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The Half Shell #1-4
The Girl Box Set
On the eve of her senior year spring break, Chrissie Parker meets Alan Manzone, and her life changes forever. He’s the ultimate rock god, a musician fresh out of rehab, tormented by his own weakness and troubled past. Chrissie is soon consumed by Alan's shocking pursuit of her, his dark secrets, and his sexual desires.
Their chemistry is undeniable, but can it keep them together when Neil Stanton, a laid-back musician from Seattle, decides to fight for Chrissie’s heart, too?
Two troubled rock stars fight for her heart.
One girl afraid to love.
A USA Today Happy Ever After Blog Recommended Romance Series. All four books in the Amazon bestselling rock star series, available for the first time in one convenient, discounted bundle.
Their chemistry is undeniable, but can it keep them together when Neil Stanton, a laid-back musician from Seattle, decides to fight for Chrissie’s heart, too?
Two troubled rock stars fight for her heart.
One girl afraid to love.
A USA Today Happy Ever After Blog Recommended Romance Series. All four books in the Amazon bestselling rock star series, available for the first time in one convenient, discounted bundle.
1181 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 2, 2017
770 people are currently reading
274 people want to read
About the author
Susan Ward
44 books491 followersAward-Winning author Susan Ward is a #1 bestselling author of Rock Star Romance and New Adult Fiction. Known for complex, gritty, and unpredictable emotional reads, to the delight of her readers she is always expanding her fictional universe.
She likes her romance books to be packed with exciting heroes who keep you guessing, and intelligent, complicated heroines who make them work to get them. Her stories are filled with twists you won't see coming, both laughter and tears, and her Happy Endings are never cookie-cutter, but always deliciously satisfying.
She lives in California with her husband and dog Lady. Her favorite things to do are writing an angsty HEA love story, drinking coffee, eating chocolate, having a good glass of wine, traveling, binge watching TV series once the episodes are fully released, and chatting with her readers.
For future releases, upcoming book signings, or to contact: Http://www.susanwardbooks.com
Or follow on Twitter @susaninlaguna
Or Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susanwardboo...
Want to know the reading order of her books: www.susanwardbooks.com/parker-series1...
She likes her romance books to be packed with exciting heroes who keep you guessing, and intelligent, complicated heroines who make them work to get them. Her stories are filled with twists you won't see coming, both laughter and tears, and her Happy Endings are never cookie-cutter, but always deliciously satisfying.
She lives in California with her husband and dog Lady. Her favorite things to do are writing an angsty HEA love story, drinking coffee, eating chocolate, having a good glass of wine, traveling, binge watching TV series once the episodes are fully released, and chatting with her readers.
For future releases, upcoming book signings, or to contact: Http://www.susanwardbooks.com
Or follow on Twitter @susaninlaguna
Or Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/susanwardboo...
Want to know the reading order of her books: www.susanwardbooks.com/parker-series1...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
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August 20, 20235 stars for consuming me for 2 days.
3 stars for the frustrations it put me through.
2 stars for the irritating "Are you ok?" sentences.
I've read all four books in the last two days and I have to say that I haven't read a story as infuriating as this one in a while.
What a mess!
The miscommunication and the misunderstandings, what a waste of life!
The many times I had to read "Are you OK?" Ugh.
I should have dropped it, right? But for the life of me, I couldn't.
I just could not put this down.
BTW, I am a bit pissed because the set mentioned the completed series, but the end was dubious.
Onto the next to have closure!
3 stars for the frustrations it put me through.
2 stars for the irritating "Are you ok?" sentences.
I've read all four books in the last two days and I have to say that I haven't read a story as infuriating as this one in a while.
What a mess!
The miscommunication and the misunderstandings, what a waste of life!
The many times I had to read "Are you OK?" Ugh.
I should have dropped it, right? But for the life of me, I couldn't.
I just could not put this down.
BTW, I am a bit pissed because the set mentioned the completed series, but the end was dubious.
Onto the next to have closure!
March 18, 2021
You know when you see a car wreck and you tell yourself, don't look, don't stare, don't slow down, this is bad, keep driving. But yet you find yourself doing all the things you are chanting in your head not to do.
That is this book 100%. I looked, I read, I finished it. I was that girl. I was hurting myself for 900 pages. I was Chrissie. There were so many times I told myself to stop reading, just don't, these characters are pissing me off. But, there was this nagging. Every time I stopped, dammit. I just had this feeling something big was going to happen and turn the whole story around. I wanted to know what would happen to these characters but now that I know, ugh. My glutton for punishment scale is way too high.
Chrissie - just wtf honestly. This girl needed help. Serious help. She is harming herself, depressed, has a messed up self image, and lost a parent. She has a rock star dad with unlimited resources. At every turn he finds out more shit about her, worries, and does absolutely nothing!!! NOTHING!!! Her boyfriends (yes at the same time her whole young life, 2 of them) never got this girl help. Now granted in the beginning they were all young and as they aged they both needed their own help (serious help), but come on.
These three are the epitome of "fucked up" in every possible way. Sex, cheating, drugs, bodily arm, alcohol. They don't do anything in the self help arena and neither does anyone they know. Actually, they all enable each other: adults included.
Each book had this aura that something was going to happen. The proverbial shoe would drop. In book 4 there is finally some drama that makes Chrissie make some decisions. But her decisions don't give the reader the feeling like she has really learned, grew, or changed. I still felt like she was stuck, just stuck now with Alan instead of Neil. Not actually happy, just in a different place. I get that she loved them both but this was a depressing hot mess for me.
And then, THEN, the fucking epilogue. It brought up burials and kids and things that were not explained. After four books of waiting for information!!! The epilogue left me with more questions than answers.
You may wonder about my 3 stars after all that. Listen. I know. I wonder about it to. But I.read.the.whole.thing. More than 900 pages. I didn't/couldn't not finish it. That has to mean something, right.
#theregretisreal
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That is this book 100%. I looked, I read, I finished it. I was that girl. I was hurting myself for 900 pages. I was Chrissie. There were so many times I told myself to stop reading, just don't, these characters are pissing me off. But, there was this nagging. Every time I stopped, dammit. I just had this feeling something big was going to happen and turn the whole story around. I wanted to know what would happen to these characters but now that I know, ugh. My glutton for punishment scale is way too high.
Chrissie - just wtf honestly. This girl needed help. Serious help. She is harming herself, depressed, has a messed up self image, and lost a parent. She has a rock star dad with unlimited resources. At every turn he finds out more shit about her, worries, and does absolutely nothing!!! NOTHING!!! Her boyfriends (yes at the same time her whole young life, 2 of them) never got this girl help. Now granted in the beginning they were all young and as they aged they both needed their own help (serious help), but come on.
These three are the epitome of "fucked up" in every possible way. Sex, cheating, drugs, bodily arm, alcohol. They don't do anything in the self help arena and neither does anyone they know. Actually, they all enable each other: adults included.
Each book had this aura that something was going to happen. The proverbial shoe would drop. In book 4 there is finally some drama that makes Chrissie make some decisions. But her decisions don't give the reader the feeling like she has really learned, grew, or changed. I still felt like she was stuck, just stuck now with Alan instead of Neil. Not actually happy, just in a different place. I get that she loved them both but this was a depressing hot mess for me.
And then, THEN, the fucking epilogue. It brought up burials and kids and things that were not explained. After four books of waiting for information!!! The epilogue left me with more questions than answers.
You may wonder about my 3 stars after all that. Listen. I know. I wonder about it to. But I.read.the.whole.thing. More than 900 pages. I didn't/couldn't not finish it. That has to mean something, right.
#theregretisreal
Instagram | My Blog | Facebook
October 22, 2017
Not a fan of it.
I couldn't go more than halfway through to books. The writing style is good and most of the story good. However I didn't like what seemed to me to be a large amount of emotional abuse from the main male character to the main female character. Conflict between characters but this seemed to much and too emotionally violent.
I couldn't go more than halfway through to books. The writing style is good and most of the story good. However I didn't like what seemed to me to be a large amount of emotional abuse from the main male character to the main female character. Conflict between characters but this seemed to much and too emotionally violent.
June 18, 2017
DNF not because there was anything necessarily wrong with the book. Just wasn't feeling it. may try again some other time.
October 16, 2017
I really debated starting this book because I wasn't entirely sure I was going to enjoy the dynamics of this story. I usually go for easy enjoyable love stories that are pretty predictable. Girl meets boy, they fall in love, something tragic happens, they find their way back to each other and every lives HEA. The End.
I had a feeling that was not the case in these first 4 books. But by the time I finished I can say that Susan Ward is not your typical romance author. Book 1 was tough for me because I do not like the hard core scenes that involve drugs but at the same time I found myself feeling that Susan was literally writing from the mind of a confused 18 year old who has grown up in a different atmosphere with a famous dad and being misunderstood and going through a lot. By the end of book 1, I was fully involved and not able to pull away and felt myself needing to see where this would go. I loved watching Alan develop as a character and he was constant throughout Chrissie's uncertainty and confusion.
I struggled and wished the abortion scene was not in the book. To actually read about someone choosing an abortion at 14 weeks was very difficult for me. I almost stopped reading because I just couldn't take that. It, of course, furthered her character development and caused her to lean so heavily on Neil and really did solidify so much in their relationship. But it was a piece I wasn't happy to read and honestly wouldn't want young girls to read that ... but I understand as a grown woman how it really touches on so many things that young girls go through and how alone they can feel and how they shouldn't be alone.
The 3rd book was probably my least favorite because it was so much about Neil and Chrissie and not much with Alan involved. Again necessary but I felt myself wanting to move forward to the next part.
The final book was great and Chrissie really did come into her own. I am now excited to read about Jack and Linda. The twist with Neil, I did feel it coming so it wasn't a total shock though I was very happy she caught him because he was just dissolving into himself with all the lies. It needed to come out and Chrissie needed it. It prompted her to finally FINALLY take a chance on her own happiness and of course from the epilogue it's clear that it wasn't a true HEA with Alan but a HEA for Chrissie. I cannot wait to start the book from Alan's point of view and hear how they finally come back together (I hope!)
Anyhow - I started very hesitant and literally read book 4 in one day because I could NOT put it down.
Susan Ward I am a fan. I have never left such a long review on Goodreads.
I had a feeling that was not the case in these first 4 books. But by the time I finished I can say that Susan Ward is not your typical romance author. Book 1 was tough for me because I do not like the hard core scenes that involve drugs but at the same time I found myself feeling that Susan was literally writing from the mind of a confused 18 year old who has grown up in a different atmosphere with a famous dad and being misunderstood and going through a lot. By the end of book 1, I was fully involved and not able to pull away and felt myself needing to see where this would go. I loved watching Alan develop as a character and he was constant throughout Chrissie's uncertainty and confusion.
I struggled and wished the abortion scene was not in the book. To actually read about someone choosing an abortion at 14 weeks was very difficult for me. I almost stopped reading because I just couldn't take that. It, of course, furthered her character development and caused her to lean so heavily on Neil and really did solidify so much in their relationship. But it was a piece I wasn't happy to read and honestly wouldn't want young girls to read that ... but I understand as a grown woman how it really touches on so many things that young girls go through and how alone they can feel and how they shouldn't be alone.
The 3rd book was probably my least favorite because it was so much about Neil and Chrissie and not much with Alan involved. Again necessary but I felt myself wanting to move forward to the next part.
The final book was great and Chrissie really did come into her own. I am now excited to read about Jack and Linda. The twist with Neil, I did feel it coming so it wasn't a total shock though I was very happy she caught him because he was just dissolving into himself with all the lies. It needed to come out and Chrissie needed it. It prompted her to finally FINALLY take a chance on her own happiness and of course from the epilogue it's clear that it wasn't a true HEA with Alan but a HEA for Chrissie. I cannot wait to start the book from Alan's point of view and hear how they finally come back together (I hope!)
Anyhow - I started very hesitant and literally read book 4 in one day because I could NOT put it down.
Susan Ward I am a fan. I have never left such a long review on Goodreads.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 26, 2019
Had my heart the whole series!!!
Absolutely best series I have ready in a long time. Could not believe some of the turns and loops my heart went out for Chrissie. Loved this series can’t wait to read the others!!!
Absolutely best series I have ready in a long time. Could not believe some of the turns and loops my heart went out for Chrissie. Loved this series can’t wait to read the others!!!
June 28, 2018
Wow
I was not expecting that. To be honest, I assumed it would be an easy mindless read. How wrong was I! I couldn’t put these down. Definitely worth reading.
I was not expecting that. To be honest, I assumed it would be an easy mindless read. How wrong was I! I couldn’t put these down. Definitely worth reading.
October 26, 2019
Wow
This set was amazing so many unexpected things . I couldn’t put it down . The sex the love all of it .
This set was amazing so many unexpected things . I couldn’t put it down . The sex the love all of it .
January 10, 2019
Exceptional/Heartbreaking
Better than Maria's soap opera, real life can be painful. Susan Ward's writing is evocative, haunting and sometimes it plain old breaks your heart! This is a book series for grown ups - make no mistake - the story is amazing, the writing draws you back - you have to know, what happens next!
Thanks for sharing your time, your talent, the story.
Better than Maria's soap opera, real life can be painful. Susan Ward's writing is evocative, haunting and sometimes it plain old breaks your heart! This is a book series for grown ups - make no mistake - the story is amazing, the writing draws you back - you have to know, what happens next!
Thanks for sharing your time, your talent, the story.
February 24, 2018
This series is the best.
This is one of the best series I have ever read. Susan Ward you are something else. I cried thru half these books and I loved the romantic parts and laughed also it all there. If you love romance rock and roll, sadness, happiness, funniness it right here.
This is one of the best series I have ever read. Susan Ward you are something else. I cried thru half these books and I loved the romantic parts and laughed also it all there. If you love romance rock and roll, sadness, happiness, funniness it right here.
November 2, 2017
I was not familiar with this author, but figured it was cheap, so why not try it? Wow! That's all I can say......just wow. This was not what I expected at all. It sucked me in from the first page, and has made me purchase all of Susan Wards other books.
All families have their dysfunction, but these guys take the cake.
This book reveals how women ARE from Venus, and men ARE from Mars. How the sexes look at the same situation, and see something completely different.
This is also one EPIC love story that will make you laugh. It will make you cry. And it will leave you hot and panting.
This is just yummy.
All families have their dysfunction, but these guys take the cake.
This book reveals how women ARE from Venus, and men ARE from Mars. How the sexes look at the same situation, and see something completely different.
This is also one EPIC love story that will make you laugh. It will make you cry. And it will leave you hot and panting.
This is just yummy.
September 3, 2017
Great series
I loved the books they were written really well. Only thing was that Chris was making the same mistake over and over with Alan, it was making me mad lol. I was hoping once Chris and Alan finally got together that there be another book and they go deeper into Alan finding out the the baby was his and them having another baby
I loved the books they were written really well. Only thing was that Chris was making the same mistake over and over with Alan, it was making me mad lol. I was hoping once Chris and Alan finally got together that there be another book and they go deeper into Alan finding out the the baby was his and them having another baby
January 7, 2017
Loved it
Long emotional journey growing up for Chrissy!! Hard life lessons! But what a life! Two hot rock stars fighting for her!
Long emotional journey growing up for Chrissy!! Hard life lessons! But what a life! Two hot rock stars fighting for her!
June 22, 2017
Good Book
Couldn't put this book down. Going to read the next one now. This is a good book. This could be a movie.
Couldn't put this book down. Going to read the next one now. This is a good book. This could be a movie.
December 8, 2017
absolutely Loved this series
February 17, 2020
There is so much love and pain in this series. This is a hard review to write and cover all 4 books with out giving anything away. I gave it my best shot.
Chrissie Parker is a young woman when this series starts. Her childhood had some trauma that she should of had some counseling for. High school is a tumultuous time for everyone, but she is especially naïve and closed off emotionally. She meets Alan Manzone and begins her love affair with him on spring break. Both these characters fall hard and fast for each other. Unfortunately they are both so young and working thru so much, that they break apart. However, the love was strong and true.
During their separation Chrissie goes off to college and rekindles a friendship with Neil Stanton that blooms into so much more. Neil is a wonderful guy, but has issues of his own that he keeps buried till the last quarter of the series. You see little glimpses of it through out his and Chrissies relationship and you know the fall out will be bad. To add to the drama of it all is the love of Alan Manzone lurking in the secret places of her heart, and occasionally popping up in her life.
These characters deal with HARD real life issues and is for adults. It is not a light hearted read and it is wonderful all at the same time! Enjoy
Chrissie Parker is a young woman when this series starts. Her childhood had some trauma that she should of had some counseling for. High school is a tumultuous time for everyone, but she is especially naïve and closed off emotionally. She meets Alan Manzone and begins her love affair with him on spring break. Both these characters fall hard and fast for each other. Unfortunately they are both so young and working thru so much, that they break apart. However, the love was strong and true.
During their separation Chrissie goes off to college and rekindles a friendship with Neil Stanton that blooms into so much more. Neil is a wonderful guy, but has issues of his own that he keeps buried till the last quarter of the series. You see little glimpses of it through out his and Chrissies relationship and you know the fall out will be bad. To add to the drama of it all is the love of Alan Manzone lurking in the secret places of her heart, and occasionally popping up in her life.
These characters deal with HARD real life issues and is for adults. It is not a light hearted read and it is wonderful all at the same time! Enjoy
February 6, 2020
Interesting and frustrating
I thought this book was well written...for the most part. There were a few editing errors through out the four book series. I liked Chrissie but found her frustratingly wimpy and wishy washy. She cries a LOT. Her relationships are muddy and , also, wishy washy. She is the queen of off and on in all of her relationships. The tension in the books was enough to keep me reading but I hated the ending. The epilogue was so cryptic, it was maddening! I feel disappointed at the end because there are still so many unanswered questions. This was a huge let down.
I thought this book was well written...for the most part. There were a few editing errors through out the four book series. I liked Chrissie but found her frustratingly wimpy and wishy washy. She cries a LOT. Her relationships are muddy and , also, wishy washy. She is the queen of off and on in all of her relationships. The tension in the books was enough to keep me reading but I hated the ending. The epilogue was so cryptic, it was maddening! I feel disappointed at the end because there are still so many unanswered questions. This was a huge let down.
August 14, 2021
This was gritty, frustrating and engrossing. I spent the whole series with an opinion only to have it obliterated by the twist that I didn’t pick until not long before it happened. Life is messy and this is definately a story that shows that we don’t all get a simple happy ever after. I didn’t love Chrissy as a character, I prefer my heroines strong and Chrissy is a bit of a victim and a crier, I would have loved to see a bit more growth in the end and I would also have loved a more detailed epilogue. A lot of pages were read getting them to that point and the ending was pretty flat and vague.
May 15, 2019
A messed up love life that span 10 years too long
The story felt over long but we'll written . I felt like Chrissie cried a lot especially in the beginning with Alan and she never knew her mind. She claim to love Alan but wasn't willing to do anything to stay with him but Neil she did. I like Neil he didn't have to be gay he could of been bi-sexual. Neil seemed to feel sexually charged with Chrissie
The story felt over long but we'll written . I felt like Chrissie cried a lot especially in the beginning with Alan and she never knew her mind. She claim to love Alan but wasn't willing to do anything to stay with him but Neil she did. I like Neil he didn't have to be gay he could of been bi-sexual. Neil seemed to feel sexually charged with Chrissie
April 10, 2021
Great series
This rockstar romance series grabbed me from the start. The books focusing on Crissie and Alan's tumultuous on again off again relationship. There are so many emotions elicited in their story. I loved this series and look forward to reading more books by a super author, Susan Ward.
This rockstar romance series grabbed me from the start. The books focusing on Crissie and Alan's tumultuous on again off again relationship. There are so many emotions elicited in their story. I loved this series and look forward to reading more books by a super author, Susan Ward.
May 14, 2021
Heart stirring, breaking, aching journey that touched me deeply.
I feel raw but sated, I ranted and raged, laughed and sobbed. these characters are in my soul now and will remain there always. thank you for giving me this experience it has truly changed me and how I view love and life.
I feel raw but sated, I ranted and raged, laughed and sobbed. these characters are in my soul now and will remain there always. thank you for giving me this experience it has truly changed me and how I view love and life.
July 31, 2022
Good but hard work
Christie is frustrating as hell with her bad decisions. My pet hate is angst caused by mis or non communication and this book is full of it, which makes it a hard work read for me. I did like the story as whole (4 books) but I also wasn’t a fan of how it ended, seemed unfinished. Maybe this is to lure me into reading the next box set….?
Christie is frustrating as hell with her bad decisions. My pet hate is angst caused by mis or non communication and this book is full of it, which makes it a hard work read for me. I did like the story as whole (4 books) but I also wasn’t a fan of how it ended, seemed unfinished. Maybe this is to lure me into reading the next box set….?
September 10, 2017
I couldn't even finish all 4 books! I wanted to give Chrissie a slap, she is such a depressing character and I get that sometimes that works but I got so fed and don't even want to finish reading the other books!
February 6, 2018
Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for this type of book.... It is a 4 book series and I struggled to get through the first book and then gave up.
It was well written, but is so dark and sad. Even the parts that were there to inject a little light humor were snarky and mean.
It was well written, but is so dark and sad. Even the parts that were there to inject a little light humor were snarky and mean.
August 27, 2018
I wasn't sure what I was reading in the beginning. Love story? Memoir? But as I read I became invested. I was very disappointed when I found out Alan married Nia so soon after their break up. Am I the only one not sure who she's with in the end?
September 29, 2018
love it
but im so confused with the ending i dont get it at all how can you leave it like that i dont know whats going on if alan an her stayed together had more kids but other than that i really enjoyed this book
but im so confused with the ending i dont get it at all how can you leave it like that i dont know whats going on if alan an her stayed together had more kids but other than that i really enjoyed this book
October 18, 2018
A great read
I throughly enjoyed this series. It’s emotional and funny and keeps you turning the pages. I couldn’t put it down. However I’m hoping the next series gives more insight into the ending of this one. What happened to Neil? So on and so forth. A great read!
I throughly enjoyed this series. It’s emotional and funny and keeps you turning the pages. I couldn’t put it down. However I’m hoping the next series gives more insight into the ending of this one. What happened to Neil? So on and so forth. A great read!
March 10, 2022
excellent read.
I have loved this Rock Star Romance 4 Book series it really is a must, I will continue finding more Susan Ward novels treat yourselves to some me time and enjoy this series you wonted be sorry.
I have loved this Rock Star Romance 4 Book series it really is a must, I will continue finding more Susan Ward novels treat yourselves to some me time and enjoy this series you wonted be sorry.
August 26, 2017
Very frustrated with the ending! Good book but kind of got sick of chrissie's stupidity at times!
August 6, 2018
Absolutely the best book!! Had to read everything I could get my hands on that she wrote after this one and they are all fantastic.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews