GAH, I felt so much while reading this book! Not only did I feel for Hazel and her story, I felt for Ian and his and I really felt for the love and support of Ian’s grandparents. The bond of family could not be stronger throughout this book, this is so much more than a love story!
Hazel lives in a broken home with an addict mother who really cares most about her dealer boyfriend and her next fix. Said boyfriend decides it’s time for Hazel to leave the next now that she’s 18 even though she has no job, no money and no place to go. She finds herself at the local ranch where she begs BigPaw to give her a chance as a ranch hand. He gives her the opportunity she needs and sets her up with his grandson, Ian to mentor her.
Ian immediately doesn’t like Hazel; he lost his parents to addiction at a young age and therefore hates everything he believes Hazel stands for. He pushes her to her limits and she doesn’t break. BigPaw steps in and sets Ian straight on some very important details. As Ian and Hazel get to know each other better, Ian realizes pretty quickly he judged her unjustly and that she doesn’t have a bone in her body that resembles her addict mother, her mother’s dealer boyfriend or his addict parents.
The two are tested to the limits while Ian chases his dream and Hazel stays behind to deal with the mess that his her mother and all the drama that goes with it. As Hazel battles alone, she tries to set Ian free to allow him to keep following his dreams and not be dragged behind. But love knows no boundaries and fate was on their side, not to mention the grandparents of the century!
I loved this book not only because of Ian and Hazel’s epic journey and love story, but because the love of family could not be more eminent in this book. It was so refreshing and healing! I could not be more in love with Brittainy’s words. This is Brittainy at her very best!

Brittainy Cherry brings her signature angst to her readers for a heart wrenching story in The Wreckage of Us.

Ian and Hazel were two children who carried the burden of their parent's mistakes past and present. Ian was angry and bitter not fully recognizing how fortunate he was in how his misfortunes played out. Hazel looked for any opportunity as fortunate even when she had to make the opportunities for herself. Out of resentment then mutual grudging admiration grew respect and ultimately love for a tender and true romance between this couple. Finding a way for two people whose sources of pain were so entwined to find happiness in each other can be tricky but Ms. Cherry tapped into their common backbone of goodness and found a way to bring them not only happiness but love. Ian and Hazel's was a true and pure love in a scenario filled with polluted and toxic parents but with the guidance of Ian's grandparent's Big Paw and Holly they flourished and moved past their parents failures to find success and a grounded sense of belonging in each other. The responsibilities this couple took on were a testament to the strength of their characters especially given their parents examples. Appreciating the little things, the simple things became paramount to them overcoming the hurdles thrown their way.

Poignant the hardships of this story found a way to be inspirational. Ms. Cherry's sensitive writing guided this story and proved in the end there is no place like home and home in the end was where the heart was. The Wreckage of Us was a beautiful story of finding the best within oneself and others.

Prepare yourself to be completely enthralled by this beautiful heart wrenching and heartfelt story.
Bold and unique, this small town, young adult, enemies, to friends to soulmates story is unlike anything I’ve read.
Ian and Hazel are not your typical young adults. Both share a painful past, that as it’s told in dual POV, I got front and center seat into who they were.
Flawlessly written this author swept me into an emotional journey that was rich, complex and full of surprises .
The more I read the more I couldn’t put it down. The story was so well developed, the build up the intensity. Even the secondary characters brought something worthwhile and meaningful to the overall story.
Ian and Hazel know each other from high school and they can’t stand each other because of an alleged misunderstanding. When Hazel finds herself in dire need of work, they’re forced to work together under the watchful eye of Big Paw. They soon discovered they share staggering hardships that make them more alike than they imagined. A friendship develops that slowly turns into something else.
This story was intense and in some cases painful to read. However, this author has a unique way of creating stories that evolve and change to give us inspiration and hope. This was no exception!

As always with a Brittainy book I was 100% hooked from beginning to end. She seriously pulled at my heartstrings throughout with this one

My heart was torn for Hazel. In her short life she has been through so much and has never had anyone be on her side, anyone support or back her. She is tough and demands a job at the ranch from Big Paw so she can save money to get away from her mother and step-father. He finally gives her a chance and puts his Grandson Ian in charge of her training.

The connection between Ian and Hazel was sizzling, even when he was being a complete ar*e and trying to get her to quit.

Whilst I wasn't a fan of Ian at the beginning he honestly stepped up big time and was 100% swoon-worthy.

You will laugh, you will cry, you will feel everything. Well done on a brilliant must read.

The first time I read Brittany C Cherry’s work, I fell in love with her writing style. Every book of hers I have read since has proven to be a delightful treat. That being said, you can imagine my delight when I got offered the opportunity to review her latest release, The Wreckage of Us. This book delivered all I had expected.

The story which was set in the Town of Eres featured outstanding, likeable, unlikeable and relatable characters. Hidden between the pages of the book was a beautifully written story about enemies who became friends, then lovers. It follows the lives of eighteen-year-old Hazel Stone and twenty-two-year-old Ian Parker.

Hazel and Ian may have differed in their social standing, but the more time they spent together they would discover they had a common ground. Both children of drug-addicted parents who lacked the wherewithal to care for them, they struggled with fears of loss and abandonment. Ian had loving grandparents who stepped in raise him, but Hazel had only herself. Their interactions prior to their becoming friends was riddled with hostility, sarcastic and snarky remarks. Despite, the initial animosity, I enjoyed all their interactions because they had me smiling for most of it. These two together were downright hilarious.

I understood the reason for Ian’s hostility towards Hazel even though it was unfair as she had no control of the events that had affected his life. After a while he did recognise his error and tried to make amends.

My heart broke for them both, but Hazel’s experiences gutted me more. There was a particular scene that made me want to hug her after the hurtful words her mother threw at her. She had a rough childhood, because of her mother’s poor choices. Despite this, she proved to be a fighter. I admired her determination and her selflessness.

Ian had built walls around his heart and only his music could soothe his soul. However, Hazel with her wit and positive outlook and selfless attitude tore down his walls brick by brick. I had a great time watching them transition from enemies to friends to falling in love. Wow! What a journey. Slow burn, passionate and sweet.

Any story is worth its salt will feature secondary characters who help to enhance the reading experience. Well, the Wreckage of Us secondary characters made my experience delightful and fun. My favourite of them being Big Paw, Ian’s grumpy but loving grandfather.

Narration
Rock Engle and Stella Bloom narrated this wonderful story, and I thought they did a superb job in bringing each of the characters to life. They were both new to me, but I would listen to them again.

Conclusion/Recommendation
The Wreckage of Us delivered an emotional, powerful and gripping tale that had me reading in the wee hours.

This was an emotional story to be sure.
Some of my favorites stories are the ones where characters have overcome traumatic events in their lives. Both Ian and Hazel have some similar yet devastating backgrounds in their life. They start off as enemies when Hazel starts working under his management. I totally believed the revolution of their friendship. Hazel just tells it like it is and I so appreciated that. I love the girls that don't wilt under the attention of a hot guy. She is a strong, selfless heroine and she made me love the story that much more. Ian has a tough exterior but a somewhat mushy inside and unwavering loyalty that totally won me over. I'm not afraid to admit that I shed some tears over this story.

Une fois de plus les émotions sont au rendez vous avec The Wreckage of Us. Les personnages que vous allez rencontrer vont vous émouvoir et leur histoire ne pourra que nous toucher en plein coeur. Je les ai adorés, j'ai suivi leurs aventures avec impatience et j'ai passé un excellent moment de lecture.



Hazel Stone est une jeune femme de 18 ans qui n'a jamais eu une vie facile et qui n'a jamais eu les bonnes cartes en main. Quand Charlie Riley la jette hors de sa propre maison, c'est une nouvelle épreuve qui l'attend mais son courage est sans fin et elle mettra tout en oeuvre pour aller de l'avant. Elle pourra compter sur Big Paw qui va lui offrir un travail dans son ranch même si pour le conserver, elle devra être sous la supervision de Ian Parker, son petit fils qui sera assez odieux avec elle au départ. Les préjugés auront la dent dure la concernant et notre héros risque de lui faire payer des erreurs sur laquelle elle n'a aucune responsabilité. Elle se donnera corps et âme pour son travail et tout au long de l'intrigue , j'ai été admirative de cette jeune femme qui ne reculera devant rien. Elle adore sa mère Jean mais cette dernière est trop prise dans sa propre addiction pour faire de bons choix. La situation est dramatique mais elle ne perdra jamais espoir et elle se battra jusqu'au bout pour défendre ceux qu'elle aime. Son combat semble utopique mais elle saura compter sur certains alliés inattendus pour l'aider à avancer ses pions. Le danger sera constamment présent mais cela ne sera pas un frein à ses décisions.



Sur le plan plus personnel, elle finira par apprendre à connaître Ian et elle découvrira que son ami n'est pas si mauvais que cela . J'ai adoré leur relation car , même si elle est partie sur de mauvaises bases, elle leur apportera un rayon de soleil tant espéré dans leurs ténèbres personnels. Ils ont vécu la perte de leur proche avec des addictions plus que nocifs et ce point commun pourrait les rapprocher. Elle osera lui dire en face les choses concernant sa musique et cela lui permettra de s'améliorer. Elle va d'ailleurs très vite se faire une place de choix chez Les Wreckage car leur amitié sera essentielle. Que ce soit Eric, Marcus ou James, tous reconnaîtront l'importance de notre héroïne dans leur vie. Ces amis sont unis pour la vie mais quand ils vous font entrer dans leur cercle, ils vous protégeront aussi. Elle va donc s'ouvrir peu à peu à Ian et elle sera le témoin privilégié de l'accession à son rêve. Pourtant jamais la jalousie, la médisance ne feront partie de leur quotidien. Ils ont trop vécu pour ne plus avoir les pieds sur terre mais quand leurs mondes seront aux antipodes l'un de l'autre , leur lien sera t-il suffisant et ne se brisera t-il pas?



Ian Parker est un héros que nous allons avoir dû mal à cerner dans un premier temps car il est bourru et ne fera aucun cadeau à Hazel. Il la fera souffrir car il est persuadé qu'elle ne tiendra pas et qu'elle ne mérite pas de fouler le sol où il vit. Grâce à son grand père Big Paw et sa grand mère Holly, nous allons pouvoir le voir sous un autre jour et cela suffira à nous convaincre que cette carapace a été mise pour se protéger de la souffrance et de l'abandon qu'il a vécus. Si on gratte le vernis, on va découvrir un homme sensible , protecteur , qui a la sens de la famille et qui est loyal en amitié. Quand le destin va offrir un nouveau tournant à notre héros, nous allons prier pour qu'il garde les pieds sur terre et un lien avec Hazel. Alors qu'il était teigneux et volcanique, on le verra patient et attentionné au fil des pages. Pourrait il être le phare dans la tempête qu'est la vie de notre héroïne? J'ai adoré découvrir son histoire car il est parvenu à me donner des frissons. Son talent artistique n'est plus à prouver et il ne lui reste plus qu'à laisser exprimer les émotions qu'il a si bien enfouis en lui.

This is my first book by this author and I have to say she immediately sucked me into the story! The characters were so good that I was feeling emotions right away, hate and sympathy, and more. The characters grew though, in what to me was a very realistic way, and the romance developed also in what I feel was a very realistic manner. While Hazel and Ian both had their moments of pushing the other away, even in those moments, and when they came together to try to argue with the other one to fight, it turned out in what I felt people would actually do. Normally some of the things that happened I feel are put in a story by authors to just add drama, and then the drama seems to last way behind how anyone would actually behave in real life. However this author kept those things, well I’m using this word a lot it seems, she kept it real.

The story still had some twists and turns and developments that I just didn’t see coming, and I really like when an author can do that! We even got some epilogues that added to what I wanted to know for after the main part of the story. I do kind of wish there’d been a bit more of the steamy times that I enjoy in a good romance, but for the most part I got what I wanted.

Confession time: Before The Wreckage of Us I've never read a book by Brittainy Cherry (although I do have many of them sitting patiently on my Kindle). I'm so glad I squeezed this one into my schedule - it was so worth it. This book was a kick in the feels and had so many beautiful lines, I wish I could quote them all.

When Hazel Stone starts working at the biggest farm of a small town in Nebraska the person instructing her is no other than the town's golden boy/aspiring rock star/bad boy Ian Parker. They rub each other the wrong way from the start. Ian resents Haze because of her connection to the local drug overlord who is her stepdad and responsible for Ian's parents' addiction and thus leaving him when he was a kid. Haze dislikes Ian because of his shitty attitude, manwhoring and grumpiness. Forced to shack up together by Ian's granddad Big Paw, they find common ground and soon become best friends.
If heaven was a kiss, it lived against Hazel's lips.

Haze helps Ian with the lyrics for his songs that lack heart and soul, because Ian has his walls up. She doesn't let that stop her though, her kindness and goodness, her understanding of who Ian is, it gets under his skin and it was so touching to see him lighten up and open his heart to the people around him. Her sass and her heart of gold quickly captures his and not even his growing success as a musician can stop their love from growing. I loved how all in he was, how nothing could distract him from Haze.
Hazel Stone was my best friend, my darling, my melody, my song. And damn . . . She sounded so good.

Haze was a wonderful young woman, who carried the weight of the world on her shoulders but never lost her optimism and faith, even when things looked really dire. Her sense of responsibility, her maturity for her young age made me admire her so much.
Truth was, he’d always been mine. I’d just been waiting for the day when I was his too.

Some parts are a punch to the heart and I really hurt for them both but Brittainy Cherry really does these characters justice and by the end you'll be happy for Haze and Ian. They have some awesome sidekicks and I hope that the author decides to write their stories too. They have so much to give, the whole bunch of them. I also adored Ian's grandparents. Big Paw was a grumpy bear but behind his grouchiness was a big heart.

This was such a big, unforgettable winner for me. I wish all books had this quality and depth but that's why we have our favorites, don't we? Ms. Cherry is well on her way to the top of that list and I'll make sure to catch up on her backlist soon!
My chest tightened as realization set in. I was in love with a girl who loved me back. What could’ve been greater than that? No fame, no fortune, nothing. We were lucky to have found one another, lucky enough to not have given up when things got heavy. Hazel Stone had changed me. She’d showed me what ultimate strength looked like. She’d showed me unconditional love, and I hoped to do the same for her for the rest of our lives.

THE WRECKAGE OF US by Brittainy Cherry is a contemporary romance which has the H/h in the New Adult age range, but they have been through so much even before they meet that it feels as if they are older as you fall into their well written story by this new to me author.

Hazel Stone lives with an abusive drug dealer step-father and an addicted mother until her eighteenth year when they kick her out. It is a good thing she was hired recently on Big Paw’s ranch. She ends up squatting in an old abandoned shed until she is found out by Big Paw’s grandson, Ian and is offered a room in the manager’s ranch house.

Ian Parker dislikes the strange girl all in black that his grandfather hired and told him her had to train. Ian’s drug addicted parents left him on his fourteenth birthday and never returned. Big Paw and his wife Holly raised Ian and he wants nothing to do with the girl whose father sells the drugs in their small Nebraska town.

Ian and his three friends not only work on the ranch, but have a band called The Wreckage. They are on the verge of realizing their dream of fame. They just need that special level of emotion to take their songs to the next level. Hazel brings out that emotion and helps with the words.

Ian and Hazel find that special kind of connection, but Ian and the band are taking off and Hazel has responsibilities in the small town of Eres that keep her there. Can this new found relationship and love survive?

This book was a complete surprise to me. There are heavy subjects like physical abuse and drug abuse that I feel the author handled realistically, but the overall story is filled with the dream of forever love, family and hope. Ian closed himself off after his parents abandoned him, but he did have the love and support of his grandparents and bandmates. Hazel had a harder young life and yet she was willing to work as hard as necessary to obtain her goals step by step and was always hopeful. I loved the back and forth between small town life and the California rock star life with Hazel not wanting to stop Ian from reaching for his dreams for any reason and Ian counting on Hazel and the ranch to keep him grounded. All the secondary characters, good and bad were fully fleshed and realistic. The sex scenes were not gratuitous, but appropriate for the story.

I can highly recommend this N/A contemporary romance!

Hazel & Ian's story was so sweet and full of love. Of course there was the typical heartbreak but we get the HEA they both deserved ❤️

I did feel like the ending of the story was rushed but it was still enjoyable.

This is my first Brittainy Cherry book and holy cow!! This story will hurt your heart a lot but it is so incredibly beautiful. Hazel and Ian’s love story is one for the ages. I fell in love with every character in this book....well, except two but you will know who they are. The love and dedication between the characters is hard to describe... Brittany made them come to life. I laughed,I cried, my heart hurt, I was happy...this story has all the feels.

5⭐️

Wow.

That's Ms. Brittainy Cherry you guys! It's just... wow.

I got pissed, got frustrated... fell in love, cried... and soared.

Ian and Hazel's story reminded me of my feelings after reading The Air He Breathes.

Such a heart-wrenching and heartwarming story about following your dreams and following your heart at the same time... and realizing it's not as easy as we thought it would be. But if there's a will then there's a way.

I love this story! The pacing, the characters... the twists and turns.... everything. It was gripping from the first page to the last. You can't help but fall in love with every characters in this book!

“I’d give you every lyric that was inside of me to make your dreams come true, Ian.”

This was a beautiful story, I didn't expect anything less from Brittainy C. Cherry.Her stories are always a nice surprise for me!Love her writing and her characters are so unique.

Hazel and Ian have some sweet and cute moments.They have such a great banter they make me smile!

"You've been my light, my muse, my inspiration. Haze...you are every star in the sky. You are my galaxy."

This is a small town romance with slow burn and intense!

Amazing book!!
The Wreckage of us will absolutely slay you. Ian is a broody, bossy band member that manages his family ranch. Hazel is a hard working girl that finds herself in need of a job. When their paths collide let’s just say there is no insta-love between them. As the story unfolds they do realize similar obstacles that they have gone through in the past. Pick this book up and see how friendship can lead to a forever kind of love. This book is amazing and you won’t forget it. If I could rate it higher than 5 stars I most certainly would.

The Wreckage of Us is a beautiful love story about two broken people who find a deep friendship that turns into love. The story involves Hazel and Ian. Hazel has not had a great life. Her new job on the biggest ranch in her small town puts her directly in the path of Ian, the town heart breaker. Ian is holding a grudge against Hazel, indirectly blaming her for his parents' fall into drugs and out of his life. I read this in one sitting. I absolutely loved it.

The story was quite an emotional ride. There were some gut-wrenching scenes that both of our main characters have to work through. Just about every scene with Hazel and her mother broke my heart. What I loved about this romance was the way both Ian and Hazel worked to look past their preconceived ideas about the other person. I loved watching their friendship grow and become strong before they fell for each other. That Instagram post..talk about swoon worthy! The ending was perfect and I loved the peek forward. The secondary characters enhanced the story. Ian's grandparents were my favorite. I highly recommend this one.

I love the aspect of bringing out the best in people in Brittainy's books and this one delivered ten fold. The side characters were endearing. A sweet story with fire and heart.

Em The Wreckage of Us acompanhamos a determinação de Hazel em conseguir um trabalho para ajudar a mãe grávida a se livrar do companheiro abusivo.É assim que ela cruza o caminho de Ian, o astro da música da cidade e também quem administra o rancho em que ela começa a trabalhar. E então a trama se desenvolve, com Hazel e Ian passando por diferentes situações até criarem uma forte amizade, que depois se ramifica para uma linda história de amor.
O legal do livro é que além de mostrar o romance slow burn acontecer, destaca também o crescimento deles quanto pessoas, e o quanto eles se inspiram para serem pessoas melhores.

Hazel é uma joia de garota. Determinada, altruísta e corajosa, ajuda a todos como pode, mesmo não esperando nada em troca.
Ian é um talentosos cantor com bloqueio criativo, advindo das emoções que esconde. Ele enxerga Hazel como sinônimo das coisas ruins que lhe aconteceram, até a garota oferece a ele bondade e amizade, ganhando um lugar especial em seu coração e o inspirando a se transformar cada dia mais.

Adorei o desenvolvimento dos personagens e como cada vez que suas guardas baixavam mais, a amizade florescia e também a paixão entre eles, no tempo certo.
Outro elemento gostoso do livro é o senso de humor em algumas situações, o que deixou a história leve e viciante de ler.

O único problema para mim é que achei o livro grande para a história proposta. Quando estava tudo encaminhado, a autora inventou de resgatar um problema para dar mais conflito ao casal, só que foi tão ridículo e fácil de ser resolvido, que mostrou-se desnecessário realmente.
Como escrevi em outra resenha da autora, "menos é mais". A Brittainy tem que aprender isso, rsrs Excesso de drama e conflito para incrementar o que não precisa só faz ela dar derrapadas no trabalho que estava indo bem.

**Do know that there is drug use and abuse throughout the book, in case that is a trigger for you.**

I don't think there's a Brittiany Cherry book that I haven't fallen in love with, The Wreckage of Us is no exception.

I fucking LOVE this book. This couple. Their journey. Their friendship. Their love.

Hazel and Ian are a fierce couple, with the most epic bond. So delicious and heavenly, it was all consuming. I felt their connection bone deep. So much so, they left a mark on my soul and butterflies in my stomach.

With that said, The Wreckage of Us is not a fluff read. Far from it. The road to Ian and Hazel's HEA is a crash course of trials and tribulations. And while these characters will own your heart, they'll also frustrate the fuck out of you with their hot & cold antics.

Ian can be a Grade A twatwaffle. An enigma. But don't fret because our girl is not a doormat. She's a cheeky hellcat who gives back as good as she gets. Hazel's a breath of fresh air, in a world where heroines are written to be weak and immediately forgiving. The world has left her broken down and trampled but Hazel has a strength about her, a determination; she’s a survivor.

Your heart will hurt like hell, at times. But know that before it is all over, Ms. Cherry will piece it all back together. She'll leave you feeling healed and even more in love with these characters.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a beautifully written fast paced story, that contains a perfect balance between humor and darker themes. A story that will take you on an emotional roller coaster ride of antagonism, tension, hatred, acceptance, growth, passion, devotion, trust, and finding one's way.

I promise, the way Cherry has written these characters, the dialogue and intricate details will get under your skin and stay there for years to come.

It’s been a hot minute since I read a book by this author. And not because I don’t like her writing. More like because my TBR is daunting, to say the least. I’ve loved her books in the past, so it was a bit of a no-brainer to jump into what was sure to be an emotional roller coaster in The Wreckage of Us. It’s a young adult, contemporary, small-town, and enemies-to-lovers standalone romance.

What I Liked Most About the Book: The emotional roller coaster. I love a book that pulls me in, evokes a myriad of emotions while making me want to scream at the author, then leaves me in a book hangover. The kind that makes me want to ignore the world and just process what I’ve just read. The Wreckage of Us did all of that and more, leaving me ready to dive into another book by this author once I recovered from the hangover. I also loved the complicated nature and lives of our hero and heroine, Ian and Hazel. There’s nothing like a book that unpacks the characters slowly to keep you turning the pages. They are complicated, flawed, and multifaceted, and so is their story.

NICUnurse’s Rating: There is SO much to this book that it’s hard to say much more without spoiling it. And trust me when I say that this book does NOT need to be spoiled. It needs to be experienced. Savored. Relished. Set aside a good chunk of time when you dive into this story because you are not going to want to put it down. It’s definitely another hit for this author!

I give The Wreckage of Us by Brittainy Cherry 5 out of 5 stars!