Title: Leaning Into Touch
Series: Leaning Into Stories, #4
Author: Lane Hayes
Narrator: Nick J. Russo
Publisher: Lane Hayes
Original Publication Date: October 5, 2017
Heat Level: 4 - Lots of Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 80k words
Genre: Romance, Bisexual, Humor, Second Chance, Friends to Lovers, San Francisco, Office
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Synopsis
Josh Sheehan is unlucky in love and now… newly unemployed. He’s not sure what to do next, but he’s sure he should give up on romance. Especially after last time. His friends warned him that falling for the hunky Irishman was a bad idea. Josh can’t help feeling torn even though he knows it’s best to move on. But when an unexpected dose of family drama blindsides him, Josh finds himself leaning on the one man he’s supposed to forget.Finn Gallagher is driven by success. He makes no secret that building a name for his tech company is his number one goal. Finn left home a decade ago with a ton of regret, a heavy heart, and a vow to never repeat the same mistake twice. However, there is something undeniably appealing about the self-deprecating man with the silly sense of humor that makes it difficult for Finn to remember why falling for Josh is a bad idea. It soon becomes clear they’re both in deeper than they intended. There is no way to remain untouched. And there is so much to gain, if they’re brave enough to lean in.
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Story: 4.5 Stars!
Narration: 5 Stars!
Overall: 4.75 Stars!!!
Leaning into Touch is book 4 in the Leaning Into series by Lane Hayes and it can be read as a standalone, but the series is really good, so you don't want to miss out on the previous books. I suggest reading at least book 2, since Finn is introduced there and we get to see the start of the relationship between him and Josh.
I loved Josh, he was such a fun, easygoing character. He was as passive-aggressive as his mother, trying not to let things bring him down or affect him. Still, it was obvious he felt things deeply, like the situation with his father that threw him off-kilter and his conflicting feelings for Finn, since he couldn't stop being attracted to him even if things didn't look all that great for them.
This book starts 6 months after Josh stops seeing Finn and I was a bit confused at first, I think we might have benefitted from a flashback or a prologue to show how and when things went wrong back then. Other than that, I wish we could've gotten to know Finn a bit earlier, he was all secretive and because he wasn't all that forthcoming with the information and we didn't get his POV, it took me a while to warm up to him. However, even if Finn made me want to strangle him with some of his actions and how he treated Josh, I warmed up to him and my heart broke for him when he finally shared his story with Josh. He carried a lot of guilt and while it didn't excuse him, at least it provided some answers for his behavior.
The chemistry between Josh and Finn was out of this world and the sex scenes were scorching (really, the scene at Finn's office nearly made me and my Kindle self-combust *fans self*)
As always, it was awesome that the rest of the gang is such an integral part of the story. They're the kind of friends that are there for each other and I just love them all.
While there were some things that didn't quite work for me, Ms. Hayes didn't disappoint with Josh and Finn's story, it was engaging, well-written and kept my interest. I just couldn't put it down until I was done listening to it, wanting to find out how it would play out.
Nick J. Russo did an outstanding job with the book's narration. Combining US and Irish accents in one book can't be an easy task and I think he captured Finn's accent perfectly. His tone of voice is very pleasant and smooth, giving different 'voices' to the different characters so they could be easily distinguishable. And above all, he managed to imprint the emotions that the book required and make it as awesome as the book.
Highly recommendable!
Meet the Author
Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full-time! It’s no secret Lane loves a good romance novel. An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. These days she prefers the leading roles to both be men. Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and subsequent books have received Honorable Mentions, and were winners in the 2016 Rainbow Awards. She loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband in a newly empty nest.Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Meet the Narrator
Nick is an award winning narrator with a fan following for his work in fiction, specifically in the romance genre. His performances in two of Amy Lane’s books, Beneath the Stain and Christmas Kitsch, made him the recipient of Sinfully M/M Book Review’s Narrator of the Year – 2015. When he’s not in the booth, Nick enjoys spending time with his wife, Jessica, and kids, (aka their beagle Frank and cat Stella), drumming in his cover band, exploring rural back roads with his wife on his motorcycle, or being enthralled in a tabletop role playing game with his friends.
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