Reading other authors’ rock star romances make me angry.  Rarely, if ever, is it the writing.  Instead, it’s the lack of research. It isn’t as if facts are difficult to find. Even Wikipedia is better than nothing and often fairly accurate.  In addition, there are thousands of interviews of rock stars on YouTube and on various podcasts.  Interviews provide a firsthand account into what life is like for rock stars and how the music industry works. Here are the seven ways my rock star romances differ from the competition. 

Difference 1: My Rock Stars Aren’t Walking Stereotypes

For every Mötley Crüe, there are thousands of rock stars who are not on drugs, aren’t promiscuous, and don’t destroy hotel rooms.  These are stereotypes that prove the saying “one bad apple spoils the barrel” true.

“Touring is fucking great fun in the respect that you get to hang out with your best friends (unless you hate your bandmates), hang out with cool bands (usually), and travel all over the place (unless your van breaks down),” Luke Davis, Wicked Snakes frontman, says. “That said, you’ll still struggle to get paid, you’ll smell even worse than normal, you won’t sleep, eat or shit normally and you definitely won’t get laid.”

My rock stars are not walking stereotypes.  The vast majority of rock stars are hardworking musicians, doing what they love and spending weeks, if not months, touring.  This makes romantic relationships difficult to maintain and also means they often miss their children’s milestones.

Having said that, I will admit that Spencer from Midlife Melody is a reformed bad boy, and two advanced review copy reviewers called Chase from I Don’t Hate You “clichéd.”  I disagree.  Chase went through childhood and adolescence trauma and would have behaved the way he did regardless of his profession.  Both Spencer and Chase are conscious of their issues and are working to become better people.  This never happens in the other rock star romances I’ve read.

Difference 2: The Vast Majority Of Real Rock Stars Are Not Rich

Other rock star romances, as well as movies, portray rock stars as filthy rich.  This could not be further from the truth.  The average emerging artist earns between $10,000 and $40,000 annually while the average band with an established fan base earns between $50,000 and $500,000 annually. They need concert ticket sales, album sales, and merchandise sales to reach that figure.  What about streaming?  Spotify pays $0.003 to $0.005 per stream.

James Carville once said “It’s the economy, stupid.”  Well, in the case of musicians, “It’s a business, stupid.”  

• Bands must pay their road crews’ salaries.
• Tour buses run off of diesel, which must be purchased, and crews must be fed while on tour.
• Artist managers are paid between 10 percent and 25 percent of a musician’s income.
• Business managers are paid between 2 percent to 5 percent of a musician’s income.
• Talent agents are paid between 10 percent to 15 percent of a musician’s income.
• Public relations agents charge between $3,000 and $5,000.
• DJ record pools, used to promote music before it’s released, charge between $200 to $2,000.

All these expenses and more must be paid before there’s a profit.  The rock stars in my rock star romances are comfortably middle class, some more comfortable than others, reflecting the realities of a touring musician.

Difference 3: Most Rock Stars Are Not Household Names, & They Are Definitely Not Followed By The Paparazzi

In the vast majority of the rock star romances I’ve read, rock stars are recognized everywhere they go.  And I mean everywhere and by everyone.  This simply isn’t realistic.  Sure, fans of a particular band will recognize its members.  And some artists are hyper famous in their hometowns – think Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi’s connection to New Jersey – but most would not be recognized if they walked into the room. 

Metallica is the biggest band in metal.  In 2024, it grossed $179.4 million, according to Pollstar, a music industry trade publication, making it the ninth top touring band/solo artist in music no matter the genre.  Still, if the band members passed you on the street, would you know them?  If the answer is “no,” then you just proved my point.

In addition, very few musicians are followed by the paparazzi and those that are, do things for attention.  Tommy Lee posting dick pics on social media, for example.

My rock stars live mostly in anonymity with the except of Spencer who is his hometown’s favorite son.

Difference 4: I Know How The Music Industry Works

I present the music industry in a realistic manner. This isn’t by accident.  It’s a consequence of the research I did and the interviews I watched.  I read a rock star romance where the author didn’t even know what the devil horns are called. If she can’t get that minor detail right, did she do any research at all?

In points 1-3, we already discussed three ways the industry works.  Here are three more stereotypes I often see in other authors’ books:

• Bands don’t have fan clubs. Bands use email, social media and texts like every other business to keep in touch with fans.
• People don’t throw things on stage. Fans go through security before entering concert venues.  There’s a long list of items that aren’t permitted, and purses must be transparent.  There’s no way a vibrator would be thrown on stage like one was in the last rock star romance I read.
• Strangers aren’t allowed backstage without credentials.  Again.  Security. 

Difference 5: My Heroines Aren’t Rock Snobs

Another subject I see quite often in other authors’ books is what I call the judgmental snob who thinks she’s too good for rock and metal.  She has terrible things to say about it and, by some miracle, has never heard of the main male character’s band despite the fact they live in a world where rock stars are recognized by everyone under the sun.

My main female characters are supportive of their partners’ careers.  They never look down their noses at musicians or question their partners’ career choices.  Moreover, the women treat the men no differently than if they were in any other profession.

Difference 6: Couples Communicate

I can’t tell you how many rock star romances I’ve read where the main female characters hears a rumor and leaves without learning the truth. In real life, who are you going to believe: your boyfriend or a stranger?  That being said, who doesn’t love a juicy argument?  You’ll find them in my books. They’re fun to write.  Plus, the characters find resolution in a way that makes sense.

Difference 7: The Story Lines Are Plausible, Including How The Couples Meet

Finally, you’ll walk away from my stories believing not only could the story have happened, but that the couples are living somewhere happily ever after.  My books all have plausible story lines and that includes how the couples met.  Cassie and Nat meet through his sister in The Rock Star’s Wife series, Chase and Alexis meet at work before his band had its break, Hayley and Connor in My Best Friend’s Brother met as teens, Holly meets Spencer in Midlife Melody when he produces her daughter’s album, and Paige meets Devon while he’s on break from his band in Sunny Rock Harbor.

Some readers may prefer to need a suspension of disbelief to read rock star romances.  If that’s not you, and you prefer your stories to be rooted in reality, I encourage you to check out my stories.