The Science of Attraction is a steamy, heartfelt romance filled with Jay Hogan's trademark warmth, insight and down-to-earth humour.

When Paddy Lane had a massive stroke at the end of the previous book, life changed drastically and eldest son Jules has stepped up to take over the running of Lane Station. The past five months have been both challenging and invigorating - this is what he’s meant to do with his life and everything is going exactly as it’s supposed to - until the day Liam Skelton shows up and every thought Jules has had about himself and about the direction his life is taking flies right out the window.

Jules has known he’s bisexual since he was a teenager, and as he’s always been far more attracted to women than men, he hasn’t seen the point in rocking the boat. But there’s something about Liam – with his striking good-looks and air of confidence – that absolutely does it for Jules and makes him start to wonder what it would be like to be with someone he can be fully himself with.

Liam, an occupational therapist, has been employed to help Paddy to improve his speech and mobility, and needless to say, the old man isn’t happy at having his “gay arse in charge of his rehab.” The first few days are awkward, to say the least, until Liam confronts Paddy’s prejudice head on and makes it clear that he’s a professional and expects to be treated as one. The uneasy truce that develops between them surprises everybody on the station; Paddy is never going to wave a rainbow flag, but he does at least start to show Liam the respect he deserves.

The principal storyline revolves around Jules working through his complicated feelings about his sexuality and figuring out how to balance his desire for Liam with his desire to continue to run Lane Station. Paddy threw his brother Zach out when he told them he was gay, and Jules has been reluctant to be the cause of any further family fractures, so at first, he tries hard to fight his intense attraction to Liam. He’s the first and only man who has ever produced this kind of reaction in Jules, and as he’s only going to be around for a few weeks, getting involved with him would be only be asking for trouble. But Jules has never felt so powerfully attracted to anyone, ever... and he knows he’s fighting a losing battle.

The romance here is as sexy and well-developed as I’ve come to expect in a Jay Hogan book. The chemistry between Jules and Liam is electric from the get-go and I enjoyed their love story; the author really knows how to write a sizzling sex scene, although there are a lot of them here and I have to admit that after the first few, they started to feel like padding. And while I really appreciated the thoughtful way Jules’ situation unfolds, the storyline sometimes feels stretched a little thin for the page count.

And for all the family drama, this is a fairly low-angst listen. There is mention early on that Liam isn't a relationship kind of guy, but we’re not given a reason for that other than that he likes his own space, and whatever concerns he might have had in the past don’t appear to be a problem for him when it comes to Jules. So the main conflict in the story arises from Paddy’s homophobia, leading to Jules’ fears that being with the man he loves may lead to his losing his home and the future he’s worked so hard for – and the only other real obstacle is that Jules and Liam need to work out how they can make a life together given Liam isn’t local and his job generally requires him to travel.

Once again, Jay Hogan does an absolutely fantastic job of transporting listeners to the gorgeous locations of the Mackenzie Basin and into the daily lives of the workers on the remote sheep stations there.

Gary Furlong's narration is, once again, outstanding. He's a fantastic vocal actor who really gets under the skin of the characters and always finds the emotional heart of the story. His performance is well-paced and clearly differentiated, and he's able to portray a large-ish cast of characters in such a way as there's never any confusion as to who is speaking. He's particularly good as the cantankerous Paddy - all grumpy gruffness - and does a great job of conveying the genuine emotional connection between the two leads.

This isn't my favourite Mackenzie Country book - I liked the first two a little more, but any JH book is head and shoulders above most of the other contemporary romances out there, and with Gary F. in the narrator's chair, there's no way it could be anything other than a terrific listen.

I mainly listen to audio books as I walk to and from work, but listening to this story, I found myself continuing when I got home. Drake is a midwife and has Crohn's disease, he is sworn of romance and at times very snarky. Caleb is a police officer who has never had a relationship and has never planned for one until he arrests Drake.
This is the first book I have listened to narrated by Gary Furlong and with any audiobook I listen to, it takes me a bit of time to get in to them, but the way it was narrated, I was in to it before the end of the first chapter. There was no confusion identifying the characters. The sensitive scenes were narrated with so much feeling I had tears in my eyes and it made me feel that I was there watching the whole scene play out. Whilst some scenes were heart-breaking, there was some light relief mainly down to Carmen who had me laughing at some of her comments she threw at Caleb.
I own this book on my kindle and as of yet I have not read it. I will take time to read it as the writing is excellent and now thanks to the brilliant narrative of Gary Furlong. I will probably read it with their voice in my head

4.5 Audiobook

This is another wonderful love story from Jay Hogan! I believe this is now my second book by this author and I already look forward to more.

The narrator, Gary Furlong, is fantastic! The performance was emotional and well-acted. I could always tell when it was a different character speaking. I just love listening to Gary Furlong's voice!
The narration made a good story even better for me.

This is the story of Caleb, a police officer, who arrests Drake, a gay male midwife who has to manage Crohn's Disease, when Drake is using a public restroom during a protest. While these aren't the most auspicious of circumstances, Caleb becomes drawn to Drake's spitfire black cat personality and decides to pursue him. Caleb is typically a hookup kind of guy, but after long chats with his friends, and some soul searching, he realizes that he truly wants to know Drake and maybe date him. Drake, on the other hand, after a lifetime of dealing with Crohn's - not to mention the arrest - is quite wary and not sure he wishes to attempt dating Caleb or anyone else after having his heart broken some years previously. The ways in which Caleb does some "old school wooing" with Drake is quite possibly one of my favorite parts of the book! Not only was I charmed by Caleb, Drake was as well. There is a lot to navigate and negotiate with Drake, given that he has Crohn's, and at times, this becomes a lot for Drake. He is exhausted and scared. The physical intimacy aspect of a dating life is particularly challenging for someone with Crohn's and he fears giving his heart to Caleb, only to have it shattered if Caleb can't deal with the reality of Drake's life. The bulk of this story is dealing with these negotiations, so to speak - each of the MCs having fears at one point on their very bumpy road to an HEA. This is very much the epitome of a hard-won HEA - both of the MCs end up going through A LOT. Thankfully, both MCs have supportive family and friends to help them through. In particular, the BFFs - Aaron and Daniel/Carmen - are stellar side characters & I particularly loved Carmen/Daniel. The careers of the MCs also come into play in this book and are another source of tension in the book.

This story felt very real and believable to me, not least of all because the author clearly researched Crohn's very well. At times, it felt like there was so much emphasis on the medical issues that the romance aspect of this book was shortchanged a bit, particularly in the middle to end. While I understand that this is a very real thing that people with medical issues such as Crohn's have to deal with, I guess I prefer slightly less reality in my books and a bit more romance. While there wasn't a huge amount of spice, there were definitely a number of steamy moments and the MCs were hot together. I particularly enjoyed Caleb's attitude and openness. As much as I love a snarky twink, I have to say that Caleb's steadfastness for most of the book really endeared him to me. I had some teary moments at various parts of the book, especially during that lovely end. I definitely enjoyed this audiobook.

Thanks to the author for a preview copy of this audio. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I have now listened to this book on audio, and enjoyed it even more courtesy of Gary Furlong's excellent narration. I really like these characters, they are so much fun, and I loved the hidden disability rep. It's a great listen and the narrator puts a lot into it. Definitely recommend as a cute romance with a lot of heart and a bit of action. Love the writing and dialogue, as always with Jay Hogan, and it's a great standalone read.

Jay went all in with this pulling no punches when Drake was suffering at his worst with his Crohn’s disease . In places it was hard to read knowing everything Drake was going through and on top of that trying to hold up a new relationship with Caleb although he was intent on pushing Caleb away. Their HEA was a rollercoaster of emotions and was so good when they both gave in and let themselves try instead of being worried due to past relationships expecting this would be the same.
I loved the sarcasm and wit so much and giggled at some of the things and I absolutely loved Carmen/Daniel can they have a book please.

Audiobook Review:
Overall – 5
Performance – 5
Story – 5

What a wonderful story!

I’ve had Digging Deep in my eBook library for four years and just never made time to read it (too many books, not enough time) so I was very happy when I was offered a review copy of the audiobook. OMG what a story!

Digging Deep touched me on so many levels. I don’t personally know of anyone with Crohn’s disease but I do have family members with similar issues (albeit much milder) so I know a little bit of the urgency and embarrassment that Drake has to deal with.

I’m not sure if the term “meet cute” is really the right one to use for Drake and Caleb considering that Drake ends up getting arrested, but it was different and I loved how it set up the story. Caleb has to work hard to get Drake to give him a chance after that incident.

This story has so much depth to it and I could go on and on about it but I’m just going to end with saying that Jay Hogan’s writing is wonderfully descriptive and Gary Furlong’s performance added even more to my enjoyment of it. This is a standalone story and I highly recommend it whether you read it with your eyes or ears.

A complimentary copy of this audiobook was provided to me at my request; my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author and/or narrator.

This was one of my all-time favorite reads from years ago. I just recently listened to the audible version and Drake, Caleb and all their friends and family were brought to life in all the perfect voices and expressions by Gary Furlong. His accent is wonderful and there is just something special about the way he is able to bring out Caleb and Drake's inner thoughts and reflections. Made me smile a lot despite some of the real and heavier subject matter involved with Crohn's and being a midwife. Adored every side character especially Carmen! Caleb did a lot of wooing to win over his snarky Drake, but I appreciated that both guys made mistakes along the way.

Oh this is so good. Caleb and Drake both have their flaws and that is part of what makes this book so perfect. There are no punches pulled in this story. Drake lives with Chrohn’s every day and has become accustomed to living his life around it. But he has become the one who lets it control his actions instead of him controlling his disease. Caleb has never had a real relationship before but there is something about Drake that makes him desperate to try, even though Drake keeps shoving him away. This book is so worth a read. This is going to go on my list of comfort rereads. And everyone needs a best friend like Daniel/Carmen. This book is lovely and satisfying in so many ways. I just can’t say enough about it. The audiobook is pretty incredible too. Gary Furlong is just an amazing narrator.

Once again Jay Hogan has delivered a wonderful story about multifaceted & dynamic characters. Both of our MCs have been burned romantically in the past, and have protective walls up that are a mile high. But that instant moment of connection set them on a path toward a truly strong relationship when they least expected it.

This story features Drake Park, a midwife managing his career and personal life while coping with Crohn's disease. After a difficult breakup due to his health challenges, he’s focused on delivering babies and advocating for the environment, not seeking romance. Enter Caleb Ashton, a confident cop with a straightforward (albeit casual) life, who finds himself unexpectedly drawn to Drake.

The chemistry between the two is palpable, marked by witty banter and tension. The novel skillfully balances Drake's chronic illness with the romance, avoiding clichés and portraying his independence and the supportive secondary characters authentically. Overall, it's a refreshing take on romance that highlights realistic life challenges.

It is a relatively slow burn, with Caleb spending about 30% of the book trying to get Drake to give him a chance. There are a few moments of hesitation and back and forth, ultimately caused by the MCs having to confront their past traumas and decide what they want from a potential relationship. But in my opinion, this is written in a very mature & realistic way, and makes the final HEA even sweeter!

Plus, Furlong's narration adds a compelling layer, bringing the characters to life with his engaging voice and nuanced delivery.

*I received an ALC of this book, all opinions are my own*

I absolutely loved this book. Despite the subject matter, an in-depth look at the affects of Crohn's disease on individuals and their families, it's full of humour, snark and love.

I adored Drake, I loved his stubborn and snarky attitude, and the realistic way he dealt with his Crohn's. There was no wailing, or ringing of hands, just a, let's get on with life attitude.

Caleb was an absolute delight. His courting of Drake is gold, and had me laughing out loud at times. His close friend, Carmen Bendover/ Daniel had me in stitches.

I have to say that without a doubt I love the range this author has, she nabbed me from the reading of her first book, First Impressions, and I've never looked back.

This is a beautifully layed out romance, which kind of has a 'will they, won't they', theme running through it, that is so well told. It had me intrigued from the very beginning, how were they going to deal with the Crohns? The characters, the plot line, the development of both are just delighful to read and immerse yourself in.

I loved watching them find each other through all of the vagaries of their relationship. Loved them both and how they find each other and slowly fall in love. To see them being drawn to each other and finding a way around their doubts to be together was lovely! It's such a thoughtful, serious in parts, story with a gorgeous epilogue. I have just want to say one more word to conclude, Aaron!!! 😉

Having just finished listening to the audible version of this, I have to say that Gary Furlong absolutely slays the narration. He brings the humour, drama and snark (so much snark!!!). His Drake and Caleb are perfection. One I will definitely listen to repeatedly. Desevedly a Lambda finalist.

I received an ARC of this book, which in no way influenced my opinion.

As a person who has suffered with Colitis I can so related with the crazy of living with a chronic disease. I read Digging deep a while ago and absolutely loved it. The research was definitely well done and presented realistically. So I was really excited to hear an audio was coming. I down loaded it last night and spent the day with my earbuds glued to my head. And all I can say is this was AWESOME!!!
The story was perfect and Gary Furlong was as always Fantastic. I have discovered that a good audio book does help with alot of my anxiety issues (also an IBD issue) keeping my hamster brain from spinning. This story and the exceptional narration is just what I needed.
Thanks Jay Hogan! ♥️

I had read digging deep a while back and absolutely adored the story of Caleb and Drake ! As someone who lives with a chronic condition and struggle to let people in through what I live, i saw myself a lot in Drake ! Gary furlong did an amazing job of bringing those two to life and even though it was over 10hrs long I was hooked and entertained the whole time !

I love books that don't revolve people who are physically perfect. That just because someone is coping with something, that they don't deserve all the romance and a Happily Ever After.

This is what Jay Hogan has done for us. A gorgeous romance, grounded in reality, a reality that involves a serious medical condition with life altering effects.

Gary Furlong narrates the audio version, and he does a gorgeous job of it, really bringing out the emotion in the characters and the scenes. As an Australian, I often have trouble with narrators when they attempt an Australian or New Zealand accent, it often sounds too forced or too stereotypical. Gary Furlong does an admirable job and he is one voice I can listen to doing this accent. Overall, I loved the audio!

This book and audio was very well done, and I highly recommend it.

I really enjoyed this book and all the adventures these two men had to go through to get to where they are now. It is a true love story, the obstacles each of them faced to finally get there stuff together and spend forever together. I definitely recommend this book to everyone who loves mm love stories especially ones that deal with life long issues.

I love Julian and Liam and how well they fit together. They both really work well with each other, even when they’re put into bad situations. Paddy and his bigoted ways was truly unthinkable, but I hope he can get his stuff together and not lose his relationship with his son. I definitely recommend this book to everyone who loves mm romance stories.