Look, I know what you're thinking. "Another rockstar romance? Really, Rachel?"
Yes. Really. Because sometimes, after spending six hours negotiating with a five-year-old about why he can't wear his Batman cape into the shower, I need to listen to a story where the tantrums are thrown by a grown man with tattoos and a private jet. It's validating, okay?
I went into Lead expecting pure fluff—just something to fill the silence while I scrubbed the bathroom. But Kylie Scott actually made me care about Jimmy Ferris, which is a miracle because in the first two books, he was basically a chaos demon in leather pants.
The Voice That Saved My Sanity
Let's just get this out of the way: Andi Arndt could narrate the instructions on a bottle of ibuprofen and I'd probably give it five stars.
She is the absolute MVP here. (I'm pretty sure I have more of a relationship with her voice than I do with some of my actual neighbors.) She handles Lena—the long-suffering assistant—with this perfect mix of "I'm so over this" and "Oh no, I'm catching feelings."
But the real magic? Her male voices. She manages to make Jimmy sound raspy and exhausted without doing that weird, deep "monster voice" some female narrators do. It felt grounded. When Jimmy was spiraling, you could hear the crack in his voice. I may have sat in the driveway for an extra ten minutes after school drop-off just to finish a chapter where they were arguing. Worth it.
Managing a Toddler (But Make It Sexy)
Here's the thing about this story—it hit a little too close to home, but in a fun way. Lena is hired to be Jimmy's sober companion/assistant/babysitter. She's managing his schedule, keeping him clean, and dealing with his moods.
As a mom, I felt this in my bones. The difference is, when my toddler has a meltdown, I put him in time-out. When Jimmy has a meltdown, there's usually paparazzi involved.
The slow burn here is excruciating (in a good way). It's not one of those books where they fall into bed in Chapter 2. Girl with the Make-Believe Husband had a similar patience with its romance—the kind where you're practically screaming at them to just kiss already. They build this weird, codependent, messy friendship first. Lena actually makes him work for it. She doesn't take his crap. And honestly? Watching a woman hold a boundary against a guy who usually gets whatever he wants? Extremely satisfying.
The One Thing Missing
Okay, if I have to complain about something—and you know I do—it's the POV situation.
The whole book is from Lena's perspective. And normally, I'm fine with that. But Jimmy is such a complex mess in this book (rehab, addiction, redemption arc) that I was dying to know what was going on inside his head. There were moments where he was being quiet or moody, and I just wanted to shake the phone and yell, "USE YOUR WORDS, JIMMY!"
(Maybe that's just the mom in me coming out again. Sorry.)
Who's This For (And Who Should Skip)
If you like the "Grumpy/Sunshine" trope but the Grumpy one is a recovering addict rockstar and the Sunshine one is a hyper-organized assistant, this is your jam. Skip it if you need dual POV or can't handle addiction storylines—Jimmy's rock bottom scene is genuinely heavy.
My Verdict (Over Pantry Chocolate)
I finished this in three days. That's a record for me lately. I listened while cooking, while driving to swim practice, and yes, while hiding in the pantry eating the good chocolate so I didn't have to share.
It's funny, it's surprisingly emotional—I definitely teared up during the "rock bottom" scene—and the ending is that warm, fuzzy blanket feeling I desperately need.
Just don't blame me if you start wishing your husband was a little more... rock and roll. (Kidding. Mostly.)
