Reviewed by Stephen K.

TITLE: Boyfriend Material

SERIES: (Boyfriend Material #1)

AUTHOR: Alexis Hall

NARRATOR: Joe Jameson

PUBLISHER: Dreamscape Media LLC

LENGTH: 13 hours and 11 minutes

RELEASE DATE: July 7^th ,2020

BLURB:

Luc O’Donnell is tangentially – and reluctantly – famous. His rock-star parents split when he was young, and the father he’s never met spent the next 20 years cruising in and out of rehab. Now that his dad’s making a comeback, Luc’s back in the public eye, and one compromising photo is enough to ruin everything.

To clean up his image, Luc has to find a nice normal relationship…and Oliver Blackwood is as nice and normal as they come. He’s a barrister, an ethical vegetarian, and someone who has never inspired a moment of scandal in his life. In other words, he’s perfect boyfriend material. Unfortunately, apart from being gay, single, and really really in need of a date for a big event, Luc and Oliver have nothing in common. So they strike a deal to be publicity-friendly (fake) boyfriends until the dust settles. Then they can go their separate ways and pretend it never happened.

But the thing about fake-dating is that it can feel a lot like real-dating. And that’s when you get used to someone…start falling for them…don’t ever want to let them go.

Reviewed by Larissa

TITLE: Best Man

SERIES: Close Proximity Book 1

AUTHOR: Lily Morton

NARRATOR:  Joel Leslie

PUBLISHER: Self published

LENGTH: 6 hours and 36 minutes

RELEASE DATE: September 29, 2021

BLURB: 

Zeb Evans doesn’t do messy.  

The product of a disorganized and chaotic childhood, Zeb likes order and control, and as the boss of his own employment agency he can give that to himself. Life runs along strict lines and he never mixes business with pleasure. Everything in his life lives in neat, alphabetized boxes. Until Jesse. 

Jesse Reed is Zeb’s complete opposite. He’s chaos personified. A whirling cyclone of disorder. He’s also charming and funny and a very unwanted distraction. Which is why it comes as a complete surprise to Zeb to find himself asking Jesse to pose as his boyfriend for a few days in the country at a wedding.  

Zeb doesn’t do impulsive, but as the time away progresses, he finds himself increasingly drawn to the merry and irreverent Jesse. But can he bring himself to break the hard-won lessons he’s learnt in life? And even if he can, how could Jesse be attracted to him anyway? He’s so much older than Jesse, not to mention being his boss. 

From the best-selling author of the Mixed Messages and Finding Home series comes a warm and funny romance about one man’s fight for control and another man’s determination to circumvent it.

This is the first book in the Close Proximity series, but it can be listened to as a standalone.

Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Single Dad Sundays: A Dadchat Compilation

SERIES:  Single Dad Support Group #7

AUTHOR:  Piper Scott

NARRATOR:  Michael Ferraiuolo

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  3 hours and 40 minutes

RELEASE DATE:  September  28. 2021

BLURB:

KnotMyProblem: Guess who’s back, b*tches?!
TeenDad2: Who??
KnotMyProblem: US. Duh.
TeenDad2: Oh.
TeenDad2: Where did we go?
GlitterDoctor: It’s complicated, TD. I think this ties into Knot believing we’re characters in some book
KnotMyProblem: I’m telling you, if you just GOOGLE IT you’ll see what I’m talking about
Gwynning: In situations like this, it’s best to humor him
xVerity: Knot is referring to the “new book” of ours that features our Single Dad chats.
xVerity: Not that I necessarily believe we’re fictional.
KnotMyProblem: Well, I sure as sh*t don’t think we’re fictional, either, but there’s definitely evil afoot. Do you see the way the chat is suddenly censoring my language? You can’t tell me you set up some censor-bot
xVerity: I haven’t.
KnotMyProblem: SEE
KnotMyProblem: I’m telling you, there’s an author out there who’s orchestrated all our suffering. You can keep burying your head in the sand, or you can JUST SEARCH THE INTERNET and see that I’m right. Your call
LoveHarley: why is it such a bad thing if we’re in a book? even if we were hurt before, we’re happy now
TeenDad2: HARLEY!!
TeenDad2: hi
LoveHarley: hi TD
KnotMyProblem: Well… yeah, you’re right
KnotMyProblem: But I just—
KnotMyProblem: WHOA WHOA WHOA. Do you guys see who’s typing???
TeenDad2: PiperScott!
LoveHarley: hi Piper
xVerity: Well, this should be interesting…
PiperScott: In June 2019, following the publication of The Answer, a group of authors banded together on Facebook to celebrate the completion of the Single Dad Support Group series, and in doing so pierced the veil between fiction and reality. Every Sunday following that, readers submitted questions for the Dads to answer via social media. Single Dad Sundays documents those questions and their answers, and includes five never-before-seen chats that’ll have you laughing your *ss off.
GlitterDoctor: Hmm, it’s even censoring her
KnotMyProblem: BECAUSE THIS IS A BLURB. We’re back in a new book, just like I said
TeenDad2: We are back!!
TeenDad2: How exciting!
PiperScott: Get ready for off-the-wall banter, tons of glitter, a heartfelt moment or two, and…
PiperScott: Placentas
Placenta-Bot: [placenta.jpg]
KnotMyProblem: F*********CK
KnotMyProblem: I CAN’T EVEN SWEAR RIGHT
KnotMyProblem: I’M SO DONE
KnotMyProblem: KEEP YOUR BOOK, I’M GOING HOME
TeenDad2: Bye knot! Hi internet! I hope you love our chats
xVerity: I’m not sure whether congratulations or condolences are in order, but whatever the case, they’re yours. Enjoy the book, and please don’t mind Knot. His bark is worse than his bite.

Reviewed by Larissa

TITLE: Marry Me

SERIES: Tattoos and Temptation Book 1

AUTHOR: Mia Monroe

NARRATOR:  Kale Williams

PUBLISHER: Self-published

LENGTH: 5 hours and 54 minutes

RELEASE DATE:  September 10, 2021

BLURB: 

A fake fiancé never felt so real.

The idea of facing my cheating ex at a friend’s upcoming wedding sends me right back to the chubby, insecure guy I was when I met my very straight best friend. Since then Jude has been the most supportive person in my life. So when I ask him for a favor, he steps up and becomes the best fake fiancé a guy could ask for.

With three months before the big day, my friends rally to make sure we come across as authentic as possible. Jude takes to the lessons better than any of us anticipated. Especially the kissing.

Now the fake engagement is starting to feel kind of real.

This wedding should be really interesting…

Marry Me is a steamy, best friends to lovers, fake fiancé, gay awakening, low angst story. It is book one in the Tattoos and Temptation series featuring hot Miami nights, Latin desserts, and guys with ink. 

It can be listened to as a stand-alone.

Reviewed by Larissa

TITLE: Date Me

SERIES: Tattoos and Temptation Prequel, Book 0.5

AUTHOR: Mia Monroe

PUBLISHER: Self-published

LENGTH: 1 hour and 12 minutes

RELEASE DATE:  August 21, 2021

BLURB: 

He’s the hottest man I’ve ever seen. 

I’m shy, not hot, and eating entirely too many pastries every day just to see my crush. It’s ridiculous to pine for a guy so far out of my league, but here we are.

When I confide in my friend about my crush, he pumps me up, giving me the courage to find out if this is a passing infatuation or the beginning of something more.

All I have to do is ask Wyatt to Date Me.

Date Me is a prequel novella to the Tattoos and Temptation series. In it, you’ll get a sneak peek of future main characters, tons of pining, a sweet tattooed hunk, and enough steam to satisfy. Welcome to Miami.

Reviewed by Larissa

TITLE:  The Bromance Zone

SERIES: The Good Guys Book 1

AUTHOR:  Lauren Blakely

NARRATOR:  Vikas Adam, Evan Parker, Michael Crouch

PUBLISHER:  Lauren Blakely Books

LENGTH:  7 hours and 42 minutes

RELEASE DATE:  October 26, 2021

BLURB:

A friends-to-lovers romance performed by Audie winner Vikas Adam and introducing the award-winning Ron Butler narrating as Evan Parker!

Two great friends. One road trip. And eight inches…of snow that night at the cabin. 

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times. Friends don’t bang friends. I want my friends to stay in my life, especially that flirty, clever, outgoing best friend of mine. It’s a darn good thing Owen and I made a pact in college to never ever sleep together, or else I’d be tempted. Trouble is, eight years later, I’ve been wondering what his kisses taste like. And I’ve been curious if our chemistry would extend into the bedroom. If he might feel the same risky pull. But I don’t want to lose Owen, and history says there’s no way a tryst between friends can end well. So as long as I avoid the bedroom with him, I won’t break that hard-as-steel rule.

The Bromance Zone is a deliciously flirty, red-hot sexy, friends-to-lovers MM romance about the charming guy next door who’s sworn to never date a friend, the flirty hot nerd who’s been secretly crushing on that friend forever, and one night snowed in in a cabin. This book comes fully equipped for your listening pleasure with sexy banter, a super awkward dinner party, and a scene in front of a fireplace that proves just how dangerous the friend zone is. You’ll also find an epilogue performed by Audie winner Michael Crouch, as well as the bonus novella Maybe This Time, performed by Teddy Hamilton and Jacob Morgan.

Reviewed by Stephen K.

TITLE: Mark Cooper Versus America

SERIES: Prescott College #1

AUTHOR: Lisa Henry & J.A. Rock

NARRATOR: Joel Leslie

PUBLISHER: Lisa Henry & J.A. Rock

LENGTH: 9 Hours 45 Minutes

RELEASE DATE: February 13^th 2018

BLURB:

Mark Cooper is angry, homesick, and about to take his stepdad’s dubious advice and rush Prescott College’s biggest party fraternity, Alpha Delta Phi. Greek life is as foreign to Aussie transplant Mark as Pennsylvania’s snowstorms and bear sightings. So, when the fraternity extends Mark a bid, Mark vows to get himself kicked out by the end of pledge period. But then he’s drawn into Alpha Delt’s feud with a neighboring fraternity.

Studious Deacon Holt is disappointed to learn Mark’s pledging Alpha Delt, his fraternity Phi Sigma Kappa’s sworn enemy. Mark is too beautiful for Deacon to pass up an invitation for sex, but beyond sex, Deacon’s not sure. He wants a relationship, but a difficult family situation prevents him from pursuing anything beyond his studies.

Mark and Deacon’s affair heats up as the war between their fraternities escalates. They explore kinks they didn’t know they had while keeping their liaison a secret from their brothers. But what Romeo and Juliet didn’t teach these star-crossed lovers is how to move beyond sex and into a place where they share more than a bed. That’s something they’ll have to figure out on their own—if the friction between their houses, and between Mark and America, doesn’t tear them apart

Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Beautiful  Mistakes

SERIES:  Second Chances #3

AUTHOR:  Felice Stevens

NARRATOR:  Denis Lambert

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  8 hours and 20 minutes

RELEASE DATE:  September 27, 2021

BLURB:

Wolf
Desire: What Wolf struggles with from the moment he sees Spencer Hawkins the first day of college.
Fear: Not a word in Wolf’s vocabulary except when it comes to facing his feelings for Spencer.
Lust: What he gives in to that changes everything between them. And his life forever.
Denial: Something Wolf is all too familiar with—denying who he is and who he wants. It’s better this way, even if it’s tearing him and his friendship apart.

Spencer:
Hide: What Spencer does best. He hides from everyone, especially himself and the crazy attraction to Wolf he can’t shake. Walls: Spencer throws them up to protect himself from all the hurts life heaps on him—his mother’s death, his father’s indifference, and the men who share his bed and walk away.
Betrayal: Not by just anyone. By Wolf. The one man he can’t forget. Or forgive.
Want: Spencer wants to live in the moment, but he can’t stop thinking about that night. And it doesn’t help that he and Wolf keep knocking heads…and locking lips.

Love: What those two idiots need to realize is happening between them. What started out as their ugliest regret could end up being the most beautiful mistake they ever made.

Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE: Painted Lace 

AUTHOR:  K.M. Neuhold

NARRATOR:  Iggy Toma

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  5 hours and 12 minutes

RELEASE DATE:  August 9, 2021

BLURB:

Austin never realized he was painting his life with shades of gray, until Keaton came along and injected a rainbow of color.

Keaton is a tornado of chaos and paint, which turns out to be more exciting than I ever would’ve imagined. I love my organized, predictable life…or at least I thought I did. But what started as a casual hookup is slowly becoming so much more, and I find myself loving the beautiful mess more than I expected.

Can two people so different really make it work once feelings get involved?

Note: This is a stand-alone story and was originally published as Kiss and Run in the Valentine’s Inc series. It has since undergone significant changes and doubled in length.

Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Brother-in-Law Material

AUTHOR:  Crystal Lacy

NARRATOR:  Michael Ferraiuolo

PUBLISHER:  self-published

LENGTH:  5 hours and 26 minutes

RELEASE DATE:  September 23, 2021

BLURB:

Can his sister’s fake boyfriend become his real one?

When Kendall O’Hara catches his boyfriend cheating, he runs to his sister–the only person he can rely on in the city. But she’s on a business trip, so Kendall finds himself temporary roomies with her super hot and equally kind live-in boyfriend.

Luke Hale’s family has made him so jaded regarding relationships that he’s had no problem pretending to be his best friend’s boyfriend. It’s never been a problem, until her sweet, adorable brother arrives.

Kendall’s passion for his food channel is contagious and his openness and vulnerability are intoxicating. They both know the other should be off-limits, but spending time together–cooking, talking, laughing–is so easy and wonderful. Their attraction is undeniable and once Kendall learns that Luke is actually available, all bets are off.

Sizzling chemistry quickly gives way to real feelings. But Kendall’s stay is temporary. Can their friends with benefits arrangement blossom into a forever love or will they both wind up alone again?

Brother-in-Law Material is a 55,000-word M/M romance including the following tropes: fake boyfriend, temporary roommates, friends with benefits, best friend’s brother.

Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE: Operation Meet Cute

SERIES:  Operation HEA #1

AUTHOR:  K.M. Neuhold

NARRATOR:  Nick J. Russo

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  6 hours and 7 minutes

RELEASE DATE:  September 28, 2021

BLURB:

Harlow is on a single-minded mission: meet the man of his dreams by any meet-cute necessary.

All my life, I’ve dreamed of one thing: the perfect movie moment. I want a man and his boombox outside my window; I want kissing in the rain; I want a romantic hero who will take my breath away.

Switching mail with my cute neighbor didn’t work. Swapping coffee with a hottie at the coffee shop just got the poor barista yelled at. And bus guy? Total bust. I’m starting to wonder if Hollywood got the whole meet-cute thing wrong. Sacrilege, I know.

Is it possible the perfect leading man has been living in the apartment above me the entire time, playing the role of my best friend?

Things are about to get very interesting…

***Operation: Meet-cute is a swoony, steamy, best friends to lovers, friends with benefits turned more, laugh out loud story with low angst and plenty of heat.

Reviewed by Larissa

TITLE: The Demon’s in the Details

AUTHOR: Meghan Maslow

NARRATOR: Greg Boudreaux

PUBLISHER: Self-published

LENGTH: 6 hours and 38 minutes

RELEASE DATE:  August 4, 2021

BLURB: 

The Demon’s in the Detail

Can a sexy demon really spin straw into gold?

Poe Dupin, raven shifter and thief extraordinaire, is in trouble with a capital ‘T.’ Not only did he get his wing caught in the cookie jar during his latest heist, but his loser stepdad, the alpha, seems determined to run their roost into the ground. And Baltimore is many things, but forgiving is not on the list.

When his stepdad puts the roost in peril, Poe sees no choice but to bargain with Charm City’s only demon, Tommy Tittoti. Rumors are that Tommy eats the souls of those foolish enough to try. Three strikes and you’re out. But really, Poe wasn’t using his soul anyway. And if it saves his roost? Worth it.

Tommy isn’t what Poe expects. Demon – huge, horned, hairy, and scary, right? Nope. Blond, gorgeous, with a bubble butt, and a lilting drawl that beckons Poe to come play. Total hookup-app fantasy material. Even if he is a murder twink.

Poe’s no angel, but Tommy…well he’s more devil than demon. Yet, Poe just can’t seem to keep his feathers out of the fire. As one bargain turns into two, and then a third tragedy strikes the ravens, Poe finds himself falling for a guy who may very literally be the death of him. Or maybe the flames will burn them both.

The Demon’s in the Details is a fast-paced roller coaster of a romance with a guaranteed HEA and lots of steam. Shenanigans include: a gold object that is definitely not a ring, a best friend who’s trigger-happy, and a demon who’s got a few surprises up his, uh, sleeve. 

Previously published in the Fables Retold Anthology. Around 60,000 words. No new content has been added.

Reviewed by Stephen K.

TITLE: Skyler Phoenix

SERIES: Love Grows in Honest Places #1

AUTHOR: Damien Benoit-Ledoux

NARRATOR: Ben Palacios

PUBLISHER: Purple Spektre LLP

LENGTH: 14 Hours 30 Minutes

RELEASE DATE: August 31^st 2021

BLURB:

Skyler finally had it all…

…but for the third time, the state had taken everything away from him.

It wasn’t his fault, though, or was it? 

If only he hadn’t been so stupid…

If only he hadn’t been so careless…

If only he hadn’t fallen in love with his best friend, Cameron.

Now, sitting in the social worker’s SUV, he stared at his new house and the strangers standing on the front steps. His life had been an uphill climb, and now he had to start over. 

Again.

One day, he might call them family, but he had finally learned his lesson.

This time, Skyler wouldn’t be stupid.

This time, Skyler wouldn’t be careless.

And no matter what, he definitely, absolutely, wouldn’t fall in love with another cute boy.

Reviewed by Stephen K

TITLE: The Omega from the Ocean

SERIES: Heron Manor #1

AUTHOR: Amy Bellows

NARRATOR: Lance West

PUBLISHER: Amy Bellows

LENGTH: 8 Hours 48 Minutes

RELEASE DATE: September 13^th 2021

BLURB:

Merman Jack is a terrible virgin sacrifice. Mostly because he isn’t virginal. At all.

Hopefully the Sea King won’t notice.

For Jack, the human world has too many wonderful temptations, and too many alphas to resist. He only has two months left before he has to give himself to the Sea King, and he doesn’t want to spend them in the cold, dark catacombs where the Mermen of Rixton live. It may be forbidden for Jack to go to shore, but when did that ever stop him?

Peter is a terrible dragon shifter. He can’t figure out what he’s supposed to collect for his hoard. Without his hoard, he can’t do any of the important dragon-shifter things, like take his dragon form or find his fated mate. After years of losing his lovers to their fated mates, Peter’s feeling his age, and he’s tired of being alone.

When Peter sees a beautiful merman on the beach, he thinks he’s finally found his fated mate. Jack falls hard for Peter too, but he knows they can’t be together forever. If Jack doesn’t show up on the day of his sacrifice, the Sea King will kill his father and take his brother instead.

Will the love between a terrible virgin sacrifice and a terrible dragon shifter be enough to change their fate?

Omega from the Ocean is a gritty, age-gap romance with knotting, light D/s, and Mpreg of the dragon-egg variety. This is not a stand-alone book. While the ending may be an HEA for Jack and Peter, it’s an HFN for the rest of the Mermen of Rixton.

Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  Drilled

SERIES:  Four Bears Construction #7

AUTHOR:  K.M. Neuhold

NARRATORS:   Tim Paige and Liam DiCosimo

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH:  6 hours and 14 minutes

RELEASE DATE:  September 29, 2021

BLURB:

A month in a remote cabin with the last man I ever expected to see again? I can’t decide if I should punch him or drill him. it might end up being both.

After more than a decade, the last person I expected to see walk into the Four Bears Construction offices as a new hire was Ridge.

He was my first crush, and my first heartbreak when he started dating my sister. When he left her at the altar without so much as a note, I wrote him off for good.

No amount of excuses and explanations can erase what he did. At least that’s what I keep telling myself. But when we end up being sent to a remote campground alone to spend a month rebuilding the cabins, it’s too easy to remember why I fell for him in the first place.

I know the guys are all taking bets on how long it takes us to start playing with each other’s tools.

It’s going to be a long month.

Drilled is a forced proximity, best friends-to-enemies-to-lovers, hilarious and steamy, final book in the Four Bears Construction series. It can be read as a stand alone but you won’t want to miss this whole hilarious and hot series. No bear shifters, only the other kind of burly, hairy bears.

Reviewed by Stephen K.

TITLE: Jay’s Gay Agenda

SERIES: Jay’s Gay Agenda #1

AUTHOR: Jason June

PUBLISHER: Harper Audio

NARATOR: Mark Sanderlin

LENGTH: 9 hours 5 minutes

RELEASE DATE: June 1^st , 2021

BLURB:

There’s one thing Jay Collier knows for sure—he’s a statistical anomaly as the only out gay kid in his small rural Washington town. While all his friends can’t stop talking about their heterosexual hookups and relationships, Jay can only dream of his own firsts, compiling a romance to-do list of all the things he hopes to one day experience—his Gay Agenda.

Then, against all odds, Jay’s family moves to Seattle and he starts his senior year at a new high school with a thriving LGBTQIA+ community. For the first time ever, Jay feels like he’s found where he truly belongs. But as Jay begins crossing items off his list, he’ll soon be torn between his heart and his hormones, his old friends and his new ones . . . because after all, life and love don’t always go according to plan