A passionate and deeply reflective Black romance between a recently widowed entrepreneur and the basketball player who signs on to be the ambassador for her skincare brand. The work done in the character of Davina as she navigated her grief and also gave herself permission to love was impeccable. The way Deke loves on Davina and gives her the space to unpack her feelings for him while dealing with her guilt is beautiful. Deke’s character development was also spectacular, and I loved how Williams took the time to explore the true depth of Deke’s emotions in regard to the trauma in his background.

Really enjoyable pallette cleanser between Fantasy reads. The rance was magnificent and soul wrenching. Highly recommend!

This was it was a story that burrowed into the raw places of grief and emerged with a fragile, yet powerful, message of hope and love. Overall relationship blossomed slowly. The author didn't shy away from the complexities and messy realities of processing loss.

So... I cried, I cried a lot with this book, then I had to pause and go back to read, then pause again and on and on. Davina and Deck story really made me sad and happy at the same time and if you read the book you know why.. I think it's impossible not to like and moving after a loss isn't easy, personally the author really made a good job on that.
My first book from this author and I'm not disappointed

I found this to be a cute read about life, loss and moving on to love again. The characters were well developed and I did like the storyline which went along at a quick pace. I liked that all of the characters in the story had a part to play and I think that there maybe another couple in there that a book could be written about.

This was my first book to read from this author. The story is told in Davina and Deke's alternating POV. The writing was okay, but it was just very slow-moving. Davina has recently lost her husband and that aspect tugged at heartstrings but there wasn't much of her actually grieving so it felt a bit odd it was such a major aspect of the story.

I love everything Shanora writes and this one was no different! Her books always leave me with a book hangover and wanting more! I really appreciated the sensitivity with this one and it being a tribute to her brother. Amazing story as always!

This was my first book by this author and I’m so glad I gave it a read! The writing was so so good and the characters had me gripped from the very first page!

This is the first book I read by Shanora Williams and I was really impressed with her writing. This was definitely an emotional book but it was still a beautiful story. I didn't want to put this book down. I was hooked from the beginning until the end.

Davina recently lost her husband and is poring her life into her company when she meets Deke, an NBA player who will be representing her product.
Drake is also grieving so the last things these two are thinking about is a relationship. But when friendship starts to become more because of their chemistry will they let love win or will they just stay friends?

This book will have you going through all of your emotions but even though their dealing with trauma and grieving, this book will have you smiling and swooning as well. I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

Thank you for a copy of Beautiful Broken Love. While I really have enjoyed her previous books, this was just okay. I think I prefer her thrillers. Overall, the writing was good and the story was just okay.

What can’t Shanora do? She pulled me in with her thrillers but this?? Incredible. Such a beautiful book that deals with trauma and grief…blown away as always by Shanora and her writing!

A very poignant read. It was a heartbreaking, yet inspiring and captivating romance novel that takes the reader on a very emotional journey of grief and trying to stay afloat.

It was a little samey at times for me and I felt like that took a bit away from the book with regards to how much I was enjoying it. I wanted more and a for the story to flow a bit better than it did.

It was a good read and I enjoyed reading Williams for the first time but I felt the second half of the book wasn’t as strong as the first.

ARC provided by Montlake via NetGalley

While I found this story to be a bit heavy it was so beautiful! I loved the characters so much and how they developed as the story progressed. I haven’t stop thinking about this love story since I put the book down!

A woman grieving the recent loss of her husband and trying to keep her growing business afloat. Most of the time she seems like she's recovering just fine and then those moments of sheer loss hit her like a truck. That's Davina. Her husband recently passed away from cancer and she's still trying to navigate her new world without him there. She has her successful skin care business growing and has even developed a new brand partnership with a very popular NBA player.

As she meets Declan (Deke) to kick off their brand partnership, sparks start flying in all directions. They are very much into each other and want to explore things, but Davina is still processing so much from her loss. Thankfully, Deke knows his own loss and sees in her what others don't - the need of someone to be there.

As their friendship grows, so does the attraction and it starts to explode between them. I loved how casual this story felt, even with all the heavy emotional pieces that make up this book, it never felt rushed or filled with unnecessary moments. Every single interaction felt needed as I watched Davina's soul start to come back together and for her to realize it's ok to be happy, even when she feels like she should never move on from her husband.

Not to mention that Deke was about as amazing as a guy could get. Even though you know he's anxious to be with her, he understands how slow things really need to go if he wants to keep her and Deke is all in with Davina. He wants everything she has to offer and more.

Emotionally gritty with it's focus on lost love, but shines hopeful with the coming of a new chapter of love for these characters!

I will forever sing praise about Shanora’s writing! Her writing is so good and draws the reader in right away and she doesn’t shy away from the more difficult topics in her books. This one in particular shows the character dealing with grief, death, childhood abuse, and discussing mental illnesses such as panic attacks. I also thought this book was a wonderful tribute to the authors brother who passed away. I appreciated her discussing this towards the end of the book and I know this book must have been very difficult for her. I loved the characters in this book and seeing the journeys that they went on. Overall, this is definitely one that I would recommend picking up for publication day!!

Beautiful Broken Love was beautiful!
I love the depth and emotions of finding love after loss.
This book was steamy but also full of angst and emotion.

Absolutely a beautiful storyline! I loved this book so much and it is a beautiful story of love after loss! The way this book gave me all the feels and is a top read of the year for me!

This is such a poignant look at love and loss and moving forward. I really enjoyed the progression of Deke and Davina's relationship building from strangers to friends to something more. There is a thread of humor that brings light into their interactions and adds another layer that I found charming. Their past experiences deal with a few heavy topics, but I thought they were handled with care and sensitivity. I listened to the audiobook and I liked the authenticity and the emotion the narrators brought to the novel. This is such a poignant look at love and loss and moving forward. I really enjoyed the progression of Deke and Davina's relationship building from strangers to friends to something more. There is a thread of humor that brings light into their interactions and adds another layer that I found charming. Their past experiences deal with a few heavy topics, but I thought they were handled with care and sensitivity. I listened to the audiobook and I liked the authenticity and the emotion the narrators brought to the novel.

*Beautiful Broken Love* by Shanora Williams is a captivating romance novel that explores the complexities of love, healing, and self-discovery. The story follows the emotional journey of two central characters, who, despite their broken pasts, find themselves drawn to each other in a way that is both healing and transformative.

The narrative is steeped in raw emotion, with Williams skillfully weaving themes of trauma, resilience, and the healing power of love. The book dives deep into the characters' personal struggles, from family issues to past relationships, creating a sense of vulnerability and authenticity that resonates with readers. The chemistry between the protagonists is palpable, and their growth as individuals and as a couple forms the heart of the novel.

Williams' writing is engaging and immersive, making it easy for readers to become emotionally invested in the characters’ lives. The pacing of the story is well-balanced, with just the right amount of tension and emotional payoff. There are moments of heartache and despair, but the narrative ultimately leaves readers with a sense of hope and redemption.

One of the standout elements of *Beautiful Broken Love* is its exploration of how love doesn't have to be perfect to be meaningful. The characters are flawed and broken, yet their connection proves that healing is possible, even when everything feels fractured. Williams’ portrayal of love as both a challenge and a healing force is tender and realistic, making the book a compelling read for those who enjoy emotional, character-driven romance.

Overall, *Beautiful Broken Love* is a heartfelt and passionate story about overcoming pain, finding strength, and embracing love in all its imperfect beauty. It’s a great choice for fans of romance novels that balance deep emotional journeys with a message of hope and personal growth.

“𝙿𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚌𝚕𝚊𝚒𝚖 𝚐𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚏 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚌𝚎𝚜𝚜—𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚒𝚝’𝚕𝚕 𝚎𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗—𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝’𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚛 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚝𝚑. 𝙶𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚏 𝚒𝚜 𝚊𝚗 𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚢𝚌𝚕𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚘𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚘𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚖𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚟𝚞𝚕𝚗𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚋𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚢.”

This book hit me right in the chest. It cycled me through all of the emotions. I laughed, teared up, blushed and fanned my face of Deke and then cried some more. This is a really moving book that gives us both a happy ending and map of grieving. @reallyshanora really shows off her writing with this one and it really got me.

At times it was really hard to see myself in Davina. And the quote above resonated with me deeply. There are still some days that I wake up and it feels like no time has passed. But there’s also a wonderful message in the book, that grief exists because we loved the person so much.

This book is definitely a standout and I really recommend it for people who like their romance with a deep message(that should be all of us) but also those that like sports and workplace romance!