Fire and Ice

Vanguard Towers, Book 4

By: Aiden Bates

Narrated by: Guillaume Dubois

Length: 5 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's Summary

It hurts to love a straight guy.

Cam’s all smiles and dimples. He doesn’t have a clue what he does to me. I’ve loved the guy for years, but to him I’m just a friend. 

Every time I try to move on, all I can think about is Cam. 

But is there a possibility of anything more?

I’m straight. How can I love a guy?

Richie is my best friend. He’s the best guy in the world. So, why do I feel so weird when I see him out with a guy?

It doesn’t take long for me to realize it’s jealousy. Damn it. Maybe, I’m not as straight as I thought.

One kiss with Richie, and all thoughts of straight fly out the window. I want to see where our feelings take us. But will life with Richie be enough when I’ve always craved a family and a white picket fence?

©2021 Special Fiction Books (P)2021 Special Fiction Books

Friends to lovers

This was a sweet opposites attract, friends to lovers romance.

I absolutely loved this MM romance with heart.
It was a wholesome listen with likeable characters and low angst.

The narrator did a great job on the audio delivery and narration

Ritchie and Cameron's Friends-to-Lovers Romance

I requested and received a free review copy of this audiobook a couple of months back. I submitted a review at that time, but it never posted. I’m writing a new (and voluntary) review at this time.

In this installment of the ‘Vanguard Towers’ series, Aiden Bates tells the story of best friends and fellow firefighters Ritchie and Cam falling in love. Ritchie has been in love with Cam for years, but believes Cam to be straight. Cam, also, believes himself to be straight, but lately, his feelings for Ritchie have caused a lot of confusion. Will Cam emerge from the angst of a gay awakening ready to commit to Ritchie?

I say angst, but it’s pretty low. Cam doesn’t angst so much about being gay; it’s more the thought that his dream of having a family hinges on him being straight. Which everyone knows is a silly notion. There are things that happen, though, that convince Cam that a family can take on any shape, as long as love is at the core.

The theme of family is my favorite part of this series. I like the scenes where the brothers are interacting with each other. I like that they show love for one another and have each other’s back. This, combined with the friends-to-lovers trope, make this story really sweet and enjoyable.

Guillaume Dubois performs the narration very well. He has a nice cadence and good enunciation. Bates’ stories are a nice match to Dubois' delivery style.

Recommended.

Richie and Cameron

I received an ARC of this audio for my honest review. Richie and Cameron have a long history as best friends. The journey from straight to gay is confusing and scary. But people like Granny, Sammy, and seven overprotective brothers help smooth the road. I thought they made a great couple even though it took them awhile to figure it out. Another great job by Guillaume Dubois narrating.

another good one

another great story. I really hope we get the rest of the brothers books as well. box office had its own happily ever after. the narration is perfectly done I read the book listening to it was even better you get a better you or imagination of what's going

Richie and Cameron

Best friends for 8 yrs Richie has been lusting over straight Cameron, only Cameron is now jealous of Richie and his date. He storms over angry and forcefully kisses him, and things heat up between the Firefighters. Dual POV was narrated brilliantly.

Can't wait for the next

Another great narration from Guillaume Dubois. Richie and Cam are a friends-to-lovers plot full of twist and turns. I loved hearing all the voices to my favorite characters and and I can't wait to hear what happens next.

Vanguard Towers MM romance book 4

Fire and Ice is the fourth book in the series and tells the story of Richie and Cam, both firefighters. You don’t have to listen to the previous books, but the characters does make an appearance. It is a very sweet gay romance full of tension as the story develops. The characters are interesting and the development over the course of the story is very good. The addition of baby Sammy adds some cute to the story. Great narration and different voices used during the story. Overall an excellent book to listen to and can't wait to listen to additional books in the series.

Another great book!

Aiden Bates is a great author. This book is another feel good book with life lessons!

Cam & Richie

I have been looking forward to this story since I finished the last one in this series. I loved watching Cam and Richie take their friendship to the next level. You can feel how these two truly love one another even as Cam is trying to understand his feelings for Richie. You can feel the love and chemistry between these two. A great listen with a wonderful narrator. Can't wait for the next one to come out. I voluntarily reviewed a gifted copy of this audio book.

good listen

This was a great addition to the series. I have really enjoyed this series and the charters that we are getting to know and falling in love with. Guillaume did a great job with this book. I felt a connection with the charters which is always great to have and feel during a book. It makes me love the book that much more when i feel connected to them.

A sweet and steamy listen

I loved the way this best-friends-to-lovers romance started, but there were a few too many left turns for me to fully enjoy the ending. Don't get me wrong--I was practically obsessed with the intensely steamy sexual attraction between Cameron and Richie in the beginning. I love the idea that these best friends have been one realization away from something deeper than friendship for years and years, even if I didn't completely understand the catalyst for Cameron questioning his sexuality. The first half of this story was a deliciously steamy build, with plenty of heated moments, deep conversations, and growing love. Where this book lost me is when Patrice came back into the picture. Everything after that point felt so hastily added to the story, and I don't really understand why the authors chose to go this route. I would have been perfectly happy reading about how these new lovers worked through their communication issues and committed to each other for the long haul, but instead the entire relationship was sidelined by this seemingly random alternate storyline. I didn't hate how Richie and Cameron's story concluded, and there's no way I could ever hate on sweet Sammy, but I wish this book had picked a direction and stuck with it instead of trying to combine too many plot points into one story.

**I voluntarily read an ARC of this book. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions.

Awesome

This was such a great audiobook.
it was definitely a great addition to a great series.
I can't wait to listen to more.

Another great entry in the series

I enjoy the firefighting background of these stories, but what really gets me is the characters. Here what I loved was Cam's realization that just because he was in love with Richie that didn't mean he couldn't have the kids and the white picket fence he'd always dreamed of. It was sad that a sweet, caring intelligent man couldn't see his own prejudices at work. Watching him realize who he really was and what he could have was lovely. I read this before I listened to it, and I really, really wanted a performance that could capture Cam's doubt and longing as well as his building joy as he started to realize his dreams could come true. Guillaume Dubois exceeded my hopes. His voicing of Cam's emotions was just lovely.

Best friends to lovers 🖤🤎

Cam and Richie have been besties for a long time and Richie pining for Cam. But Cam is straight. So what if they are perfect for each other and a cute grandma shows Cam the way. I loved that it was a low angst romance with a beautiful baby in the middle. Cam gets everything he ever needed with one of the brothers from Vanguard Towers. Mr Dubois does and amazing job narrating.

Great story!

After getting to spend some time with Richie and Cam, in previous books, we get to hear their story this time. While that is the case, you do not need to read/listen to the previous books to enjoy this one. However, this entire series is captivating and fun. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed each book.

Richie is a giant of a man, and Cam called it, perfectly, when he dubbed him the ‘Gentle Giant,’ as he was a pacifist. We would later find out why that is, but in the meantime Cam wished he’d stand up for himself, against the bigot at work. Cam, having a short fuse, didn’t have the same problem. No one was talking about his bff like that. You can easily tell Cam and Richie have been friends for a very long time. Richie has also been harboring a secret crush on his bff. It’s too bad Cam is straight...or is he?

As I said, I love this series. The writing is really well done with an engrossing storyline. The characters are wonderfully flawed, easily lovable, and absolutely charming. I am completely smitten with the entire series. Aiden Bates is an easy one click author for me. I cannot get enough of his writing. Owen’s book is up next, and I’m on pins and needles waiting on it’s release.

Guillaume Dubois is a fairly new to me narrator. He has a pleasant voice. His voices for different characters aren’t that different, but I was still able yo tell who was talking. I read the book, prior to listening to it, and I had pictured Richie with a deeper voice than the one he was going. While I was surprised, I shouldn’t be. His character very well could’ve had the exact voice he was given by the narrator. Voices don’t always match body types in real life, either.

Hot firefighters, sweet love

Ritchie and Cam are firefighters and best friends, but they care for each other far more than normal friends. Ritchie knows he is attracted to Cam, and always has been, but Cam, even though he hangs out with Ritchie and his family (and sometimes takes refuge in Ritchie's bed from nightmares) believes he is straight as an arrow, and he craves the wife, 2 kids, white picket fence, et.al. His journey to the reality of how he really feels and what is important to him is very realistic, although it is frustrating the way he yanks Ritchie back and forth. It takes a surprise from Ritchie's ex and some wise words from Cam's snarky grandmother to make Cam realize he has everything he needs to fulfill his dreams. I loved the conclusion, and especially the way the brothers all came to Ritchie's side after the surprise to help out. I loved hearing more from Sean and hope his return home and story are still to come.

The narration was pretty good with good pacing and delivery.

I received a free copy of this audiobook and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

On fire

Aiden Bates has added another winning story to the Vanguard Towers series. Friends to lover can so easily be miss, but through the whole story I was rooting for Richie and Cam to get together. The brother as always did not disappoint making it a touching story. Guillaume Dubois did a super job with the narration. Now the wait for the next brothers adventure into love.
This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

Firefighters Cam and Richie heat up the Towers...

Cam has always wanted the traditional family, wife and children and white picket fence. So why does the thought of his bisexual best friend Richie dating a man throw his whole world into turmoil? He’s always loved Richie as a friend, and being partners in a dangerous job as firefighters has made them responsible for each other’s lives on occasion. He’s always wanted the best for Richie, but what if the best for Richie is him? This was a great story that explored the bisexual awakening trope in a way that felt authentic – Cam’s doubts and his need to reexamine his dreams are essential to understanding his heart’s desire. There is a great cast of characters in this series, with all of the brothers and extended family. I definitely want to read other books in the series and I especially enjoyed the nuanced narration by Guillaume Dubois, who was new-to-me with this book.

The Vanguard brothers are back

Cam and Richie are best friends and Firefighters. Richie is bisexual and Cam is straight.

This is a friend's to lovers story which is a slow burn but a lively story, plus all the Vanguard brothers turn up as cameos. There is a wonderful unexpected arrival, but thats all I'm saying.
We do get a HEA.

A good book and great narration. I did listen at 1.25 speed on Audible.

Fire and Ice
Vanguard Towers, Book 4
By: Aiden Bates
Narrated by: Guillaume Dubois
Series: Vanguard Towers, Book 4
Length: 5 hrs and 49 mins


❤❤❤❤ Overall
🎧🎧🎧🎧 Narration
📚📚📚📚 Story
Read at 1.25 speed on Audibles

very enjoyable

I'm loving finding out the past of each vanguard brother. this one added a touch of bi-awakening to be perfect.