Hard Fix

McCullough Mountain, Book 7

By: Lydia Michaels

Narrated by: Lucinda Gainey

Length: 9 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

Best-selling and award-winning author, Lydia Michaels, writes a heartwarming love story generations long and leaves no detail untold as she takes listeners back to where McCullough Mountain began.

Maureen O’Leahey has always hoped for a family to love, but small-town life becomes less romantic when the men of Center County have just returned from a lost war. Frank McCullough is the quiet, uncomplicated sort, but when he finds himself in a tangle with the law and a fiery redhead named Maureen, his life is never simple again. Maureen is determined to love Frank despite all odds. Against her father’s wishes, she and the Irish lumberjack marry in secret but face a difficult road ahead. Frank struggles to do right by his young bride, and Maureen aches to be a good wife, but misfortune has threatened their happiness.

When love and patience aren’t enough to heal what is broken, Frank must do everything in his power to build his wife a house so that Maureen can follow her dreams and fill a happy home.

Full of bonus epilogue chapters, so listeners can catch up with all the McCullough newlyweds, award-winning author, Lydia Michaels, has created an unforgettable family saga bursting with sizzling secrets and scandalous moments in this award-winning series, McCullough Mountain, where each story can be listened to as a stand-alone!

©2015 Lydia Michaels (P)2023 Lydia Michaels

Perfect Finale!

Perfect Ending to the series. I love how the author went back to give us this amazing ending to the series. You will laugh, cry and experience the joy of this family.

5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Loved to see where the McCoulloughs started

Hard Fix by Lydia Michaels is the 7th book in the McCoullough Mountain Series, but can he read as a standalone
I love this small town series, age gap, family saga. We go back to the beginning of the McCoulloughs with Maureen’s and Franks love story. Frank was 7 year her senior. She was still in high school but they had this intensity from the beginning. A fire that needed to be stated. We follow their story, their trials and obstacles to be together. They faced their demons together, they were supportive of each other to build this beautiful foundation before they became a family. Throughout the second hall of the book we get updates and see how the family has grown, the children are older they are married, with kids, and spouses. I loved getting to look at the family further down the road. Great read! Loved this series. The narration done by Lucinda Gainey. Loved that she has done other books in the series. She does a good job of moving from one character to the next, and she has a smooth and calming voice, making it easy to listen to.

What started it all

Hard Fix - the romance that started it all. Throughout the McCullough Mountain series, we've gotten tidbits of Frank and Maureen's start as a couple. I've wanted the whole story since book one in the series, so I was excited to dive into this one. And now that I've gotten the start of this crazy wonderful family, it's safe to say that the apple does not fall far from the tree.
The book is part "what started it all" and part present day. To be honest, I'm not sure which part I liked best. I've loved the heads of this clan from the beginning (especially Maureen), so I loved getting their love story. That said, I also loved getting to catch up with each couple and seeing where they all are in their relationships. It was like a happy visit to the mountain. I suppose the only fair thing would be to call it a tie. I loved the whole thing from start to finish.
Lucinda Gainey does an excellent job with the narration. As I mentioned, the second part of the book is a catch-up-with-everyone kind of thing, so there are a lot of characters to keep straight. Lucinda Gainey keeps every single one distinct, which was a big help when it came to who was doing what. It made it much easier to distinguish between couples. This isn't my first time listening to this narrator, so I expected good things. Of course, she delivers.
To sum it up, we have another great McCullough Mountain romance from Lydia Michaels, and like the rest of the series, it's a book I'll be revisiting from time to time.

Back to the Beginning

I always wondered about the parents of the McCullough clan, Frank and Maureen. With a brood of nine, Frank is quiet, while his wife, Maureen, has no filter, tells it like it is, and is the much-loved matriarch. Lydia Michaels takes us back to the beginning of Maureen and Frank's relationship with Hard Fix, the seventh book in the McCullough Mountain Series.

The clan and then some come together to celebrate Frank and Maureen's 40th anniversary and renewal of their vows. We get to hear all the crazy antics, and we get some updates on their children as well.

I have enjoyed each of the stories in the series, and being able to see all they went through and what they built was beautiful. Frank truly loves Maureen, and they are such a great pair; he's quiet and calm, while she's loud and sassy. Through it all, they raised nine children who love hard and forever, just like their parents.

Forbidden love story

Age gap romance about 17 year old Maureen and 25 year old Frank. Maureen’s father disapproves of their relationship. It’s a true romance that involves family relationships and forbidden love . This was a slow burn for me, and I didn’t particularly love the narration performance

I think the overall story was okay and usually love all of Lydia Michaels books.

Thank you Valentine PR for the advance audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

Romantic forbidden romance!

Hard Fix, an Audiobook by Lydia Michaels is the story of Frank and Maureen. They go against tradition and family….and do the unthinkable. But, there are some things that her family can’t forgive. Even more drama occurs….and things look dismal for them…is love and determination enough to overcome all of the obstacles they face???

This Audiobook was narrated by Lucinda Gainey who does a great job with the characters and the materials…her voice was so lulling that I nearly dozed off at times…just very calming…but still enjoyable!

I am volunteering to leave a review for an Advance Reader Copy of this Audiobook.

I didn't see this coming!

I listened to the audio version of this book narrated by Lucinda Gainey. I loved the narration.

After listening to the other books in this series, I can honestly say that I did not see this one coming. In the other books, Maureen and Frank's characters are mother and father to their grown children. In a brilliant move, Ms. Michaels takes us back to the beginning...back to when Maureen and Frank met and fell in love. Their story was wrought with conflicts and hardships, but it also is strewn throughout with the attraction and love that has brought them together and kept them together through all those kids.

I think my favorite part is when older Frank brings Maureen flowers and she questions what he is feeling guilty about. After sputtering in indignation and defending himself, he tells her that he loves her and just wanted to do something nice for her. He ends up declaring that the next time, he will save himself the hassle and just bring her home a ham. A ham!!!

This book was also very cool in that Michaels also gives us updates on all of the other couples. Can you guess what's coming to the McCullough's? It is certainly worth the time to listen to find out!

Thanks to Valentine PR for the gifted copy of this audiobook. All thoughts are my own.

Historic love story

If you have read the other books in the series then you know Maureen and Frank as the parents of the McCullough clan. Now you get the chance to step back in time and experience their love story and what a beautiful story it is.

I struggle to talk about it. It’s about young love and the challenges of building a love story / life. It was so funny seeing Maureen as a young woman. In so many ways she is the same but also incredibly different. Loved experiencing it and seeing how she grows into the matriarch I loved seeing in the other books.

Beautiful love story that you must experience.

Loved this listen!

Lydia Michaels took us back to the beginning of the McCullough family to Frank and Maureen's story. I loved it. Not only do we get their story, but some more of the McCullough siblings. This was real. It was heartbreaking and heartwarming all rolled together. We get the beginning, a vow renewal, and updates on the family. I would say this is the perfect series ending, but there is one more!?! I look forward to listening to that book as well.

Lucinda Gainey is an excellent narrator. She performs both male and female voices perfectly. She brought this book to life. Loved her performance. Perfection.

#ValentinePRaudioreview

Age gap, forbidden love

3.5/5
Maureen is 17 years old, and Frank is 25. Maureen’s father disapproves of their relationship due to the age gap. Frank has lot a lot, and just wants someone to love.

This is an instant attraction, age gap, forbidden love story. Overall it was okay, but not my favorite.

From the start

I've loved this entire series and it was wonderful to see how this family started. Maureen and Frank created an amazing family and I enjoyed hearing the story behind some of the family history.

Hard Fix

Finally: Maureens and Franks story
Everything went so fast with those two. But they managed every hard phase and difficulty and are still happy after 40 years of marriage.

I was laughing a lot, but had also tears in my eyes.
A fantastic written book!

My FAVORITE Of the Series!!

Ok, hands down my favorite of the series!! Maureen is the feisty, fierce and lovable matriarch of the McCullough family! She’s liable to steal your heart harder and faster than anyone in the McCullough family. Sarcastic, outspoken with the most colorful vocabulary but she had the most beautiful heart full of love. Frank, the strong silent type was the perfect calm to her storm.
I’ve heard about her and Frank’s rocky beginnings and knew they’d end up together. But, being able to go back to where it all started. To be a part of her and Frank’s journey of meeting, falling and fighting for their hea was truly heartwarming. I was unable to put their story down. It had me wholly consumed. As I got to really know Frank and Maureen, I fell even more in love with them. Even though, I knew they lived hea, Lydia Michaels still managed to get me emotional and all in my feelings. Not only did I get the beginning of their love story but I watched as their loved spanned generations filled kids, loss, fights, laughter, fun, and above all: love, so much love. The cherry on top was the bonus epilogues where we got to catch up with all the McCullough children. To say this story left me with my heart so full is an understatement. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect ending to this delightful family series!

Lucinda Gainey knocked it out the park with her performance. Her narration was flawless and I loved the way she was able to convey every single feel this book had.

GREAT LISTEN!

Another amazing story from Lydia Michaels. This book was an emotional rollercoaster and had my emotions all over the place. I laughed, I cried and I cursed. This book destroyed me in all the best ways! I was hooked from page one!

A must-read/listen!

4.5 Stars!

Loved this look back (and forward)!!!

There is something about this entire series that captured my heart. From the first book, I was in love with the mountain and the family. This capsule takes a look back to when Maureen and Frank first got married, their trials and tribulations and births of their amazing family. Then spring forward to their 40th wedding anniversary with a great visit the entire family, letting me catch up on all the news. But I need to talk about Frank and Maureen. Meeting before she is 18, this spitfire and Frank were in love. No blessing from their family, they run off, get married and are blissfully happy...until circumstances beyond their control happen. It's tough and frustrating, but their love is so strong, and we know how it all comes together. Maureen is a force to be reckoned with. She is the kind of woman we all need to strive to be. Unashamed of who she is, willing to tell it like it is, she is spit and vinegar all the time. Frank is a patient man, and he knows what he has. This love story is epic and I loved every minute of hearing their tale!

Lucinda Gainey brings the best of her Irish brogue to this wonderful story. I love her voice and each one she chooses is perfect for the character. She holds that warmth of family and makes the story intense at times and full of all the love the McCullough's have during the balance. I love her in this series!