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  • The Way Things Are

  • By: A.J. Thomas
  • Narrated by: Ron Herczig
  • Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (23 ratings)
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The Way Things Are cover art

The Way Things Are

By: A.J. Thomas
Narrated by: Ron Herczig
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Summary

A night of drunken confusion at 19 resulted in Patrick Connelly fathering a child. Determined to be there for his son, Patrick walked away from a sport he loved and forever hid his sexuality. After Patrick's brutal divorce and a vicious hate crime, his son, Jay, has become obsessed with graffiti. Hoping for a fresh start, Patrick moves Jay to his childhood home in Seattle. Within two weeks, Jay is arrested again. On his way to pick Jay up, Patrick stops an assault, then finds himself in handcuffs too. Thinking things can't get any worse, he's confronted by the sexiest man he's ever seen - his son's new probation officer, Ken Atkins.

The hardest part of Ken's job is working with difficult parents, and the undeniably handsome Patrick Connelly is going to be a difficult parent. A chance encounter and steamy hookup with Patrick leave Ken blindsided. As they work together to try to keep Jay on the right path, the passion between them proves impossible to resist. When the assault Patrick prevented comes back to haunt them and Jay gets into trouble again, Ken must convince Patrick that ensuring his son's happiness doesn't have to mean sacrificing his own.

©2015 A J Thomas (P)2015 Dreamspinner Press
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: LGBTQ+

What listeners say about The Way Things Are

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Loved it!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Way Things Are to be better than the print version?

Super story, great characters, well narrated, exciting twist in the story. Good job! The son's character is a bit too perfect and could have been a bit more character development there, but overall good.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

The Karma of Love

If you could sum up The Way Things Are in three words, what would they be?

Actions have consequences.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The father, Patrick Connolly. His love for his son, Jay, is deep and genuine which is displayed in his protective fatherly love of Jay. His personality is warm and endearing making him a believable character.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

The narration was generally good. However, a tighter control of vocal inflection might have lent a more exciting edge to the pace of the story.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

"Standing true to yourself has never been so hard!"

Any additional comments?

The relationship between Patrick and his son, Jay, offered opportunities to explore the challenges of single parenthood which A J Thomas did beautifully, instilling a sense of affection in me for the characters which kept me engaged in the story. An enjoyable read, most recommended.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

GOD, but this is boring

If this book wasn’t for you, who do you think might enjoy it more?

anyone who isn't interested in a decent storyline.. nothing happens, there's slight build ups.. then nothing

Has The Way Things Are put you off other books in this genre?

no just no more by this author and/or narrator

What didn’t you like about Ron Herczig’s performance?

he is boring no life to the characters, no build up no sense of excitement, just monotone drivel

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from The Way Things Are?

all of it. I would have actually put some suspense into it.. at one point the boy is missing and of course we think he is kidnapped.. but no he is found safe and sound sat outside the library, where he said he would be.. ( don't worry this isn't a spoiler... there's nothing to spoil)

Any additional comments?

I was listening on his on my phone, (I drive for a living and listen to audiobooks at work), unfortunately you cant return titles via your phone or I would have returned it. as I had nothing else to listen to I had to carry on listening.. it just gets worse, and the sex scene that went on for about 25 mins!!! was boring.. obviously the author thought they could pad the book out... but believe me, it should have been left out

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The Way Narration Should NOT be!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

If I'm being honest, then no. Not because the story is bad, far from it, the story is good, but the narration is poor.

What other book might you compare The Way Things Are to, and why?

There were parts of the story that could be compared to 'We Danced' or 'Family Unit'.

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Definitely not!

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I felt that with a different narrator I would have

Any additional comments?

A good story spoiled by poor narration. I would definitely return to the story, but not this audio version

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