Untamed by S.C. Stephens

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Untamed (Thoughtless #4) by S.C. Stephens

I received an ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.

The spotlight doesn’t only shine. Sometimes it burns.

Being the bad-boy bassist for the world’s hottest band has earned Griffin Hancock some perks: a big house, a fast car, and most importantly his incredible wife, Anna. The one thing it hasn’t brought him is the spotlight. Anna tells him to be patient, that his talent will win out. But Griffin is through waiting for permission to shine.

Without warning, Griffin makes a shocking decision and takes the gamble of a lifetime. Suddenly he’s caught up in a new level of lights, cameras, and chaos. One that pushes his relationship with Anna to its limits. Anna has always found his unpredictable behavior sexy, but lately he’s seen an ache in her eyes–and it has his soul in knots. Just as the recognition Griffin seeks is finally within reach, the thing he loves most in life could be slipping through his fingers…

This is my first book by S.C. Stephens and her books have great reviews so I was really excited to get an ARC for Untamed. This is the 4th book of the Thoughtless series, but it is a stand alone focusing on Griffin and his wife Anna. The book is solely in Griffin’s POV. To be honest, I’m not really sure how to rate this book. When the book begins, Griffin is arrogant, immature, lazy, and complains all day long. I was raised to believe in modesty so Griffin’s level of arrogance just about killed me. He is by far the least likable hero I have read. This is a blurb from Griffin’s POV:

“Thankfully, I had been blessed with panty-dropping good looks, a smoking physique, more sexual know-how than an A-list hooker, and more talent in my pinkie finger than most possessed in their entire bodies”

“They talked about a lot of shit that I didn’t pay any attention to. I was usually too busy planning my moment of awesomeness.”

Griffin displays this type of self-centered and arrogant thinking for almost 75% of the book. Griffin makes terrible decisions in his search for the spotlight. He lies to his wife and he screws over his band mates who have tolerated his reckless and thoughtless behavior for a long time. None of his actions to get the fame and spotlight are successful and Griffin hits rock bottom. However, at about 75% into the book, Griffin starts to see the light and learns how much he has fallen and where he went wrong. He begins to grow up. It is at this point I started to really enjoy the book. Watching Griffin grow into a man…a loving, respectable, and responsible man was wonderful and heart felt. He begins to actually put effort in fixing all aspects of his life: being a good husband, father, and team member. I really started rooting for him and hoping things would work out. I did a complete 180 from being disgusted with Griffin to being his cheerleader. I can say I was very pleased with the ending. I am a sucker for happy endings and I think everyone will be please with the ending of this book. So, if I have to give it a rating… maybe 3.5 stars because the first 75% was maybe 2.5 stars and the last 25% was 4 stars. If any of you feel repulsed by Griffin’s behavior, just remember to keep reading because his redemption is wonderful to watch.
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