Missing in Action

By: Kate Canterbary

Narrated by: Teddy Hamilton, Jacob Morgan, Christian Fox, Lucy Rivers

Length: 7 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's Summary

Former Navy SEAL turned Covert Agent Wes Halsted spent his days - and weeks and months - being someone else. But with his cover blown and his injuries requiring months of recuperation, he must learn how to be himself again. 

Only...he'd rather save his issues for another day and get to know a stressed-out, suited-up businessman instead. 

Tom Esbeck has everything under control. Meal plans, workout plans, project plans, five-year plans. A plan for everything and everything according to plan. 

Except there's no plan for a surprise - and shirtless - encounter with the built-for-sin spy he'd crushed on years ago. 

But crushes - and spies - burn out fast. 

Missing in Action is a steamy full-length contemporary gay stand-alone romance with strong ties to the Walsh series. 

Performed by Teddy Hamilton as Wes Halsted and Jacob Morgan as Tom Esbeck, with brief appearances by Christian Fox as Will Halsted and Lucy Rivers as Shannon Walsh.  

Produced by One Night Stand Studios.

©2019 Kate Canterbary (P)2020 Kate Canterbary

Listen to This for the Narration Alone

I listened to this book on Audible. Teddy Hamilton, Jacob Morgan and Christian Fox are without contest my three favorite narrators. I was so excited when I saw all three of them in one book. I would give this five stars for narration.

And the story was pretty good. I'd give the setting and plot about four stars.

But. But. The romance didn't work for me at all. And since this is a romance, that's darn disappointing. In fact, I think Tom needs pretty intensive therapy. He says he's had it, but I don't feel he got where he needs to go. I feel like he's a cluster B borderline. Wes was great. He deserves better. But I feel like the author forced them together. About an hour before the end of the book I was praying they wouldn't end up together. But through lies and subterfuge they were somehow welded together. I really hope there's a sequel and it starts with them broken up and Tom gets the help he needs. Wes will probably need therapy by then. He probably does anyway for his PTSD. Then they could find their way back together. Or to completely different people. Either would work for me.

I'd recommend you listen to this book for the narration alone. That is awesome.

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Just loved this audio. The narration was perfect. Found Kate Canterbary’s books starting with the Walsh series so it was so nice to hear Lucy Rivers and Christian Fox reprise their roles as Shannon and Will. Teddy Hamilton and Jacob Morgan were amazing as Wes and Tom. I just love Kate’s books; her writing style, her characters are so relatable and down-to-earth, like they’d be your friends if they were flesh-and-blood people. Definitely worth a credit!

Nothing missing from this book!

I love this team of narrators paired with this author. Wes and Tom are couple goals! Definitely one for the re-listen pile! The interaction between Wes and Tom is fantastic in the book and enhanced in the audio.

Excellent narration, not a great standalone

This is my first book from this author. Overall I really enjoyed it. It was much funnier than I was expecting. However, I'm not sure it really works as a standalone. I love reading book series and I realize that there's always a more thorough understanding of supportive characters when all the books are read. But for me, there wasn't enough individual interaction with Tom and Wes and too much interaction with the other characters to work as well as a standalone. The narration was excellent, as expected from these seasoned narrators.

Very original storyline!

This is the first book I've read in a while that had a unique-to-me story line. In all fairness, I don't usually gravitate towards Navy Seal storylines, so I don't know if that's why, but either way I really enjoyed it.

Wes and Tom were complete opposites from one another. I always love when the two characters have traits like that because it's so interesting to see how they fit together. Wes was a bit of a wild card and Tom was definitely very buttoned up. Every time Tom cooked for Wes it made me chuckle because Wes seemed to have no idea what to do with what Tom was making. And I don't mean that Tom cooked weird stuff, but there was a line where Wes said (paraphrasing) that you should always have rice with fish (I agree) and Tom was all, no there's too much starch in rice. It was just one of those moments that subtly showcased their differences and I really enjoyed that.

The story overall was a good read. I wish there had been more about Wes' time as a Seal because I think more details about that would have really helped develop Wes' character. We know little things here and there, but I was just left wanting a little more from that. I felt like the book focused solely on their relationship and not enough on their backgrounds. Canterbary did a pretty solid job with Tom, but Wes felt a little incomplete. Another thing I didn't like was Tom's monologue to Wes about Wes not coming out. I honestly felt like Wes' reasons were extremely valid and that his nervousness towards a certain person made complete sense. Especially given the history of that person's feelings. It was odd how everyone was just like "oh, this person would be okay" but that was never explicitly shown so why would/should Wes feel that way? I felt like Tom was not understanding about what Wes was trying to say and that really, really bugged me. That particularly bit of the story should really have been flushed out more. That's ultimately why I knocked a star off.

Wes and Tom had really good chemistry though and I liked how they sort of just came to be. Their time spent together was very sweet and swoony. This book wasn't very high on the steam factor as there were only two or three scenes about that, so if that's something you look for in a book, this might not be the book for you. Don't get me wrong, the scenes that were there were HOT, but there weren't many.

As usual, Teddy and Jacob did a PHENOMENAL job. They are the ultimate m/m duo and are honestly the reason why I wanted to listen to this book so much. I'm not sure if I would have listened to it otherwise because, like I said before, I don't usually gravitate toward Navy Seal books.

Overall, I definitely recommend this book! I'm really glad I ended up giving it a chance and I'll re-listen to it again in the future!

Disappointed...

I haven't read any of the other books in this series but was excited to jump in because of the good reviews. Unfortunately, the story progression of the main characters were not developed well and I hate to say this but Tom is so unlikeable. Wes deserves so much better then Tom whom comes off arrogant and very self absorbed. He doesn't even have a nice character development towards the end to make him more likable. I get that he has a horrible past but never learns from it and lashes out on Wes for no good reason. So disappointed for Wes I hope he leaves Tom because Wes was a good character. The voice actors were amazing though, helped me get through the horrible relationship that felt forced.

Good story Great narration

Come for the story stay for Teddy Hamilton and Jacob Morgan.

The plot is pretty standard. Two guys with issues meet and start sleeping together. Eventually everything goes to shit. They spend too long being broken and shit until they talk to a family member who makes them open their eyes. They get back together and have their HEA.

Forget the run of the mill plot and cookie cutter characters. The narration is 100% worth the credit spent on the book.

Loved it!

This book was heartbreaking, adorable, and just the right amount of spicy. The cast and narration was great. Jacob and Teddy are the best ever. I want to play trivia with Tom and Wes like nobody’s business.

Great story of acceptance and healing

We meet Wes Halsted (former Navy SEAL turned covert CIA agent) in a pickle: dressed as a nun, with a broken arm and a gunshot wound, trying to find his way of out of a monumentally botched mission. He ends up getting rescued by his brother's paramilitary team and brought home. But what is home you've been spent a good portion of your life pretending to be someone else - professionally and privately. He needs to learn to be himself again. 

While recovering at his brother's house, he meets Tom Esbeck (well, meets again, as they've meet before and he doesn't remember, much to Tom's chagrin). In the exact polar opposite of the "flying by the seat of his pants" spectrum lies super-stressed, control freak Tom. He has everything planned and it all has to go according to the plan. A surprise shirtless encounter with the spy with the hottest body on the planet was NOT on his plans...

Oh, what a great book!! It's the best kind of opposites attract and while Wes is definitely one badass of a hunk, you can't help falling in love with adorable (and also hunky), control freak Tom. We sure get all the military situations (What will happen to Wes career wise? Will he get over the Don't Ask Don't Tell attitude?) but the story is mostly a story of healing. Wes' scars are more visible, but Tom's are deep, and though hidden, are also still bleeding. When you learn about his past, you understand why Shannon "adopted" him... and you love him a little more. 

A wonderful book about healing, self-discovery, acceptance and love. Of all kinds. 

Narrativo: It's #Jeddy! Do I need to say more???? These two are great separately and you get the Jeddy combo, it's soooooo good! 

(You also get two chapters narrated by Christian Fox and Lucy Rivers as Will and Shannon)

Possible Triggers: homophobia; brief mentions of homelessness and conversion therapy

Missing in action

Wanting to say this book was written great! Loved Wes & Tom and the fact that they were masculine gay men. Wes was a CIA operative and very masculine. Tom was obviously the more feminine one and really relatable and funny. They were darling and lovable together. Even the gay sex was hot.