Reviewed by Stephen K.
TITLE: Stuck with You
AUTHOR: Jay Northcote
NARRATOR: Hamish Long
PUBLISHER: Jaybird Press
LENGTH: 5 hours and 33 minutes
RELEASE DATE: November 10th 2021
BLURB:
Two clashing colleagues stuck together for Christmas–will opposites eventually attract?
Patrick has been single since he broke up with his cheating ex almost a year ago. With Christmas looming, he’s resigned to spending it alone with only memories of happier times for company. When a business trip with a co-worker leaves them stranded in the Lake District due to heavy snow, it seems Patrick will have company for Christmas after all. It’s a shame his companion is Kyle, who’s undeniably attractive, but annoying as hell.
Aware of Patrick’s reluctant admiration, Kyle basks in the attention even though Patrick isn’t the type of man he normally goes for. Averse to relationships after being hurt in the past, Kyle enjoys the occasional hook up, but has given up on seeking anything more meaningful.
Stuck together, their antagonism escalates along with a heavy dose of sexual tension until it finally ignites. What starts as a Christmas fling soon feels like something special; but will their tentative connection melt away as the snow thaws? If they’re going to take a chance on finding happiness together, they’ll have to put their differences aside and learn to trust one another.
Contains: enemies-to-lovers, snowball fights, bickering, spanking, a cute dog, a wise old lady, mistletoe, and a happy ending (of course).
REVIEW:
A six hour seduction? This tale of two workmates trapped together over Christmas seemed like the perfect holiday listen. That it was narrated by Hamish Long, made it a must listen.
Patrick is about a decade older than his younger workmate Kyle. He’s been tasked with “mentoring” the charming younger man. Though he’s tried to remain properly professional, the young and out gay man, comfortable with his casual sexual liaisons, pushes all Patrick’s buttons. The younger man is clearly aware of his charms and loves winding the older guy up. And while Kyle is pretty sure that Patrick is gay as well, the two of them clearly have different ideas. Not only about work, and about personal boundaries (Kyle’s a bit of a compulsive organizer)but also about what sex and how useful Grindr can be. While not exactly enemies, their mutual annoyance with each other is just the beginning. Combative chemistry often leads to the most passionate romances, and this one is no exception.
Being locked in a confined space with these two due to a snowstorm makes this a teasing tale that will have you as horny as the two participants. Poor Patrick tries to stay professional while Kyle does his bratty best to cause the man to combust. The spanking that he receives partway though is richly deserved, and clearly, completely enjoyable for all three of us. This had to be one of the most organic, best integrated, spanking scenes I’ve ever encountered. That, and the equally hot subsequent sex scene, just worked in a way few erotic scenes outside of “friction fiction” have ever worked for me.
The “stranded at Christmas” theme makes this one cinch for a perennial Christmas favorite and is actually Jay’s “second swing” at the stranded in a cabin together theme. In 2015 there was “Cold Feet” in which Sam gets snowed in in a cabin in Wales with his straight crush Ryan. That one’s been on my “want to Read” list for years now. In this one we have the added appeal of the Christmas theme. The duo’s growing relationship with each other has a good complement in their improving relationship with the aged, and initially stand-offish, old-lady host.
Listening to Hamish Long reminds me of Kevin Kline in A Fish Called Wanda. Remember how Kevin Kline’s character could be brought to an erotic frenzy by merely hearing Jamie Lee Curtis reciting nonsense? It’s probably a personal kink, but for this Yank, and admitted Anglophile, there is something about the “oh so British” way that Hamish says words like arse that just turns the titillation to ten. Hell, I’d get hard hearing him reading Ikea assembly instructions.
Mr. Long turns every text he reads into that smooth, “storyteller recounting a tale” pleasure with good timing and great vocal characterizations of pretty much all his characters. While the women’s dialogue doesn’t necessarily sound like women speaking, it certainly conveys the quality of a man recounting what a woman said. For all the character voices, Mr. Long captures a bit of the speaker’s personality as well as just the dialogue. This makes an already pleasurable tale just that little bit more delightful.
While I’m sure this would be a great Christmas read in its text form, I highly recommend the audio format. You’ll want to listen to this one every year around Christmas.
RATING: 
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