Author: Piper Vaughn and Kade Boehme
Narrator:: Paul Morey
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Run Time: 4 Hours and 30 Minutes
At a Glance: This was my first audiobook, and I thoroughly enjoyed having Paul Morey tell me a story – especially such a hot one!
Reviewed By: Carrie
Blurb: Aaron Costa’s summer was all planned. Despite having to remodel the family lake house, it would be a vacation of sorts, and he had every intention of enjoying it—until the friend who was supposed to help him got injured and left him in a lurch. He decides to take the opportunity to bond with his son and hires Julian and his roommate, Malachi, to assist.
As a broke college student, Malachi could use the money, and spending the summer with Aaron for eye candy sounds like a dream. “Look but don’t touch” becomes his motto. But when Julian starts flaking on his responsibilities and Malachi and Aaron are forced to spend long hours alone together, their mutual attraction is impossible to resist.
Aaron can’t fight the temptation sexy Malachi presents. But more than their age difference stands in their way, not the least of which is Aaron’s semi-closeted status and the fact that he’s never openly discussed his sexuality with his son. He has no idea how Julian will react when he learns his father is not only gay, he’s also dating his best friend.
Review: This is an audio review of Wood, Screws & Nails, narrated by Paul Morey. I loved Aaron and Malachi! This is a May/December romance and while I generally shy away from books where one of the MCs is only twenty-one, this romance was nicely done. A happy-ever-after is not promised, but we get a real satisfying happy-for-now with the propensity toward more, and I was pleased with that.
Aaron became a father right after high school, experimenting with his best friend Carrie. This part of the story was well written, and I really liked how they handled the backstory for Aaron’s son Julian. Admittedly Aaron and Carrie spoiled Julian, together not wanting him to experience the hardships they faced as young parents. Aaron has a hard time letting that go and realizing a little tough love can be a good thing. When Julian and his best friend Malachi agree to help Aaron renovate his parents’ lake house, we get to see the relationship develop between the two MCs as Julian becomes more of a slacker and spends more time away from the house than helping with the renovations. The relationship goes from a mutual physical attraction to appreciation of each other’s talents and work ethic as regards the construction they have to accomplish in the old house.
Malachi is totally believable. Yes, there are some college boys out there who have their head on straight, and Malachi is one of them. We have a precedent for him liking older men, but even he will tell you he does not have a “daddy” complex. Malachi comes from a delightfully normal, accepting family, and he is well adjusted because of it. It is Malachi’s steadfastness and honorable work ethic that wins Aaron over little by little. These two do not just jump into a relationship; they build it like they are building the lake house, a little at the time. And what an incredibly hot journey! Who wouldn’t love two incredible men working construction, with the sexual tension being off the charts?
I would highly recommend this book – especially in audio! Paul Morey does a fantastic job with the narration and vocal inflections of the characters. I always knew which character was speaking from the tone of voice Paul used. This was my first audiobook, and I thoroughly enjoyed having Paul Morey tell me a story – especially such a hot one!
You can buy Wood, Screws & Nails here:
