Will & Patrick Episodes 1 – 3 by Leta Blake & Alice Griffiths Audiobook Tour

Join the fun in this soapy serial by best-selling author Leta Blake and newcomer Alice Griffiths!

Episode One: Will & Patrick Wake Up Married

After a drunken night of hot sex in Vegas, strangers Will Patterson and Dr. Patrick McCloud wake up married. A quickie divorce is the most obvious way out—unless you’re the heir of a staunchly Catholic mafia boss with a draconian position on the sanctity of marriage. Throw their simmering attraction into the mix and all bets are off!

Episode Two: Will & Patrick Meet the Family

Meeting the family is challenging for every new couple. But for Will and Patrick, the awkward family moments only grow more hilarious—and painful—when they must hide the truth of their predicament from the people they care about most. Throw in the sexual tension flaring between them and you've got a recipe for madcap laughs and surprisingly heartwarming feels.

Episode Three: Will & Patrick Do the Holidays

A couple’s first holiday season is always a special time. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve are magical when you’re in love. Too bad Will and Patrick’s marriage is a sham and they’re only faking their affection for each other. Or are they? Sparks fly in this episode of the Wake Up Married serial. Will the sexual tension between Will and Patrick finally explode in a needy night of passion? Or will they continue to deny their feelings?

Audiobook Details
Length: 11 hrs, 34 mins
Narrator: John Solo

Episodes 1 - 3
Audiobook Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK
Audible US  ~  Audible UK  ~  iTunes


Ebook Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angela – ☆☆☆☆
I’m beginning my review by clearly stating that I enjoyed this audiobook a lot. As a fan of Leta Blake’s writing and John Solo’s narration, I couldn’t wait to dive into Will and Patrick’s story and become acquainted with a new-to-me author, Alice Griffiths. I enjoyed Will and Patrick’s time together and watching them figure out how best to navigate one of the few things that happens in Vegas that doesn’t stay in Vegas – marriage. The parts of the book I didn’t enjoy were because they were just a bit too real and too heavy for a series that’s marketed as a romantic comedy – something I absolutely would not categorize it as. So again, despite part of what’s to follow in my review, I absolutely recommend this audiobook, especially if you’re a fan of the authors or the narrator, because it was a great listen – besides, some of my favorite stories are ones that make me yell at the characters, which this did several times.

The drunken Vegas marriage is not a new romance trope, but it’s relatively new to male-male romance and made for an entertaining way to kick off the series. I’ll be honest in saying that I wasn’t a big fan of Patrick’s, but I wasn’t supposed to be. His social skills are lacking and like many of the surgeons I’ve met, he wields his bluntness as skillfully as he wields a scalpel. Patrick is quite convincing as an aloof surgeon who might be on the spectrum and he behaves rather consistently throughout these three episodes. As for Will, he’s a good guy who keeps making bad decisions – the latest being getting drunk and getting married to a complete stranger. But Will means well and he’s doing what he can to make the world a better place, even if he’s using blood money to do it. While Will is also an alcoholic, it becomes painfully clear over the course of the audiobook that falling off the wagon and getting married may turn out to be the best thing to happen to him because his ex is an emotionally abusive, gaslighting, toxic, controlling waste of space… UGH!!! I swear to GOD that the more time spent in Ryan’s presence, the more I wanted to throat punch him and slap Will’s mother and uncle. It’s no wonder Will is plagued with self-doubt. Will’s not perfect, but he is not the P.O.S. that Ryan is trying to make him out to be and Ryan is not the self-sacrificing martyr he would have Will’s family believe him to be. I probably took me an extra hour of listening time because of the number of times I had to stop the audiobook to yell at the characters. What’s so frustrating about it is that Ryan’s not over-the-top in his behavior because I’ve met people like him, just like I’ve met people like Will’s mother and uncle who have fallen for that savior/martyr act and contribute to the gaslighting of their loved ones. Despite my frustration with some of the characters, I still enjoyed these episodes in the Wake Up Married serial and will absolutely be snatching up the next set of serials to find out what happens because I have to know that Will and Patrick end up together. Fortunately, I have too much to do at the moment to read the ebooks, so hopefully, the next set of serials are in the process of being recorded and will be out sooner rather than later (**fingers crossed**).

As for the narration, John Solo was wonderful. He made me fall in love with Will rather quickly and eventually won me over on Patrick as well. Actually, I think Solo did outstanding at conveying Patrick’s cool aloofness, which made his gradual softening toward and tenderness for Will even more apparent, making it even easier to fall for him. And he made me loathe Ryan with a passion – just as I suspect the authors intended for readers to do. Again, I really hope Solo is already hard at work recording the next set of serials because I really need to know how things play out for Will and Patrick. Must resist getting the ebooks… cannot bend… please hurry and send the audio and save me from myself!

Final note, I’m giving this one 4.5 stars because I’m on the fence on whether or not I’ll relisten to it simply because of the gaslighting. If I do a relisten, I’ll bump it up to five stars.

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.

Connect with Leta

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads


Connect with Alice Griffiths

Facebook  ~  Goodreads

John Solo has been a professional performer for 20 years, although this whole acting thing is a relatively new development. Prior to all of this he made his living as a salesman, engineer, security guard, mechanic, construction worker, purveyor of polyester dress suits… The list goes on ad nauseam, but he prefers to think of himself as an Itinerant Adventurer and lovable scoundrel! When not acting like someone else in front of a microphone, John prefers to indulge in the simpler things in life; games of chance, sword-fighting and traveling the world… all from the comforts of his own overstuffed couch.

Connect with John

Facebook  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free audiobook copy of Will & Patrick Wake Up Married Serial Episodes 1 – 3 by Leta Blake & Alice Griffiths, narrated by John Solo to listen to and review for this tour.

The Rip Cord Trilogy by Jeanne St. James Audiobook Review

The Reunion

Gil Davis hated high school. Ever the geek, he has no intentions of attending his 10th-year class reunion. The last thing he wants is to relive the taunting and teasing he received during his teenage years. However, there is one thing he misses from high school: the star varsity football player. The one he had a crush on from the first day he laid eyes on him. But the last thing he expects is the now-pro football player to come back to their hometown to attend a lame high school reunion. Known as the bad boy of the NFL, Ripley "Rip" Cord not only shows up, but shows up without a date and an eye for Gil.

The Weekend

Geek Gil Davis hasn't heard a word from NFL player Rip Cord since hooking up at their class reunion. Then Rip calls him unexpectedly; he's taking Gil to his cabin for a weekend of exploration.

The Ever After

When Rip Cord is kicked out of the NFL, he shows up unexpectedly at Gil Davis' front door. With his career over, Rip's finally ready for a future with Gil, if Gil's willing to give him another chance.

NOTE: The Rip Cord trilogy was previously published as three separate novellas. It has now been combined into one edition. This is a gay second chance romance with a guaranteed HEA.

Audiobook Details
Length: 5 hrs, 11 mins
Narrator: John Solo

Audiobook Buy Links

Amazon  ~  Audible  ~  iTunes


Ebook Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
~  Available with KindleUnlimited  ~

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angela – ☆☆☆
I have very mixed feelings about this trilogy. I like Gil, but I found his willingness to continuously forgive Rip’s transgressions a tad… not disturbing, but rather troubling. I wanted him to realize he deserved to be treated better and demand as much from Rip. As for Rip, my initial positive impression of him during his first interaction with Gil and insisting Gil join him at his table didn’t last. Rip is one of those characters that the better I got to know him, the less I liked him.

The Reunion – 4 stars

This was a classic geek fantasy with a twist. I’m dating myself here – even if I disclose that I watched it years after its release – but The Reunion made me think of a m/m version of Revenge of the Nerds. This is the story I enjoyed the most because it was what it was, a high school reunion hook-up between the still-hot jock and the not-quite-so-geeky nerd. The quickie by the lockers was hot, if not really believable considering how much EVERYONE was vying for Rip’s attention, so the privacy factor wasn’t realistic, but hey, this is a fantasy. While hot, the whole shower scene was the first clear look at how Rip really isn’t concerned for Gil’s mental well-being. Knowing that Gil was bullied in high school by the other jocks, Rip should have never snapped Gil with the towel. That single action was like having cold water thrown on me – it completely doused any of the effects of their sexy times because it was bullying behavior. Yeah, that might be the kind of thing that happens in Rip’s team’s locker room, but Gil isn’t one of the guys and that was such an inappropriate thing to do to someone who doesn’t know you that well. So while that bothered me, I sallied forth with the hope that Gil’s maturity would balance out Rip’s boys-will-be-boys immaturity and the two would find their happily ever after.

The Weekend – 2 stars

This is the book that would have had me throwing in the towel had I been reading it. I’ll have to remember to edit my review before posting to Audible or Amazon, but Rip Cord shows himself to be an asshole, a major effing douchebag asshole. What I think was intended to come off as sexy, alpha-male, dominant behavior is actually bullying, controlling, and demeaning behavior. This is an installment where the author tried too hard to make it sexy and it didn’t work. Despite the sex itself being consensual, the whole BDSM scene was not sexy to me because not only did Rip not obtain consent for the scene elements – something I don’t think the way too starry-eyed Gil is capable of giving because he can’t say no to Rip – but there was no discussion about what was going to happen, no safe words were exchanged, and Rip didn’t check in with Gil during the so-called scene. As someone who reads quite a bit of BDSM, what happens between Gil and Rip is an example of how NOT to do it. I suspect other readers or listeners won’t have the same problem I did and will likely find this installment to be a continuation of the fantasy. But the unexpected BDSM-like scene coupled with Rip’s bipolar attitude about their “relationship” left a sour taste in my mouth after completing The Weekend. For me, Rip is the embodiment of every high school jock who doesn’t realize he’s no longer in high school and really needs to grow the hell up.

The Ever After – 3 stars

Truth be told, I’m not really sure how much I enjoyed this installment. Much like Katie, I had absolutely no sympathy for Rip. Unlike Katie, I would not have brought his drunk arse into my home to give him yet another chance to disappoint my best friend. That’s right, after being radio silent for months and after being kicked out of the NFL, Rip shows up drunk and passed out on Katie and Gil’s porch. Like a good bestie in a romance, Katie gives Rip a chewing out and then deposits him in Gil’s bed to sleep it off and wait for Gil to get home because she knows that Gil loves Rip. Because these were written as novellas, Gil isn’t able to give Rip the cold shoulder he deserves and while he doesn’t forgive Rip immediately, I still felt like Gil gave in too quickly. While I did lose track of the time span of this installment, I still found it hard to buy into Gil’s love for Rip and Rip realizing that he felt the same way about Gil. At this point, these two have spent about three days together in the past year after not having seen one another in ten years. I know this is a romance, but unrequited high school crushes between two people who only admired one another from afar, never interacting with more than a passing hello, is not enough of a history for me to buy into them falling in love in three days. Maybe if there had been some text banter or email exchanges in between The Reunion and The Weekend, I might have found The Ever After more believable, but at the end of the day, I’m looking at Gil, a guy in love with an idea of who he thinks Rip is, and Rip, a guy who fancies himself in love because Gil lets him be himself, not loving Gil for who Gil is but rather who Gil lets him be. It just didn’t work for me.

As for the narration, I’m a big fan of John Solo’s narrative performances and it's what I liked most about this trilogy. I suspect that had I read the novellas instead of listening to them, I would not have finished them because Solo toned down what I saw as Rip’s sense of entitlement and infused a vulnerability in him that I wouldn’t have been able to. I really enjoyed Gil’s few “I’m over this” moments and felt like I could actually hear it in his voice, Gil’s backbone going straight when he had to stand up to Rip. For me, Solo’s narration was the best part of the trilogy. Five stars for Solo’s narration.

In all fairness to the author, I feel as though I need to clearly state that what made this a three-star listen for me was Rip. Jeanne St. James’ writing was actually quite good, she just created a character I didn’t like, couldn’t connect with, and didn’t think he was good enough for Gil, even if he was who Gil thought he wanted. In fact, I hope to get a chance to check out some of St. James’ other books when time allows because I did enjoy the author’s writing style. I realize this sounds like faint praise or a backhanded compliment, but this was a case of the story and the reader/listener not being a good fit. I suspect that Rip Cord: The Complete Trilogy will have many a fan among readers and listeners, sadly, I’m not one of them.

JEANNE ST. JAMES is a USA Today bestselling erotic romance author who loves an alpha male (or two). She was only thirteen when she started writing since it gave her an escape from teenage angst! Her first paid published piece was an erotic story in Playgirl magazine. Her first erotic romance novel, Banged Up, was published in 2009. She is happily owned by farting French bulldogs. She writes M/F, M/M, and M/M/F ménages.

Connect with Jeanne

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

John Solo has been a professional performer for 20 years, although this whole acting thing is a relatively new development. Prior to all of this he made his living as a salesman, engineer, security guard, mechanic, construction worker, purveyor of polyester dress suits… The list goes on ad nauseam, but he prefers to think of himself as an Itinerant Adventurer and lovable scoundrel! When not acting like someone else in front of a microphone, John prefers to indulge in the simpler things in life; games of chance, sword-fighting and traveling the world… all from the comforts of his own overstuffed couch.

Connect with John

Facebook  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free audiobook copy of Rip Cord: The Complete Trilogy by Jeanne St. James, narrated by John Solo to listen to and review.

Poppy's Secret by Andrew Grey Audiobook Review

A second chance born of love.

Pat Corrigan and Edgerton "Edge" Winters were ready to start a family-or so Pat thought. At the last minute, Edge got cold feet and fled. Pat didn't bother telling him the conception had already gone through and little Emma was on her way. He didn't want a relationship based on obligation. He'd rather raise his daughter on his own.

Nine years later, Emma and her Poppy are doing fine. Edge isn't. He realizes what he threw away by leaving, and he's back to turn his life around and reclaim his family. It'll take a lot to prove to Pat that he's a new man, and even if Edge succeeds, the secret Pat has hidden for years might shatter their dreams all over again.

Audiobook Details
Length: 5 hrs, 11 mins
Narrator: John Solo

Audiobook Buy Links

Amazon Audiobook  ~  Audible  ~  iTunes

Ebook Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  Kobo
Dreamspinner Press

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angela – ☆☆☆☆
Poppy’s Secret is a very sweet, second chance romance with just enough angst to keep me entertained, but not so much that it enters new adult territory. I have to hand it to Andrew Grey on this one, the angst that occurs bleeds over from Pat and Edge’s time together in their early twenties, appropriate for the young men they were but not the more world weary men they are now, and for the most part, both men seem to recognize when their disagreements begin sliding back into the land of immaturity and actively try to reign it in, wanting to deal with the problems of the present without so much of their baggage from the past controlling them. It’s a fine line for an author to write and Grey does it well, yet still allows for human nature and hurt feelings to result in the men succumbing to the angst and drama when tensions run high – and there are plenty of reasons for them to run high.

When Pat’s partner left him nine years ago, on the cusp of them beginning a family together, he made the difficult decision to raise the child their surrogate gave birth to on his own and keep their daughter’s existence a secret from Edge, allowing the man he loved to begin the life he obviously wanted more than the family they had planned. Edge’s return to town throws his world into chaos as Pat worries what the man he once loved will say when he learns of Emma’s existence, especially when Edge learns the real secret that Pat has kept all these years. Assuming this isn’t the first romance you’ve ever read, you’ll figure out what the secret is pretty quickly, possibly before you even start the book. However, don’t let that deter you because Grey’s talent in Poppy’s Secret is taking a predictable plot point and crafting a believable story that has an unexpected twist or two to keep you from feeling like you’ve heard this story before. For me, one of the plot twists was one that forced me to abandon the audiobook for several months because I had to be in the right frame of mind for it. No, it’s nothing horrific – this is a Dreamspun Desires title, after all – but it’s a topic that’s I’m sensitive to, to varying degrees throughout the year. This time around, the issue didn’t bother me at all and I was able to listen to the entirety of the audiobook without any problems. Well, that’s not entirely true. I did have to pause the sexy times scene that occurs while Edge is painting because it was a bit too hot for me to listen to in public; yeah, that one tapped right into my voyeuristic nature and had me dropping everything I was doing just so I could listen to it closely… twice… okay, three times. As much as I enjoyed that happy ending, it doesn’t compare to Pat, Edge, and Emma’s happy ending, especially as envisioned by Edge. That really was a beautiful dream.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, John Solo brings a beautiful, storyteller voice to the Dreamspun Desires audiobooks. In Poppy’s Secret, he not only nails the men’s angst and frustration, but he does a wonderful job of conveying their fears, their hopes, and their love. I’m not sure how to preface this, but he also performs Emma’s voice in an interesting way. Rather than trying to feminize his voice and/or trying to make it sound younger or high pitched for a young girl, Solo seems to use a different cadence (I think that’s the right word) when Emma speaks. When Emma talks, there’s a sing-song quality to her speech that I think works far better than a pitch change would have. I don’t know if I’m making any sense, but I think people who listen to the audiobook will understand what I’m bumbling all over here. Needless to say, I really enjoyed Poppy’s Secret, loving the conflict and angst Grey forced Pat and Edge to navigate through to achieve their happy ending, as well as the way Solo brings each character to life.

Andrew grew up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since then he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and now writes full time.

Andrew’s hobbies include collecting antiques, gardening, and leaving his dirty dishes anywhere but in the sink (particularly when writing). He considers himself blessed with an accepting family, fantastic friends, and the world’s most supportive and loving partner. Andrew currently lives in beautiful, historic Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Connect with Andrew

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Google+  ~  Instagram

John Solo has been a professional performer for 20 years, although this whole acting thing is a relatively new development. Prior to all of this he made his living as a salesman, engineer, security guard, mechanic, construction worker, purveyor of polyester dress suits… The list goes on ad nauseam, but he prefers to think of himself as an Itinerant Adventurer and lovable scoundrel! When not acting like someone else in front of a microphone, John prefers to indulge in the simpler things in life; games of chance, sword-fighting and traveling the world… all from the comforts of his own overstuffed couch.

Connect with John

Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free audiobook copy of Poppy's Secret by Andrew Grey, narrated by John Solo to listen to and review.

Snowblind by Eli Easton Audiobook Review

Snow, steam, and secrets.

When Jude Devereaux—on the run from a domineering lover—seeks shelter at a secluded Alaskan cabin, unable to make it to town before the blizzard hits, suspicious SOB Hutch is naturally wary, but Jude isn’t just gorgeous, he’s funny and smart and flirtatious. Good things happen over the three days they’re snowed in, and by the time the storm clears, Hutch finds himself a little too attached.

But is Jude who he claims? The last thing Hutch wants is to re-enter the world of espionage and violence he came to Alaska to escape, but the threat to Jude is unthinkable. Hutch refuses to let anything bad happen... even if it means delving into secrets Hutch thought were hidden for good.

Audiobook Details
Length: 5 hrs, 39 mins
Narrator: John Solo

Audiobook Buy Links

Amazon Audiobook  ~  Audible  ~  iTunes

Ebook Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  Kobo
Dreamspinner Press

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angela – ☆☆☆☆☆
I adore Dreamspinner Press’ Dreamspun Desires line. It’s not for everybody and I have to be in the right mood for the sugary sweet, happily ever after romances because they always deliver the perfect ending, even if it’s quite often over the top. Buuuuuut, every so often, they sneak in a romance that is a bit gritter than the usual lineup. No doubt about it, it’s still a romance, but they have a definite edge of danger to them that give them a different feel. Snowblind is one that falls into that second category. Eli Easton infuses quite a bit of action and suspense into the storyline, keeping me on the edge of my seat as I was waited for the next twist, the next shoe to drop, and the next double cross, all while wondering just how Hutch was going to get out of the mess that landed in his lap, and still get his guy… all while not dying.

Interesting side note before I begin, the blurb on Dreamspinner’s website differs from the one on Audible, with the former being the better of the two and the one I read when I signed up to review it (but had forgotten about when I started listening to the audiobook). Perhaps if I had refreshed my memory, I wouldn’t have been as surprised by the violent turn the story took? Nah, it still would have been unexpected because, again, the Dreamspun Desires line is more focused on romance than suspense, and as I’ve not read any of Easton’s writing before, I had no expectations. With that said, I’ll certainly be checking more of the author’s work out because Easton does a great job of building Hutch’s suspicions and then lulling him (and me) into a false sense of calm, all before dropping the hammer on him. And what a hammer it was! I did not see that coming, at all. But Easton doesn’t stop with a simple betrayal. Nope, the author then proceeds to turn Hutch’s life upside down and inside out when the people he was hiding from come banging on his door, demanding he take part in one final mission. Of course, Hutch hasn’t evaded them for years out of pure luck. The man is smart and knows a set-up when he sees it. It’s just that there’s no way he can turn his back on Jude. It doesn’t matter that they’ve only known each other a matter of days or that he knows he can’t trust Jude, Hutch isn’t made that way – he cannot turn his back on someone who means something to him, no matter how new those feelings are. Once Hutch makes it to the target’s location, we quickly learn that what went down at the cabin was just a warm up for Hutch because the man is lethal. But because Hutch in action is dangerous, deadly, and can make life and death decisions in a second, it makes for a stark contrast to the man we meet in the Epilogue. And that makes the ending of the book even better.

I love listening to John Solo narrate the Dreamspun Desires audiobooks (well, the majority of the ones I’ve listened to). Solo has such a smooth, storyteller voice that it adds a level of believability to the toothache-inducing romances. However, in the case of Snowblind, Solo infuses a lot of extra testosterone to the characters’ voices, enhancing the suspense and action vibe the author has penned. Even when Hutch allowed Jude to distract him with a bit of romance, he never loses the edge to his voice that communicates his constant state of wariness. There is no mistaking that Hutch is in danger, even when we’re not yet aware of what that danger is. I thoroughly enjoyed Snowblind and was sucked into the story fully as Solo brought Easton’s words to life.

Sweet and steamy romances with lots of humor. Having been, at various times and under different names, a minister’s daughter, a computer programmer, a game designer, the author of paranormal mysteries, a fan fiction writer, an organic farmer and a profound sleeper, Eli is happily embarking on yet another incarnation as a m/m romance author. As an avid reader of such, she is tinkled pink when an author manages to combine literary merit, vast stores of humor, melting hotness and eye-dabbing sweetness into one story. She promises to strive to achieve most of that most of the time. She currently lives on a farm in Pennsylvania with her husband, three bulldogs, three cows and six chickens. All of them (except for the husband) are female, hence explaining the naked men that have taken up residence in her latest fiction writing.

Connect with Eli

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Blog  ~  Goodreads

John Solo has been a professional performer for 20 years, although this whole acting thing is a relatively new development. Prior to all of this he made his living as a salesman, engineer, security guard, mechanic, construction worker, purveyor of polyester dress suits… The list goes on ad nauseam, but he prefers to think of himself as an Itinerant Adventurer and lovable scoundrel! When not acting like someone else in front of a microphone, John prefers to indulge in the simpler things in life; games of chance, sword-fighting and traveling the world… all from the comforts of his own overstuffed couch.

Connect with John

Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free audiobook copy of Snowblind by Eli Easton, narrated by John Solo to listen to and review.

Manny Get Your Guy by Amy Lane Audiobook Review

Starting over and falling in love.

Tino Robbins’s sister, Nica, and her husband, Jacob, are expecting their fifth child. Fortunately, Nica’s best friend, Taylor Cochran, is back in town, released from PT and in need of a job.

After years in the service and recovering from grave injury, Taylor has grown a lot from the callow troublemaker he’d been in high school. Now he’s hoping for a fresh start with Nica and her family.

Jacob’s cousin Brandon lives above the garage and thinks “Taylor the manny” is a bad idea. Taylor might be great at protecting civilians from a zombie apocalypse, but is he any good with kids?

Turns out, Taylor’s a natural. As he tries to fit in, using common sense and dry wit, Brandon realizes that Taylor doesn’t just love their family—he’s desperate to be part of it. And just like that, Brandon wants Taylor to be part of his future.

Audiobook Details
Length: 6 hrs, 16 mins
Narrator: John Solo

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Amazon Audiobook  ~  Audible  ~  Dreamspinner Press

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angela – ☆☆☆☆
Having loved The Virgin Manny, I was excited for the chance to review Manny Get Your Guy, the second installment in The Mannies series. Unlike Tino and Channing from the first book, the sparks that fly between Taylor and Brandon are not the good kind, not at all. While Brandon might find Taylor attractive, he does not like the idea of the recovering veteran taking on the position of manny for his cousin Jacob’s children. Mind you, part of his dislike for Taylor is colored by Jacob’s attitude, who is still angry with Taylor for leading Nica on all those years ago – despite that fact that Taylor’s coming out enabled Jacob to make his feelings for Nica known and led to their marriage and subsequent family. But it’s an easier excuse for Brandon to latch onto, rather than having to acknowledge his attraction to a man who could throw a wrench in his plans for his future.

I enjoyed getting to know both men immensely and getting to know more about Taylor, who we had met previously in The Virgin Manny. While it was nice to see that Taylor had indeed grown up a lot in the time between the two books, the circumstances that forced him to do so are quite sad and have done significant damage to the former playboy’s self-image. And it’s because of that, that Brandon not only has to overcome the wretched first impression he made, but he also has to fight against Taylor himself in order to build a friendship and move it beyond that. As with the first book, Lane does a wonderful job of weaving Nica and Jake’s brood throughout the story, making them important to the storyline without allowing the children to overshadow the budding romance between Taylor and Brandon. On the other hand, Brandon’s family left me wanting to skip parts on the second listen through because they were so freaking frustrating. Although his family didn’t turn their backs on him like Taylor’s did, Brandon’s family tied themselves in knots trying to shame him for being gay and making him feel unwelcome, while at the same time practically demanding that he give up the life he has and move home to help out his parents. And the stunt his mother pulls… AAAAARGH!!! I wanted to reach into my Kindle to smack some sense into the woman, all while giving her my two cents. I can only imagine how many different ways Lane wrote that scene to be far more scathingly satisfying, but in the end managed to rein it in so that it fit with the Dreamspun Desires theme. Well done, Amy Lane, well done.

Even though the Dreamspun Desires books guarantee a happy ending, it’s the journey that makes them so enjoyable, and Manny Get Your Guy is no exception. Making the audiobook experience even more entertaining is the solid and always impressive vocal performance by John Solo. The manner in which Solo brings the various characters to life makes it easier to keep up with who is who in the story. What complicated it for me were the FIVE children – Nica and Jake’s four and Sammy (from book one). But I don’t feel too bad about that because even Jake had a hard time keeping up with his four charges in the beginning. As much as I enjoyed how Solo made Taylor and Brandon seem so real, it was drunk Taylor who I enjoyed the most. Manny Get Your Guy was a wonderful addition to The Mannies series and I look forward to Lane and Solo’s next collaboration on the series.

Also Available in The Mannies Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Amazon Audiobook  ~  Audible  ~  Dreamspinner Press

For reviews & more info, check out our The Virgin Manny Dual Media Review post.

AMY LANE is a mother of two college students, two grade-schoolers, and two small dogs. She is also a compulsive knitter who writes because she can’t silence the voices in her head. She adores fur-babies, knitting socks, and hawt menz, and she dislikes moths, cat boxes, and knuckle-headed macspazzmatrons. She is rarely found cooking, cleaning, or doing domestic chores, but she has been known to knit up an emergency hat/blanket/pair of socks for any occasion whatsoever, or sometimes for no reason at all. Her award-winning writing has three flavors: twisty-purple alternative universe, angsty-orange contemporary, and sunshine-yellow happy. By necessity, she has learned to type like the wind. She’s been married for twenty-plus years to her beloved Mate and still believes in Twu Wuv, with a capital Twu and a capital Wuv, and she doesn’t see any reason at all for that to change.

Connect with Amy

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Manny Get Your Guy (The Mannies #2) by Amy Lane, narrated by John Solo to listen to and review.

The Virgin Manny by Amy Lane Dual Media Review

Growing up and falling in love...

Sometimes family is a blessing and a curse. When Tino Robbins is roped into helping his sister deliver premade dinners when he should be studying for finals, he’s pretty sure it's the latter! But one delivery might change everything.

Channing Lowell’s charmed life changes when his sister dies and leaves him her seven-year-old son. He’s committed to doing what's best for Sammy… but he’s going to need a lot of help. When Tino lands on his porch, Channing is determined to recruit him to Team Sammy.

Tino plans to make his education count—even if that means avoiding a relationship—but as he falls harder and harder for his boss, he starts to wonder: Does he have to leave his newly forged family behind in order live his promising tomorrow?

Audiobook Details
Length: 6 hrs, 14 mins
Narrator: John Solo

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Amazon Audiobook  ~  Audible  ~  Dreamspinner Press

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Audiobook Review

Angela – ☆☆☆☆
I want to begin by thanking the author for not taking the easy or predictable route and making this a super cheesy romance. The Virgin Manny has an almost obligatory scene or two that nears the cheesy romance territory, but Lane does a great job of keeping the tone more serious than I expected it to be – especially as it’s a modern-day take on the clichéd scenario of the single dad falling for his child’s nanny.

Reluctantly agreeing to make his sister’s dinner box deliveries for the evening, Tino finds himself face-to-face with one of the most gorgeous men he’s ever met. But Channing’s attractiveness is quickly put aside when Tino is thrust into the unexpected role of nurturer as he tries to soothe a distraught Sammy (whose mother died less than a month ago); as a life saver for the overwhelmed and hungry uncle-now-single dad, Channing; and as a momentary house manager as he takes the ill-behaved maid to task for her insubordination and dereliction of duty. While his actions earn him a job offer as a highly-paid manny, Tino is reluctant to accept because he doesn’t think it will look good on his resume when he begins looking for a job to put his newly earned degree to use. After a series of events at his current job (including an incident which had me wanting to strangle his female co-worker) enable Channing to eliminate Tino’s main objection for leaving, Tino embarks upon a summer of childcare, chauffeur duties, schedule juggling, maid wrangling, romance, falling in love, and learning that “Plans are what you make when you are starting your life, Martin. Life is what happens when you’re making your plans.”

I adored The Virgin Manny. It’s almost a coming of age story for Tino as he has finished his education and is preparing to take his first official steps into adulthood, only to find love when he least expected it. Despite the instant attraction between him and Channing, their situation is such that they get to know one another before their relationship is consummated. Because of this, we get to know both men and watch as they each change their priorities for one another and for Sammy. The intrigue with the maid was a nice nod to soap opera style drama and set the stage for some amusing ribbing at Tino from his mother. Tino’s friends and family add to the richness of the story and provide for more than one chuckle-inducing scene. While annoying in the beginning, Lane did a nice job with Sammy’s early acting out and gradual settling into his new normal as he came to terms with his mother’s death and his uncle becoming his guardian. As expected, John Solo did an outstanding job with the narration, especially as there were far more female characters than I usually encounter in a m/m romance – and not once was I confused as to who was speaking. The Virgin Manny was another enjoyable addition to the Dreamspun Desires collection and a great start to The Mannies series. I’m look forward to the next book in the series.

Ebook Review

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
This is the sweet, fluffy side of Amy Lane. For this Dreamspun Desires release, she mixes classic romance tropes with one of her own special families for a heartwarming and almost fairytale romance.

Wealthy business owner Channing has been pulled straight from a classic Harlequin. Skip that – he’s a modern day Mr. Rochester in need of a nanny to help him care for his nephew, Sammy. We’ve read this character many times before but Amy Lane makes Channing sweet and good and kind in her own way.

While we’ve all read about the billionaire and the governess, Tino definitely isn’t a shrinking violet. He has worked hard for his degree and he is ready to start life in business – until a chance meeting with Channing kinda sideswipes his plans. Confident and funny, sweet and caring, Tino is a special character and I fell for him hard.

Amy Lane’s fans will love the way Tino’s large, loud family engulfs Channing and Sammy in warmth and friendship. The relationship between Channing and Tino progresses slowly from an employer/employee relationship to companionship to more. The heat is low in this book. There is some sex, but it isn’t explicit and it doesn’t dominate the story. The age and power gap is acknowledged to some extent but not fully explored. This is easy, gentle romance with a generous benefactor and a ready made family.

Honestly, I don’t expect realism from the Dreamspun Desires books. Classic romances are allowed to avoid grit and flirt with plausibility. The focus is the fairytale and this one is sweet and satisfying.

AMY LANE is a mother of two college students, two grade-schoolers, and two small dogs. She is also a compulsive knitter who writes because she can’t silence the voices in her head. She adores fur-babies, knitting socks, and hawt menz, and she dislikes moths, cat boxes, and knuckle-headed macspazzmatrons. She is rarely found cooking, cleaning, or doing domestic chores, but she has been known to knit up an emergency hat/blanket/pair of socks for any occasion whatsoever, or sometimes for no reason at all. Her award-winning writing has three flavors: twisty-purple alternative universe, angsty-orange contemporary, and sunshine-yellow happy. By necessity, she has learned to type like the wind. She’s been married for twenty-plus years to her beloved Mate and still believes in Twu Wuv, with a capital Twu and a capital Wuv, and she doesn’t see any reason at all for that to change.

Connect with Amy

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Virgin Manny (The Mannies #1) by Amy Lane, Narrated by John Solo to read or listen to and review.