Men of Smithfield: Adam and Holden

By: L.B. Gregg

Narrated by: Shannon Gunn

Length: 6 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

Holden Worthington's globetrotting days are over. Once the host of a popular adventure show, he hasn't ventured past his own front door in more than a year. Then the arrival of a sexy new gardener sparks something Holden hasn't felt in a very long time - an interest in the world outside his window.

Holden tries to resist the attraction. But painfully shy yet definitely interested Adam Morgan has Holden longing to conquer his debilitating anxiety and live again. After a grisly discovery on the grounds of the estate, the town of Smithfield turns a suspicious eye on the reclusive Holden - and the two men must trust in each other to bring the truth out in the open.

©2012 Audible, Inc; 2012 L. B. Gregg

Ok story but...

It seem the Perform I was channeling Paul Lynn. I was waiting for the Paul Lynn chuckle.

Would have been better with out that gay accent.

Get your snark on

I’m not sure why I keep taking chances with this series aside from them being short and in the recommendations in the Audible romance package as the series is hit or miss. This one was a hit for me. There’s some multi level crazy going down but instead of turning on each other, everyone rallies. No one gets dragged off for being crime adjacent while poor. They dunk on each other for a while but when push comes to shove, they believe each other. There is a bad actor and they figure that out too.

Adam is good for Holden. Funnily enough I chanced on 2 books today with the same age dynamic and in both, the younger pushes the elder into more healthy behaviors. It’s sweet. I worried at first that Adam was too green, but this gets addressed. He’s not uneducated, just unpracticed. That’s an important distinction.

Someone on Twitter sells a pin that says “I probably don’t know you’re flirting with me” for neuroatypical folks like Adam. But may not need it now since he and Holden seem to complement each other’s communication styles rather than be stymied by each others quirks, which made this reader breathe easier. They are patient with each other’s limitations, while still working to improve where they can with novel workarounds and it’s nice. They also bond over having lousy fathers - others don’t see how similar their upbringings are, seeing only privileged vs poor, which helps them relate despite the class & age gaps.

Barely there cameo of Seth & David’s girls walking the basset hound was a nice find for a series reader.

Overall, despite there being a murder mystery, the trauma to main characters is low so it’s mostly a feel good story about a confusion of wayward midlife crises. I’d rate the heat at 2/5 because there’s on page explicit m/m sex but it’s not particularly novel or boundary pushing, it’s just good healthy, fun, reciprocated lust. And family bonding. And making new family.

Audio: unlike the installment that put me off because of disdain, here the narrator went for “snark queen” and it was the right choice to represent Holden and very fun to listen to. Quality seemed fine too. I had a quibble that knocked it a star but I’m tired now and can’t remember why, but the audio good enough!

It’s installments like this that keep me trying the series even when some of the books push my bad buttons. This could be my favorite so far. I think it could be read out of order just fine. So go read it already!

Comedy Capers

I absolutely Loved, Loved Holden.. His sarcastic wit and brutal honesty about the people around him had me in stitches and reminded be of Paul Lynde's Uncle Arthur character on Bewitched.

The first time I heard Book one of the Men of Smithfield series, I was hooked. I really like how L.B. Gregg storylines and characters seem to capture people and places that we know to a tee.

What happened??

The story was good, and I started listening right after I’d read Mark and Tony’s Smithfield story, which I loved. I thought the narrator did a great job on Mark andTony, but I couldn’t make it to the end of Adam and Holden because Holden’s voice was so annoying! Another reviewer likened it to Comedian Paul Lynde, and that’s exactly right. It was unbearable. Get the book, but read it, don’t listen.

The writing was terrific & the narration was outstanding. Best of the series!

I discovered this series because I fell in love with Shannon Gunn’s narration of Ella Frank’s “Temptation” series (Tate & Logan 4Ever❤️) so I looked for more by him. The series overall has been very entertaining, but this is by far the best of the bunch, and Mr. Gunn gave a stellar performance. His voices were so different from anything I’ve heard from him so far. He’s amazing — and terribly underutilized, IMO. Usually I can’t stand an effeminate MC, but Holden is hysterical. I was greatly amused throughout, and actually burst out laughing a few times. Shannon Gunn I a go-to narrator for me, and now I’ll add LB Gregg to my list of go-to authors.

All i could hear was Roger from American Dad

What did you love best about Men of Smithfield: Adam and Holden?

The story was sweet and the characters were delightfully broken. I got the feeling that Adam was maybe slightly autistic but still a strong and functioning person.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Men of Smithfield: Adam and Holden?

two little girls and a fat dog walking down the street.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

All i could imagine in the place of Holden was a short grey alien with a giant head. I believe that seth macfarlane modeled him on paul lynde which is another name being thrown around the reviews! it was distracting made the story seem slightly ridiculous!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

i imagined roger the alien from American Dad having gay sex. that was pretty funny :)

A great narrator makes a big difference

Great narrator. his performance sold the story and made it a joy to listen to. I laughed several times, especially at the end.

Sweet story but narration somewhat annoying

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The interpretation of Holden as Paul Lynde. I can understand why the narrator went this way, because the book really has great snarky dialogue. But as much as I like Paul Lynde, it is NOT sexy to hear the romance part of the book with his voice. It is really annoying after a while.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

It wasn't really that interesting. The story and romance is really pretty lame. The best thing about the book is the comedy, it is really funny. I would suggest listening to it as a funny read with a little romance.

What three words best describe Shannon Gunn’s voice?

Diversified. He did a great job with the different charaters, but I just didn't like Holden's.

Do you think Men of Smithfield: Adam and Holden needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No, just let them be happy.

Another in the Smithfield series

Another nice work in the Smithfield series. Adam and Holden seem a mismatch, but it works out in the end. This book also features Tony the cop, so guess which book I'm getting next?

So far my favorite Men of Smithfield story

Any additional comments?

This was one of the better Men of Smithfield books to me. For once the crime story actually managed to catch my interest and felt like an okay part of the story. I liked how the two awkward main characters seemed to compliment each others needs and actually make sense as a couple.