Love Is a War Song

By: Danica Nava

Narrated by: Kyla Garcia

AN INSTANT USA TODAY BESTSELLER ∙ THREADS SUMMER BOOK CLUB PICK ∙ AN AMAZON EDITOR'S PICK FOR ROMANCE!

A Muscogee pop star and a cowboy who couldn’t be more different come together to strike a deal in this new romantic comedy by Danica Nava, author of The Truth According to Ember.

Pop singer Avery Fox has become a national joke after posing scantily clad on the cover of Rolling Stone in a feather warbonnet. What was meant to be a statement of her success as a Native American singer has turned her into a social pariah and dubbed her a fake. With threats coming from every direction and her career at a standstill, she escapes to her estranged grandmother Lottie’s ranch in Oklahoma. Living on the rez is new to Avery—not only does she have to work in the blazing summer heat to earn her keep, but the man who runs Lottie’s horse ranch despises her and wants her gone.

Red Fox Ranch has been home to Lucas Iron Eyes since he was sixteen years old. He has lived by three rules to keep himself out of trouble: 1) preserve the culture, 2) respect the horses, and 3) stick to himself. When he is tasked with picking up Lottie’s granddaughter at the bus station, the last person he expected to see is the Avery Fox. Lucas can’t stand what she represents, but when he’s forced to work with her on the ranch, he can’t get her out of his sight—or his head. He reminds himself to keep to his rules, especially after he finds out the ranch is under threat of being shut down.

It’s clear Avery doesn’t belong here, but they form a tentative truce and make a deal: Avery will help raise funds to save the ranch, and in exchange, Lucas will show her what it really means to be an Indian. It’s purely transactional, absolutely no horsing around…but where’s the fun in that?

©2025 Danica Nava (P)2025 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"This book feels as lived-in and appealing as your favorite pair of jeans: sexy in an understated way and uniquely American.”—The New York Times

"Artfully crafted and bursting with tension, Avery and Lucas’ story hits every beat with intention and ease. Nava delivers a sharp, funny, and deliciously slow-burning romance about two people learning to carve out their own space in the world. Love is a War Song is the book of the summer!”—Lyla Sage, New York Times bestselling author of Swift and Saddled

“A swoony love story that deftly explores identity, redemption, and the complexities of cancel culture. Danica Nava's sophomore novel is as thought provoking as it is funny and heart melting. It's a must read for all romance book lovers.”—Hannah Grace, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Daydream

LOVED THIS BOOK

Yeehaw this was such a freaking delight!

Disgraced celebrity goes back to grandma's ranch to hide out over being cancelled online and of course there's a very hot, very grumpy, cowboy ranch hand working there who gives her crap. 10/10

Interesting blend of rom com and culture

This was a fun read. It was hard to put it down. Lots of current day references and rich in culture. Sweet enemies to friends to lovers story.

INDIGENOUS COWBOY

I can’t get over how good of a book this is and how much the cowboy romance (the romance genre in general) needs representation like this.

I love Avery and how hilarious she is
I love Lucas and his grumpy attitude

Together they are beautiful!

This book will make you laugh, cry, and (hopefully) make you seek out more by Danica.

Phenomenal and Heartwarming!

Where to even begin! Love is a War Song literally brought me to tears (in the best way). This is a romance story with Indigenous cowboys, found family, finding your path, and discovering what home really means. Love is a War Song made me laugh, cry, and feel so seen. Highly recommend. Will definitely be telling all my friends about this!

Beautiful and needed!

I listened to this as soon as it came available. As a big romance reader/listener, I was super excited to read this author and explore the story. I have read indigenous literature for close to 40 years and hold such a big space in my heart for indigenous writers and artists, sovereignty, representation, and the land back movement. The plot of this book was absolutely lovely. Rooting for the characters came easily. Their story is sweet but has guts. Did I mention I’m a life-long horse girl and SA survivor? The FMC’s evolving relationship with the horses on the ranch was beautifully told and the FMC’s passion for them really rang through. This novel is light on the spice and I prefer a spicier read, but it was absolutely worth a credit. Lift this book up! It is so deserving!

Fabulous!

I loved the characters and story so much! This is my second book by Danica Nava and I truly enjoyed the indigenous characters she has in both novels. I learned a lot and laughed a lot and even teared up a couple times. This book had everything. The audiobook narration was also very well done —Kyla Garcia nailed the comedy bits perfectly. Highly recommend!

I Loved this book!

I would consider it a 4.5 out of 5 only because I’m not sure if the bonding Avery had was a liiiiiiiiitle big fast paced with everyone? But that feels like a nitpick because I very much believed all the relationships. Love Avery. Love Lukas. Loved. This. Book.

So cute, fresh, and topical

First off, I’m a POC (non-native) woman raised in MT. I have a lot of love and memories of my childhood in Indigenous culture. This was so REFRESHING. It was funny. It tugged at my heartstrings. Avery balances being “spoiled by LA” with being Muskogee OK. The author really delves into everyone’s impressionable psyches and fleshes how much character and generational healing can triumph over environment.

I’ve been waiting for this book and it didn’t disappoint. The references were hilarious and on point. Loved this plot line, thanks Danica for giving my friends from something special to connect to and making me remember my favorite memories, melancholy and joyful!

Uncovering your true identity

What a sweet romcom based on returning to the roots you never knew and, in return, finding yourself and your identity.

Avery Fox is a disgraced pop star. Her photo on the cover of Rolling Stone is the subject of serious public backlash based on how she represented her Native American heritage. Her mom/manager sends her to Broken Arrow, OK, to live with the grandmother she never knew.

What ensues is a whole lot of secondhand embarrassment for Avery's lack of knowledge around anything to do with living and working on a ranch on a Native American reservation. She finds an unlikely friend in Lucas Ironeyes, one of her grandmother's employees, who shows her the ropes and helps her discover her true identity.

Along the way, she forges a connection with her grandmother and finds a connection to her heritage.

I enjoyed watching Avery's growth and self-discovery, especially when it came to her relationship with her mother. It was a quick, engaging read!

Just the book i didn’t know I needed

This book takes you through all the emotions from laughing to crying with such ease. As an indigenous woman (chickasaw like the author) I love how she ties our real world issues of being indigenous in this century with self discovery, identity and community with a beautiful love story. Representation matters and this author brings that representation with grace. I listen to a lot of rom-coms but this definitely the best in years and I hope it becomes a movie one day.. now excuse me while I go re-listen to it as this is now my favorite book and a must listen for everyone that is a rom-com fan.