Rock Chick Reborn

Rock Chick #9

by Kristen Ashley

As a Rock Chick, Shirleen Jackson lived through all the kidnappings and explosions. Along the way, she also watched the dramatic love stories that came with those rides unfold.

But long ago, Shirleen made her choice. It affected who she was and would always be. She decided to settle for what she had and not want more. She had good friends. She was raising two fine young men who weren’t hers, but she loved them anyway.

She was good.

And then Moses Richardson crashed into her life, literally… and deliberately.

Moses has different ideas about Shirleen. He’s more interested in the Shirleen of now, mostly because she’s interesting. And funny. And loyal. Smart. Beautiful.

But Moses has a big challenge on his hands.

He has to convince Shirleen of all that.

And then convince her she deserves to have more.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Novella, Audiobook, Humor, Adult

214 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 2, 2018

About the author

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA. She nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn't taken her first breath!).

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana but has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.

Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multi-generational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland and existed amongst the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.

Reviews

[The Sassy Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just about broke my finger 1-clicking this bad boy. Then I pretty much broke my personal best time speed reading it (lol). It is NO secret the ROCK CHICK series is pretty much my favorite series EVER. I have reread every book (except Ally's) a gazzilion times. So when I saw that KA had written a happily ever after for Shirleen...well let us just say I was SO there.



So did I enjoy it? Yes. Will I reread it? Probably not. That said, it was undoubtedly one of KA's better books as of late. Most of my four stars are going towards the Shirleen, Roam, and Sniff interactions. Which honestly, overshadow the romance a lot (and, I might add, made me cry like a f-cking baby). Now don't get me wrong, the romance between Shirleen and Moses was sweet. Maybe just a bit lowkey, lackluster, and pushed to the background for Roam and Sniff stuff (both og which I suspect will be getting books of their own if the epilogue was any indication). It just would have been nice to have seen Shirleen meet Mose's daughters and stuff like that. We also get a lot of cameos from pretty much every Rock Chick character, which was fun. Unfortunately, this book was also pretty tame in the sex department (bummer). All in all, though, it wasn't a bad addition to the Rock Chick series, so yours truly is going to give it solid thumbs up.

Side Note: I could have done without the whole author inserting herself into the story thing. I just find that super cheesy whenever an author chooses to do that.

Second Side Note: There also seemed to be some odd racial undertone. Maybe racial isn't the right word exactly? But both Shirleen and Mose's seemed to take issue with Roam (African American) just dating caucasian girls. While Sniff ( caucasian) choose to date women of color. And Mose's daughter was dating a Caucasian guy. It was mentioned on a few occasions in conversations, and I just thought it was an odd addition. I dunno...

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars!



Shirleen Jackson is one of the Rock Chick characters I always loved, but never thought she would get her own book. KA surprised us all, and here it is! Rock Chick Reborn was a great addition to the series. Shirleen is one hell of a woman, and her story was wonderful!

I wanted a badass. I wanted to be adored, beloved, worshipped by a good man who saw nothing but good in me. I’d wanted that for as long as I could remember. And it wasn’t going to happen. Not for me. Never for me. Because life was unfair. But the worst of it was . . . I’d made it that way.


Shirleen has a past. She’s made mistakes in her life. BUT, she’s turned it all around. Still, she doesn’t feel deserving. This broke my heart. The way she is now, she deserves all the love and happiness in the world. Watching her grow and get to see that for herself was a beautiful thing. Moses was the perfect man for her in so many ways. Mostly, I love how he got her to see herself as worthy. 



My favorite RC book is book 4- Vance and Jules book. One of the many reasons I love that book so much is because of Roam and Sniff. OMG I was so happy to get more of them! There were several scenes with the two of those boys and Shirleen that had me in tears- not sad tears, but the heartfelt and happy kind! The only thing that made me sad about this book is that my boy Logan ‘High’ was missing. I know he and Shirleen are tight and I wanted him to make an appearance!

Shirleen’s story is the Rock Chick story you never knew you needed. It was funny, emotional, beautiful, and a lot of fun to read. I recommend it to all KA fans and Rock Chicks! And on a fun note- this is my 50th KA read! <3

[Jilly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought, what the hell, I've read the whole series. Let's see how badass Shirleen gets her happy ending.
But, alas, I forgot about how much Kristen Ashley can drive me insane.
Shirleen suddenly was NOT a badass anymore. She was a wimp with low self-esteem who actually whispered when she talked!! Not that! Anything but that! One of my most hated of all things KA has her heroines do!



Then, the story was not really a story, but 250 pages of two people talking about all of their baggage. It was like listening to someone else's counseling session. I'm surprised they didn't get out the magic feather that only the person holding it was allowed to talk. It was brutal.
Boring and brutal.

[✰ Liz ✰ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I wanted to be adored, beloved, worshipped by a good man who saw nothing but good in me."

Anyone who knows my reading preferences knows that I am a HUGE ROCK CHICK FAN! Not only do I enjoy reading them the first time around but I enjoy re-reading them over and over again. When I found out that Shirleen was finally getting her own chance at romance, I could not wait to get my hands on it and devour every last drop.



Shirleen Jackson is the headstrong and spunky personal assistant to the entire Rock Chick crew. A mother to two adopted boys, she hasn't had much time for romance. When Moses Richardson enters her life, Shirleen discovers love and passion like she has never known before.

“I’m human. I’m gonna fuck up. Tick you off. Annoy the hell out of you. I’m not givin’ you the good stuff and hidin’ the bad to get in there."

Told in dual POV, Rock Chick Reborn offers a novella that packs quite a punch. With passion, intimacy, and the entire Rock Chick Crew, I was certainly happy to be back with my favorite characters. Shirleen and Moses had an intense connection and with their ages factoring into the dynamics of the plot, both carried a great deal of baggage. I was quite happy for Shirleen to finally meet her match. Additionally, the tender connection between Shirleen and her two adopted sons, Roam and Sniff, was quite touching. I do wish we had been able to experience more development between the two characters but considering it was a novella, Shirleen and Moses ROCKED!



Overall, I highly recommend Rock Chick Reborn to any Rock Chick Fans. I can't say it is my favorite but I certainly enjoyed the read! ROCK ON!

***Rock Chick Series***


For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:

[Bev · Rating 2 out of 5]

Who are you and what have you done with Shirleen? That's what was going through my head on a loop whilst reading this. Then when Lee and the Hot Bunch started worrying about colour coordinated planners and stickers I REALLY wanted to know who the hell they were and what they did with the badasses of old. It's like they all had to morph into someone else for Shirleen to find her happy. What??

Add to that poor Moses and Shirleen were totally short changed by having to conduct a fledgling romance virtually by phone and yeah - this totally didn't work for me. Such a shame because I would've loved to see more of them together, Moses was perfect for her.

Maybe one day I'll learn to stop hoping for KA of old, I'm thinking that ship has definitely sailed.

2 all for Moses stars

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

You don't have to be a badass 24/7...

I loved Reborn. This was a sweet little treat that left me completely satisfied. Yes, I would have been happier with more but considering Kristen Ashley wasn't originally planning to give us anything, I'll take what I can get.

It was fantastic to get this last chance to catch up with friends and meet some new ones. The characters seem real and their individuality shone through. I can picture Tod stomping into the room and hijacking the shoe closet, drawn to its sparkling delights. I can hear Daisy's tinkling laugh. I see Indy, Jet, Roxie, Jules, Ava, Stella, Sadie and Ally in their jeans, pencil skirts, heels, flip-flops and boots. I feel the tingle when a member of the Hot Bunch walks into the room. Their eyes trained to look for the enemy, their minds occupied with a Rock Chick. I know them, I see them and I feel them.

Reborn made me laugh. Shirleen has always made me laugh. She comes across as the toughest but there was always humour in how she dealt with her trials and tribulations. I want to take a page out of Shirleen's *How to raise teenage boys* handbook. I hope to have as much patience, understanding and tolerance when my fourteen and eleven year old boys hit the hard years.

Shirleen isn't all badass and laughs, she has vulnerabilities and insecurities like we all do. It was surprising to know that she didn't treat herself as kindly as she does the other Rock Chicks. She's tough on herself and doesn't believe she can be forgiven for her past. I guess I thought she was happy being alone, and I suppose she was, it surprised me that she thought she didn't deserve a happy ending.

The Hot Bunch were funny. Look, I have no doubts that they're still tough, badass, MFs who could kill you with their bare hands, but they're also a bunch of old women. The Rock Chicks have turned them into SNAGs...of the badass variety.

The love story was sweet and Moses was the perfect hero for Shirleen. He was understanding, supportive and knew exactly what he wanted. His maturity showed in his ability to pick his battles and handle situations in a calm and controlled way. You knew he wanted Shirleen but he was willing to be patient and let her take it at her pace.

There were a few times that my eyebrows hit my hairline but I can't imagine there wasn't a little truth behind it. We all like to think everyone is equal and we're heading on the same path, but maybe we forget that the path we've travelled had lots of twists and turn getting to the now. It's a story and we've all got our own to tell.

I think I've covered it all. May the Rock Chick be in you and the Hot Bunch with you.

[❤️ Dorsey aka Wrath Lover Reviews ❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Oowee Stars!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I didn't even realize that KA was releasing this book so soon until Nita aka The Bookchick enlightened me (thank you Nita!), within minutes I purchased the kindle version, a few hrs later when the audio was released, I purchased the audio (different narrator for this one, which was a bit disappointing, but, Nicole Small did an okay job), and my paperback should be arriving any day....to add to my KA Rock Chick book collection.

I’m beyond thrilled that Shirleen finally gets her well deserved HEA with her very own badass. Moses is an ex-military, ex-police Officer, and current juvenile correctional officer. Moses is divorced and has two teen daughters he shares with his ex-wife. When Moses catches a glimpse of Shirleen in the grocery store, he’s immediately smitten much to the chagrin of her overprotective foster sons Roam and Sniff (who are both now eighteen and high school seniors) and both have major roles in the storyline.

“I got a job herding badasses, and I got two badasses hoovering through Oreos and Doritos at my house. I don’t need another badass on my hands.”

When Moses gets his chance he strikes up a conversation and let’s her know he’s interested. Shirleen blows him off, but, still keeps his business card and can’t stop thinking of him. When the hot bunch sees the card on her desk they get all protective and grill her....it was hilarious and heartwarming. The lengths they go to to protect Shirleen....wow, just wow.

“We met. He asked me out. I said no. He gave me his card should I rethink. The end,” I told him. Luke looked to Lee. Mace looked to Vance. Hector looked back down at the card. Brody looked at me. “Why’d you say no?” “Have I ever struck you as a woman who shares her personal life?” I asked. “I was over at your house watching Tarzan two weeks ago and you pulled out your family albums,” Brody reminded me. “All twelve of them.” Damn. “I was drunk,” I lied.”

All-in-All I throughly enjoyed RC Reborn. So why four stars and not five? I have to say, I found something missing. We didn't get a chance to see when Shirleen meets Moses’ girls and see her interacting with them, which I personally found disappointing especially since it was made so very apparent and obvious that they were a huge part of Moses life (as they should be) and the storyline. However, the epilogue suggest the possibly another RC Book, or they’ll be in Mace’s L.A. Security spinoff off. All I know is I need to see what happens to Roam and Sniff. Lastly, skin color and sexual orientation has never been an issue in KA’s books so all the talk about the teen interracial dating was a bit....I don’t know, weird or off putting I guess. It’s very obvious that neither Shirleen, Moses, or anyone in the series is the least bit prejudice at all so why was it brought up more than once? Anywho, I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I did!! It was AWESOME being back with the Rock Chick crew, this book made me realize how much I miss them....even though I’ve read all the books a million times!!!

[TJ *Book Twins Reviews* · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not my favorite! Actually I was quite pissed while reading most of it, but I’m trying hard not to get on my soapbox.

The couple things I did enjoy were the fact the book focuses on older main characters and Moses! Moses is such a great character and Shirleen has always been entertaining. However, I wanted more for their story. This felt thrown together and don’t even get me started on the writing and dialogue. I came very close to DNF’ing it.

I applaud KA for writing a book with people of color as the main characters, but in my humble opinion the love story is overshadowed by the racial stereotypes they exhibit. It just didn’t work for me. An author has every right to write what moves them in the way they see fit. I fully support that, but it won’t always work for their entire audience. That’s the case with me.

I adore Kristen Ashley’s book and look forward to future releases regardless of my feelings about this one.

2.5 ish Stars

[Tanja ~ KT Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let's get this party started, shall we!

[Laura Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t love this. This was written in new KA style, ( which started with the first book in the chaos series, when whatever editor that publisher gave her, ruined KA style forever. If you read to the end of this book, you will see the first two chapters of Mystery Man, and can compare the writing difference. It’s glaring how bad KA’s writing has become when you read this book followed by the Mysery Man chapters. I honestly swear it’s like two different people wrote these books.)

Back to this. What I expected: I expected a Rock Chick book. I love Shirleen. I was so excited for her to get her own badass. I expected Shirleens hero to be a former military badass. Who gets hired by Lee, when he retires from Army. I expected a drug dealer villain from Shirleen’s past to kidnap her, bomb her car, or both. I expected new silver fox badass to save Shirleen , make her move in with him after like, a day. Boom! There’s your rock chick book. Instead KA decided to phone this one in. Literally.

Shirleen gets her former Army man, but he’s a juvenile detention center director. They have a romance that’s phoned in. As most of this book is phone conversations. Roam and Sniff are now 18 and manwhores who are about to graduate. Entire chapter devoted to discussing the amount of condoms they go through. Entire chapter spent in a grocery store discussing and describing every morsel of food they eat. Despite the fact Roam is a gifted writer, no one encourages him to apply to college. Lee encourages Sniff to join the Army and Shirleen is upset because as she tells Lee “ you know the enemy actually shoots at you when you are in the Army”. Yup. This was boring, no action, and she turns the hot bunch into matchmaking, decorative poster board and stickers loving pansies. The epilogue almost feels like family incest at the end. If you read it you will see what I mean. Two stars.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** last night I hit a slump and did a brief reread of this and my favourite bits. I have some thoughts.

Shirleen most definitely lost some of her uniqueness - her Shirleen spark. Am I alone with this view?!
I also think the rock chick feel was dampened, still good but no wow.

New thoughts over****


Thank god I had this afternoon of work, it would have driven me insane to wait for this!!!
I loved it, Shirleen and Moses were perfect together although my favourite bits were Roam and Sniff appearances.

That ending though... I really miss old school KA. I don’t want any more honey. Any standalones or new series... I want rock chick LA and Chaos. Sigh.

[Mindy Lou's Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who’d have thought Shirleen’s story would be so awesome. I mean, I loved her as a side character but I didn’t think I would like her as a main character. I thought she would be too much. I was very wrong. She did seem toned down as a main character but it makes sense that she would be when you get to know her without all the rock chicks surrounding her.

I love that she got her man. I love that Rome and Sniff made her feel like she’s their mom. It was just a very heartwarming story seeing these three people living a better life after all that they went through.

Kristen Ashley used a different narrator for Shirleen and I did like her version of Shirleen’s voice. It was weird to hear her version of the rock chicks after binge listening to the other narrator in the first 8 books. Not bad, just different. Both narrators did a fantastic job with this series.

[Kaila · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5 stars

I hate to admit this, but I might have fallen out of love with Kristen Ashley's writing style, either that or her books have just changed dramatically as of late. I was addicted to KA's books previously and have read upwards of thirty of her work, but I'm just not feeling it anymore. I didn't connect to this book much at all and I just found it emotionally dramatic and confusing. The emotional scenes where I was meant to feel strongly for the characters did nothing for me, and I thought that the character reactions to events were strange and unbelievable. I was also really bothered by the insta-love in this book, even though it never really bothered me in KA's books before. I did like Moses, Sniff, Roam and Shirleen, even if I didn't enjoy the direction of their characters or the way they acted sometimes. I really hope it's just this book that I'm not connecting to, because it breaks my heart to no longer love this author's writing.



I think I'm going to start of with I like before I go all out on what I didn't. Basically, I liked the characters, though not necessarily together. I really like Roam and Sniff and think they should get their own books. I think it would be so interesting to see a new generation of the Rock Chick characters, especially because they have been present in the growth of so many characters. I just found it really fun to read their more grown selves, considering we were reading about them being much younger only a couple of books back. I also liked Moses, he did drift into the very same-same KA hero, but for the most part I really liked him. Shirleen as well, when she wasn't with Moses I really liked her and I enjoyed her witty internal dialogue. She has always been a really fun character, so it was good finally hearing her side of the story.

Sigh, now for the bad.

For one, I think this series has completely lost direction. It's kind of gold fish swimming in circles over and over, at least that's what it feels like to me. There seems to be no real purpose or meaning to the characters or the story any more, which really shows in the writing. There were many scenes where all my beloved characters were together, but it seems like they've totally lost their characters. These people are no longer the intriguing, interesting characters that I fell in love with. Rather, all of the ‘Hot Bunch’ seem to have blended together into one grunting male personality whilst the Rock Chicks have become bland or stereotyped versions of themselves. This series was one of my favourites, so it absolutely breaks my heart to read about them like this. Hopefully KA either changes the direction or think up a new purpose for the series if she's going to continue writing these books.

The character reactions and interactions in this book also really confused me. I've been noticing this in other KA books as of late, but her characters seem to act like caricatures rather than real people. They form a ‘connection’ within minutes of meeting someone and get unrealistically attached that soon. Other small moments like Roam being a super great writer (which was a strange thing to add anyway) made Shirleen unbelievably emotional, even though Roam really couldn't care less, just didn't make any sense for the character arcs. I think the weirdest scene for me is when the boys (being Roam and Sniff) found Shirleen and Moses in the bedroom together. Things all seemed to blur together for me, but I distinctly remember Shirleen crying heaps, Moses grunting about something in the background and the boys acting kinda bored. What I'm trying to say is that the emotional climaxes didn't seem to match the character arcs, plots or even what is humanly normal.



In general, I would have really liked Moses and Shirleen’s relationship if I had read it earlier and if it wasn't with Shirleen. It had the very typical KA style alpha male who was also kind of sweet, which was nice but also completely predictable. Now there is what, nine books in this series? It seems like all nine men (plus other KA heroes) have got a very similar, if not identical personality and approach to relationships. I generally like the alpha male trope, but I would appreciate some more variation. Moses just seemed to be the same formula blend of hot, dominant, bossy men with no major unique qualities. This meant that I really didn't care much about his character, because I knew there was nothing really to learn about him.



I also think that this made Shirleen act completely out of character. Gone was our strong-willed, feisty and independent women, replaced with a meek, subordinate heroine. This is the most un-Shirleen thing that could have happened, I just couldn't believe that KA took her character in this direction. I appreciate that they made her character have a meaningful backstory and a happy ever after, but they didn't need to destroy her personality in the process.

[Raine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oweee! Love me some Shirleen!!!

I didn't even realize that KA was writing this book. For some reason I thought Marcus and Daisy was the last book in thus series. Imagine my surprise when I read KA's email that this book was out. Not even 10 seconds later I purchased. Unfortunately I had to finish another book first, but I started this one today.

I'm so happy Shirleen gets her HEA with a hot, ex-military, juvenile corrections officer. Moses himself has two daughters from his cheating ex-wife. The only thing I was sad about was that the story ended way too quickly and we didn't even get a chance to see how Shirleen meets Moses's girls. However the epilogue at the end does suggest possibly another storyline or a spinoff of this series. I'd love to see what happened to both Roam and Sniff.

[Ciru · Rating 3 out of 5]

Done! Review to come in a few.

Okay. I lied. Review came after me sleeping, waking up, going to work...and then almost sleeping again...but my thoughts just wouldn't let me fall asleep a second time.

That being said, I love that K.A. decided to release this as part of her 50th birthday gift to her fans...but I had some issues with the book..and I shall now give MY PERSONAL opinion on them.

First off, major numero uno issue that I had with this book...as an African woman (I would seriously also love to get a black/African American woman's opinion about this)...Shirleen was not black enough for me. There I said it.



Here's my reason why;

The heavy emphasis on my man, my brother, my sista. Again, I am open to healthy criticism from all corners. I don't think when a black person enters into a room, they typically go about fist bumping with the only other black people in the room...especially as in Shirleen's case, you are on a day to day basis surrounded by hippie, 70s speaking white chics and white dudes who don't discriminate against you/you have no animosity with. So it really, really boiled my blood when that was what was typically taking place between Shirleen+Moses as an identifier of their blackness in their speech. I could be wrong because, again, I typically read white authors and not black/African authors and maybe that's how speech identification is done for black characters.

This was further exacerbated by when Moses+Shirleen have a conversation about Roam+Sniff and how they racially date. My friend...that part did not make me happy. Love is love...you date in or outside or crosswise your race. And I know that that is an ideal notion...it is just how my mum raised me. Roho ikipenda, imependeka (when the heart loves, it has been loved)...all the others are just kelele za chura (frog noises-basically just minor details).

Then...hmpf...ebu let me just laugh as I write this down...ati Shirleen had an afro. Please bear with me as I am about to fill a gazillion gifs down below to make a point.

Look at that fabulosity.


Or this one...


Or this other one...


This is all gotten through a lot of this


And a lot of this


And don't forget this


And sometimes some of this


At times some of this


And some of this


And my favourite kind...a whole lot of this


The reason for all the above? I have natural hair. I have an afro under my braids...so I know how much opportunity there was for something involving Shirleen's hair. Man, there could have been a whole chapter about it...but all we get is that she had an afro and she put on her headscarf at night. My friend...



Do you know what would have made me happy and made Shirleen more realistic in my head as black...when she was having a conversation with Moses while getting a facial...scratch that and give me some hair time! Again, there are black women with afros that don't do all the above and still look fierce...but 97% of us naturalistas...please refer to the above montage.

Another reason that Shirleen was not black enough for me...her delivery with Roam+Sniff.

Bear with me now before you start throwing the rocks.

We know Roam+Sniff's history. There were scenes in this book (refer to the busted-vapours scene) where I was reading at work with balancing tears because it just touched my soul. Then others, like the way Sniff would curse, get warned with being beaten into...and nothing happened and he continued. My friend...let my Africanness show...spare the rod, spoil the child. Sniff should have gotten his ear pinched/slap to the back of the head.

Ai...Roam naye? This gave me stresssssssssssssssss^n. I get it, he's 18 and coming into his manhood, that does not mean you get to talk and boss around your mum. Show some goddamn respect in this goddamn house because I'm the one who pays the bills before I show you how! Fix your face and your tone before coming at me! *insert death glare and grip*



So what are my 3 stars for? The tears I had for the touching scenes between Roam+Sniff+Shirleen.
Shilreen+Moses in and off themselves. They were so sweet.

And finally the epic supermarket scene. That was the highlight of the book and made me press on in-spite of all the above mentioned issues I had.

I am not going to even go into the RCs, coz I honestly don't even remember some of them. Or the HB...they just seemed like a bunch of gossipy men and we all know men make the worst gossips. And how K.A. is mentioned in the book as the pseudo-author of the Rock Chick series. Or how, whacked was mentioned in the book, copious amounts of time...together with badass and oowee, which all annoyed the shit out of me. Or how, as per all K.A. books, Roam+Sniff are meant to be boys turning into men, but that is not how their speech/manners are shaped into...and the end scene with Roam, that just annoyed me coz it felt again racially angled and sloppy.

Or how, when Shirleen was referring to Moses as "my man"...all I pictured was



and



Oh, I almost forgot. The part where Moses says they are given sijui which mask from Africa...this boils my soup. Point to note, most Africans, we have Christian guilt. Let me call it that. So, you don't go around putting African masks around your house...that is witchcraft. Okay, let me not speak for all of Africa...all the Kenyans I know...it's either witchcraft or you are that into African art that there is no Christian guilt for you.

I start a series...and read all the books, then we must finish...but this one was not a strong finish to the series.

And with that...let me go find my bed...
I'm out

[itsmeesahara❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮
Shirleen and Moses

I can say for sure that it was love at first fight for Moses 😉
The story is more of a second chance at love and in life 😊
I'm happy that everyone gets to have their happy ending..
Hopefully we get to know Roam's and Sniff's story soon...


Favorite lines from the book:

“I wanted to be adored, beloved, worshipped by a good man who saw nothing but good in me.”

“You’re the most beautiful sister I’ve seen in ten years, and I thought that before I knew what you were to those boys,” he went on.

“Liam ‘Badass isn’t my middle name, it’s my way of life’ Nightingale is playing matchmaker?”

“Own it. You’re gonna live forever and gotta do that by drinkin’ blood and raisin’ hell, why not? Live it up. Go for the gusto. Bust it out. And make no apologies.”

“And woman, if I ever hear you say you’re not worthy of anything or anyone, I’m gonna shake you until your teeth rattle. You’ve got a beautiful soul. Nothing dims that. Not one thing. It might have lived in the shadows for a while, but it surprises nobody that it broke through. So don’t you dare talk yourself down, not in front of your girls. Not in front of anyone. Are you understanding me?”

[Fatimama · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a pleasant surprise as I did not like the Rock Chick books that I’ve read

What I liked:
- H/h were both older, in fact heroine is older by 2 yrd as she is 53 and Hero is 51
- Low drama and no hijinx. The focus was on their romance and basically the Hero pursuing the h


What I didn’t like:
- the appearance of other Rock Chicks as the other women were annoying

Got a question though: of her 2 sons, Roam and Sniff, which one is black and which one is white? I wondered about this in the epilogue

[Mara · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 1/2
Mostly disappointing even if sweet. You expected (wished?) more for Shirleen rather than this half assed story that mixed a little bit of all. She deserved a story, I think.
The Hot Bunch getting into her life seemed so weird, the girls yes. The guys I did really expect something different. Weird.

Honestly the meta author narrative is really over the top. It was excessive the first time it came around and being reminded about I still think it's a bit cringe worthy :/

Note that it's not really 180 pages long (that would be a novelette?), at 80% it ends with an excerpt.

[SheLove2Read · Rating 3 out of 5]

First let me say I applaud KA for writing a couple that is over 50 and still getting busy. Age is just a number, after all. I feel more alive at 48 than I ever did at 28.
But let me tell you why this disappointed me. Yes, I know Shirleen and Moses were black. That didn't matter to me. Some of my best friends are black. And asian. And east asian. What bothered me is that KA made race a part of the story. She writes Shirleen as a very likeable character, but also stereotypes her. There's also a conversation between her and Moses that I really did not care for. She was okay with her white son dating a black girl, but not her black son dating a white girl.
Overall, I enjoyed my time with Shirleen, but it could have been better. 3 stars

[Pavlina Read more sleep less blog]

❤️ Surprise it's here and I'm so excited to start reading it!! Omg Shirleen and Moses ❤️

LIVE Kindle>>>https://amzn.to/2GQOuVe

[Simply Love Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off I’m going to thank Kristen Ashley for writing a couple over the age of 50; I applaud you woman! On that note, if you are expecting a typical Rock Chick book, this isn’t the book for you but if you appreciate a sweet romance between two people who both deserve a second chance at finding love then you are in luck.

Readers of this series have always loved Shirleen Jackson as they watched her go from drug dealing, illegal gambling wrong side of the law badass to upstanding citizen with a legitimate job raising two street kids as her own. Shirleen has always been there for her friends and her family including the Rock Chicks and their Hot Bunch men, helping them find love and happiness, but never really taking any for her own. In Rock Chic Reborn, she meets a man who is determined to prove she is worthy of love and a life she always wanted but never managed to get.

How do I describe Moses Richardson? Devoted to his daughters and the young boys in his job in a juvenile correction center, Moses is a good man ready to take a chance on love again. Seeing Shirleen in the grocery store with her two teenage foster sons leads him to make a move, but she pretends not to be interested, but when Lee and the rest of the Hot Bunch realize she is, they go out of their way to not only vet Moses, but to make sure that for once Shirleen gets her happiness.

I did love this story in that it was character driven and a bit more sedate than the others, because let’s face it Shirleen deserved a relationship not mired with bullets, explosions, and kidnappings. I loved that not only did Shirleen and Moses spend a lot of time talking and getting to know one another, but that he went out of his way to make her understand that her past was her past and it was the woman she is now that is important. There was something sweet in the way he made her see the good in herself and the way she realized her worth to those in her life. While there was no doubt this was a romance between Moses and Shirleen; Ms. Ashely give the readers a lot of closure in the relationship that Shirleen shares with her foster boys, Roam and Sniff, and I can almost guarantee for most people tears will be shed.

My biggest complaint about this book, I wanted more including seeing Moses and Shirleen interacting with the Rock Chicks and the Hot Bunch and the way Moses’ daughters reacted to Shirleen. I kind of felt like there was something missing in that Moses and Shirleen didn’t spend a lot of “face to face” time together, but I wouldn’t have missed this book for the world.

Rock Chick Reborn is a sweet and satisfying story proving that passion and love can happen at any age even when you least expect it or when you don’t think you deserve it. Thank you Ms. Ashley for giving Shirleen the HEA she so richly deserved!

[Milica's Bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I can't connect this Shirleen with the badass one from the previous books, I enjoyed reading this story.

[Laura · Rating 1 out of 5]

I could take or leave the Rock Chick series...there were only a few books I enjoyed. I wasn't much of a fan of Shirleen in these novels as she reminded me of the equally annoying Elvira in another KA series.

This was Novella length but I quickly became bored. All of the Rock Chick books are insta love which is not my favourite thing but in this book Shirleen and Moses meet in a Supermarket and he comes on heavy almost as if they're getting married! That was too much for me.

I ended up skimming parts and then we get to the bit where KA writes herself into the series again with Shirleen and Moses discussing the Rock Chick books and mention Kristen Ashley. I find that cringeworthy to be honest.

I imagine dieheard Rock Chick fans will appreciate this Novella but it didn't work for me. I also thought it was quite expensive for a Novella and the fact it was released as part of the authors 50th birthday celebrations, I thought she could have released it as a freebie to her fans but that's just my opinion.

[Rachael*Caribbean*girl*bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread
I enjoyed this one once again and that ending was just aces. I'd say 3.5* however




Original review
I started 17 books over the last 5 days,each and every one of those 17 did not hold my interest which only led to frustration so i did my tried and true method of getting out of a book slump........I started a KA from my stash and as has been proven many times before, nothing cures a book slump like KA does!!

This was an absolutely adorable story of the former drug dealer turned badass herder Shirleen and her sexy hunka Alpha male badass in his own right Moses. Lee and the hb are matchmakers 😂 and the rc girls pop in for a little rc pow wow. Shirleen's relationship with her sons was a thing of beauty and i hope we get their stories too. Admittedly Shirleen was a bit more insecure than I'd expected but all in all this was a great read that although it was short it packed a heck of a punch!

[~Steph K~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Freaking Perfection!!!!

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

" God gave me that shot. So maybe He hadn't given up on me. Maybe He believed in me enough to give me a second chance. And then when I refused to let Him down... Upon me He bestowed His blessings."
Shirleen Jackson "Rock Chick Reborn"

5 Oowee Stars... Anyone who has read the "Rock Chick" series knows the beauty that is Shirleen Jackson... Her strength, perseverance, selflessness, and loyalty bleed into every decision, every choice, every relationship she undertakes... To match her, she needs a solid presence of all that makes a man a MAN; she finds all she ever dreamed in Moses Richardson... Honor, honesty, devotion, and let's not forget unbelievable sex appeal... Humor and heart pulls these two together into a captivating romance that maintained that sense of relatability through it's genuine connection... Pain of the past, promise for the future, and all the moments in between leading to a life of love, laughter, and hope... My heartstrings are always plucked when I watch characters as adoring parents; especially those that fight life's obstacles to form that everlasting bond... The connection between Shirleen and her boys was beyond touching and completely heartfelt pouring with emotion that bled truth, protectiveness, hope, and love... The elements of family and friendship taking center stage with Roam, Sniff, The Rock Chicks, and The Hot Bunch brought this entire story full circle in a way only Kristen Ashley can, with pure undiluted beauty:)

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun ride! I had a smile on my face the whole time.

[Ivy Deluca · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.



The Good.
-Shirleen has always been a secondary character for me, so I wasn't expecting a romance for her, to be honest. I liked that KA delved a bit into her history and gave her a man who matched her well.
-I also liked that this is a romance between two mature, black hero and heroine, and that's a rarity in Romancelandia, which is a shame.
-The heart of this novella is the relationship between Shirleen, Roan and Sniff and I adored their scenes.
-I have a deep and abiding affection for the Rock Chick series, and seeing some old faves (yeah I'm looking at you Luke, my OG BBF) again always puts a smile on my face.

The Bad.
-The romance itself gets shortchanged. I know it's a novella, but I stopped and double-checked my kindle because I thought I missed something, it resolved so quickly. Think of it as a sweet song - it sounds good but there were a couple of beats that were missed and I wished for just a bit more.

Everything in Between.
-The epilogue is a little tease and I want Roam and Sniff's stories. While I appreciate that the OG Rock Chicks are settled into their HEAs, I do not mind the idea of seeing more in this 'verse, so I would be happy to see the next generation get their time to shine.


3.5 stars
I liked it, based on my love of the Rock Chick series in general and seeing Shirleen, Roam and Sniff's relationship in particular. That is, bar none, the highlight of this story. It's not perfect, but it made me smile and I would recommend for hardcore KA fans.


For more reviews, visit

[Anas Attic Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rock Chick Reborn by Kristen Ashley

Contemporary Romance. Can Stand Alone, but I think you should read the series first.

BEST SURPRISE EVER!!!!! Kristen Ashley and I are now both 50, and one of the things I love about her writing is the fact that she writes older women beautifully. Shirleen Jackson is the wise, street-savvy 53 year old black woman who got out of a life of crime, redeemed herself fully, and now she is the receptionist for Nightingale Investigations who fosters two young men, Sniff and Roam. She is in the thick of all the action in the Rock Chicks. She watched everyone find love, now it’s her turn. We thought the Rock Chicks were over...but there is more. Rock Chick Reborn . (Plus new covers for the series!)

“I’d lived through hell.
And there I was, near tears in the bakery section of King Soopers.
Because I wanted a badass. I wanted to be adored, beloved, worshipped by a good man who saw nothing but good in me.
I’d wanted that for as long as I could remember.
And it wasn’t going to happen.
Not for me.
Never for me.
Because life was unfair.
But the worst of it was…
I’d made it that way.” 

Despite the gorgeous man trying to get her attention, Shirleen was so down on herself, she wouldn’t let herself even think about the good man who crashed into her cart (deliberately).

“Now that I have your attention.”
Oo…
Wee.
His voice was honey.
Warm, sweet, deep, delicious honey.
Hell’s fire.
“Uh…” I forced out.
“I’m Moses,” he declared.
Oh Lord.
Good name.
Great name.
Goddamn.
“Um…” I mumbled.
“Moses Richardson.”
I got kinda lost in watching his lips moving.
They moved again.
“Now’s the time you tell me your name,” he ordered.

Ooowee is right! I LOVED Moses! He had hot bunch written all over him. In fact, they investigated him top to bottom before Shirleen even decided to accept his advances. I can not tell you how happy it made me to see Shirleen get a good man. If anyone deserves it, it’s her. We really got to see so much more into her life, and her relationship with Sniff and Roam, who, even though they are new adults, they still need a mama, and she is the best of the best, because she CHOSE them, making it even more special. Sadly, everyone can see it but Shirleen.

I loved her journey. I loved how she went from thinking she deserved the worst to understanding how wrong that is. Her moments with Darius and her boys were so special, but it was Moses who brought her back to life. To a better life than she ever knew.



I am literally tearing up writing this review, because if anyone deserves happiness, it’s Shirleen. And she is finally realizing that herself.

"For the first time since I could remember, I could not wait for what was next up in my life."

Sigh…I couldn’t imagine a better guy for Shirleen.

“Was in the room when both of my daughters were born,” he shared strangely.
“Yeah?” I asked.
His gaze finally stopped on mine. “So that was the third most beautiful thing I witnessed in my life.”

Likes:

•A story that so needed telling!
•Getting inside Shirleen’s head. We always thought she was the tough, competent, funny, loving mom figure. I was surprised to see how that big personality covered up so many insecurities.
•The meddling Hot Bunch.
•Moses is a single dad of two girls and he’s a great dad.
•Roam and Sniff’s relationship with Shirleen.
•Just the right amount of race if that makes sense. Moses is a very proud black man and his race is a large part of who he is, as is Shirleen, but not as much. I loved that, but I loved how it was never too much. I never felt like race was pushed, but isn’t wasn’t swept under the rug either. I think it was an accurate depiction of society today.
•Visiting with all the Rock Chicks and Hot Bunch.

Dislikes:

•It was a slow-burn, then wrapped up quickly. I would have liked a little more together time.

The Down & Dirty:
What an amazing gift to readers! Shirleen’s story needed to be told and I honestly wouldn’t have wished for it to turn out any different than it did. Since the shootings in my town of Parkland and being right at crunch time for planning Wicked Book Weekend I have had a really hard time reading. Books are taking me 4 weeks instead of days. But then Kristen Ashley comes along and writes perfection. I was immediately sucked in and read it in a day! Rock Chick Reborn is funny, fast paced, poignant, emotional and a wonderful gift to her long-time readers. I loved seeing Shirleen grow and find her self-worth. I loved seeing behind the tough act. I just loved everything. The only thing I wished for was a little more!

Happy Birthday Kristen!

Rating: 5 Stars, 3 Heat

Purchase Rock Chick Reborn by Kristen Ashley
See my Complete Guide to Kristen Ashley

[Suzanne (Under the Covers Book blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although in more recent years I haven't enjoyed Kristen Ashley's books as much I did previously, I still absolutely adore her Rock Chick series. So, it was a fantastic surprise to have Shirleen's story told in Rock Chick Reborn, she certainly deserves her own HEA.

I loved every word of this novella, not only was it a sweet romance with a hint of redemption, you also got to revisit some of your favourite Rock Chicks and Hot Bunch characters. We also, perhaps get a glimpse of the future and I look forward to any upcoming books featuring Roam and Sniff.