Audiobook Review: Where Love Grows by Jay Northcote, Performed by Hamish Long

31 August of 2020 by ButtonsMom2003

Where Love Grows By Jay Northcote, Performed by Hamish Long

Genre: Contemporary Romance, GLBTQ, MM

Released: Audio August 11, 2020; e-book September 24, 2019

Publisher: Jaybird Press

Length: Audio 6 hrs, 54 mins; e-book 278 pages

Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @Black Jazz Design

Synopsis

When two broken men look to each other for help, an unexpected romance blooms.

Stephen’s home, deep in the heart of the Welsh valleys, suits his reclusive nature. However, as he recovers from illness, he’s struggling to manage alone. As nature reclaims the land he’s poured his heart into cultivating, he becomes increasingly unhappy. His only outlet is his blog, where he documents the decline of the garden that had been his pride and joy.

Luke is more used to a concrete jungle. He was a high-flyer, living and working in London, until addiction sent him into free fall. Now on the road to recovery, he still wants to make some changes, but he’s unsure where to find the purpose and fulfilment he craves.

A mutual acquaintance suggests Luke visits Stephen to help him out for a while, and a seed of hope is planted. From prickly beginnings, shoots of friendship emerge, blossoming into a deeper connection when they act on their mutual attraction.

This was only ever supposed to be a temporary arrangement, and soon Stephen will be able to manage on his own again. But both men need each other in ways they’re afraid to admit. If their love is going to last for more than one season, they’ll need to find the courage to be honest.

Review

Reviewed by ButtonsMom2003

Another winner! Loved it before, love it even more now.

It’s been nearly a year since I first read Where Love Grows I didn’t think the story could get any better but Hamish Long managed to increase my enjoyment of a story that I loved very much when I read it. All of Jays recent (last 12 months or so) audiobook releases have been performed by Hamish Long. I don’t know how Jay found him but I’m so glad he did. Hamish has done his usual fantastic job with this book. Audiobooks often don’t move me as much emotionally as when I read a book (I’m not really sure why) but this one brought me to tears more than once.

Other than my comments above about the audiobook, I don’t think there is much more that I can say that I didn’t put in my original review of the e-book from October 2019 (see below).

Where Love Grows is the perfect title for this story and it’s a wonderful new book by Jay Northcote. His writing is so beautifully descriptive that I could see myself in the countryside with the two main characters, Stephen and Luke.

Both MC’s have recently faced very difficult times; one due to illness and the other to self-inflicted addiction. A mutual friend brings these two men together and they both begin to heal. Things fall of the rails when their insecurities rise to the top and keep them from forming a lasting relationship.

This story brought tears to my eyes more than once. Recovering from a serious illness has left Stephen weak and unable to take care of his yard and garden that were once his pride and joy. He’s leery of getting attached to Luke and yet there is this connection between them that he finally quits fighting.

Luke has always lived in the city and knows nothing about gardening but he’s a fast learner and Stephen is willing to teach him. Through his eyes I was able to experience working in nature without having to do it for real. I’m not much of a yard-work type of person but I loved reading about how being outside helped to turn Luke’s life around.

I really felt the connection between the two men and when things went awry, I cried along with them. Thank goodness they both came to their senses and ended up with a heartwarming HEA.

Story: ♥♥♥♥♥

Narration: ♥♥♥♥♥

O Factor: Spicy

Reviews for Jay Northcote

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About Author

Jay Northcote

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England. He comes from a family of writers, but always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed him by. He spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content.

One day, Jay decided to try and write a short story—just to see if he could—and found it rather addictive. He hasn’t stopped writing since.

Jay writes contemporary romance about men who fall in love with other men. He self-publishes under the imprint Jaybird Press.

Author Links

A review copy of this audiobook was provided by the author.