Audio Book

We Choose You (Choice Versus Fate, Book 1) by Katy Manz: Audiobook Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

June 30, 2022 by Denise

. .

James and Aidan didn’t need fate. They had each other.

Alpha James and Beta Aiden love each other and don’t care what fate has to say about that. Mating doesn’t need to be based on pheromones and scents. And kids? There were many ways to build a family.

When fate comes knocking years later, James does what any wolf in his situation would—he runs away. He has a mate he loves more than anything, and they’re just about to get everything they want: a family. He can’t risk losing everything because Fate decided to be a butt.

Omega Riley scented his fated mate once months earlier, and the wolf ran away. He is coming to terms with his singledom. Everything is going as well as it can, that is, until his fated mate’s children walk into his classroom.

We Choose You is book one in the sweet with knotty heat MM shifter mpreg romance series: Choice Vs. Fate. It features an alpha wolf shifter who mated his beta best friend, the omega sent by fate, true love, twins who will steal your heart, adorable babies, and a guaranteed happy ever after.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited – All Regions

Audible – Audiobook

“Yes. God I missed you so much. Mm.” I loved hearing Aiden scream out. Some don’t like their partners to be vocal, but the more I heard his pleasured sound, the harder it drove me to get him to moan out more. I fell deeper into my pleasure and the search for mutual release. Continuing to pump his cock in tandem with my movements, I could tell this was going to be a quick one. I could already feel my knot forming. Usually, alphas couldn’t knot betas, but I always had with Aiden. Even if we could never have a family this way, our bodies fit and wanted that extra connection. Instead of ensuring conception, our locking together was for us to feel close.

Soon, the warmth of his release covered my hand as my cock spent itself deep inside his ass. We would be stuck like this for the next few minutes, so I gently maneuvered us into a nearby chair. After so many years, we were pros at getting comfortable wherever and whenever we ended up having sex. We’d also learned quickly never to do this in public unless we felt like getting caught. No matter if there was a witness to our lovemaking, there would be no way to quickly deflate. Some didn’t like the feeling for an extended amount of time. We found it amazing.

“So, how was the trip?” I asked as we caught our breath. With desire sated for the moment, I wanted to hear all about the art tour and my husband’s plans for the coming months.

“Great. I sold all the paintings I brought along and I got contracted for another twenty-four canvases before the next show in the summer. They want a beach feel to the collection but said I can follow my muse and see what it produces. I missed you though.” Aiden sighed and leaned deeper into me before continuing. “I was thinking maybe I should stop touring after the summer show. At least for a bit. Maybe we can revisit the idea of starting a family? We said we would wait a few more years, but I think the timing is right, now.”

My original 3 pieces of eye candy review of the ebook is here. And I wish I could say that I liked it even more on audiobook, which quite often happens with me. But in this case, no.

Generally, I listen to audiobooks on about 1.2-1.3X speed, mostly because it takes me so long to listen to one, that I need to keep going. 🙂 But wow, this narrator read so slow, that I ended up listening at 1.6X speed. And just to be sure, I went back to 1.3X, as well as 1.0X and it felt like he was talking through molasses. I just couldn’t stay there. Also his enunciation just seemed off and stilted. He seemed to emphasize the wrong words in sentences, and took me right out of the story. I was thinking that he must have been a first time narrator, but no, it looks like he’s narrated quite a few books.

The voices seemed not quite right to me, as well as the pitch…which I will admit could partially be because of listening at 1.6X speed. However, any slower and I just would not have made it through.

There have been very few audiobooks that I haven’t finished before. I finished this one, but it was tough. This narrator is definitely not for me.

I wish I could give it a higher rating, but 2 pieces of eye candy is all I can give.

. .

Katy Manz has always dreamed of being a romance writer. She wanted to bring the stories created in her mind to a world of readers that would fall in love with her characters as much as she has. Keep a lookout for more books in this series and future series to come.

Connect with Katy:
Linktree
Website: http://www.katwritesthebooks.com
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3yxISZO
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22149586.Katy_Manz
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/katy-manz
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KatyManzWrites/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katymanzwrites/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/katyManzwrites
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@katymanz a Rafflecopter giveaway

Finding Finn by Charlie Novak, Narrated by Dan Calley: Audiobook Review

April 19, 2022 by Denise

What happens when a quiet boy with a secret falls for his best friend?

Finn has always kept people at arm’s length. Being quiet and shy doesn’t get you many friends outside your family, and it’s even harder when you’re running a spicy, secret side project.

But Gem might be the exception to the rule. The game designer is clever, self-deprecating, and appreciates Finn’s affection for all things nerdy. He’s the one man who can find the real Finn…if Finn lets him in.

When Gem asks for Finn’s help opening a new board game store, it brings the two of them closer than ever before. Soon things become complicated as lines of friendship blur between them, and Finn begins to worry Gem will find out his secret.

But maybe that wouldn’t be as bad as it seems. Maybe Gem already knows the secret Finn’s keeping. All he has to do is convince Finn to share….

Finding Finn is a 78,000-word contemporary MM romance featuring late-night shop shenanigans, far too many nosy siblings with no boundaries, two best friends, and some steamy audio fantasies. It contains no love triangle, no cheating, and no angst.

Amazon – Ebook – Kindle Unlimited

Audible – Audiobook

Link to my book review here.

Ok. Whew. Imma need a minute! I knew this audio would be off the charts hot after reading the book. And I couldn’t wait!

Dan Calley has a nice cadence to his narration. And while a previous audio of his I didn’t notice too much of a difference between characters, in this one I did.

Jem has just enough of a Scottish brogue to hint at his upbringing without being a THICK brogue that can be hard to understand. I had no problems understanding anything.

Finn has a quiet dominating strength about him and that totally comes through. I could picture him saying the words. Especially when he goes from regular Finn to sexy Finn. It’s always the quiet ones.

As much as I enjoyed the book, the audio really brought it all to life. This is a must listen.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Charlie Sunshine (Close Proximity, Book 2) by Lily Morton: Audiobook Review

February 14, 2022 by Denise

Sometimes love is a lot closer to home than you think.

Charlie Burroughs can’t keep a man. All he wants is a good relationship like the ones he sees his friends having, but none of the men he picks ever work out. Despite him trying to be the perfect boyfriend, the men are either threatened by his looks or his epilepsy or a combination of the two. It’s lucky that he has his best friend Misha to turn to. The two of them are closer than peas in a pod and fiercely loyal to each other. He can’t imagine his life without Misha in it.

Misha Lebedinsky is the complete opposite of his best friend. Being the support system for his mum and twin sisters leaves Misha with neither the time nor the inclination for a relationship. Quick and frequent hook-ups are his favourite means of communication and any other pesky emotional needs he has are met by Charlie, who he’s devoted to. He lives a life of happy compartmentalization with no intention of ever changing.

All of this changes when the two best friends move in together. Being in close proximity means that they suddenly start to see each other in a very different light. But Charlie struggles when his drive to be the perfect partner clashes with the fact that he’s in love with a man who knows every little thing about him. And even if he can get past that, can a relationship ever work with a man who’d need a dictionary to tell him what love means?

From bestselling author Lily Morton comes a love story about a sunny librarian who has relationship written all over him and a cynical banker who doesn’t even have it in his blurb.

Amazon Ebook – KU

Audible

My original book review from last year here.

Story wise, I don’t have a lot to add to the review. I really enjoyed the book, the quirky characters and the representation of a disability. So let’s talk about the narration, which is ultimately what I am reviewing, right?

Overall, I enjoy Joel Leslie’s narration. He isn’t one to shy from verbalizing sex scenes well and his tone is very nice. Within the story you can tell who is speaking by the tone, which is very helpful as I tend to flip to the beginning of a chapter to see who is speaking because I can never remember.

This is the second Joel Leslie in a row that I have listened to, so maybe I need a break. Although the characters are differentiated by voice within each book, those same voices seem to carry from book to book. Charlie sounds like the main character in the one I just listened to that was a different author. Misha the same. Charlie’s step dad Aidan has the same Irish lilt as Blue Billings.

I probably wouldn’t have really noticed that much if I didn’t listen to Joel Leslie back to back.

My biggest complaint is that when it is an intimate scene- not just sex wise- his tone goes from a regular speaking voice to almost a whisper at the end of each sentence. It gets to a point that it is almost hard to hear. Like the difference of watching a tv show and then the commercials are so much louder. I’ve tried with ear buds, through my car stereo and with a bluetooth speaker. All the same. I understand WHY he is doing it, but I feel like I miss so much because I am straining to hear. If I turn it up, the regular speaking voice is far too loud.

Ultimately, I think I need a Joel Leslie break. I am sure I will go back to listening to him, but some new voices and better modulation would be great.

3 pieces of eye candy

Charlie Sunshine by Lily Morton: Audiobook Tour, Exclusive Excerpt, and Giveaway

February 7, 2022 by Denise

Sometimes love is a lot closer to home than you think.

All of this changes when the two best friends move in together.

Being in close proximity means that they suddenly start to see each other in a very different light. But Charlie struggles when his drive to be the perfect partner clashes with the fact that he’s in love with a man who knows every little thing about him. And even if he can get past that, can a relationship ever work with a man who’d need a dictionary to tell him what love means?

From bestselling author Lily Morton comes a love story about a sunny librarian who has relationship written all over him and a banker who doesn’t even have it in his blurb. This is the second book in the Close Proximity series, but it can be read as a standalone.

Amazon – Ebook – Kindle Unlimited

Audible – Audiobook

Goodreads

I lean more heavily against the counter, enjoying the peace that usually descends at this time of the morning. The first rush is over, and now the library has an air of quiet bustle. We’ll pick up again as it gets closer to lunch and people come in to use the computers. I can feel tiredness tugging at my body, but I refuse to give in and straighten up instead.

“Why didn’t you take the first break?” Bethany asks chidingly.

“Why would I do that?” I pull the stack of books towards me that the little sex pest left behind and grab the Tipp-Ex from the drawer.

“Charlie.” Something in her voice makes me look up. “You look knackered,” she says quietly.

“I’m fine,” I say automatically. “Just a few late nights.”

“Oh really? You would need to have lived the life of Mel Gibson to earn the massive circles under those pretty eyes.” I smile but don’t answer, and she sighs. “You’re on break next,” she says firmly. “And you’re going to stay up there. I’m sure you’ve got stuff to do in your office. Like sleep on the sofa or pass out on the floor.”

A deep voice comes from the side of us. “That sounds like my day. You didn’t tell me that you’d gone into banking, Charlie.”

I look up and can’t stop the wide grin creeping over my face at the sight of my best and oldest friend. “You’re one letter off.”

He laughs. The happy and unrestrained sound doesn’t fit his appearance. He’s clad in a black pinstriped suit that cost more than I earn in a month. With his tanned face, dark wavy hair, and big white grin, he looks expensive and entirely out of place in here.

He jumps as an old lady pokes him in the back. “You waiting or just taking up space?” she asks querulously.

I bite my lip to hide a smile. “He’s taking up space, Mrs Bishop,” I say in a loud voice as her hearing aid squeals.

“What’s wrong with his face?” she immediately asks in her overloud voice.

“We haven’t got enough time to list that.” I smile at her and gesture at her pile of books. “Those all coming back?”

“They are.” She leans close. “And I have to say there was a name and telephone number in the back of one of the books.”

“Oh, yes?” I say warily.

She nods. “I had such a lovely chat with the bloke.” She pauses. “Although he kept asking to see my zits. I’m not sure what all that was about.” She sniffs disapprovingly. “I’m a little too mature for acne.”
I manage to repress the huge laugh, but Bethany isn’t so lucky, and I nudge her to send her over to log a customer onto a computer.

Lily writes contemporary romance novels, and specialises in hot love stories with a good dose of humour.

Lily lives in sunny England with her husband and two children, all of whom claim that they haven’t had a proper conversation with her since she bought her first Kindle.

She has spent her life with her head full of daydreams and decided one day to just sit down and start writing about them. In the process she discovered that she actually loved writing, because how else could she get to spend her time with hot, funny men!

She loves chocolate and Baileys and the best of all creations – chocolate Baileys! Her lifetime’s ambition is to have a bath in peace without being shouted by one of her family.

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Proficiency Bonus by Charlie Novak, Read by Joel Leslie: Audiobook Review

February 3, 2022 by Denise

Organising yourself is harder than it looks—Lewis may be a highly proficient PA for two very successful cosplayers, but that means nothing when you’re living at your parent’s house after yet another failed relationship and trying to find some stable ground.

Jason Lu, star of Celestials, is stuck between a rock and a hard place. When the show is cancelled and his character pigeonholed into a homophobic ending, Jason must choose whether to fall in line or break ranks. But one misstep will mean bumping heads with some powerful people.

Teaming up with the very cute guy he met at Comic Con seems like a natural first step and now Lewis and Jason must choose between heartbreak and justice. As they forge ahead, they realise there are no bonuses for navigating life’s challenges, instead they’ll just have to fight for what they believe in.

But sometimes overcoming the biggest hurdles yields the best results.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Audible

Original story review by Erin here.

I tend to only listen to audio versions of books I’ve already read. I’ve been disappointed before, but not this time. Joel Leslie once again brought the characters to life for me.

The voice variations makes it pretty easy to know who is speaking at any given time. From Jason’s deeper, slower voice to Louis’ higher, faster voice. And although it is higher, it certainly isn’t high like a stereotypical gay man’s voice.

There are quite a few characters that all get a unique to them voice. I can practically SEE Edward’s nose up in the air as he speaks. I have no idea how the narrator keeps them all straight.

Joel Leslie is one of my go to narrators so I love when he narrates a book I already love by an author I already love.

4 pieces of eye candy

His Fresh Start Cowboy (Woods Ranch Book 1) by AM Arthur: Release Day Review

January 25, 2022 by Denise

Two cowboys will have to risk their hearts—again—to find a home on the ranch.

Hugo Turner’s boots haven’t touched Texas soil in almost a decade, and he’s not sure they should now. Being in the state is complicated, but Hugo can’t resist going back for a job working with his teenage crush. His best friend’s hot older brother is now the ranch’s foreman, so he’ll be Hugo’s boss. Inappropriate? Probably. Will it stop Hugo? Probably not.

Brand Woods isn’t ready for the return of Hugo Turner. He decided long ago to keep his bisexuality private and to focus his life on running the ranch. Working next to the most dangerously tempting man he’s ever known stirs up questions Brand thought he’d put to rest.

The sparks that send their hearts galloping lead to a deeper passion than either man expects. But by giving in to the chemistry without taking a risk and committing to each other—or, more importantly, to themselves and living the lives they’ve always wanted—Brand and Hugo might lose their second chance at true love.

Amazon

Audible

Carina Press/Harlequin

A spin off of the popular Clean Slate Ranch series, Woods Ranch is set in Texas at an actual working ranch. And as much as I enjoyed Clean Slate Ranch, the change of scenery is good.

We do start out at Clean Slate when Colt mentions that his family’s ranch can’t find good help. That gets the attention of Hugo, a guy who was best friends with Colt’s youngest brother while crushing on Colt’s middle brother. But Hugo never let him know the connection.

Hugo has been moving around for almost 10 years. When he finally turned 18 and had had enough abuse from his step brother while his mother and stepfather turned a blind eye. But he misses his mom, misses Texas, so he is ready to go back. And there’s also Brand. The guy he crushed on who is also his new boss.

There was good back story told that really showed how Hugo’s life was when his mother remarried without it overtaking the story. Hugo turned out not so much to be a loner, but just a guy looking for safety and love. He got that as a kid at the Woods Ranch and he would get it again.

Hugo also rented a trailer from a neighbor, an eccentric retired artist who the town loved to gossip about. He was interesting and I have a feeling he is the bridge to another story in the series.

My heart did absolutely break for Hugo at times. Without spoiling anything, I just wanted to hug him. Instead of letting life beat him down, he just keeps going, refusing to give up.

Back to the romance. Brand is the typical “must take over for my family and not let them down” guy. Which, fine, I get it. Especially on a ranch in Texas when the oldest son ran off instead of telling his family he was gay. Brand works too hard, plays too little and never seems happy. Luckily he has a best friend who smacks some sense into him.

Brand still runs hot and cold until he is really put to the test. Then the loyalty to who he loves comes barreling in.

This was a good story to start the next series. As I said, I liked the change of scenery, talking about the different things at the ranch and moving to grass fed organic. There was quite a bit of that and it almost had me giving up beef. Almost. But if I never have to hear slaughter again I will be just fine.

I would have liked more closure on some of the plot points. A couple of things were just left dangling that needed to be put to bed. But, nothing major.

Bring on book 2 who I think will be about this guy and…..that guy.

4 pieces of eye candy