Reviewed by Larissa
TITLE: Fairy Cakes in Winter
AUTHOR: Lane Hayes
NARRATOR: Michael Dean
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 4 hours and 32 minutes
RELEASE DATE: February 15, 2023
BLURB:
A grumpy baker, a quirky ad man, and a recipe for forever….
Scott
So this cute guy sits next to me on the plane and proceeds to talk my ear off for hours. Not good. I don’t like talking and I don’t like strangers. But Theo’s sweet, smart, and sexy—the perfect distraction from business woes and personal worries.
Okay, things got overly friendly, but we’re adults and we know the score. I’m too old, he’s too nice, and we live on different continents.
Then, out of the blue, he shows up at my bakery with that pretty smile and a list of wacky marketing ideas—like how to make fairy cakes a thing.
I don’t like fairy cakes.
But I do like Theo, so…maybe?
Theo
The new me takes risks. The new me is brave and confident. The new me flirts with hunky, imposing bears on planes while traveling to a foreign country.
It’s going well, thank you.
However, my plans to do some sightseeing, drink tea, and eat my weight in biscuits every day get derailed when I realize there might be a way to help Scott and prove a few things to myself.
Don’t worry. I won’t fall for the grumpy baker. No way. He’s complicated and broody and….
Uh oh…it might be too late. Help!
Fairy Cakes in Winter is a bisexual, age-gap, grumpy/sunshine MM romance featuring a sexy baker, a sunny tourist, and a few dozen fairy cakes.
REVIEW:
Fairy Cakes in Winter is a sweet confection of a story that, like any delectable treat, you simply can’t get enough of. It’s got all the right ingredients in perfect proportion, and it’s baked into an addictive story that will have you coming back for more.
Lane Hayes is at her best here in this short, absolutely adorable grumpy/sunshine, opposites attract romance. Theo is a bundle of joy and enthusiasm whose light has dimmed a bit of late. Scott reinvigorates him, reminding him of everything he wants out of life but had thought he wouldn’t, couldn’t, have. For Scott, also at a bit of a crossroads personally and professionally, Theo is laughter and light all the time. He reminds Scott that he can have love and passion, and that he doesn’t have to be alone. Scott is his best self with Theo. Despite Theo’s incessant talking, he brings Scott peace and respite from everything that troubles him.
Hayes has given us two expertly drawn characters whose personalities shine through gloriously. Their interplay is happiness, undeniable attraction, sweetness, spice, and everything nice, plus a bit of hope and reverence for good measure. Scott and Theo are one of the best couples I’ve encountered, and Hayes does them justice here. I only wish we had more of them, but I admit, I’m greedy. As they say, you can never have too much of a good thing.
Michael Dean breathes life into Scott and Theo on the audiobook of Fairy Cakes in Winter. Dean is a solid narrator, but he is particularly skilled at the dynamic between two opposites, especially when those opposites are grumpy/sunshine. Few narrators execute the curmudgeonly Eeyore grump falling for his sunshiney, energetic, youthful counterpoint as well as Dean. Here, he gives Theo the perfect mix of twink attitude with toned-down realism, which is a perfect reflection of his personality. I am in love with Dean’s interpretation of Scott with his gruff, gravelly, super sexy smoky voice. His complete inability to keep his hands to himself despite the constant internal refrain that he should walk away is adorable, albeit heartbreaking at times, but ultimately Scott gets his head out of his ass, and all is right with the world.
Fairy Cakes in Winter is a short novella that, despite its length, packs a punch. It is my favorite story from Hayes to date. Scott and Theo are fully realized, relatable, loveable characters, and the storyline she creates for them is breathtaking in its simplicity. Just two guys improbably falling in love over baked goods. I give this audiobook my highest recommendation.
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