Wholehearted (Hope Cove #2) – Gay Romance Org

Title: Wholehearted (Hope Cove #2)
Author: Cate Ashwood and John Orr (Narrator)
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC
Release Date: June 9th 2014
Genre(s): M/M Contemporary
Length: 6 hrs and 18 mins
Reviewed by: Belen
Heat Level: 4 flames out of 5
Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Blurb:

Hope Cove: Book Two

Officer Declan Grant responds to a call at the Hope Cove docks to find Lucas Hale barely alive after being beaten and tossed off his fishing boat. The violent crime rocks this tranquil community where everyone knows each other and doors are rarely locked. Despite Declan being new to Hope Cove, he wants to keep his new home and Lucas safe. He starts by volunteering to care for Lucas after he’s released from the hospital.

Lucas just wants to put the whole incident behind him and move on, but the more he gets to know Declan, the harder he finds it to push Declan and his do-right attitude away. The investigation into the assault continues, but Declan will soon face a moral dilemma, a choice that may topple his tidy life and force him to choose between Lucas and the law.

Let me say this: While I had a whole hell of a lot of problems with the story – John Orr’s narration is 5 Stars! It was absolutely flawless.

Once again, Orr was an absolute pleasure to listen to…and if it weren’t for his incredible narration I would have probably marked this DNF 50% through.

Some of my notes:
* Why is Lucas being such an ASSHOLE?! Declan saved your life, dickhead!
* Lucas, you’re talking to a cop, just because you’ve kissed him doesn’t mean he doesn’t have an ethical and moral obligation to investigate your story – there’s no “off the record” for cops idiot!
* How could Lucas believe Declan isn’t going to say or do anything with this knowledge?
* Wow…saying “I love you” really fast here, guys…
* You’re moving in together? You’ve known each other for less than three weeks!
* “You lied to me!” – Hey, Lucas, you’re an idiot.
* Mack not telling Declan where Lucas went is a dick move.
* Wait – Mack is letting Declan take point on the investigation? Total conflict of interest!!
* Neither Mack nor Declan mention Declan’s involvement with the witness to the prosecutor? Yeah, that’s not going to end well.
* I’m suffering from emotional whiplash.

This was not realistic…like at all. Also, I did not understand how Lucas was up for sex three days out of the hospital sporting broken ribs, a stitched up stab wound, a broken arm, a wrenched shoulder and numerous contusions and bruises. Then there’s the whole MISUNDERSTANDING / MISCOMMUNICATION deal. Ugh.