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Happy Place
- Rainbow Place, Book 5
- Narrated by: Hamish Long
- Length: 6 hrs and 21 mins
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Happy Place
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Summary
A first kiss from a younger man leads to a sexual awakening...
George’s strict upbringing has left him ashamed of his sexuality. In his forties now, he's yet to come out or even kiss a man - until he meets Quentin.
Quentin has had enough of bad relationships with men who won't commit. Still raw from the last one, he’s not ready to try again. But George is sweet, and helping the older man get some experience might be a fun diversion.
Swept rapidly into a deeper connection than they bargained for, they face a dilemma. George isn’t ready to come out, and Quentin wants a boyfriend who isn’t afraid to be seen with him in public.
Can they find a way to navigate the unpredictable waters of their new relationship and find happiness together?
Contains: age gap, gay first times, sexual exploration, out for you.
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What listeners say about Happy Place
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- JC
- 09-11-23
An enjoyable finale to the series
The 5th and final story in the Rainbow series was an enjoyable and entertaining experience. The story explores the relationship between a younger and older man plus the issues of a gay man who has been living a lie for all his adult life and has to come to terms with who he is and what he wants for himself.
As with all the stories in the series, repeating characters pop up and give the story a warm familiarity whilst each tackles a different issue.
Excellent narration as always from Hamish Long.
Overall I enjoyed this and the series very much.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- HelenMK69
- 29-05-20
Wow what a series.
Great characters yet again. A young reporter and an older closeted boat builder. The ups and downs of a rocky relationship. Still set around Rainbow Place. You don't need to read the rest of the series to appreciate this book but I would recommend that you read them anyway as they are so good.
Hamish Long has again narrated this book and has done a great job. Wonderful clear voices, full of emotion.
What more can I say apart from download the series and spend a few hours in South West England wishing we weren't on lockdown.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- ButtonsMom2003
- 24-05-20
Love the book, love Hamish Long's performance.
I can't say enough good things about Jay Northcote's Rainbow Place series. I've loved the books when I read them as ebooks and I've loved them all over again when I listened to the audiobooks. Hamish Long is a perfect fit for this series. He does amazing voices for each of the individual characters, many of whom show up in books other than the one they are primary in.
I originally read Happy Place back in March. Below is a copy of what I had to say about the ebook back then.
All of the books in the Rainbow Place series can be read as standalones. I have read all of them and highly recommend this series. Happy Place is a coming out story about a man in his forties who has hidden his sexuality all of his life; no one knows, not even his ex-wife.
When George unexpectedly comes out to the younger man who interviewed him for a magazine piece his life begins to change. When Quentin finds out that George has never been with a man before he offers himself to George. Before long things turn into something that neither of them expected
Although their relationship starts out as strictly a couple of hookups, the more they see each other the more their feelings change. The first sex scenes between them seemed pretty realistic to me as George has never been with a man before and only knew what he'd seen in porn. Also, his nerves caused him to have performance anxiety and that also felt pretty realistic to me.
Happy Place really tore me up in places. I was so sad for George that he hasn't experienced romantic happiness in his life. His strict upbringing by his fanatical mother pretty much scarred him and caused him to be ashamed of his sexuality; it has prevented him from living openly as a gay man. There were many places in this story that brought me to tears but I knew that Jay Northcote would give George and Quentin a happy ending.
Quentin is falling for George but he just can't handle the pressure of keeping George a secret and it's causing a strain in their relationship. Quentin doesn't want to force George to come out because if things don't work out between them, he doesn't want to be responsible for forcing George to do something he wasn't read to do.
I loved that George's job was restoring boats and that he lived on a sailboat. I've never been on a sailboat but have always wanted to experience that. The scenes on the sailboat were really beautiful. They allowed me to imagine that I was on the boat and being comforted by the gentle rocking when the boat was anchored.
I think Rainbow Place is a fantastic series and I hope Jay continues to write more books set in this world.
A copy of this audiobook was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Lolo Davis
- 03-06-20
Lovely story
This is not my usual mm romance but I really enjoyed it and will read more of this author’s work. I was offered a free listen in exchange for a review and I’m not one to pass up a bargain ! The story is well written and the narrator clear and crisp; it was a lovely refreshing listen that I thoroughly enjoyed.
George repairs boats and is interviewed by local journalist Quentin. George is 45 , knows he is gay but has never acted on it. He is very firmly in the closet. Quentin is is lot younger but finds George very attractive. They start off meeting only for sex but this soon progresses into more. The journey is worth the listen because you really become attached to both characters and want them to achieve their HEA. It all hinges on George being able to come out of the closet................
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 02-06-20
May to December healing love story.
fantastic narration, enjoyable story. A+ for realistic, awkward 1st time intimacy which developed over time
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- KR Phoenix @ Books, Tattoos and Tea
- 29-05-20
More Rainbow Love!
I love the whole Rainbow Place series and the diverse and colourful characters Jay has created. I loved that Quinton got his own story! Quinton is so sweet and I loved his inner confidence and that he is unassamed to be himself.
I felt for George and his internalized h**mophobia, shame and guilt, he had much overcome. I enjoyed the way Jay approached this important matter with understanding and care. I really liked George's growth, discoveries and together with Quinton they're so hot! I feel that their emotional connection was a much slower build that the other rainbow place stories and felt there was a lot less angst or external issues and more internatised issues and emotions that build and build until they 'snap' and thankfully George and Quinton come together (with a little help from Seb) and I always love an sweet epilogue to end with all the feels.
Great performance, with dialects, accents and tones, I love Hamish's work and the whole Rainbow Place series is wonderful with some meaning so much to me and I love any chance to revisit. I loved it. Highly recommended 😍
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Erryn Barratt
- 08-06-20
Unchartered Waters
Quentin is a reporter for a local newspaper near Cornwall. He’s also getting over the man who broke his heart by cheating. He’s alone, and missing having someone special in his life. He has his twin sister Liv – his utero buddy – but beyond that it’s mostly friends and family. He yearns for the intimacy he once shared.
George lives alone. He rebuilds boats and aside from his trusty assistant, he sees only the occasional customer and his beloved daughter Ellie. He’s made a decent life for himself but admits he spends way too much time masturbating while watching gay porn. He’s known he was gay for years but chose to marry and have a child. Eventually that marriage disintegrated, but he’s not put himself out there again. He can’t fathom having a relationship with man, despite his desire to not be alone.
The men’s paths cross when Quentin is sent to the boatyard to interview George. There’s a misunderstanding and Quentin accuses George of being a homophobe. In a fit of pique, George counters with the fact he is gay. Quentin is stunned and, after delicate questioning, discovers George’s well-kept secret. Not just is he gay, he’s never had intimate relations with anyone except his wife.
Quentin, being a soft-hearted lad, offers himself up to George. As a person the older man can explore his fantasies with. George, although reticent, takes Quentin up on the offer. I mean, who’s going to turn down sex with a young hot man? Okay, there’s like eighteen years between the two of them, but this time it’s the younger man who has all the experience.
I felt George’s anguish and self-doubts as he embarked upon the journey. Who hasn’t endured some kind of performance anxiety? Our culture is so sexualized and porn so pervasive, it’s hard for a person to think they’re good enough. Fortunately Quentin is good at putting George at ease. But when it comes right down to it, neither man knows how to express their true feelings.
Sound familiar?
But this is a romance so there’s the misunderstanding, the dark moment, the self-realization, the grand gesture, and the happy ending. So yeah, I was more than satisfied.
Now, this is the fifth book in a series centered around an LGBTQ café and I admit it was the first one I picked up. I was never lost although it was clear there were couples from previous books. Some who have news of their own to share. I love Jay Northcote books and this one was no exception. Hamish Long narrated the book and, again, he was just lovely to listen to. I always enjoy his performances. Finally, I want to mention the boat, Mabbina, whose name means happiness. I’ve always wondered what it might be like to live on a boat and I enjoyed the fantasy. I saw parts of myself in George and that made the book even better for me. I definitely plan to go back and listen to the rest of the series.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Lydia Devlin
- 30-05-20
Beautiful 💕
As always,beautifully written,expertly narrated story and I absolutely loved it!
Hamish Long has done a brilliant job of bringing these characters to life.
Quentin,still raw from a bad break up,is reluctant to enter into another relationship. But George,the man he interviews for a news article and whom, Quentin mistakenly thought was a homophobe,is sweet and handsome. Helping him gain some experience might be a fun way of taking his mind off of his previous relationship.
George,traumatised by his strict upbringing and terrified of what people might think of him, is extremely reluctant to come out..
They are both drawn to each other and before they realise,they have a far deeper connection than just hooking up.
Quentin wants a man who isn't afraid to be seen out with him,isn't afraid to be his boyfriend. Can George be that man?
I highly recommend you dive in to find out!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- AliE
- 26-05-20
May/December
I love both this series and the narration by Hamish Long. Once again, he nails the characters through voice and expression. I did find it slightly harder to get into George at first. He has a much lower and deeper voice than the other characters, but it did suit him. George is also harder to like, initially anyway, because of his circumstances, so slowly warming up to both him and his voice works.
I adore a good May/December romance with a more dominant older character. I really appreciate that everything isn't plain sailing(!), that inexperienced George is able to express what works and doesn't work for him, and that Quentin listens and adapts. The boat is a good addition and adds an extra layer of interest (and education). This all adds up to a read that is just that bit better.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- choccygrl
- 22-06-20
Another great addition to this series
I've wanted Quentin to get his HEA for a while and I loved George, bless him.
This is a tale about accepting who you are and overcoming old fears. It features an age gap romance, coming out of the closet, and a romance that starts as a hook up (so expect plenty of sexy times).
There's also a chances to catch up with several of our couples, especially Simon and Charlie and Seb and Jason.
Hamish Long does a super job with the narration.
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