Turnabout

Vino & Veritas Series

By: Laurel Greer

Narrated by: Gary Furlong

I don't have time for an unplanned visit home to help out in my father's struggling letterpress shop. My stint in Vermont will have to be short, for a couple of reasons:

One, I'm a busy executive trying to climb the corporate ladder.

Two, my ex is still my dad's right-hand man in the shop. And I am not over him.

Nothing has changed at the Burlington shop. Auden still has his infuriatingly sexy Scottish accent. He's still hot, and still stubborn. Between operating the antique press with his shirtsleeves rolled up, and moonlighting at Burlington's hottest inclusive wine bar, he pushes every one of my attraction buttons.

My falling-in-love-again buttons, too. Except I'm his polar opposite. I love change, and taking chances. Everything he avoids in life.

So why am I trying to convince him to reach for more than we've ever dreamed of-the possibility of forever?

Contains mature themes.

©2021 Laurel Greer (P)2022 Tantor

Amazing narration!!!

Okay, first, I loved the book - Auden and Carter were great and I’m glad they finally found their HEA. But the *real* star was Gary Furlong’s narration!!! Wow! The perfect and subtle accents were stunning, Scottish brogue, amazing, and the shifting to slight Canadian English since Carter had loved there for 10 years being different from those from town - just amazing!

Second Chance

Loved this second chance romance about Carter & Auden, who were once college sweethearts & unexpectedly reunited a decade later. The sparks are still there, along with the love for one another that they'd each pushed down in the dark recesses of their hearts. It takes a bit for their protective walls to come down & as they do, old familiar flames reignite to push them towards finally finding their HEA.

Includes a hot corporate exec in glasses & a sexy ex in a kilt with a Scottish accent!

Narration was AMAZING

Such a good story!

Such a good story! it's heartbreaking and beautiful, and well written too. And OMFG the narrator! So glad no one saw the flush on my face the first time I heard those Scottish "r's" rolling off his tongue. Super big props for the seamless transitions between a Scott, an American, and a Quebecoise woman. This book didn't just hit the spot, it hit every spot.

love the narrators voice!

It was very well written, it made sense, it made me cry, it made me excited! This has been in top 5 favorites in this series.

Good story.

What a good story. I love office supplies and stationery! It’s so great to build a love story in a print shop. Gary Furlong is an excellent narrator and has quite a knack for accents! His narration made the story very enjoyable.

One of the better titles in this series

Lets get this out there, Turnabout has the feel of a Hallmark Christmas movie. The busy executive comes back from the big city to help his dad's struggling small business. A business he left because his father was opposed to any of his ideas move the company forward. While the family business isn't a Christmas tree farm, it is close enough; a quaint, old school print shop. The real hook is that Carter, our big city executive, left behind his true love, Auden, a Scottish dreamboat, at the print shop too.

Greer's set up is done with little subtlety. Carter's father is a stuck in the past workaholic, who is more dedicated to running the business that tending to his wife. When she leaves him, he begs Carter to come home and watch the business while he chases his wife to Paris, and hopefully save his marriage. This seems unnecessary as Auden is there at the print shop, and they have so little work, one person should be fine. But let's not worry about that. small detail.

The story also leans into Auden's dedication to his single mom back in Scotland, who seems to have a gift for doling out bad advice and guilt. While many elements are pure formula, Greer seems to understand when to push, and when to let up, leaving an overall sweet story.

Speaking of sweet story, Gary Furlong is what makes this book work. His voice acting is top notch, like nearly JF Harding ability. His ease moving between the Auden's burr and literally any other character is amazing. He deftly handles genders as well. A lesser talent could have hurt the listener's experience.

Where Greer isn't so subtle is the need for Carter's dad, and Auden's mom to play the spoiler. This book takes such a great journey with both guys, that when Greer pulls the bogeymen back out to stir up trouble again, it feels unnecessary, and IMO, detracts a bit from the overall story, and that 5 star rating. However, that doesn't stop me from highly recommending this book. I have listened to nearly all the series, and this ranks at the top.

Great story with amazing narration

I am a fan of the Vino and Veritas book series and the narrator Gary Furlong, so I was excited to listen to Turnabout, even though I have never read or listened to this author before. After listening to this book, I know I will definitely check out future books from her.

Immediately, this book engaged my interest and emotions. We start out meeting Carter, who the blurb’s perspective is from, though there is an alternating dual pov throughout the book. Carter is taking pride in his success at work when he gets a call from his father to help him when Carter’s mom leaves him over his workaholic behavior, a trait that his son inherited. With Carter’s dad trying to mend fences in Paris where his mom went, Carter helps out at the family business; a retro print shop. And who should work at this print shop, none other than Carter’s ex boyfriend, Auden

I have to say right away, I was a Carter supporter from the get go. There seems to be a lot of shaming of him because he left his family, their hometown shop, and his boyfriend, to go find success with a large name office supply company in Canada. A soulless corporation according to his father. For all the grief he gets, I feel like the author did a good job of making us understand and sympathize why he left, like his dad’s lack of respect, and Auden’s lack of support. I also could see that Carter might have been overzealous to make changes and quick to pack up, but I understood his hurt and didn’t blame him.

Auden, voiced so dreamily with a Scottish accent by Gary Furlong, isn’t a bad guy, though there were some times I felt a little mad at him. Sure I could feel for him and understand his hurt when another man left him behind. Years before, his father left his mother and him without money or support. I could also understand Auden’s need for security when he chose to continue his work with Carter’s father instead of taking off to a different country and hoping for the best. If I were in his shoes, I may have made the same choices. (I’m not particularly brave.) Still, his criticism of Carter felt harsh and one-sided in light of his own actions, or inactions.

The feelings between Carter and Auden reignite as they work together, and it starts as an exes with benefits arrangement. Carter also tries to find ways of making the business more profitable and more streamlined so his dad can find ways to not be working all the time when he comes back. It looks like good things are coming from Carter’s visit home, all around. But there are the questions about what Carter and Auden will do when Carter’s dad does return. Will changes be made, will their second chance nudge one or the other into staying or moving? I don’t want to answer those, though the story does have a happy ending.

I do want to mention Carter’s father, who at times, I couldn’t stand. I spent a lot of the book annoyed with him and how he treated Carter. No doubt there is some stubbornness on both of their parts, and there is something to consider about the passion for creating something artful vs caring only about making money. Though if they could have just talked things out in the beginning, there might be ways to do both. Eventually they find balance and I feel there is some redemption for Carter’s dad, but I spent a long time resenting the way he discarded Carter and treated Auden with more respect and care.

Overall, I loved this audiobook. Gary Furlong narrated this book perfectly, I would have listened just for his voice. The story reeled me in and had me feeling so much for the characters, good and bad. I would definitely recommend giving this one a listen, as well as the other books in the series.

Who can resist a Scot?

Oh, this hits you right in the nostalgia feels for anyone that left home after college. Carter feels that push pull of wanting home but not fitting there anymore. It’s a bittersweet love that brings him back for this second chance romance. Low angst, medium heat and some great vocal performances in this one!

Great Plot

Enjoyed the story and how it went. But i was irritated at the dad and the ex. Both so frustrating, and I’m on Carters side. Some parts I couldn’t tell if they were talking and thinking because of the Narrator to be frank, but still good narration.

I’m loved it. The story was great but sad that so much time separated was lost.

I liked the characters especially the aunts. They were hilarious. The chemistry between the guys was palpable.