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Flying into Love #4
Aussie Sun
Can a splash of Aussie sun sway a retired MP to vote one last time…for love?
Jeffrey Gandy, a retired English MP, has grown weary of people, politics, and the pursuit of love. Taking a break in Australia, he aims to reconnect with his long-lost daughter and leave everything else behind.
Hunter Ford, a swimming coach with dreams to fulfill, faces a different challenge. This time outside the pool. Battling developers threatening his home and rescue animals, he's in desperate need of legal help. With no funds for a lawyer, he risks losing the house left by his late parents that’s been keeping him afloat.
Jeffrey should know better than to form a friendship with his daughter’s swimming coach. The twenty-eight year age gap alone should be enough of a deterrent for him not to get involved. Plus young men wanting to use his status have burned him before. But Hunter's heart of gold, carefree attitude and penchant for older men soon wins him over.
Jeffrey grapples with guilt from his past mistakes, preventing him from embracing his true desires. And as Hunter strives to make Jeffrey realise he deserves love, a wealthy and influential man vies for his attention. And his property.
Can Hunter succeed in helping Jeffrey break free from guilt and give himself a chance at love? Or will the allure of wealth and power steer Hunter away before it's too late?
Aussie Sun is an age gap, slow burn, grumpy/sunshine standalone novel in the steamy contemporary Flying into Love MM romance series featuring a disgraced English MP hiding from his mistakes and a happy-go-lucky Aussie swimmer with a desperate need to please.
Join them on this heartfelt journey of unexpected connections, second chances, and the power of love Down Under.
Jeffrey Gandy, a retired English MP, has grown weary of people, politics, and the pursuit of love. Taking a break in Australia, he aims to reconnect with his long-lost daughter and leave everything else behind.
Hunter Ford, a swimming coach with dreams to fulfill, faces a different challenge. This time outside the pool. Battling developers threatening his home and rescue animals, he's in desperate need of legal help. With no funds for a lawyer, he risks losing the house left by his late parents that’s been keeping him afloat.
Jeffrey should know better than to form a friendship with his daughter’s swimming coach. The twenty-eight year age gap alone should be enough of a deterrent for him not to get involved. Plus young men wanting to use his status have burned him before. But Hunter's heart of gold, carefree attitude and penchant for older men soon wins him over.
Jeffrey grapples with guilt from his past mistakes, preventing him from embracing his true desires. And as Hunter strives to make Jeffrey realise he deserves love, a wealthy and influential man vies for his attention. And his property.
Can Hunter succeed in helping Jeffrey break free from guilt and give himself a chance at love? Or will the allure of wealth and power steer Hunter away before it's too late?
Aussie Sun is an age gap, slow burn, grumpy/sunshine standalone novel in the steamy contemporary Flying into Love MM romance series featuring a disgraced English MP hiding from his mistakes and a happy-go-lucky Aussie swimmer with a desperate need to please.
Join them on this heartfelt journey of unexpected connections, second chances, and the power of love Down Under.
268 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 31, 2023
16 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
C.F. White
39 books229 followersBrought up in a relatively small town in Hertfordshire, C F White managed to do what most other residents try to do and fail—leave.
She eventually settled for pie and mash, cockles and winkles and a bit of Knees Up Mother Brown to live in the East End of London; securing a job and creating a life, a home and a family.
She writes gritty British based stories about imperfect men falling in love against the odds and has been accused of sprinkling a bit of humour into them from time to time too.
She eventually settled for pie and mash, cockles and winkles and a bit of Knees Up Mother Brown to live in the East End of London; securing a job and creating a life, a home and a family.
She writes gritty British based stories about imperfect men falling in love against the odds and has been accused of sprinkling a bit of humour into them from time to time too.
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May 16, 2025Dnf 20%. Look, I’m sorry but I can’t go on. I absolutely adored the previous book , it was one of my best reads last year and I was so excited for this one but I realized that this author’s rom coms aren’t my cup of tea, I much prefer her more serious and intense books.
This one here is so ..juvenile . First of all the humor is forced - the loooong airport, opening scene wasn’t funny but rather boring and annoying. Then Jeffrey, our MC, gets to Australia and he is picked up from the airport by his ex wife who,of course, is a bitch and by his 16 years old daughter. The daughter seems ok so far, happy to see her father. It’s hinted that Jeffrey wasn’t exactly father of the year in the past and the cold treatment from the wife is warranted. The wife drops him at his rental house and leaves with the daughter like she was being chased by the devil. This happened close to midnight. While checking out his new house he meets the neighbor and 💥 bam!!!! Insta lust. And from this moment all my pet peeves start showing up, insta lust (on both parts) being one of them . Another pet peeve is the well-intentioned meddling friend warning the MC to stay away from the other MC because he will get hurt bla bla bla. Hunter’s friend whom the author intended (and failed) to paint as a sassy doe-eyed queen is already extremely annoying.
Then at 5 in the morning his daughter bangs at Jeffrey’s door demanding to be taken to the swimming pool because she wants to practice before school. She doesn’t give a fuck that her father traveled 24 hours, that he got in at midnight, that it was 5 in the morning and that he is jet lagged, no, she demands they go. She doesn’t let him brush his teeth or change out of the clothes he’s been in for two days. Then she throws a tantrum when she realizes he doesn’t have a car because , hello, he just got there . So she bangs on the neighbor’s door (Hunter is her swimming coach) and demands to give her a ride because “My dad is a complete moron and didn’t get a car”. Again, she doesn’t care that its 5 am and that the coach was sleeping or that he doesn’t have a reason to be at the pool that early. Then we are told that the girl has a crush on the coach so she tells her father to get lost because she wants to ride alone in the car with Hunter. Her father refuses, she throws another tantrum, she pushes him out of the way to claim the front seat and then she sticks her tongue out while glaring at him in the mirror. Good parenting alright..
Umm .. what was all this you ask?? Well, a childish OTT executed plot . Now , I suspect the father will start with the martyr act, self-flagellating because he wasn’t the best father in the past and probably the daughter and the ex wife will walk all over him because “he deserves it” 🙄 Then he’ll probably push Hunter away because he doesn’t wanna hurt the poor little girl who is an awful child imo. Don’t wanna be there to see all this ,to be honest .
The dialogues are inane and again, juvenile and the characters are not particularly interesting so far. Also, Hunter had in his garden a little zoo for rescued animals..And I’m not talking about cats and dogs but dangerous spiders and snakes and lizards and insects. I’m sorry but I find it hard to believe that he could get a permit to have a dangerous zoo in the middle of a neighborhood..One of the snakes was already loose in the garden scaring the hell out of Jeffrey . So yeah.. I’ll stop here because everything (and everybody ) is way too cartoonish . I prefer real characters and believable actions.
This one here is so ..juvenile . First of all the humor is forced - the loooong airport, opening scene wasn’t funny but rather boring and annoying. Then Jeffrey, our MC, gets to Australia and he is picked up from the airport by his ex wife who,of course, is a bitch and by his 16 years old daughter. The daughter seems ok so far, happy to see her father. It’s hinted that Jeffrey wasn’t exactly father of the year in the past and the cold treatment from the wife is warranted. The wife drops him at his rental house and leaves with the daughter like she was being chased by the devil. This happened close to midnight. While checking out his new house he meets the neighbor and 💥 bam!!!! Insta lust. And from this moment all my pet peeves start showing up, insta lust (on both parts) being one of them . Another pet peeve is the well-intentioned meddling friend warning the MC to stay away from the other MC because he will get hurt bla bla bla. Hunter’s friend whom the author intended (and failed) to paint as a sassy doe-eyed queen is already extremely annoying.
Then at 5 in the morning his daughter bangs at Jeffrey’s door demanding to be taken to the swimming pool because she wants to practice before school. She doesn’t give a fuck that her father traveled 24 hours, that he got in at midnight, that it was 5 in the morning and that he is jet lagged, no, she demands they go. She doesn’t let him brush his teeth or change out of the clothes he’s been in for two days. Then she throws a tantrum when she realizes he doesn’t have a car because , hello, he just got there . So she bangs on the neighbor’s door (Hunter is her swimming coach) and demands to give her a ride because “My dad is a complete moron and didn’t get a car”. Again, she doesn’t care that its 5 am and that the coach was sleeping or that he doesn’t have a reason to be at the pool that early. Then we are told that the girl has a crush on the coach so she tells her father to get lost because she wants to ride alone in the car with Hunter. Her father refuses, she throws another tantrum, she pushes him out of the way to claim the front seat and then she sticks her tongue out while glaring at him in the mirror. Good parenting alright..
Umm .. what was all this you ask?? Well, a childish OTT executed plot . Now , I suspect the father will start with the martyr act, self-flagellating because he wasn’t the best father in the past and probably the daughter and the ex wife will walk all over him because “he deserves it” 🙄 Then he’ll probably push Hunter away because he doesn’t wanna hurt the poor little girl who is an awful child imo. Don’t wanna be there to see all this ,to be honest .
The dialogues are inane and again, juvenile and the characters are not particularly interesting so far. Also, Hunter had in his garden a little zoo for rescued animals..And I’m not talking about cats and dogs but dangerous spiders and snakes and lizards and insects. I’m sorry but I find it hard to believe that he could get a permit to have a dangerous zoo in the middle of a neighborhood..One of the snakes was already loose in the garden scaring the hell out of Jeffrey . So yeah.. I’ll stop here because everything (and everybody ) is way too cartoonish . I prefer real characters and believable actions.
March 31, 2023
The latest novel in C.F. White’s Flying into Love series is Aussie Sun, and is available now. Each of the Flying into Love novels are standalones, you can read them in any order, and they’re all great. But I’ve got to say, this one really resonated with me. What a truly special story.
I’ve been a fan of C.F. White’s for a few years, and I’ve been repeatedly impressed by how beautifully they write hurt/comfort romances. Characters who are literally crying out for their well deserved happily ever afters. And it is an amazing experience to take the journey with them.
Wow, the emotion White pulls out of these characters! Coming to grips with past events, I was so moved by Jeffrey’s story. The dialogue is genuine, and we not only get his side of things, but Jeffrey’s ex-wife and their daughter Chrissy share their experiences too.
Hunter's tragedy with his family, as well as his romantic failures, broke my heart. This is such a deserving guy, and I enjoyed how the gradual reveal of his story adds to the development of the romance with Jeffrey.
The epic realness of these folks is incredibly powerful and really, really worked for me.
an arc copy of Aussie Sun was generously provided by the author for the purpose of my honest review, all opinions are my own
I’ve been a fan of C.F. White’s for a few years, and I’ve been repeatedly impressed by how beautifully they write hurt/comfort romances. Characters who are literally crying out for their well deserved happily ever afters. And it is an amazing experience to take the journey with them.
Wow, the emotion White pulls out of these characters! Coming to grips with past events, I was so moved by Jeffrey’s story. The dialogue is genuine, and we not only get his side of things, but Jeffrey’s ex-wife and their daughter Chrissy share their experiences too.
Hunter's tragedy with his family, as well as his romantic failures, broke my heart. This is such a deserving guy, and I enjoyed how the gradual reveal of his story adds to the development of the romance with Jeffrey.
The epic realness of these folks is incredibly powerful and really, really worked for me.
an arc copy of Aussie Sun was generously provided by the author for the purpose of my honest review, all opinions are my own
March 31, 2023
Jeffrey is a retired English politician and travels to Australia to Crissy his sixteen-year-old daughter. He missed ten years of her life living in the UK but now things will change. His daughter isn’t overly happy with him in Australia, his ex-wife even lesser.
He got a gorgeous much younger neighbor, Hunter, who’s also Crissy’s swim coach.
Attraction is immediately there, but nothing else.
Both are burned and not in a position to start anything.
As if Jeffrey could, he knows, but he got also repetitive reminders from his ex-wife that he can’t.
Their lives are entwined, first as neighbors, and Crissy.
The story was full, there were a lot of stories to enjoy. Animating side plots were a great addition, it made the story rich in content and real. Both men were engaging, warm, and real, and their intimate moments were hot, I loved them, but they aren’t perfect, some times I hoped they would act differently.
The romantic side was slow very, not my favorite, but that’s me.
The hurt coming from both men was hard, there’s a lot of drama to overcome, you only wish them happiness.
So, the ex… (plural) nope not gonna go there, ugh!
Overall a wonderfully written story, it felt intimate and emotional, the Aussie scenery was great. I love this series dearly
He got a gorgeous much younger neighbor, Hunter, who’s also Crissy’s swim coach.
Attraction is immediately there, but nothing else.
Both are burned and not in a position to start anything.
As if Jeffrey could, he knows, but he got also repetitive reminders from his ex-wife that he can’t.
Their lives are entwined, first as neighbors, and Crissy.
The story was full, there were a lot of stories to enjoy. Animating side plots were a great addition, it made the story rich in content and real. Both men were engaging, warm, and real, and their intimate moments were hot, I loved them, but they aren’t perfect, some times I hoped they would act differently.
The romantic side was slow very, not my favorite, but that’s me.
The hurt coming from both men was hard, there’s a lot of drama to overcome, you only wish them happiness.
So, the ex… (plural) nope not gonna go there, ugh!
Overall a wonderfully written story, it felt intimate and emotional, the Aussie scenery was great. I love this series dearly
March 27, 2023
This was a good book in the Flying Into Love series. I enjoyed it, but not as much as book 1. As with the others, this can be read as a standalone. I liked Hunter & Jeffrey together, but it felt as if most of the book they were tip toeing around their attraction and suddenly they were a couple. For me, I would have wanted to see their relationship develop a bit more.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily gave my honest review.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily gave my honest review.
April 26, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up.
Jeffrey is a former British politician who has traveled halfway across the world to spend time with his teenage daughter and reconnect. On his first day there he meets Hunter, his next door neighbour. He doesn’t realise at first that Hunter is his daughter’s swim coach and as they see each other every day, not just at practice but at home as well, they very quickly develop a friendship while trying to deny the deeper connection between them.
Jeffrey is a flawed man and doesn’t pretend to be anything else. It hurts to see him still punishing himself all these years later for decisions he made when he felt backed into a corner. Hunter has been through a lot of pain for someone so young and is understandably skittish because of it. The two help each other to heal.
Many moons ago I was a moody teenage girl but man! Crissy seriously takes the cake. She does have a lot of unresolved issues with Jeffrey but even so she makes it very hard to like her. I believe a lot of her behaviour and disrespect towards her father is just her regurgitating things she has heard her mother say about him because she softens quickly after they start spending lots of time together. Despite the fact Jeffrey hurt his ex-wife a lot, she claims they’re now fine and friends but she most certainly doesn’t treat him that way. I found myself skimming through scenes with her in it because I couldn't handle her nastiness.
I enjoyed this book but I do think it is the weakest of the series so far. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
Jeffrey is a former British politician who has traveled halfway across the world to spend time with his teenage daughter and reconnect. On his first day there he meets Hunter, his next door neighbour. He doesn’t realise at first that Hunter is his daughter’s swim coach and as they see each other every day, not just at practice but at home as well, they very quickly develop a friendship while trying to deny the deeper connection between them.
Jeffrey is a flawed man and doesn’t pretend to be anything else. It hurts to see him still punishing himself all these years later for decisions he made when he felt backed into a corner. Hunter has been through a lot of pain for someone so young and is understandably skittish because of it. The two help each other to heal.
Many moons ago I was a moody teenage girl but man! Crissy seriously takes the cake. She does have a lot of unresolved issues with Jeffrey but even so she makes it very hard to like her. I believe a lot of her behaviour and disrespect towards her father is just her regurgitating things she has heard her mother say about him because she softens quickly after they start spending lots of time together. Despite the fact Jeffrey hurt his ex-wife a lot, she claims they’re now fine and friends but she most certainly doesn’t treat him that way. I found myself skimming through scenes with her in it because I couldn't handle her nastiness.
I enjoyed this book but I do think it is the weakest of the series so far. I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
September 20, 2023
Disgraced British MP in his mid-fifties, Jeffrey Gandy is no stranger to scandals - they have torpedoed his political career and his marriage. He leaves Britain for Australia to get away from the current media glare and to spend time with Crissy, his estranged teenage daughter. While he braces for the inevitable chilly reception from his ex-wife and daughter, he doesn’t expect to be temporary neighbours with Hunter Ford, his daughter’s cute mid-twenties swim coach and collector of exotic animals who is still getting over a failed relationship. Hunter is also under pressure to sell his idyll coastal bush block.
I’ve been really enjoying this travel romcom series: CF White always delivers heart and in this series she also delivers humour. Jeffrey is the classic fish-out-of-water, constantly being pulled out of his comfort zone and having to adjust. Hunter and his loyal friends are larger than life and just as entertaining. Heart-wise, Jeffrey has to work through a lot of guilt over his ex-wife and daughter, but although things look tough for Jeffrey and Hunter for ages, a satisfyingly happy ending is assured.
No matter what country or region these stories are set in, UK voice actor Piers Ryman always delivers credible accents, decent MCs, smarmy villains, and all the emotions on the audiobook!
———
I received an ARC of the audiobook from the author and I volunteered to leave this honest review.
I’ve been really enjoying this travel romcom series: CF White always delivers heart and in this series she also delivers humour. Jeffrey is the classic fish-out-of-water, constantly being pulled out of his comfort zone and having to adjust. Hunter and his loyal friends are larger than life and just as entertaining. Heart-wise, Jeffrey has to work through a lot of guilt over his ex-wife and daughter, but although things look tough for Jeffrey and Hunter for ages, a satisfyingly happy ending is assured.
No matter what country or region these stories are set in, UK voice actor Piers Ryman always delivers credible accents, decent MCs, smarmy villains, and all the emotions on the audiobook!
———
I received an ARC of the audiobook from the author and I volunteered to leave this honest review.
April 7, 2023
There is a lot going on in this story. Jeffrey with his secrets that push away his wife and daughter. Hunter's relationship and his career. Loved getting lost in their story as they work to find their happiness and what their heart wants.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
dnf
April 3, 2023I was looking forward to this one but now I want to cry so badly because this just did not work for me at all and I gave up after about 15% and some skimming. The characters were meh and I did not like how the MC's met at all. It was just missing something and the writing did not seem to bring all the feelings the previously books did. I loved the previous books so much, especially Irish Charm with it being one of my favourite books from last year, so I am really disappointed. I skimmed a bit and yep, the ex wife and the daughter behaved exactly like I expected them to. I really don't like this kind of plot at all. Hopefully the next one will work for me as I do really like the premise of this series and the previous books really hit the spot.
March 30, 2023
Very enjoyable part 4, all the books in this series are standalones. Having lived in Australia (although on the other side of the country) the descriptions and so on feel accurate. It was rather difficult how Hunter kept accepting his ex. I'm not a fan of a huge age gap, but it worked well here. Crissy was very well written.
April 24, 2023
Aussie Sun is the fourth book in the ‘Flying into Love’ series. It stars Jeffrey Gandy, a retired English MP, and Hunter Ford, an Aussie swimming coach. This is told in third person from both Jeffrey’s and Hunter’s pov.
First, I’ll review the cover. The cover model represents Hunter, the tall, hunky, swim coach to Jeffrey’s teenage daughter, Crissy. I’d say the cover model is close enough to Hunter. Although for some reason, I kept imagining Hunter as dark haired, even though the story mentioned more than once that he was blond.
I’ll give a little more background on the plot. This is the second book I’ve read by this author, the other being Book Three set in Ireland. This story was different. Book Three was slower, with emotions being dealt more internally, and the action wasn’t as dramatic. This book started with Jeffrey flying to Australia and constantly being confronted by people who couldn’t stop reminding him of his mistake that forced him to retire as an MP. Broken, he decides to travel to Australia where his ex-wife and his daughter live where they moved ten years previous. Jeffrey wants to make up time for being an absent father. He moves into the house next door to Hunter and sparks fly. Both try to resist the attraction because both men have been used and burned by ex’s and people in general. There’s a lot of dialogue in this story, which I liked, plus action. Actions in terms of everyday living, but also with Jeffrey trying to adjust to being unemployed and dealing with his still angry ex-wife, Penny, after ten years, and a now angry, adolescent, teen daughter. He’s walking a minefield, and Penny isn’t willing to help him adjust. She’s more set on being angry and scolding Jeffrey every time he fails to fulfill his duty as a father to Chrissy. A large, important sub-plot, is the conflict of a company that is trying to force Hunter to sell his home, the home left to him by his parents, and where Hunter has his animal sanctuary. The buyers want to turn the area, which has beautiful views of the ocean, and untouched land, into a development for business men and vacationers. Hunter is trying to fight them by ignoring the letters from them, and he’s all alone in this. Anyway, I found this to be an intense emotional read, at least up until the Epilogue, which I have much to say about when I reach that section.
The author once again wrote the Australian setting so well, I thought I was there. I could imagine the animal sanctuary Hunter set up, and the pool where Jeffrey took Crissy to practice. The emotions expressed by the characters was also well-done, I empathized with Hunter and Jeffrey, and felt righteous anger on their behalf. And not to forget, the sex between Hunter and Jeffrey was scorching.
Next the characters, and I’ll start with the secondary ones. The people Jeffrey and Hunter were involved with, used the two men, and expected things from them, without giving in return. That included Penny and Crissy, but then Crissy was a hormonal teenager, and they tend to be focused on themselves anyway so that’s to be expected. Penny on the other-hand loved to criticize Jeffrey about anything she didn’t like. The way he talked, the way he dressed, the fact he didn’t pay enough attention to Crissy, the fact that Jeffrey was interested in Hunter. Anything and everything she could hit him with, she did. She was still angry after ten years, even though she was engaged to a successful businessman, Ethan. Penny attempted to sabotage Jeffrey’s interactions with Crissy, by not giving him information regarding her swimming lessons, and other minor details. Luckily Hunter was there to help. But Jeffrey didn’t argue with Penny, he just took it because he felt guilty over the reason for their divorce and not being there for Crissy. Crissy was a highly successful swimmer, so good that her prospect as an Olympic swimmer looked promising. A lot of the tension in the story is between Jeffrey and Crissy as he adjusts to dealing with a teenage girl while trying to navigate a new life that Penny isn’t helping with, and his attraction to Hunter, which Penny mocks and ridicules him about because Hunter is about twenty-five years younger than Jeffrey. Hunter is drawn to Jeffrey; he loves older men. His last relationship was with Stuart, also older, but he’s a scumbag, and Hunter hasn’t completely emotionally disengaged himself from Stuart yet. Hunter finds out why Stuart is so interested in him towards the end of the story, and he’s furious.
I loved both Jeffrey and Hunter. As the story progresses, it’s revealed that they are quite a like. They both empathize with the downtrodden. For Jeffrey, it’s the less privileged, for Hunter, the animals. Hunter is a great swim coach, he knows how to deal with kids and teenagers, and is an optimistic person, except when it comes to his own personal relationships. Jeffrey is a dreamer, or at least he was until everything happened to him back in England, then he seemed to change, questioning his motivations more, denying himself his attraction to Hunter because of Penny and Crissy’s scolding over the age difference and the fact Hunter was Crissy’s coach. Jeffrey was twisting and shaping himself into what they wanted him to be, and the only ones who accepted him as he was, were Hunter, Hunter’s friends, and one woman at the pool. It was sad to see how much guilt Jeffrey felt. It held him prisoner, and Penny and Crissy used it against him. Jeffrey did the same thing he did back in England when he hid being gay, he started to conform to what others expected him to be. Hunter, and Hunter’s situation with his house, saved Jeffrey.
Now the Epilogue. Do I have words on the epilogue. First, it had a different emotional energy than all the events that came before it. The epilogue was less intense emotionally and event wise. It was also told more in monologue as if looking from a distance rather than being in the middle of the action like the rest of the book. It had a different feel and didn’t work for me. I expected resolution on some topics that were brought up in the story, but they were barely mentioned, just ‘the problems went away.’ No! That’s not a satisfying conclusion. I’ll try to convey the issues without spoilers. Penny claimed that Jeffrey had no empathy, which was untrue. Jeffrey had empathy for the less privileged, he fought for them. What Penny didn’t like, was that he didn’t give her and Crissy his undivided attention, so therefore he must not have empathy. When readers find out about Penny and her fiancé and their dealings, Jeffrey and Hunter never confronted them. Penny had no empathy for what would have happened to Hunter and his sanctuary, and the issue he was dealing with. She only cared about her family, money, and her upcoming wedding. There should have been a confrontation between Jeffrey and Penny! At least about how she accused him of having no empathy when she had none for Hunter’s situation. And then somehow, Jeffrey and Hunter are supposed to be friendly with Ethan when he doesn’t apologize or anything? I think the author dropped the ball when it came to giving closure to Hunter and Jeffrey, and the readers, especially when it was set up that everything that was happening to Hunter didn’t mean anything to them. The lack of resolution with Penny and Ethan affected my opinion of this story. I dislike dropped subplots and storylines, and this one, for me, was a big one. The other one that bothered me, which is probably purely personal preference, is that Jeffrey gave up everything to just be a stay-at-home dad for Crissy. He gave up being in politics, gave up being a lawyer. Those were two things he loved because it helped people. He gave them up out of guilt over his past, and I’m sure because of Penny. I found all that hard to believe and highly irksome. Crissy was at the age where she was breaking away from her parents. Not only that, she was great at swimming, she’d need a more highly trained coach and team, in a far city most likely, probably Sydney for her to continue training. Jeffrey didn’t have to sacrifice his career for Crissy, who he’d hardly see anymore. Those are the three major issues with the epilogue that I didn’t like.
I loved the majority of Aussie Sun, Hunter and Jeffrey, and their friends. I disliked the epilogue because it left issues the author brought up unresolved, instead giving an easy ‘the problem went away,’ which I found totally unsatisfactory. I also didn’t care for Jeffrey giving up his career, because there wasn’t a reason to. It seemed again like he was caving into what others expected him to be and do. But that’s probably personal preference. I would’ve given this book five stars, except of the disappointment of the epilogue. Instead, I give this book, 4 Stars.
I received an ARC from the author. I am giving my honest and unbiased opinion.
First, I’ll review the cover. The cover model represents Hunter, the tall, hunky, swim coach to Jeffrey’s teenage daughter, Crissy. I’d say the cover model is close enough to Hunter. Although for some reason, I kept imagining Hunter as dark haired, even though the story mentioned more than once that he was blond.
I’ll give a little more background on the plot. This is the second book I’ve read by this author, the other being Book Three set in Ireland. This story was different. Book Three was slower, with emotions being dealt more internally, and the action wasn’t as dramatic. This book started with Jeffrey flying to Australia and constantly being confronted by people who couldn’t stop reminding him of his mistake that forced him to retire as an MP. Broken, he decides to travel to Australia where his ex-wife and his daughter live where they moved ten years previous. Jeffrey wants to make up time for being an absent father. He moves into the house next door to Hunter and sparks fly. Both try to resist the attraction because both men have been used and burned by ex’s and people in general. There’s a lot of dialogue in this story, which I liked, plus action. Actions in terms of everyday living, but also with Jeffrey trying to adjust to being unemployed and dealing with his still angry ex-wife, Penny, after ten years, and a now angry, adolescent, teen daughter. He’s walking a minefield, and Penny isn’t willing to help him adjust. She’s more set on being angry and scolding Jeffrey every time he fails to fulfill his duty as a father to Chrissy. A large, important sub-plot, is the conflict of a company that is trying to force Hunter to sell his home, the home left to him by his parents, and where Hunter has his animal sanctuary. The buyers want to turn the area, which has beautiful views of the ocean, and untouched land, into a development for business men and vacationers. Hunter is trying to fight them by ignoring the letters from them, and he’s all alone in this. Anyway, I found this to be an intense emotional read, at least up until the Epilogue, which I have much to say about when I reach that section.
The author once again wrote the Australian setting so well, I thought I was there. I could imagine the animal sanctuary Hunter set up, and the pool where Jeffrey took Crissy to practice. The emotions expressed by the characters was also well-done, I empathized with Hunter and Jeffrey, and felt righteous anger on their behalf. And not to forget, the sex between Hunter and Jeffrey was scorching.
Next the characters, and I’ll start with the secondary ones. The people Jeffrey and Hunter were involved with, used the two men, and expected things from them, without giving in return. That included Penny and Crissy, but then Crissy was a hormonal teenager, and they tend to be focused on themselves anyway so that’s to be expected. Penny on the other-hand loved to criticize Jeffrey about anything she didn’t like. The way he talked, the way he dressed, the fact he didn’t pay enough attention to Crissy, the fact that Jeffrey was interested in Hunter. Anything and everything she could hit him with, she did. She was still angry after ten years, even though she was engaged to a successful businessman, Ethan. Penny attempted to sabotage Jeffrey’s interactions with Crissy, by not giving him information regarding her swimming lessons, and other minor details. Luckily Hunter was there to help. But Jeffrey didn’t argue with Penny, he just took it because he felt guilty over the reason for their divorce and not being there for Crissy. Crissy was a highly successful swimmer, so good that her prospect as an Olympic swimmer looked promising. A lot of the tension in the story is between Jeffrey and Crissy as he adjusts to dealing with a teenage girl while trying to navigate a new life that Penny isn’t helping with, and his attraction to Hunter, which Penny mocks and ridicules him about because Hunter is about twenty-five years younger than Jeffrey. Hunter is drawn to Jeffrey; he loves older men. His last relationship was with Stuart, also older, but he’s a scumbag, and Hunter hasn’t completely emotionally disengaged himself from Stuart yet. Hunter finds out why Stuart is so interested in him towards the end of the story, and he’s furious.
I loved both Jeffrey and Hunter. As the story progresses, it’s revealed that they are quite a like. They both empathize with the downtrodden. For Jeffrey, it’s the less privileged, for Hunter, the animals. Hunter is a great swim coach, he knows how to deal with kids and teenagers, and is an optimistic person, except when it comes to his own personal relationships. Jeffrey is a dreamer, or at least he was until everything happened to him back in England, then he seemed to change, questioning his motivations more, denying himself his attraction to Hunter because of Penny and Crissy’s scolding over the age difference and the fact Hunter was Crissy’s coach. Jeffrey was twisting and shaping himself into what they wanted him to be, and the only ones who accepted him as he was, were Hunter, Hunter’s friends, and one woman at the pool. It was sad to see how much guilt Jeffrey felt. It held him prisoner, and Penny and Crissy used it against him. Jeffrey did the same thing he did back in England when he hid being gay, he started to conform to what others expected him to be. Hunter, and Hunter’s situation with his house, saved Jeffrey.
Now the Epilogue. Do I have words on the epilogue. First, it had a different emotional energy than all the events that came before it. The epilogue was less intense emotionally and event wise. It was also told more in monologue as if looking from a distance rather than being in the middle of the action like the rest of the book. It had a different feel and didn’t work for me. I expected resolution on some topics that were brought up in the story, but they were barely mentioned, just ‘the problems went away.’ No! That’s not a satisfying conclusion. I’ll try to convey the issues without spoilers. Penny claimed that Jeffrey had no empathy, which was untrue. Jeffrey had empathy for the less privileged, he fought for them. What Penny didn’t like, was that he didn’t give her and Crissy his undivided attention, so therefore he must not have empathy. When readers find out about Penny and her fiancé and their dealings, Jeffrey and Hunter never confronted them. Penny had no empathy for what would have happened to Hunter and his sanctuary, and the issue he was dealing with. She only cared about her family, money, and her upcoming wedding. There should have been a confrontation between Jeffrey and Penny! At least about how she accused him of having no empathy when she had none for Hunter’s situation. And then somehow, Jeffrey and Hunter are supposed to be friendly with Ethan when he doesn’t apologize or anything? I think the author dropped the ball when it came to giving closure to Hunter and Jeffrey, and the readers, especially when it was set up that everything that was happening to Hunter didn’t mean anything to them. The lack of resolution with Penny and Ethan affected my opinion of this story. I dislike dropped subplots and storylines, and this one, for me, was a big one. The other one that bothered me, which is probably purely personal preference, is that Jeffrey gave up everything to just be a stay-at-home dad for Crissy. He gave up being in politics, gave up being a lawyer. Those were two things he loved because it helped people. He gave them up out of guilt over his past, and I’m sure because of Penny. I found all that hard to believe and highly irksome. Crissy was at the age where she was breaking away from her parents. Not only that, she was great at swimming, she’d need a more highly trained coach and team, in a far city most likely, probably Sydney for her to continue training. Jeffrey didn’t have to sacrifice his career for Crissy, who he’d hardly see anymore. Those are the three major issues with the epilogue that I didn’t like.
I loved the majority of Aussie Sun, Hunter and Jeffrey, and their friends. I disliked the epilogue because it left issues the author brought up unresolved, instead giving an easy ‘the problem went away,’ which I found totally unsatisfactory. I also didn’t care for Jeffrey giving up his career, because there wasn’t a reason to. It seemed again like he was caving into what others expected him to be and do. But that’s probably personal preference. I would’ve given this book five stars, except of the disappointment of the epilogue. Instead, I give this book, 4 Stars.
I received an ARC from the author. I am giving my honest and unbiased opinion.
May 15, 2025
Sometimes when I think a book's overall rating is unfairly low, I rate it a bit on the high side to make up for it. When there are a bazillion reviews, it doesn't really make a difference, but I still do it. In this case, I really don't think this book is worth the 4.17 stars it's rated. I'd say 3.75, tops. Sometimes I round up, but in this case I'm going to round down. It just wasn't a fleshed out book, and there were a few elements that just didn't stand up to the light of day. All that being said, if you are up for a short, sweet, lighthearted read, this book is fine.
This was a serious age gap—28 years—romance. That large an age gap isn't my cuppa unless it's made believable. The younger character has to be old beyond his years, and there has to be some serious exploration of the relationship. Even without this being an age-gap romance, there was very little time spent developing the relationship. But I believe in rating without considering whether or not the book is your thing. Review are meant to reflect the quality of the book, not whether or not it's your favorite genre.
A lot of the book centered around Jeffrey's relationship with his daughter. He was divorced, and his ex-wife took his daughter, Chrissy, to Australia, so he had only a limited relationship with his daughter from age six to sixteen. The book made it sound like a reasonable move, because Jeffrey had cheated on his wife (with a man). He was gay and had been in denial. I have zero tolerance for cheating, and C.F. White made no apologies, which was a positive aspect of the book. That said, moving your ex's daughter to the other side of planet Earth is completely an a**hole move and completely unacceptable. Moving the child so far from the co-parent that it's impossible for them to be a day-t0-day part of their child's life is, in my opion, immoral. It hurts everyone, but most particularly and importantly, the child. Much was made of Jeffrey's failure to spend time with his daughter through her childhood. That was utter shite. His ex-wife was a two-dimensional, horrid person whom he tolerated because of his guilt. She clearly had poisoned his daughter against him. Daughter Chrissy was a serious brat. She was redeemed, but again, there wasn't enough time devoted to the relationship. A lot ended up being assumed.
There was a bit of kerfuffle around other things, including Hunter's sleazy, manipulative, rich ex.
One review - a DNF at 20% - said something about a friend of Hunter's who blah-blah tried to block his relationship with Jeffrey. That was not a thing. Never happened. 20% and skim-to-the-end isn't a way to review. Just move on and don't review or rate.
Anyway...my upshot was that this was a book that wasn't a bad idea, but ended up being way too short to develop any of the fairly interesting elements that could have made for a satisfying book with some depth. A few things were simply not tied up. A few things were rushed. The MC's relationship was rushed and never fleshed out.
It was a nice book for a pleasant, quick, low angst read if you're up for some undeveloped fluff with some steam. And there's nothing at all wrong with that.
But in the context of this series, this book was not at all in the same league as the others. And I've read some other books by C.F. White - the "London Lies" series, for example - that were really amazing. So don't let this one book put you off C.F. White as an author.
Audiobook: The narrator, Piers Ryan is first-rate. I'm extremely picky about narrators, and I love Piers. This book is available as part of the "Flying into Love" boxed set on Audible. Other books in the series are much, much better, so do check them out, particularly "Irish Charm," the best of the series, which is also related to the fabulous "London Lies" series (also an Audible boxed set). Jersey Royal, Highland Fling, and American Dream are also really good books in the "Flying into Love" series.
This was a serious age gap—28 years—romance. That large an age gap isn't my cuppa unless it's made believable. The younger character has to be old beyond his years, and there has to be some serious exploration of the relationship. Even without this being an age-gap romance, there was very little time spent developing the relationship. But I believe in rating without considering whether or not the book is your thing. Review are meant to reflect the quality of the book, not whether or not it's your favorite genre.
A lot of the book centered around Jeffrey's relationship with his daughter. He was divorced, and his ex-wife took his daughter, Chrissy, to Australia, so he had only a limited relationship with his daughter from age six to sixteen. The book made it sound like a reasonable move, because Jeffrey had cheated on his wife (with a man). He was gay and had been in denial. I have zero tolerance for cheating, and C.F. White made no apologies, which was a positive aspect of the book. That said, moving your ex's daughter to the other side of planet Earth is completely an a**hole move and completely unacceptable. Moving the child so far from the co-parent that it's impossible for them to be a day-t0-day part of their child's life is, in my opion, immoral. It hurts everyone, but most particularly and importantly, the child. Much was made of Jeffrey's failure to spend time with his daughter through her childhood. That was utter shite. His ex-wife was a two-dimensional, horrid person whom he tolerated because of his guilt. She clearly had poisoned his daughter against him. Daughter Chrissy was a serious brat. She was redeemed, but again, there wasn't enough time devoted to the relationship. A lot ended up being assumed.
There was a bit of kerfuffle around other things, including Hunter's sleazy, manipulative, rich ex.
One review - a DNF at 20% - said something about a friend of Hunter's who blah-blah tried to block his relationship with Jeffrey. That was not a thing. Never happened. 20% and skim-to-the-end isn't a way to review. Just move on and don't review or rate.
Anyway...my upshot was that this was a book that wasn't a bad idea, but ended up being way too short to develop any of the fairly interesting elements that could have made for a satisfying book with some depth. A few things were simply not tied up. A few things were rushed. The MC's relationship was rushed and never fleshed out.
It was a nice book for a pleasant, quick, low angst read if you're up for some undeveloped fluff with some steam. And there's nothing at all wrong with that.
But in the context of this series, this book was not at all in the same league as the others. And I've read some other books by C.F. White - the "London Lies" series, for example - that were really amazing. So don't let this one book put you off C.F. White as an author.
Audiobook: The narrator, Piers Ryan is first-rate. I'm extremely picky about narrators, and I love Piers. This book is available as part of the "Flying into Love" boxed set on Audible. Other books in the series are much, much better, so do check them out, particularly "Irish Charm," the best of the series, which is also related to the fabulous "London Lies" series (also an Audible boxed set). Jersey Royal, Highland Fling, and American Dream are also really good books in the "Flying into Love" series.
January 13, 2025
DNF @ 35%
I cannot understand how we went from the amazing story and characterization of the previous book, to this messy, inconsistent, amd grating collection of people.
When Crissy picked up Jeffrey from the airport, she supposedly threw herself at her dad implying that she liked him. She even appeared apologetic for her mom's rudeness when they dropped him off at his apartment. So tell me why she suddenly acts like he's scum of the earth when she goes the next morning and he doesn't have a car to drive her to school. She picked him up from the airport and dropped him off at 10:30. How in the hell was he supposed to have gotten a car ready by 5 AM the next day? Then in a later scene, she calls him by his first name saying that he needs to earn the title "Dad", but she's been calling him "Dad" this entire time? Was that just supposed to be sass? I get that the author is trying to portray a broken relationship here, but Crissy is soooo fucking unlikable and antagonistic that she makes any scene she appears in unbearable.
And the same goes for Penny. I'm not at all surprised that Jeffery divorced her given the absolutely psycho narcissist vibes that she's given off. The book is so confusing on whether on not she actually is antagonistic or if she's just bad at trying to be friends with her ex. The way Jeffrey reacts to her implies that she's a good person but everything she's done up until then has said otherwise. Jeffrey takes responsibility for almost everything that went wrong in their relationship, and it's not even done in a way that tells us readers that he's doing it because of since character flaw, it read as exposition of fact. He should've mentally applied some of the blame her way if we were supposed to see he antagonism OR she shouldn't have been such a controlling bitch if we were actually supposed to be sympathetic. As it is, she's awful but being treated as though she was a sympathetic character and that's confusing and annoying.
I also couldn't give two shits about Hunter's friends. Why Ash (who's also toeing the line between manipulative and annoying) and Eden get so much screentime is beyond me. The focus is supposed to be on Hunter and his history, so the most they should've gotten involved with is his history with Stuart. Ash's insecurity around karaoke and performing is completely off topic and takes away time when Hunter would've gotten better characterization/advanced the relationship with Jeffrey.
Speaking of developing the relationship, I'm already over a third of the way into the book and Jeffrey and Hunter have had alone time a total of TWO times. Granted it's only been like 3-4 days since Jeffrey arrived, but the pacing of the story leaves much to be desired, especially since this will lead into one of two probable outcomes:
- Jeffrey and Hunter fall for each other in a short time frame (aka instalove)
- there's a big timeskip where were just meant to assume that they spent time together (aka leaving it to us to imagine)
Neither are very appealing options. Thees technically an off chance that the story does give ample time and development for their relationship, but given the way it's gone so far, I wouldn't bet on it.
Also, the syntax left much to be desired. The amount of short, one subject, one verb sentences was jarring. I get that they were used for emphasis, but it happened waaay to often and instead made things seem juvenile and repetitive, like Jeffrey needed to pause and restate things to get his point across when it was already clear.
TL;DR Wife and daughter are incredibly unlikable and that alone are enough for me to stop reading, but the lack of meaningful development between the two MCs after a third of the way through the book doesn't give me hope for how the rest of the story.
I cannot understand how we went from the amazing story and characterization of the previous book, to this messy, inconsistent, amd grating collection of people.
When Crissy picked up Jeffrey from the airport, she supposedly threw herself at her dad implying that she liked him. She even appeared apologetic for her mom's rudeness when they dropped him off at his apartment. So tell me why she suddenly acts like he's scum of the earth when she goes the next morning and he doesn't have a car to drive her to school. She picked him up from the airport and dropped him off at 10:30. How in the hell was he supposed to have gotten a car ready by 5 AM the next day? Then in a later scene, she calls him by his first name saying that he needs to earn the title "Dad", but she's been calling him "Dad" this entire time? Was that just supposed to be sass? I get that the author is trying to portray a broken relationship here, but Crissy is soooo fucking unlikable and antagonistic that she makes any scene she appears in unbearable.
And the same goes for Penny. I'm not at all surprised that Jeffery divorced her given the absolutely psycho narcissist vibes that she's given off. The book is so confusing on whether on not she actually is antagonistic or if she's just bad at trying to be friends with her ex. The way Jeffrey reacts to her implies that she's a good person but everything she's done up until then has said otherwise. Jeffrey takes responsibility for almost everything that went wrong in their relationship, and it's not even done in a way that tells us readers that he's doing it because of since character flaw, it read as exposition of fact. He should've mentally applied some of the blame her way if we were supposed to see he antagonism OR she shouldn't have been such a controlling bitch if we were actually supposed to be sympathetic. As it is, she's awful but being treated as though she was a sympathetic character and that's confusing and annoying.
I also couldn't give two shits about Hunter's friends. Why Ash (who's also toeing the line between manipulative and annoying) and Eden get so much screentime is beyond me. The focus is supposed to be on Hunter and his history, so the most they should've gotten involved with is his history with Stuart. Ash's insecurity around karaoke and performing is completely off topic and takes away time when Hunter would've gotten better characterization/advanced the relationship with Jeffrey.
Speaking of developing the relationship, I'm already over a third of the way into the book and Jeffrey and Hunter have had alone time a total of TWO times. Granted it's only been like 3-4 days since Jeffrey arrived, but the pacing of the story leaves much to be desired, especially since this will lead into one of two probable outcomes:
- Jeffrey and Hunter fall for each other in a short time frame (aka instalove)
- there's a big timeskip where were just meant to assume that they spent time together (aka leaving it to us to imagine)
Neither are very appealing options. Thees technically an off chance that the story does give ample time and development for their relationship, but given the way it's gone so far, I wouldn't bet on it.
Also, the syntax left much to be desired. The amount of short, one subject, one verb sentences was jarring. I get that they were used for emphasis, but it happened waaay to often and instead made things seem juvenile and repetitive, like Jeffrey needed to pause and restate things to get his point across when it was already clear.
TL;DR Wife and daughter are incredibly unlikable and that alone are enough for me to stop reading, but the lack of meaningful development between the two MCs after a third of the way through the book doesn't give me hope for how the rest of the story.
March 17, 2023
AUSSIE SUN is the fourth book in the Flying into Love series although each book can be read as a standalone.
Jeffrey is a disgraced ex-MP - Member of Parliament, not Military Police - who has flown to Australia in the hopes of actually becoming a real father to his sixteen-year-old daughter, rather than just a face on a screen. Hunter has sworn off men due to the slimy dealings of his ex, but is he strong enough to resist Stuart or Jeffrey?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There is an age gap to be aware of but it was taken into account by both parties. Crissy, I adored! She was perfect as the sometimes-grownup and sometimes-still-a-little-girl teenager. Ash and Ethan were fantastic as supporting characters. And Penny needed to do an Elsa and let it go! Jeez, that woman just kept on with the comments!
The story itself is simple to follow and has relatively low angst. It is nice and spicy though, once Jeffrey stops thinking he isn't good enough. I did love the ending when Jeffrey swoops in, all righteous anger until he realises he got it wrong and then steps up big time. Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear suits!
A great addition to the series that I think is the best so far. Absolutely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jeffrey is a disgraced ex-MP - Member of Parliament, not Military Police - who has flown to Australia in the hopes of actually becoming a real father to his sixteen-year-old daughter, rather than just a face on a screen. Hunter has sworn off men due to the slimy dealings of his ex, but is he strong enough to resist Stuart or Jeffrey?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There is an age gap to be aware of but it was taken into account by both parties. Crissy, I adored! She was perfect as the sometimes-grownup and sometimes-still-a-little-girl teenager. Ash and Ethan were fantastic as supporting characters. And Penny needed to do an Elsa and let it go! Jeez, that woman just kept on with the comments!
The story itself is simple to follow and has relatively low angst. It is nice and spicy though, once Jeffrey stops thinking he isn't good enough. I did love the ending when Jeffrey swoops in, all righteous anger until he realises he got it wrong and then steps up big time. Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear suits!
A great addition to the series that I think is the best so far. Absolutely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
October 3, 2023
Opposites attract with a lovely age-gap (an audio review)
Jeffrey’s got a problem. He’s been forced to resign as an MP in Britain. To get away from…everyone…he heads to the land down under. His daughter and ex-wife live there. The daughter who believes he abandoned her – even though it was her mother who made the move.
Jeffrey’s got another problem. Well, two. One is creatures who want to kill him who seem to be everywhere, and the other is his next door neighbor. Hunter is gorgeous, young, gay, and off limits. As Jeffrey’s daughter’s swim coach, Hunter shouldn’t be the guy Jeffrey’s attracted to. He’s here to make amends – not get his rocks off.
Except…what if he can do both?
I could see the disaster the men are careening toward. The question was, of course, whether they could love each other enough to overcome a massive pile of hurdles put before them.
Well, this is a classic C.F. White romance, so you probably know the answer. The conclusion, however, is never foregone and how the men get to their happily ever after is well worth the read. I was thrilled to see there are more Flying into Love books coming and since I know they’ll be narrated by Piers Ryman, I can’t wait!
Jeffrey’s got a problem. He’s been forced to resign as an MP in Britain. To get away from…everyone…he heads to the land down under. His daughter and ex-wife live there. The daughter who believes he abandoned her – even though it was her mother who made the move.
Jeffrey’s got another problem. Well, two. One is creatures who want to kill him who seem to be everywhere, and the other is his next door neighbor. Hunter is gorgeous, young, gay, and off limits. As Jeffrey’s daughter’s swim coach, Hunter shouldn’t be the guy Jeffrey’s attracted to. He’s here to make amends – not get his rocks off.
Except…what if he can do both?
I could see the disaster the men are careening toward. The question was, of course, whether they could love each other enough to overcome a massive pile of hurdles put before them.
Well, this is a classic C.F. White romance, so you probably know the answer. The conclusion, however, is never foregone and how the men get to their happily ever after is well worth the read. I was thrilled to see there are more Flying into Love books coming and since I know they’ll be narrated by Piers Ryman, I can’t wait!
June 3, 2023
Aussie Sunshine by C. F. White was a sunshiny romp. Take one disgraced British MP, fleeing to Australia to reconnect with his teenage daughter. Add an attractive animal-loving neighbor, who happens to be his daughter’s swim coach. Boom. I really liked Hunter, he was so caring and kind. And my silver fox, Jeffrey. Sigh. He knows he’s made mistakes and is trying so hard to atone. It hurt my heart every time his daughter shot down his attempts to connect (although, typical teen, told him she loved him 5 minutes later), or his ex-wife undermined his efforts to be a better man. Honestly, she picked him up at the airport and dropped him at his rental at midnight, yet she’s pounding on his door at 5 am, angry he doesn’t have a car to take their daughter to swim practice. Ugh! Jeffrey had much more patience than I would have. But I digress…. Two lovely men with trust issues, who still feel a connection. There’s a bit of stop and start to their relationship thanks to outside forces (Jeffrey’s family, Hunter’s truly heinous ex), but old and new friends cheer them on. And when they get together…. There’s a lovely epilogue that makes their HEA even better. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 26, 2024
There is a lot happening in this story, making it a deeply engaging read. Jeffrey is a man burdened with secrets that create a rift between him and his family, pushing his wife and daughter away. His struggle to balance his hidden past with his current life is both heartbreaking and compelling.
On the other side, we have Hunter, whose personal relationships and career are also in flux. His journey to find stability and fulfillment is fraught with challenges, yet it is captivating to see how he navigates through them.
As the story unfolds, you get lost in the intricate lives of Jeffrey and Hunter. Both men are on a quest to find happiness and follow their hearts' true desires. The narrative beautifully weaves their paths together, showcasing their struggles, growth, and ultimate quest for what their hearts truly want.
I loved their story, watching as they worked through their individual and shared challenges to find their happiness. The complexity of their emotions and experiences made for a rich and satisfying read.
On the other side, we have Hunter, whose personal relationships and career are also in flux. His journey to find stability and fulfillment is fraught with challenges, yet it is captivating to see how he navigates through them.
As the story unfolds, you get lost in the intricate lives of Jeffrey and Hunter. Both men are on a quest to find happiness and follow their hearts' true desires. The narrative beautifully weaves their paths together, showcasing their struggles, growth, and ultimate quest for what their hearts truly want.
I loved their story, watching as they worked through their individual and shared challenges to find their happiness. The complexity of their emotions and experiences made for a rich and satisfying read.
September 29, 2023
Age gap love story with humor to boot
There are so many really good things about this book that I'm finding it hard to get into a "review". First we have, Jeffrey, a middle aged man, a MP no less, who publicly outs himself... b4 he tells his wife. His wife, now ex, of course, and daughter have moved to Australia. He has since had to step down from his MP position and come to Oz to finally have a chance to be a dad. To a 16yr old superswimmer daughter. Enter hot, hot, hot swim coach, Hunter... It's useless to go on about the different characters because there are at least half a dozen strong characters. Lots of angst, not just teenage angst, worry, tears, joy... And, there's Ash - Hunter's best friend, a drag queen Kindergarten teacher. His character is soooooo funny. It was great to have his humor to help balance out other serious concerns and emotions. Read this book.
There are so many really good things about this book that I'm finding it hard to get into a "review". First we have, Jeffrey, a middle aged man, a MP no less, who publicly outs himself... b4 he tells his wife. His wife, now ex, of course, and daughter have moved to Australia. He has since had to step down from his MP position and come to Oz to finally have a chance to be a dad. To a 16yr old superswimmer daughter. Enter hot, hot, hot swim coach, Hunter... It's useless to go on about the different characters because there are at least half a dozen strong characters. Lots of angst, not just teenage angst, worry, tears, joy... And, there's Ash - Hunter's best friend, a drag queen Kindergarten teacher. His character is soooooo funny. It was great to have his humor to help balance out other serious concerns and emotions. Read this book.
April 1, 2023
Loved Hunter and Jeffrey's Story !! . . .
Jeffrey Gandy is retired from his political job (PM) and heading from England to Australia to spend time getting to know his daughter in person and make up for all those missed years. His rude ex-wife has taught Crissy well to be obnoxious in between her likable moods. His ex-wife continually puts him down with her caustic comments. Right from the first chapter, the reader connects with Jeffrey as the airport security guy checking him through to catch his plane annoys and embarrasses him by waving his passport and loudly identifying him to the crowd. And by delaying the long line, it makes those behind him dislike him immediately (if they don’t already). On arrival, his ex made him ride in the back seat and dropped off at his rental house, almost chopping his head off in the car window as he tried to kiss his daughter goodbye. Jeffrey walked out back to see the stars on this side of the world and leaped back against the wall in terror as a 6-foot python slithered from a bush and hissed at him! It was closely followed by a gorgeous man leaping over the fence to capture “Bertha the Boa”, assuring him she was more afraid of Jeffrey than he was of her… as unlikely as that seemed at the moment.
Jeffrey’s neighbor, Hunter Ford, is friendly, good-natured animal lover and swim coach, a young man in his 20’s but cautious about relationships after his ex-boyfriend Stuart’s actions. Both immediately notice and are attracted to the other, but trust issues, a temporary stay, and age gap of 20+ years holds them back. And meeting the snake also kept them from even a handshake as the snake curled around Hunter’s arm. As he left, he warned Jeffrey about his dragon, although Jeffrey wasn’t sure if he had one or was just teasing. His ex must have rented this place for him as payback.
With Hunter being Crissy’s swim coach, Jeffrey sees him often and they become friends. Jeffrey and Hunter have their trust issues to deal with. And Jeffrey doesn’t think he would have anything to offer the handsome young man anyway. But will Hunter be able to convince Jeffrey that they are made for each other? Or will someone else intervene and shut them down?
I adored this story with many likable characters and excellent dialog. Hunter’s friends Eden and Ash had me continually laughing and appreciating their supportive friendship. Personalities are crystal clear just from reading their exchanges and visualizing their actions. And the detailed descriptions of people and surroundings was like being right there for the reader. Excellent writing, humor, and an emotion-filled story line. Highly recommended!
Jeffrey Gandy is retired from his political job (PM) and heading from England to Australia to spend time getting to know his daughter in person and make up for all those missed years. His rude ex-wife has taught Crissy well to be obnoxious in between her likable moods. His ex-wife continually puts him down with her caustic comments. Right from the first chapter, the reader connects with Jeffrey as the airport security guy checking him through to catch his plane annoys and embarrasses him by waving his passport and loudly identifying him to the crowd. And by delaying the long line, it makes those behind him dislike him immediately (if they don’t already). On arrival, his ex made him ride in the back seat and dropped off at his rental house, almost chopping his head off in the car window as he tried to kiss his daughter goodbye. Jeffrey walked out back to see the stars on this side of the world and leaped back against the wall in terror as a 6-foot python slithered from a bush and hissed at him! It was closely followed by a gorgeous man leaping over the fence to capture “Bertha the Boa”, assuring him she was more afraid of Jeffrey than he was of her… as unlikely as that seemed at the moment.
Jeffrey’s neighbor, Hunter Ford, is friendly, good-natured animal lover and swim coach, a young man in his 20’s but cautious about relationships after his ex-boyfriend Stuart’s actions. Both immediately notice and are attracted to the other, but trust issues, a temporary stay, and age gap of 20+ years holds them back. And meeting the snake also kept them from even a handshake as the snake curled around Hunter’s arm. As he left, he warned Jeffrey about his dragon, although Jeffrey wasn’t sure if he had one or was just teasing. His ex must have rented this place for him as payback.
With Hunter being Crissy’s swim coach, Jeffrey sees him often and they become friends. Jeffrey and Hunter have their trust issues to deal with. And Jeffrey doesn’t think he would have anything to offer the handsome young man anyway. But will Hunter be able to convince Jeffrey that they are made for each other? Or will someone else intervene and shut them down?
I adored this story with many likable characters and excellent dialog. Hunter’s friends Eden and Ash had me continually laughing and appreciating their supportive friendship. Personalities are crystal clear just from reading their exchanges and visualizing their actions. And the detailed descriptions of people and surroundings was like being right there for the reader. Excellent writing, humor, and an emotion-filled story line. Highly recommended!
March 25, 2023
C.F. White’s Flying into Love series is back! This time it whisks us away to sunny Australia where retired, disgraced MP Jeffrey is trying to pick up the pieces. Getting out of the UK is just the first step; making amends with his estranged teenage daughter is the next. He absolutely doesn’t anticipate just how his new Aussie neighbor will thwart even the best laid plans.
From the moment Jeffrey landed in Australia, it felt like he was working from behind. He couldn’t seem to get anything right, almost as if the universe was conspiring to make him pay for past sins. I felt sad for him; he wears his guilt like a shroud, he’s desolate, and all of his actions are penitent. I’ve never met someone who’s more devoted to atoning for his actions.
To make matters worse, his ex-wife and daughter harbor lingering hurt and anger which make them less than welcoming. I could understand where they were coming from, but it was still difficult and frustrating to watch them act on their emotions. This is something that gets simultaneously better and worse as his connection with Hunter develops.
This story features a slow burn, age gap romance with an age gap of 20+ years. When I say slow, I mean slow with a capital S. There’s a lot of build up and a series of false starts which really ramp up the tension, and when it finally happens, it’s so satisfying. Not to mention hot, hot hot.
That being said, this book stretches the realm of comfort I have for age gap romances. Not to deny the existence or validity of their relationship, but as someone in my 40’s, I struggle to relate to the appeal of dating someone nearly half my age. Part of what seems to work for Jeffrey and Hunter is that Hunter seems like an old soul, already shrugging off some of the entrapments of youth which makes him even more appealing to Jeffrey.
*I voluntarily read a complimentary copy of this book*
From the moment Jeffrey landed in Australia, it felt like he was working from behind. He couldn’t seem to get anything right, almost as if the universe was conspiring to make him pay for past sins. I felt sad for him; he wears his guilt like a shroud, he’s desolate, and all of his actions are penitent. I’ve never met someone who’s more devoted to atoning for his actions.
To make matters worse, his ex-wife and daughter harbor lingering hurt and anger which make them less than welcoming. I could understand where they were coming from, but it was still difficult and frustrating to watch them act on their emotions. This is something that gets simultaneously better and worse as his connection with Hunter develops.
This story features a slow burn, age gap romance with an age gap of 20+ years. When I say slow, I mean slow with a capital S. There’s a lot of build up and a series of false starts which really ramp up the tension, and when it finally happens, it’s so satisfying. Not to mention hot, hot hot.
That being said, this book stretches the realm of comfort I have for age gap romances. Not to deny the existence or validity of their relationship, but as someone in my 40’s, I struggle to relate to the appeal of dating someone nearly half my age. Part of what seems to work for Jeffrey and Hunter is that Hunter seems like an old soul, already shrugging off some of the entrapments of youth which makes him even more appealing to Jeffrey.
*I voluntarily read a complimentary copy of this book*
October 15, 2023
an audio review
Aussie Sun is Book 4 in the Flying into Love series. This is a wonderfully written low angst, slow burn, age gap story about Jeffery, a retired English MP, and Hunter, an animal loving swim coach. Jeffery finds himself in Australia wanting to spend time with his teenage daughter Crissy. He had no intention of falling in love with her swim coach but that is exactly what happened. I really enjoyed this book. Jeffery and Hunter are so sweet together as they form a friendship that turns into so much more. I recommend this book.
Narrator Piers Ryman does a marvelous job in bringing these characters to life. He really is a joy to listen to.
Aussie Sun is Book 4 in the Flying into Love series. This is a wonderfully written low angst, slow burn, age gap story about Jeffery, a retired English MP, and Hunter, an animal loving swim coach. Jeffery finds himself in Australia wanting to spend time with his teenage daughter Crissy. He had no intention of falling in love with her swim coach but that is exactly what happened. I really enjoyed this book. Jeffery and Hunter are so sweet together as they form a friendship that turns into so much more. I recommend this book.
Narrator Piers Ryman does a marvelous job in bringing these characters to life. He really is a joy to listen to.
Read
July 30, 2024I am not going to rate this book, clearly this one was not for me. I have read several of the author's books and enjoyed them very much. This one was not among them.
To begin with the timeline made little sense. The were several inconsistencies that made the plot be not so clear. Crissy is portrayed as rather childish and the father- daughter interaction were pretty superficial. The way Penny was portrayed was really annoying as well, and that is before starting with both MCs who just didn't make any sense. This is so insta-love that I couldn't get how they managed to develop any feelings to one another, not to mention merit the speech Jeffery gave Hunter towards the end.
To begin with the timeline made little sense. The were several inconsistencies that made the plot be not so clear. Crissy is portrayed as rather childish and the father- daughter interaction were pretty superficial. The way Penny was portrayed was really annoying as well, and that is before starting with both MCs who just didn't make any sense. This is so insta-love that I couldn't get how they managed to develop any feelings to one another, not to mention merit the speech Jeffery gave Hunter towards the end.
May 29, 2024
I didn't think I'd care too much about this one, given that a politician was one of the main characters. But Jeffrey is different. He's real, and he cares. He's doing the right thing by going to Australia to be part of his daughter's life. It's an uphill battle, for sure. Crissy is absolutely a teenager and has all the attitude to go with it.
Then there's Hunter. He's so chill on the surface. Still waters run deep, though. He's so afraid of what's coming that he's paralyzed. Good thing Jeremy's there to save the day.
Good story, with a bit of redemption on the side.
Then there's Hunter. He's so chill on the surface. Still waters run deep, though. He's so afraid of what's coming that he's paralyzed. Good thing Jeremy's there to save the day.
Good story, with a bit of redemption on the side.
April 2, 2023
Good Story
I'm rounding this up from 3.5 stars. I didn't enjoy this as much as the previous stories. There were a few things that didn't quite work well for the story IMO. I'm still glad I read it.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
I'm rounding this up from 3.5 stars. I didn't enjoy this as much as the previous stories. There were a few things that didn't quite work well for the story IMO. I'm still glad I read it.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
April 5, 2023
Onto the Next
I really loved this one, and I can’t wait to read the next one. Good characters and a nice storyline .
I really loved this one, and I can’t wait to read the next one. Good characters and a nice storyline .
April 12, 2023
I really enjoyed this book. I liked that an older man can find and fall in love, especially after living his life in the closet and denying his true sexuality. It was beautiful to watch these two love-shy men fall for each other. You can tell there was an instant attraction on both of their parts, and I was so glad when they finally succumbed to the temptation. I can understand exercising caution when it comes to kids, but Jeff’s daughter was almost 17, so they should not have had to hide. Jeff should not have had to break up with Hunter, so I was relieved when she came to understand and accept Hunter in her dad’s life. Hunter and Jeffrey belonged together. This was a slow burn, age gap love story. I did not like it as much as the other books in this series, but it is still worth the read.
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
August 15, 2024
2.5 stars
April 10, 2023
This is an age-gap, angsty story about found love between Jeffrey Gandy, a disgraced British MP, and Australian Hunter Ford, his daughter's swim coach. Each man is fine, I suppose, and I am especially sympathetic to Jeffrey's situation with his teenage daughter. But I wanted to smack Hunter more than once for his irrational refusal, disguised as inability, to let go of a past he knows is hurtful to him. It took him far too long to delete the number of the man tormenting him and I felt Hunter left himself open to being harassed because of his weak-kneed responses to him. For his part, Jeffrey's acceptance of his ex-wife's and his daughter's verbal and emotional abuse became too much after a while. I didn't like either of them, despite completely understanding the hurt they bore from his honest but impulsive responses a decade before. I couldn't give this more than 3 stars.
March 27, 2023
4,5 *
The Flying into Love series has been a pleasure to read. This fourth book was a pleasure to read and overall was low angst with mostly likeable and loveable characters. The main characters, Jeffrey and Hunter both are almost to sweet and caring for their own good.
Jeffrey fled from the UK on the back of a scandal, to Australia where his daughter Crissy and ex-wife Penny, with whom he co-parents, reside. He goes there to reconnect with his daughter after being unable to visit during covid. As it happens he is temporarily living next to Hunter, who has a menagerie of all kind of rescued creatures, and turns out to be his daughters swim coach. These men will find their hea/hfn with the other, however getting takes a bit. It is not that they don't recognize the affection and attraction, but is several people around them who try to derail their love.
I had no sympathy for Stuart, Hunter his ex who turns out to be more conniving than I thought he was.
Crissy, is teenager and slowly but surely changes her opinion about her dad, however sometimes she comes across as a mini me of her mom.. However I found Penny undermining/ gaslighting towards Jeffrey, yes he might have hurt her 10 years ago, but why behave like she does now? She keeps info from Jeffrey in regards to his daughters needs Things about the rental property and expects him to jump at her back and call. However she is on the cusp of marry again to Ethan, so I don't get it and would have loved Jeffrey to get a bit more confrontational with her and Ethan.
And lastly I have to give a shout out to C.F. to create Eden, the silent strong aupportive friend and Ash, who made me smile every time he came along in this story; as a teacher and friend. They both are the icing on the cake for me. I hope we visit these two in another book. I also hope the author comes bavk to Jeffrey and Hunter in a couole years time, storywise, to see if Jeffrey will be advocating for the underdogs again and not be just there for Hunter and hia sancatuary.
I kindly received a copy of this book through the author and leave my personal review.
The Flying into Love series has been a pleasure to read. This fourth book was a pleasure to read and overall was low angst with mostly likeable and loveable characters. The main characters, Jeffrey and Hunter both are almost to sweet and caring for their own good.
Jeffrey fled from the UK on the back of a scandal, to Australia where his daughter Crissy and ex-wife Penny, with whom he co-parents, reside. He goes there to reconnect with his daughter after being unable to visit during covid. As it happens he is temporarily living next to Hunter, who has a menagerie of all kind of rescued creatures, and turns out to be his daughters swim coach. These men will find their hea/hfn with the other, however getting takes a bit. It is not that they don't recognize the affection and attraction, but is several people around them who try to derail their love.
I had no sympathy for Stuart, Hunter his ex who turns out to be more conniving than I thought he was.
Crissy, is teenager and slowly but surely changes her opinion about her dad, however sometimes she comes across as a mini me of her mom.. However I found Penny undermining/ gaslighting towards Jeffrey, yes he might have hurt her 10 years ago, but why behave like she does now? She keeps info from Jeffrey in regards to his daughters needs Things about the rental property and expects him to jump at her back and call. However she is on the cusp of marry again to Ethan, so I don't get it and would have loved Jeffrey to get a bit more confrontational with her and Ethan.
And lastly I have to give a shout out to C.F. to create Eden, the silent strong aupportive friend and Ash, who made me smile every time he came along in this story; as a teacher and friend. They both are the icing on the cake for me. I hope we visit these two in another book. I also hope the author comes bavk to Jeffrey and Hunter in a couole years time, storywise, to see if Jeffrey will be advocating for the underdogs again and not be just there for Hunter and hia sancatuary.
I kindly received a copy of this book through the author and leave my personal review.
April 6, 2023
A Joyfully Jay review.
4 stars
Aussie Sun is part of the Flying into Love series and, as the title suggests, this installment takes us to Australia. Jeffrey is already frazzled at the airport as he is not only recognized for his political career, but for his tabloid headlines. He’s tired and exasperated and trying to get a handle on what comes next. He knows he wants to connect with his teenage daughter, but he hasn’t seen her in person in a while and he knows it will be a challenge. Jeffrey didn’t handle his coming out well when he was married and his relationship with his ex-wife is based on her terms and Jeffrey feels he has no choice but to just go along with it all.
I liked the story here and I would have liked to see more of it, instead of being told so much. This series will continue and I will follow along to new destinations for new stories.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
4 stars
Aussie Sun is part of the Flying into Love series and, as the title suggests, this installment takes us to Australia. Jeffrey is already frazzled at the airport as he is not only recognized for his political career, but for his tabloid headlines. He’s tired and exasperated and trying to get a handle on what comes next. He knows he wants to connect with his teenage daughter, but he hasn’t seen her in person in a while and he knows it will be a challenge. Jeffrey didn’t handle his coming out well when he was married and his relationship with his ex-wife is based on her terms and Jeffrey feels he has no choice but to just go along with it all.
I liked the story here and I would have liked to see more of it, instead of being told so much. This series will continue and I will follow along to new destinations for new stories.
Read Michelle's review in its entirety here.
March 27, 2023
I'm a fan of C.F. White's writing... that's a certainty. This is one of my favourite additions to the "Flying Into Love" series so far. I think I liked that it is really character driven. Even though this book went zipping past once I started it, I felt as though I had spent a lot of time with the characters ... certainly enough time to be invested in their relationship.
Jeffrey is a retired MP from Britain. He was disgraced and basically chose retirement and an opportunity to move to Australia and get to know and parent the daughter he has become estranged from. Once he arrives in Australia he meets neighbour Hunter who turns out to be Jeffrey's daughter's swim coach. Oh goodness... the tangles.
This book is lovely. The friendships are the kind that I love ... spicy, honest and a little bit meddling. Some of the supporting characters provide a delightful amount of snark and humour. I always enjoy that.
Hunter is wonderful! He's a genuinely nice guy who loves animals and has a dream. He's also really attracted to Jeffrey. Jeffrey has spent the previous years of his life living a very different life from Hunter. Jeffrey married Penny even though he knew he was gay. It just wasn't something he felt that he could be in public ... until it just happened. Then Jeffrey was left picking up the pieces of his life and dealing with the reputation he had gained by publically coming out. He's made a lot of mistakes, but I believed he was genuinely trying to turn things around.
The two main characters worked so well together. There was some lovely instant chemistry and while it moved quickly, I didn't ever feel left behind. I was rooting for the two men even though I was also desperately wanting Jeffrey to reclaim his place as a father.
Love C.F. White's writing - it's always wonderful... and this story is particularly touching.
Jeffrey is a retired MP from Britain. He was disgraced and basically chose retirement and an opportunity to move to Australia and get to know and parent the daughter he has become estranged from. Once he arrives in Australia he meets neighbour Hunter who turns out to be Jeffrey's daughter's swim coach. Oh goodness... the tangles.
This book is lovely. The friendships are the kind that I love ... spicy, honest and a little bit meddling. Some of the supporting characters provide a delightful amount of snark and humour. I always enjoy that.
Hunter is wonderful! He's a genuinely nice guy who loves animals and has a dream. He's also really attracted to Jeffrey. Jeffrey has spent the previous years of his life living a very different life from Hunter. Jeffrey married Penny even though he knew he was gay. It just wasn't something he felt that he could be in public ... until it just happened. Then Jeffrey was left picking up the pieces of his life and dealing with the reputation he had gained by publically coming out. He's made a lot of mistakes, but I believed he was genuinely trying to turn things around.
The two main characters worked so well together. There was some lovely instant chemistry and while it moved quickly, I didn't ever feel left behind. I was rooting for the two men even though I was also desperately wanting Jeffrey to reclaim his place as a father.
Love C.F. White's writing - it's always wonderful... and this story is particularly touching.
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