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Clipped Wings #3
Fractures in Ink
Sometimes the things we shouldn't want become exactly what we need...
Waitressing at a seedy strip club isn't ideal, but it pays Sarah Adamson's tuition. Her goal is to finish her master's program and get a job that doesn't involve tight skirts and groping hands. She doesn't need distractions. Especially not the one that comes in the form of a hot-as-sin tattoo artist who works across the street from her apartment.
Kicked out at sixteen, and a high school dropout, Chris Zelter is familiar with wanting things he can't have. His fractured life has never been easy. As the product of someone else's bad decisions, he knows exactly what happens when the wrong person controls your marionette strings. Now an accomplished tattoo artist in a renowned studio in Chicago, Chris has it together.
Mostly.
Apart from his infatuation with Sarah. She's way out of his league, and Chris knows it.
But he's willing to be her bad decision. At least for now.
Waitressing at a seedy strip club isn't ideal, but it pays Sarah Adamson's tuition. Her goal is to finish her master's program and get a job that doesn't involve tight skirts and groping hands. She doesn't need distractions. Especially not the one that comes in the form of a hot-as-sin tattoo artist who works across the street from her apartment.
Kicked out at sixteen, and a high school dropout, Chris Zelter is familiar with wanting things he can't have. His fractured life has never been easy. As the product of someone else's bad decisions, he knows exactly what happens when the wrong person controls your marionette strings. Now an accomplished tattoo artist in a renowned studio in Chicago, Chris has it together.
Mostly.
Apart from his infatuation with Sarah. She's way out of his league, and Chris knows it.
But he's willing to be her bad decision. At least for now.
ebook
First published November 14, 2016
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About the author
Helena Hunting
78 books26.4k followersHelena Hunting is the author of The USA Today and NYT bestselling PUCKED Series. She lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes everything from romantic sports comedy to new adult angst.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 396 reviews
November 15, 2016
Fractures in Ink is the 3rd full book in the Clipped Wings series by Helena Hunting, but don't let that 3rd scare you away! This book can definitely be read as a standalone, but I can't recommend the previous books in this series enough...you won't be sorry if you go back and read them as well, you'll fall in love with the whole Inked Armor crew.
Chris and Sarah's story is so emotional, so raw and gritty, so real. I knew going in to expect all the angst and heartache, but I was overwhelmed with how deeply I ended up caring about these 2 flawed and broken characters.
Chris completely captured my heart. His pain and feelings of inadequacy tore at me.
"I was used to not getting what I wanted. Over the years it had been a pretty common occurrence. Anything remotely good in my life was fairly fleeting..."
"I don't really think I'm good for anyone, so it's probably better this way."
He's so tortured but he has the biggest heart and is so deserving to have all the love and happiness in the world.
Sarah will tug at your heartstrings. She's doing her damndest to make the best of a not-so-ideal situation, but at times it all just gets the best of her.
"People like us always had to fight to feel worthy of the things we weren't sure we deserved."
.
Helena has written these characters so beautifully, she's given them so much life and such heart. I was completely enthralled through this entire book- I was rooting for Chris and Sarah to work things out, to realize they were just what the other needed, to see that they both deserved to be happy, no matter what their pasts led them to believe. Fractures in Ink is full of so much pain and heartache, but it's hopeful and beautiful, and just completely breathtaking.
*Copy received and reviewed for The Book Enthusiast.
November 15, 2016
Book Review: 5+++ Stars
Before I started reading like a maniac, I used to be pretty open to any genre and topic in books, but after 100+ books, I’ve set a target, and also discovered I have some hard limits in books that has even caused me to stop reading some great authors because the topic of their books is something I just don't feel like reading anymore. Anyway, despite I know for sure #RomCom + #Erotica is my favorite topic of them all, sometimes I get out of my comfort zone and read some angsty books but I pretty much avoid them. I usually end up so invested in them, crying like a baby, with a huge book hangover and with my heart broken in a million pieces. You must be wondering why I’m saying all this? Well, because this book is the kind of book I would usually avoid, it’s full of angst, I was fully invested with both main characters, my heart was aching with and for both of them and for sure I’ll have a book hangover for a few weeks—I hope I can still read while I’m a funk, otherwise I’m screwed. But you know what? If that happens to me, I don’t care, it’s 100% worth it. Chris and Sarah’s story was so beautiful and heartbreaking that I wish I could know them in real life and hug the hell out of them. I’m so proud of them, because they rose above everything, they didn’t give up, they fought and won!
Fractures in Ink is a spinoff of Clipped Wings & Inked Armour. There were 2 novellas about Chris and Sarah, Between the Cracks and Cracks in the Armor, which I totally loved, but they have the problem that all novellas have: they were too short and Chris and Sarah totally deserved their full length novel, and finally it happened!!
So this book is featured a few months after Inked Armour finished. Sarah got a new job because her old bosses were now rotting in jail and despite it was the same kind of job—waitressing tables in a stripclub—, she decided to stay there because she was about to finish her master and she would be able to get a better job and start a new life. But the new boss was worse than the old ones and she ended up in a huge trouble, and sadly she kept everything from Chris. Sarah wasn’t the only one keeping things hidden, because Chris had a huge drama in his family that he didn’t want to share with Sarah, mainly because he didn’t feel worthy of her and he thought if he shared his problems with her, she would run away from him.
The story begins with a huge drama, heartbreak and all, and there is a lot of drama in between, and mostly at the end. I cried and sighed and cried even more. i felt relieved when they finally talked their hearts out, but the heartache was bigger and I ended up crying even more. This book was so difficult for me to read, it has so many topics that are hard limits for me—not telling which ones because it’d be spoilers and you all know I don’t give spoilers in my reviews—but the beautiful writing of Helena’s and my love for this characters gave me strength to finish it, and here I am with a huge book hangover wanting to read it all over again, because this is definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year.
Now, you go, get a copy of this book and read it, live it, feel it. You’ll love it. I know.
The last thing I have to say is that this book is...
Before I started reading like a maniac, I used to be pretty open to any genre and topic in books, but after 100+ books, I’ve set a target, and also discovered I have some hard limits in books that has even caused me to stop reading some great authors because the topic of their books is something I just don't feel like reading anymore. Anyway, despite I know for sure #RomCom + #Erotica is my favorite topic of them all, sometimes I get out of my comfort zone and read some angsty books but I pretty much avoid them. I usually end up so invested in them, crying like a baby, with a huge book hangover and with my heart broken in a million pieces. You must be wondering why I’m saying all this? Well, because this book is the kind of book I would usually avoid, it’s full of angst, I was fully invested with both main characters, my heart was aching with and for both of them and for sure I’ll have a book hangover for a few weeks—I hope I can still read while I’m a funk, otherwise I’m screwed. But you know what? If that happens to me, I don’t care, it’s 100% worth it. Chris and Sarah’s story was so beautiful and heartbreaking that I wish I could know them in real life and hug the hell out of them. I’m so proud of them, because they rose above everything, they didn’t give up, they fought and won!
Fractures in Ink is a spinoff of Clipped Wings & Inked Armour. There were 2 novellas about Chris and Sarah, Between the Cracks and Cracks in the Armor, which I totally loved, but they have the problem that all novellas have: they were too short and Chris and Sarah totally deserved their full length novel, and finally it happened!!
So this book is featured a few months after Inked Armour finished. Sarah got a new job because her old bosses were now rotting in jail and despite it was the same kind of job—waitressing tables in a stripclub—, she decided to stay there because she was about to finish her master and she would be able to get a better job and start a new life. But the new boss was worse than the old ones and she ended up in a huge trouble, and sadly she kept everything from Chris. Sarah wasn’t the only one keeping things hidden, because Chris had a huge drama in his family that he didn’t want to share with Sarah, mainly because he didn’t feel worthy of her and he thought if he shared his problems with her, she would run away from him.
The story begins with a huge drama, heartbreak and all, and there is a lot of drama in between, and mostly at the end. I cried and sighed and cried even more. i felt relieved when they finally talked their hearts out, but the heartache was bigger and I ended up crying even more. This book was so difficult for me to read, it has so many topics that are hard limits for me—not telling which ones because it’d be spoilers and you all know I don’t give spoilers in my reviews—but the beautiful writing of Helena’s and my love for this characters gave me strength to finish it, and here I am with a huge book hangover wanting to read it all over again, because this is definitely one of the best books I’ve read this year.
Now, you go, get a copy of this book and read it, live it, feel it. You’ll love it. I know.
The last thing I have to say is that this book is...
November 15, 2016
OMG! I don’t know what to feel right now. Lack of sleep can be one of the causes but I don’t think it is the reason. Helena Hunting did it again. It was a great story and I couldn’t put it down until it was done. All day yesterday I was looking forward to get off work and start reading ‘Fractures in Ink’ and when I start reading it, I couldn’t stop until I was done, which is why I only slept for two hours.
Was it smart to go to work after 2 hours of sleep? - Not really.
Was it worth it? - Hell YES!!!
First series I read by Helena Hunting was ‘Pucked’ and I loved it. ‘Clipped Wings’ was in my to-read list for a while but somehow I didn’t start reading it until ‘Get Inked’ was published. I am kind of glad that I didn’t start reading it before because I am not a patient person and even waiting two months (It is not even whole two months) for‘Fractures in Ink’ was hard enough for me :) That is the reason I usually wait for the whole series to be completed before I start reading so I don’t have to wait :)
I loved and really enjoyed reading Hayden and Tenley’s story but I think Chris and Sarah is my favorite couple in the series. Their story was beautiful and heartbreaking. Chris and Sarah both had tough life but I loved how they overcame every bad thing they faced in their lives and didn’t give up.
Chris is a very talented tattoo artist. His mom kicked him out when he was sixteen. Even though it took him couple of years, he took control of his life and established a decent living for himself. What broke my heart the most is he always thinks that every bad thing happens because of him and he truly believed he is unworthy of happiness and good things in life. But he is soooooo wrong. He is a good man and he will do anything to protect the ones he loves and cares for. He tries his best to help his mom and sister. After the things his mother made him go through, his mother DOES NOT deserve anything, but he is still there for her every time she needs him.
Sarah is beautiful and smart. Underneath her tough exterior, she is vulnerable, loving and soft. If you already read ‘Clipped Wings’, you already know that Sarah is getting her masters and in order to pay her school, she is working as a waitress in a strip club. She used to work at Dollhouse, which was closed down. Even though she hates her waitressing job because of the money she makes, she decides to start working in another stripped club named The Sanctuary. At the beginning everything seems better but after a while she finds herself in a huge trouble.
They both think they aren't good enough for one another and because they are afraid that if they share their troubles with each other, they will end up alone, so they hold back all the troubles they are facing. But once they overcome their fears and everything comes out in the open, they realize they are perfect for each other.
I know this review does not make justice for this great book but I really hate ruining the book for the ones who hasn't read it yet, so this is the best I can do. Helena Hunting is a great writer and I love her style. This book was so worth the wait and a sleepless night. It is one of the best books, I read in 2016. It is written from dual POV so you get the see the inner struggles of both Sarah and Chris. You can also read it as a standalone but I totally recommend you to read the other books from the series.
I also hope that this book is not the last one in the series. I would love to read Chris’s sister Ivy’s and Dee and Grant’s story.
Would I recommend this book: Yes.
Would I re-read this book: Definitely.
Would I read future books by this author: Yes.
The review was originally posted on: https://miathebookaddict.wordpress.com/
Was it smart to go to work after 2 hours of sleep? - Not really.
Was it worth it? - Hell YES!!!
First series I read by Helena Hunting was ‘Pucked’ and I loved it. ‘Clipped Wings’ was in my to-read list for a while but somehow I didn’t start reading it until ‘Get Inked’ was published. I am kind of glad that I didn’t start reading it before because I am not a patient person and even waiting two months (It is not even whole two months) for‘Fractures in Ink’ was hard enough for me :) That is the reason I usually wait for the whole series to be completed before I start reading so I don’t have to wait :)
I loved and really enjoyed reading Hayden and Tenley’s story but I think Chris and Sarah is my favorite couple in the series. Their story was beautiful and heartbreaking. Chris and Sarah both had tough life but I loved how they overcame every bad thing they faced in their lives and didn’t give up.
Chris is a very talented tattoo artist. His mom kicked him out when he was sixteen. Even though it took him couple of years, he took control of his life and established a decent living for himself. What broke my heart the most is he always thinks that every bad thing happens because of him and he truly believed he is unworthy of happiness and good things in life. But he is soooooo wrong. He is a good man and he will do anything to protect the ones he loves and cares for. He tries his best to help his mom and sister. After the things his mother made him go through, his mother DOES NOT deserve anything, but he is still there for her every time she needs him.
Sarah is beautiful and smart. Underneath her tough exterior, she is vulnerable, loving and soft. If you already read ‘Clipped Wings’, you already know that Sarah is getting her masters and in order to pay her school, she is working as a waitress in a strip club. She used to work at Dollhouse, which was closed down. Even though she hates her waitressing job because of the money she makes, she decides to start working in another stripped club named The Sanctuary. At the beginning everything seems better but after a while she finds herself in a huge trouble.
They both think they aren't good enough for one another and because they are afraid that if they share their troubles with each other, they will end up alone, so they hold back all the troubles they are facing. But once they overcome their fears and everything comes out in the open, they realize they are perfect for each other.
I know this review does not make justice for this great book but I really hate ruining the book for the ones who hasn't read it yet, so this is the best I can do. Helena Hunting is a great writer and I love her style. This book was so worth the wait and a sleepless night. It is one of the best books, I read in 2016. It is written from dual POV so you get the see the inner struggles of both Sarah and Chris. You can also read it as a standalone but I totally recommend you to read the other books from the series.
I also hope that this book is not the last one in the series. I would love to read Chris’s sister Ivy’s and Dee and Grant’s story.
Would I recommend this book: Yes.
Would I re-read this book: Definitely.
Would I read future books by this author: Yes.
The review was originally posted on: https://miathebookaddict.wordpress.com/
November 14, 2016
This is my first book I have read by Helena Hunting. I freaking loved Fractures in Ink. Helena knows what she is doing when she writes. She can convey the emotion that these characters go through on each page of this book. No kidding, Fractured of Ink had my heart pounding, my blood flowing, and temperature rising! This was all hands down a beautiful story of two damaged souls. Two people that think they are too broken to be with each other. Two people that hurt each other time and time again thinking that they are protecting each other. Bull! I was yelling at the book to try to get through these two. They are bull headed, but have very strong personalities. They protect those that they love. So who am I talking about?
Chris is the sexy tattoo artist. He owns a shop with his best friend Tenley. Chris is a tattooed bad ass. No one gives him shit, or else. But for the ones he loves, well he is kind of a softy. Shhhh don’t tell anyone. He needs to keep up with his reputation after all. But on the real side he is a big tattooed cuddly bear that wants to protect and take care of those he cares for. He was brought up from a rough childhood that he does not wish upon anyone.
Sarah is dating Chris. She has been for awhile, but has a past that has broken her as well. To protect herself from further heartbreak, she keeps her walls up. She will not tell you her secrets and makes sure your get her at bare minimum. Sarah has come to find out that her decisions to make a better life for herself, may have been the mistake after all.
This story captured me. Two souls seeking the one thing they need the most, LOVE!. The only problem is that will Chris and Sarah ever realize that what they need and long for is staring right in their face. There is major drama in this story. I had to hold my breath a time or two hoping for the best to overcome at the end. Argh!!! Read this book. I can not recommend it enough.
Chris is the sexy tattoo artist. He owns a shop with his best friend Tenley. Chris is a tattooed bad ass. No one gives him shit, or else. But for the ones he loves, well he is kind of a softy. Shhhh don’t tell anyone. He needs to keep up with his reputation after all. But on the real side he is a big tattooed cuddly bear that wants to protect and take care of those he cares for. He was brought up from a rough childhood that he does not wish upon anyone.
Sarah is dating Chris. She has been for awhile, but has a past that has broken her as well. To protect herself from further heartbreak, she keeps her walls up. She will not tell you her secrets and makes sure your get her at bare minimum. Sarah has come to find out that her decisions to make a better life for herself, may have been the mistake after all.
This story captured me. Two souls seeking the one thing they need the most, LOVE!. The only problem is that will Chris and Sarah ever realize that what they need and long for is staring right in their face. There is major drama in this story. I had to hold my breath a time or two hoping for the best to overcome at the end. Argh!!! Read this book. I can not recommend it enough.
November 6, 2016
I pretty much had heart palpitations through this entire read, but it was SO WORTH IT! Be prepared to WORK for a happily ever after you will never forget!
First, let me remind you of what a HUGE fan I am of Helena Hunting. I mean, she's my spirit animal for god's sakes, but something about her latest release hit a cord with me and I don't think there's ever going back. She has been warning her readers that this was an angst-filled romance and I expected no less from this series, but my GOD, did it just take my breath away! FRACTURES IN INK was one of the most powerful, honest, and raw romances that Hunting has ever written, HANDS DOWN! Recent fans of hers would be expecting laughs and a gut-busting good time, but this book is on a whole other level. Don't get me wrong, it's sexy as HELL, but the hilarity has been thrown out the window with this one, and I wouldn't have had it any other way.
If you are familiar with this series, than Sarah and Chris' story isn't brand new to you. But it doesn't mean that it will be less powerful or less emotional for you. Newbies to Helena or this series? Hey, that's okay, but where the HELL have you been? LOL! No, I'm kidding! It's completely okay for you to read this as a standalone, but beware because you will instantly become addicted to Hunting's flawless and beautiful writing.
I won't bore you with another run-down of the synopsis, but just be ready for a raw and emotional love that will tear your heart to pieces. There might be a point during the read, where you ask yourself, how can these two ever get to their happily ever after? But don't give up. It's coming. I promise you. Helena Hunting ALWAYS delivers, even if she makes you work for it.
I'll be honest with you and say that FRACTURES IN INK was simply unputdownable! There are absolutely NO stopping points in this read. So sit back, relax, and grab a couple of boxes of tissues and have a friend on standby to talk it out with you. This is a 'book hangover' worthy romance that will destroy you and make you whole again. It was a STUNNING and EMOTIONAL rollercoaster that I never wanted to get off of. Helena Hunting has shattered and mended my heart once again!
First, let me remind you of what a HUGE fan I am of Helena Hunting. I mean, she's my spirit animal for god's sakes, but something about her latest release hit a cord with me and I don't think there's ever going back. She has been warning her readers that this was an angst-filled romance and I expected no less from this series, but my GOD, did it just take my breath away! FRACTURES IN INK was one of the most powerful, honest, and raw romances that Hunting has ever written, HANDS DOWN! Recent fans of hers would be expecting laughs and a gut-busting good time, but this book is on a whole other level. Don't get me wrong, it's sexy as HELL, but the hilarity has been thrown out the window with this one, and I wouldn't have had it any other way.
If you are familiar with this series, than Sarah and Chris' story isn't brand new to you. But it doesn't mean that it will be less powerful or less emotional for you. Newbies to Helena or this series? Hey, that's okay, but where the HELL have you been? LOL! No, I'm kidding! It's completely okay for you to read this as a standalone, but beware because you will instantly become addicted to Hunting's flawless and beautiful writing.
I won't bore you with another run-down of the synopsis, but just be ready for a raw and emotional love that will tear your heart to pieces. There might be a point during the read, where you ask yourself, how can these two ever get to their happily ever after? But don't give up. It's coming. I promise you. Helena Hunting ALWAYS delivers, even if she makes you work for it.
I'll be honest with you and say that FRACTURES IN INK was simply unputdownable! There are absolutely NO stopping points in this read. So sit back, relax, and grab a couple of boxes of tissues and have a friend on standby to talk it out with you. This is a 'book hangover' worthy romance that will destroy you and make you whole again. It was a STUNNING and EMOTIONAL rollercoaster that I never wanted to get off of. Helena Hunting has shattered and mended my heart once again!
November 22, 2016
4-4.5 stars!
After reading the first two books in the Clipped Wings series, I have been patiently waiting for Chris and Sarah’s book. Chris is one of those side characters you love from the start and hope they get their own book. Well, we got lucky and Helena gave us his! Just an FYI, this book can be read as a stand-alone, but Hayden and Tenley’s story is one I wouldn’t want to miss out on so I highly recommend you read those some time as well if you haven’t already.
Chris Zelter is a tattoo artist at Inked Armor. He’s the fun, sweet, and lovable friend. Chris is a great person who had a rough start in life. He’s made something of himself and turned it around, though. He does his best to take care of his mom and sister, and he is in a relationship with Sarah. Sarah is a grad student who waitresses at a strip club. She is bound and determined to be different than her mom, who leaches off of rich men. She wants to make it on her own. If you’ve read the first two books in this series, you know how much work Chris put in to winning Sarah over and how tenacious he was. Now, Chris has got the girl. All should be right in the world. Right?
I wish I could tell you that Chris and Sarah have an easy path to their HEA. Lord knows Chris deserves that with all he’s been through, but they definitely have their obstacles to overcome. There are a few things both Chris and Sarah go though personally and a few things they must face together. I think the most important thing to take from their story is that taking on these hurdles together only makes you stronger as a couple.
Fractures in Ink is emotional, sexy and just angsty enough to keep you enamored with the story. Chris and Sarah are both lovable characters and their story is beautiful. If you love books with damaged characters, healing, and emotion, this is a series I highly recommend. I love Helena’s other books, but this series is much more my speed personally. I hope this isn’t the last of the series. After finding out more about Chris’s family and getting to know his sister, I would LOVE an Ivy book!
After reading the first two books in the Clipped Wings series, I have been patiently waiting for Chris and Sarah’s book. Chris is one of those side characters you love from the start and hope they get their own book. Well, we got lucky and Helena gave us his! Just an FYI, this book can be read as a stand-alone, but Hayden and Tenley’s story is one I wouldn’t want to miss out on so I highly recommend you read those some time as well if you haven’t already.
Chris Zelter is a tattoo artist at Inked Armor. He’s the fun, sweet, and lovable friend. Chris is a great person who had a rough start in life. He’s made something of himself and turned it around, though. He does his best to take care of his mom and sister, and he is in a relationship with Sarah. Sarah is a grad student who waitresses at a strip club. She is bound and determined to be different than her mom, who leaches off of rich men. She wants to make it on her own. If you’ve read the first two books in this series, you know how much work Chris put in to winning Sarah over and how tenacious he was. Now, Chris has got the girl. All should be right in the world. Right?
“I like that I can feel your heart.”
“It’s all yours, baby. All you have to do is want it enough to take it.”
I wish I could tell you that Chris and Sarah have an easy path to their HEA. Lord knows Chris deserves that with all he’s been through, but they definitely have their obstacles to overcome. There are a few things both Chris and Sarah go though personally and a few things they must face together. I think the most important thing to take from their story is that taking on these hurdles together only makes you stronger as a couple.
Separately, these struggles could break us down. But maybe if we could hold on to each other and figure them out together...we could stop the fractures from becoming too big and keep the cracks from forming fissures we couldn't repair.
Fractures in Ink is emotional, sexy and just angsty enough to keep you enamored with the story. Chris and Sarah are both lovable characters and their story is beautiful. If you love books with damaged characters, healing, and emotion, this is a series I highly recommend. I love Helena’s other books, but this series is much more my speed personally. I hope this isn’t the last of the series. After finding out more about Chris’s family and getting to know his sister, I would LOVE an Ivy book!
November 21, 2016
*****FOUR STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
”I like that I can feel your heart.”
“It’s all yours, baby. All you have to do is want it enough to take it.”
This was totally not what I am used to reading by the fabulous Helena Hunting. I have only read her PUCKED series and it is one of my all-time-favorite Sports Rom/Coms. Fractures in Ink was very gritty and dealt with characters who came from poverty and who have at one time or another battled with drug addiction and some people with dangerous criminal backgrounds. There weren’t any laugh out loud moments but what it does have is one pretty amazing Hero, who would do anything to protect his loved ones. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this book by the time I finished it, but I can now confirm that Ms. Hunting has some mad writing skills!! By the time all of the action starts to pick up…I was definitely hooked and couldn’t wait to see how it all would end for Chris and Sarah. Although this is the third book in the Clipped Wings series, I was able to follow along, which means it could be read as a standalone, but I definitely want to find some time to read the first two books as well.
Chris Zelter is one of the tattoo artists at Inked Armor. He’s made a name for himself and is a genuinely really good guy. That’s saying a lot because he wasn’t raised under the best of circumstances. His father left him at a pretty young age and his mother was seriously lacking in the maternal skills. When she gets involved with a new man and has another child with him, poor Chris ends up being physically and mentally abused by his stepfather while his mother withdraws completely from the situation. Eventually, Chris is thrown out of the house when he gets a little older and is able to beat the crap out of his abuser, and for a time he’s forbidden from having any contact with his little sister, Ivy. A few years later he inserts himself back into his sister’s and mother’s lives and tries to help out whenever he can since his deadbeat stepdad never seems to have any money to pay for food and bills.
The one bright spot in his life is his girlfriend, Sarah, although Chris seems to think that he’s not good enough for her and that their days are numbered. She’s enrolled in the Master’s program at Northwestern and has almost a full scholarship to pay for her education. Unfortunately, she too has had a less than stellar parental figure in her life. Her mother is basically a high priced call-girl/mistress. She was never a good role model for Sarah and actually suggests that she work part-time in a Strip club to help pay back some of her student loans. Sarah does end up taking a waitressing job at a local Strip Club and she’s been able to steer clear of the private parties and stripper pole, but her boss has been blackmailing her and unfortunately he helped her out of a jam which has left her indebted to him. Sarah fears for what her boss will want as payment and she foolishly keeps her troubles from Chris since she believes he would choose to break up with her if he found out about the mess she managed to get herself into.
The two lovers really could benefit from taking some lessons in communication. Both keep their insecurities about their relationship to themselves and also neither wants to divulge anything about their current worries because of their fears of abandonment. I found myself getting a little more than annoyed with them but then again, if they were to just open up to one another, the conflict would have ended quickly and the book would have been a novella instead. I get that we needed the unnecessary drama! But when the action starts to kick into high gear you couldn’t tear me away from the book!
FRACTURES IN INK is currently available!!
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2fLQnkW
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2b68yzb
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2bH1ugY
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2biix82
iBooks: http://apple.co/1swWcJ0
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2b8TKSg
Nook: http://bit.ly/2bsjqLD
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
”I like that I can feel your heart.”
“It’s all yours, baby. All you have to do is want it enough to take it.”
This was totally not what I am used to reading by the fabulous Helena Hunting. I have only read her PUCKED series and it is one of my all-time-favorite Sports Rom/Coms. Fractures in Ink was very gritty and dealt with characters who came from poverty and who have at one time or another battled with drug addiction and some people with dangerous criminal backgrounds. There weren’t any laugh out loud moments but what it does have is one pretty amazing Hero, who would do anything to protect his loved ones. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about this book by the time I finished it, but I can now confirm that Ms. Hunting has some mad writing skills!! By the time all of the action starts to pick up…I was definitely hooked and couldn’t wait to see how it all would end for Chris and Sarah. Although this is the third book in the Clipped Wings series, I was able to follow along, which means it could be read as a standalone, but I definitely want to find some time to read the first two books as well.
Chris Zelter is one of the tattoo artists at Inked Armor. He’s made a name for himself and is a genuinely really good guy. That’s saying a lot because he wasn’t raised under the best of circumstances. His father left him at a pretty young age and his mother was seriously lacking in the maternal skills. When she gets involved with a new man and has another child with him, poor Chris ends up being physically and mentally abused by his stepfather while his mother withdraws completely from the situation. Eventually, Chris is thrown out of the house when he gets a little older and is able to beat the crap out of his abuser, and for a time he’s forbidden from having any contact with his little sister, Ivy. A few years later he inserts himself back into his sister’s and mother’s lives and tries to help out whenever he can since his deadbeat stepdad never seems to have any money to pay for food and bills.
The one bright spot in his life is his girlfriend, Sarah, although Chris seems to think that he’s not good enough for her and that their days are numbered. She’s enrolled in the Master’s program at Northwestern and has almost a full scholarship to pay for her education. Unfortunately, she too has had a less than stellar parental figure in her life. Her mother is basically a high priced call-girl/mistress. She was never a good role model for Sarah and actually suggests that she work part-time in a Strip club to help pay back some of her student loans. Sarah does end up taking a waitressing job at a local Strip Club and she’s been able to steer clear of the private parties and stripper pole, but her boss has been blackmailing her and unfortunately he helped her out of a jam which has left her indebted to him. Sarah fears for what her boss will want as payment and she foolishly keeps her troubles from Chris since she believes he would choose to break up with her if he found out about the mess she managed to get herself into.
The two lovers really could benefit from taking some lessons in communication. Both keep their insecurities about their relationship to themselves and also neither wants to divulge anything about their current worries because of their fears of abandonment. I found myself getting a little more than annoyed with them but then again, if they were to just open up to one another, the conflict would have ended quickly and the book would have been a novella instead. I get that we needed the unnecessary drama! But when the action starts to kick into high gear you couldn’t tear me away from the book!
FRACTURES IN INK is currently available!!
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2fLQnkW
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/2b68yzb
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2bH1ugY
Amazon AU: http://amzn.to/2biix82
iBooks: http://apple.co/1swWcJ0
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2b8TKSg
Nook: http://bit.ly/2bsjqLD
November 5, 2016
Fractures in Ink
This book (Book 3 in the Clipped Wings series) CAN be read as a standalone.
Once again Helena Hunting has crushed every expectation I had for this book and I LOVE IT. She's an absolute writing genius and Fractures In Ink just proves that.
I'm truly thankful to have won an ARC for this masterpiece.
Book Description
Sometimes the things we shouldn't want become exactly what we need...
Waitressing at a seedy strip club isn't ideal, but it pays Sarah Adamson's tuition. Her goal is to finish her master's program and get a job that doesn't involve tight skirts and groping hands. She doesn't need distractions. Especially not the one that comes in the form of a hot-as-sin tattoo artist who works across the street from her apartment.
Kicked out at sixteen, and a high school dropout, Chris Zelter is familiar with wanting things he can't have. His fractured life has never been easy. As the product of someone else's bad decisions, he knows exactly what happens when the wrong person controls your marionette strings. Now an accomplished tattoo artist in a renowned studio in Chicago, Chris has it together.
Mostly.
Apart from his infatuation with Sarah. She's way out of his league, and Chris knows it.
But he's willing to be her bad decision. At least for now.
Chris is a tortured soul haunted by his past. Kicked out at just sixteen years old he went through some tough situations but managed to bring himself back and become one of the best tattoo artist's around.
Sarah needs tuition money and the only way see can see an out is by working at a seedy strip club as a waitress until the groping hands of disgusting men and the short, tight uniforms and her boss become too much.
When situations get out of hand will they be there for each other or will things get too much? You're gonna need to read this beauty to find out.
When I finished this read I was completely hooked on Chris and Sarah, their story wasn't all sunshine and roses, it was dark and painful but the ending is worth it all. The emotion that Chris and Sarah feel has you feeling like you're the one going through it all. The book is filled with raw emotion and an awful amount of pain for each character that has you loving them that much more than you already did, they haven't lived easy lives and it makes you feel deeply for them.
This book is all about the pain people feel when they can't see no escape and finally finding the light at the end of the tunnel by finding that one thing or person that makes everything seem better.
I'm truly amazed at how Helena can go from writing rom com's (The PUCKED series) to writing angst like this, the emotions she puts into her writing is incredible. I'm looking forward to reading her future work and hoping so hard chris and Sarah get another book hehe.
This book (Book 3 in the Clipped Wings series) CAN be read as a standalone.
Once again Helena Hunting has crushed every expectation I had for this book and I LOVE IT. She's an absolute writing genius and Fractures In Ink just proves that.
I'm truly thankful to have won an ARC for this masterpiece.
Book Description
Sometimes the things we shouldn't want become exactly what we need...
Waitressing at a seedy strip club isn't ideal, but it pays Sarah Adamson's tuition. Her goal is to finish her master's program and get a job that doesn't involve tight skirts and groping hands. She doesn't need distractions. Especially not the one that comes in the form of a hot-as-sin tattoo artist who works across the street from her apartment.
Kicked out at sixteen, and a high school dropout, Chris Zelter is familiar with wanting things he can't have. His fractured life has never been easy. As the product of someone else's bad decisions, he knows exactly what happens when the wrong person controls your marionette strings. Now an accomplished tattoo artist in a renowned studio in Chicago, Chris has it together.
Mostly.
Apart from his infatuation with Sarah. She's way out of his league, and Chris knows it.
But he's willing to be her bad decision. At least for now.
Chris is a tortured soul haunted by his past. Kicked out at just sixteen years old he went through some tough situations but managed to bring himself back and become one of the best tattoo artist's around.
Sarah needs tuition money and the only way see can see an out is by working at a seedy strip club as a waitress until the groping hands of disgusting men and the short, tight uniforms and her boss become too much.
When situations get out of hand will they be there for each other or will things get too much? You're gonna need to read this beauty to find out.
When I finished this read I was completely hooked on Chris and Sarah, their story wasn't all sunshine and roses, it was dark and painful but the ending is worth it all. The emotion that Chris and Sarah feel has you feeling like you're the one going through it all. The book is filled with raw emotion and an awful amount of pain for each character that has you loving them that much more than you already did, they haven't lived easy lives and it makes you feel deeply for them.
This book is all about the pain people feel when they can't see no escape and finally finding the light at the end of the tunnel by finding that one thing or person that makes everything seem better.
I'm truly amazed at how Helena can go from writing rom com's (The PUCKED series) to writing angst like this, the emotions she puts into her writing is incredible. I'm looking forward to reading her future work and hoping so hard chris and Sarah get another book hehe.
February 10, 2017
***arc graciously gifted by author***
(spoiler free review)
Fractures in Ink is book 3 in the Clipped Wings series but can absolutely be read as a standalone. I have not read the other books in this series so I was thrilled that Helena Hunting wrote it in a way that explained who all of the players were and how all of the pieces fit together. I never once felt lost which is not always the case when you jump into a series starting with book 3 so big kudos to Hunting for that! I was already a huge fan of hers from the Pucked series and The Librarian Principle. I got my first taste of the Inked Armour crew in the Pucked-Clipped Wings crossover Get Inked and the characters definitely peaked my interest so I was excited to read this book.
Fractures in Ink was not what I was expecting yet I loved every minute of it! It's emotionally raw, heartbreaking and achingly beautiful. It's about two damaged souls helping and healing each other while trying to escape the shadows of their past. There are disturbing situations that are alluded to (abuse, sex trafficking) however Hunting writes them with a delicate hand. As with all of Hunting's books, the story is exceptionally written and the details perfectly executed. The characters are so well developed that I felt like I truly knew them which connected me even more to the story. Of course we are talking about Helena Hunting so there are lots of super hot, sexy times to balance out the drama. Add in a sprinkling of danger and mystery and you have a well rounded story that will suck you right in and not release you until you get to the very last page. And, with a happily-for-now ending, it's satisfying and sweet.
Now, it's time for me to go back and read the first few books in the Clipped Wings series because I've obviously missed out on some fabulous books!
(spoiler free review)
Fractures in Ink is book 3 in the Clipped Wings series but can absolutely be read as a standalone. I have not read the other books in this series so I was thrilled that Helena Hunting wrote it in a way that explained who all of the players were and how all of the pieces fit together. I never once felt lost which is not always the case when you jump into a series starting with book 3 so big kudos to Hunting for that! I was already a huge fan of hers from the Pucked series and The Librarian Principle. I got my first taste of the Inked Armour crew in the Pucked-Clipped Wings crossover Get Inked and the characters definitely peaked my interest so I was excited to read this book.
Fractures in Ink was not what I was expecting yet I loved every minute of it! It's emotionally raw, heartbreaking and achingly beautiful. It's about two damaged souls helping and healing each other while trying to escape the shadows of their past. There are disturbing situations that are alluded to (abuse, sex trafficking) however Hunting writes them with a delicate hand. As with all of Hunting's books, the story is exceptionally written and the details perfectly executed. The characters are so well developed that I felt like I truly knew them which connected me even more to the story. Of course we are talking about Helena Hunting so there are lots of super hot, sexy times to balance out the drama. Add in a sprinkling of danger and mystery and you have a well rounded story that will suck you right in and not release you until you get to the very last page. And, with a happily-for-now ending, it's satisfying and sweet.
Now, it's time for me to go back and read the first few books in the Clipped Wings series because I've obviously missed out on some fabulous books!
November 12, 2016
*****5 Crumbling Walls Stars****
This was an emotionally charged story of perfectly, imperfect characters! How do two broken souls who feel unworthy of each other demolish their walls of defense and learn to embrace and accept love?! Helena Hunting is the artist and this story was her canvas. What a beautiful array of colors this story turned out to be! Yup, you go through all the feels with this one! I went from watery eyes, to laughing, to anxiety, to sitting on the edge of my seat in suspense!
"Her walls were like mine, which was another part of the allure. I understood walls. They’d kept me safe from people most of my life. Only my Inked Armor crew got past them, and even then, I only let them into the rooms I wanted to. There were locked closets no one but me could enter. But by keeping my walls in place with Sarah, I’d created a distance I didn’t know how to cross any more.
“I had to change the sheets today,” she muttered. Now I knew she was only half awake. “Oh, yeah?” “Uh-huh. I didn’t want to, but they’d lost your smell. Now I’ll get it back.” “My smell?” “Mmmm.” “What do I smell like?” “Safe.” I let the word sit, like oil floating on top of water; it didn’t mix with the answer I’d expected. “I like that I can feel your heart,” Sarah whispered, her sleep-fuzzed mind drifting again. She wasn’t really present in the moment. I knew that. So I said the thing I wanted to, but couldn’t when she was truly listening. “It’s all yours, baby. All you have to do is want it enough to take it.”
My heart broke for Chris!! He has the weight of the world on his shoulders and feels it's his duty to take care of all the women in his life (his sister, mom, Sarah)! But that's not what broke my heart. He constantly reprimands and blames himself for all the negative happenings. He believes that Sarah deserves better and that he can only provide the insignificant little things in life. But sometimes it's the little things that mean the most!
“I don’t ever want to hold you back.” “How would you hold me back?” “By not fitting into your life once you start a job you’ll be proud of. I’ll move in here, but I don’t want you to end up stuck, Sarah.” “Stuck?” “With me.” “You’re a choice, Chris.” “And I keep wondering if you’re gonna realize there are much better ones out there.”
"Separately, these struggles could break us down. But maybe if we could hold on to each other and figure them out together... we could stop the fractures from becoming too big and keep the cracks from forming fissures we couldn’t repair."
Sarah was a hardworking and strong heroine who wouldn't accept the lot she was thrown in life. She followed her dreams no matter what or who tried to step in her path! She was going to be everything she could be and do everything she could in life to come out on top!
“We’re all broken, Sarah. It’s not always about fixing the parts that don’t work; it’s about making the most of the ones that do.”
How do you break down walls that are guarding your secrets? How do you find the Fractures? How do you topple walls that want to remain sturdy? How do you grow a relationship when both parties are already overshadowed with doubt of a future together? When both parties "know" that once the walls come crumbling down their fragile relationship will be no more?! With walls up you can't have real conversations or a real connection, or a real chance at all! Read this story to find out!
“Then let me in, and let me stay there.” “If you’re sure that’s what you want…” “It is. You are.” I placed my hand over hers. “You’ve been in there for a long time already; you just didn’t realize it.”
I know I put a lot of quotes in this review but it was really hard narrowing them down! If I could, I would have copy and pasted this whole story for you because every word was worth reading! ❤️
Soooo...I guess the next best thing you could do is click one of the links below!!
Preorder:
Amazon ➜ http://amzn.to/2eZFdbM
iBooks ➜ http://apple.co/1swWcJ0
Kobo ➜ http://bit.ly/2b8TKSg
Nook ➜ http://bit.ly/2bsjqLD
Paperback ➜ http://amzn.to/2eZCzme
{I voluntarily reviewed this ARC that was graciously provided by Social Butterfly PR and Helena Hunting}
This was an emotionally charged story of perfectly, imperfect characters! How do two broken souls who feel unworthy of each other demolish their walls of defense and learn to embrace and accept love?! Helena Hunting is the artist and this story was her canvas. What a beautiful array of colors this story turned out to be! Yup, you go through all the feels with this one! I went from watery eyes, to laughing, to anxiety, to sitting on the edge of my seat in suspense!
"Her walls were like mine, which was another part of the allure. I understood walls. They’d kept me safe from people most of my life. Only my Inked Armor crew got past them, and even then, I only let them into the rooms I wanted to. There were locked closets no one but me could enter. But by keeping my walls in place with Sarah, I’d created a distance I didn’t know how to cross any more.
“I had to change the sheets today,” she muttered. Now I knew she was only half awake. “Oh, yeah?” “Uh-huh. I didn’t want to, but they’d lost your smell. Now I’ll get it back.” “My smell?” “Mmmm.” “What do I smell like?” “Safe.” I let the word sit, like oil floating on top of water; it didn’t mix with the answer I’d expected. “I like that I can feel your heart,” Sarah whispered, her sleep-fuzzed mind drifting again. She wasn’t really present in the moment. I knew that. So I said the thing I wanted to, but couldn’t when she was truly listening. “It’s all yours, baby. All you have to do is want it enough to take it.”
My heart broke for Chris!! He has the weight of the world on his shoulders and feels it's his duty to take care of all the women in his life (his sister, mom, Sarah)! But that's not what broke my heart. He constantly reprimands and blames himself for all the negative happenings. He believes that Sarah deserves better and that he can only provide the insignificant little things in life. But sometimes it's the little things that mean the most!
“I don’t ever want to hold you back.” “How would you hold me back?” “By not fitting into your life once you start a job you’ll be proud of. I’ll move in here, but I don’t want you to end up stuck, Sarah.” “Stuck?” “With me.” “You’re a choice, Chris.” “And I keep wondering if you’re gonna realize there are much better ones out there.”
"Separately, these struggles could break us down. But maybe if we could hold on to each other and figure them out together... we could stop the fractures from becoming too big and keep the cracks from forming fissures we couldn’t repair."
Sarah was a hardworking and strong heroine who wouldn't accept the lot she was thrown in life. She followed her dreams no matter what or who tried to step in her path! She was going to be everything she could be and do everything she could in life to come out on top!
“We’re all broken, Sarah. It’s not always about fixing the parts that don’t work; it’s about making the most of the ones that do.”
How do you break down walls that are guarding your secrets? How do you find the Fractures? How do you topple walls that want to remain sturdy? How do you grow a relationship when both parties are already overshadowed with doubt of a future together? When both parties "know" that once the walls come crumbling down their fragile relationship will be no more?! With walls up you can't have real conversations or a real connection, or a real chance at all! Read this story to find out!
“Then let me in, and let me stay there.” “If you’re sure that’s what you want…” “It is. You are.” I placed my hand over hers. “You’ve been in there for a long time already; you just didn’t realize it.”
I know I put a lot of quotes in this review but it was really hard narrowing them down! If I could, I would have copy and pasted this whole story for you because every word was worth reading! ❤️
Soooo...I guess the next best thing you could do is click one of the links below!!
Preorder:
Amazon ➜ http://amzn.to/2eZFdbM
iBooks ➜ http://apple.co/1swWcJ0
Kobo ➜ http://bit.ly/2b8TKSg
Nook ➜ http://bit.ly/2bsjqLD
Paperback ➜ http://amzn.to/2eZCzme
{I voluntarily reviewed this ARC that was graciously provided by Social Butterfly PR and Helena Hunting}
November 12, 2016
4 stars
I was excited to read this one even though, I haven't read this series, for some reason I wanted this so bad! Fractures in Ink was an emotional and beautiful story.
The characters and their relationship is one of the main reasons why I loved it so much! The hero is the perfect boyfriend anyone could have and the heroine is pretty good!
They were perfect for each other, they had their problems but they were amazing together! Intense, sweet and hot. Chris was protective and sweet.
As I said I haven't read the rest books in the series but I didn't have problem! However I think I'm going to read the rest of the books for sure.
I was excited to read this one even though, I haven't read this series, for some reason I wanted this so bad! Fractures in Ink was an emotional and beautiful story.
The characters and their relationship is one of the main reasons why I loved it so much! The hero is the perfect boyfriend anyone could have and the heroine is pretty good!
They were perfect for each other, they had their problems but they were amazing together! Intense, sweet and hot. Chris was protective and sweet.
As I said I haven't read the rest books in the series but I didn't have problem! However I think I'm going to read the rest of the books for sure.
November 27, 2016
Copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review
Helena Hunting has inked, tattooed, and ingrained herself into the literary community as an author that deserves to be spotlighted and honored. If you have read Helena’s Pucked Series, then you are all aware that she can write smart, funny, and sexy romance but did you know that she can also write gripping heartfelt angsty romance?
“I didn’t want her to have a permanent reminder of me that she couldn’t erase. I wasn’t talking about the art. ”
The first time I read Clipped Wings, I was hooked. I needed, wanted, and craved for Helena’s writing as I was obsessed with these cast of emotionally broken characters. So when I found out that she was going to continue the series and write Fractures In Ink, I was ecstatic. Well, that is putting it mildly since I was over the top eager to get my greedy bookworm hands on this book and couldn’t wait to read Chris and Sarah’s story. And let me just say, this book was worth the wait as it was a phenomenal breathtaking read.
Fractures In Ink is one of those rare angsty reads that grips your heart to the core. Helena beautifully tackles this heartbreaking, poignant, visceral, and emotionally charged romance in a brilliant and tangible fashion that it leaves a ripple effect. This book consumes you in a way that as a reader you feel for the emotional journey of Sarah and Chris.
“No chance I’m screwing up your life like I do everyone else’s.” There was so much weight in that statement, and it made me wish all over again that I could be more than just his escape.”
Chris Zelter didn’t have a great childhood. He knew pain, loss, heartbreak, and disappointment. So fast forward to the present, Chris is a changed man. As a renowned and successful tattoo artist at Inked Armor, Chris has rebuilt his life. His troubled past is somewhat behind him. He should be happy but something is missing. Love.
If you read Clipped Wings Series then you are well aware that Chris and Sarah are somewhat in a relationship. This relationship is not your standard girlfriend/boyfriend as Sarah and Chris never really defined what is going between them. It is a relationship that is kind of understood that they both deeply care for each other but they are both holding back in revealing their past.
“Chris was a lot of things— rough around the edges, closed off, secretive, sensitive , stunningly gorgeous, attentive, affectionate. But one thing he had not been was demanding in bed. Until now.”
Sarah is a working grad student who balances her life with school, her internship and her part time work as a waitress in a seedy stripper club. Sarah knows that this waitressing job pays off the bills and her student loans. This is a job that she is eager to be over with especially with the fact that her boss is slimy, calculating, cruel and manipulative who wants nothing more for Sarah to be one of the strippers on stage.
As Chris and Sarah navigate what their relationship is, Chris’s family and past comes barreling back as he tries to financial support his half sister and dependent mother. Chris is well aware that his mom is a punching bag for his step-father and so he does his best to keep his goodhearted sister from experiencing any hardship. This emotional burden of seeing his sister suffer from the hands of her father is something that angers Chris. But this burden is something that Chris carries alone that is until Sarah begs him to let her in?
“Separately, these struggles could break us down. But maybe if we could hold on to each other and figure them out together... we could stop the fractures from becoming too big and keep the cracks from forming fissures we couldn’t repair.”
Sarah is also an emotionally flawed character as well. She too also knows what it is life to grow up in hardship and so she vows and promises herself to make a better life for herself and get educated. On her road to fulfilling her dreams, her job as a waitress soon becomes a huge burden for Sarah as her boss tries to blackmail and push her into doing special “dances” for clients.
Chris is well aware that Sarah is too good for him. She is on the right path to make her life better. And so begins the emotional aspect of two broken people trying to make their relationship work. This is not a perfect relationship and that’s what makes this relationship so special as Helena Hunting allows readers to absorb the raw vulnerability, insecurity, fears, pain, and love that Chris and Sarah have for each other. So can two emotionally flawed individuals discover the beauty of fractures in the ink?
I placed my hand over hers. “You’ve been in there for a long time already; you just didn’t realize it.”
Emotionally consuming and addictive is the only way I can sum up reading Fractures In Ink. This book was everything that I had expected Helena Hunting to deliver. She held you hostage not only with her stunning prose but with also her flawed characters. The writing was phenomenal as each raw emotions was not only felt but absorbed. My heart ached for Chris and Sarah and at the same time, my heart was filled with an abundance of love and admiration for their love, sacrifices, and hope for a better future. So if you are looking for a book to get lost in, then I highly recommend you to read Fractures In Ink as this book was a visceral literary masterpiece that was both angsty and heartfelt.
Helena Hunting
Helena Hunting has inked, tattooed, and ingrained herself into the literary community as an author that deserves to be spotlighted and honored. If you have read Helena’s Pucked Series, then you are all aware that she can write smart, funny, and sexy romance but did you know that she can also write gripping heartfelt angsty romance?
“I didn’t want her to have a permanent reminder of me that she couldn’t erase. I wasn’t talking about the art. ”The first time I read Clipped Wings, I was hooked. I needed, wanted, and craved for Helena’s writing as I was obsessed with these cast of emotionally broken characters. So when I found out that she was going to continue the series and write Fractures In Ink, I was ecstatic. Well, that is putting it mildly since I was over the top eager to get my greedy bookworm hands on this book and couldn’t wait to read Chris and Sarah’s story. And let me just say, this book was worth the wait as it was a phenomenal breathtaking read.
Fractures In Ink is one of those rare angsty reads that grips your heart to the core. Helena beautifully tackles this heartbreaking, poignant, visceral, and emotionally charged romance in a brilliant and tangible fashion that it leaves a ripple effect. This book consumes you in a way that as a reader you feel for the emotional journey of Sarah and Chris.
“No chance I’m screwing up your life like I do everyone else’s.” There was so much weight in that statement, and it made me wish all over again that I could be more than just his escape.”Chris Zelter didn’t have a great childhood. He knew pain, loss, heartbreak, and disappointment. So fast forward to the present, Chris is a changed man. As a renowned and successful tattoo artist at Inked Armor, Chris has rebuilt his life. His troubled past is somewhat behind him. He should be happy but something is missing. Love.
If you read Clipped Wings Series then you are well aware that Chris and Sarah are somewhat in a relationship. This relationship is not your standard girlfriend/boyfriend as Sarah and Chris never really defined what is going between them. It is a relationship that is kind of understood that they both deeply care for each other but they are both holding back in revealing their past.
“Chris was a lot of things— rough around the edges, closed off, secretive, sensitive , stunningly gorgeous, attentive, affectionate. But one thing he had not been was demanding in bed. Until now.”Sarah is a working grad student who balances her life with school, her internship and her part time work as a waitress in a seedy stripper club. Sarah knows that this waitressing job pays off the bills and her student loans. This is a job that she is eager to be over with especially with the fact that her boss is slimy, calculating, cruel and manipulative who wants nothing more for Sarah to be one of the strippers on stage.
As Chris and Sarah navigate what their relationship is, Chris’s family and past comes barreling back as he tries to financial support his half sister and dependent mother. Chris is well aware that his mom is a punching bag for his step-father and so he does his best to keep his goodhearted sister from experiencing any hardship. This emotional burden of seeing his sister suffer from the hands of her father is something that angers Chris. But this burden is something that Chris carries alone that is until Sarah begs him to let her in?
“Separately, these struggles could break us down. But maybe if we could hold on to each other and figure them out together... we could stop the fractures from becoming too big and keep the cracks from forming fissures we couldn’t repair.”Sarah is also an emotionally flawed character as well. She too also knows what it is life to grow up in hardship and so she vows and promises herself to make a better life for herself and get educated. On her road to fulfilling her dreams, her job as a waitress soon becomes a huge burden for Sarah as her boss tries to blackmail and push her into doing special “dances” for clients.
Chris is well aware that Sarah is too good for him. She is on the right path to make her life better. And so begins the emotional aspect of two broken people trying to make their relationship work. This is not a perfect relationship and that’s what makes this relationship so special as Helena Hunting allows readers to absorb the raw vulnerability, insecurity, fears, pain, and love that Chris and Sarah have for each other. So can two emotionally flawed individuals discover the beauty of fractures in the ink?
I placed my hand over hers. “You’ve been in there for a long time already; you just didn’t realize it.”Emotionally consuming and addictive is the only way I can sum up reading Fractures In Ink. This book was everything that I had expected Helena Hunting to deliver. She held you hostage not only with her stunning prose but with also her flawed characters. The writing was phenomenal as each raw emotions was not only felt but absorbed. My heart ached for Chris and Sarah and at the same time, my heart was filled with an abundance of love and admiration for their love, sacrifices, and hope for a better future. So if you are looking for a book to get lost in, then I highly recommend you to read Fractures In Ink as this book was a visceral literary masterpiece that was both angsty and heartfelt.
Helena Hunting
November 22, 2016
I LOVE Helena Hunting, but this is actually my first book I have read in her Clipped Wings series. The first and only books I have read of hers are the romantic comedies featuring crude hockey players. I was expecting a lot more of that in Fractures in Ink, but I was pleasantly surprised to see this other side of Hunting's writing.
We first meet Chris who is kind of a bad boy, but not in the typical sense. He had a rough childhood and suffered so much growing up, but he turned into this amazing, protective man. Chris was pretty freaking perfect, without being unrealistic. He had normal emotions and overreactions, but it just made him feel more genuine to me. I loved the way he cared about his sister, Sarah and his friends.
Sarah is a fighter, doing everything she can to remain independent, successful without compromising her values. She has an amazing internship program, but is forced to work to pay her bills while working full time for her program. Left with little choices she begins waitressing at a strip club. This environment isn’t the best and her boss is horrible, but she isn’t left with many options.
These two are more alike than it originally seems, but Chris is a tattoo artist, covered in ink and doesn’t own a suit. He thinks Sarah deserves more but is happy to hook-up until she is ready to move onto something better. Regardless of his real feelings for her, he just wants the best for her. Sarah is happy with Chris and what they have, she doesn't want anyone else. She isn’t looking for more and sees the amazing, generous, compassionate man he is.
This story has a lot more feels and less humor, but I loved how Hunting proved she can deliver a heartfelt love story with broken characters. I actually can’t wait to go back and read the other books in the series. So while this series is so different from the Pucked series, it’s still fantastic and I highly recommend it!
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
We first meet Chris who is kind of a bad boy, but not in the typical sense. He had a rough childhood and suffered so much growing up, but he turned into this amazing, protective man. Chris was pretty freaking perfect, without being unrealistic. He had normal emotions and overreactions, but it just made him feel more genuine to me. I loved the way he cared about his sister, Sarah and his friends.
Sarah is a fighter, doing everything she can to remain independent, successful without compromising her values. She has an amazing internship program, but is forced to work to pay her bills while working full time for her program. Left with little choices she begins waitressing at a strip club. This environment isn’t the best and her boss is horrible, but she isn’t left with many options.
These two are more alike than it originally seems, but Chris is a tattoo artist, covered in ink and doesn’t own a suit. He thinks Sarah deserves more but is happy to hook-up until she is ready to move onto something better. Regardless of his real feelings for her, he just wants the best for her. Sarah is happy with Chris and what they have, she doesn't want anyone else. She isn’t looking for more and sees the amazing, generous, compassionate man he is.
This story has a lot more feels and less humor, but I loved how Hunting proved she can deliver a heartfelt love story with broken characters. I actually can’t wait to go back and read the other books in the series. So while this series is so different from the Pucked series, it’s still fantastic and I highly recommend it!
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
November 18, 2016
A probing, sweet and sexy story about hope and love.
Sarah Adamson has labored hard to get out of her despondent life, working as a waitress in a sleazy strip club to pay her way through her master’s degree in order to get a more dignified job in a marketing firm. She’s a couple of months shy of achieving her dreams, but will her past and the shady place she’s working out drag her down? She also shouldn’t lose her focus trying to get past the sexy tattoo artist who’s warming her bed, but “sometimes the things we shouldn't want become exactly what we need...”
Chris Zelter knows all about having a tough life and never being able to have what he wants. Having been kicked out of his house by his mother at sixteen easy, he’s had to pick up his life one piece at a time. Now that he works at a well-established tattoo shop, his life seems to be stabilizing except he’s found out that his half-sister is being taken advantage of by her parents and the woman he’s trying to keep at arm’s length has called off their no strings attached relationship. She should be relieved because of the latter because she’s too good for him, but he’s realized that she’s burrowed her way into his heart. Can he become what she needs?
I just love how Helena can write funny as heck book just as incredibly as emotionally deep ones with flawed and endearing characters, and a beguiling plot that makes them irresistible. Chris and Sarah were perfect together. I felt so much for both of them, wanting desperately for them to embrace the love, comfort and support they gave one another but felt so underserving of.
I felt so much for Chris, wanting to comfort him and cheer him on while he found his happy because felt so incredibly unworthy even though he truly deserved every single bit of joy, not just because of the way he took care of his sister and Sarah, but because he was a good man. Sarah was his perfect counterpart, a soft heart with a tough exterior. It was heartwarming to see how they worked together to get past the curve balls life threw at them.
You don’t have to read any of the books in the series or even Cracks in the Armor, novella 2.5 in the series and a prequel to this story, but I had waited forever and a day for this book ever since I read Cracks in the Armor because I just wanted the good guys to be happy, which they did of course but in the span of time I read it, this story made me bite my nails in anxiety and anticipation, laugh, smile and fan myself. It made my heart conflict wanting to devour it all at once while wanting to draw it out slowly especially since it is unclear if there’s going to be another book in the series.
Fractures in Ink is the third book in the Clipped Wings series by Helena Hunting. It can be read as a standalone with interconnecting characters from the previous book in the series. Told from both points of view.
4.5 stars
* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author. The excerpts are from that copy. *
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“We’re all broken, Sarah. It’s not always about fixing the parts that don’t work; it’s about making the most of the ones that do.”
Sarah Adamson has labored hard to get out of her despondent life, working as a waitress in a sleazy strip club to pay her way through her master’s degree in order to get a more dignified job in a marketing firm. She’s a couple of months shy of achieving her dreams, but will her past and the shady place she’s working out drag her down? She also shouldn’t lose her focus trying to get past the sexy tattoo artist who’s warming her bed, but “sometimes the things we shouldn't want become exactly what we need...”
“I like that I can feel your heart,” Sarah whispered...
“It’s all yours, baby. All you have to do is want it enough to take it.”
Chris Zelter knows all about having a tough life and never being able to have what he wants. Having been kicked out of his house by his mother at sixteen easy, he’s had to pick up his life one piece at a time. Now that he works at a well-established tattoo shop, his life seems to be stabilizing except he’s found out that his half-sister is being taken advantage of by her parents and the woman he’s trying to keep at arm’s length has called off their no strings attached relationship. She should be relieved because of the latter because she’s too good for him, but he’s realized that she’s burrowed her way into his heart. Can he become what she needs?
“Then let me in, and let me stay there.”
“If you’re sure that’s what you want…”
“It is. You are.” I placed my hand over hers. “You’ve been in there for a long time already; you just didn’t realize it.”
I just love how Helena can write funny as heck book just as incredibly as emotionally deep ones with flawed and endearing characters, and a beguiling plot that makes them irresistible. Chris and Sarah were perfect together. I felt so much for both of them, wanting desperately for them to embrace the love, comfort and support they gave one another but felt so underserving of.
I felt so much for Chris, wanting to comfort him and cheer him on while he found his happy because felt so incredibly unworthy even though he truly deserved every single bit of joy, not just because of the way he took care of his sister and Sarah, but because he was a good man. Sarah was his perfect counterpart, a soft heart with a tough exterior. It was heartwarming to see how they worked together to get past the curve balls life threw at them.
“Separately, these struggles could break us down. But maybe if we could hold on to each other and figure them out together...we could stop the fractures from becoming too big and keep the cracks from forming fissures we couldn't repair.”
You don’t have to read any of the books in the series or even Cracks in the Armor, novella 2.5 in the series and a prequel to this story, but I had waited forever and a day for this book ever since I read Cracks in the Armor because I just wanted the good guys to be happy, which they did of course but in the span of time I read it, this story made me bite my nails in anxiety and anticipation, laugh, smile and fan myself. It made my heart conflict wanting to devour it all at once while wanting to draw it out slowly especially since it is unclear if there’s going to be another book in the series.
Fractures in Ink is the third book in the Clipped Wings series by Helena Hunting. It can be read as a standalone with interconnecting characters from the previous book in the series. Told from both points of view.
4.5 stars
* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author. The excerpts are from that copy. *
More reviews * Stalk us on FaceBook * As well as Twitter * Pinterest Board for Book Teasers
June 19, 2024
Complicated relationships!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙❤️💚💜
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌏🌎
Character development: 😕😊😄😘
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Sarah - she is going to college to get her MBA and is nearly finished. She has worked her way through college working at a few seedy strip clubs as a waitress and she doesn’t like it but doesn’t have a choice. Currently she owes her boss money and a favor and she is really worried about what he is going to ask her for. She thinks the favor might be dancing on the pole or even serving tables on the left side of the stage, which is basically where the customer know that anything goes, even with the waitresses.
The Hero: Chris - he never finished high school; he comes from a bad background. His mother was never stable, and she married the father of her younger sister who is pretty much a deadbeat. He was kicked out in his teens and wasn’t in the best situation until he got into tattooing. He now works at an up-and-coming tattoo shop and is a known tattoo artist.
The Story: Chris has had it bad for Sarah for quite some time and though they have a romantic relationship, he thinks she is going places and is too good for him. She lives in the apartment above the café across the street from the tattoo shop where he works. He knows she works at a strip club while finishing her degree and worries about her while she is at work. Never more so than after she suddenly breaks up with him and doesn’t answer his calls or texts.
Helena Hunting is one of my favorite writers. She is one of those people who write complicated relationships very well. There are plenty of side storylines, but the main story is about the interactions and the love growing between these two realistic people. She puts plenty of emotion into her stories and you can definitely feel the tension between Sarah and her boss. You feel for Chris who dated another girl in his past who worked at a strip club and ended up on drugs and prostituting herself. You also feel what a great guy Chris is, especially in how he treats Sarah and how he helps out his younger sister.
This audiobook was told in dual points of view via dual narration and was narrated by Rose Dioro and Jacob Morgan. I really like both of these narrators and they did a great job with this audiobook. Rose had a soft, youthful sounding voice that is very pleasant. Jacob Morgan has a very genuine voice which sounds like a good friend you would like to have. This was a good one.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙❤️💚💜
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌏🌎
Character development: 😕😊😄😘
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration
The heroine: Sarah - she is going to college to get her MBA and is nearly finished. She has worked her way through college working at a few seedy strip clubs as a waitress and she doesn’t like it but doesn’t have a choice. Currently she owes her boss money and a favor and she is really worried about what he is going to ask her for. She thinks the favor might be dancing on the pole or even serving tables on the left side of the stage, which is basically where the customer know that anything goes, even with the waitresses.
The Hero: Chris - he never finished high school; he comes from a bad background. His mother was never stable, and she married the father of her younger sister who is pretty much a deadbeat. He was kicked out in his teens and wasn’t in the best situation until he got into tattooing. He now works at an up-and-coming tattoo shop and is a known tattoo artist.
The Story: Chris has had it bad for Sarah for quite some time and though they have a romantic relationship, he thinks she is going places and is too good for him. She lives in the apartment above the café across the street from the tattoo shop where he works. He knows she works at a strip club while finishing her degree and worries about her while she is at work. Never more so than after she suddenly breaks up with him and doesn’t answer his calls or texts.
Helena Hunting is one of my favorite writers. She is one of those people who write complicated relationships very well. There are plenty of side storylines, but the main story is about the interactions and the love growing between these two realistic people. She puts plenty of emotion into her stories and you can definitely feel the tension between Sarah and her boss. You feel for Chris who dated another girl in his past who worked at a strip club and ended up on drugs and prostituting herself. You also feel what a great guy Chris is, especially in how he treats Sarah and how he helps out his younger sister.
This audiobook was told in dual points of view via dual narration and was narrated by Rose Dioro and Jacob Morgan. I really like both of these narrators and they did a great job with this audiobook. Rose had a soft, youthful sounding voice that is very pleasant. Jacob Morgan has a very genuine voice which sounds like a good friend you would like to have. This was a good one.
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November 27, 2016
DNF @ 86% - Hypocrisy overload!
There will be plenty of ranting and spoilers ahead!
I am mad. I cannot take it anymore. I liked the storyline, but HATED the MCs. Not sure who I hated the most - the doormat, self sacrificing h? Or the hypocritical, self sacrificing H?
Let's start with the storyline.
It was good, but something that bothered me was that the couple was separated throughout large chunks of the story, because they never opened up to each other. They dealt with their own problems individually and never as a couple. I would have liked seeing them work together as a team. But since I hated the MCs, I'm not sure that would have helped with the overall rating.
The MCs.
In short: Sarah and Chris are in a relationship but one where they are both hiding behind walls. Neither opens up to each other about the many problems in their lives. Chris has a little sister who lives with his worthless mom and abusive, drunken gambling stepfather. He works hard to keep them afloat monetary wise, and the stress if it all is slowly eating him up. But he never utters a word to Sarah, because as he says "why do it when it's only a temporary relationship, because she deserves better!". Btw, I am so fucking tired of that spiel.
Sarah is in deep with the owner of the strip club she waitresses in, as he is blackmailing her into dancing and "working parties" (essentially prostituting herself), she never does the latter. Of course she never says anything to Chris, because she doesn't want to burden him and he can't really help anyway.
Here's where it goes wrong for me. Aside from the lack of communication, Chris, on several occasions, accuses Sarah of not opening up, for holding stuff back from him. He critiques her and makes her feel so ashamed of herself. And although it's justified, let's not forget that HE'S DOING THE EXACT SAME THING! What's even worse, when he confronts about taking pills, she truthfully tells him it's not hers, and not only doesn't he believe her, he says some pretty mean and nasty things to hurt her feelings. Sarah, being the doormat that she is, runs after him and apologises profusely. He utters a quick "I'm sorry, too" and all is forgiven. At no point does he really apologise or fight for Sarah. Yeah.. just, no!
I would have liked the h to have some more dignity, who knows when she deserves better, who has a backbone and who communicates!
I would have loved an H who shows remorse, who grovels and who fights for his woman. It would also be nice if he could open up when the h asks him repeatedly about his issues.
I will say this seems to have been getting really nice reviews, so this may very well just be me! I don't know if I've been reading a different book, or if I'm being a grumpy, hormonal b!tch....?
There will be plenty of ranting and spoilers ahead!
I am mad. I cannot take it anymore. I liked the storyline, but HATED the MCs. Not sure who I hated the most - the doormat, self sacrificing h? Or the hypocritical, self sacrificing H?
Let's start with the storyline.
It was good, but something that bothered me was that the couple was separated throughout large chunks of the story, because they never opened up to each other. They dealt with their own problems individually and never as a couple. I would have liked seeing them work together as a team. But since I hated the MCs, I'm not sure that would have helped with the overall rating.
The MCs.
In short: Sarah and Chris are in a relationship but one where they are both hiding behind walls. Neither opens up to each other about the many problems in their lives. Chris has a little sister who lives with his worthless mom and abusive, drunken gambling stepfather. He works hard to keep them afloat monetary wise, and the stress if it all is slowly eating him up. But he never utters a word to Sarah, because as he says "why do it when it's only a temporary relationship, because she deserves better!". Btw, I am so fucking tired of that spiel.
Sarah is in deep with the owner of the strip club she waitresses in, as he is blackmailing her into dancing and "working parties" (essentially prostituting herself), she never does the latter. Of course she never says anything to Chris, because she doesn't want to burden him and he can't really help anyway.
Here's where it goes wrong for me. Aside from the lack of communication, Chris, on several occasions, accuses Sarah of not opening up, for holding stuff back from him. He critiques her and makes her feel so ashamed of herself. And although it's justified, let's not forget that HE'S DOING THE EXACT SAME THING! What's even worse, when he confronts about taking pills, she truthfully tells him it's not hers, and not only doesn't he believe her, he says some pretty mean and nasty things to hurt her feelings. Sarah, being the doormat that she is, runs after him and apologises profusely. He utters a quick "I'm sorry, too" and all is forgiven. At no point does he really apologise or fight for Sarah. Yeah.. just, no!
I would have liked the h to have some more dignity, who knows when she deserves better, who has a backbone and who communicates!
I would have loved an H who shows remorse, who grovels and who fights for his woman. It would also be nice if he could open up when the h asks him repeatedly about his issues.
I will say this seems to have been getting really nice reviews, so this may very well just be me! I don't know if I've been reading a different book, or if I'm being a grumpy, hormonal b!tch....?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2016
4.0 "Fractures in Ink" Stars!
Oh My God!*sigh
This book is just wonderfully writen I still have tears in my eyes writing this review. Love me or hate me but I gotta admit this is my first book of this series and even to myself I was really ashamed because of how I missed these great books. But even then I am still glad though that I started reading Chris and Sarah's story. I may not have read their novella but I have read a full lenght story of their wonderful journey.
And Fractures In Ink?Holy.smudgeballs because this book is nothing I have ever expected. It is so realistically written, raw, beautiful, poignant, gut wrenching and heart breaking the angst is off the charts brilliantly delivered and so emotionally charged I have only five words uttered when I started reading the book.
Be still my beating heart.
Reading Chris and Sarah's story is like getting a needle and slowly pricking it in my heart. It never started so easy. Right from the start you can feel the weight of both the characters burden. Their sacrifices, their hardships and even their fears. But it never stopped me from reading the book instead I got my persistence to keep going from the emotional topys turvy of their journey. I was so captivated and so touched that I cannot help myself from crying and pausing once in a while just to gather myself. Chris and Sarah are two souls so imperfect and flawed. Yes, they are alike. From being so broken to fearing someone to let into their lives. They are that messed up and we are not talking just about themselves but include that their own families. Even being bedmates for quite sometime, they each put their distance afraid that in the end they will be left with a broken heart and a more messier life. However being guarded no matter how thick the walls placed between two messed up souls, once the connection is so strong it will definitely crumble.
And it was a sight to behold and I feel like a great weight was pulled into my heart the moment they finally let each other into their lives. It wasn't still an easy journey either. They met a lot of bumps along the way and curve balls were thrown at them here and there. But no matter what distance they put into each other they cannot deny the fact that they needed each other to fight for these battles. And this made me love the characters so much. So many bad things happened to them. Several sins committed but they each fought for it together. It never wasn't easy but together they perfectly make it bearable.
In the end, I am in awe of Helena's writing. She just delivered a story despite so heavy was so engrossing and captivating and above all so touching. Chris and Sarah's journey, through flaws and bad desicions is an epitome that in love even life in the real aspect, is to appreciate the good things while you have them and accept a person wholeheartedly not minding whatever decisions you made in the past . Heck, accept the person flaws and all.
Oh My God!*sigh
This book is just wonderfully writen I still have tears in my eyes writing this review. Love me or hate me but I gotta admit this is my first book of this series and even to myself I was really ashamed because of how I missed these great books. But even then I am still glad though that I started reading Chris and Sarah's story. I may not have read their novella but I have read a full lenght story of their wonderful journey.
And Fractures In Ink?Holy.smudgeballs because this book is nothing I have ever expected. It is so realistically written, raw, beautiful, poignant, gut wrenching and heart breaking the angst is off the charts brilliantly delivered and so emotionally charged I have only five words uttered when I started reading the book.
Be still my beating heart.
Reading Chris and Sarah's story is like getting a needle and slowly pricking it in my heart. It never started so easy. Right from the start you can feel the weight of both the characters burden. Their sacrifices, their hardships and even their fears. But it never stopped me from reading the book instead I got my persistence to keep going from the emotional topys turvy of their journey. I was so captivated and so touched that I cannot help myself from crying and pausing once in a while just to gather myself. Chris and Sarah are two souls so imperfect and flawed. Yes, they are alike. From being so broken to fearing someone to let into their lives. They are that messed up and we are not talking just about themselves but include that their own families. Even being bedmates for quite sometime, they each put their distance afraid that in the end they will be left with a broken heart and a more messier life. However being guarded no matter how thick the walls placed between two messed up souls, once the connection is so strong it will definitely crumble.
“I had to change the sheets today,” she muttered.
“Oh, yeah?”
“Uh-huh. I didn’t want to, but they’d lost your smell. Now I’ll get it back.”
“My smell?”“Mmmm.”
“What do I smell like?”
“Safe.”
And it was a sight to behold and I feel like a great weight was pulled into my heart the moment they finally let each other into their lives. It wasn't still an easy journey either. They met a lot of bumps along the way and curve balls were thrown at them here and there. But no matter what distance they put into each other they cannot deny the fact that they needed each other to fight for these battles. And this made me love the characters so much. So many bad things happened to them. Several sins committed but they each fought for it together. It never wasn't easy but together they perfectly make it bearable.
In the end, I am in awe of Helena's writing. She just delivered a story despite so heavy was so engrossing and captivating and above all so touching. Chris and Sarah's journey, through flaws and bad desicions is an epitome that in love even life in the real aspect, is to appreciate the good things while you have them and accept a person wholeheartedly not minding whatever decisions you made in the past . Heck, accept the person flaws and all.
“Then let me in, and let me stay there.”
“If you’re sure that’s what you want…”
“It is. You are.” I placed my hand over hers.
“You’ve been in there for a long time already; you just didn’t realize it.”
We made love among the reminders of our beginning as we created another new memory that would build our future.
November 17, 2016
Loved Chris and Sarah's book! Definitely long overdue and Helena didn't disappoint. And the audiobook is freaking amazing ❤️ Definitely recommend, especially if you're a fan of the Inked Armor series!
November 7, 2016
**ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review**
4.5 stars
"We're all broken, Sarah. It's not always about fixing the parts that don't work; it's about making the most of the ones that do."
The Clipped Wings series was the first books I read by Helena Hunting. I loved the first two books A LOT! Especially Chris and Sarah intrigued me a lot and I couldn't wait for their FULL-LENGTH novel to release. When I saw that Fractures in Ink would release SOON, I was super excited and couldn't wait to get my hands on it.
"Separately, these struggles could break us down. But maybe if we could hold on to each other and figure them out together... we could stop the fractures from becoming too big and keep the cracks from forming fissures we couldn't repair."
Chris and Sarah were perfect for each other. They were obvious both broken characters that are trying to make the best out of their lives. They both think they aren't good enough for each other. I wanted to shake them both and tell them they were perfect for each other. There were a couple of times where both Chris and Sarah pushed the other away. I loved how the author handled those situations a lot. Chris was amazing he was so loyal and protective of the people he loves. He did his best to take care of his family and friends. Chris is a perfect book boyfriend, plus he is a tattoo artist and that is always a plus (FREE TATTOOS!!). Sarah did her best to be independent and do everything on her own, but sometimes there is too much going on and it is okay to ask for help from your loved ones.
"You work hard to take care of the people you love. You're loyal, and you're as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside."
What I loved most about this book was the character development for both Chris and Sarah as individuals and as a couple. This book was COMPLETE in my eyes. The side characters added a very important layer to the story and I love them. It had enough suspense, romance and sad moments. I was completely sucked into the story. I really hope there will be more books in this series. I especially want Ivy, Chris' sister, to get her how book.
4.5 stars
"We're all broken, Sarah. It's not always about fixing the parts that don't work; it's about making the most of the ones that do."
The Clipped Wings series was the first books I read by Helena Hunting. I loved the first two books A LOT! Especially Chris and Sarah intrigued me a lot and I couldn't wait for their FULL-LENGTH novel to release. When I saw that Fractures in Ink would release SOON, I was super excited and couldn't wait to get my hands on it.
"Separately, these struggles could break us down. But maybe if we could hold on to each other and figure them out together... we could stop the fractures from becoming too big and keep the cracks from forming fissures we couldn't repair."
Chris and Sarah were perfect for each other. They were obvious both broken characters that are trying to make the best out of their lives. They both think they aren't good enough for each other. I wanted to shake them both and tell them they were perfect for each other. There were a couple of times where both Chris and Sarah pushed the other away. I loved how the author handled those situations a lot. Chris was amazing he was so loyal and protective of the people he loves. He did his best to take care of his family and friends. Chris is a perfect book boyfriend, plus he is a tattoo artist and that is always a plus (FREE TATTOOS!!). Sarah did her best to be independent and do everything on her own, but sometimes there is too much going on and it is okay to ask for help from your loved ones.
"You work hard to take care of the people you love. You're loyal, and you're as beautiful on the inside as you are on the outside."
What I loved most about this book was the character development for both Chris and Sarah as individuals and as a couple. This book was COMPLETE in my eyes. The side characters added a very important layer to the story and I love them. It had enough suspense, romance and sad moments. I was completely sucked into the story. I really hope there will be more books in this series. I especially want Ivy, Chris' sister, to get her how book.
October 29, 2022
5 Intensely Fractured Stars
Re Read in 2022 via audio book , narrated by Rose Dioro and Jacob Morgan. Listening time 7hrs 40mins. I had forgotten what an amazing book this is. I loved it even more this time round.
Original review below (2016).
I was so excited about this book. Sarah and Chris both featured in Hayden and Tenley's story (duet Clipped Wings and Inked Armour ), plus the novellas so I was raring to dive into this one.
This book is beautifully written and the characters are captivating. I felt incredibly protective of Sarah, and actually all my sympathy was with her when the fragile bubble around them began to disintegrate. They both keep secrets from each other but they do that to shield each other. Their intentions are good but it could lead to the utter destruction of their relationship. At one point something happens, Chris is angry and upset and he gets some seriously nasty digs in verbally to Sarah. It was brutal but it was Sarah's reaction that made me cry. She is a fantastic heroine. oh my heart- I think Sarah broke me a little. I have to say, the reaction of Hayden & Jamie to Sarah at that point shocked me. She is so alone- more so than Chris and I think that was why my sympathy was more with her.
There are events in this book that are gritty and brutal but they are well balanced against a backdrop of lighter moments and two people who truly love each other. You never feel like it's going to swallow you whole. Ms Hunting will take you to the edge, make you look down into the emotional maelstrom that her characters are experiencing and then she gently eases you back and carefully puts together all those damaged, fractured pieces.
There is angst (seriously, my heart was in my mouth at times) , there is a lot of sexy hot stuff, there is camaraderie, there is fun and banter. And ultimately there is a love story and it is quite the story.....
Dual pov
HEA? Yes
Cheating? No
I really hope this isn't the end, I would love more books about the other characters.
Re Read in 2022 via audio book , narrated by Rose Dioro and Jacob Morgan. Listening time 7hrs 40mins. I had forgotten what an amazing book this is. I loved it even more this time round.
Original review below (2016).
I was so excited about this book. Sarah and Chris both featured in Hayden and Tenley's story (duet Clipped Wings and Inked Armour ), plus the novellas so I was raring to dive into this one.
This book is beautifully written and the characters are captivating. I felt incredibly protective of Sarah, and actually all my sympathy was with her when the fragile bubble around them began to disintegrate. They both keep secrets from each other but they do that to shield each other. Their intentions are good but it could lead to the utter destruction of their relationship. At one point something happens, Chris is angry and upset and he gets some seriously nasty digs in verbally to Sarah. It was brutal but it was Sarah's reaction that made me cry. She is a fantastic heroine. oh my heart- I think Sarah broke me a little. I have to say, the reaction of Hayden & Jamie to Sarah at that point shocked me. She is so alone- more so than Chris and I think that was why my sympathy was more with her.
There are events in this book that are gritty and brutal but they are well balanced against a backdrop of lighter moments and two people who truly love each other. You never feel like it's going to swallow you whole. Ms Hunting will take you to the edge, make you look down into the emotional maelstrom that her characters are experiencing and then she gently eases you back and carefully puts together all those damaged, fractured pieces.
There is angst (seriously, my heart was in my mouth at times) , there is a lot of sexy hot stuff, there is camaraderie, there is fun and banter. And ultimately there is a love story and it is quite the story.....
Dual pov
HEA? Yes
Cheating? No
I really hope this isn't the end, I would love more books about the other characters.
November 14, 2016
Title: Fractures in Ink
Author: Helena Hunting
Category: Romance
POV Dual
Characters: 4
Plot: 4
Scorching level: 4
HEA: Not telling
This is the first Helena Hunting book for me but it won't be the last.
The writing sucked me in and I have to admit that it was a beautiful story.
Chris & Sarah didn't have an easy story but I wanted them to be together so bad. Chris, the tattoo artist with the heart of gold and Sarah, the woman who is trying hard to make her dreams come true.
I loved how real and at times flawed the characters were.
I have to say that even though I loved the storyline I had a difficult time fully connecting with the characters. I felt that the book could have been a little shorter but on the other hand, the writing made up for those little things that didn't work for me. I recommend it.
4 Stars
November 14, 2016
“We’re all broken, Sarah. It’s not always about fixing the parts that don’t work; it’s about making the most of the ones that do.”
I fell in love with Helena Hunting’s world of hot-as-sin tattoo artists in Clipped Wings and its sequel, Inked Armor, so returning to it has been an absolute joy. I didn’t even know how much I had missed this author’s writing style and her truly remarkable insight into the human condition—reflected in the way her characters react to, cope with, and overcome adversity in their lives—until I found myself so engrossed in this book that I had completely forgotten the world around me. Chris and Sarah’s story deserved to be told in its entirety from the moment we met them many moons past, and I could not be happier with the way the author took her time to develop the kind of love and trust needed to sustain a relationship between two such broken individuals. I was overcome with emotion on more than one occasion, fascinated by the incredible level of self-awareness that Ms Hunting bestowed upon her characters, and reminded once again why I fell in love with this author’s voice in the first place.
[4.5 STARS]
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July 1, 2017
Fractures In Ink es el tercer libro de la serie Clipped Wings creada por la autora Helena Hunting y narra la historia de Chris y Sarah, personajes secundarios en los libros anteriores.
Esta historia era una de las que mas esperaba, desde el primer momento que conoci a la pareja protagonista me llamo la atencion, no solo me gustaron mucho mas ellos que Hayden y Tenley en las partes anteriores, sino que en mi opinion se llevaron bastante mas atencion que la pareja principal.
Tenley y Hayden nunca me convencieron al 100%, habia algo que no me terminaba de gustar ( quizas porque sus caracteres no eran de mi agrado ) en cambio, Sarah y Chris me emocionaron como pareja, eran mucho mas maduros y simpaticos, ademas tenia el presentimiento de que tendrian una relacion atipica.
Admito que esta novela no cumplio del todo mis expectativas, no se si el problema fue mio, al ir con demasiadas expectativas o si fue porque la trama era un poco simple, fuera lo que fuese, me desiluciono un poco esta lectura, con eso no digo que sea mala u horrible, solo que no se convirtio en memorable o llamativa, es una historia mas, sin mucho que la haga destacar.
En fin, un libro entretenido y agil de leer, pero eche en falta mas profundidad y desarrollo.
3 Estrellas!
December 9, 2019
Sarah is so close to achieving her masters at college and spends her days working as an intern, her nights working the bar at a strip club. This is where she first met Chris, a tattoo artist at Inked Armor. They have a casual FWB arrangement that seems to be working for them.
Chris would love more with Sarah but he has convinced himself that she is way out of his league. He doesn’t feel he has anything to offer her, she is way too smart and has a bright future ahead of her.
Sarah finds herself in a bit of a financial pickle and accepts help from the one person she probably shouldn’t have trusted. Now her future career and education are at risk. She tries to cool things off a bit with Chris, so she can just focus on finishing her study without added distractions but that proves to be harder than she thought.
Chris is gutted when Sarah begins putting distance between them and it confirms his insecurities about not being good enough for him. When things change for Sarah at work she turns to the only person she has ever felt safe with, Chris. She is still hiding things from him though and trust is important to him, he can’t be with someone who can’t give him that.
This was my first read from the Clipped Wings series and I am now going back to read the previous stories so I can learn more about the rest of the guys at Inked Armor.
Chris would love more with Sarah but he has convinced himself that she is way out of his league. He doesn’t feel he has anything to offer her, she is way too smart and has a bright future ahead of her.
Sarah finds herself in a bit of a financial pickle and accepts help from the one person she probably shouldn’t have trusted. Now her future career and education are at risk. She tries to cool things off a bit with Chris, so she can just focus on finishing her study without added distractions but that proves to be harder than she thought.
Chris is gutted when Sarah begins putting distance between them and it confirms his insecurities about not being good enough for him. When things change for Sarah at work she turns to the only person she has ever felt safe with, Chris. She is still hiding things from him though and trust is important to him, he can’t be with someone who can’t give him that.
This was my first read from the Clipped Wings series and I am now going back to read the previous stories so I can learn more about the rest of the guys at Inked Armor.
November 22, 2016
“Life had broken her, just as it had broken him. But when they got together, their pieces became whole. And they continued on their journey, together, mended as one.” ~Steve Maraboli
That moment when you start reading a book by one of your favorite authors—thinking you'll be wrapped up like a cozy blanket in the familiar look, sound, and feel—and then BOOM! It is nothing like you're expecting at all. Fractures In Ink left me speechless in a novel unlike any Helena Hunting story I've read: It's gripping, grueling, and gut-wrenching...and I loved every nail-biting minute.
Shortly after reading, I had a feeling that me that this book would break me…and oh did it leave me broken. Fractures In Ink broke me in the best way. This intense and incredible romance worked its way into my heart, hitting it hard, where it beat for these broken and beautiful characters who quickly became a part of me.
Fractures In Ink is a hypnotic and haunting love story of strength and survival that rendered me an emotional mess. My heart raced as this romance became my rush. I read this nail-biter of a story with bated breaths. A shiny gem filled with dark and light. Angst and anger. Love and hope. So many feels. Feels that flowed through me. I FELT EVERY WORD I READ.
Chris Zelter, a hot, blond, blue-eyed muscular and inked tattoo artist has been dealt a debating hand in life. Blow after blow. Letdown after letdown. Nothing and no one have mattered to him...until beautiful blonde, blue-eyed, long-legged, smart, and sassy Sarah Adamson entered his life. It's too bad she didn't stay for long.
"Deep down I knew I was a temporary fixture in her life. I was the second-hand sofa college students bought, trashed for a while, and later traded in for a nicer one. Sarah was destined to upgrade."
Oh did Chris' words shatter me, my heart broke for this man who doesn't think he's worthy of love. I LOVED this broken yet beautiful man outside and in from the start.
"I believed one could ever be faithful to one person. Then for a while, Chris made me believe it was possible to love someone and be only theirs, until I screwed that up, too."
Sarah has lived an even greater hell than Chris, and is still wading through the depths of darkness with a dangerous job and no one she can truly trust...except Chris.
"I'd later learned that under all that attitude was a soft, sometimes self-conscious woman who was afraid to get close to people. Just like me. Which is why we'd worked. Until we didn't."
Oh did Fractures In Ink bleed angst that poured all over the pages. The anticipation kept me on edge where I waited and waited for a spark of light to burst out of the darkness...a sliver of hope.
"It's like that I can feel your heart."
"It's all yours, baby. All you have to do is want it enough to take it."
The past keeps looming, a storm raging that won't stop. Darkness tries to snuff out the light. Can two broken hearts mend to become whole?
Haunting, heartbreaking, and heroic, Fractures In Ink is a hard-fought love story, broken yet brilliant, where you can't help but feel everything. I FELL IN LOVE with the intoxicating and intense Fractures In Ink, this story with steam and suspense that seduced me so smoothly that I did not expect to fall as deeply as I did. I did not expect my heart to fracture either. Fractures In Ink, oh did it fracture me. This soul-searing story hit my heart hard, wrecking it...wrecking me...in the most wonderful way. Oh did fractured feel good.
★★★★★ Fabulous Fractured Stars
That moment when you start reading a book by one of your favorite authors—thinking you'll be wrapped up like a cozy blanket in the familiar look, sound, and feel—and then BOOM! It is nothing like you're expecting at all. Fractures In Ink left me speechless in a novel unlike any Helena Hunting story I've read: It's gripping, grueling, and gut-wrenching...and I loved every nail-biting minute.
Shortly after reading, I had a feeling that me that this book would break me…and oh did it leave me broken. Fractures In Ink broke me in the best way. This intense and incredible romance worked its way into my heart, hitting it hard, where it beat for these broken and beautiful characters who quickly became a part of me.
Fractures In Ink is a hypnotic and haunting love story of strength and survival that rendered me an emotional mess. My heart raced as this romance became my rush. I read this nail-biter of a story with bated breaths. A shiny gem filled with dark and light. Angst and anger. Love and hope. So many feels. Feels that flowed through me. I FELT EVERY WORD I READ.
Chris Zelter, a hot, blond, blue-eyed muscular and inked tattoo artist has been dealt a debating hand in life. Blow after blow. Letdown after letdown. Nothing and no one have mattered to him...until beautiful blonde, blue-eyed, long-legged, smart, and sassy Sarah Adamson entered his life. It's too bad she didn't stay for long.
"Deep down I knew I was a temporary fixture in her life. I was the second-hand sofa college students bought, trashed for a while, and later traded in for a nicer one. Sarah was destined to upgrade."
Oh did Chris' words shatter me, my heart broke for this man who doesn't think he's worthy of love. I LOVED this broken yet beautiful man outside and in from the start.
"I believed one could ever be faithful to one person. Then for a while, Chris made me believe it was possible to love someone and be only theirs, until I screwed that up, too."
Sarah has lived an even greater hell than Chris, and is still wading through the depths of darkness with a dangerous job and no one she can truly trust...except Chris.
"I'd later learned that under all that attitude was a soft, sometimes self-conscious woman who was afraid to get close to people. Just like me. Which is why we'd worked. Until we didn't."
Oh did Fractures In Ink bleed angst that poured all over the pages. The anticipation kept me on edge where I waited and waited for a spark of light to burst out of the darkness...a sliver of hope.
"It's like that I can feel your heart."
"It's all yours, baby. All you have to do is want it enough to take it."
The past keeps looming, a storm raging that won't stop. Darkness tries to snuff out the light. Can two broken hearts mend to become whole?
Haunting, heartbreaking, and heroic, Fractures In Ink is a hard-fought love story, broken yet brilliant, where you can't help but feel everything. I FELL IN LOVE with the intoxicating and intense Fractures In Ink, this story with steam and suspense that seduced me so smoothly that I did not expect to fall as deeply as I did. I did not expect my heart to fracture either. Fractures In Ink, oh did it fracture me. This soul-searing story hit my heart hard, wrecking it...wrecking me...in the most wonderful way. Oh did fractured feel good.
★★★★★ Fabulous Fractured Stars
November 18, 2016
I was so excited to read Helena Hunting’s latest novel, Fractures in Ink, as she has an innate ability to include humor, passion, angst and heart-clenching emotion in all of her novels. This is the third book in the Clipped Wings series (and can be read as a standalone.)
While I did enjoy this novel and the romance between Chris and Sarah, I had some issues with this book. When we first met Sarah, I found that she wasn't a likeable character. She seemed cold and callous and just very detached from Chris. Furthermore, while I know it was as a result of his harsh upbringing, Chris’s negativity and lack of self-esteem was a little off-putting. His insecurities were consistently stated and underscored throughout the whole novel which was hard to take after a while. Furthermore, it seemed like his perception was cyclical in nature: one minute being happy and excited, then jumping to dejected and morose, feeling like he deserved nothing good in this world. This outlook cast a depressing cloud over a large portion of the novel.
While this wasn't my favorite Helena Hunting book, I did enjoy seeing Hayden and Tenley again and all of the previous characters in the series. ~ Ratula, 3 Stars
While I did enjoy this novel and the romance between Chris and Sarah, I had some issues with this book. When we first met Sarah, I found that she wasn't a likeable character. She seemed cold and callous and just very detached from Chris. Furthermore, while I know it was as a result of his harsh upbringing, Chris’s negativity and lack of self-esteem was a little off-putting. His insecurities were consistently stated and underscored throughout the whole novel which was hard to take after a while. Furthermore, it seemed like his perception was cyclical in nature: one minute being happy and excited, then jumping to dejected and morose, feeling like he deserved nothing good in this world. This outlook cast a depressing cloud over a large portion of the novel.
While this wasn't my favorite Helena Hunting book, I did enjoy seeing Hayden and Tenley again and all of the previous characters in the series. ~ Ratula, 3 Stars
August 14, 2018
Whenever I have vacation I try to read my paperbacks because it's easy.
I LOVE this cover it's so beautiful!!
First I was a little afraid to start it, because I knew them from Hayden's story and didn't know if I would like it very much. But the cover and the blurb convinced me.
A quote I love!
Let's wash away everyone else's sins so we can commit our own."/b>
I know it's a bit weird but I liked it immediatly!
Chris is such a good hearted guy who deserves all the goodness and love in the world!
Sarah is a very hard working person, who deserves so much good! I felt exhausted myself whenever I read how much she worked!
I would love to know a bit more about Dee and Grant, I want to know how she is.
I LOVE this cover it's so beautiful!!
First I was a little afraid to start it, because I knew them from Hayden's story and didn't know if I would like it very much. But the cover and the blurb convinced me.
A quote I love!
Let's wash away everyone else's sins so we can commit our own."/b>
I know it's a bit weird but I liked it immediatly!
Chris is such a good hearted guy who deserves all the goodness and love in the world!
Sarah is a very hard working person, who deserves so much good! I felt exhausted myself whenever I read how much she worked!
I would love to know a bit more about Dee and Grant, I want to know how she is.
November 22, 2016
***FULL REVIEW***
4 TRUST ME CROWNS
Most know Helena Hunting from the Pucked World. They know that hilarious, outlandish characters that have captured so many reader hearts, and the crazy antics that entertain endlessly. But my first novel from this author that really captured me as a reader and made me an dedicated follower of Helena Hunting was her more angst-filled novel, The Librarian Principle. She does angst incredibly well, which can be seen with her newest addition to the Clipped Wings series.
Fractures in Ink is part of the Clipped Wings world, but can be read as a stand-alone. She is able to give readers enough background information to understand what is going on with Chris and Sarah, but no so much that readers won’t want to go back and read about Jamie, Lisa, Tenley, and Hayden. In fact, most readers that pick up this book, I bet, will be more intrigued to go and pick up the beginning book of the series, because these characters and their relationship as a group is just that entertaining and endearing to watch. The camaraderie among this group is very similar to that of the Pucked crew, which is part of the draw to both series.
What really sells the story are the two main characters, Sarah and Chris. From the opening scene, the reader is sucked in from their relationship. Readers will connect with Sarah as she is looking to make her life better, while trying to maintain her morality and self-respect, not only for herself but because of her love and respect for Chris. Even though she makes some decisions that seem to be foolish to the reader, her insecurities and uncertainties with Chris are believable motivators for the choices she makes, so as a reader I cannot fault her for her actions. Chris is just the epitome of a good guy! He has come from a rough life and rough past, and he struggles with how this affects his self-image. Even with his insecurities, this man tries so hard to do the right thing and to be supportive of the people he loves. There is also this aspect of his personality that allows him to see people as people, even if they are doing less than savory acts, especially women. He treats them all with respect and lends a helping hand whenever he can. These two both have several issues and obstacles to overcome, and it was truly enjoyable to watch them come together in and out of the bedroom, and trust that just like the Pucked series, Helena Hunting knows how to bring it in the bedroom. From the opening scene, Helena Hunting sets the bedroom on fire with the emotionally charged interactions between these two.
The plot of this story is a very slow burn. There are several plot lines going on in the story, and Helena Hunting does an excellent job at integrating them all into on cohesive plot. There is romance, danger, suspense, and so much more that serves to make this plot interesting, but there was a point in the plot that I just needed something to happen. There was so much back and forth, and there seemed to be very little progression forward. This, however, is fixed as soon as readers hit a certain point in the plot, and everything explodes. This explosion does not let up until the end of the book and will definitely keep the readers engaged. I do wish this part of the plot would have been more developed. I wanted more details of the falling action, the downfall of the villain, what happened with some of the secondary characters. The falling action and of the story is wrapped up nicely, making the reader feel like the story is complete, but I just wanted more details. The resolution to the story, however, carries that reader through and will leave them with the pure reader contentment.
Helena Hunting’s ability to move between angst and humor just speaks to the talent this woman possesses, but no matter what type of romance she is writing the readers are always going to get characters with heart, plots that are intriguing, and glimpses into these unique families that have been created, leaving the reader to fall in love with her worlds and the people who inhabit them. This novel, truly, only serves to exemplify how talented she is and solidifies her as one of my top authors.
================
ARC received in exchange for an honest review!
For more reviews and other book news, check out Musings of the Modern Belle at www.modernbellebooks.com.
4 TRUST ME CROWNS
Most know Helena Hunting from the Pucked World. They know that hilarious, outlandish characters that have captured so many reader hearts, and the crazy antics that entertain endlessly. But my first novel from this author that really captured me as a reader and made me an dedicated follower of Helena Hunting was her more angst-filled novel, The Librarian Principle. She does angst incredibly well, which can be seen with her newest addition to the Clipped Wings series.
Fractures in Ink is part of the Clipped Wings world, but can be read as a stand-alone. She is able to give readers enough background information to understand what is going on with Chris and Sarah, but no so much that readers won’t want to go back and read about Jamie, Lisa, Tenley, and Hayden. In fact, most readers that pick up this book, I bet, will be more intrigued to go and pick up the beginning book of the series, because these characters and their relationship as a group is just that entertaining and endearing to watch. The camaraderie among this group is very similar to that of the Pucked crew, which is part of the draw to both series.
What really sells the story are the two main characters, Sarah and Chris. From the opening scene, the reader is sucked in from their relationship. Readers will connect with Sarah as she is looking to make her life better, while trying to maintain her morality and self-respect, not only for herself but because of her love and respect for Chris. Even though she makes some decisions that seem to be foolish to the reader, her insecurities and uncertainties with Chris are believable motivators for the choices she makes, so as a reader I cannot fault her for her actions. Chris is just the epitome of a good guy! He has come from a rough life and rough past, and he struggles with how this affects his self-image. Even with his insecurities, this man tries so hard to do the right thing and to be supportive of the people he loves. There is also this aspect of his personality that allows him to see people as people, even if they are doing less than savory acts, especially women. He treats them all with respect and lends a helping hand whenever he can. These two both have several issues and obstacles to overcome, and it was truly enjoyable to watch them come together in and out of the bedroom, and trust that just like the Pucked series, Helena Hunting knows how to bring it in the bedroom. From the opening scene, Helena Hunting sets the bedroom on fire with the emotionally charged interactions between these two.
The plot of this story is a very slow burn. There are several plot lines going on in the story, and Helena Hunting does an excellent job at integrating them all into on cohesive plot. There is romance, danger, suspense, and so much more that serves to make this plot interesting, but there was a point in the plot that I just needed something to happen. There was so much back and forth, and there seemed to be very little progression forward. This, however, is fixed as soon as readers hit a certain point in the plot, and everything explodes. This explosion does not let up until the end of the book and will definitely keep the readers engaged. I do wish this part of the plot would have been more developed. I wanted more details of the falling action, the downfall of the villain, what happened with some of the secondary characters. The falling action and of the story is wrapped up nicely, making the reader feel like the story is complete, but I just wanted more details. The resolution to the story, however, carries that reader through and will leave them with the pure reader contentment.
Helena Hunting’s ability to move between angst and humor just speaks to the talent this woman possesses, but no matter what type of romance she is writing the readers are always going to get characters with heart, plots that are intriguing, and glimpses into these unique families that have been created, leaving the reader to fall in love with her worlds and the people who inhabit them. This novel, truly, only serves to exemplify how talented she is and solidifies her as one of my top authors.
================
ARC received in exchange for an honest review!
For more reviews and other book news, check out Musings of the Modern Belle at www.modernbellebooks.com.
June 16, 2017
3.5 stars!
This book is the third in the Clipped Wings series, and is the long-awaited story of Chris and Sarah. Chris is the best friend of Hayden, and Sarah is the neighbour and friend of Tenley, and both appeared in the Clipped Wings series, with a romance between them hinted at, and though this book could be read as a standalone, you’ll be missing some context, plus the first two books are both awesome reads, so don’t miss out on those!
I love Chris! He is a tattoo artist who works at Inked Armor, and as Hayden’s best friend, the two of them have come through hell together and created a great life for themselves. Chris is the jokester, the fun one who is always quick with a smartass comment, but he has a huge heart, and I love that we got to explore that a bit deeper in this book as we learn that he has escaped from an awful home life, and still supports his mother and sister, wanting to be there for them and help them in whatever way he can.
Sarah is a student doing her final internship before graduating with the degree she’s worked so hard for, working part time as a waitress in a strip club to help make ends meet. Apart from being a wonderful support for Tenley in all that she went through, she spent a lot of the first two books refusing Chris’ advances, until he finally wore him down and she gave him a chance.
Now, it’s six months later and they have been seeing each other for that whole time. They don’t have a ‘conventional’ relationship, and haven’t really opened up to each other, but they have come to mean a lot to each other. But they keep their emotions to themselves, and neither of them have actually spoken about what is between them and how they feel about it, and now they find themselves stuck. Unable to move forward with the barriers that are still in place between them.
Chris and Sarah both have a lot going on in their private lives and their stories are told really well, and I could feel the emotion and the struggle of them trying to overcome the baggage that keeps them holding back.
But rather than share it with each other, they’ve kept their issues private and this book is a reflection of that, and at times it feels like two separate stories as we delve into their worlds and see all that they are dealing with - with their relationship being a side story. And while I enjoyed getting to know both of these characters more, I would have preferred a bit more of a love story (because I’m a romantic sap like that). There is a romance, and what is there is gorgeous, I just wanted more of it.
Because not only is Chris a sexy bastard, but he’s also a sweetheart who can definitely bring the swoon.
I enjoyed this book. It was slower paced and didn’t hold the intensity or awesomeness of the first two books (for me), but I enjoyed seeing Chris and Sarah work through their issues and get their happy ending.
3.5 stars.
This book is the third in the Clipped Wings series, and is the long-awaited story of Chris and Sarah. Chris is the best friend of Hayden, and Sarah is the neighbour and friend of Tenley, and both appeared in the Clipped Wings series, with a romance between them hinted at, and though this book could be read as a standalone, you’ll be missing some context, plus the first two books are both awesome reads, so don’t miss out on those!
I love Chris! He is a tattoo artist who works at Inked Armor, and as Hayden’s best friend, the two of them have come through hell together and created a great life for themselves. Chris is the jokester, the fun one who is always quick with a smartass comment, but he has a huge heart, and I love that we got to explore that a bit deeper in this book as we learn that he has escaped from an awful home life, and still supports his mother and sister, wanting to be there for them and help them in whatever way he can.
Sarah is a student doing her final internship before graduating with the degree she’s worked so hard for, working part time as a waitress in a strip club to help make ends meet. Apart from being a wonderful support for Tenley in all that she went through, she spent a lot of the first two books refusing Chris’ advances, until he finally wore him down and she gave him a chance.
Now, it’s six months later and they have been seeing each other for that whole time. They don’t have a ‘conventional’ relationship, and haven’t really opened up to each other, but they have come to mean a lot to each other. But they keep their emotions to themselves, and neither of them have actually spoken about what is between them and how they feel about it, and now they find themselves stuck. Unable to move forward with the barriers that are still in place between them.
Her walls were like mine, which was another part of the allure. I understood walls. They’d kept me safe from people most of my life. Only my Inked Armor crew got past them, and even then, I only let them into the rooms I wanted to. There were locked closets no one but me could enter. But by keeping my walls in place with Sarah, I’d created a distance I didn’t know how to cross any more.
Chris and Sarah both have a lot going on in their private lives and their stories are told really well, and I could feel the emotion and the struggle of them trying to overcome the baggage that keeps them holding back.
Separately, these struggles could break us down. But maybe if we could hold on to each other and figure them out together...we could stop the fractures from becoming too big and keep the cracks from forming fissures we couldn't repair.
But rather than share it with each other, they’ve kept their issues private and this book is a reflection of that, and at times it feels like two separate stories as we delve into their worlds and see all that they are dealing with - with their relationship being a side story. And while I enjoyed getting to know both of these characters more, I would have preferred a bit more of a love story (because I’m a romantic sap like that). There is a romance, and what is there is gorgeous, I just wanted more of it.
“We’re all broken, Sarah. It’s not always about fixing the parts that don’t work; it’s about making the most of the ones that do.”
Because not only is Chris a sexy bastard, but he’s also a sweetheart who can definitely bring the swoon.
“I like that I can feel your heart.”
… “It’s all yours baby. All you have to do is want it enough to take it.”
I enjoyed this book. It was slower paced and didn’t hold the intensity or awesomeness of the first two books (for me), but I enjoyed seeing Chris and Sarah work through their issues and get their happy ending.
3.5 stars.
November 23, 2016
4.5 Fractured Stars!
If any couple deserves love, happiness and success, it's Chris Zelter and Sarah Adamson. I can't believe the stress and hardship these two had to endure just to reach that point in their life where they could say that they're gladly contented and that they've reached their happy ending. These two played a crazy tug of war with my heart. They weren't perfect; they both were two beautifully broken souls that just happened to find solace in each other. They found it hard to lower down the walls they managed to build to protect themselves. With how their life was, it's a lot harder for them to trust other people. You had to be someone really special to earn something as big as that.
I loved Chris and his sweet, gentle heart. He's as real as they come. I loved how he never tried to hide who he really is to other people. That all he was concerned about is keeping the people he cared about the most safe. He owned up to his actions, sometimes even more. He's a giant teddy bear with a marshmallow for a heart. An absolute safe haven. Sarah is indeed lucky to come home to and call a guy like Chris, hers. He might've had his own issues and insecurities, but he'll do anything and give everything he has for you to feel how much you mean to him. And that's what made him so much more lovable and desirable to me. His gorgeous face, fine as hell body and dirty mouth is just a huge bonus to the Christ Zelter package.
Sarah frustrated me in the beginning. All I wanted was for her to open up and rely on Chris. He was clearly there for her all the time, ready to lend an ear, a helping hand, anything really. All she had to do was speak to him. But I guess I can't blame her for her independence. Or her fears. Just like Chris, she got burned and abandoned by her own family, leaving her to fend for herself. I hated how such a smart young woman like Sarah had to juggle and work multiple jobs to pay for her tuition and survive an internship at the same time. Not to mention stressing over a crappy job with an asshole boss who craves to take advantage of your weaknesses. I can't imagine how she was able to get through all of that and come out sane, but I'm just glad she had Chris beside her.
Fractures in Ink tackled a few gritty positions people easily find themselves in in life. Positions that are unavoidable and a reality to some of us. It wasn't pretty and it broke my heart more than I thought it would, but Chris and Sarah made it out alive after a very bumpy journey. They were able to make it work after everything they've been through. Things definitely didn't come easy for these two, but in the end, that relationship and bond they have is that much more gratifying, stronger and sweeter.
Helena Hunting has truly taken me on an emotional whirlwind of a ride with this book and I couldn't help but cheer these two on from start to finish.
If any couple deserves love, happiness and success, it's Chris Zelter and Sarah Adamson. I can't believe the stress and hardship these two had to endure just to reach that point in their life where they could say that they're gladly contented and that they've reached their happy ending. These two played a crazy tug of war with my heart. They weren't perfect; they both were two beautifully broken souls that just happened to find solace in each other. They found it hard to lower down the walls they managed to build to protect themselves. With how their life was, it's a lot harder for them to trust other people. You had to be someone really special to earn something as big as that.
I loved Chris and his sweet, gentle heart. He's as real as they come. I loved how he never tried to hide who he really is to other people. That all he was concerned about is keeping the people he cared about the most safe. He owned up to his actions, sometimes even more. He's a giant teddy bear with a marshmallow for a heart. An absolute safe haven. Sarah is indeed lucky to come home to and call a guy like Chris, hers. He might've had his own issues and insecurities, but he'll do anything and give everything he has for you to feel how much you mean to him. And that's what made him so much more lovable and desirable to me. His gorgeous face, fine as hell body and dirty mouth is just a huge bonus to the Christ Zelter package.
Sarah frustrated me in the beginning. All I wanted was for her to open up and rely on Chris. He was clearly there for her all the time, ready to lend an ear, a helping hand, anything really. All she had to do was speak to him. But I guess I can't blame her for her independence. Or her fears. Just like Chris, she got burned and abandoned by her own family, leaving her to fend for herself. I hated how such a smart young woman like Sarah had to juggle and work multiple jobs to pay for her tuition and survive an internship at the same time. Not to mention stressing over a crappy job with an asshole boss who craves to take advantage of your weaknesses. I can't imagine how she was able to get through all of that and come out sane, but I'm just glad she had Chris beside her.
Fractures in Ink tackled a few gritty positions people easily find themselves in in life. Positions that are unavoidable and a reality to some of us. It wasn't pretty and it broke my heart more than I thought it would, but Chris and Sarah made it out alive after a very bumpy journey. They were able to make it work after everything they've been through. Things definitely didn't come easy for these two, but in the end, that relationship and bond they have is that much more gratifying, stronger and sweeter.
Helena Hunting has truly taken me on an emotional whirlwind of a ride with this book and I couldn't help but cheer these two on from start to finish.
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