Tag: fatherhood

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The Little Things Audiobook by Jay Northcote Narrated by Matthew Lloyd Davies

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6415

LittleThings[The]AUDMEDBlurb

There are lots of things that brighten Joel’s life. His three-year-old daughter, Evie, is one. His close relationship with her mother, his best friend from university, is another. Joel’s boyfriend, Dan, adds spice to his child-free nights, and Joel is pretty happy with how things are.

Then one cold and rainy night, everything changes. Joel’s life is turned upside down when he becomes a full-time dad to Evie, and his previously carefree relationship with Dan cracks under the strain.

Meeting Liam, who acts as if getting hurt isn’t a foregone conclusion, shakes Joel to the core. Their attraction is mutual, and Liam makes no secret of how serious he is about Joel. But Joel is wary. He tells himself he’s keeping Liam at a distance for Evie’s sake, when really he’s protecting his own heart. Taking a chance on this new relationship with Liam may seem a small step—a little thing—but is it one Joel can take after losing so much already?

Review

Joel is a newly single parent after having lost the mother of his child. He’s young and struggling with grief and parenting alone.
In the first part of the book Joel is with his partner Dan and it’s Dan’s inability to be a full time parent and commit to a monogamous relationship that eventually leads to their break-up.

In the second half of the story Joel meets Liam. Liam is just who Joel needs, older, steady, loving, caring, interested in parenting.

Though there isn’t as much time as I’d like with the couple as a couple, what there is, is very sweet.

What I appreciated about this book was that it showed a different side to Jay’s writing. She is always a very fluid writer, giving us well-developed characters who are, more than anything, real.

This is the most “angsty” of her books that I’ve read, and it showed her talent for drama as well as light-hearted comedic romance.

Though I would have liked more time with the new couple and perhaps less with Dan, I can see how showing us more fully what happened in the past made Joel who he is now and why he makes the decisions he does.

I thought Evie was well portrayed too and enjoyed the relationship between her and Joel very much.

If you are looking for a more “realistic” take on romance, with some hard twists and turns to the story, this is a great book to check out.

Audiobook

Again I love that we are given a British narrator. He does a great job giving each character a unique voice and he does a great job with the emotion.

I loved his Liam and even thought Claire and Evie were nice (women and kids can be difficult to voice but he did a great job.)

I think his work continues to improve with each narration and I think this is my favorite of his narrations so far.

Overall, 4.25 of 5 hearts

4.5

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Forever Promised Audiobook (Promises Book 4) by Amy Lane Narrated by Paul Morey

Dreamspinner Presents
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6432

ForeverPromisedAUDMEDBlurb

Crick has been home from Iraq for five years, Jeff and Collin are finally married, and Shane and Mikhail are quietly making lives better for the dispossessed teenagers who come their way. Everything is right in Deacon’s world, but nothing ever stays the same.

When Deacon’s best friends, Jon and Amy, answer the call of an opportunity in Washington, DC, Deacon figures that’s life. You love people, and they leave you, and you survive. Even Benny, Crick’s little sister, is close to grown and ready to start her own future. But Benny loves Deacon, and she owes him—she may move beyond The Pulpit and Levee Oaks one day, but not without leaving something of herself behind. And so she offers Deacon and Crick an amazing gift… and a terrifying decision.

Benny’s offer forces Deacon and Crick to dredge up every past mistake and offer of redemption. And not just the two of them—everybody is forced to examine the chances they’ve been given and the promises they’ve made. In a real family, a child is a promise, and to the men and women of Promise Rock, keeping that promise will change their lives forever.

Review

It took FOREVER for this to come out as an Audiobook! (Did you see what I did there?) Thank you, thank you, thank you Paul Morey for doing this and to Dreamspinner for finally producing it!

This book nicely joins all three of the previous books for a last(?) look at their lives as couples.

Without giving away too much – Benny wants to give Deacon and Crick a baby to help complete their family. She knows how important children are to Deacon and she knows that with her DNA and Deacon’s she can do the next-best-thing to having Crick and Deacon actually make a baby together. Of course this is FULL of drama and hand-wringing and of course, tears – Amy always makes me cry!

Mickey and Shane are dealing with their own house full of crises. Kimmy and her fertility problems. Two of the girls in Promise house are not getting along – one is Crick’s sister and the other is a sweet girl Martin has eyes for.

Jeffy and Collin are adjusting to married life and making their own decisions about family.

Jon and Amy have their own bomb-shell to drop and it, too, shakes up the Promise-universe.

**
What I loved about this book was that it didn’t feel like an afterthought. These stories felt like they NEEDED to be told and it was the perfect way to give some of these guys closure.

Now I would absolutely ADORE another book, but barring that kind of miracle, this is a nice way to cap off the drama and leave everyone – more or less – in a really happy place.

As for the narration. Well, you know I just love Paul Morey and his Mickey just makes me so happy! There is a particular moment, when Mickey has gotten some devastating news (it’s and Amy book – of course there’s devastating news!) – and Paul’s voice is so full of emotion and it just feels so damn REAL!

I can’t say enough that the listening to these books makes the amazing stories even that much more amazing and like “being there”.

Though I read them again and again, I also listen to this series again and again because the narration is so strong.

I can’t recommend them enough! 6 of 5 hearts

amazing

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