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Chords of Chaos #1
Broken Strings
was a washed-up, alcoholic, disgraced cop, so imagine my surprise when I landed a gig as the private bodyguard for Corey Duvette, international rockstar and guitar god? Seriously, I used to worship this guy when I was a teenager! Everybody wants a piece of him…his fans, his manager, his bandmates, his ex…even me.But as much as I’d like to, I can’t put him in that position…or any other positions, for that matter.I’m just here to do a job.It’s not my fault that he looks like an innocent angel and a broken boy all at the same time. That’s why he needs someone like me looking out for him, protecting him, keeping him safe.But can I keep things professional between us?’ve been performing on stage in front of thousands of people almost every night of my life since I was nineteen. Living in the public eye means I get hounded everywhere I go. I have zero privacy. I’m exhausted, but my greedy manager and loser bandmates rely on me to keep cranking out hits. To keep going full throttle—and keep everyone happy—I turned to the rock & roll cliché of nonstop booze and drugs. I’m being pulled in every direction. I feel like I’m falling apart.I’m ready for a change. I want something real.After getting stabbed by a random psycho and almost dying, my manager wants to hire a bodyguard for me. I don’t care if he’s big and strong and sexy as hell—I don’t want some meathead with an earpiece following me everywhere I go. I already have no privacy as it is!But maybe…just maybe…Max is different? All I know is that the thought of dealing with everything in my life while trying to stay sober terrifies me.I can’t do it alone.Broken Strings is a 60,000+ word gay romance about finding happiness amidst a lifestyle filled with sex, drugs, and rock & roll. This book contains sexually explicit material and colorful language intended for adults 18 and older. Each book in the Chords of Chaos series can be read as a standalone novel, but they’re better if you read them in order.
296 pages, Paperback
Published November 9, 2018
285 people are currently reading
293 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
November 19, 2018
DNF @ 20% or so. I couldn't keep suspending disbelief about either spineless superstar Corey nor could I get on board for criminally negligent murderer, Max. The blurb isn't kidding when they say Max is an alcoholic. . Honestly, there was nothing to root for here.
I didn't like either MC and there was no way I could suspend disbelief long enough to find anything to like about them.
I didn't like either MC and there was no way I could suspend disbelief long enough to find anything to like about them.
January 27, 2023
DNF @7%
I stopped reading this because it felt like a misrepresentation of AA and I just couldn’t bring myself to continue reading. The first chapter was so interesting I actually thought it was going to be a great read
I stopped reading this because it felt like a misrepresentation of AA and I just couldn’t bring myself to continue reading. The first chapter was so interesting I actually thought it was going to be a great read
Want to read
June 15, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (6/15/2019)! 🎁
December 4, 2018
🤦🏻♀️
No.. Just.. NO.
Firstly, there should’ve been trigger warnings for this book.
Secondly, MCs were very WTF-inducing. I can’t figure out what age they’re supposed to be. I thiiink they would be in their 30s but both of them sound like fucking high schoolers. Corey was so fucking spineless omfg and Max.. Oh Max.. So he got his best friend killed, right? During the wake, he got fired. The next day, his former boss referred him to a friend of his to be a bodyguard. The day after that, he got his first assignment. Aaand the day after that, they slept together. Sure, he would have a couple of moments when he would remember his best friend (who got killed because of his drunk ass, need I remind you) but where’s the remorse dude? It just got brushed off and the focus was more on the romance, which isn’t even that good or convincing mind you.
Would not recommend this to anyone. I’m surprised I even finished it lol.
No.. Just.. NO.
Firstly, there should’ve been trigger warnings for this book.
Secondly, MCs were very WTF-inducing. I can’t figure out what age they’re supposed to be. I thiiink they would be in their 30s but both of them sound like fucking high schoolers. Corey was so fucking spineless omfg and Max.. Oh Max.. So he got his best friend killed, right? During the wake, he got fired. The next day, his former boss referred him to a friend of his to be a bodyguard. The day after that, he got his first assignment. Aaand the day after that, they slept together. Sure, he would have a couple of moments when he would remember his best friend (who got killed because of his drunk ass, need I remind you) but where’s the remorse dude? It just got brushed off and the focus was more on the romance, which isn’t even that good or convincing mind you.
Would not recommend this to anyone. I’m surprised I even finished it lol.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
probably-not-but-freebie
December 17, 2018Freebie at the zon.com right now: https://smile.amazon.com/Broken-Strin...
November 1, 2019
Ok
This was one of those stories that while you read you say "are you serious?" I said that more times and it was really because these characters did not match up to the description. The insta-love felt forced. Cop with a drinking problem loses his job does not address the issue or reason for it but is given a job to bodyguard a rock star and I was like "are you serious?". It took a while to read but honestly the characters needed to be more developed and story line needed to be more solid.
This was one of those stories that while you read you say "are you serious?" I said that more times and it was really because these characters did not match up to the description. The insta-love felt forced. Cop with a drinking problem loses his job does not address the issue or reason for it but is given a job to bodyguard a rock star and I was like "are you serious?". It took a while to read but honestly the characters needed to be more developed and story line needed to be more solid.
October 29, 2019
Full of typos
Nothing more disappointing when reading a book when there is a typo on the second page. This book is full of them and that is very annoying. I hope the pull this book and do some serious editing.
The book was different with substance abuse issues and male on male domestic abuse. The book was okay but for me I wished more time was spent on book 1. I really am not feeling the need to purchase book 2 & 3
Nothing more disappointing when reading a book when there is a typo on the second page. This book is full of them and that is very annoying. I hope the pull this book and do some serious editing.
The book was different with substance abuse issues and male on male domestic abuse. The book was okay but for me I wished more time was spent on book 1. I really am not feeling the need to purchase book 2 & 3
December 22, 2018
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Broken Strings was my introduction to author Casey Carson. Carson delivers an appealing storytelling style, and the writing – though it could benefit from a solid editing and tough love review – flowed smoothly, was consistently paced, and clever.
Readers should have no problem innately employing their senses throughout the book. Characters were colorful and inventively carved out in such a way that readers will be able to easily visualize and (almost) smell them (in some cases) through the written word. Added to that, Carson handily embeds within them psychological, emotional, and non-descript buried traits that are nearly downright spooky (Jo, Bosh) and often reserved for lead characters.
The primary characters Corey and Max seem to fall in love pretty fast, and their addictions to alcohol, though a major facet of their life, was probably glossed over for the sake of telling their love story. Incorporating alcoholism realistically at its current stage in both of their lives would have altered the story drastically.
The staging of the fallout between Corey and Max left me a bit stymied, as the actions leading up to it seemed out of character for Corey. It did allow the next scenes to emerge, but I’m not convinced that there may not have been a more realistic and logical course to take.
Corey’s interactions with his ex-boyfriend Fallon were creepy, but there was no doubting the fear he instilled. The “resolution” to Corey and Fallon was creative and surprising. The HEA/HFN was a bit short, rushed, and incomplete for me. Rushed would actually be an appropriate adjective to describe the entire book, in a way.
I did always look forward to picking up my Kindle to keep reading from where I left off. I’m intrigued with Carson’s writing – and no doubt will nab book 2. How Carson is going to salvage Fallon so that readers become sympathetic to him is beyond me, but I am anxious to find out!
Broken Strings was my introduction to author Casey Carson. Carson delivers an appealing storytelling style, and the writing – though it could benefit from a solid editing and tough love review – flowed smoothly, was consistently paced, and clever.
Readers should have no problem innately employing their senses throughout the book. Characters were colorful and inventively carved out in such a way that readers will be able to easily visualize and (almost) smell them (in some cases) through the written word. Added to that, Carson handily embeds within them psychological, emotional, and non-descript buried traits that are nearly downright spooky (Jo, Bosh) and often reserved for lead characters.
The primary characters Corey and Max seem to fall in love pretty fast, and their addictions to alcohol, though a major facet of their life, was probably glossed over for the sake of telling their love story. Incorporating alcoholism realistically at its current stage in both of their lives would have altered the story drastically.
The staging of the fallout between Corey and Max left me a bit stymied, as the actions leading up to it seemed out of character for Corey. It did allow the next scenes to emerge, but I’m not convinced that there may not have been a more realistic and logical course to take.
Corey’s interactions with his ex-boyfriend Fallon were creepy, but there was no doubting the fear he instilled. The “resolution” to Corey and Fallon was creative and surprising. The HEA/HFN was a bit short, rushed, and incomplete for me. Rushed would actually be an appropriate adjective to describe the entire book, in a way.
I did always look forward to picking up my Kindle to keep reading from where I left off. I’m intrigued with Carson’s writing – and no doubt will nab book 2. How Carson is going to salvage Fallon so that readers become sympathetic to him is beyond me, but I am anxious to find out!
January 2, 2019
Amount of sex 2.5 / 5
How explicit is the sex scenes 3 / 5
Story 4 / 5
Overall: 4 / 5
Broken Strings is the first book in the Chords of Chaos series from author Casey Carson. This is the author’s debut novel, and it tells the story of Corey Duvette and Max Jung. Corey is the lead singer of a famous rock band and is in need of a bodyguard after serious getting hurt. Max is an alcoholic, and after some seriously messed up things, he has been let go from the police department. Max then becomes a bodyguard with the Rabo Security Corps which provides security to the rich and famous. He is quickly tasked to protect Corey Duvette, one of his childhood crushes.
In the beginning, I had a hard time getting into the story. The characters had some serious issues, and I had a difficult time relating to them, especially Max. As I got further in the story, I was able to put those issues aside. I ended up enjoying the story and thought it was an overall good debut novel.
Voluntarily Reviewed a Gifted Copy
How explicit is the sex scenes 3 / 5
Story 4 / 5
Overall: 4 / 5
Broken Strings is the first book in the Chords of Chaos series from author Casey Carson. This is the author’s debut novel, and it tells the story of Corey Duvette and Max Jung. Corey is the lead singer of a famous rock band and is in need of a bodyguard after serious getting hurt. Max is an alcoholic, and after some seriously messed up things, he has been let go from the police department. Max then becomes a bodyguard with the Rabo Security Corps which provides security to the rich and famous. He is quickly tasked to protect Corey Duvette, one of his childhood crushes.
In the beginning, I had a hard time getting into the story. The characters had some serious issues, and I had a difficult time relating to them, especially Max. As I got further in the story, I was able to put those issues aside. I ended up enjoying the story and thought it was an overall good debut novel.
Voluntarily Reviewed a Gifted Copy
July 11, 2024
This was just stupid, and I feel stupid for having finished it. Listen, I'm all for suspension of disbelief (yay seductive alien warlords!), and I was not expecting a documentary about bodyguarding, but seriously.
Alcoholic policeman gets fired after getting a colleague killed. Gets shipped off to security firm. No training, no company manual, no briefing, no nothing. The very next morning, our alcoholic gets sent on assignment to a client who turn out to be a super famous musician who, BTW, is trying to get his own addiction under control.
Turns out the cop is a massive fan of this guy, but instead of cringing the guy is touched by the cop's knowledge of obscure old albums. They talk and talk, musician feels seen for the first time in years, and they almost kiss on that first night (but are interrupted.) Super professional. And a great place to DNF. Damn my curiosity and insomnia.
Alcoholic policeman gets fired after getting a colleague killed. Gets shipped off to security firm. No training, no company manual, no briefing, no nothing. The very next morning, our alcoholic gets sent on assignment to a client who turn out to be a super famous musician who, BTW, is trying to get his own addiction under control.
Turns out the cop is a massive fan of this guy, but instead of cringing the guy is touched by the cop's knowledge of obscure old albums. They talk and talk, musician feels seen for the first time in years, and they almost kiss on that first night (but are interrupted.) Super professional. And a great place to DNF. Damn my curiosity and insomnia.
May 27, 2021
3ish stars. I picked this up as a freebie deal and this is a first read for this author with this book.
An okay start but a dramatic beginning to the book, yah a bad drug bust going horribly wrong. A good first meeting with both MC and the coincidence that there both like the booze too much.
Corey needs a bodyguard with crazy fans stalking him, the usual sincerio. Id hoped this one was different from other books. Ooh a resident ghost meantioned. Abusive Ex and attacks scenes, and more. Max sure was in the dark a lot about Corey's inteerary.
An okay story with s fast pace told with both pov's. A lot of things missing in this that would have made it better including the time he was in hospital after the shooting scenes.
Max was a cop at 30+ when an undercover bust went wrong and alcohol was the blame.
Corey was an alcoholic attending AA, but he was a singer in a band.
An okay start but a dramatic beginning to the book, yah a bad drug bust going horribly wrong. A good first meeting with both MC and the coincidence that there both like the booze too much.
Corey needs a bodyguard with crazy fans stalking him, the usual sincerio. Id hoped this one was different from other books. Ooh a resident ghost meantioned. Abusive Ex and attacks scenes, and more. Max sure was in the dark a lot about Corey's inteerary.
An okay story with s fast pace told with both pov's. A lot of things missing in this that would have made it better including the time he was in hospital after the shooting scenes.
Max was a cop at 30+ when an undercover bust went wrong and alcohol was the blame.
Corey was an alcoholic attending AA, but he was a singer in a band.
September 9, 2020
I just couldn’t stop saying WHAT? And not the good kind that makes me want to keep reading... No the kind that has:
Up till this point has very odd descriptions about every female character. Literally every female character is a stan, cringey and just... not mentally there. Horny. Shallow. That’s it. Cue the cringeworthy typo!
Anyone fat is written as gross? The Jo dude was already detestable I don’t know how him constantly eating ya supposed to come across but the language used is “ew”.
The two MCs are not portrayed well, for their age or situation. I just...
I just can’t believe any of this.
Wouldn’t recommend.
Up till this point has very odd descriptions about every female character. Literally every female character is a stan, cringey and just... not mentally there. Horny. Shallow. That’s it. Cue the cringeworthy typo!
Anyone fat is written as gross? The Jo dude was already detestable I don’t know how him constantly eating ya supposed to come across but the language used is “ew”.
The two MCs are not portrayed well, for their age or situation. I just...
I just can’t believe any of this.
Wouldn’t recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2018
I liked the story between Max and Corey. They were both likable characters with believable back stories. I wish I understood what was wrong with Max at the beginning of the book, because I still don't know why he went down the rabbit hole that he did. They both had a lot to overcome and a lot of trust issues, both with other people and each other, that they had to get through. Corey's back story was heartbreaking and when his ex showed up again, he could have spiraled down again, but handled his ex the best way he could. I am excited to see what happens in the rest of the series.
October 1, 2019
Just Ok For Me
I liked the story line and the idea of the book, but I felt it went to fast and a lot of facts were missing. It was not believable in most areas revolving around alcoholics. I felt it was missing details that would have made it more believable. I don’t want to say to much and give anything away. The two main character went from not knowing each other to fast boyfriend without much in between, lack of flirting and chemistry.
The ending was good and really the book did keep me intrigued the whole time, so there’s a plus.
I liked the story line and the idea of the book, but I felt it went to fast and a lot of facts were missing. It was not believable in most areas revolving around alcoholics. I felt it was missing details that would have made it more believable. I don’t want to say to much and give anything away. The two main character went from not knowing each other to fast boyfriend without much in between, lack of flirting and chemistry.
The ending was good and really the book did keep me intrigued the whole time, so there’s a plus.
February 23, 2021
I can see why people haven't rated this story, as others have said it would be good to know what age the main characters of this story are because both act childishly at times but both also have a history of having an issue with all alcohol.
Things happen fairly quickly between Corey and Max which isn't entirely believable because both characters have history and the whole story of Max getting his cop partner killed and being fired and getting the bodyguard job is just too quick. BUT I read to the end and there are good parts to this book so I've given it 3 stars.
Things happen fairly quickly between Corey and Max which isn't entirely believable because both characters have history and the whole story of Max getting his cop partner killed and being fired and getting the bodyguard job is just too quick. BUT I read to the end and there are good parts to this book so I've given it 3 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2024
Painful
I really tried but this was super cringy. Over 60 pages before the main characters meet. Its starts with unnecessary information dumping and wasted details that could have been summarized in a preface. Why would an alcoholic cop who was fired for getting his partner killed be hired immediately after to bodyguard an alcoholic rockstar? No time sober, no time to actually become a better person, just straight into another job where he's responsible for someones life. No thanks, thats a garbage story.
I really tried but this was super cringy. Over 60 pages before the main characters meet. Its starts with unnecessary information dumping and wasted details that could have been summarized in a preface. Why would an alcoholic cop who was fired for getting his partner killed be hired immediately after to bodyguard an alcoholic rockstar? No time sober, no time to actually become a better person, just straight into another job where he's responsible for someones life. No thanks, thats a garbage story.
December 29, 2018
This was an eloquently written story, which centers around Max and Corey. Both of them struggle with alcoholism, but together they find strength within each other to overcome the obstacles that stand in their way. I enjoyed the story and I was held engrossed by the very vivid characters, although, only the two main characters were likable plus one character who was only at the beginning of the story. I'm pretty sure I'll check out the next book in this series.
November 25, 2018
I thought the story of Max and Corey was good. The two characters were likable. The story had a steady pace to move the story along. Didn’t care for the forcing of drugs or drinking of booze, But other than that I really thought the story was very good.
Thank you for sharing your book with us.
Thank you for sharing your book with us.
November 25, 2018
The book had a good story line and the MC was good. There was a lot of parts in the book where all I thought was....“I could strangle this character or that character”. The MC should have been stronger. All-n-All, it was a good book and made me want to read the next book in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2018
I got to 5% of this book and could not go farther. Max was unlikable from the start and I didn't even get out of the prologue. I will never finish this book as I don't think there is any reason to. The writing was subpar. This will permanently be on my Did Not Finish list
December 15, 2018
Can two flawed men find happiness?
Two men in some of their darkest days are brought together by chance. They just might be the answer to saving each other. However, could a turn of events put an end to it all. An enjoyable read of finding love in the darkness.
Two men in some of their darkest days are brought together by chance. They just might be the answer to saving each other. However, could a turn of events put an end to it all. An enjoyable read of finding love in the darkness.
April 12, 2020
Heart-wrenching Romantic and Tragic Story
Corey and Max both have demons in their past that haunts them. They are both trying to stay sober and pursue their careers. Sometimes it takes another broken soul to help you heal.
Corey and Max both have demons in their past that haunts them. They are both trying to stay sober and pursue their careers. Sometimes it takes another broken soul to help you heal.
July 3, 2023
A mess
This book was dark and depressing. It was way to quick no real story conclusion. I hated the characters and the way Fallon survived hated the manager.. It is not really well written
This book was dark and depressing. It was way to quick no real story conclusion. I hated the characters and the way Fallon survived hated the manager.. It is not really well written
November 29, 2018
Fabulous book
I really liked this book about how the cop became a body guard and they ended up falling in love.
I really liked this book about how the cop became a body guard and they ended up falling in love.
December 11, 2018
TW: appearances of physically, emotionally, and sexually abusive ex; suicidal thoughts
December 27, 2018
No, just no.
February 11, 2019
2.5 stars. There are parts of this book that made all of the characters very unlikable.
February 18, 2019
It is a great book to read
March 6, 2019
Rock star bodyguard romantic tale. Intro to series. Flawed people finding a way forwards. Possibly could have had more depth of character, but as intro tells the tale.
June 6, 2019
*to come*
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews