Heroes series by @nicstar000 | Charlie's Hero audio-book review & Andrew's Promise e-book review by Tams {@dreamspinners} #tamstwocents

Charlie's Hero

Heroes: Book One 

Tams 5 Star review

Schoolteacher Charlie Matthews returns to his hometown, looking to regain a sense of community, reconnect with friends, and settle down. It looks like his dreams have come true when paramedic Josh Campbell attends an accident at the school. It’s love at first sight, and a romance begins. 

But Josh’s reluctance to come out to the brother who raised him puts pressure on their fledgling relationship. While Charlie understands Josh’s concerns, he can’t help growing impatient. After all, Charlie came out years ago. 

It’s not until Charlie confronts his own parents and realizes he hasn’t come to terms with their rejection that he fully understands what Josh has to lose. But Josh is Charlie’s hero, and Josh will do anything to prove to Charlie that to be part of a family, he doesn’t need his parents.

Buy links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon (Audio) | Audible

Josh Campbell and his brother Andrew have always been close. Having lost their father when Josh was just sixteen, Andrew put his life on hold to care for his brother. There is a part of himself that Josh has always kept hidden from his brother though, for fear of how he would react. Andrew is the only thing he has left of family and he refuses to loose that. Meeting Charlie Matthews on a call at the school where he is a teacher sets a chain of events in motion that will change everything.

Charlie is smitten with the tall, built, gorgeous paramedic from the moment he walks into the school. When he returns a couple of weeks later for a show & tell of sorts for the students, Charlie decides that what he only previously thought were coincidental glances from Josh, are actually attraction so he goes out on a limb and asks him out. The two are kind of perfect for each other, the only obstacle to their happy ever after being Josh's reluctance to be honest with his brother about his sexuality.

I enjoyed this story so much that I had to get book 2, Andrew's Promise, literally the minute I finished this book. Charlie was ever patient and understanding, until it really started weighing on his heart, being kept a secret from the most important person in Josh's life. It's not until Charlie is forced to face his own demons that he finally understands just what Josh would lose if Andrew were to react negatively. And on that same note, when Josh really takes a step back and looks at it from Charlie's perspective, he understands why his lover is upset. The story alternates between Charlie and Josh's POV which gave me the opportunity to see everything through both men's eyes, this only enhanced the story in my opinion.

Narrated by Joel Leslie... this was the first book I've listened to from him. I'll admit it took about twenty minutes for me to get used to his vocal tones. Josh sounded, off I guess early on, but then as the story progressed I not only got used to it, but as I got to know more about the character, the voice just fit for him. There were multiple characters... Josh, Charlie, Andrew, the other paramedics and teachers and not once was I confused, Leslie made certain every character had their own voice.

If you are a fan of stories with a slow burning romance, romantic happy-ever-afters, a little bit of angst and a slight struggle; then you'll probably like this one. I'd definitely recommend it.

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Andrew's Promise
Heroes: book two
Tams 5 Star review

Young mechanic Andrew Campbell’s life couldn’t be better. He is about to restore a Ford Mustang with his dad before heading off on the ultimate cross-country road trip with his best friend, Tanner McKenzie.

But tragedy strikes, and Andrew’s life is shattered.  Worried his family will be torn apart if he doesn’t step in, Andrew makes a tough choice between following his heart and doing what he needs to do to protect his little brother.

When Andrew pushes Tanner away, Tanner heads off on the planned trip alone. Once Tanner leaves town, his life takes a different path and it’s ten years before he returns. Now a firefighter, he’s never forgotten his first love, and no one has ever taken Andrew’s place in his heart. He’s determined to see if Andrew feels the same way. He just hopes Andrew’s excited to see him, hopes that he’s available—and finally out—after all this time.

They might not have been ready to deal with emerging feelings years ago, but now might be the time for their second chance at love.

This book goes back to the time prior to events in Charlie's Hero, back to before Josh and Andrew's father died and left Andrew the man of the house. I start with this because it was this tragic event that was a catalyst for not only the way Josh was in book 1, but it explains so much more about Andrew and his relationship with his brother.

When Andrew and Josh's dad died, custody of a then sixteen year old Josh went to Andrew, who immediately put his life on hold. Nothing mattered but raising his little brother. A trip had been in the works with his best friend Tanner as soon as they graduated, but now, Andrew can't leave Josh, he has to be a father figure, the man of the house. While all this is going on, Andrew starts to realize that his feelings for Tanner have shifted somewhere along the way. He's very confused by his attraction to Tanner and subsequent jealousy when another guy approaches Tanner. Still, Andrew remains focused on Josh and sends Tanner off on their planned trip alone. He admits his feelings first, which only make it that much harder for Tanner.

Ten years later Tanner moves back to town. He never got over his first true love, his best friend Andrew. And Andrew never forgot about him either. A comment someone made in passing a decade prior set events in motion, and this is how it played out. Can a decades old friendship rebuild the trust between these two men that are still obviously in love with each other?

With the ending in book one I had to read this book, like immediately, so I did. It was nice to have some blanks filled and and some unanswered questions resolved. I loved the relationship between Tanner and Andrew, the way it slowly grew. I mean, they knew they loved each other, that wasn't the problem. The story was very well written. The right amount of angst and insecurity, emotional highs and lows, everything was balanced out from start to finish. The story flowed well as well, I devoured it in one setting. Once you read that first page, you'll be hooked, I'm certain.

A must read for anyone that likes stories where the MC's lose their way, but eventually find their way back to each other. Sort of a hard sought HEA.

Excerpt from Andrew's Promise...

“We need you, Drew. I need you.”

“And Josh needs me more.” Andrew slid out from under the car and stood up, cracking his neck from side to side as he did so. He stalked to the sink, with Tanner in tow, and bent over to wash his hands with the industrial-strength cleanser. As he scrubbed at the dark grease stains, Tanner spoke over his shoulder.

“I’m concerned about you, Drew.”

“For God’s sake, stop pussyfooting around and just say what you want to say,” he snapped as he spun around. He planted his legs wide and pressed his fist into his thigh. What he really wanted to do was pound his fist into something hard—the car he was working on, or maybe the wall. He twitched with built-up anger.

Tanner stood straight and looked him in the eye, his gaze hardening and his lips thinning. “All right. I’ll tell you exactly how it is. All you have to do is listen. I know this is hard for you—”

“You have no idea how hard it is. Don’t you pretend to know what I’m going through,” Andrew hissed, but Tanner stood his ground.

“I want to understand. I think you need to talk about how you’re feeling—”

“Ha!” Andrew barked out a laugh. “Talk about my feelings? You want me to get all emotional and do the girly thing, get in touch with my feelings? Well, how ’bout this? I have to work all day, then go home and take care of Josh. I have total responsibility for a fifteen-year-old kid! I have to worry about making the mortgage repayments. I have to make sure there’s food on the table and clean clothes. I have to make sure homework is done and go to parent-teacher conferences. I have to drop off and pick up from practice and games and friends’ houses. Life isn’t all about hanging out with friends, Tanner. It isn’t about going to the bar and watching ball games. My life is about raising that kid!” By this time, Andrew’s voice had risen almost to a shout, and the other guys in the workshop were looking at them. Andrew barely gave them a glance as he turned back to Tanner. “So don’t tell me you know anything about what I’m going through. You can tell me you understand when your dad drops dead and leaves you with a brother to raise and next to no money. When that happens, you come back and talk to me.”

Tanner looked at him in shock, eyes wide and posture rigid. Then again, maybe he had expected Andrew’s outburst. He didn’t try to cut Andrew off, just let him vent his anger. He didn’t respond with any platitudes, didn’t try to reach out, just listened. Eventually Andrew’s shoulders relaxed, and he took a deep breath. He nodded at Tanner before walking off. Tanner didn’t follow.

Buy Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon 

Nic Starr lives in Australia where she tries to squeeze as much into her busy life as possible. Balancing the demands of a corporate career with raising a family and writing can be challenging but she wouldn't give it up for the world.

Always a reader, the lure of m/m romance was strong and she devoured hundreds of wonderful m/m romance books before eventually realising she had some stories of her own that needed to be told!

When not writing or reading, she loves to spend time with her family-an understanding husband and two beautiful daughters-and is often found indulging in her love of cooking and planning her dream home in the country.

You can find Nic on Facebook, Twitter and her blog. She'd love it if you stopped by to say hi.

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