This is a steamy childhood friends to lovers romance set in the small beach town of Key West. ___________
“I would be your death wish. You should guard your heart when I’m around.” ___________
Yasmine’s world breaks apart when she finds her fiancé in bed with another. Shattered, she flees LA and escapes to her second home—her sister’s Key West bed and breakfast—where she bumps into her childhood friend, Hawk, who went from the chubby boy-next-door to a certified millionaire hottie. Her instincts tell her to run. Even Hawk warns her.
All grown up, they’re now opposites—light and darkness, fire and ice, sunshine and cold shadows. She’s on a voyage to heal her heart with yoga and Google spells, while Hawk battles his demons with art and meaningless sex. Years ago, he discovered that his marriage was a lie, wasting his vows on a woman who turned out to be nothing but a cold-blooded killer. For Hawk, there’s no hope for a normal life. His mind is too broken, his faith in humanity as dead as his ex-wife’s victims.
As breezy days go by, Hawk and Yasmine’s kinship in pain shifts from friendship to hungry lust. And although they battle against it, there’s an intense passion bridging between them that they can’t ignore.
Kenya Wright wrote her first novel during her third year at UM Law school. She dropped out a month after the release and never looked back.
Words are power, and Kenya wants to be the greatest wizard that ever lived.
It's an audacity to inspire and teach the healing of love through arousal.
It's this crazy idea that love can not only help a reader escape, but the story can also teach the person about being human, while making them laugh, cry, and hot for more sex.
Wow! Kenya Wright has done it again and gave us this funny, dark and sensually loving masterpiece. Hawk is a man damaged physically, mentally and emotionally by his psychopathic ex-wife. In an attempt to flee from the press and his tragic marriage, he returns to a place that's always been home in the Florida Keyes. Yasmin is a broken hearted woman trying to collect the shattered pieces of her heart after her fiance cheated on her. She too returns home to the bed and breakfast she calls home in the Key West. On the night of her trying to purge her broken heart on the beach, she seems to have summoned the cure for her hurt. And Hawk finds within his old friend a love and acceptance of his trauma.
There isn't much for me to say without spoiling it, but I can't say enough how good this story was. Hawk and Yaz dancing around their attraction for one another was fascinatingly funny. Each of them trying to decide what the parameters of this new friendship would mean, and trying not to hurt each other.
Yaz and Hawk were somewhat opposite and somewhat similar and were a perfect match. It was great that they were childhood friends that become lovers. I found the serial killer ex wife really really interesting. Loved it
2.25 Stars. (BW/WM). Amazon e-book. It is only by force of will and determination that I didn’t “DNF” this book, that and the fact that I paid $2.99 for it. Childhood friends to lovers is one of my favorite genres; but this story, is one of the worse entries in this genre that I have read. Hawk and Yasmine seem to have lost touch with each other early on maybe after high school or before; regardless, they had each had suffered server emotional trauma from their failed romantic relationships...Hawk’s ex-wife physically abused him and has been jailed as a sociopathic murderer, Yasmine’s ex- fiancé has wrecked her emotionally by repeatedly cheating. Thanks to interference by Hawk’s brother and Yasmine’s sister, the two are back in their Key West home town for emotional healing. The story gets weird via the influx of other worldliness of holistic experiences and the hard to get behavior of the heroine and the I can offer sexual fidelity with no emotional involvement. The back and forth went on for several chapters and this “tug of war” was all that kept them apart, there was no other conflict or obstacle. Boring.
Ok...can we just crown Kenya Wright queen of erotica and let the discussion be over....I'm not kidding....I change my old lady drawers a few times with this storyline...hmmmm...come to think ...was because I laughed a lot or I was just excited...it's such a great hot story...with a on the male being a torture victim needed healing and love from the female.....and boy did Cherry Bomb have her hands full...Kay and Hawk needed each spiritually,sexually,mentally and physically...I felt spiritual and wickedly turned on at the same time...phew😛😂😜
This is my first read from Kenya wright, I like this book very much . Hawk and Yaz are beautiful together... to bad they lost touch and end up with other people. I would like to learn more about Lisa,the psycho!, and "meet" Hawk's family. Brett, is the only one we are acquainted with. Also, Victor and Cindy been married forever, do they have kids? It looks like a NO... if so why? Maybe, Brett and Willow' s(hint) story will clarify. .. Great read folks! !
For me there were a lot of unanswered questions. Like was his brother the accomplice? Why did his brother really have those letters written? And what about his company? He just walked away from it? And so o many others. But was still a good book
I've not read anything from this author in a long time. This was a good story. The back stories were thorough and made the plot more intriguing. I really enjoyed this.
This story with Yaz and Hawkins is deep. So deep and at times heart rending. Kenya Wright never disappoints on the sexy in a tale nor the heart in her stories. Kudos
Heartbreak Hotel was a very original & entertaining read although the it says Dark Friends-to-Lovers. Yasmine's world is shattered when she comes home to find her long time boyfriend turned finance being serviced by another woman. So, she flies home to her sister's Key West bed & breakfast to heal. Hawk comes to Key West to get away from his life, after dealing with the aftermath of finding out that his wife is a cold blooded serial killer. It's affected him, turning his heart into stone, with his mind completely broken. He runs into Yasmine on the beach trying some spell, as they were childhood best friends when he was a chubby boy, but what she didn't know is that he was love with her. Now he's all grown up & hot, plus a millionaire. However, they are complete opposites, she's light where he's darkness, she wants to heal with yoga & self help books, while he battles his demons in art & meaningless sex. But one thing is instantly clear, they want each other badly, but Yasmine is refusing to give in to his demands until he gives in to hers. Who will give in first? I love Kenya Wright's stories, as her talented writing style is an addiction of mine, and I'm always completely captivated by her stories. And no two stories are ever alike. Heartbreak Hotel had a lot of angst, especially on the part of Hawk, that had my eyes threatening my eyes to leak. While Yasmine kept me laughing with her quirkiness. Together, their chemistry kept the heat full of FIERY FLAMES of sexy times when it EXPLODED! And the colorful cast of secondaries not only added to the humor, but even more angst in some instances. If you haven't guessed yet, I LOVED this story, & hope there are stories about all of Hawk's brothers in the future! HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO ALL!
I've been following Kenya Wright's reviews on Goodreads now for several years; yet, for whatever reason, I hadn't read one of her books until "Heartbreak Hotel." The idea of a man discovering his ex-wife was a serial killer so he departs to the Florida Keys with his brother to heal and ends up becoming reacquainted with a childhood crush was an interesting premise for me.
Yasmine, aka Yaz, fled to the Bed and Breakfast of her sister in the Keys when she discovered her cheating fiancee getting a blowjob in their bedroom. Yaz is a free spirited writer who has an easy way about her. While trying to ward off negative energy and heal she runs into her childhood best friend, Hawkins, aka Hawk. The once chubby boy has turned into a hot muscle rippled man and wealthy to boot. They laugh over old times but soon they are both wanting more. However, they both know that going down this road may very well cause problems for both of them
I really liked the world building and chemistry between the characters. I also wanted to know more about Hawk's brothers. The sex was amazing and it wasn’t overdone like some erotica books. My only problem with the read is that there was talk that Hawk's ex-wife might have had an accomplice but this issue was never ferreted out. There were moments throughout the read that I thought it was going to surface but it never really did and I truly wanted to know more. Maybe Ms. Wright plans to deal with it in future installments. I truly hope so! I will definitely be going on to read the next book in this series.
It was okay but it was kind of a bits and pieces feel. Hawkins and Yasmine had been friends when they were kids but had grown apart. In that time, Hawkins divorced a serial killer wife who had held him hostage and tortured him for two days. Yasmine left her three time cheating fiance when she walked in on the third incident in their home. Hawkins is scarred and doesn't want to fall for anyone again and Yasmine doesn't want temporary. They're at odds on that sticking point until Hawkins gives in and decides to try to give Yasmine more of himself, including his heart. After some tension, they get together, part briefly, then stay together.
I couldn't understand why Yasmine's ex follows her to Florida from LA just to show her he was set up. Hawkins's brother Brett had a hand in paying a prostitute to show up and tempt him sure, but the ex acted on it. Five years they were together but there's no information given as to why he's holding on so tightly he makes such a trip. Brett's maneuvering to get Hawkins and Yasmine in the same location makes sense, the forged letters from Hawkins's wife absolving him of guilt I thought went a step too far. The troubled couple at the bed and breakfast was kind of off too I felt as well as some of the scenes that mixed painting with intimacy.
The darkness could not take the Hawk away. Even with the terror and deception these childhood friends found their way back to each other, with help from Hawks brother Brett. Yaz was the light and love that Hawk needed to heal and be free. I usually don't like such dark love stories but this one was well written. There were enough editing and grammatical errors that warranted a full star deduction. I look forward to reading another story from this author.
I have never read a book as such and I don't regret ever grabbed it and read it... I usually do not like Or am not necessarily interested in any thing paranormal or fantasy but this book was that as well as not that... Everyone should pick a copy and start reading, you will not be able to stop reading it until it ended.... Great story, great book, great character, great everything.... It was worth my time
Hawk was a tortured soul and had every reason to be. His ex-wife was truly a psycho. He needed healing as well as Yasmine. This is a must read to learn how the healing process begins. I could see a follow-up book about Brett as well as River and Phoenix.
This was grown-up reading done just right.The writer manages to bring you into an adult relationship that's not surrounded with too much drama,but what happens when you need to find your way.I loved the chemistry and the intensity between the two main characters.I look forward to be maybe a story about Brent it would be good.
This was a great read. I'm so happy to read another Kenya Wright book. She's one of my favorite authors. The chemistry between Hawk and Yaz was scorching! Off the charts! I really want to know more about Hawk's case. It was really interesting. Maybe one day, KW would consider writing a murder suspense thriller mystery. All of that lol!
This story is about a man named Hawkins/Hawks and a woman named yasmine. They grew up together and they went off to college they went their separate ways. Hawks ended up marrying only to find out he is married to a black widow. After his wife goes to prison and they get divorced, he runs into Yasmine and they rekindled their friendship and became lovers.
I'm in love! I honestly loved everything about this book. I eagerly await the remaining books from the other brothers: Brett & River, how will Brett be redeemed?! He is such a douche!! I can't wait to see which 'sista' will claim him and River and Phoenix's story will also be on my instant buy lists.
started out slow for me and little strong. the attraction was full throttle in the beginning which threw me off. he went to the keys to relax after a tragic situation and met up with a old friend. there were some weird occurrences from his brother that never really were answered. anyway the sex scenes were pretty hot if you're into that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Loved Hawk, with his crazy self, and Yaz, who was so sweet and a little crazy herself, lol. This was a good book of pain, darkness and love! Redemption and second chance! I really loved this book.
Hawk been through so much. When he and Yaz reconnected I felt she would be the one to help him get over what happened to him. Even Yaz had her issues her and Hawk was there for each other. Can't wait to read more from you.
Kenya Wright does it again!!! Heartbreak Hotel was a truly awesome story. The characters, Yaz and Hawks' chemistry was INSANE. Enjoyed their backstory. The storyline real, intriguing and unexpected and I loved it!
Really great suspenseful story. It starts of with a side of crazy with Yaz on the beach and then gets even more downward spiraling with Hawk not been able to get over the torture of his ex wife. Really great second chance love story
I liked the storyline. Different from the usual interracial romance tales. I loved how the Author dealt with the spiritual aspects in tthe story. Looking forward to reading more by this author.
I give it 3 stars. The beginning and the middle of the story held my interest but then I found myself getting kind of bored. I felt like the ending was abrupt and left some questions unanswered. Mainly: was there an accomplice or not?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.