Have Mercy

By: Christina Lee

Narrated by: Nick J. Russo

Julian North

My whole world changed with one roadside bomb and an honorable discharge. Not even the city I used to love can ease the restlessness inside me. I don’t expect visiting my cousin Sienna’s farm to do the trick, either, but the change of scenery can’t hurt.

Wyoming isn’t what I expected - from the mischievous pig following me around, to the rescue horse I’ve become strangely fascinated with. And then, there’s Kerry, the handsome, brooding cowboy, who somehow calms the storm inside me - and just happens to be Sienna’s ex-husband.

Kerry Carmichael

I’ve had a rough go of it since I came out - disappointing my family, the divorce, and the blow of my daughter’s illness. Things are settling down now, my kiddo is healthy, and Sienna and I are finally on solid ground. Not everyone accepts me, but I’ve owned my truth, even if I spend my life solo. Only, now that Julian’s here, I’m not so lonesome, anymore. He’s a kindred spirit. First as someone to talk to, then as...more. The first time I hold him through one of his nightmares, I feel a rightness I never expected to find.

We know this’ll end with the summer, but with every stolen kiss against the stable walls, with every heated or tender moment, I fall deeper. The reality is, I can’t risk my family or the business by going public with him. I know this can never last and that Julian doesn’t belong here. So, why does it feel like he already does?

©2020 Christina Lee (P)2020 Christina Lee

Great book!!

I loved this story and while I know Nick will always be a great listen this one I think was one of his best. I was captured by the 2 men and the supporting characters it was the perfect balance of their instant attention but slower connect and the rest of the storyline as well. It was really sexy and over all just a great book

Love this!

This book has become a new favorite. Julian has come to Wyoming to his cousin Sienna's ranch to get himself away from the city and maybe help him with his nightmares since his discharge. Kerry is Sienna's ex husband and they run the ranch together while caring for their daughter. This is a wonderful story and I just love the connection between Julian and Kerry, and how they help each other. I love the horse therapy and that they take in rescues. The ranch really seems like a wonderful place to live and work. This is definitely a book to enjoy again and again and I recommend it. 
Narrator Nick J. Russo does an amazing job. 

Lovely, low angst love story.

4.5*

I originally read Have Mercy when the book released last year so I'll share that review below. I really enjoyed reading Kerry and Julian's story, but listening to Nick Russo bring the characters to life was even more special. I rounded my original review down to 4*, but this time around I'm rounding it up to 5*! I loved the emotions Nick brought to his performances of both characters. They were each dealing with a lot of changes in their lives and he was able to really portray how they were feeling with his voice- through the changes and inflections he made while speaking. He made me feel even more for Kerry and Julian than I did while reading. It was a very well done performance and I'd definitely recommend listening to the audiobook version of this story!

Have Mercy was a lovely, engaging, low-angst, slow burn love story. Kerry and Julian are both such endearing characters who deserved all the love!
I was so happy to see Kerry really come into his own and accept who he was, even in the face of the backlash from his family and friends.
I liked that there wasn't a lot of drama in this book, other than a little when it came to Kerry's brother. Even with the disapproval from his father it never got ugly, which I really appreciated. He and Sienna worked hard to keep a caring family relationship for their daughter.
Julian was going through a bit of a rough time himself, dealing with the aftermath of what happened to his fellow soldiers. "Escaping" to his cousin's ranch was just what he needed, to help bring a little calm to his life.
While there were growing feelings between them, both Kerry and Julian fought it for as long as they could- not wanting to upset the balance of the life Kerry had created, especially when Julian was going to be leaving at the end of the summer. But sometimes you just have to let go and give in, and when these 2 did, boy was my heart happy. I loved Julian and Kerry together- they were so, so good for each other!
This was such a heartwarming romance, something I've learned I can count on from Christina Lee.

Julian and Kerry's Western Love Story

A stand-alone novel by Christina Lee, ‘Have Mercy’ tells the love story of combat veteran Julian and Wyoming farmer Kerry. This is my first experience reading Chistina Lee, and after this book, it’s definitely not going to be my last.

This delicious slow-burn romance is written with light angst, allowing a true-to-life story to unfold. There are hurt/comfort elements due to Julian’s PTSD that are handled sensitively. Kerry has somehow gotten it into his head that his coming-out has devastated his entire family. Both men erroneously believe they don’t deserve to find their person and it takes them some time to come to terms with their feelings for one another. The story has some heart-wrenching emotional moments (I cried a little), but they make the HEA that much more satisfying.

The Wyoming setting of the book is as enticing as the story itself. Lee’s detail of Kerry’s farm help put a picture in my head and enhance the reality of the entire story.

I sing the praises of Nick J Russo with each book he performs that I listen to. His brilliant voice-acting, from exposition to dialogue and character interpretation, brings the book to life.

I requested this audiobook as an ARC, that I received for free, with the purpose of providing a voluntary and honest review when finished listening.

Highly recommended.

Fun Cowboy/ Soldier mix

The story with the inevitable conclusion, but oh so worth it. I could feel it coming throughout the book and enjoyed every line of anticipation. Good job for Christina. Great job for Nick, sexy, sure narration. Voices perfect.

Lovely romance

Have mercy was a lovely romance but at times it made me so mad. The main characters Kerry and Julian are both men dealing with damage. Julian has serious PTSD from dealing with tours of duty in the army. A year after discharge and still, at loose ends, he accepts an invitation to go to his cousin's ranch in Wyoming to help with a building project. He's lived in New York City all his life but visited Wyoming several times as a child.

Kerry is a man who did the right things for the wrong reasons. He bowed to his family's demand that their ranch is the center of his life. Although he knew in high school that he was most probably gay, he hid himself because he did not want to disappoint his family. He married his high school sweetheart and they had one child Ainsley. When Kerry's wife Sienna found out he was gay, it was not a smooth, happy coming out. It was followed immediately by his family shutting him out. And then his daughter was diagnosed with leukemia. Through all of this and continuing throughout the story, he has carried such a burden of guilt. That burden affects him just as much as Julian's PTSD affects him.

I enjoyed the characters. I enjoyed the setting. The story was lovely. It was a gentle reaching of two men for each other and recognizing in each other the damage. What I did not like and what made me so mad was the pressure that was put on Kerry that even though he came out he still needed to keep quiet. He still needed to not date anybody. He still needed to make his family's ranch and now his and Sienna's farm the center of everything. The pressure on him to carry the burden of guilt and anger from everybody else. I just wanted to go slap his family upside the head.

Nick Russo did a nice job narrating. He has distinct voices for Kerry and Julian. I was somewhat surprised that Julian did not have a definite accent coming from New York. Other than that the voices were all very good and easy to understand. I received a copy of Have Mercy from Audible because I won a contest on Facebook run by the author. I listened to the book and then wrote an honest review. I am going to look for more from Christina Lee since I really enjoyed this story.

A easy 5 ☆☆☆☆☆ Stars !!!

This book was highly enjoyable. It has a great flow to the story and all of the characters are so well developed. Kerry and Jules have instant chemistry and I really appreciated the way Kerry was so respectful and thoughtful of Serrina and his family. I will happily buy more books by Christina Lee.

Great story!

I loved this sweet and steamy love story! Julian and Kerry are such great characters and I fell in love with them both. Their love is so tender and heartfelt and the supporting cast of characters added so much to the warm fuzzy feelings this book provoked. Each of the main leads had deep wounds from their past and the individual strengths of each of them complimented the other. Julian was trying to heal from a devastating tragedy that occurred while serving in Afghanistan and Kerry's calm and gentle countenance was the balm Julian's soul needed to heal from his PTSD. I loved that Christina brought in the healing power of animals, pigs and horses and horse therapy. Julian's courage and openness and his ability to wear his heart on his sleeve contradicted Kerry's fear and challenged his resignation that he didn't deserve to have a other shot at love. He gave Kerry a glimpse of what his life could be rather than what he'd settled for because of his sense of duty and assuming too much responsibility for choices made when he was a young man. Nick J Russo is one of the very best narrators in the audio world if not the best and he interpreted this story beautifully. Great collaboration between a fabulous author and narrator! I highly recommend!!!

Good All Around

Love a good cowboy story, Nick did a good job narrating, the pace was good and constant.

Romantic!

Loved this super sweet, low angst romance and Nick did a great job with the narration.