I love all of Jay Hogan’s books! Had read the ebook of this, and it was great to come across the audio version

Take one incredibly gifted, youngish tech genius - on the run from his life and what feels like the ultimate betrayal. Put him in the path of an older, wounded "man of the earth" - fighting for his little corner of paradise and the way of life he's created against a large corporate invasion. Then for good measure, add a rascally dog, some chickens and a collection of snarky yet loving friends and family. Ryder and Thad fall into an unlikely friendship that grows into more and surprises them both when it quickly finds them standing on the edge of "something much more". This one is filled with all the sweet and steamy moments that make this another Jay Hogan book that I loved and highly recommend. Oh, and Ryder? Ryder has definitely joined the list of my favorite book boyfriends!

WHAT I LOVED: Wonderful Characters-Page Turner-Witty-Funny-Romantic-Steamy-HEA

I've read the book, but the audiobook brought it to life! The story pulled me in, and the characters made me love the story even more.

Loved it

I really enjoyed listening to First Impressions by Jay Hogan. I’ve listened to it before, so I knew how good it is. It’s one of those audiobooks that pulls you in and before you know it, you’re making excuses to keep listening for one more chapter.
What I loved most was how Kiwi it felt. The Auckland setting feels real rather than postcard-perfect, and the characters speak and behave like actual people. Michael and Josh both arrive carrying a fair bit of history, and their relationship develops in a way that feels natural and earned rather than rushed.
There’s romance, humour, family, a bit of suspense, and plenty of heart. I especially enjoyed that the emotional moments weren’t overdone—they felt genuine.
The narration by Gary Furlong was excellent too. He gives each character their own voice without making it feel theatrical, and I found myself completely disappearing into the story.
A warm, engaging listen and one I was genuinely sorry to finish. First Impressions is one of those audiobooks that makes you look for excuses to stay in the car a bit longer.

I love the story line and the characters. Excellent writing and a must read.

I was hooked from the opening by tech CEO Thaddeus's initial horrible, very bad day. The poor guy just can't catch a break and then, in walks Ryder, landscaper and gardener with a mission to buck city hall and Thaddeus finds a new, more rewarding side to life out in the New Zealand bush. I could feel their chemistry and I loved the romance of these two guys from such different walks of life coming together in a joyous appreciation of nature and each other. Author Jay Hogan also brings in the current controversy over construction of data centers with their heavy use of resources. Living in a rural area myself, I thought this subplot that pitted outside business interests and easily won over government officials against the local residents and landowners like Ryder was particularly well done.

You'll want to savour this one!

I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.

“I was in big trouble with this man, and I knew it. I slid my fingers under his chin and tipped his head back to kiss him."

The Greening of Thaddeus Grey by Brigham Vaughn, totally had me hooked. I didn’t expect it and I loved every single page in this book.

Thaddeus (Thad) Grey’s life completely blows up when his best friend accidentally texts him instead of his boyfriend, and he realizes that they’ve been sleeping together. Within minutes Thad kicks the cheating boyfriend out of his apartment, cuts ties with his now ex-best friend and business partner, hops into his dad’s old car, and fleets Wellington. As if his day wasn’t bad enough, he drives into a small country road leading to a forest, swerves to miss an animal, crashes his car into a manure pile, and seeks shelter into a tiny chicken shed to hide from a brutal storm. Enter Ryder, the guy who owns the property. He lives on this gorgeous farm with a miniature Dachshund (Ziggy) and a bunch of chickens with an attitude.

The book is an absolute delight from start to finish. From the storm and the animal in the woods, to the accident into the manure pile, sleeping in the chicken shed, Ziggy, and Ryder… all of that, and later, much, much more, make this book a total wonder. It’s a total disaster of a start, but it ends up setting Thad up for an unexpected journey of healing, self-discovery, and a brand-new romance.

“This last week has been the best week of my life. I’m not the same guy who slept in your shed. You, this cottage, the river, all of it has changed me.”

I’m going to put The Greening of Thaddeus Grey in my pile of comfort read books ASAP. Watching Thad transition from a toxic, unfulfilling city life to a peaceful, eco-conscious reality alongside Ryder, Ziggy and the chickens was incredibly delightful. I also loved the genuine yearning and witty dialogues. Highly recommended.

Thank you, Brigham Vaughn for this free eARC. This is my honest review and recommendation.

M/M
Established couple
1 MC newly widowed
Men in their 50s

* Not a standalone, read book 1 and 2 first!

Arc audio review

Story = 5 stars
Narration = 5 stars

What a fabulous end to this couples trilogy. It tied up all the loose ends. I still totally love both of these men and think they are perfect for each other. The storyline had me hooked from the start and I stayed up to finish it. Unlike book 2 that I found really slow to start, this held my interest the whole time. I found that there was a good amount of steam despite the serious tone of the book. I would say it's pretty angsty. Not so much in their relationship but just with all the external drama even though I figured it would be a HEA.

I don't want to say too much to avoid spoilers but just when I think these 2 men are going to have their easy going romantic book and nothing more could possibly happen to them, they find themselves in trouble once again. In hindsight I wouldn't have had it any other way for them. The plot both didn't surprise me, I had a hunch at the start where it was going but then bam there's a twist at the end I was not suspecting. I got to read more by this author cause I found the writing wonderful and it's not too often I get a surprise.

The world building and side characters were fantastic as always. I love Gazza. Oh how I wanted to be a fly on the wall as they say in his off page moments. This is is the last book so sadly we probably won't be getting anymore info on him.

The narrator was fantastic. His accent was pleasant to listen to. He kept a good pace/flow. He expressed all the emotions wonderfully and brought the story to life. He gave all the characters including the side characters their own distinct voice that suited them all perfectly and made it easy to follow the story and it was a pleasure to listen to.

THE PROMISE OF TOGETHER is the third and final installment in the Fisher & Church series. It should be read in order to get the full effect of the series.

Mads and Nick have been through it so far in their relationship. There's no shortage of excitement for these two. Nick knows he loves Mads but trusting him has taken a bit longer than it should. Nick has a host of baggage from his childhood he still carries with him. When he gets a letter from his estranged mother asking to see him he's unsure if that's something he wants. But of course Mads promises to be right by his side if he wants to confront her and close that chapter of his life. What they aren't expecting is a side of drama once they finally make it to her front door. Mads and Nick are now knee deep in finding out what is really going on with Nick's mother and why her stepson is slowly but surely emptying her bank account.

I didn't read this one but listened only and man does Gary Furlong do an amazing job narrating this series. I can honestly say this is my top audio book series so far. I got lost in the world Jay Hogan created every time I hit play! Nick and Mads are so perfect for each other and Mads was so willing to be with Nick every step of finding out what was really going on with his mother. This really was the perfect ending to a fantastic series!!

🎧 Audiobook Review 🎧
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Performance: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️️
Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️️

This is the third book in the series, and I recommend reading the books in order. I love Jay’s writing style; she’s done a wonderful job with this story once again. Once I started listening, I couldn’t put the audiobook down. That was partly due to the story itself, and partly thanks to Gary Furlong, who is absolutely fantastic as the narrator.
Madigan and Nick won my heart in the first two books, and I was really looking forward to this third one.
First of all, it’s hard to find books with older characters—that’s the case here, and I really appreciate it! And then it’s also super hard to start a new relationship when you’re over fifty. The problems depicted here were portrayed realistically, and I loved how both Nick and Madigan deal with the challenges of their relationship. They’re there for each other, and despite their traumas, they keep choosing each other. Nick’s loyalty is unwavering, and Madigan is vulnerable yet strong. These two are a couple I’ll remember for a long time.
Nick’s mother reappears in his life after having left him when he was young. He has always wondered what became of her. But now the question arises: is he ready to listen to her?
And just when everything seems to be going well, strange things start happening that make Nick and Madigan sit up and take notice. They start their own investigation and realize that not everything is as it seems. It gets really suspenseful, and I was on the edge of my seat because, for Nick’s sake, I was really hoping for a happy ending. My heart broke into a thousand pieces because it got so emotional.
I thought the Fischer and Church series was great, and I’ll definitely listen to it again, because I loved this series.
If you’re into romantic suspense with a fantastic couple, then you’ve come to the right place.
Gary Furlong delivers another fantastic reading, just as he did with the first two books. He impresses with his many talents. He conveys the emotions brilliantly and can effortlessly switch from tender moments to gripping action and suspense. Highly recommended!

I love (haven't finished audio yet) listening to this narrator. The stories are so, so edge-of-the-chair thrilling, they are fantastic. But the narration adds another layer. Brilliant!

I loved The Meaning of You, and the second book in the trilogy, The Question of Us, was even better. I had very high expectations for The Promise of Together and wasn’t disappointed.

I have to take a moment to say I was strolling on a beach near Thames on the Coromandel Peninsula in New Zealand while listening to Gary Furlong’s beautiful narration of Jay’s amazing words. I’d been so excited the audio became available that I was happy to integrate the listening into my vacation on the other side of the world. As always, Gary’s performance was brilliant and I loved listening to him every moment - especially with that lovely accent. Truly lyrical.

Okay – the book! I loved the first two, as I’ve said, so I was happy to nab this one. Mads and Nick had wormed their way into my heart as they have navigated the treacherous waters of a new relationship. That’s daunting enough these days, but to start fresh in your fifties is even more perilous. You’ve lived over half a lifetime and to adjust to having a new person in your life is a challenge. Nick, newly widowed, also has the layer of grief upon that. The first two books in this series were about a mystery with people at arm’s length. And the two men embarking on risky adventures to save men they don’t even know was exciting to read about.

Book three is about Nick’s mother – or her reappearance in his life. Nick has to reconcile her abandonment of him as a young child. He has to revisit a painful time in his life and see things through different eyes as his mother shares her reality after having left an abusive marriage. Having been adopted, and later meeting my biological parents, I can say I understood Nick’s dilemma of trying to piece things together. Of course, I wanted him to really hear his mother’s story. Then comes the mystery as things aren’t as they seem.

I won’t go into detail because I want the listener to sink into the story without having preconceived notions. I will say the story unfolded in a way that impressed me. I love Jay’s writing and I think the Fischer and Church trilogy is some of her best work. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next…

I have absolutely loved this series. I loved all 3 books but I think this one is potentially my favourite.

Nick and Madigan are the same loveable couple that we’ve seen in previous books and who just can’t stay out of trouble. But if you’ve ever worried about getting older, or about a relative getting older, then this will really tug on your heart strings. It’s one of those that will linger in your brain for awhile after you finish it.

So, so good!

The epic conclusion to Nick and Madigan’s love story is finally here, and it is everything I hoped it would be. From the first paragraph in book one Jay has taken us on a high-stakes odyssey and seeing these two finally reach their HEA is incredibly satisfying.

Nick and Madigan’s connection is the heart of this series. Watching them navigate their traumas while choosing each other over and over again is just beautiful. Madigan’s vulnerability and Nick’s unwavering loyalty make them one of the most memorable couples I’ve read.

If you love romantic suspense and an intense love between two soulmates then I think you’ll love this. (Books must be read/listened to in order.)

Once again, Gary Furlong delivers an amazing narration. His ability to switch between gritty action and tender, intimate moments is truly incredible.