Hearing Hank

Shafter Falls #2

by Joy Danvers

Fabulous Gay Man and Silent Cowboy Absolutely Do Not Match

When I show up in Shafter Falls for my best friend's wedding, I'm definitely not going to stay. I can live just fine without any more backwoods, backwards energy in my life. Small towns are not my scene, and someone as fabulous as myself has places to be. There's this guy at the ranch though . . . I swear he never says a word, but his eyes are full of promises I want to hear. I love the strong silent type, but Hank really NEVER talks. I can’t help but want to get a lot closer to him and find out why.

Hearing Hank is an M/M stand-alone romance with lots of heat and an HEA.

Genres: Westerns, M M Romance, Romance, LGBT

154 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 15, 2023

Reviews

[❀ Jess ( Semi hiatus ) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stopped @96%
Even tho there was only a tiny bit left to finish, I couldn’t be bothered. This author definitely isn’t for me,I am a lover of mature characters and low angst books and it seemed like this would have that but unfortunately the characters acted like they were much younger than their ages and the relationship felt like it came out of nowhere. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Be prepared to lose your heart to Hank and Lee. 2 very strong characters that will grab your heart and not let go. Hank so confident and strong when it comes to his work on the ranch and so very quiet and shy when it comes to being around others. Trust is a hard thing for Hank. Lee such a powerhouse and a true friend coming to help Sam with wedding plans. It was meant to be that these 2 were to come together. They fell hard and fast for each other, literally thanks to Henry the goat (smile). Learning about why Hank doesn’t talk gives you an understanding about his trust issues when it comes to love since the ones that should’ve the most didn’t. Lee being the sweetheart that he is thinking he was a city boy through and through was surprised how much he was liking being out on the ranch how peaceful it is. With a little help from friends (the 2 legged kind) they finally come together.

One misunderstanding in lack of communication brings back Hanks trust issue and he runs. Hank learns through friends what Lee wanted to tell him and Lee learns why Hank reacted the way he did. The strength that Hank shows learning that found family is sometimes the best and that he’ll do anything for the person he loves by fighting through his fears and Lee accepting that he’s not willing to let Hank go and is willing to stay exactly where he is.

Be prepared to hang out with the characters from Protecting Paul and Waking Wyatt which I always love because it brings everything full circle. At the end all you’ll wanna do is give Hank and Lee a group hug and a high five to Henry (the goat) for giving them the push they needed.

I received a free copy of this book via Book sprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Lady M.

[Ed Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 and 1/2 stars. I enjoyed this story and plan to read another book by Joy Danvers right away. I liked the story and the writing style. I took off half a star because I find the breakup almost at the end to be totally unnecessary and a cheap plot twist.

[Carol (§CoverLoverGirl§) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too Much, Too Soon

I was happy to see Leroy,(Lee) Paul’s extra fabulous friend from ‘Protecting Paul’ appear here as an MC.
Never expected him working for such an Agency.

When he arrives at the Ranch to help set up Sam and Paul’s wedding event he sees Hank, the Ranch manager, for the first time and he’s in lurve.

Hank, when he sees the gorgeous creature exit their little blue car, he is stunned, not only by the door he walks slap bang into, but also by the colourful, fabulous man himself.

Basically these two fancy each other at first sight, and despite Hank’s anxiety and partial mutism, they just dive into it. Surprisingly, Hank was the instigator of ‘up close and personal’ incident, when he invites Lee to dinner. Poor Lee, didn’t get past the hallway.

This story is quite different in length, depth, level of angst and heartbreak, compared to the previous book. I would have liked the pace and build up to be slower.

There is a Book 3, which I will probably read at a later date just to keep up with these Cowboys in Shafter Falls.

[Sasha Fountain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hooked when I read the teaser for Hank and Lee's story at the end of Protecting Paul. After reading it, I can say that their story did not disappoint.

In Waking Wyatt, we meet Hank and learn that he rarely speaks, and this story delves into why he has selective mutism. Hank had a terrible childhood with parents that berated and neglected him to the point that when they decided to leave Shafter Falls during his junior year of high school, he stayed with Wyatt as his guardian. He has worked for Wyatt for 15 years, and he considers Wyatt and Sam to be good people, and he does not realize that they view him as family. Hank associates family with his parents and how horrible they were. That's a big reason Hank is very uncomfortable with change, and meeting Lee throws him off kilter.

Lee, Paul's best friend, comes to Shafter Falls to help plan Paul's wedding. He lives in Denver and has missed Paul since he left. Lee had a bad day and resigned from his job due to a homophobic supervisor who denied his leave for Paul's wedding last minute despite it being approved in advance. Lee decides to focus on Paul's wedding and then determine his next steps. When he arrives on the ranch, things look up when he meets Hank. Hank is a fumbling and blushing mess after seeing Lee and the incident where Henry, the goat, knocks Lee on top of him. Throughout the story's beginning, Hank can barely speak to Lee, and he spends a lot of time blushing and running away from Lee, which confuses Lee.

Hank has gone to therapy, and his therapist gave him techniques to get him to speak again, which he has not done. Because he wants to speak to Lee, he goes out to practice those techniques and speak with strangers to prepare. At first, it is hard for him to speak to Lee, but as the story progresses, he is able to speak to Lee with ease.

They are extremely cute together. There is a bit of angst and miscommunication because Hank found it hard to speak and clear things up. They both fall in love fast and hard and get scared, but after a slight freak out from Hank, they begin to work together to build their future. I loved how they got their HEA.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hank & Lee

Rating: 4.3 ⭐

- Interracial Couple
- First Times
- Medical Condition
- Femme/Cowboy
- Small town romance
- 30+ MC Ages

I've been waiting for Hank's story and it didn't disappoint. That sweet, quiet and beautiful man deserves as much love as he can get. Once you find out why Hank doesn't speak, you'll want to be his biggest supporter (book character or not). You'll want to stand next to him and fend off those who bully him. The way he was treated by his own parents growing up was sad and unfair to a child, especially for something that couldn't be magically fixed. I'm so glad that Wyatt took him in and finished raising him.

This book is has Lee, who we met in Paul's story, coming to help plan the wedding for his best friend. He lives in Denver and has really missed Paul since he left. Lee has a really bad day right before heading out to Shafter Falls but things begin to look up once he arrives on the ranch and sees Hank for the first time. Oh poor Hank is a fumbling and blushing mess being blinded by Lee and his fabulous self. Hank has been putting off working on his therapy techniques until he's motivated to speak to Lee.

They're so cute together and mesh so well. There's a little angst and miscommunication because Hank can't always speak to clear things up. They love fast and hard, get scared but work together to continue their future. The way they understand each other without judgement is portrayed beautifully. Leeanne is great in each book but she had me cracking up with her snark in this installment (give me my pie please)!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Verse: Yes
HEA: Yes

[Denise H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lee and Hank find a home for their hearts ! Shafter Falls BK #2

Lee, 38, a security analysis expert, is a sparkly gay man, who's come for Paul and Sam's wedding, but had to quit his job to have the time off, so he did.
Hank, a hunky cowboy, has been there since he was a teen, now is the ranch manager, getting his masters degree, has had childhood trauma that leaves him mute when anxiety hits.

Lee meets Hank when he arrives at the ranch to help prepare the wedding of his friends. Hank runs off and Lee thinks he's either too sparkly or too black and scared Hank. Nope, Lee finds out about his anxiety illness that mutes him.

The two men find out they are comfy in each other's company, while Lee asks yes or no questions, until they are more accustomed to each other. Gradually we see these two guys get close.
Lee is busy planning the wedding decorations and bachelor party. Then when Hank is sent to pick up the items, it's to Lee's family home ! He's so happy to see Lee and vice versa. The family welcomes him.

They go to Lee's apartment where they can't keep their hands off of each other. They are super hot in their sexy times, with some of Hank's firsts.

Hank and Lee can laugh with each other, talk, and their passions deepen. They are vers, too.

Hank and Lee have serious talks, about what they feel and want for their future. They have a couple of bumps, but our guys resolve their issues.

This is a terrific novella in the series.

ENJOY !

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[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hank is a worker on Mark and Wyatt's ranch, a shy,
sweet, smart man who seldom talks due to events from his childhood. Leroy (Lee) is a data specialist, an out and proud gay man, at the ranch to coordinate the wedding of his friend Sam to his lover Paul. When Hank and Lee meet, there are instant sparks which only grow in the coming days. Since Lee is not local, Hank is hesitant to get too invested in the quick development of the relationship, afraid that Lee will leave after the wedding, or that he won't be enough for Lee. He does force himself to try to talk to Lee, and soon they are able to share about their lives. When Lee gets a new job offer, things do not look promising for the relationship to continue, and Hank withdraws. Both find out that communication is key to have a chance of keeping and growing their bond.
Two interesting characters from different backgrounds and lifestyles, instantly drawn to each other and hopeful they have found their person and can work things out. Lee is quirky and flamboyant, Hank is down to earth, quiet and calm, and together they make quite a couple. A short but entertaining read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Christy Roberts · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this more than the first one and the novella. So sweet and we have some mental health rep and interracial couple.

Hank can talk but it's hard for him to do so because of his childhood and fears. If he's comfortable with someone he can do it but not a big fan of it. His parents dumped him off as a teen when was junior in high school because didn't really want him start with. Wyatt took guardianship of him til was 18 and let him work on the ranch and gave him a home of his own on it.

Paul and Sam from book one are getting married so Leroy aka Lee Paul's best friend from Denver comes to town for it. He falls not only in love with the town but Hank too.

It takes a little for Hank to be able to speak to Lee without panicking and running away. I really liked how this turned out. Loved the heart to hearts that were had as well. Sex was hot too.

There is a miscommunication and usually I hate those but in this I got why Hank panicked and I wanted to hug him so badly. He's scared of being abandoned again. They talked after talking things over with their friends which really helped.

[Betty Loves Books Galore · Rating 4 out of 5]

story of Hank and Leroy

This is a small town romance, featuring Hank and Leroy, and is the second book in the Shafter Falls series.

Leroy is the best friend of Paul, from the first book in the series and comes to Shafter Falls to help Paul plan his wedding. From the moment Leroy and Hank see each other, the attraction is instant.

It doesn’t take long for Leroy to learn about Hank’s selective mutism and Leroy makes sure Hank feels comfortable around him and that Hank can trust him. They start spending time together and oh la la things escalate quickly.

This story is super sweet and a lot lighter than the first book in the series. I loved how fast they fell for each other and, apart from a couple of hiccups, their communication was on point. The book ends in a happy for now, and even though these books are standalone, but it’s okay because the next book will pick up the story even though it’s about a new couple

[Elizabeth D · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 This was short and sweet. Although Hank and Lee fall for one another really quickly, I found the attraction believable, the right people at the right time being really interested in one another and therefore being motivated to figure out how to make it work even if it’s sudden. I liked how their connection ended up making them both examine their lives and make important realisations and/or changes. Both of them were sweet and wonderful, and they definitely belonged together (with a few bumps along the way, of course—sometimes literally via Henry the goat, lol). It was nice to see Wyatt and Mark and Sam and Paul again. Even if there were still a few jerks around, it was wonderful to have such a supportive community overall. I loved that both of them were able to express themselves as they wished by the end of the story.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book tells the story of Hank, that works on Wyatt's ranch since he was 16, and Lee, a friend of Paul from Denver who comes to Shafter Falls to help with the wedding. When Hank sees the beautiful man arriving at the ranch, he gets captivated and cannot stop thinking about him. To the point that he tries to overcome his anxiety to be able to speak with Lee.
The plot is well-designed and the characters are sweet and believable. I wish the book was longer so that there was more depth to some situations. And I loved Henry!
Although it works as a standalone, I think it is more interesting if you read the previous books.

[Janice Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a quick, adorable, sweet love story. Lee is feisty, sassy, and full of life. Hank is beautiful in his brokenness. It takes someone special like Lee to see past Hank’s anxiety to the beautiful, intelligent man he is on the inside. The main characters have a great connection, amazing chemistry, and Insta love. It may seem like they base their relationship off of physical attraction, but they both see each other for who they really are, and they love each other for who they are not just for what they look like. Truly, it is a beautiful love story and well worth the read.

I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[revieweswithracqs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is about how two men from different background can attracted and become everything to each other. The story is about Hank who has severe anxiety and find communicating with people difficult, in fact although he grew up in the country only a selected group of people is aware that he can actually speak.
Lee is an out an proud gay man that came to the farm for his friends wedding and the two became secretly attracted to each other, Lee being more vocal made the first move and Hank would literally run away and berate himself for his actions later.
The story is a slow burn romance and one that I would recommend as an entertaining story.

[Sue Milkovich · Rating 5 out of 5]

TALKING IS OVER RATED

What a REMARKABLE Book. I am completely in love with Lee and Hank. JOY DANVERS has a BEAUTIFUL way of putting the pieces together. Hank is the quiet hard working Ranch manager. Lee is Paul's best friend and there to handle wedding preparation. Hank is cursed with high anxiety. It strikes him mute. Lee is energy encapsulated. Hank is someone he needs to know. His quietness is something that draws him in. These two move like a house a fire to find their happily ever after. I really enjoyed this couple. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK AND THIS SHAFTER FALLS SERIES!!!!!

[Kathy Seabrease · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, even moreso than the first one. Hank and Lee are opposites in most every way. Hank is Country, Lee is City. Hank is a laid back ranch hand, dressing in work shirts, jeans and boots, while Lee is a tech analyst who loves the more flamboyant, the better. Thru childhood abuse, Hank is somewhat silent, while Lee is a chatterbox. And the list goes on... but each brings out something in the other that makes them ignite and experience things neither imagined. It was a quick paced journey, but through Lee's understanding and compassion, Hank found his voice that Lee was only too happy to hear.

[C.B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warm like a comfortable hug! Lee, is a fabulous city boy who thinks the country is not his thing. He comes to the ranch to help out with the wedding. Hank, has a story that still affects his life. He finds solace on the ranch and is comfortable in his job. The author does an excellent job leading us through these men reaching out and finding themselves while finding each other. The journey is not smooth, but the challenges iron out differences and expose similarities. Nicely done! I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing storyline, loved the well thought out characters. Enjoyed the dynamic between Hank and Leroy, nothing was presumed, just taken as who they were glitter on all the frills. Thought this was very heartfelt, that Hank really didn’t understand the meaning of family, I liked how he was able to push through and have some very meaningful moments with many people in his life.

I am voluntarily leaving a review for this book that I received free.

[MommyCelia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet short read

I like this better than Sam and Paul’s book but Wyatt’s book is still my favorite. This one is insta lust and insta love which lacks the buildup that I prefer in a relationship. Their attraction is primarily physical but somehow fall hopelessly in love within a few days of knowing each other. A sweet short read.

[Akasha721 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story enlighten me to mutism. Never heard of it and know nothing about it. Seeing that Hank fights to overcome his affliction and be with Lee is really a dream come true and the ending line is very heart warming. I love this book!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lee comes to Shafter Falls to help his friend Paul plan his wedding. He's boisterous and loud, but when he meets Hank, who doesn't talk much if at all, he's intrigued. He wants to know more about the silent cowboy. Lee wants to know why Hank is silent as well as what would make him talk. This is a very sweet story about two people who are often misunderstood, but find a way forward together.

[ANNBOOKSHELF · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is for jaded hearts, it may not be easy but fighting for it is worth it sweat romance!

Hank has learned to push through the past to secure a future of your dreams. Lee has had a shit day but his live in the moment had made lemonade out of lemons. City boy & Country boy sure can make some magic. MM romance

[Rachel Blomberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paul hears Hank

What a perfect ending to this made or put together family. With Hank's anxiety, problems talking, Paul has to listen to what Hank is not saying with words. As Hank comes out of his shell he falls in love with Paul. Paul loses his job because he wants to be himself and with Hank he can be.

[Steven Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great entry in this series. Good to see Hank's story unfold here and to meet Lee properly. I also like the way that Joy's other series Alden Security makes a brief appearance in this one. I do love it when author story world intertwine. I look forward to more from the ranch and more from the security company as well.

[Golden Child · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hank & Lee

These two moved fast but it was sweet to see them get to know each other and Hank wanting to open up to Lee. He pushed himself to open up and speak, and he got rewarded in the best way. Lee finds Shafter Falls charming and thinks he’ll be able to make a life there with his new found love and friends. Good story with a small town feel.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF. I hate doing this, I so hate having to say I really didn't like a story that someone sweated and struggled over to write, but I just couldn't get into this. I had read a previous one in this series and I don't recall having any problems. I was disappointed because right from the start I fell for Hank. My apologies to the author, just not my thing I guess.

[Cynthia M Brow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hearing Hank is the second book in the Shafter Falls series. I would suggest reading the first book in the series to get the most out of this one. This is Hank and Lee's story. Hank suffers from selective mutism and has a hard time talking to most people. Lee is Paul's friend and has come to the ranch to help plan a wedding. I love the way Joy Danvers writes her characters, they really make you feel what they feel. This is an insta love story so be prepared for a lot to happen in a short time. Can these two completely different guys figure out everything to get a happy ever after. You will have to read the book to find out. I would definitely recommend this book and series.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hank and Lee story is a good simple love story. Hank suffers from severe anxiety and overcomes it to build a relationship with flamboyant Lee. No complicated, great read, I fully enjoyed it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Al Cate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good read A warm and loving situation

Having read the 1st book . This one falls right into place. You know all the major players are. There are a couple of new characters added to make an even better read.
Really, these two books are about what real love is.

[Ann Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely, steamy romance with charming characters. Hank and Leroy were total opposites with a beautiful chemistry. An inncredibly touching read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.