MINE is a compelling second-chance romance following the intertwined lives of Emory and Drake A.K.A Draco. After years of being together, Emory and Draco’s relationship faced a severe test that shattered Emory’s trust. Heartbroken and devastated, she made the difficult decision to part ways, hoping time and distance would heal her wound. Draco, a talented NBA player, throws himself into his career, seeking solace in the demands of the game while struggling with the consequences of his actions.
Fate intervenes when an event in their hometown reunites Emory and Draco, forcing them to confront their unresolved emotions. Slowly but surely, they navigate the challenges of forgiveness. Through heartfelt conversations, emotional revelations, and soul-searching moments, Emory and Draco embark on a journey of self-discovery and redemption. They learn to confront their vulnerabilities, heal old wounds, and rediscover the love that once bound them so tightly.
This Satin Hills novelette is a story of forgiveness, and the power of second chances. It explores the depths of human emotions, reminding us that sometimes the greatest victories are not found on the basketball court but within the chambers of the heart.
Talena Tillman is a native of Houston, Texas. At thirty years young, she has already made her mark on the literary world. Notoriously known for her novellas, Talena has mastered the ability to give a full story within a hundred and something pages. Her series “Kane” is her reader’s favorite. She writes urban romance, penning imperfect black love beautifully.
Mrs Tillman made it clear in her authors note that she wanted to give a simple second chance romance that evokes all the feels and let me just say, 🗣️MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!! All the feels were felt reading about Draco and Emory! 🥰🥰🥰 Every emotion in these pages was FELT and I absolutely fell in LOVE with these two!!! ❤️❤️
Draco and Emory have been deep in that thang called love since the age of 15 and 16. I mean she had the front and he had the back! The bond was established early and there was no penetrating it! It was forever for these two! Everyone saw it and no explanation was needed! As things progressed between these two they experienced tragedy that cracked the foundation of their relationship and Emory didn’t bounce back the way Draco hoped. After a year of being apart, Draco is back to claim his woman!
One thing I LOVED about this story was that they kept folks out of their business!!NO ONE knew why they broke up because like Emory told her mama and bff 🗣️it’s not ya business! She didn’t want anyone inserting unwanted opinions in their situation and because they took this attitude they were able to navigate and heal without the naysayers!! I absolutely love the way Talena tells a story! I always FEEL her stories and I love that for me 🤣🤣 it makes the reading experience that much more enjoyable! Do yourselves a favor and add this one to your TBR! Sooooo good!
Draco & Emory were destine….childhood friends turn into lovers…unfortunately, a loss leads to a stupid decision and almost cost the couple their forever. Sheer determination and unconditional love bring the couple around to get to their HEA.
This was a cute light read , I wasn’t here for the reason they broke up but I loved how nobody knew the reasoning but them. Draco had one mission and that was to get his girl back. I could see why Emory was hesitant, but they loved each other, and Draco learned from his mistake.
Draco was not playing with Emory & I WAS HERE FOR IT ‼️
This was such a cute and quick read. I love a good second chance romance especially first love second chances. My heart was breaking for Emory because we’ve all been there. But how can you really stay mad @ Draco ? 🥲🫣🤣 I’ve been in my thriller Era & this definitely brought me back.
I found this author on TikTok & Im definitely reading the rest of the catalogue because this ATE.
Yes, Talena! You keep coming through with the novelette's ma'am! Draco came on the scene hot, and mad as hell! I'm like what is happening already? 😂 Well, seeing the love of his life with another man, is bout to have Draco catch a case! Although they are "technically" broken up, he ain't tryin' to hear see other people! Draco is no joke and is not willing to allow Emory to move out of his life.
Why is Emory so adamant about pushing Draco away, although her love for him is still so strong? What the hell happened? It took us a minute to find out, and then it all made sense. For Emory, Draco didn't own up to his mistake and tried to pacify her with gifts. She was not feeling that, and the trust was lost. Draco only seeing his love for Emory, and not understanding her hurt and mistrust, continued to push her almost to her breaking point! That tough conversation needed to happen for them to get it all out on the table; for healing to ensue. The love both Draco and Emory shared was ironclad. However, they had to put in work to find common ground and get back on the same page. Enjoyed this quick read. 👍👍👍
I’m really not a second chance romance girl but this was a cute read. I don’t condone in the reason they broke up but chiiiiile I was telling Em, to give that man another chance or I was gonna take her ring and mansion for her 🤣🤣
If you’re in a reading slump or need a weekend read, pick this book up!
The story was nice. I had my hopes up that Draco and Emory would be back in stride again. Yes, love can be difficult at times, but their deeply engrained feelings outweighed their pain. A good second-chance love story.
This book plus the playlist made me feel it all!!! I’m so glad Emory let Draco in! I really can’t get enough of this book! I am about to indulge in her entire catalog bc this story gave what it was suppose to give!!
Unfortunately, Draco lost Emory a year ago after doing something FOOLISH when she was at her lowest. Since they’ve been broken up, Draco has made it his mission to get Emory back after she graduates college. And baby, HE DID JUST THAT!
Big Draco told Emory, yeah, think you dating this 🥷 and see if I don’t buss my 🔫 to get his ass up offa you. 😂😂😂😂😂
One of the things that I did appreciate is that Draco was not dismissive of what he did regardless of how Emory managed her feelings trying to get over her heartbreak and disappointment. We love men who own up to their shortcomings.
You do get to witness Emory go back and forth with working through her emotions and truly figuring out if she wanted to take Draco back or not. I totally understand why she had a hard time trusting him. That 🥷 had no business doing what he did. I’ve been down with you since we were kids and you do that because I couldn’t get myself outta my lowest moment? Oh, baby — you’re going to suffer without me now!!
Can’t wait to read the second book to this series. 😍
Talena Tillman knows how to pull me into a story! Draco and Em’s story was a light read compared to others that have me pissed for days and in a chokehold 😂 . She gave good with this read, so good that I was distraught when it ended. This story was so relatable and full of emotion. Young love can be a powerful thing, and this couple faced a lot in their young lives. I hated what they went through, but I also understood how they handled their pain. Talena Tillman is dominating the literary world with her novellas and now novelettes. She has now created a new world that has no other option but to get better! This book held some possibilities for future books, and I can’t wait to see who or what’s up next!
4.5 ⭐️ I don’t usually like second chances romances but some authors write them beautifully and Talena happens to be one of them. Just from the name I knew Draco better have had BDE and he delivered. He was all about Emory. I loved that for her. Em was hurt but I’m glad they were able to move on and repair their relationship. They deserved happiness and they were meant to be together, I wish this was a full novel because rage flashbacks and the way Draco talked showed real love.
4.5 Stars. I almost cried but the tear didn't fall!
I loved this story so much. Despite it being less than 100 pages, it felt like so much more. The raw emotion, the glimpses of their past, the reason for their separation, and the struggle of heart vs head was so heavy on my heart.
I don't usually fk with second chance romances but Tori on Booktok told me to read this, so I did, and it gave me life.
Don't sleep on the spotify playlist that's included. I was vibing to it for a good 20 minutes after finishing the book.
Normally, I'm not a fan of the 2nd chance trope, but Talena can do no wrong when it comes to her pen, so I had to check this out. Although this is a short story, you get full background of the characters. Emory and Draco were childhood friends that eventually turned to lovers.. they had a undeniable love, but a careless mistake had the potential to ruin everything. I loved how the main characters talked it out , and both figured out what really went wrong in their relationship. If you're looking for a short, but full bodied read with a little spice... "Mine: A Satin Hills Novelette" is the way to go.. can't wait to see future Satin Hills stories
Draco shows back up after a year to get his first love back after a breakup. Emory trying to move on while still holding onto love that won’t die. All of the stressful thing Draco went through growing up, Emory held him down building feelings that the two shared. Until……… This was a realistic, cute fast 2nd chance at love!!!
This was a cute, second-chance at love story. It’s not always likely that I give 5 stars to a novella (they typically fall a little short for me). However, the author ✍🏽 did her big one with this📖. Although a short read, she did a great job at developing both main characters and easily showed us why they were destined to be together 💖
My first read by this author; definitely not my last!
This was a quick read but it was still a full story. Emory and Draco were meant to be and Draco made sure to show Emory how sorry he was, and how serious he was about their relationship. I was glad she was able to forgive him.
I'm giving 3 stars because since this is a short read and a second chance novella, it's like you're being dropped in the middle of an already built world. From what I read, I wouldn't mind looking into this authors other books.
Mrs. Tillman’s stories ALWAYS refreshes my palette! This one was no different. I love seeing the men in her stories going hard for what they want!
I loveeee Draco! lol he went for what we knew was rightfully his and didn’t stray. He owned up to his mess and made sure Emory stood on hers! ACCOUNTABILITY!! I love me a good second chance romance. You did your thing again!
As a spin the block girly, I scream at these characters to forgive their man. Lol. But in real life, would I forgive/trust a tall handsome bball player? Probably not. I’m guessing I do like second chance tropes. This was a cute, quick enjoyable read.
This novella hit the spot. After a long day at work it was the perfect read to unwind with. I was so curious as to what caused them to end. It was like pulling teeth to get them to spill the beans 🫘 even Toby’s the readers 😂. Their love was potent🥰
Listen!!! I won’t spoil anything but so much was explored in this book in such a short amount of time. I was NOT feeling Draco at first, but that’s why it’s important to stay with the story till the end. Homeboy was redeemed ha! This was such a good story. Can’t wait to read the second one. It won’t be sitting on my kindle unattended for long.
📚This Chocolate Novella was deliciously good! I could not put this novella down, I kept wanting to read more of the hoops that Emory was going to put Draco through, but that man continued to persist and remained consistent on reassuring her of his love despite the past. This is the kind of man you want in real life by your side, you better find you a Draco aka Drake Davenport.
🤎I am an absolute sucker for Black love especially when the FMC is being loved and pursued correctly. This novella speaks on real life issues focused around love and the circumstances that happens when life intervenes and we give up. Imperfect love can be flawless and you can find yourself back in the arms of the person that you want, if it's meant to be!
What if you were destined to be with a ball player and you started from the bottom with each other, what if you fell in love with your brother's best friend, what would it take for you to forgive an act so hurtful for that man to win your heart again, would you let him back into your heart & your life, would you continue to push him away and out of your life for good, what if he popped up out of the blue because he kept his word, would you accept his proposal and apology, would you let him comeback to you in more ways than one? If you are curious of the answers to any of these questions, you should read MINE by Talena Tillman, available on Kindle Unlimited.
Tropes: 2nd Chance at love, Black Love, Reality collides with dreams/fairytales
Everyone knows I love a good second chance at love story. But when this book was recommended to me by amazon I was skeptical to say the least. But after reading the synopsis and 1 review I KNEW I had to read this book. And let me tell you. This book went way beyond my expectations. Author Talena Tillman took me on an emotional journey of 2 friends who became each others life support until a tragedy that led to a betrayal which ended in heartbreak and eventually a breakup. Draco and Emory in every way possible are each others lifeline. But Emory is stuck in the past and cannot forgive forget what Draco did. Draco knows he messed up and is bound and determined to win his soulmate back by any means necessary. This storyline was deep, emotional, but also beautiful. Reading about this couples struggle to get to a place of forgiveness and understanding was amazing. I loved how raw Draco and Emory were when they both expressed their truths. But I loved how Draco stood in his mistakes and took ownership. As well as behind firm on how he felt about the past. This is a book I can read over and over again. It's a beautiful reconnection love story. This couple never fell out of love. They just needed to find their way back to each other. And can I say that house was gorgeous!! I highly recommend the book. You will not be disappointed one bit. Definitely a new fan here!
This story em and Draco have hey been together since they was teenagers Em was Draco’s safe haven due to the fact he group up struggling with a mom that wasn’t present in his life because she was doing her. EM was Draco’s best friend little sister so he knew he couldn’t really step to her like he wanted but you can’t help who you fall in love with. They used to sneak around intel Draco mom Ms. Kim told him that he needed to tell Trey what was going on they that’s when they relationship really took off. Within the few years of them dating Em fell pregnant but ended up losing the baby in her second trimester but they never told anyone but it caused Em to fall into deep depression which also hurt they relationship long story short they ended up breaking up but Draco knew deep down that he loved her and 3 years after they broke up he showed up and showed out because he was going to get his girl back by any means necessary. What would you do if the man you loved since your teens came back into your life and asked for your hands would you say yes and forgive him or no?? FAVORITE QUOTE ““I know that shit. A nigga love you just the same. I’m forever indebted to you. Anytime I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders, you made it all better, ma. A lot of times, I don’t know why you even love me. I’m a host of imperfections, and yet, you always manage to see past that. Always saw potential in all my flaws.”
🫧TROPES🫧 •SECOND CHANCE •BROTHER BESR FRIEND •PREGNANCY LOSS •FRIENDS TO LOVERS
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Very quick read since it is a novelette. The story was very simple as Talena said in her author’s note at the beginning. Emory just graduated and her “ex” Draco shows up just like he said he would but finds another guy also at her graduation taking his spot. In the short span (I assume a few days) Draco, a star NBA player, has come back to get Emory back. His one true love and the only one he wants to spend the rest of his life with. But they have a strain in their relationship when depression, cheating, and a miscarriage threaten what they once had. I liked that it was a quick read and take on a second chance at love. Draco meant what he said when he said he would give Emory the world and his efforts in the short span show so. Emory also knows her one and true love is also Draco but having been hurt she can’t just forgive and forget. In the end the true test is love and if it can stand the test of time regardless of the good and bad the two went through.
This is a really good short story. Even so you don’t feel robbed by the story. Nothing was left out and you were able to understand and feel the story. You still are wanting more but it’s not an unfinished story. The characters are strong minded and determined I love that in a couple and a love story. The hold that love has and keeps you grounded is funny. This book make you see that we are all living the same life to an extent. I’m glad it ended on a happy note and that the second part is come I got them both together glad I didn’t. Couldn’t put it down. Finished by the time we got off the plane for vacation. I like the way the author allowed the story to unfold. I would love if this could added to or both books be extended into a longer third book but still keeping with the same energy as this book.
3.5 ⭐️ “our love is meant to be, the shit is written in the stars. you don’t need to search for someone else.”
this was a cute little second chance romance read, finished it in less than 2 hours 🤭. although it’s a short story, we do get a good amount of background about emory and draco.
it was short and sweet, i lowkey wish it was a little longer lol. you can tell they both had a immense amount of love for each other, that never changed even when they split.
and although the reason they broke up was definitely valid & understandable, i definitely think draco made up for it x10. he gon have emory spoiled living the life she wanted for both of them.
i would definitely recommend this book! and i’m for sure gonna check out other books by this author. i love reading books about black love and black excellence.
3.75 ⭐️ - this was a good read. I enjoyed the story line a little bit later into the story as it took a while to find out the reason why Emory was so much heartbroken & I didn’t like that.
However, the determination from Draco to win her back was nice, however he played it out by buying her gifts, he did later accept that he made a mistake. I also didn’t like the fact that Emory made it clear that they needed to talk and he thought it was okay to propose to her thinking everything was okay - and personally I think she felt guilt and wanted cover his pride by accepting it even though at the time she knew she wasn’t actually ready for that.
Can we talk about how communication and keeping people out of your business is a healthy recipe for a good relationship. This is a second chance romance that follows Emory and Draco. Emory is graduating from college, Draco has been drafted to the NBA. Both were in the trenches together since their teenage years. Draco messed up but was destined to get his girl back and wasn’t letting no peon come in between what they had. They communicated, both took accountability, apologized, mutually forgave each other, promised changed behavior and moved on. You can’t ask for anything healthier than that. It was whimsical, spicy and I loved it!