Ironhearted (Hope Cove #3), Cate Ashwood

IronheartedRating:  4 Stars

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Genre:  Gay Romance

Tags: Ex Jock, Kid, Contemporary, Series 

Length: 200 Pages 

Reviewer: Kazza K

Purchase At: Dreamspinner Press, amazon.com

 

 

 

Long before the other couples came out, or got together in Hope Cove, Haydn Prescott has been the local out and proud gay man. He has been there for Mack and Oliver, Declan and Lucas and he is happy for them all. But he likes one night stands and no complications. A bit of fun. So, when Mack and Oliver have little Maggie babysat for the night, he heads out with them as his wingmen for a night of fun, dancing and, hopefully some sexy man to have wild monkey sex with –

“Tonight is not about bunnies and babies. Tonight is about getting me laid,” Haydn said as he flicked the visor and used the miniature mirror to touch up his eyeliner. “It’s been way too long since I’ve been good and fucked, and if you two are proper wingmen, we can find some beautiful man to take me home and I will be far less of a bitch in the future.”

Haydn does find a sexy man to go home with and to be well and truly fucked by. Trevor is tall and blonde and he is just what Haydn ordered.  They make it as far as Trevor’s car before a blowjob takes place, and all the way back to the motel Trevor plays with Haydn’s cock through his short shorts, making Haydn ready to explode. Once they get to the room things heat up even more – Two guys together naked 6

 Trevor reached down and pulled Haydn up against him with one arm, pinning him between his hard body and the wall. Haydn instinctively wrapped his legs around Trevor’s waist, writhing against him as they made out like teenagers.
“Bed,” Trevor grunted at last and held on tight as he carried Haydn, still wrapped tightly around him, to the bed.
“Thank fuck,” Haydn said as Trevor dropped him onto the soft mattress.

Haydn is ready to go home straight after sex but Trevor wants Haydn over and over so he asks him to stay. He’ll be gone in the morning anyway and Haydn can leave when he wakes up. No big deal. So Haydn stays, they have a good night and he is on his way the next morning. But he is left thinking about that night with Trevor several weeks later when Trevor turns up at his bakery with a five year old and a pretty woman in tow. Haydn assumes that Trevor is a cheating douchebag and Trevor is too busy being floored by seeing Haydn again and ordering cupcakes for his daughter, Violet, to say anything to Haydn.

When they do get a chance to speak, Trevor takes a while to get a word in edgewise as Haydn tells him how he feels. The thing is, yes, Violet is his daughter as a result of one night with her mother, and he has custody. He is not a cheating douchebag, and the woman is his sister, Sam.

From here, Ironhearted is about Haydn and Trevor getting closer. Haydn being petrified about commitment and his back and forth on loving the time spent with Trevor, then with Trevor and Violet, to not wanting the whole relationship and family thing. To just being on his own with no complications. Sure, his friends are happy, but he has seen how badly a relationship can impact people who are stuck and/or unhappy in one. He is happy in his life with his business, his friends, and his occasional partner. He is not keen on where things might go if he allows this whole Cleaver thing with Trevor happen. Trevor is a nice guy, he can see how nerve wracking this is on Haydn, so he takes it slow and they agree on ‘casual.’ But more and more they are having movie nights at Trevor’s big house outside town and Violet likes Haydn as well. He even ends up staying one night and having a family moment the next day with pancakes for breakfast –

He had a strange urge to hyperventilate. Haydn, the man who tried never to spend the full night with anyone, had not only stayed until morning, he’s woken up to breakfast and a kidlet. The whole situation made him panicky.

Things come to a head when Haydn goes on a school whale-watching excursion with Violet and Trevor, and Violet kind of pushes their relationship into a more serious situation. Haydn panics, and then it’s a matter of where things will go from there. 

Two things niggled at me in regards to the book and stopped it from getting 5 stars. I know Trevor is an ex NHL star – the guys are all excited about him at a poker game, Haydn is clueless – but what does he do now? That isn’t explained. And the whole grandparents thing came from left of centre and felt like a clunky plot device. 

Apart from that, I thought Ironhearted was a really good book, but my heart still lies with Mack, and Mack and Oliver. It was lovely to see them with little Maggie. And Oliver, Haydn’s best friend and business partner, was so supportive and good to Haydn throughout Haydn’s dilemma in Ironhearted.

Overall:

I recommend this series for gay romance lovers, those who like a series with different MC’s in each one, while still giving you good glimpses of the previous characters and their lives without them taking over. Also for lovers of sexy but sweet romance, although this book is the steamiest of the series. And if you are like my blog partner, Cindi, and like children in your romance reading, then you are covered here as well. I don’t like it so much, but Violet is cute. This is a really nice series and I do recommend taking a visit to Cate Ashwood’s charming Hope Cove.    

 Review copy supplied by the author in return for an honest review.

   

 



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CindikazzakLisa H Recent comment authors
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Cindi
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With each book you read of this series, I want to read the series more. Yes, your blog partner would be all over this one because of Violet. I love children in my books.

😀

Another great review and that picture (as always) is HOT!

Lisa H
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Lisa H

Great review, Kazza. I really enjoyed the first two books in this series. Oliver and Mack are favorites of mine, too. Looking forward to Haydn’s story. He is such a character. 😀 I already bought my copy, just finishing up Dirty Deeds by SE Jakes right now. Next up, I plan on starting Ironhearted and then I can’t wait to read Mercy’s latest release, Offside Chance. So many good books to read, so little time. 🙂

Oh, lovely picture. 😀