I took a little longer than usual to get to this one because after listening to the first book in the series I squirreled off to other things so when this story became available on audio I of course had to squirrel off to the audible story and get the other audio books so that i could catch up and now having enjoyed those stories here we are at the fifth installment of Jay Northcote's "Rainbow Place" series.

George is gay, in his 40's and has never been kissed much less anything else. George's upbringing has taught him that being homosexual is wrong and he's tried to deny this part of himself but after 40 plus years of hiding in a closet he's starting to find it harder and harder to ignore what he knows to be true.

Quentin's had his fill of bad relationships and he's not interested in anything serious and George is sweet and sexy and just looking to sample what it's like to be with another man...it's clearly a win/win for both men when they decide to hook up.

What starts as some no strings attached behind closed doors fun and sex for both men starts to develop strings faster than either man has anticipated and they find themselves navigating rougher waters than either could have anticipated.

We first met Quentin in book #1 of the "Rainbow Place" series Seb and Jason's story and the story of how Rainbow Place came to be.  Quentin's a reporter and he's fresh out a relationship that was bad...so needless to say 'cautious' is his middle name.

George was raised to believe that 'gay is bad' seriously 'going to hell bad' but he's also finding that what he was taught isn't what is or what he wants to believe...he just needs to get past what's been ingrained in his psyche.

The age gap between Quentin and George definitely went into the range that still makes me a bit squeamish, but the dynamics between them, with Quentin actually being the one to have the experience and confidence of being an out and proud gay man really helped to offset the actually chronological difference in their years. 

Hamish Long is once again the narrator for this installment of "Rainbow Place" providing characters with voices that were rich with character and depth. Having the same narrator for each story whether the main characters change or not helps a story to have a continuity and flow that resonates in the narrators voice with a familiarity with the authors world that can only be achieved by knowing a series start to finish the way one would if they had been a part of the adventure from the beginning.

I don't know if this is the last installment in this series but I have to admit I'm hoping not since there's been more than one engagement among these couples so I'm hoping there's a wedding story or two at least.

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An audio book of "Happy Place" was graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Second time around for "Second Chance"...turned out to be even better...

"Second Chance" is another of those stories that I read earlier this year and loved. So when I got a second chance to enjoy this one on audio...what else could I do but say yes.

If I loved this one the first time around, I'm not even sure what word to use for this second chance with a story that holds a special place in my heart. I have to admit I really wanted to come up with a whole lot of new and creative ways to express my appreciation for this story, but truth be told I listened to the audio book, I re-read my original review and my brain stuttered to a screeching halt as realized two things... 1 that I enjoyed the audio book just a tiny bit more than I had the e-book and that adds up to a whole lot of 'loved this story' right there and 2, I still love this story for all the reasons that I originally loved this story. So, yes I'm going to borrow some things from that review to help me create this one.

This book had me not just from the beginning but from the first word of the title..."Second Chance"...we all want them, need them and mostly we deserve them and that's what this story is about...second chances for so many people but mostly for Nate and Jack.

At 45 years of age and after a plethora life events, childhood friends, Nate and Jack are reunited. (Ok, let's hear it for mature MCs who can have a relationship with someone their own age) It's not that I'm opposed to age gaps or daddy kink more like sometimes I just need a break from it...anyways, these are mature men who have been through a lot...good and bad and now they've each come home for their own reasons and dealing with the problems of the present brings them both face to face with memories of the past...both the good and the bad.

Jack's dealing with a break-up that led to a downward spiral into depression and addiction but with the help of his parents and a lot of determination he wants to change that and regain control of his life.

Nate's come home to get his daughter away from life in a big city and the temptations that she was finding around every corner and to help his mom following the death of his father. For Nate there's also the added challenge of the fact that when he lived here before everyone knew him as Natalie...not Nate unlike in the city where everyone knew him as Nate.

As Nate and Jack become reacquainted against the backdrop of everyday life the reader gets to know these two men not just through their efforts to reclaim their lives but through the people they love as Nate's daughter Cass deals with her own efforts to put her life back on track, Nate's mom who not only has a second chance with her granddaughter but her son and Jack's parents who as they try in their own way to repair their fragile relationship with Jack.

While these are some of the second chances that happen in this story not everything is perfect and each chance has it's own solution and degree of positive outcome which went a long way towards making this story work for me. 

Of all these second chances for me the most important one was Nate's...this is Nate's chance not just with Jack, but to live his life as Nate the man, he was meant to be.

'Second Chance' is a story that's told from a realistic perspective. It's doesn't come with over the top magical solutions. It's two men dealing with what life has thrown at them...one gay, one gay and transgender...both seeming very real.  The story feels real...there's passion and humor, awkward moments, interruptions and even moments of frustration...yes, folks it's just like real life.

Hamish Long's is once again the narrator for this Jay Northcote story and for me, his narration has only helped to enhance the depth of reality that this story contained and when it comes to stories set in the UK, he's fast becoming a favorite narrator of mine.

In spite of the fact that each story is unique, we can often see bits and pieces of ourselves or someone we know in a story and it's that commonality that frequently draws us in and lets us relate to what we read. For me, "Second Chance" held small pieces of a story that while it's not mine, it is that of someone so very precious to me. Whose story I know nearly as well as my own and it was these pieces that connected me to this story and kept me listening and wanting to hear it all. 

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An audio book of "Second Chance' was graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

The act of running a home is not an easy task, and multiple issues are likely to crop up. The Plumber Malvern can provide you service around that time. We need to carry the necessary tools, skills, and experience, but the rest of us are left required the services of a professional plumber Northcote. Even plumber reservoir the professionals who have been in the field for a long time and have a better understanding of how water-heated should be done.

Need To Hire a Professional Plumber

On the same platform to make sure that the customer is getting the best water heater installation service and will not suffer any dangerous problems in the upcoming time, so it is an excellent reason to hire a professional plumber Malvern. Further, steps are aware of how a pressure relief valve is piped most appropriately, so they will be appropriately piped to the outside.

Make sure that you have heard the quote precaution is better than treatment, so it is better to hire the plumber service of the person who has been in the field for a long time and who knows what needs to be done to complete the job in the most appropriate manner.

What Does a Professional Commercial Plumber Do?

On this platform of commercial areas where they need large scale water supply systems and waste removal systems for businesses are installed and serviced by commercial Plumbers Northcote. Moreover, they set up equipment within the building such as toilets, sinks and water fountains and also lay the piping outside the building. Thus if you look carefully, the plumbing needs of different commercial entities will not be the same.

Nowadays there is a variety of platforms for commercial entities such as shopping centers, schools, hospitals, and office buildings. Here each entity is unique and will, therefore, have its individual needs. The act for a commercial plumber will be able to understand the plumbing demands of each entity and come up with a proper plumbing design.

Require The Plumber- High Level Of Expertise

Routine installations and repairs while commercial plumbing can be quite complicated. Identifying the cause of a plumbing problem and offering a lasting solution in a large commercial building will require the plumber to have a high level of expertise.

Get the level of floors in the commercial building brings with it challenges of ensuring that the water stress on the upper floors is sufficient.

The Final Lines,

Plumber Malvern will identify the cause of the problem and then offer a long term solution. Plumber Reservoir helps to suggestions that will ensure that you will not experience plumbing problems in a long time. A plumber will always understand the conditions and the best things that need to be done while connecting the water heater in your home. It is better to let the plumber do his job to join the water heater in your home because as forever, various experts have known the job best.

Source: Need To Ensure Drain Cleaning Service Performs Correctly By a Professional Plumber

I ended up absolutely loving this story. For me everything was well balanced. There was conflict and tension but not to much...but just enough to keep the interest in the story going. 

When Seb Radcliffe moved to a seaside town in Cornwall he never realized how much he was going to miss the sense of LGBTQ community that he had in a larger city and it's this sense of loss and a timely suggestion from a friend that prompts him to open not just a cafe/bar but an LGBTQ friendly cafe/bar that prompts him to undertake a project that not all of the community will welcome with open minds, much less open arms.

Jason Dunn's business definitely needs the infusion of cash that doing the renovations for Seb's venture would bring but what he's not sure of is can he handle working so closely with an out and proud man that he's so strongly attracted to without stepping out the closet that he's built for himself.

The whole relationship dynamic between Seb and Jason held a more realistic feeling than I've encountered in other stories, at times. Seb and Jason's interactions and how they both struggled with Jason's choice to stay in the closet and what that meant for each of them, if they decided to pursue a relationship beyond their business interactions overall just worked.  

And then there was the collection of secondary characters...seriously a whole rugby team worth, and then some, not to mention some amazing women!!!! I know I'm a fan of the m/m stories but that doesn't mean I'm not a fan of awesome women. I personally happen to know a few...as in many!!! So when I get the chance to read a story where not all the women are an embarrassment to the gender, I'm all for that added bonus.

Last but not least there's the ending...while I'm not normally a fan of 'the grand gesture' since I find that more often than not, it tends to detract from the story and on occasion has actually spoiled the story for me...so, here's where I would like to tip my hat to the author because for me 'the grand gesture' that Jason made at the end of the story nailed it. It simply worked and worked well. It wasn't anything that I would have expected and somehow it felt like a genuine and sincere thing for him to do. I guess when you make an epically big screw-up, you can get away with an over the top apology.

Oops...sorry just one last little detail. I held out for the audio version and it was narrated by Hamish Long a new to me narrator and from the looks of things the narrator of choice for this series...which can I just say 'makes me happy'. I very much enjoyed the narration and I know that it only made the story that much better for me. I admit it I love a British/Welsh/Irish/Scottish (in other words I love all of those wonderful UK accents) and the characters are much more vivid when I'm listening to a British character speak with a British voice rather than the Canadian voice that my linguistically challenged brain gives to everyone.

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An audio book of "Rainbow Place" was graciously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

@SignalBoostPR, @Jay_Northcote, #Contemporary, #MM, #Romance, 5 out of 5 (excellent)

Where Love Grows is a beautiful story between two men who have struggled with hard times, set in the gorgeous backdrop of Wales. Stephen has been seriously ill and is struggling to get his life back on track. It appears hopeless and he feels helpless. Luke is suffering from depression and has no idea on how to make his life better OR be able to move forward. Together, these two are amazing.

Oh my, I loved this story. I am not a gardener although my heart is in the right place. Unfortunately, my brown thumb doesn't cooperate! So I was immediately sympathising with Luke as he struggled to understand the difference between a weed and a flower. Stephen is a prickly character that endears himself to you as you learn more about his story. Yes, I wanted to slap him upside the head a couple of times, but I want to do that to my husband at times too, so count it as a compliment