Title: Risk Taker

Series: Mixed Messages #3

Author: Lily Morton

Narrator: Joel Leslie

Publisher: Lily Morton

Format: audiobook

Release Date: 2/05/2020

Genre/ Trope/ Themes(s): MM Contemporary Romance; LGBT; Best Friends to Lovers; Stepbrothers; Snark; PTSD; Family Drama

Listening Length: 9hrs 38min

SteaMMy Swordplay: 3 out of 5 ⚔

Sharonica-Stars: 4.75✨

Audible avg: 4.8⭐

MMy Thoughts and Review:

One of my favorite and most hated tropes is the best friends to lovers. Favorite because no one knows your best and worst, and still loves all of you than your best friend. Worst because I am only tolerant of about five minutes of angst and this particular trope thrives on it.

I took this ARC offering thinking I was signing up for book one when in actuality I signed up for book three. **Note to self, the numbers three and one are NOT the same. That being said, I didn’t feel I was coming (that can mean two things- if one is having a good day?) into the series in the middle. This book can very much be read on its own.

It did take me about 20 minutes or so to get acclimated to the writing style and the world being created. Listening is often different than seeing the words on-page, so it took a bit for me to realize I was seeing the past, or a memory, and the present. Once I caught on, and with the dual POVs of Ivo and Henry, I could close my eyes, see these beautiful men, now in their thirties as they once were in their teens.

I fell in love with both characters. Both men were so different, and anyone who knew them knew how fiercely loyal they were to each other. Through years of bad relationships, oceans apart, Henry becoming a lawyer and Ivo becoming a photo-journalist like his father and godfather, they remained close. No matter where they were in life they could always come home to the cottage left to them by Henry’s father.

I loved the humor between these two that only best friends have. That look that says, “you’re an idiot! I don’t want to, but I’m in! Now, let’s storm the castle and wreak some havoc,” without ever saying a word.

The restaurant antics were laugh out loud funny. Every…single…one! The group of friends and Henry’s brother were also good secondary characters (the friends coupled up, I assume are from previous books).

Narration was done by Joel Leslie, who thankfully won my heart last summer when listening to books became my new norm out of health necessity and not just pleasure. Because Joel was my first (Femme), **giggle… he eased the way with his gift of voices. It helps me to feel I am not cheating on the actual books when I can still see the story in my head as it’s being read to me. Joel Leslie’s talented narration does this for me.

I enjoyed this ARC so much, I’ve added the first two audiobooks to my audible cart. Joel narrates those as well, I believe.

If you enjoy the friends to lovers trope, and romantic comedy stirs butterflies in your belly, I highly recommend this audiobook. I loved it!

The Story: 4.50⭐

The Narration: 5.00⭐

Overall: 4.75✨

I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook and in exchange, I am offering an unbiased review. ?