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  • How to Heal

  • Lovestrong, Book 5
  • By: Susan Hawke
  • Narrated by: Michael Pauley
  • Length: 7 hrs and 26 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (27 ratings)

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How to Heal

By: Susan Hawke
Narrated by: Michael Pauley
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Summary

Take one former bully, unable to forgive himself for the sins of his past....

Clark Danvers is a wild 21-year-old who’s trying to prove he’s an adult. With a two-year degree in hand, he manages the family car dealership and seemingly parties by night. Given the amount of times he’s been pulled over for speeding by Deputy Rick Matthews, public opinion seems to be right. But what people don’t see are the scars he carries both inside and out. Scars from a past he can’t run away from and will never be able to atone for, no matter how many times he beats himself over it.

Add one no-nonsense cop who longs to be a Daddy for the right boy....

Jericho “Rick” Matthews never expects the bratty kid who gets on his last nerve to pull at his heartstrings. When he finds Clark battered and fighting for his life in a motel room, Rick’s daddy mode is instantly engaged. Before he can think of anything else, he must first comfort this hurting boy.

To equal a pair of men who might just be what the other needs.

The two men who thought they couldn’t stand each other are drawn together after a date gone wrong. While Rick tenderly cares for Clark, he decides what this brat needs is a daddy...someone to help him break free from the past and embrace the promise of many happy tomorrows.

This is the fifth book in the Lovestrong series about finding love and being yourself in a small town. Intended only for 18 plus listeners, this is an mm romance full of all the sweet feels you’d want from an S. Hawke book.

Note: Possible trigger warning for mentions of self-harm and a scene involving a man who’s consented to having himself tied up. What he didn’t agree to was being left that way for an entire weekend. This highly emotional scene is the catalyst to evoke “Daddy’s” protective mode in a tale filled with themes of hurt and comfort and the struggle of overcoming a difficult past.

©2019 Susan Hawke (P)2019 Susan Hawke
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What listeners say about How to Heal

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

sweet redemption

I enjoyed the story of Clark’s redemption but I didn’t take to it in the same way as the previous books. It is not humorous as the earlier books nor is it very serious like the previous book. This is a more compassionate journey that Clark takes after having a near death experience. He needs the guidance he gets from the Daddy boy relationship with Rick. The support from Rick and his family along with the therapy he receives from Seth allows Clark to let go of the past and focus on the future. Rick and Clark are a lovely couple, they have a wonderful way of playing of each other
As always Michael Pauley does a fantastic job making the characters shine. Because he gives as much attention to the secondary characters the story comes alive.

Audio ARC provided by LesCourt Services in exchange for an honest review.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Really great

This was an excellent audiobook.
I always enjoy Susan’s writing, and it is brought to life so wonderfully by Michael.
I can’t wait to listen to more of this series.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
Listener received this title free

A lesson in redemption

In this latest installment of the Lovestrong series, Hawke has given us Clark's redemption for all his past actions. He deserved it. I found the characters to be an interesting blend of hate to love, and with a dash of kink. Both characters have their issues, but also with the help of each other, I found that there was a wonderful underlying of strength and support (even where there wasn't any to be found). Some scenes were heart-wrenching, but it makes it an amazingly brilliant story. Pauley's narration once again brings these characters to life and gives us a lovely performance.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Just want to hug him.

When we first met Clark Danvers in book one of this fantastic series, I really didn’t like him, what we find in this fifth book, is a young man who while having grown-up, hates himself and can’t move on from the past. Rick Matthews is a cop who has had run ins with Clark before and sees him as a argumentative, aggressive young man, but sees something wounded in him, when he saves his life. Realising that Clark needs him, definitely as a friend if not as more. Clark awakens all of Rick’s protective instincts and Rick can see him as his boy.
This book has a distressing scene within it but it is one scene and set the book up please be aware of the warnings.

As with all of Susan Hawks books the characters are well thought out and written well with personalities that carry on from previous books, having Michael do the voices right the way through is always swoon-worthy. I love this series to listen to or to read.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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Great May/December story

When a once bully try's to overcome his past and make good from past mistakes, Rick is the man to help him come to turns with his past, I really enjoyed listening to this, it was an easy listen with the wonderful Michael Pauley, his take on this book was brilliant even the lighter moments was done with style.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great series, Great audio

Loving this series of books, Susan tackles some very sensitive subjects and does it so well.
 
In this book, we meet Clark again, its a few years later, no longer the school bully but a very damaged young man, who makes some bad decisions.
 
Deputy Rick has caught Clark speeding on numerous occasions, but tonight things feel different and then he sees him again at Saints bar. His gut is telling somethings not right but he's at the bar with his family trying to sort out his mums 60th birthday.
 
Clark leaves with a dubious character for a night of fun, but is it what he's expecting.
 
Rick sees the two men leave the bar but carries on with his night out.
 
I love the dynamic between these two characters and the way the story twist and turns throughout this book keeps you wondering. But all I will say, the ending is not what you expect but there is a HEA as always but at a cost.
 
I both read this and have listened on audible, Michael Pauley does a fantastic job. As always I did speed up the narration to 1.25. Loved it.
 
How to Heal
Lovestrong, Book 5
By: Susan Hawke
Narrated by: Michael Pauley
Series: Lovestrong, Book 5
Length: 7 hrs and 26 mins
 
 
❤❤❤❤❤ Overall
🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧 Narration
📚📚📚📚📚  
Story
Read at 1.25 speed on Audible

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Listener received this title free

Clark finally gets his story, so worth waiting for

I've been waiting for this story since book one in the series and it's absolutely been worth the wait. I never could have imagined the depth of feeling that Clark is experiencing still from his teenage years and it takes Rick to take the time and show Clark how to heal.
There's a beautiful tale of forgiving yourself and allowing happiness as well as experiencing a relationship that's perfect for two people regardless of what it entails. Susan has given us a wonderful Daddy story filled with acceptance, punishment, friendship and love. The two men work really well together and it's great getting to hear from characters from the previous books in this series.
Michael Pauley gives a perfect voice to Clark, the perfect amount of snark and vulnerability, and Rick is perfect in his domineering Daddy voice but so caring as well. Emotion is really felt throughout the whole book, especially in the first few chapters where an event occurs, bringing the two men together. Michael is amazing at bringing characters to life and heart to the story he's narrating.
A definite recommendation and there are so many more characters I would love to hear stories for!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Bad Boy needs Daddy Dom?

I love this Lovestrong Contemporary romance series by Susan Hawke, and Michael Pauley does another excellent job of bringing the characters to life.
When we first meet Clark Danvers in the first book of the series (or the second if I count the prequel story How Not To Wait), he's a scared, angry boy of fifteen who has suffered under his father's tyranny for far too long, but in this book, he's a young man of just 21 and figuring what he wants in his life besides running the family business. His penchant for punishment and bondage bring him more trouble than he bargained for, so it was good to see Clark learn to accept help from his foe, Officer Rick who keeps nailing him for speeding tickets and other vehicular infractions.
It was awesome to see Rick Matthews finally find himself a boy since Shaw was never meant to be his. There is plenty of redemption and trust building for Clark with Rick. Could Rick give him what he's needed all along? I highly recommend that you read/listen along and find out for yourself.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Good addition to series

This book is a good addition to the Lovestrong series.
Whilst 'Daddy Kink' isn't my favourite troupe this wasn't done in full on Daddy/Boy mode so I found it a much more comfortable read.
I loved the dynamic between Clark and Rick and enjoyed the development of the relationship between them, especially Clark's redemption.
It was great to catch up with some of the other characters from previous books and I would love to hear more about Ricks brothers in books of their own.
I very much prefer Susan Hawke's style of writing over her alter ego Susi Hawke and look forward to listening to further releases.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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Awesome narration!

Overall: 4.5 Stars!

We met Clark in some of the previous books in the series and if you've read those, you know he's gone through a lot of things, from being a bully to being bullied himself and in this book we see him dealing with a lot of things, work, his father, his guilt. I loved how much growth Clark showed during the book and how much work he put in his therapy. Clark needed direction and someone to rely on and he found it on Rick, who was looking for a boy he could be a Daddy for.

I liked Rick, for the most part, but yeah, there were a few times where I found his actions frustrating. Still, I think he allowed Clark the room he needed to grow without smothering him, so that was good, and while the Daddy kink was a big part of their relationship, there was another part in which they were equals. Of course, it didn't hurt that Rick and Clark had chemistry or that they seemed to bring out a lot of good things in one another and were willing to work on their bad habits.

Michael Pauley did a good job with the narration. I think he has gotten better with each narration of his I've listened to. He has a pleasant tone and has a great way of showing emotion through his voice, so it's always entertaining to listen to him.

Even if it wasn't my favorite in the series, I still found it entertaining and hot and engaging. I was thoroughly invested in Clark finding himself and his HEA with Rick. Recommendable!

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