Tag: John Solo Narrator

A MelanieM Audio Review: Mr. Frosty Pants (Home for the Holidays #1) by Leta Blake and John Solo (Narrator)

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Frosty former friends get a steamy second chance in this Christmas gay romance!

Can true love warm his frozen heart?

When Casey Stevens went away to college four years ago, he ghosted on his straight best friend, Joel Vreeland. He hoped time and distance would lessen the unrequited affection he felt, but all it did was make him miss Joel more. Home for the holidays, Casey hopes they might find a way to be friends again. But Joel’s frosty reception reminds Casey of just how hard he had to fight to be Joel’s friend in the first place. It’s going to take a Christmas miracle to get past that cool façade again.

Joel isn’t as straight as Casey believes, and his years of pining for Casey have left him hurting and alone, caring for his abusive father and struggling to get by. Unable to trust anyone except his rescue dog—and with no reason to believe Casey is interested in him for more than a holiday fling—Joel’s icy heart might shatter before it can thaw.

Can Casey and Joel’s love overcome mistrust, parental rejection, class differences, and four long years apart?

Mr. Frosty Pants is a stand-alone, Christmas gay romance by Leta Blake featuring a virgin hero, childhood friends-to-lovers, second chance romance, and romantically steamy scenes.

Mr. Frosty Pants (Home for the Holidays #1) by Leta Blake is one of those stories that got better for me in the audio format.  I have to admit that I like my holiday stories to either be unusual in content (i.e., Nordic mythology, twists on Christmas fantasy, etc), or heartwarming contemporary stories.  For me, the  holidays aren’t really the time for angst, angst, and yes, more angst which is how this read for me for one character when I dived into it in eBook form.  I liked it but didn’t enjoy it if you know what i mean.

Then came the opportunity to revisit the story in its new audio format and as I have found in the past, this can sometimes present the book in a new light for me.  And it did for Mr. Frosty Pants because John Solo did such an excellent job of bringing Leta Blake’s layered characters to life.  He gave them a voice that made Joel Vreeland’s angst filled struggles realistic and connectable, I “saw” Joel more this time around, I felt for him more this time around, and somehow, maybe my frame of mind has changed, what had felt unrelenting, now became believable and heartbreaking.

Same goes for Casey Stevens and his nouveau riche family with their high expectations and overbearing ways.  I understood Casey and his battles better this time around.  John Solo’s choice of voices for all the family members highlighting the strained family dynamics so well that it elevates Leta Blake’s narrative and characters, just as it should.  A great partnership in every way.

Mr. Frosty Pants has it share of interesting side characters that I wanted to get to know better and a location that felt real as well.  This author’s touches are everywhere that I have come to expect from her writing!  That includes a heartwarming ending, perfect for the holidays.  Oh, and there is a sweetheart of a dog too.

If you love audiobooks and Christmas stories, put Mr. Frosty Pants (Home for the Holidays #1) by Leta Blake and John Solo (Narrator) on your list of books to listen to.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and think you will too.

Cover art is adorable and perfect for the characters for the story.

Sales Links:  Amazon | Audible

Audio Book Details:

Audible Audio, 11 pages
Published November 11th 2019 by Leta Blake Books (first published November 7th 2018)
ASINB08176KCZM
Edition Language English
Series Home for the Holidays #1
setting Tennessee (United States)

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audio Review: Will & Patrick Wake Up Married (Episodes 4-6) by Leta Blake and Alice Griffiths/John Solo (Narrator)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

This absolutely wonderful and outstanding audiobook, featuring a superb vocal performance by John Solo, is a compilation of books four to six from the original Will and Patrick Wake Up Married series:

Four: Will & Patrick Fight Their Feelings

Five: Will & Patrick Meet the Mob

Six: Will & Patrick’s Happy Ending

In my opinion, John Solo far surpasses his previous best performances with his portrayal of both Will and Patrick. Each voice is distinct and the emotion conveyed with the tone of their words is spot-on. From Will’s shuddering vocal sex scenes with Patrick as they replicate Will’s long-held fantasies, to Patrick’s extreme emotion when he reveals his deepest, darkest secret to Will, both characters show their love and emotional support for each other long before they declare the words.

Part two is somewhat introspective as Patrick can’t work due to a pending malpractice suit so he spends his time with his new friend Jenny and working out his feelings for Will. Patrick is one of those people who is off-the-chart intelligent, but feelings? Uh-uh, he has no experience with those. Jenny helps him realize he’s in love with Will and that Will loves him too. 

In this part he also meets Will’s dad – at the point of a gun held to his head.  It’s just a joke – a sick one, no doubt, but Tony Molinaro is a mob boss, and Patrick takes the threat seriously.  He also thinks Will’s dad is seriously hot. In fact, he sees where his Puddin’ Pop gets his sex appeal.  I have to say that Patrick makes me laugh out loud with his bizarre sense of humor and snide off-the-cuff comments. And his pet word, Puddin’ Pop, is just perfect for Will and shows Patrick’s soft side, even in the midst of chaos.

Along the way in this saga, Will’s former partner, an emotionally abusive man, makes an appearance both in person and in memories. And, Will’s alcoholism is an underlying problem throughout the story, especially as Will constantly questions his decisions, and his sponsor gives him some advice that influences his relationship with Patrick. Then, when they learn they can get a divorce now that Will’s mob relatives have changed the “family” rules for divorce, Will looks at taking a break from Patrick as a way to examine his true feelings, but Patrick is devastated.  Though Patrick finally agrees, he installs a countdown clock on his phone so he can know, down to the second, exactly how long he has to wait before getting Will back.

Thankfully, Patrick is finally reinstated at the hospital, but the death of a patient sends him reeling and he heads out of state to visit his foster mother—the woman who always gives him unconditional love and support. There we see his family of the heart and learn more about Patrick’s early days.

There’s so much packed into this compilation. There’s hot, sexy, dirty talk, spanking, role play, and love. There’s so much love—family love, family-of-the-heart love, friend love, and finally, true love, a love for all time that comes full circle when Will and Patrick reunite.

I highly recommend this series, especially in this triple volume audiobook format because it gives the bigger picture and that picture paints my heart with happiness. There’s no way these two are going to be forgotten any time soon. Kudos to the authors for the story and most especially for their sense of humor, and double kudos to John Solo for bringing these characters to life. 

Cover art is different from the eBooks.  I like this, soft, warm hearted and pulls you into the couple and story.

Buy Links: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Audio Details:

Audiobook
Published July 31st 2019 by Leta Blake Books (first published May 2nd 2016)
Edition Language English
Series Wake Up Married #4-6

Narrated by: John Solo
 
Length: 15hrs 45mins
 
Wake Up Married Series


Episodes 1 – 3 – Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Don’t Miss out on the Audio Tour and Giveaway for Will & Patrick Wake Up Married (Episodes 4-6) by Leta Blake and Alice Griffiths/John Solo (Narrator)

 

Buy Links: Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Narrated by: John Solo
 
Length: 15hrs 45mins
 
Wake Up Married Series


Episodes 1 – 3 – Audible US | Audible UK | Amazon US | Amazon UK

 
Blurb
 

Continue the fun in episodes 4-6 of the soapy serial by best-selling author Leta Blake and newcomer Alice Griffiths!


Episode Four: Will & Patrick Fight Their Feelings


Will and Patrick have embraced adding hot sexy times to their fake marriage, but as their emotions deepen, they confront whether or not they want to be more than friends-with-benefits. The heat is high (and occasionally kinky) as Will and Patrick struggle to accept their mutual affection.


Episode Five: Will & Patrick Meet the Mob


Patrick has finally accepted that he’s in love with Will, but his newfound determination to do something about that runs up against his father-in-law’s mobster plans. Will must face the truth about his family before he can fully come to terms with his feelings for Patrick. And Patrick has to decide if this whackadoodle world is something he truly wants to be part of forever.


Episode Six: Will & Patrick’s Happy Ending


Sure, Will, and Patrick are in love now, but they weren’t when they got married in Vegas. For Patrick, that’s no problem, but Will can’t shake his doubts that a relationship started through coercion can ever become the real deal. Since the Molinaro crime family has reversed their position on divorce, Will and Patrick have a chance to rectify their drunken mistake. But is divorce the right choice for them?

Author of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and the fan favorite Training Season, Leta Blake’s educational and professional background is in psychology and finance, respectively. However, her passion has always been for writing. She enjoys crafting romance stories and exploring the psyches of made up people. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her day job, her writing, and her family.

 



Alice Griffiths – Facebook | Goodreads

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A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audio Review: Whiskey and Moonshine by Elizabeth Noble and John Solo (Narrator)

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

This review is of the audio version, and I’m pleased to say John Solo’s narrations get better each time I hear him. For this one, the emotion, the pace, and the voices were spot-on. New-to-me author Elizabeth Noble brings a sweet tale of redemption as Colt Hale explores a distillery on the rest stop his bus makes as he’s heading for Charleston, SC, and he realizes he needn’t go any farther to find his place in the world.

Surviving on the streets of his hometown becomes impossible, so Cole heads south to wherever his funds will take him, but the stop to visit the distillery pays off when he learns of a job opening for a janitor, and he manages to convince them he’d be good at it. Not only is he good at that, but also at every other job he takes on his climb up the ladder. When he hears the company is looking for a spokesman, he even gets that job, and that’s when he meets the man behind the scenes: Malone Kensington. Mal is the driving force for the whiskey and moonshine-making business, but he’s not one to stand out and wants no part in being the spokesman. He’s more than happy to let Cole take over social media, photo ops, and other public appearances. And during the getting-to-know-you phase of their relationship, he realizes he likes Cole more than as an employee.

This is, after all, a Dreamspun Desires story, so it follows the old romance tropes but is executed very nicely. The two fall in love but have a spat over paperwork Cole is forced to sign by the Board of Directors, and then Cole’s past catches up to him. There’s lots of excitement mixed in here with the sweetness and romance. Let’s just say it was very enjoyable, and I didn’t want it to end, though at that point Mal and Cole were into their HEA and likely wanted me out of their private lives. LOL. I highly recommend audio format for this story. It’s not only a great way to spend leisure time, but it left me with a nice warm and fuzzy feeling.

  

The cover by Alexandria Corza features a handsome young man in front of whiskey barrels. It’s attractive and is obviously Colt, the young man who finds a new home at Kensington Distillery.

Sales Links:  Amazon | Audible

Audio Details:

(Listening Length: 6 hours and 52 minutes.)

Audible Audio, 7 pages
Published June 20th 2019 by Dreamspinner Press (first published January 15th 2019)
ASIN B07SF7YBRS
Edition Language English

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audio Review: Terms of Service (The Heretic Doms Club #2) by Marie Sexton and John Solo (Narrator)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

I highly doubt I can do justice to this story in a simple review. In one word: phenomenal. I listened to the audio version narrated by John Solo so much of my praise is due directly and indirectly to his outstanding narration.

On the surface, this is the story of River, an ER physician who’s just lost his husband to a fellow doctor and is struggling to come to terms with his own identity. Among his issues, besides being devastated by his husband’s infidelity, is his failure to be able to have penetrative sex and, in fact, his frequent failure to achieve an erection. Add to that the stresses of taking graveyard shift in the ER, which he’s chosen to do to avoid his ex who has day shift, and he’s just a powder keg waiting to go off. The unlucky victim of his latest blowup is the hospital pharmacist, Phil. But Phil doesn’t just stand still and take verbal abuse. He shows River his own errors, and ultimately not only does River back down, but he later seeks Phil out to apologize, something unheard of among that hospital’s physicians.

What he learns is that Phil is interested in him, but Phil doesn’t do regular relationships. He only does domestic servitude, and he never reacts emotionally—neither to sex nor to situations where others might expect some reciprocation.

Below the surface story lies the true depth found in this book (pun intended). It depicts an emotional, often painful journey to discovery for both River and Phil. This journey encompasses River’s acceptance of Phil’s domination, Phil’s own struggles with deeply buried emotions, the turmoil and upheaval of having River’s estranged husband hound him constantly to sign the divorce papers, and River’s deep-seated issues surrounding his twin’s death and his subsequent emotional separation from his family. Over and above all that, Phil’s grandfather, Pops, is in an extended care facility on the other side of the Denver metro area and suffers from dementia. Phil visits him weekly and loves him a great deal though he finds it difficult to express how deeply he cares for the man. Pops inadvertently plays a role in helping River discover some of the joy he felt in his childhood, when camping and fishing with his family, and that joy splashes over into a ripple effect that encompasses Phil.

There are appearances by Warren and Taylor, from Trailer Trash, and other members of the Heretic Dom’s Club, primarily Gray and Charlie. Each of these men is developing as a strong, supportive character in these stories, and I hope each gets his own love someday. For River and Phil, the struggle is long and real and fraught with undermining from coworkers, a theft from the hospital pharmacy, and an ultimatum by River’s ex who throws a major monkey wrench into River’s new developing relationship. The audio is over fourteen wonderful hours of pure entertainment. Compelling, riveting, dramatic, completely engrossing, I was literally unable to stop listening except for time out to recharge my cordless headphones and to sleep (but only one night because this book deserved my devotion for two solid days.)

I highly recommend this to anyone remotely interested in D/s relationships, with a focus on domestic servitude, and those who enjoy a long, slow journey to a highly rewarding destination. And most definitely, get the audio. It’s pure listening pleasure.

Cover art is dramatic and pulls your eye towards the book. Works.

Sales Links:  Amazon | Audible

Audio Details:

14 hrs 20 mins

Audible Audio, 15 pages
Published August 13th 2018 by Marie Sexton (first published June 25th 2018)
Original TitleTerms of Service
ASINB07G9LRXMX
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesThe Heretic Doms Club #2
settingColorado (United States)

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audio Review : Will & Patrick Wake Up Married Series (Episodes 1-3) by Leta Blake & Alice Griffiths /John Solo (Narrator)

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

OMG! I was hooked within the first ten minutes of this 11 1/2 hour audiobook. John Solo did a spectacular job interpreting the humor the authors infused throughout every page. His vocalizations and sound effects were spot-on. And the voice he gave each of the MCs was perfect for their characters.

I already hit one-click to purchase the second volume: books 4-6 in e-book format because I cannot wait one moment to pick up where this one left off. Will I listen to the audio when it comes out? If John Solo narrates it, you bet I will. And I very highly recommend everyone hurry to pick up this audiobook. This will most definitely make your day.

Quick summary – Will Patterson is a sweetheart—a young man who suffers from type I diabetes and is attempting to recover from alcoholism.  He slips spectacularly at a medical conference in Las Vegas and finds himself married to neurosurgeon Dr Patrick McCloud. For financial reasons, they can’t divorce or have the marriage annulled. Will’s connected to organized crime and the funds he inherited through the mob side of the family, with which he’s doing altruistic work to help the people in his town, will disappear if he doesn’t marry for love and/or if he ever divorces or annuls his marriage.

Patrick can’t believe his luck. Bad luck, that is. Well, maybe not. Will is hot and as time goes by Patrick finds more to love than not love about Will. Patrick is full of snark and vinegar though, and God forbid anyone find out he’s really a nice guy. No way. 

The major problem they have, other than the fact they got drunk married, is that Will is not over his ex. Ryan is annoying and very passive-aggressive and quite full of himself. I am hoping he gets his comeuppance by the end of the series. In the meantime, this volume ends on a high note. The guys have decided to stay together for now, enjoying a friends-with-benefits sort of relationship, with all the sex Will wants, and that’s something the never had with Ryan. Patrick’s heart seems to be getting engaged, so I have no doubt the next volume is going to be a treat. And I’m starting that the minute I finish this review.

Most highly recommended! In audio, for sure.

Sales Links:  Amazon | Audible

Audio Book Details:

Audible Audio, 1st edition, 12 pages
Published May 24th 2019 by Leta Blake Books (first published May 2nd 2016)
ASINB07S98HFY4
Edition Language English
Series Wake Up Married #1-3

BOOK 4-6 Wake Up Married serial, Episodes 4 – 6: Fight Their Feelings, Meet the Mob, Happy Ending