Dreamspinner Presents
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6197
Blurb
Mark O’Brien is finally being honest with himself. His relationship with Rachel is over and he’s moving out of the home they’ve shared for six years. They get along, but he can’t fix a relationship when the person he’s with is the wrong gender.
Jamie Robertson, one of the removal men, is huge and ridiculously gorgeous, and Mark is smitten at first sight. When a cardboard box splits, revealing items of a personal nature that Mark never wanted anybody to see, he’s mortified. But it sparks the start of a beautiful friendship with benefits.
As Jamie initiates Mark into the joys of gay sex, the two men get increasingly close and “nothing serious” turns into something rather important to both of them. But communication isn’t their strong point. Will either man ever find the courage to be honest about his feelings?
Review
(Book review previously done on this site.)
Mark falls in lust with Jamie right from the start. He is one of the movers that help Mark into his new apartment and his new life. When a box of embarrassing personal items falls open, Jamie helps him investigate his new sexuality.
It was meant to be a casual thing. Mark’s first explorations at gay sex. Jamie’s continuation of a love ’em and leave ’em life style.
But… as time passes, both guys begin to see that this relationship can never just be a casual f*ckbuddy thing. The funny thing is that both worry that the other will be disappointed if things turn serious and both worry that the “l word” could end things. **
I loved this book! It was fun, fast paced and really sweet, too. Mark’s exploration into sex was both hot and at turns emotional and moving. Jamie has his own demons to fight which prevent him from committing to a long term relationship, and it was great watching him move through these issues and evolve and grow as a man.
Jay Northcote really knows how to give us “every day joe” characters whose love stories are anything but ordinary.
I highly recommend this book and give it a 5 of hearts – I loved it!
Audio
Michael Pauley is an American (or Canadian or whatever). He’s not British. This is a VERY British story with British slang and a British setting. I’m not sure why in the world a Brit wasn’t given this to narrate… I was terribly disappointed in that aspect. The slang just sounds funny coming from the flat American voice.
However, to be fair, Michael does a nice job with the narration. Nothing too spectacular in terms of voice differentiation, but he’s unobtrusive and allows you to become immersed in the story.
I was very pleased to see that the next Jay Northcote book was done with an accent and I wish this had been as well, but it wasn’t a bad narration, just not great.
Narration 3 of 5 hearts
Overall 4 of 5 hearts
