From New York Times bestselling author Michelle Mankin, The Complete Rock Stars, Surf and Second Chances Series is available for the first time ever in a box set. Five full-length novels. Your all access backstage pass to Southern California’s most famous rock band.OUTSIDEWhen handsome California surf god Lincoln Savage suddenly rolls into Ocean Beach like a rogue wave, shy beauty Simone … beauty Simone Bianchi’s foundation is shaken. No longer under the thumb of her domineering father, she’s made a simple quiet life for herself and her fluffy Havanese pup running a surf shop in her hometown. Long ago she gave up her dreams for a future with Linc.
But now the notorious lead singer of the Dirt Dogs has returned, and Simone is reluctant to admit that she’s still vulnerable to his killer dimpled smile and easy charm. She finds that although she’s stowed away the mementos, it hasn’t been as easy to erase the memories of their epic summer love.
It seems he hasn’t forgotten, either.
Is the recording contract he’s offering merely a pretense?
Or does he have something more in mind?
RIPTIDE
Rock star Ramon Martinez can have any woman he wants, and he frequently does because he can’t have her. His bandmate’s wife. The one woman he could give his heart to, but he can never let her know.
Karen Grayson wanted Ramon way back at the beginning, but she thought he didn’t want her. So she made the safe choice. The wrong one.
Ramon and Karen were once friends.
Now they’re not even that.
And they’re both back in Ocean Beach and that dangerous attraction remains.
OCEANSIDE
Oscar night.
Rock star legend, Ashland Keys should be on top of the world, but the blond blue-eyed SoCal surfer is disillusioned with fame, done with drugs, bored with the groupies and sick of all the fake f*ckery.
A rising star, Fanny Bay is nominated for best original song in the same category as the Dirt Dogs band, but the novel redhead with the corkscrew curls and the slight Canadian accent would prefer to chart a course with a different destination.
Hollywood is not for her.
He’s full of regrets, darkness and secrets.
She’s full of hope and light and has mysteries of her own.
Together, they don’t make sense.
But he’s what she’s always wanted, and she just might be everything he needs.
HIGH TIDE & ISLAND SIDE
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 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.
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Ocean Side
Surfs Up!!!
Dang Michelle Mankin…. You sure pulled out the “FEELS” with Oceanside!
One minute I was laughing, one minute I was heartbroken, one minute I was happy/swoony and the next I would have tears in my eyes!! So much angst but heck yeah..that’s just how I LOVE my books!!
And to top it off…a Surfer and a Rocker!!! YES PLEASE!!
Can’t wait to read High Tide!!-
Fantastic book girlie..can’t believe I waited so long to read!
High Tide
Oh Holy Hell….just kill me now Michelle Mankin…
*stomps foot*
I can’t even write a review cuz I’m a bit pissy LMAO
5 “You Effed with my Heartstrings” STARS!!!
Amazing book girlie!!
He rearranged her world…then came back 15 yrs later to do it again.
Outside is a beautifully sweet love story. Their love survived in spite of the turbulence. Too bad it lived in each of their hearts separated by miles and years and tears and fears.
The story starts in the present, at the end. I felt the pain first. I felt the loss. I felt the devastation and the betrayal. I felt the passion that survived the pain and it continued to live in spite of it. But the question was, would she be strong enough to give it another chance. Could she survive it a second time?
Riptide…Romeo…enough said…sigh.
Oceanside took me on a very emotional journey. I connected with Fanny immediately and when her life exploded and the undertow took her down I was right there with her, mentally pushing her toward the surface. Of course, I was hoping that Ash would be right there to rescue her. Not that he’d proven himself to me or anything, he’d done more of the opposite to tell you the truth. But I’m eternally optimistic, at least in the romance novel department. He is the least likely hero, broken to bits and barely holding on himself. Sex, drugs and rock n’ roll had taken its toll on his life and he has a jaded outlook.
High Tide made me consider and feel things I wasn’t expecting. I started with deep feelings of rage toward the a-hole stepfather and it only got worse as the story progressed. I became suspicious of everyone, especially when the paparazzi were involved and every detail found a way to the media. When said a-hole has so much money and power, can anyone be trusted?
The deeper I get into this story the more I find myself in danger of needing a tinfoil hat to keep my secrets safe. Just kidding, but really, the suspense is addictive in the best of ways.
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.
Complete 5 books in the Rock Stars, Surf and Second Chances series. This is a great series box set! The Dirt Dogs are a rock band and the stories follow their friend group with the same secondary characters. I loved the beach and surfing theme! These are all full length with plenty of drama, angst, & steam! Filled with sex, drugs, and rock & roll…
Outside – Lead singer Lincoln’s second chance with Simone.
Riptide – Lead guitar Ramon’s second chance with Karen.
Oceanside – Drummer Ashland’s second chance with Fanny.
High Tide & Island Side – Two book duet with a bit of a triangle between bassist Diesel, Hollie, and Max.
his is one heck of a great series, with each book better than the last. Some of Michelle Mankin’s best work to date, I devoured every single word and I could still read about these incredible characters if given the chance.
A great way to introduce yourself to the wonderful world of Michelle Mankin, with rock stars, surf and second chances, what else could be better? This collection has it all and then some. 5 huge stars all the way!
Here are a few of my thoughts about each book:
Outside:
As one of my go-to authors, Michelle Mankin continues to deliver books that warm my heart and make me smile. She has the ability to take a second chance love story and give it the freshness that I seek. Successfully combining the exhilarating world of surfing with the sexiness of Rock and Roll: Outside is every reader’s dream come true!
Simone Bianchi thought she had found forever love with Lincoln Savage. But that was 15 years ago and since then, her life has been quiet with her constant companion Chulo and her surf shop in her beloved Ocean Beach to fill her days. And now Linc is back and he wants nothing more than to claim his ‘Mona’ once again. Under a ruse to have her sign papers to work together on a song they co-wrote all those years ago, Linc will stop at nothing to convince Mona that they have another chance.
Oh my. This book is just so beautiful. The way the author describes the sights and sounds of Ocean Beach, you can almost smell the breeze coming off the water. We get both the past and present lives of our couple and watch as the love they thought was meant to be as young lovers, get decimated by some rash decisions and foolish words.
This is a love story that is truly touching. I devoured every page and then went back and read it again.
Riptide:
Michelle Mankin has done it again. What an adventure. Told in both Karen and Ramon’s POV, this is the story of two souls, both wrecked by the loss of a husband and best friend and the journey they take into each other’s arms. These two have had a mutual attraction for years, but chose to be friends. Karen and Ramon have danced around each other with lust, with hate but always underneath there is a love. One they are both so fearful to acknowledge.
The author painstakingly takes us on a ride that will no doubt drive you crazy more than once. To watch as the Dirt Dogs find fame but without their bassist. To see how Karen survives being a military wife. Her guilt at wanting to be home in Cali, trying her best to make life on the East Coast bearable. I adored her time as Ramon’s best friend. The man looking out for his bestie’s wife while he is deployed. Mankin doesn’t leave any stone unturned and you get the WHOLE story, not just infrequent flashbacks.
Thankfully the very bumpy excursion that is Riptide has a satisfying conclusion and here I sit wanting more from this fantastic crew of characters. We get to catch up with the entire group, first introduced in Outside and with some still unanswered questions I’m hopeful for at least one more book.
Oceanside:
Oceanside is the very definition of the ultimate read. Michelle Mankin has done it again with this moving story of a most unpredictable love that is all kinds of perfect, even when it shouldn’t be. Getting just a small taste of one Ashland Keys in the two prior books in the series, I just knew his tale would be the most difficult to read. The author takes a very sensitive and still very scary subject and gives it the hopeful voice it now deserves. Explaining a lot about the guarded Ash and his penchant for control, it’s no wonder Fanny Bay grabbed both his attention and his heart in the most unexpected of ways.
There is a secondary storyline that is part of the reason Fanny is back in Ash’s life after a far too brief encounter 3 years prior. It is beautifully blended and gives the book a certain edge to keep things moving at the ideal pace. I also need to make mention of the fact that the sex scenes were incredibly poignant but yet wildly erotic at the same time. Only Michelle Mankin can pull that off in such a wonderful way. There are very valid reasons why there aren’t many but it is well worth the wait when some time between the sheets and even outside of the bedroom grabs your attention and you’re left fanning yourself.
With a final scene and epilogue that had me in tears, Oceanside is certain to be one of my very favorites for 2018. It is everything I want in a book and Michelle Mankin delivered in only the way she can. I’ve been a fan from the start and I can’t recommend her work highly enough.
High Tide:
Michelle Mankin clearly gave her all in High Tide. Getting Hollie’s story at last after meeting her in Oceanside, I’m not sure I was ready for what would transpire. This emotionally-charged journey is full of the angst I devour happily. And with Mankin as my guide, I was fully immersed in the well-written and exceptional story right from the start.
Oh my goodness, what Hollie goes through in this book is at times unbelievable. She is beyond selfless and full of love that is just waiting to be shared. The devil that is her stepfather Samuel, made me want to reach into my Kindle and hug Hollie and keep him far away from her. The way she handles herself at such a young age had me in awe more than once. And even though she might push away those who will stand by her no matter what, she still adores them with everything she has. She is truly a one of a kind.
But Mankin drops more than one bombshell as this riveting tale continues and I held my breath at what might happen next. Add to the mix the bad boy rocker that is Diesel Le and my heart along with Hollie’s got one helluva workout!
Michelle Mankin once again gave me the kind of story I crave in this wonderfully told coming of age book. It is a solid 5 star read all the way and is sure to be at the top of this year’s summer book obsessions.
Island Side:
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.
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!
I have read all of these books and all I can say is that they are amazing.
Every story and every character is different and I have enjoyed reading each one of them.
If you love surf, rock and HEA, this book is for you. Specially because you won’t need to wait for the next one to come out since here you have every story.
Outside (Rock Stars, Surf and Second Chances #1) the first in Michelle Mankins’ latest series and happens to also be my first Michelle Mankins read. I am happy to say that I am mightily impressed. This second chance love story is set in a beachside community in California featuring a surfer/rock star Lincoln Savage and Simone “Mona” Bianchi, a surf shop owner/college student. The job descriptions reflect the characters in their past and present as that corresponds with how this story is delivered, in three parts covering a 15 year range between the two first meeting and present time. I loved how the story unfolded; moving from present to past and back again. We also get the story through both Mona’s and Linc’s perspectives which is one of my favorite to experience a story.
Part two is where all the good juicy angst builds, the forming of Linc’s and Mona’s connection. They experience an insta love that is so easy to feel. It’s delightful seeing the potential relationship build as they are tested by both internal struggles and the circumstances of their lives.
Outside is a thoroughly enjoyable and satisfying read. The writing is so smooth, the dialogue is smart, and the story, Mona’s and Linc’s struggle, keeps the reader interested. This is especially true when we were taken through their history and we are essentially waiting for the other shoe to drop. I highly recommend Outside and plan to dig into Ms. Mankins vast catalog.
Book 2 –
The second in Michelle Mankin’s Rock Stars, Surfers and Second chances series, Riptide is an utterly mesmerizing read that held me completely captivated. It can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading Outside first. Not only because it’s a great love story, but it’s also a good idea to immerse yourself in the world of the Dirt Dogs, a rock band made up of surfers from Ocean Beach, CA.
If you’ve not read anything by Michelle Mankin then rectify that wrong by reading this book/series pronto. If you already know the joy of her storytelling grab this one and lose yourself and an undeniably beautiful love story.
Book 3 –
With Oceanside Michelle Mankins’ takes us back to OB and brings us the story of Dirt Dogs drummer Ashland Keys. Last we saw him, in Rock F*ck Club, he was being the quintessential bad boy of rock-n-roll. But with Ash there is so much more to him than meets the eye, it’s just a matter of him recognizing and feeling worthy. In the case of Ash, his one time run in with a young songwriter Fanny Way will turn his life upside down and right side up.
Michelle certainly has a vision of the rock star life and conveys this clearly through the life and times of the Dirt Dogs. I absolutely love escaping to the world she creates. There’s something that’s both heartwarming and at times naughty (really fun and naughty) making for and all consuming reads. 5 stars and recommendation!
Book 4 –
I will read anything by Michelle Mankin and I never need to read a blurb to know that she will take my heart. So the relationship/love triangle combine that with a bit of a cliffhanger left me a bit on edge. No doubt this is a carefully constructed path I’m supposed to travel on this reading experience and I have that extra-special frisson feeling that there are tumultuous times ahead – and I can’t wait for it! 5 Stars and recommendation!
Book 5 –
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 nearby (set to high) . You will need something to cool you down.
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 nearby (set to high) . You will need something to cool you down.
Outside
“You were the best thing that ever happened to me, Lincoln Savage. And the worst.” ~ Simone
The way Michelle Mankin wrote this book truly captivated me. This booked suck me in from the beginning It felt like I was part of Lincoln and Simone’s life. All the ups and downs they went through brought tears to my eyes and when I finished reading my heart was smiling.
Riptide
This book is one of my new favorites even though I balled my eyes out while reading it. Karen and Ramon are beautiful together. All the obstacles they went through will make the love they have for each other last a lifetime. A phenomenal read.
Oceanside
“…I am a sum of my parts and a product of my past. You know all the truth of it now. That kiss was the only untainted part of me I had left to give you.” ~ Ash
Loved Oceanside from the first word till the last. I did not want Ash and Fanny to end. The love that the share for each other and their friends is beautiful.
Hightide
An all consuming read that draws you in from the first word till the last. Hollie goes through a lot and Max is there to protect and love her. Their story is beautiful and heartfelt. It will pull on all your heartstrings and break your heart also.
Islandside
First of all you will need a fan to cool yourself off with. Diesel is HOT!
Diesel and Hollie are two tortured souls who deserve to find true love and happiness. Their story pulls on your heartstrings and their ending will have you in tears of happiness. This duet series has been one of the best I have read this year.
Favorite quote: Diesel ~ “You and I both know love isn’t a soft emotion. It has sharp, jagged teeth that sink in deep, past the mind, through the center of your heart, all the way to the essence of your being. And when something that deep gets a hold of you and then gets ripped away, you lose a part of yourself you can never get back.”
Phenomenal Rock Star Series
There is no better way to read this series but in this box set. You don’t have to wait for the next book to come out because once you start you will want to continue reading all of these books until the very last page is turned on the final book. Each of these books is worth a 5 Star rating. I loved following the lives of these sexy rock stars and their significant others. I highly recommend these books!!