Thief with heart of gold meets Mad Earl

I enjoyed this story but it took a little willing suspension of disbelief above the usual. Most of it could likely be ignored but I’ve listened to it twice & the same things stood out to me. They may or may not have explanations in other books of the series (I have read a couple, but not all) & may or may not bother other readers. But I wanted to root for the characters so I enjoyed it, and would recommend it even with these concerns. Two men from opposite ends of the economic, social, & other backgrounds meet each other somewhere in the middle by changing each other’s minds about what is & isn’t “normal” or possible. And there’s a friendly dog.

Lawrence & Georgie are an earl & his sketchy secretary. They are thrust together by circumstances that felt plausible enough, except it’s never explained how Georgie learned to read & write. He usually had a home as a kid, but with a day job of street thieving he was not sitting in school. Maybe it was in a previous book? Also, I kind of get how Georgie’s projection makes him want to welcome son Simon into the household, but his over-enthusiasm was still a little weird. Lawrence’s icy shut out felt more likely since people behaving badly & hurting others while convincing themselves they’re helping is all too common a character trait. As a reader, I was all in for Georgie making things welcoming for Simon, even if I couldn’t fully figure out why he was so gung ho. Since the earl already figured out what to do or not do by doing the opposite of what he thought his family would do, It made it easier to believe he could be persuaded out of long held notions about himself inflicted by his horrible family.

Worldbuilding: Done with a light hand. The secondary characters in this book are in other books so there’s a consistent group of people for series readers to check in with. I read this after a sequel, though, and Courtney was decent enough around Simon that I don’t know why later plots cut him out. I did like how the mysterious noises & whatnot around the castle all got explained.

Steam: Medium/MLow. There’s some explicit M/M action on page. There’s a decent amount of flirting and once the guys are on the same page, & Georgie convinces Lawrence that being gay isn’t a sign of madness, their enthusiasm for each other is satisfying. The focus is more on the emotions but the physicality is there to back them up.

Narration: Narrator’s voice is mild with a mild accent that, while making it easy to parse words, didn’t distinguish characters much. There were two POVs, something I prefer in a romance, but it could get tricky. If I zoned out a little while listening, I either had to rewind or work to figure out which character was which. They had unique enough written voices it wasn’t as hard to tell POVs as it was in Courtney’s later book, but it was still work. The sound quality was fine.

5 people found this helpful

Spectacular, Gary Furlong Was Perfect!

Spectacular!!!

This series is so well done! The first one was amazing, but I liked this one even more. The characters are so creative and interesting, and the story was unique and kept me guessing. Obviously the ending is a given, but how they get there? Wonderful.

Audio is a great way to enjoy Cat Sebastian. Gary Furlong was born to read these characters and delivers a flawless performance. His accents are beautifully varied and it's easy to distinguish between the different characters, I always enjoy listening to him.

5 people found this helpful

Historical romance without the stupid stuff

It's not perfect, It has the OMG gay stuff,. I like historical romance, but I can't lie, every simpering woman makes me die a little inside. If it take two men to have a story where someone isn't opened mouthed idiot. BRING ON THE MEN!!!

4 people found this helpful

Refreshing, believable, and fun

One of the most enjoyable books I've listened to in ages. The story is character-driven and sweet. Both men have guilt, fear, and self-hatred plaguing them, and they must overcome these struggles to find peace and happiness--in their souls and their relationship. They do just that.

Lawrence's neurodivergence is handled with care, and it is so refreshing to see it portrayed with such authenticity. Neurodivergence is often handled so poorly and portrayed inaccurately for the sake of plot, but Cat Sebastian wrote Lawrence with understanding and accuracy. His mental health isn't used as some fetishistic gimmick to add tragedy or whatnot to a romance, thank God. It's a gentle examination of what men like Lawrence might be made to feel in a world where so few understand them. Lawrence feels like a real person. This alone is reason enough for a raving 5-star review, and everything else is just as well-written.

Both men have tremendous character growth that is beautiful to watch unfold. Their relationship grows naturally, believably. It's an authentic slow burn, starting early with flirtation and longing. Every time something intimate seems about to happen, it's snatched away, leaving you wanting more. All the waiting pays off in the best way, with every romantic and intimate moment feeling earned and making sense. Georgie's background is handled with as much care as Lawrence's. They really are a "pretty pair" just as Georgie joked. Both men endeared me quickly, and I rooted for them from start to finish. I think my only complaint is that I'm not terribly fond of the choice for Georgie's ring, but I'll let that slide. He can have his garish haunted ring if he wants it, I suppose.

The narrator is perfect for this book. Every bit of dialogue is delivered with the appropriate tone and voice. His narration is likeable and unobtrusive, letting the story and characters shine.

I highly recommend this book.

1 person found this helpful

P funny

I enjoyed it. The build up to their attraction wasn't the absolute greatest, but I love Georgie, and he made up for the novel's few shortcomings.

1 person found this helpful

Great listen

Gary Furlong is a delightful narrator that hits just the right tone. A truly pleasant listen.

The story is also a very nicely written tale. I enjoyed it quite a lot, and would recommend it for anyone who likes m/m.

1 person found this helpful

An inventor and a con artist fall in love <3

This book was an unexpected surprise. I really enjoyed the audiobook and Gary Furlong does such a fabulous job with all the voices with the characters! The performance keeps you focused on the story and I really loved how he had different accents for each of the characters (I’m assuming they reflect the different local accents in the UK the characters are from).

This story works as a standalone, but does fall next in the Turner series. In the first book we were introduced to a man named Jack who helps wealthy clients “fix” things in their lives. This is a story of Jack’s brother – Georgie. Georgie Turner is on the run from his former associates after he botches a con where he was supposed to be swindling an elderly woman out of her money. He unfortunately developed a heart instead. He escapes out of London to Cornwall to act as a presumably "mad man’s" secretary.

The man in question is the Earl of Radnor, Lawrence Browne. There is talk about the village that the man is mad after incidences involving his father and older brother. It certainly doesn’t help matters that Lawrence, in the middle of one of his inventions, blows up part of the estate.

I think that Georgie and Lawrence are an electric pair (pun intended). Both come carrying a fair bit of baggage on their shoulders and their first meeting is disastrous. Lawrence takes to tinkering with his inventions and easily loses track of his days, so when Georgie first arrives at his home, Lawrence mistakes him for an intruder. This story is a bit slowly paced, I think, in that there’s no grand event that spurs the plot forward. Instead, it follows the character’s daily lives and we get to see how Georgie and Lawrence overcome their initial reservations with each other.

Georgie is intelligent and we get to see his skills at managing a household and any affairs that Lawrence can’t seem to be bothered with – like tending to the bits of the estate that have fallen to disrepair. I think Georgie is absolutely lovely and has a big heart, but he’s never had the opportunity to show that side of himself to anyone before.

Meanwhile, Lawrence is the biggest cinnamon roll character in this series. All he wants is for people to leave him alone while he works on his inventions. He is so, SO smart. Because of what happened with his father and brother, he believes himself mad, when Georgie is convinced otherwise. He does own a very large dog that seems to act very much like I would imagine a therapy dog to be and provides comfort to Lawrence.

The story is steamy, but sweet. Georgie and Lawrence are complete opposites, and I loved seeing them interact with one another and how they opened up to one another about their fears and their pasts. The story does contain a certain air of mystery as it regards the affairs of Lawrence’s estate and the rumors shrouding Lawrence himself. It’s not a mystery-novel, per se, but it did keep me intrigued. I liked the introduction of some secondary characters that arrived late in the story. I won’t spoil anything, but it does give us a few characters that will be fleshed out further in the next book.

I enjoyed The Lawrence Browne Affair a lot and would highly recommend this story, and definitely in audiobook format!

Another great romance from Cat!

I really love Cats work and I love to see all the characters from other books connect into each other. This is another sweet (and at times sexy) romance.

Another Intriguing Listen

The story and narrator remain compelling and intriguing. I can't stop consuming this series, and only feel disappointment when the story comes to an end. Cat Sebastian manages to create characters and weave stories that keep me engaged, interested, and entertained.

Excellent story and performance

Cat Sebastian writes sympathetic characters, and builds an interesting plot around them. A reclusive Scottish lord, a gifted thief, mixed with a bit of smuggling, a daring rescue, and a child in need of a home. Home is, in fact, a central theme---and how the lord and the thief come to make one together for themselves and for the lord's son. Gary Furlong's performance is superlative. He has such a gift for accents, and for conveying character and emotion.