Hollie Lesowski is a beautiful young actress locked in a legal battle with one of the most powerful and feared directors in Hollywood, a man who betrayed and hurt her, a man she mistakenly believed was her father.Maximillian Cash is her bodyguard, a blond, blue-eyed giant sworn to protect her. Gentle despite his imposing presence, he seems to be just right for her. But can she trust him with her … with her deepest secrets?
Diesel Le is a rock star in her sister’s band. Devastatingly sexy and annoyingly arrogant, the former pro surfer from Hawaii delights in driving her and everyone else crazy. So, why does she have to continually remind herself to stay away from him?
Two uniquely handsome men tempt her. Both want to make her their own. But one is her employee, and the other is a confirmed player.
Will she be swept away by temptation?
High Tide and Island Side is a heart-twisting, gut-churning, page-turning, coming-of-age duet. It is a triangular second-chance love story with two compelling alpha males but no cheating. Romantic and suspenseful, it sparkles with the glitz of Hollywood, sizzles with the tropical heat of Hawaii, and steals your breath at times, but it will also make your spirit soar.
Don’t miss High Tide and Island Side by New York Times bestselling author Michelle Mankin, the highly anticipated two-part conclusion to the Rock Stars, Surf and Second Chances series.
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“We might burn down the night if we were ever together, but I knew I would get hurt.”
Michelle Mankin pulled out all the stops with this duet. She blew my mind and left me gasping like a guppy at the end of High Tide. Saying I was excited to read Island Side is a huge understatement. While I might be envious that Hollie had two extremely sexy men vying for her attention, I had my sights set on one in particular that I hoped would win her heart.
I really enjoyed my visit to the ‘island side’. It was very educational and beautiful in my mind as I experienced things right along with the characters. I kid you not, I’m seriously craving some fresh fruit! I might not be brave enough to ever attempt surfing myself, but I had a blast riding the waves with the characters.
One of the things, of many, that I especially love about this series are the support characters. Regardless of which one the story focuses on, the others are present at some point and there’s never a shortage of love, support or witty banter. Another aspect of this story that really got my engine revving was the suspense factor. There are mysteries to unravel and a few jerks that I’d like to teach a lesson in a way that I could only get away with in fiction. I’ll let you figure that one out.
As I’m sure you’ve figured out, I can only share what I enjoyed and how it made me feel, so as not to spoil the experience for you. I floved it, start to finish. There is so much to love. Did I mention the rock stars? Yeah, I’m addicted to them and the Dirt Dogs do not disappoint. I also have to give the author a shout out for some amazing lyrics (though she gives a sexy rocker the credit). I would love to visit OB to hang out with them, watch them surf and listen to their music…sigh.
Michelle at her best!
After reading High Tide I was a little unhappy with the way the story ending on a cliffhanger but after finishing this book I felt all happy again.
Hollie Lesowski is trying to deal with the shocking news she has received the best she knows how to….lock herself up in her apartment and ignore everyone. When her sister, Fanny, best friend, Ernie, agent, Olivia and Fanny’s boyfriend, Ash stage an intervention, Hollie agrees she needs to get away and they convince her to go hang out with Diesel in Maui, HI for awhile. Holiie is nervous about seeing Diesel but goes anyways.
As Hollie spends more time with Diesel, she starts to realize there is more to the guy that just a playboy rock god. They both have such demons from their past and together they seem to be working them out. The only problem is is that Hollie has not told Diesel about her big secret. Just when it looks like their lives are meant to be together and Hollie decides to tell Diesel about her secret, he finds out other ways and all hell breaks loose. It is going to take a lot of soul searching for both Hollie and Diesel to get past the pains of their pasts in order for them to find their happiness but it is well worth the wait.
I just loved Diesel. He was such a fun, cocky, alpha male with the goods to back it up. I just adored him with his dad. Hollie had been through so much in her young 18 years that it was a wonder she could still stand on her own two feet. These are two individuals that really needed each other in their lives in order to find any form of happiness and together they finally find that.
I loved Hollie and Diesel’s beginning. I really love how they seem so different from each other and yet they are so perfect together. I love how you can feel all the feel goods coming from the book as you read. this story was awesome and beautiful and I adored reading it.
Island Side is part 2 of Hollie’s duet and High Tide must be read first!
Picking up right after the heart-wrenching cliffhanger ending of High Tide, Island Side takes off running with the amazing, smart, sexy, satisfying conclusion of the Rock Stars, Surf, and Second Chances series.
I’m not going to reveal much—you need to experience Hollie’s story on your own. You’ll find yourself sad, happy, swooning, wiggling, and extremely satisfied at the end. Trust me—you need to walk this beautiful journey.
After reading part one of this & the way it left off, I couldn’t wait to dive into this one. Wishing certain events would happen I was so happy that they did. I was rooting for it to happen. It was nice to get more of Hollie’s & bit of Diesel’s back story, it breaks your heart a bit for each of them. You can’t help but feel the sexual tension between Hollie & Diesel through the book as well as the previous book. Escaping her crazy Hollywood life that is in turmoil, Hollie goes to Hawaii to clear her head & find herself. She ends up doing that & creating one more issue to add to all the others that she s already facing. You can’t help but route for her to come out on top and end up with the man she is supposed to be with from the moment you read word one in the previous book. This is an awesome series that I am glad I got a chance to read.
Ahhh! It took me a few days to start this part 2. I was left gutted from the last page of the first part. I had to step back, take a breather before I could dive in. That feeling right there tells me what a talented author can do! Michelle Mankin is that author! I’m just blown away by the depth and height this series takes me. Thank you for allowing me on this journey!
Island Side played with my heart strings from page one to the end. Hollie’s side is splayed out for everyone to read. Your stomach will clench and tears may form. My heart saddened for her and what she has been through. The past was not pleasant and her future was not looking great.
Then we have this love triangle going on with Max and Diesel. My heart just could not take it! But in the end Hollie gets her HEA! I was smiling and fell for this amazing story <3
Wow Island Side is a beautiful conclusion to this twisty, complex, utterly consuming story! With expertly written surprises that I never saw coming. Every single time I thought I had something figured out – bam, nope! Love this!
This duet was a rough yet eventually heartwarming journey filled with transformation for Hollie. She may have been a sheltered, naïve teen in the start – her strength and character are powerful forces that guide her. I love a strong heroine and Hollie is definitely tenacious. Spanning over a critical couple years of her reaching adulthood, taking hold of her career, learning the navigate media exposure, awakening her sensual side and looking temptation in the eye left and right.
On the heels of an assault by her step-father she is truly scrambling to figure out who she is. Who she can trust. Secrets and deceit doomed her connections in the past. When she is reeling from her world being turned upside down once again she finds peace in a very unexpected place. Not going to lie – I thought Diesel was a cocky, kind of immature for his age and just plain pushy. However he too goes through a bit of a transition. Both from breaking down the walls he’s constructed after surviving loss of his own and finally having the right person in his life at the right time – seeing a future and being happy. His dirty talk is on point though! Whew hot!
Will these two unlikely people find something true? Will their budding feelings survive the surf?
This story was so beautifully woven that this conclusion is EVERYTHING! I swooned because seriously Diesel couldn’t have been more thoughtful. This ending filled my heart with so much hope.
What an ending to a terrific series. These books all crescendoed into ISLAND SIDE and I loved getting to know each and every character. Through all the ups, downs, laughs and heartache this tight knit group have had each others backs. While I’m super sad to say goodbye to the Dirt Dogs I know they’ll pop up again
Like puzzle pieces that you know belong together but you just cannot make them fit correctly, the Hollie/Max/Diesel conclusion wraps everything up in a nice little package and makes everything fit perfectly. Running away to figure out what she needs to do Hollie is faced with feeling of despair from Max and feeling of strength and love from Diesel. But will the secret baggage be too much for Diesel to change his life for her? Will the legal battle be too much for Hollie? Can two very different people be exactly what the other one needs to finally get a HEA? With awesome characters and a storyline that had me laughing out loud as well as wiping tears from my cheeks this was an emotional roller coaster that I did not want to get off. With each turn of the page the reader cannot help but fall in love – I highly recommend this as well as the rest of the series.
OFF THE CHARTS SEXY! And a bit sweet…
Michelle Mankin closes her Rock Stars, Surf and Second Chances series with perhaps her steamiest story yet. Hollie and Diesel share a sensual connection that makes for a truly erotic read. With a bossy alpha, dominant and sure of himself male in Diesel and a young, sweet and sensitive heroine in Hollie, there’s a lot of angst between these pages. There’s so much going on in this story and not much I want to spoil for any reader out there. Except to say READ this series with an ice bucket and a fan (set to high) nearby. You will need something to cool you down.
Oh wait…Diesel can be a bit of a jerk, but I believe it comes from not wanting to waste time in life. And that will only momentarily temper any positive feelings for him. He knows what he wants, he knows the fire that is contained in Hollie, he sees a lot of truths in her. At times it’s really fun to see how he baits her. For Hollie, her time with Diesel will stretch her comfort levels but the pay off is glorious. She’s Island Side for a reason and Diesel may not be fully aware of why, but make no mistake, he wants the best for her. They will be tested and with passion like theirs, it’s a tough go. But come out ahead, they must. Michelle does a wonderful job creating their story and closing off all the loose ends that is life with the Dirt Dogs.
I fell in love with Michelle’s writing in this series and I’ve gone on to read other books, other series by her. They are as just as fantastic! But there is something special about reading the final book in a series that created that author adoration. Her characters just feel so real, no matter how far their realities are from mine. It’s exactly why I read. She creates such amazing passion on her pages and I simply can’t recommend her books, this book, this series enough.
My heart, it was broken and glued back piece by piece, this book was intense. Holly and Diesel have a second chance. Their story didn’t start as one is normally used to read. Holly’s story is heart wrenching, High Tide showed us one part of her, but Island Side goes deeper than ever. The end of an amazing series, but the best is this couple’s story. I didn’t think Diesel had a chance in High Tide, but this book showed me how wrong I was, how he was the perfect person to put back together and show us Holly with different eyes and how he got her the happiness she was deprived for so long. It’s a beautiful story, part set in Hawaii, getting a surfer – rockstar and an actress that deserved happiness like no other. A brilliant 5 star read!
After how High Tide ended I was very anxious for the continuation of Hollies story and I was wondering where it would go and I was floored at how much I loved it and am so happy that I wasn’t disappointed cause I got so invested in High Tide. This is a duet so please read High Tide first but it’s best to start from the very beginning.
Hollies evolution in this story was great and I enjoyed reading about her growth through her massive grief. I didn’t want to love Diesel but I did so much. He was brooding, moody and beyond guarded but had a heart of gold if he thought you were worth it. This duet might be my favorite book by Michelle Mankin.
I voluntarily reviewed a advanced readers copy of this book
Sigh. I couldn’t have asked for a better ending for Hollie & Diesel or for this series. Mankin has a way of developing these complex, genuine, and flawed characters that you can’t help but root for. And watching them grow as they struggle to overcome or dig deep to find their inner strength…it’s beautiful. Mankin is also gifted at sharing her love of the ocean, surfing, rock music and the musicians who make it through her lovely prose. Her words paint vivid images of the landscape as well as visceral emotions. I’m sad to see this series end because I’m going to miss these characters!
Island Side (Rock Stars, Surf and Second Chances #5) was another great read
by Michelle Makin. This is the second book of a great duet. This is the
conclusion of Hollie’s love triangle with Maximillian and Diesel. I really
loved reading this book and couldn’t put it down. Just when I thought I knew
what was happening, something different happens. I absolutely love Michelle
Mankin’s books and can’t wait to read more by her.
I just want to say to this book… “You Complete Me”! This is the second book in a duet so yes you have to read “High Tide” which will leave you reeling. OMG I was a mess after that story.
My girl Hollie is back and Diesel is the front runner in this book. Yum! You can’t help but love a guy this brutally honest. Hollie is a wonderful soul that has amazing heart and forgives beautifully. She is a bit naive at times which is amazing considering the world she comes from. She can also be wise beyond her years. Can you say intriguing?
Hollie and Diesel take us on a roller coaster ride of emotions. I felt all the heartache these two have suffered before getting together and HO-LLLYYY HOTNESS you get some naughty in this book. Fanning myself! Wink! Read it and you will know what I mean. Haha. Definitely a whirlwind read … SO GOOD!
I love the backdrop for the majority of this book too. So Hawaii here I come this next year. Eek! XOXO. Happy Reading Everyone!
Island Side is one heck of a heart-wrenching conclusion to the Rock Stars, Surf and Second Chances series (also the ending for the duet that includes High Tide). Michelle Mankin doesn’t hold back as she gives us the other side of Hollie’s story, the one that starts with heartbreak and ends with the happiness that has eluded her for most of her young life.
With Hawaii as our backdrop, we get to see Hollie grab that tiny bit of respite she has been craving from her life as a known actress, the debacle that involves Samuel and the disappointment and sorrow since Max has left her. Who would have thought that the bad boy rocker in Diesel Le could be just what the doctor ordered for this feisty young star? I can tell you right now that Hollie didn’t. But yet she just couldn’t deny the chemistry between her and the gorgeous surfer who promised her the world and surprised everyone by giving her just that!
There is a ton a sexy times between these two as they fall for the other, both fiercely guarding their hearts from more devastation that has consumed their pasts. The ocean is the perfect balm as Diesel patiently teaches Hollie how to surf and how to conquer the demons that continue to plague her especially in the waves that fears the most. Despite their big age gap, they just simply fit. I was always very curious about the wild member of the Dirt Dogs and I loved finding the other side of him, the one that is caring and thoughtful and truly loving. There is true pain that mars his soul but the feisty Hollie seems to know how to take it away and no one was more shocked than Diesel himself.
Their sparring made me smile because it just made them fall harder for the other. They could both give as good as they got and they never held back even when it might cause the other some anguish. These two simply fit in spite of their presumed differences. And it was pure joy watching as they maneuver through all the dark that threatens their light. Because when they are in sync, that little bit of magic could brighten up the entire sky.
With appearances by all of the Dirt Dogs and the almost constant support from Fanny, this is the perfect send off for this series and all that have passed through these pages. There has been much strife but there has also been a ton of elation and true satisfaction that each of these sexy rockers have found their someone, the person who just makes them better. I will miss this intense crew but am beyond thrilled that Mankin has given them the farewell they most definitely deserve.
Hollie’s journey has many great bumps in her road but watching as she handles most of it with the knowledge and grace of someone older shows just how far she has come. And with her man by her side and all of the OB team behind her, I have no doubt her life will be better than ever.
Island Side is intense yet playful. It’s passionate yet calming. It’s the book that perfectly concludes this well-written and entertaining series and I happily give it 5 solid stars!
Island Side is a wonderful culmination of the Rock Stars, Surf and Second Chances series. It ties up loose ends and picks up right where we left off in High Tide. This is definitely Hollie and Diesel’s story but all the characters we’ve met before play an important role and those that aren’t family are family by choice and supportive and protective of each other. Fanny, Hollie’s sister, worried throughout.
There are a lot of twists and turns as we go from Ocean Beach, California to the Big Island in Hawaii where most of the story is set, and then back to California. I liked Diesel’s dad and the wonderful descriptions of the island and the beach. While surfing isn’t my thing I felt like I was there. The book was over the top in its steaminess but it fit with Diesel and with Hollie once she let down her barriers. It was heartwarming to see her become her own person and stand up for herself and I liked how she and Diesel were together until he disappointed me. Until then we saw a different side to him including his interactions with his dad as well as hers. Hollie and Diesel learned to trust each other and talked about things they couldn’t with others. There were so many stories going on and they all tied together nicely. There was an unnecessary amount of swearing that didn’t enhance the story. There is closure and a few happily ever afters that were definitely better than I anticipated. I would love to revisit them all in a holiday novella to see where life takes them.
Ms. Mankin is a new to me author only having read the last three books in the series. I do plan to read the first two, Outside and Riptide, as well as some of her other books. It’s always great to find new authors.
***5 ‘#TeamDiesel’ Stars***
Now that’s how you bring all the pieces together and put them back together the way they should be! It wasn’t easy, and still just as frustrating as watching the events in High Tide, but this time I was hooked on all that was going on with Hollie and Diesel and absolutely loved watching them both finally become the people they were always meant to be.
So, my review for High Tide was insanely vague, but considering who is gracing the cover of Island Side, I figure I can be a little less vague. Since it’s quite obvious which…horse…I was rooting for, I can say that I ADORED Diesel. Yes, he is an unrepentant asshat for much of the time I’ve ‘known’ him, but I couldn’t help but respect the brutal honesty that came out of him. Could he have been a bit more considerate and tactful? Sure, but that isn’t him and as I finally got to see under the anger, I found a man with a battered, but golden and wise heart.
Hollie. Here’s the thing with Hollie. I’ve always liked her. I’ve always seen her as being way too old for her actual age and yet still naive in so many ways. So, to say she frustrated me throughout most of these books isn’t a surprise, but I enjoyed watching her learn and grow from each situation she found herself in, good or bad, and emerge as a person who finally understood what her true strengths and vulnerabilities were and worked with them, instead of against them and found what really mattered to her in the end.
As for the “triangular second-chance love story”. I’m happy with the way everything turned out. Hollie’s journey was chock full of heartache in all forms, learning to forgive ~ not only those who hurt her, but herself as well for choices made and not made ~ but it was one that showed that sometimes you find the truest love in the most unexpected of places.
I have to admit that I was a bit hesitant to dive into this baby. Oh, I wanted to see how everything would play out, but I’m always wary about any story that is set in Hawaii since I was born and raised there and though I haven’t called it ‘home’ for many years, my heart still considers it that in every way that matters. It doesn’t matter if the author is from the islands or not, we all have our view of it and it takes a bit to adjust and accept another one. It was a little more difficult this time since both sides of my family lineage can be traced to the Big Island and the Hilo area and I spent quite a bit of time there growing up, but I must give the author props for bringing the city to life. I do use the word ‘City’ loosely since Hilo isn’t call ‘Hilo Town’ for nothing, but the laid back, go with the flow (mostly because doing anything quickly isn’t possible with all the humidity) vibe that I’ve known all my life jumped off the page and I felt like I was home.
This was a great end to the series, though if you’ve read any of the authors books you know that they are all connected in various ways and characters from other books have a way of popping up every now and again, so to say it is an ‘end’ isn’t necessarily true in the general sense, but right for the series. And what I’ve come to love, appreciate and respect about this author’s writing is that while we do get that HEA ending we all crave, she keeps things real because life is messy and not everything has a resolution that we’ll like, but life rolls on and it’s up to us to find the happy and roll with it.
~ Copy provided by the author & voluntarily reviewed ~