Friends-to-lovers sweetness

Max Jackson and Parker Wilson have been friends since childhood, and Max has loved and lusted after his best friend since he hit puberty. But Max knows his friend is straight so he keeps his feelings to himself. Still, he's always there for Parker, no matter what, which is a good thing since Parker loses the love of his life and the mother of his two children, and Max is right there to take him and the kids under his wing. Thereafter, Parker also loses his job and once again Max comes through for him. For every crisis Parker faces, Max is there to support and protect him and the children. Parker's slow recognition of his changing feelings for Max makes this a slow-burn romance. There's little by way of relationship drama, especially once Parker lets himself relax and enjoy his new love. Whatever tension exists is part of the usual human drama -- a desperately sick child, unsuccessful job hunting, a lost pet, sibling drama -- and they add to the reality quotient of the story. Max is a sweetheart, and Parker is determined to be the best parent he can be. Together, they provide stability for Cindy and Teddy, especially after Parker decides to agree to Max's suggestion for helping him pay for the expensive medication that Cindy needs to live a healthy life.

The performance was fine. It was always clear when either Max or Parker was speaking, and the narrator evoked other characters well enough to ensure there was no confusion between them, either. Aside from a few misreadings, when Mr. Russo read one name when it was clear it should have been the other, there were no problems with his storytelling.

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Cute story, but there is zero conflict

This story was more a series of vignettes with the children and the forming of a family, with a little romance sprinkled in. But the main characters have basically no conflict and so you spend most of the book expecting something to happen only to realize that there is actually nothing keeping the characters apart. And it’s fine. The narration is well done, and the characters are charming, but there is basically no plot.

awesomeness

Great book in the series. Had me tearing up in the end. Love that you can read out of order but still hear about characters from each one.

Spoilers included in review

(Spoiler alert – if you want no accidental surprises revealed skip this review!)

So, the set up for this is good. There is a very plausible reason for Parker and Max to get married (sadly – our medical system is truly fucked up). The two MCs are buddies so that makes sense and Max has had a crush on Parker a long time.

Things that made me crazy: Max’s family and their support which was pretty unfounded. While it was nice, I kind of wanted them to protect Max more and make sure he wasn’t setting himself up for a heartbreak with Parker.

Parker’s discovery of his “demisexuality”. Sure, I think he totally was a demisexual this whole time, but when he and Max start to explore their relationship he is WAY too confident. Not freaked out enough. Takes the lead where I think he would not naturally lead. He’s also not worried about the kids enough.

Once they started “hooking up” I was a little too jaded to appreciate the rest of the story.

From that point on it was really sickly sweet with a lot of strangely scorching sex and I just didn’t buy in.

So… on the one hand if that’s your jam and you can ignore the elephant in the room – you might enjoy this a lot.

I really love Nick Russo and in fact would not have even looked at this had it not been for him and he was as wonderful as always so… there’s that.

For the story I’d give it a weak 3 of 5 stars for the set up and first half. For the narration a 5 and an overall weak 4 – but it’s maybe only a 3.5.

Great Continuation of Hidden Creek

After Parker's wife died in a house fire, he didn't really have time to deal with much of anything. He had two young children to care for, with the help of his best friend Max. Max has been in love with Parker forever. But when Parker's life was upturned with the house fire, Max didn't hesitate to step in to help and offer a place to live and to help raise Parker's young children. But after Parker looses his job, and can no longer afford his daughters medication, Max suggests a fake marriage for the insurance. But when the marriage and feelings start to feel a little real, can the two men figure out what they want?
This is the perfect friends to lovers, fake marriage book! I absolutely LOVED Max and Parker (and of course the kids!) It was nice to see Parker's sexuality discussed not as a "gay for you" but rather him being demisexual. It's rare for me to find books with characters that are demisexual and the descriptions of Parker's relationships were absolutely perfect.
The narration was absolutely amazing. Nick J Russo did a perfect job at bringing these two to life and allowing their unique personalities to show through. Each of the Hidden Creek audiobooks is even more amazing than the last!
I hope to see more of Max and Parker in the other books from this series!

Love this Series

I received an ARC of this audio for my honest review. Parker becomes a single father when his wife dies in the house fire after she went back in to save the cat. Parker is angry because she was safe and didn't have to die. Max has had a secret crush on his straight friend since college. When Parker's daughter's health takes a turn for the worse he winds up losing his job. Max makes him an offer he can't refuse by deciding to marry him so they would all be covered under his insurance and the daughter can get the medication she needs. Parker starts to realize that Max is more than just his best friend. Can't wait for the next book.

A sweet love story

This book hits a bunch of my favorite tropes: friends to lover, marriage of convenience, and gay for you. Well, maybe not quite gay for you but damn close. This book also begins with tragedy. Parker’s wife is dies tragically and he’s left with his two young children, Cindy and Teddy. He turns to his best friend Max for a safe place to land. A safe place to raise his kids. A safe place to wall himself away from pain. And Max is up for the challenge. He’s happy to take in Parker and the kids. He’s always been Uncle Max (as well as godfather), but now he takes on the role of co-parent and he couldn’t be happier.

See, Max is in love with Parker. Has been for as long as he can remember. He sat back and watched his best friend marry a wonderful woman. Watched them build a life together while raising two young children. Yearned from afar and went about his life, all the while knowing Parker was just out of reach – as a romantic partner, anyway.

Things change about two years after Parker’s wife’s death. His daughter Cindy has been diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes and Parker is doing okay until he loses his job. This is where I, as a Canadian, get downright pissed. Parker loses his health insurance and has to go on a different plan that costs a fortune and doesn’t even cover the medicine Cindy needs. We’re not perfect up here with Universal Healthcare, but at least the loss of a job isn’t a potential death sentence. I’ve heard the stories – people rationing their insulin because they can’t afford it. People setting up Go Fund Me pages so they can get basic lifesaving drugs. People dying tragically when all else fails. Makes my heart hurt and hits a nerve with me.

But I digress.

Parker has an option. Max offers to marry him. Cindy will immediately be covered. All problems solved, right? Max knows this means giving up the few hookups he’s managed over the years and taking on celibacy but he’ll do it. For Parker and the kids? He’ll do anything.

After the wedding, Max’s well-meaning family set him up with several ‘dates’ with Parker and soon their bond deepens. Eventually Parker sees Max differently. Eventually their relationship shifts. There are a few sweet moments along the way, to be sure. As Max settles into the more permanent role as co-parent, he helps each child prepare for fun events at the local fair. There were some precious scenes, to be sure.

I must say I’d love to meet Greta and Bolt. Just sayin’.

I enjoyed this book tremendously. It was sweet. I’ve said that, right? Just a nice story with very little drama after the first scene. I got all kind of good feelings and the ‘dark’ moment wasn’t that dark and wasn’t even internal to the couple.

Nick J. Russo narrated the book and I was so pleased. He’s fun to listen to and always does a good job. He helped me love this book. And I did, love it that is. So, needless to say, I can highly recommend the book.

Sweet

Really enjoyed this one from Susan Hawke and narrated by the amazing Nick J Russo! I adore GFY stories and this one was very well done! Not a lot of angst and fun main characters, it has been one of my favorites in this ongoing series! Nick did a lovely job with narration, as usual!

Sweet friends-to-lovers romance

I'm still fairly new to the Men of Hidden Creek series, having only listened to the first audiobook in this series's latest season, but that certainly didn't take away from my overall listening enjoyment of Realize, the second audiobook for season four. Written by Susan Hawke and narrated by Nick J. Russo, this was a sweet story about two best friends--one who loses his wife and the mother of his children and the other who steps in and becomes the greatest source of support for his best friend and his two godchildren. But this is also more than just a friends-to-lovers story. This is also a story about family and friendship and overcoming the odds for as long as someone has your back.

After losing both their house and his wife to a horrible fire, Parker Wilson and his two children, Cindy and Teddy, were taken in by Max Jackson, Parker's best friend. Three years later and the two twenty-year-olds have created a true home for the now eight-year-old Cindy and six-year-old Teddy. When Parker loses his job--and along with it his health insurance--he isn't sure how he can afford to pay for Cindy's expensive diabetes medication. The one possible solution? That Parker and Max get married so that Parker and the kids can get on Max's health plan. It shouldn't be too difficult to be fake husbands, right? But what if one--or both--of them starts wishing that what they shared was real?

Susan Hawke, as usual, never ceases to bring me in with her beautifully written love stories, and she's done it again with this Men of Hidden Creek contribution of hers. Aside from the heaviness in the beginning of the book, this is a fairly lighthearted read with Max and Parker working like a well-oiled machine when it comes to taking care of Cindy and Teddy. There's Parker trying to figure out his sexuality, but there isn't any unnecessary drama attached to it, thank goodness! With Nick J. Russo doing yet another stellar job as narrator, the story is truly brought to life and made for one of my favorite listening experiences this year. Realize is an audiobook not to be missed. Five stars! ♥

Cute story!

This book is full of love and laughter, with some tears thrown in occasionally. I liked the slow burn love story of best friends Max and Parker, who became so much more once they entered a marriage of convenience. The interaction between the men was sweet and eventually sexy, and their relationships with Parker's kids Teddy and Cindy were funny and heartwarming. I also appreciated the attention given to explaining and celebrating demisexuality.
The narrator's terrific performance made a good story even better. I really enjoyed this audiobook.