Hudson's Luck

A Forever Wilde Novel

By: Lucy Lennox

Narrated by: Michael Dean

Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

Hudson:

Don't ever accidentally propose to your girlfriend. In front of her family. Especially if her dad is your boss. Because when you make it clear you've made a mistake, he's likely to send you out of the country to get you as far away from his brokenhearted daughter as possible.

It happened to me. Now I'm stuck in Ireland trying to redeem myself so I can get promoted and have the life I've planned for: successful career, loving wife and kids, a comfortable, financially secure home life in Texas.

But all of that seems to evaporate the moment I walk into the historic pub and see the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Only, he's not a woman.

Charlie Murray is most definitely a man - the kind of man who causes me to take a second look for the first time in my life. And a third look, and a fourth. I can't help but want to get to know him better...to get close to him, touch him, maybe even kiss him. But I'm straight. Or so I've always thought. Even if I'm not, how in the world could a feisty Irishman ever fit into the safe, predictable life for which I've always planned?

Charlie:

Don't ever accidentally fall for the straight guy. Especially when he's trying to pry your family's business right out from under you. I should know. Because when Hudson Wilde walks into my family's pub and begins babbling so adorably, I can't help but fall just a little bit in love. But I'm looking for Forever Man, and the sexy American is certainly not him. He's so confused about what he wants, even choosing something from the dinner menu throws him into a fuddle. But those eyes...how can I resist?

So maybe I’ll give in. One steamy night before he heads home and I go back to life at the pub. We'll never see each other again.

Until, of course, his business deal sends me to Hobie, Texas, right into the middle of Hudson's steady life, more gay Wildes than can fit on a dance floor, and an ex-girlfriend who may or may not be content remaining an ex.

But the more time I spend with Hudson, the more I think he might be my Forever Man after all. And I may be his. Is it possible we could both be so lucky?

©2018 Lucy Lennox (P)2018 Lucy Lennox

Love this family

I've been looking forward to listening to this book ever since i listened to Hudson's accidental proposal in the previous book. I mean a book about someone that clueless had to be adorkable and funny. Maybe it was expectations, but it just didn't live up to what I imagined this book to be. I mean where was that clueless guy I fell for?

After a botched non proposal, Hudson has been working hard at getting his life back on track. Only his boss sends him to Ireland for a pet project of his - and he hates flying. Knowing that his future career hangs in the balance Hudson will do everything he can to procure the small Irish pub. If only he didn't fall for the owner of the pub..

Charlie loves his family pub, it's been in his family for generations, it's in his genes. So when some American comes in and tries to franchise the pub, he is anything but happy, but it might also be the only way to keep the pub in the family after a few bad investments put it in danger.

Hudson and Charlie have chemistry from the very beginning. It borders a bit on insta-love (it's definitely insta-lust) but at the same time the book spans over a long time where they're apart so it still works in a way. And the Wilde family is always so warm and wonderful to spend time with.

Some things work much better in print than in audiobook. One of the things audiobooks really highlights is the pacing of the book or scenes that just don't end. Most often that happens to be sex scenes, and let me tell you listening to the same sex scene for more than half an hour is tedious and boring. It makes, me at, least wanting to scream get on with it already. Sure I get and understand that that first time needs attention and detail, but please not 30+ some minutes of it. Things need to move forward with the story too.

Another thing that bugged me was Hudson's constant back and forth with Charlie. I get that being attracted to guys was new and unfamiliar, and caused a lot of questions and ransacking, but the hot and cold was too much at times.

I love listening to Michael Pauley. He has this soothing voice that I just can't get enough of and great pacing. I also really liked his Irish accent for Charlie, though I wish he'd use the Irish accent for all of Charlie's chapters - including the starting phrase of each chapter, but that's minor.

This might just be me, but Lennox's books have lost some of the magic they had in the beginning. They don't draw me in or captivate me as much as they used to. I need something more, that little extra to keep from being just any run of the mill contemporary romance. Don't get me wrong, Lennox sure knows how to write a good book, they just don't bring anything new or feel all that exciting anymore. At the same time, I'm also a bit addicted to this family and need to know all of their stories and what happens next in the small town of Hobie.

A copy of this book was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review for Love Bytes.

Michael Pauley Redeemed in Hudson’s Luck

As a general impression Michael Pauley is not my favorite narrator as his pleasant voice, in my opinion, lacks enough distinction so one can easily differentiate which of the two main characters are speaking in the dialog situation. In this book one main character is Hudson Wilde with a Texas accent the other character Charlie Murray is Irish and has a distinct Irish accent. Mr. Pauley produced a satisfactory soft Texas accent and a not over the top Irish accent. The result was a pleasurable listening experience.

Ms. Lennox work remains reliable to the point of being predictable. In her books there seems to be a need for several (often to many) communication errors resulting in misunderstanding between the main characters driving them apart before they realize the error and reunite on the path to happiness. This tried and true plot device is all well and good, however, if it is used to often the story becomes a soap opera and personally I become annoyed and tune out. Happily, this book has some of this device but not too much of it to spoil the book.

Sooooooo. Sexy! 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Second listen October 2020: Still deliciously sexy!! 🔥❤️🔥❤️

4.5 Lucky Stars!!!

Original Review: January 2019

This is by far my favorite story of the series!! Hmmmm...wait, maybe it’s a tie with book #2... regardless, this book worked for me:

GAY/pan/bi for you
Gender fluid MC with a cocky Irish attitude
Delicious narration by Michael Pauley
Funny as hell—especially our straight Hudson
Virgin MM!!
A realistic introspection of sexuality
Beer
International travel
No insta-love
UST up the wazoo
Frustration
(-non communication....so hate that one!)
Did I mention Charlie’s sexy Irish brogue brought to life by Michael Pauley? Let’s add Hudson’s Texas drawl to that
Hot Hot Sexy Times
A bossy, verse Irish beauty
Did I mention how funny this one was?
An HEA!

Lucy, You knocked it out of the park.

Four of us at work kill to be the first on a new release, girl get to work.. Thank you, another enjoyable read and then brought to life with Michael, a wonderful collaboration. Your fans are hungry for more,
so do you really need to sleep?

Best one yet!!

Hudson and Charlie are everything!! Hot sexy time, laughter and tears. This story has it all and you will love every minute. The only thing I wish is that there was more more more. I want a longer epilogue that gives us longer to enjoy the HEA

Luck of the Irish

Charlie and Hudson are so stinking cute. Charlie is one of my favorite characters in this series. Michael Pauley really brings the story to life.

Listening makes this great book even better

I read this book before the Audible version was available and I really enjoyed it. I just listened to it on Audible and that made the experience even better. The Narrator, Michael Pauley, is so good with each character's voice, even Charlie's Irish Brogue, and Hudson's Texas accent. It just brought the book to life for me. I've been a Lucy Lennox fan since her first book, and I think this is her best story in this series. Her character development is first rate and as you delve further into the book you really get to know and understand her lovable characters. Charlie and Hudson are adorable. The story is sweet, sometimes sad, sometimes funny, but always interesting and romantic. I love her writing style of alternating chapters with each main character's point of view, that really gives the reader the full story. I always finish Lucy's books with a smile on my face, especially this one.

THEY DID IT AGAIN

Great story, Awesome narration. definitely recommend
when Lucy writes , I read. I haven't been disappointed
and Michael Pauley always makes a good better, one of the best narrators in my opinion

Good and funny story

I don’t know if it’s the accent…it was the accent but there were moments in the story where I couldn’t stop laughing. Good story for Hudson. Moving on to the next Wilde family member.

An enjoyable, fun listen

The fourth book in Lucy Lennox’s Forever Wilde series, Hudson's Luck, is different because the Wilde brother at the heart of the story, Hudson, isn't gay or bisexual. He's always considered himself straight...until he meets Charlie Murray.

Hudson is adorably clueless, and his stammering and tripping over his own tongue can be very charming. Charlie is strong, fierce, loving, funny, and just so wonderful I wanted to package him up and keep him forever. I'm a sucker for men who embrace their femme side, and Charlie was a treat to get to know and see him knocking over all of Hudson's expectations and plans one by one.

My pet peeve in stories, miscommunication, does come into play here, but Charlie and Hudson are so great together and Michael Pauley does such a wonderful job bringing the characters, locations, and drama to life that I found myself enjoying the listen rather than getting annoyed enough to throw a book. In that respect, I would say the audio definitely enhances the story. Michael does provide character voices, including doing an Irish brogue for Charlie and fam, and his pacing and performance of the emotional nuances continues to make him an entertaining performer.

If you listen, or read, you'll get to enjoy the large and rambunctious Wilde family, see the trials and tribulations Hudson and Charlie go through to get their happy ending, and even get to enjoy a cameo from a trio much adored in Lennox's other Marian series.

Sexy, fun, funny, and sweet with a bit of miscommunication, some light angst, and a very happy ending Hudson's Luck was an enjoyable, fun listen.

I'm looking forward to continuing on with the Wilde family, especially up next with Saint's story!

3.5 Stars