Recent Release Audiobook Review: The Beautiful Things Shoppe by Philip William Stover, Performed by Kale Williams and Michael Dean

31 January of 2021 by ButtonsMom2003

The Beautiful Things Shoppe By Philip William Stover

Genre: Contemporary Romance, GLBTQ, MM

Tropes: Small town, opposites attract

Released: January 26, 2021

Publisher: Carina Press (Carina Adores)

Series: Seasons of New Hope, Book 2

Length: 221 pages / 7 hrs, 26 mins

Narrators: Michael Dean and Kale Williams

Synopsis

Their collections may clash, but their hearts are a perfect match.

Moving to eclectic New Hope, Pennsylvania, and running The Beautiful Things Shoppe is a dream come true for elegant and reserved fine-arts dealer Prescott J. Henderson. He never agreed to share the space with Danny Roman, an easygoing extrovert who collects retro toys and colorful knickknacks.

And yet here they are, trapped together in the quaint shop as they scramble to open in time for New Hope’s charming Winter Festival.

Danny has spent years leading with his heart instead of his head. The Beautiful Things Shoppe is his chance to ground himself and build something permanent and joyful. The last thing he needs is an uptight snob who doesn’t appreciate his whimsy occupying half his shop.

It’s only when two of New Hope’s historic landmarks – each as different as Danny and Prescott – are threatened that a tentative alliance forms. And with it, the first blush of romance. Suddenly, running The Beautiful Things Shoppe together doesn’t seem so bad…until Danny’s secret threatens to ruin it all.

Carina Adores is home to highly romantic contemporary love stories featuring beloved romance tropes, where LGBTQ+ characters find their happily-ever-afters.

Review

Reviewed by ButtonsMom2003

Loved the story, loved the audio performance!

I enjoyed the first book in this series but I really loved this one. You don’t need to read book one, The Hideaway Inn to enjoy The Beautiful Things Shoppe; it’s fine as a standalone. This story is a great opposites-attract one.

Two men, who couldn’t be more different, must share a retail space. Prescott sells high-end antiques and Danny sells kitsch, ephemera and nostalgia. The two of them mix like oil and water in the beginning but it isn’t long before they begin to feel something different than disdain for each other. Once they are united in the common cause to save a historic building, they grow even closer.

The story kept me totally engaged and brought back memories of going “junking” with my mother and sister. The things that Danny sells are so similar to what we looked for while prowling through flea markets and antique/junk stores. I think that Philip William Stover did a fantastic job with this story.

Now for my comments on the audio performance. I loved the audiobook so much. I would never have thought to pair Kale Williams and Michael Dean. I love both of them and have listened to several books they’ve each performed individually. I’ve mostly listened to serious/romantic suspense stories from Kale and romcom and erotica from Michael. The two of them together performing this romantic story just blew me away.

I need to note that I’m not usually a fan of dual narration. Having said that, Kale and Michael were an absolutely brilliant match up for this story. I’m in awe of how smooth the transition went between them; I was never pulled out of the story like I have been with some dual narrations. I’d recommend this audiobook for their performances alone but the story is also wonderful.

This wasn’t a super long audiobook but I listened to it straight through because I just couldn’t put it down. I don’t know if there are more books coming in this series but I’ll be onboard to read them if there are.

♥♥♥♥♥

O Factor: Spicy

Seasons of New Hope Series

♥ Amazon US ♥ Amazon CA ♥ Amazon UK ♥ Kobo US ♥

About Author

Philip William Stover

Philip William Stover splits his time between Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and New York City. He has an MFA in writing and is a clinical professor at New York University where he is the former chair of the writing curriculum. As a freelance journalist, his essays and reviews have appeared in Newsday, The Forward, The Tony Awards, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Houston Chronicle, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and other national publications.

Philip grew up tearing the covers off the romance novels he devoured so he wouldn’t get teased at school. Now he enjoys traveling the world with his husband of over twenty years and sitting in front of the woodstove with their half-Bassett, half-Sharpei rescue pup and he would never consider defacing any of the books he loves.

He is thrilled to be returning to romance and loves to write cozy, warm-hearted stories served by hairy forearms with a side of fries. He can be found on social media as Philip William Stover.

Author Links