A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audiobook Review: A Home for the Holidays by Joe Cosentino and Joel Leslie (narrator)

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

As the son of an Italian mama, Bobby knows what it is to bow from pressure from said mama, so when she suggests he spend Christmas with his Italian cousins on the isle of Capri and goes so far as to buy his ticket, he has no choice but to capitulate. Once there, he meets his extended family, which includes his gorgeous, friendly third cousin, Paolo. Over the course of the holiday, the sparks ignite and then flare between these two men, despite the fact that Paolo’s family, and his family obligations, keep his sexuality under wraps and allow him no choice but to remain behind when Bobby flies home.

I don’t know what I enjoyed more in this story: the author’s sense of humor or Joel Leslie’s delivery of it. Maybe it’s a tie? But in any event, this short holiday story is packed full of goodness. Joel’s voice for Bobby’s mama was hysterical. Perfect, in both accent and tone, the words and the way they were spoken had me laughing out loud within a few minutes of starting this story. So buyer beware: don’t listen to this in any “quiet” space, such as a library. You’ll be kicked out, for sure!

Looking back on how long (or short) this audiobook was (less than two hours) I find it hard to believe that so much occurred. The characters, including a host of secondary characters, were well-developed by the author and given unique and interesting voices by the narrator. The romance progressed quickly, but then it would have to in a short story so no points off for that, for sure. And I was tearful at the ending but suddenly surprised at the last minute by the author’s gift: a highly possible HEA.

Definitely recommended for a healthy dose of holiday cheer.

The cover by Paul Richmond is attractive, depicting two handsome young men who fit the description of the MCs.

Sales Links

Audiobook Details:

Audiobook, Audiobook
Published November 18th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press (first published December 2nd 2015)
ASINB01N0DV3FT
Edition LanguageEnglish