Clipped Wings

Written by Helena Hunting

Narrated by Elizabeth Louise and Jason Carpenter

An emotional love story that follows the touch-and-go relationship of Hayden and Tenley; two young people who desperately want to love and be loved but are afraid to completely let go of their pasts.

Their body art is hot. Their chemistry is even hotter.

From her dark hair sweeping below her waist to her soft, sexy curves, Tenley Page intrigues tattoo artist Hayden Stryker in a way no one else ever has…especially when she asks him to ink a gorgeous, intricate design on her back. Yet for all her beauty, there is something darkly tragic and damaged about Tenley that Hayden is everything.

Covered in ink and steel, Hayden is everything Tenley has never dared to want, awakening a desire to explore more than the art adorning his stunning body. Trapped by a past that leaves her screaming from nightmares, Tenley sees Hayden as the perfect escape. Although he has secrets too, if they both keep themselves guarded perhaps their intense physical connection will remain only that.

But nothing, not even passion, can keep them safe from their pasts…

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Mar 4, 2014
• ISBN: 9781442372030

Helena Hunting

Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She’s putting her degree in English Lit to good use by writing contemporary erotic romance. She is the author of Clipped Wings, her debut novel, Inked Armor, the sequel, and Cupcakes and Ink, an e-original short story.

Reviews for Clipped Wings

[Dar Good · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I just couldn’t get into the characters, so their story didn’t grab me. DNF

[Bethany Stickelmeyer · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I’m so torn about this book. I loved the story but at the end Tinley was so annoying. Also, the choice narrators was terrible. Hayden, who was supposed to be a hot mid 20’s guy sounded like he was 45 yrs old. It was actually really creepy.

[readingbeader · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Tragic accident
brutal murders
survivor’s guilt
panic attacks
OCD
tatoos
piercings
art
isolation
hot sex
nasty exs

If you’re into all the angst and secret keeping that NA romances have become then this is the book for you. I’ve listed all the things I consider “hot buttons” for the genre above. I’m halfway through and the drama has just escalated again. A lot of it could be diffused with heartfelt conversation. If you aren’t tired of the “You’ll stop liking me if you find out I’m not the perfect person I’m pretending to be,” plot device keep reading. This feels like it could be a start of series, there are a couple of people at the shops that would make good/typical main characters for more books.

My copy needs editing some more before release. It also needs to have it’s formatting checked. Many of the words have spaces in them, in the wrong places.

[schatzi_5 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Mmm, I kind of wavered a bit on the rating, but I figured that two and a half stars is probably the best route, especially since the drama just kept ratcheting up to ridiculous levels by the end of the book.Tenley is broken. Hayden is also broken. They struggle throughout most of the book to see which one of them is more broken. Drama happens. This is kind of like the generic "new adult" plot that is everywhere, and I can't say that this adds anything new to the pile. Also, I guess that this used to be a Twilight fan ficton. LOL I have nothing against fan fiction, but...Twilight...LOL. Too bad there isn't a scene with Edward...err, Hayden...talking about his skin being that of a killer - yet! ;DI just really can't stand Tenley. Yes, she's gone through a lot. Yes, that would suck big time. Yes, I can understand some of her motivations. But she goes batshit on Hayden because she discovers that he has a rough past - she doesn't even know all of it yet! - and he was sort-of-but-not-really involved, intermittently, with a stripper/prostitute for four years. And then she goes off on how he won't think she's "enough" since he's been in a threesome before, and it's just...stupid. I mean, it's not like she's a virgin either, AND it's not like she hasn't been keeping some major secrets from Hayden herself (like, uhh, the wedding was HERS and not her best friend's, and DEAD FIANCE). I'm guessing that said dead fiance cheated on Tenley or something, considering how batshit she goes once she finds out about Hayden's threesome, but still. It's ridiculous and over the top and just meh. Also, I don't really get Tenley's motivation to marry some dude that, she admits, she just wasn't all that into AND (presumably) has cheated on her. All at the age of twenty. I mean, geez, she wasn't even done with her academics yet, and she had a whole life to live before settling down and getting married - why take the plunge at such a young age, ESPECIALLY when she'd been having some serious doubts about their relationship in general and the marriage in particular right before the plane crash? Live a little! Tenley is just entirely too passive for my liking, and she's so content to wallow in her own pain that she does virtually nothing to get out of it. Meh.Hayden's okay - too good to be true, naturally, but okay. I'll probably read the rest of the series, just because I have all of the books downloaded and on my Kindle and ready to go, but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it.

[readerscandyb · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A beautiful story about opening your heart to love again.

Tenley Page has been through a tragic event that leaves her emerged in grief. Her body is marked with the proof and her mind is constantly reminded of the nightmare she lived. When Hayden Stryker takes an interest in her, she shies away and keeps him at arms length. Secrets are slowly revealed and when she asks him to tattoo her back an intimate bond forms between them. Guards are pushed down and true feelings are exposed.

Tenley was a great heroine in the story. She is beautiful, caring, and brave. Hayden is a sexy, tatted bad boy with a heart of gold. I just loved him. Together Tenley and Hayden are whirlwind of on again, off again emotions. They tugged on my heartstrings and made my pulse race.

While the storyline is the bad boy, damaged girl cliché... The Author took it to a whole new level. The plot consumed me and I felt as though I was walking in the characters shoes. When reliving the tragedy Tenley faced my stomach clenched and tears rolled down my cheek. It all felt so real & I loved that! The Author took tattoos and proved that they are pieces of artwork. With Tenley it was a way to hide the ugly with beautiful wings. A symbol of new beginnings.

Now the ending .... Left me like WTF? This can't be it.... I flipped a couple more pages and realized I needed book 2 ASAP. I couldn't believe that it ended that abruptly, but I love a good cliffhanger that sucks you in for more.

The writing was great! It was a page turner that left you begging for the next book.
Highly Recommend <3

[azurestrawberry · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Inside were cupcakes, piled high with soft, fluffy icing, decorated with black skull and crossbones candies. As far as baked goods went, they were badass. I grabbed for Tenley, bearer of treats.

I’d spent the past hour tattooing a pretty little cupcake no more than two inches above a place I wanted to bury my face in.

I was so screwed.

Under all the armor he wore, Hayden was in pieces like me. It made him safe. He understood what I’d been through.

[gromine · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is amazing, amazing, AMAZING! When I first started reading it, I wasn't too sure I would like it because Hayden, the hero, has tattoos and piercings, BUT the more I read it, the more I became OBSESSED with the story. It's that GOOD! When the story, ended I actually screamed because I wanted it to continue going on forever. I read a lot of books and that's a big sign how good this book is and now I want to read all of Helena Hunting's books. Keep writing girl!

[nathaliepolanco · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"The scars are ugly.""Everyone has scars, Tenley. If we're lucky, they're only on the outside."I hadn't heard of this book until I stumbled on it on Edelweiss. I didn't even care what it was about, I wanted it because OMG, is that cover not gorgeous or what? Lucky for me, the book sounded amazing and I was able to snag a copy. When I won a finished copy from Andrea's blog and I saw how beautiful the book is in person (that back cover!), this went up higher on my TBR. I had been looking for a book like this, something I could get lost in. I know this sounds like the same ol' same old' storyline: broken girl meets bad boy. But this is so much more than that! I was quickly sucked into this one.The writing in Clipped Wings is beautiful! The characters, not just Tenley and Hayden but also their family and friends, are so well written that I couldn't get enough of them. The chemistry was so sooooo good! It was sexy, it was sensual, it was a beautiful but complicated physical and emotional connection that I felt connected to. Tenley and Hayden are both characters with a dark past and who have their fair share of pain and secrets they're hiding. I loved how their pasts were slowly revealed to us (and each other). They are both flawed characters, but those are always my favorite. I hate to admit this but I totally judge books by their sex scenes. Lately, I find almost everything either too cheesy, too over the top or too unrealistic. Halle-freaking-lujah, I found a book with good sex scenes! The scenes were sexy and not excessive and they actually added something to the story as opposed to being randomly thrown in just for the hell of it. I loved the slow building relationship between Tenley and Hayden because the attraction and chemistry was always so intense.Although I could have done without one incident (view spoiler) the rest of the book totally made up for that tiny bit. I love that Tenley has a great friendship with Lisa and Sarah and I loved the bromance between Hayden, Chris and Jaime. This book was the perfect mix of sexy, intense and emotional and I can't pinpoint exactly what it is, but this stood out me among other books. Warning: this does end in a bit of a cliffhanger. I was okay with it, maybe because it takes a lot for me to consider a book a cliffhanger, but the fact that I have a copy of Inked Armor might have something to do with it too. No worries because Inked Armor officially releases May 13th so you don't have a long wait. Also, I highly suggest reading the prequel novella, Cupcakes and Ink before starting this one. Check out my review here. I loved this one and I have a feeling this will be one of my favorite series this year.Audiobook Comments: I had an ARC of this, and a gorgeous finished copy, but when I found out Elizabeth Louise was going to be narrating this, I knew I wanted to listen to the audio. Unfortunately, I was having issues with my audiobook review copy, so I gave up and decided to read this and Cupcakes and Ink. I ended up getting the audiobook files to work the day I finished this book. I loved this book so much that I immediately started listening to Cupcakes and Ink and Clipped Wings on audio. As much as I loved the book, I loooooved the audio! Elizabeth Louise is a narrator I've heard a few times and she is fantastic. She keeps getting better and better with each book and I was just blown away at how good she was at this. My one complaint about her in the first book I heard by her (Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker) was that her guy voices weren't that great. Well, she sure shut me the hell up this time because she nailed Hayden's voice. I would sometimes forget that I was listening to a girl saying Hayden's lines (during Tenley's POV scenes). Elizabeth Louise is an amazing narrator and I'm so happy they she was picked for this. I wasn't so sure about Jason Carpenter at first. He narrated Cupcakes and Ink and while I thought he did a good job, the novella was short and I didn't get to see him in any emotional scenes. The more I heard, the more I liked him as Hayden. He pulled off the sexy and emotional tone of the story perfectly. He fucking nailed it as Hayden. I did have to change the speed to 1.5X or 2X but I've found that this is my preferred speed for any book/narrator. I'm so happy I have the audios for these books because I will definitely have to listen to them again. I'm dyiiiiiiiing to listen to Inked Armor on audio and I can't wait until the release!

[mommy.reads.what · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

***ARC provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***

First off if you have an issue with cliffhangers, particularly relationship ones then you may want to hold off. I am not a fan of cliffhangers, but I would make an exception for this book.

When I think of Hayden and Tenley the first word that comes to my mind: Survivors

To go through what both of these two people have went through and still be standing, well to me that takes strength. I just wish they both could see that. This story to me, was just beautiful and broken. Even though the broken characters has become a typical storyline, I found theirs different. Hayden, I love him, has had a hard past and is haunted by the demons from his past. But the fact that he is growing and trying to make better decisions made me fall for him instantly. I loved him for Tenley.

Tenley's past is even more painful than Hayden's. How that girl is still standing? I have no idea. Her character also grows throughout the story, to an extent. But I fully understand why it will take her much longer. Her and Hayden together was magic. Whether they both realized it or not, they are what helps heal each other. There are so many emotions in this story, from both characters. There is also lies. Lies to keep their pasts a secret, afraid it will interfere with what they have, what they could possibly have. But as we all know lies are never our friends. Usually in books when characters are lying or keeping things from each other I get so angry and want to shake them. But not with these two. I think I would have done the same thing.
Anyways- I love the tattoo aspect of this story too. It actually would feel like an incomplete story without them. People just don't always realize that tattoos are a way of remembering something or honoring someone. The fact that this book goes into that made it a favorite for me. The book was left with a lot of things left up in the air. Questions that still remain to be answered for both the reader and characters.

I am anxiously waiting for more of Hayden and Tenley's story. I could not put this book down once I started. Oh and if you are one that needs/wants hot sex in a book, well then this book is also for you.

[isisunit · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I would like to thank NetGalley and Gallery Books for the opportunity to read this story. Although I received the ebook for free, that in no way impacts my review.An emotional love story that follows the touch-and-go relationship of Hayden and Tenley; two young people who desperately want to love and be loved but are afraid to completely let go of their pasts.As Hayden and Tenley navigate their newfound but slightly unstable relationship, they want to trust each other, but Hayden is hiding a dark and shameful past that he doesn't ever want Tenley to find out about. And Tenley has secrets of her own that could make Hayden run away forever. When Tenley asks Hayden to put a beautifully elaborate tattoo across her back, the two form what they thought was an unshakeable bond. But when Tenley's past shows up on her doorstep, will Hayden stand by her side...or run?This is a well written love story about two damaged people. Hayden was the typical bad boy, possibly worse than the average. He certainly thinks so, and there are solid reasons why he feels as he does. Although it took years, he finally got to a place where things were calming down in his life, though that life only held work and a tiny circle of friends he socialized with. Hayden had capitalized upon his good looks in his youth and been very active in the bar scene, but never going back to the same woman twice. . . with one exception. Sienna was Hayden's personal albatross, his cross to bear, and sadly he felt that was what he deserved.Hayden, Chris, and Jamie owned their tattoo studio, Inked Armor. They'd gone in together a couple years back, getting out from under the thumb if their mentor, who was a complete sleaziod. When they left they also brought Lisa, Jamie's girlfriend, with them. Jamie and Lisa have a story of their own, which both Hayden and Chris played a role in. What the four went through together, added to what Chris had gone through with Hayden even before that, made them a very close-knit group, and all protective of one another.Hayden is slowly getting his shit together. He is still struggling with events from the past, and may never fully get beyond them, but he is trying. However, this time he is trying without the arguable aid of boozing, whoring, and drugs. So far things seem to be working out, at least they are until he meets Tenley.Tenley is carrying the weight of her world on her slender shoulders, and for her the situation she's struggling to survive is much, much more recent than what Hayden is coping with. However they are both so damaged by their pasts that they are keeping secrets from each other. Secrets that could destroy the fragile relationship they're building.For all that Tenley is going through, she is remarkably stable. Sure she has regular nightmares, nightmares so bad her neighbor from across the hall hears her screaming herself hoarse. And she periodically has to fall back on some of her prescription medications to make it through the day, but that is happening less and less often - in direct correlation to the amount of time she spends with Hayden.The two go through the expected ups and downs of a new relationship where the two people are still learning about each other's boundaries, as well as their combined boundaries. Unfortunately they both make the same mistake and only share part of their story with the other, leaving plenty of space for something, or someone, to come along and drive a wedge between them. Possible a permanent wedge. . . This story is nicely written, with characters that you can easily relate to and care about. At 400 pages this story dragged on far, far too long. Yes it was emotional, and it has complex characters that draw you in. The two lead characters have some serious baggage, and both do some emotional healing and growing. But after 400 pages of this to have no conclusive ending was just too much for me. I think this book would have fared better with a more rigorous final edit, as there was a fair amount that could have been cut without taking away from the story. In fact, it would have enhanced the story had we not continually revisited both Hayden's and Tenley's fears that the other would discover the depth of their damage and walk away from them. I got it after the first time, I didn't need it pounded into my skull as many times as it was. Hopefully the sequel will be more streamlined, maintaining the romance without browbeating the reader with the characters fears.That being said, I still enjoyed this book and will seriously consider reading the sequel - depending upon how long it is. Don't get me wrong, I like long books, but only when there are new things taking place throughout that warrant the length. The repetition really frustrated me, as is clearly obvious from the number of times I've repeated the issue myself :-)