Take one former SEAL with a healthy dose of regret… Charlie’s son, but anything more than that just wouldn’t be right… would it?
Plus the younger guy who he’s tried to forget…
It’s been ten years. Ten long years. Does Shaw Michaelson feel bad about having seduced his dad’s best friend? Umm, maybe? Although he could’ve done things differently, Shaw can’t find it within himself to be sorry for the hottest night of his life with the one man he’s never been able to forget. The man he’s patterned every subsequent relationship after… yeah, Shaw totally has a type.
Equals a pair of men who deserve a second chance at a first time.
The two men are living in an uneasy peace within the same small town and circle of friends, being careful not to let the other get close enough to open old wounds. All their walls fall when a stalker begins terrorizing Shaw, sending him running to the one man he knows will keep him safe.
This is the fourth book in the LOVESTRONG series about finding love and being yourself in a small town. Intended only for 18+ readers, this is an mm romance full of all the fun, fluff, and feels you’d want from an S. Hawke book.
Note: Possible trigger warning for the mention of an animal being harmed off-page and the psychological trauma of being stalked.
more
Finally their book is here!!!! I have been waiting ever so patiently for their book and it was so worth the wait!! They shared one hot night together ten years ago…what should of been the best night of their lives turned tragic when Nick’s best friends and Shaw’s parents passed away in an accident. Nick has a lot of guilt over what had transpired but Shaw is not sorry it happened at all. All Shaw wants is for Nick to see him as a man….not the child he needs to take care of. When Shaw discovers that he has a unwanted stalker it scares him to his core. When Nick finds out he wants to take care of Shaw and show him that he can be the man he can depend on. It brings them closer than ever before. It was so sweet to watch them find their way to each other. It is sad that it took so long but they finally found their happy with each other. It was such a great story one that I recommend to all. I can’t wait to read what is coming next (really hope its Rick!) Well done!!!
How Not To Break is the fourth book in the Lovestrong series by Susan Hawke. It is a fantastic addition to this wonderfully fun series.
Comedy, drama, sweetness, sexiness… this book has all that and keeps your attention well. The characters are fun and make you love them. Shaw and Nick are great! Definitely recommend!
A wonderful story about second chances and growing up. Shaw and Nick have history together, including the tragic loss of Shaw’s parents (Nicks best friends), the night Shaw and Nick first sleep together. Fast forward ten years, Shaw is a successful toy store owner, and Nick runs a thriving bar, but there is a distance in their relationship that they haven’t closed. Then a dangerous stranger begins to stalk Shaw. This is the catalyst that brings Shaw and Nick together again and re-starts their relationship. The plot was fast paced and fun, and relationship development between Shaw and Nick was delightful. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
The audiobook was narrated Michael Pauley/Dean who does a wonderful job as usual. He really brings the story to life and makes it entertaining to listen to.
I really enjoyed How Not To Break!! I liked that Nick and Shaw had to fight through some pretty big issues to be together again. The stalker had me completely fooled. I really enjoyed getting to catch up on some of the previous couples and especially hearing more about Grayson!! I hope they get a story eventually!!
A snowstorm and a sexy night ignites a longing that lasts a decade and only a stalker after Shaw shakes Nick’s head out of his…well, gives him a chance to truly see Shaw as the man he is and not the boy he was. They’ve got a lot of chemistry together and it’s clear there’s more than lust, but a lot of time is between a moment and a lifetime. They’ll both have to be honest with themselves and one another if they’ve got any chance to make that moment become their life.
With the hints we’ve gotten over the course of this series already we can see there’s a lot of unresolved issues and tension between Nick and Shaw. What I enjoyed most was that they both came to the realization that they needed to grow on their own and come to terms with who they were outside of grief and the one night that changed their whole world in so many ways before they could have something real together.
The focus was kept on Shaw and Nick finding a way forward together amidst the crazy stalker issues and I appreciated that it stayed focused throughout. Even with the potential awkwardness with Rick, there was no unnecessary drama or complications to distract from Nick and Shaw together and solving the crime that gave them their second chance. The villain was kept predictable and simple, but not in a bad way. By having a few names thrown around as possible suspects but the feeling that it was really one person kept the suspense at the same time as not drawing it out or making it unnecessarily complicated. Shaw’s pride and determination to maintain his independence didn’t trump smart actions to stay safe and I can’t fully express how much I liked and respected that about him. It’s a big pet peeve of mine when the “I have to do this myself/I can take care of myself” attitude smothers common sense.
The dreams were helpful for the individuals and ended up being really sweet moments, though I will say they felt a little out of place on the whole mainly because it didn’t exactly jive with the overall feel of the story or any kind of spiritual-ish vibes from either Nick or Shaw up to that point. The ending, though, was totally perfect for these men and the story was a really great way to showcase their happiness, it felt so right for the couple. I really enjoyed getting the story of their second chance, finally watching them find their forever was worth the wait.