Reviewed by Tori (Vicki)
SERIES: Leaning Into Stories
AUTHOR: Lane Hayes
NARRATOR: Seth Clayton
PUBLISHER: Self Published
BOOK ONE TITLE: Leaning Into Love 
LENGTH: 2 hours 59 minutes
RELEASE DATE: August 16th, 2017
BLURB:
Eric Schuster is a successful guy. He’s part owner of a highly successful tech firm, he has a supportive family and a great group of close friends. But something is missing. Or maybe he’s reacting to his business partner and ex’s wedding news. He knows his former lover is making a big mistake but he also knows it’s time to move on. And hopefully avoid falling for another friend.
Zane Richards is an avid sailor and surfer with a laid-back approach to life. He firmly believes there’s a time and place for everything if you’re willing to take a chance. Like letting his best friend know he’s interested in being much more than friends. Eric has always been half in love with Zane but going from friends to lovers isn’t an easy sell for someone protecting his heart. Eric will have to decide if he’s willing to risk it all by leaning into love.
STORY REVIEW:
This series follows a group of gay and bisexual friends living in San Francisco. The first two books are about the same couple, Zane and Eric, and are pretty short books so I decided to combine them into a series review, especially since they have the same narrator too.
Eric and Zane have known each other since high school, they grew up in the same coastal town, but ran in different circles. Eric is from a wealthy family, was pretty nerdy, and shy. Zane was from a single parent family, his mom struggled to keep them fed and housed. He is athletic and outgoing, a surfer, sailor and swimmer. They ended up at the same college after Zane was awarded a scholarship for his swimming ability, and the two became part of a larger group of friends. Who all appear to have settled in San Francisco, and are now settling in to life, love, and jobs! Eric owns a business with Nick, one of the other men in the group, while Zane races and sells high-end boats.
The two finally connect romantically when they decide to go to Nick’s engagement party as dates, but keep things to themselves for a while, hiding their budding relationship from their friends. But of course that doesn’t last long, and a bit of drama ensues, mostly caused by Nick, who is not only Eric’s business partner, but his ex-lover.
I like this introduction to the series, I read each of the books as they came out, and I’m now happy to get to listen to them. I love Lane’s writing, and this is a great series similar to her others in that they follow a connected group of men. I like that as a concept, and Lane does it well. I love Eric and Zane, they are different enough to make things interesting, but have a common bond as long time friends. Eric is just a bit pretentious, with his Armani suits, expensive condo, and occasionally flying to work in a helicopter. Zane not so much, he’s more a down to earth guy. Eric is shy and nerdy, Zane outgoing and gregarious. Both are of course totally handsome, and fuck like gods! But there is an emotional bond between them as well…
This is a great little book, low drama, no angst, just two pretty men falling in love!
NARRATION REVIEW:
Seth Clayton was perfect for this audio book, he’s got just the right tone for Eric especially. Zane is good too, I could easily tell the two voices apart, but he really nailed Eric’s voice. I loved that he put in the chuckles and moans, not all narrators do that. His narration of the sex scenes worked very well, I could hear the passion in his voice. Overall a well narrated book!
RATING: 
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BOOK TWO TITLE: Leaning Into Always 
LENGTH: 3 hours 16 minutes
RELEASE DATE: November 7th, 2017
BLURB:
Life is good for Eric Schuster. He owns a highly successful tech company, has a great group of buddies, and he’s about to marry the man of his dreams. Eric is pleasantly surprised to find the transition from friends to lovers has been easier than he thought. However, after running into an overly friendly ex-boyfriend on an impromptu trip to their shared hometown, Eric realizes things are about to get complicated.
Zane Richards is a quintessential California surfer dude turned professional sailor. His laid-back approach has helped him navigate difficult times in his life. Eric may not share his easy-going mindset but Zane knows without a doubt Eric is the one. However, carving a future together may require confronting a piece of the past Zane thought he’d left far behind. Both men will have to decide if they’re willing to risk what they know for a chance to lean into always.
STORY REVIEW:
When last we saw Eric and Zane, things were going well. The first book was spent establishing Eric and Zane as a couple, really like the first half of a book, now we get some external drama attempting to break them up.
While visiting their home town, the two men run into Dean, Zane’s high school secret fuck buddy. Poor Eric immediately sees Dean as a threat, but Zane is clueless, which stresses Eric out, leading to a disastrous surfing experience. Zane has been hired to buy a big-ass boat for an old rich dude, and asks Dean for some assistance, which further pulls Dean in to their circle. Eric is even less happy about this development, and makes a massively bad decision to join them while sailing the rich dudes boat down the California coast. This is when the drama meter ratchets up….
And I’ll stop there!
I like this book as well! These two short books really feel like one long novel, and remembering back over my listening of them, I’m having a hard time remembering what happened in which book, I went from one right in to the next! I liked the continuing development of Eric and Zane as characters, and I loved the drama that Dean brought to the story. The boat ride was just epic, I had so much sympathy for Eric, for several reasons! I enjoyed seeing glimpses of the other characters who we’ll see more of in the future, the other guys pop in and out, and they’ll get their chance too. Both of these stories have all of the things that I like; well-written characters, an emotional and physical connection (lovely sex scenes!), an enjoyable plot, and good side characters. No, the characters aren’t especially realistic, since they are all perfect, and the plot wasn’t overly complex, but the addition of Dean to this second story increased the drama.
Fans of Lane Hayes will like both of these books, as well as this whole series. If you haven’t read her books, give these a try, especially the audio version!
NARRATION REVIEW:
I’m not sure what more I can add, Seth Clayton does a great job with this one as well as the first one! His voices are clear, he gets some emotion and passion in his voice, and his sex scenes are yummy!
RATING:
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