Stubborn Heart (Atlanta Hearts Book 1)

Ken Murphy has written a truly gut wrenching scene that allows to feel the pain these guys endure. Their lives are realistic and we are given a look at the good and bad in their lives. Mar 17, Alina added it. I'm sorry to say it, but this book turned out to be a big disappointment for me: Mark and Trevor were in the cruise with Trevor's family and the kids, so it was all mostly about them spending time with the kids and they barely returned when they decided to have their own kids, so later on it was all about the surrogacy and the pregnancy and I skipped and skipped and skipped, because I'm just not i I'm sorry to say it, but this book turned out to be a big disappointment for me: Mark and Trevor were in the cruise with Trevor's family and the kids, so it was all mostly about them spending time with the kids and they barely returned when they decided to have their own kids, so later on it was all about the surrogacy and the pregnancy and I skipped and skipped and skipped, because I'm just not interested in these things at all!

Then Trevor changes jobs, so he could spend more time with his family, Trevor's sister - who suggested being their surrogate - gives birth, the end. The book wasn't bad by any means, but the theme wasn't interesting to me in the slightest, so I just wish there's more info about the content in the blurb. Mar 30, Pam Kay rated it it was amazing. Ken Murphy has done a brilliant job portraying the emotions and love that these two men share and the heartbreak and sadness they go through. The story line progresses right from the first novel, then the two men have decided to move to Boston so they can continue to live their lives together.

The two main characters develop even further as their love for each other deepens as they endure loss and sadness along with bringing new life into their world. I love this book and the characters. I hope Ken Murphy has done a brilliant job portraying the emotions and love that these two men share and the heartbreak and sadness they go through. I hope we hear more from these two as their lives continue. I laughed, I cried, I felt all the emotions that these two felt. Highly recommend this novel. A Beautiful and Amazing Love Story. The story continues with the nurse and the doctor This is an amazing story.

It was really sad almost towards the end of the book but it has gotten a lot better at the end. In the sad part, I literally cried at what happened. This is definitely a must-read, but read the Stubborn Heart first before this one. Jun 13, Jendi rated it liked it. Plot starts off slow, too many set pieces of family fun times without dramatic tension, but the final chapters where they become dads are heart-tugging. I'd read more in this series. Aug 07, Elizabeth Johnston rated it it was amazing. Thoroughly enjoyed the story. Oct 22, Joyfully Jay rated it really liked it Shelves: A Joyfully Jay review.

I really enjoyed watching these guys fall in love in the first book and getting the continuation of the story was wonderful. I have to give a nod A Joyfully Jay review. I have to give a nod to the consistencies between the stories and how the characters remained the same while still managing to grow.

I loved seeing these guys again, and having them feel so familiar, but also seeing how they were continuing to change and adapt with their lives. Except when it became obvious that the job he had was no longer good for him, or for his husband, he was willing to pull up stakes immediately.

This was both in keeping with the character we already knew, but showed how he had grown as well. Mar 29, Lucy added it. I'm not going to be able to rate this one because it was completely different than what I thought it would be via the blurb. Yes, Mark hates the cold weather of Boston and actually hurts himself on the ice. Yes, Trevor works too much and has a minor accident because of it. But is the conflict what the book is really about? This book is about the kids - very, very detailed descriptions of the cruise the men take with family including five nephews and what they do; details of the I'm not going to be able to rate this one because it was completely different than what I thought it would be via the blurb.

This book is about the kids - very, very detailed descriptions of the cruise the men take with family including five nephews and what they do; details of their surrogacy and then details of the birth of their babies and the problems associated with it. While I like kids in my books, I wasn't expecting it to such a degree here.

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Continue shopping Checkout Continue shopping. Book One After breaking up with his cheating boyfriend, Mark Smith keeps life simple: Ratings and Reviews 0 0 star ratings 0 reviews. Overall rating No ratings yet 0. Ken Murphy sex scenes were really detailed, thumb up.

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Sure the storyline is light and circles mainly around Trevor's attempts to crack into Mark's defences. Sep 09, Ricardo rated it liked it. I also encourage the author to do better reasearch for his characters. A specialty in cardiac surgery would require a minnimum of 12 years or more. It would be extremely unlikely for Trevor to be a fellow in a big hospital supervising residents at 28 years old if he started college when he was Possible but not probable May 23, Phaney marked it as abandoned Shelves: Usually I abandon a book because it offends me or horrifies me or infuriates me.

I am bored to death. The last book I did not finish was almost a year ago. And before that — oh, several years. So this feels like a blemish on my record somehow. Will I regret giving up?

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Sure, in a way. But to be honest, I am not all that interested in how the story progresses. So far nothing of value happened and I doubt the rest will differ. I hate throwing cold water on the thrill and hard-earned satisfaction of that. Okay, let me collect my notes. Negative feedback can be useful, right?

Well, I am being too strict. This might as well be omniscient viewpoint. Later on we learn that, yes, this is very much omni. Within the same paragraph we learn what Trevor thinks and how he appears to Mark while he talks. Zoom out with your camera, in a way. Otherwise it feels confusing and messy to the reader. The drawback of this is a disconnect; modern readers are unlikely to be used to this kind of storytelling.

Sharing Heart

This reads like a textbook on the subject. Sadly, it turns out that this is the overall tone. Ah god, the narrative is inventorying every single movement, especially when it comes to positioning the protagonists with each other. I am terrified of how that will play out once the sex starts. Probably a good reason for me to stop reading. Considering that Mark claims he wants to avoid getting into something with Trevor, I find it odd that he keeps flirting and seeking Trevor out anyway.

In a very old-fashioned-het-romance way, really. Even the nondescript waiter takes note of this by letting only Trevor taste the wine. And, well, those romance heroines of yore, they really tended to play hot and cold with the heroes, jerking them around without ever giving it thought. But then Mark had to giggle. People do not look incredible. Unless maybe if they have three heads and a tail. They can look incredulous; they can look incredibly handsome although in that case it needs to be to a truly astonishing degree. And an inventory of clothing items afterwards does not actually help.

This obsession with what people are wearing? I just might be weird. Jeans, shirts — that sort of thing. I want to make it clear that I am certain some people will thoroughly enjoy this story. I am simply not one of them. For one thing, my opinion holds little value to anyone but myself. In the end, this is more painful for me than a rage-quit would be, but leaves a lot more room for hope.

Okay, I am skimming and skipping through the rest after all, and the infuriating thing is that there are some really good instances. Half a sentence, or the idea for an interaction, a thought. And maybe I was wrong about the viewpoint in that it already is much too distant. Emotions have no zing to them here and I am not sure why, because there definitely are emotional responses going on. I wish I could just peel that top layer off and have that book I want. He enjoys his single life, independent and free to do as he chooses.

When he meets Dr. But Trevor thinks differently and pursues Mark until he gets him in his bed, then continues to pursue him until he accidentally slips and tells Mark that he loves him, and Mark is ready to call it quits. Trevor has to compromise and promise not to talk about love or commitment. This story is a fairly smooth emotional ride from the point where the two men meet to the end where Mark is finally able to see the benefit of compromise and has lost his heart to Trevor. Sure, there were some incidents along the way, involving family issues and personal injury, but overall, it was not a highly-emotional story.

The narrator did a good job on the voices, yet his narration of the story segments had a bit of an overly dramatic quality to them. The author went into highly detailed descriptions of some of the medical procedures and daily job responsibilities of both MCs, as well as of other activities they enjoyed and places they visited. I suspect that if I read the story, I may have become impatient and scanned ahead, but the pace was just right for an audiobook that I wanted to entertain me for a few days while I was out walking or went about my daily household activities.

If you like a simple and sweet romance with two very likeable MCs and secondary characters, this book would be perfect for you. This audiobook was provided to me by the publisher through Hearts on Fire Reviews in exchange for an impartial review. Apr 28, Pixie Mmgoodbookreviews rated it really liked it Shelves: Trevor falls hard for Mark from the first second he sets eyes on him, but getting Mark to go out with him is harder than he thought. This is quite an easy flowing love story where the choice is protecting your heart or accepting love.

Mark and Trevor are a very easy couple to like, even when you plainly see Mark acting like an idiot trying to deny what he is feeling.

Stubborn Heart

Trevor seems really cute and gentle but he goes after what he wants. Mark is nice and stubborn and believes in protecting his heart. Put the two men together and you have a slight angsty relationship where they are perfect together until they begin to think of the future. This story is very well done for a first published work.

Stolen Hearts, "Heart Collector," Star Bar Atlanta 1/23/2010

I have to recommend this to those who like developing love stories, a touch of angst, learning to trust your heart, grabbing onto love while you can, sweet lovemaking and a very happy ending. May 26, Chris Jeffreys rated it really liked it.

See a Problem?

Mark is an ICU nurse at a hospital in Atlanta. He has a bad track record with boyfriends who cheat on him. One day, Mark is doing an orientation program for new hospital staff, and he meets Trevor, a new fellow in the heart surgery unit. Trevor appears to be totally hot and totally dreamy and wants to get to know Mark better.

Mark and Trevor start seeing each other, but Mark wants to keep it very light because he doesn't want to get hurt again. But, it is clear that Trevor has fallen hard for Mark. And truth be told, Mark has also fallen for Trevor, but he won't admit to it himself. There is an odd "third wheel" in this relationship -- Trevor's roommate named Derrick. Trevor and Derrick had previously dated and the author tells us that these two men had sex three times. It looks like this subplot in the story will play an important part in he story because here is so much foreshadowing, but it just dies on the vine.

There is one really dopey plot element in the book concerning a mugging and gun shot incident. There was no foreshadowing that the area where the incident occurred was a crime prone area. It was as though the author decided that there needs to be some more angst to force these two men to come together -- and it came across as a badly conceived and forced plot mechanism.

The story is simply about the everyday decisions that are made in life -- how serious is the main character's relationship? Where are they going to live? How can Mark let go of all of his insecurities when it comes down to trusting a partner? These are not monumental, earth shattering questions, but these are the questions we all face in everyday life, and sometimes reading a book about everyday life is enjoyable. In this novel, we get to see how these two main characters resolve these questions in their own lives.

It's a nice, sweet story. I liked the main characters, and most of the secondary characters although is still think there is something fishy about the relationship with Derrick. I would like to read more about these main characters, and their lives together. Four stars from me. Apr 30, NancyM added it Shelves: The POV changes suddenly, and the tenses in sentences are mixed.

Carla I think she's supposed to be the "sassy best friend" is annoying; pushing her job off on to Mark and having nick names for everyone. I think she could have been a good character, but she just rubs me the wrong way. Some of the strangest things were also expanded upon.



Whipped potatoes and a medley of roasted broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower provided the perfect accompaniment to the chicken. Then again the author might have spent too much time researching and eating hospital food that anything eaten later tasted like ambrosia! I'll try again to read it thoroughly, but for now I'm not making any promises. May 11, Al rated it it was ok Shelves: I don't love it and I don't hate it. The preview was fun and engaging, just like the first couple of chapters. After that, it quickly becomes hum-drum and I've found myself nodding off a couple times.