This has been on my TBR for a super long time, so in finally dusted off the copy I had and dove in. What an emotional ride this takes you on with Tennley and Hayden. I loved how quickly they connected, but the endless amount of questions I had was quickly adding up. And in my mind I kept screaming, just tell the truth. But everything was so fragile and I didn't feel any better about it by the end. To say I'm nervous is an understatement.

Thankfully I have book 2 ready to go!

I received this free eARC novel from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

This has been on my TBR pile for so long, and I'm glad I finally got around to it. I really enjoyed the storyline and seeing the characters change throughout the story was a great character development. The plot was great and kept my attention. I'm glad I got the chance to read this and will be on the lookout for more in the future!

This book was so good. I loved the dynamic between the characters and the heartbreaking secrets that they held. They were so wrapped up in their individual pain and witnessing them unravel it together was absolutely beautiful. I couldn't get enough of their story and I went through it super quickly. I definitely need to go straight into the next because I have to know what happens.

I loved this book so much. I will be honest that I thought it was about angel's at first. But no. But this book is filled with secrets and romance. It was such an addicting book.

**Apologies for the SUPER late review--on top of that it wasn't a title I connected with. Again, my apologies.**

If you like territorial men, a lack of communication, and super steamy sex scenes, you are in luck because Clipped Wings has all of this and more!

Hayden at first comes off as a major douche. He spends the first chapter of the novel complaining about insipid college girls WHO ARE PAYING GOOD MONEY to have him tattoo him. Like, I get it, customers can be annoying but without them you couldn't pay the bills buddy. Then he spends the other half of the chapter/novel fantasizing about Tensley. So we got off on a rough start. I had to restart the first chapter several times because every time he talked all I could think was "DOUCHE ALERT". But I persisted, and in truth while he turns out to still be a territorial alpha male, with a side of toxic masculinity, he also acknowledges that he is a territorial alpha male with issues.

<b>"Why am I like this with you? Why am I such a territorial prick?"
"You're not a prick."
"I am. I don't own you. Who says that kind of shit to their girlfriends?"</b>

So that's a start. He also really cares about Tensley, and he bends over backwards to make her happy. So he can be sweet, but I just don't know if that makes up for the rest of his behavior. To each their own, right? And Tensley doesn't seem to mind (not too much anyways).

Tensley spends the novel blaming herself for an accident she had no control over. She went to a ridiculously traumatic experience, like it was so bad I don't know how she survived the heartache. She stands up for herself a couple of times, specially when it comes to Hayden. Whenever his behavior gets too much she lets him know in no uncertain terms. Overall I didn't connect with her character too much; she withheld a lot of information from Hayden but on the other hand got all kinds of pissed off when he wasn't forthcoming about his past flings.

To be honest in all romance the issue is more often than not lack of communication, so this checks out. If the characters actually talked to each other then there would be a lot less conflict. One thing is for sure, I don't know why Clipped Wings couldn't have been a one novel deal. It would have been great if the whole thing was tied off in this one, so the next one could have been about Chris and Sarah. I just don't think I have it in me to read 300+ pages of Hayden/Tensley's insecurities.

This is my first book by this author and i'm neither impressed or discouraged. This book has a good story, but there is a lot in a short amount of time. Both the main characters have a boat load of emotional baggage and past insecurities holding them back.
Tenley is haunted by actions of the past that keep her from moving forward and Hayden is caught between perception and reality. Everyone's perception of him is negative due to his appearance and past.
This story does not end in this book and continues to the next but i'm not sure I want to continue. Many times, I felt like we were being led in circles.

This was one of the first new adult books I read when I started which I'm glad I had this book everything I needed. The characters, the plot, and the story was heartwarming but also had its sexy times.

Clipped Wings was good but to be honest, after reading Helena Hunting's recent works, this novel definitely shows how much she's grown as a writer. I'm absolutely certain that if she had the time and inclination, she'd come back to this early novel of hers and edit it and tweak it a little. I was interested in what was going on with these two but it would grab my attention and then lose me for parts--I found myself skimming parts. Even with my waxing and waning interest, I had to know how their love story would be resolved.

Okay to be completely honest here this book was a major disappointment. I’d seen this book everywhere and with many raving reviews about the storyline and awesome characters. Plus that cover- hello beautiful! To then pick up this book and struggle through it the whole way was sucktastic.

Hayden and Tenley both have tragic dark pasts that have left them hurting and broken. Tenley works at a bookshop owned by Hayden’s aunt. When Hayden sees Tenley he’s enamored. Tenley, while intrigued and attracted to Hayden, wants to keep her distance since she feels she doesn’t deserve love. When she makes a decision to get a tattoo, Hayden takes it upon himself to be the one to give it to her. With the tattoo, they become closer and closer. All is going well until Tenley’s past comes knocking at their door.

Honestly, this book would have been fine...I think. I don’t know. Still weeks later I don’t know how to express that this book was disappointing.

I didn’t like Hayden’s or Tenley’s voice. They both felt meh. At times I liked them and other times I didn’t. The chemistry and pain between them were written beautifully and I felt that very much. I just didn’t like the characters.

Tenley was in my personal opinion written very inconsistent. At the beginning of the story, she comes across as very independent. She tells Hayden straight up what she needs and wants and then when they get together it’s like she’s sooo dependent on him or on her pill addiction. I wasn’t feeling that at all. Plus, again she was supposed to be this strong independent character who starts putting her life back together, then bam the past comes back to hit her in the face and she just bows to it. She doesn’t stand up for herself she just crumbles. Again, it felt so dang inconsistent. The last issue I have was the description of this book and how Tenley’s character is written in the beginning is that she struggles every day with dealing with her tragic and traumatic past. Then later in the story she just decides that she’s over it and moves on with Hayden...what? What? Ugh!

Hayden was...more likable, I guess? He was more likeable than Tenley to me. He was a typical broody possessive tattoo character we see. Nothing special. The relationship with him and Tenley was nothing special either. I felt it was too dramatic when it didn’t need to be. Just be adults and freaking talk. Idk. My patience with them was drawn very thin.

Personal opinion I would completely skip over this book. The book left off on a cliffhanger and I completely don’t care about what happens next. At all. I was majorly disappointed.

Rating: 2.5-3 stars

I expected a lot from this book but sadly it failed to deliver. The writing was okay and the characterization a little off, but what really felt wrong was the story itself. Somehow it failed to come together.

Enjoyed this book but Ended on a cliff hanger.. tenley and Hayden have been through so much it makes u wonder how they are so strong and can move on. It’s a love story that u hope ends well. It puts you on an emotional roller coaster. Buckle up and ride this coaster.

If you love a tattoo covered troubled soul and cats, then this romance series is completely the one to read.

"Everyone has scars, Tenley. If we're lucky, they're only on the outside." -Hayden

After reading Cupcakes and Ink, I knew I was invested in Tenley and Hayden. I adored them, empathized with them each individually and I was so very anxious over what they were each dealing with - the scars they both carried on the outside and the inside. As they became better acquainted and I, therefore, got to know them better, my heart broke for them both.

"I hadn't considered the possibility that I might find someone who would understand what I had endured and want me anyway, even though I wasn't whole." -Tenley

I think these two are soul mates because it felt like their souls must have recognized in the other the mutual pain and guilt they each were burdened with. It bought them into each others' orbit and both were loathe to let the other go. But they were both hiding things from the other. Despite them both having reason for it, the secrets threatened their bond. They did bring out the best in each other though. It was juts difficult to decide whether they could risk their hearts again.

You know the saying about how you'll never have more heaped on your plate than you can handle? Well, these two have had quite the heaping but they've proven their strength by surviving. And it seems they have a bit more to deal with before they can have some happy.

I hate that I've let such an incredibly written and emotionally draining book languish on my shelf. I've already started book #1.5 though. I still *have* to know where Tenley and Hayden go from here.