Setting the Hook

Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted my AUDIO copy of this book.

William hires Mike's fishing boat twice a year to just get away from it all., from the job he has begun to hate. Running the family business was never what he wanted to do. His time on Mike's boat is precious, because it's MIKE he comes for, not really the fishing. Mike looks forward to William's visits, because he has had feelings for William since that first time. But he could never act on those feelings. Living and working in a small town has major draw backs and he has his daughter and his mother to look out for. It takes a hurricane for these men to act on their feelings and there is a lot of water to cross before they can be truly happy.

Andrew Grey has a way of writing that no other has, and I LOVED this first book in a new series.

William has feelings for Mike and vice versa. One bolt of lightening, one heated look and its only a matter of time before they finally give in to their feelings. I understood Mike's hesitancy to out himself, he has his daughter and his mother to look after but it had been so very very long since Mike allowed himself to feel, to have a connection to a man, and he really couldn't fight any more. And its beautiful, their coming together, really it is!!

I love William's mum and dad turning up on his "vacation" and Mike's reaction to William telling his parents of their relationship was a priceless moment! I also love the unexpected turn of events for his parents, and how that made William see them in a different light.

Couple questions I am left with though. It never fully explains about Mike's friend in the Navy, and what happened to him. While I can piece it mostly together, I would like to have had the full details. And the coin Mike's daughter found? What happened with that.

Bonus points for not shortening William to Will, not once!

AUDIO review.

Greg Tremblay narrates.

And, really, need I say more? I mean, the man could narrate the bloody phone book, and I'd love it!

I love the way Tremblay has with voices. William and his parents are very proper and upper class, and Mike, his daughter and mom are much softer, smoother voices. It makes for easy listening, because I don't have to concentrate too hard on making out who is speaking and I can just lose myself in the narration.

Tremblay's reading voice is clear and even, and you can feel the emotions coming off each man. A true joy to listen to.

5 stars for the book
5 stars for the narration
5 stars overall.

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**

*Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.*

Mike lives in a very conservative town in Florida with his daughter and mother and runs his own charter boat. Mike is a hard worker whose goal is to make a better life for his daughter. Once he came home from the military, he accepted that he would have to remain in the closet to protect his daughter and business. That doesn't stop Mike from crushing on his client William, who charters his boat twice a year. Mike always enjoys the day spent with William, but this time Mother Nature has cut their fishing trip short and William needs Mike's help. Mike offers to let William stay at his home during the hurricane, and the time together has allowed the men's attraction to come out of hiding. But they lead two different lives, in two different parts of the world and they have to accept that the few days they had together was all they could have.

William is Mike's opposite. He comes from a wealthy family, and works for his family's business that he'll one day run. He lives in the family home and lives the life his parents have created for him. William allows himself two fishing trips a year to see Mike and to escape his dull office life. William dreams of being able to escape the offices of his family business and to work outside in the sun. After his time with Mike during the hurricane, William is struggling with the chains that bind him and has reached his tipping point for his life.

I really enjoyed both of these characters! Even though Mike was firmly in the closet at home, it was completely understandable. Living in conservative America can make it frightening and difficult to be yourself if it's outside what's considered "normal". Mike was a nice guy trying to make a living and willing to help others. Though William came from a wealthy family, he was kind and considerate and willing to help others out. Both MC's were just nice guys, doing what was best for their families.

Every time I read an Andrew Grey book, I feel like my heart gives a little sigh when I come to the end of his stories. He creates men and families that you know have found their happily ever afters. I love that many of his books have children involved. You get to see completely different sides of the men when they have to interact with children. Please do yourself, and your heart, a favor and check out this beautiful story.

Rating: 5 stars!

Andrew Grey's books are a must-read in the m/m romance genre. He simply knows how to write, and gives the reader stories about everyday people living everyday lives. These aren't necessarily model beautiful men, rich billionaires whose only problems are which company to buy up. No, these are real men with problems that every person who reads will be able to empathize with.

I loved that William and Mike were attracted to each other from the start, but for five years, only saw each other twice a year for a day outing of fishing. A long distance romance of wishes and dreams. Neither acknowledged the attraction, until Mother Nature decided to give them a little shove together. Once they had the push, they jumped in with both feet, willing to see what would come of a few days together, then later two weeks together.

I do love when Andrew sets up a ready-made family. The loner William, who felt as if no one understood him, felt comfortable with all of Mike's family, not just the man he'd been waiting for. And Andrew always gives us sassy kids, and moms with attitude. (Both Mike and William's moms showed they weren't just grandmothers, but women too!)

There were a couple things that played out a little neater than I expected, but it didn't detract from the story at all. It simply would have given it a little more tension, in my eyes. And Andrew always gives us the happy ending we waited for. :)

4 pieces of eye candy

Setting the Hook was a good, heart-warming romance between two busy men who made it a habit of putting everyone else first. I really enjoyed this book’s premise of a fishing charter captain in a small community paired with a businessman from the Northeast. The scenery, boating, and fishing descriptions were done well with just enough detail to set the story apart and capture my interest.

The heroes were both likable and though they were a bit resistant to moving forward, the author fully explained their motivations for keeping their feelings under wraps. I liked the idea that both men had unrequited feelings for each other that developed over time and the circumstances that finally got them to act on those feelings was believable. The chemistry and longing came through for the reader as well, including the uncertainty regarding the viability of a long-term relationship. Really, Setting the Hook had all the makings of a good slow-burn romance and I was eager to see how William and Mike made things work between them. For the most part, I was happy with how things progressed. Nothing in their relationship was rushed, which made sense given their careers, families, and lifestyles. However, I wish there were more details of the final resolution or of their lives once they committed to being together. Especially after drawn out love stories, I want to experience the pay out and their happy ending, so I’m always disappointed if those details are glazed over in an epilogue. That said, I liked the resolutions with their families and careers, even if it was a bit of a convenient and quick wrap.

This was a good romance featuring older heroes and with minimal angst and drama. I always like when there are different settings or circumstances in books, so the fishing and boating aspects of Setting the Hook was a win for me.

*Reviewed for Alpha Book Club*