Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Embrace Me
SERIES: Love in the Pacific Northwest
AUTHOR: Beck Grey
NARRATOR: Gary Furlong
PUBLISHER: Pine & Moon LLC
LENGTH: 9 hours and 9minutes
RELEASE DATE: June 28, 2023
BLURB:
Sometimes, the best way to overcome differences is to embrace them.
Quinn: Nothing is more important than family. Someday I’ll have my own, if I can ever find the right guy. For now, I’m concentrating on my career and a promotion. That is, until my company hires a hot-shot with the right credentials to snag the position.
I should resent him, but Tadhg Byrne is talented. And gorgeous. And though my ASL is pitiful, it means I’m the most “qualified” colleague to partner with him. Or so my boss says. So I guess I’m about to do myself out of a job.
Tadhg: After a nasty breakup with my manipulative ex, I returned home to Seattle to lick my wounds. I’m done with relationships. From now on I’m focusing on my career.
There are just a few issues with that.
- It’s not that easy for a deaf man to succeed in a hearing world, even with the right degree and experience.
- Quinn MacDougall—my good-natured coworker. He’s incredibly talented, driven, and distractingly handsome.
- Quinn’s hearing, which is the biggest problem of all. How can someone who isn’t deaf ever truly understand and accept me?
Embrace Me is a low-medium angst, contemporary MM romance about language barriers, loving but demanding families, crappy bosses, and sexy guys in speedos. It contains no cheating, and a guaranteed happily ever after.
REVIEW:
Tadhg Byrne is an up and coming architect. He’s been in LA, but after a dicey breakup where he barely gets away from a manipulative and gaslighting and controlling ex, he’s back in Seattle where his family remains. In fact, he’s living with his brother for the time being. He’s got a new job and the first day he meets with his new boss, who is really a jerk. Talks to his interpreter or anyone else in the room except for him, etc. Luckily he’s got some pretty cool co-workers – including the cute guy that helped him at the coffee shop before he arrived at the office.
Quinn MacDougall is working his butt off trying to get the Sr. Architect promotion. He eventually wants to open his own shop and work on the kind of projects that really rev his engine. He’s followed Tadhg’s career and is thrilled to work with him. He learned ASL in college, but he’s a bit rusty. He look forward to working with Tadhg and also brushing up on his ASL. His roommate Jules is better than Quinn is and they both are happy to have the opportunity to use the skill again.
Tadhg is nervous about socializing with his colleagues as nobody besides Quinn seems interested in ASL. When Quinn invites him over to hang out, at first he declines. But then he explains that his bestie/roomie also knows ASL and they have other friends who are CODAs and who sign, so he agrees to it. And enjoys himself. Quinn even gets a little jealous of how much he seems to enjoy talking to Quinn’s friends 😉
Tadhg and Quinn get put on a special project. They opt to work at Tadhg’ brother’s place. It’s quite and they can focus. It also has a swimming pool. Both men were competitive swimmers and this is something they continue to enjoy. Well one thing leads to another 😉 It’s been clear to those around them that there is chemistry and they finally act on it.
Quinn has a large family and they are very close. More than once a week somebody from Quinn’s sibling group calls him for something. He drops everything to help with whatever needs doing. This means he leaves Tadhg hanging a few times. He invites Tadhg to go with him for Family dinner which is once a month. The first time some of Quinn’s other friends who sign are there. So that’s fine. They have a good time.
Tadhg is also dealing with his stalkery ex. He keeps sending cards and flowers. He calls. He send messages. Then he shows up. He does his best to try to convince Tadhg that he’ll never make anything work with a hearing guy.
When things don’t go well at the next family dinner, Tadhg loses it. He’s angry and hurt Quinn is devastated. That’s when the cavalry arrives in the shape of both families trying to talk sense into these two 😀
I really enjoyed this story! This is the second story in a month that I’ve read that focuses on deaf/HoH characters and deaf culture. I loved Tadhg and Quinn. Tadhg has been dealing with a lot! Getting away from Astin is the best thing he’s ever done for himself. Quinn is wildly attracted to Tadhg but he also wants to work with him after he finds out who he is. They try to keep things professional and it’s so cute how they are a near miss so many times 🙂 Once the acknowledge their mutual attraction and are working closely together, they have more obstacles to overcome. Tadhg has been so burned by his ex that he’s got a bit of a wonky perspective. He has expectations of some sort of perfection that he’s got to let go of. His ex does his best to continue to undermine his confidence at every turn. Luckily he’s got a brother who won’t let him go down that path again. There is a super lovely epilogue too 🙂
Gary Furlong did a great job performing this book. He is becoming a real fan favorite. I loved his voice choices foe both of these guys as well as the supporting characters. I felt both their pain and their joy through his narration. I can’t wait for my next listen. This is a great combo of author an narrator. Highly recommended.
RATING: 
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