Hard Hart

A Hart's Bay Novel

By: E. Davies

Narrated by: Greg Boudreaux

Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's Summary

I felt all wrong until I met you.

Jesse Stone is rebuilding his life. He’s ditched his no-good ex, sworn off men, moved to a new town with his four best friends, and started the pottery business of his dreams. And then he slept with his hunky new neighbor. Oops. Jesse needs to focus on work, but all he can think about is getting Finn between his hands like a perfectly-shaped work of clay. 

Trouble just blew into town, and his name is Jesse. Finn Hart knows that pursuing Jesse will ignite old family tensions, but he can’t stay away. The construction foreman has never built a lasting relationship. He’s too busy keeping the peace in a town that was founded by one Hart, but is slowly being strangled by another - Finn’s grandfather. 

Finn and Jesse are on the same page: they want to save Hart’s Bay, and it starts by bringing tourists in with Jesse’s new art gallery. But their hearts are bruised, and taking a chance comes with a price. Not everyone in Hart’s Bay wants change. For a few narrow minds, nothing good should come to Finn’s branch of the Harts, and that includes love. 

Can love wash away 20 years of bad blood and bring a new dawn for Jesse, Finn, and all of Hart's Bay? 

Hard Hart is the first book in the new Hart’s Bay series about a small town full of nosy but well-meaning neighbors and brotherly banter. It’s a stand-alone novel with a happily-ever-after ending, and plenty of smiles and steam along the way. If that cove could talk…oh boy, has it ever seen things.

©2019 E. Davies (P)2019 E. Davies

Finding your Hart and learning to love!   

Delightful discover of friendship, love, acceptance and the inspiration for a town coming together. I loved the narration, it really brought the characters alive to me.  I really enjoyed reading this book, but the audible version just makes it really awesome!    I just so enjoyed these two MC's and their honesty, caring, insecurities and hopes all blended together to create the perfect balance of finding love and happiness together. Jesse and Finn have a very intense and wonderfully steamy connection and i loved how they explored.  These guys are both lovable and i would want to live near and work with these guys.  I loved their back stories and how they found their way to grow and become more than they were apart. Hard Hart is the first book in the Hart's Bay series and i am so looking forward to the next book coming out on audible.  I am so looking forward to Rain's story

Wish We All Could Have Friends Like This

A solid group of friends, artists, join together to rent a building for a studio to work in and gallery space to showcase their pieces. I enjoyed the friends' interactions within the group and with the locals in town. An old family feud, though, is threatening to break the friendships the artists have made. Do they need to understand the feud to bring joy back into the town? Narrator Greg Boudreaux excels at character personalities, and pinpointing key phrases to make the story one you will listen to again and again.

Hard...in all the right ways!

I REALLY LIKED this novel more than the 3 Stars imply. I listened to a fabulous narration by Greg Boudreaux who brought the characters to life! The first half of this hook-up turned relationship book was FUNNY and HOT 🔥🔥! Davies can write a hell of a sex scene full of dirty talk!! The two MCs had fantastic chemistry and some good tension. Them I liked. What made this a 3 star read instead of a 4 Star was the OTT plot which revolved around a long-standing family feud and major homophobia. It felt quite contrived. But...like I said, I truly enjoyed this and will definitely listen to the next books in the series! My rec? Give it a shot (thanks Trio for putting this series on my radar)!!

Letting go

I loved this story the first time I read it. Greg's narration is perfection and brings even more life to such wonderful characters. You will not be disappointed when you listen to this story. Jesse is trying to make his dreams come true and he plans on doing it without getting distracted. Finn is the best distraction, b it he comes with baggage that could ruin Jesse's chances to reaching his dreams. These two need to overcome the obstacles in their relationship to both reach for what they want.

Great New Series

A brand new series by E. Davies set in the small town of Hart's Bay in the Pacific Northwest. Jesse, an artist, moves to Hart's Bay with his four best friends, and promptly hooks-up with his new neighbor (without either of them knowing they were ever going to see each other again!)! Finn has not only grew up in Hart's Bay, but his family is who founded the town. Now though he is working to improve the town, not everyone in his family feels the same way. In addition to this, they are also homophobic, and Jesse & Finn's new connection raises some family tensions. But can these two men work together to go against Finn's family and help save the town? Or will they let their pasts, his family and some narrow minds drive them apart? This book is one that has so much going on in it, but it all fits together so well that the book was a great read. There are some difficulty parts of the book that include some homophobia and harassment, but the relationship between Jesse and Finn and the friendships between Jesse and his friends makes those parts a little easier for me to read. The family aspect of the book is intriguing and watching Finn go against his family for who and what he really wanted was nice. The small town feel was spot on - E. Davies truly nailed what it is like to be in a small town. Greg Boudreaux nailed it with the narration! The characters’ voices were unique and easy to listen to and distinguish! Overall, this was a great opening book to the series, and I'm looking forward to the next in the series!

What a Hart Wants

Main Characters: Fin Hart/Jessie Stone Fin is a man burdened by a terrible sense of responsibility. Believing that because he is a Hart that he has a duty to the citizens of the beautiful but declined town named for his family, Hart's Bay. He does what he can to improve the lives of those living in the city as do his part of the Hart family (referred to as "good Harts") but their efforts are constantly undermined by the "bad Harts" (Think Hatfields and McCoys except all within the same family it's brutal). Jessie found the courage to leave an abusive relationship standing up for himself wasn't easy and he is marked by the relationship and has sworn that he will not be put in that position again. With the help of a motley crew of amazing friends he sets out to create a new life for himself. Life in a small town may be just what the doctor ordered but is the reclusive community ready for a gaggle of proud men to enter their city? Fin meets Jessie and sparks fly but Jessie is determined not to be distracted by anyone, this is his life and he has to make it work, dependent on nobody...but maybe Fin is just what he needs a friend and possibly more. You can never have to many friends right? And passion...what is life without passion. Passion creates art and he is an artist so it's kind of job requirement and it's something that has been missing for so long. But will he get distracted by the power of this beautiful man with haunted eyes? Will Fin chase Jessie away when the family feud threatens Jessie's new life? Listen to the melodic voice of Greg Boudreaux and find out. I personally cannot wait for the rest to come out. Greg is outstanding as always and E. Davies knocks this one outta the park.

Finn & Jessie

Jessie and his friends arrive to a small town for a new start and business. Finn has dealt with his family's feud for years, and he does not even know what its for. Jessie challenges him in all the best ways, but they must decide if relationship is worth the pain.

Great Story!

I loved this book! It will be definitely be on my list to listen to again!

Awesome story with excellent narrator!

Very engaging story that makes you want to see what else will happen next in Hart’s Bay!

Great book, awesome story

I loved the unfolding of this story as we learnt about the setting of what looks like being a great series. Finn’s and Jesse’s relationship unfolds beautifully, as they get to know each other and the “third” in their relationship, Harts Bay. This town is filled with history and angst yet it gently begins to unfurl from some hurt that buried it in dross and a level of unkemptness that Jesse and his friends just have to save it from. Finn and Jesse may find their HEA (& I prefer such stories to HFN) but the town? Nuh-uh it’s tale is just beginning and so many HEA stories to look forward to, I hope!

as good as the ebook

The story is always full stars, because if I wouldn't like the story as ebook, I wouldn't listen to the audiobook. I can't listen to an audiobook without knowing the book, that's not possible for me. The performance from the narrator is also very important for me. I can't listen to a lot, because my English as a non-native-speaker isn't so perfect to follow a whole story over hours, when the narrator speaks too fast or too sloppy. Normally I have to SEE the person, who is talking to me in English. It took me a little bit, to come into the narrator, but at the end, it worked. I only have to take a few breaks between. I'm just not yet finish with the book, I’m over the half, but I listen enough to give a review. PLEASE READ MY RATING SYSTEM!!! To my ratings: 5* - very very good it's like an A+ 4* - very good and will be often re-listening it's like an A 3* - it's more then a one-time-listening. it's like a B

An enjoyable story and a pleasure to listen to

This is an easy recommendation. It's not easy to overcome personal insecurities once spite adds fuel to the fire but Jesse found confidence and strength in Finn. Finn had his own issues, mainly due to a family feud and lots of bitterness but Jesse helped him realise that they were not his personal burdens given they were generations in the making and therefore ingrained but it's hard to shrug off. Together, both men found their balance in each other and were able to overcome adversity to make their own HEA.

Even better on audio

I really enjoyed this book when I read it but as an audio it's even better. That is the joy of a great narrator, it's a performance rather than a reading and here we get every nuance that the author wrote coming through in the voice. The vast array of side characters are easily recognised with different accents and tones. This is the style of story I like when I want a low angst filler read. Small town setting, where everyone knows your name and the community rallies around to save the day. Jesse and Finn are adorable together, and for the most part the communication is sound, Finn is up front that being with him could cause Jesse problems and Jesse is honest that he only wants a friends with benefits arrangement, until he doesn’t. And even then they talk about things like adults. But when ‘the thing’ happens, Jesse over-reacts and Finn lets him, but luckily they don’t let this fester and things soon get back on track. The book is hot, with a fair proportion of steamy scenes (more than I would normally chose to read) which are well-written and fit the couple perfectly. But to counteract that the rest of the writing is sweet and heartwarming, the small town vibe welcoming, and the developing relationship moving swiftly but naturally to the final conclusion, one that didn’t feel rushed.

Enjoyable

Davies's is a great writer. The plot is enjoyable as are the characters. Boudreaux once again does a great job with his narration and is very easy on the ears. Truly an audio not to be missed.

Great

This was a really great listen. I really enjoyed this audiobook. It is a great listen in a great series. I can’t wait to listen to more.

Sweet & Super Hot w/a Wonderful Story

Hard Hart is my first experience with the writing of E. Davies and I'm going right back for more. I’ve already got Changed Hart loaded up and ready to go. The whole way through this one I had my fingers crossed that Rainier’s story would be next and I can’t wait to see how that all plays out. Davies' characters are well developed, unique, and I've enjoyed getting to know them. There’s a great balance between mystery, action, and romancin’ (and Mr. Davies writes one heck of a love scene!). The Hart’s Bay series is performed by the wonderful Greg Boudreaux, and I don’t have to convince his fans to trust me on this one… Boudreaux completely and thoroughly nails it. an audiobook copy of Hard Hart was provided to me for the purpose of my honest review

Absolutely Loved It

I absolutely loved this first audiobook in the Hart's Bay series. As it happened, I listened to the second book first, so I already had more insight into who the players were and what their story was. Without that knowledge, I probably would have downgraded the story score to 4. There are some questions about the family squabble and the past that don't get fully explored until the second book/audiobook. In spite of those holes in this book, I loved Finn and the way he felt obligated to stay in the town and try to make things better despite the way the rest of the family seemed willing to let it all go to he**. Jesse and the other guys were all wonderful and I loved the dynamic and the way they looked out for each other. I loved the narration by Greg Boudreaux. He did a fantastic job providing distinct voices for each of the characters, and he was able to give the more emotional guys character without it seeming over the top. I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook via the author and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

so good

good characters.. good personalities.. good storyline and good narrator. it was a fun story and this narrator did a good job with all of this. i really liked this story and this narrator for this story!

Hard Hart! Awesome series starter...

Living in a town that’s got your name on it, with a family feud and not many gay man to hook up with must be torture... when a sweet self made artist comes into town with his friends in tow... the best kind of trouble begins. I loved this couple, Finn Hart is one fine lover and even when it’s just fun, he is so caring. I’d like to see who’s Hart will have heart stolen next :-) ❤️

LOVED it

a great start to a great new series from the marvelous Ed Davies. loved every minute and the gorgeous narration was an added bonus.