Thin Ice

Pine Cove, Book 6

By: HJ Welch

Narrated by: Nick J. Russo

Length: 8 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's Summary

Kamran’s ex broke his heart, tricked him into aiding a bank robbery, and now he wants him to do one last job. There’s only one way to say no: Seek the protective custody of the biggest, grumpiest FBI agent ever. And pretend to be his boyfriend for a weeklong family reunion in their giant mansion. Wait, what?

Agent Lee Marshall is notoriously all work and no play. Letting a flirty, hot-as-sin playboy like Kamran get under his skin is not an option. He has to protect him, not hook up with him. But pretending they’re an item for a week? That couldn’t hurt....

Kamran swore he’d never love again, but Lee will do anything to keep him out of harm’s way. Maybe there’s a teddy bear heart under the hunky FBI agent’s gruff exterior, and Kamran is the only one who can tease it out. What started out fake becomes all too real, but when Kamran’s past catches up to him, Lee must risk everything to save him.

Book six of Pine Cove. Thin Ice is a steamy stand-alone MM romance novel with a guaranteed HEA and absolutely no cliff-hanger.

©2021 HJ Welch (P)2021 HJ Welch

Cute romance!

This was a sweet grumpy / sunshine, opposites attract contemporary romance.

The characters were likeable and enjoyable


The setting of the story was cute and interesting

I loved the narration, it was enjoyable and an easy Iisten.

Kamran and Lee's Fake-Boyfriends Love Story

‘Thin Ice’ was given to me as a free ARC after I requested a copy. This voluntary review will express some of my thoughts and opinions after having listened to it. Even though it is a later book in the ‘Pine Cove’ series, I think it stands alone well. I’ve read a couple of previous books and can attest that those books are well worth a read too.

Kamran’s past comes to town in the form of ex-boyfriend Chaz Bolt, who tries to coerce Kamran into repeating a criminal mistake from the time when they were together. Lee, an FBI agent on his way to his family’s Pine Cove estate, interviews Kamron hoping to get information to put Bolt behind bars. When Kamran find himself in danger, he seeks protection from Lee. This is the set-up for a delightful fake-boyfriends scenario.

This story features a few tropes, the most prominent being the aforementioned fake-boyfriends. Lee and Kamran have just met when posing as boyfriends becomes the easiest way for Lee to protect Kamran. Other trope-y goodness includes: a sorta-slow-burn mixed with insta-love (you’ll see what I mean); opposites-attract; close-proximity; and a protector/man-in-peril romantic suspense. Welch combines all of this into a true-to-life story filled with the love and joy of finding the one person that gives meaning and completeness to life.

I sometimes mention the sexy times in my reviews when I think they’re particularly well-written into the story itself. Without being graphic or spoiler-y, I’ll attempt to explain. The steamy scenes feel completely appropriate to the overall story that Welch is telling. These scenes progress in a way that matches the emotional level of Lee and Kamran’s relationship.

Seeing Nick J Russo as narrator enticed me in equal measure as the story by Welch. Russo is one of just a few voice performers that get an instant click from me. His ability to convey the style and emotion of an author’s story is superior to most others. ‘Thin Ice’ is no exception; it's brilliantly voiced by Russo.

Highly recommended.

Fake Boyfriends Romance with Some Suspense

FBI Agent Lee and witness Kamran are thrown together after the case against Kamron's bad news ex-boyfriend takes a dangerous turn. Determined to keep Kam safe, Lee takes him under protection as they pose as fake boyfriends at Lee's weeklong family reunion and the two grow steadily closer until the line between a real and fake relationship is blurred while outside threats linger.

I enjoyed the slow-build of feelings and trust between Lee and Kam as they gradually let their guards down around each other, and their steamy times are also sweet. The reappearance of Kam's ex toward the end adds some welcome heightened suspense to the story. Lee's grandmother is also a delight, but his disapproving father and brother are a bit OTT terrible.

Narrator Nick J. Russo is always a pleasure to listen to, and he gives a solid performance here with distinct voices, especially for Kamran. I received this free review copy audio book by request and have left this honest review voluntarily.

Head to Pine Cove for hot love stories

I loved this story when I read it, but hearing it told by this wonderful narrator just makes it better. Kamran and Lee could not be more worlds apart, but dangerous circumstances throw them together and they must learn to work together to keep Kamran safe. Add in a difficult family, nosy, yet loving friends, the crazy town of Pine Cove, and this story takes you for a wild ride.

Very Enjoyable

Thin Ice is Book 6 in the Pine Cove series. This is a wonderfully written action packed, opposites attract, fake boyfriends story about Kamran, who's trying to get away from his ex, and FBI agent Lee Marshall, who is to protect Kamran. Though out of the ordinary, Kamran and agent Lee are pretending to be together as Lee has a family reunion he can't miss. I really enjoyed watching Kamran and Lee go from a fake relationship to a real one, Kamran learning to trust and Lee realizing there's more to life than just work. Definitely recommend this book and series.
Narrator Nick J. Russo does a marvelous job. He really brings the characters to life and is such a joy to listen to. 

Fun Fake to real

This is a fun addition to the series. We don't really get to see much of previous characters but are introduced to some new ones. There's a bit of mystery involved of course because it involves Kam. Overall I enjoyed the story and Russo made it pretty entertaining to listen to.

Excellent!! Loved Kamran and Lee!!

Sooo good!! Kamran’s ex tricked him into being a getaway driver in a bank robbery. He ran to Pine Cove to hide and lick his wounds. Lee is an FBI agent on the rise, he’s come one to Pine Cove for his parent’s 40th wedding anniversary. He finds out that Kamran is in Pine Cove and might be able to help him bring down his ex. This was sooo good!! I loved the fake boyfriend troupe in this one. Low angst and plenty of hot and steamy times! A little bit of danger and suspense thrown in make a great story!! Nick J Russo did a great job with the narration!!

Great book!

I have enjoyed all the books in this series so far and this one has been no exception! Kamran was an interesting character I first met in book 5. I loved his story! And Lee as the FBI agent that let's Kamran tag along to his family's house and crash a party as cover and to keep him safe?! This story has just enough danger and action to keep you going until the end. And Nick does a great job with the narration.

From fake to forever

This is my favorite of the series! I loved Lee and Kamran. Lee doesn’t do one night stands and Kamran doesn’t do relationships. But when the 2 meet there is an attraction there neither can deny. I loved how Lee wanted to show Karman he is worthy of love. Karman has such low self esteem and doesn’t think he deserves someone like Lee. Karman is also worried about his past messing everything up. If you like a fake boyfriend book with action, an awesome grandmother, a little bit of angst and some seriously hot sex scenes then check this one out! Nick Russo does a great job with the narration. We meet Lee’s family and he did a great job with all the voices so I was never confused.

Interesting Sunday Afternoon Listen

This has an interesting concept/troupe; FBI agent and getaway driver from a bank robbery. Kamran needs protection and Lee is up for the challenge, after he’s the one to accidentally get him in more trouble with his ex. They have an instant connection in certain areas, but takes effort on others. Lee don’t have the best relationship with his family and Kamran helps bring Lee happiness.

The narrator was good, but slow. I had to speed up my listening speed, but I know that’s only for some people. I haven’t listen to Nick J. Russo much, but he was enjoyable and I had no issues with telling characters apart like with some. I would listen to him again.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and the narrator really brought the story to life. I do enjoy HJ Welch ID many in many of her novels. I like her writing. It’s that type of novel that you read/listen to on a Sunday afternoon to relax, which is exactly what I did.

*Listener Note: I received a free copy of this audiobook through Gay Romance Reviews (GRR) and this is my honest review.

Great story and fantastic narration

Thin Ice is my first book from the Pine Cove series, which can also be read as a standalone. In fact, it was my first book by author JH Welch, which I will keep in mind. I totally enjoyed her wonderful writing style. This is easy-going and you are quite quickly in the story.

Kamran hasn't really had it easy in his life, but things threaten to escalate when the FBI suddenly shows up in the form of Agent Lee Marshal. For this calls Kamran's criminal ex-boyfriend on the scene and when Kamran's apartment is vandalized, he gets scared. So where to go? Agent Lee is the best address. Too bad that he is about to go on vacation. So Lee passes Kamran off as his current boyfriend and takes him to visit his family.

I really liked the two very different characters. Kamran is very likable and I often felt for him. Lee is hot and has his heart in the right place. However, his family is not thrilled with his new boyfriend and some confrontations ensue.
I really enjoyed the development of the fake boyfriend relationship. The differences between the two couldn't be greater, as Lee comes from a rich background while Kamran has been struggling on his own for a long time. Kamran absolutely doesn't let it get him down, though. Witnessing the family dynamics of the Marshals was just delightful.

I absolutely loved Thin Ice. The story was entertaining, romantic and exciting. The protagonists are believable and I had to grin at so many points. The story captivated me from the beginning and Thin Ice will certainly not be my last book in this series.

Nick J. Russo did a fantastic job. The narrator reads the different protagonists with a clear and deep voice and you always know who is speaking. He was a pleasure to listen to and has a talent for expressing the emotions of the protagonists, bringing the story to life.
Absolutely recommended!

WOW!

This is one of my favorite books ever, and I enjoyed the captivating plot and endearing characters a lot. Mr Russo did a wonderful job with Kamran and Lee's voices, from the self-deprecating thoughts of Kamran to Lee's sweetness and protectiveness ensuring my heart bled and healed minute after minute of his beautiful narration. This is another heartfelt story in this series, with a captivating plot, some angst, action and suspense but with a beautiful ending. A perfect love story amazingly performed! Just WOW!

Brill

This is a brill book that was full of intrigue, action and steamy romance as Lee and Kamran start their relationship as agent and witness in need of protection. But this soon changes as their chemistry blossoms but then problems occur when Kamran’s ex comes calling, can Lee save him and his relationship.

Kept me hooked!

Such a fast paced, thrill filled story. With Kamran's past coming back to haunt him he has to face it and fight it to survive and realised he's worth fighting for.
I love Kamran, there are so many layers to him that he doesn't let people see for fear of hurt or abandonment. I just wanted to give him a big hug. I loved that his friends, Lee and the best members of Lee's family helped make Kamran welcome, loved and whole. I loved this story and series and would highly recommend both the author and the narrator. Such a great combo!!!

Exciting times yet again in Pine Cove!

I love this series by Helen (HJ Welch) and the excitement builds yet again as Kam meets The Man and his past comes back to haunt him. Nick does an excellent job of bringing the characters to life and building the tension as the author takes us on a thrill ride yet again. Highly recommended Contemporary MM Romance with plenty of family drama, action, and laughs too.

Unexpectedly wonderful

Kamran and Lee's romance was delightfully unexpected, and I had so much fun listening to the two of them accidentally fall in love. Kamran and Lee didn't meet on the best of terms, and being forced to fake a relationship for ten days while being surrounded by Lee's nosy family felt like a recipe for disaster. Despite an awkward first night, I was surprised by how quickly these men formed a bond. Kamran was quick to stand up for Lee when certain members of his family tried to tear him down, and Lee in turn was every bit the growly protector when it came to Kamran's happiness. As the two of them spent more time together, it was wonderful to see them develop real feelings for each other as they learned about each other's pasts. In addition to navigating the tricky boundary between business and pleasure, both Kamran and Lee had to do some serious self-reflection before they could give a real relationship a shot. As if all of that wasn't enough to make a highly satisfying story, this book had a suspense plotline that I didn't think much of until Kamran and Lee ended up in a seriously dangerous situation. It was surprisingly heartwarming to see how much Kamran and Lee's friends and family rallied to make sure the two of them would be okay, and though it didn't turn out exactly as I had expected I was relieved that the conflict didn't drag on and on. All in all, I thought this was a well-paced, character driven romance with plenty of interesting side characters and an engaging storyline.

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

Fun and hot!

Kamran was a hoot! So sassy and fun, and it was hilarious to see grumpy, big FBI Agent Lee all tied in knots over him. LOL It didn't hurt that they had chemistry in spades and that Kamran seemed to land on his feet in any situation they ended up in.

I really enjoyed this one, both the romance and the suspense and I have no trouble recommending the audiobook. Nick J. Russo did an outstanding job with the narration, and I couldn't put it down until I was finished!

Fun story with drama and suspense

I really enjoyed this audiobook. It's a fun story of finding love and your own value and worth. There is some danger, tension, and suspense, but the story is mostly angst-free with a bit of homophobia and mean family (although they are mostly just trying to protect Lee...except Mikey). I loved Joy/Gram and her wonderfully irreverent attitude. I also really enjoyed Kamran and his snarky OTT sweetness when faced with Lee's wealthy family. It was great to have the couples from the other books show up and support Kamran. There were a few times when I was holding my breath, but there is a fantastic HEA in the end.

The narration by Nick Russo is great, especially the voices and delivery for Gram and Mia.

I received a free copy of this audiobook and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

Great Tropes

I love FBI and Fake Boyfriends, so how could this go wrong. I really enjoyed listening to this book. I haven't read it, but I'm anxious to read it now and the rest of the Pine Cove Series. I really liked Nick J. Russo's voice. I enjoyed listening to him. I like his narration style. I would definitely recommend this story.

Cameron, tamed?

The past comes back to hunt Cameron. His ex boyfriend is a pest. Enough to look for refuge with the gorgeous detective who went to him for information. They do the fake boyfriend thing and them it’s not so fake. They are both sweet guys, even when there’s danger going on they have an awesome romance. It’s a lively addition to the series.