Reviewed by Larissa

TITLE:  Two Men and a Baby

SERIES:  Love & Luck Book #5

AUTHOR:  Isla Olsen

NARRATOR:  Michael Dean

PUBLISHER:  Self-published

LENGTH: 4 hours and 31 minutes

RELEASE DATE:  October 13, 2021

BLURB:

Josh

1. Here’s some advice for surviving your ex’s wedding weekend:
2. Just smile and nod whenever someone lays on the sympathy
3. Stay away from tequila 
4. Don’t make out with any of your ex’s brothers

Whoops.

Connor Kelly sure has changed over the past eight years. He’s no longer the scrawny emo kid I remember from before he moved away; and, oh yeah, apparently he’s into guys now…

But it doesn’t matter how hot Connor is, or how funny, or how charming – he’s my ex’s brother and that means he’s off limits. 

It doesn’t seem like anyone’s ever explained that rule to Connor, though…

When he calls one day begging for my help, I’m expecting it to be yet another ploy in his effort to get me to go out with him. Cue my surprise when I find a shell-shocked Connor with a baby he claims is his son. 

As if it weren’t already hard enough resisting Connor, watching the way he connects and bonds with his son is going to make it damn near impossible…

Warning: This audiobook is not appropriate for anyone who doesn’t like laughing, anyone who doesn’t like babies, or anyone who doesn’t like when sexy nerds, and hot bearded men have a ton of scorching hot sex.

Happily ever after included.

REVIEW:

Two Men and a Baby is Book Five in Isla Olsen’s Love & Luck series, this time focusing on Connor Kelly, a bearded, pierced, tattooed, gorgeous “bad boy” who’s just a marshmallow under a tough-looking facade.  Connor is one of the eleven Kelly siblings and, of greatest relevance here, the younger brother of Declan Kelly whose romance with his best friend turned lover Heath is featured in Book One Fake it ‘til you Make Out.  Why is that relevant to Connor’s story?  Because Connor falls for none other than Declan’s ex-boyfriend Josh.

Connor and Josh have known each other forever.  Josh’s family is close friends with the Kelly family, and Josh and Declan dated for two years.  But Josh and Connor haven’t seen each other in eight years because Connor moved to Denver for school and has remained there since. But now he’s back in New York for Declan’s wedding and also hopefully to live permanently. He’s got a job interview which he unintentionally parlays into leading an architectural design job for Spencer Cox (yes, that’s Connor’s brother Shay’s rugby rival who we meet in earlier books in the L&L series and who stars in Ms. Olsen’s Mr. Big Shot, the first book in her L&L spinoff series Suits & Sevens). Connor and Josh have changed a great deal in eight years, so when they reconnect in the hotel bar, the attraction is instant and intense, but the recognition is fleeting and vague. 

Connor is a funny, loveable, big-hearted guy with a rock-solid, healthy self-image. His dialogue, turns of phrase, and expressions are quirky, funny, and endearing.  He comes across as a guy who doesn’t take anything too seriously; wild, even irresponsible.  Yet Connor, incongruous with his appearance, is as serious as a heart attack when what’s on the line is important. He also possesses determination and laser-focused vision on his goals, which are Josh, his infant son, Chase, and his career.  

Connor is one of my favorite characters in the L&L series. He’s complex, endearing, and downright adorable, especially in his dedication to being a good father to Chase and his pursuit of Josh.  Connor refers to himself as a “Ninja Wooer,” which is quite apt and definitely hysterical.  

Connor and Josh have crazy chemistry – which also surprised me because they don’t seem like they’d fit, but they do.  They have combustible scenes together while still maintaining emotional connection. Of course, the Kelly clan group texts appear in the story and hit all the right humorous notes. 

There are a couple of plot points, in particular, one about the ending (I won’t specify to avoid spoilers), which felt a bit contrived, in my opinion.  But Ms. Olsen’s books, as a rule, are not built on strict realism, and this book is no exception. Certain events happen, and while implausible, they support the overall feel and message of the story, so I suggest you not get too mired in the details. 

Michael Dean seems to have finally settled in as narrator of the L&L series, having taken over from Joel Leslie in Book Three Crazy Little Fling in dual narration, and then alone in Book Four Hopeless Bromantics, where he struggled a little, in my opinion.  In Two Men and a Baby, though, Mr. Dean is back, delivering one of his usual, expert vocal performances.  

There are many characters in this book, as you would expect given the sprawling nature of the Kelly clan, and Mr. Dean does a great job of distinguishing them consistently.  Personally, his heavily accented interpretation of Heath drives me up a wall, but I can’t deny that it’s apropos to Heath’s OTT character.  Heath isn’t the focal point in this story anyway.  Connor and Josh are, and he gets them just right. His pacing and timing of the delivery of certain lines, particularly the humorous parts, is spot on, and I adore his intonations, which perfectly interpret the mood and import of the words. 

The story contains zero angst, just two gorgeous guys falling for each other over an adorable baby.  In short, it’s a fluffy, sweet confection of a story.  Ms. Olsen doesn’t impart any deep, meaningful subtext other than the very clear messaging about the importance of identifying your goals and going after them, even in the face of obstacles that get in your way.  Beyond that, the story is just pure happiness and fun, cover to cover, and you can’t help but smile, laugh, and feel satisfied with the HEA.  

Two Men and a Baby is a quick read/listen, so next time you’re in a book funk or don’t know what to read next, queue up this audiobook.  You don’t have to read any of the other books first to fully enjoy this one, although the rest of the series is great too, so I recommend adding them all to your TBR list.  Listening to the audiobook for Two Men and a Baby will make the story experience even richer as Mr. Dean brings his prodigious talent and skill to the mic to bring this warm, fuzzy, funny romance to life.

RATING:

BUY LINKS: 

Audible 

Amazon