A Lila Audiobook Review: Duke in Hiding by M.J. O’Shea and Rusty Topsfield (Narrator)

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Duke In Hiding Every gentleman has something to hide.

Meeting Heath Blackwood, a gorgeous English farmer, is probably the most exciting thing to ever happen to small-town landscaper Theo Brody, who has lived in quiet Maplehurst, New Hampshire, all his life. The sexy and secretive Brit shakes the foundations of his orderly world as they are swept up in a springtime romance neither can resist.

But Heath’s secrets run deeper than Theo ever imagined. He’s actually Heathcliff Pierrepont Blackwood, Duke of Kingston, in hiding from recent death threats. Suddenly there’s more separating them than the Atlantic Ocean, and Theo doubts he’ll ever fit in with English nobility. Though Heath and Theo are opposites in almost every way, their love might bridge the gap—if they’re willing to take the risk.

Duke in Hiding is a lovely friends-to-lovers story with a fairy tale twist. It’s a slow burn account of two men from two different worlds coming together to enjoy the simplicity of life in a small American town.

Heath comes to Maplehurst, NH to hide after receiving death threats. He’s the Duke of Kingston but is assuming the identity of a British farmer to avoid recognition. There isn’t much to do in town but his luck changes when he meets Theo Brody, a landscaper moonlighting as a bartender.

The night a brooding Brit entered the bar he worked part-time, Theo found him infuriating, but the more time they spent together, the more they learned how much they had in common. Through their daily meetings and following dates, we get to see how their relationship developed into true love. They had great chemistry, and their friendship was the base of their relationship.

There’s a lot happening in this story and more characters than necessary. Even when I enjoyed the story, I think it has a pacing problem. Some parts are too slow, and others are taken care with a line or two. We get unnecessary details through the story. And areas, where the reader might want to know more, were ignored.

Perhaps a little less time learning about plants and more getting to see more of the story resolution would have given this book a higher rating.

Rusty Topsfield did an excellent job making both main characters realistic. The author did create two distinct men, rooted in their countries’ characteristics and the narration helped the overall enjoyment of Heath’s and Theo’s relationship. All the secondary voices were spot on and gave the story a deepness that only reading couldn’t accomplish.

Paul Richmond’s cover matches the rest of the Dreamspun Desires series and the cover model fits Heath’s description.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner | iTunes | Audible

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: Rusty Topsfield
Length: 5 hours and 8 minutes

Published: May 16, 2016 (Audio Edition) by Dreamspinner Press
ASIN: B01FMPWXZC
Edition Language: English

A Lila Audiobook Review: Lollipop (Candy Man #3) by Amy Lane and Narrator Philip Alces

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

Lollipop Ezra Kellerman flew across 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 single 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.

Lollipop is a sweet make-believe contemporary story. It’s hard to believe someone can live the MCs’ lives, but at the same time, the boardwalk/Sacramento settings grounds the story into reality. Even so, the small glances of fantasy/paranormal abilities don’t retract from the overall story.

From the moment Miguel sets eyes on Ezra, he’s drawn to him. His confusion to his reaction had him trying to put Ezra down, but when he realizes the polished man’s already broken. Miguel wants to protect Ezra and bring him back to life. Seeing Ezra being dismissed by Rico shows Miguel that they weren’t as different as he first thought– they were both invisible.

When Ezra arrives at Rico’s apartment, he realizes his mistake. He hadn’t been strong enough to stand up to his father, and now, it was too late to get Rico back. Having this knowledge does nothing to comfort Ezra’s broken heart. Fortunately, he finds an insta-family ready to help him get over Rico and all the years of hurt he endured living under his father’s thumb.

The story had some slow and awkward moments that take away from the main characters’ relationship. The dialogue and the banter worked with the rest of the series, and it was nice to see how the relationships on the previous books have evolved.

So far, this installment is my favorite in the series. The connection between Miguel and Ezra was a slow-burn, based on a friendship and how much they care for each other. Together, they discovered their place in the grand scheme of things and learned to be there for each other.

Overall, this story is about finding your place, love, friendship, and family. Ezra and Miguel found much more than love; they found acceptance and a future they could work together for. Plus, we get some clues into the next book in the series.

As with the previous two books, Philip Alces did an excellent job with the characters’ voices. He kept them consistent through all the Candy Man stories. He did a good job with the Spanish bits and the female voices, too.

The cover by Paul Richmond matches the previous two books and it’s an adaptation from the ebook one. It has Ezra’s lollipops and Clopper & Jake on it.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner | Amazon | Audible

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: Philip Alces
Length: 9 hours and 13 minutes

Published: March 21, 2016 (Audio Edition) by Dreamspinner Press
ASIN: B01D5DDUAA
Edition Language: English

Series: Candy Man
Book #1: Candy Man
Book #2: Bitter Taffy
Book #3: Lollipop

A Lila Audiobook Review: Buchanan House by Charley Descoteaux and Narrator Alexander Johns

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Our first glimpse of Eric Allen is during his grandmother’s funeral. We get some background information about their relationship, as well as the situation between him and his remaining family members. If you’re reading the book without looking at the blurb first, you can misinterpret Nathan’s and Eric’s relationship during the opening scene.

Jewell, Eric’s grandmother, left him his estate, but his mother and brother are after their share. After taking care of all the legalities, with the help of Jewell’s best friend, Nathan invited Eric for a small vacation. During which, he takes him to an abandoned hotel on an isolated stretch of the Central Oregon Coast. Since Eric is a line cook and his friend Nathan, a waiter, they pooled together all their money, plus the inheritance to buy the hotel.

Naming the hotel after the only bachelor president with a male friend, sounded like a good way to start their business. They had several months to get the hotel ready for its grand opening on the Fourth of July weekend. With the help of Tim, a local handyman, some friends, and a pair of new part-time employees, they set to work to receive their first guests. All their relationships get tangled with every passing week, and what started as a kid’s dream between Eric and Nathan turned into a small family.

Tim’s and Eric’s relationship blossoms with time, but their separate growth is as important as their romance. In the beginning, we don’t get a clear path to their future, but after a turn of events, their love goes from zero to one-hundred on a handful of pages. By the end of the story, we are cheering for the MCs and looking forward to learning more about the hotel’s future.

Buchanan House is more than a romance. It’s a story of healing, friendship, and self-discovery. Yes, Tim and Eric are the main characters, and they get more than their HEA, but how they got there is more important than the end result. As well as all the events that surrounded them.

We don’t get into their romance until later in the book. Eric’s and Nathan’s friendship takes the first part of the book, and Eric’s self-discovery unfolds with every chapter. His insecurities shaped him, leaving him second-guessing all his decisions and relationships. Nathan’s friendship and Tim’s love are the catalysts that get him to be the man he always dreamed.

All the characters in the story had a purpose, and the author incorporated not only gay characters, but bisexual, lesbians, and trans*, too. Also, the characters discussed their differences, sexualities, and genders. Everyone gets a small backstory, even those interacting with the MCs for a short amount of time.

Tim’s family is great, and the way they interacted with Eric, even the ones that aren’t completely comfortable with their sexuality do it with respect. Eric’s family, on the other hand, wanted nothing more than Jewell’s money. They didn’t care for Eric or his dreams and did everything they could to interfere.

The setting and the atmosphere played an important part in this story— Eric’s recipes too. It’s easy to identify the smells, colors, and shaped introduced by the author. Even the way each character dresses is part of their dossier. And the house, from its flowers to its moldings is another character in the story.

This is my first story narrated by Alexander Johns. I enjoyed his cadence and the distinction between the characters. My only complaint would be with the quality of the audio. For some reason, parts of the file had static in the background and others sounded as if the story was recorded in an empty room, creating an echo.

L.C. Chase did an excellent job finding a house that matched the book’s description. Perhaps, I’d have left the two figures out of the cover since they look like an afterthought.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner | Amazon | Audible

Audiobook Details:

Narrator: Alexander Johns
Length: 5 hours and 4 minutes

Published: January 27, 2016 (Audio Edition) by Dreamspinner Press
ASIN: B01B3GCEUS
Edition Language: English

Series: Buchanan House
Book #1: Buchanan House
Book #2: Pride Weekend
Book #3: Tiny House

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