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St. Hawk's Medical #2
Give Chase
Declan’s always been careful to guard his heart, but Isaac’s catching up at last. Some things are worth fighting for, even when they’re running fast.
Dr. Isaac Paliades has never been much for letting sleeping dogs lie, and he’s been intrigued by his colleague Dr. Declan Day from the moment they met. Declan’s a hard man to get a read on, one minute cool as snow and the next minute hot-blooded enough to give Isaac a run for his money. Though they work together, play together—and occasionally sleep together—Isaac has yet to get a good look at the man Declan is behind the carefully constructed masks he shows to the world.
But when the pair of physicians rescue an abandoned baby discovered while they’re out for a jog, Isaac sees cracks start to appear in Declan’s façade. He’s taking the care of their foundling more seriously than anyone imagined he would, and bringing Isaac along for the ride. He’s asking for dominance in bed, and a deeper friendship at St. Hawk’s.
Isaac thinks he’s finally found the key to unlocking Declan’s guarded heart. But even when the walls come down, can Declan find the courage and will to let Isaac in?
Dr. Isaac Paliades has never been much for letting sleeping dogs lie, and he’s been intrigued by his colleague Dr. Declan Day from the moment they met. Declan’s a hard man to get a read on, one minute cool as snow and the next minute hot-blooded enough to give Isaac a run for his money. Though they work together, play together—and occasionally sleep together—Isaac has yet to get a good look at the man Declan is behind the carefully constructed masks he shows to the world.
But when the pair of physicians rescue an abandoned baby discovered while they’re out for a jog, Isaac sees cracks start to appear in Declan’s façade. He’s taking the care of their foundling more seriously than anyone imagined he would, and bringing Isaac along for the ride. He’s asking for dominance in bed, and a deeper friendship at St. Hawk’s.
Isaac thinks he’s finally found the key to unlocking Declan’s guarded heart. But even when the walls come down, can Declan find the courage and will to let Isaac in?
- GenresM M RomanceContemporary
102 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 12, 2015
1 person is currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Willa Okati
218 books221 followersWill Okati is made of many things: imagination, coffee, stray cat hairs, daydreams, more coffee, kitchen experimentation, a passion for winter weather, a little more coffee, a whole lot of flowering plants and a lifelong love of storytelling.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 3, 2023
It's wonderful to return to Willa Okati's 'St. Hawk's Medical' world. It's a small town, with wonderful characters, sexy men with issues, and heroic people who save lives. And a laid-back mountain hospital. Just exactly what I needed tonight.
“You say things like that, and it makes me wonder why I have this nagging feeling that there’s an ocean of things you’re not telling about yourself.”
“That would be because there are,” Declan said.
“Which makes me wonder,” Isaac said. “Why is that?”
Declan didn’t blink. “Because those things are private. They’re mine.”
Isaac and Declan are two very fascinating men. A colleague described them as, "the man who never gives in, and the man who never gives up", and truer words have not been spoken. These two doctors have danced around each other ever since they both were newbies at the hospital. Declan is determined to keep his secrets to himself, and Isaac is equally determined to burrow under his skin, while understanding that might never be allowed to happen. Everything changes, however, when they find an hours old, abandoned newborn, left under a bush in the winter.
Even though this book went in a direction I didn't anticipate, I enjoyed this character study of Isaac and Declan. It was obvious Declan was hiding so much behind his aloof, sometimes cold, attitude, which kept people at arms length. When I finally realized what Declan was hiding, about the same time Isaac did, it was such a relief to see him finally get what he so desperately needed. Isaac turned out to have far more understanding and inner strength than even he realized, which worked in both of their favors.
A delightful addition to the series, Willa. Declan and Isaac are both strong, stubborn men, intent on getting what they need, at any cost. Watching them fall in love was a joy! I really liked the fact that the baby was an integral part of the story, but didn't overwhelm it and completely take over, making it schmaltzy. I'm so looking forward to the next installment. Thank you, Willa!
NOTE: This book was provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews
“You say things like that, and it makes me wonder why I have this nagging feeling that there’s an ocean of things you’re not telling about yourself.”
“That would be because there are,” Declan said.
“Which makes me wonder,” Isaac said. “Why is that?”
Declan didn’t blink. “Because those things are private. They’re mine.”
Isaac and Declan are two very fascinating men. A colleague described them as, "the man who never gives in, and the man who never gives up", and truer words have not been spoken. These two doctors have danced around each other ever since they both were newbies at the hospital. Declan is determined to keep his secrets to himself, and Isaac is equally determined to burrow under his skin, while understanding that might never be allowed to happen. Everything changes, however, when they find an hours old, abandoned newborn, left under a bush in the winter.
Even though this book went in a direction I didn't anticipate, I enjoyed this character study of Isaac and Declan. It was obvious Declan was hiding so much behind his aloof, sometimes cold, attitude, which kept people at arms length. When I finally realized what Declan was hiding, about the same time Isaac did, it was such a relief to see him finally get what he so desperately needed. Isaac turned out to have far more understanding and inner strength than even he realized, which worked in both of their favors.
A delightful addition to the series, Willa. Declan and Isaac are both strong, stubborn men, intent on getting what they need, at any cost. Watching them fall in love was a joy! I really liked the fact that the baby was an integral part of the story, but didn't overwhelm it and completely take over, making it schmaltzy. I'm so looking forward to the next installment. Thank you, Willa!
NOTE: This book was provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews
August 8, 2015
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads~~
This is the second in a series, but other than mention of one character, there is really no overlap. That said the first Take Heart is also a hot read, so I would add it to your pile, if you haven't already.
I loved the consistent nature of Isaac and the need that both he and Declan had to work out this thing between them. The reason they bonded was sweet, and also enabled the story to become much fuller than the reader of a short story could expect. I certainly felt like I had read a full length novel, given how much content there was. Hot, cute and doctors - lucky guys!
This is the second in a series, but other than mention of one character, there is really no overlap. That said the first Take Heart is also a hot read, so I would add it to your pile, if you haven't already.
I loved the consistent nature of Isaac and the need that both he and Declan had to work out this thing between them. The reason they bonded was sweet, and also enabled the story to become much fuller than the reader of a short story could expect. I certainly felt like I had read a full length novel, given how much content there was. Hot, cute and doctors - lucky guys!
March 7, 2018
I did get on better with this one than the first book, though I still feel I’m missing some of the storymore like chunks missing than we have skipped forward in time.
Declan is a closed off guy, only letting people see a small part of himself.
As he and Isaac react to finding an abandoned baby, his defences are gradually broken away.
Still very much character driven but the baby plot did give me something else to focus on.
Declan is a closed off guy, only letting people see a small part of himself.
As he and Isaac react to finding an abandoned baby, his defences are gradually broken away.
Still very much character driven but the baby plot did give me something else to focus on.
August 30, 2022
The writing style can be a bit hård to follow. Like the dialogue made sense inside the authors mind and there was no editor. But all in all it's sweet enough.
March 18, 2015
Give Chase had a different feel to it than the other books I have read by Ms. Okati. I think the combination of two really intense doctors, them finding an abandoned baby, and Declan having to deal with a past he’d much rather forget made this a far more serious read than I’ve experienced in the past. There was still some playfulness between the two men, but it was not nearly as light-hearted as Take Heart or the Mighty Casey series was. That said, I absolutely enjoyed Give Chase just as much as her other books.
Initially I kept getting the two docs confused, but I think that has more to do with external interruptions I was dealing with than the book itself, so I recommend reading it when you can ignore the rest of the world. Then again, that’s my preference when reading Ms. Okati. Not only does she create characters that I enjoy getting to know and spending time with, she creates characters who have amazing chemistry with one another and Isaac and Declan are no different in that respect. Where they differ from my past experience with the author’s writing is that Declan is determined to keep his distance from Isaac, emotionally and physically – he doesn’t even seem to want to be friends but concedes to it in an effort to minimize pressure from Isaac for more. Declan’s resistance is in spite of the fact that he is drawn to Isaac. When they discover the abandoned baby – I loved that Isaac called her their foundling – Isaac takes the opportunity to wedge himself further into Declan’s life. What Isaac didn’t pick up on during their first liaison but learned quickly was that Declan responded better when Isaac took charge of a situation, especially in the bedroom. This hint of D/s made Ms. Okati’s normally hot sex scenes even hotter!
I’m not sure what I enjoyed more about Give Chase – watching Declan “run” from Isaac or watching Isaac “chase” after him. I do know that I enjoyed the way that their relationship developed, even if it did take someone abandoning their infant to give Isaac the opening he need to wedge himself into Declan’s life. Although I didn’t get to see as much of the actual relationship development as I would have liked, Ms. Okati does a wonderful job with the Epilogue and gave me the closure I needed for Isaac and Declan’s story to be complete. Once again the wait begins for the next book in the St. Hawk’s Medical series and I can only hope that we get an update on Declan and Isaac at that time.
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!
Initially I kept getting the two docs confused, but I think that has more to do with external interruptions I was dealing with than the book itself, so I recommend reading it when you can ignore the rest of the world. Then again, that’s my preference when reading Ms. Okati. Not only does she create characters that I enjoy getting to know and spending time with, she creates characters who have amazing chemistry with one another and Isaac and Declan are no different in that respect. Where they differ from my past experience with the author’s writing is that Declan is determined to keep his distance from Isaac, emotionally and physically – he doesn’t even seem to want to be friends but concedes to it in an effort to minimize pressure from Isaac for more. Declan’s resistance is in spite of the fact that he is drawn to Isaac. When they discover the abandoned baby – I loved that Isaac called her their foundling – Isaac takes the opportunity to wedge himself further into Declan’s life. What Isaac didn’t pick up on during their first liaison but learned quickly was that Declan responded better when Isaac took charge of a situation, especially in the bedroom. This hint of D/s made Ms. Okati’s normally hot sex scenes even hotter!
I’m not sure what I enjoyed more about Give Chase – watching Declan “run” from Isaac or watching Isaac “chase” after him. I do know that I enjoyed the way that their relationship developed, even if it did take someone abandoning their infant to give Isaac the opening he need to wedge himself into Declan’s life. Although I didn’t get to see as much of the actual relationship development as I would have liked, Ms. Okati does a wonderful job with the Epilogue and gave me the closure I needed for Isaac and Declan’s story to be complete. Once again the wait begins for the next book in the St. Hawk’s Medical series and I can only hope that we get an update on Declan and Isaac at that time.
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Angela at Crystal's Many Reviewers!
March 27, 2015
FourStars
Declan and Isaac are an interesting pair. I really enjoyed their friendship - their banter was always entertaining.
This book hit close to my heart. Adoption is something I am passionate about and I love how it is portrayed in this story. I also appreciate the role that DHS plays. It was nice to see that despite the rocky way DHS is usually portrayed, in the end, their job had to be done and was done by someone who truly cared. Having worked in the system, I know how broken it can be - but this story gives hope for those who are somewhat left behind.
I really liked that Isaac was such a strong force for Declan. I do wish that we learned more about the sibling relationship - that it wasn't just mentioned. I thought the author could have also given the reader more about how Declan was feeling - rather than Isaac's observations on Declan's inner struggle.
Overall, this was a sweet story - almost a family story, because Isaac and Declan are friends, colleagues, lovers and overall, each other's family.
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
AvidReader
FourStars
I have to confess to bias here. I love doctors. Something about the compassion, intelligence, focus, commitment. I love them so much, I married one. Declan and Isaac are both great examples. I’m not sure whether I prefer the damaged, brooding Declan or the masterful and compassionate Isaac (is it warm in here?) but the men are hot and their chemistry hotter.
Willa Okati writes elegantly. She develops her characters slowly, revealing them bit by bit. I like the way the hospital provides a backdrop but the relationship develops outside of it.
That being said, I’m back to my biggest problem with great m/m books - they aren’t long enough. In this book, readers watch these two men start to trust and fall for each other over the course of two weeks before the author fast-forwards a whole year to the epilogue. Please, could m/m writers start filling in the missing years? In this book, I want to know how the relationship develops. I want to hear about snags along the way and how they were sorted. I want to learn about the meshing of friends and family and job demands…
Whew! I digress. This is a beautifully written short novel about two very hot men with great chemistry. I should just be happy.
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Sarah
Declan and Isaac are an interesting pair. I really enjoyed their friendship - their banter was always entertaining.
This book hit close to my heart. Adoption is something I am passionate about and I love how it is portrayed in this story. I also appreciate the role that DHS plays. It was nice to see that despite the rocky way DHS is usually portrayed, in the end, their job had to be done and was done by someone who truly cared. Having worked in the system, I know how broken it can be - but this story gives hope for those who are somewhat left behind.
I really liked that Isaac was such a strong force for Declan. I do wish that we learned more about the sibling relationship - that it wasn't just mentioned. I thought the author could have also given the reader more about how Declan was feeling - rather than Isaac's observations on Declan's inner struggle.
Overall, this was a sweet story - almost a family story, because Isaac and Declan are friends, colleagues, lovers and overall, each other's family.
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
AvidReader
FourStars
I have to confess to bias here. I love doctors. Something about the compassion, intelligence, focus, commitment. I love them so much, I married one. Declan and Isaac are both great examples. I’m not sure whether I prefer the damaged, brooding Declan or the masterful and compassionate Isaac (is it warm in here?) but the men are hot and their chemistry hotter.
Willa Okati writes elegantly. She develops her characters slowly, revealing them bit by bit. I like the way the hospital provides a backdrop but the relationship develops outside of it.
That being said, I’m back to my biggest problem with great m/m books - they aren’t long enough. In this book, readers watch these two men start to trust and fall for each other over the course of two weeks before the author fast-forwards a whole year to the epilogue. Please, could m/m writers start filling in the missing years? In this book, I want to know how the relationship develops. I want to hear about snags along the way and how they were sorted. I want to learn about the meshing of friends and family and job demands…
Whew! I digress. This is a beautifully written short novel about two very hot men with great chemistry. I should just be happy.
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Sarah
April 9, 2015
I wasn’t enamored with the first book of this series – Take Heart – but I thought I would give it another try. I must say, Give Chase was a little better.
I liked the continuous dance these characters did around each other. It was entertaining. Character development really was a bit iffy though. Declan opened up well enough, after some ah . . . prodding. He preferred to hide his past, like it didn’t even exist. Declan was all about his job. Isaac? He was nosy, wanted to know . . . everything, and appeared he would do most anything for Declan. Isaac was into his job too, but exactly who he is and/or where he came from? Well, that was the question.
It was also difficult for me to figure out whose point of view I was reading at any given time. It changed between Declan and Isaac frequently and not always clearly. I found myself having to reread to make sense of what I was reading. It was quite distracting. I am not completely sure if I was just having a bad day or if it was the way the book was written. Could have been either.
The story was what kept me reading. I very much liked the premise of these two guys finding a new born while out jogging. I found it fascinating to see how each reacted to the situation. The author did a decent job of giving us both of their emotions about this foundling. I especially liked the resolution of the story. It was a rather nice feel good ending.
Will I read another of this series? Very good question. I did fine this one more interesting and much more believable. There is still Dr. Gabriel, “chief operating officer” appearing to be without a partner. So maybe. Time will tell.
This was a relatively fast read. A decent bed time story for lovers of the m/m romance genre with the medical trope added in. The foundling aspect of the story was a nice twist too.
I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I liked the continuous dance these characters did around each other. It was entertaining. Character development really was a bit iffy though. Declan opened up well enough, after some ah . . . prodding. He preferred to hide his past, like it didn’t even exist. Declan was all about his job. Isaac? He was nosy, wanted to know . . . everything, and appeared he would do most anything for Declan. Isaac was into his job too, but exactly who he is and/or where he came from? Well, that was the question.
It was also difficult for me to figure out whose point of view I was reading at any given time. It changed between Declan and Isaac frequently and not always clearly. I found myself having to reread to make sense of what I was reading. It was quite distracting. I am not completely sure if I was just having a bad day or if it was the way the book was written. Could have been either.
The story was what kept me reading. I very much liked the premise of these two guys finding a new born while out jogging. I found it fascinating to see how each reacted to the situation. The author did a decent job of giving us both of their emotions about this foundling. I especially liked the resolution of the story. It was a rather nice feel good ending.
Will I read another of this series? Very good question. I did fine this one more interesting and much more believable. There is still Dr. Gabriel, “chief operating officer” appearing to be without a partner. So maybe. Time will tell.
This was a relatively fast read. A decent bed time story for lovers of the m/m romance genre with the medical trope added in. The foundling aspect of the story was a nice twist too.
I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 1, 2015
Give Chase is the second book in the St. Hawks Medical series by author Willa Okati. I liked this one. You don’t have to read them in order. But it is nice to do it sometimes people you have met before show up again. They are not a big part so you wouldn’t be lost if you didn’t know who they are. But if you do know it is a nice way to see how they are doing now.
Isaac Paliades supportive, kind, always chasing Declan down.
Declan is brooding and has a hard time letting anyone in even Isaac.
When they get together they really have issues, but they work them out with love. I liked that part of this book. I love how much love is in this story. I also like how this story is weaved kept me turning the pages and emotionally invested. I am looking for more from this author and this series. I liked the sweetness and love, and falling in love this is the perfect book for that.
Four Twinkling Stars
Isaac Paliades supportive, kind, always chasing Declan down.
Declan is brooding and has a hard time letting anyone in even Isaac.
When they get together they really have issues, but they work them out with love. I liked that part of this book. I love how much love is in this story. I also like how this story is weaved kept me turning the pages and emotionally invested. I am looking for more from this author and this series. I liked the sweetness and love, and falling in love this is the perfect book for that.
Four Twinkling Stars
March 26, 2015
Though the characters were likable to an extent I just never felt connected. The whole thing was somehow disjointed. Too bare bones. Not enough detail, confusing POV changes, not enough emotions nor enough time.
April 13, 2016
1.5 stars
I just didn't like this one.
hopefully I'll like the next one...
I just didn't like this one.
hopefully I'll like the next one...
September 27, 2015
3.75 stars
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews