Story Rating: 2.75 stars
Audio Rating: 4.5 stars
Narrator: Connor Brown
Length: 9 hours, 12 minutes
Audiobook Buy Links: Amazon/Audible | iBooks
Book Buy Links: Amazon | iBooks
Chase was enjoying everything about his date. The dinner, the handsome man across from him, the way Devon’s hands felt against his skin, the way he promised Chase a night of mind-blowing sex … everything was perfect until they got to Devon’s house. Okay, the start of the blowjob was still perfect, with Devon pushing Chase against the door and breathing promises into his skin before sinking to his knees. Then the lights came on and all of the friends who showed up for Devon’s surprise birthday party (including Devon’s boyfriend) made themselves known.
That was the night Chase met the man of his dreams — with the man’s cheating boyfriend sucking on his cock. So much for first impressions. Now Chase can’t get the gorgeous man’s face out of his mind … or out of his heart. But, it’s better to put that whole thing behind him, hold his head up high, and focus on tomorrow and the start of his new job. Which just so happens to be with one Grayson Wright, Devon’s ex boyfriend, and the man whose blue eyes seem to pierce directly into Chase’s soul.
Grayson’s friends and family never liked Devon. Even Grayson wasn’t certain he liked his boyfriend anymore. He suspected Devon had been cheating on him once or twice, but this … in his home. But that’s done and over with, now. Now there’s someone new in Grayson’s thoughts: Chase, a blonde with lovely brown eyes that he just knows is the one meant for him.
Instead of asking how Grayson is doing, or showing any concern for his emotions after he gets to see, up close and personal, just what Devon thought of their five-year relationship, everyone Grayson knows seems to want to know: Did you get the name of the blonde? You should go fuck him. You know, the man who your boyfriend was cheating on you with, because he’s hot. And maybe they’re right not to be interested in Grayson being too upset, because he doesn’t seem to be. Instead, he’s right into the rebound boyfriend. On the other side, Chase’s grandmother, on hearing the story from Chase, also wants to know … so, did you get the boyfriend’s number? You should fuck him. Because it’s not as if Grayson would have any adverse reaction to the man who broke up his relationship hitting him up for a fling. And that’s when I realized … I am not a fan of this book.
Devon’s whole existence as a character seemed to be to bring the two men together and get gone, but it left the start of the relationship in such a strange place and the story never bothered to do anything about it. Chase and Grayson fall so madly in love from that one moment, that one look, that this feels like a fated mates story — which is fine, but the way all the pieces were put together just made no sense to me. Grayson’s immediate possessiveness over Chase was so very heavy handed and strange. Knowing nothing more than Chase’s hair color, Grayson already knew he wanted to own him. Grayson is jealous about whatever lover Chase had been with in the past who taught him certain moves, forbids Chase from seeing his best friend because they’d been fuck buddies, and tells Chase to come home or he’ll end up fucking him over his work desk. To be fair, they were in a relationship at that point.
Chase enjoys the possessiveness. For myself, I have no issue with it (in fiction), but the way it’s presented here is so half-baked that I just can’t buy it. Grayson’s only emotions seem to be horny or needy, and Chase follows the usual path of being good at everything and so charming everyone forgives him for breaking up Grayson’s previous relationship because no one liked Devon. For reasons.
Narrator Connor Brown was, for me, the only saving grace in this book. Through his narration, he added humor and a dry awareness of some of the more ridiculous moments. He has a pleasant rhythm and a warmth to his voice that allowed for easy listening. While I didn’t enjoy the book at all, I did very much enjoy adding another audiobook narrator to my list of favorites.
