Review: Our Journey

Our Journey by H.K. Brown
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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📘 Our Journey by H.K. Brown

📚 Format: Ebook 💫 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Grief changes the shape of a heart, but love teaches it how to beat again.”

What an emotional journey!

I loved how this story came together. H.K. Brown has a wonderful way of developing her characters, allowing their histories, emotions, and relationships to unfold naturally. I felt incredibly close to Benedict “Buckie” McAlester and Evelyn May Dixon (Evie), and I was genuinely invested in how their story would come together.

What I especially appreciated was how Brown explored the effects of grief, misplaced trust, and the consequences of allowing someone else's version of events to shape our understanding of the people we love.

There were moments when I wanted to reach into the pages and tell Evie to trust Buckie! But I also understood how vulnerable she was following her father's death. Grief had left her emotionally fragile, and sometimes the pain we're already carrying makes it difficult to see beyond what we believe to be true.

Their journey wasn't simply about finding their way back to one another. It was about confronting the past, accepting difficult truths, and learning how to move forward without allowing those experiences to define the rest of their lives.

And then there's Maria. ❤️

I absolutely loved Buckie's devotion to her. His determination to protect her and put her well-being first was one of the most beautiful elements of this story. It speaks to what truly makes a family. Love isn't always defined by blood or biology. Sometimes it's defined by the people who choose us, love us, and stand beside us.

Initially, I viewed Jenna as the manipulative other woman, someone whose behavior seemed rooted in jealousy and those familiar mean-girl high school dynamics. However, as the story progressed, I realized there was much more to Jenna than I had originally believed.

I appreciated that Brown gave her character complexity without dismissing the consequences of her choices. More importantly, I loved how Evie's response demonstrated her own emotional growth. Rather than allowing resentment to dictate her future, she began looking beyond her pain and considering the well-being of those around her.

Another element that touched me was Evie's relationship with her mother. Following her father's death and what she believed was Buckie's betrayal, Evie felt the need to leave everything behind. I understood her desire to escape the pain, but in doing so, she lost out on so much, particularly precious time with the people who loved her.

I appreciated how Brown explored the complicated emotions surrounding their relationship. Sometimes grief isn't simply about losing someone. It's also about mourning the time we've lost, the things left unsaid, and the relationships we wish had been different.

And that brings me to one of my favorite elements of the story: Evie's personal journey.

I loved watching her gradually find the strength to confront the past rather than continue running from it. Her growth wasn't immediate or effortless. It came through difficult conversations, painful realizations, and the willingness to open her heart again.

Brown beautifully captures the idea that strength isn't always loud or dramatic. Sometimes it's simply finding the courage to get out of bed, ask for help, or take that first step toward something new.

For me, Our Journey was so much more than a second-chance romance. It was a beautifully emotional story about grief, forgiveness, misplaced trust, and learning that moving forward doesn't mean forgetting the past.

Sometimes it means finding the courage to build something new.

Five stars for a story that reminded me that home isn't necessarily a place. It's the people who love us, the family we choose, and the life we find the courage to build together.

BROKEN WING BOOKS · FEATURED QUOTE

“For the first time since coming home, I’m not running from the past. I’m walking toward something new.”

— Our Journey by H.K. Brown

https://linktr.ee/ravenblackbird74

Review: A Rhode to Love: Wayfinder Series

A Rhode to Love: Wayfinder Series by Manda Mazanec
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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📘 A Rhode to Love (Wayfinder Series) by Manda Mazanec

📚 Format: Ebook

💫 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

“I’ve come to realize it’s okay to grow. It’s okay to move forward in life without forgetting my past.”

🚗 Road Trip Romance

💞 Forced Proximity

⏳ Age Gap

💜 Grief Representation

🌲 Adventure

🌙 Fade-to-Black Romance

💜  Violet's life is unraveling. She's grieving the loss of a patient, facing trouble at work, looking for somewhere to live after the end of a relationship, and carrying memories of a loss from years before.

Jamison is carrying a different kind of grief. He loved his wife, Felicity, and lost the future they were supposed to share. Violet was the unexpected connection that came afterward—and one he hasn't been able to forget.

🚗 When circumstances bring Violet and Jamison together again, their road trip gives them a chance to see one another differently and confront some of the assumptions, guilt, and grief standing between them.

🌲 My favorite part was their time in the Catskills. With a funny nod to Dirty Dancing, an unexpected rainstorm, plenty of mud, and an ex-girlfriend who simply will not take a hint, Violet and Jamison finally begin laughing together. Beneath all the chaos, Violet also starts to recognize something important: Jamison has been looking out for her all along.

I enjoyed the underlying message of their story—that moving forward doesn't mean forgetting the people or experiences that shaped us. Sometimes it simply means allowing ourselves to grow around them.

💞 A sweet, adventurous, fade-to-black romance about two people discovering that honoring the past doesn't mean they have to stop living in the present.

🎧 Broken Wing Soundtrack:

🎶 Wayfinder Bus Playlist

🍹 Escape (The Piña Colada Song) — Rupert Holmes

💜 The Story — Brandi Carlile

#BrokenWingBooks #BookTok #ARCReviewer #Bookstagram #MandaMazanec #ARhodetoLove

Review: Burnout

Burnout by Rebecca Jenshak
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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📘 Burnout (Holland Brothers #1) by Rebecca Jenshak

📚 Format: Ebook

💫 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

On the bike, Princess…

🖤 He Falls First

💖 Healing from an Injury

🖤 Constant Banter

💖 Calls Her Princess

🏍️  Knox Holland has spent most of his life taking care of everyone else. After losing his mom and watching his father walk away, raising and protecting his younger brothers became his responsibility. Relationships aren't really part of the plan—partly because his life is already full and partly because he's terrified of becoming anything like his father.

🏅 Avery is fighting a different battle. An Olympic gymnast attempting a collegiate comeback after a devastating injury, she knows exactly what she's capable of—or at least what she used to be capable of. She loves gymnastics, but the possibility of returning as a lesser version of herself may be harder to accept than walking away altogether.

💖 I really enjoyed watching Knox and Avery find their way toward each other. On the surface, they don't seem to have much in common, but underneath, they're both carrying tremendous pressure and fear. As they begin training together, they also give each other something neither realized they needed: a place to step outside the expectations and responsibilities weighing on them.

Their relationship develops with a sweetness I really enjoyed. They encourage each other, challenge each other, and slowly become a safe place for one another while still pursuing their individual goals.

And after everything Knox has spent his life trying not to become, watching him finally allow himself to love—and hearing Avery realize, Knox Holland loves me—made for such a satisfying moment.

💖 This was my first time reading Rebecca Jenshak's work, and Burnout was a sweet introduction. I enjoyed her balance of sports, family, personal struggles, and romance, and I'm looking forward to seeing where the Holland Brothers series goes next.

A sweet sports romance about family, pressure, perseverance, and finding someone who helps you remember that you don't have to carry everything alone.

🎧 Broken Wing Soundtrack:

🎶 The Burnout Playlist 

🏅 Avery — “Try,” P!nk

🏍️ Knox — “Whatever It Takes,” Imagine Dragons

💖 Knox + Avery — “The Bones,” Maren Morris

#BrokenWingBooks #BookTok #ARCReviewer #Bookstagram #Burnout #RebeccaJenshak #SportsRomance #CollegeRomance

Review: Blue Arrow Island

Blue Arrow Island by Brenda Rothert
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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📘 Blue Arrow Island by Brenda Rothert

(BAI Series #1)

📚 Format: Audiobook

🎧 Narrated by Gideon Frost & Angelina Rocca

💫 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Fantastic. Hauntingly insidious. Absolutely breathtaking, heroic, and heartbreaking.

💙 Brutal dystopian world order

💙 Government experiments

💙 Survivalists

💙 Strong FMC

💙 Morally gray MMC

🪷 Blue Arrow Island slowly reveals itself like the very flower they’re searching for. Layer by layer, the world expands and the truth underneath it becomes more disturbing. The themes are so well constructed and woven through intricate overlays that I was genuinely shocked when it ended. I was not ready to leave this world 🪷

🌿 And then there are Marcus, Pax, and Briar—the wolf, the snake, and the vines. Three very different characters, each with their own strengths, instincts, and scars, but somehow they fit together. I loved the symbolism woven into who they are, especially as the story explores what happens when people are deliberately stripped of the very things that make them human 🐺

🪷 Briar's struggle especially stayed with me. The experiments may give people extraordinary strength, but that strength comes at a terrifying cost. Watching her fight against what the chemicals are doing to her—fighting to remain Briar—made the story as heartbreaking as it was thrilling.

🎧 And the narration! Gideon Frost and Angelina Rocca were incredible. They reached into their characters’ tone and motivation in a way that made Marcus and Briar feel completely alive. I wasn't simply listening to their story—I was immersed in it.

This is such a departure from what I’ve previously read from Brenda Rothert, and I loved seeing this side of her writing. The world she created is brutal and unsettling, but there’s something incredibly human running through it.

💙 I loved this book so much that when it ended…I immediately started it again. Blue Arrow Island has earned a permanent place on my shelf, and I cannot wait to continue the series 💙

🎧 Broken Wing Soundtrack: Three songs for a story about holding onto your humanity, fighting against what you're becoming, and discovering the animal within...

🌿 Bring Me to Life — Evanescence

💙 Human — Rag'n'Bone Man

🐺 Wolf — Spencer Lee

#BrokenWingBooks #BookTok #ARCReview #Bookstagram #BrendaRothert #BlueArrowIsland  #AudiobookReview #DystopianRomance #FiveStarRead

Review: Fully Loaded:

Fully Loaded: by Samantha Wilde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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📘 Fully Loaded by Samantha Wilde 

(Bad Company #2)

📚 Format: ebook

💫 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

🚨 Fully Loaded is a fun, fast-paced read that kept me turning pages—I finished it in a day 🚨

🔐 It takes a thief to rescue a thief 💾

 Ex-lovers

 Lots of Banter

 Touch her and die

 He never moved on

🔐 What I enjoyed most was Dani and Brock’s relationship. From the beginning, it’s clear that their love for each other is unfinished. Despite their difficult past, time and distance haven’t diminished what they feel for one another. There’s still hurt between them, but there’s also a connection neither has really been able to leave behind.

When Brock rushes across the country to help Dani, he inadvertently lands himself right in the middle of a vigilante group’s secret bioterrorism plot—one that has Dani’s face plastered across the news and her name on the FBI’s watchlist. 🚨

👠 But Dani is no damsel waiting for Brock to rescue her. She’s talented, confident in her abilities, and more than capable of taking care of herself. She’s a tough opponent and no one’s victim. I especially liked watching Dani and Brock work together and seeing Brock come to understand that protecting her doesn’t mean taking over. Dani is his equal partner, and their relationship is stronger because of it.

💥 With plenty of action, danger, and a second-chance romance at its center, Fully Loaded was an entertaining read and a great way to spend the day.

🎧 Broken Wing Soundtrack: “Run” — OneRepublic

💘 There really couldn't be a much better soundtrack for Dani and Brock: unfinished love, danger constantly on their heels, and a relationship that quite literally keeps them on the run. Even a romantic night in Paris beneath the Eiffel Tower can unexpectedly turn into a fight for survival. Apparently, date night is an adventure for these two 💘

#BrokenWingBooks #BookTok #ARCReview #Bookstagram #SamanthaWilde #FullyLoaded #RomanticSuspense  #BookReview

Review: Shut Up and Drive: A Closed-Door, Road Trip Rom Com

Shut Up and Drive: A Closed-Door, Road Trip Rom Com by Noelle Davenport
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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📚 Shut Up and Drive (Wayfinder Series)

🖋 Noelle Davenport

📖 Format: eBook

💫 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Operation Bisquick, the reboot: Thane and Sera

🚘 Second Chance

🥞 Frenemies to Lovers

🚘 Forced Proximity

🥞 Brother’s Best Friend

Thane and Sera absolutely stole my heart❣️

Shut Up and Drive is a sweet, humorous, and sometimes disastrous second-chance romance, frenemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, brother’s best friend, ten days at a family lake house—and a whole lot of heavy baggage that neither Thane nor Sera has managed to leave in the past.

After getting out of a controlling relationship with her cheating ex-boyfriend Bradley, Serafine is headed to her family’s South Carolina lake house on Amethyst Lake. This trip is supposed to be about self-care, healing, and reclaiming a little piece of herself. 

💖 Sera ~ This “me-time” is like an Independence Day celebration for my soul.

Unfortunately, Sera just found out that Thane will be there too.

From the very beginning, I loved Sera’s internal dialogue and descriptions. Sera desperately wants to convince herself that she can simply ignore Thane for ten days. But underneath all that irritation is something much more complicated. She doesn't really hate him. She needs to hate Thane because the alternative is admitting she might still love him.

💖 Sera ~ It’s the only thing that keeps me from loving you again.

And that history is where this story really got me...

As Thane and Sera start wandering down memory lane on their impromptu road trip, we get glimpses of the two people they used to be—the Oreos and milk🥛 , Waffle House, Rules of the Road, Operation Bisquick 🥞 and even Operation Burrito Backfire 🚽. I loved that their memories weren't all picture-perfect moments. They were funny, awkward, sweet and sometimes painful. They felt like real memories between two people who had once known each other for most of their lives.

Then there is the accident...

When Thane admits that the night of the accident happened differently than he told the police, my imagination immediately went somewhere much darker. Early on, I was convinced someone had died or been horribly injured! That mystery added another layer to everything I was learning about their past.

But what really made this a five-star read for me was the fantastic blend of humor and emotion.

This story understands that life and love rarely happen in perfect little moments. Sometimes they're ridiculous. Sometimes they're painful. Sometimes the memories that mean the most involve pancakes, road trips, Oreos, old jokes and front porch dreams.

By the time Thane and Sera gasp onto their happily ever after 💍, Thane had the perfect romantic gesture. But what they got was so much better because it felt authentically them—sweet, funny, emotional and perfectly imperfect.

Thane and Sera weren't getting a chance to erase their past and start over. 🗺️ They were getting the chance to take all those messy, funny, painful, wonderful memories with them and finally figure out where their road will lead them next 🏡.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🗺️ They aren’t erasing their past and starting over. They’re taking all those messy, funny, painful, wonderful memories with them and figuring out where the road leads next. 🏡

💖 Pull up a chair because here are a couple of easy sweet treats themed for all those messy, funny, painful, wonderful memories that Thane and Sera shared:

🥐 Snickerdoodle Crescent Bites: Use refrigerated crescent-roll dough, brush it lightly with melted butter, sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar, roll it up, and bake according to the package. This gives that warm cinnamon-sugar snickerdoodle-feeling without making cookie dough from scratch. You could add a little vanilla glaze if you want them sweeter.

🥛 Oreo Dunkers: literally Oreos and a cold glass of milk  In this case, I actually think the simplest version might be the most meaningful because that's their treat.

Shut Up and Drive is a sweet, humorous, and sometimes disastrous second-chance romance filled with frenemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, brother’s best friend, a haunting secret, and an ex-boyfriend that just won’t take a hint!

https://linktr.ee/ravenblackbird74 #ShutUpandDrive #NoelleDavenport #brokenwingbookreviews #WayfinderSeries #Bookstagram

Review: Tracked

Tracked by Rebecca Sharp
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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📚 TRACKED (Off the Grid #1)

🖋 Dr. Rebecca Sharp

📚 Format: ebook

💫 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🌲 Sometimes survival isn't about knowing how to make it through the wilderness alone. Sometimes it's about knowing who you want beside you when you do. 🔥

🏕️ FIELD GUIDE TO SURVIVING TRACKED 🏕️

🧭 Always be prepared

🧭 Trust your instincts

🧭 Never lose the trail

🧭 Never fall for your ex-girlfriend’s sister

…Okay, maybe that last one was never actually written down. But Calder Stone has 40 Rules for Surviving, and Lara is the exception to every single one of them.

 

🩺 Lara Crane is a burned-out ER doctor whose sister has gone missing—and something about that last phone call tells her this isn't just another one of her sister's bad decisions. Determined to find her, Lara turns to the one man she knows will take her concerns seriously. 

🥾 Calder Stone is a Tracker. Survivalist. Rule follower. Professional retrievalist. And the man Lara has been trying very hard not to think about for the last twelve years.

Calder has spent his life learning how to survive. The lessons passed down from his ex-FBI father and murdered biochemist mother have made him exceptionally good at finding things others have lost. His rules have kept him and his family alive and safely off-grid. But Lara is the one variable he never planned for.

Lara comparing everything she desires about Calder to an anatomy class is so perfectly Lara, while Calder's unwavering rules reveal just how much he has relied on structure, control, and isolation to survive. But surviving isn't the same as living. And Lara may be the one person who can teach Calder the difference. 

These two have been a slow-burning wildfire for twelve years, and once they finally ignite, there is no containing the sparks 🔥 Together, they are a fantastic team. Calder is accustomed to working alone and taking the lead, while Lara is perfectly capable of holding her own. Put two strong personalities in the wilderness with forced proximity, old feelings, and danger…

I loved every adventurous outdoor moment of Lara and Calder finding their path through the wilderness—and, somewhere along the way, finding their way back to each other. Their evolution is just as wild, unpredictable, and beautiful as a Wyoming storm.

🧭 RULE 41: Love makes you vulnerable, but isolation makes you weak. Choose your attachments carefully, but don’t live without them.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🌲 IF YOU COULD DISAPPEAR INTO THE WILDERNESS… WHERE WOULD YOU GO? 🏕️

After reading Tracked, I couldn’t stop thinking about wilderness survival, remote trails, and all the places where you could disappear for a while… preferably with a very capable Tracker nearby. 🥾

🗺️ Now for the important question…Who would you want as your wilderness guide? 🧭

🏔️ Yellowstone National Park — Wyoming
Wildlife, geothermal wonders, mountains, rivers… and definitely the kind of place where you’d want someone who knows how to track. 👀

🌲 Grand Teton National Park — Wyoming
Jagged peaks, alpine lakes, deep forests, and breathtaking scenery. Basically… Calder Stone territory. 🥾🔥🧭

🏔️ Olympic National Park — Washington
Rainforest, mountains, coastline, and enough wilderness to make getting lost feel very possible.

🌲 Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests — Colorado
With 1.5 million acres of mountains, forests, and grasslands, this one definitely earns a spot on the survivalist list. 🏕️

🏔️ Great Smoky Mountains National Park — Tennessee/North Carolina
The most visited national park in 2025, with miles of forested mountains and trails to explore.

#Tracked #DrRebeccaSharp #BrokenWingBookReviews #WildernessRomance #NationalParks https://linktr.ee/ravenblackbird74 Dr. Rebecca Sharp

https://www.nps.gov/index.htm

Review: Hawk's Hope

Hawk's Hope by Chelle Bliss
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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📚Hawk's Hope (Hurricane Heat MC Book 4)

📚 Format: ebook

🎧 Audio featuring: Connor Crais, Kirsten Leigh 

🖋 Chelle Bliss

💫 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🏍️  Nico Greco, please report to the Principal’s office…IMMEDIATELY 💋 

Detention or Honor Roll?

🏍️ Tattooed biker? ✔️

💐 Strong, sexy principal? ✔️

🔥 Insane chemistry? ✔️

👠 Heels that Hawk definitely notices? ✔️

❤️ A love story that sneaks up on both of them? Absolutely!

Late again! ⏰  What will it take for Nico “Hawk” Greco to get his nieces to school on time? Apparently, a stern warning from the sexy Principal Veronica Hollifield—and maybe a little extra time in the principal’s office. 

Hawk and Veronica come together over their shared love of protecting what’s theirs and the loss of a parent, but they can’t deny the heat between them. In Hawk’s opinion, Veronica is the ultimate good girl with just a hint of trouble beneath those pencil skirts and button-up tops. And let’s not forget those incredible heels. 👠

🏍️ Hawk — This woman’s fingers laced through mine sends something strange firing through my chest. It’s not lust, although I’ve got that in spades. It’s not a feeling I can name exactly because it’s not something I let myself feel often. Guys like me don’t dabble in dreams. But this woman brings something to life inside me. Something that feels a lot like hope.

🦅 Homeroom: Get the kids to school on time

Hawk almost certainly ends up on the wrong side of detention when he squares off with the beautiful Principal of Palm High. Doing his best as temporary guardian for his MC President’s kids, Hawk is completely out of his comfort zone with all things girl. Honestly, a few tardies are probably the least of his concerns. He’s just thrilled he got the two teens out of the house with only one curling-iron burn on his arm and some spilled coffee.

💐 Hall Pass: Don’t mess with the principal

Veronica has put her heart into being the best principal at Palm High. She’s worked hard to reach this point in her career and is deeply dedicated to her students. So when Hawk’s truck comes barreling into the school parking lot late, Veronica has something to say about it. And Hawk quickly discovers that this principal isn’t intimidated by a big bad biker.

🔥 Study Hall: Chemistry cannot be contained in the classroom

The sparks fly and the heat intensifies between Hawk and Veronica, and I absolutely loved the energy between these two! In spite of their rough start—or maybe because of it—Hawk has something to prove. He’s more than just a tattooed biker. He’s a man worthy of love.

Underneath that rough exterior, Hawk protects his heart just as fiercely as he protects the people he loves. And when he starts hoping Veronica might become one of those people, he treats her like the queen she is, offering her his all. 👑

🌸 Honor Roll: Making the grade

Hawk’s Hope is full of sexy times and, even better, the times that matter most. Hawk and Veronica are my favorites so far in the Hurricane Heat series. Veronica shoulders so much responsibility as she pours herself into her students and her career, while Hawk carries the weight of his Club—his found family—on his shoulders.

I was completely invested in their story from the moment they clashed at that first meeting to the moment their relationship bloomed like the flowers Hawk gave Veronica. 🌸

Because really… who doesn’t deserve a man who will defend his woman against any threat, make her feel like his queen, and still be the man who truly sees her?

My final grade for Hawk’s Hope: A+ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

And Hawk? Maybe he can be late for school as often as he wants if it keeps landing him in Veronica’s principal’s office. 💋

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🎶 HAWK & VERONICA — THE FIRST DATE PLAYLIST 🎶

She agreed to one date.
Just one.
So naturally, Hawk took Veronica to his uncle’s bar. 🍸

Because apparently, when you’re Nico “Hawk” Greco, a first date isn’t complete without a little whiskey, a little trouble, and enough chemistry to make a perfectly respectable principal question every decision that brought her through that door. 💋

From the first spark of attraction to the teasing, the tension, and that dangerous little realization that maybe this isn’t just a date anymore…

🎵 “I Want You to Want Me” — Cheap Trick 🎵
One bar.

One first date.
One very dangerous attraction…

🎓 Detention After Dark 🎓

👠 Report to the Principal’s Office
“Trouble” — Elvis Presley
“Bad Reputation” — Joan Jett
“Another Brick in the Wall” — Pink Floyd
“Hot for Teacher” — Van Halen
You’re Becoming a Problem, Mr. Greco
“Don’t Stand So Close to Me” — The Police
“I Want You to Want Me” — Cheap Trick
“You Give Love a Bad Name” — Bon Jovi
“Why Can’t I?” — Liz Phair

🔥 Detention After Dark
“Wicked Game” — Chris Isaak
“The One That I Want” — Grease
“School’s Out” — Alice Cooper

💐 Class Dismissed
“Crazy for You” — Madonna
“Time of My Life” — Dirty Dancing
“You’re Still the One” — Shania Twain

🎓 Detention After Dark: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1tAa5tH68nlD1304KU0QAQ?si=_pY9jxSGTrey5KhoE0_kcg

https://linktr.ee/ravenblackbird74
#HawksHope #ChelleBliss #brokenwingbookreviews #Bookstagram #Playlist Author Chelle Bliss Chelle Bliss Christy Peckham

Review: Desire

Desire by Chelle Bliss
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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📚Desire (Men of Inked Sinners #5)

📚 Format: ebook

🖋 Chelle Bliss

💫 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🏡 Put the house on the market and call the movers 🚚

Desire by Chelle Bliss has moved into the neighborhood, and it's a treasure trove just waiting to be unpacked 📦 Entranced by the warmth and welcome of the Gallo, Lizzy dreams of unconditional love. But before she can change zip codes, Lizzy needs to reclaim her power and leave the past in her rearview mirror! 

👑 Mason ~ "I knew the moment I laid eyes on her that I wanted her, but after spending time with her... I knew I wanted more… I wanted everything with her."

Tropes to fall in love with:

❤️ Slow Burn Depth

👑 Friends to Lovers

🍕 Tavern-Style Pizza Dates

💔 Misunderstandings & Heartbreak

👑 Healing & Empowerment

❤️ Found Family 

👑 Mason ~ "Never settle for less than this, Lizzy. If someone isn’t going to be great to you, they don’t deserve your time."

Mason brings all the first-time love and romance to help heal and show Lizzy the meaning of being seen and valued. He is ready to give her the world, but they'll have to unbox and sort through Lizzy's lingering insecurities before she can take that final step. 

⚠️ Everything seemed to be heading in the right direction, but a horrible misunderstanding threatens their romance. I was literally shredded by what Lizzy witnessed 💔 Thankfully, the steadfast Gallo family is there with all their nosy, fiercely supportive love to ensure Lizzy has a perfect welcome into the family. This is where sisterhood bonds are unmatched, and the Gallo men always have each other's backs 🏡

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Save me a seat at The Hook and Hustle 🍻

📖 If you need me, I’ll be hiding out in Chicago’s favorite family-owned bar, and completely losing myself in the pages of one of Chelle Bliss's Gallo romances 🔥

👑 Who is your absolute favorite Gallo sibling to spot holding down the bar?

This Chicago family loves fiercely, protects their own, and delivers the best neighborhood vibes. Wanna try a little South Side slice of home? Give it a try with a crispy Tavern-Style Pizza—the ultimate bar snack to pair with a cold drink and your favoriteAuthor Chelle Blisss book.

🍕 No dough-rolling drama required for this hustle. Just that classic square cut. Check out the quick recipe below! ⤵️

This style was born on the South Side of Chicago during the mid-20th century. While tourists typically associate Chicago with thick deep-dish pizza, tavern-style is the everyday default pie that locals prefer because it’s easy bar-food...

🍕 The Easy "Hook & Hustle" Tavern Pizza

Ingredients:
🍕 2 large Store-bought thin pizza crusts (or extra-large flour tortillas)
🍕 1/2 cup Marinara sauce
🍕 1/2 tsp Dried oregano
🍕 1.5 cups Low-moisture mozzarella cheese (shredded)
🍕 1/2 cup Pre-cooked Italian sausage crumbles
🍕 1 tbsp Cornmeal

Instructions:
✅ Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Dust a baking sheet with cornmeal.
✅ Pre-bake bare crusts on the sheet for 3 minutes so they stay crisp.
✅ Sauce the crusts heavily, spreading the seasoned marinara entirely to the very edge.
✅ Top evenly with the shredded mozzarella and sausage crumbles.
✅ Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until bubbling and golden brown.
✅ Slice into a grid of small squares and serve warm!

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Review: A Deal with the Defender

A Deal with the Defender by Brenda Rothert
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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📘 A Deal With the Defender by Brenda Rothert

(Love on the Line Book 4)

📚 Format: ebook

🖋 Brenda Rothert

💫 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🥂 RAISE A GLASS FOR THE VIRAL TOAST THAT PUTS BRIDZEILLA IN HER PLACE!

A Deal with the Defender is another absolute win for the Love on the Line series by Brenda Rothert. It delivers the perfect balance of sassy banter and deep emotions🏒 

💔 How is Talia supposed to trust her instincts, or her sister who has the audacity to insist Talia be a bridesmaid? Talia thinks she has hit rock bottom even before the big Hawaii destination wedding arrives.

🏒 Fast paced, with quick banter like hockey drills, I was cheering from the stands for Lucien and Talia!

While playing the arrogant flirt, Lucien gets his first bite of Talia’s sharp blades when she neatly puts him in his place over his cheesy pickup lines. Between that and discovering she’s the coach’s daughter, Lucien is skating a very dangerous blue line.

Score! This season is all about some intense family drama, betrayal, and a man who will give his all to prove Talia deserves all the good things. I absolutely loved the way Lucien encourages Talia with genuine care and humor, helping her rediscover her strength.

🏒 Hockey Romance

🏡 Forced Proximity

🔥 Sizzling tension

💔 Healing Heart

🥅 Coach’s Daughter

Lucien ~ “Make me work for you, Talia. I will. I want to.”

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Review: Sealed: The Wedding

Sealed: The Wedding by Lexxi James
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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📘 Sealed: The Wedding

(Boys of Bishop Mountain Book 5)

📚 Format: ebook

🖋 Lexxi James

💫 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

💐 Bride or Groom 💐 

I’ve officially rsvp’d to the event of the season with Sealed: The Wedding by Lexxi James, and the early consensus is that wedding bells are ringing 💍 

🥂 Raise a glass for the Boys of Bishop Mountain! Sealed is an excellent addition. Between the hilarious and heartfelt internal dialogues, I was invested in Harrison’s chaotic but determined pursuit of Ava. Harrison himself is a total standout with his grumpy, always patient, and completely endearing approach to the unpredictable world of single fatherhood. While the kids absolutely stole my heart, I left the book wishing nothing but the best for Ava, who constantly pours so much love into everyone around her even as she struggles to reconcile her need for family and her career.

💟 Single Dad

Brother's Best Friend

💟 Forced Proximity

Forbidden Romance

💟 Breathtaking emotional tension

🏡 Loving Pix was never the problem. The fear of losing her was. So either fear is my sinkhole, or love is my strength. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

👀Och, check this out 👀

I was reading Sealed: The Wedding by LexxiJames, and Ava’s obsession with Scottish Tablets had me craving for a wee taste. So, I looked it up, and found a proper shortcut.

But let’s be real—I’m absolutely not a talent in the kitchen like Mrs. B~

⏲️ This lazy-girl version takes 3 ingredients and zero faff, but still gives you that rich, creamy sweetness. It’s absolutely brilliant.

🛒 The Cheat Sheet:
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
12 oz White Chocolate Chips
4 tbsp Butter

👩‍🍳 The Effort: Melt them together, beat it like it owes you money for 2 minutes (crucial for the texture!), pour into a pan, and chill.

🎬 Ava declares them…“Seriously addictive.”

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Review: Wicked Games

Wicked Games by V.M. Rheault
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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Two broken hearts. One small Minnesota town. Too many secrets to count.

Avery and Seth. Witnessing their devastating losses in this shared grief, romantic suspense, clutched at my heart. Despite insurmountable secrets, together, they grasp at even the most inconsequential circumstances to uncover a deadly truth.

“Meeting Avery so soon after my divorce should have made me wary, but it only makes me thankful I can still feel something after all that’s happened.”

📚 Wicked Games 🖊 by V.M. Rheault

⭐ Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

💼 Grieving Billionaire Hero

📚 Broken but determined Heroine

💔 Love After Loss

📚 Connected Pasts

💔 Small Town Romance

💼 Hidden Adversary

🧸 The Longest two days... of Seth’s life are not knowing. Not knowing where his son is...Not knowing who has kidnapped his son... Not knowing why this has happened to his family. For Avery, it is coming to understand that she’s not a broken baby machine but an independent woman who is still relevant even as she puts her life together in the face of her sister’s murder. Until she uncovers a single entry in a blog that may bring a killer out of the shadows.

🖊 V.M. Rheault drops clues like breadcrumbs, weaving a masterful romantic suspense. I’ve been an avid fan of VM’s since reading her King’s Crossing series. Wicked Games is a standalone of intricately woven events with an undercurrent of lies and half-revealed motivations. Coming together out of shared grief, it’s up to Avery and Seth to peel back alibi after alibi, discovering more than just a controversial piece of evidence that might lead them to the truth. 

⭐ A definite recommendation. Wicked Games drowned me in all the emotions. “Show me your scars, Seth, and I’ll show you mine.”

https://www.fantasticfiction.com/r/vm-rheault/

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Review: The Gentleman

The Gentleman by Rebecca Sharp
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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📘 The Gentleman (The Kinkades #5)

📚 Format: ebook

🖋 Dr Rebecca Sharp

🖋 Features: Marriage of Convenience, Forced Proximity, Small Town Romance

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Daisy & Max

🌷 Golden Retriever Hero

💍 Single Mom

🌷 Small Town Romance

💍 Friends to Lovers

🌷 Best Friend's ex-fiancée

💍 Marriage of Convenience

Daisy ~ A temporary job. A temporary home. A temporary connection to the man who stayed when the boy I was going to marry fled.

💍 Golden Retriever Hero

If you love a hero with a massive heart, Max is about to become your new book fiancé. Yielding to his best friend, Todd, Max is like a modern-day Cyrano de Bergerac, willing to do whatever it takes to make Daisy's dreams come true. Completely setting aside his own desire for the woman he loves, Max is determined to make the best of a no-win situation. 

🌷 Best Friend's ex-fiancée

Fighting her own inner demons, Daisy has committed herself to a loveless relationship. Her past has convinced her she isn't worthy of anything better. Doing what she thinks is the best solution, she agrees to marry Todd because she can't see what Max does when he looks at her. Despite how many times Max saves the day, he can't stop Todd from walking out on Daisy on their wedding day.

💍 Marriage of Convenience

Their story is a fantastic addition to the Kinkades series! The stakes are high when they stumble into a fake marriage to protect Daisy and her baby from Todd's wealthy parents. It leads to a very tense few months, but watching them learn to communicate with each other and discover their love together shifts these two friends to lovers and so much more.

🔮 Gigi Saves the Day (Again!)

And of course, I love Gigi! Her uncanny, otherworldly predictions add the perfect touch of magic.

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Review: Helios

Helios by Sybil Bartel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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📚Review ~ Helios (Paragon Operations Book 3)

🖋Author ~ Sybil Bartel

🖋Features: Military Romance, Romantic Suspense

⭐️Rating: 5/5

Helios & Feralyn

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

☀️ Stepbrother

🏍️ Scarred Hero

☀️ Delta Force Operator

🏍️ Innocent Heroine

☀️ Soul Deep

Helios & Feralyn

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Terrorist...Traffickers...Feralyn...Ghost, Helios, Ares—I was the weak link in their chain. I was a college dropout who’d been abducted and beaten. Helios was a Tier One operator who’d been shot defending our country. We were not equal, and I would never be worthy of a man like him.

Transfixed. Enthralled. Mesmerized. I am absolutely transfixed by Helios. He is a battle-scarred pure force of nature. Even the sun bends at his will, never mind the woman who has always represented his one safe space. Unwavering and passionate, he will do anything to protect his Haven.

Like the evolution of the sun around Helios's world, secrets, lies, and connections begin to explode like a solar flare. With Feralyn caught between three Tier One brothers, only one has had her heart from the very beginning. Unapologetic, this slow burn will set their souls on fire 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

💘 Helios has just moved to the top of my BBF list...Sorry, Talon and Neil 💘

Review: Heartthrob for the Hacker

Heartthrob for the Hacker by Breanna Lynn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars



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📚Review ~ Heartthrob for the Hacker: SAFE Haven Security Book 4

🖋Author ~ Breanna Lynn 

🖋Features: Fake Dating, Unrequited Crush, Second Chance Romantic Suspense

⭐️Rating: 4/5

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Cyrus and Sydney

Sydney is less than impressed with her newest assignment. But for Katie and the vow she made, Sydney will do whatever she can to bring to life her cybersecurity dream a reality. That's more real to her than another Compass Ceremony. Finding a love match is certainly not in her plans at all! 

Six-foot-one former rockstar, Cy, finally meets a woman who could crack open his entire life's database before sitting down for breakfast. Cy quickly realizes that he can't just charm his way into her heart, even as he recites the standard lines...will you continue this search for love with me? There's a lot more to Sydney than a reality TV show.

📲 Fake Relationship

🎬 Celebrity MMC

📲 Forced Proximity

🎬 Enemies to Lovers

📲 Protective FMC

Heartthrob for the Hacker is an awesome addition to the SAFE Haven series! It is such a fun twist on the Reality dating show / Forced proximity trope. I especially enjoyed that Sydney is a computer hacker, working undercover to identify Cy's obsessive stalker. Creepy messages and a nearly fatal accident won't stop Sydney from protecting Cy. 

Between rival contestants sharpening their nails and Sydney's mission to protect Cy, this dating TV show transforms into a high-stakes series of Compass Ceremonies where anyone can be eliminated. With more than enough terabytes of sass and determination, nothing will prevent Sydney from achieving her dreams, not even sexy former boy band star Cy Darby. But just wait until you meet Cy's Grandpa -- he really has a special place in my heart!

Review: Show Me Forever

Show Me Forever by Jennifer Sucevic
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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📚 Review ~ Show Me Forever

Chicago Railers Hockey Book 3

🖋 Author ~ Jennifer Sucevic

🖋 Genre: Workplace Romance, Sports Romance, Hockey Romance

⭐️ Rating: 5/5

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Rina & Oliver

📲 Workplace Romance

🏒 Enemies to Lovers

🏒 Protective MMC

🏒 Forbidden Romance

📲 Strong FMC

Oliver ~ Rina thinks this was a mistake. And maybe she’s right. It probably was. But I can’t remember the last time a mistake felt this right. Or this real.

Rina ~ It means handing over trust, and that’s something I’ve never been able to give freely.

Oliver ~ This isn’t about taking. It’s about giving. About holding. About finally finding something worth keeping.

Emotionally charged! is the best way I can describe how I felt reading Show Me Forever. Between Rina and Oliver, it isn't just about going through the motions and getting a glimpse into their feelings. This was about experiencing their honest, raw, real emotions right alongside them. 

Oliver's single-minded determination is so endearing. Even at his most vulnerable point, he believes with his whole heart that Rina is his forever. Trapped behind the jagged scars of abandonment, faced with that kind of perpetual pain, what reason other than love does Rina have to believe in the forever Oliver is showing her?

Review: Sealed

Sealed by Lexxi James
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



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📚 Sealed: The Boys of Bishop Mountain

🖋 Authors ~ Lexxi James 

🖋 Features: Military romance, romantic suspense

⭐️ Rating: 5/5

“Destined souls don’t cross paths. They collide. Burn hot until every sharp edge is gone. Until your heart forgets where it ends… and his begins.”

Absolutely in love with the Boys of Bishop Mountain! These Alpha men are definitely worthy of the women they fall in love with. And Sealed is fantastic. Harrison and Ava's story is a whirlwind, a collision of love and trust. What started off as simple charity event and a favor to a best friend, links these two unlikely hearts together.

Harrison's a single dad who treats parenting like a dedicated tactical operation. He never expected his heart's new mission would involve his best friend's sister, Ava. Also known to every single person in the world as Princess Luna. Ava is the woman who quite unexpectedly collides into his life faster than a her agent can schedule a public appearance. One moment he's strutting his assets on the catwalk at a charity event, the next he's navigating the complexities of a celebrity movie star who wishes for the family Harrison loves with fierce, unparalleled devotion. 

Their story took me through all the aches of loving and losing, wishing for a forever that's just out of reach. The lows of picking of a shattered life, trying to put it back together without those impossible directions that come in every DIY project. And the laughter that only Harrison can inspire, parenting his three kiddos like he's planning a covert invasion of bedtime routines, while Ava becomes the unexpected special agent of his daughter's fairy tale dreams. 

Lexxi creates a beautiful bond of friendship and family that is both humorous and warm. Sometimes love isn't about finding your soulmate. It's about surviving the collision when it crashes into your life - lumberjack skills and military precision optional, but highly recommended. 🌲

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Harrison & Ava

🌲 Military Romance

🍭 Forced Proximity

🌲 Wounded Hero

🍭 Forbidden Romance

🌲 Brother's Best Friend

🍭 Had to see a lumberjack about some wood...Pretty sure I’m marrying him. 🌲