Love is a War Song by Danica Nava
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Avery Fox is a former child actress turned pop star. When an unfortunate photo shoot results in her getting cancelled, she is sent to stay with her grandma on her ranch in Oklahoma.
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What I liked:
-I loved Avery getting the chance to learn about her Muscogee culture and heritage.
-I felt so much for Avery, she had her own music she wrote but was trying to be molded into the pop princess persona. I was rooting for her to be able to play what she wanted!
-I loved all the ranch people including Lottie.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Such a great story about growth and learning to love yourself for who you are. I also really appreciated that Lucas and Avery worked together to reach their goals. Great relationships are the ones where you both work to make each other better.

I’ve mentioned before that rock star/musician romances are often not my favorite, but this one was perfect for me! I enjoyed reading about all the things that Avery was dealing with in her career as she was having to do what her producers and the people who “knew” or were “experts” wanted her to do. Even if she knew a lot of it was cringe or possibly offensive to the rest of the Native American community, she was told to do it in order to get her career going. Her own mother even told her to just go along with what they said.

Well of course it all blows up when she is wearing a warbonnet on the cover of a magazine, something that Native American women didn’t wear, it was a specific type of adornment for only specific ceremonies/people etc. Her mother sends her off to a grandmother that she’s never gotten to know because of some rift between her mother and grandmother. Of course things continue to go wrong on the trip there, losing her phone and purse on the bus ride to start with. Then being picked up by a guy who seems to hate her and what her image stands for before they even have met.

Once on her grandmother’s ranch, Avery finds a woman who isn’t going to be the kindly old grandmother she’d always dreamed of having, although Lottie is fair. Lottie also doesn’t want to tell what the rift was, so Avery continues to kind of be in the dark. As mentioned in the blurb, of course the ranch is needing some money, her grandmother in danger of losing it. But her grandmother is proud and won’t take money. So Avery must find another way to help. Which when she hears Lucas’s ideas for saving the ranch, she is able to try another way. Of course also as is more realistic, so early on in her career she doesn’t have tons of money to just throw at the problem, and so they come up with a fundraiser.

I loved all the different experiences Avery got on the ranch and with the townspeople and other that she met throughout the time of the story. Lucas was an interesting character, with his own issues to deal with besides just not being a fan of what things had been done in Avery’s career. When we finally find out more about the issue with Avery’s mom, it is somewhat understandable why she has been the way she is. Although the way she treats Lucas and Avery’s feelings make it harder to like her.

I loved the final act, the break up worked in this story because of how it made sense and wasn’t just drama. And I loved the way it all came together and we got things fixed up in the end. I need to read the first book by this author if I get a chance, and hope to read any future titles as well!

THIS BOOK WAS GOOD!!
Listen uuupppp - Love is a War Song - a romance novel that highlights Native American voices - is a book that will make you feel whole again & you should read it.

Avery Fox, up and coming international pop star, got her self into a bit of a scandal and now people are claiming she is a fake social pariah who doesn't have the roots she claims. Her mom sends her off to her grandma's place, a farm in Oklahoma, where she can lay low. To her own surprise, she is put to work during her stay - she's gotta earn her stay somehow. During her stay, she finally learns about where she came from, her heritage, and finds comfort in having a family she has long wanted.

THOUGHTS (& reasons you should read):
the start of this book gives strong Hannah Montana vibes and I ate it uuuppp. A girl who grows up within stardom California is thrust into an unfamiliar setting (a farm) where she has no idea what she's doing and is gullible as all hell.
LUCAS is a class A hottie - trust me on this. He's a handsome man with Darcy hand flexing abilities who is a bit of a grumpy sunshine & claims to strongly dislike Avery
ADDITIONALLY - Lucas - the things he said, both romantically towards Avery, BUT also how he is whole supportive in what she does and can do was so incredibly heartwarming and wholesome
This book deals with a lot of stereotypes around Native Americans and what people (who aren't indigenous) think they know and how THEY think things should be done when it comes to Native American Peoples - there are lot of lessons in this book regarding this topic
Avery's journey is a big one - she navigates who she is, where she comes from, and where she wants to go - all while dealing with her mother, the spotlight/fans, and how to navigate it all - what I can say is this storyline is incredibly rewarding to see where Avery starts, where she ends up & where she wants to go
My only significant issue was the quick transition between Avery & Lucas's relationship. i felt it could have been explored/dissected a little bit more and it all happened very quickly
for those of you wondering, YES there are horse riding scenes... ;)
Avery receiving a ribbon skirt 100% had me crying
in the author acknowledgements - Dancia Nava explains why she chose to include/not include certain aspects of Native American culture - further emphasizing the thought and respect that went into this book and what it represents.

Fave Quotes:
"we are more than the sum of our mistakes"
"here on this ranch, I was allowed to be me and I was given the space to figure out who that was."

Thank you berkely romance for the free book

I loved it! Love Is a War Song is just what I needed. It was a quick, easy read that made me feel ALL the feelings. I laughed, I cried, and I definitely learned some things. It was strange (in a good way) to read a story set in the town I live in! A pop star falls for a cowboy in this romance and it was a joy to read!

Enemies to lovers
Pop star meets cowboy
Native American rep
Same horse!

I rarely read a good rom-com anymore, so Love Is a War Song was a really refreshing surprise. I mainly read it because it is the July Afterlight subscription box book, and I wanted to see if I should skip or not. Needless to say, I will NOT be skipping this one, and I can’t wait to receive my special edition! Thanks so much to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for allowing me to read and review this ARC.

Full review on my website!

This story was such a heartfelt read! It offered a thoughtful glimpse into Indigenous culture and identity, with a plot that was easy to follow and characters you can’t help but like.

Avery’s journey of growth and self-discovery was so well done. She made mistakes, but she listened, learned, and showed real change. Her dynamic with Lucas felt natural and genuine, with chemistry that never felt rushed or overdone.

What truly made this book special, though, was the strong sense of found family and community. Danica Nava portrayed the importance of belonging with so much care and authenticity, reminding us that healing and connection often come from the people around us. A warm, engaging story full of heart.

Thank you, Berkley and NetGalley, for the chance to read this early.

5⭐️

pop-star avery fox has become the internet’s punch line when her cover of rolling stone releases to the public. she’s ridiculed for being a fake because she was dressed in a feather war bonnet, even though she is native american. when the threats become too much and her career is on the line, she’s forced to live with her estranged grandmother in oklahoma for the summer. there, she meets lucas and the two others who help out on the reservation. together, they bump heads and get under each other’s skin, but eventually work together to help save the ranch.

i really enjoyed this! it felt so fast paced and addictive to read, i adored the banter between avery & lucas. i found their chemistry to be a slow burner but so satisfying when they would catch each other staring or found themselves stuck working together. the yearning, oh my gosh it was perfect! i say it every time, but i love a man who yearns!! avery and lucas had me wrapped around their fingers, they were just too sweet together. overall, it was just such a fun read! as i’ve seen others say, this totally reminded me of the hannah montana movie 😌 it felt so nostalgic. i also loved the native-american representation, it was such a nice touch in how it was included into the story.

thank you berkley romance for the arc!

This book had me hooked chapter 1. I loved the characters, development, and overall story! I am looking forward to reading more of Danica's work in the future!

Cancelled pop star Avery is sent to Oklahoma to lay low on her estranged Grandmother’s ranch in this fish out of water quick read romcom. Thanks to NetGalley and Berkeley for an advanced copy for a honest review.

Today Danica Nava releases her second novel, Love Is a War Song, and I loved it! This romance follows Avery Fox, a new pop singer (and former child actress) after she’s been canceled for maybe lying about being Native American and misrepresenting her culture. For damage control, she goes to stay with the Grandmother she’s never met, Lottie, on her horse ranch in Oklahoma. While there, Avery will learn more about her Muscogee heritage (she truly is Native American, btw) and how to be Indian, so to speak. This help largely comes from the ranch hand who works on her grandmother’s land, Lucas. Too bad this cowboy hates Avery’s music!

What I Liked:
- Music! Avery sings pop music, though she wants more creative control in writing her own songs. Lucas prefers country. She likes Britney Spears, he likes Garth Brooks. I like how they overcome their differences in taste and find a common love for songwriting.
- Horses! I loved horses growing up, so it was fun to follow Avery to her family’s horse ranch. I was shocked at her initial fear of horses, but I knew it was just a matter of time before she’d grow to like them.
- Indigenous culture, family heritage, and Avery learning where she comes from. At the age of 23, Avery hasn’t been told almost anything about her Muscogee heritage by her single mom, and she’s never met the rest of her family. When she gets to the family ranch in Oklahoma, she “learns to be Indian” with the help of her grandmother Lottie and the three men who work there (including Lucas!). As they show throughout the novel, there’s no one way to be Native and no stereotype fits everyone. I loved seeing the diverse representation across characters.
- Avery is so immature and naive at first! Girl, grow up! You’re 23, act like it! She’s a bit of a pushover in her career, kind of bratty when she arrives in Oklahoma… but she goes through a great arc as the book progresses. She becomes more confident in herself and more prepared to stand up for her ideas and what (and who) she wants in life.
- Lucas’s family is so toxic! He has some serious history. I love how he finally opens up to Avery and how she sticks up for him.
- Grandma Lottie is so scary at first! But underneath that hard exterior, I grew to really like her.

Final Thoughts
Love Is a War Song is such a fun and joyous romance. I loved the musical side, the horses, and learning about family and heritage while finding love. Forbidden romance that seems like it could never work out… but somehow they must find a way. I’ve loved both of Danica Nava’s novels and I look forward to reading more from her.

Love is a War Song is a powerful tale of reclaiming agency and voice; of constructing identity and dreams; and of learning to love and live for one’s self. I am so inspired and utterly transfixed by this miracle of a work. A most excellent, addicting read that will top my favorites list and be one I will revisit again and again.

Avery is a beautifully layered protagonist whose uplifting journey is filled with trials and triumphs. As a rising pop star, she has lived a life dictated by others, without much agency of her own. She doesn’t challenge things she secretly questions. She doesn't educate herself on things she should know, especially of her heritage. Her naivety and ignorance lead her to be viewed as offensive towards her culture, and her very identity is brought into question. Death threats and record deals in jeopardy have her manager mother sending her to Oklahoma, to her grandmother’s ranch.

A place she has never been to and to a grandmother she has never met.

Upon arriving she meets Lucas, a worker who lives on her grandmother’s property. Initially cold and demeaning, he takes her to her grandmother and makes no secret he finds what she has done for the Native American image distasteful and ignorant. Lottie, Avery’s grandmother, is no different in her cold, brusque first meeting with her granddaughter. Immediately isolated, Avery can either run or confront her situation head on, making the best of it.

I sympathized greatly with Avery. Yes, she has made mistakes; yes, she should know better, but she was raised by a mother who told her nothing of their history and people. She believes she is propping the Native American up by becoming an international star– even if what she longs for most is to be rid of the stage costumes she’s forced into and being given a chance to compose her own songs. Avery is desperate to reclaim her agency and her voice. While begrudgingly in an unknown place, it soon becomes the tool she needs to build herself up the way she always has.

So she doesn’t run, she marches on. She makes mistakes along the way, but she learns. She goes from being obligated to leave her home, to learning how to make this new place her new home. To learn what it is to be Indian. To connect with her grandmother and their history and heritage.She reclaims agency and her voice– but also her identity, one that was always a blurred page in mind becomes clear.

And Lucas is there to help her along the way. Initially stand-offish, he warms up to Avery, and vice versa. He teaches her the ropes of the ranch and as well as how to be Indian. He guides her on a new path that she uses to forge the rest of it herself. Their relationship goes from this cold yet curious thing to something warm, blossoming, and all consuming. Chemistry is chemistrying! They have so much going against the longevity and even mere possibility of a romance, but you will yearn for it the same as they do. Because what forms between them is so undeniable and so powerful. He challenges Avery in a way she never has been, and she gives it right back to him. They share secrets, dreams, and truths with one another. And suddenly Avery wants things she’s never dared for herself. She reclaims her voice and her music, she makes choices out of her own desires and not what the higher ups demand; and she learns what it means to be Native American.

Avery awakens to herself in a way she never has, and she thrives in a magnificent way.

Avery's personal arc is awe-inspiring and empowering, and her romance with Lucas is so poignant and mutually positively enabling as they live together day in and out during her stay. But how can a romance like that go the distance?! You’ll have to read to find out. Just trust me when I say, that journey is so worth it.

And Avery (and Lucas!) so earn it!

I loved it, I loved it, I loved it.

Thank you Berkley Romance and NetGalley for this advanced complimentary copy, I leave this honest review voluntarily.

Enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water Rom-Com.

A Hollywood pop star gets in trouble by listening to her handlers, including her overbearing stage mom. They exploit her Native American heritage in a music video. The negative press results in a trip to her Grandmother’s ranch in Oklahoma to rehabilitate her reputation. Mom and Grandmother do not have the best relationship and Avery has never met her grandmother. One chaotic bus ride later, she is thrust into a new world of horses and chores. Enter one cowboy who wants to rehabilitate troubled youth on the horse farm. Lucas is pressed into service to teach Avery what it means to be an Indian. Family secrets, financial maneuvers and who gets to claim Native heritage are addressed in this great read.

Give me cowboys and give me a city girl getting swept off her feet and I’m so there.

I was so excited for Danica’s cowboy era and I felt like the pop star twist was such a fun addition. The individual journey Avery went on was really powerful. I believed in her and wanted her to grow and find her place so bad. I loved watching her connect with her family and her roots.

However. I’m not down for a mean male main character. I love a grumpy lead but Lucas really felt more mean (especially!!! early on) that it made it hard for me to fall for him. And subsequently believing in their romance.

The grand gesture at the end was so cute. I just wish we had more emotional and relational development because it felt like they went from hating each other to making out real fast.

Thank you berkley romance for the arc!

Thanks so much to @berkleypub for the free book!

Love Is a War Song is the first book I've read by Danica Nava, and I'm definitely interested in reading more. If you love a grumpy/sunshine and slow burn romance, check this out!

Avery Fox is a pop star who get canceled by the internet after wearing Native American regalia on the cover of Rolling Stone. Although she is Muscogee, she's not enrolled, and is estranged from her immediate family, so trying to defend herself from appropriation allegations doesn't work. Avery's momager sends her to Oklahoma to live with the grandmother she's never met and to lay low while fury dies down. In the weeks she's away from her celebrity life, Avery learns how to work on the ranch, her family's history, and develops a crush on Lucas, the ranch hand who immediately insults her when they first meet. This annoyance to lovers interaction was part of the romcom element in addition to Avery not knowing how to cook, thinking horses are determined to eat her alive, and getting her tooth knocked out while learning to play stickball. Lucas thinks she's 'gullible' and it's part of Avery's upbringing that she's been a child actor who made the jump to singing, and has been doing what her manager and mom have told her to do all her life. The freedom of being by herself on the ranch allows her to push back and stand up for herself, especially with her mom who left Oklahoma and her family behind.

While I did like this story, I wanted the confrontation among her mom and grandmother to happen earlier in the book. By the time all of the secrets are out in the open we're close to 90%. Avery leaves for London, finally pushes back against her mom, returns to Oklahoma just in time to perform at a concert that will save her grandmother's ranch and declare her love for Lucas. Even in the epilogue I wanted more time to have passed to see Lucas' plan come to fruition of turning the ranch into a space to help underprivileged youth. For me, the slow burn took to long, and by the time we're on the other side of it, the story wrapped up too quickly. I do appreciate the Native American representation Danica brings to her work, and think with more books under her belt, the writing expertise will follow.

Major Hannah Montana movie vibes.
This was really fun! I love a cowboy romance, and this hit the spot! I did find the writing a little juvenile and overexplanatory, but that didn't sway my interest or enjoyment!

If you're looking for a cowboy romance to devour this summer, I'd have to recommend Love is a War Song. Danica Nava's sophomore novel is just as sharp, funny, and introspective as her first. This story reminded me so much of The Hannah Montana movie in the best way. We follow Avery Fox, a popstar on the rise, who must retreat to her estranged grandmother's Oklahoma ranch when controversy strikes. The thing I enjoy most about Nava's books is that she explores Indigenous identity in such a nuanced way. We have characters who are deeply in touch with their culture, and ones who are still discovering it. She shows how no two experiences are alike, and that there is no "right way" to be an Indigenous person. I also appreciate how her male love interests are such caretakers. They know who they are, and really support the female main character in her journey. Lucas is a great book boyfriend, I wish he was real!
My only critiques of this novel would have to be that I did not find that Avery's mother deserved any redemption or care, as she doesn't really have any growth. I also found some of the dialogue/Hollywood of it all to be a bit overdone, and made Avery seem, at times, less of a person and more of a caricature.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing the ARC.

1000 times yes!

I am loving this renaissance of cowboy romances that is happening right now in the literary world, and I love the reclamation of these stories from the harmful stereotypes of the past when it surrounds cowboys in general, and I love that Danica Nava has taken it a step further and make it accessible for indigenous people as well.

This book, while it is a romance, also touches on the concept of cancel culture and how it has invaded spaces of art, where people turn on each other at the drop of the hat for some perceived slight on behalf of another culture. It explores what it means to be ignorant of another culture, what cultural appropriation even is, and who gets to decide whether it's harmful. There are a lot of keyboard warriors out there quick to drag someone but have no real concept of what it means to be a member of that community, and that is explored widely in this book when Avery is "canceled" for an ignorant photo shoot capitalizing on her indigenous heritage.

When missteps like this happen in the real world, punishment is swift, and that is the reason why Avery goes and lives on a ranch in Broken Arrow, OK. She uses her time to educate herself on her culture and heritage and comes to find out that being a member of that community is complex. No random jerk on the internet gets to decide how much of a member she is, only she does. And it doesn't hurt that there's a dirty cowboy there to help show her the ropes. He also teaches her that she is not the sum of her mistakes, and that she is capable of reclaiming her heritage and culture in a way that works for her. It doesn't have to happen on anyone else's timetable, and it happens because she wants it to happen, not because some rando says she should to meet some arbitrary standard of "native enough."

This book is an excellent read that explores some really complex topics while also being true to itself as a romance. Lucas is absolutely swoonworthy and like Avery, I also had a hard time not falling for this grumpy cowboy.

This book

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this awesome ARC of Love Is a War Song!

If you're a fan of the Hannah Montana Movie (but want more grown folks romance rep), then this book is for you! Avery Fox is a Disney star turned controversial pop star (think Sabrina Carpenter, Miley Cyrus, etc) who gets into hot water for wearing a war bonnet on the cover of Rolling Stone along with her racy music video. She's sent to her grandmother's ranch where she not only learns more about her family history and roots but also falls in love with Lucas Iron Eyes in one of the most smoldering of slowburns I've read in a moment!

I was a huge fan of The Truth According to Ember, and Danica Nava has written magic once again with this novel! I loved the Indigenous rep, the love story, commentary on how women and Native Americans are viewed and portrayed in the media, and all of the characters that add on so much heart and depth to this story of love and self-discovery. I also adored the cowboy romance aspect along with how the Muscogee culture was beautifully woven into the story. If you can, check this out from your local library or purchase a copy tomorrow when it releases!

Love Is A War Song is a delightful Native American western romantic comedy. Avery Fox is a famous Muscogee pop star...until her controversial photo on the cover of Rolling Stones gets her canceled. After receiving death threats, Avery gets sent to her grandmother Lottie's ranch in Oklahoma. Avery might be a complete fish out of water on the horse ranch, but she's determined to get to know her family history and culture. Lucas Iron Eyes, the man who runs Lottie's ranch, tolerates Avery Fox at best, but the more time he spends with her, the more he starts to like her. And when Avery finds out that Lottie's ranch is in danger, she strikes a deal with Lucas to try and save it together.

I had so much fun reading this book. It gave me the same vibes as old school romcom movies, with the supposedly spoiled princess hitting rock bottom and trying to get a fresh start in a small town, but her love interest thinks she's insufferable. Someone compared this book to the Hannah Montana movie, and I definitely agree with that comparison. Lucas and Avery's banter gave me so much life, and their meet cute still makes me laugh whenever I think about it LOL. I really enjoyed their slow burn romance; we even had a little bit of fake dating, courtesy of Avery.

In addition to a healthy does of family drama, we have a great cast of supporting characters, including horses! There's also some interesting commentary on what it means to be Native American and to be enrolled in a tribe. Is someone truly Native American if they're unenrolled? Do you have to be enrolled to be an "official" Native American? And is it appropriate to use the term "Indian" to refer to Native Americans? It was a fun and educational experience, but I think we definitely missed out on the potential for commentary on the depiction of Native American warriors in old school historical romance novels.

Overall, this was a solid cowboy romance. Generally speaking, western romance doesn't have the same level of diversity as the typical contemporary romance, so this book is a fantastic addition to the cowboy genre.

Synopsis: Disgraced pop singer Avery Fox is forced to escape to Oklahoma to live with a grandmother she has never met in order to discover her Muscogee roots and try to save her career.

Thoughts: This was a fun and cutesy romance featuring a pop star and a cowboy. Lots of favorite tropes here, including enemies to lovers, grumpy x sunshine and forced proximity. The romance between Avery and Lucas was charming (if a bit predictable), and there was a good balance of chemistry and banter and emotional growth. Avery herself was an extremely frustratingly oblivious character, but I ended up appreciating her character growth by the end. I loved the indigenous representation and the way the culture was included. That being said, there were several things that required major suspension of disbelief and a few references that were a bit odd. Overlooking the few issues I had, this one was a fun and quick read!

Read this if you like:
🎸 pop star
🎸 cowboy
🎸 indigenous rep
🎸 grumpy x sunshine
🎸 enemies to lovers
🎸 forced proximity
🎸 family

3.5 ⭐️ one of my all time favorite movies is the hannah montana movie and this book gave me all the vibes and feels of that movie and SO much more. I loved every second of this pop star musician going to a small town to find herself and meeting a grumpy cowboy! it was so cute and I just loved how layered it was. I loved getting to see and learn as avery herself learned a lot about community, her culture and how to run a ranch. she had so much growth throughout this entire story. the romance was super cute. there were definitely some cringey and cheesy moments but overall it was so cute! rounding up to 4⭐️