Flash Rip

By: Keira Andrews

Narrated by: Joel Leslie

Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's Summary

On Australia's hottest beach, the most dangerous current is between them.  

Training to be a lifeguard is tough work, but Cody Grant loves a challenge. He spends long days in the sun and surf rescuing swimmers from treacherous rip currents while trying not to lust after senior lifeguard Liam Fox - who is deeply, painfully closeted.  

Liam was supposed to be a football legend. Now in his mid-30s, it's been over a decade since his dream shattered along with his knee. Fans still recognize him regularly, and he's terrified his sexuality will be discovered and his conservative parents will reject him. He has strict rules to protect his secret and keeps everyone at arm's length.  

Out and proud Cody fascinates Liam - and tempts him to break all the rules.  

Cody is practically half Liam's size and age, but has the confidence and compassion to take charge and give Liam the release, affection, and acceptance he desperately craves. But how long can a secret affair satisfy their hearts? As if saving lives isn't hard enough, Cody faces his greatest challenge yet convincing Liam to trust him and find the courage to live out loud.  

Contains mature themes.

©2019 Keira Andrews (P)2020 Tantor

Fun at the beach

Nicely done coming out story. I’ve been avoiding coming out stories because there’s so much more than that available now, but the reviews were good & this one really worked.

Because of the age gap & differing backgrounds, Liam & Cory have very different internalized views on what being gay in public can be. Because they’re compatible (and hot, fit lifeguards) it’s also a sexy little fantasy. Bridging the gap between them and exploring their needs makes it interesting.

There’s a good deal of humor. “I’ll make my famous cereal”. There are even some slightly off attempts at humor at work and they’re handled deftly. It’s clear who is and isn’t going to be a jerk and most people decide not to be jerks. But not all, which is why there are real stakes that we care about, mostly for Liam.

As other reviewers pointed out, the pacing of the book it excellent. The background, beach living and lifeguarding jobs, feel real, even if they rescue more people than I’d have expected. It’s not low angst exactly but it doesn’t dwell in angst. It comes in and out in waves. Flash Rip a good fit it you want something mostly fluffy & sexy with some minor kink.

Steam: Med hot. The guys explore some D/s in the boudoir. M/M details are on page throughout. To be honest, I wouldn’t mind a sexy second epilogue to see what they’re up to since we mostly just see them starting out.

Narration: I can only speak to the Canadian accent being mostly good enough. The Aussie accent seemed fine to my MN/canadian tuned ears. It was a fun listen.

Excellent!

Keira Andrews once again brings us to Australian beaches, sea, surf, sand - secret affairs. Cody & Liam are wonderful together, though their road isn't easy, it is an adventure. An older, ex-footy star, burying his true self his whole life. A younger Canadian-turned-Aussie, out, just living his life. Two lifeguards working together to save lives of strangers, people in trouble, and perhaps each other, as well. The writing, story, characters & pacing were all wonderful! I look forward to more from this author.
Audio: Joel Leslie. Oh, need more? His accents, emotion, intensity, humor, timing, VOICE - he always does a fantastic job!
The cameo of 2 of Keira's characters from another book was a very welcome pleasant surprise !

Great story and narration!

This was so amazing! I really felt the tension and the pain it took for Liam to make the reach to being an out and proud man in a partnership. Keira did a really nice job with the pacing. Cody’s constant, unwavering support matched his age and experience, while Liam was understandably lagging behind and so, so fearful but when he does make the transition it felt authentic.

I loved learning about Barkers beach and the life of full time lifeguards. I always learn so much when I read Keira’s books – they are so clearly well researched. I also loved all the new slang I learned!

This was not my favorite sexual theme, I’m not real keen on D/s but it was gentle and it really felt necessary for Liam and his development romantically.


Audio

Joel Leslie is super fantastic and wonderful – as always!
Highly recommended!



5 stars

Oh Liam 🖤

Liam’s story will tug at your heartstrings, so be prepared for it. But Cody is his perfect counterweight, all reassuring goodness and love. This book is not a light & fluffy read. I adored the whole thing from start to finish! And good lord it is HOT 🔥 I won’t spoil it for you, but trust me, there’s some f*cking hot scenes and you’re gonna need to turn on a fan to cool yourself down lol. Joel Leslie was phenomenal as per usual!!

loved it!

great characters, super sweet and steamy story
with a wonderful narration... couldn't ask for better. highly recommend.

Amazing combo of thrill and scorching romance

The narration was spectacular! Joel Leslie is a master at accents, sure, but his ability to bring emotion and truly feel the characters is remarkable. This is a book I loved in E-book and the audio in another layer of depth draped over this amazing story that brings it out even more. Joel made sure every one of the lifeguards is a unique, distinct person, it was like I was watching an episode of Bondi Beach.

I was sunk deep into this book, gladly letting it pull me under. Flash Rip has managed to capture the vibe of the TV show Bondi Rescue - that I actually watched a bit online. I really like Documentary-reality type shows that have all the action of rescuing and dangerous situations and this book really got that feel through it and all the rescue and lifeguard procedures seemed authentic and were fascinating. It was really enjoyable to dive into the 'reality' of the rescuers at Barkin Beach with a cast full of memorable supporting characters. I fell into to rabbit hole of the TV show again these last month or so, and reading this book again (now in audio) is just spot on exactly like it happens in real life!

Liam is such a compelling character, he evokes the need to care for him (and no wonder Cody does). Liam embodies the complex reality of many gay men in hyper masculine environments and I was both frustrated and understanding of his conflict and ingrained fear.
Cody is a character you enjoy reading, he has such a strong drive for achieving his goals, is compassionate and kind. Cody truly sees Liam, and although they had their issues with Liam so deep in the closet he was much more understanding then many characters in similar situations in other books I read. They have amazing chemistry, explosive in it's intensity and super, smoking, lava HOT scenes that will melt your freezer in the dead of winter. The kinky side of their relationship was also a surprising, delightful bonus.

In it's core this book is about living the life you wish for, not letting others hold you back. Breaking free of expectations and societal boundaries, being true to yourself fully. This is the most important part about this book, and it's greatest achievement. A wonderful story I would gladly read more of (or maybe other characters from the rescue team).

A good story, a smidge unrealistic

Am I really being expected to believe that Liam has been surfing hookup apps for ten years and has never once come across a top? The bottom shaming he endures from every gay man he meets except Cody is unlikely, too. We all know there are physically powerful guys who like to bottom. Whether or not that's something we're into is irrelevant, I've never in my life come across anyone who looks down on them. I don't think Keira Andrews has spent much time on gay hookup apps (not a huge surprise there).

However, apart from that (and an awkward instance where a character cringeworthily exclaims "That's toxic masculinity!" and I think we're supposed to agree with him), this is an enjoyable audiobook. I liked the romance, for the most part. I liked Liam more than Cody, who occasionally came across as smug, and, accordingly, Liam is the only one of the two of them who experiences any growth at all. The supporting characters were all great, except Cody's fellow trainee Mia, who was pretty abrasive, and I'm not sure the author intended her to be.

The true strength of the novel, however, lies in its setting. Andrews is a great writer when she puts her predictable and dull politics aside, and there's a real sense of place in this novel. I very much enjoyed the depictions of Australia, its beaches, and its lifeguards.

Joel Leslie is not my favorite narrator, but his Australian accent is, to my inexpert ears, perfectly adequate. His Canadian accent is, er, also pretty accurate but veers a little too close to parody for my taste occasionally.

For what it's worth, I've listened to this audiobook twice now, and I liked it a lot better the first time. I'd still give it four stars overall for Liam's character, who I adored, a romance which I can mostly get behind, and the beautiful setting.

I tried

I really tried to like this, but Liam is too whinny, I don’t know if it Joel’s tone of voice or the storyline. I have read other book that is performed by Joel and didn’t make me feel that the character was too whinny. Liam and Cody seem to have more a parent and son relationship that an actual relationship. I would be so into it if they parted ways at the end. But they seem to be the end couple. I get that he is scared, about family and friends finding about it. About his preconceived ideas about bottoming. But then he comes of as a little child and not an adult man. How are you going to have a relationship if you are not emotionally mature? I would understand it better if he was younger than Cody, maybe his personality has not formed. He has had not the years of experience for the personality to have shape itself. But, he was older than Cody, and Cody had more personality and emotional maturity than Liam. Liam is a boy-man. And yeah, we grow differently, but being this emotionally immature at his age is unrealistic.
Not only that, it makes their relationship unequal. They are not equals. A relationship like that is doomed to fail, because the boy-man is totally dependent of the mature one.

Loving Aussie Bums

Great story about a high profile Australian athlete who was so deep in his part self made and socially constructed “closet.” Liam and Cody 14 years age difference and one submissive in bed but both learning new things in their dominant-submissive relationship. Many dimensions to the various characters but easy enough to remember who was who. As always with Kiera Andrew’s audible books a happy ending. Bravo!

I Like Keira's stories

Great story. very realistic, imperfect MC's. I think I love Aussies more each time I find myself in their world. Consistently see them portrayed as unjaded, down-to-earth people. Not as tough around the edges as some other groups. Book very well done.

Clay and Ethan cameo

loved this book, the best bit was that Clay and Ethan made a cameo appearance on the beach. I love Keira's novels. If you want a relaxed gay romance, get stuck in. a real page Turner

Enjoyable

This is the coming out story of a very closeted guy who faces homophobia in his family. If you don’t like it when people are in the closet, then this book is not for you, but this was really lovely - both with him discovering and being comfortable with himself, and the developing relationship. I liked the older bigger guy being submissive, too, as it’s a twist on the usual dynamic.

Joel Leslie is always a great narrator. Not sure he pulled off a Canadian accent, but I soon forgot about it and sank into the story.

another cracker from Kiera.

this was an amazing story, really delved into the struggle some people have with coming out to a very homophobic family. fighting internalised homophobia is something not many people realise is a problem. also, the cameo from a previous book couple was a great surprise!

joel once again bats it out of the park. I can never praise his performances enough, and you know your going to get the best if his name is linked to it. always an auto buy for me.

I highly recommend this book 15 stars from me!