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AUDIO REVIEW: A Way With You by Lane Hayes
A Way With You – Lane Hayes
Reeve Nelson is determined to make it in Manhattan. He’s hardworking, dedicated and willing to put in the extra hours required to be successful at his new job at a prestigious real estate firm in the city. There’s no way he’s going back to small-town living and an ex-girlfriend who won’t let go. But his boss isn’t making it easy.
Leo Rodriguez enjoys his reputation as a ruthless businessman. He’s a lone wolf who’s scraped his way from the gutter to rebuild his life and launch a distinguished career on his terms. When an opportunity to expand in the market comes up, Leo wants the eager new agent with a sense of wonder on the project. But nothing goes quite as planned. Reeve expected to be intimidated and overwhelmed by Leo, however, the explosive mutual attraction and fierce desire between them is a big surprise. Neither man is looking for love and yet, something special just might happen if they can find their way…together.
A Way With You is the sequel to A Way With Words, starring Remy’s big brother, Reeve. This book could be read as a standalone but I recommend reading Remy and Tony’s book first because why miss out on this adorable couple?
A Way With You started strong. We meet Reeve in his first day of work. He just learned he was to work with real estate celebrity, Leo Rodriguez, a man who has a reputation as a tough as nails boss.
He was assigned to a challenging assignment which led to butting heads with Leo where he quickly lost his temper. To end his last day at work with a bang, he kissed his boss.
Then he disappeared.
Between the Nelson brothers, Reeve had the more mercurial temper whereas Remy was the more easy-going one. The brothers are very supportive of each other, constantly checking in to see how the other is doing. Their relationship was one of the highlights of the book.
I didn’t warm up to Reeve much. I didn’t hate him but I didn’t like him either. We could all do without the tantrums. What’s admirable about him though was that he’s brave enough to quit a 6-figure job and carve his own path in life. He doesn’t even mind that he had to start from scratch all over again.
Leo was the stand out here. I wished we had his POV. When we first met him, he appeared cold and aloof. The kind of personality you would expect in a terror boss.
It was when we meet him again, this time outside the office, we could see he’s a genial, warm-hearted guy who offers sofa cuddles and lends his underwear to the under-dressed.
I loved the way he doggedly pursued Reeve’s company. Not taking no for an answer but never pushy. He consistently kept a cool head whenever Reeve threw his tantrums. Best of all, he followed his love declarations with actions. Truly a keeper!
While I liked both books in the A Way With series, I enjoyed this a notched less than the first book. It has the same feel-good charm as its predecessor and I was having a good time with most of it. After the big scene at the office, I was led to believe this was going to be conflict-free but alas childish behavior reared its ugly head.
Reeve’s infamous temper flared up at the latter part of the story where, although in keeping with character, resulted in a rather ridiculous fight scene. I wasn’t particularly impressed with this moment. I felt it was thrown in just so there would be conflict.
Nonetheless, Leo’s winning ways saved the day, cartwheel fails and all.
Narration-wise, Alexander Cendese continued to do a good job giving life to all these colorful characters. While the voices are not that different from each other, he was still able to imbue distinct personalities to each so it’s wasn’t difficult to recognize who’s speaking at the moment. His reading style was appropriately energetic in keeping with the vibe of the book.
All in all, A Way With You was an enjoyable office romance story that happened mostly outside the office. It’s also about following your dreams and doing it your way. Because trying to making it big in the Big Apple is a hell lot easier if you got friends, family and the right boss to kiss.
P.S.
Thank you to Indigo and Audible UK for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Book one, A Way With You, review here.
Rating:
3.5 Stars – that place between like and loveSoundtrack: Up & Up
Artist: Coldplay
Album: A Head Full Of Dreams -
AUDIO REVIEW: A Way With Words by Lane Hayes
A Way With Words – Lane Hayes
Tony De Luca is a simple guy. He works for his uncle’s Brooklyn-based construction firm. And he knows from experience that keeping his head down and doing his job is the best way to deal with the meddlesome family members he sees daily. They think he’s quiet and maybe a little awkward but the truth is more complicated. Tony has a secret he isn’t ready or willing to share. He’s an expert at avoiding familial scrutiny. At least he was until the sexy guitar player showed up.
Remy Nelson is a small-town, free-spirited guy looking for a new life in the big city. He stays busy playing his instrument on a busy Manhattan street corner during the day and bartending at night. Remy is more interested in finding steady employment than a mate, but he can’t deny his attraction to the dreamy construction worker with soulful eyes, a kind heart, and a unique way with words. Falling for Remy wasn’t what Tony expected, but keeping him will require courage. And an end to keeping secrets.
A Way With Words is about a man trying to find the courage to come out to his family. I have read many variations of this trope before but Lane Hayes pulled off a very endearing, feel good version that made me smile a lot.
MCs Tony and Remy were fantastic together! The first time they met, they hit it off immediately. From then on, it was a very sweet development with the two men being 100% honest and supportive of each other. I really loved that there were no conflicts and no judgement between them. They talked things through and listened.
Tony is an interesting combination of closed-mouth and talkative. He came from a large, loud Italian family who’s always up in each other’s business. This includes matchmaking attempts with women from the neighborhood.
Tony described himself as being one of the quieter ones who gets tongue-tied every time he tries to open up about his sexuality. But when he’s with Remy, that’s when he shines the brightest. He completely lets loose and says the sweetest, most romantic things in his own inimitable way. He did it so naturally without sounding cheesy.
Remy was a joy! He had a laidback charm and a contagious smile that I felt right off the audiobook. I loved how patient and understanding he was with Tony, when he knew Tony was not ready to come out. No demands, no hissy fits. Just there when he’s needed.
This is my first Alexander Cendese narration and he won me over with his style. He voiced Tony with just the right amount of exuberance and captured Remy’s lovable personality to a T. Definitely will listen to more audiobooks by him.
A Way With Words is a solid contemporary romance short. It’s a low-angst story filled with good food and happy people. Recommended for light reading moods and pick-me-up moments.
P.S.
Thank you to Indigo and Audible UK for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
A Way With Words is the first book of the A Way With series. Review of book 2, A Way With You, soon.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: All This Goodness
Artist: Kyle Andrews
Album: All This Goodness -
AUDIO REVIEW: The Edge Of The World
The Edge Of The World – Garrett Leigh
Shay Maloney is living his dream—on tour with his pirate/folk-rock band. But you can’t know where you’re going until you know where you’re from, and that’s where moody filmmaker and researcher Ollie Pietruska comes in.
The band’s management persuades Shay to let a television company film a documentary about his roots beyond his adoptive Irish family, and Ollie comes into his life knowing more about Shay than Shay’s ever known about himself.
But while Ollie holds the key to Shay’s past, he’s also hiding deep scars. Even as the hardships of the tour bring them closer, Ollie’s demons threaten the blossoming romance. They might both reach the breaking point before Ollie realises he’s been standing on the edge of the world for too long, and it’s Shay who holds the key to his future.
A friends-to-lovers, rock star, road-tripping romance, with a guaranteed happily-ever-after
Given my obsession with music, I thought I would be all over this. Sadly, The Edge of the World was not engaging my attention as I would like it to. I tried to hang on for as long as I could but there’s no hook to keep me going.
A book about an indie pirate-folk band should be riveting stuff. And I am curious about life on the road for musicians. Turns out the everyday life on tour was tedium and boredom.
I suppose MCs Shay and Ollie were your typical troubled but likable Garrett Leigh leads but I wasn’t drawn to them. I didn’t dislike them or anything, it’s just that they’re forgettable. In addition, none of the other personalities stood out.
I also didn’t feel the connection between Shay and Ollie. They weren’t communicating properly. Both were mostly pining and speculating about the other. Ollie was too closed-mouth for his own good. There were also cryptic hints of his issues being dropped here and there, but I wasn’t intrigued enough to care.
One reason I stuck for as long as I could was narrator Dan Calley. I really like the way he voiced the conversations. His reading style matched the author’s prose perfectly. I think that’s why he narrates most of her books.
I feel bad about DNFing a book that’s right up my alley but when it’s becoming a chore, I think it’s time to throw in the towel. This could be very well be a Me problem. Many readers enjoyed this and I think it’s best to find out for yourself. Especially if you’re into angsty tales of genius musicians and ninja filmmakers.
P.S.
Thank you to Signal Boost Promotions and Audible UK for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Garrett Leigh books here.
Rating:
2 Stars – it’s a struggle to finish the damn bookSoundtrack: Song From The Edge Of The World
Artist: Siouxsie & The Banshees
Album: Tinderbox -
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW TOUR: Forgotten by Colette Davison
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AUDIO REVIEW: Forgotten by Colette Davison
Heaven and Hell Club: Forgotten – Colette Davison
Can he build a future, when he’s forgotten his past?
Jared has fought hard to achieve something close to ‘normal’. Needing to get away from his well meaning but suffocating family, he follows a message he wrote on a scrap of paper to a new city, hoping to find a missing piece of his past.
When Kyrone, a cocky pole dancer at the Heaven and Hell Club, saunters into the tattoo parlour Jared works in, his life is turned upside down again. A passionate one night stand turns into something unexpected for both men. But life is never simple as they work out if they can have a future beyond what has been forgotten.
Forgotten is an MM romance with hurt/comfort, a small age gap, and two men who need to learn to be true to themselves. It is the second book in the Heaven and Hell Club series and, whilst it can be read as a standalone, works better if read after Broken
Imagine waking up one day with no memory of your past. Your family and friends are strangers, your life a complete blank.
That’s what happened to Jared. He was in a car accident and suffered traumatic brain injury that resulted in retrograde amnesia. With his past erased, he had to start life all over again.
If I thought Jag’s book was angsty, Jared’s book was much more intensely emotional. Copious amounts of tears were shed and you got to hand it to Piers Ryman, his voice acting knocked it out of the park. He effectively wrung out all the emotions off every scene.
This was also a book where I felt the pain, literally. As a result of his brain injury, Jared suffers from recurring headaches and migraines. Something I also suffer from and was experiencing while listening to the audiobook. I never felt as in tune with a character as I was with Jared right at that moment.
I loved how strong Jared is. He had the courage to rebuild his life and try to live as normally as he could despite all the hurdles he had to overcome daily. He’s a talented tattoo artist. He’s also very conscious of the fact that he might have hurt other people because he couldn’t be his old self that they wanted him to be or he might have done something wrong in the past that he just couldn’t remember.
Kyrone was exactly the man for Jared. At first, I was kinda meh about him. I mean, who calls himself an adonis, for fuck’s sake? AND tattoos it on his chest! But Kyrone revealed a deeply nurturing side of his personality that endeared himself, the kind who’s ready to drop everything when his boyfriend needs him. And he’s ready to do it anytime, anywhere too. Attaboy!
It’s not all angst and tears. There’s a lot of fluff in this book too. Kyrone wins the award for the best date idea ever for his brilliant ‘let’s play spies’ game. It tops Michael’s indoor picnic/star-gazing date idea from Broken.
And speaking of Michael, him and Jag were in for a surprise at Jared’s appearance. It went down as a catastrophic mess but happily, in the end, poor Jag finally had his closure.
The supporting characters were really great too. There were more page-time for the other dancers of the club. The other characters present were Jared’s kind-hearted boss from the tattoo parlor and his family.
The latter one threw me in for a loop because I was expecting them to be the villainous antagonist. Initial impressions confirmed it to be so until it was slowly revealed they were much more than what they appeared to be.
Forgotten could be read as a standalone but I recommend reading book 1, Broken, to fully appreciate the connection between the characters. And most especially because Colette Davison writes outstanding people. They are what makes me come back to Heaven and Hell Club time and time again. They go through so much and your heart breaks for them. They emerge stronger, happier and their joy resonates with you.
Do read if you like stories featuring cocky tattoos, jumper cuddles and enlightened seagulls.
P.S.
Thank you to Gay Book Promotions and Audible UK for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
review of Broken, Heaven and Hell Club book 1, here
Colette Davison books here.Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Clean Slate
Artist: TOKiMONSTA feat. Gavin Turek
Album: Clean Slate -
AUDIO REVIEW: Fated Hearts by Garrett Leigh
Shadow Bound: Fated Hearts – Garrett Leigh
“He’s not a wolf.”
Devastated by the death of his best friend, Zio is a soldier with one thing on his mind: revenge. Consumed by a conflict that’s raged as long as he’s been alive, he’s had little time or inclination to learn the legends of the shifter world he was raised in. And he certainly doesn’t have time to deal with a shifter of a different kind, even if it’s for the good of the war effort. For the good of his pack. The fact that he’s already crossed paths with the new face in his unit is almost irrelevant.
Almost.
Do no harm. Give life not death: it’s the oath Devan was reborn to live by, so when he’s sent abroad to embed with a wolf pack as their resident healer, he doesn’t hesitate. In the supernatural world, some bonds are instant—soldiers become brothers, pack become family. But others run deeper and before long, Devan’s at the mercy of instincts he can’t control.
Zio’s inner wolf is desperate to be with Devan, while Devan struggles to keep the pack safe. But as the war escalates, and new love is tainted by anguish and pain, the battles within might prove the toughest of them all.
“I won’t let him die.”
We are dropped right smack in the middle of a war in this captivating shifter romance by Garrett Leigh. It quickly grabbed my attention and didn’t let go.
Fated Hearts is the first book of the Shadow Bound series. There is a short story prequel that I haven’t read yet. I’m guessing it will more or less give us an idea of how or why the Northern pack and the Southern packs are at war with each. This prequel is also the story of how the Shadow Clan’s alpha met his fated mate who is a vampire. From the hints given in the story, it’s just as good as this novel.
So anyway, the world is basically already established and we get right into the action. There are a lot of characters who are assumed to be known to the reader already. I felt it would have been ideal if I had known their backstories beforehand. However, overall, piecing together everything wasn’t a hardship and did not greatly undermine my enjoyment of the story.
Apparently, the shifters here stopped aging once they are turned. I liked this version of shifters. There are wolves and feline shifters as well as vampires with humans very much aware of their presence. Magic is present but low key. There is also mention of human weapons used in the pack war and their impact. I’m curious to see what other supernatural creatures are present and where the author takes the series. The Shadow Bound world is definitely worth exploring.
Zio is a soldier of the Northern pack who just lost his bestfriend, Emma, the pack healer. He took the loss hard and had a hard time accepting her replacement. Zio is a bit of a hot-head but a good leader of his squad. Orphaned as a baby, the pack is all the family he has ever known, the other soldiers his brothers.
Zio first met Devan at a club when he smelled something very enticing and followed his nose right up to a mysterious man in the dark. They had what they assumed was an anonymous hook up and thought they wouldn’t see each other again. Much to his surprise, the rando turned out to be their new healer.
Devan is a shifter from the Shadow clan. He has a calm, grounding presence. He’s also mature considering that he looks 21 but also makes sense since he’s been a shifter for 20 years.
The attraction between the two was undeniable. Zio, who is quite naive of some basic shifter biology, cannot seem to understand why he is so strongly drawn to Devan. The healer was hesitant to explain why for some reason but couldn’t help getting close This is where most of the delicious will they or won’t they tension comes from. I could feel their frustrations and longing leaping off the page.
This created a lot of angst, especially coming from Zio. His grief, anger, desire for revenge, desire for Devan all made him run away from others. We could see how young Zio is. He was turned when he was a baby 20 something years ago so his shifter age and biological age are the same.
Even when they finally acknowledged that they were mates, Zio and Devan were forbidden to complete the bond due to shifter politics. Things are so much bigger than just the two of them. War takes its toll and death inevitable.
I felt bad for those who lost their mates especially mated pairs who had major appearances in the story. The deaths weren’t Game of Throne levels but the results could still be felt strongly especially right after showing the close bonds and camaraderie among pack and their alpha.
Dan Calley, who is the narrator of most Garrett Leigh books, did a great job bringing the characters to life. The voices he used for each character really suited their personality. My only niggle is that I wished there was a pause whenever the POV shifts from one MC to another. I wouldn’t immediately realize that the POV already changed because the sentences were read without any change of pacing.
Among the shifter stories I’ve read, Fated Hearts is one of the well-written ones. Even without the build-up, it’s easy to get swept away by the story and root for the characters. The development of a shifter relationship amidst war and politics was portrayed beautifully, the HEA hard-fought and satisfying.
The war is not yet over. We haven’t seen the last of the Northern pack and the Shadow Clan yet. I’m looking forward to the next book!
P.S.
Thank you to Signal Boost Promotions and Audible UK for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Garrett Leigh books here.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Latch
Artist: Kodaline
Album: In a Perfect World -
AUDIO REVIEW: Kiss Me Again by Garrett Leigh
Kiss Me Again – Garrett Leigh
Tree surgeon Aidan Drummond is content with his own company. He works alone, and lives alone, and it doesn’t occur to him to want anything else until a life-changing accident lands him in hospital. Then a glimpse of the beautiful boy in the opposite bed changes everything.
Ludo Giordano is trapped on the ward with a bunch of old men. His mind plays tricks on him, keeping him awake. Then late one night, a new face brings a welcome distraction. Their unlikely friendship is addictive. And, like most things in Ludo’s life, temporary.
Back in the real world, Aidan’s monochrome existence is no longer enough. He craves the colour Ludo brought him, and when a chance meeting brings them back together, before long, they’re inseparable again.
But bliss comes with complications. Aidan is on the road to recovery, but Ludo has been unwell his entire life, and that’s not going to change. Aidan can kiss him as much as he likes, but if he can’t help Ludo when he needs him most, they don’t stand a chance.
Garrett Leigh is not a new to me author. I’ve seen her around and I’ve featured her books here on the New Release Blitz. Kiss Me Again is my first official book from her. I’m so happy I finally took the plunge!
This is a story of two people who made each other’s life just a little bit more extraordinary. Ludo and Aidan were both complex characters fighting their own battles. I loved how they lend each other their strengths. They were drawn towards each other the first time they met in the hospital. They were never the same since.
The author was able to bring the two men to life in a way that completely captivated me. I loved how their connection was established and how it blossomed into something selfless and unconditional. I was rooting for Ludo and Aidan all the way and not just their romance.
The story takes the reader through a gamut of emotions. There were the beautifully written hospital scenes where I was so sure things were going to go well only for it all to disappear. There was the painful separation and the fateful reunion that seemed almost unreal. That’s only the first parts.
This is a highly emotional book without any unnecessary drama. We spent a lot of time in Ludo’s and Aiden’s head. There were a lot of angst, doubts and pain but there was never a moment when it became melodramatic. Every emotion was played just right. I greatly appreciated that there were no petty misunderstandings used as a plot device.
I was also super impress with how Ludo’s mental condition, bipolar disorder, was portrayed in the story. It’s a struggle that hits close to home. I know that one’s experience with the condition is different from another’s but all in all, Leigh was able to write about it with accuracy and respect. I especially liked how the story emphasized that Ludo is so much more than his bipolar disorder.
Narrator Dan Calley is a new to me narrator. At first I was confused with his voices for Ludo and Aiden because they sounded very similar so I didn’t know who was talking. Later on, I grew used to his style, plus the story was really outstanding, that I didn’t mind the similarity too much. More importantly, he hit the right notes when it comes to the emotions of the characters. I also enjoyed the accents.
Kiss Me Again definitely sets the bar high to my Garrett Leigh experience. If this is how good her books are, I really, really need to get my hands on more.
Recommended if you like intense, angsty stories about grumpy tree surgeons with big hearts and battled-scarred survivors with beautiful souls.
P.S.
Thank you to Signal Boost Promotions and Audible UK for giving a me copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Rating:
4.5 Stars – perfection is only half a step awaySoundtrack: All The Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands
Artist: Sufjan Stevens
Album: Seven Swans
