#ShelfLove Review ~ Come Undone ~ Madelynne Ellis

Come Undone
Rock Hard #1
Release Date: August 29, 2013
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance, 
Source: Purchased on Amazon
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Goodreads

Synopsis
On stage he's dynamite. Off stage he rocks her world.

When red-hot, Goth-metal band, Black Halo, split live on stage, fate throws Daniella Fosbrook into the path of sexy vocalist Xane Geist. Initially, Xane's only looking for a ride home, but Dani tempts him in a way a thousand other women haven't. Determined to explore their heady chemistry and avoid hashing things out with the band, Xane whisks Dani off to Monaco for a steamy weekend.

There, Dani tries her best to hang onto her heart and some clothing, while Xane soon loses both. However, Xane isn't being entirely honest about the reason for the band's demise. When the truth comes out, can Dani accept the facts, or will everything come undone?

Come Undone was a fine introduction to the band Black Halo and the characters inhabiting their world. It's centered on Xane and Dani though.

Danielle 'Dani' Fosbrook is a huge Black Halo fan and an even bigger fan of their front man, Xane Geist. She and her friend, Ginny, are present at the concert where the band apparently calls it quits and thanks to the careless actions of someone, Dani and Ginny find themselves backstage. It's here that Xane literally walks into Dani and sets the stage for Come Undone.

Dani seems a little shy and naive--especially when it comes to men. (<--There's a really good reason for this.) But as she's built a sort of relationship with Xane, if only in her head, she's not about to deny him anything. Dani is strong though. She doesn't take any guff from Xane. She does genuinely care about him as a person, though, and that appeals to Xane.

Xane was understandably pissed off when we first meet him. I did find him to be a bit of a narcissistic wanker but at the same time, I understood his woes. By the end, I did have a better understanding of him--and his desire for respect. In Dani, he finds someone who doesn't just want a piece of him--the rock star. She wants to know him and his feelings. This is something he craves desperately.

Both Dani and Xane have family issues and have suffered terribly in their childhoods. This gave them a connection even if they don't know it at first. They are each hiding things from their not-so-distant pasts and I liked how some of these issues were introduced. Ms. Ellis did well at discussing the pressures and problems associated with prejudices, societal perceptions of things such as sexual orientation, religion, and addictions, in my opinion. And I'm certain it'll be further explored as the series continues.

Ms. Ellis also incorporated a lot of smoking sexy times. There is definitely chemistry between Dani and Xane. I did wish for a bit more bonding between them--more development of the feelings that blossom between them but then, the sex plays a big roll in the plot--and I know their relationship will probably flourish--eventually. The story is told in dual POV and it enabled me to get acquainted with both MCs more easily. I wish Dani's past had been fleshed out a bit more. Much could be done with it but I felt it was used mostly as a vehicle to explain her prejudices. 

I found Come Undone to be a compelling read, despite my few issues, and I'm looking forward to continuing the series.