Reviewed by Larissa
TITLE: Flakes
SERIES: Licking Thicket Prequel Novella
AUTHOR: Lucy Lennox and May Archer
NARRATOR: Michael Dean
PUBLISHER: Self
LENGTH: 2 hrs and 5 mins
RELEASE DATE: January 12, 2021
BLURB:
Colin’s Do’s and Don’ts for a Happy New Year:
- Do not develop a crush on your archnemesis, contractor Ryder Richards.
- Do finish remodeling the heinous mega-mansion with him well before the first snowflakes fall on New Year’s Eve.
- Do not notice that he’s still the hottest man in Licking Thicket.
- Do not let that gorgeous man provoke you.
- Do not let his provocation distract you.
- Do not let your distraction leave you stranded at the house with him during a blizzard.
- Dear heavens, do not let him crack open the moonshine and light a fire.
- Do not play drunken truth or dare with him.
- And for gravy’s sake, do not let yourself fall in love.
- But if you do… Don’t be surprised if this is the happiest year ever.
Opposites attract in this fun prequel novella set during an unexpected Tennessee snowstorm. Enjoy forced-proximity and enemies-to-lovers tropes as this brand new couple finds love among the zany, meddling residents of our beloved Licking Thicket.
REVIEW:
If you are reading Flakes, you’ve probably read Fakers and Liars. You’re acquainted with the lovely, albeit quirky, small town of Licking Thicket, with its crazy townspeople and traditions. You’ve fallen in love with two swoon-worthy couples already. If you haven’t read the Licking Thicket series … well I don’t know what you’re doing with your life.
Our couple here, interior decorator Colin and contractor Ryder, first appear in Fakers and Liars. Flakes provides us with a look at their story. How two men, total opposites, have been in love with each other for three long years but neither realizes it. In fact, they think they hate each other. Well, there’s a thin line between hate and love and they both crossed over it when they weren’t looking.
On a snowy New Year’s Eve, Colin and Ryder, in forced proximity, finally give in to their attraction and expose their feelings for each other. They’re the only characters in this story. There’s no action to speak of (except maybe Colin’s short-lived, ill-fated, attempted departure in the snow). It’s a tightly focused, sweet look at an improbable romance between two men who are already in love, but are discovering that fact for the very first time.
This novella is a quick listen, only a little over 2 hours of listening time, but it’s no less lovely or impactful than Lucy and May’s full length Licking Thicket novels. The characters are multi-dimensional and endearing. Lucy and May’s writing is sublime. The dialogue is funny, clever, touching and always on-point.
As usual, Michael Dean’s narration elevates this story. Quite frankly, that’s pretty remarkable given Lucy and May’s story alone is top notch. His voice is crazy versatile and he has a unique, distinctive narrating style. I can’t explain how he does it, but you can immediately tell it’s him behind the mic.
While he embodies every character he narrates with a different voice, he does have “buckets” of voices that are similar. Here, Michael Dean gives Colin what I call his “twink” voice. It’s the same baseline voice he uses for his twink-like characters (like Blue in Borrowing Blue, or Parrish in Liars). I say “baseline” because the voice has the same tenor to it, the same high, light pitch, but he imparts each character with a different tone, texture and other vocal characteristics.
Colin’s voice is spot on for his personality. It’s melodious, and has an intermittent pacing. It’s sometimes rapid, like he’s fluttering with a thought, and other times elongated, like he’s reveling in a feeling. Michael Dean’s tone, intonation and delivery captures Colin’s energy, flamboyance and stubbornness.
Ryder is given that deep, sexy, burly voice, similar to Diesel in Liars. But again, with a slightly different tone and other vocal characteristics. You can hear the humor in his voice as well as his affection and admiration for Colin, all layered within his smoky, husky tones.
This audiobook, particularly the first 30 minutes, is downright hysterical, particularly due to the way Michael Dean conveys Colin and Ryder’s conflicted feelings for each other. Colin is ridiculously attracted to Ryder, but utterly frustrated by him at the same time. Ryder feels similarly about Colin. Colin feels ignored, unworthy and unwanted. Ryder is frustrated and confused by Colin’s avoidance and hostility. Their respective internal monologues on the other’s sexiness, including Colin’s sarcastic delivery during his own inner commentary, are a hoot. But even funnier are Colin’s snarky comments to Ryder himself.
Michael Dean got the voices just right. Then he went on to fill out the story with apropos dynamics and mood. He inherently understands how the characters would feel and how they would deliver a line. He then narrates it with the perfect pacing, emphasis, and intonation to match. Emotional content is packed into every word and yet he is still vocally nimble enough to deliver humor laced dialogue
Flakes is a short, sweet burst of Lucy Lennox and May Archer’s Licking Thicket magic that stands fine on its own. But why pass up an audiobook that brings it to life? Michael Dean’s superb narration takes what’s great and makes it amazing.
RATING: 
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