Brains and Brawn Summer of Hush Book Two
Gay Romance, Rockstar Romance, Heavy Metal Bands, Military Romance
Celie Bay Publications LLC;
August 24, 2020
Kindle
298
Amazon
Billy “Brains” Brennan has achieved rock stardom in not just one, but two chart-topping bands, but events from his past have him convinced he’s living on borrowed time. Brains and his brothers-in-Hush are ready to take the last cross-country Warped Tour by storm...until the actions of two drunk dudes with bad attitudes set off a chain of events that leave him incapacitated...and face-to-face with a handsome stranger who inexplicably feels like home—and not the home Brains fled at sixteen.
Chief Petty Officer Paul McNally has spent his 25-year career as a Navy Corpsman responding to emergencies and caring for wounded soldiers. When fate has him in the right place to provide aid to a fallen rock star, it sends his life spiraling on a trajectory he never planned for. Instead of concentrating on his impending retirement and a second career, he’s now playing nursemaid to a fascinating younger man…and falling in love—a fact he can’t seem to figure out how to explain to his adult son.
A health scare, band drama, and pain from both their pasts threaten to end Brains and Paul’s fledgling relationship. Fate brought them together. It will take trust, honesty, and hope to keep them together.
Review by Gloria Lakritz
Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team
This second entry to the Summer of Hush series, ‘Brains and Brawn’ is tongue and cheek for Rockstar Billy “Brains” Brennan. He is also very close to Silas and Krish as drummer for their group Hush.
Brains is the drummer for Hush and we watched him meet his HEA in the first book Summer of Hush. In it Brains was hosting a work shop for drum enthusiasts; having a fun interaction about other members of other bands with a handsome stranger . The hottie standing in the back and Brain’s were having quite a back and forth…..The hunk was there with his son who he brought to see their favorite band HUSH of course!
We are still at the Warped event when Book #2 ‘Brains and Brawn’ begins.. There is a horrible accident, with large crowds pushing and shoving, a collapsing roof, with a table falling on Brain’s trapping him and his leg.. Held down by the weight of this heavy table, Brains laid there in agony…….Behold the beautiful man he was word sparring with came running to help.
The secret Brains has kept all these years from his band mates reared its ugly head at this time, feelings of tremendous fear, making Brains irrationally holding on to the handsome Dad….. like a life preserver. Paul McNally is the man; a divorced Navy Corpsman willing to help the young man and then promising Brains he would not leave his side. AND KEPT HIS WORD.
When all was said and done, Brains’ injuries were going to affect his ability to continue the tour and play drums. Paul made plans to bring Brains to his home to care for him while he is in the process of was waiting to be mustered out for retirement after 25 years of service.
Since Brains has to leave the tour , Bowie, Paul’s son (who had studied music for years and is a drummer) made the grade with the group, to be able to play for HUSH filling in.. What a long road would be needed to have Brains healthy, with physical therapy, crutches, and now deal with these past fears..
I have found Rochelle Merrill to be a great story teller. The scenes she portrays, I find myself to be in the background at a music festival. I feel like a V.I.P. The story takes a twofold persona, with the safety and companionship Brains feels and the respect beginning and the feelings coming.
Paul having his son on tour, away from home for the first time, and their close father/son relationship unraveling in front of his eye . Bowie hearing stories/ gossip thru the band that Brains and Paul are hooking up.
I cannot say enough for loving this story and Summer of Hush. I expect the next one, which is part of an Anthology and is also Hush related will be my next read. It’s called You Can Do Magic and is part of The Carnival of Mysteries Series and another Hush member to get his HEA
5 stars