{Book Review} Clipped Wings by Helena Hunting

Clipped Wings by Helena Hunting

Publication Date: Mar 4, 2014  Publisher: Gallery

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?

Contemporary, Romance, Angst, Series

Adult content

I don't know that I have the appropriate words needed to talk about how beautiful a book Clipped Wings truly is. I'd read it in it's original form, as Twilight fan fiction so I was eager to get my hands on the published version. Sometimes you never know what changes (if any) are made when a fan fiction gets pulled offline and picked up by a publisher. That doesn't really bother me, I have to admit, because I like revisiting 'old friends'. 

Clipped Wings was one of the first fan fiction stories I read and it has stuck with me since. It's hard to write a review for a book that you absolutely love and adore and not give too much away. Clipped Wings is packed with raw emotion and a lot of angst. I know that's not everyone's cup of tea but I love a touch of heartichoke mixed in with my eventual romance and spiciness. And let me just say that the spice and the romance are both there in spades. 

Ms. Hunting does a gorgeous job with both of those. Hayden is that guy you want to hug and heal. Tenley is that girl you want to see fit in her own skin and grow as a confident person. Both of these characters have had some really terrible things happen in their lives. They definitely make you want to bawl your eyes out a time or two. The writing in some scenes is so powerful I found it effecting my mood. I was a roller coaster ride up until I finished reading. This is not a complaint at all, but almost a compliment that a story could make me react so strongly. The changes that were made in the book, compared to what I remember when I read it as FF are great. I believe they definitely strengthened my love for Hayden and Tenley, as well as the secondary characters. 

I really wish I could be more specific because so many things occur that are important to the overall aspect of why I loved the book. Since I can't do that, here's a small list of stuff I loved: The Kitten, Hayden's passion for artistry, as well as hard exterior/soft interior, Tenley's strength and calm nature, Friendships between the small group of characters, Raw emotions and the slow slide into love, Cupcakes!!

Things I did not love: That cliffhanger! But that's ok because I've moved on to Inked Armor and I get to love up on more of Tenley and Hayden. I have to admit that I received a copy via NetGalley through the publisher but I was not having any part of that and bought my own copy with my own money so I could have it in print. That's how much I love this series.