Shattered Glass

By: Dani Alexander

Narrated by: Joseph Northton

Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

A male prostitute, a mangy cat, a murder, and an obsession that threatens his career, his impending marriage and his life...nothing is going as planned for Austin Glass.

Austin Glass seems to have it all: a loving fiancée, a future with the FBI, and a healthy-sized trust fund. At least on the surface. He also has a grin and a wisecrack for every situation. But the smile he presents to the world hides a painful past he’s buried too deeply to remember, and his quips mask bitterness and insecurity. Austin has himself and most of the whole world fooled - until he meets a redhead in a pair of bunny slippers.

As events unfold in the biggest case of his life, Austin’s carefully planned future unravels, and he finds himself pushed into making quick, life-changing decisions. But can he trust himself or anything he feels, when each event seems to be just a series of volatile reactions?

©2012 Dani Alexander (P)2014 Dani Alexander

Fabulous!

What did you love best about Shattered Glass?

The narration brings the book alive and adds a whole new dimension to enjoying this book. I've read and re-read this book at least 3 times (while anxiously awaiting Cai's book), but the audiobook made it feel like a new experience. The narrator's voice is spot on for how I imagined Austin, Cai and Darryl. The supporting characters are well-voiced, too.

A Very Different Kind of Love Story!!! ❤️

I enjoyed the story and loved the two main characters so much! Joseph Northton did an excellent job with all of the character voices in the story but Peter and Austin were my favorites. I wish that the second book was forthcoming, but it’s been 7 years since he wrote this one, so I’m not holding my breath. Definitely give this one a go though!!!

I didn't expect this to be as funny as it was

Where does Shattered Glass rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I'd put it in the top 5. Great narrator, and some of the thoughts in Austin Glass' head had me in stitches.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Shattered Glass?

The first time Austin Glass saw Peter in his bunny slippers. A guy who looks like a model, with tattoos and body piercings, wearing pink bunny slippers. It's just an image that sticks in your mind.

Which character – as performed by Joseph Northton – was your favorite?

Peter. The southern drawl was nice.

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

It made me laugh. A lot. Sometimes just from the chapter / scene break headings.

Any additional comments?

I wish the next books in this series would be released soon. It's been, what? Two years since this first book was released? Also hope the rest of the books will have audiobook versions with the same narrator.

Perfect - BUT WHEN IS THE SEQUAL RELEASED???

This is absolutely in my top ten. The MC are very unique - both the detective and the young man he finds so irresistible that he becomes gay overnight. And the story have twists that you dont guess beforehand. Love the "brothers" and cant wait for the next story to get released. This book has its own ending, but it also provides a cliffhanger for the next story. If you are the impatient type, you might want to wait listening to this one, since there isnt a release date for the next one at the moment im writing this review. Narrator is good.

Awesome, Touching, Hilarious

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I love this book! This is the funniest book I have read in a while. Alexander pulled me into this fabulous story and I fell in love with every character. Austin is about the most hilarious character and I wanted more and more of him. I can't wait for Not So Innocent!

I wish for the next book

I read this book a few years ago. I remember loving it and finding the characters adorable and sweet, and something about bunny slippers. Part from that my memory of the book is hazy. So I decided to try the audio version and see if I still loved the story some three years later.

Back then I fell in love with the characters, Cai included. I think I can still count myself to one of his devoted followers, he seem to pick them up everywhere he go. I also remember loving Glass, but now for the life of me I can’t understand why.

The way he treated the people he supposedly love was awful and selfish and even cruel. To name one thing; almost in every conversation he had with Peter he called him a whore. Threw it at his face, in that demeaning way that so clearly stated that because of his past Peter was worth less, less than “regular” people (that is if such an animal exists). He was just less in Glass’ eyes. And that was when he in the next breath called Peter his boyfriend who he was also in love with. You could get whiplash for less…

Instead of looking at all the horrors Peter had overcome in his life, what he’d survived and accomplished. Glass labelled him a whore and called it done. If it was such a hardship to be with Peter, either look elsewhere for someone to love – or you know, try the mature thing and talk it out and move past it. Now Glass just came across like childish and immature, and I have to say I never warmed to him one bit this time around. Peter and Cai on the other hand I wish to see more of, know more about, both deserving of every happiness they can find. The general story and mystery was mostly interesting. It had some plot-holes and didn’t always make sense, but it kept my interest all the same.

Joseph Northton is a new voice to me. This book seems to be his first foray into audio narration and I have to say it doesn’t show. He has a wide range of voices and the way he handled the myriad of accents or foreign words was really great. Though, his Swedish does need some improvement, but I’m not holding that against him 😉 So I’d definitely recommend this book for the audio.

Shattered Glass is the first book in a supposed series – I say supposed as it’s been almost eight years since it was published and Cai’s book still hasn’t been published. If it ever is, I will most definitely pick up his book, because of Cai and three little words that I just need to know more about; Interpol and plausible deniability.

A copy of this book was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review for Love Bytes.

Loved!!! Laugh Out Loud Funny.

Where to start, where to start? My thoughts are chaotic and it is difficult to put into words why I loved this book so much. This book was just so out there, over the top, laugh out loud funny and I enjoyed the hell out of it and stayed up almost all night to finish reading it.

It is told first person through Austin Glass, which could have been disastrous had Austin been a different character. For the lack of a better description, Austin is an ass. He is sarcastic, narcissistic, spoiled, arrogant, commitmentphobe, serial cheater who, upon meeting Peter working at a diner clad in bunny slippers, has just had a life changing experience. Peter makes Austin...want. Want to have sex with a man, want to be angry at Peter for being a (previous) whore, want to protect Peter and Peter's brothers, Cai and Darryl, that Peter loves so much, want to count the freckles on Peter's skin.

This is not to say that things with Austin and Peter run smoothly, there are secrets and half truths, murders, human trafficking, discussion of previous rapes, mental illness, dirty cops and just so much fun! So much happens in this book that it would have been very good based on that alone but with the developing romance, this book is great. The character development of Peter's brother's, Cai and Darryl, is so well done that I feel like I really know them. By the end of the book I feel like I know them all and I am just so happy to have read this book.

Oh, OH, OH!! It is worth reading the book for the chapter titles alone. I laughed at every new chapter.

Incessant cranky humor & a unique storyline!

My first book by Dani Alexander and I swear I can't wait for the next one. She is just awesome in keeping a fervent pace of the story. The anticipation of what is going to happen next was my cue to keep going but the most memorable part were the cynical quips of humor that kept coming sometimes in monologue and sometimes in actual conversation from our protagonist Austin Glass ^o^. Austin in one word was hilarious, even when he is not trying to be funny and knows that everyone around him including his detective partner Luis are getting sick of his "don't care" attitude and incessant jokes. Austin's world turns upside down when he meets "Bunny Slippers" aka Rabbit aka Peter. Now, he always denied being gay, and then he meets this guy in a diner whom he is not able to forget. He is literally stalking the guy and even confronts him, and blames him about his new found gayness (lol!), till Peter comes to him and he gets to know that there really wasn't any need to pursue the guy in the first place. But, once they start to get to know each other one sees the layers they have and the life they both have lead. Austin might seem to have a perfect life, but he wasn't perfect and nor was the world around him. He was trying to be something he wasn't and Peter ignites a flame in him that he thought died long ago. But as Peter's presence become more prominent in his life, Austin's world starts crumbling down right before his eyes. Peter, on the other hand comes from a life that has seen too many hardships, its a wonder the guy wasn't broken. He is a "rock" for a 20 yr old with a demeanor Austin gets too frustrated to read and he is good in reading people being a detective. The chemistry was amazing and the author has literally teased us with their arguments and then their follow- up conversations, which did not lead to make-up sex, ohhhhh but the build-up to Austin even getting his first kiss from Peter, now that was something else. I can rant more about the two main leads, but I would definitely like to touch on some lovely support cast. Cai and Darryl were Peter's brothers (adopted), and they had a relation that frustrated and annoyed Austin the most. The three brothers had a strong bond and the way Peter was protective about Cai, rattled Austin. But, Cai was the real adorable bunny of this story. He's bipolar, a genius 16 yr old and a protégé artist. Darryl was mostly rude to Austin (there arguments are hilarious too), but he was very protective of Cai and Peter. I am already looking forward to how Cai's story going to unfold in the next book. I'm just not sure how the author will top the Austin-Peter romance. Can't wait! Narrator - This was my first narrated audio book read by Joseph Northton. Although, initially it was a bit difficult to identify monologue read from conversation, but he switched back between various character voices very well. And what with Austin's thoughts running wild all the time, its hard to keep pace ;), but the voice actor managed it superbly. He might not have impressed me like the other m-m fave of mine Gary Furlong, but I'm sure that I am going to enjoy his work with the next book. Its a must read-listen and 4.5 stars.

Witty and sexy

What made the experience of listening to Shattered Glass the most enjoyable?

The witty dialogue is in most cases laugh out loud. The monologue and the thought processes of Austin are hilarious at times and help us understand him and sometimes forgive his actions. Both leads are strong in but flawed in their own way but complement each other very well.

It is my first book from this author but it will definitely not be the last. The story never slows, its one thing after another with lots of twists and turns. There is no big revelation at the end of the book as most books are but lost of 90 degree turns that catch you off guard and keep you riveted to the book. The romance is always there and developing with its own ups and downs. I finished this book in 2 days it was that good. Even though there is no amex per say but there are definitely other things which for me were enough. This story and the writing was so good you did not need heavy smex scenes to keep your interest.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I cannot even choose. I liked both main characters, Austin and Peter as well as Kaye. The ending hints at a possibility of the next book and I cannot wait. It will be on my auto download for sure.

Have you listened to any of Joseph Northton’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

First time to listed to this narrator but it will not be my last. He has a good range of voices as well as accents. He can convey emotion and really draw you in. With more and more narrations he can only get better. Please Joseph narrate more books, you are on my auto download. If fact I searched for anything else he might have narrated but sadly this is the only one. He definitely added to the story

Any additional comments?

If you like m/m romance with a story then this book is for you. You will not regret getting it.

Extremely well written

Clever, witty & charming. The author is gifted & I wish there were more books by her. So many m/m romances are without substance. This one is dense by comparison & well worth a credit - as I write this while listening for the second time.