Finding Hope, Volume 5

By: Sloane Kennedy

Narrated by: Michael Dean

Length: 9 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

At 19, Beck Barretti is living two lives. To his family, he’s a young man trying to find his way after years of battling a mental illness that nearly cost him everything. But to the rest of the world, he’s just another privileged kid with problems. The truth doesn’t even lie somewhere in between, because Beck’s entire life is actually about keeping secrets.

From the people he loves.

From the ones he doesn’t.

From himself.

Spending a summer in Dare, Montana, with family friends isn’t about starting fresh - it’s about escaping the crippling darkness that threatens to consume him.

Until one encounter that was supposed to mean nothing, ends up changing everything....

Quinn Donovan had the life he’d always dreamed of until a brutal act of violence ripped it all away. Even though he’s found a new future working at the CB Bar Ranch in Dare, Montana, he’s not interested in trying to get back what he once had. All he wants is a quiet life that includes a job that’s worth getting up for each morning and hanging out with his best friend, a black-and-white paint stallion named Koda.

But nothing prepares him for the strange twist of fate that brings not one, but two men into his life....

Brody Wilder is done hiding in the closet. As the son of a political scion, he’s spent his entire life hiding the truth about who he is just so he could inherit a legacy he never wanted. But those days are behind him, and he’s starting a new life in rural Montana where he’s saving lives as a paramedic and building a successful construction business that would surely horrify his old-money, society-loving family.

After years of denying himself, he’s taking advantage of his newfound freedom by indulging in random, meaningless sexual encounters that are about pleasure, not emotion.

So no one is more surprised than him when one night in the back room of a sordid gay club leads to something more....

Can three men who came together by chance find the hope they need?

©2017 Sloane Kennedy (P)2022 Sloane Kennedy

Great!

I loved the dynamics in this book. Characters and story were very well rounded, and the narration was fantastic.

Amazing!❤️

I’m so in love with Sloane Kennedy’s stories. After finishing the Protector series, the Escort series, the Barretti series and now the Finding series, I feel a void. The thought of not having these characters in my life is heartbreaking. More so, leaving this world of Sloane’s work is like breaking up. I hope to fill that void soon with more of her writings.

Another deep story of life, love and redemption

Kennedy has this way of writing such deep, intricate characters. Bringing Cade and Rafe Beretti’s son Beck into this series is amazing- we finally get to figure out his story. This story focuses on a polyamorous triad figuring out what they want from life and each other. There are deeply personal layers to the story, and like most other Kennedy books, this is not a light read. Poly scenes are incredibly intimate and graphic. Michael Dean, as always, does an amazing job at immersing the listener in a deeply emotional experience.

Fantastic listen!

Another beautiful live story with wrenches thrown in the works! Also the ever excellent narration completes the ambience!

Beautiful and heartbreaking

Micheal Deans voice brings this story and the characters on a whole other level. And Beck’s growth throughout this book and the series is beautiful to watch. I’m glad he got his happy ending !!!

Gripping

Lots of angst in this one. But everything works out in the end. It’s elk worth a listen.

Best in the Series

Absolutely loved this book! It’s not a light read, it’s deep and a little dark, but also wonderfully written and perfectly narrated. Highly recommend!

Beautiful Story

A beautiful story of three men who find an incredible love. Beck has been through so much on his life and Quinn & Brody are the perfect men to help him finally reclaim his life. The bond these three men cement is heartwarming The narrator is spectacular!!

Too much

This is the 5th book in the Finding series. While you don’t have to read them first, this book is best enjoyed after some foundations in books 1-4. It also features Beck Barretti, the son of the MCs from Kennedy’s Redeeming Rafe (book 2 of Barretti Security series).

Please check the CWs for this book. Kennedy’s stories always discuss some difficult topics but this one feels particularly laden. Usually I leave these until the end, but there’s no way to discuss the book without mentioning some of them (spoilers): attempted suicide of MC, abuse & SA of a child, attempted SA of secondary character, homophobia & abandonment by family of MC, death of a spouse, child “prostitution” (obviously a child can’t consent, but it’s the most succinct word)

After a suicide attempt leaves Beck crushed under the constant watch of his family, he seeks a fresh start in Dare, Montana with family friends. He meets ranch hand/horse trainer Quinn, and EMT Brody in what’s supposed to be a one night stand at a bar. Of course, his first day of work he learns he’ll be in fairly constant contact with both of them. The relationship evolves from there.

While I enjoyed how things evolved with these three - the trauma that Beck endured for his two decades of life was just too much. Piled on top of Quinn’s loss of his husband and Brody’s homophobic family - it really makes the romance a minor part of the storyline. Especially since most of the final chapters concentrate on revealing a litany of abuses/incidents. The resolution & healing didn’t feel like enough. While there’s an HFN epilogue, the additional chapter from Cade’s POV covered more of the trauma.

Frankly, it feels like Kennedy was trying to see how many things she could pile on a single character and it just missed the mark on being a romance for me even if meeting the technical definition.

Narration:
Michael Dean was great. Nearly all the characters are male and he does a great job of giving them all unique voices and personalities.

Redundant

If you’ve read the previous stories, there’s no need to read this one. They’re almost identical.