Lollipop by Amy Lane ~ Audio Review

Title: Lollipop

Series: Candy Man 03

Author: Amy Lane

Narrator: Philip Alces

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 9 hrs, 13 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (21st March 2016)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Ezra Kellerman flew across the country to see if he had another chance with the man he let slip through his fingers. He didn’t. Rico has moved on, but he doesn’t just leave his ex high and dry. Instead Rico entrusts his family and friends with Ezra’s care. Ezra, confused, hurt, and lost, clings to Rico’s cousin and his boyfriend as the lifelines they are – but their friend, Miguel, is another story.

Miguel Rodriguez had great plans and ambition – but a hearty dose of real life crushed those flat. When Miguel finds himself partially in charge of the befuddled, dreamy, healing Ezra, he’s pretty resentful at first. But Ezra’s placid nature and sincere wonder at the simple life Miguel has taken for granted begin to soften Miguel’s hardened shell. Miguel starts to notice that Ezra isn’t just amazingly sweet – he’s achingly beautiful as well. Suddenly Miguel is fending off every sin-gle man on the planet to give Ezra room to get over Rico – while fighting a burning suspicion that the best thing to help Ezra get over his broken heart is Miguel.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Bitter Taffy is the second book in Amy Lane’s Candy Man series. I’ve have come to enjoy some of Lane’s books and this book is no exception. I find the writing style is really accessible, in that it is well written and very expressive without too much complicated language, so it’s easy to relax and read or listen to the book. The narration was performed by Philip Alces, who narrates the full series. Alces has a soft and gentle voice that matches the sweetness of the plot and conveys the variety of emotions that tumble through the MCs. It was a wonderful performance and completely on point.

Candy Man has a really cute premise. It’s about this almost hippy-like guy, Darren, who runs a boutique candy store in Old Sacramento and just so happens to have psychic visions about the people that he needs to help, i.e. people that are down on their luck and may not be looking for love but are gonna get it anyway. Really cool.

I remember that I tried reading this book years ago without reading – or realising – that there were other books in the series before it. I don’t think it went down well, maybe, but to be fair I don’t remember it at all. Regardless, I’m here to say, I recommend hearing this one in order. Also, I’m here to say that I loved listening to the audio and I loved the story.

Lollipop is a story of redemption in a lot of way. Ezra is the ex of Rico from book 2, Ezra regrets how he handled things back in New York at his father’s company. Ezra bowed to his strict Jewish father’s wishes. But a mental breakdown changed that and sent him to Sacramento to make amends.

However, Ezra doesn’t allow himself to stop and think what would happen if Rico had moved on, and for those that already heard book 2, you know that Rico has indeed moved on. Instead, he is not only befriended by Rico’s tough looking, ex-army cousin, Adam (who along with Darren and the dog Clopper and cat Jacob, are the common threads for this series) and Adam’s boyfriend, another friend of Rico and Adam’s takes Ezra under his wing.

Miguel Rodriguez has already had one failed business, which took him back to working at the store Candy Heaven. He is very family orientated and is all around a great, fun loving guy. He’s just still bruised by his failed attempt at going into business for himself. But Miguel’s life changes when he meets Ezra while dog and cat sitting Clopper and Jacob. He feels for Rico’s ex and wants to make the guy comfortable. They have an easy friendship and an instant connection. Although they don’t rush into any romance, the friendship is beautiful and patient as both men come to care greatly for the other.

This is another sweet, low-angst romance that is above healing and friendship. A total joy to listen to on audio.

Come Back Around by B.A. Tortuga

Title: Come Back Around

Series: Leaning N Ranch 04, Dreampsun Desires 85

Author: BA Tortuga

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Novel (214 pages)

ISBN: 978-1-64405-423-9

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 3.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Can two divorced dads get a second chance at a redneck wedding?

When Reid Porter agrees to be his best friend’s man of honor, he never considers that his ex, Mateo, will be there too. Which is ridiculous, because Jennifer is marrying Mat’s brother. Reid would never let Jen down, though, so he finds himself at the Leaning N Ranch with his two daughters and a whole lot of baggage about seeing Mat again.

Mat loves his baby brother and would do anything for him, including face the love of his life, whom he’s sure has moved on. When he and Reid come face-to-face after more than two years apart, they realize they’ve never let go. Now they have to do what they never could before—balance work, home, and children, while finding a way to come back around to each other’s love.

Purchase Link: Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Come Back Around, by BA Tortuga, is the fourth instalment of the series Leaning N. I don’t believe that the books need to be read in order, although I would say that people should at least read the first book because that is the introduction to the guys on the Leaning N ranch, which now operates as a destination for LBGT+ weddings and the like.

Now, I love BA Tortuga. I really enjoy Tortuga’s writing and always look forward to a wonderfully sexy cowboy romance, some books are sweet, some are angsty, some have a touch of mystery. There’s always something to enjoy as long as you love a cowboy! However, although I did enjoy this book overall, I had a couple issues with the main plot which had me unable to really suspend my disbelief.

I’ll explain why after I do a quick overview of the plot.

The plot is quite simple. A wedding at the Leaning N ranch brings together ex-husbands Reid and Mateo. The wedding is for Mateo’s brother and Reid’s best friend, where Mateo is best man and Reid is man of honour. They have two daughters together, who they had through surrogacy, but they haven’t seen each other in two years. In that time Reid panicked and took his daughters away to another state, causing an ever-bigger gulf between the two men. While Reid’s life has changed and he has gone from struggling artist to an artist in high demand, Mateo has gone through his own personal issues. Their time at the Leaning N ranch, even with their families making their opinions known, is a time for them to reconnect and realise what is best for them as a couple and what is best for the children, who have undeniably suffered from the absence of their papa.

So now the reason why I found this book less enjoyable compared to other books by Tortuga. First off, I found the two years apart difficult to swallow, especially with their daughters, but mostly of their frustrating miscommunication. I do not like miscommunication storylines as a general, and unfortunately for me, this is where the book fell short for me. I also felt really frustrated because I kept thinking that Mateo needed Reid’s help, but Reid appears to have a penchant for acting before he thinks.

Despite this, I did like the characters a lot. Mateo is really likable, although at the time of their separation he was a over-stressed business man who needed to talk more to his husband. Reid is equally as likable, but he is too quick to jump to conclusions and is very hot-headed, forgetting that something as simple as talking could help them a long way. But in the end, the guys have learnt a valuable lesson. The love has never gone, but they needed this second chance to get to know each other again.

Fake Dating the Prince by Ashlynn Kane

Title: Fake Dating the Prince

Series: Dreamspun Desires 84

Author: Ashlyn Kane

Genre: Contemporary

Length: Novel (210 pages)

ISBN: 978-1-64405-442-0

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (18th June 2019)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 4.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: A royal deception. An accidental romance.

When fast-living flight attendant Brayden Wood agrees to accompany a first-class passenger to a swanky charity ball, he discovers his date—“Call me Flip”—is actually His Royal Highness Prince Antoine-Philipe. And he wants Brayden to pretend to be his boyfriend.

Being Europe’s only prince of Indian descent—and its only openly gay one—has led Flip to select “appropriate” men first and worry about attraction later. Still, flirty, irreverent Brayden captivates him right away, and Flip needs a date to survive the ball without being match-made.

Before Flip can pursue Brayden in earnest, the paparazzi forces his hand, and the charade is extended for the remainder of Brayden’s vacation.

Posh, gorgeous, thoughtful Prince Flip is way out of Brayden’s league. If Brayden survives three weeks of platonically sharing a bed with him during the romantic holiday season, going home afterward might break his heart….

Purchase Link: Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Fake Dating the Prince is a standalone novel by Ashlynn Kane for Dreamspun Desires. As usual I always look forward to the released from the Dreamspun Desires line. They are sweet, sexy and just oozing with romance.

I have to admit that although I’ve read books by Ashlynn Kane before, I can’t actually name one from the top of my head but nothing stands out in my memory that I have disliked Kane’s writing in the past. Which, as it turns out, must be true. I really enjoyed this story from start to finish. It had all the sweetness and romance that I expected from a fairy tale romance. I really enjoyed Kane’s writing overall, I found myself quickly invested in the emotions of the two MCs and I was engrossed until the end.

The story starts with adventurous flight attendant, Brayden Wood. He wants to make the most of life and is lucky enough to use his job to be able to do so, going to many different locales between long haul flights. Instead of going on a cruise with his family for Christmas, which is something that he doesn’t want to do, he has plans to go to an obscure European principality for three weeks to relax on his own.

However, things change when one of his first-class passengers, who has openly flirted with him on numerous occasions invites Brayden to a very posh charity ball, offering to pay all expenses. That passenger says to call him Flip, when in fact he is really the Prince Antoine-Phillipe. One thing leads to another and Brayden’s very own royal romance begins to play out. It is seriously sweet; Flip is a wonderful character in that while he can be high handed he always wants the best for Brayden. Also, I loved the chemistry between the men, they wonderfully complement each other.

This is a wonderful, fairy tale like story. There are enough stereotypes to make you think of a Hallmark movie or that Netflix move A Prince for Christmas – an adventurous flight attendant is swept off his feet by a European Prince. With his father being a Bollywood star back in the day, it all feels very Grace Kelly. And being that my own mother is obsessed with Bollywood, I found myself thinking of a movie with Shahrukh Kahn in it. Very cute, very sweet and absolutely perfect.

Fool of Main Beach by Tara Lain ~ Audio Review

Title: Fool of Main Beach

Series: Love in Laguna 05

Author: Tara Lain

Narrator: KC Kelly

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 9 hrs, 17 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (4th November 2017)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 4.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Merle Justice wants to reach for the stars, but it’s tough to get respect when playing a teeny-bopper vampire on TV. Then he meets a famous director anxious to give him all he thinks he wants—and maybe a bit more. Everything’s looking up until a life-threatening encounter with some homophobes on Main Beach puts Merle face-to-face with a Sasquatch-sized hero in a pink puffer coat.

Tom Henry defies description. As unsophisticated and simple as an angel, he walks through life content with who he is and asking for very little except to care for his sister, Lily, and the dogs he loves. Then he meets Merle, the embodiment of dreams he barely knows he has. Merle knows the people who hold his future in their hands might love Tom—but they’ll never under-stand Merle and Tom together. Tom knows it too. With lives this far apart, who’s really the fool of Main Beach?

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Fool of Main Beach is the fifth and final book in Tara Lain’s Love in Laguna series. If you haven’t read or heard the rest of the series, you really should, just so that you can do justice to all the characters, because I’ve become so emotionally invested in this, it’s crazy. However, this book in particular is good for those that love sweet romances with a splash of Hollywood.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series, with incredibly relatable characters and deep romances, I’ve loved both Lain’s writing and Kelly’s narration. Both were excellent, although I’m going to say that I got a little annoyed hearing Audi pronounced as “Or-dee” as opposite to “Ow-dee”. Though I figure it could be an accent thing, like the ridiculous way Americans pronounce Craig (don’t get me started).

Onto the actual story, Lain has left the sweetest story to last in this series, and other than the pace of the story starting at a good speed and then slowing down at a couple points, there isn’t really much I can criticise. Quite simply, this is a sweet romance and full of heart.

Readers met Merle Justice in book 2, when Ru and Gray got together. Merle was the famous TV actor who starred in the stage production of Hamlet with Hollywood heartthrob Gray Anson. Unlike Gray, Merle has been out of the closet for years and while that has affected his career he’s been pretty comfortable as the lead in a popular teen vampire series (basically, he’s like the Angel or Edward Cullen of the show that he’s in). However, his stint in Hamlet introduced him to a group of down to friends, the very same group we’ve been following for this series. Now Merle is having a home built in Laguna when he can get away from LA, he’ll be close to his friends and in an idyllic seaside location.

One night on the beach some bigots try to attack Merle, but he is saved by a gentle giant called Tom Henry. Later, when he goes through his home with his friend and contractor, Billy from book 1, Merle finds Tom working on Billy’s crew. And now fate has intervened and is throwing the two men together. They start a really beautiful friendship, although at first it takes time for Merle to see that Tom is much more than his outside appearance. In this sense, Merle undergoes a lot of change and development throughout this story.

Tom is a gentle giant. He kind of naïve and has very low self-esteem, but he loves animals and will do just about anything for his friends. His naivety can be easily mistaken for some form of mental illness by the reader, I’ll admit that I wondered this, but in the end he is a pure soul whose doesn’t seem to be touched by the darkness of life. He just wants love and happiness for everyone. Even for his parents who have sent him away for being gay and will do anything, even sending the last of his money, for his beloved little sister.

Together their lives seem incompatible, Tom knows what he wants and knows how much of that he can get because in reality he is not famous as Merle and does not see himself as amazing as the man he could give his heart to. Despite the fact that they are amazing friends, it really does seem to be an impossible dream, to both of them but especially to Tom. But Merle is less accepting of the logical outcome, yet he must contend with his own preconceived notions before figuring out what’s more important.

The Straight Boyfriend by Renae Kaye ~ Audio Review

Title: The Straight Boyfriend

Series: Loving You 03

Author: Renae Kaye

Narrator: Joel Leslie

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 7 hrs, 53 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (27th February 2017)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Aaron Hall has never been able to remain faithful to a single woman, and for most of his life, he’s dated two women at once. Recently his girlfriend tracked him down and knocked on his door – and his live-in girlfriend answered. Now he has no girlfriend and a mortgage he can’t pay by himself.

Vinnie Rosello needs to change his life – get a better job, stop drinking all his money away, find himself a serious boyfriend…and move out of his parents’ house. Aaron needs help with his ex-penses, so they become housemates.

Even though Aaron harbors some misconceptions about gay men and Vinnie misses his large Italian family, both men find comfort in their friendship. It’s a good arrangement until everything between them changes.

Vinnie falls in love with Aaron, and Aaron is shocked to realize he feels the same. There’s only one problem – he’s still straight. He’ll have to overcome his fear of labels in order to love the man who’s captured his heart.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: The Straight Boyfriend is the third book in Renae Kaye’s Loving You series.

I’m going to keep my comments on the author and the narrator quite short, because this is a feeling that echoes throughout the whole series for me. At this point I am warming up to her Renae Kaye’s writing. Since we’re not here for an Australian geography lesson, suffice to say that I connect with the very Aussie tone in her writing because I am Aussie myself. I feel the humour and love hearing the slang that is part of my everyday life in my favourite genre of book. So far there’s been a bit of a pattern in her writing where we have at least one main character who doesn’t want to come out of the closet because of his very blokey workplace (lots of miners, industrial workers) or his very manly-man type father. Not that it’s a bad thing, if you like a book with that sort of storyline.

The narration for this book was by Joel Leslie, who only narrates books 2 and 3. After listening to his two performances for this series, I feel that he fit the books really well. While I enjoyed Gilles narration in the first book, it annoyed me when his Aussie accent slipped a bit (I know it’s a stupid of me) and I also just remembered that his pronunciation of the name Aaron was odd. However, I loved Leslie’s Aussie accent, it was really well done. I also am a fan of pretty much all of Joel Leslie’s performances because I always feel the emotions from the characters and hear their distinct voices, this book was no different.

The Straight Boyfriend. The title says it all. By the time I got to this book, I had a pretty good idea about Vinnie and Aaron because they were so prominent as secondary characters in the previous books. The set up for this story happened in book 2, so there isn’t much point listening or reading this one before at least going to the previous book.

Vinnie is a sweet guy from an unconventional, Italian family. He has a thing about epiphanies, and a subcategory of which being epipoofanies. He’s really a wonder and fun loving. He has a big heart, with a complicated family and is lonely. Wanting to get out of his parents’ home, he moves in with Aaron – a friend of a friend whose house he would often drink at after watching amateur football games.

Aaron is a manwhore and a serial cheater, he is unapologetic about the fact, although he now feels a sense of shame. He wants to better himself, he wants to be a good boyfriend/partner, but is unsure if he could even be faithful to a girl. After all, it was this that led him to a mortgage he could no longer afford without a roommate. Having Vinnie as a roommate would help him with that mortgage, but hanging with the gay man, although he is determined that he is straight, does have a positive effect. Aaron is adaman that he is straight. But he has *feelings* when it comes to Vinnie. Add to that, Vinnie, who has never been alone in a house in his life, often spends the night in Aaron’s bed, completely platonic.

It’s just awkward because Vinnie is in love with a straight man and he knows he has to get rid of those feelings because he was pining for something that would never happen. Yet, for Aaron life with Vinnie is slowly opening his life to much more than he thought. Aaron has a lot of angst, because it has to be a mind fuck to be straight, a manwhore and now suddenly falling for a gay man. Aaron has a long journey and Vinnie is strong. These guys have a serious connection and it is completely wonderful.

This book had a lot more angst and confusion compared to the previous book in the serious, but it worked well. However, the ending was sweet and poignant and totally worth all the drama. It was great to catch up with all the characters that we’ve met through the journey as well. This is a wonderful end to a wonderful series.

Mad About the Hatter by Dakota Chase ~ Audio Review

Title: Mad About the Hatter

Author: Dakota Chase

Narrator: Joel Froomkin

Genre: Fantasy

Length: 7 hrs, 8 mins

Publisher: Harmony Ink Press (19th September 2017)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: This isn’t his sister’s Wonderland….

Henry never believed his older sister Alice’s fantastic tales about the world down the rabbit hole. When he’s whisked away to the bizarre land, his best chance for escape is to ally himself with the person called the Mad Hatter. Hatter – an odd but strangely attractive fellow – just wants to avoid execution. If that means delivering “Boy Alice” to the Queen of Hearts at her Red Castle, Hatter will do what he has to do to stay alive. It doesn’t matter if Henry and Hatter find each oth-er intolerable. They’re stuck with each other.

Along their journey, Henry and Hatter must confront what they’ve always accepted as truth. As dislike grows into tolerance and something like friendship, the young men see the chance for a closer relationship. But Wonderland is a dangerous place, and first they have to get away with their lives.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Mad About the Hatter is an audio for a book that I remember reading a couple years ago. I remember that I loved reading the book and was totally keen on listening to the audio.

Dakota Chase isn’t really an author on my radar and I think this was the first time I had read the author’s work initially a couple years ago. But the writing is fun and even though it is a fantasy based on a classic book, the story doesn’t feel completely ridiculous. The narration was also awesome. I don’t actually remember the narrator’s name, although when I heard him talking I know I’ve heard his narration at least once before and like this time, I am sure it was a pleasing audio experience. I particularly loved the voices that Froomkin gave these classic characters that we know so well, especially Hatter, the Tweedles and the Chesire Cat.

Mad About the Hatter is a story that is about a sweet, quiet romance with a dash of friendship and adventure, all set in the world of Lewis Carrol’s Alice in Wonderland. It’s an interesting spin on the classic, where the events of the book take place after Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. The story itself is more of an young adult read than anything else because this story is essentially eighteen year old Henry coming to terms with his own identity – having a coming of age adventure and falling in love.

Anyone who likes urban fantasies and new takes on classic tales would enjoy this story, although if you’re dead set against young adult fiction, then this probably isn’t what you’re looking for.

The story starts with Henry. He and his sister, Alice, do not have an easy relationship, despite the fact that their only other family is their possibly alcoholic father and mysterious/random Uncle Leonard. The main problem is that Alice likes to talk about her time in Wonderland which Henry knows that logically could not have happened at all. I was siding with Henry there although Henry is a bit of brat at the start of this book. Then his sister gave him punch and Henry’s world changes to the surreal.

We meet up with the Mad Hatter. The Red Queen is getting more insane by the day and is having people beheaded left, right and centre. When Hatter is sent after “Boy Alice”, we have the quirky adventure throughout Wonderland not unlike the original. We also meet other familiar characters, aside from the Red Queen, including Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Cheshire Cat as well as that opium fiend Caterpillar.

There is not a lot of romance, there is very little in the way of sex but there are some rather sweet moments between Hatter and Henry. I particularly liked the end but it left me thinking “but I want more!!!!” but in a totally good way.

I Wish for You by Colette Davison ~ Audio Review

Title: I Wished for You

Author: Colette Davison

Narrator: Piers Ryman

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 6 hrs, 24 mins

Publisher: Colette Davison (6th June 2019)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Three wishes.

Seb wants to be happy.

Matt wants to find “the one.”

Connor wants them.

Two drunken kisses.

Seb didn’t plan to kiss Matt and Connor, but he doesn’t regret it, even if it has changed their friendship forever.

Matt has never considered dating a man before, let alone two. Despite his confusion, being with Seb and Connor feels right.

One uncertain future.

Connor’s potential fate has stopped him living and loving. Can he face his fears to be with the men he loves?

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Wow. Just wow.

I had no idea what to expect when I started listening to this audiobook. Both the author, Colette Davison, and the narrator, Piers Ryman, were totally new to me. I Wish For You was amazing. All the parts of the book – from the characters, the writing, the plot and the narration – worked wonderfully, giving the reader a sweet, sexy friends to lovers romance.

The narration was flawless. This was the first time I’ve heard Piers Ryman and quite frankly, it was a flawless performance in my opinion. I look forward to any other work he does in the future. Ryman does justice to three very complex characters, whose relationship (at least the friendship part) is already establishment and therefore they are past having to get to know each other. Each character had a distinct voice and tone which suited each man.

The plot itself is quite simple, but was so well executed, that I don’t want to give too many details away. The story opens from Seb’s point of view as his best friends Connor and Matt meet his drunk butt in a pub. He’s been dumped and it’s his best friends since childhood who come to his rescue. An impulsive camping trip, lots of alcohol and wishing upon shooting stars blurs the lines of friendship for these men. But with only Seb out gay, Matt believing he is straight and Connor refusing to allow himself close enough to love anybody, they are complicated. Thankfully, these guys know how to communicate, they take their time to do things properly and as a reader it just made me so happy.

The guys have three very distinct personalities. I adored each of them, which for me does not always happen, especially when we get into menage/poly romances. Seb is the one that leads everyone into trouble, and the leader when it comes to easing into a physical relationship. Connor is a nurturer but his fear based on his past, which you can’t blame the guy for, is a hurdle that only Matt and Seb can help him with. And then there is Matt. He’s the soft, cuddly teddy bear. I don’t want to say that he is glue between the three, because this is a relationship that has been clearly written that this relationship couldn’t work if one of them was left out. Instead, I think the best way to put it is that Matt is the one that is something of a conduit for the emotions, helping Connor express himself and compliments Seb’s matter-of-fact delivery of the more practical side of their physical relationship. I’m really finding it difficult to put into words, so I hope that makes sense!

I think what I loved the most was that despite being friends, the guys don’t have a smooth transition into the romantic relationship. There is some baggage associated for all the characters, and so for these reasons I find this one easy to relate to each of the characters and what they need to go through to make things work. The POV alternates between the three men throughout out the story, which is just another thing that I liked about this book. I never felt that I was missing information or emotions because I got a full story.

This book has got me intrigued into reading more of Colette Davison’s work. This was such a well written story with characters that were so beautifully developed, I need more.

If you’re sucker for a friends to lovers story, this is an awesome book for you, and if you love MMM on top of that then you be very happy.

Lord of A Thousand Steps by Tara Lain ~ Audio Review

Title: Lord of a Thousand Steps

Series: Love in Laguna 04

Author: Tara Lain

Narrator: KC Kelly

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 7 hrs, 42 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (12th December 2016)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖 4 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: To architecture student Ian Carney, family means everything. Taken in by his brother, Jim, when his father threw him out at 18 for being gay, Ian yearns to create his own family with his boy-friend, Rico. But Rico’s in Mexico caring for a sick father, Ian hasn’t had sex in a month and a half, and his gorgeous boss, Braden Lord, CEO of the architectural firm Ian interns for, is look-ing better and better.

Braden’s life is chaos. Just out of the closet and going through an ugly divorce from his wife of 15 years who’s trying to take custody of his two children, he desperately resolves not to suc-cumb to a completely inappropriate attraction to Ian – even though his kids adore both the man and his crazy cat.

When Rico proves to be a snake in the grass and Ian exercises his powers of seduction, what starts as a friends with benefits fling turns into real life real fast. Can Ian give up his romantic dreams for an old guy who didn’t come out until he carried a mountain of baggage?

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Lord of A Thousand Steps is the fourth book in Tara Lain’s Love in Laguna series. This has been a wonderful series to listen to on audio, Lain’s writing translates well to audio narration and the characters are just so relatable. I was looking forward to this book because we’ve already met both characters separately in the previous books. The series revolves around one of the men in the featured couple battling his way out of the closet, while the other is out and proud but needs to support and understand the transition is new man needs so much.

KC Kelly has done a fantastic job performing the narration for this series. He nails the light-hearted moments just as well as he nails the tense moment, with just the right tone and distinct voices for the main characters.

Ian Carney entered this series in book 2, when he showed up on his much older brother Jim’s doorstep with a stray cat he found outside Jim’s place. Ian was about to go to college and be the architect he had always dreamed of being when their father disowned him for being gay. Three years down the track, Ian is living with his brother and his brother’s fiancé and the cat. He has become that architect he has always wanted to be. And the same boyfriend, Rico, he had when he arrived in Laguna is still with him. But when Rico goes to Mexico Ian is understanding and sympathetic of Rico’s situation, with his father potentially dying. Ian is the loyal boyfriend to a fault, even when he feels an attraction to one of his bosses at the firm where he works while attending school.

For Braden Lord, his life is a mess. His professional life is fine, he’s CEO of a major architectural firm. His personal life is a mess. He’s divorcing his wife, trying to keep his kids and she is after everything she can get her grubby hands on, including the company if she can. Braden is ready to not live a lie in the back of the closet. His attraction to the firms intern, Ian, doesn’t help but Braden is far too ethical to allow anything to happen. But fate brings them together, along with Ian’s cat and Braden’s kids, who both love Ian as well. If not for the conspiring ex-wife, their lives seem to just click together as the romance slowly builds once Ian can allow himself to give his heart to another after Rico.

I have to admit that this is probably my least favourite book in the series. I simply found Ian’s situation was vastly more complicated than called for. While there was no cheating or anything, the timeline made the plot feel rather compressed and I didn’t feel the development of the characters quite like I did in the other books until about halfway through this one. The story also employs one plot device that I feel is bit bland – the old evil ex, for both men, the lying rat ex-boyfriend and the bitch ex-wife who doesn’t want her kids so much as she wants revenge. Still, how Lain has written this in works fine and actually adds a little more drama into the overall plot.

Nonetheless, this is an enjoyable book and those that have been following the series will likely appreciate Ian getting his own story, I know I did.

I Wished for You by Colette Davison Audio Blitz, Excerpt, Review & Giveaway!

Colette Davison - I Wished for You Audio RB Banner

Hi guys! We have Colette Davison stopping by today with the tour for her new audio release I Wished For You, we have a great excerpt, a brilliant giveaway and Prime’s review so check out the post and enter the giveaway for a chance to win a $10 Amazon GC! ❤ ~Pixie~

I Wished For You

Narrated by: Piers Ryman

Colette Davison

Three wishes.

Seb wants to be happy.
Matt wants to find ‘the one.’
Connor wants them.

Two drunken kisses.

Seb didn’t plan to kiss Matt and Connor, but he doesn’t regret it, even if it has changed their friendship forever.

Matt has never considered dating a man before, let alone two. Despite his confusion, being with Seb and Connor feels right.

One uncertain future.

Connor’s potential fate has stopped him living and loving. Can he face his fears to be with the men he loves?

***Contains explicit language and scenes***

.•.•.**❣️ Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK ❣️**.•.•.

Continue reading “I Wished for You by Colette Davison Audio Blitz, Excerpt, Review & Giveaway!” →

The Articles of Release by B.A. Tortuga by Audio Review

Title: The Articles of Release

Series: The Release 02

Author: B.A. Tortuga

Narrator: Robert Nieman

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 7 hrs, 16 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (11th December 2015)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Just released from the military, wounded warrior Eric Tremaine is trying to put his life back to-gether like the doctors reassembled his shattered leg. He’s a man with no home, since his Loui-siana family rejected him, so Eric winds up in Texas with his old Army buddy, Adam Winchester, and his lover, Sage.

When Eric decides to stop sitting on his ass feeling sorry for himself, he is introduced to trainer Troy Daniels, who lost both his legs in a teenage accident. Troy knows what it’s like to feel as if your body is your enemy. While Eric and Troy have a bumpy start, they soon find enough com-mon ground to make a friendship, if not more. But taking it to the next level means finding out what they have to offer each other, and the world, before they can trust that the love they find together won’t cause more pain than pleasure.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: The Articles of Release is the second book in BA Tortuga’s The Release series. I really enjoy Tortuga’s writing and always look forward to a wonderfully sexy cowboy romance, some books are sweet, some are angsty, some have a touch of mystery. There’s always something to enjoy as long as you love a cowboy!

The Articles of Release picks up with the same themes of healing and moving on, like The Terms of Release (book 1), and even if there is a little cowboy influence this is a book with completely different emotions and struggles. It would work as a standalone book, but I feel that some readers that love details would be intrigued by Sage and Adam if they hadn’t read their story already because these guys are really well developed by now.

Robert Nieman was the narrator of this book. I was a little bit concerned because I had loved the narration by Slate Anders. Yet, I am familiar with Nieman’s work and have enjoyed many of the audios he has narrated for Dreamspinner authors, so I didn’t really think about it too much. The choice in narrator was perfect. Nieman’s performance and voice suited the two main characters, as he conveyed their thoughts, words and emotions. The narration ensured that I was fully and emotionally invested in the story and wanting the MCs to get their HEA.

As for the actual story, the characters are two men who have been through their own different versions of hell, at different times in their lives. Eric Tremaine is an army veteran who has been discharged from service after sustaining horrific and painful injuries to his legs. His parents and the rest of his family don’t talk to him because he is gay, so life is lonely until he joins up with his old army buddy, Adam and Adam’s husband Sage (from book 1). This is how Eric ends up meeting Troy.

Troy works at gym as a physical therapist and has been helping Sage, who has needed surgery on both his knees. He then started working out with Adam and the three are now friends. So much so that Sage wanted Troy to meet Adam’s friend, Eric, who was also in need of intense physical therapy so that he could get learn to live with the pain that his injuries left him in. Troy is different though because he has been through the agony before. He was a teenager when an accident on the family ranch meant that he lost both his legs. Troy is now a daredevil, ready for the next adrenaline rush and won’t let anything to stop him, not even his prosthetic limbs. The only problem he seems to have is that his parents are worry wards, but his family are wonderful and supportive, the complete opposite to Eric.

However, the road is very bumpy for these guys. Eric is only at the start of his journey and so he is ready to fight everyone around him. Which just shows how great the people he has chosen to be around are. Troy also has a few lessons to learn when it comes to love and making something permanent in his life, particularly when he needs to support the man he is falling for as he heals. Troy also needs to learn that it’s not just about him and his life when it comes to love as well and that his potentially dangerous antics are difficult for someone to sit back and watch.

I adored this story. There is physical and mental healing, there are great friends and some great family too. These guys don’t fall into love or into bed quickly, they take their time trying to get their complicated lives to slowly fit together.

Bitter Taffy by Amy Lane ~ Audio Review

Title: Bitter Taffy

Series: Candy Man 02

Author: Amy Lane

Narrator: Philip Alces

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 6 hrs, 48 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (9th November 2015)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Rico Gonzalves-Macias didn’t expect to fall in love during his internship in New York – and he didn’t expect the boss’ son to out them both and get him fired either. When he returns to Sac-ramento stunned and heartbroken, he finds his cousin, Adam, and Adam’s boyfriend, Finn, haven’t just been house-sitting – they’ve made his once sterile apartment into a home.

When Adam gets him a job interview with the adorable, magnetic, practically perfect Derek Hus-ton, Rico feels especially out of his depth. Derek makes it no secret that he wants Rico, but Rico is just starting to figure out that he’s a beginner at the really important stuff and doesn’t want to jump into anything with both feet.

Derek is a both-feet kind of guy. But he’s also made mistakes of his own and doesn’t want to pressure Rico into anything. Together, they work to find a compromise between instant attrac-tion and long-lasting love, and while they’re working, Rico gets a primer in why family isn’t al-ways a bad idea. He needs to believe Derek can be his family before Derek’s formidable pa-tience runs out – because even a practically perfect boyfriend is capable of being hurt.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

I dimly remember once reading book 3 in this series without going back to the start.

Bitter Taffy features Rico Gonzalves-Macias and Derek Huston. Both characters popped up in book one with a connection to Adam. Rico being the only family member of Adam, who kicks off the stories within this little world, and Derek both hit on Adam and commissioned some art work off of him. Between Darren, Candy Heaven owner, and Adam, they are the main connections between a majority of the characters that we meet throughout the series.

Rico is forced to leave New York when the man that he fell in love with didn’t stand up for him, which meant that Rico lost his internship after only four months, because that guy was the boss’s son. Rico feels a little like a stranger in his own home, with his cousin, Adam, and Adam’s boyfriend Finn, living in his apartment while he had been away, the two men had made it more homey in a couple months than he ever did in six years. Even his dog, Clopper, seemed to now belong to Adam. With the loss of his internship, Rico is at a loose end but doesn’t want Adam to do him a favour to help him get a job.

All that changes when he meets Derek. Derek Huston is a little older and owns his own company that acts to contract out various people, like Rico who does advertising, to smaller businesses who wouldn’t normally afford a firm to do the same thing. Derek is instantly attracted to Rico. He wants to give him and job and a whole lot more. However, Derek respects Rico’s heartbreak and he is committed to waiting patiently for the man to be ready. The guys take it slowly, getting to know each other while Rico mends. This makes for some great chemistry and sexual tension; it also makes their romance relatable and believable.

An awesome second book to the Candy Man series, now for the next one!

Don’t Twunk With My Heart by Renae Kaye ~ Audio Review

Title: Don’t Twunk With My Heart

Series: Loving You 02

Author: Renae Kaye

Narrator: Joel Leslie

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 5 hrs, 52 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (24th January 2017)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Kee Smith isn’t sure who he is anymore. He knows who he used to be – the ignored gay son who chose a blue-collar job just because no one expected it, the submissive bottom who en-joyed large, masculine jocks who put him in his place, the sleek, fashionable twink who partied all night. But after his ex-boyfriend hit Kee and called him names,

Kee retired from the social scene.

Back after a year’s hiatus, Kee still doesn’t know where he fits. His friends say he’s a twunk – a twink who put on muscle and turned into a hunk – but Kee is searching for somewhere to be-long. Instead of going back to his usual type, Kee hooks up with twink Tate Stevens – a fashion-industry professional who works the image hard. It proves to be the best decision he’s ever made, and not just because he’s starting to regain his sexual confidence.

With Tate, Kee can open up about his fears and confusion without ridicule. Tate has his own fears about putting on weight and getting old. It will take work to make a relationship of oppo-sites succeed, but they begin to realize the compromises will be worth it if they can be together.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Don’t Twunk With My Heart is the second book in Renae Kaye’s Loving You series.

I’m going to keep my comments on the author because this is a feeling that echoes throughout the whole series for me. At this point I am warming up to Renae Kaye’s writing. For me, an Aussie author writing about her own city is major plus for me. Since we’re not here for a geography lesson, suffice to say that I connect with the very Aussie tone in her writing. I feel the humour and love hearing the slang that is part of my everyday life in my favourite genre of book. So far there’s been a bit of a pattern in her writing where we have at least one main character who doesn’t want to come out of the closet because of his very blokey workplace (lots of miners, industrial workers) or his very manly-man type father. Not that it’s a bad thing, if you like a book with that sort of storyline.

The narration for this book was by Joel Leslie, who takes over from Dave Gilles in the narration of the series. In fact, I have to say that I think this was a good move. While I enjoyed Gilles narration and it was overall great, it annoyed me when his Aussie accent slipped a bit (I know it’s a really stupid thing to get annoyed at). However, I loved Leslie’s Aussie accent, it was really well. I also am a fan of pretty much all of Joel Leslie’s performances because I always feel the emotions from the characters and hear their distinct voices.

Don’t Twunk With My Heart is really sweet and a great return to the world of the Loving You series. Jay is as loud and out there as ever, Liam is as stoic and as sweet as ever. But this book moves onto Jay’s friend, Kee Smith. Kee was a twink but a horrific experience meant that he stayed away from the Perth gay scene for a year and focused on his work, very physical work that has meant that in the space of a year he lost his twink physique. In short, he is now a twunk.

Side note: Jay incessant babbling where he goes through twinks, twunks and twanks is hilarious and definitely one of my favourite moments of the book.

On Kee’s first night back in the scene he meets Tate. Tate is most definitely a twink and he finds himself somewhat confused by the all the twink, twank and twunk talk. However, it is impossible to deny that there is an attraction between the men. They are both out of the closet already too, although Kee’s family are not that nice, so their story is about how a person change. Change is not bad in this case, it’s more of a change into the person who they really are. Kee feels a little lost and finds a lifeline with Tate as finds himself in the world once more. Tate is pretty complicated as well, he is in his thirties and older than Kee. Since he works in fashion he fears putting on weight and getting old, something that Kee picks up and helps Tate just as Tate helps Kee.

This is a really sweet story. Kee and Tate have a wonderful connection with great chemistry. The characters are down to earth and relatable. Another enjoyable book by Renae Kaye, I’m ready for the next!

Prince of the Playhouse by Tara Lain ~ Audio Review

Title: Prince of the Playhouse

Series: Love in Laguna 03

Author: Tara Lain

Narrator: KC Kelly

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 8 hrs, 41 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (6th June 2016)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 4.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Driven by his desire to become a successful fashion designer and concerned with hiding his questionable past, Ru Maitland has let obsession with action movie star Gray Anson on the big screen replace his social life. Then obsession and reality collide when Ru is asked to design fashion costumes for a special performance of Hamlet at the Playhouse in Laguna starring none other than Gray Anson. Gray turns out to be a compelling mix of shy and brash and, despite a high profile engagement to a female socialite, the signals Gray sends Ru have his libido doing the salsa.

Gray Anson has what most people only dream of – great wealth, huge fame, a job he loves. For that, he’s given up any semblance of privacy and the right to say no to the thousands of people who depend on him and the millions who love him. He sees everything he’s ever wanted just outside the bubble of his life, but how can he make the compromises needed to embrace it? When Ru’s shady past crashes into Gray’s paparazzi-haunted present, both men have to learn that sometimes the only acceptable compromise is the truth.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: The Prince and the Playhouse is the third book in Tara Lain’s Love in Laguna series. This is a series that you need to follow in order to enjoy properly. The characters are intertwined throughout and now that I’ve gone through two books, I looked forward to checking in with the couples from books 1 and 2. When starting this series I had the niggling feeling that I’ve tried reading a book from the series before, not realising it was a series, and didn’t enjoy the book. And surprise, surprise, that book was The Prince and the Playhouse. I have to say, now that I’ve gone through the audios of this series in the proper order, I really enjoyed and has been looking forward to this story.

KC Kelly has once again done a great performance for the book. I really have no complaints. To be perfectly honest, I was simply happy that he didn’t use the voice he had done for Ru in book 1 here, because I really hadn’t liked that. Also because of that voice, I didn’t really feel particularly close to Ru. But Ru is a character full of surprises and his story was excellent.

Ru Maitland is an up and coming fashion designer, he works alongside popular designer Shaz (Chase from book 1), who is also Ru’s best friend. Ru hasn’t done well in the romance department; he has been more concerned with his career and making it in the fashion industry. He also has a massive secret which he has never told anyone of his friends, and that past is just about ready to catch up with him just as his love life and career begin to take off. Ru has been hired to work for a well known movie director, who has turned his hand to directing a stage production of Hamlet, with Ru providing his own unique brand for the costumes. This production is even more special because it features the world’s hottest action star as Hamlet, as well as one of the hottest actors on TV. Both men are attracted to Ru, but for Ru it is action star Gray Anson who is the main attraction. Ru has crushed over the movie star for a long time and now he meets the man in real life.

The possibilities aren’t exactly endless for an out and proud fashion designer and a closeted action star who is under strict order to keep that closet door firmly shut. Gray Anson isn’t exactly happy with how his life is going, mostly because every aspect of his life, including the people (women) he is seen with, is controlled by his bigoted manager. Gray knows he can’t offer a whole lot on the relationship side of things but he can’t help his attraction to Ru and the wonderful thing that his life becomes when they are alone together, because they truly can’t appear as anything more than friends in public.

The guys have a strong connection which I really enjoyed hearing. Although I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Ru even though he was ready and willing to keep everything in the closet for Gray. Gray as a character wasn’t entirely likable to me at first, but as the story progressed his character changed in positive ways because of Ru.

This was a fun story, a little bit Hollywood, a little bit gangsta, and a whole lot of love.

The Terms of Release by B.A. Tortuga ~ Audio Review

Title: The Terms of Release

Series: The Release 01

Author: B.A. Tortuga

Narrator: Slate Anders

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 8 hrs, 1 min

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (2nd September 2014)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: They say a man can always come home. So after doing hard time, Sage Redding heads to his family’s northeast Texas ranch to help his ailing daddy with the cutting horses.

Adam (Win) Winchester is a county deputy and the cousin of one of the men killed in the inci-dent that sent Sage to prison for almost a decade. While Win’s uncles, Jim and Teddy, are de-termined to make Sage and the entire Redding family pay for their loss, Win just figures Sage has paid his dues and maybe needs a friend. Maybe he needs more than a friend. In fact, Win’s counting on it.

No one’s denying Sage is an ex-con who went to prison for manslaughter. Regardless of the love he has for his father, he’s returned knowing things will likely go badly for him. Maybe a man can always come home, but he may not be able to stay.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: The Terms of Release is the first book in BA Tortuga’s series, The Release. I’ve really come to enjoy Tortuga’s writing, I always look forward to a wonderfully sexy cowboy romance, some books are sweet, some are angsty, some have a touch of mystery. There’s always something to enjoy as long as you love a cowboy!

The Terms of Release is a real gritty cowboy romance, about healing, home and family. The narration was performed by Slate Anders. I’ve never heard Anders narrate before, but his voice was absolutely perfect for the book. He uses an intense, earthy tone for the narration, complimenting both MCs well. To be perfectly honest, this was a pretty flawless performance, Anders was able to get the tone and emotion of the book, which always just bubbling at the surface.

The book is about Sage Redding and Adam Winchester (Win). Sage cannot catch a break. He’s returned to Texas from California, after spending the past twelve years in prison for manslaughter, when his only crime was taking drugs and being near a meth lab when it blew up – killing his ex-boyfriend, a dealer, a woman and a little kid. However, he has done his time and he wants to move on, he will do anything to be a better man. In fact, he needs to learn to be a man. He went into jail at the age of nineteen and doesn’t really understand the outside world real world (these parts of the books gave me big Shawshank Redemption vibes, lol). It’s just that when he goes back to Texas to help his parents, his ex’s family (who placed the man on a pedestal he did not deserve) treat Sage like a pariah, calling him a murderer.

Adam Winchester hears the whispers. He was in the army at the time this had all happened, serving overseas, and is now a police deputy. It also happens that Sage’s ex was Adam’s cousin. Although Adam doesn’t see the man as angelic as the rest of his family, and he firmly believes that Sage has served his time and deserves a chance to move on.

Adam finds himself looking out for the Sage, making sure that he isn’t bothered too much. Then he finds himself befriending the man before more comes of their attraction. There is an instant attraction between the men, but it is left for a bit so that their characters develop and they get to know each other. Both men are complicated with a lot of baggage which includes their families, although Sage has a pretty awesome family it is because the ranch was in trouble that he had to return. Overall, I felt the story does them justice and I adored both Adam and Sage by the end of it.

There are some really cool secondary characters as well. Not everyone is against Sage, his mother, father and sister are quite wonderful, as are the people at the biker owned diner.

I recommend this one for anyone that loves a small-town cowboy, a bit of angst and a touch of dark and gritty drama.

Knave of Broken Hearts by Tara Lain ~ Audio Review

Title: Knave of Broken Hearts

Series: Love in Laguna 02

Author: Tara Lain

Narrator: KC Kelly

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 7 hrs, 46 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (24th November 2015)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 4.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Jim Carney has a full time job – running from himself. Since he walked out on his wealthy family at 16 because he’d wrecked his best friend’s life over some yaoi graphic novels, Jim has lived a macho, blue-collar existence of too much booze and too little responsibility. Then Billy Ballew, the man Jim most admires, gives Jim a chance to come through as his construction supervisor. For once, Jim is determined to make someone proud. Then Jim goes in for a physical for his new job, and his yaoi dream comes to life in the form of cardiologist Ken Tanaka. Jim discovers he has two heart problems – a wonky mitral valve and a serious attraction to his doctor. But Ken is a major player, and Jim might be just a notch on the doc’s stethoscope. To Ken, Jim is unforgettable – but the living embodiment of his traditional family’s worst nightmares. How come the minute Jim decides to be responsible, he finds himself taking care of his kid brother, getting a proposal from a wealthy woman, making a deal with the devil, and winding up in the hospital – when all he really wants is the knave of broken hearts?

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Knave of Broken Hearts is the second book in Tara Lain’s Love in Laguna series. I would suggest reading this series in order, because it would make it easier to understand the large cast of secondary characters that we are getting to know. I love Tara Lain’s writing, I find it so easy to connect to, but in saying that I do think that I once tried reading a book in this series (without realising it was a series) and didn’t really enjoy it and so just became a forgettable experience.

KC Kelly, who is performs the narration for the audio of this series has done an excellent job for the second book. There is nothing really that took away from my enjoyment of the book, it was just so easy to connect with the characters when I started listening to this book.

The characters of the book are Jim Carney and Doctor Ken Tanaka. Jim was actually in book 1, a close ally and now friend to Billy Ballew. In fact, Jim now works for Billy after Billy took the big step to start up his own contracting business. Jim starts the book in a really down position. Being in the closet means that although he has been supportive of Billy, he feels like a liar and begins to revaluate his life as his new job begins to take off. To top it off, he has a tonne of baggage when it comes to his family as well, who he hasn’t seen in years. It just so happens that the doctor’s appointment that he has to attend for the new job leads him to the office of cardiologist Doctor Ken Tanaka.

Ken comes from a very traditional Japanese family. His parents love him and are endlessly proud of his professional accomplishments. In fact, his mother loves him so much and is so traditional, that now she has accepted that her son is gay, he is going to find him a good Japanese boy to marry. Because… well, tradition. But Ken is conflicted when it comes to his attraction to Jim, after all Jim is a patient as well as being a man who is struggling even more than Ken. But the two men, once thrown into each other’s orbit, cannot do anything but get back together.

However, it isn’t all roses. Ken is confused by his feelings for a man who would not pass muster with his parents, no matter how accepting they are. Ken has concerns for Jim’s health. Jim is struggling to become the better man he wanted to become. Jim also has to deal with his estranged family when his little brother arrives on his doorstep, desperate for help from his big brother (the two had never been close, due to their age difference). The guys have a lot of growing to do before the spark between them becomes a blazing fire.

Once again, I’ve loved the in-depth development we see of the MCs, but also love the support and getting to know the secondary characters in this book. I see that one character being in closet is the theme in this series. I don’t think its necessarily a bad thing because all the characters are very different have their reasons for staying in the closet, oh, and there are a lot of blue-collar construction workers. It is only when they fall in love that they realise that they can live in freedom. It’s a really sweet, heart-warming series, with really down to earth characters so far.

Loving Jay by Renae Kaye ~ Audio Review

Title: Loving Jay

Series: Loving You 01

Author: Renae Kaye

Narrator: Dave Gillies

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 6 hrs, 21 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (31st December 2014)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: One thing Liam Turner knows for sure is that he’s not gay – after all, his father makes it very clear he’ll allow no son of his to be gay. And Liam believes it, until a chance meeting with James “Jay” Bell turns Liam’s world upside-down. Jay is vivacious and unabashedly gay – from the tips of his bleached hair to the ends of his polished nails. With a flair for fashion, overreaction, and an inability to cork his verbal diarrhea, drama queen Jay must have a screw loose.

An accident as a teenager left Liam with a limp and a fear of driving. He can’t play football any-more either, and that makes him feel like less of a man. But that’s no reason to question his sexuality… unless the accident broke something else inside him. When being with Jay causes Liam’s protective instincts to emerge, Liam starts to believe all he’s known in life has been a convenient lie. From intolerance to confrontations, Liam must learn to overcome his fears – and his father – before he can accept his sexuality and truly love Jay.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Loving Jay is the first book in Renae Kaye’s Loving You series.

This is the second or third book that I’ve listened to or read by Kaye, and I feel that I am warming up to her as an author slowly but surely. For me, an Aussie author writing about her own city (which isn’t on the eastern coast) is major plus for me as a South Australian, despite her books being set in Perth, Western Australia (I always appreciate the digs at the SA football teams too). Since we’re not here for a geography lesson, suffice to say that I connect with the very Aussie tone in her writing. So far there’s been a bit of a pattern in her writing where we have at least one main character who doesn’t want to come out of the closet because of his very blokey workplace (lots of miners) or his very manly-man type father. Not that it’s a bad thing, if you like a book with that sort of storyline.

The narration for this series is performed by Dave Gillies. I do like Gillies accent, despite the fact that he is Scottish, it’s a pretty decent Aussie accent. The only thing that I will make a comment on is that sometimes when the accent slipped I found it a bit annoying, but this was only a momentary thing for me. Overall, he does a brilliant job getting the tone and distinct voices of the various characters, because there is a large cast of guys aside from the main couple.

Loving Jay obviously has a guy called Jay (aka Jamie), who shares a mutual attraction to Liam Turner. Liam and Jay see each other every day at the train station on the way to work.

Liam is inexplicably drawn to the very obviously out and proud gay man, and Liam is fighting it. He doesn’t think that he can be gay. An accident when he was younger gave him a limp and leaves him unable to drive anymore, add to this hearing his dad wanting Liam to be a “proper man” (a real proper bloke), following the football (AFL) and all those other things that seem manly, and Liam is too afraid to face his true self. He’s had a couple failed relationships with women too, which doesn’t help his self-esteem.

But then there is Jay, and Jay is energy and light and love and laughter. At first they get to know each other over coffees at the train station. Then they have lunches. Liam is confused by his feelings for Jay, and Jay is strong throughout it all because his heart has already chosen the confused man.

Between Liam’s family, Jay’s really great family and their group of friends, there is a real feel good vibe about this whole book. These are very down to earth characters living a pretty normal life, making them totally relatable. Can’t wait to get to the next book!

Candy Man by Amy Lane ~ Audio Review

Title: Candy Man

Series: Candy Man 01

Author: Amy Lane

Narrator: Philip Alces

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 4 hrs, 6 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (4th September 2015)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Adam Macias has been thrown a few curve balls in his life, but losing his VA grant because his car broke down and missing a class was the one that struck him out. One relative away from homelessness, he has taking the bus to Sacramento, where his cousin has offered a house-sitting job and a new start. He has one goal, and that’s to get his life back on track. Friends, pets, lovers need not apply.

Finn Stewart takes one look at Adam as he’s applying to Candy Heaven and decides he’s much too fascinating to leave alone. Finn is bright and shiny – and has never been hurt. Adam is wary of his attention from the very beginning – Finn is dangerous to every sort of peace Adam is forging, and Adam may just be too damaged to let him in at all.

But Finn is tenacious, and Adam’s new boss, Darrin, doesn’t take bullshit for an answer. Adam is going to have to ask himself which is harder – letting Finn in or living without him? With the holi-days approaching, it seems like an easy question, but Adam knows from experience that life is seldom simple. And the world seldom cooperates with hope, faith, or the plans of cats and men.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Candy Man is the first book in Amy Lane’s series of the same name. I’ve have come to enjoy some of Lane’s books. However, I had not got into this series as the ebook predates when I first discovered the author. I have a dim memory of listening to one of the books in the series, but since I had read it out of order I never gave it a chance. Seems unfortunate, but it means that I’ve made an awesome discovery for the audio book format.

The narration was performed by Philip Alces, who narrates the full series. Alces has a soft and gentle voice that matches the sweetness of the plot and conveys the variety of emotions that tumble through the MCs. It was a wonderful performance and completely on point.

The MC that needs help that introduces us to this world is Adam Macais. He had a really shitty upbringing. His family cursed his own existence, always more than happy to tell him that he was a bastard (honestly, can’t figure out that guy’s mum). When he left to go to the army, the dog that he had loved was euthanised by his vindictive mother. When he came out as gay he was outright rejected. In the army he had thought that he had found the love of his life, but that went awry. When he left the army he went back to school, but being sick meant that he lost his VA Grant. All that he had left was a handful of belongings and a crappy car that would take him to Sacramento. That’s where his cousin, Rico, lives and it feels like that Rico is the only light in his life.

Adam is staying at Rico’s place, looking after Rico’s dog, Clopper, and the decrepit cat, Gonzo, while Rico moves to New York for six months for an internship. Adam is determined to get his life back on track. He’s in the right place at the right time because barely after a day in Sacramento he walks into the store Candy Heaven, where the strange guy that runs the place, gives him an apron and tells Adam he is where he is meant to be.

Adam meets Finn when Finn delivers food from his family’s diner. Finn is super close to his family, they are big and boisterous and for Finn there is nothing bad in the world. He is outgoing and positive. He works for the family business while going to school to become an engineer. The moment he meets Adam, Finn knows that he can’t let the guy go. Good thing that Finn is a scrappy sort of guy because Adam is going to take a lot of getting to know and convincing that he is deserving of love, laughter and happiness.

Adam and Finn have great chemistry together. They are ying and yang but as they get to know each other it is clear that they both have something that the other needs. They are kind of like Beauty and the Beast in a way. Adam is a gritty character from a hard life, but that is only what we get on the surface as Adam has a lot of things to learn in the course of this book.

The world of the Candy Man has a strange type of mystical energy that makes it so easy to get love and hope. Candy Man was a really charming book and I can’t wait for the next one. This is good for people that love a rosy, sweet romance.

Model Investigator by Lissa Kasey ~ Audio Review

Title: Model Investigator

Series: Haven Investigations 03

Author: Lissa Kasey

Narrator: Brian Hutchinson

Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Thriller

Length: 9 hrs, 7 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (14th February 2019)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 4.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: With his lover, Kade, missing, androgynous former-model-turned-private-investigator Ollie Pe-troskovic is ready to kick some ass to bring him home.

Ollie and his ex, rock star Jacob Elias, need to find Kade and free him from the clutches of his manipulative family. But with Ollie suffering from chronic migraines and Jacob unable to bear loud noises, they are hardly the dynamic duo. It takes a lot of sweet talking on the part of Jacob – and patience Ollie doesn’t have – to find Kade. Only Kade’s not whole anymore. The fight for Kade’s heart and mind is far from over.

It’s Ollie’s turn to guide Kade through nightmares, self-doubt, and PTSD. Kade’s memories are scattered, fragmented with possible horrors, and he’s not quite sure what is real. Ollie will have to draw on his investigative skills to clear Kade of the terrible accusations his family has made and help Kade unlock the truth. But in doing so, he ignores his own health, which could have catastrophic consequences for everyone, especially when digging up the past could be lethal for them all.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Model Investigator is the third book in Lissa Kasey’s Haven Investigations series. The only way to read this series is in order, or else nothing will make sense. Book 2 had finished on a cliff hanger, which is eventually resolved in this book. I have been absolutely loving this series. These audios is the only experience I have with the author and unfortunately have not looked into Kasey’s other work further, not to say that I won’t some day but I just haven’t had the chance.

The audio narration for this book was provided by Brian Hutchinson, who was narrator for book 2, and book 1 had a different narrator altogether. Overall, this was a wonderful performance. There is a lot going on in this series and I was impressed with Hutchinson’s ability to give the characters, for the most part, distinct voices.

As I said before, this a complicated series with a complicated storyline. We pick up with Kade going missing – kidnapped and held against his will by his own family. It is up to Ollie, a model turned private investigator to help his lover, business partner and fellow PI. Helping Ollie is Jacob, a Rockstar and Ollie’s ex who is now his best friend and now partner in crime when it comes to Haven Investigations and helping the couple solve the ongoing mystery of Ollie’s brother’s death.

There is a lot of angst in this book, and as tiring as it might become, it works well to keep the chemistry and sexual going between Ollie and Kade. As soon as he has Kade back, Ollie lets life, mysteries and insecurities take over, which can make the relationship frustrating as things go hot and cold between then the lovers. But finally the two guys talk, because I have to say miscommunication is one of my biggest hates in a book. Yet, I have to admit that Kasey uses it really well to advance the story as well as add depth to both Ollie and Kade.

There is A LOT going on in this story. However, for the most part the focus in on Kade, his past and his family. Kade’s family are nothing but a drama worthy of soap opera status, which is just the bread between the paternity tests, accusations of rape and various health issues.

I am happy to say that this book ended without the cliff hanger we got in book 2, which I am immensely relieved about. However, that is not say that there wasn’t a tiny little cliff hanger there. There is still the mystery of how Ollie’s brother died and now we also need to find out the importance of new connections and information that has come to light during the course of Model Investigator. Personally, I’d love to hear more from Jacob. I am very much looking forward to Model Exposure, the fourth book in the series, which was published about 1.5 years ago, so hopefully the audio will be out soon.

Ravensong by T.J. Klune ~ Audio Review

Title: Ravensong

Series: Green Creek 02

Author: T.J. Klune

Narrator: Kirt Graves

Genre: Paranormal, Shape shifters

Length: 20 hrs, 18 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press LLC (6th December 2018)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: Gordo Livingstone never forgot the lessons carved into his skin. Hardened by the betrayal of a pack who left him behind, he sought solace in the garage in his tiny mountain town, vowing nev-er again to involve himself in the affairs of wolves.

It should have been enough.

And it was, until the wolves came back, and with them, Mark Bennett. In the end, they faced the beast together as a pack…and won.

Now, a year later, Gordo has found himself once again the witch of the Bennett pack. Green Creek has settled after the death of Richard Collins, and Gordo constantly struggles to ignore Mark and the song that howls between them.

But time is running out. Something is coming. And this time, it’s crawling from within.

Some bonds, no matter how strong, were made to be broken.

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Ravensong is the second book in TJ Klune’s Green Creek series, which is based upon the lives and current trials of the Bennett Wolf Pack of Green Creek, Oregon. If you’ve not read or heard the audio of the first book, Wolfsong, then it is vital to have gone through that intense journey before starting Ravensong. The events of this book pick up directly from book one, so I guarantee it will be confusing.

However, I highly recommend this series, especially to people new to TJ Klune. This is good for people that like a paranormal romance with shape shifters. It’s by no means a light read, it is intense and there is a good dose of angst. By the time you get to the end, your heart won’t be pieced back together after being torn apart, but there is so much more going on and we just need to wait for the next books as this series hits it’s halfway point.

Kirt Graves does a flawless performance narrating this book. He narrated the audio for Wolfsong as well. The way that man times pauses is an absolute art form. He really nailed the rollercoaster of emotions throughout the book.

While the story of the Green Creek Pack continues with their two alphas, Jo and Ox, we enter the very complicated lives of Gordo Livingstone and Mark Bennett.

Gordo is a man with a lot of baggage, a lot of fear and so much love and potential for love, it’s heart breaking. He also happens to be a witch. He father was once the witch for the Bennett Pack. As a child he saw his father transform into a dark witch, though, which tore apart the Bennett Pack and saw him become the pack witch at a very young age. Also at that young age he discovered that he was mate to one of those wolves – Mark Bennett, who is only a couple years older than Bennett although they were on the cusp of adulthood when this revelation occurred. But the Bennetts had to leave and Gordo felt that everyone in his life was abandoned. He remained in Green Creek where he became a mechanic, took over the shop and eventually led to when he appointed himself as the protector of Ox. Over the years the bitterness has consumed him, especially when he perceived danger when the Bennetts returned and it became apparent that his history could repeat with Ox.

Mark Bennett is a man with baggage when it concerns his mate. He has so much regret although he has never stopped loving Gordo. However, the danger that surrounds the pack in the form of Gordo’s evil father is working as a catalyst to bring the two men together. Mark instincts drive him to protect Gordo, despite Gordo’s feeling that Mark abandoned him.

The story goes between the past and “present”, as we get to know Mark and Gordo more. We get the events of Wolfsong from Gordo’s view (the chunk of time where Jo was absent from Ox’s life). With the evil plan of Gordo’s father, Richard Livingstone unfolding, I’m looking forward to find out how the Green Creek Pack fare.

Knight of Ocean Avenue by Tara Lain ~ Audio Review

Title: Knight of Ocean Avenue

Series: Love in Laguna 01

Author: Tara Lain

Narrator: KC Kelly

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 9 hrs, 33 mins

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press (15th July 2015)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: 💖💖💖💖💖 4.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Prime

Blurb: How can you be 25 and not know you’re gay? Billy Ballew runs from that question. A high school dropout, barely able to read until he taught himself, Billy’s life is driven by his need to help sup-port his parents as a construction worker, put his sisters through college, coach his Little League team, and not think about being a three-time loser in the engagement department. Being terrified of taking tests keeps Billy from getting the contractor’s license he so desires, and fear of his mother’s judgment blinds Billy to what could make him truly happy.

Then, in preparation for his sister’s big wedding, Billy meets Shaz – alias Chase Phillips – a ris-ing-star celebrity stylist who defines the word gay. To Shaz, Billy embodies everything he’s ever wanted – stalwart, honest, brave – but even if Billy turns out to be gay, he could never endure the censure he’d get for being with a queen like Shaz. How can two men with so little in com-mon find a way to be together? Can the Stylist of the Year end up with the Knight of Ocean Avenue?

Purchase Link: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Review: Knight of Ocean Avenue is the first book in Tara Lain’s series, Love in Laguna. I’m very familiar with the author, although I have to admit I think I may have read one of the books in the series in epub format but I don’t remember at all. Regardless, I was looking forward to starting this series on audio, purely because of the blurb and my previous experience with the author.

Billy Ballew is a huge man, he’s a construction worker, he is everything that is blue collar. However, at the age of twenty five, Billy has only just allowed himself to want someone sexually. Before now sex and attraction has been a non-event for the most part. He was labelled as stupid most of his life and so he simply dropped out of school and began to work hard to make money. He has put all his energy to help his sisters through college. he has become excellent in his work, so much so he’s been urged to get his contractor’s license but is terrified of tests (linking back to his school experience). Billy really does know he isn’t straight, although he has never accepted it and mostly because he fears how his mother would react to his sexuality. For the most part, Billy is happy with his lot in life. Then he meets Shaz.

Shaz, real name Chase Phillips, is an up and coming designer who has become sought after by the rich and famous. He has no questions of who he is what he needs to do. Chase is cool and confident. As soon as he meets Billy there is a brilliant spark, these guys have a great connection and it was lovely to be able to see this spark of attraction develop between the two. At first Chase thinks that Billy is straight, and then after that both Chase and Billy must go on a journey of discovery regarding each other before they can contemplate a HEA.

Chase is interested in Billy as a man, but also in Billy as a person and it was so easy to fall in love with Billy through Chase’s eyes. In saying that, the same is true for Billy and seeing Chase through his eyes.

The narration of this book was performed by KC Kelly. On the whole, I really enjoyed the narration and the thought that Kelly did a wonderful job conveying the emotion from the words. However, the one criticism I have for this was the voice for one of the secondary characters, Ru, whose story is told later in the series. There was something about the tone that I did not like and I hope that it hasn’t been carried over to Ru’s story, because I’m just not sure if I could hear that voice for a major character.

This is a great start to a series. I’m looking forward to getting to the audio of the rest of the series. The main theme being that one of the MCs must come out of the closet so that he can embrace happiness and love. I recommend this to those that like a down to earth romance in an almost tropical locale.

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I Wished For You

Colette Davison

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