Lost in a Moment

Trials of Fear, Book 5

By: Nicky James

Narrated by: Adam Gold

Length: 10 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's Summary

When the only person Grayson has to lean on is his straight best friend, what could go wrong?

After a horrific accident and an amputation, Grayson isn’t sure where to turn. Not only is he an emotional wreck, but his problems seem to be getting worse, not better. When his childhood best friend insists he come and stay with him for a while, Grayson isn’t sure how to feel. He’s been crushing on Beck since they were teenagers, and it’s never wise to fall for a straight guy.

Beck’s apartment only has one bedroom and one bed. What could go wrong?

Lost in a Moment is a hurt comfort, best friends-to-lovers, GFY MM romance with moderate angst. It is part of the Trials of Fear series but can be listened to as a stand-alone.

©2019 Nicky James (P)2022 Nicky James

Perfection

I knew I loved the story because I read the book but the narrator did amazing. In all of the 400+ audiobooks I’ve listened to in the last two years not a single one has included effects like kissing sounds and only one has had a realistic phone call effect. Perfection

Loved!

Lost in a Moment is an amazing addition to the Trials of Fear series. I am a huge fan of best friends to lovers stories and this gives me all the feels I could wish for.

Grayson and Beckett have been best friends for forever. Gray is gay and has been crushing on his straight friend for years. When a traumatic event has Beckett taking care of and caring for Grayson lines begin to blur.
Handling this new dynamics in their relationship is tricky. I appreciated the honest emotional reactions both characters showed.

Both Beck an Gray are stronger than they imagine and value what they have together. I really loved Grayson and Beckett together. Their road was bumpy, but they made their way back each other no matter what.

Adam Gold does an outstanding job of bringing this story to life!

Loved it

This friends to lovers romance is everything I love about this series plus fantastic narration. Once again, Nicky James shines light on a rare and life crippling phobia brought on by circumstances. This book broke my heart but then slowly put it back together once more as the characters learned how to deal with the new direction their lives have taken. It's angsty in all the right places and the love is so real. Love doesn't fix everything but the support the characters give one another is what makes it special.
The narration is fantastic. So believable. So heartbreaking. You could feel the characters come to life. Adam Gold is doing amazing things with this series.

awesome listen

The audio for this book is amazing! It's such a great story by a very talented narrator!

Finding connections a second time through

Soo i have read this book back when it first came out, i connected to Grey as i did most of Nicky's boys. But for some reason this second time through with Adam leading the charge i realized i was more like Grey then i thought. and it was a little triggering. both of us being anxious about time ( him having a fear while I just have anxiety) pining over our straight best friend . and living with them. Yup this hit a little too close to home XD, and i loved it even more the second time around. i cant get enough of these boys there stories and where they go and knowing what comes later I'm very excited for what comes next.

All the stars

This book has always held a special place in my heart and I am so glad the narrator was able to do it justice. It was a very fulfilling experience to be able to hear the words come to life. Very heavy subject but the author manages to tell the story in a way that doesn’t make it feel like trauma for traumas sake. Highly recommend!

I’ll never look at time the same way again

Phobia: an extreme or irrational fear or an aversion to something

Chronophobia: a persistent abnormal and unwarranted fear of time or of the passing of time

I always start out my Nicky James reviews saying how much I love Nicky James…so I’ll do it again. She makes me think – which I like. She makes me feel – which I adore. She makes me sit in my discomfort – which I love. She challenges me – which brings me back to her books, time and time again.

The Trials of Fear books had been especially challenging. What would it be like to live with a crippling phobia? Whether being afraid of sleep, or of touch, or anything else…how would I survive? I have aversions to things, but no actual phobias. I’m lucky to be able to avoid certain things, but the world won’t come to an end if I have to face them.

Nicky’s characters? She puts them through hell. Take Grayson – a terrible accident has left him physically unable to cope with day-to-day living – at least for now. He needs help and, of course, his parents are there to take over. But he knows going home will be a disaster, so when his best friend Beck waltzes in and declares Gray can stay with him, then all is not lost. Now, there’s the small problems of the stairs, the clutter, and – oh yeah – the lone double bed.

I found Beck adorable. A pack rat, like myself, he’s an antiquities dealer who travels around the province of Ontario looking for treasures. Most wind up in his store – but the overflow, and some of the truly priceless pieces, wind up in his apartment over the store. Oh, and the Beatles. His cat, parrot, and the two fish whose lives are forever in jeopardy because of the cat. As an animal lover, I enjoyed how much of a role the pets played. I want a Ringo of my own.

Now, Gray’s had a crush on Beck just about as long as they’ve known each other. And Beck’s been oblivious. Even when it’s pointed out to him by his awesome employee Maria, he still doesn’t see it.

Until the moment he does. He goes into a panic and freaks out. Because he’s not into guys. Right? Yeah…except the attraction he’s feeling for Gray. Now, this is a gay for you story and those can be tricky. Nicky’s story? Worked brilliantly.

Gray’s chronophobia, of course, gets in the way. I loved how the phobia was weaved seamlessly into the story, and I have to say, I’ll never look at time the same way.

Needless to say, I loved this book. Had all the hallmarks of the other phobia books along with two awesome heroes and a cameo by Krew. (yay!)

Adam Gold narrates these books and I think he does a stellar job – his voice is just perfect for these and I’m so grateful for the bang-up performance. Can’t wait for more James/Gold collaborations and, of course, I highly recommend the book.

When Trauma + Friendship Leads to Much More

One of my favorite tropes is Gay for You / Bi Awakening so I have read a metric ton of them. When I saw that Nicky James had one in her Trials of Fear series, and it was a best friends to lovers story as well, I couldn’t grab at it fast enough. Now it’s an audiobook narrated by the amazing Adam Gold and it’s even better!

After a horrible accident leaves Grayson physically broken and temporarily homeless, his best friend, Beckett, takes him in. His straight best friend… with a tiny apartment and only one bed! Oh and did I mention that Gray has been in love with Beck for over a decade? Unbeknownst to Beck of course.

Now ordinarily such a story description could imply just another cheesy romp but NOT in the hands of Nicky James, the queen of angst and exploring mental health issues in romance stories. In this story, she leads us through the harrowing experience of fear and hopelessness as Grayson tries to survive his tragic ordeal. We are then expertly shown his gradual mental decline in such a way that we can’t help but ache for him as we see just how tortured he has become. The aftermath of his accident is brutal. Thank goodness there is Beck.

Beck is fiercely devoted to his best friend Gray, but he’s only thought of him as a friend. As their physical proximity starts to awaken feelings Beck has never had before, we get to hear his self questioning. I loved how intimate of an exploration we were shown, both of his thoughts and their new physical relationship. And when the two begin to move beyond a platonic friendship, things get steamy.

Sadly, despite the support and love of his friend, Gray’s issues rule his life. Soon Beck can’t help but see that much more is going on and he doesn’t see what to do. Can their friendship survive? This book will make you care.

Adam Gold’s portrayal of both MCs made this a wonderful way to spend 10 hours. His moody, intense voice for Gray, and the lighthearted voice for Beck made these characters real and the experience truly immersive. I thank him, and Nicky James, for the fun way he brought us the comic relief we needed periodically. Long live George and Ringo!

This story works effortlessly as a standalone, so if this is where you start the series you’ll be just fine. But please take my advice, treat yourself to others when you’re done with this one. Each book highlights a different couple and a different lesser known phobia… and Adam Gold delivers stellar performances in every one.

I eagerly await the audio release of the next one. Thank you Nicky James and Adam Gold for a wonderful way to use a credit!

Happy listening! 😊💖

A complex story of tragedy, trauma and friendship

Grayson and best friend Beckett find themselves living together in Beck's one bedroom apartment after a terrible accident leaves Gray unable to live in his home and needing help to get around.

Gray has many issues he's trying to deal with.
Both men were a bit hard to like in the beginning but both were able to find a piece of my heart for themselves.

The narration was spot on. His voicing of this story gave it great depth an emotion.

A complex story of tragedy and trauma, friendship and love.

Stunningly beautiful and a perfect collaboration

This friends to lovers, gay for you romance book is part of the Trial of fears series, but can perfectly be read as a stand alone.

Adam Gold's voice, his way of performing (yes, you read that right: he doesn't just narrate, he PERFORMS!) made it almost impossible to stop listening. He pulled me into the story from the very first moment he started with the prologue, where at some point it sounded like I was listening to a thriller instead of an mm romance. An angsty one, of course, one that involved heavy topics, but the way he made Grayson come to live in that first few pages...it was perfection! I can't call it any different than that.
And of course it's not just Adam Gold's performance - it's also Nicky James's words. The way she can write hurt, grief, anxiety and other discomfortable situations, these moments where her characters are questioning everything they thought they knew, their fears, their uncertainties, their desires - I don't know of many authors who can pull it off the way she does. It's one of the reasons she's on top of my list of favorite authors.

This story is about Grayson and Beckett. They have been best friends for as long as they can remember. Grayson is gay, and has secretly been crushing on Beck since he was about fifteen years old, when he started to realize his feelings for his best friend involved more than just being friends. But Beckett is as straight as they come. He loves women and he loves them plenty. He has hook ups, where Grayson just can't seem to find a guy that can make him forget his feelings for Beck.
When a dramatic accident causes for Gray to lose one of his lower legs, Beck offers to take care of him as Gray's overprotective parents live out of town. But Beck - he's a bit of a hoarder since he loves everything antique and out of the ordinary - first needs to clean up his apartment and make sure Gray doesn't mind sleeping in one bed together, and though Gray knows it's a bad idea, they end up agreeing. They're each other's best friends after all.

Soon after Gray moves in temporarily, his anxiety, his fears start to get out of control. He suddenly has an unexplainable fear for time, for the passing of it, for time to move too slow or too fast and his experience of his surroundings changes when that happens. He tries to hide his troubles for Beck, because Gray doesn't want to be weak. He already lost a limb - he doesn't want to admit he's losing his mind too. He's always been this strong person, this reliable guy, and his accident has changed everything. He has a hard time processing and accepting and it was heartbreaking to witness his struggles. Adam Gold does a fantastic job portraying Grayson.
I also loved how he gave Beck his voice. I loved hearing his thoughts and his confusion when he finds out his feelings for Gray are changing. Because he's been a woman's man all his life, what's happening to him?! Did he suddenly turn gay?! His confusion sounded so real, so genuine. He loved Gray, but never ever in his life had he thought about Gray like this and it scares him to the bone. Their first time kissing, their first time everything, with Beck being new to all of it - I loved how Gray took him by the hand and took care of him initially. Later on, though, Gray is too damaged to see how his friend is struggling, to acknowledge Beck's confusion, and I understand the choices Beck makes. But boy, did it hurt!
I also need to point out, that I love the way Ms. James weaves humor and fun into an angsty story like this. I loved The Beatles - the fish, the grumpy cat and the bird! It makes for some lighter moments in a darker, angsty story, and somehow that gave it exactly the balance it needed.

After I finished listening to this book, I really needed time to get my thoughts together. To find the words that could do this book justice, and I'm sure I still didn't find them, but this was all I could come up with. It's been an experience I won't easily forget, and even if I have read most Nicky's books as an e-book, I can't help but wonder if this book would have been just as intense had I not listened to it. Maybe the impact was this huge because of Adam Gold's performance, of how he made Grayson and Beckett come to live, as if they were all too real.

So, if you enjoy audio's, I would highly recommend this one to you. It's angsty, and you should definitely be aware of the triggers, but if you don't have them, this book is close to perfection, both the narrating and the writing. If you don't like doing the audio, I would still recommend for you to read this book, because it's one of Nicky James's best. With Grayson's and Beckett's story she proves once again why she is called the Queen of Angst.

Wow! Amazingly written truly beautiful.

Nicky shows great insight into the phobia! Both characters were brilliant and i fell in love with them both so very fast. Just to show what PTSD / mental illness can do to the most stable of friends.

Adam Golds performance was Gold standard!!!

Stunning!

A perfect collaboration between Adam Gold and Nicky James. His narration makes this gripping story really come to life (and wow, his voice *swoon*).

Gray loses his right leg from the knee down and his sense of time after being trapped in his dark basement for 60 hours. He moves in with his best friend and long time crush Beck, who’s a hoarder owning a quirky shop and hilarious pets.
Both men have to overcome/learn to accept their insecurities and fears. Not only Gray’s obsession with time, his PTSD, anxiety and learning to live as an amputee, but also questioning his sexuality.

The budding romance, the tension between the two of them, the realistic struggling with questioning one’s orientation and the pressure of Gray’s debilitating phobia make this story hard to put down.

An emotional hurt/comfort journey

Despite knowing how heavy this audio would get, I still found myself completely overwhelmed with emotions as I listened to a firsthand account of Gray's accident and his slowly spiraling mental well-being afterwards. The combination of Nicky James's immersive writing and Adam Gold's expressive narration pulled me into the trauma of Gray's experience and kept me captive all the way through his story. Experiencing the beginning stages of Gray's fixation on and fear of time was more visceral than anything I've listened to in a long time, and without even trying I was fully invested in the outcome of his situation. My heart ached for Gray as he struggled to find a new normal even as he was still healing from what he went through. Beck's friendship was the comforting lifeline that kept this story from drifting fully into a depression spiral, and I hung onto it for dear life as Gray's nightmares threatened to pull him away from his last anchor. I rode the waves of Gray's ups and downs, took comfort when I could from Beck's closeness, and kept hoping for answers about what he was going through. For me, the romance was secondary to everything else in Gray's life, but I have to admit it was sweet to see him and Beck explore something new and unexpected together. I had much bigger questions about how Gray was going to find balance and stability, but his and Beck's stolen moments of happiness were a nice boost of uplifting energy in a story that otherwise left me really worried. The sense of relief I felt when Gray finally opened up to Beck and agreed to seek help was all-consuming, and while there was no magic cure or instant solution to his problems, the way their story ended gave me hope that things were trending in an upward direction.

**I voluntarily listened to a free copy of this book. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions

Fear of the passing time, gay for u friends to lov

This book is my least favorite in the Trials of Fear series, but this time I really enjoyed the audio. Probably because of Adam Gold's magical voice? Who knows lol.

The fear of passing time is really hard to describe and write about, and the constantly fear in Gray's voice and complaining about the passing time... confusing but okay.

Friends to lovers, gay for you, just really good! And the narration... don't get me start on that one hahaha, just perfect.

Amazing! As expected!

I cannot say it enough! ADAM GOLD IS AMAZING! I adore his narration. I also really love Nicky's writing so what's not to love about this audio book? This is a great story about overcoming something totally life changing and finding love in the process. I absolutely cannot recommend this book enough. Heck the entire series is so good!

Adam Gold I will buy everything you read to me💗💗

This was soo good. Such an interesting story. Till now I have never read about such a menthal illness like cronophobia. Grayson's journey touched me deeply. Adam read it with so much emotion, every nuance, every breath, everything felt right. His performance is utter perfection. Grayson's physical rehabilitation was not in the focus like..at all.. which could have been detailed a lot more. I missed a longer and tender care taking by Beckett.

I was always able to differenciate who was talking. Becket's voice and manners were so different!His happy go lucky character and the sunny voice stood in contrast with Grayson's melancholy and deeper raspier voice. I was flustered how good the narration was.

Becket's character and his journey seemed totally realistic. His outbursts at the beginning when he was confused....this is exactly how I imagine this would go in real life. And even during sex, all his thoughts and worries were valid.

Ah Grayson and his "voice" will inhabit my thoughts for long! I bought the other audiobooks in the series and the other Nicky-Adam products and can't wait to devour them! Nicky is my new aut-buy authors 😍

Just do yourself a favor and listen to this 🤩🤩🤩🤩
check out TW-s
Although it is emotional it is not that dark though.

so emotional

what an emotional story. Grayson loses part of his leg in a horrific accident at his house after a storm. he was stuck for a few days before he was found and unsurprisingly it has caused a lot of mental problems. He moves in with his straight best friend Beck who he has been secretly in love with for 15 years. They have to share a bed which causes some awkward moments. Beck realises that actually he isn't completely straight and start having feelings for Grayson. At the same time Grayson's is rapidly deteriorating. it was a hard listen but what an emotional, heartfelt and beautiful story.

Incredible, Emotional & Beautiful 💖❤️💖

OMG........absolutely blown away another amazing one from Nicky James from the start couldn't stop listening was so hooked the opening will break your heart what Gray goes through when he's trapped you feel everything his pain fear and anxiety it's so heart-wrenching.and him and Beck his best friend who's he's loved since he was 15 yrs old who he moves in with after is accident the chemistry between them from friends to lovers you go through it all with both of them and Adam Gold as done it again simply brilliant with his narration of Gray & Beck not forgetting the Beatles love the cat. 💖❤️💖❤️

Plenty of emotion

This is an emotional, friends to lovers story. It starts out in a frightening situation. Grayson suffers after an accident that leaves him with his leg amputated. Since he isn’t too anxious to have his mom hoovering over him, he accepts his bff Beck’s offer to stay with him. Gray gets to deal with a number of medical issues and with the fact he has crushed on Beck since they were teens. This story has so much to be emotional about. This author is great at bringing human problems and solutions into the story. This is another example how the stories touch me. Adam Gold’s narration brought personality to these characters.

incredible performance and journey

listening to Adam gold bring grayson and beck to life was such a beautiful and delightful experience

I felt every emotion and every word of their journey it was amazing heartfelt and stunning

Adam gold narrated grayson and beck just the way I pictured them to sound

I loved nicky James's beautiful words and storytelling and Adam gold wonderful narration it was perfect