Apple Boy

The Quiet Work, Book 1

De: Isobel Starling

Narrado por: Gary Furlong

A new LGBT fantasy series from award-winning author Isobel Starling

A lost lordling, a farm boy, and a tale of mystery, magic, and murder!

After a traumatic event, Winter Aeling finds himself destitute and penniless in the backwater town of Mallowick. He needs to travel to the city of Serein and impart grave news that will bring war to the Empire, but without a horse, money, and with not a soul willing to help him, he has no choice but to line up with the common folk seeking paid work on the harvest.

As wagons roll into the market square and farmers choose day laborers, Winter is singled out for abuse by a brute of a farmer. The only man who stands up for him is the farmer's beguiling son, Adam, and on locking eyes with the swarthy young man Winter feels the immediate spark of attraction.

Winter soon realizes there is a reason he has been drawn to Blackdown Farm. The farmer possesses a precious item that was stolen long ago from Winter’s family, and he determines to retrieve it. He also cannot take his eyes off Adam, and as the young man opens up Winter can’t help wondering if Adam is just kind or his kind!

FYI - Apple Boy has an M/M couple, graphic gay sexual activity, and a cliffhanger ending.

*The next book in the series, Dark Harvest (The Quiet Work, Book 2), is coming soon!*

©2019 Isobel Starling (P)2019 Decent Fellows Press and Isobel Starling

Perfect duo Starling and Furlong

What an awesome book. It’s starts out like a coming of age young man to young man love. Then the blossoming of winters 20th year changes his and Adams life. Gary Furlong is an awesome narrator/actor/linguistic. I really enjoyed the whole story and waiting for the next chapter to find what happens to our two lovely boys/men. The only part was during the counsel meeting it became long winded and in my opinion boring however we must know of the past to move forward. I highly recommend this book. Buy it and enjoy.

Quite interesting and entertaining

First off, let me just say how colorful and enjoyable the characters in this book are. The narrator is awesome and I was very entertained by his performance.

The plot is interesting but the story moved a bit slowly in the beginning and I was a little ready to say I'm done. However, the author took the time to build a very interesting world and the characters are well developed. I can appreciate that. Not normally a fan of drawn out beginnings but I was pleasantly surprised and so glad I hung in there.

This is a slow to medium burn M/M romance but I kind of enjoyed the two main characters attraction to each other. It seems like a good start to a new series.

There is so much more I could say but I really am trying to stop giving spoilers in my reviews. I just say read it and see for yourself. You will be entertained. I guarantee it.

I look forward to the next book in the series.

This book was given to me by request for my unbiased review.

Lovely fairytale with dark cliffhanger ending

This started as a tale of a young nobleman lost and impoverished then turned into a fairytale that took a dark turn before stopping in a cliffhanger.

Perfect in every way.

Absolutely amazing!! First thing, I swear every book I listen to narrated by Gary Furlong sounds like it’s narrated by a different person just perfect for that story. I don’t know how he does it, but he’s so talented that he can always make his voice just fit a character absolutely perfectly. Now, as for the actual story, I am completely blown away. This was a wild ride from beginning to end, and I for one was so glad to be on it. Our two hapless MCs know absolutely nothing about magic so we get to learn right there with them; which often times leads to way too wordy explanations or sloppy word building, but here it is done so perfectly you feel like you’re on this adventure too. And the romance is so right, kinda slow burn, definitely steamy, and definitely heartfelt. There’s a very firm HFN (these two aren’t going anywhere without each other), and I will just be over here dying until we get the next story.

Wow! Just wow.

I started listening to this book not really knowing what to expect. I finished absolutely excited about the new and creative world that I was introduced to. The story does end with you wanting (or in my case needing) to move on to the next story. [which at the time of this review in not out yet]

I thought this book would be about a poor rich boy and a lucky poor boy who get together and bam! HEA. Nope, Winter was never a bad person but his experiences before he meets Adam humbled him and made him deserving of the next phase of his life. Adam is sweet and determined and I am so happy that he will play an important role in helping Winter with his magic, not just the love interest that supports him from the sidelines.

Gary Furlong was amazing. The way he performs the different voices and accents just draws you into the world that Starling created and I wasn't ready to leave so please hurry with book 2.

Incredible, enchanting, entertaining!

I can not say how much I loved this audiobook! I have not listened to such a creative, warm, mysterious, magical story in a long time. I loved the adventure and the way Win and Adam seemed made for each other, even before any connection was made. The author's descriptions are detailed and made me feel like I was in the story with the characters. Alternately serious, sad, and downright funny, this book is unique and enchanting. It's also sexy as he**! I absolutely loved it, and I hope the next book comes soon, because I want to know more of what happens to Win and Adam.

The narration by Gary Furlong is wonderful! It absolutely drew me into the story and kept me spellbound until the end. Now I want more, more, more. His tone and delivery were so relaxed and casual and natural. It felt like he was relating a story he had experienced himself and knew well. Perfect!

I received a free copy of this audiobook at my request, and this is my honest, voluntary review. If you like magical fantasy, adventure, and romance, you don't want to miss this audiobook! .

Charming, magical, romantic tale

I enjoyed the audiobook: Apple Boy, Isobel Staling’s fantasy tale of magic and gay romance. I found her writing and characters engaging, the story well paced, as was the excellent narration of Gary Furlong.
I am generally not a fan of fantasy, however, this book did draw me into the its fantastic Empire.
The hero, Winter Aelings character was fun, carrying on his upperclass entitlement even in his fall from grace at the story start. However, he is well balanced by the handsome country lad Adam - whose down to earth attitude and virginal charm are a good match for Winter’s boyish naughtiness.
Among the myriad of colorful charters you meet in this adventure, I particularly enjoyed the elderly love-bird lawyers who appear later in the tale. The magic that happens resulting from the chemistry of the two young men is exciting in more ways than one.

Spectacular Story! Gary Furlong is Amazing!

Epic fantasy, gripping mystery, erotic romance… YES! Apple Boy, the first book in Isobel Starling’s latest series The Quiet Work, is a non-stop adventure and thoroughly entrancing. I’ve never read anything that wasn’t excellent by this talented author, but Ms. Starling has definitely raised the bar with this one! I’m recommending it to everybody, because it’s just that good.

As fans of Isobel Starling’s audiobooks can attest, no one can do her stories justice like Gary Furlong. His performances elevate the experience, and bring everything to life in the most wonderful way. It’s like listening to a Broadway play.

Mr. Furlong’s vocal style and accents are truly limitless and he continues to come up with new and inspired ways to add expression and uniqueness to every character. Who but Gary Furlong could make two elderly solicitors (who just happen to be birds) voices fit them so perfectly they actually come alive?

Told as a narrative, Winter Aeling’s story unfolds gradually. What appears to be a simple smuggling scheme turns out to run far deeper, and Winter’s unwitting discovery is the start to his incredible journey. Destiny, magic, and luck play equal parts in his quest to deliver his news to the political center of this empire, and without giving too much away I can say that his stopover at the apple orchard is no fluke.

The chemistry that sparks between Winter and Adam, the orchard owner’s son, evolves into a deep and true friendship. A delicious slow-burn, it’s a pleasure to watch as their unresolved sexual tension reaches astronomical proportions. Trust me when I say it’s definitely worth the wait. Isobel Starling is a master of erotic love scenes, and she hasn’t let her readers down yet.

Apple Boy is an emotional story and flows from playful humor to dark and tragic events with far reaching consequences. The deeply passionate connections of lovers are just as important as the poignant moments between family members and each contribute to the overall flavor of the tale. The world Isobel Starling builds is filled with olde tyme charm and colorful characters.

The happy-for-now ending is wonderful for Winter and Adam, and I'm looking forward to catching up with them later in the series. I know we’ve just scratched the surface of this incredible world, and I can’t wait to see what the next book in this marvelous new series will bring. There’s no doubt, with Isobel Starling’s imagination, the sky’s the limit!

Apple Boy

If you were destined to wonder alone in a world full of cruelty and condemnation for being who you are, what life would you lead? Would you look at the glass half empty or half full? Deciding to make every breath count, Starling’s main character has a determination and drive that will take him through many hardships on the road to finding his way back to his family. Readers will be immersed into an adventurous tale with this first installment.

Winter Aeling is just a young man who will one day rule Thorn. Being inexperienced when it comes to knowing the lay of the land, he decides to travel through surrounding cities in hopes of learning their cultures and ways of life. Never in his wildest dreams does he imagine the ill intent that befalls him and his beloved protector and companion on his journey to Serein, leaving him without any of his belongings or money. Winding up in a little place called Mallowick, Winter is forced to hide his identify for fear of punishment or death. He finds himself needing to make some money to get to his destination; therefore, heads to Blackdown Farm. Little does he know that this is not the only reason that he has been drawn to this farm. An item that was taken from Winter’s family long ago has resurfaced and the farmer of Blackdown Farm is none the wiser of what secrets he holds with the item being in his possession. With the help of the farmer’s son, Adam, Winter is shown kindness for what seems like the first time since leaving his home. Finding himself quite smitten with Adam, he can’t help but attempt to distance himself, knowing he will have to continue on his journey alone. Feeling torn between what he wants and his destiny to get information back to his people, he doesn’t know how to proceed. It appears that he would need a miracle…or some type of magic to aid him on his journey?

Starling has a captivating tale with creativity and well-developed characters. The pace is steady and the story appears to be well-written; however, this review is complimenting the audiobook. The narrator’s voice relay is effortless and engaging. His voice differentiation between characters is absolutely stunning and adds to the story, creating exuberant scenes from they way he reads the words alone. If you are a reader of LGBT fantasy and adventure, you are sure to love this story. Since this is the first installment in The Quiet Work series, readers are able to dive right into the tale.

A copy of this audiobook was provided to Turning Another Page by Audiobookworm Promotions and in no way affects the honesty of this review. We provide a five-star rating to Apple Boy by Isobel Starling.

Loved it! Can’t wait for book 2!!

“This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.”

I’ve had this one for a while and kept waiting, hoping the second book would be available to start as soon as I finished this one. However, that was not the case and I didn’t want to wait any longer. I really like Isobel Starling’s books especially paired with Gary Furlong.

I’ll be anxiously awaiting book 2! Definitely worth a credit if you like magic mixed with your mystery! Don’t pass it up!!