It seems like I've wanted to read this story since forever!!! and something newer and shinier keeps getting in the way so imagine how excited i was when the new and shiny was the audio book for 'Spell Cat'...it was Karma, Fate...I tell you it was my sign from the universe that now was the time...so there I was once again all grabby hands to get a hold of this one and what I was expecting to be amazing and wonderful...because magic and one hella' awesome cat and I do still think the cat is hella' awesome, but the story turned out to just be ok. 

I liked it but I wanted to love it and I honestly can't quite put my finger on why I didn't, but still at the end of the day. I did like it.

Killian Barth is a professor of history...specifically he teaches the history of witches and Blaine Genneau is a professor of Quantum Physics...needless to say he does not believe in witches...yep, it was meant to be...lol!!! I loved this. 

Both men are gay and attracted to each other...mmm...no problems so far...oh yeah, Killian's not just any witch...he's one of the most powerful witches there is and seems there are not a lot of witches around much less those with power so of course he needs to marry and procreate...but he's gay...so seems his mother and the witches council missed out on this piece of pertinent information...read don't care it's not part of their plan to save the race...yes, witches are not the same as mere mortals they're a separate race and yes, I liked this too a bit of a different concept than we usually get.

Killian tries to ignore his attraction to Blaine because he's human and sex with a human will deplete his powers but when things happen that lay waste to this fabrication...Killian begins to wonder how much of what he's been led to believe about relationships between witches and humans is fact and how much is fiction?

There were a lot of characters in this story that I enjoyed starting with Killian and Blaine but here was also Charlotte the young lady that Killain was betrothed to and Jimmy Janx the young man that she was truly in love with then there was Aloysius, Killian's familiar and one powerful cat with his own opinons...he may not have been able to talk but like any good cat he knew how to express his opinions.

However, I have to say the witches council which included Killian's mother and Charlotte's father were not among my favorite characters and i think they all got off just a bit to easy given what they did...but maybe that's just the witch in me.

K.C. Kelly was the narrator for this story and this was only the third or fourth audio book that I've listened to from this narrator and I admit I'm a little confuddled over this one. Don't get me wrong the narration was solid and for all intents and purposes he did a fine job of things, however, and this is where my confuddlement comes in a couple of the voices that he did for characters didn't quite line up with what my brain was telling me they should have sounded like so not a matter of right or wrong, good or bad...simple a matter of different concepts but setting aside that what I thought and what the narrator did it was a solid performance and I'll definitely be investigating more audio books by this narrator. 

As I said back at the beginning I think it was mostly a case of having waited so long to enjoy this story I had ridiculously high expectations, but I did still like the story and I know there are two more installments to this series...'Brush with Catastrophe' which is about Jimmy Janx's best friend Sammy and the third story is 'Cataclysmic Shift' which is about none other than the very opinionated Aloysius and while I may have only liked this one who knows what surprises are in store for me in the final two stories.

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An audio book of 'Spell Cat' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

'Love You So Special' was simply beyond cute. 

Artie's a blue collar worker and he knows there's so much more out there in the world, but it's not for 'average hard working people like him' but when circumstances conspire to present him with the opportunity to hear just a little of the music that makes his heart soar and brings him to life...Artie's no fool either he doesn't pass up the chance to . I really liked Artie with his fish tank full of pet fish and how he looks out for his landlord who is a retired professor of existentialism. If I could pick a little brother I think it'd be someone like Artie. He's just a really awesome guy...he's kind, hardworking and a son that would make any parent proud, he's pretty damned selfless. 

When Artie gets a chance to do some renovation work at the home of Madame Desmarais and more importantly her talented son Francois, who also happens to be a world renowned composer and pianist whose fear of crowds makes performing live an absolute nightmare for him the two become friends and Francois very quickly realizes that not only does he enjoy Artie's company but Artie soothes his soul in a way that no one else ever has and for Artie, Francois sees so much about him that is good and noble. Francois knows that Artie is someone who he would be proud to have not just as a friend, but maybe even as a boyfriend.

One of the things that I noticed with this story was that I felt a bit more engaged with the secondary characters such as Francois' mother, Artie's landlord...I think he was totally adorable and Artie's family in general ended up to be a pleasant surprise.

'Love You So Special' was a nearly perfect blend of romance, drama and comedy that kept me engaged from start to finish and it seems that for this listener it was the perfect entertainment for a Valentine's Day afternoon. At 5 hrs. and 18 mins. it was long enough to provide an engaging and well filled out story but not so long that it became boring at any time. 

Admittedly there's a bit of a plot twist towards the ending of this story that was really a bit of take it or leave it for me, I can honestly say that I'm torn on how much I really thought this helped the story but in the end it was there and I guess more than anything I viewed it as a bit of a speed bump something that was on the path and while it may have slowed the journey down a bit, it wasn't enough to stop things completely and once your past it you carry on and the rest of the trip is a smooth ride.

As with the previous books in this series the narrator was once again Rys Forest who once again has given substance to the characters of this story and created a very enjoyable listening experience that I look forward to revisiting in the future along with the previous stories in Ms Lain's 'Love You So' series.

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An audio book of 'Love You So Special' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

"Love You Madly' is the second book in Tara Lain's 'Love You So' series and while I enjoyed the first one and liked that the MCs from that story made a bit of an appearance in this story but their role was't such that you'd need to read it before reading this one but it is a sweet story that makes for a light, pleasant read, however, I definitely enjoyed this one more and really it's not about one being better than the other...it's really just a case of this one appealed to me and I connected with it more.

Ben Shane has it all...not because he was born to wealth and privilege...which he wasn't nor was he born to poverty. Ben's parents have worked hard to have a comfortable life and in the process given Ben role model's that he wants to emulate. He's grown up in a home with parents who love him and each other, who have worked hard to earn the successes they've had and always wanted better and more for him so when he becomes engaged to Alan whose family are regulars on the society pages. On the surface it's everything that Ben's parents have ever wanted for him.

At 23 years old Dusty seems a bit unusual to the rest of the world...he doesn't drink or drive and he's way more diet conscious than the average 23 year old. Dusty also the sweetest young man you could imagine meeting but trust me this in no way makes him a pushover...oh no there's so much more to this young man than meets the eye. To say that I like Dusty is a bit of an understatement.  Dusty is a young man who in spite of the challenges that he's faced in his life has turned into a kind, sweet,  young man but also someone who can be strong and confident when needed.

Ben and Dusty made for an adorable couple and I loved that neither of them was trying to change they other but just wanted to spend time with and get to know each other for who they were.

My biggest issue and the problem that took away from this story for me was the length of time that Ben's ex was involved in the story because seriously this dude was annoying as nails on a chalkboard and I have to say that Ry Forest who was the narrator for this audio book captured not only 'Alan's annoying personality perfectly...nails on a chalkboard perfectly along with some of the other characters like Ben and Dusty but also the lovely Anastasia who was definitely a larger than life character and who without fail made me smile...I wasn't really fond of her laugh but that's life right, I mean really do any of us always like the sound of someone's laugh? No, I think not. I can honestly think of a couple of people I know who's laugh is worse  than Anastasia's so it is what it is.

'Love You so Madly' is my third time around listening to this narrator and so far definitely so good. I'm looking forward to future stories narrated by Ry Forest. I've enjoyed his narrations and while he hits all the basic check marks on my list of 'what I want in an audio narrator' I also find that as a narrator he imparts a feeling for depth to the characters making an enjoyable story even better.

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An audio book of 'Love You so Madly' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

When Craig Elson gets passed over for a much deserved promotion it's the straw that breaks the camel's back and Craig takes it as a sign that he maybe should take a little vacation after all he hasn't done so in years so he's got the time and then some. 

One of the first things that Craig does is he goes to his favorite coffee house so he can get a look at the 'hottie' with the tee shirt that says "I would bottom you so hard." something that no one's ever let Craig do and something that Craig spends a lot of times wanting to do with said hottie (otherwise known as Jesse). When Jesse approaches Craig the last thing that Craig figured would happen is that he'd ask Jesse to tutor him, but that's what he does...he pulls on his big boy pants and ask Jesse to tutor him on how to be a top and what follows is a warm, sweet, sometimes funny adventure of Jesse and Craig as Jesse helps Craig to become the top that he knows he can be.

First off I loved Jesse...he was just too freakin' cute for words...like this guy was seriously adorable and perky...I don't think I could handle him first thing in the morning...just sayin'.  Also on a random thought here, that I'm hoping someone who's more familiar with this authors works than I am can clarify for me. I'm somehow feeling like maybe we've met Jesse before...say, in one of the Laguna Beach stories? If you have a definite answer for me on this feel free to let me know in the comments, thanks.

And then there was Craig, I liked him...a lot! He was just so lacking in self esteem but he was also such a sweet guy. I loved how he was with his mom and really with everyone. What I didn't love was how some people took advantage of his sweet and unassuming nature but hey, what goes around comes around and I think in the end everyone got what they deserved especially Craig and Jesse...because they got each other.

Sadly what took this from 'I love it' to 'it was ok' for me was the sex...I just felt like Jesse and Craig's relationship was too dependent on it and I know all things considered this probably seems a bit weird since their relationship started out with Craig asking Jesse to teach him how to be a top...but, I guess I was hoping that the sex would ease back and there would be a bit more focus on an actual relationship developing...I don't maybe, I'm just being to picky or quirky here but still at the end of the day it's how I felt. 

I fully realize that while 'Love You So Hard' isn't a complicated or profound story, it is a sweet, fun and totally feel good story about discovering how to be the best person you can be and finding love along the way and in reality that rarely happens between the sheets so as fun and sweet as it was this left me feeling a little disappointed.

From a purely audio perspective though this was my second chance to enjoy the narrations of Ry Forest and I have to say his narration was absolutely delightful. I truly can't wait to see what's next with this narrator and will definitely be keeping an eye out for his name on future audio books.

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An audio book of 'Love You So Hard' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

So if you saw my updates on GR than you saw my comment about how 'delicious' was't a word that I'd use to describe the smell of a freshly mowed lawn...sorry but while I do like the smell of a freshly mowed lawn it just doesn't make me hungry. But neither am a raw food fanatic like Micah Truveen (yeah, he's one of the MCs in this story)

Micah Truveen is a raw food vegan and he's all about the healthy foods. So when he discovers his customers are flocking to the new cupcake shop up the street...you can well imagine that he blows a gasket and then he goes home to find his sleazeball of a boyfriend, Dharamaram doing the nasty in bed with someone else...well he blows another gasket and really who can blame him? Certainly not I. I was so on board with him kicking his backside to the curb and then heading over to his friends anti-Valentine's party (read orgy) where he meets this incredibly sexy, southern belle...Quentin Darby.

Quentin likes his pretty things sexy dresses, stiletto heels and can I just say here...I'm jealous because damn, I can't walk in those things but seems Quentin's a runway queen on them. 

Quentin moved to California with his southern grandmother to take care of her. I loved Quentin's grandma...she's awesome, I'd move to Cali to take care of her too. Unfortunately Quentin's got secrets from that he's keeping from her. He's afraid of loosing her love if he tells her that he's gay much less that he's a cross dresser. But Quentin's also not told Micah what he does for a living either...maybe Quentin has a cupcake shop...oopsie, this is going to be an awkward moment.

'Hearts and Flour' was from start to finish a light fluffy, cupcake of a read. While Micah and Quentin might have met under questionable circumstances and it was definitely lust at first sight. Take heart dear reader two things did not occur 1. neither of them was with anyone else at said orgy and 2. it was insta-lust not insta-love.

"Hearts and Flour" was also a chance for me to check out a couple of new narrators...Rys Forest and Stephen Kurpis and I have to say from a purely audio perspective I enjoyed this one. I'm not sure who read what parts but I'm ok with that as well since I can honestly say I liked it all...however, I will say whoever did the voice of Quentin was awesome. When Quentin was dressed as a woman the narrator gave him this wonderful husky, feminine tone that really gave depth to that character and simply enhanced the image of Quentin that I had in my head...it was spot on. 

I'm definitely going to keep an ear tuned for more by these two. At present there's only one other book to their credit that I was able to find on audible and it's also by Ms Lain...so, it looks like I've got at least one more Tara Lain book in my future.

If you're looking for something cute and fun to enjoy on audio...let's call it summer listening. You might want to give this one a chance. It's a nice way to pass a bit of time on a too hot to do anything summer afternoon.

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An audio book of "Hearts and Flour" was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.