Hayrides with Hank

Hayrides with Hank is the latest short story from author Lilah Hart to be checked off my to be read list. I first discovered her writing when I read the Wildwood Valley Brides series, and I’ve been hooked ever since. It has become my goal to read all of her short stories, which is no small feat, but I’m slowly making my way through the list. I was searching for romance stories that I could read in an hour.

Hayrides with Hank is book seven in an eight part series from multiple authors called Mountain Men Fall Harder. Each story can be read as part of the series, or as a standalone story. I’m choosing to read it as a standalone, as I want to simply read short stories specifically from Lilah Hart right now. But how you read it is totally up to you. I like stories like that, when I can kind of choose my own adventure, so to speak.

This post contains affiliate links

At the time of publishing this review, all of Lilah Hart’s short stories, and this series, are available via Kindle Unlimited, which is an excellent way to utilize my subscription. I am notorious for paying for it, but not using it nearly as much as I should, and I’m trying to work on that more.

For me, I love reading short stories in autumn. In my narrow little world, autumn equals hoodies, soup, and football. I love watching football, which can definitely cut into my reading time a bit. Short stories mean that I can still read a good short story, but also allows me to shift some of my daily reading time to watching football instead. This means I don’t have to give up either one, or skip them.

I’m also starting to tailor my book choices to fit more into holiday themes and actively enjoying it. I was never one of those readers who did this until recently, and now I think it is another great way to celebrate the changing seasons.

Have you read Hayrides with Hank? Come on in and let me tell you about it!

About Hayrides with Hank

When a nomadic artist gets caught stealing apples by a gorgeous mountain man, sparks fly instantly. But can he convince her that love doesn’t mean giving up her freedom?

I never meant to get caught stealing apples at dawn in a Tennessee orchard.

And I definitely never meant to get caught by the most gorgeous mountain man I’ve ever seen. Hank’s got shoulders that could move mountains, a beard that makes my fingers itch to touch it, and eyes that see right through my carefully constructed walls. He’s holding a chainsaw like it weighs nothing, but instead of calling the cops on this cape-wearing trespasser, he’s looking at me like I’m something precious he’s been searching for his whole life.

Which is impossible, because we just met.

I’ve spent the last year traveling the festival circuit in my RV, selling my metal art and avoiding anything that looks like settling down. I watched my mom’s dreams die in a small town just like this one, and I swore I’d never make the same mistake. Freedom is everything. Independence is survival.

But then Hank offers to help me set up my booth, and suddenly I’m seeing Maple Ridge through different eyes.

He’s patient when I’m stubborn, gentle when I’m scared, and protective in a way that makes me feel cherished instead of caged. When he looks at me, I don’t see someone trying to clip my wings—I see someone who wants to fly with me. The problem is, I don’t know how to love someone and still be myself.

Especially when that someone makes me want things I never thought I’d want.

Like staying. Like forever. Like building a life with a man who kisses me against apple trees and makes me believe that home doesn’t have to be a prison.

But can a woman who’s spent her whole life running finally learn to stay?

Thoughts on Hayrides with Hank

In Hayrides with Hank we meet Maddie and Hank. Maddie is trespassing and stealing apples in an orchard when she comes face to face with a chainsaw wielding Hank.

I started Hayrides with Hank on a busy day, having a bunch of other things to do, writing projects, editing, and a lot more. My to-do list was a mile long. I started this story thinking that I would read one chapter during the times I took a break from my to-do list. It’s good to do something I enjoy like reading and I can get through this story today, just in segments.

I’ve done exactly this with short stories many, many times. I take a break from working and read a chapter, and by the end of the day, I’ve read the entire thing. It works perfectly. Except, I was driven to read the entire thing in one sitting today. It sucked me in and kept me reading. This is fairly rare with a short story like this. They are great for reading here and there when I have time during a busy day.

I’ll be the first to admit that the first chapter in this story had me laughing so hard. I had to carefully control it, otherwise I would have to explain to my husband why I’m in my office alone and cackling like a complete psychopath.

I liked Maddie from the beginning. She is a feisty one, who is always up for an adventure. Even when that adventure could lead to being arrested. But that makes it even more fun. She definitely was not a boring character in the story.

This is more than just the basic run of the mill romance story. It is about exploring love, identity, freedom, intimacy, vulnerability, connection, personal growth, and home. It’s about discovering that love doesn’t have to mean giving up freedom, but can become the foundation for something even bigger.

There was genuine emotion and relatability in this story, and I loved that. I could totally understand Maddie being terrified to change her life so completely, and feeling like she has to give everything up for this relationship.

But that isn’t the case. Relationships are supposed to make each person better and stronger together. Which is exactly what Hank reminded her of. I love the compromises made here, and the lasting impact it had.

Hayrides with Hanki is a story that will stick with me long after I’ve moved on to other short stories and novels. Which speaks volumes to how much of an impact it had on me.

Final Thoughts on Hayrides with Hank

I’m calling Hayrides with Hank a five star read. Because as I said, it is one that will stick with me and I’ll remember. I wasn’t expecting that, to be honest. Short stories rarely have an impact like that.

Sure, they’re great, and easy to read. But it isn’t often that they invoke that kind of understanding, emotion, and impact on me as a reader. I am impressed with the fact Lilah Hart could do that here.

I’m also reading the Wildwood Valley Harvest series right now, and it seems like Lilah Hart’s writing is just continuing to improve right now. She is on a roll. Now, I don’t mean to say that her writing was bad prior to these. Not by any stretch of the imagination.

What I mean is that I’m noticing that her stories have more of an impact with her newest writing, and I absolutely love that. Building characters and creating relatable emotions in a short story isn’t always easy. But that is exactly what I want. Yes, it is a short story. But I want all the feelings that I can find in a novel, and I got exactly what I wanted here.

Hayrides with Hank is a story that I’m buying outright, it is going to stay on my Kindle, and I will absolutely read it again in the future. It is just that good. If you’re not reading this story, you are absolutely missing out on something amazing. Trust me when I say that this is a story you will absolutely want to read.

Hayrides with Hank is part of a multi-author series, and if the rest of the series is this good, it is one I’ll be reading very soon! At this time, I’ve chosen to simply read Lilah Hart’s story as a standalone, and not the others in the series. But after reading Hayrides with Hank, my mind may have been changed.

If you enjoyed Hayrides with Hank, you’ll want to read Overtime with Orion, which is a bonus story from Lilah Hart in this same series.

Discussion

Have you read Hayrides with Hank or any other writing from author Lilah Hart? Are you a fan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

About the Author

Lilah Hart has been writing and publishing for more than a decade, both for traditional publishers and independently. She writes short, steamy reads with plenty of heart. When she’s not writing, she loves binge-watching reality TV shows while sipping moscato. She lives in Knoxville with her husband and her pet Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

Purchasing Hayrides with Hank

If you are interested in buying the Kindle version of Hayrides with Hank, click here.
Click here for my favorite Kindle I currently own.

Amazon Notice

The Reading Wife is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, at no added cost to you.

Hayrides with Hank