Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Crankshaft
SERIES: Big Bull Mechanics
AUTHOR: K.M. Neuhold
NARRATORS: Tim Paige and Liam DiCosimo
PUBLISHER: Self-published
LENGTH: 5 hours and 42 minutes
RELEASE DATE: August 24, 2022
BLURB:
I don’t have time for a relationship, not even with the adorably dorky vet I can’t seem to stop bumping into… *sigh * pass the oil and lube
Between running a garage full of beefed-up gear-head mechanics and bailing my idiot brother out of trouble every other week, the last thing I have time for is a relationship.
I’ve tried it too many times, and the ridiculous reasons I always find to end it have become a running joke around the garage. But I’ve learned my lesson. No. More. Boyfriends.
I don’t care how many times Porter falls asleep drunk in my bed or how cute he looks covered in oil smears while I teach him how to fix up the vintage car he has rusting away in his garage; I’m not going to fall for him.
Even if I did, what do a mechanic and a veterinarian have in common anyway?
It’s better if we’re only friends…friends who occasionally fiddle with each other’s crankshafts…
REVIEW:
Porter is a newly minted vet and business owner. He’s bought the practice of an established vet in town that he worked with before he went to vet school and he’s taken over so the old vet could retire. But he didn’t realize how much work the business side would be. He’s keeping his head above water – but just barely. After a particularly long day, he goes to Wooley’s the local gay bar. He sees some guys he has met through a guy he had a particularly bad date with and he’s definitely attracted to Steel, the owner of Big Bull Mechanics garage. He flirts and dances with him and gets waaaaaay too drunk. Steel takes him home to his house, making arrangements to get Porter’s car to him there and puts him to bed. Where he falls fast asleep after a half-hearted attempt at seduction that has Steel thinking all sorts of things.
Steel is definitely attracted to Porter, but he’s not having sex with guy who is too drunk to make it into his house unassisted. He lets him sleep it off and leave a note and his phone number. And then nothing. He hears NOTHING for three weeks. OK then.
Turns out that Porter is going through a lot of stuff. He’s got the business to content with, his patients, and a circling corporate Vet company trying to convince him to sell out. He’s stopped by what he thinks is a prank from his staff about a bear with a box of bunnies in one of his exam rooms. Lo and behold it’s Steel with some baby bunnies that his dog has been playing with in the yard before Steel catches her. Porter agrees to take the bunnies to the wildlife rescue so that they have a chance on survival. He also apologizes for never calling Steel.
That’s that or is it? Next thing you know Porter crashes his car – practically in front of Steel 😉 Steel comes to his rescue, and they finally give in to the chemistry. But both insist they don’t have time for a relationship. So they are kind of friends with benefits? Only they are the only two who don’t realize what is happening between them 😀
Meanwhile Steel’s brother has shown up unannounced needing a place to stay. Steel really doesn’t need Gates crashing his party just when things seems to be taking the right turn with Porter. So his bestie, Tallahassee agrees to take him in. This works out for everybody. Sort of. Steel and Porter are spending more time together, even if it’s not all they want. There are still issues – Porter’s business is still taking a lot of his time and he’s not found great solutions. The Four Bears guys and the Big Bull mechanics jump in to help though. Porter finally gets it that he’s not alone and that he doesn’t have to do everything himself.
When push comes to shove, Steel and Porter are there for each other. They support each other despite the business hassles, family hassles, general life hassles that come at them. Somebody finally points out to them that they are already boyfriends – they just haven’t agreed to the label yet 🙂 After a crisis, they finally get out of their own way and declare themselves in a very swoony moment!
What a sweet story! I have loved Porter since his appearance as on of West’s disastrous date in Stud from this author’s Four Bears Construction series. Porter is the adorable veterinarian who has remained friendly with the Four Bears guys and thus he is introduced to the guys who work at Big Bull Mechanics. Steel and Porter dance around each other (literally and figuratively at first) and it’s all kinds of cute that they are both struggling to figure out what they want and that they are convinced that they cannot have a relationship as well as a life and businesses. It takes them some time and overcoming some obstacles that come their way to figure out that they are busy waiting for the thing that is right in front of them – the person that they really connect with. It’s not just the sex – which smokin’ hot. It’s the quiet times, the cooking, the ordering in and chillaxing, etc. Porter in particular doesn’t feel like he has anything to offer except a lot of problems and time constraints with his business. Steel and his friends have to convince Porter that he needs to let people help him at some point – he’s not an island! I loved seeing all the Four Bears guys and their spouses helping and Steel’s friends and coworkers getting into the act as well. The drama with Gates is kept to a minimum except in the most necessary of ways to move the story forward and set up the next story 🙂 Which I cannot wait for BTW! This book is quintessential KM Neuhold with humor and heart and a a happily ever after!
Tim Paige and Liam DiCosimo are a narrating duo made in heaven. They bring to life the wonderful imperfect warm human characters of K.M. Neuhold’s books time and time again. Porter, as performed here by Mr. DiCosimo, is the sweet nervous new business owning veterinarian who has a thing for big burly bears. Steel, performed by Tim Paige is the gruff bear with a marshmallow center – especially when it comes to Porter. That they are compatible in more ways than one is a huge bonus 😉 These guys are the perfect combination of sweet and spicy which perfectly captures this story. Porter is hilarious in his internal dialogue and the performance here is spot on. Steel’s gruff exterior shielding his tender heart is perfectly conveyed in this audio. I highly recommend this book to anybody who loves an opposites attract, hot and spicy, funny and sweet story with a guaranteed happy ending! I am so there for the next book in this series.
RATING: 
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