Beautiful Wreck by Kasey Lane
Bowen Landry looked out over the green lawn of the rented estate and tugged at his tie, realizing that the ridiculous penguin suit he wore must surely demonstrate just how much he loved his little sister. Though the enormous white tent was filled with his friends, he was feeling about as out of place as a guitar player in an a cappella group.
For savvy programmer Gabrielle Alvarez, moving to Portland, Oregon means a fresh start with a blank screen. She wants nothing more than to erase the last traces of her old life, starting with an exotic tattoo to hide an old scar. Gabby’s instantly drawn to the enigmatic artist, who also happens to be her neighbor. Lucky she has no plans to date-especially sexy, brooding men.
Last year, Bowen Landry was the king of broken promises. He made hundreds to his sister to get clean and hundreds more to his band and his boss. But Bowen’s sober now and determined to stay that way. The last thing he needs are complications, especially Gabby with her curves, dry humor, and independent spirit. Gabby spells danger to Bowen’s peace of mind, not to mention his personal promise to stay celibate for one year.
Bowen is content keeping a firewall up between them until a stalker threatens Gabby’s safety. Alone in a new city, she has no choice but to turn to Bowen for help, moving into his apartment after hers is vandalized. While the two grow closer, Bowen can’t make any promises, and Gabby’s not asking. While the inexperienced Gabby can’t deny the charming, reformed bad boy, she’s unsure she can ever trust an addict again. If Bowen can help Gabby forgive her past and his, he may learn to believe in love again.
this is Gabrielle Alvarez and Bowen Landry's story.
The corner of her pretty mouth turned up. “I don’t want to dance.”
He reached forward and took her tiny hand in his. She was so delicate, so slender. “Please come dance with me,” he said and pulled her forward gently. This time she gave a little and took a step forward and he noticed the pink tinge to her golden skin.
Bowen Landry looked out over the green lawn of the rented estate and tugged at his tie, realizing that the ridiculous penguin suit he wore must surely demonstrate just how much he loved his little sister. Though the enormous white tent was filled with his friends, he was feeling about as out of place as a guitar player in an a cappella group.
Man, he was practically coming out of his skin. The heat. This suit. The party and all these people. People he loved, no doubt, but now that everything had changed, especially him, he wasn’t quite sure where he fit into it all anymore. He pulled his coat off and folded it over his arm before pulling at his shirt again.
Beautiful Wreck by Kasey Lane is a 2 star book.
"I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book."
Kasey's Books with Tule:
Punk Rock Cowgirl
Blackberry Cove Cowboys
Beautiful Wreck

This is my first book by Kasey Lane and it won't necessarily be my last, because the book had a lot of promise. Most all of my issues with the book had to do with the heroine, Gabby, though I will say that the subplot that had her get close to and move-in temporarily with Bowen—that a mystery person from her past is threatening her—was not super well done.

Bowen was a great character, and I thought very well done. He appears in the previous books (I assume), or at least the one featuring his sister, and I'm guessing we see him very differently in those books. At this point when we meet him, he's been out of rehab for 6 months and has been staying sober and clean—there was some drug use, though it does seem like alcohol was the main issue. He's been working really hard on getting his life back together, becoming the reliable friend and brother he aspires to be, and focusing on work and recovery.

He used to be a bad-boy player, but has stayed away from women (in addition to all the other stuff) since he's been in recovery. His developing attraction to Gabby has therefore come at an inconvenient time, but he finds himself very drawn to her and given the circumstances that they find themselves in, she at the moment really needs someone to be there for her. She's not very trusting and has a prickly disposition, which is initially part of what intrigues him about her; he wants to see behind the mask and image she projects and get to know the woman underneath. When she's faced with her apartment being broken into and destroyed, he wants to be the dependable guy she can turn to (though don't get me wrong, there's also plenty of physical attraction and lust involved).

Gabby was annoying and my main problem. I understood what Lane was going for, but for me, Gabby came off as too unlikable. She was prickly and distant, though then sometimes she started softening Bowen, but then would go back and forth. She was inconsistent, sent mixed messages, wasn't very nice to Bowen (though at the end, he's the one who all-of-a-sudden pulls the asshole move and throws up the last obstacle). She could have used more fleshing out and more ... I don't know, more ... something.

Recommendation. The following contemporary romances offer much better versions of prickly heroines that are very worth reading:
— Wild & Sweet by Rhenna Morgan
— Holding the Dream by Nora Roberts
— Rock Hard by Nalini Singh (though she's not that prickly)

*This review is of an ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Some changes and/or edits may be made to the final published version.

I throughly enjoyed this book. The darker issues are dealt with excellently and the books flows really well. I enjoyed the fact that Bowen was still recovering and trying hard o make everything work

New place, new start and hopefully a new life is the premise of Beautiful Wreck by Kasey Lane. Gabrielle Alvarez, moved to Portland, Oregon for that simple reason. Bowen Landry is also at the starting over stage of his personal life. His struggles are just as scarring as Gabby’s. This is the story of two wounded souls who are in the process of recovery, not realizing that love could be a healing force.

Not having read the previous books in the series, I did not see the spiral downfall of Bowen. Perhaps if I had, his promises would have had an even greater impact my view of the story. For the most part, he is a likable guy with tons of baggage but also with a heart of gold. He is a an irresistible reformed bad boy. Then danger surrounds Gabby so Bowen can’t help but step in to help. From there the story continued to become even more complicated. I am not a great tattoo and rocker story fan but those who are will love this book.

Beautiful Wreck, by Kasey Lane, is an emotionally satisfying story which sucked me in from the first. Recovered addict, musician and tattoo artist Bowen Landry is working hard to re-establish himself after a massive fall from grace thanks to his addiction. He’s determined to keep clear of women and sex while he finds his feet and until he sees Gabby Alvarez at his sister’s wedding he succeeds pretty well. He’s known Gabby for a little while but seeing her in a dress, unusual for her, makes him realise just how attractive she is.
Gabby is just as determined as Bowen to stay out of a relationship. An appalling childhood capped off by a brutal knife attack when she was seventeen has left her with trust issues, though she can’t help but feel a very inconvenient attraction for Bowen.
This story has many layers and had me questioning a range of issues including child abuse, neglect, trust and our perceptions of the truth but it was also an intensely satisfying read. Bowen and Gabby are complex characters but despite their hard shells each has a soft centre which makes them very likeable. Throw in the sexual pull between the pair and you have a compelling and entertaining story.

Fantastic read! What awesome characters this author crafted in Gabrielle and Bowen. Both are slightly broken. Bowen by his own doing, Gabby at the hands of another. Neither is at a place in their lives where a relationship makes sense but once they add benefits to their friendship they both soon discover that keeping their hearts out of it may be harder than they thought. Especially when it appears that Gabby could be in danger. The journey these two go on to get to their HEA is a wonderful emotional story. I highly recommend that you grab a copy of this one and enjoy the ride.

3.75⭐

Beautiful Wreck is the third book in the third book in the Rock 'n' Ink series. But unfortunately I didn't know this when I first started reading it. And so that was a disconnect for me. Along with a whole group of established characters that I knew nothing about, and moments that seemed completely out of left field, but I'm sure in the context of the series made much more sense.

However, I did find this to be an engaging and enjoyable story, and it certainly had plenty of emotion, as well as a little mystery. And I liked the two main characters Bowen and Gabby. Who certainly seemed to share a connection, but in the end for me lacked any real chemistry.

But overall I did think Beautiful Wreck was a good read and there was lots to like. Yet on reflection I would of connected and enjoyed it more if I had if I had read this as part of a series rather than a standalone. Although I'm sure fans of the series will enjoy Gabby and Bowens story. Especially after everything Bowen has been through to get sober.

Gabby and Bowen are so cute together. Even with all the problems Gabby is going through (drunk mom, stalker on the loose, etc) she is still holding it together and giving Bowen a serving of sass along the way. I loved Bowen, a reformed bad boy neighbor with a great heart. A hot book with a great HEA.

I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.

This book was a good read. I have to say i was not totally taken by the story, i could easily put the book down and read other thins at the same time. I dont think i would tell other people to read it.. but it was nto bad either

This read was okay to me-- not awful but not amazing either. While this read had some angst, which I enjoy in my romances, much of the story and characters fell flat for me. Gabby was too hot and cold for me and Bowen came off jerky in some parts. The writing was smooth and with minimal errors, however.

⭐️⭐️
Two beautifully broken people that come together, finding a beautiful connection within the other.

The story was slightly drawn out in areas - which kind of bugged me a little. I felt the character development lacked in certain aspects. Bowen got so awkward sometimes it made me cringe. If you’re going to be an alpha, own it. Gabby. Gabby.. Gabby... she frustrated me to no end.

I can’t say I enjoyed this story massively, but that might be due to my tastes normally being quite darker. This seemed almost fluffy (compared to my usual) & a little too much heartbreak than I can handle.

⭐️ARC provided by NetGalley⭐️

There was just something missing. Broken characters are nothing new, and while Gabby and Bowen had some major issues (a broken childhood and an alcoholic), their characters still fell flat for me. I especially didn't like how pushy Bowen was (a lot at the beginning) and I also didn't like how he was to take his first year of sobriety seriously (and supposedly was) yet he quickly entered into a (sexual) relationship with Gabby.

This is my first book by this author. It’s the third book in the series and I didn’t realize it when I started reading it. There were a bunch of side characters and it got me a little confused in some parts. I did think the book dragged here and there, I found myself putting it down a few times. Gabby spent most of the time arguing with Bowen over pretty much everything because she’s very independent and wants to do things on her own. I get it, but it just got tiresome after awhile. I felt like it was the same thing over and over again. I chalked this one up to as meh. It didn’t really blow me away.

An electrifying page turner.

Gabby Alvarez's life is turned upside down when her former foster father starts stalking her. After he destroys her apartment, her friend Bowen Landry, Portland's hottest bad boy rocker, asks Gabby to stay with him until she can find another place to live.

Bowen is attracted to Gabby, but he is trying to by the rules to stay sober. That meant no relationships. But he can't help thinking of Gabby in his bed every time he looks at her. Gabby didn't want a boyfriend and doesn't understand why she is so attracted to Bowen. So when Bowen suggests friends with benefits, Gabby goes for it. Even though it wasn’t part of the plan, Gabby falls in love with Bowen. But, Gabby knows, once an addict, always an addict. And she didn't need another addict in her life when she’s been dealing with her mother’s addictions all of her life.


After seeing the cover and reading the blurb, I knew I had to read this book. I have always been a sucker for bad boys. And, a bad boy rock star covered in tattoos will always get my attention. I really enjoyed the author’s writing style. She told a tale that felt real and was filled with emotion. Both, Gabby and Bowen, were damaged people who had been through a lot and were finally getting their lives on track. They didn't need any distractions. But this distraction was worth the risk. Their happily ever after was well deserved. The only downside to this book was it wasn’t long enough for me. I needed more of Gabby and Bowen and would love to find out what happens with the rest of their friends.

Sadly, the lack of chemistry between Bowen and Gabby was a serious drag for me. This was a big disappointment: the blurb had been intriguing and its world of family and friends working in the same tattoo place or in their band had given me total wannabe Lauren Dane world vibes.

Note: Beautiful Wreck is the third in the series and I had not read any of the earlier books. It works as a standalone but there are multiple references to past storylines.

The many cliched components of Bowen and Gabby's story came together like an overly ambitious smoothie made with too many ingredients: Tortured tattoo artist. Fresh out of rehab. In a popular band, no less. A feisty neighbor with scars and a mysterious secret. A stalker. All of this should have been romance catnip for me; but the myriad many plot bits couldn't overcome the serious lack of chemistry between Bowen and Gabby.

To be honest, Bowen annoyed me almost from the beginning when he kept calling Gabby "little one" after she told him very clearly not to. It wasn't flirtatious, cute, or sweet but a real jerk move. I found myself grinding my teeth each time he did it and he did it throughout the book. Here's what happened only the second time he said it (after Gabby already explained her dislike of it):
"I can hear you, little one. C'mon. Why won't you answer the door?"...

"I didn't invite you here. You're drunk. And I don't appreciate when you call me little one."...

"I don't drink anymore," he said rubbing the back of his head and mussing his tousled hair even more. "And you are little."

Thanks, but no thanks, late night creeper.

Note: I voluntarily read and reviewed this ARC generously provided by NetGalley.

Gabby Alvarez has made a successful life for herself despite a very difficult and painful childhood tying to live first with an addict mother and then a predatory foster father. Now Gabby is once again dealing with some of the same bad old issues and so must rely on people she has grown close to which goes against her closed up nature. Bowen, her friend Kevan’s brother, seriously hot tattoo artist, and heavy metal rocker as well as equally damaged neighbor comes to Gabby’s aid when she is threatened. He is desperately trying to keep his own life on track, and so not needing or wanting any complications. Bowen has made many mistakes hurting himself and those who love him. He is determined to stay clean no matter the cost.

Gabby and Bowen actively resist the intense attraction between them, but when Gabby moves in with Bowen for her safety after it seems the past will not let her go, the temptation proves to be too much. Neither one really knows what a real loving relationship is like so they struggle to deal with their feelings. Gabby and Bowen are both looking at self-preservation as their guiding force each actively rejecting the thought that they could be more than just friends with benefits.

This story has quite intense emotions and heartrending situations as well as some steamy scenes. Anyone who has dealt with addiction or had someone they love fall into that abyss knows how much damage is caused. Ms. Lane’s characters have a hard road to follow; however, love can work miracles given the chance. This book can be read as a standalone; however, some of the characters first appear in Ms. Lane’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Ink duology.

Beautiful Wreck is a pretty heavy book with both the main characters dealing with a wide range of past issues and trauma. I didn't LOVE either character, but they weren't horrible. Bowen couldn't get over his past version of himself and Gabby couldn't press the pause button on shutting everyone out of her life. They weren't the most compatible pair, but it worked well enough. However, their constant need to overanalyze every nuance of their relationship started to drive me nuts by the middle of the book.

It seemed like their "concerns" about the progression of their relationship were a little blown out of proportion and redundant. And geez, the way Gabby shut Bowen out at times was just brutal. She ran hot and cold, and just when you thought their relationship would progress to the next level, she made sure to take two huge leaps backward. I think this is an area where Kasey Lane's writing really shines. The ebb and flow of emotions, feelings, and frustrations are written in hi-fi with a definite grittiness that stands out despite my frustration with the material.

There were so many different elements to the story that should have worked, but it felt like they weren't pulled together in the best way, leaving some weak areas throughout the storyline. I thought the stalker situation could have been more developed. It was a big deal and then just became background noise that didn't really matter. Bowen's life as a recovering addict was sort of glossed over, and I think some of those missing details could have added to his character's depth. The reader never really gets a glimpse at any aspect of his life besides the ups and downs of his relationship with Gabby. And when it's constant denial of their growing feelings toward one another immediately followed by exploding passion it gets predictable without any other plotlines to rely upon.

Now the ending...a public declaration of love for Gabby by Bowen didn't seem in line with who he was throughout the entire book. Maybe I need to read the other books in the series to gain some background perspective of his "rockstar" persona, but it just didn't fit here. Their relationship was so private and closed off from the rest of the world for the ENTIRE book that it made it seem unrealistic that he would go about it that way. And then the epilogue. Ugh. All of a sudden Gabby and Bowen are on the path to a generic, boring HEA. It just didn't line up with who they were as individuals or a couple.

Overall, I give Beautiful Wreck a rating of 3/5 with detractions for weak storylines, redundancy, and the ending. I do think that Kasey Lane is an author with a boatload of talent and although this book didn't hit a home run for me, I will be looking out for any new releases from her in the future.

*I was provided with a free ARC by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I don't usually read this type of book but I found the description interesting. It was actually pretty good. It has interesting characters and enough drama to keep me entertained. Although at times the emotional angst became enough already.
The reason I didn't give it a higher rating was this book is a part of a series. Which I don't mind but the author assumes one has read the previous books. Well this one didn't. Bowen comes on the scene like we already know who he is and his backstory. I also got lost with some of the interactions and relationships outside of the main characters. There were parts that were obviously referencing previous books and it became confusing for me at times. If you want to read this book I would suggest starting with the first book in the series. This book was good enough that it would be worth it.

I absolutely adored Beautiful Wreck by Kasey Lane. It was the first time I ever read a book with a tattoo artist as a main character, and wow, was it STEAMY! I really enjoyed the character development and the fast-paced action in this novel. It was a happily ever after, but with lots of drama and intrigue along the way. I enjoy a flawed hero and heroine, and this book did not disappoint.

I didn't read the other books in this series, but didn't find that to be a problem with picking up on the plot. It was a good paced story with strong characters.