Sticks and Stones

A Broken Heart Series Standalone

By: Susie Tate

Narrated by: Bronwen Price

For Lou, it was always Dylan.

She loved him from the moment they first met across a cadaver in the dissection room at medical school. The most gorgeous man she'd ever laid eyes on, with more Welsh charm than you could shake a stick at; she was a goner. But Lou, despite her beauty, was just too extroverted to interest Dylan, who was convinced that a quiet, shy girl, like Lou's best friend Frankie, was much more his style.

"Have at it mate but I've got two words for you: high maintenance."

"Don't think I'd mind putting in the hard yards maintaining that piece of arse," one of Dylan's more disgusting rugby mates replied.

"Well good luck to you," Dylan returned, looking completely relaxed now that they were discussing Lou and not his precious Frankie. "I like mine heavy on the sweet and light on the ball-breaking bitch, but each to his own."

After overhearing that exchange, Lou buries her pain and pines for him in private, but she can't give up their friendship. One night, eleven years later, she finally gets what she has been longing for, but the next morning, she realizes he was too drunk to even remember.

For Dylan, it was always anyone but Lou.

A born surgeon, Dylan resents having to down his orthopedic power tools for a six-month spell in Elderly Care. He thought that at least working with Lou would make his skiving easier; after all, she'd always helped him out before. And so what if he's been having these weird dreams about her since he woke up in her flat? It's not like he'd ever actually go there.

When he mistakenly believes that she's put his career in jeopardy, he loses control, and his vicious insults, publicly made, cut Lou to the bone. It's only after he loses Lou's warm smiles, dry wit, boundless energy, and outrageous banter from his life that he realizes the extent of his stupidity. Maybe sticks and stones can break bones, and that's something Dylan's surgical skills can deal with. But when it's a heart he's broken…

This book is a full-length standalone contemporary romance with an HEA and no cliffhanger.

©2014 Susie Tate (P)2024 Podium Audio

The storyline

I loved the story line. The sassy nature of Lou. The cluelessness of Dylan. And the continuing story of Frankie and Tom.

Dylan and Lou

I love anything by Susie Tate. This book was a joy to read and even better to listen too. Narration was great and the story was a joy.

A little sad

I suppose it’s supposed to be kind of sad as it’s the broken hearts series. I just don’t think I’ll be reading them all in a row.

Good Grovel.

It had a good grovel but personally I wouldn’t give Dillion a chance. In fairytale land you can accept the HEA and that he won’t hurt her but in real life no way he wasn’t going to screw up. He hurt her more than helped her in this story so not my favorite male characters. Wished the author gave him a few more positive scenes to boost his character, to make him feel worthy but still gave story 5 stars. Story was worth reading.