Author: KC Burn
Narrator:: Tristan James
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Run Time: 7 Hours, 35 Minutes
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Blurb: Thirty-five-year-old Rick Haviland is a well-respected speech pathologist, but while his friends are all settling into relationships, he refuses to give up his no-strings-attached club-boy sex life. For him, relationships are dangerous; he’s got a secret to hide. When he meets Ian O’Donnell, an account manager with a local tabloid, Rick figures his personal rules for relationships should be enough to keep him safe from more than a one-night stand.
When Ian comes out of the closet, tired of anonymous hook-ups and keeping secrets from his large Catholic family, Rick is right there, and he’s just the sort of man Ian might like to get to know better. Their attraction is immediate, electric and mutual. Ian convinces Rick to break more and more of his rules, and his defenses crumble. But someone watches, someone who’d like to see this new relationship fail. When Ian’s job becomes a means to expose Rick’s secret, it could destroy both their careers and their hearts.
Review: I read the e-book version of Cast Off a few months ago and enjoyed it, so when I saw that it was available on audio I just had to give it a listen. Was I disappointed? No. In fact, I enjoyed the listening experience of Cast Off even more than the reading, and actually caught more of the title meaning this time around. I just loved how Rick and Ian came to life in the audio version. As a narrator, Tristan James is one of the best!
In Cast Off, Tristan manages to add depth to the story, which I missed while reading, and there’s more of a connection with the cast of characters. Rick and Ian’s voices, as performed by Mr. James, perfectly fit the visualization I had of them. I had to laugh when Rick considered Ian dangerous, sticking to his rules and avoiding keepers. What he didn’t realize was that he was a goner after the first rule was broken. Personally, I don’t really think Rick, in spite of himself, minded too much as his rules came crumbling down one by one. In a way, the loneliness of being single was starting to get to him, and he just needed someone to come along to help him trust that he wouldn’t repeat family history. It’s very heavy baggage that poor guy is carrying, not to mention it’s kind of fun to watch two men who have no clue how to have a relationship stumble about and make common mistakes with each other. Aaah, the angst… I must have that. Can you say, Ian’s mom to the rescue?
Tina, in her excellent review of Cast Off, the e-book version, had given it a 4 star rating which I wholeheartedly agreed with at the time. But with the audio version, I’m raising it to a 4.5 Star performance. I would recommend this audible version if you’ve enjoyed previous Toronto Tales books. I feel Cast Off is the second best in the series, with Cop Out in the lead.
You can buy Cast Off (Toronto Tales: Book Three) here:
