Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Sweet Something
SERIES: Wood Hollow Stories #2
AUTHOR: Lane Hayes
NARRATOR: Nick J. Russo
PUBLISHER: Self-published
LENGTH: 7 hrs and 55 mins
RELEASE DATE: August 25, 2026
BLURB:
The baker, the grumpy lumberjack, and a new dad journey…
Dexter
The donut business is booming in Wood Hollow, along with my flag football program. Now I’m ready to take on a new challenge—parenthood. See, I’ve always wanted to be a dad and it’s finally happening. Wood Hollow is the perfect place to raise a child. It’s quiet, safe, and the folks here are friendly.
One glaring exception is the grumpy lumberjack…who ends up being besties with my surrogate. What are the odds?
Yeah…this will be interesting.
Viggo
I’m a logger. I like wood. That’s it. Maybe that makes me a solitary person, but so what?
Unfortunately, I can’t ignore the handsome donut man’s new dad-to-be situation. Not when it concerns an old family friend.
Look, I don’t want to be involved, but I have no choice. And if that means I’ll have to step outside of my comfort zone and do people-y things to make sure Dexter is a going to be a good dad, so be it.
It doesn’t mean I like Dexter. He’s accidentally funny, kind of sweet, very hot, and—
Okay, fine.
Maybe I like him too much.
Sweet Something is an MM bisexual, grumpy/sunshine, small-town romance featuring Wood Hollow’s hottest baker and the grumpy lumberjack with a big heart.
REVIEW:
Dexter is a former football player from Michigan who now runs a successful donut shop in Wood Hollow. He’s 38 with one failed marriage behind him and he feels like he’s now ready to be a dad. He’s tired of not finding the right partner and so he engages a surrogate. He finds out that Freya’s best friend happens to live in Wood Hollow. He tries to suss out who it is and when he finds it’s Viggo, a logger at the local lumber mill, he sort of stalks him and then forces Viggo into friendship. And more.
Viggo moved to the US when he was 18 to go to college. He played football in Minnesota and three years ago moved to Wood Hollow. He’s very good with his hands and he makes all things wood in his workshop on the side. He’s a bit of a grumpy Gus – quite the loner. But he has always been there for Freya. When she confesses that she is a surrogate for someone in Wood Hollow, he figures out that is why Dexter has been stalking him. He’s none too thrilled about being pulled into this drama, but both Freya and Dexter are not letting him off the hook.
Viggo ends up getting talking into/coerced into doing things with Dexter who is his polar opposite. There is a frisson of something between them. Then it turns into full-blown lust and they can’t keep their hands off each other. They both think this can’t last and especially are concerned about Freya in this mix.
For the nine months of the pregnancy, their relationship is a bit of a push/pull. Neither men think that this can be more than friends with benefits and that this has an expiration date when the baby is born and Dexter will be in single-dad mode. But of course life has other plans for them. As the pregnancy goes on and they spend time together planning for the baby, they also begin sharing their pasts and the issues that have haunted them and made them into the men they are now. Turns out that maybe this is more than a short term thing 😉
This story was just lovely. I love a grumpy/sunshine opposites attract story. Add the cultural differences and the past drama/trauma and Viggo and Dexter’s road to a happily ever after was a delight to read. Dexter is a character full of energy and passion. Viggo is much more reserved and likes his space. How Dexter was able to cajole Viggo into his life and antics was perfect. I also really enjoyed the rest of the locals getting into the act. Small town nosiness and all. Watching Dex get ready to be a dad and letting Viggo into his life and vice versa was just so heartwearming. Loved seeing Silas and Cooper and the kids again too 🙂 This town seems like a great place to live or at least visit 😀 I can’t wait for the next book.
Nick J. Russo is one of my all-time favorites and this book shows why. His emotional range and delightful performance of all of the character voices – young, old, male, female, were so spot on and consistent. I enjoyed every single minute of this story. Highly recommended for another listen that will melt your heart. Recommended.
RATING: 
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