A Lila Audiobook Review: Plaid Versus Paisley (Fabric Hearts #2) by KC Burn and Narrator: David Ross

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

Two years after his life fell apart, Will Dawson moved to Florida to start over. His job in the tech department of Idyll Fling, a gay porn studio, is ideal for him. When his boss forces him to take on a new hire, the last person he expects is Dallas Greene—the man who cost him his job and his boyfriend back in Connecticut. He doesn’t know what’s on Dallas’s agenda, but he won’t be blindsided by a wolf masquerading as a runway model. Not again.

Dallas might have thrown himself on his brother’s mercy, but his skills are needed at Idyll Fling. Working with Will is a bonus, since Dallas has never forgotten the man. A good working relationship is only the beginning of what Dallas wants with Will.

But Dallas doesn’t realize how deep Will’s distrust runs, and Will doesn’t know that the man he’s torn between loving and hating is the boss’s brother. When all truths are revealed, how can a relationship built on lies still stand?

Plaid Versus Paisley is a pseudo enemies-to-lovers story. More about strong attraction and miscommunications than anything else, but the path to redemption is one they walked inadvertently. Omissions are also part of the obstacles in Will’s and Dallas’s path.

One thing this book highlight is the MCs’ intellects. I really like the way they interact and complement each other. They are geeky and at the same time, they have an adventurous side. They also take care of each other even when they have some misgivings about each other.

The start of the book is strong and we learned a lot about Dallas, his family and indirectly about Will. It’s easy to feel his exhaustion and the love of his brother. We also learned from Will amidst his desire to keep Dallas at arm’s-length.

Some of the details were a bit irrelevant and the middle part, as with many stories, dragged a bit. There’s some repetition and the ending felt rushed–still a lovely resolution, though. Plus, there were some questions about Dallas’s parents and that were never answered.

Overall, this is a good addition to the series. We get to see more about characters from previous books, and we get a small set up from the next book in the series.

David Ross did a nice job keeping the narration of this installment consistent with the first book. I enjoyed the characters’ voices and they added to the story.

The cover by L.C. Chase follows the original art work. This time mixing Dallas’s and Will’s fabrics. The audiobook cover is an adaptation of the e-book version.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner | Audible | iTunes

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: David Ross
Length: 7 hours and 57 minutes

Published: June 30, 2017 (Audio Edition) by Dreamspinner Press
ASIN: B073FZ58JZ
Edition Language: English

Series: Fabric Hearts
Book #1: Tartan Candy
Book #2: Plaid Versus Parsley

A Lila Audiobook Review: Tall, Dark, and Deported by Bru Baker and Dorian Bane (Narrator)

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

Crossing the border into love.

Snap decisions and misguided ideas bring Portuguese national Mateus Fontes and businessman Crawford Hargrave together at the Canadian border crossing.

Mateus is caught in a catch-22. With his almost-expired tourist visa, entrance to Canada is denied, but the US won’t let him back in either. Crawford thinks he’s solved things when he tells the border agent they’re engaged, and it works—except now they have to actually get married before either of them can get back into the United States. But Crawford has been burned by marriage once, and he’s determined not to make that mistake again.

Neither of them expects real feelings to bloom out of their fake marriage, but they do. And the two of them have to learn how to be honest with each other to make things work, which is especially hard when their entire marriage is based on lies.

Tall, Dark, and Deported is the perfect example of green card “fake marriages” trope stories. In that aspect, the author met all the expectations, creating an entertaining love story with three-dimensional characters and beautiful settings.

I love the premise of this story and how their first meeting went. The way they take turns taking care of each other is lovely and their relationship with their family members add to their appeal. This is a slow burn, sweet, fluffy goodness story. Perfect if you want something light and engaging without much angst.

I really like Crawford and Mateus individually. They’re nice characters with great depth, and a lot of potential, but have a hard time connecting to each other. The plans they have for their relationship and what they want from each other work, but when they try to put it together there’s no chemistry. It’s like having two good friends trying to make a relationship work. It gets resolved in the end, but it takes time.

In some parts, it reads a CliffsNotes version of a longer book–rushing to achieve an HEA–when the reader wanted the same amount of detail than before. It felt a little superficial, but it has to do more with length restrictions than lack of development. Overall, this isn’t a detrimental to the actual love story.

Dorian Bane’s narration worked for the story. All the characterizations fit well except for Mateus’s. He sounded more Hispanic than Portuguese, but overall, it was enjoyable.

The cover by Bree Archer follows the Dreamspun series and shows Mateus in front of an orchard–fitting for the story.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner | iTunes | Audible

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: Dorian Bane
Length: 6 hours 30 minutes
Published: June 19, 2017 (Audio Edition) by Dreamspinner Press
ASIN: B071GV8BCT
Edition Language: English

A Lila Audiobook Review: The Ranchers Son (Montana #2) by RJ Scott and Sean Crisden (Narrator)

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

A man without memories, and the cop who never gave up hope.

When he wakes up in hospital, the victim of a brutal beating, John Doe, has no memories of who he is or who hurt him. The cops can find nothing to identify him and he can’t remember anything to help… except the name Ethan and one recurring place from his dreams. Three words, and they’re not much, but it’s a start. Crooked Tree Ranch.

Cop, Ethan Allens has never stopped searching for his brother and his brother’s best friend who vanished. When a report lands on Ethan’s desk that may give new leads he jumps at the chance to follow them up. The man he finds isn’t his brother, but it’s someone who could maybe help him discover what happened ten years ago.

What neither man can know is that facing the very real demons of the past could very well destroy any kind of future they may think they have together.

The Rancher’s Son has a perfect balance of angst and hope. Ethan’s need to know what had happened, not only to his brother but to his own first love, gets the reader to empathize with him from the beginning. You will want to cheer him up until he gets the answers he needs.

The way he responds to Adam’s return only added to the enchantment. The way he took care of Adam’s needs first was endearing. I wanted to know more about Justine, but Ethan’s and Adam’s new relationship is the real priority of the story.

The author managed to intertwine the characters from the previous book and the overall series plot with this particular volume without neglecting Ethan and Adam. Add to that, all the settings and other descriptions and it makes for an entertaining read.

I did find the travel part of the story a bit too long and repetitive, but overall, it worked with the rest of the action. Plus, we get enough of a hint of what’s to come in the next book and with the next love couple. Definitely looking forward to the next book in the series.

Sean Crisden did an excellent job voicing the characters. It did take me a minute to get used to the different cadences, but after a couple of minutes, it was easy to get into the story.

The cover by Meredith Russell shows Ethan and Adam in front of a nice landscape that can be assumed to be part of the Crooked Tree Ranch. It goes with the main elements in the story.

Sales Links: Amazon | iTunes | Audible

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: Sean Crisden
Length: 6 hours 25 minutes
Published: June 26, 2017 (Audio Edition) by Love Lane Books Limited
ASIN: B0731PJ8ZC
Edition Language: English

Series: Montana
Book #1: Crooked Tree Ranch
Book #2: The Rancher’s Son

A Lila Audiobook Review: Perfect Alignment (Thorne and Dash #3) by Silvia Violet and Greg Boudreaux (Narrator)

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Thorne proposed to Riley. Riley accepted.

Thorne thought that was that. They’d take a nice trip, get married, and spend a week luxuriating in a five-star hotel with occasional excursions to fabulous restaurants.

Riley imagined a traditional wedding with all the trappings. With all their friends and family. At Christmas.

Thorne concedes reluctantly, and a flurry of wedding planning ensues. At the same time, Thorne is wrestling with a recalcitrant client, and Riley and his business partner, Susan, are consumed with renovations and planning for the opening of their bakery. Stress on top of stress makes both Riley and Thorne doubt their relationship, and a major misunderstanding nearly silences the wedding bells.

By the time they reach their happily ever after, they’re both going to deserve all the romance they’ve been dreaming of.

Perfect Alignment is a sweet, HEA ending to a well-established series that brings Thorne & Riley full circle. We are presented with highlights from their past–how they got together–and their hopes for their future as married men. Throughout all this, their relationship becomes stronger and the last of their insecurities come down.

Most of the conflict in this story comes from miscommunications and lack of openness from both MCs. They still hold their cards close in order to keep each other, but at the same time, they run the risk to lose all they had built together. Their relationship is evolving faster than they expected, bringing their uncertainties front and center.

As with the previous books, the secondary characters are excellent and relevant. The settings play a part and the love scenes advance the plot without losing its uniqueness or steam. Overall, this is a nice end to a series and the perfect way to set up the spinoff including Marc and Darius.

Greg Boudreaux delivers the right intensity for this story. We get to experience Thorne’s and Dash’s love, doubts, and jubilation throughout the book. The narration brings this characters to life.

LC Chase’s cover goes with the rest of the series, giving the reader a hint of the events to come in this installment.

Sales Links: Amazon | iTunes | Audible

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: Greg Boudreaux
Length: 5 hours 37 minutes
Published: May 4, 2017 (Audio Edition) by Silvia Violet Books
ASIN: B071VCM5RM
Edition Language: English

Series: Thorne & Dash
Book #1: Professional Distance
Book #2: Personal Entanglement
Book #3: Personal Alignment

A Lila Audiobook Review: Red Dirt Heart #2 by NR Walker and Joel Leslie (Narrator)

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Up until Travis arrived on his doorstep, Charlie had lived a very solitary life. He had surrounded himself with isolation; a couple million acres of red dirt, scorching sun and loneliness.

Six months on, winter has settled over the desert, and Charlie has the life he never dreamed possible. But living and working together, twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, for six months straight starts to take its toll.

Charlie is a stubborn, stubborn man, who tends to have more conversations in his head than what comes out his mouth, whereas Travis has no problem saying what’s on his mind. And even as they both struggle to communicate, struggle to make sense of need versus want, Charlie can see that he’s pushing Travis away – yet seems helpless to stop it.

When it all boils down to whether Travis should stay or go, maybe the decision won’t be theirs to make.

Red Dirt Heart 2 looks into Travis’s and Charlie’s relationship months after they became a couple. They’re cautious, but every day gives them an opportunity to learn more about the other. Solidifying their decision to be together.

I like how their relationship moved forward and how they integrated it to their everyday chores. Finding that combination between life and work took them a while but it became central to the book. I’m not a fan of stories in which the main characters had trouble or break up just to add more books to a series. So, I’m glad it was more to this second book than relationship issues.

This is a sweeter, warmer story. It seems slow in parts, but it shows how relationships really work. We get to see Travis and Charlie getting comfortable in their skins and with their relationship. Just like before, Travis helps Charlie be a better man and in return, Charlie shows Travis the beauty of small acts of love.

Book two is raw and filled with emotion, not only from the MCs but from the rest of the cast. They all play an important part in Travis’s and Charlie’s future and added color to their days. There are very sad moments, but the happiness around Sutton Station compensates for it. Keep an eye open for unexpected guests and lovely quiet times.

Joel Leslie continued to impress me with the narration. It was up-to-spot, not missing a single beat from the previous installment. He gives the characters more than a voice, he makes them real. It’s hard to imagine than Sutton Station doesn’t house all these characters in real life. It’s like they came together to tell us their stories.

Another fitting cover by Sara York. Just like book #1, the cover makes more sense after you read the book.

Sales Links: Amazon | iTunes | Audible

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: Joel Leslie
Length: 7 hours 10 minutes
Published: January 18, 2017 (Audio Edition) by Love Lane Books
ASIN: B01N9RLT2B
Edition Language: English

Series: Red Dirt
Book #1: Red Dirt Heart
Book #2: Red Dirt Heart 2

A Lila Audiobook Review: Red Dirt Heart #1 by NR Walker and Joel Leslie (Narrator)

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

Welcome to Sutton Station: One of the world’s largest working farms in the middle of Australia – where if the animals and heat don’t kill you first, your heart just might.

Charlie Sutton runs Sutton Station the only way he knows how; the way his father did before him. Determined to keep his head down and his heart in check, Charlie swears the red dirt that surrounds him – isolates him – runs through his veins.

American agronomy student Travis Craig arrives at Sutton Station to see how farmers make a living from one of the harshest environments on earth. But it’s not the barren, brutal and totally beautiful landscapes that capture him so completely, it’s the man with the red dirt heart.

Red Dirt Heart is an intense story about two men learning to love and accept each other. Their differences played tug-of-war with their feelings, creating more problems that they expected. Falling in love might not have been part of their plan, but the “lost in translation” effect added to the magic.

I normally wait until the end of the review to talk about the narrator, but this is about the audio version after all. This is my first story by Joel Leslie and I need to accept that I had to listen to the opening scene several times to get used to the different voices he created. I do have a very strong accent so I know how hard is for others to understand something they’re not used to, but after the initial shock, I can’t imagine reading the actual books. I’m waiting for the rest of the series to be released in audio. Charlie Sutton is now too real to be set aside. When you say that you can imagine visiting an area to meet the characters from a book, this is one of them. I’d love to travel to Sutton Station.

One thing, though, I wasn’t much into the female voices and Travis made me think of Bill Clinton. Sorry but it’s true. I listened to Clinton’s audiobooks and the accents are similar. I do live in Texas, but that cowboy had an Arkansan twang. 🙂

Travis’s and Charlie’s story isn’t an easy one. We get it from the very beginning with Travis’s arrival and how it changed Charlie’s view. We see how they struggled with what they wanted, especially Charlie, and what they were willing to do to get their happiness.

This is a very well-written story with much more than a simple romance plot. It’s a travel story with enough details about the Australian outback to make the reader want to visit. I’m not going to spoil the events that brought them together, but it was all worth it. Every single detail that might seem unnecessary, added another layer.

Definitely, a great story. One that’s not going to get dated over the years. The topics are universal and relevant no matter the times.

The cover by Sara York seems generic at first sight but after you read the story, you will see that it’s perfect for this book.

Sales Links: Amazon | iTunes | Audible

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: Joel Leslie
Length: 5 hours 7 minutes
Published: July 4, 2016 (Audio Edition) by Love Lane Books
ASIN: B01HU3WTHQ
Edition Language: English

Series: Red Dirt
Book #1: Red Dirt Heart

A Lila Audiobook Review: Hanging The Stars (Half Moon Bay #2) by Rhys Ford and Greg Tremblay (Narrator)

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Angel Daniels grew up hard, one step ahead of the law and always looking over his shoulder. A grifter’s son, he’d learned every con and trick in the book but ached for a normal life. Once out on his own, Angel returns to Half Moon Bay where he once found…and then lost…love.

Now, Angel’s life is a frantic mess of schedules and chaos. Between running his bakery and raising his troubled eleven-year-old half-brother, Roman, Angel has a hectic but happy life. Then West Harris returns to Half Moon Bay and threatens to break Angel all over again by taking away the only home he and Rome ever had.

When they were young, Angel taught West how to love and laugh but when Angel moved on, West locked his heart up and threw away the key. Older and hardened, West returns to Half Moon and finds himself face-to-face with the man he’d lost. Now, West is torn between killing Angel or holding him tight.

But rekindling their passionate relationship is jeopardized as someone wants one or both of them dead, and as the terrifying danger mounts, neither man knows if the menace will bring them together or forever tear them apart.

Hanging the Stars is a beautiful second chance story. I have a soft spot for young couples that get an opportunity to reconnect and this story doesn’t disappoint. The connection between Angel and West still runs through them after a decade apart. What they had made a difference in the men they became and what they wanted for their future.

The story starts strong and directly into the action. We get adrenaline filled scenes that set the path for the characters to see each other again. There are small coincidences that make their first encounter even more meaningful. Having them get together without trouble or misunderstandings worked for the story.

Each main character has a very defined backstory that intertwines with the other. They have family and friends in common, but at the same time, they have a separate story that’s only theirs. And that’s what makes their story special. A lot is going on against them, but they are ready to face everything together.

All the twist and turns are fast-paced and keep the reader trying to flip the pages faster. Well, in this case for the audio to hurry up. But this also is the reason I didn’t give the story a higher rating. It was easy to miss an important element with all the information coming our way.

Overall, this is an interesting addition to the story. We get to see Lang, Deacon, and Zig again. Plus, I love Roman and his relationship with Angel. I hope the author give us more stories in this series because there are several characters with a lot of potential for love.

Greg Tremblay did a good job giving life to the characters and making them unique. Especially the young ones.

The cover by Reece Notley is nice but a bit generic. Plus, the model’s picture has been used in several stories recently.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner | iTunes | Audible

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: Greg Tremblay

Length: 7 hours 41 minutes

Published: January 12, 2017 (Audio Edition) by Dreamspinner Press

ASIN: B01N9PZE6V

Edition Language: English

Series: Half Moon Bay

Book #1: Fish Stick Fridays

Book #2: Hanging the Stars

A Lila Audiobook Review: Undercover Boyfriend by Jacob Z. Flores and Rusty Topsfield (Narrator)

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Two men, one lie, and a whole bunch of trouble.

Marty Valdez is in serious trouble. His sister’s wedding is around the corner, and everyone expects to meet Marty’s super-successful underwear model boyfriend – whom Marty invented. Now Marty has to produce a half-naked hottie or suffer the worst humiliation of his life.

FBI agent Luke Myers is in serious trouble. He’s been working undercover to take down a dangerous drug cartel, but his cover’s blown and he needs to disappear. Luckily, a geeky yet intriguing comic book artist gives him the perfect opportunity. Luke just has to pretend to be his boyfriend, and pretending is what he does best. But between Marty’s mother and his ex, Luke might’ve bitten off more than he can chew, and Marty’s knack for finding trouble might ruin more than just his sister’s wedding.

Undercover Boyfriend is one of my favorites in the Dreamspun Desires series. The plot seems simple from the start, but the author did an excellent job adding to it as the story moved forward. It balances the romance and the mystery well even when the reader can guess who the antagonist is and what would happen next.

I love Marty and Luke, separately and as a couple. They’re easy characters to fall for. I kept wishing for everything to go right for them even when this series guarantees a HEA. They’re sweet and over-the-top, but it worked with the character and plot building in the story. It’s great to see how protective of Marty Luke is from the very beginning. And how much compassion Marty has for Luke when they first met.

As I mentioned, the mystery is as important as the romance. It brings to different characters together and continues to build up to the very end. The reader can connect the dots, but it doesn’t take from the story itself. The slow build goes beyond the main characters. It includes every scene in the story.

The secondary characters are as good as the principals and I hope we get to see some of the guys later in the series. Marty’s mom and sister were perfect. Everyone, even the villain, had a reason to take part of the story. There are a lot of coincidences to make the story shine, but in the end, we get another good book by this author.

I like Rusty Topsfield narration. It complimented the story’s soap opera feel. He did an excellent job emphasizing the characterization and making Marty and his family feel realistic.

The cover by Bree Archer matches the rest of the series and gives the reader a nice visual of Luke’s appearance. Adapted to audiobook format.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner | Audible | iTunes

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: Rusty Topsfield
Length: 5 hours and 51 minutes

Published: August 9, 2016 (Audio Edition) by Dreamspinner Press
ASIN: B01JVMUDAY

Edition Language: English

Series: One Fine Day
Book #1: Undercover Boyfriend
Book #2: Suddenly Yours

A Lila Audiobook Review: Fish Out of Water by Amy Lane and Narrated by Greg Tremblay

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

PI Jackson Rivers grew up on the mean streets of Del Paso Heights—and he doesn’t trust cops, even though he was one. When the man he thinks of as his brother is accused of killing a police officer in an obviously doctored crime, Jackson will move heaven and earth to keep Kaden and his family safe.

Defense attorney Ellery Cramer grew up with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth, but that hasn’t stopped him from crushing on street-smart, swaggering Jackson Rivers for the past six years. But when Jackson asks for his help defending Kaden Cameron, Ellery is out of his depth—and not just with guarded, prickly Jackson. Kaden wasn’t just framed, he was framed by crooked cops, and the conspiracy goes higher than Ellery dares reach—and deep into Jackson’s troubled past.

Both men are soon enmeshed in the mystery of who killed the cop in the minimart, and engaged in a race against time to clear Kaden’s name. But when the mystery is solved and the bullets stop flying, they’ll have to deal with their personal complications… and an attraction that’s spiraled out of control.

Fish Out of Water is a departure read for this author. There’s no comparison to Amy Lane’s ability to make a character miserable, and this book is no exception. At least, no animals died in the making of this story. It has all the traditional elements of her stories, but it’s more than a romance. The mystery aspect was well intertwined with the rest of the plot lines.

Ellery is my favorite character in the story. Perhaps because he evolves the most as he works on Kaden’s case. I like the way he gives his all to the cases even when he knows his clients aren’t innocent. But he gets even better when he’s doing his best for his deserving clients.

Jackson has an edge that takes a moment to get used to, but after a couple of pages, the reader sees it as a defense mechanism. I give kudos to the author for showing the character’s bisexuality, not just tell us about it. Some may not like this approach, but it works well with the characters.

The story starts slow and it’s over nine hours long. It’s full of action, drama, sex scenes, and all the extras that make a story great. It was hard to follow in parts, but overall, it’s an interesting take on a mystery story arc.

Greg Tremblay did an excellent job, as always. One of the things I like the most about his narrations is his ability to voice male and female characters with the same intensity. By the end of the story, all the characters have individual characteristics that are easy to follow.

The cover by Reese Dante is simple and quite literal. At the same time, the lines are clean and go perfectly with the story. It’s not the normal MM Romance cover, but it goes with the unconventional story.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner | Audible | iTunes

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: Greg Tremblay
Length: 9 hours and 20 minutes

Published: October 10, 2016 (Audio Edition) by Dreamspinner Press
ASIN: B01LZQ0MBK
Edition Language: English

A Lila Audiobook Review: The Senator’s Secret by K.C. Wells and John Solo (Narrator)

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

the-senators-secret-audio When his Republican opponent outs him with a photo in a Facebook post, Senator Samuel Dalton doesn’t have many options open to him. It doesn’t matter that the photo is totally innocent. He has no choice but to come clean… until his staff suggest putting a spin on it that leaves Sam reeling.

Sure, he’ll end up with a lot of sympathy, not to mention the possibility of more voters from the LGBT community, but it still seems a pretty drastic solution.

Now all they have to do is persuade Gary, the other man in the photo, to play along. It sounds so easy: convince the constituents of North Carolina that he and Sam are engaged.

No big deal, except for the fact that they’ve only just met….

The Senator’s Secret is overly sweet. I’m a K.C. Wells’s fan but this is a departure from her usual stories. She always has likable characters, but in this case, Sam and Gary won the contest. Their story starts strong, just like their relationship. Even when they were playing along, it was nice to see their friendship blossoming. They are a great couple.

It was the type of story we are used to by now as part of this series. The troupe was well-incorporated in the story and the book moved forward nicely. The story has a bit of UST and a good transition into “making love.” I like the way Gary believes in the Senator and everything he does to help the campaign.

Overall, it was a fun, easy going story; perfect for a quiet afternoon. Low angst, cute plot twists, and lovely MCs. It’s the type of story I wish to see in real life. We are in the election season after all. Well, at least here in the States. Definitely, a nice choice if your want to forget about the current presidential campaign, but still have a little political flavor.

John Solo did an amazing job with the narration. For some reason, I couldn’t stop thinking about Senator John Edwards every time I heard Senator Dalton talking. It has to be the whole southern gentleman thing. The transitions between the characters were flawless and worked well with the author’s style.

The cover by Bree Archer for the audiobook is an adaptation from the e-book cover. It fits the current style for the Dreamspun Desires series, and I loved the model on the cover. The dog and the rest of the background are a plus.

Sales Links