Title: A Kind of Romance
Series: A Kind Of Series 2
Author: Lane Hayes
Narrator: Seth Clayton
Genre: Contemporary
Length: 9 hrs 1 min
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (27 September 2016)
Heat Level: Explicit
Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts
Blurb: Zeke Gulden is a ruthless Wall Street exec. His hard-edged, no-nonsense attitude has served him well in the cutthroat business world, but less so in his personal life. When he finds out his ex-boyfriend cheated on him with a coworker, Zeke can’t let go until he finds a way to get even. However, his meddlesome father has other ideas. The new hire at the family-owned bagel store is somewhat colorful, but his dad is sure he’s the perfect man for Zeke.
Benny Ruggieri is a fiercely proud New Yorker who dreams of making it big as a costume designer in the theater. In the meantime, he’s working two part-time jobs in the food biz. When his new boss sets him up with his successful son, Benny has zero expectations. If nothing else, he figures he can entertain himself by making the uptight businessman squirm. Instead, the two become unlikely friends with an inexplicable attraction they can’t ignore. Benny might be the one to help Zeke set aside his quest for revenge, if he’s willing to let go and forgive what he can’t forget and give in to an unexpected kind of romance.
Product Link: Audible US | Audible UK
Reviewer: Prime
Review: This is book 2 in Lane Hayes’ A Kind of Stories series. However, this can be treated as a standalone book. Other than an appearance from the couple from book 1, A Kind of Truth, there is no ongoing plot to worry about. I have to say that I find it quite remarkable that I have felt a lot more happiness, joy and romance from the audio of this series than I have from reading the ebook.
This is a totally fun book and really embraces the old saying “opposites attract” because that is exactly what Zeke (he hates being called Ezekiel) and Benny are. Zeke is a well to do Wall Street exec that is also just a tad snobbish. Which is a bit odd since his father and brothers, who run the family bakery, are the most ordinary type people that you could come across. Benny on the other hand is a blue-haired ball of energy who takes life in his stride. And with that all said, both characters do feature in book 1, sort of. One MC, Benny, appears in book 1, Zeke, was mentioned multiple times by his father in book 1.
These guys also have completely different family lives. While Benny works for Zeke’s father, George, on the side, his primary job is to work for his own family. They are Italian-Catholic and to me I saw my own family in that, we may not be New Yorkers but there is that unspoken camaraderie that comes along with coming from an Italian family that immigrated out of Italy. Benny is pretty damn lucky where his family is concerned.
However, Zeke is not quite so lucky. His father was a difficult man to live with after he came out as gay and that is seen in the still mending relationship between father and son. I think it is also interesting how his mother is referred to as “gone”, because she isn’t dead. I assume that she has some form of dementia although it was never stated, and neither was that bit of information crucial to the outcome of the story. It’s quickly evident though, he is just what Zeke needs to loosen up and to make Zeke realize that he has bloody horrible taste in men.
I absolutely adored this audio. Once again, Seth Clayton delivers an absolutely spot on performance for Benny and Zeke. Benny most especially is a very relatable character, although Zeke’s troubles with his ex is also, unfortunately, all too easy to relate to. Seth Clayton totally nails all the emotions and I just didn’t want to stop listening.