Down Beat by Max Henry
Series: Dark Tide, book 1
Genre: NA, contemporary, rockstar romance
Publisher: self published
Publication Date: May 19, 2018
Rating: ★★★★★

Rey Thomas – the rock God, the problematic adult, addict, broken and utterly beautiful. He has no care for anything especially his being. His issues run deeper than anyone can see but his behaviour makes it seems everything about him is way past help.

But Tabitha sees his destructive tendencies for what they are, a cry for help. She’ll do all she can to help this broken shell of a man. Even if it means breaking her heart in the process.

First of all, a bloody standing ovation for Max Henry for dealing with issues like mental illness with absolute class and tact. I am in complete awe of how she handled such a delicate subject and honestly, her writing is pure education about what a mental illness really entails.

Tabitha is someone I deeply admire. I love how she went after her dreams and was stubborn to prove her worth. The way she wanted to help Rey, her drive to achieve her goals and the fact that she never wanted to “fix Rey” but only help him see his worth made me utterly adore her. It’s so inspiring to see a character that is so in touch with humanity and love and just basic human decency. I just really truly love this character.

Rey is not a person who is easy to love. It’s difficult to love someone who don’t even like themselves on most days. But once you realize that all they need is patience and someone to hear them out, it’s the easiest thing in the World. That’s how I felt about Rey. My heart constantly heart for him to realize his worth is way more than he thinks, I got frustrated when he put himself in harm’s way, I cried for the way he hurt and in all that I knew I just really loved him.

I understand that I’m talking about Rey and Tabitha as if they were real and that their well being affects mine. But believe me, I was too invested in these two and in the process of reading their story became too real for me. I wanted more than anything to reach out and offer some comfort to these two and honestly, I think this is the proof extraordinary writing. Not many people can do what Max Henry did and now I’m forever obsessed with her.

I learnt a lot while reading this book. I learnt that you cannot save anyone, you cannot fix anyone and fuck you should never try it. But you can certainly help them, you can be there to listen or just be. I learnt that sometimes it is okay if the only person you can help is yourself.

5 Stars!

~Sonal

Purchase DOWN BEAT today!
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2Iv8Ftq
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2GyAMC9
Amazon CA: https://amzn.to/2GBqZuW
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2IWA9HR

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39930683-down-beat

Synopsis:
Some call him a rock god.
Others a celebrity bad boy.

Me? I call him the arrogant bastard who stole my concert venue.

His apology? To take me and my violin on tour with the band.
It’s an offer I can’t refuse, even if it does come with strings attached.

Because Rey Thomas isn’t who he seems.

Life isn’t pretty behind the deviant frontman’s facade.
It’s raw, ugly, and at times downright painful.
But it’s real.
And far better than the lie he presents to the world.

The man behind the face of Dark Tide is beautiful in his chaos.
All I have to do is keep him alive long enough to see that too.

PLEASE NOTE:
DOWN BEAT deals firmly with the subject of mental illness and its associated effects on not only the sufferer, but those around them. If this is something you feel may be a potential trigger for you, I advise you stop, consider if this book is right for you, and if you decide yes, ensure you have a support person available.
Rey’s story is an immensely personal one for me and I would love for you to experience it, but not at the cost of your own health and wellbeing.