Reviewed by Larissa
TITLE: Vow Maker
SERIES: Mixed Messages, Book 4
AUTHOR: Lily Morton
NARRATOR: Joel Leslie
PUBLISHER: Self-published
LENGTH: 3 hours and 6 minutes
RELEASE DATE: December 8, 2023
BLURB:
Dylan Mitchell wants to get married. However, after seven years of being engaged, that’s looking slightly doubtful. After going through ten wedding planners, they’re gaining a reputation somewhat akin to Henry the Eighth on the wedding circuit. Gabe has vetoed symbolic dove releases, forests of flowers, fire-eating performers, and puce as a wedding color. He’s confounded an army of wedding professionals, and now Dylan, the man who knows and loves him better than anyone, has joined the ranks of the confused. Can anything please his fiancé and get them to the altar?
From bestselling author Lily Morton comes the sequel to Rule Breaker. A romantic comedy novella full of family chaos, meddling friends, sexy bathroom encounters, and love. Always love.
REVIEW:
Lily Morton’s Mixed Messages is a magical series – one of my faves – featuring three captivating love stories in Rule Breaker, Deal Maker, and Risk Taker. Vow Maker is an unexpected fourth entry to the series that brings everything full circle for the found-family of characters featured in those three books, specifically, Gabe and Dylan, whose long-awaited wedding, seven years in the making, finally comes to fruition. The novella is a direct sequel to Rule Maker and is a decadent treat. Gabe and Dylan are one of my favorite couples, likely due to the rich, detailed way Morton brings them to life in such relatable, and at times heartbreaking, ways. Their love story simply resonates because of how deep, raw, and real it is.
Morton’s aptly named Mixed Messages series reflects the love/hate relationship one of the main characters in each book has with love itself. In Rule Breaker, it’s Gabe who has suffered trauma and heartbreak that has taught him that love is bad and not for him. He yearns for it while feeling undeserving of it. Throughout Rule Breaker, Gabe delivers mixed messages to Dylan, and the push/pull between them creates an emotional rollercoaster ride. This just makes the pure happiness and fun of Vow Maker resonate fully.
While Vow Maker reminds us of Gabe’s history, struggles, and pain, he’s a man completely changed by the love, trust, and support from Dylan. The difference in Gabe from Rule Breaker is stunning – his relationship with Dylan has developed so beautifully into one where he is completely open to Dylan, letting him into every part of himself. Their love and trust is simply breathtaking and seeing them finally tie the knot, in the unique way only they can, is overwhelming in the joy it brings.
Morton’s trademark snark and incendiary sex scenes are present, and we get some interesting new characters as well. Joe Bagshaw, Gabe and Dylan’s wedding planner, is top of the list, easily winning a place in my heart and a call for a book of his own – one that Morton has delivered with Confetti Hearts.
There’s no better way to partake in a Morton romance than through Joel Leslie’s completely invested, exceptionally skilled vocal performances. Leslie captures Morton’s snarky, incisive, emotionally rich content, intuiting her intentions and delivering with technical precision and complete emotional engagement. The Mixed Messages series features gorgeous found family underpinnings, and Leslie gets to play around with those rich relationships between Gabe and his best friend Henry, and Dylan and his best friend, Jude, and their partners and extended families. As consuming as the romances are, the friendships are equally glorious. Dylan and Jude’s lifelong friendship is one of my favorite parts of this entire series, especially when they devolve into childish behavior. Cameos from Dylan’s crazy family just adds to the humor, but also the joy and comfort of seeing Gabe settled and loved. The world-building throughout Mixed Messages is top-notch and Morton and Leslie capitalize on that here, creating an immersive story that will rivet you for its three-hour run time.
Vow Maker is a gem. Listen to Rule Breaker first – one of the best MM romances ever IMHO – and then follow up with this luscious conclusion to Gabe and Dylan’s love story.
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