Joshua's Rainbow

Rainbow Key, Book 1

By: Victoria Sue

Narrated by: Darcy Stark

Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's Summary

Rainbow Key - an idyllic island retreat off the west coast of Florida. Think wedding destination, white sandy beaches, lurve…except at the moment Joshua is struggling to pay the electricity bill, they’ve no paying customers, and even if they did they can’t afford the repairs from the devastating hurricane that struck three years ago – and to top it off they have to take in Daniel, a grumpy businessman who has been ordered by his doctor to take some time off before he has a heart attack from too much stress.

Funnily enough, Daniel owns a very expensive hotel chain that has been trying to buy the island for the past two years. Not that Joshua knows that yet, and boy are sparks gonna fly when he thinks he’s been set up.

Of course, sparks of a different kind are also soon flying between them.

Then there’s Matt who just got let out of prison, Charlie who ran away from home, and Ben, a famous model until a devastating house fire destroyed his face.

Welcome to Rainbow Key – held together by love, family, and sticky tape.

©2018 Victoria Sue (P)2018 2018

Love is the greatest forgiveness

Wow, this is one powerful story. 😱 It really blew me away. ❤️ First of all, from the blurb, you think that you are going to get a feel-good, low-angst, fluffy story. Well, you are not getting fluffy. What you are going to get is a meaningful and heartwarming story with amazing depth which will explore the ugliness and beauty of the humans and the society. 😊



Joshua is a very fascinating human being for me. It simply broke my heart to learn what he had to go through before he even became 18. The world can be a cruel place and humans even crueler. This story teaches us the importance of love, forgiveness, family and most importantly, acceptance. His life changed for the better when he was rescued by Clive and got to Rainbow Key where you can be just as you are. Now Joshua dreams of giving home to misfits and outcasts like him and running a successful hotel that will benefit everyone who works at the hotel. And just when he thought love is not for someone like him, a dashing and kind man who attracts to him like a magnet arrived to his rundown hotel.

Daniel has been simply living until now. After his parents passed away in a sudden accident, he’s been investing his life in making money and expanding his business empire. Home is not the place but the people you love. But the thing is despite being 40, Daniel still hasn’t found his “the one and home” yet. After collapsing at an event due to over-working and stress, he was instructed by his best friend and personal doctor to go on a vacation where he can completely rest his body and soul. Thus the story of our Rainbow Key island getaway begins.


When these two love-starved men met, both thought they are not good enough for each other. 😁 And when they finally hooked up, they both thought the other person wanted only a vacation fling. The ridiculous thing is because the truth is very far from it. 😁 They both want a serious relationship where they can utterly commit to and love each other. As they started to find their common ground and things started going well, Joshua’s ugly past fast caught up to them. Now Daniel must show Joshua how love can heal anything.

The story really blew me away. It was interesting, enthralling and most of all, authentic. And the love making scenes? Though not plenty, they were smoking hot! 🔥 The second thing that blew me away was the narrator Darcy Stark. 😍 I was very skeptical about listening to him because well, I have never listened to any of his audio before but boy, the man can narrate! 😱💙 His performance of Joshua and Daniel was so vivid and powerful and his female impersonations really fascinated me. Great job choosing the narrator Victoria Sue. 👏 I’m sure I’ll definitely listen more of him. I love how everything worked out in the end. It was a very heartwarming and beautiful HEA. I hope to see more of these two in the upcoming books in the series. 😌 A great book and a lovely narration! 💗 Thoroughly enjoyed it! 👍



5 love is the greatest forgiveness stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️




Audio rating

Story 4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Narration 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Performance 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Amazing!!

So when I read this book I was in love! Victoria Sue has a way with words that I just absolutely love. Josh and Daniel are just prefect for each other. Now this is the first time I have listened to Darcy Stark and I got to say that it isn't going to be the last. Darcy does an amazing job in bring these characters to life. I can hear every emotion that each character is feeling. I can't wait to hear more by Darcy Stark!

Beautiful story, good narration

This is lovely story about overcoming family betrayal, creating a family and finding love/acceptance. Joshua has had an unhappy past, but due to one act of kindness shown to him, he is trying to help others who have had troubled pasts. Daniel, a hotel magnate, is forced to go on holidays for his health. He finds himself at the hotel Joshua is trying to run. Both men are somewhat damaged - Daniel less so - but together, they begin a tentative friendship fueled by a mutual attraction. Both men had their insecurities which, of course, lead to misunderstandings, but they were not protracted. I really enjoyed the story.
The narration was solid; Colin Darcy differentiated between the characters and he kept me engaged throughout. It's definitely a good way to enjoy the story.

Wonderful start to this series!!!!!

I was pleasantly surprised with this audible as I had never even heard of this narrator before. I thoroughly enjoyed this narration. This book, in my opinion, was a wonderful start to this series. I felt like I was introduced to all of the characters but none of them overpowered the two MCs at all. I was able to get just enough of their back stories to look forward to their turn at being an MC while feeling like the main concentration was on Daniel and Josh. I felt an instant connection with Josh since I have always been heavier than I should be and to see the relationship between him and Daniel grow was beautiful. I enjoyed this story line alot, even more than I expected to. I found myself wishing this island was somewhere I could go for relaxation, frienship, and so I could give Josh a big hug. I can't wait for the rest of this series to be available on audible, I may have to read them before that :)

Joshua’s Rainbow

Joshua’s Rainbow by Victoria Sue
1st book in the Rainbow Key series. Contemporary M-M romance.
After suffering a panic attack, Daniel agrees to unplug at a small hotel on an island off the west coast of Florida. Daniel is worried about the lack of amenities but the first meal is wonderful so he decides to stay a bit longer. Daniel soon starts a relationship with Joshua and realizes the group is special and but under pressure by unscrupulous owners.

An emotional teeter-totter between Joshua and Daniel plus Matt, Charlie, Ben and the situations each has gone through in the past (tragic m-m situations). Load the current insecurities anyone can carry and it’s a bog of attempted emotional healing.
The author isn’t afraid of the tragic but remember this is a romance so of course, we are going to get an hea - for the main couple at least. You’ll have to read the rest of the series for the supporting men.

🎧 I alternated between a paperback copy and the audiobook narrated by John Solo. The narration was well done with distinct voices for the two main male characters and the emotional depth each went through. The most comfortable speed for this for me was 1.4 which was slightly faster than my preferred 1.2.

Why Had I Waited So Long?😌

I have had this book in my library for awhile, just sitting there. Why, I don't know. Victoria Sue is one of my favorite authors, and like most have listened to so many of her books, and still have them in my library. This is a very good story. Daniel & Joshua are so right for each other. Total opposites, but fit. I love the fact that your body shape isn't a issue to one. The loyalty, forgiveness, love, and family is what matters. The only little issue that I had, and wish that we were able to hear was Joshua actually explaining to Daniel his story.😔I absolutely loved Darcy Stark and his narration. He's one of the best, and another one of my favorite narraters. He did an fantastic job with bringing these characters to life. I highly recommend this story and so glad I finally listened to it.

GOOD

Enjoyable. I feel so sorry for Joshua, the way his parents reacted to him being gay. The poor guy is left to fend for himself at such a young age. Terrible. I am glad he found help along the way and finally found HEA with a wonderful man. Darcy Stark performed/narrated the story flawlessly and smoothly throughout and made the characters come to life, Victoria Sue is a good writer and I hope there will be more books to come.

Great Read

Victoria Sue did a fantastic job writing this book.
I enjoy the story of Joshua and Daniel.
they didn't think they were good enough for each other, but in the end the universe told them that they were each other's home.
I do wished that Daniel had punch Paul, that SOB needed a smackdown.
All in all a very great read.

Beautiful story

I’ve been meaning to try the series but didn’t until now AND I felt blown away by how well the story flowed and how interesting the characters are. Great start to a series. Both MCs are highly likable and Josh’s back story is just heart breaking and makes me realize that in real life we still have the same horrid back and story repeated over and over again for a different boy. The story is of finding a new purpose late in life for Daniel and finding a refuge for himself for Josh. The story tugs at my heart and makes me smile, laugh, and cheer the characters. Definitely starting on the next book. Narrator did a great job. Loved how the narrator’s mellifluous voice flows through the story and made it very romantic. Loved it.

had a hard time

I had a hard time connecting to Josh. it seems like half the story was a pity party for him and i dont think he had a peak. he didnt fight for the relationship. he just fell flat for me.

A wonderful beginning to an exciting series

I love Victoria Sue's writing and I adore her as a person, so I was really hoping that I would love this book. Phew, I shouldn't have worried, it was FANTASTIC! Joshua's story is so heartbreaking, and he deserves the happiness that Daniel offers ... if only they could be brave enough to accept how they feel. The characters are all so complex and fragile, and they were all handled with sensitivity and respect. I'm very excited to see how they develop and how on earth Victoria is going to give them an HEA is beyond me - which is why she's the writer and i'm the listener. The ending of the book - oh my heart!
I hadn't heard any of Darcy Stark's work before this, but I loved his style. His narration flowed beautifully and the characters were well differentiated. His emotional breadth shone through.
If you like a sweet romance with angst, heat and an HEA, this is one for you.

Island Paradise

This is a gentle feel good book, perfect for when you want a little boost. Who doesn’t love the idea of beautiful beaches, an island to escape to and falling in love. This is the first book in a series and focuses on Joshua but also introduces two other intriguing characters, Charlie, Ben and Matt. All of them have sought a new start at Rainbow key. Daniel however goes there to rest and recover from a busy schedule. He never expected to meet the love of his life. I loved that neither Joshua or Daniel were looking for love and it swept both of them up. There are bumps along the way, but that’s what makes it so interesting. Each of them have secrets they just don’t want to get out, which of course they do.
I haven’t listened to a book narrated by Darcy Stark before but I will lookout for them. He has a good style and is able to bring out the personality of each character. They all have their own distinct voices and I was impressed with the voices he gave the female characters.

A beautiful story

This is the first in a series but is great as a stand-alone. (Although I haven’t heard the others yet).
Ms Sue writes wonderful characters that I grew attached to as they slowly revealed themselves and their past though out the story.
The mcs are both strongly characterised and this story is about them but the glimpses we see of the others at Rainbow keys really makes me want to read/hear their stories too!
Mr Stark does a great job of bringing the characters to life. My only slight complaint is that occasionally I couldn’t tell if the characters were thinking or speaking what was being said.
Other then that it was great!

Wonderful and engaging story

Loved how the listener gets sucked into the story. Absolutely spellbinding. Can’t wait to listen to the next book in the series.

Emotional listening!

I fell in love with this book and I fell love with these characters. This is my first narrative by Darcy stark and it won't be my last!

Loved It

I really enjoyed this book.
It was a great beginning to a new series.
The story was great, and the narration really took it to the next level.
I am looking forward to listening to more of this series.

Sweet story about over coming odds

I enjoyed this one more than I expected to actually. It was a little predictable but not in a bad way and there were a few good surprises in there too. Each plot point was handled well and I really like all of the characters. I found their connection to be really believable and organic. Joshua is so lost and broken but really trying to hold it all together for is pulled together family and then Daniel comes in and just helps, catching Joshua completely off guard and tearing down his walls. The two are so sweet together and I adored them both. I also really enjoyed getting to meet all of the supporting cast and can't wait for some of their stories!

A Promising Start To A New Series

This is a good start to a new series by Victoria Sue. The character development is in-depth and all of the central characters have some past life experiences which have brought them together on Rainbow Key to find a home, a refuge from their pasts. I’m looking forward to hearing each of their stories.
Compared to some of her other books, Rainbow Key is probably a little more of a ‘feel good’ read. Low angst and moderate steam but a satisfying HEA.
I have given this 4 stars only on personal preference as I much prefer a her Enhanced World Series and The Alpha Heir Series.
Darcy Stark does a great job narrating.

A really good book made great

Darcy Stark is a new narrator to me, I’ll be looking out for him in future and can’t wait to hear him narrate the rest of the series. I loved Joshua’s Rainbow when I read it and was putting my own voices in. But hearing the distinct changes for each character added that something extra.
Definitely a recommended listen.

Loved this book

New narrator to me did a great job. Loved the premise of the book and all the hotel groups dynamics. So glad Terry is getting what he deserves.