I love a good rock star book and also forbidden romances. So, this book sounded like it was right up my alley. However, I felt like something was missing. I did't feel the romance or connection between the main characters and it didn't feel like a forbidden love at all.

This was my first book by this author and although this book wasn't for me, I will still try other books she has written.

I had a hard time getting into this story. There was not enough character development. The story felt stagnate and dragged. The concept of the story was intriguing but it just felt like it was lacking.

I was so not happy with this book. There really wasn't good character development for me, or maybe it was that by chapter 2 I was bored, I couldn't care less for these people, didn't understand there attraction to each other when they really didn't even like each other..yeah crap

During his earlier life her father Silas was a rockstar, he was the bass player of The Skies until he walked away, Harlow never knew that man, just the bitter miserable version she is looking at now. Silas is dying and he wants to return to the UK, he expects Harlow to put her life and career on hold. On arrival in London she manages to call in some favours until she is standing in Alec Davies' dressing room. She tells him that Silas is in London and that he has come home to die.

An emotional story that will have you reaching for a tissue. With thanks to NetGalley and Lorelie Brown for the early read.

I did not finish this one.
I gave up at chapter 4.
The blurb for this one sounds great, but the actual story did not capture my attention. I couldn’t get into it enough to even skip to the end and see how it concluded. I’m disappointed.

To say the relationships in this book are complicated is the understatement of the year. The title seriously says it all. Alec and Harlow are two very complicated individuals who set each other on fire. Literally, they burned up the pages of my book. The sex, however, wasn't very romantic or even necessarily erotic. They go at it hard - and I think for at least the first half of the book it is hate sex from Harlow and pure lust from Alec.

Alec was in a band with Harlow's father in the 90s. Both Alec and Harlow's dad are the text book definition of rockstars - divas, talented, emotional, etc. When Harlow's dad left the band, the band continued on without him. Harlow's dad continued on with his own career as a producer and songwriter, but became increasingly closed off from everyone and everything except for his daughter. Harlow bears a lot of emotional scars from her upbringing and a lot of unresolved anger.

When the story starts, Harlow has brought her father, who is dying, to England. She finds her way to Alec to tell him what is happening and immediately starts a sexual relationship with him. Alec offers to have Harlow and her father move in to his home as part of his hospice care.

From there Alec and Harlow quickly become closer - sexually first and then emotionally.

There is at least a 20 year (at least) age difference between Harlow and Alec. That didn't bother me - but what did bother me was that I just didn't see the love between them. I saw unresolved daddy issues and lust. The final third of the book did, however, really bring forward the emotions and feelings between them. By the end of the book, I could see that Alec really wanted a true relationship with Harlow and that Harlow was willing to let him in.

I enjoyed the book and if may/december romance is your catnip - this will be a good read for you! I also appreciated that Alec wasn't a typical hero - in that he isn't straight or even particularly alpha.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley, but these opinions are my own!

This book felt like a performance; there was no buildup between two characters getting to know one another, so I still don’t understand the forced intimacy between Alec and Harlow. Since the beginning, it felt like I was stepping into a sequel or a book where these characters had met before because these characters went right at it in regards to their vapid conversations and their random bouts of sex frenzies.
I did expect the sex in this book because the synopsis read as an erotic novel, however the execution of the sex scenes were out of nowhere with no mutual chemistry felt between Alec and Harlow. I kept wanting the story to be either just the story or just the sex because while the writing was consistent, the blend of sex and story did not mesh seamlessly.
You never are told why Harlow is Alec’s—a man over two decades Harlow’s senior— muse. I was expecting a titillating story about a forbidden couple coming together, but the mystery of Alec and Harlow getting together was botched from the start, i.e. nonexistent.

I received an ARC from the author and publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I was excited to read this angsty, rockstar romance. It starts off with a bang, moves at a slow pace after that. Loved the two concert scenes. Despite the age gap, you can really see a happily ever after for this couple.

Overall, it is a quick, enjoyable read.

Messy, sexy, mysterious...but also disjointed, jarring, abrupt. I wanted to like MESSY far more than I did; however, Alec and Harlow, together and separately, just didn't make any sense to me.

Alec and Harlow's meeting was electric hot, leaving not only tingles, but so many questions. What caused the rift between Alec and Harlow's dad Silas and broke up their band? Why is Silas so emotionally abusive to his daughter? Why are Harlow and Alec so drawn to each other?

Unfortunately, the answers never really crystallize. Even Harlow admits she's confused, too: "Even now, I want him. I need to break him apart and see the bits inside, and I don't know what the fuck is so goddam compelling about him."

Harlow and Alec carry on in secret although it is clear his bandmates don't approve and his ex-boyfriend is still in the shadows. With Harlow and Alec, it is hard to push for a HEA when the characters barely like themselves or each other.

Also, the barely discussed elephant in the room is their age gap, except for one grossly harsh reminder from Alec: "You're so young. If I'd put my dick in the wrong hole on our first tour, you'd be the same age as a kid I never had."

And with that, I was done with the story of Alec and Harlow. This may have been the first Katie Porter romance that I actually found myself skimming through the very hot sex scenes just to figure out what the heck was going on with the characters. But like the title, it was a mess.

2.5 stars

Definitely not for me! Sorry just not my cup of tea! By the third page it was already crazy stuff?! I don't know I guess I needed more? It was just weird to me? Take a chance maybe you'll like it? It just definitely was not for me! Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for sharing this book with me!

I thought this was well written and I did enjoy it. My gripe is the holes in the plot - why did Silas go to London? What was harlows motivation? Lots of unanswered questions. Thank you to netgalley for the arc.

Alec Davies: ageing rock star, decades older than Harlow Tate, who has at some point in time, screwed up the dynamics of the rock band The Skies of which Harlow’s father was an integral part of. But Silas Tate is a dying man…and Harlow seeks out Alec years later with this news with an unexpected outcome.

The age-gap difference is one that I never minded reading; this was in fact the reason I request this ARC. But ‘Messy’ started off awkward for me; rather, it blindsided me with a rather inexplicable hookup between Harlow Tate’s father’s friend when neither have really met properly before in the opening pages.

This was more than a groupie seeking out a rock star, that much Katie Porter made clear, but I wasn’t sure of their attraction (was there even one?) and why Harlow Tate did exactly what she did—the explanation had me scratching my head—and as willing as I was to read further on, I found that I understood less and less Harlow’s own convoluted motives for seeking out Alec Davies in the first place.

With a weak set-up and no build-up (Alec and Harlow didn’t even know each other personally before their dressing-room encounter), acting like they were suddenly in a relationship made absolutely no sense to me. In this case, motives mattered…and I couldn’t quite find any here that made logical sense for Harlow/Alec as a pairing at all—neither protagonist were pining, neither had personal history, no initial attraction…nada!—even if though the writing was decent. I stopped hence, at 14%, frustrated and bewildered, unable to go on.

I do tread into rock star romances from time to time, but unfortunately ‘Messy’ wasn’t one that did it for me at all.

Not really for me, it just felt rushed from the start, too much sex and little romance, I’m not a prude but I like a lit more plot. I didn’t feel much chemistry between the characters it just felt a bit flat and going through the motions. Unfortunately this wasn’t for me.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion