Controlled Chaos

McCullough Mountain, Book 6

De: Lydia Michaels

Narrado por: Salenah de Kai

When a single mom celebrates her recent divorce with a one-night stand, a farewell fling turns into a possible second chance. Best-selling author, Lydia Michaels, tells a stunning blended family love story that gives a spectacular glimpse into the world of autism.

Braydon McCullough has spent his life searching for the perfect woman. When a shy beauty propositions him, he assumes he’s found her. Blindsided by their chemistry, his life takes a bewildering turn when his perfect one-night stand vanishes without a trace.

Becca Stevens can’t afford to take risks, but when persuaded by friends to commemorate her divorce by approaching a gorgeous stranger in a bar, common sense abandons her. After an unforgettable night of passion, she panics, running back to her methodical life, promising never to be so reckless again. That is until Braydon unexpectedly tracks her down. But the real Becca is nothing like the woman he took to bed, and her reality might be too much for him to handle.

Best-selling author, Lydia Michaels, has created an unforgettable family saga bursting with sizzling secrets and scandalous moments in this award-winning series, McCullough Mountain, where each story can be listened to as a stand-alone!

©2015 Lydia Michaels (P)2023 Lydia Michaels Books

Finally Braydon finds his forever!

Finally Braydon finds his forever! Elizabeth @ Carolina Chic’s Read

Braydon and Becca’s story started out like a lot of romances do. Girl goes to bar meets guy and have a fantastic night. She never expected to meet a man like Braydon. With her horrible marriage behind her and a kid that needs everything from her, she never expected to meet her soulmate. Braydon gives her everything she needs and even what she doesn’t know she needs yet. He’s ready to start with his forever! “Big Sighs!!!”

5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I want to be on McCullough Mountain

I have been loving these re-releases of the McCullough Mountain series. I love spending time with them and seeing them find their HEAs. I really can't wait to go back in time and read about the parents and also see Kate get her man too.

For now, I just finished reading about Braydon and Becca. Who start as a One Night Stand and end up on the Forever and Always train. It's not an easy road for them though. Not that it ever is. But Becca may be wild and free and looking for a good time when she meets Bray, but it's only gonna be that ONE NIGHT in her mind.

Then she walks into work the next day and who should be collaborating with her company but... Braydon McCullough! The last person she wants to see, because he might want to see her again.. he might send her flowers and show up at her house and find out that she not the carefree woman he met before... in fact, she is overwhelmed being a single, divorced mom to a sweet but difficult Autistic son, Hunter.

This book did a great job showing the challenges she was facing while also showing her love and hope for Hunter's future. I also loved how Braydon dived right in and did his research but also wasn't afraid to ask questions and see how he could support Becca.

My biggest issue with this one was the 3rd act break up in this book. It soured a lot of the happy feelings I was having in a way i didn't expect from this author. However, the dream that Braydon offers of course, wins out in the end. And I still look forward to many more books in the future.

Loves this small town series

Controlled Chaos is the 6th book in the McCullough Mountain series, but can be read as a standalone. I love this series. The audiobook was a chefs kiss! Salenah De Kai did a good job at transitioning through the characters and was easy to listen to. It’s a Small town, family saga, one night stand, single mom, and a second chance romance that always hooks me. I love the family dynamics and banter between Becca and Brayden. He always wanted a family, to be married and she was scared of commitment due to a recent divorce.
After a one night stand, she panicked, ran out and was scared.
Then fate threw them back together again in a workplace romance. The chemistry, push and pull were undeniable. The story is sassy, witty, full of banter. Brayden was such a gentleman, so swoonworthy. As their story progressed we
See the rollercoaster ride they go on. Insecurities, ex husbands, doubts, deceptions and the want to be chosen first in someone’s life . Having Hunter and him being autistic made her life a little more complex than most people. He does what ever it takes to show Becca that’s she’s not alone. He wants to learn everything about her, and her son, what’s important to her, and give her all the love and support that she needs. Loved seeing Brayden get his happy ending.

Finally Braydon's turn

I have absolutely loved this series by Lydia Michaels. It's a favorite. I have been waiting for Braydon's story. My heart physically squeezed for him several times through this book. I really liked Becca and was totally sympathetic to her situation with her son. I appreciate how LM wrote about Hunter and his autism. I love these McCullough siblings so much. I laughed at the their antics once again. Their parents, Maureen and Frank, are the absolute best though! Gah. My heart was so full. I will be listening to this series again.

Salenah de Kai is an excellent narrator. She narrated with such emotion. She brought this audiobook to life. It was rolling like a movie in my head. Perfection.

#ValentinePRaudioreview

very good

Loved it !! this story. the narrator is so fantastic it's like your really there!! After listening to this story,. I totally enjoyed reading this book. It’s well written and the characters were uniquely fantastic. I would suggest this book to my friends that like this sort of genera. this was a good book. The narration was great.

Perfect title for Brayden and Becca’s story

Becca is the newly divorced mother who is out celebrating with friends when she meets Brayden and their attraction is immediate and intense. Each character is well written in this story and you feel the control and the chaos with each one. Becca is selfless and exhausted and can’t imagine letting someone else in. She has a neurodivergent son and a manipulative ex-husband. Brayden is a perfectionist and a visionary who can dominate and give up control. Their relationship meets a few complications and the resolutions are in true McCoullough fashion. It was great to read of siblings we’ve met before and some relationships come full circle. The narration was great and I look forward to hearing other books read by Salenha de Kai.

Love Braydon and Becca's journey

The sixth book in the McCullough Mountain Series, Controlled Chaos, is a sweet and, at times, heartbreaking story.

After her marriage falls apart, Becca's best friend takes her out drinking. Determined to help Becca move on, she talks her into having a one-night stand.

Braydon is an architect and the object of Becca's one-nighter. Initially thinking it's a joke, Braydon brings Becca home, where he learns more about her. To his surprise, he's very attracted to her, and after their incredible time together, he's surprised when she leaves without a word.

Fate or luck had them meeting again when Braydon showed up as the architect helping on Becca's work project. As much as Becca fights their attraction, Braydon won't give up and tries a different tactic to get to know her.

I enjoyed Becca and Braydon. Their relationship is hard-fought and not without a few roadblocks. Of course, the McCullough clan makes an appearance, and their antics are funny, as always.

The narrator, Salenah de Kai, is new to me. Though she did a great job narrating, inflecting emotion, and giving each character a unique voice, I had a difficult time hearing as her audio sounded muffled. At times, the volume was uneven.

So many feels

To quote Braydon McCullough, "I was bred from a clan of Irish psychos." That is an apt assessment, in my opinion, because the whole McCullough clan is completely crazy - the good kind of crazy, but crazy just the same. They're loud, they have no filter, they're always all up in each other's business, and they love with all their hearts. I've fallen in love with this "clan of Irish psychos," and I'm always excited to visit them.
Controlled Chaos is Braydon's turn at love, and if anyone deserves to get their turn, it's Bray. I loved Braydon and Becca together from their very first meeting, and the more I listened, the more I fell in love with Braydon. In true McCullough fashion, he only knows one way to love, and that's full steam ahead. But Becca comes as a package deal, and she's not sure if Bray's up for the task. Of course, she's gonna see first-hand just how strong that McCullough stubborn streak can be. I'll stop there before I spoil the story. Just be prepared for some big feels and tugging of your heartstrings with this one.
Salenah de Kai gives voice to these characters, and she gives a terrific performance. She captures the emotion of the story perfectly, as well as the pacing and tone.
Bray and Becca have become my favorite couple in this series. There are several reasons for that, and again, explaining some of that would lead to spoilers. I'll just sum it up by saying Controlled Chaos is absolutely perfectly titled. It's packed full of all the feels, and as always, Lydia Michaels tempers the emotion with some well-timed wit and even some laugh-out-loud humor. If you haven't met this crazy family, you are totally missing out. Each book can be read as a standalone, but I would still recommend starting at the beginning and meeting each couple in turn. You won't regret it.

I am, once again in love with McCullough mountain..

Braydon McCullough still has hurt feelings about being second after a girlfriend chose his brother, Colin, over him when he was in college. He’s not been in a real relationship since. When he meets Becca, he finds her very attractive.

Becca is newly divorced from a man who cheated on her. She’s a single mother of a child on the spectrum and her whole life revolves around doing what’s best for Hunter. When she meets Braydon…. And have a night together.. she panics and runs.

This is only where this begins. This book delves deeply into what it means to have a child on the spectrum and how exhausting it can be. A selfless mother who does nothing for her and a man who wants her to have everything, make this a fantastic story. And one that, once again, makes me envious of their family and how they interact with one another.

Read it, listen to it, I don’t care which… but you need this book in your library. And all the others!!!

Salenah de Kai is new to me as a narrator.. and I need to hear more to form an opinion.

Love story

Emotional journey is one of this series hallmarks and this book is no different. Heartwarming, heartbreaking and quite the journey to the final happy ending.

The emotional journey in this one was intense. It’s about the challenges of single parenthood, love after betrayal and characters learning that they are worthy of love.

It’s a truly beautiful love story and I would highly recommend to all who love a good love story.