The Trouble With Tony

Sex in Seattle, Book 1

By: Eli Easton

Narrated by: Tommy O'Brien

Length: 3 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

As part of the investigation into the murder of a young woman, Seattle P.I. Tony DeMarco poses as a patient of Dr. Jack Halloran, the therapist who treated the victim at a Seattle sex clinic. This isn’t the first time Tony has gone undercover, but it’s the first time he’s wanted to go under covers with one of his suspects. He can’t help it --Jack Halloran is just the kind of steely eyed hero Tony likes. But he’ll have to prove Halloran’s innocence and keep the doctor from finding out about his ruse before he can play Romeo.

Dr. Halloran has his own issues, including a damaged right arm sustained in the line of duty as a combat surgeon in Iraq and the PTSD that followed. He’s confused to find himself attracted to a new patient, the big, funny Italian with the puppy-dog eyes, and Tony’s humor slips right past Jack’s defenses, making him feel things he thought long buried. But can the doctor and the P.I. find a path to romance despite the secrets between them?

©2013 Eli Easton (P)2015 Dreamspinner Press

An ex-Cop and an ex-Combat Surgeon RomCom

Would you listen to The Trouble With Tony again? Why?

Yes. It's short, sweet, light, funny and has likeable characters. Just the kind of thing to listen to after a stressful day (or week).

Who was your favorite character and why?

Tony. I like how awkward he is even though he's this big, tough, hot Italian guy who used to be a Cop. The way he was so flustered around Jack was cute, and I liked his conversations with his mother.

What does Tommy O'Brien bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

This was my first experience with Tommy O'Brien and I was surprised at how good he was. He gave Tony and Jack the right kind of voices which made them sound close to what I imagined they'd sound like in real life so that was a bonus. I'd actually read the ebook version several months ago and enjoyed it, so it was a real treat to revisit these characters without having to actually read it again (and give my poor, tired, strained eyes a rest).

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

A bit. I mean, it's only slightly over 3 hours, so it wouldn't be that hard to accomplish.

Wish for more emotion

Would you listen to The Trouble With Tony again? Why?

maybe, some parts

Who was your favorite character and why?

Tony, of course. He had a little accent that added some depth to the narration.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

There was very little emotion in this narration so it fell flat.

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

I loved the story, love Eli Easton, love this series.

B+ rating...

My Review:
Overall: 4.0
Performance: 4.0
Story: 4.25

Flat out...there are three books so far in this series. I've read it completely backwards, starting with the third and working my way back. I didn't plan to do it that way. It's just how it worked out.

But I have to say this is such an interesting premise for a series...set in a sex clinic...where sometimes the treatment is hands on. Certainly not the normal type of health treatment.

The two main characters in this book are both pretty messed up and incredibly lonely. Jack was a combat surgeon who got hit by an IED. As a result, he had to give up surgery and his life in the military...his arm and hand are messed up. That's how he ended up as a doctor at the sex clinic...but normally he just does examinations, not the treatments although he is trained to do both.

Tony is a PI. He's investigating a death of a woman who was treated at the clinic. To gain information, he goes in as a patient under Jack, who also treated the murder victim. BUT Tony actually has a real reason to be at the clinic too...he doesn't become aroused like a normal guy...his libido is extremely picky and has only liked 4 people in Tony's entire adulthood. That makes things difficult for a healthy gay male who would like to actually have sex every once in a while.

This is a short book/listen. Like I said before, the premise is completely new and interesting. I loved both Jack and Tony and could empathize with their need for a connection.

The narrator did a great job with Tony. Tony's a NYC Italian and the narrator got that accent spot on. He did a great job with the inflections and putting the emotion into the story.

Overall, I liked it. It was a nice diversion for a few hours while I did my chores. I'm glad I listened to it.

3,5 likable stars

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

The narrator did a decent job. It was okay.

Was The Trouble With Tony worth the listening time?

yes

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed it. The cover is bleh, though.

My Kinda Trouble

Would you consider the audio edition of The Trouble With Tony to be better than the print version?

Tommy O'Brien brings something extra to the audio version. I really like his narrative style.

What other book might you compare The Trouble With Tony to and why?

Just the other books in this series. Familiar characters and all.

Have you listened to any of Tommy O'Brien’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes. Shy, by John Inman. I love that book and it's the reason why I bought the audio version of this one. Sometimes no matter how enjoyable the printed version is, a bad narrator can put you off. I've passed on many audiobooks because of terrible narration.

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

It made me laugh, but some parts of the story made me angry and sad.

Any additional comments?

I pray that the rest of the series will be available through Audible and that they keep this narrator. Theyd be crazy to mess up a good thing.

Eli Easton writes the most adorable MM romances

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

Don't let the cheesy cover art turn you off! This is a great story. Both characters are sweet and likable. I have loved all of Eli Easton's books so far and this one does not disappoint. Her stories and characters always make me smile. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Great story

Easy to listen to, well put together and an example of perseverance. It tells how love can make it in spite of negative circumstances.

Wonderful as always

Eli Easton is truly one of my favorite authors. I love that I always come to the end of a story feeling warm all over. The stories are always different and fun to read, and the writing is always first class. I know when I spot an Eli book I will finish it feeling good, and that's what I am looking for.

Thoroughly enjoyable

Eli Easton has a happily entertaining series starting with The Trouble with Tony. I read all 4 books out of order which didn’t detract from greatly enjoying each one.
Strong personalities combined with intelligence and goodness made each character a pleasure to know.
Great narrator too.
Highly recommended.

I want more

A fun romance and a potentially interesting mystery. I only wish there was more of the mystery. It seemed to resolve rather quickly, but the resolution does improve the romance so I can't complain too much.

I hope to hear more from these characters in the other books.