Sleigh Bells and Second Chances
Love in Mission City, Book 3
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Sleigh Bells and Second Chances
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Narrated by:
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Michael Dean
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By:
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Gabbi Grey
About this listen
Ryan
The moment I landed in that war zone, I knew I'd made a big mistake. I wasn't a soldier, and my good intentions almost got me killed. Being wounded and shipped back home to Canada was both a blessing and a curse. I’m safe now, but I can’t stop thinking of the men I left behind. My therapist claims Healing Horses Ranch will help heal my wounds—physical and mental—but I'm not sure how much tranquility and wholesome fresh air I can take. Until I meet a beautiful, shy man who makes moving forward seem almost possible. Can I let go of the past and reach for a future with Simeon?
Simeon
I've made peace with being different from the folks around me. I love my home in Mission City, and if anyone needs something fixed, I’m the guy they call. When the owner of the therapy ranch hires me for a big project, I’m excited to get started. I always work alone, but one of the patients keeps hanging around, and I can't bear to send him on his way. I can see how much he's hurting. If helping me helps him, that's a win for us both. As we share the work, something about that wounded man draws me deeper and deeper in. I'm no therapist, and I have my own issues, so am I a fool to be thinking about a future with a guy who's likely to leave once he's healed?
Sleigh Bells and Second Chances is a slow-burn, age-gap, hurt/comfort, mid-angst, gay romance novel with a shy handyman, a reckless former gamer, a precocious borrowed kid, and a therapy dog named Tiffany.
©2024 Gabbi Grey (P)2024 Gabbi GreyListeners also enjoyed...
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Sweet low angst found-family slowburn romance
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This was a slow burn romance as Simeon and Ryan start out as friends. Simeon's quiet nature gave Ryan the support he needed, working with his hands gave him something to do. Simeon's grandparents were great character and I laughed as some of Nanny's comments, they gave Simeon and Ryan the love they deserved. There was times that Simeon showed how naïve he was and how he shied away from folk due to his stutter, however he had a close knit number of friends who loved Simeon and accepted Ryan into their found family, a few I knew and I loved catching up with them. I liked listening to their inner thoughts as it helped me learn more about them and gave me a better understanding of their history.
I loved listening to Michael Dean's narration who did an exceptional job narrating these character and really brought them to life, especially his narration of Simeon.
Slow burn
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Listener received this title free
Narration = 5 stars
I normally love this author's books but this was really hard for me to get through. I am glad I made it til the end cause it was super sweet but I found it so draggy. The plot is very uneventful and repetitive in the characters routine and I understand the reason why but I zoned out and had to stop multiple times to read something else and relisten to alot I zoned out on.
I felt like Ryan's fear could have been better explained. I felt like I was just waiting and waiting for info and it got really frustrating when I was half in and still didn't really understand what was going on. It definitely needed more info up front to keep interest.
I will say I loved the world and the side characters. Simeons grandparents were wonderful especially. The animals and children add alot of sweet moments. I loved that both the main characters were struggling in their own ways and there was mutual hurt/comfort. It really felt like the 2 were meant for each other and they were both wonderful men. My one complaint with their relationship is that it was snail pace slow. I'm all for slow burns and becoming friends first and I know they both had their probs to get through but I think the author could have gave us some earlier breadcrumbs. The relationship was definitely rushed at the end.
The author did do a great job with portraying acurately and sensitively Simeons stutter and social anxiety and Ryan's war ptsd.
Michael Dean is always a pleasure for me to listen to and he outdid himself with this. He expressed all the emotions and brought life to the story. He portrayed both of the main characters struggles perfectly and respectfully. He also gave all of the characters even the side characters their own voice so it made the story easier to follow and it was great to listen to this even when the story dragged the narration got me through.
Sweet mutual hurt/comfort
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It has been a while since I read Stanley's Christmas Redemption (book 2) so it took me a few chapters to start piecing together who all the side characters were again. Once I did though, I was hooked on Ryan and Simeon's story.
I really felt for both these men, both dealing with their own issues and neither thinking they will find someone who is theirs and accepts them for who they are. But these two were meant to be and I loved how they fit together so well and accepted each other, holding each other up and giving them support when they needed it.
This was a low angst read/listen and I enjoyed the queer community they have around them.
Michael Dean did a good job narrating the story (except for the Australian accent of one minor side character which was terrible and sounded more Irish to me than anything I listen to on a daily basis).
Made for each other
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Listener received this title free
Simeon is a shy handyman, who is working on renovation projects at the therapeutic ranch where Ryan has gone to heal & recuperate. Though Ryan is more naturally social, he has major pain and ptsd from his time spent in a war zone and finds an easy comfort in spending time with Simeon and helping on his projects. As their friendship blooms, Ryan begins to have an attraction to Simeon and when they kisses for the first time is was just so cute & sweet. Especially because Simeon is a virgin and never thought anyone besides his grandparents were ever love him due to his stutter.
Speaking of Simeon’s grandparents- they are amazing!! It’s so nice to read books where the main family members are openly supportive of the LGBTQ+ main characters. I absolutely laughed out loud at many moments from Simeon’s grandmother 😂
My only complaint is that I would’ve preferred if Ryan had been written as a member of the RCAF and had injuries due to that experience. Without that official affiliation, his injuries just felt a bit pigeon holed into the story just to get the hurt/comfort trope in play imo.
That being said, everything else about this story was just LOVELY! And Michael Dean did a fantastic job with the audiobook narration.
A swoony slow burn
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