The Bartender and the Babies: A Friends to Lovers Romance

The Frat Boys Baby, Book 5

By: Aiden Bates, Austin Bates

Narrated by: Guy Veryzer

Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

Kurt
I faked being happy for years as a high-powered stock broker. Faking a relationship for a week can’t be that much harder. Course, pretending money and success was all I needed led directly to my breakdown, and lying on my mom’s couch is all I’ve been good at ever since. Maybe "faking it til I make it" isn’t a skill I should be putting on my resume. Assuming I ever get back to sending those out.

But one existential crisis at a time. First I need to survive my sister’s wedding with my sanity intact. And since that I fended off my mom’s matchmaking with claims of a nonexistent boyfriend...I need one of those. 

It should probably surprise me how easily my mind turns to Evan, the gorgeous omega owner of the bar I like to drown my sorrows in. Or how easy he is to sell on the idea. Mostly, it just seems right. There’s a loneliness that clings to him like a shadow only I can see. Makes me think we’re kindred spirits. Maybe we can be lonely together. Maybe we can even be something more.

I should’ve expected he has problems of his own. That a screw-up is the last person who should be trying to save someone else. But I didn’t, and now I just hope we can save each other. Or else my fake relationship will end with very real consequences for us both.

Evan
I don’t know what drives me to keep my brother’s bar open after he dies. It was never my dream. And I’ve got no one left to prove anything to. But its the last piece I have of him, and I’m not ready to let go. Move on. Maybe that’s why I fight it when Kurt shakes up the limbo I’ve spent so long living in. 

It's not like this relationship was supposed to be real. Yet I can tell he wants more. Trying to help with the bar. Wanting to be my rock. A new foundation. But I can’t let him. Because I can’t deal with losing my foundation again. If that means I have to be alone, so be it. My mind isn’t changed just because I end up pregnant. So why do I still hope Kurt finds a way to change it?

This 50,000-word novel about lives lost and loves found features mpreg, mental health issues, and a whole lot of sexual healing. Be 18 years of age and up when listening!

©2018 Shehan Peiris (P)2018 Shehan Peiris

Great story

Loved the story of Kurt and Evan. It is as enjoyable as all the others stories in this series.

Narrator made the characters sound like they were all in their 50’s.

A good read

Normally I only gush about how much I love a book. And while its true I did very much enjoy this book I can't help my confusion. The book blurb for this book is in my opinion very different than the book that I read. Kurt didn't end up on his mothers couch, he didn't have a "breakdown" or anything else. He did get depressed at one point but who hasn't ever been depressed or disappointed? And no brother died, so you can see why I say that I'm confused. The story that I read and listened to was great. The 2 main characters were both strong good-looking men and the rest of the characters were well written and quite enjoyable. I really hope the author goes back and writes another book blurb for this story. Either way the story was great. I have read many books by these 2 authors and I have always enjoyed them. The narrator did an amazing job with all the voices. I would highly recommend this book to others. I did receive this book for free in exchange for an honest review and I also review books for Audiobooks Unleashed.

entertaining

Would I listen to it again: probably
Did the story keep me engaged: reasonably
Was I invested in the characters: mostly
What did I like about the story? fun story with likeable characters

I'm on the fence with the narrator. The characters have each been given their own voices and the inflections and intonations are OK and work to bring life to the characters, but at times the narration sounded wobbly and the characters came across older than I thought they should.

<I received this book from Audiobooks Unleashed in exchange for my unbiased review>

I Love My Family!

I have read a few of Aiden's books but not when co-authored with Austin, I really enjoyed this sweet story.
Kurt needs a fake boyfriend after spilling the news to his family that he's gay. That's where Evan comes in. I tell ya, what a family Kurt has ... I'd be pulling out my hair lol.
I found a lot of humor, and Evan is an Omega and I love the fact he's strong willed. After Kurt gets over his shock of an Omega owning and running a bar he starts falling for him.
As the story goes on you can see that even though this is fiction there is a message. I'm not going to spoil it for you lol.
I'm still new to Audible so I haven't heard Guy Veryzer narrator before. I didn't mind him, he did good with the women's voices but between Evan and Kurt I just couldn't tell the difference. It could have been my hearing issue so take that into account.

Good Story

This was a good read. The characters are interesting and the storyline is exciting. Love this author.

Kurt & Evan

Kurt has the wildest stories about his crazy sisters, and they live up to their reputation. Being the only man in a group of crazy women will drive anyone over the edge. Add in a fake boyfriend, pregnancy, and a partner who does not want commitment and Kurt may not survive the trip. Evan is a successful business owner who wants nothing to do with a relationship, but he agrees to be Kurt's fake boyfriend as long as they have no commitment to one another. Evan has his reasons, but not everything is black and white. A great read.
Not a fan of the narrator.

Another great book in the "Frat Boys Series"!!

Wow.... The Bates's brothers had me once again from page one! What a crazy, wild funny laughable ride this book will take you on. There are so many great lines, great character references, and lets not forget the craziness. This book is just the cat's pajamas! I so enjoyed reading it, however; being able to sit back and listen to Mr. Veryzer's vocalization of this book was so outstanding to this listener; it put a whole different spin on the entire story for me and made it so much more enjoyable than I thought it could get! Kurt & Evan are quite the pair, add in mom and the rest of the crazy cast of characters and you have a book so worth the wait! I have never been disappointed in any books that I have had the opportunity to buy from these brothers, their writing, their research, their respect for their readers is oblivious. I so look forward to the next books in this series. An avid reader in Rock Tavern, NY.

The Bartender and the Babies: A Friends to Lovers

Kurt is the last of the frat brothers who is single and has no omega in sights. He is very busy with his big family of sisters and a mother on valium. They are in the middle of planning another wedding and it's a little crazy. He leaves to go to a bar he enjoys. There he sees Evan as he takes care of an idiot drunk. He steps in to help. He has an offer of a job at the bar which he accepts. He and Evan share a moment well a night. There is another go around about the wedding and his mother trying to shove females at him, In the moment he mentions his boyfriend wouldn't like it and panics and leaves very quickly. He hides out at the bar doing his job in the office. There is chemistry between Kurt and Evan but a lot of baggage dealing with relationships on Evan's part. Then the unthinkable happens...a pregnancy. Life just got a heck of alot more complicated.
Guy Veryzer is a great narrator whose voice pulls you into the story and keeps you enthralled as you listen to the characters go through their lives.
Fantastic audio and story!!!

Great Book

It was amazing how it ended. I was a little bit sad to see the series end . This is a must read.. the narrator did a great job!!! The story was engaging and I think that it was awesome.

as good as the ebook

The story is always 4 or 5 stars, because if I wouldn't like the story as ebook, I wouldn't listen to the audiobook.

The performance from the narrator is also very important for me. I can't listen to a lot, because my English as a non-native-speaker isn't so perfect to follow a whole story over hours, when the narrator speaks too fast or too sloppy. Normally I have to SEE the person, who is talking to me in English. It took me a little bit, to come into the narrator, but at the end, it worked. I only have to take a few breaks between. I'm just not yet finish with the book, but I listen enough to give a review.

PLEASE READ MY RATING SYSTEM!!!

To my ratings:

5* - very very good
it's like an A+

4* - very good and will be often re-listening
it's like an A

3* - it's more then a one-time-listening, but not more then twice a year.
it's like a B

100% Enjoyable!

I always enjoy the books the Bates's write together and The Bartender and the Babies has all their best high points. Goofy family members, fun and silly dialogue, a wee bit of drama, and a perfect opposites attract/friends to lovers romance. 100% easy enjoyment.

Audio performed by Guy Veryzer who always does a good job. This is one wild and crazy cast of characters, and Veryzer clearly had a fantastic time finding voices for them all.

as good as the ebook

The story is always full stars, because if I wouldn't like the story as ebook, I wouldn't listen to the audiobook. I can't listen to an audiobook without knowing the book, that's not possible for me.

The performance from the narrator is also very important for me. I can't listen to a lot, because my English as a non-native-speaker isn't so perfect to follow a whole story over hours, when the narrator speaks too fast or too sloppy. Normally I have to SEE the person, who is talking to me in English. It took me a little bit, to come into the narrator, but at the end, it worked. I only have to take a few breaks between. I'm just not yet finish with the book, I’m over the half, but I listen enough to give a review.

PLEASE READ MY RATING SYSTEM!!!

To my ratings:

5* - very very good
it's like an A+

4* - very good and will be often re-listening
it's like an A

3* - it's more then a one-time-listening.
it's like a B

The billionaire and the bartender...

Kurt is more than just his stock. Evan, who doesn’t do relationships may have found his one. Kurt’s family seems special but I find his mother annoying. Too whiny... there are though some awesome characters like Theodore and Lucia. Nice love story.

Brill

This is a brilliant book to listen to as we follow Kurt realise that there are important things than the stock market after he meets Evan.

Pretense

When I listened to the other 4 books, I barely registered Kurt. My mistake. He is right out there with the others...full of personality and humour. He and Evan set the pages alight. What started out as pretense quickly became complicated for the workaholic and the commitment phobe, and their journey to happiness is a definite 5 star novel.

The swap from one POV to the other is again seamless due to the ability of the authors to write well together. Most of the secondary characters add to their story. I particularly loved Pyotr and Lucia, Kurt's mother and, of course, the other Frat Boys. The annoying sisters...not so much. I don't think they added the comic value they were perhaps supposed to.

I was in two minds about the narration by Guy Veryzer at first. Then his laid back style with the hint of humour really grew on me. He suits the story perfectly.

good

these two brothers make me happy. i enjoy their work and this doesnt dissapoint.. the narrator kept it going and made you feel with the characters. overall a good story

brilliant

love it like the others... need more ! this one was my fave the narrator was perfect for the different accents!