Reason Alexander seems to have everything he wants in life - money, power, and a beautiful family that he cherishes. However, when an unforeseen accident lands him temporarily paralyzed, Reason is forced to relearn everything he once knew. Feeling the pressures of life as he attempts to acclimate his new normal, Reason begins falling into depression. When he is referred to a physical therapist by the name of Serenity Jones, he is shown just how strong he is. As they work together to overcome the obstacles that were thrown his way, Reason finds himself forming a bond that will not easily be broken.
No MMC/FMC MISCOMMUNICATION. NO PREGNANCY AFTER 1 NIGHT 💚 FINALLY A FMC THAT STANDS ON BIG BUSINESS ABT HER MMC. Serenity didn’t fold even when they were in the thick of it. Most fmc would have ran and ignored the mmc when they saw ace or when Reason suited up on his all black. BUT SERENITY SAID THEY ARE LOCKED IN! Officially my favorite FMC. May every YN find a Serenity.
Reason has the best character development I’ve read in a long time. Page 1 I thought Reason was wild & Ace kept him grounded. Then a few pages later Ace had my blood boiling! And when it wasn’t Ace it was Kehlani & Tori.. Ace had be ready to get Capones Desert Eagle and meet him outside. Then get the Infernos to handle the 2 friends. They had me irrationally mad. I was smoking markers like Menace Caselli. Serenity brought out a calmness in Reason I loved his inner dialogue about her. & then that made me more mad that his guard was down because he was in a healing space and EVERYBODY A OPP? Loved Scotland down! Her budding relationship with Reason was so warm and fuzzy. I loved that Serenity was calmness & strength for Reason. She was pressure fr!
I think it needed more pages because it never actually went into Reason being in the streets. At a few points in the book I thought he quit being in the streets. What happened to Kilo and Chrome?
From jump I felt like Kehlani was the gold digging heaux Peaches pegged her to be and she was that and so much more. She was a trifling heaux who did the ultimate no no. Poor Easton💔
Ace was the friend your moms always warned you about hanging with but you had to learn the hard way why she said the things she said. That motherfudgesicklestix gave a whole new meaning to backstabbing. Ain’t nothing worse than a 🥷 who refuses to earn the things he wants in life. He was really out there pretending to be that 🥷 when he wasn’t ish. The ish him and Kehlani pulled got them the karma they both deserved🤷🏽♀️
Reason wasn’t perfect but he was loyal to a fault. He was loving, nurturing and gave without expecting anything but loyalty in return. The accident changed life as he knew it and showed him that the people in his circle weren’t who they portrayed themselves to be and betrayed him in the worst way possible. My heart broke for him when all the deceit was revealed, especially when his mom Preaches was killed 💔😢
Serenity 🥰. A physical therapist who came into Reasons life at a time when he needed someone to remind him that his life still has meaning. She’s dealing with her own demons so she knew first hand what it felt like to be thrown a curveball and the feeling of wanting to give up.
These two developed a friendship that turned into a love neither saw coming. They truly helped each other heal and restored their spirits and confidence in love. In the end he got his son back gained a bonus daughter and found true unconditional love🤎
Maaaaaan! It be the ones closest to you that are the grimiest! 😤 After Reason's accident, those in his inner circle really started to show their true colors. Kalahni's whining, money hungry ass wouldn't stop complaining. This is your man that is hurt, and you don't want to help him. The man who makes sure you want for nothing, and this is what you do? Yep, Peaches was right about you all along. 👀 Ace seemed to be solid, but he began to move funny, and with all that Reason had going on, he didn't pick up on it.
When it seemed that Reason wasn't getting any better, everyone's skeletons started tumbling out of the closet. All looking for a come up, besides Peaches who just wanted some young D. 🤣 Reason is none the wiser of all the manipulation and backstabbing going on behind closed doors. On the flip side, Serenity is the ray of sunshine for Reason. She believes in him and pushes him to succeed in his healing journey. Her holistic treatments are healing him faster than anyone expected, and he could not be more pleased. Happy that Reason found the love that he truly desired, with a woman who really cared for him. Also, Serenity's heart was opened when she never believed she would love again.
I could not believe the lengths that Ace would go to get his way! Ughhh.... 🤬 But Tori really surprised me in a big way with her actions. So, Kilo just forgot he was out for blood? It was never addressed nor was he mentioned again in the story again. Hmmm...
#weaksauceSetting This one had a slightly different setup but didn't really follow through on the gangsta MMC. Everything felt soft and tepia. None of this was really street. It lacked grit. It didn't hit very hard. It lacked all the realism because of it. Why was the setting Detroit? It added nothing to the story. Which is why this would be good for someone wanting Urban Romance but lite. The setting in Detroit intrigued me. A temporarily paralyzed Gangsta was intriguing.
#weaksauceGangstas Peaches and Reason just didn't make reasonable choices that called to them being street smart or proficient. They werent just humanisticly flawed. They were bad at their job. They didn't do things that a seasoned street millionaire would do. Their mindset didn't seem to reflect their chosen profession. So all of that left me a little "eh" with the story. The different setup is why I finished to the end, but for a novella, I expected more laser focus.
#weaksauceRomance Romance is trepid because the first half is spent settling up the story. The multiple povs switch off frequently in the book, even within the paragraph was a lot. Serenity felt rushed as a character.
Overall: Writing quality isn't a problem but story mechanics was. Interested to see how other works by this author go down I just know to adjust for a frothier version of hood/street/gangsta shenanigans.
Another book that had potential summary but executed poorly.
There was nothing Gangsta about Reason or his mom. How she one of the biggest queen pin but was moving like a regular degular??? Their characters should have been more hood/gangsta. And for as big as Peaches title was her & her son didn’t have Secruity??? & they didn’t give smart to me. After what happen to Peaches, Reason should have been on his taking over shi***T immediately. Also he should have peep Ace disloyalty from a mile away. Reason didn’t show me he cared at all about taking over.
Too much was going on with Ace for it to be believable. Like yes this a book but sheesh lets sprinkle a bit of normal. The mom, girlfriend??? & the girlfriend best friend??? & even how Ace handled Tori was not gangsta. She knew too much and he just let her be with all his secrets???
Book spent half the time building up the story that Reason & Serenity felt forced & their relationship became second hand to everything that was going on with Ace. Reason felt like the second hand character compared to Ace. Them getting together was boring.
Reason did not give me BDE, nor did he give me unhinged. Barely gave gangsta. Chile,
And what happen to Chrome & kilo????
I hated how Tori treated Kaylahni even though she was trash. Kaylahni did not know about Tori relationship. Tori should have handled that differently. I wanted Kaylahni to be broke but whatever.
3.5 This was my first read by this author, and I truly enjoyed it! The character development was well done, and the pacing of the first half of the story kept me fully engaged—I was eager to see how the betrayal would unfold.
I also appreciated the way the relationship between Serenity and Reason was handled. Keeping their connection mostly pure until the very end was a thoughtful choice, allowing them to establish a solid foundation and honest communication before taking things further.
My reasoning for the rating is that I felt it needed a little bit more tension maybe. I’m not sure. I’ll have to sit with it and think about it. This review is directly after me reading it so these were my first thoughts.
While the last few chapters felt a bit rushed, the story still came together nicely. Overall, I really enjoyed the author’s storytelling style and will definitely be exploring more of her work!
Keep the grass cut because there is always a 🐍 lurking!
This book reminded me of a tubi movie script. It had all the feels of a tubi movie, and I love tubi movies. That darn Ace needed to be handled in advance. There should not have been a delay in his death. He schemed, plot, and had a hit out on his best friend. Yup, he needed to be done up expeditiously. I smiled with Reasons' whole storyline. The struggle of getting his mobility back, experiencing a woman who truly believed in his capabilities, and a woman who loved him unconditionally.
Easton mother got what she deserved. This is only because she did Reason wrong, and she laid in bed with a dirty dog that laid pipe wherever he could.
Poor Peach shouldn't have gone out like that. She also shouldn't have been sleeping with that little boy.
All in all, this was a very good read. It was a short book with some twists and turns. 3.5 🌟 Go read it.
Whew! Kyiris Ashley did what needed to be done with this one! Healing the Heart of a Detroit Gangsta had me locked in from start to finish. This wasn’t just a love story; it was a raw, emotional, and deeply satisfying journey of healing, redemption, and unexpected romance.
Let’s talk about Reason Alexander. This man had it all money, power, and the respect that comes with being at the top. But when life knocks him down, literally, he’s forced to relearn everything, including what it means to truly love and be loved. I loved watching his transformation. He started off guarded, frustrated, and battling depression, but baby, when Serenity stepped in? Whew, the chemistry was undeniable!
And Serenity Jones? A queen in every sense! She was patient, strong, and exactly what Reason needed, even when he didn’t know it yet. I adored how their relationship evolved from professional to soul-deep connection. She saw past his scars and his past, and let me tell you, their journey to love was intimate, deep, and so well-written.
But what really had me turning the pages? The little secrets. This book had twists that caught me off guard, moments that had me screaming, and emotional punches that hit hard. The character development? Flawless. The tension? Perfectly paced. And the romance? A slow burn that left me fully satisfied.
This standalone was everything I needed juicy, engaging, and full of heart. If you love a story where the characters fight for their love, overcome real-life struggles, and come out stronger together, this is IT!
🔥 5/5 stars! Highly recommend for urban romance lovers who need that perfect mix of love, growth, and drama.
Serenity was sent to Reason for a reason. She not only helped him recover from the accident he endured but also with the loose of the one’s he loved as well. I loved the one part of the book when Reason had to tell Serenity what he really does for a living and how Serenity accepted it. Now what Tori did to Kalanai was wrong, I wish she would have realized it was Ace all along lying to a lot of women really. But hey in the end at least Reason got Easton back. I’ll definitely check out more reads from this author because this was my first read from her and I actually enjoyed the book!
Reason was surrounded by so many secrets and snakes....
Being that his mom was supposed to be Queen Pin of the streets she should have paid more attention then on top of it when she started to see what was happening should have told ... Her son no matter what.. Also shame of her having sex Ace in the first place....
Tori played game sick one too ...She feel for the same all of them did so did Kahalina didn't know that Ace was lying to everyone including her yeah he maybe did love her but he also played with Tori heart to...
Ace got his in the end though...
But Tori got away...
Serenity is what Reason needed and now he got his family....
Aww, this was such a sweet story. Now don't get me wrong because there was some shady shiggity going on. Ace was as low down as they come. Dude was banging Reason's mama and his woman. He was also banging her Bestie. Then, on top of that, he wanted to take over Reason's mama Peaches organization. Just grimy.
But there is nothing like a woman scorned. Tori didn't take any shorts. She put Reason up on game so he could handle Ace and she handled Kalahani. Serenity was Reason's saving grace. She healed him just as he healed her.
This was a beautiful story about love, healing, and redemption.
This was my first read Kyoto’s Ashley it was a lot going on momma Peaches 🍑 was that woman but Ace had other plans for the women connected to Reason he was trash but Tori got her revenge the ending seemed rushed but I don’t understand why it was never touched on him going back to the grind after everything went down and why did Ace kill Woo just have some questions
I love the journey Serenity & Reason had to go through to heal their heart. Reason went through the most. His mother was the only real person in his circle. You never know who is really in your corner. Serenity was the perfect match for him. I am glad he allowed her to come into his life . The healing process was great. He got to raise a son that he had all his son life and gain a bonus daughter and family.
Well dang….the playahs got played‼️Now that’s how you define the genre contemporary urban literary drama 🎭 & urban romance 🎤🔥‼️”Healing The Heart of a Detroit Gangsta: An Urban Romance Novel (Serenity & Reason) - Book 1” was an excellent read. However, inquiring minds (okay, 🙋🏾♀️me again🤭) want to know the genesis to the Detroit gansta saga & the games people play in these urban streetz 🫣🧐. Hopefully, book two will provide levity.
This was a my first read from this author. It was a good read !! This book show you that you can never fully trust your closest friends. Ace and Kalahni had what was coming to them and I’m happy Reason got his happily ever after with Serenity!! Also RIP mama Peaches. I would recommend anyone to read this !!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I’m happy Reason got his happily ever after. Tori was trash. How was Kalahni supposed to know she was also messing with Ace. Ace definitely got what he deserved. I feel a lot was left unsaid. What happened to Tori’s cousins???
Everybody played in Reason face, even his mama. That’s it that’s all, but no this was a great read Reason was a stand up guy and everyone he trusted did him dirty.