How to Heal

Lovestrong, Book 5

By: Susan Hawke

Narrated by: Michael Pauley

Length: 7 hrs and 26 mins

Publisher's 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

Hope And A New Life

This is the fifth book in The Lovestrong Series. A sensational book the writing was good. The plot was entertaining and it was steady throughout the book. I found the story and characters wonderful. The characters were developed and thought out. Rick and Clark are the MC’s of this book. The narration was good it wasn't monotone and there were different voices. I can recommend this book as a good read/listen. I voluntarily read an advance copy of this book for an honest review.

Powerful story healing, redemption and passion!

Powerful story of learning to forgive yourself and finding love. I really enjoyed Michael Pauley's narration. Rick and Clark's characters are so wonderful to listen to as they come to life with this talented narrator.

These MC's are well developed and you will find them both lovable. Both men find that they fit together in a special way and that their dynamics and needs help make them both whole. The story-line is engaging and the writing was beautiful. The story is sweet, has really funny moments and will definitely steam up your kindle.

i found my heart hurting for Clark in this book as we see behind the face he shows to the world and into the young man who is struggling to find peace and make up for his past mistakes. It is a heartfelt look into the broken pieces of a young man who was abused and while a teenager also became a abuser. This book picks up five years later and gives us look into how he is still paying penance for his actions. Some of the interactions really brought tears to my eyes and sorrow in my heart.

Clark and Rick's story is about healing, forgiveness, redemption and passion. The reading of it was not easy and fluffy, there are some really gritty scenes, however it is a great read.

This book could be read/listened to as a stand-alone, however it is part of the Lovestrong series and reading it as part of that series will be much more enjoyable. You will be introduced to many of the supporting characters of this story from the earlier books.

Sweet and steamy and all the good stuff in between

The title for this series is apt because my love for all the audiobooks in the Lovestrong series is strong! How to Heal is the fifth Lovestrong audiobook and it is, hands down, one of the best redemption stories I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. Twenty-one-year-old Clark Danvers should be familiar to fans and listeners of the series, and he's come a looooong way from the bully he had been as a teenager in the first book to the man he is in this book. I love that he was a work in progress and the role that thirty-seven-year-old Jericho "Rick" Matthews plays in his coming to terms with the guilt at his past sins was an extraordinary one, but let it not be said that Rick was the only one who helped Clark out. This book highlighted that it does, indeed, take a village and Clark had the support of a host of people--from his mother to Seth Thomas-Samson (How Not to Sin) and quite a number of others.

Susan Hawke has written the sort of story that's more than just a romance. As with the other audiobooks in the series, this is also about the importance of family and friends and how having a strong support system is essential for the betterment of one's way of thinking and living their life. There's a poignancy to Clark and Rick's story as much as there is passion and humor and Michael Pauley does a flawless job as always bringing all those emotions forward for listeners. Hawke and Pauley have become a fabulous duo and I couldn't imagine this series having been penned and narrated by anyone else. Five-plus stars for How to Heal.

Clark broke my heart!

Poor Clark, we find out what made him the bully he was in school and one of the people he did was Gray, Corbin’s son who we meet in book 1 [book:How Not to Blend|43291261], because they are non-binary. I hate what he did but what he does to himself as penance tore me up. Rick is the cop who does stop Clark on occasion for speeding and they don’t like each other. That is until one morning Rick and the newbie is called to a bad scene at a hotel room, what they find is Clark and at first they think he is dead. It appears that Marcus, who we meet in [book:How Not to Break|44181697] has raised his ugly head again. He and Clark end up together and he ties up and abuses poor Clark and leaves him tied up. What he didn’t know is that Clark had booked the hotel room for 3 nights so no one found him until that Monday morning. When Rick finds him his Daddy instincts turn on and he knows he has to take care of his boy. What we have is a story of healing, not only the physical wounds but the psychological ones as well. It was not an easy road, but we see these two grow to love each other and Clark grow to be the strong man that he really is deep down.. Through all of this, Clark, who is only 21, is trying to run the family business and cope with the disrespect of the much older employees.

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

amazing

this was awesome and beautifully narrated. the characters are superb. the narrator hits who they are right on the head. i loved it

Clark & Rick

I've really enjoyed reading and listening to the Lovestrong books, and I always wondered (and hoped) we would get Clark's story. If we did, I had hoped it would be one where he could find his true happiness. Thankfully Susan Hawke felt the same way, because she gave us Clark's emotional journey! If you recall, we met Clark in the first book where he bullied poor Grey. I really loved Clark and Rick's story and how they each helped each other heal their own hurts. It was an emotional journey, and Clark's healing with his Daddy's help was ALL the feels. If you love a good redemption story, kind-hearted Daddy's who help heal the hurts of their boys, and an emotional ride, then this is the story for you! I can't wait to see who is next in this fantastic series! I would be remiss if I didn't mention the fantastic narration of their story; it really made the feelings of these characters stand out.

fantastic listen

Amazing! Gotta love a redemption story. Clark and Rick are great... I love them together. Clark has changed since we first met his character in previous books and he grows so much within this book. And Daddy Rick... whooo, hes steam!
The story is filled with the humor, sweetness and heat we usually get with this series. Definitely recommend.

Michael Pauley does a fantastic job bring out the characters' personalities in thier voices and making the story come to life. Truly enjoyable listen.

a story of redemption

I have loved this series from the beginning,and this is no exception. Reading and then hearing Clark's story and transformation from bully to the good man he became was amazing.

Redemption and finding love

Clark was introduced as one of those characters that appeared to be the worst kind of person only for us to discover that there was so much more happening. We finally find out what is behind his actions and how his past continues to haunt him. Rick can't help but wonder about Clark and when he discovers him in deplorable conditions, he realizes that he feels more than he thought about Clark. As these two figure out what is between them and helping Clark face his past, you will find yourself cheering for the one person that you never thought you would.

Great redemption story

I was a bit hesitant before reading this. Not because I didn’t love the series or have faith in the author’s ability, but because Clark was such an awful character in past books and I wasn’t sure if I could like him enough to enjoy it. I am SO glad I was able to find redemption for Clark!

This book takes place a few years after his teenage antics and abuse of Grey and advise by his father. Clark is now 21 and trying to find his way while still harboring so much guilt. I can’t say I would’ve imagined Rick as a partner for him initially, but I liked them together as the book progressed. They both fulfilled a need the other had perfectly, and they were able to communicate a lot which I loved. A lot of this focused on Clark’s psychological healing, and I loved watching him blossom. There is age gap and Daddy kink in this book, and I thought they were both well written. I loved this and I loved seeing Clark forgive himself and find more of a place in his community. Excellent job by the author.

Michael Pauley is amazing as always. I do have to admit that I had a little trouble listening to the beginning part of the book where Clark was first found by Rick; it was different listening to it rather than reading it. The rest of the book after that was awesome, though.

I am voluntarily reviewing an ARC provided by LesCourt Author Services