The Hanged Man's Hero

By: Summer Devon

Narrated by: Mark James

Condemned for murder, Dez Moore awaits the hangman’s noose. Though he killed to defend a woman, the court shows no mercy, and, resigned, he attempts to make amends with his estranged sister. His letter bidding his sister good-bye falls into the wrong hands, and suddenly, he is facing another future - one that may exist, thanks to a man he doesn’t know.

Once a poor mudlark, Carl Reis is a powerful businessman with an erratic impulse to save desperate people. When Dez’s letter comes to him, he takes an interest in the prisoner. But the charming and disruptive Dez Moore proves to be more attractive than any of his other rescues. He stirs urges Carl has long suppressed, and makes him yearn for a future even he could not foresee. One with the lively Mr. Moore by his side and in his bed.

Long used to doing for others - some might say controlling them - while maintaining his solitary existence, Carl struggles to keep Dez from breaching his walls. But the tenacious Dez will do all it takes to capture his rescuer’s heart.

This is an expanded version of The Scent of Hope, a Goodreads free read.

©2016 K. Rothwell (P)2019 K. Rothwell

Amazing listen!

I have been loving Summer Devon's books and this is no different. Carl and Dez's meeting is definitely different in that Carl saves Dez right before he is hung. From there I just love how they get together. How Dez knows what he wants and he wants Carl. Mark James does an amazing job with this narration. Brings all the characters to life and make so I fall in love with the characters.

enjoyable short listen

once again Summer has brought us an enjoyable listen and Mark did a wonderful job on the narration.

A good short!

4.5 stars

Narration: Mark James has an amazing voice, and I found myself pulled right in. There was a good flow to the reading, and the recording was high quality.

Story: I’m not normally a fan of historical romance, but I thought I’d give this a try. I’m glad I did. It was originally a short for Goodreads, but the author decided to expand it a bit. It's still short, and the audio only took 3 hours, but it was a good listen. I liked the characters and how they evolved as the story progressed.

When you meet Dez, he’s in prison for murder and about to be hung for his crime. That’s all you really know at first. But a visit from a Chaplin brings Carl Reis into the story. He asked Dez to write a letter to a loved one.

The reader gets the intention that Carl, although likable, is a type of grifter/mob-type character, and he’s a self-made businessman. That hasn’t stopped him from wanting to help people as projects. The letter makes its way to Carl instead of Dez’s sister. After he reads it, Carl becomes a bit obsessed with helping Dez.

From the title, you get the idea that he does help, and the story continues in a well-written love story.

I’ll be looking forward to more from both the narrator and the author.

A unique and enjoyable romance

This book attention from the moment I started listening to it and I couldn’t stop once I started. It isn’t your typical romance. Carl and Des start falling in love before they even meet. Secondary characters are also well developed. The book is sweet and entertaining. I do wish it was a longer because I would have liked to get to know the characters better, but overall I enjoyed it.

God safe the Queen

Was not sure what I had when I got this audible but I am glad I did it is a love story during the Victorian era in England around the1872 I believe it a story of a man (Reese) who came from nothing to becoming a wealth and powerful man and man (Des) who had a good life good jobs but had taken a fall he was in prison waiting to hang for murder.
As the story goes to see a friendship built between the men due to Reese feeling that Des got a unfair hearing and wanted to try to safe Des which Reese was known for but Reese was not expecting to fall for Des since their kind of connection was illegal and a death sentence. In the story you live and hear their words very well told and you get to know them as they live their lives to the fullness.
It is a great to listen to and the narrator bring each and ever character alive I highly recommend listening to audible I am sure you will enjoy it as much as I did.

I loved it

I enjoyed this story very much, it was unique and captivating. I listened to several books by this author and I love the characters she creates and the settings her stories take place in. This story of condemned man and his savior was no different, it grabbed my interest from the start and I listened to the entire story in one sitting. Narrator did a great job. Highly recommend this audiobook to romance readers who enjoy historical shorter stories.

A Lucky Mistake

A letter sent from a "convict" ends up giving him a second chance. I liked Carl's pursuit of justice for Dez. I liked how tenacious Dez was about seeking his heart's desire. I loved that both men got a second chance at love, life, and happiness. Carl's secretary was quite manipulative. I enjoyed the narrator's voice and expressions.

Intriguing premise

I don’t read many historical romance novels. Interestingly, Ava March’s Bound series first introduced me to male/male historical romances but I’ve only dabbled periodically since and when the opportunity to listen to one came up, I leapt at the chance. I’m glad I did.

The premise of the book is a young man who, while attempting to defend a woman who was being attacked, killed a man. His trial was swift and the verdict was that he’s to hang. He tries one final time to reconcile with an older sister but that missive goes astray and lands in the inbox of a fine gentleman who has a soft spot for people who are having a run of bad luck. And, needless to say, being days away from a hangman’s noose qualifies as bad luck.

Dez, the condemned man, is plucky and oddly optimistic as he faces the gallows. Or perhaps it’s more that he’s resigned. When he receives a letter promising possible help, he allows himself only a glimmer of hope. Carl, the man with the soft heart, finds he wants to save the life of the intriguing man who wrote the misdirected letter. He has no notion of who this man is, but feels a weird connection.

The hangman is thwarted and the day is saved by Carl. Dez is allowed to leave the jail but under Carl’s protection until there can be an appeal. Dez is grateful. But he feels more than that – he’s intrigued by his savior. And attracted to the man. That attraction goes both ways and although Carl has never indulged, he does allow Dez certain liberties. In the end, Dez admits their relationship might be “more than an itch to scratch”. What started as hero worship morphs into something more serious. Eventually he feels warm after being cold for months.

I enjoyed this book. The premise was unique and the execution well done. Mark James narrated the book and he did a lovely job. This was a nice treat.

True love and hope were reborn

Summer Devon is definitely my number one go to when it comes to MM historical romances. 💜 She can always write the most impossible tropes into working as smooth as a dream. 🙂👏 This title caught me immediately with its uniqueness. How will there be a romance for a man who’s about to be condemned to hang? I was really excited to find out how and wasn’t disappointed at all. 😌

Dez is about to be sent to the gallows because he was drunk and defended for a “professional woman” in the alley who was being harassed by another drunkard. Now his life is about to come to an end and all he wanted was to meet his sister one last time and get her forgiveness. But the letter to his sister was sent to a very prominent merchant who has the same last name as his sister’s late husband by accident. Now Carl Reis is very intrigued by the young man named Dez who he came to know by his earnest, desperate letter to his sister. And Carl is determined to save this helpless soul and get to know him better. But it was Dez who fell heads over heels for his savior at first sight and first scent.

Unique, refreshing, genuine and really intriguing. 😌🧡 This is quite short but packed with lots of intense emotions and feelings. Carl rose over his humble beginnings but was afraid to admit his interest in men. And Dez despite almost being at the death’s door was the brave soul who introduced Carl into love and intimacy between two men. I know Dez was going to escape from the gallows otherwise this wouldn’t be a romance at all. However it didn’t stop me from keeping me at the edge of my seat to wonder what would happen. 😅 And boy, these two men were desperately and hopelessly in love. And they got the HEA they deserved. ☺️😍 And as always, Mark James did a great job portraying this love story. I always particularly enjoy his narrations with Summer Devon’s dreamy love stories. 🥰 Highly recommended to anyone who loves historical romances.


4.25 True love and hope were reborn stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨





Audio rating

Story - 4.25 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Narration - 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Prefer Oman was - 4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Overall - 4.25 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Another great book by Summer Devon and Mark James.

I've been enjoying a lot of audiobooks from Summer Devon lately. She introduced me to Mark James' narration and I love his voice.

This is a great story about second chances – not a second chance romance but rather a man's second chance at life after being saved from the hangman's noose.

I loved the characters in this story and how Dez keeps after what he wants, and he wants the man who saved him, Carl. I also enjoyed Carl's secretary. 😊

This length of audiobook (less than 4 hours) is becoming a favorite because I can finish it in one evening. I also like longer books but sometimes find it difficult to make the time to listen to one the way I prefer – without interruption.

A complimentary copy of this audiobook was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author and/or narrator.