Reviewed by Annika
TITLE: Fourth Point of Contact
SERIES: Legends of Lobe den Herren #1
AUTHOR: AJ Sherwood
NARRATOR: Lloyd Thomas
PUBLISHER: Author’s Republic
LENGTH: 12 hours, 25 minutes
RELEASE DATE: August 19, 2020
BLURB:
“Renjimantoro.”
Ren’s head snapped up, as Brahms only used his full name when being completely serious.
Those dark blue eyes met his levelly, penetratingly, as if he could see every thought going through Ren’s head. And he likely could. The man was exceptionally good at seeing through people. “Come with me.”
Oh hell. He really had no defenses against that plea. Brahms rarely asked anything of him, and every time he had, it turned out to be for Ren’s own good. “You realize that if I go, your reputation is never going to recover. People assume I’ve seduced you over to my side as it is.”
Brahms just stared at him.
“Right, you don’t care. Of course you don’t, silly me, why am I worrying about it?” Relief filled him, making him a little giddy with it, and he had the strangest urge to giggle. Which wasn’t manly, he stamped that out immediately, but still a grin took over his face. “Alright, alright, I’ll go home with you.”
—
Not once in the past five years has Castle Warden Sho Renjimantoro regretted following his best friend to Aart. How can he regret it when he finds open acceptance regarding his sexuality from everyone around him (even if they don’t understand it), and he gets to be with the man most important to him?
No, finding someone in this country is a fantasy best forgotten.
General Arman Brahms, finally home from deployment, has waited over two years to show Ren he’s wrong, that fantasies can come true. Unfortunately, his plans get put on hold to help Ren solve the crisis unfolding in the castle.
Someone is doing their level best to make sure the engagement of Prince Charles and Princess Alexandria of Scovia falls through—by fair means or foul. In addition, they’re trying to make Ren deemed incompetent and dismissed from his position. While hunting for the perpetrator, Ren and Arman do everything in their power to protect those they’re sworn to before the irredeemable occurs.
And along the way, prove that even an ordinary life can become extraordinary.
REVIEW:
I’ve been eying this audio since it came out a few weeks ago. But the epically long blurb kind of deterred me and I never even finished reading it before passing on the book. Now though I found myself in search of new audiobooks and this book kept popping up, it called to me. I’ve read and loved other books by this author so I figured I needed to heed the call and listen to this one as well – blurb still (mostly) unread. And it paid off; I had a really good time listening to it.
Fourth Point of Contact was an adventure and a love story wrapped up in one. It started with war – or the ending of one, where Ren agreed to follow Brahm, his best friend to a new country and a new life as a Castle Warden to the monarchy. Now, some five years later Ren is beloved in his new country and by the monarchs, but someone is causing trouble and a lot of it. That someone is doing their best to prevent the union between Prince Charles and Princess Alexandria and it’s up to Ren to find out who. As Ren and Brahm investigates, the sabotages goes from mere nuisances and breaches of security to more dangerous and even deadly traps. All the more fun for the reader or listener, but I guess not so much for the characters in the book.
I enjoyed the events in this book, they might not be entirely, or even remotely credible, but they were entertaining all the same. So just sit back, relax and enjoy the show. However, I do wish there had been a better flow or melding of the plotlines, as it was it was either the political intrigue with spies and springing traps to capture traitors, or it was a sweet romance where Ren and Brahms finally came together. The two never really intertwined but was more of an either or situation. I loved both plotlines, I love a good action with a lot of stuff happening and with a lot of intrigue – just as much as I love a good friends to lovers romance, so I wish the two had been blended a bit more.
Lloyd Thomas is a fairly new narrator to me, but I hope to hear much more of him in the future. He performed this book with enthusiasm and passion that fit the moment and captures the attention of the listener. I also liked that he used so many accents, I can’t say that I could identify them, but that also fit the story of these make-believe countries – or supposed to be make believe. I think my favourite character might be Roslyn, she definitely lightened the mood and I loved how Thomas delivered her snark and banter.
This book might be on the long-ish side, but I still had a great afternoon listening to it. I’m not sure if there will be more books in this series in the future, but I do know that I’ll happily listen to them if there are.
RATING: 
Narration: 4,5 stars
Story: 3,75 stars
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