Reviewed by Stephen K.
TITLE: Happy Place
SERIES: Rainbow Place Book 5
AUTHOR: Jay Northcote
NARRATOR: Hamish Long
PUBLISHER: Audible
LENGTH: 6 hrs and 21 mins
RELEASE DATE: May 5 , 2020
BLURB:
A first kiss from a younger man leads to a sexual awakening…
George’s strict upbringing has left him ashamed of his sexuality. In his forties now, he’s yet to come out or even kiss a man – until he meets Quentin.
Quentin has had enough of bad relationships with men who won’t commit. Still raw from the last one, he’s not ready to try again. But George is sweet, and helping the older man get some experience might be a fun diversion.
Swept rapidly into a deeper connection than they bargained for, they face a dilemma. George isn’t ready to come out, and Quentin wants a boyfriend who isn’t afraid to be seen with him in public.
Can they find a way to navigate the unpredictable waters of their new relationship and find happiness together?
Contains: age gap, gay first times, sexual exploration, out for you.
REVIEW:
The characters in this tale are likable and it’s a pleasure spending time with them. This is a somewhat lighter tale than a lot of what I’ve been reading recently and it was fun to just enjoy the “boys getting randy” aspects of this. George & Quentin’s first sexual encounter goes none too well, but then George is a bit of a unicorn… a gay man past 40 who’s never had sex with another man.
Local reporter Quentin’s boyish “eager to please attitude” is also a bit unusual, but in a good way. Quentin’s still healing from his last disastrous relationship but finds Georges’ silver foxiness and total lack of gay experience an alluring combination. It was a bit funny when Quentin slips (twice) and reveals staunchly closeted George’s first name whilst talking about his problem with close friends. Then worries that he might accidentally out the man. I’m not sure but given the number of British sovereigns named George, and that one in four Beatles bore the name, I’m guessing it wasn’t much of a reveal. But it’s enough to help this tale reach its satisfying ending.
As one might expect with a relationship that starts out as an experiment of sorts, the sex scenes in this are not terribly graphic but they are satisfying. In some ways the none-too-successful opening foray is a bit endearing. Things heat up a bit as George begins to let go of the prudishness that was instilled in him as a child, but don’t expect anything sexual that’s too far outside the norms for m/m fiction.
Hamish Long does a great job with general narration and has a variety of excellent youthful voices for his characters. He even does most women’s voices well, but oddly, he seemed a little bit off here when voicing the straightish, 40 something George. That one voice is a bit artificial sounding. Initially it was off-putting but once accustomed to it, it was OK.
If you’d like a classically light romance with elements of sweetness, some sexy bits, a none-too heavy conflict, and a few laugh out loud funny bits, then this is a great choice.
RATING: 
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