The Impossible Boy

By: Anna Martin

Narrated by: Dan Calley

Length: 6 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's Summary

This is not your average love story.  

Ben Easton is not your average romantic hero. He’s a tattooed, badass guitarist in a band, working in a perfectly horrible dive bar in Camden Town. His life is good, and he’s totally unprepared for how one man will turn it upside down.  

Stan isn’t your average heroine. As a gender-fluid man, he proudly wears his blond hair long, his heels sky-high, and his makeup perfectly executed. A fashion industry prodigy, Stan is in London after stints working in Italy and New York City, and he quickly falls for Ben’s devil-may-care attitude and the warm, soft heart Ben hides behind it. Beneath the perfect, elegant exterior, Stan has plenty of scars from teenage battles with anorexia. And it only takes the slightest slip for his demons to rush back in while Ben is away touring with his band, Ares. 

With Ares on the brink of a breakthrough, Ben is forced to find a way to balance the opportunity of a lifetime with caring for his beautiful, impossible boyfriend.

©2020 Anna Martin (P)2020 Anna Martin

Stan🥰

This was one of the few books that depicted a genderfluid male so authentically.

This book was everything ❤️

I loved the storyline and the storyline were given depth and were well fleshed out.

The narration was enjoyable, smooth and entertaining.

Definitely recommend this one

Sigh Ben and Stan...Sexy, compelling and complex

Fantastic book! Oh what a emotional love story is that of Ben and Stan and what a perfect collaboration between Dan Calley and Anna Martin! I love Dan Calley's interpretation of these rich characters! Heartwrenching and heartwarming, tackling difficult subjects with intelligence and sensitivity. And I was overjoyed to find out that there was another book continuing their story ( The Lost Boy) with even more depth and emotion that will leave you achingly satisified and sorry to leave theses characters behind. I truly understand the term book hangover of the very best kind!

The Rocker and the Fashionista

Stan is an enigma. His blond hair is long. He wears dresses and high heels. He knows how to apply makeup like a professional. He works in the fashion industry but not as a model, despite the fact he could. When he meets Ben in a bar, they click. Ben plays in the band Ares and they are on the verge of breaking out. Stan originally hailed from Russia and is in London via New York and Italy. Ben is a Kiwi who came with his family when he was younger and has stayed, making the vibrant but expensive city his home. His mother has remarried and he has three much younger siblings. His bandmates are his found family.

In some ways this is a predictable romance and in others not so much. Stan’s battle with anorexia was painful, as was Ben’s need to feel connected. Their worlds collide when Ben goes on tour with the band and Stan is left behind. That whole section of the book nearly broke my heart. I could see how Stan was the impossible boy. But they find a way to make it work, and I got my happy ending.

Dan Calley narrates this series and I was thrilled. He did a great job bringing the characters to life. I enjoyed his performance and can’t wait for the next book.

Loved!

Beautiful Stan and gorgeous Ben. A match made in heaven. A brilliant story told by an amazing narrator.

Great listen from a new to me author

First off I have to say this Anna Martin is a new author for me, although Dan Calley is a narrator who's work I really enjoy - hence giving it a listen.

I loved Stan, he was so open and free with how he lived his life, even though it wasn't always going to mean he "fit in" but he outwardly didn't care. Then we add Ben into the mix, a man who falls for Stan and accepts him for who he is, including his past issues and shows him love and acceptance and so do Ben's circle of friends.

Their relationship blossoms as we go through the story and watch as the band Ben is in get the break all gigging bands dream of. It made me wonder how this would affect them, but I guess all will be revealed in the 2nd book (which I immediately started listening to

The story handled some sensitive subjects, but the author does this well and with the appropriate respect.

Dan Calley once again delivers a great performance and eclectic array of accents from Stan's Russian accented English to Ben's New Zealand twang and then chuck in for good measure a strong Bristolian burr, and a Geordie accent, and they all make it a real test for any narrator, but as ever, Dan handled it well and it was always clear who was speaking, and none of the accents "slipped". His tone and pace is excellent.

Like I say I'm straight into book two and looking forward to seeing where it leads.

Superb

This is one of those books that I've owned for a couple of years, that I've been intrigued by, but has never made it to the top of my TBR pile. Having Dan Calley, one of my favourite narrators, voicing the book gave me the push to read and listen to it. Wow...have I been missing out.

Ben and Stan are amazingly strong. In fact, the whole cast of characters is very well written, with Tone being my favourite. He is so real. The absolute biggie for me, though, is the acceptance that runs throughout this book for people who dare to be different. It has been many years since I lived in London, but this is what I always remember about it.

Dan Calley did a sterling job of pulling off both Ben and Stan's accents and maintaining them throughout the audiobook. He brings that much more to a story that is already perfect. I wish I could give more that 5 stars.

Oh...and even though I had my doubts about reading the follow up, The Lost Boy, I am so, so glad that I did.