Reviewed by Annika
TITLE: Love Happens Anyway 
AUTHOR: RJ Scott
NARRATOR: Sean Crisden
PUBLISHER: Self Published
RELEASE DATE: November 15, 2018
LENGTH: 3 hours, 42 minutes
BLURB:
Hiring a boyfriend for Christmas; what can go wrong?
Derek is facing yet another Christmas where his life feels out of control. He has a new career that doesn’t feel like his, and parents who would just love to see him settled down. All he needs is a temporary buffer for the parties he has to attend, and for his parents to leave him alone. Enter, Luke.
Luke is twenty-thousand dollars short for the renovations on Halligans; his family’s bar in New York’s Financial District. A favor for a buddy has him agreeing to play the part of boyfriend to a guy with more money than sense.
But when the spirit of Christmas works its magic on the two men, and they begin to fall for each other, Derek runs scared, and Luke needs space.
It doesn’t matter what obstacles you throw in the way of love, or how much you run in the other direction, because, when you’re least expecting it, whether you want it or not, love happens anyway.
REVIEW:
Hiring a boyfriend for Christmas; what can go wrong?
– Short version – a lot can and usually will go wrong.
I’m a fan of the whole fake boyfriend trope. It is fun, can lead to more than a few awkward situations which in turns leads to more fun for the reader or listener. Win, win all around.
Being tired of his mother’s constant needling and meddling, Derek has made up a fake boyfriend to get her to back off. A fake boyfriend, with a complete backstory to boot- pets and all. Only problem is; it’s Christmas and his mother is insisting on meeting this perfect specimen of a man. So what’s a man to do but hire himself a fake boyfriend for a few nights…
Luke is in a bit of a bind and needs to come up with a lot of money, and fast if he wants to be able to keep and open his family’s bar. As a last resort re agrees to help his friend out by accepting to play the part of a boyfriend to one of his clients. It’s good money and only a few nights – what could possibly go wrong?
The plot in general was okay. It was straight forward, mostly uncomplicated and sweet. Something I’ve found most Christmas stories have in common. They make you feel good. Love Happens Anyway is a book that’s enjoyable for the moment but not one that will stay with you after it’s finished. Not that there’s anything wrong with that – I love books like that. They are relaxing, and don’t demand anything from the reader.
Sean Crisden delivered once again. With his accents, voices and emotion he made this listen both effortless and enjoyable. It shows why there’s never a question of if I should pick up one of his narrations, only when.
Love Happens Anyway is a perfect Christmas story. It makes you believe that you might just find your wish under that Christmas tree and there’s still magic in the world, all you have to do is open your eyes and take a chance.
RATING: 
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