Am I really being expected to believe that Liam has been surfing hookup apps for ten years and has never once come across a top? The bottom shaming he endures from every gay man he meets except Cody is unlikely, too. We all know there are physically powerful guys who like to bottom. Whether or not that’s something we’re into is irrelevant, I’ve never in my life come across anyone who looks down on them. I don’t think Keira Andrews has spent much time on gay hookup apps (not a huge surprise there).
However, apart from that (and an awkward instance where a character cringeworthily exclaims “That’s toxic masculinity!” and I think we’re supposed to agree with him), this is an enjoyable audiobook. I liked the romance, for the most part. I liked Liam more than Cody, who occasionally came across as smug, and, accordingly, Liam is the only one of the two of them who experiences any growth at all. The supporting characters were all great, except Cody’s fellow trainee Mia, who was pretty abrasive, and I’m not sure the author intended her to be.
The true strength of the novel, however, lies in its setting. Andrews is a great writer when she puts her predictable and dull politics aside, and there’s a real sense of place in this novel. I very much enjoyed the depictions of Australia, its beaches, and its lifeguards.
Joel Leslie is not my favorite narrator, but his Australian accent is, to my inexpert ears, perfectly adequate. His Canadian accent is, er, also pretty accurate but veers a little too close to parody for my taste occasionally.
For what it’s worth, I’ve listened to this audiobook twice now, and I liked it a lot better the first time. I’d still give it four stars overall for Liam’s character, who I adored, a romance which I can mostly get behind, and the beautiful setting.