Rocked Under by Cora Hawkes

Read March 6, 2013.

Rocked Under by Cora Hawkes

Goodreads Synopsis:

Picking up the pieces and starting again in the US, Emma enrols in college with her cousin, Ashley. She is finally free to do what she wants and live how she chooses, and no man will ever rule her decisions or emotions again.

That is, until Scott Mason walks on stage...

Intense bad boy Scott is the lead singer of a popular local rock band. A ladies’ man and Ashley's long-time friend, Scott holds an instant fascination for Emma — she finds herself drawn to him, even though he represents everything she hates and needs to stay away from in a guy. He treats females like he does a cigarette — light it, use it, and lose it.

For her cousin's sake, Emma makes an effort to get along with Scott, but she soon discovers that there is more to him than first appears, making him even more dangerous in her eyes. Behind the façade of friendship, jealousy, obsession, fear and insecurity fester — an internal battle rages as she fights her attraction and does everything she can to stop history from repeating itself.

One thing she knows for sure is that if she breaks her rule, it may destroy her.

3.5 stars from me on this one.

If I could describe this book in one word, it would be frustrating. I found myself wanting to yell at both main characters throughout the entirety of the book, to the point where I was beginning to not even care if they decided to get together.

Emma has moved from her home in England to the United States to start college with her cousin, Ashley. Almost immediately, Ashley warns Emma off of her best friend Scott, the bad boy musician who lives in the apartment above them. According to Ash, Scott doesn’t date, he just screws around with a different chick every night. Personally, this irritated the ever loving crap out of me. It's cool to look out for your girlfriends, but sweet Jesus, let the girl come to her own conclusions.
Emma and Scott’s first encounter is a very steamy, erotic dance at the nightclub where Scott’s band plays. Emma is drawn to him immediately, but pushes him away once she realizes who he is. Thus begins the game of “I want him…but I can’t… I like him….but he’s a man whore…. I reallllllllly want him…but he’ll hurt me.” Emma is so back and forth that if I’d have been in a moving car I’d have gotten whiplash.

Emma and Scott have incredibly undeniable chemistry, but she stands firm on their belief that they can only be friends. As their friendship develops, it becomes clear to everyone and their mom that Scott wants Emma more than all those other girls who’ve shared his bed. Unfortunately, Emma’s too blind to see that she’d be more than a notch in his belt, so she continues to play the friend game.

Scott’s not without his faults, either. Come on, dude. If you’re trying to prove to a girl that she’s more to you than just another lay, it’s probably wise to stop bringing home a different girl every night. You’re not really giving her any indication that you’ve changed. In fact, she may as well run for the hills. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t blame the guy for getting his rocks off after the twentieth time Emma told him she didn’t want him or that he wasn’t good enough, but in the beginning, a little self-restraint may have caused a lot less heartache.

Lastly, I really failed to connect with Scott and Emma as a couple. The lust factor was off the charts, but I really didn’t feel the emotional connection between the two.

Regardless of my rant, I did like the story. I just felt like the relationship could’ve been developed a bit more to make me really feel the love between Scott and Emma. I believe they have the potential of having a deep, meaningful, loving relationship. Perhaps I’ll feel it more in the second book.