Grief and love. Davina is mourning her husband and focused on her business when she meets Deke who has a tragic back story of his own. These two grow a relationship through working together and then a romance, It's a thoughtful look at people struggling with guilt about starting again. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

The exploration between grief and love in Davina and Deke’s story was organic and relatable. Davina recently lost her husband, and has thrown herself into her company to escape facing the severity of her grief. Deke, an NBA player, has his own journey with grief we learn more about as the book goes on.

I love when a hero meets the heroine, and immediately knows there’s something about her that he can’t let go. What started as Deke being a rep for Davina’s company lead to a friendship and eventual romance that allows both of them to open up about their respective healing journeys. They deserved an HEA. I’m glad they were patient when their grief caused them to lash out or shut down because we all deserve someone who will still be there for us in our moments of weakness.

I would’ve liked to see Deke’s grief journey a little more, as I felt like the book primarily focused on Davina’s journey. I felt that Deke’s issues were a bit rushed towards the end, given how long he’d had his feelings bottled up. However, I recognize that this book reflected the author’s grief journey with the loss of her brother and I appreciated her personal note towards the end.

Whether it’s contemporary, fantasy or thriller, this author is multi-talented! I hope this becomes a series because the author hinted at a couple that I am VERY invested in!

Shanora Williams has outdone herself with this beautiful love story. The writing style was wonderful, and I thoroughly enjoyed how she addressed the realistic challenges of grief as well as moving forward.

"Have you ever considered the possibility that you can grieve and embrace change at the same time?"

Intense attraction. Successful individuals. Weighted with grief. A beautiful story all about timing and trying to move forward even when it's the hardest thing to do.

Davina Klein has recently lost her husband and is still dealing with the grief that follows a loss like that. But she puts all her energy into her skin care company to make it successful. When they land an endorsement deal with one of the NBA's biggest stars, Deke Bishop, she can't help but to feel flustered by his presence while also feeling the major loss of her recent husband.

Deke is the epitome of the successful professional basketball player. Good looking, a little cocky, and used to getting what he wants without even trying. So what is it about Davina that clicks for him? It's on all cylinders for him right from the start and he just can't let his attraction go, even when he notices the ring on her all important finger.

I don't know what it is about a "he falls first" trope that does me in, but Williams gave it to me in spades. It had to be because Deke not only fell first and fell hard, but also because he's the untouchable. The one that doesn't give himself to just anyone. And he respected who Davina was and what she was going through. Sure, he was attracted to her and wanted her physically, but he also knew and understood her grief and was there as a friend. I LOVED that he initiated conversation between them by emails and let their friendship flow naturally from there. It allowed them time to gain trust and to truly get to know certain aspects of each other.

Beautiful Broken Love was just that. It was beautiful, fun, sexy, filled with friendly and physical chemistry, but it was also emotional and about two characters that were broken and dealing with what life had thrown their way. It hit me in the feels with the depths of emotions the characters held onto and the way they processed everything. I felt like I was on the journey to self discovery and grief right along with them.

"We're hardest on ourselves and only see the flaws when all another person sees is the beauty."

Williams gave us a beautiful story that was crafted so well. From the main characters and how they built their relationship over time, to the supporting characters and the way they helped push the story forward. In addition to the characters, the author seamlessly weaved themes of grief, healing, and embracing change along with family and trust into the story allowing for natural progression to the story without forcing anything.

Shanora Williams gave me everything I wanted in an emotional love story and did it with 2 amazing characters that had been through the wringer with their pasts. And although it wasn't easy and it was hard fought, the journey to get to their happy ending was worth it.

If you enjoy:
Sports romance (with the best one on one scene at the cabin)
He Falls first
Two professionally successful main characters
Romance interwoven with grief
Second chance at love
Family

Then Beautiful Broken Love is a story that I would highly recommend. I'm in love with Deke and Davina and really hope that we get at least one more story about a couple of the side characters from this world in the future.

Did not suspected this book to make me that emotional, because wow! This made me cry.
Grief and loss is such a difficult topic and yet the author described it so well that I felt for Davina.
And Deke and his past, his present and feelings were really understandable.
I absolutely adored this book.

This book is about overcoming grief and a trauma in the past and finding love (and love again) along the way. Sharona did a beautiful job writing Davina and Deke story.
4.25 stars.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review a new author. This book is about loss, grief and Davinas journey through the loss of her husband. Deke, a famous basketball player, appears and wants to help her through this journey. Davina is very skeptical as Deke always has a woman around The question is will she allow him in her life? If you are in to emotional spicy stories, you might want to read this story.

Beautiful Broken Love may just be Shanora Williams' most poignant book to date. This story of Davina Klein and how she is dealing with the loss of her husband while running a successful cosmetics company is both touching and hopeful. Her world is suddenly turned on its side as her company will now be featuring a men's line and the man who will be their spokesperson is none other than basketball superstar Deke Bishop. And let me tell you this: I could feel the sexual tension between these two even as if Davina was still stewing in her feels for her late husband. What follows is a tale of attraction that can't possibly feel right yet but as the title suggests, is the most beautiful broken love these two will ever know.

Williams does a wonderful job in portraying Davina as a woman caught between two men and trying her best to not let the ghost of her marriage to Lew sabotage any happiness she might find in the present. The author's own grief at losing her brother at the young age of 27 fueled this story and I could feel her own emotions coming through the pages of this book as Davina struggles to right her course towards love again.

There is plenty of indecision, hurt feelings and confusion as Deke and Davina decide to keep things 'light' and uncomplicated. But their hearts beat just a bit faster when the other is near and a piece of their souls is missing when they are far apart. I loved that Deke was patient with his D yet craved her both in body and spirit nonstop. The man knows how to satisfy a woman and not just in the bedroom and I was thrilled when Davina knew he was the right balm to her lonely existence. Reader's note: the steam is off-the-charts fabulous!

I shed a tear or two when Deke came clean with respect to his own family issues, as he found it hard to relive what he experienced as a 14-year-old boy. But Davina's compassion and empathy for understanding exactly how he felt was truly lovely and only solidified Deke's adoration for his girl. Although they hit a rough spot towards the end of the book, Williams creates a really beautiful scene that is full of so much love, that there was no way these two wouldn't find a way to stay together forever.

I can't resist when an author really digs deep to give us a storyline that is both heartwrenching and auspicious, captivating me right from the start. But Shanora Williams did just that and then some with this tale of second chances and renewed desires. Deke is a keeper and Davina is the lucky woman who gets to call him her man. But in the end, it was Davina's strength and ultimate decision to take life by the horns that drove this book and offered her the wonderful chance to live again on her terms.

5 big stars!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

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.

Overall, a good read from an Author I hadn’t read before.

Shanora did it again! I absolutely loved this book. Shanora is there anything you can’t write? If you are looking for a good romance this is the one.

This was a great romance! I found the premise of the story to be interesting and it held my attention until the very end. Davina and Deke's truama and grief were at the center of their individual stories. The character development was great and I was truly rooting for our main characters! Although this was an emotional read, Shanora Williams didn't skimp out on the spice! Even though this was spicier than expected, those scenes didn't take over the plot and can be skipped without missing out on the story. I recommend adding this book to your TBR!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher Montlake for this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I thought this book was wrote well and I would suggest it to friends and family to read. The cover that was choose is very beautiful.

I love Shanora Williams’ writing and I enjoyed it but it wouldn’t be rated as high as the others. I think the plot was a little too perfect for me. Although the characters are struggling with loss and heartbreak and that is never easy, them finding each other and finding love was too satisfying for me. I wanted more character development and to dive into the hard aspects of relationships more but I can see the appeal of their relationship after everything they went through. Their story is very relatable and I really enjoyed this book.

I’m a little embarrassed to say this is my first Shanora romance! I have fully immersed myself in her thrillers and still my jaw drops just thinking of the twists and turns of her thrillers.

But, oh my heart. I know Williams kills it with writing but I was not expecting such heart wrenching aches and pains in love that she tugged at us with in her latest romance.

Deke and Davina’s personal hardships aren’t lightly thought of and are even harder to let go and live from. These two do a dance of risks, compassion, and overcoming and it’s breathtaking.

The only thing that I was overcome with outside of D and D’s story was the wrenching personal story Williams shares at the end. I’m heartbroken but so, so thankful Williams was able to transfer the brokenness into such a loving experience for all.

Beautiful Broken Love by Shanora Williams is a heartfelt, emotional story about love, loss, and healing. Davina Klein-Roberts is still reeling from the devastating loss of her husband, Lew, but she's focused on growing her skincare brand to escape her grief. Enter Deke Bishop, a charismatic NBA star with his own pain to carry. Their chemistry is electric right from the start, with great banter and a connection that feels natural.

Both Davina and Deke are strong, successful characters, which made them a great match. It was especially touching to see how they supported each other through their struggles. Watching them slowly overcome their personal issues and find hope again was one of the highlights of the book. Their journey felt real, and by the end, I didn’t want the story to be over.

Overall, this is an emotional, beautifully written romance about second chances, and it definitely pulled at my heartstrings.

Oh, my goodness. What a beautiful book. Shanora, your writing never disappoints. Davina broke my heart, and I cried and suffered with her. And although Deje is all smiles, she also comes dragging her own painful story.

Both characters are perfectly written, with good backstories, real and compelling.

The story takes us through how they both get a second chance and how they both heal their grief, it has a good handling of the emotional side and touches well on the issues of depression, domestic violence and suicide.

I am delighted with the book, I highly recommend it.

This was my first book by Shanora Williams and it will not be my last. The premise of the story caught my attention and the way the book was written it held my attention the whole way through.

When we meet Davina she is broken after having to say goodbye to her husband sooner than she thought she would and she believes she will not find love again so she just throws herself into her business. Deke is interested in her when he first meets her but he doesn't let it known right away and although she does admit he is attractive she feels it is too soon to move on so she doesn't want anything more from him than a professional relationship. The more they speak the more Deke breaks down her walls and tries to convince her to give him a chance.

The story goes on from there and we learn that Deke is also dealing with some heartbreak from his past so he understands grief and also knows that it's a process. I liked how their connection just seemed to flow so naturally and how the author showed that you can love again after loss and you don't have to feel guilty about it the way that Davina did in the beginning. It was also nice how patient Deke was with Davina and didn't rush her to be with him regardless of his feelings towards her. While there was some finesse when talking about the sensitive topics in the book there was also that grit and dirtiness when it came to the spicy scenes and I appreciated both writing choices in the book.

There was great character development for both Davina and Deke's characters and I enjoyed the rolls the side characters played in their lives as well. I enjoyed this book but I will say you should check your triggers because there is mention of depression, suicide, domestic violence and death at a young age.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Montlake for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

i was very excited to pick this one up! especially after I saw the tropes for the book on the author’s instagram page. i honestly feel a bit mislead.

this isn’t my first time reading this author, wanting mr. cane is still, to this day, one of my favorite age gap novels. so, obviously, i was excited when i saw that this book will be a friends to lovers, angsty romance. however, i wouldn’t categorize Beautiful Broken Love as friends turned to lovers. it was very insta lusty, Deke had the hots for Davina from their very first meaning, made it clear to her that he was interested. i need to mention that there’s no problem with a story starting like that, obviously. It’s just not what i signed up for. i also had issues with the story, the pacing was off, the characters weren’t delivering in the chemistry department. i feel like I’m being a bit hard on the book, maybe because my expectations were too high.

maybe this was just my luck and this one isn’t for me, but that doesn’t mean someone else won’t enjoy it.

thank you netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review! <3

Ce livre ne sort qu'en décembre mais j'ai eu la chance de pouvoir le lire en avance!

Nous allons suivre Davina qui a perdu son mari, Lew il y a sept mois. Elle tente de se remettre de cette mort brutale tout en gérant son travail. Un jour, elle va faire la rencontre du basketteur Deke Bishop qui va la pousser dans ses retranchements et venir bouleverser...

C'est le premier livre de Shanora Williams que je lis et j'ai adoré la plume de cette autrice! C'est touchant, addictif et beau! Elle parle de sujet comme entre autre : le deuil, la reconstruction après la perte d'un être cher avec brio et justesse. Je dirais que le seul petit bémol et ce qui m'a empêcher d'avoir un coup de cœur ce sont les quelques longueurs au milieu du livre ! J'ai beaucoup aimé les personnages principaux qui sont clairement cabossés par la vie avec leur passé mais qui font tout pour s'en sortir et surtout ils s'aident mutuellement!

En bref, une très belle romance !

This was a easy but emotional reading with loveable characters. It gives me Windy City Series vibes (which I adore!)
Having finished this book I have a lot of emotions around these two characters. Davina is clearly an extremely broken (quite rightly!) and rather vulnerable woman who I was so unbelievably proud of as the book went on. She deserved so much happiness, and whilst I was glad she got it, a lot of the experiences in the book felt a little...unrealistic. I'm not overly convinced that the Davina at the beginning of the book would've made the choices she did at the end, nor would I think she would be happy with the choices.
Deke was lovely and charming, he obviously cared deeply about D but I wished that he'd been more patient with her. If the book had been set a year later, I would've absolutely adored the relationship but it all felt a little too soon.

The miscommunication and conflicted near the end was SO frustrating and a little forced.

Overall, I loved these characters and this world. I want more of their love to shine through and wished the setting had been a little later so the relationship was more realistic.

Shanora is a beautiful writer and I hope to jump into some of her other books as soon as possible! I want a Javier and Octavia book!!