Reviewed by Larissa
TITLE: You Are Cordially Invited
SERIES: Auckland Med, Book 5
AUTHOR: Jay Hogan
NARRATOR: Gary Furlong
PUBLISHER: Southern Lights Publishing
LENGTH: 6 hours and 58 minutes
RELEASE DATE: April 4, 2022
BLURB:
There’s a wedding in the air at Auckland Med, but Reuben wonders if they’ll survive the stress long enough to say, “I do”. Cam is directing the entire operation with his combat eyeliner in place, while the wedding party is doing its best to ignore him. The pressure is mounting and the cracks are beginning to show.
There’s a bachelor party to survive.
The paparazzi to outrun.
A wedding outfit to confirm.
A rugby game to win.
A jerk of a father to cope with.
A stunning opportunity to consider.
A relationship to untangle.
And a shocking event that could derail everything.
With the universe conspiring against them, Reuben and Cam will have to summon every scrap of belief they have in each other to make it to their vows.
REVIEW:
Jay Hogan’s Auckland Med series is one of my favorites. From the first page to the last page of these five books, Ms. Hogan’s superb writing is on display. She has created charismatic, endearing characters who are like found family. She gives them so much dimension and life that you almost forget they are fictional. Her storylines are different, intriguing, unpredictable, and always pack in a healthy dose of sexy and angst.
You Are Cordially Invited brings this series full circle to the wedding of Ms. Hogan’s (and my) favorite character, Cameron Wano, to All Blacks superstar Reuben Taylor. You don’t have to read all of the other books first to read this one, but in my opinion, you should at least read book two, Crossing the Touchline, which is where Cam and Reuben meet and fall in love. You Are Cordially Invited won’t have the same impact without the context from that story.
The first chapter of You Are Cordially Invited is like a homecoming. We see all of the couples from the previous books interacting drunkenly during a raucous game of gay bingo led by notorious drag queen, Carmen Bendover. It is hysterical, especially as delivered by Gary Furlong in his stupendous narration on the You Are Cordially Invited audiobook. Mr. Furlong’s vocal performance here is flawless. His characterizations of Reuben and Cam are distinct and accurately capture the nuances of their personalities. In addition, he consistently delivers and distinguishes between a myriad of characters, including all of the couples from the previous books, whose voices he recreates with accuracy.
Reuben and Cam are both walking contradictions. Reuben is a big, muscled, tough rugby player with a single-minded focus on his sport. He’s also soft-hearted, generous, and overflowing with love for Cam and his nephew Cody. Cam is the fiercest femme you can imagine and a total boss in bed. These two are not what you’d expect, but they fit together like puzzle pieces.
This book shines a spotlight on Cam, and deservedly so. Cam is a sassy, spicy, fabulous, out and proud, makeup and lingerie-wearing force of nature. He is dynamic and completely unapologetic about who he is and what he wants. Ms. Hogan vividly brings to life all of the colorful and beautiful facets of Cam’s personality. Mr. Furlong captures that it the sometimes silky and teasing, often biting and witty, and definitely sharp and emphatic “Cam” voice, the latter displaying itself when Cam goes into protective mode or stands up for himself or someone he loves.
In this story, we see the HEA looming for this couple … but Cam and Reuben’s work is not done yet. Cam’s ferocious protection of those he loves often leads him to overprotect and exclude. He tries to take it all upon himself, masking his inner feelings. Reuben chafes against Cam’s internalization of essential issues and refusal to communicate openly. While well-intended, Cam’s behavior is problematic and driving a wedge between them. Some unexpected plot twists happen, taking an engrossing storyline and making it a riveting one.
Mr. Furlong’s vocal performance creates an immersive experience that makes the almost seven hour listening time fly by. His vocal chops, coupled with his acting ability, continue to blow me away. Notably, Ms. Hogan’s excellent story is made (unbelievably) better through Mr. Furlong’s inflections, intonations, and emotional engagement with the storyline and the characters.
The You Are Cordially Invited audiobook is a no-brainer, one-click purchase. The story is gorgeously written and will have you fully invested. This is the best book of the five, showcasing Jay Hogan and Gary Furlong at their best. I invite you to listen to the entire Auckland Med series of audiobooks. I give them my highest recommendation.
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