Unwrapping Hank

I really, really liked this story!

Any additional comments?

I really, really liked this story! The slow build-up, moving to a slow burn, then BAM! One of the best wow-I-didn't-see-it-coming sex scenes I've read in a long, long time.

The chemistry between Hank and Greg is palpable even on the page. I thought Easton did an excellent job conveying Hank's struggle with wanting Greg. Though I thought, considering Hank's "struggle" takes over three-quarters of the story, he seems to get over it really, really quickly. It just felt a bit fast considering it is such a slow build-up.

Regardless, 4 stars, two thumbs enthusiastically up! It's a great Christmas-themed book I'll enjoy re-reading again at the holidays.

Tristan Wright does a perfectly good job with the narration. There's nothing really wrong with it, but if I'm being honest it didn't blow me away. While I found the sexual tension and UST is really palpable on page, I didn't feel it conveyed as grandly while listening.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

The Gift That Keeps On Giving

I love all books by Ms. Easton; this is no exception. Tristan really captures the essence of both Sloane and Hank. I really like the interaction with Hank's family - Grinch stole my heart 😍. I hope that there is a plan for Micah's audio book very soon.

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Unwrap a fantastic Christmas story!

What made the experience of listening to Unwrapping Hank the most enjoyable?

Tristan Wright's narration. My first time with this narrator but I'll be looking for more. He did an amazing job of making sure each character had their own distinct voice.

What did you like best about this story?

It was very much '10 things I hate about you' with the whole, this is why I hate you when I don't really hate you at all. Oh, and the shenanigans that ensued early on between Hank and Sloane... turned out to be foreplay after all.

What does Tristan Wright bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Having not read the book I'm not sure, I just loved the different tones and voices he brought to the story though.

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

It was and I did, and I can't wait to listen again if I'm being honest.

Any additional comments?

Eli Easton is really a pretty fantastic Author and I'm so happy that she chose a good narrator for this short Christmas story. It's laugh out loud fun with just a touch of angst and drama, wrapped in shiny paper with a big red bow!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Another adorable entry

Just absolutely in love with Eli Easton's work at this point. Her representation of modern gay culture is the one I find closet to heart and most relatable and each novel makes me gush more than the last. Narration was charming and effusive.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Loved it!

I've never read the ebook but with this audiobook I don't think I lost anything. Loved Hank, Sloanne, Micha, Lilith and Kar. Even loved the dogs. It's filled me with Christmas spirit and a sudden longing for pie. So be warned. Only read Unwrapping Frank when there's pie nearby.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Loved this Eli Easton Book!

I read this book a long time ago and purchased the audio when it was released. I believe this is the 3rd or 4th time I have listened to the audio and it was just as good this time. The Narrator was perfect. I highly recommend!

Sweetly endearing!

This was a very sweet and engaging little holiday story!
Sloan and Hank were both endearing characters- Sloan's quite adorable and Hank's an intriguing mystery! I really got a kick our of their relationship and how it progressed through the story- it felt very natural and realistic.
There were a few scenes that really tugged at my heart, in the midst of all the college antics and Christmas fun.
I may have to listen to this again as Christmas gets closer!

I enjoyed Tristan's narration- he gave each character their own distinctive voice.

Easton brings the feels

I'm not sure what it is about Eli Easton's writes but she can suckerpunch me sometimes. This was and is one of those times.

My original review was kind of stupid so I've deleted it excepting the pic of Grinchy who is still TOTES ADORBZ!

description

Grinch became totally enamored with Sloane over the Christmas holidays at the Springfield farm. As a matter of fact, Sloane got a little attached himself. Who wouldn't? Wook at his face! Yes, baby talk to pictures of dogs. *shrugs* I own it at least.

This is such a sweet coming of age story that has characters that you root for and an emotionality to sneaks up on you. It's not overly reliant on the whole "miracle of Christmas" thing which I appreciate since I, myself, am kind of a grinch when it comes to "the holiday spirit". Can't we just be good to each other year round? Why does there have to be lights and a tree involved?

I digress.

Hank and Sloane are thrown together by Hank's older brother to come up with a theme for their frat's holiday party. Hank is standoffish towards Sloane and immediately takes a dislike to him. But the more time we spend inside Hank's head it becomes apparent that Hank is hiding from himself.

Sloane is temptation personified and the more they're around each other, discovering how much they have in common, the harder it becomes for Hank to deny what's happening.

Sloane is hipster adjacent. He's worldly thanks to his wanderlusting parents but there's a loneliness about him that's borne of not having a "home" to call his own. Plus his parents a bit flighty and he's an only child.

Whereas Hank's family is straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting with the cute dogs, humane raising of animals, kombucha making, living in the same town since forever and just... salt of the earth kind of people.

I really loved Hank who's a tattooed lumbersexual virgin and doesn't have a clue who he is or what he wants but through these few weeks of knowing Sloane and with some encouragement and the support of his family he gets a little closer to the answer. He's been fumbling around since his mother almost died of cancer when he was a boy.

That one event changed him in ways I don't think he fully understands, but the way Easton integrated that event into his character is what makes me like her writing so much.

The tension between Hank and Sloane builds along with the evolution of their relationship. The benefit of having both their perspectives helped that along greatly. Easton is always good for at least one sexy scene and she brought the goods here.

Honestly, I think this story is great regardless of the holiday twist or setting, but I surely did enjoy this pastoral Pennsylvania setting with the family farm, Hank and Micah's parents, the dogs, the pies but especially Sloane and Lilith's Christmas present to him.

As for the narration, it was good. Tristan Wright made Hank sound like Keanu Reeves which was sort of... jarring but he differentiated the voices and sold the story well enough so I'm not opposed to listening to him again.

Whether you read or listen to this story I'd recommend it to #NA, #enemiestolovers, #hurt/comfort lite or #contemporaryromance fans.

#LGBTQ #Christmas #OhTheFeels

Tease (Spoiler)

This story felt a little unfinished. I hoped for a better ending or more than one and a half chapters of them being together. The back and fourth went on a little too long. I did like the narrator and overall I’ll give it a B. Worth the credit.

Eli Easton

Again I absolutely love Eli’s books and I’m in love with Tristan’s voice as he narrates. Truly a masterpiece.