If you haven’t read this series, go and grab Book 1 and start reading because it’s great. No, you don’t need to read the books in order; they’re interconnected standalones, but the events are sequential, not concurrent so reading them in order makes sense and you’ll have a more complete reading experience. But whether you read this alone or in order, it doesn’t matter – just read it.
This story follows Reagan and Channing’s relationship, which is engaging and a little bit unexpected. It’s an age gap romance (and a pretty big one at that with Channing just turning 21 at the beginning of the story and Reagan in his mid-40s), but turned on its head. It starts from the typical premise – Reagan holds back because he thinks he’s too old for Channing – but as the story progresses, it becomes apparent that age and maturity are not the same thing, and while Reagan is the “old ink” in this scenario, it’s young Channing who’s showing maturity well beyond his years. That twist is simultaneously intriguing and annoying, and maybe that’s the point. The story is well written and the characters are given dimension so, particularly for Reagan, we’re eager to see his actions and reactions and we can identify and empathize while still wanting to knock some sense into him.
Channing is the star in this book; he is indefatigable in his determination to go after what he wants no matter the challenge and notwithstanding his fears, and more importantly, in maintaining his self-respect and his self-worth. His relationship with Reagan is skillfully crafted and we see exactly how they physically and emotionally fit together. An added bonus in this book is the frequent appearances and interactions with Dane, from Book #2; not only is the relationship between Channing and his brother Christian heartwarming, but Channing’s bond with Dane is obvious and fulfilling. (It’s also fun to see our Book #2 couple post-HEA).
In terms of narration, Connor Brown does a good job. His diction is excellent and there’s appropriate pacing, although at times it may seem a little slow to some listeners. That’s not a big deal to me because you can adjust the speed in the playback. Where I think the narration was a bit lacking was in the emotional delivery and the lack of distinction between voices. On the former, his voice seemed too light and almost cheerful at times, which is a mismatch for what was happening in the book and the emotions the characters are feeling. On the latter, there was little distinction between the various characters’ voices. If I hadn’t been reading at the same time as listening, there were times where I would not have readily known who was speaking. The narration is fine but it’s more someone reading lines than bringing the characters to life.
Overall, I recommend the book and the series, although for this book, I don’t think the audio is necessary.