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Heartland #1
Healed Hearts
Even men afraid of donuts deserve a happy ending.
Second-grade teacher Seth Ray has experienced more than his fair share of heartbreak. On his own since his mother’s death, Seth remains burdened by frequent anxiety, which he manages by steadfastly avoiding anything that might set it off—including men whose names start with the letter J and donuts. Unfortunately, after a night with Jude Murphy, he encounters both and flees into the street.
Jude’s not your typical twenty-something-year-old gay man. The youngest of six boys, he desperately wants to start a family of his own. The puzzling morning-after with Seth reminds him why he doesn't sleep around.
When Seth discovers the man he brushed off is the uncle of one his students, he’s compelled to smooth things over to save face, but Jude lays it on the line—he wants Seth, but he doesn't do casual. The allure of the sexy redhead compels Seth to face an entire family of J names for a chance at happiness.
Second-grade teacher Seth Ray has experienced more than his fair share of heartbreak. On his own since his mother’s death, Seth remains burdened by frequent anxiety, which he manages by steadfastly avoiding anything that might set it off—including men whose names start with the letter J and donuts. Unfortunately, after a night with Jude Murphy, he encounters both and flees into the street.
Jude’s not your typical twenty-something-year-old gay man. The youngest of six boys, he desperately wants to start a family of his own. The puzzling morning-after with Seth reminds him why he doesn't sleep around.
When Seth discovers the man he brushed off is the uncle of one his students, he’s compelled to smooth things over to save face, but Jude lays it on the line—he wants Seth, but he doesn't do casual. The allure of the sexy redhead compels Seth to face an entire family of J names for a chance at happiness.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 24, 2015
19 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
January 2, 2016
This is a very drama-filled love story between two broken (in their own ways) men.
Seven-year-old Seth was abandoned by his father after being told “I’m just going to get some donuts, son. Back soon" and was never to be seen again.
When Seth starts ninth grade he falls in love with Jason, who pursues him until they are caught kissing together and Jason and three of his friends beat Seth ruthlessly, the last thing Seth sees before unconsciousness is the bag of donuts in Jason's hand.
He's relentlessly bullied, beaten and tormented through high school. Then, on his graduation day, his mother is killed in an auto accident, and Seth finds out the family that killed his mother was arguing over donuts.
To say Seth suffers from a traumatic past is an understatement.
These events have taught Seth two things: a fear of donuts and men with names beginning with the letter "J".
The story starts with this explanation (quite a bit more in depth that that, BTW), and we meet Seth's gorgeous ginger hook-up from the night before. Who offers him a donut for breakfast. Then we find out last-night's guy, who had introduced himself then as "Daniel", is actually named "Jude" and Daniel is his middle name. Seth freaks out completely and runs away.
This pretty much crushes Jude who just got out of a seven year relationship and was dipping his toe back into the dating pool. Jude's ex, Devin, broke up with him in the worst way possible and it's taken many months for Jude to try to open himself up again.
When the two men meet again, Seth apologizes, and they begin to date. There's a lot of hot sex, way-too-quick insta-love, and the relationship moves at warp speed.
I'm also not going to lie to you - there is some drama-filled scene in every single chapter.
Every. Single. Chapter.
This story was maddening, exhausting, overly long, with some real over the top drama, quite a few dropped plot lines, heated sex scenes, and finally MORE drama. I was entertained and sad and angry and overwhelmed and...not bored. Even though I was shaking my head I couldn't put it down. I had to see the next volley of crazy.
So if you like your romance with a lot of drama, hot sex and some feelz - you should definitely check this out.
Recommended with caution.
Copy generously provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Reviews by Jessewave
Seven-year-old Seth was abandoned by his father after being told “I’m just going to get some donuts, son. Back soon" and was never to be seen again.
When Seth starts ninth grade he falls in love with Jason, who pursues him until they are caught kissing together and Jason and three of his friends beat Seth ruthlessly, the last thing Seth sees before unconsciousness is the bag of donuts in Jason's hand.
He's relentlessly bullied, beaten and tormented through high school. Then, on his graduation day, his mother is killed in an auto accident, and Seth finds out the family that killed his mother was arguing over donuts.
To say Seth suffers from a traumatic past is an understatement.
These events have taught Seth two things: a fear of donuts and men with names beginning with the letter "J".
The story starts with this explanation (quite a bit more in depth that that, BTW), and we meet Seth's gorgeous ginger hook-up from the night before. Who offers him a donut for breakfast. Then we find out last-night's guy, who had introduced himself then as "Daniel", is actually named "Jude" and Daniel is his middle name. Seth freaks out completely and runs away.
This pretty much crushes Jude who just got out of a seven year relationship and was dipping his toe back into the dating pool. Jude's ex, Devin, broke up with him in the worst way possible and it's taken many months for Jude to try to open himself up again.
When the two men meet again, Seth apologizes, and they begin to date. There's a lot of hot sex, way-too-quick insta-love, and the relationship moves at warp speed.
I'm also not going to lie to you - there is some drama-filled scene in every single chapter.
Every. Single. Chapter.
This story was maddening, exhausting, overly long, with some real over the top drama, quite a few dropped plot lines, heated sex scenes, and finally MORE drama. I was entertained and sad and angry and overwhelmed and...not bored. Even though I was shaking my head I couldn't put it down. I had to see the next volley of crazy.
So if you like your romance with a lot of drama, hot sex and some feelz - you should definitely check this out.
Recommended with caution.
Copy generously provided by Dreamspinner Press in exchange for an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Reviews by Jessewave
September 4, 2015
I'm going to 5 start this book for a few reasons. First, this is the first book by this author and it was such a great story without all the editing errors I expected. Second, it had some awesome sex scenes. Double-ended dildo anyone? Third, it had a whole bunch of feels...good, bad, sad, angry. And finally, I just could not put this book down. I just had to see what would happen next. Yes, Seth was a fucked-up mess which he readily admitted. Did he always deserve the sainted Jude? Probably not but Jude was warned and he stayed. Jude's family and especially his mother, were fabulous. Seth's bff, well I wanted more of Sarah. I say give this one a go with an open mind and you won't be disappointed. :)
November 11, 2024
There was lots of good stuff in this book, from sweet scenes to holy hot boysecks, Batman, but I hated Seth's portrayal, and that (St.) Jude kept forgiving this neurotic mess time and again.
The writing is good, and the author created a story that flows quite nicely, if one ignores the massive amount of dramatic scenes and happenings that take place in this book. It's just one. thing. after. the. others, and the reader (me) is left scratching her head how so much stuff could possibly happen to one couple.
Also, Seth is neurotic to the extreme. Yeah, yeah, I understood WHY he did what he did, and why he ran away from the wonderfully patient Jude time and again, but good grief, he needed help. Badly.
I like Jude, and I liked that he didn't just continuously give in to Seth's neuroses, even though he endured quite a bit. He did have a breaking point, and that made me like him even more.
Some of the angst and drama in this book seemed to much for me, and some of it felt drawn out, instead of being addressed head-on.
Still, a nice read, especially for a debut author. I'd like to read more from Logan Meredith.
** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher. A positive review was not promised in return. **
The writing is good, and the author created a story that flows quite nicely, if one ignores the massive amount of dramatic scenes and happenings that take place in this book. It's just one. thing. after. the. others, and the reader (me) is left scratching her head how so much stuff could possibly happen to one couple.
Also, Seth is neurotic to the extreme. Yeah, yeah, I understood WHY he did what he did, and why he ran away from the wonderfully patient Jude time and again, but good grief, he needed help. Badly.
I like Jude, and I liked that he didn't just continuously give in to Seth's neuroses, even though he endured quite a bit. He did have a breaking point, and that made me like him even more.
Some of the angst and drama in this book seemed to much for me, and some of it felt drawn out, instead of being addressed head-on.
Still, a nice read, especially for a debut author. I'd like to read more from Logan Meredith.
** I received a free copy of this book from its publisher. A positive review was not promised in return. **
April 25, 2019
Der Klappentext hat sich richtig gut angehört. Eine Mischung aus Drama, Romanze und Humor.
Ich hab mich durchgekämpft und muss sagen, dass es wirklich schlecht ausgearbeitet wurde. Jude, der anfangs so liebenswürdig und unschuldig war, wurde im Lauf der Geschichte immer unglaubwürdiger. Und Seth, der wirklich Schlimmes erlebt hat, war einfach nur nervig. Ich hatte keine emotionale Verbindung zu den beiden und so plätscherte die Geschichte vor sich hin. Ein bisschen weniger Drama hätte es auch getan.
Ich hab mich durchgekämpft und muss sagen, dass es wirklich schlecht ausgearbeitet wurde. Jude, der anfangs so liebenswürdig und unschuldig war, wurde im Lauf der Geschichte immer unglaubwürdiger. Und Seth, der wirklich Schlimmes erlebt hat, war einfach nur nervig. Ich hatte keine emotionale Verbindung zu den beiden und so plätscherte die Geschichte vor sich hin. Ein bisschen weniger Drama hätte es auch getan.
August 10, 2016
So many good things in this book.
Too bad it was weighted down with a long winded, drawn out story line and and too much angst. It was well written but these characters were just so dry and at times I thought Seth was just too whiny. I understand his triggers, his hang ups with "J" names and donuts but after awhile I just couldn't bring myself to care anymore. Both were just too caught up with their own personal drama not putting it aside in order to give each other a real try without allowing self doubts developed from past relationships to get in the way. They needed to judge each other based on their own merits.
At one point I just wanted Jude to walk away because he was giving so much of himself and Seth in my opinion sometimes abused that. But Jude was up for the challenge: " We Can go slowly if you need to. I want a man I can take care of. I want to understand when things get you upset. I want you to trust me enough to tell me and not pull away."
I breathed the biggest sigh of relief when Seth FINALLY overcame his hang ups. The journey to their happy ending was sometimes exhausting. This relationship perfectly exemplifies how you have to go through a lot of hell to get a little big of heaven.
I recommend this book to those that love angst heavy story lines. It's a good story but again, it was so drawn out revolving around the same thing over and over again that I felt drained by the time I got to the end. But hey, at least I made it there :)
*ARC provided for review*
Too bad it was weighted down with a long winded, drawn out story line and and too much angst. It was well written but these characters were just so dry and at times I thought Seth was just too whiny. I understand his triggers, his hang ups with "J" names and donuts but after awhile I just couldn't bring myself to care anymore. Both were just too caught up with their own personal drama not putting it aside in order to give each other a real try without allowing self doubts developed from past relationships to get in the way. They needed to judge each other based on their own merits.
At one point I just wanted Jude to walk away because he was giving so much of himself and Seth in my opinion sometimes abused that. But Jude was up for the challenge: " We Can go slowly if you need to. I want a man I can take care of. I want to understand when things get you upset. I want you to trust me enough to tell me and not pull away."
I breathed the biggest sigh of relief when Seth FINALLY overcame his hang ups. The journey to their happy ending was sometimes exhausting. This relationship perfectly exemplifies how you have to go through a lot of hell to get a little big of heaven.
I recommend this book to those that love angst heavy story lines. It's a good story but again, it was so drawn out revolving around the same thing over and over again that I felt drained by the time I got to the end. But hey, at least I made it there :)
*ARC provided for review*
June 16, 2017
Der Morgen nach einem One-Night Stand kann immer etwas merkwürdig sein. Doch Jude hätte auf das mehr als nur seltsame und auch verletzende Verhalten seines Hook-ups Seth wirklich verzichten können. Dabei war Jude doch nur auf der Suche nach etwas Zerstreuung und Gesellschaft. Nach seiner Trennung – die nicht von ihm ausging – hadert er mit der Welt, der Liebe und seiner überfürsorglichen Familie.
Seth hingegen hat keine Familie. Er hat eine Katze und seine beste Freundin – das wars. Mit Kindern kommt er wunderbar klar und Seth liebt seinen Job als Lehrer. Allerdings ist Seth auch einsam und durch seine Ticks unfähig sich auf eine Beziehung einzulassen. Zumindest ist es schwierig geeignetes Beziehungsmaterial zu finden, das mit seine Angstzuständen und scheinbar irrationalem Verhalten auch zurecht kommt.
Dann trifft er auf Jude und diese eine Nacht verläuft ganz wunderbar. Doch leider löst Jude unbeabsichtigt eine Panikattacke bei Seth aus und schon trennen sich ihre Wege wieder. Allerdings nur für kurze Zeit, denn Seth entpuppt sich als Lehrer von Judes kleiner Nichte. Und so treffen sie sich erneut.
Die Geschichten, die sich mit PTSD beschäftigen sind meist sehr schwermütig und trübsinnig. Bei dieser Geschichte ist das nicht der Fall, denn Logan Meredith schreibt sehr amüsant und unterhaltsam. So richtig zünden konnte die Story bei mir jedoch nicht. Seth ist ein sehr problematischer Charakter, dem wirklich schlimme Dinge passiert sind. So wurde er Opfer eines körperlichen Übergriffs, dann wurde er als Kind von seinem Vater verlassen und zu allem Übel hat er auch noch sehr jung seine Mutter verloren. Mit all diesen Verlusten kann Seth nicht umgehen und er macht es Jude auch nicht einfach.
Jude ist ein netter Kerl, der jedoch einfach zu ungeduldig ist. Seine Familie möchte ihn glücklich sehen und Jude will unbedingt eine eigene Familie haben. Allerdings übersieht er für lange Zeit, dass Seth zwar das Gleiche will, aber einfach Zeit braucht. So kommt es immer wieder zu unschönen und auch problematischen Situationen. Die Geschichte war nicht schlecht, aber es braucht doch etwas Geduld und guten Willen sich länger mit dem neurotischen Seth zu beschäftigen.
Seth hingegen hat keine Familie. Er hat eine Katze und seine beste Freundin – das wars. Mit Kindern kommt er wunderbar klar und Seth liebt seinen Job als Lehrer. Allerdings ist Seth auch einsam und durch seine Ticks unfähig sich auf eine Beziehung einzulassen. Zumindest ist es schwierig geeignetes Beziehungsmaterial zu finden, das mit seine Angstzuständen und scheinbar irrationalem Verhalten auch zurecht kommt.
Dann trifft er auf Jude und diese eine Nacht verläuft ganz wunderbar. Doch leider löst Jude unbeabsichtigt eine Panikattacke bei Seth aus und schon trennen sich ihre Wege wieder. Allerdings nur für kurze Zeit, denn Seth entpuppt sich als Lehrer von Judes kleiner Nichte. Und so treffen sie sich erneut.
Die Geschichten, die sich mit PTSD beschäftigen sind meist sehr schwermütig und trübsinnig. Bei dieser Geschichte ist das nicht der Fall, denn Logan Meredith schreibt sehr amüsant und unterhaltsam. So richtig zünden konnte die Story bei mir jedoch nicht. Seth ist ein sehr problematischer Charakter, dem wirklich schlimme Dinge passiert sind. So wurde er Opfer eines körperlichen Übergriffs, dann wurde er als Kind von seinem Vater verlassen und zu allem Übel hat er auch noch sehr jung seine Mutter verloren. Mit all diesen Verlusten kann Seth nicht umgehen und er macht es Jude auch nicht einfach.
Jude ist ein netter Kerl, der jedoch einfach zu ungeduldig ist. Seine Familie möchte ihn glücklich sehen und Jude will unbedingt eine eigene Familie haben. Allerdings übersieht er für lange Zeit, dass Seth zwar das Gleiche will, aber einfach Zeit braucht. So kommt es immer wieder zu unschönen und auch problematischen Situationen. Die Geschichte war nicht schlecht, aber es braucht doch etwas Geduld und guten Willen sich länger mit dem neurotischen Seth zu beschäftigen.
June 29, 2019
Momentan habe ich einfach kein Glück beim Lesen, denn auch »Das Herz so sanft« entpuppt sich leider als Fehlgriff.
Bei der Inhaltsangabe habe ich eine seichte und eher lustige Romanze erwartet, bekommen habe ich einen neurotischen Hauptcharakter, der es mir wirklich schwer gemacht hat, ihn überhaupt zu mögen, und seinen Partner Jude, der am liebsten immer alles auf einmal will, dabei aber übersieht, dass er Seth damit ständig bedrängt und dass das bei dessen Panikattacken und der lange nicht behandelten PTBS nicht gutgeht, war vorauszusehen.
Die Geschichte ist zwar nicht schlecht geschrieben, konnte mich aber nicht überzeugen. Vor allem Jude wurde im Laufe der Story immer unglaubwürdiger, weil er unbedingt eine Familie und Kinder haben will und das auch sehr offen zeigt. Mir fehlte dabei allerdings jede Rücksicht auf Seth, denn der ist ja schon beim ersten Familientreffen völlig überfordert.
Und dazu dieses künstlich aufgeblasene Drama, wenn sie zanken, anstatt endlich ernsthaft miteinander zu reden, und am Ende entweder Seth oder Jude wie beleidigte Teenager davonrennen. Und kurz darauf landen sie dann wieder miteinander im Bett, als würde dadurch alles gut werden.
Eine vernünftige Aufarbeitung einer PTBS sieht anders aus.
Einen Stern gibt’s für die Idee, denn die hätte echt gut werden können, und den zweiten für Judes Familie, weil ich diese verrückte Bande wirklich mochte.
Bei der Inhaltsangabe habe ich eine seichte und eher lustige Romanze erwartet, bekommen habe ich einen neurotischen Hauptcharakter, der es mir wirklich schwer gemacht hat, ihn überhaupt zu mögen, und seinen Partner Jude, der am liebsten immer alles auf einmal will, dabei aber übersieht, dass er Seth damit ständig bedrängt und dass das bei dessen Panikattacken und der lange nicht behandelten PTBS nicht gutgeht, war vorauszusehen.
Die Geschichte ist zwar nicht schlecht geschrieben, konnte mich aber nicht überzeugen. Vor allem Jude wurde im Laufe der Story immer unglaubwürdiger, weil er unbedingt eine Familie und Kinder haben will und das auch sehr offen zeigt. Mir fehlte dabei allerdings jede Rücksicht auf Seth, denn der ist ja schon beim ersten Familientreffen völlig überfordert.
Und dazu dieses künstlich aufgeblasene Drama, wenn sie zanken, anstatt endlich ernsthaft miteinander zu reden, und am Ende entweder Seth oder Jude wie beleidigte Teenager davonrennen. Und kurz darauf landen sie dann wieder miteinander im Bett, als würde dadurch alles gut werden.
Eine vernünftige Aufarbeitung einer PTBS sieht anders aus.
Einen Stern gibt’s für die Idee, denn die hätte echt gut werden können, und den zweiten für Judes Familie, weil ich diese verrückte Bande wirklich mochte.
August 9, 2016
Before reading this book I would have never been able to see why a fear of donuts can make sense – if there is such a thing as a fear making sense at all. Of course none ever does, but the explanation for why Seth stays the heck away from donuts made my heart break for him. Jude has not had it easy in the relationship department either, and I felt for him too. While there is a definite attraction between these two wounded men when they first meet, for a very, very long time it doesn’t look as if they stand a chance. The way they deal with their issues and the obstacles that keep popping up is portrayed with a high degree of realism, and it was one of the things I liked about this novel. Theirs is not an easy romance and there is lots of angst and drama before it’s all said and done on the final page.
Seth has had a tough life – beginning with losing his father at a young age, to his first real boyfriend being horrifically cruel to him, all the way to his mother dying on his high school graduation day. No wonder he suffers anxiety attacks! Considering this and the fact that he has never sought professional help, he is amazingly well adjusted. He loves his job as a second-grade teacher and is very good at it, he has a best friend who may be pushy but has his best interests at heart, and the occasional hookup is all he needs. Or so he thinks. Once he meets Jude, all kinds of unexpected things start to happen, and Seth’s carefully protected world starts to crumble and he begins to see that not all is as well with him as he had believed.
Jude is the youngest of six boys, lost his father when he was still in college, and got dumped by his boyfriend unexpectedly just before they were supposed to move to New York together. Jude wants a family, is not into one-night stands, and Seth and his issues baffle him. But he is interested and fascinated enough to stick with it – even though Seth does not make it easy for him. Not on purpose, of course, but Jude still struggles. It’s a good thing he has a huge, supportive family to help him when needed. I loved how each brother has a separate role and Jude knows exactly which of them to go to for advice with a particular question or problem. And the mother – she is something else!
In the gradual healing Seth goes through as he and Jude begin to build trust and work on their relationship, Jude is Seth’s original incentive to start working on his issues. But as time progresses, and Seth is beginning to see how important it is to get better just for his own benefit, his motivation changes. I was relieved to see that – since it is much healthier and speeds up Seth’s progress. Jude’s patience is not endless, which is only natural, and teaches Seth that he has to learn to compromise as well. But Jude is the right support for Seth – just as Seth turns out to be the right guy to fulfill Jude’s dreams.
If you like realism in your romances, if you believe that two wounded men can help each other recover from past hurts, and if you’re looking for a read that is emotionally tough yet very rewarding, then you will probably like this novel.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Seth has had a tough life – beginning with losing his father at a young age, to his first real boyfriend being horrifically cruel to him, all the way to his mother dying on his high school graduation day. No wonder he suffers anxiety attacks! Considering this and the fact that he has never sought professional help, he is amazingly well adjusted. He loves his job as a second-grade teacher and is very good at it, he has a best friend who may be pushy but has his best interests at heart, and the occasional hookup is all he needs. Or so he thinks. Once he meets Jude, all kinds of unexpected things start to happen, and Seth’s carefully protected world starts to crumble and he begins to see that not all is as well with him as he had believed.
Jude is the youngest of six boys, lost his father when he was still in college, and got dumped by his boyfriend unexpectedly just before they were supposed to move to New York together. Jude wants a family, is not into one-night stands, and Seth and his issues baffle him. But he is interested and fascinated enough to stick with it – even though Seth does not make it easy for him. Not on purpose, of course, but Jude still struggles. It’s a good thing he has a huge, supportive family to help him when needed. I loved how each brother has a separate role and Jude knows exactly which of them to go to for advice with a particular question or problem. And the mother – she is something else!
In the gradual healing Seth goes through as he and Jude begin to build trust and work on their relationship, Jude is Seth’s original incentive to start working on his issues. But as time progresses, and Seth is beginning to see how important it is to get better just for his own benefit, his motivation changes. I was relieved to see that – since it is much healthier and speeds up Seth’s progress. Jude’s patience is not endless, which is only natural, and teaches Seth that he has to learn to compromise as well. But Jude is the right support for Seth – just as Seth turns out to be the right guy to fulfill Jude’s dreams.
If you like realism in your romances, if you believe that two wounded men can help each other recover from past hurts, and if you’re looking for a read that is emotionally tough yet very rewarding, then you will probably like this novel.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
May 4, 2016
Seth does not like doughnuts. Seth does not like names that start with the letter “J”. So when his one night stand (named Jude) drops a bag (of doughnuts) on his kitchen counter, you can imagine Seth’s reaction would not be all that favorable. And to Jude’s confusion and hurt, Seth does the predictable thing and beats a hasty retreat. Jude, just coming out of a bad relationship, is hurt, but figures he is never going to see the guy again. Which is probably for the best. Then some time later, Jude opens a door and Seth is there. Back in his life…and back in his heart. Not that Jude is all that sure that is a good thing.
Despite the fact that I found Seth’s hate of doughnuts (yummy, yummy, doughnuts) really weird, I found him to be an interesting character. The dude has some issues (many issues), but I liked the uniqueness of his quirks. And Jude’s family, while confusing with so many J-names running around, was great. Though the whole name thing, even when it wasn’t confusing the heck out of me, felt like it was just done to screw with Seth…and that just annoyed me because I was the one trying to figure out who was who in the confusing mass of Js.
In fact, the largest part of my issues with this book is that almost all the ‘problems’ that plague Seth and Jude, felt extremely forced. I know authors kinda have to fuck with the characters in order to make the story interesting, but sometimes it just felt too artificial. Did Asim really need to be an issues? Did Jude really need to have that whole icky story scene with his ex? It felt like too much. Everything would be find for a chapter and then the book would go into crises mode. It was like 0-60 ever 15 pages. It got a bit trying. And while it certainly works in some places, at others it was just annoying. It was like I was constantly having to think, “well…her we go again!”
With so much of the story relying on interpersonal relationship issues, instead of some outside influence, sometimes I just got tired of Seth’s doughnut problems and Jude’s smothering tendencies.
Still, the characters were interesting, and I loved the varying secondary characters. They really made the story worth reading. And I’d love to hear more about Asim…just not when he is nothing more than a source of jealousy for Jude.
3.5 stars
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
Despite the fact that I found Seth’s hate of doughnuts (yummy, yummy, doughnuts) really weird, I found him to be an interesting character. The dude has some issues (many issues), but I liked the uniqueness of his quirks. And Jude’s family, while confusing with so many J-names running around, was great. Though the whole name thing, even when it wasn’t confusing the heck out of me, felt like it was just done to screw with Seth…and that just annoyed me because I was the one trying to figure out who was who in the confusing mass of Js.
In fact, the largest part of my issues with this book is that almost all the ‘problems’ that plague Seth and Jude, felt extremely forced. I know authors kinda have to fuck with the characters in order to make the story interesting, but sometimes it just felt too artificial. Did Asim really need to be an issues? Did Jude really need to have that whole icky story scene with his ex? It felt like too much. Everything would be find for a chapter and then the book would go into crises mode. It was like 0-60 ever 15 pages. It got a bit trying. And while it certainly works in some places, at others it was just annoying. It was like I was constantly having to think, “well…her we go again!”
With so much of the story relying on interpersonal relationship issues, instead of some outside influence, sometimes I just got tired of Seth’s doughnut problems and Jude’s smothering tendencies.
Still, the characters were interesting, and I loved the varying secondary characters. They really made the story worth reading. And I’d love to hear more about Asim…just not when he is nothing more than a source of jealousy for Jude.
3.5 stars
This book was provided free in exchange for a fair and honest review for Love Bytes. Go there to check out other reviews, author interviews, and all those awesome giveaways. Click below.
September 17, 2015
Note: This book was provided to me by the publisher through Hearts on Fire Reviews in exchange for an impartial review.
When Seth Ray wakes up after spending the night with his one-night stand, Daniel, he’s shocked to find Daniel offering him a donut. That may sound odd, but the thing is that Seth has a long-term phobia of donuts. Unfortunately, he then finds out the guy’s name is not Daniel, it’s Jude. And that’s Seth’s other phobia--- guys with names beginning with “J”.
When Seth was younger, a number of things happened to him that were caused by people whose names began with J, including his dad leaving him after promising he was going for donuts and his high school crush, Jason, turning on him when they were almost caught kissing. Too bad the bag of donuts Jason had bought was right in front of Seth as he was lying on the ground while being beaten.
So he runs away from Jude and is later shocked to find out that Jude is the uncle of one of the children in his second grade classroom. Seth loves his job as a teacher, and he loves his little charges, so when he stops by to bring home the book bag for one of the children in his class who was sent home sick, he runs into Jude at her house. She’s been hospitalized, and her uncle Jude is gathering clothes for her. Seth’s offer of an apology and a make-up dinner is accepted, and the two start to see each other.
But Seth’s phobias and anxiety keep getting in the way of their relationship. And Jude is newly separated from his long-term boyfriend and just getting back into the dating pool, so he’s not happy with all the setbacks related to Seth. Jude is looking for a commitment, and it appears that Seth is unable to make one. It’s a good thing that Jude, who is a physician’s assistant, is also well-versed in PTSD and is able to gently suggest that Seth seek help with his phobias and anxiety attacks.
It’s also a good thing that Seth takes him up on that because Seth is then able to meet Jude’s family– of all five brothers, their spouses, and their children, and Jude’s mother, the family matriarch, Jenny. Yes, all “J” names, and working with the psychologist helps Seth make it work.
This is a sweet love story, with two men who have their own issues related to past breakups, but are both willing to work for their happiness as a couple. There are so many ups and downs throughout the book that I started to wonder if there was any hope for them. It’s not easy for them to get to the place where they might have their “happily ever after,” but it’s worth working for it, and for readers, it’s worth the wait.
Recommended for all lovers of contemporary M/M romance who like to see their MCs struggle with past emotional baggage before getting to their “forever” place in each other’s hearts.
When Seth Ray wakes up after spending the night with his one-night stand, Daniel, he’s shocked to find Daniel offering him a donut. That may sound odd, but the thing is that Seth has a long-term phobia of donuts. Unfortunately, he then finds out the guy’s name is not Daniel, it’s Jude. And that’s Seth’s other phobia--- guys with names beginning with “J”.
When Seth was younger, a number of things happened to him that were caused by people whose names began with J, including his dad leaving him after promising he was going for donuts and his high school crush, Jason, turning on him when they were almost caught kissing. Too bad the bag of donuts Jason had bought was right in front of Seth as he was lying on the ground while being beaten.
So he runs away from Jude and is later shocked to find out that Jude is the uncle of one of the children in his second grade classroom. Seth loves his job as a teacher, and he loves his little charges, so when he stops by to bring home the book bag for one of the children in his class who was sent home sick, he runs into Jude at her house. She’s been hospitalized, and her uncle Jude is gathering clothes for her. Seth’s offer of an apology and a make-up dinner is accepted, and the two start to see each other.
But Seth’s phobias and anxiety keep getting in the way of their relationship. And Jude is newly separated from his long-term boyfriend and just getting back into the dating pool, so he’s not happy with all the setbacks related to Seth. Jude is looking for a commitment, and it appears that Seth is unable to make one. It’s a good thing that Jude, who is a physician’s assistant, is also well-versed in PTSD and is able to gently suggest that Seth seek help with his phobias and anxiety attacks.
It’s also a good thing that Seth takes him up on that because Seth is then able to meet Jude’s family– of all five brothers, their spouses, and their children, and Jude’s mother, the family matriarch, Jenny. Yes, all “J” names, and working with the psychologist helps Seth make it work.
This is a sweet love story, with two men who have their own issues related to past breakups, but are both willing to work for their happiness as a couple. There are so many ups and downs throughout the book that I started to wonder if there was any hope for them. It’s not easy for them to get to the place where they might have their “happily ever after,” but it’s worth working for it, and for readers, it’s worth the wait.
Recommended for all lovers of contemporary M/M romance who like to see their MCs struggle with past emotional baggage before getting to their “forever” place in each other’s hearts.
August 10, 2016
***Three Stars***
Seth is a mess. With a background of repeat trauma, he has a serious aversion to anyone whose name starts with the letter J and donuts. When his one night stand announces the next morning that he’d given Seth a false name last night, while also presenting him with donuts to eat, Seth freaks out. Jude is looking for happily ever after, and he’s a serial relationship hunter, even though he’s only been in one thus far, and that guy was less than stellar. What follows is a drama- and angst-filled story worthy of a daytime drama.
The plot is over the top, the subplots are randomly woven in and some are left to never be resolved. The main characters are frustrating and narrow-minded, and the peripherals are necessary to bring the drama down a few notches. I don’t know what I’d have done if there hadn’t been the peripheral characters. The pace is also choppy, which didn’t help endear me to the storyline. By the time the end came, I’m sorry to report that I was just glad it was over.
Curiously enough, I read the second story first not realizing my mistake, and I liked it much better, so even if you didn’t care for this one, do give Expanded Hearts a try.
Review copy of Healed Hearts provided by the publisher, Dreamspinner Press, for an honest review.
Seth is a mess. With a background of repeat trauma, he has a serious aversion to anyone whose name starts with the letter J and donuts. When his one night stand announces the next morning that he’d given Seth a false name last night, while also presenting him with donuts to eat, Seth freaks out. Jude is looking for happily ever after, and he’s a serial relationship hunter, even though he’s only been in one thus far, and that guy was less than stellar. What follows is a drama- and angst-filled story worthy of a daytime drama.
The plot is over the top, the subplots are randomly woven in and some are left to never be resolved. The main characters are frustrating and narrow-minded, and the peripherals are necessary to bring the drama down a few notches. I don’t know what I’d have done if there hadn’t been the peripheral characters. The pace is also choppy, which didn’t help endear me to the storyline. By the time the end came, I’m sorry to report that I was just glad it was over.
Curiously enough, I read the second story first not realizing my mistake, and I liked it much better, so even if you didn’t care for this one, do give Expanded Hearts a try.
Review copy of Healed Hearts provided by the publisher, Dreamspinner Press, for an honest review.
September 10, 2015
Seth and Jude meet at a bar – only Seth thinks Jude is “David” and that makes all the difference.
Seth has had a run of bad luck with men whose names start with J and donuts. So he’s sworn off both – for life. When Jude shows up after a night of hot sex with a bag of donuts and the confession that his name is really Jude not David as he’d said, Seth runs away.
When Jude meets Seth again it’s as the uncle to one of Seth’s students. They realize they have an uncommon attraction and decide to give it some work.
Jude is a bit broken as well, though. He’s only ever had one relationship – period- and is kind of an “all or nothing guy”. The exact opposite of Seth.
They have their work cut out for them.
**
I really liked this book. It wasn’t afraid to let both guys be very messed up and to really work through both their issues in detail. At times it did drag a bit, and for that I think it’s a 4 not a 5 in my ranking, but all in all I enjoyed their work.
The smexy times were pretty hot and the feels were very authentic and felt right.
This is a new author to me and I will definitely look for more from her in the future.
Seth has had a run of bad luck with men whose names start with J and donuts. So he’s sworn off both – for life. When Jude shows up after a night of hot sex with a bag of donuts and the confession that his name is really Jude not David as he’d said, Seth runs away.
When Jude meets Seth again it’s as the uncle to one of Seth’s students. They realize they have an uncommon attraction and decide to give it some work.
Jude is a bit broken as well, though. He’s only ever had one relationship – period- and is kind of an “all or nothing guy”. The exact opposite of Seth.
They have their work cut out for them.
**
I really liked this book. It wasn’t afraid to let both guys be very messed up and to really work through both their issues in detail. At times it did drag a bit, and for that I think it’s a 4 not a 5 in my ranking, but all in all I enjoyed their work.
The smexy times were pretty hot and the feels were very authentic and felt right.
This is a new author to me and I will definitely look for more from her in the future.
August 1, 2016
Gave 3.5 stars but rounded up for this review..
Seth has been through a lot in his life. He has no family and was attacked when he was younger. Seth has issues he needs to deal with because of the attack and is mothers death. He has triggers that have to do with donuts and names that start with the letter J. When he meets Jude he thinks his name is different and when he find out the truth , he runs away. Seth finds out that Jude is the uncle of one of his students and tries to apologies. They hit it off and Jude wants to pursue a relationship with Seth. I felt this story moved a little to slow for me while I felt for Seth , I wanted him to stop running away from Jude. Jude was a well written character but felt sorry for him since he had to walk on eggshells around Seth so it didn't upset him. Jude's family was great and took Seth in the minute they met him. As the story progressed it did pick up. I want more intimate scenes between these 2 men and sometime felt Jude wanted to move to fast. In the end Seth gets the help he needs to move forward with Jude and they get their HEA. Received an arc from publisher for a honest review. Reviewed by Jodi by Alpha Book Club.
Seth has been through a lot in his life. He has no family and was attacked when he was younger. Seth has issues he needs to deal with because of the attack and is mothers death. He has triggers that have to do with donuts and names that start with the letter J. When he meets Jude he thinks his name is different and when he find out the truth , he runs away. Seth finds out that Jude is the uncle of one of his students and tries to apologies. They hit it off and Jude wants to pursue a relationship with Seth. I felt this story moved a little to slow for me while I felt for Seth , I wanted him to stop running away from Jude. Jude was a well written character but felt sorry for him since he had to walk on eggshells around Seth so it didn't upset him. Jude's family was great and took Seth in the minute they met him. As the story progressed it did pick up. I want more intimate scenes between these 2 men and sometime felt Jude wanted to move to fast. In the end Seth gets the help he needs to move forward with Jude and they get their HEA. Received an arc from publisher for a honest review. Reviewed by Jodi by Alpha Book Club.
June 25, 2020
I initially started this book believing that Seth’s aversion to doughnuts and men with J first names were just weird quirks. But Seth turned out to have deep emotional issues and those weird quirks were actually triggers from horrible events in his past. Jude also had emotional issues to deal with from his recent breakup. He was quick to overreact, feel sorry for himself, and was way too pushy with Seth. They both had a lot of healing to do. Jude’s big loving family was great (poor Seth and all those J names). Jude’s mom should have taken Seth under her wing from the very beginning.
Want to read
August 31, 2017This first book seems interesting but in the 2nd one there is menage and cheating. Idk..
June 21, 2019
One-Night-Stand mit Folgen
Nach schlimmen Erlebnissen in seiner Kindheit und Jugend hat Seth Ray einen Selbstschutz entwickelt. Niemals etwas mit einem Mann anfangen, dessen Vorname mit J beginnt und keine Donuts essen. Umso schlimmer, dass er nach einem Clubbesuch neben Jude aufwacht, der ihm auch noch zum Frühstück das verhasste Gebäck anbietet.
Jude Murphy hat nach einer jahrelangen Beziehung eine üble Trennung erlebt. In einem Club lernt er Seth kennen und nimmt ihn mit nach Hause. Als seine Affäre am Morgen danach regelrecht aus seinem Bett flüchtet, ist er mit dessen Panikanfall ziemlich überfordert.
Ich habe in letzter Zeit einige gute Storys zum Thema Posttraumatische Belastungsstörung gelesen. Diese konnte mich leider nicht überzeugen. Anstatt einer glaubhaften Aufarbeitung der Probleme landen die beiden Männer immer wieder miteinander im Bett. Diese Verdrängung kann auf Dauer nicht gut gehen. Ich vermute, ein bisschen mehr Recherche hätte die Geschichte verbessern können.
Die zahlreichen Nebenfiguren waren mir am Ende sympathischer als das eigentliche Paar.
Mein Dank geht an den Cursed Verlag für das erhaltene Rezensionsexemplar
Nach schlimmen Erlebnissen in seiner Kindheit und Jugend hat Seth Ray einen Selbstschutz entwickelt. Niemals etwas mit einem Mann anfangen, dessen Vorname mit J beginnt und keine Donuts essen. Umso schlimmer, dass er nach einem Clubbesuch neben Jude aufwacht, der ihm auch noch zum Frühstück das verhasste Gebäck anbietet.
Jude Murphy hat nach einer jahrelangen Beziehung eine üble Trennung erlebt. In einem Club lernt er Seth kennen und nimmt ihn mit nach Hause. Als seine Affäre am Morgen danach regelrecht aus seinem Bett flüchtet, ist er mit dessen Panikanfall ziemlich überfordert.
Ich habe in letzter Zeit einige gute Storys zum Thema Posttraumatische Belastungsstörung gelesen. Diese konnte mich leider nicht überzeugen. Anstatt einer glaubhaften Aufarbeitung der Probleme landen die beiden Männer immer wieder miteinander im Bett. Diese Verdrängung kann auf Dauer nicht gut gehen. Ich vermute, ein bisschen mehr Recherche hätte die Geschichte verbessern können.
Die zahlreichen Nebenfiguren waren mir am Ende sympathischer als das eigentliche Paar.
Mein Dank geht an den Cursed Verlag für das erhaltene Rezensionsexemplar
December 13, 2021
This book was so draining.
Seth was hard work and I feel like Jude forgave/put up with too much.
Sarah annoyed me.
Seth lying about who he was with pissed me off.
Jude cheating made me ragey (if you argue with your boyfriend, then get drunk and make out and grope the bartender who's been after you, that's cheating in my eyes).
Considering how much Jude goes on about his cheating ex.. WTF?
These 2 were immature and HEA is not believable to me.
Seth was hard work and I feel like Jude forgave/put up with too much.
Sarah annoyed me.
Seth lying about who he was with pissed me off.
Jude cheating made me ragey (if you argue with your boyfriend, then get drunk and make out and grope the bartender who's been after you, that's cheating in my eyes).
Considering how much Jude goes on about his cheating ex.. WTF?
These 2 were immature and HEA is not believable to me.
August 18, 2025
3.75 stars
I felt so sorry for Seth, with his fear of doughnuts and names beginning with J ..all bad things that had happened to him had had some connection with these ..so he pushed Jude away deliberately. But slowly Jude tries to wiggle his way into Seths life
I felt so sorry for Seth, with his fear of doughnuts and names beginning with J ..all bad things that had happened to him had had some connection with these ..so he pushed Jude away deliberately. But slowly Jude tries to wiggle his way into Seths life
September 14, 2015
Okay I love sweet romances where a couple will help each other with everything they are going through. So as much as I hate to say it this one was just not for me. It honestly felt like there was some kind of drama with every chapter. It just felt way like way to much after awhile. Seth all I can say about him is I was not a fan of him at all. The way he acted, the things he did just made me not like him for Jude at all. Jude was sweet and caring, sometimes over the top but I felt like he did not deserve to be treated like he was by Seth. I just did not see them as a couple at all. This book was just not for me.
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Inked Rainbow Reads.
I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Inked Rainbow Reads.
January 10, 2016
Reviewed for Prism Book Alliance
3.5stars rounded down
I am having a hard time writing this review. Healed Hearts by Logan Meredith wasn't a bad story. There is nothing I can point to to say, "If this were different I would give it a higher rating." There is nothing I can point to to say this is why I didn't like this book. However, in the end it didn't work for me.
For Complete review see Prism Book Alliance: http://www.prismbookalliance.com/?pos...
December 20, 2019
Less than I Expected from the Preview
While there is a bit of a story here, this is written more for erotica than romance. The anxiety issues Seth has are not handled well, IMHO. Neither the explanation nor treatment options are sufficiently defined and this part of the storyline plays second place to the sexual episodes. I was left skipping through expanded sex scenes and wishing for better descriptions and details for the story.
While there is a bit of a story here, this is written more for erotica than romance. The anxiety issues Seth has are not handled well, IMHO. Neither the explanation nor treatment options are sufficiently defined and this part of the storyline plays second place to the sexual episodes. I was left skipping through expanded sex scenes and wishing for better descriptions and details for the story.
March 18, 2016
I really wanted to like this book, I thought the premise and the humor was awesome. BUT the execution was lacking a wee bit - IMO. There was a lot of 'telling', but not enough 'showing'.
Not a bad book, but yeah...
Not a bad book, but yeah...
October 19, 2015
For a first book, I thought it was cute...it was entertaining
September 1, 2015
I enjoyed this book for the most part.. It became a little too angsty at times and drawn out, which dropped my rating from a 4 to a 3
September 15, 2015
The ginger haired man on the front reminded me off myself.
November 21, 2016
I enjoyed this book, both MC had issues which were realistic with failures and advancement. Above all love won out.
January 24, 2017
Cute book and story. Quick read.
December 14, 2019
Now available on Kindle Unlimited
December 4, 2016
3 stars
I loved the Murphy clan
I loved the Murphy clan
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