Heartbreak Mixtapes #1
Roderick & Kit
This story isn’t a second‑chance romance so much as a reclamation—of self, of music, of the kind of love that survives the wreckage. Roderick Wilder and Kit Dempsey grew up believing they were inevitable, two prodigies orbiting the same broken rock‑royalty universe. Life, addiction, and the sins of the generation before them blew that apart spectacularly.
What I loved is that this book doesn’t pretend healing is pretty. Roderick’s fall is messy, humiliating, and painfully human, and his climb back up is slow, grounded, and full of the kind of work most rock‑star romances skip. Volunteering at shelters, calling the people he hurt, learning to live with consequences—this is a man rebuilding himself brick by brick, not for applause, but because he’s finally tired of being broken.
And then there’s the anonymous online friendship—DeadStrings and StringTheory27—two musicians trading playlists like lifelines. Their conversations feel like late‑night therapy sessions wrapped in song recommendations, and the emotional intimacy that grows there is the quiet heartbeat of the book. It’s tender, vulnerable, and strangely domestic, even before they know who’s on the other side of the screen.
Kit, for her part, is carrying her own grief, guilt, and exhaustion, and the book gives her space to unravel and rebuild too. When their paths finally cross again in the real world, it’s not fireworks—it’s recognition. Two people who once loved each other at nineteen meeting again at thirty, bruised but wiser, and choosing to see each other clearly.
This isn’t a slow burn; it’s a no burn until suddenly everything is warm again. The romance is gentle, almost shy, built on forgiveness, accountability, and the quiet joy of finding someone who knows your ghosts and stays anyway. And yes, Otis the dog and Allegra the cat absolutely steal scenes.
In the end, it’s a story about choosing a quieter life, a healthier love, and a future that doesn’t look anything like the past. Soft, redemptive, and unexpectedly comforting.
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About the author
Claudia is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author.
She writes alluring, thrilling stories about complicated women and the men who take their breaths away. Her books are the perfect blend of steamy and heartfelt, filled with emotional characters and explosive chemistry. Her writing takes readers to new heights, providing a variety of tears, laughs, and shocking moments that leave fans on the edge of their seats.
She lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband, her youngest two children, and three fluffy dogs.
When Claudia is not writing, you can find her reading, knitting, or just hanging out with her family. At nights, she likes to binge watches shows or movies with her equally geeky husband.
Connect with Claudia Burgoa:
https://claudiayburgoa.com/wp/links/
