Breakthrough

Dads of Stillwater, Book 2

By: Ana Ashley

Narrated by: John Solo

Length: 6 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

A young single dad. An older man. An impossible love story.

I have an inconceivable crush. Then again, my life is already full of dreams, so what harm can one more do?

My mother always told me to watch out for the break in the clouds.
I never thought that would come in the form of the sexy, older, and kind primary school teacher who’s currently living rent free in my head with no intention of moving out.

How can I survive Ellis when he takes an interest in my community, takes an interest in my daughter, and the way he looks at me…I think he may be taking an interest in me, too.

Having dreams is one thing.
Believing they can come true is…daring to hope that for once I may get the happily ever after I’ve longed for.

Breakthrough is book two in Ana Ashley’s series, Dads of Stillwater. This story contains an age gap, a sweet nine-month-old baby everyone will coo about, all the feels, and Ana Ashley’s usual happy ever after.

Trigger warning: This book contains mentions of drug use, violence, and suicide.

©2022 Ana Ashley (P)2023 Ana Ashley

I loved everything about this book!

We’re back in Stillwater, the absolutely-not-sleepy little town I am already in love with! I adored Ellis and Milo, and cute little Sara is so precious!!! I love age gaps and here we have a significant one ( 16 years!) but I love how their relationship is on equal footing. I appreciated that both men are mature enough to talk things through, even the difficult ones, thus avoiding unnecessary drama and stress!

Tear jerker

I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this series. Pretty slow paced. It grew on me pretty quickly. These books have all the feels, laughter and tears. Hope there will be another one.

Fun, Sweet Entertainment

We are delighted again with Ana Ashley’s ability to create a charming small town of fun, lovable characters. Well, minus that one lady. But every town needs a villain, right? Maybe not, but they’ve all got one! I love getting to see familiar faces and hear familiar names and I was not disappointed with this story. We caught a glimpse of Ellis’ and Milo’s dynamics in the previous book, but if you haven’t read it you won’t be lost. It really was just a glimpse of everyone BUT them seeing how they circled around each other while they carried on obliviously. If you’ve read the author’s books before you know she gives little teasers at the end of the previous story. They are meant to get you curious but not to be something that is necessary to read if you happen to start the series with this book.

These characters will pull at your heartstrings. If you’re looking for an easy to listen to audio, with low-angst, and a sweet romance, then this is one I’d recommend. You can start with this one or from the beginning. It’s a preference thing, and everyone is different. It ends in a HEA and the storyline is contained to this book.

Gratifying

I really enjoyed the audio. I feel it added reality to the story. John Solo did an excellent job of narrating this story. His ability to make the listening so pleasing that it’s no wonder he has his own following. This is an age gap, low angst story. Milo has lost all those close to him except for his daughter Sara. Milo quit school before he earned his high school diploma and so jobs are not high paying. He has trouble making ends meet. Luckily he has a neighbor Florrie that steps in and helps with child care while Milo works.
Milo has a crush on a customer that he serves, Ellis, but figures he is way out of his league. Events keep happening that cause Milo and Ellis to be at the same place and gives them a chance to get to know each other.
There are other circumstances that cause Milo and Ellis to be much more concerned with things other than their relationship. There are issues surrounding Ellis. Milo has concerns that affect Sara. I found this story full of hope.

Beautiful Listen!

I just love listening to Ellis and Milo's story! All the emotions in this story just made me love it even more. I just love these two. Then John Solo does the narration and I just can't help but love it even more. He brings so much life to this story that I couldn't stop listening. Absolutely amazing!

Milo & Ellis

I adore Milo and his attitude. I feel like he's someone I know. Ellis is older than him and trying not go get involved in another relationship, much less with a younger man. Sara is adorable. Great narration.

Sweet story

This was a sweet romance of two people meeting in a grocery store and both having crushes they try to ignore but ending up getting to know each other when one needs extra work hours and the other needs help with their backyard they help each other through their problems and there’s a cute baby bonus as well

An excellent story!

I love the town of Stillwater! These guys always come through for each other and I love the found family here. I also love the little nods to Chester Falls, which another great small town found family series. Milo and Ellis are so perfect. And watching Milo with his baby girl absolutely warmed my heart. Both of these men had to realize that they were worthy of being loved and watching their relationship build was so sweet. Their chemistry is also insane. ❤️‍🔥 I loved this story and all of the nosy friends shenanigans and now need Tyler’s story. Stat! And John Solo is perfection with his narration. I love his voice. He always does a superb job.

I really enjoyed it

This was a sweet relatively low angst read. Milo is struggling to raise his 9 mth old baby girl and works at a grocery store. His manager is a tool. Ellis is a school teacher who is extremely attracted to the sexy, shy cashier. Milo has a crush on the sexy school teacher & feels that he is way out of his league. When Milo gets a notification that his rent is going up and he's not getting more hours at the store, he answers a want ad to do some gardening work. Needless to say he is shocked to see that Ellis is the person that answers that ad. I loved watching these two growing as friends and then slowly letting their walls fall & growing into lovers. I loved the secondary characters as well. Even though this is book two in the series, it can be read as a standalone.

a heartwarming story

Breakthrough is Book 2 in the Dads of Stillwater series. I loved this beautifully written story about Milo and Ellis. These two men have tragic pasts and seem to dance around each other when it comes to their feeling because they don't want to burden the other with their baggage. But it turns out they are just who the other needs. I love the part where Ellis will only go to Milo's register when he's working. Though there is an age difference between Milo and Ellis, they have such a wonderful connection and deserve their happy ending. This is a heartwarming story with all this feels and I definitely recommend it. 
Narrator John Solo does an amazing job. He continues to be one of my favorite narrators. You can tell he enjoys what he does.

A sweet story

I already liked the first book in the series, but I found this one even better.
Milo is a single father struggling with the adversities of life. He barely makes ends meet with his part-time job and then he has the misfortune of his manager not being very friendly.
Ellis goes shopping at the supermarket where Milo works, and when Milo applies for the weekend job in Ellis's backyard, the restraint is gone.
I like Ana Ashley's writing style. She portrays the small town atmosphere perfectly and I also love how she breathes life and depth into the characters. And all of her characters are special somehow. There are many likeable side characters, like the sister and various friends I already knew from the previous volumes. And you have to love Milo's little girl.
The story is compellingly written, there are plenty of emotions as both Milo and Ellis struggle with their pasts and the walls go up for now.
I found this overly romantic and almost angst free story very sweet.
An easy listening audiobook that was fun to listen to. It's also a good story to listen to as a standalone.

John Solo narrated the audiobook and he did a good job bringing the story to life with its characters. His narration was a good fit for this book.

Beautifully satisfying shadows-and-light romance!

Milo is a young single dad, raising his dead brother’s baby daughter, Sarah. He struggles with time to make ends meet: working in a grocery store, caring for Sarah, and studying for his GED. He has a soft spot for Ellis, one of his older customers, who is a primary teacher. Ellis also has feelings for Milo but worries that, being around 40, he’s too old. Both men carry sadness from their pasts and it was a joy to watch them slowly bring hope as they help turn each other’s lives around. While this had all the trademark Ana Ashley warmth, it has the most angst of any of her books I’ve read. There are some rich subplots and backstories which made the romance all the sweeter. Master audio narrator John Solo was again perfect for these two sympathetic characters, he can make his voice so tender and gentle. A lovely story!

So amazing!

Mr. Solo is in my opinion one of the best voice actors out there, so any book he reads, become an immedite click for me. However, sometimes he reads a book written by a favorite author, so the result is a wonderful treat. This book is the second in the series and it is simply beautiful. Milo is exactly what Ellis needed and viceversa and it was a delight witnessing how they overcame each other insecurities and objections finding a future together. The book is full of sweet moments, a lot of steam and a very entertaining plot and at the end my heart was full of fluff and light because the nice love story. Of course, Mr. Solo's amazing performance just made everything much better. So good!

Enjoyed

I enjoyed getting to know more about Milo and Ellis after meeting them in Antagonist. I felt for Milo with all the struggles he has to face. I like how they are both clueless to the other’s feelings. They also have to face their pasts and Milo gets a surprise visitor.
John does a brill job in bringing the story to life.

Worth The Wait.

MM, Age Gap, Insta attract, Small Town, Contemporary, Romance. Second book in the series but can be listened to as a stand-alone with no loss of enjoyment or understanding. Easy on the ears narration brings the story to life. A great book with great characters, some angst, deaths of MC's family members in the past, a binge listen (who needs sleep?!) Guaranteed HEA.

Small town love

Milo is raising his daughter, though it is not easy as he struggles with making ends meet but he's determined. Ellis is the schoolteacher that comes into his work that Milo might have a small (or not so small) crush on. Milo shows up to help Ellis with his yard and that crush begins to grow. Two men that were not looking for a relationship, found family, and small town hijinks equals to a fun story. John Solo is amazing as usual and does amazing with all the characters.

Single dad/age gap sweetness with small town vibe

Single dad Milo is struggling to make ends meet with a part time supermarket cashier gig, and he crushes on elementary school teacher Ellis whenever he comes into the store. Ellis has been hurt badly, however, and all of his walls are up and fortified. Besides, Milo is way too young for him, he thinks. Isn’t he? When Milo shows up in response to an ad to clean up Ellis’s back yard, all bets are off. The small town vibe and found family in this story (and the series in general) is what sells it for me – the meddling sister, the friends (who happen to be protagonists in the previous books), the larger community of friends and acquaintances, and an adorable baby girl. There are all of the feels here and plenty of steam, with just enough angst to make it a compelling read. Narration by John Solo is perfect for these characters.

Finding a family

John Solo does a superb job of showing us these characters' changing feelings about relationships. I love stories about great small towns like Stillwater and I love stories with great teachers as a main character so with this book I get both those things and all the feels between Milo and Ellis. Neither of these two want a new relationship but when Ellis gives Milo a job to help him make ends meet their defenses start to come down and they see what a wonderful family they can make together. Loving this series.

Sweet slow burn romance with wonderful narration

Yes for Milo and Ellis being the next in this series to get their HEA. They were hinted at in book one and their story is just as sweet as I'd imagined along with a fair amount of heartbreak in their own personal histories.
Milo is such a strong young man after what he's been through and now doing all he can to provide for his daughter, Sarah. Ellis is drawn to him from when they meet across the checkout but when the chance comes to know him better, he jumps at it. Milo is reticent to take any help but can't stay away from Ellis and it will help him with his money worries.
These two dance around each other for a while and it's fun for everyone around them who can see what's happening but it takes time for Milo to feel confident to take that step and Ellis for being with a younger man and after being burned so bad in his last relationship. Sarah brings all the feels to her scenes and it's lovely how much both men are so taken with her. Theirs is a fairly low angst, slow burn romance but there's some drama going on with the small town. Milo has reservations about this for personal reasons whilst Ellis is keen to jump in and get with the community spirit, something that was a big part of book one too.
Another entertaining read from Ana with a lot going on for the two men, individually and together, and then for the community too. This can be read as a standalone but I always recommend reading in order as you get to know the characters around the small town and in the friendship group. I'm looking forward to who is coming next in the series.
John Solo, as always, lends his voice beautifully to a small town sweet romance. I felt the emotion from both characters throughout and enjoyed how he portrayed everyone from the town.

Fabulous story!

M/M
Age gap
Single dad
Teacher
Slow burn
Work romance

* trigger warning *
character has previously (off page) lost multiple family members to both drugs and suicide and describes the events on page.

Milo is a single father trying to take care of his baby girl full time while working at a grocery store with a toxic boss.

Ellis is a teacher who likes to chat with Milo when he does his shopping. He offers to pay Milo to clean his garden on weekends. He also offers to help tutor Milo as he decides to go back to school to get a better job.

I loved book one but I loved this one even more. Not only did I listen to it all in one listen, I listened to it twice in one week. That's just how wonderful it was. I was drawn in from the start til the end. Both main characters had painful pasts and this was a wonderful mutual hurt/comfort story. Both MCs were loveable. I usually go for the older character but Milo with his baby girl was just so swoony sweet. The 2 men had amazing chemistry and there was no relationship angst. I did find this to be lower heat but I didn't mind. The plot was interesting from start to finish with a little bit of drama in the way of side characters. I absolutely loved what Ellis did for Milo and the very HEA ending. I absolutely recommend reading this. It can be read as a standalone but book 1 was great as well.

John did a great job narrating. He expressed all of the emotions and brought the story to life. He did voices for the side characters that were great. I do wish the 2 MCs voices were more distinct but overall I really enjoyed listening to this.