I have not heard or read the first book in this series, but this book is great. The characters are well developed, and the storyline is well thought out.
Jude is an underwear model, but due to some personal obligations, he is short on cash. When a bathtub literally falls through the ceiling in his bedroom, he has to find somewhere else to stay. The man who was in his bed at the time tells him that his stepbrother agreed to let him stay at his house, and Jude takes him at his word.
Asa is in his 40s and a famous actor, but Jude doesn’t recognize him. When Jude shows up at the house, he is greeted by a little boy who has escaped from his nanny yet again. When he finally makes it inside, it is to overhear Asa’s PA quitting and storm out of the house. When Asa sees him, he initially thinks the staffing agency worked fast, but Jude informs him of the real reason for his presence. Things seem to be going well until Asa finds out what Jude does for a living; then he turns cruel, basically telling Jude that he doesn’t have a braincell in his head.
Jude decides to go along with the assessment, but as he works as Asa’s PA, he gets to know his son, Billy, and care for the boy quite a bit. He also quietly observes the goings-on of the household. When he accompanies Ass to an event as his flighty PA, he is recognized, and the press makes their own assumptions.
Eventually Asa catches onto the fact that Jude’s airhead persona is an act, but ghosts from his past keep him from allowing his feelings toward Jude to grow, or so he tells himself. It’s not until Asa observes Jude’s protective instincts toward Billy that he admits that his aditude has been unfair and unwarranted. The slow burn starts to sizzle at this point, and Asa asks Jude to stay on as a caretaker for Billy rather than his PA.
But, the renovations are coming to an end and the agreement was that Jude would move on when his apartment was ready. He is torn, but circumstances make his decision for him in a way. However, even though he fears the outcome, when news breaks on what Jude knows to be a painful subject for Asa, he comes back to the house to make sure Asa is alright.
This, along with other things, lead to our MCs getting their HEA, and the family they deserve.
As always, Joel Leslie does a fantastic job with the narration. His performance is on point. The characters are well differentiated and his pacing is flawless. Five glorious stars for a brilliant job.
I received a free copy of this audiobook and I am leaving my honest review.