Audiobook Review: Smitty's Sheriff (Hope #3) by Cardeno C.

Todd is too flakey. Richard is too stubborn. Together, they're perfect. A May-December couple get a second chance at love.

Retired soldier Richard Davis wants a stable life in a quiet town with a forever man. Becoming the sheriff of Hope, Arizona, accomplishes two of his three goals, but instead of finding a serious partner, he falls for too-young-to-be-committed and too-flakey-to-be-serious Todd Smitty. Richard won’t find the right man if he’s obsessed with the wrong one, so he walks away from Todd.

It’s lust at first sight when Todd meets his sister’s army friend. He sets his sights on the worldly, strong, stable older man, and the more time he spends with Richard, the harder he falls. But after three years together, Richard cuts off all contact with no explanation.

When a mutual obligation requires Todd to move into Richard’s house, he’s thrilled at the opportunity to earn a second chance. Ignoring Todd from across town was hard enough. Can Richard resist temptation under his own roof?

Narrated by: Ezekiel Robison
Listening Length: 3 hrs 19 mins

Smitty's Sheriff is a simple opposites attract story that features former hookups to lovers. Smitty's Sheriff works well as a standalone (as I haven't read the previous books) for anyone interested. It's set in an Arizona town and features older hero, town sheriff, Richard Davis. Richard has been hooking up with his best friend's little brother for sometime but took a break when he wanted more...a steady relationship.

The little brother, Todd Smitty? He's in his early twenties and "flakey". Other than having a good time, Richard never thought to ask for more. So he cooled it off for a few months. But his feelings, as much as Richard would like to deny, were still there. And needing release.

An unexpected job (Todd's sister is still in the service) makes her have to leave her baby with responsible Richard and her youngest brother who doesn't have a full time job to occupy his time. [Don't worry the baby is just used as a plot device to bring the men together in a living space--she is not prominent at all. In fact, it was a little weird for me to see a book with a baby barely getting any mention other than in passing] It's all about these two men.

Hmm...former lovers who never quite got over each other having to care for one small child in a shared space?

I wonder what could happen?

Richard is a dominant without the title or formalities. He enjoys being in control. He's organized and prefers things under his thumb (it's the impression he gave me). Todd enjoys being "deferential". And Todd also craves Richard's body. So add sexual tension and miscommunication and you get the gist of the conflict for this novella.

I liked the simplicity of the story. It wasn't burdened with a lot of sex. Instead, we get two adults who are obviously made for each other thrown into a domestic situation. Do they get it right after day one? No.

Todd proves himself to be more mature by some of his actions. It seems to satisfy Richard's controlling nature. I wished they would have talked more openly from the start especially before Todd moving in to stay with the baby. The story itself was 3.5 Hearts. It used tropes I like: brother's best friend finally gets the protagonist, second chances, opposites attract, large age gap, miscommunication/non-communication. Nothing went too wild. Contemporary brain candy...

But...there was something that gave me pause. I want to preface that both main characters were happy with their roles. Richard was dominant and liked to control, Todd enjoyed being "deferential" to Richard's needs and moods. Listening and reading Smitty's Sheriff, their relationship read like domestic discipline or a 24/7 type of deal without BDSM. I like reading D/s. But Richard seemed just a tad too much in the controlling department. If Todd ended up calling Richard master or sir at any point, I wouldn't have thought twice.

There was nothing that Richard did that would make me think he'd turn abusive at any point. But he's one who was just at the border of being too much. He would fly off the handle when it came to other men just as so much as talking to Todd. It was unjustified and unnecessary...if he talked and explained himself, he wouldn't need to waste so much energy and inner angst.

You like boundaries, pal? Then set them up from the start. (Mind you, I like reading about possessive guys, so in a way Richard definitely checks off the possessive category)

This was my first time listening to Ezekiel Robison and I would definitely listen to books narrated by him again. He gave good emotion to the text, I liked the way he characterized each character. I'd rate the narration 4 Hearts. I haven't listened to a bad Cardeno C. contemporary yet. (*knocks on wood*) And I'm glad to have extended my list of narrators to try out.

Recommended for fans of age differences, some miscommunication, opposites attract and possessive heroes. If you enjoy that, you can't go wrong in the audio or eBook direction.

 

Review: Strong Enough (Family #2) Audiobook by Cardeno C.

When a casual hookup turns into the potential for love, staid Spencer realizes he wants to build a life with vibrant Emilio.

When 22-year-old Emilio Sanchez sees handsome Spencer Derdinger walking by his construction site, Emilio makes it his goal to seduce the shy professor. Getting Spencer into bed isn't difficult, but Emilio soon learns that earning the trust of a man deeply hurt will take time and patience. With a prize like brilliant, sweet Spencer on the line, Emilio decides he is strong enough to face the challenge.

Spencer is surprised when he's approached by the gorgeous construction worker he's admired from the safety of his office window. Acting spontaneously for the first time in his 38 years, Spencer takes Emilio home. When the casual hookup turns into the potential for love, Spencer realizes that if he wants to build a life with Emilio, he'll need to be strong enough to slay his personal demons and learn to trust again.

Listening Length: 6 hours and 43 minutes
Narrator: Ezekiel Robison

I have read this book a few times already, it's definitely one of my favourite comfort reads! When I saw Ezekiel Robison had done the narration for it I got my grabby little hands all over it! There was no way this could be bad, amazing narrator and romantic story, sign me up!

I first heard Robison’s narration in ‘More than Everything’ and was blown away at the variety of voices he could produce for a mostly all male dialogue. Somehow he managed to find another two completely different voices for Spencer and Emilio.

Robison does a Spanish accent for Emilio and all his brothers, at first I was a little hesitant about that, I was curious to see if he’d be able to pull it off throughout the entire book. He definitely did! Not many people could stick with an accent while reading a sex scene and still make it sound hot. Robison’s narration makes me forget that I’m listening to a book, he’s so involved and animated with his voices that I feel like I’m intruding on these men’s lives by listening to their personal moments.

If you haven't read the story, I’d definitely recommend going with the audio, although actually reading it is worth the time as well. Beware though, this story is all Insta-love and fluff, comfort and romance. It has enough drama to keep it from getting boring but Emilio and Spencer are solid and stable together from 3 hours after meeting, until the end.

Listening to this book in audio and actually hearing Emilio and Spencer talk to each other really changed the story and gave it that extra dimension I didn’t know it was missing. Loved it so hard!!!

Checkout on Goodreads!

Review: More Than Everything (Family #3) Audiobook by Cardeno C.

A Book in the Family Collection

Time might not heal all wounds, but with two motivated and strong-willed men on a campaign to win him back, Charlie will get more than he ever thought possible.

As a teenager, Charlie “Chase” Rhodes meets Scott Boone and falls head over heels in love with the popular, athletic boy next door. Charlie thinks he’s living the dream when Scott says he feels the same way. But his dreams are dashed when Scott unexpectedly moves away.

Years later, Charlie meets brash and confident Adan Navarro, who claims all he wants is a round between the sheets. After eight months together, Charlie is convinced Adan returns his love. But when the opportunity comes to be open about their relationship, Adan walks away.

Time passes and life moves on, but when Charlie learns the only two men he’s ever loved are now in love with each other, his heart breaks all over again. Scott and Adan tell Charlie they want him back, but Charlie doesn’t know if he can trust two people who have hurt him so deeply. Time might not heal all wounds, but with two motivated and strong-willed men on a campaign to win him back, Charlie will get more than he ever thought possible.

Narrated by Ezekiel Robison
Listening Length:7 hrs and 46 mins

I love my polyamorous books and ‘More Than Everything’ delivered on a lot of the aspects I love about them, but before I get into the story I really want to talk about the narration.

Ezekiel Robison is AMAZING. I was so lost in the story because he was reading it to me. I haven’t been able to say this about an audiobook yet, but I don’t think I would have enjoyed this book nearly as much if it wasn’t in audio.

Ezekiel somehow manages to do voices for an effeminate man, a husky growly alpha, a low tenor and a host of side characters (including females), and I could always tell who was speaking! Everyone had individual voices, which is SUCH talent to be able to pull off!! Also he didn’t make me feel awkward during the sex scenes. All the moaning and dirty talk….it was HOT! I will definitely be buying any audio's he does!

Ok, so the story is about Charlie. We meet Charlie when he’s 16 and has a massive crush on his new neighbour Scott. He and Scott fall in love and date for 2 years but when Scott has to move across the country, the long-distance relationship fails, Charlie has to move on. Enter Adan, who Charlie meets when he’s 25. They date for 8 months and then that ends very badly (Adan is a bit of a prick, but I'll get to that later). Then when Charlie is 35, unexpected circumstances find him face to face with Scott and Adan happily living together, well you can probably guess what happens then.

I really enjoyed the way this was written. How Charlie talked to us, the reader, at the beginning of each chapter about the important moments in his life with Scott and Adan. Having Ezekiel read to me as Charlie in the first person made me connect with Charlie all that much more.

Charlie was a very likeable character, as was Scott, and I guess that makes it ok that Adan was a little bit of a prick in the beginning. It would have been pretty boring if everyone was sweet and considerate. Pretty much Adan was ashamed of being gay when we first meet him, he wants to be as ‘straight’ as possible while liking men. He also resents being lobbed into the same ‘group’ as effeminate men for the same reason. So you could see how he sort of hates Charlie for who he is at the beginning. Doesn’t stop him wanting to bone him though. I felt like Adan does make up for it when they meet again years later. He is a very changed man when he comes back into Charlie's life and is very very remorseful, which was good to see.

The build-up of Charlie and his relationships with both Scott and Adan was great, but it made it feel more empty when we see Scott and Adan together. I couldn’t really get their connection and why they worked together.

The main factor in this being a 4 heart book and nothing higher was that it wasn't really a threesome book. These three didn't get together until the end of the book, and I personally like to see my polyamorous couples get together much sooner. I mean what is better than two hot guys making out? Three hot guys making out!

There were a lot of funny moments where I found myself giggling out loud and looking like an idiot, like when Scott and Adan went shopping for dinner, and Adan’s drunken “seriously”... ahhh…*wipes away tear*, you really had to be there.

If I could rate this on the narration alone it would be 5 hearts, easily!!! But although I do recommend this because I had a lot of fun with it, I have read better threesome books that I’d recommend first.

A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

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Guest Review: Something in the Way He Needs (Family, #1) Audiobook by Cardeno C.

Police captain Asher Penaz’s staunch professionalism bleeds into his home life, down to his neatly pressed attire and spartan apartment. He enjoys being the man in charge, and leather bars satisfy his need for dominance—so his sudden and powerful attraction to the lighthearted, free-spirited Daniel Tover throws him for a loop. In his entire life, Daniel has never gotten what he needs, so he moves to the next place, the next job, the next attempt to find something worth staying for, always landing at the top of his game, but never feeling like he belongs.

The chemistry between Asher and Daniel sizzles, so Asher invites Daniel home. As both men struggle to learn themselves while getting to know each other, the lines of desire and control blur. With all that fire comes the risk of getting burned. But if Daniel and Asher can walk through the flames together, they might find what they desperately need.

Narrated by Ezekiel Robison
Length: 7 hrs and 6 mins

Guest Reviewer: Fantasy Living

I gotta say, I’m super excited to be a guest reviewer on Boy Meets Boy Reviews. It was difficult to keep my squee inside, when I was asked, but I managed, barely. It left me red-faced and sweaty (did I write that out loud?) . I mean how could I not be excited when UNICORNS invited me to their tea party?! So thank you to the team for asking me along, and being super warm and welcoming.

Okay, I’ll get to the review now….. (plays with Unicorn Name Generator)... okay, I’m serious this time.

Ash is in Las Vegas for his best friend, Oliver’s, Bachelor party when he spies a hot piece of clumsy twink trying to not be so clumsy and awkward. For reasons I haven’t fully understood, Ash follows said twink onto a tour bus and starts chatting him up. After some very awkward and hot almost-touches, Ash saves this clumsy man from almost toppling over the side rail of the roof level of said bus…. Cue the corny line about debts for lives saved etc. etc.

After they safely disembark from that journey, Ash meets back up with his buddy, trying to figure out how he can get this stranger to hang around him for longer. That’s when this guy is introduced as the Groom’s brother, Daniel. Thus starts the weird and wonderful almost-relationship between the brutally honest, always in control Cop, Asher, and the clumsy, free-spirited (*cough* flakey *cough*), doesn’t have a care in the world, is-hiding-things-but-not-in-an-obvious-way, Daniel.

I’m going to start with the Narrator, Ezekiel Robison. He was great, and I would listen to him narrate all the audiobooks. His voice range worked well with the cast of characters. Doing drunk voices never works for me, so it was a little painful listening to Chapter 1 because the intro is in a strip-club with drunk Oliver, but I worked through it, and was placated with the rest of the chapter not told in imitation-drunk slur. I guess you have to BE drunk to find drunk-speak endearing in any way (or in my case, too busy dancing and ignoring everyone that I can’t hear it, so it doesn’t matter). But it wasn’t over the top, so that was enough to keep me going.

I loved Ezekiel’s voice and personality adaptation for Daniel, and Oliver’s fiancé, Shirley. Although Shirley doesn’t have much of a role in the story, I loved the spot she did have, because her personality was in full view with the way Ezekiel narrated. Ezekiel kept me in this story, even when I was not really happy with the content. It’s hard to ignore a man with a sexy voice, dirty talking in your ear. Even if I have to wait a little while, I’m not going to stop him from continuing.

So the story ….

It worked well until it didn’t. I found myself starting to think Ash was a big narcissist. That is not sexy to me. I like my characters to grow, and it was so slow for him that I was about ready to give up. Only the Narrator and Daniel’s secret was the reason I kept going. Ash came off as confident and self-possessed in the beginning but I found over time, he became overly paranoid and really insecure. It was strange, and I didn’t like it. I felt there could have been less angst, but enough drama to keep the story going, without Ash taking a personality back-slide into psycho.

Some of the content I would consider emotional abuse, and for a ‘sweet’ romance, there is no room for that. I wanted Daniel to leave and find someone worthy. That being said, Asher could have been a strong character, and if there was a follow up, where his emotional journey was in full swing, I would definitely read it. As much as I think he is a pompous arse, I think he is redeemable and could become someone truly likable on his own merit.

Some readers have tagged this story as BDSM. No. It is not. There is a light spanking scene but that is it. It is something that is sidestepped and it is known that while Daniel might try some kink for Ash, he is not into that (well he does get into a ‘gentle’ spanking but that is it). This would be considered sugarkink to me, which is why I’ve tagged it a little bit kinky. While Asher may call himself a Dom (*cough* bullshit *cough*) this book is not about any D/s exchange, nor is it about Daniel finding submission. Ash’s past dealings with a Leather bar (off page) does not a BDSM book make.

With all the problems I had with this story, I would still listen to this again. It was memorable, and likable enough to be a fall back book. Something familiar to wile away some hours if I needed it. Did I mention Ezekiel dirty talks to me? Hawt. I have every intention of checking out the next book. The author writes well and it really is all about Asher personality that took away from this story for me.

So that’s me for this special guest spot on BMBR. Thanks for having me Unicorns, let’s do it again sometime.

Fantasy Living

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