Author: B.G. Thomas
Narrator:: Charlie David
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Run Time: 8 Hours, 23 Minutes
Rating: 5 Stars
Blurb: There’s been little love in H.D. “Hound Dog” Fisher’s life since the death of his beloved mom when he was a boy. Bounced around the foster care system, he ran away as soon as he could… and took the foster dog with him. As far as he’s concerned, only dogs have no ulterior motive, never hold a grudge, and offer unconditional love. Now he helps run a no-kill shelter and leaves relationships where they belong: in the back room.
“Bean” Alexander settled in Kansas City to open his coffee shop after years of traveling. He never expected to open his heart too. When a man with a grudge takes a swing at H.D. while in line at Bean’s shop, Bean jumps to intervene.
So taking a hit for H.D. gets Bean noticed, and H.D. feels obligated to pay a debt. But then the unexpected happens. A series of misadventures causes H.D. to open up – but falling in love makes him turn tail and run. Trust is a tough road to travel. Will good friends, a dog named Sarah Jane, and a bit of folk magic be enough to bring Hound Dog and Bean a happy ending?
Review: What is the perfect formula for a good audiobook? Charlie David as the narrator, B.G. Thomas as the author. It’s a simple formula but it works very well.
BG Thomas’s characters are not perfect, they don’t have the perfect bodies or the best jobs, but what they do have is depth of character, a sense of humor, and eclectic friends who help move his stories along. Both H.D. and Bean have quite the life stories to tell us. Bean and his coffee beans are very interesting, and I sure learned a lot about the Coffee Market. H.D. lets us be a part of his journey towards accepting and trusting that love can happen.
What makes Charlie David a great narrator is he shows an understanding of these characters. Let me explain; within the first 10 minutes of the audiobook, Hound Dog is sparring with a potential dog owner, telling him that he can’t adopt . Mr. Brubaker is yelling, “I’ll sue!” H.D. replies, “You can sue my little pink pucker,” and flops back onto the grass. But, when Charlie David narrates this conversation, it sounds like this, “You…Can…Sue…My…Little…Pink…Pucker…” Each word has an extra punch to it and then concludes with H.D. flopping back on the grass and getting covered in kisses by the dog in question. Those final words are said with joy in Charlie David’s voice—not sure how to write the sound of joy, but I hope you get the idea. Charlie David doesn’t just read a book, he becomes a part of the story with his voice and his personality.
We all read or listen to books for many different reasons. Sometimes I want a story to grab me by the throat and scare me, sometimes I want to help solve a murder, and sometimes I want to listen to a romance blossom into love. B.G. Thomas never disappointments me with his stories; gentle romance filled with laughter, some hardships, and sensual love making fill his books.
I’m a big fan of all…
You can buy Hound Dog and Bean here:
