[ARC Review] Pretty Obsessed by J.R. Gray

Release date: 10/19/21 Format: eARC eARC provided by: Gay Romance Reviews

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Pretty Obsessed, the first book in J.R. Gray’s Pretty Broken series, is dark, hot, and gritty. Emory might be a well-known author of young adult novels, but right now he’s struggling. While out looking for motivation to write, he sees rockstar drummer River in a club, and neither Emory nor River will ever recover. From spicy scenes to heated miscommunications, Pretty Obsessed fully encapsulates the dark corners of fame, the highs and lows of living in the spotlight, and the true cost of finding love while in the public eye. 

I really loved Pretty Obsessed; on the surface, it’s a hot rockstar romance - which I love - but underneath all that, Gray truly dived into the nitty gritty world of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Both Emory and River were complex characters, and I loved exploring their thoughts and feelings right along with them. While Emory worked to recover from past trauma, River was preoccupied with the band’s future; watching them finally start thinking about the here and now, and find their person and the love and support that the other provided, was a fantastic moment in the book. 

This book was by no means a light and fluffy romance. River and Emory’s attraction hit harder than the substances the band’s lead singer was on. These scenes were definitely hot; there were many, and the scenes never became repetitive or less intense. However, as hot as Emory and River were together, their relationship went well beyond the physical and some topics were addressed that may be harder for some readers. The main characters struggle with loss of a parent, cheating, and intimacy issues; secondary characters suffer through substance abuse and addiction. Gray does not shy away from addressing these topics, so please be wary if any of these topics are a trigger for you. 

Pretty Obsessed was a little darker than I usually read, but I ended up really loving these characters and their hardships. Even the grittier aspects of their story were realistic and true to the rockstar lifestyle. I loved every vulnerability Emory and River showed, and every obstacle they had to overcome. Pretty Obsessed was a great introduction to the Pretty Broken series; River and Emory’s romance was well done and I’m excited to read the next dark and steamy rockstar romance from J.R. Gray. 

A huge thank you to Gay Romance Reviews for sending along an advanced copy of Pretty Obsessed in exchange for an honest review.