What We Need

The Wishbone Tattoos Series, Book 2

By: Lizzie Stanley

Narrated by: June DeBorahae, Ryan Stone

She gives me what I didn't know I needed. I don't know if I can do the same for her....

For years, I've lived as a broken shell of a man, the Prom Night survivor who doesn't deserve to live. I continue my stolen life for my family's sake, but my silent world is a dark one full of terrors, with no respite to be found anywhere.

Then Liaden comes along. She's my polar opposite. An extroverted, highly successful professor, always smiling, always a sparkling ray of quirky pink sunshine. This woman makes me feel things I never even felt with the girl I lost. The girl who died in my arms many years ago when the world exploded around us. The girl I failed to save.

Liaden, though...she draws me to her like a magnet, pulling me into the light in ways I don't deserve. But I'm broken, weak, sinful. I can't even speak the words to tell her how much she means to me. This can't work out. Can it?

©2024 Lizzie Stanley (P)2026 Blue Nose Publishing

I knew this book would wreck me!

I listened to the audiobook version of this story and it was as devastating and beautiful as I knew it would be. I dove into this book knowing that Dean's story would wreck me and wreck me it did!! This man's life broke my heart. I just wanted to hold him tight and tell him everything would be ok. There was so much pain and trauma that it brought me to tears. Then we have Liaden and I just loved her too. She's such an amazing, loving woman who did the right thing for the man she loved. I also loved how Dean's friends took Liaden in and made her one of them. The friendship development, the romance, the hurt all these people were going through was beautiful to see, and then seeing them get their happy ending... just perfect. The narration by June Deborahae and Ryan Stone was spectacular. What a way to tell this story, the pain, the angst, the accents, the chemistry. It was pure perfection. An easy 5 star read for me.

Dean & Liaden 💜💜

🌟:5 🌶️:2.5 🎧:5

Are you looking for your next book to sob over? Because this one will have you staring at the wall contemplating all of your life decisions. 😭😭

Lizzie… dear god, you wrecked me with this bad boy, especially with that prologue.. 🥹 check the warnings, friends. But go in blind if you can!

I felt so much heartache while listening to this, and felt so much of Dean’s pain. 😭 he’s such a scarred gentle giant and I love this man so much. I just wanna wrap my arms around him and hold him right, protect his sweet heart. 🥺 he found his perfect match in Liaden. They’re complete opposites, but she’s so gentle with him and so considerate of what he needs. It was so beautiful, and they’re so cute together with undeniable chemistry. Plus she makes him blush and I couldn’t be more obsessed when he does that. 😍

June Deborahae and Ryan Stone performed in duet on the audio, and it was simply perfection. They breathed life into this story and into the characters. Loved the accents, I just couldn’t stop listening. It’s an incredible audio experience, and this series needs so much more love.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

Can’t wait for Leo and Sadie’s book to come to audio. 🫶🏼

Emotionally devastating & so beautiful!

This book is peak angsty, heartbreaking romance and I loved every second. Lizzie's writing is multifaceted; it contains humor, excellent character development, and plenty of moments that will shred your heart and meticulously piece it back together. What We Need is perfect for lovers of opposites attract, emotional romance, virgin MMC, and PTSD/mental health representation.

Liaden is such a lovely FMC. She is quirky, bubbly, and all things positive energy. As a professor of linguistics, she is whip-smart; as a friend, fiercely loyal and a natural caretaker. I found her to be a very well-rounded and enjoyable character, and loved how she just fell into place with the Wishbone crew.

On the contrary, Dean is left mute after surviving a school shooting on prom night. He feels like he is too broken by his PTSD and survivor’s guilt to find love again. While his friends and family learned ASL to accommodate his communication barrier, he feels stuck in a vortex of his own guilt, shame, and fear.

My GOD this book is a roller coaster of emotion. From cackling over Liaden’s names for *female anatomy* and the side characters’ antics, to crying over Dean’s journey through grief and severe mental health battles, Lizzie’s storytelling is enrapturing and I could barely put it down.

June and Ryan’s performances are stunning in their own right, and they do a phenomenal job with some incredibly difficult topics and scenes. June’s Irish accent is stellar and her soft, lilting voice captures Liaden’s character. Her commitment to nailing the emotionally heavy scenes shines through. Ryan had an equally difficult main character and accent, and he does a fantastic job with both. His Cajun accent is amazing, and the way that he portrays Dean’s struggles is heart-wrenching.

Great story!!

I have been patently waiting for this one. Dean captured my heart in What We Deserve and Lizzie Stanley did not disappoint with his story in this second book. Grab your favorite cup, snuggle up and prepare to dry some tears. It’s definitely an emotional rollercoaster. It will rip your heart apart more than once before fully stitching it back together. But, it’s so worth it! I enjoyed every second, from the teary eyes to the laughter. I missed the banter and fun between all the characters and it was definitely needed to balance the heavy of this one out. Dean and Liaden’s path to their HEA was heartbreaking at times and definitely hard earned but, also so beautiful. I cannot wait to listen to Leo and Sadie’s story. I love all the amazing characters in this series. Dean is still my fav so far though 🫠🥰

June deBorahae & Ryan Stone did amazing narrating! I loved how well their voices captured the emotions of the characters and brought their personalities to life. They definitely kept my attention with their performances.

Phenomenal listen

Protective book boyfriend
Nerdgirl FMC
Love after abuse/divorce
Who did this to you
Touch her and 💀 moments
Found family
Dual POV - 1st person

Duet narration - Ryan Stone & June deBorahae
Holy smokes was this fantasticly performed! These two narrators did a phenomenal job! Every accent was perfect and each character had their own unique voice.

Book #2 Wisbone Tattoos series

Dean has survived a traumatic event as a young adult that has left him mute and with PTSD. He has never dated or shown interest in anyone since loosing the love of his life Callie. He is a tattoo artist and has some amazing friends that are always there for him. His internal monologue is superb, he has severe survival guilt and has the sweetest heart. Almost like at heart he is still 18. One day while at work a beautiful woman comes in looking to get a tattoo and she catch's Dean's attention. He tries to fight it but he is merciless to the pull that Liaden has on him.

Liaden is aa college professor and an all around fun and adventurous young women. She is immediately attracted to Dean but can sense something is off, something is holding him back. Everytime she comes in for an appointment to work on her tattoo the tension his high. When he touches her she gets nervous. I loved her character so much, I love that right away she understood that Dean can not speak and she asked him yes or no questions. She even learned ASL so she could speak to him better prior to anything romantic happening between them.

This one had me in a chokehold from the beginning. It starts off with some of Dean's past and holy moly I had to pause the book at first to get my bearings as it was so deeply emotional seeing this traumatic even from the eyes of Dean experiencing it. Once I got back into the book I could not stop. I love love love these characters in my soul. Every single one of them is written so tremendously well and their stories are gripping and have so much depth. I am just foaming at the mouth for book 3! I can NOT wait for Sadie and Leo's stories!