came to being an ass and a couple of times he blatantly crossed the line. Now I know he's a natural leader, feels deeply responsible for those he considers in his care and has a heart of gold. That was made very clear and those are certainly qualities I can admire. But he was just so controlling and abrasive at times it really put me off. For all his favorable qualities I still had a hard time forgiving his behavior.... Near the end of the book he does something very humiliating to Jessica and I felt at that point in the book his character should have grown enough that he would be able to make his point without humiliating the woman he loves.

Jessica, equally as stubborn as Sed, seemed to let herself be pushed around by him but at the same time she fights him and is constantly engaged in a battle to stand up to him. She's determined not to let him steam roll her but then next thing we know he's trampling all over her again. I was pretty confused by her character and never really could come to a point where I understood where she was coming from or even where she was going.

Although I wasn't blown away by the romance in Rock Hard I still really enjoyed the interactions between the band members and the really fun uninhibited good times this cast of characters have. The chemistry and friendship between them is enviable I have a special fondness for each and every one of the Sinners. Yes, even Sed. He did manage to impress me with an admirable act of friendship toward my favorite Sinner Trey.

For the Trey fans (oh yes, raising my hand high) you may find yourself swooning for him even more than you thought possible. He goes through some very serious trials and tribulations in Rock Hard and his story really tugged at my heart-strings this time. I'm glad he had his friend Sed to see him through a very difficult time. I really can't wait for his book. I mean it, I can't wait!

While I didn't enjoy Rock Hard as much as I did Backstage Pass, this series still remains a very guilty pleasure for me. I impatiently await more uninhibited, rock and roll good times from the crazy, sexy rock gods, the The Sinners. Read more ›

More About the Author

Combining her love for romantic fiction and rock 'n roll, Olivia Cunning writes erotic romance centered around rock musicians. Raised on hard rock music from the cradle, she attended her first Styx concert at age six and fell instantly in love with live music. She's been known to travel over a thousand miles just to see a favorite band in concert. As a teen, she discovered her second love, romantic fiction -- first, voraciously reading steamy romance novels and then penning her own. Growing up as the daughter of a career soldier, she's lived all over the country and overseas. She currently lives in Galveston, Texas.

Amazon Author Rankbeta 

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#1 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Erotica

#1 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Erotica

#1 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Erotica

#1 in Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Erotica