Ally. Protector. Lover.
Security consultant Lee tells himself he not interested in the outrageous flirting coming his way from the young barista in a bookshop café. With the ink still wet on the career-defining deal he’s just signed, Lee’s got no time for a man in his life — especially not one who wears rainbow wristbands and has bright streaks of dye running through his hair.
Dominic’s … hair.
Dominic’s fighting to stop the destruction of an iconic LGBT venue but with little support, the campaign’s going nowhere. Maybe the moodily good looking guy in the sharp, corporate suit can be persuaded to get involved — and not just with the campaign.
As Lee and Dominic’s unlikely affair heats up, the campaign goes cold — until a charismatic stranger appears on the scene, determined to kickstart it into life. But something about the would-be saviour doesn’t add up.
As the dark and twisted truth is unearthed, Lee and Dominic are forced to confront the terrifying fact that the old venue isn’t all that’s facing destruction.
Note: this book was previously published under the name of A E Ryecart. The cover and description may (or may not) have changed, but the book title and contents remain the same as before.
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Radical Hearts is book two In the Deviant Hearts series. We do meet Lee In book one and there is an appearance of Billy and Dashiell in this book but I think it’s safe to say it’s not necessary to have read the first in order to enjoy this one… but I recommend book one!
Now having said that… I did enjoy this book, though it isn’t quite as dark as the first.
Lee is starting up his own business as a security consultant, going through a rough breakup, and finds himself in a vegan café/bookshop. The worker behind the counter catches his eye and he finds himself pulled there more and more.
Dominic is trying to help save an old LGBTQ pub from being torn down and converted into swanky flats for the rich but his innocent help and the secrets he has could put his life in danger.
I loved Lee and was eagerly waiting for his story from the first book. I have to say this was not what I expected but I loved it. I loved the characters; the story was intriguing and kept you glued to the page. It is hot and sexy and the twists near the end nail-biting.
I listened to this on audio as I love Dan Calley and I think he really made this even better if that’s at all possible. I love his accents and the way he carries a story so I do recommend if you can get the audio!
Wow what a book.
This book had just about everything. Love. Laughter, angst, betrayal, twists after twists in the story.
My heart stopped a couple of times but I loved it and would recommend to everyone.
I listened and read this book, I loved the audio version. Can’t wait to read more books from this author. Excellent.
I was gifted the AUDIO file of this book.
This is book 2 in the Deviant Hearts series, but it can totally be read/listened to as s stand alone book. Dashel and Billy from book one do pop up, but they are not central to the plot. I do, however, suggest you DO read/listen to Captive Hearts, cos you know, I said so!
Lee is out of the police force, after one particular undercover operation tips him over the edge and is currently building his security business. Finding the cafe to wait out the storm brings Dominic into his life, and things are not ever going to be the same again. Dominic is head of a campaign to save a rundown pub from development, and its floundering. A saviour comes to help, but is he all he seems?
So! Again, I need to say, usually I try to keep two seperate parts to my audio reviews, one for the book and one for the narration. Increasingly, especially with first person books, I can’t do that. So not gonna really try to!
Lee is part of the plot of Deviant Hearts, and I knew when I was listening to that book, I needed to hear his story. So glad I got the chance!
There is immediate attraction between lee and Dominic, that much is obvious, but what I particularly liked about this one is that much of the “action” is off page! Go figure, me, who likes her books down and dirty, and this one . . .isn’t so much! Oh don’t get me wrong, it’s hot and it’s sexy, it’s all just that little bit out of reach and I really did love that.
There was MUCH going on, aside from the romance between Lee and Dominic. MUCH. There is the campaign to save Charlie’s. There is Dominic’s ex, who he has to work with, still trying to get back with Dom. Lee’s ex, causing him problems too. There is the new guy taking up the baton for Charlie’s too. Dom’s dad is trying to make amends with him for what he did all those years ago, and Lee’s business is taking up a lot of his time. All of these items come together in a spectactular fashion!
Dan Calley again narrates. The man is growing on me, big time!
He gets over all of Lee’s need to be ENOUGH for Dominic, to be the best he can, regardless of what his ex said. Calley gets over every single alarm bell that Lee has about *everything*! But I loved that Lee is listening to his instincts, and Calley gets that feeling across beautifully. Calley gets over every single thing Dom thinks of his father, of his brother, and how much he loves his little sister. What Dom feels about Tiger, the ex. What Dom feels when all becomes shockingly clear and how much that hurts him.
And Calley gets over every single thing Dom feels when things come to a head.
You can READ the words, and you get a picture, you know, but LISTENING to them? Paints a totally different picture to the one you read. It’s why I really enjoy listening to a book AFTER I’ve read them.
There is a third book, but I’m not entirely sure where the characters in that book fit in with Billy and Dashel, or with Lee and Dominic, but I look forward to listening to that, when it comes out in audio. I don’t like to flip between listening and reading in the same series, it sor of spoils it for me a bit.
5 stars for the book
5 stars for the narration
5 stars overall.
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Lee Adams has had enough of police work. It’s taken a toll on him and he had to get out and find a new direction before he broke. Working as a security consultant, Lee can still utilize all his skills, and have a social life at the same time. And it’s the perfect time for Lee to get a social life – he’s broken up with his boyfriend, he’s secured a lucrative work contract – everything seems just right for a new relationship. Dominic is definitely new to Lee – he’s colorful and bright, working at a bookshop and trying to sustain a campaign to save a run-down pub.
I adored Lee and Dominic’s relationship. They are both such independent characters who have been hurt by past relationships, and yet they were able to fit together so perfectly. They had to work for it, but they never stopped, despite the obstacles (some of them quite terrifying) that popped up.
The narration was fantastic!!!! I love Dan Calley’s performance. I love the energy he infuses into his book. The steamy moments are even steamier, and he brings such an intensity to the action sequences.
4.5 stars
Heat Level: 3.5
Narration: 4.5
Yes!!! Lee’s story!
I just knew there was so much more to Lee and knew he had a good heart! After a chance meeting, sparks fly for Lee and Dominic. Both with their own baggage and issues they forge a tentative connection that leads to more. With some questionable characters, dubious intentions and some good old fashioned intrigue, we are taken on a twisted story of warped revenge against someone in Dominic’s life. (no spoilers, LOL).
Now I must say, I was actually surprised by the links between the characters and looking back I can’t believe I missed it! I think I was just too focused on the allusive and shady Jez! I feel these links between all the characters were very well done and I honestly thought there were parallels but no connection until the big reveal. Whether I just missed it or it was actually that well hidden I’m not sure but I still loved the twists and turn, danger and sparks along the way.
I really like Dom & Lee and liked that we got more of Dashiell & Billy too. A great follow up and great audio too!
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Edited to add my comments on the audio book 3/10/20:
Story: 5
Narration: 4
Overall: 5
I have to be honest. When I listened to the first book in this series, Captive Hearts, I wasn’t sure how I felt about the narrator. You see, I’m American and Dan Calley’s British accent was different from other ones I’ve listened to, and it was a bit tough for me to get used to. However, my opinion changed completely after listening to the second book.
As I said above, it took me a bit to get used to Dan Calley’s accent but once I did, I was captivated by the story while listening to Radical Hearts. So much so that I went back and listened to Captive Hearts a second time. He does a good job with different voices for the different characters and I loved the soft tone of his voice. What this experience tells me is that I shouldn’t judge a narrator solely by how much I did/didn’t enjoy just one book.
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I didn’t expect what happened! Great story!
Radical Hearts is book two in the Deviant Hearts series. While it can easily be read as a standalone, I also recommend reading book one, Captive Hearts, because it is such a great story and it’s where we first met Lee. Like Captive Hearts, this story is told in first person POV alternating between the two MCs (main characters): Lee and Dominic.
The blurb/synopsis for the book is great so I won’t retell it here. Much of this story is about the developing relationship between Lee and Dominic, and while it moved at a nice pace, both of them were a bit wary of rushing into anything serious.
Radical Hearts had a brilliant twist that I never saw coming. I knew that something was brewing when the character called Jez showed up but the author did a great job of keeping us in the dark and kind of stringing us along. I don’t mean that things were too drawn out, rather I was kept on the edge of my seat, so to speak, waiting with anticipation and trepidation for the bad thing to happen. I surely didn’t see it coming when the first thing was revealed and then another thing happened. Sorry for being deliberately cryptic but I don’t do spoilers in my reviews (at least not intentionally).
Radical Hearts is a great story. If you like your M/M romance with a bit of mystery and suspense and an HEA you should enjoy this one a lot.
I borrowed and read this book through Kindle Unlimited.
***Review will be posted to Xtreme-Delusions dot com on 6/25/18***
Lee is secretive, controlled, dark, and severe when we meet him in Captive Hearts. But with a complete life change and a low moment during a downpour, he finds a surprise that just could maybe bring light and peace into his life. I liked Lee quite a lot in this story. He did seem like a completely different person, however, from the man we met before. There wasn’t a true seamlessness between who we met and who we’re reintroduced to. Both men are worthy of love, worthy of true freedom and future, but whether they really are the same person is debatable. What I will say about this new Lee is that there’s a captivating amount of softness and vulnerability in him.
Dominic instinctively knew that there was something inside of Lee that was worth getting to know. His eagerness and inner strength in addition to his youth and self-assurance made for an intriguing package that drew Lee in just as strongly. Their interactions were well-balanced and their connection was strong right from the start. The lives they’d both lived up to this point gave them each the tools necessary to provide a safe place for both of their hearts. Each one could open up about their pain and frustrations and while surprised at the acceptance both men displayed, they were both relieved that their fears of rejection were quashed.
The drama that surrounded both men was both a surprise and a bit predictable. I could feel that there was going to be a helluva huge family connection drama, especially since that was the source of so much pain for one of the men, but the more intense drama surrounding the Save Charlie movement was what surprised me. It was big, violent, scary, and the hints and intimations all throughout prepared us for the who, but definitely not the final confrontation.
Despite the high level of drama that surrounded and guided many of Dominic and Lee’s interactions, there’s an undeniable chemistry and compatibility between the men. There’s also an incredible amount of tenderness between them that I wasn’t expecting. I loved these two men and rooted for them the entire time, even when they fell back into old coping habits. There was a future for them that could bring them both true healing and a sense of peace that will sustain them far beyond what they could have ever achieved on their own. From the start we knew these men would have a hard road to travel to get their HEA and while that road was certainly littered with blockades and potholes, they made it through to the other side together. It was intense yet tender amongst all the crazy they had to live through.