Reviewed by Larissa

TITLE:  Flat Whites and Chocolate Fish

SERIES: Southern Lights, Book 3

AUTHOR: Jay Hogan

NARRATOR:  Gary Furlong

PUBLISHER: Southern Lights Publishing

LENGTH: 9 hours and 29 minutes

RELEASE DATE: October 9, 2023

BLURB: 

Adrian Powell has a secret, a secret he’s guarded for 17 years. But it’s come at a cost—few friends, fewer lovers, and a lifetime of loneliness. If he’s a bit grumpy and a tad pessimistic, who can blame him? So, exactly how he’s ended up with a bunch of nosy friends, a beautiful lakeside cottage and a successful business, is beyond him.

It’s a life he never imagined, and one that includes a problematic new neighbour, Niall Carmichael—an irritating, equally grumpy, sexy as hell silver fox, who kisses like a dream, shakes every one of Adrian’s walls, and who might just prove Adrian’s undoing.

But secrets have a way of catching up with you. And when Adrian’s past comes knocking, it might just threaten everything he’s built.

REVIEW: 

In Flat Whites and Chocolate Fish, Jay Hogan’s masterfully crafted, addictive story combines with Gary Furlong’s top-notch narration to deliver a wholly subsuming reading and listening experience that will leave in tatters any hope you had of getting sleep.  

Hogan’s Southern Lights series was one of the first MM series I read, and I read Flat Whites, the third book in the series, first. I enjoyed it thoroughly and had no difficulty following the characters and events of the story even without the context of the first two books.  Having now read them all, I encourage you to read the first two books as they provide context, but they are not necessary precursors to the absorbing characters and storyline of Flat Whites.

As a newbie MM reader at the time, I recall being utterly blown away by this story, and Hogan’s writing in particular.  It’s that feeling you get when you stumble across a book and have no expectations about it but are rewarded with superb writing and a captivating story that keeps you reading through the night (pfft … who needs sleep?). It’s the excitement of having unexpectedly found a fantastic read, and also having unlocked a new author and a whole new world of great stories.

Revisiting the Southern Lights series through Furlong’s mesmerizing vocal performances has been a joy. Hogan’s crisp dialogue, humor, and gorgeous, intricate world-building are channeled through Furlong’s intuitive, invested performance, and he brings the words on the page to life.  It’s instalove with Hogan’s expertly drawn and well-realized cast of characters, especially Adrian and Niall, who are beyond adorable/hot/amazing separately and even more so together.  They are multi-dimensional people with complex backgrounds, motivations, and feelings that are real and identifiable. Even the setting is described so vividly that you feel transported – like you’re in a picture or movie right there with characters.

Hogan’s inspired pairing of Adrian and Niall drives this story. These two men are seemingly so different but are so very similar you get why they click, even though on paper nothing about them together makes sense. Niall has opened himself up to love before but felt he was a failure so he’s shut himself off from family and friends and has bought into his negative view of who he is as a person. Adrian learned early on he couldn’t trust or rely on anyone. He has the capacity for great love, but he locks it down tight … for reasons.  As a result, Adrian has lived his life isolated, alone, and palpably lonely. Yet now he suddenly finds himself with a group of nosy friends who like him, care about him, and want to know him, and he’s not quite sure what to do with it all. Then he meets his nosy next-door neighbor, Niall. Sparks fly from the minute they meet. They are fiery and explosive, and their relationship is a beautiful thing to see, especially the self-exploration and slow but sure realization that taking a risk and trusting is worth it when it’s with the right person.

Furlong takes this excellent story to the next level.  His skill at the fundamentals is undeniable, and he effortlessly translates the emotions and cadence of the narrative. But most importantly, he sinks into these characters and disappears.  We are left with Adrian and Niall.  That’s how an audiobook should sound and Furlong is one of the most consistent narrators at accomplishing that feat.  He’s a one-click buy for me when I see him on the byline. 

Hogan and Furlong have a synergy that comes from frequent collaborations.  They understand each other and can intuit the other’s intent and approach.  Furlong is a particularly good match for Hogan’s snarky, sassy banter, and his interpretation of these characters and the dynamics of their relationship is spot-on.

I cannot recommend the Flat Whites and Chocolate Fish audiobook enough. It’s got it all: a great romance wrapped in an expertly crafted and written story that’s unpredictable, well-paced, and engrossing.  It’s an enjoyable story made completely absorbing by Furlong’s talents. 

RATING:

BUY LINKS: 

Amazon 

Audible