Reviewed by Larissa
TITLE: Marcus’s Cadence
SERIES: A Mission City Gay Romance Short Story
AUTHOR: Gabbi Grey
NARRATOR: Michael Dean
PUBLISHER: Self-published
LENGTH: 45 minutes
RELEASE DATE: June 3, 2022
BLURB:
What happens when your biggest crush turns up on your doorstep after 12 years?
Cadence Crawford has a good thing going. He’s making waves as a realtor in Mission City, British Columbia. Yes, he’s recently suffered a personal loss, but he’s moving on, and his path forward includes selling the only true home he’s ever known.
Marcus Brannigan is doing fine. He has his physiotherapy practice, he watches over his younger twin sisters, and he’s happy. When he unexpectedly runs into Cadence, who is selling the home he’s always coveted, he’s prepared to do some negotiating.
Neither knew they were seriously crushing on each other. Now they’ve admitted the truth, is happily ever after in the cards?
“Marcus’s Cadence” is a 7,000-word second-chance gay romance instalove short story with a very happy ending and a Maltipoo named Kiki.
REVIEW:
Marcus’s Cadence by Gabbi Grey, narrated by the inimitable Michael Dean, may be the shortest audiobook I have ever listened to, no less reviewed. But the brevity of the story doesn’t detract from its impact. Grey spins out a sweet story of a second-chance romance between Cadence, the real estate agent who we saw glimpses of in Grey’s Stanley’s Christmas Redemption, who reconnects with Marcus, his best friend’s older brother and former teenage crush. “Former crush” is an overstatement here because Cadence quickly realizes the embers from his crush are still glowing, and it’s easy to rekindle them into an attraction that becomes a sexy, steamy conflagration upon realizing Marcus has feelings back.
While the story is satisfying even in its brevity, it would have been better if it had been developed into more. In the beginning, it felt like some context was missing (especially if you’ve never read anything else in this fictional universe), and even with the history between these characters, the relationship moves at a breakneck speed. I would have liked to savor it more.
No doubt, Michael Dean does a great job here, and his innate ability to intuit the characters’ motivations and emotions helps give depth and texture to the story. This is a short, quick listen made accessible by Dean. Despite some shortcomings, overall, it’s an enjoyable listen.
RATING: 
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