Kit Larson became a musician because she fell in love with Shawn Scarlett's music, and Shawn Scarlett himself, while they were both attending the same school. When she was fifteen, Kit sneaked out to go to the graduation party of local celebrity Adam Everest in hope of meeting Shawn, who was in Adam's band, The Last Ones to Know. Kit and Shawn had too much to drink, and acting impulsively, Kit kisses him and they have sex. Shawn had asked Kit for her phone number, but never called, and Kit was heartbroken. Six years later, The Last Ones to Know are holding an audition for a rhythm guitarist, Kit auditions and she's in! But Shawn doesn't seem to quite remember her...

For once, a book about a female rock star! Kit is a terrific character: I pictured the young Joan Jett: a real rocker, a bona fide musician, not a girl who is content to remain in the background. Kit relishes the rock scene, she's someone I could really relate to. The camaraderie between the band members feels authentic, as does the banter between Kit and her twin brother Kaleb, and the Larson family dynamics, who are a rather conservative bunch, is something to behold. As for Kit and Shawn's relationship, it's definitely not all smooth sailing, but their connection appears real.

CHAOS is book three in the Mayhem series, and although it can easily be read as a standalone, it was fun to see what was going on with characters met in the previous instalments, and more specifically Leti, who just might be my favourite character. He is a friend of the musicians' girlfriends, and he turned out to play an important part in a secondary story. I very much appreciated that the guys in the band mostly did not give Kit a hard time because of her sex, and I am grateful that Ms. Shaw depicted losing one's virginity in a realistic way, for a change. I thought Kit a bit childish for holding a grudge because Shawn never phoned her back -- what do you expect even from a minor rock star! -- however later in the story it was the turning point for very interesting character development. I felt I experienced life on the road as it really is.

CHAOS is very well-written, the dialogues ring true; it's a quick and easy read that lets us live vicariously the life of a rock star. Of the three books in this series, CHAOS is my favourite because if felt more authentic, and the fact that the rock star is a woman didn't hurt either!