September

Pride and Joy, Book 1

De: Robert Winter

Narrado por: Kale Williams

A May-December contemporary gay romance for lovers of second chances.

David James is smart, successful, handsome...and alone. After the death of his lover, Kyle, from cancer, he buried himself in his law practice and the gym. At 48, he is haunted by his memories and walled off from the world. When David injures himself working out, he’s assigned to Brandon Smith for physical therapy. The vibrant young therapist is attracted to David and realizes he needs a hand to get back into dating. What begins as a practice coffee date escalates to friendship, passion, and maybe something more as they navigate a new relationship in Washington, DC, and the gay mecca of Provincetown.

But David remains trapped behind the barrier of fear and guilt. Will he remain loyal to Kyle’s memory if he moves on? Can he and Brandon manage a 22-year age gap? Brandon thinks he understands David’s concerns, and for him, the answer to those questions is yes. He wants to be with David, and he believes he can overcome David’s barriers. But Brandon fails to account for the world’s reaction to a handsome young man attached to an older, wealthy lover.

David’s memories, Brandon’s pride, and an unexpected tragedy might cost them something very special....

©2016, 2017 Robert Winter (P)2018 Robert Winter

Emotional!

I have mixed feelings. I enjoyed the storyline. Liked both Brandon and David. The bike accident and the after affect took me by surprise. I think I would have preferred a different outcome. It was very emotional for both characters. I also liked how the author tied in Kyle, David’s dead boyfriend. Kyle’s letter brought me to tears. I love Kale as a narrator,I find his voice very pleasant and soothing.

A fantastic love story

David James is 48, a successful Washington attorney, and a widower. Kyle, his partner of 15 years, died from pancreatic cancer two years ago. David has handled his grief by throwing himself into work and CrossFit. CrossFit causes a micro tear in his rotator cuff, which sends him to Brandon James, a 26 year old physical therapist. Both men are immediately attracted to each other, but David is hesitant to get fully involved due to the 22 year age gap and David’s sense that he’s being unfaithful to Kyle’s memory. A life changing event makes both David and Brandon realize that true love conquers adversity and societal norms.

Kale does an outstanding job with his narration and character voices, especially when it comes to Brandon. The Texas twang rings true with that character. This is an awesome book, and the story will stay with you long after you finish listening.

every emotionn

As a man who struggles with my own commitment and compassion this piece was a remarkable journey of discovery for me. I experienced every emotion. I couldn't put down. Thank you Robert Winter

September

September is Robert Winter's debut book and he hit a grand slam on his first time at bat!

David James is in his late forties and after burying his long-term lover, finds himself focused on his career and working out. He is a successful partner in a law firm, and despite his age, is in great shape thanks to how hard he pushes himself at Crossfit. But one day when pushing too hard and trying to keep up with the younger guys in the class, he injures his shoulder. His doctor sends him to physical therapy to work on his rotator cuff and for the first time since burying his lover, he notices and is attracted to someone else.

Brandon Smith is from Texas and a family that says they're "fine" with his being gay, but prefers to act like it's not true. He's moved to DC near an uncle to try and use his degree in the best way to eventually have his own practice. Brandon is very active, involved in various sports and activity and with his friends. He's only in his 20's and enjoying life, though he's at the point that he'd like more than a hookup. When he's assigned David, he's attracted to him and impressed by David and his devotion to taking care of his shoulder. Brandon and David enjoy a little flirtation, and when the opportunity presents itself, Brandon takes a chance and offers to help David get back to the dating world.

Both men are attracted to the other but there's a lot to work out between the two. Despite the chemistry between them, David can't just accept that someone so much younger than him can be in this for a long-term relationship and refuses to open himself up to the possibilities. Brandon fights hard to make David see that everything is possible. And when Brandon suffers a tragedy, both men are reminded how fragile life is.

Let me be honest here, before I started reading this, I looked at the reviews and noticed the comments about a letter and the tissues. I internally rolled my eyes and thought, come on, really? Don't discount it! This was not just a letter turning up magically from a secret, undiscovered before place. It honestly just felt so real, something that could really happen and be believable. And yes, pull out the tissues because it was just so beautifully written and had me crying hard enough that once finished, I had to take off my glasses to dry my eyes so I could continue.

This book was narrated by Kale Williams and he always does such a fantastic job! This book is full of characters, but the narrator handled all the voices without issue. He was able to give the characters voices that were different, and consistent, which allowed me to follow along easily. The narrator has an easy to listen to voice that allows you to immerse yourself in the story. He has an easy pace, good diction and expresses the appropriate emotion the story calls for. Kale Williams was the perfect choice to bring this story to life!

I loved both of these characters! David who came from nothing and just wanted to take care of those he loved and Brandon who seemed to just take hit after hit from life but still came back fighting. This wasn't an easy love story, it seems that way, but there was so much going on in the characters' lives that they really had to work for their love. I loved David's friends, he had such a great support system and they were a great addition to this story and to Brandon. I can't urge you to read, or listen, to this book enough, it was absolutely beautiful!

Overall: 5 stars
Performance: 5 stars
Story: 5 stars

3.5 stars- 4 stars: Some hiccups, but still good

This audiobook is proving a little hard for me to rate and review. I had some major hang-ups with some of the characters’ reactions, plot points, and some random details that rubbed me the wrong way. However, there were also some stellar parts that redeemed the not so loveable aspects; and that ending- wow! That alone was worthy of rounding up my rating.

September is a May-December romance by a new-to-me author. The writing flowed well, the dialogue kept the tempo upbeat and fit the characters, and I really liked the realistic aspects this couple faced considering their age gap and differing life experiences. While I liked both Brandon and David, and thought they complimented each other well, I struggled to really connect with David. This was exacerbated by David’s response to some external conflicts. That said, there were also conflicts that advanced the plot and developed the characters and relationship well, making September somewhat of a mixed bag. I had similar thoughts regarding the book’s pacing. The first part of the story was a little flat and slow, but that picked up as the relationship between the men blossomed. And again, the ending was just fantastic. I hadn’t expected some of the heartbreak and emotional aspects and those were developed and explained really well, leaving me eager to read more by the author, even though I had some issues with this particular title.

Although I hadn’t read this author before, I have listened to the narrator. Mr. Williams measured rhythm and voices worked well for the book and characters. This was definitely what I’d term an easy listen. Even though the story was emotional, the narrator didn’t overact or dramatize those moments, his enunciation was clear, and it flowed smoothly. I’d certainly recommend September to fans of May-December romances, or those who like second chance romances featuring a widowed main character.

*Reviewed for Alpha Book Club*