A Kind of Home

This felt like an afterthought.

My first Lane Hayes series read was the Right and Wrong books,and since then I’ve hooked on everything she’s written. Maybe that’s why Isaac’s story felt incomplete to me. There wasn’t the background to help fill in and make Isaac feel a real part of the band. I was left with the feeling that he was pretty much stuck in as the leads guitarist and left to sink or swim. And as far as the McBrides go, where did they come from? There were just too many things like that for me to give it a 5 star rating.

However I can’t wait for the next series to come out. Lane Hayes is truly one of my favorite writers and I highly recommend all of her books.

Enjoyable for the moment

So I didn't love this book, it was probably my least favourite in the series so far, but that might just be me. I do have a weakness for rocker stories, one of my (many) guilty pleasures, so I really don't regret reading this book. And as with Hayes' other stories, it is very well written, with well developed characters and plot. It can be read as a standalone, but then you'd miss out on some great couples, so if you haven't already, you should definitely start at the beginning of this series. I'll wait 'til you catch up ;)

A Kind of Home was, for the most part a very sweet, slow paced friends to lovers story, with Isaac the internationally famous rock star and Adam, the brother of his best friend. They are an unlikely couple, but they still work on some level. I did like the stalker element to this story, it gave it some more depth and balanced out all the fluff quite nicely.

The main thing that kept me from loving this book was Isaac. There were just too many times where I was yelling "Don't do that, what are you thinking?" or muttering "idiot" under my breath at something else he decided to do (or not to). There were too many "Too Stupid to Live" moments that I felt I was reading a YA novel. (Hint; I'm not a fan of the TSTL YA trope). And instead of communicate he put his head in the sand and ignored the issues, hoping they would go away. Or he ran away, literally.

Seth Clayton was an okay narrator. My only niggle is that he doesn't really feel what he's narrating. At times he sounds bored while reading, and that doesn't heighten the experience. It doesn't draw you into the story, but you disconnect from it in a way. The story and the people weren't alive in that way truly great narrators can make them. On the plus side, Clayton was pleasant to listen to during these hours so that is something that is very important to me.

A copy of this book was generously provided in exchange for an honest review for Love Bytes Reviews.

Loved it!

A Kind of Home is probably my favourite story in this very enjoyable series. I liked the main characters, Isaac and Adam, and how they gradually moved from friends to lovers. The kitchen scenes in Isaac’s apartment were pivotal to their relationship. Some were fun, some sexy, and the one near the end is a downright tear-jerker. I loved their time at the cottage when they could really spend time alone away from fans and other distractions. The stalker storyline added tension and uncertainty to the story, and I thought it worked well, keeping the reader/listener guessing. I’m also glad we got to see the other Spiral members and catch up with their lives.

Seth Clayton’s narration is spot on as usual. His soft voice and his style of narration imparts the right emotion for each scene and he presents the characters in a believable way. Listening to him brings the characters to life and added to the enjoyment of the story.

This is a great series with great narration!

This is another amazing addition to Lane Hayes’ “A Kind of” series. It follows a rock band from their origins playing gigs in bars to being on the top of the charts. None of the other books are required reading to understand/enjoy this book, but having read them will give you a more thorough understanding of the characters’ development and their history.

In this case we have Isaac, the lead guitarist, who finds music an easier language than words at times. He breathes easier through his music and roots himself in it’s notes.

Though he’s had a crush on his BFF’s straight brother for years, he’s never acted on it. When the two are forced into close company some secrets are revealed that push them into the other’s arms.

When I think of Lane Hayes’ work, I think always of emotional connections, really hot sex scenes, New York, and in this case- music. That’s what pervades this story. Lane is a really talented writer and she knows how to give the reader well-developed characters and while her stories are fairy-tales in the sense of wonderful things happening to good people, there’s a healthy dose of reality in the mix to make it seem plausible.

For fans of the author and the series this is a must, but you don’t have to fall into those categories to enjoy this. I think fans of musicians, coming-out stories, small towns, and friends to lovers will also love this, too.

Highly recommended!

Audio

Seth Clayton narrates this entire series, and as I’ve said before I think he’s a really great narrator. He handles the story well – all the emotions and action and the music really capably. He doesn’t do much with accents and he does mispronounce words now and again (ie Perrier!) but I think this is a really great way to experience this story and is highly recommended.

4.5 of 5 stars

Be it book or audiobook, this is a must-have!

Overall: 5 Stars!
Story: 4.5 Stars!
Performance: 5 Stars!

A Kind of Home is book 4 in the A Kind of series and it can be read/listened to as a standalone, which is what I did. Still, I think the experience would be even better if you read/listened to the previous books in the series as well, which is what I'll try to do as soon as possible.

Isaac is the guitarist for Spiral, the biggest rock band in the world, and while that comes with certain perks, it also comes with the lack of a private life and overzealous fans, some of which can turn dangerous.

Adam is in New York, set on starting anew after his divorce. He's been housesitting for Isaac and while Isaac isn't too sure he wants Adam in his house, he simply can't turn him away.

Isaac had a huge crush on Adam when they were teenagers while growing up in Springville, and it isn't that surprising to him when their friendship turns into more. However, real life has a way of interfering sometimes.

The story is very good, balancing Isaac and Adam reconnecting as friends, before they give into the attraction they both feel for each other, with Isaac's life as a world-class guitarist and the suspense of the stalker plotline.

I really liked Isaac's sense of humor, he's down-to-earth and self-deprecating. Adam was adorable, and so laidback and fun, really, Isaac stood no chance against him. Their chemistry was out of this world and it was lovely seeing their progression from friends to lovers.

Overall, A Kind of Home was a great audiobook. I wasn't too fond of the whole stalker thing, I do understand that it's something many artists have to go through, it just made me antsy and I couldn't enjoy the story at its fullest because I was waiting for something bad to happen. But other than that, it was interesting and sweet and fun and really, really hot, which shouldn't be a surprise, this is Lane Hayes, after all!

The narration was amazing. Seth Clayton did a fantastic job bringing Isaac and Adam to life. I love all the inflections, emotions and effects he adds to the narration, making it feel more realistic and elevating the book to a whole other level.

Really, book or audiobook, you simply need to get his one, you won't regret it. (My co-blogger Tracy recommends the entire series, since it's her favorite, by the way.)

Awesome, loved it!

Would you consider the audio edition of A Kind of Home to be better than the print version?

I think this was my favorite of the 4 books in this series, Seth. Akesmthe book version come alive.

What did you like best about this story?

Just the banter between Isaac and Adam, they were so adorable.

Which character – as performed by Seth Clayton – was your favorite?

Seth does a great job with all the characters. He is my favorite narrator.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely, and it will be on repeat for me as well.

Any additional comments?

Love this series, love Layne Hayes and love Seth Clayton.