Would have been perfect with less drama

I have a love hate relationship with this story as there’s so much unnecessary conflict and drama but I still loved it . Up until around 70% in I was quite enjoying myself. Is Robin very annoying and full of self doubt? Yes. Is Dair the most annoyingly sweet perfect man on the planet who you just want a version of? Most definitely. Is Nick J Russo absolutely perfect as the narrator? YES.

The book went from enjoyable fluff to telenovela levels of melodramatic in a quick second. Remember this story is meant to be about men in their later 20s but I had to keep reminding myself that as robin in particular came across as a boy in his teens. There was such a lack of communication that just lead to silly drama. Dair just had to be out of sight whenever Mac did something devious, Robin had to act like Mac was a changed man and keep ignoring red flags. Mac just had to be the biggest bogey man possible, I mean seriously his pathetic attempts at manipulation should not have worked but of course they did.

I really do love Dair as a character I just wish he hadn’t been so perfect. We’re expected to believe he’d only been with one woman ever, even whilst in the marines but he’s just so willing to accept that he might be bi and is completely okay with having sex with Robin. There didn’t feel like there was enough build up you know? Surely he’d have to think things through just a little more.

2 people found this helpful

Loved it! Great narration

After being so excited about Thin Ice, I have now started the Pine Cove series all over again.
Robin and his friend are looking for a new roommate. Their choice falls on Dair Epping, a former Marine who now fixes cars.
Then, when a reunion for his high school comes up, Robin is less than thrilled to run into his abusive ex. The easiest solution is to ask Dair to come along. It would be even better if Dair could pretend to be his boyfriend. He could protect Robin, and besides, Dair has no idea about Robin's secret crush on him.
But what if the protective instinct turns into something more?

I really enjoyed this audiobook. The two protagonists were likeable and you just have to like them. I couldn't always understand Robin's behavior, for example when he let his ex wrap him around his finger so easily.
Dair's behavior I could understand and sympathize with and it was foreseeable that it gets complicated when feelings come into play. You could feel Dair's budding feelings right away as you listened. The chemistry between Robin and Dair is great and it sizzles right away. Dair has a huge heart, but is that enough? And what if Robin's ex wants him back?

The story was entertaining and exciting, especially towards the end, the events have overturned. But not only the main protagonists convinced me, I also liked the secondary protagonists. Robin's family is just wonderful.
I was wonderfully entertained and could not put the audio book down.

This was due to the combination of HJ Welch and Nick J. Russo. Absolutely brilliant! Nick J. Russo reads just great, he knows how to captivate the listener. He has a great voice and knows how to use it skillfully and bring the emotions closer to the listener. Great job!
Highly recommend!

1 person found this helpful

Good but to drawn out

Good but story could have ended after lake. Didnt listen to last 3-4 chapters as fustrated by anx relationship. Very tame story. Repetitive at times and overly wordy. Kind of wish hadnt bought, but read on kindle unlimited instead. It would have been cheaper and returned sooner.

Great small town, big love book.

I love this series, Robin and Alistair are the main characters, the geeky kind and the ex marine beefcake. They shouldn't work on paper but in real life there's a spark. Great book, good characters and an HEA that we all love.

Really heart warming

l really enjoyed listening to this story, the characters were great, the emotions and strong family ties spoke to my heart. The intimate scenes believable and smoking hot.
l especially enjoyed the description of the stunning nature and pretty town with all of its inhabitants.
The narration was on point, really entertaining.

Love love love!

This book has everything. I just can't. Serious book hangover right now.
Fake boyfriends, bisexual awakening, an asshole of an ex, a support network and family and cute puppies. A must read

Restores faith in love

Absolutely couldn’t stop listening to this. The author really pulls you in to the story. It’s so sensual without being overtly corny.

meh

your average story, mistakes are made and people dont communicate properly so feelings are left unsaid and misunderstandings lead to conflict. very cliche. Robin is also stupid, what a moron and he does keep going back to mac so he shouldn't have been so surprised

Wonderful

Loved this book HJ Welch has done a great job with GFY. Can't wait to continue this journey. Loved how the kids are all named after birds. Nick's narration topped this off.

excellent narration of a sneaky little book!

I was gifted my copy of this book direct from the author, that I write a review was NOT required.

This book landed right on my kindle when I was between bigger, heavier, darker books and it proper hit THAT spot, you know? The one that lets you fall into this book, and just read, and wile away a few hours while you recover from minor surgery. It landed, I read.

And I bloody LOVED it!

Robin has immediate attraction to Dair, right from the very first meeting but he doesn’t act on it, at all, cos Dair is straight. When Robin’s high school reunion comes up, he doesn’t really want to go, because it means he will come face to face with his abusive ex. When Robin’s best friend, Peyton, suggest he takes Dair as his plus one, Robin is not convinced it’s a good idea, but Dair does. It means Dair can get to know Robin better. THEN the suggestion is made for Dair to be Robin’s pretend boyfriend and things spiral out of control. Is Dair straight, or could he be bi? When Robin’s ex gets nasty, Dair knows what and WHO it is he wants, he just has to get there in time.

LOVED this, I really did!

It creeps up on you, and it’s sneaky the way it does.

The attraction that Robin has to Dair is powerful, right from the beginning, but Dair’s attraction to Robin sneaks up on him. It creeps and crawls when they go to Pine Cove, and to Robin’s family home. It sneaks up on him when he’s “pretending” and then it becomes a case of NOT pretending. He wants to touch Robin, hold his hand, kiss him. He WANTS more than those fleeting moments.
The thing with Robin’s ex, that sneaks up on you too! I did NOT see that coming out the way it was going, I really didn’t. I really thought he was trying to make amends! I did not think he was going to go as far as he did!
There is a sneaky thing going on with Peyton, Robin’s best friend, and his sister, Ava. Wonder how that will play out! There were lots of hints and clues and maybe I’m totally reading it all wrong but again, it’s a sneaky book!

It’s not overly explicit, but the physical relationship between Dair and Robin grows over time, so it doesn’t need to be. It’s got a bit of drama and angst with the ex, but not too much. Some danger to...well....just some danger in the book but not saying what.

It really was a thoroughly enjoyable, if sneaky, little book. But then again, its not even LITTLE! It’s just short of 300 pages, and I read it in one go.

Thank you, Ms Welch, for my copy. I hope I get to follow up with the people we met here.

Nick J Russo narrates.
I love Mr Russo’s work, and this is no exception!
His voices for Robin and Dair are PERFECT! They fit so well, they really do, to what I heard when I READ this book first. I do that a lot, know you, hear the voices and then when I find the book is being narrated, I hope my voices match the voices the narrator gives the characters and here I was no disappointed!
We get all of Robin’s instant and powerful attraction to Dair. We get Dair’s dawning realisation that he may not be as straight as he thought. We get all of Robin’s conflict with his ex and we get all of Dair’s terror when Robin is in danger.
Some of these come across when reading, but not all, and Russo nails the delivery!
His reading voice is deep and clear, and all the voices, for everyone, were different enough for me to have no trouble keeping up with multi person conversations.
I hope he gets to narrate the next books too. I need to listen to Troubled Waters, which is book two in this series.
5 stars for the narration
5 stars for the book
5 shiny, but sneaky stars overall

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**