Disclaimer: I received this free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Barbed Wire Heart is a feminist adult novel – it is violent, bloody, and brutal and it does come with an excessive list of trigger warnings, which have been listed here.

Barbed Wire Heart is a book about love, loyalty, and family. It is about the pain women face at the hands of men. It is a horrifying read at times. Harley McKenna is 22 years old and she is the daughter of the highly feared Duke McKenna, a crime boss. He raised her up to be all bloody knuckles and sharp shooting. It hasn’t been an easy childhood, and her father has not been kind. The two have a complex relationship- she resents him yet loves him. When she was young her mother died at the hands of Carl Springfield and a war has waged on between the two families for years -for as long as Harley can remember. Now, she wants to end that war and take over what her father created and change it into something she wants it to be.

Barbed Wire Heart is a brutal thriller that did lose me a little in the middle, but the last half was suspenseful, gritty, and engaging. Harley is a brilliant and morally ambiguous protagonist who makes you question what it means to be good. She is relentless, fierce, compassionate, kind, resourceful, protective, and smart.

Barbed Wire Heart is a gritty and powerful thriller that I do highly recommend.

Harley McKenna, daughter of Duke, one of the biggest meth dealers in the North Country has decided she's had enough. Enough of the feud between her father and his rival the Springfield's so she decided to take them both out. This is her story and she's a strong protagonist who I liked from the get go, despite the fact that she had been involved in the business since she was 16. What turned me off in the story was the violence. There's a gritty, dark noir feel to this story but whether it was the violence or the narrative structure, I just didn't find myself caring or connecting with the characters or the story. It could be I wasn't in the mood for such violence and grit but I'm not sure

I am so glad I read this! I'd seen the comparisons to Winter's Bone, which I'd thought was okay (one of the few times a movie was better than the book!) and was a little hesitant to read this. But it's so good and very well wriiten. It manages to be beautiful in a brutal way.

This was an incredible, brutal story about a girl who fights back. It’s difficult to put into words what this story is, because it’s unlike anything I’d ever read before. It’s dark, it’s bloody, it’s intense, and it’s everything I ever wanted. I can’t recommend Tess Sharpe’s latest book enough - this one is a masterpiece.

Though I liked the book, I made the decision when I finished not to review it on my site because it didn't fit into my editorial schedule. I may include it in a review post or possibly a book list post in the future.

Wow.

How is it possible that I haven’t seen more reviews for this book? I feel so stupid that I waited so long to read Barbed Wire Heart, because I’ve had it for months but somehow I always ended up reading other novels. A couple of days ago I decided I was in the mood for something gritty and decided to start it… Around 40% I had already decided that this was one of my favorite books of the year. When I finished it, I knew I would never forget it.

I knew why I had requested. I read a blurb like this, and I’m instantly sold. But I honestly didn’t expect to love it this much. You know how father-daughter books seem to be so popular right now. And I love those premises. I’ve read so many: The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley, My Absolute Darling, The Marsh King’s Daughter, A Lesson In Violence… And I’ve loved some of them (ahem, the last two), but this one was so unique and addictive that I believe it should become much more popular than it is!

This might not be for everyone because it’s such a dark and violent book. It’s not creepy, like some psychological thrillers are, Barbed Wire Heart is dark because the world the characters live in, North County, is dark. And Harley McKenna is such a badass character that I could’ve read an entire series about her. I don’t even know which genre this book falls into… Is it action? Contemporary? I think the author labels it as a feminist thriller so let’s call it that.

There are so many things I loved about this novel! First of all, the writing. Tess Sharpe’s writing is straight-forward and emotional at the same time. There were so many sentences that I wanted to write down! Also, the plot is full of action and the author even throws in some surprises along the way. The book structure was fantastic. The main story in the present is told chronologically, but there are some flashback chapters that help you understand why Harley became the woman she is now and believe me, some of the things she has experienced are not pretty. At all. Plus, at first, you might think you don’t know exactly what is going on, but don’t worry, everything will make sense at the end.

I hope I’ve convinced you to read this gem. If not, I’ll send Harley McKenna to do it for me 😉

This book was very different from what I normally read. I was a little nervous going into it as I thought maybe I wouldn't like it but as you can see from my rating I really enjoyed it!

We meet Duke and Harley. They are an unstoppable Father/Daughter Duo and they are tough as nails. They are the McKennas and if you live in the area you know that the Mckennas run this town. This book definitely tackles some hard subjects however if you really think about it it's also taking us through a father/daughter relationship when the father is raising his daughter, a love story with Harley and the bond women can form when they have something in common.

If anyone has ever watched Breaking Bad (which I've only watched one episode with my Dad and that was enough haha) this is kind of similar but with more of a southern twist to it. I'm a Midwest girl myself but I really enjoyed getting to know Harley, Duke and the rest of the characters. They were weirdly relatable - just not in the drugs and violence kind of way.

Trigger warning: this book tackles some really rough subjects: drugs, abuse, rape and violence (in specific mostly guns). So if any of these are something you can't handle I would proceed with caution. However Tess Sharpe weaves all of these tough subjects throughout the story while still telling the story in a real way.

Ultimately what I loved about this book was the strong female presence. I feel like when you think of tough subject (see trigger warnings above) men mostly come to mind. However the women in this story were far more powerful then the men. They were tough, smart, tactful and empowering. Personally, i'd want to be part of the Rubies (that's what they call themselves) rather than against them.

I LOVED reading this book. I have never read about such a character as Harley. She is strong, smart, and brave as all get out. She is morally ambiguous, which I really loved to see in a female character. Her heart is so very large when it comes to the people she loves in her life, and for the women and children whom she has helped to save and protect over the years. Harley is such an inspiring character who speaks her mind and isn't afraid to back down, even if her heart is in her throat while she does it.

It took the author 10 years to write this book and I am so glad it did, because this book is such a wonderful masterpiece that I don't even really know where to begin or end with my love of this book.

More morally ambiguous and strong female (or just not cis, straight, white, men) leads, please!!!

One of my new favorite books! I really enjoyed the strong female character, who was an unrepentant, ambitious
woman who never shirked her duties due to concerns over her own safety. Let's just say, if I was ever in a position to work for a whip-smart boss like Harley, I would never regret my choice, nor would I ever question her right to lead.

Looking for a mystery thriller with compelling characters, high stakes, and a great emotional payoff? Look no further! Here are 5 reasons to read BARBED WIRE HEART by Tess Sharpe.

1. Harley McKenna
Flawed, messy, and brave beyond belief, Harley McKenna is the heir to her father Duke’s meth empire and the most powerful women in North County. But no amount of local pull and questionable income streams can help Harley take control of her life while the McKenna/Springfield feud wages on. Duke McKenna and Carl Springfield have been at war since before Harley was born and if she’s not careful, she’ll be the next casualty. Harley’s tired of letting the men around her control her life, and she’ll do whatever it takes to change her future before it’s too late. I love a character who does the wrong things for the right reasons…especially when it means sticking it to a bunch of controlling, violent men.

2. Feminism
If you’ve been following Fine Print for a while, then you know that I like my stories with a generous dose of feminism. While many thrillers go for the “woman takes revenge” angle, few possess the feminist nuances of BARBED WIRE HEART. Harley’s approach to empowering women is one that I’ve taken to describing as hillbilly feminism, which I think she’d appreciate…or punch me in the eye for saying. Harley fights for herself, her friends, and the women of North County with guns, her fists, and her smarts. She doesn’t act cool and tough — she wears her heart on her sleeve, lifting the women around her up with her as she rises.

3. The Ruby
In a remote area like North County, women trying to escape intimate partner violence and other forms of abuse have little recourse. There aren’t any women’s shelters or formal organizations that can help them leave and get them back up on their feet. In comes The Ruby, a motel turned shelter that was once run by Harley’s mom and her friend Mo. The women who stay there, the rubies, need someone to show them compassion and to stand up for them. There’s not a whole lot of compassion in Harley’s world, but The Ruby is a place where she can be different person, and she can have a mentor other than Duke. Mo is an incredible female role model for her, and their relationship is so quietly beautiful.

4. Busy
Attention all dog lovers: if you want to read a story about a loyal, intelligent, and crucially important canine character, then you need to pick this one up. Harley rescues Busy when she’s just a puppy, and Duke trains her up to protect Harley and stay at her side always. The two of them have an incredible bond, and I loved the fact that Busy’s an active and important participant in the story. And have no fear, because although there’s a lot of death and destruction in this book, it isn’t one of those horrible stories where the dog dies.

5. Insane Action
Aside from canine pals, pretty much everyone in BARBED WIRE HEART is fair game, either as collateral damage in Harley’s quest to take back her life or as a result of the McKenna/Springfield feud. I genuinely feared for every character’s life and well-being, including Harley’s. Tess Sharpe is an incredible writer, perfectly balancing the emotional core of Harley’s mission with some truly pulse-pounding action sequences. I’m still quaking over the dark truths that Harley exposed, and the various players’ schemes that unfolded.

4 stars Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.

This is tale not unlike the Hatfields and McCoys. But in this more contemporary story we have the Springfields and McKennas. Like the Hatfields and McCoys there is no good guys in this story. They reside in the northern hills of California and they run guns, make meth, buy off those they need, and kill those they don't.

Duke McKennas and Carl Springfield love the same woman, who is accidentally killed in a fire. They blame each other for her death. However before she died she gave birth to Harley. Duke McKenna has raised Harley in his image - rough, tough, expert with guns, knows the back woods, and is never left by herself. Duke has built an empire and knows it will be his legacy to Harley. But as she ages she realizes there is more to the feud between the McKennas and Springfields than she has been told. She has seen how violent her father could be. She forces her best friend Will, an orphaned half breed, to leave for college. She knows that Carl Springfield wants to kill both her and her father. But as long as Duke is running his farm, his businesses and the town, nothing will change.

But change does come, and in the most unexpected of ways. Harley takes the reins. But will her plan work and will these outlaw men bow down to a woman in charge?

Rich characters written into a moving and vibrating story line. There is violence, cunning, and tenderness in this story. Written in such a way that you cheer on some of the characters, even though they may not be honest people. Not without twists to the story, this is one that will keep you turning pages late into the night.

Oh lord, this YA reviewer read some adult lit?! Yep! Solely because the book sounded great and the author is a really amazing person who also writes great YA. Also, I follow her on Instagram and I’m really invested in her three dogs and her four cats, three of whom were former ferals rescued from the semi-magical forest. Good enough reason to read a book/author as any! Barbed Wire Heart is a difficult read emotionally and Sharpe provides trigger warnings both in the book and on her website for readers who need them. If you’re comfortable reading it, you’re in for a treat!

Harley is a wonderfully rendered and complicated character: a fierce defender of abused women who runs a motel inherited from her mother’s family as a domestic violence shelter and the only heir to Duke McKenna, the emperor of a massive criminal empire buried in the forests of North Carolina. Part of what keeps the Rubies, as the women who seek shelter at the Ruby motel are called, safe is Harley’s reputation as both Duke’s daughter and a terrifying force in her own right.

But Harley is tired of this status quo. The Rubies deserve better, the Indigenous people who live all around deserve better, and everyone hooked on either McKenna meth or meth from the rival Springfield family deserves better. From the first page to the last, Harley’s mission is to destroy both drug-trafficking empires once and for all–and her crusade comes with a body count.

That sounds straightforward, right? It’s really not. Barbed Wire Heart is full of twists to Harley’s story that reveal how deceptive she is. One such example from a quarter into the book: Duke’s cohorts think he’s down in Mexico for a few months, but Harley’s only letting them think that. He’s actually still at home and also on death’s doorstep due to advanced cancer. His impending death is what leads Harley to make her move to clean up the county by getting her hands very, very dirty.

What else is there to say? The book is hard to put down as Harley methodically plays people against one another as necessary, brings the two families to the brink of war while using the chaos as a cover, and puts the hurt on two Springfields who decided being neo-Nazis was the way to go. OH YES, THE NAZIS SUFFER. Alternating chapters give us a glimpses of formative moments from her past and a front-row seat to her three-day operation in the present.

So read Barbed Wire Heart if you can. Don’t feel bad if you can’t due to triggers because that’s not a failing on your part, it’s you protecting yourself. The novel is also a great reminder that California isn’t a monolithic liberal paradise because it’s got plenty of remote pockets full of conservative communities as well as drug-trafficking, meth-making wank blizzards.

Wow. Just wow. I did not expect what I got from this book. I was expecting a thriller which seemed set to take a dark turn but instead got given an awesome feminist read. It was a book filled with strong female characters and was realistic in showing women’s struggles in society both getting respect from one another when they aren’t from the right background but also getting respect from the men in their lives too. It was an amazing read which was wholly realistic of society today but also happened to have a really good mystery/thriller element to it too.

I admit I wasn't completely certain about this book when I first started reading. The characters weren't exactly the most likeable and I was questioning the actions of a lot of people and why I should care for their story. But this book was written with flashbacks to past events interspersed throughout the current day storyline and those small snippets really drew me in and made me care for the characters, especially as it was told from Harley’s perspective and so the characters she cared about (even if she grew to understand they weren’t good people) were also the people I cared about in a twisted way.

Harley is a girl who has been raised to be suspicious of everyone, trust no one and expect to forge a brutal path through life. Very few are truly close to her and she prefers it that way because too many people close to her just means she has more weaknesses. Like I said, it's kind of brutal. Her dad is Duke McKenna and he rules North County with an iron fist. He's fought dirty to get that power and control the area and he is not a man to cross. But that's exactly what Harley is doing; she is slowly dismantling his power base. I will reveal no more than that to avoid spoilers but hot damn did I cheer Harley on, especially as you see more and more flashbacks to the past seeing the way he raised her. He was in no way a soft and caring parent, but you can tell there was love there but as you see the extremes of her childhood you begin to understand why Harley has been driven to the extremes and forced to betray a man she both loves and hates.

Tess Sharpe skilfully crafts a story filled with characters you really shouldn't like but as you see Harley's own memories of her past and upbringing I found myself feeling for Duke. Even though the man raised his daughter in questionable ways (testing her by kidnapping her and forcing her to shoot a deer? He's kind of a dick) but Duke did it because he loved Harley in his own messed up way and she loved him all the same. Despite him being a villain in many people's stories he also had some vaguely good points, he'd just twisted himself up a bit. And then there were good people interspersed throughout who proved that North County wasn't a truly awful place to be and helped explain why Harley loved it there.

More than crafting likeable flawed characters, though, Tess Sharpe crafts plenty of strong female characters which make this such an amazing feminist read. These women have struggled and they don’t have life easy, but it’s realistic, especially in a struggling small town. Some of the women were on Harley's side and others weren't but they were all strong and, despite having men in their lives bringing them down or holding them back, they were powerful. From Mo, the woman Harley trusted to keep the Rubies (the girls who get safe haven in a motel owned by Harley. A refuge for women from abusive homes or for those who are addicted and struggling to get clean) safe. Mo was trusted to keep these vulnerable women safe and help them move forward and she was amazing at it. There was Harley's best friend, Brooke, who went through some awful things but same out of it strong with a friend she would do anything for and would do anything for her. She was from the good side of town who looked down on the rubies but she didn't. She was awesome. It was amazing to read a see women fighting and holding positions of power in a county overrun with men who thought they knew what was best and what was best was brutality and power and women were weak and to stay at home. This is especially obvious towards the end of the book where you will be cheering the women on because damn are they amazing. Just trust me on this one.

It was such a good book and it went in a direction I did not expect. I enjoyed every page and only wish I'd gotten around to reading it sooner.

This book was really good. I felt for Harley and her story. It's very violent, but it's touching as well. I especially liked the parts about the women's shelter. That's a great concept to include in this type of book and I hope it increases people's knowledge of these places. Can't wait to read more from this author.

Enjoyable, but it just didn’t grab me the way I had hoped it would. I don’t think it quite lived up to her first novel.

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this arc.

I loved Harley! Fierce, smart, ferocious, manipulative and stubborn! Did I mention smart and fiercely ferocious.

Loved the story. Very fast paced, just enough going back in their individual histories to be able to catch my breath before the next loop on the roller coaster ride. Only one false note for me -- Will. I just thought he might need to get his testosterone level checked....just too good to be true.


If "redneck noir" is your thang -- Barbed Wire Heart is a must read!!

I can see that this was an author who spent time writing YA books. While it was an okay premise, I felt like I lost any real feeling for the characters midway through.

<There's nothing stronger than a woman who's risen from the ashes of some fire a man set.>

This was good! I didn't love it, but I appreciated a lot about it. It went in a different, (better) direction than what I was expecting, though I liked that about it. It was brutal and dark and hopeful and very feminist. And it's actually decently light on the graphics compared to some novels I've read, yet Tess manages to get the point across directly and indirectly. But there is A LOT of gruesome and gross, so be sure to look at the trigger warnings before going into it. It was a bit on the slower side, but I was okay with that. And I liked the main character, Harley, and her mission to clean up her town and keep up the place for women and girls who need help. It's definitely a story worth reading!

*Thank you to NetGalley & Grand Central for providing a galley in exchange for a review*

BARBED WIRE HEART is probably going to wind up on my “best books of the year” list. Brilliantly written, Sharpe weaves Harley McKenna’s story in a nonlinear way. Readers are first introduced to Harley when she is eight years old and she sees her father kill a man for the first time. Harley’s voice leaps off the page: “I’m eight years old the first time I watch my daddy kill a man” (Sharpe, 2018, p. 3). This first sentence sets the foundation for the rest of the story – you know this is going to be a violent, suspenseful book. Harley’s fight for the Rubies – a group of women that Harley helps get away from abusive men – really drives Harley’s desire to end the McKenna drug empire in North County, CA. This is a book where the less you know, the better the reading experience.

Content notices for: drug abuse, drug addiction, drug production; physical, sexual, and emotional violence and abuse (especially parent/child abuse); animal abuse; death; racial microaggressions against Indigenous folx; white supremacy; and gendered slurs.

Well written novel about the daughter of an American drug lord, a violent man who raises his daughter in his own image. Duke's daughter, Harley is a smart, calculating violent woman with a passion for saving women who have been abused by their spouses. Carl Springfield, her father's rival, killed Harley's mother and has been threatening to kill Harley all of her life. As the delicate truce between Harley's father and the Springfields starts to disintegrate, Harley has to make a plan to preserve the people and town she loves. Great for fans of Sons of Anarchy and Jack Reacher novels.