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Love's Charter #2
Ebb and Flow
Sequel to Setting the Hook
Love's Book Two
To achieve happiness, they’ll have to find the courage to be their own men.
As first mate on a charter fishing boat, Billy Ray meets a lot of people, but not one of them has made him as uncomfortable as Skippy—because he’s drawn to Skippy as surely as the moon pulls the tides, and he’s almost as powerless to resist. Billy Ray has spent his life denying who he is to avoid the wrath of his religious father, and he can’t allow anyone to see through his carefully built façade.
Skippy is only in town on business and will have to return to Boston once he’s through. After all, his father has certain expectations, and him staying in Florida is not one of them. But he doesn’t count on Billy Ray capturing his attention and touching his heart.
Billy Ray doesn’t realize just how much he and Skippy have in common, though. They’re both living to please their fathers instead of following their own dreams—a fact that becomes painfully obvious when they get to know each other and realize how much joy they’ve denied themselves. While they can’t change the past, they can begin a future together and make up for lost time—as long as they’re willing to face the consequences of charting their own course.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 18, 2017
11 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
November 19, 2017
Note: I haven't read book one, Setting the Hook, yet had no trouble following along, even with the inclusion of characters introduced there, so this works as a standalone.
Billy Ray hides his sexuality in order to avoid his uber-religious, abusive father. Skippy constantly tries to garner his father's respect, without ever seeming to meet that goal. Their dual POV gives insight into the way both Skippy's and Billy Ray's fathers have both damaged the sons, with both trying desperately to please people who, frankly, can never be satisfied. The abusive nature of Billy Ray's relationship with his father was especially hard for me to listen to at times.
This is one of those stories where I spent the majority of time internally screaming at the characters to leave their fathers behind and make new lives living however makes them truly happy. Greg Tremblay impresses again with great narration, but the characters taking so long to stand up for themselves and take control of their own lives was a bit maddening for me personally. That being said, I was really happy when the two finally came together to really make their relationship work and the HEA is hard-won and really sweet.
The story had more angst than I was expecting, a nice thread of hurt/comfort, and was an enjoyable listen overall. Greg Tremblay adds depth and emotion to the characters and the story and makes sure the multiple character voices are easy to keep straight and his pacing is terrific.
Recommended for fans of the Love's Charter series, Andrew Grey, and Greg Tremblay.
Audio copy of Ebb and Flow (Love's Charter #2) provided by Dreampsinner Press in exchange of an honest review.
This review has been cross-posted at Gay Book Reviews.
November 10, 2017
Let's go fishing...
One man worships at the temple of the almighty dollar the other man worships in the house of god...both men were given sons...kind and gentle souls to nurture and guide in a world that can be less than kind...both men failed.
Neither man truly understands the value of what they have. Billy Ray is the son of a Baptist Minister...man who has raised him to believe that he is less than he is. He loves working on the water as a part of the crew of one of Mike Jensen's Apalachickola Fishing Tour boats (we met Mike in Setting the Hook, book 1 in this series) and he has hopes of captaining his own tour boat one day. But growing up in a home where he's been made to feel like he's not good enough, smart enough...just never quite enough hasn't done a lot for his confidence and he knows that having his parents...especially his father find out who he truly is...that he's gay, is something that can never happen if he doesn't want to lose their love.
Skippy was born in Boston. The son of a successful lawyer. He's spent his whole life trying to get his parents approval. Sent away to private schools at the age of 8. He's worked hard to get his father's attention...earning a law degree from Harvard he then joins his dad's law firm and becomes one of their top producing lawyers, all in an effort to get his father to notice him...to just tell him that he's proud of him. Dad knows he's gay but like everything else about his son he doesn't acknowledge it and he keeps his son busy too busy to have a life.
Billy Ray and Skippy (and yes this is a nickname) meet when Skippy is sent to Apalachickola, Florida to provide legal representation to a client. Skippy takes some time for vacation and hauls the rest of his 'gay family' back to the house that they rented on their last trip there (it's all in the first book). When Skippy and his friends go out on a fishing tour with Bubba and Billy Ray as their guides they once again invite their Florida friends back to enjoy the bounty of their day giving the two men a chance to get to know each other.
Billy Ray and Skippy may come from different worlds but as they get to better acquainted what they discover is that their lives really aren't worlds apart.
I loved Skippy and Billy Ray, in their own way each man was very different but at the heart of each of them was a kind and gentle soul that had never been shown the love it deserved. That each of them became someone who was capable of showing such kindness to other people in spite of the poisoned environments that they grew up in only showed that we are each the makers of our own destiny. They could have chosen to be bitter, negative people emulating what they were raised with but they didn't. They chose to be their own person...someone who was good and kind and gave back to the world rather than taking from it. Exemplifying that you get back from this world what you give to it.
We first met William and Mike, the owner's of Apalachickola Fishing Tours along with Bubba, Skippy's gay family in 'Setting the Hook' and I loved the strong secondary role that all played in this book. Series like this where I get new MCs in each book and they become secondary characters in subsequent stories so that we don't really have to say good-bye to anyone are like catnip for me...they leaving me purring and content by giving me something new and shiny that's been surrounded by a touch of the old and familiar.
I first started this series on audio and quite honestly I was so enchanted with both the story and the narration that I decided to continue it this way. Once again Greg Tremblay has added depth to the emotions of the characters brought them to life as he shares their story with the listener.
I wish I could say that I had some insider knowledge on this and that I knew for a certainty whose story we will get next in this series...sadly, I do not, but I do know that I am hopeful that we will see Alex, Skippy's assistant, as one of the MCs in the next story and dare we hope that he will find some happiness with one of Skippy's friends? I guess only time will tell.
*************************
An audio book of 'Ebb and Flow' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
One man worships at the temple of the almighty dollar the other man worships in the house of god...both men were given sons...kind and gentle souls to nurture and guide in a world that can be less than kind...both men failed.
Neither man truly understands the value of what they have. Billy Ray is the son of a Baptist Minister...man who has raised him to believe that he is less than he is. He loves working on the water as a part of the crew of one of Mike Jensen's Apalachickola Fishing Tour boats (we met Mike in Setting the Hook, book 1 in this series) and he has hopes of captaining his own tour boat one day. But growing up in a home where he's been made to feel like he's not good enough, smart enough...just never quite enough hasn't done a lot for his confidence and he knows that having his parents...especially his father find out who he truly is...that he's gay, is something that can never happen if he doesn't want to lose their love.
Skippy was born in Boston. The son of a successful lawyer. He's spent his whole life trying to get his parents approval. Sent away to private schools at the age of 8. He's worked hard to get his father's attention...earning a law degree from Harvard he then joins his dad's law firm and becomes one of their top producing lawyers, all in an effort to get his father to notice him...to just tell him that he's proud of him. Dad knows he's gay but like everything else about his son he doesn't acknowledge it and he keeps his son busy too busy to have a life.
Billy Ray and Skippy (and yes this is a nickname) meet when Skippy is sent to Apalachickola, Florida to provide legal representation to a client. Skippy takes some time for vacation and hauls the rest of his 'gay family' back to the house that they rented on their last trip there (it's all in the first book). When Skippy and his friends go out on a fishing tour with Bubba and Billy Ray as their guides they once again invite their Florida friends back to enjoy the bounty of their day giving the two men a chance to get to know each other.
Billy Ray and Skippy may come from different worlds but as they get to better acquainted what they discover is that their lives really aren't worlds apart.
I loved Skippy and Billy Ray, in their own way each man was very different but at the heart of each of them was a kind and gentle soul that had never been shown the love it deserved. That each of them became someone who was capable of showing such kindness to other people in spite of the poisoned environments that they grew up in only showed that we are each the makers of our own destiny. They could have chosen to be bitter, negative people emulating what they were raised with but they didn't. They chose to be their own person...someone who was good and kind and gave back to the world rather than taking from it. Exemplifying that you get back from this world what you give to it.
We first met William and Mike, the owner's of Apalachickola Fishing Tours along with Bubba, Skippy's gay family in 'Setting the Hook' and I loved the strong secondary role that all played in this book. Series like this where I get new MCs in each book and they become secondary characters in subsequent stories so that we don't really have to say good-bye to anyone are like catnip for me...they leaving me purring and content by giving me something new and shiny that's been surrounded by a touch of the old and familiar.
I first started this series on audio and quite honestly I was so enchanted with both the story and the narration that I decided to continue it this way. Once again Greg Tremblay has added depth to the emotions of the characters brought them to life as he shares their story with the listener.
I wish I could say that I had some insider knowledge on this and that I knew for a certainty whose story we will get next in this series...sadly, I do not, but I do know that I am hopeful that we will see Alex, Skippy's assistant, as one of the MCs in the next story and dare we hope that he will find some happiness with one of Skippy's friends? I guess only time will tell.
*************************
An audio book of 'Ebb and Flow' was graciously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
August 22, 2017
This second volume of the very aptly named ‘Love’s Charter’ series is as intense as the first one. This time both main characters have issues with dealing with and separating from their overbearing fathers, though for very different reasons. Neither Skippy, who is a lawyer, nor Billy Ray, who is a mate on one of William and Mike’s charter ships, are truly their own men when their story begins. They may legally be adults around thirty, but mentally they have not “cut the cord” to follow their own paths. Watching them battle their demons and deal with the fallout of coming out (for Billy Ray) and of choosing his own path in his career (for Skippy) was nerve-wrecking, emotionally draining, and spellbinding all at the same time. With his usual flair of creating multilayered characters who battle major obstacles to their own happiness, Andrew Grey, by telling Billy Ray and Skippy’s story, has given me two more men I wish I could meet in real life.
Billy Ray has managed to create a life separate from his strict father – a homophobic, righteous, hell-and-brimstone-preaching reverend who wants everyone to follow his lead to find salvation. But while Billy Ray is financially independent and lives away from home, mentally and emotionally he is still trying to please his father. He has not come out, and when his father discovers the truth, I almost expected Billy Ray to cave. It was a wonderful surprise to see him stand up to the bully pretending to be “a man of God” – better, in fact, than Skippy managed. Yes, Billy Ray had Skippy’s moral support and that helped, but Billy Ray was the one who did all the hard work.
Skippy is a lawyer in his father’s firm, still trying to win his father’s acceptance and approval. It was hard to watch him cave again and again, forgetting what he wanted out of life, only to return to doing whatever his father told him to do. Yes, Skippy wanted a successful career, but he kept sacrificing his principles to try to get his father to be proud of him. It takes him a long, long time to wake up and smell the roses, and Billy Ray has a lot to do with that. When Skippy finally sees the light, so to speak, the confrontation and the result are epic.
Aside from the personal growth the two men face, there is a suspenseful plot around an oil company wanting to build a pipeline against the locals’ wishes, Skippy working for the kind of ruthless environmentally harmful company he hates, and Billy Ray discovering the truth about Skippy’s job – which he fears will make him unemployed. Things get tense between both men for a while, but there are lots of great secondary characters around to help both Billy Ray and Skippy see what’s really important. Their happy end is definitely hard-earned though!
If you like romances full of suspense and lots of personal issues, if you enjoy watching adults realizing they have a ways to go before they are truly independent, and if you’re looking for a read that is engaging, full of conflict, and has a deeply passionate love story at its core, then you will probably like this novel as much as I do. It’s got a great setting, wonderfully complicated characters, and Billy Ray and Skippy’s struggle to find happiness together made it into yet another spellbinding Andrew Grey novel for me.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Billy Ray has managed to create a life separate from his strict father – a homophobic, righteous, hell-and-brimstone-preaching reverend who wants everyone to follow his lead to find salvation. But while Billy Ray is financially independent and lives away from home, mentally and emotionally he is still trying to please his father. He has not come out, and when his father discovers the truth, I almost expected Billy Ray to cave. It was a wonderful surprise to see him stand up to the bully pretending to be “a man of God” – better, in fact, than Skippy managed. Yes, Billy Ray had Skippy’s moral support and that helped, but Billy Ray was the one who did all the hard work.
Skippy is a lawyer in his father’s firm, still trying to win his father’s acceptance and approval. It was hard to watch him cave again and again, forgetting what he wanted out of life, only to return to doing whatever his father told him to do. Yes, Skippy wanted a successful career, but he kept sacrificing his principles to try to get his father to be proud of him. It takes him a long, long time to wake up and smell the roses, and Billy Ray has a lot to do with that. When Skippy finally sees the light, so to speak, the confrontation and the result are epic.
Aside from the personal growth the two men face, there is a suspenseful plot around an oil company wanting to build a pipeline against the locals’ wishes, Skippy working for the kind of ruthless environmentally harmful company he hates, and Billy Ray discovering the truth about Skippy’s job – which he fears will make him unemployed. Things get tense between both men for a while, but there are lots of great secondary characters around to help both Billy Ray and Skippy see what’s really important. Their happy end is definitely hard-earned though!
If you like romances full of suspense and lots of personal issues, if you enjoy watching adults realizing they have a ways to go before they are truly independent, and if you’re looking for a read that is engaging, full of conflict, and has a deeply passionate love story at its core, then you will probably like this novel as much as I do. It’s got a great setting, wonderfully complicated characters, and Billy Ray and Skippy’s struggle to find happiness together made it into yet another spellbinding Andrew Grey novel for me.
NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
August 21, 2017
Full review available at: https://optimumm.blog/2017/08/20/revi...
Ebb and Flow’s the sequel to Setting the Hook by Andrew Grey. The book’s well written and nicely edited and has a great flow to it and kept me entertained. I like how realistic the characters are in the book and the problems that they have to go through to get to their happily ever after. I liked Ebb and Flow, but I didn’t love it like I did Setting the Hook. Maybe it’s because Harcourt Anson III—Skippy to his friends—is a lawyer which has never been my favorite profession. I did like how he is around his small group of best friends. I enjoyed seeing him have fun and relax, and I like how he finally dealt with his father. I loved Billy Ray. He has such a strong personality, and he’s a master at hiding who he is. Which he has to do since he’s the son of a homophobic pastor. It hasn’t been easy for him to come to terms with who he is. He’s also grown up with a reading disability, and he’s had it drilled into his mind that he’s stupid and it has affected his self-esteem to the point that he doesn’t believe that can be the captain of his own ship. I loved how supportive Skippy was and how he made suggestions that could help him with his reading disability.
We first met Kyle, Jerry, Steven, and Skippy in Setting the Hook when they chartered an all-day fishing trip and became friends with William and Mike. They were very flamboyant, and they helped Mike realize that it’s okay to be who he really is. We also get to see Skippy and his group of friends again when they book another fishing trip when the firm Skippy works for is hired by an oil company to be their lawyer, and he’s assigned to smooth the way for them putting in an oil station right where the docs are at. However, client confidentiality doesn’t allow Skippy or his assistant Alex to warn Mike or anybody else about what they are planning to do. They have rented the same house as before and have another party afterward and invite Mike, William, Bubba, and Billy Ray to join them.
In this book, Mike’s expanded his business and bought another boat. Bubba’s the new captain and his assistant’s Billy Ray. Billy Ray’s been working with Bubba for six months, and nobody knows that he’s gay. He loves his job and dreams of someday being a captain. But being around Skippy and his friends shows him what he has been missing by not being true to himself. And he finds that he isn’t sure that he can go back to the way he was before. Not with his attraction to Skippy and how supportive he is.
If you enjoyed reading Setting the Hook, then I would recommend giving the sequel Ebb and Flow a try. I know I’m glad that I did. I can’t wait to see who the third book’s going to be about. My hope is that it will be about Steven and Alex. They were so cute in this book that I would enjoy reading more about them.
***The ARC was provided by Dreamspinner Press. My review is an honest opinion of the book***
Ebb and Flow’s the sequel to Setting the Hook by Andrew Grey. The book’s well written and nicely edited and has a great flow to it and kept me entertained. I like how realistic the characters are in the book and the problems that they have to go through to get to their happily ever after. I liked Ebb and Flow, but I didn’t love it like I did Setting the Hook. Maybe it’s because Harcourt Anson III—Skippy to his friends—is a lawyer which has never been my favorite profession. I did like how he is around his small group of best friends. I enjoyed seeing him have fun and relax, and I like how he finally dealt with his father. I loved Billy Ray. He has such a strong personality, and he’s a master at hiding who he is. Which he has to do since he’s the son of a homophobic pastor. It hasn’t been easy for him to come to terms with who he is. He’s also grown up with a reading disability, and he’s had it drilled into his mind that he’s stupid and it has affected his self-esteem to the point that he doesn’t believe that can be the captain of his own ship. I loved how supportive Skippy was and how he made suggestions that could help him with his reading disability.
We first met Kyle, Jerry, Steven, and Skippy in Setting the Hook when they chartered an all-day fishing trip and became friends with William and Mike. They were very flamboyant, and they helped Mike realize that it’s okay to be who he really is. We also get to see Skippy and his group of friends again when they book another fishing trip when the firm Skippy works for is hired by an oil company to be their lawyer, and he’s assigned to smooth the way for them putting in an oil station right where the docs are at. However, client confidentiality doesn’t allow Skippy or his assistant Alex to warn Mike or anybody else about what they are planning to do. They have rented the same house as before and have another party afterward and invite Mike, William, Bubba, and Billy Ray to join them.
In this book, Mike’s expanded his business and bought another boat. Bubba’s the new captain and his assistant’s Billy Ray. Billy Ray’s been working with Bubba for six months, and nobody knows that he’s gay. He loves his job and dreams of someday being a captain. But being around Skippy and his friends shows him what he has been missing by not being true to himself. And he finds that he isn’t sure that he can go back to the way he was before. Not with his attraction to Skippy and how supportive he is.
If you enjoyed reading Setting the Hook, then I would recommend giving the sequel Ebb and Flow a try. I know I’m glad that I did. I can’t wait to see who the third book’s going to be about. My hope is that it will be about Steven and Alex. They were so cute in this book that I would enjoy reading more about them.
***The ARC was provided by Dreamspinner Press. My review is an honest opinion of the book***
March 12, 2018
Would you consider the audio edition of Ebb and Flow to be better than the print version?
I'd consider it to be a companion, both are fantastic in their right.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Ebb and Flow?
When Skippy goes off on mommy and daddy!
Which character – as performed by Greg Tremblay – was your favorite?
I really enjoyed Billy Ray, the struggles he endures while trying to figure out who he is and how to be his own man outside of his father's shadow.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
Be true to yourself
Any additional comments?
Tams eBook Review...
Tams gives this one 5 Stars...
Skippy escapes his stuffy life, tedious job and over bearing parents and heads off to Florida to do research for a new client. It's not his first trip or the first charter with his friends, but on this particular trip, Skippy reels in so much more than just a fish or a sea turtle.
Billy Ray is naive when it comes to many things in life. The twenty something boat hand has been under his Father's thumb since the day his was born and the good Reverend is determined to save face, regardless the cost.
The spark is ignited with the first glance and when Billy Ray finally works up the courage to steal a kiss, it becomes a raging fire. It's far from smooth sailing, at any rate. Especially when their Fathers, who seem to be trying to one up each other in the game of who can be the biggest biggot, attempt to drive a wedge between them at every turn.
Ebb and Flow starts slow, gradually building while each man comes to terms with the negativity from the one man in their life that should love them unconditionally, their Father. I think that was what I enjoyed most about this story, the slow burn. Skippy has experience, both in life and with other men, Billy Ray does not. Skippy is there for him, helping to ease the aches and pains while Billy Ray figures out who he is, and more importantly, who he wants to be. In the process, Skippy realizes that he too needs to deal with some aspects of his life that he's ignored or brushed aside for far too long.
I devoured this book over breakfast, it was food for my soul. The story is heart breaking at times, what Billy Ray's father puts him through. But he takes that pain and suffering, the uncertainty of the entire situation, and perseveres, stronger in the end because of it. Skippy learns some things about his father as well that shake him to the core. What I loved was the way Grey spent the first half of the book allowing the characters to truly get to know one another, have conversations, come to realizations and learn to lean on one another before they took the relationship to the next level. And he seriously devoted an entire chapter to a kiss. Breaking it down, defining every emotion Billy Ray was feeling, both the want and need he was feeling as well as the struggle with what has been ingrained in him by his Religious Zealot father over the years.
So, definitely a must read folks, I highly recommend. And if you haven't read Setting the Hook yet (book 1) you won't be lost. You will have a better understanding of secondary characters if you do, but this book is beautiful and poignant all on its own.
Disclaimer: no sea turtles were injured in this story, though the fish sounded like it was awfully delicious.
I'd consider it to be a companion, both are fantastic in their right.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Ebb and Flow?
When Skippy goes off on mommy and daddy!
Which character – as performed by Greg Tremblay – was your favorite?
I really enjoyed Billy Ray, the struggles he endures while trying to figure out who he is and how to be his own man outside of his father's shadow.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
Be true to yourself
Any additional comments?
Tams eBook Review...
Tams gives this one 5 Stars...
Skippy escapes his stuffy life, tedious job and over bearing parents and heads off to Florida to do research for a new client. It's not his first trip or the first charter with his friends, but on this particular trip, Skippy reels in so much more than just a fish or a sea turtle.
Billy Ray is naive when it comes to many things in life. The twenty something boat hand has been under his Father's thumb since the day his was born and the good Reverend is determined to save face, regardless the cost.
The spark is ignited with the first glance and when Billy Ray finally works up the courage to steal a kiss, it becomes a raging fire. It's far from smooth sailing, at any rate. Especially when their Fathers, who seem to be trying to one up each other in the game of who can be the biggest biggot, attempt to drive a wedge between them at every turn.
Ebb and Flow starts slow, gradually building while each man comes to terms with the negativity from the one man in their life that should love them unconditionally, their Father. I think that was what I enjoyed most about this story, the slow burn. Skippy has experience, both in life and with other men, Billy Ray does not. Skippy is there for him, helping to ease the aches and pains while Billy Ray figures out who he is, and more importantly, who he wants to be. In the process, Skippy realizes that he too needs to deal with some aspects of his life that he's ignored or brushed aside for far too long.
I devoured this book over breakfast, it was food for my soul. The story is heart breaking at times, what Billy Ray's father puts him through. But he takes that pain and suffering, the uncertainty of the entire situation, and perseveres, stronger in the end because of it. Skippy learns some things about his father as well that shake him to the core. What I loved was the way Grey spent the first half of the book allowing the characters to truly get to know one another, have conversations, come to realizations and learn to lean on one another before they took the relationship to the next level. And he seriously devoted an entire chapter to a kiss. Breaking it down, defining every emotion Billy Ray was feeling, both the want and need he was feeling as well as the struggle with what has been ingrained in him by his Religious Zealot father over the years.
So, definitely a must read folks, I highly recommend. And if you haven't read Setting the Hook yet (book 1) you won't be lost. You will have a better understanding of secondary characters if you do, but this book is beautiful and poignant all on its own.
Disclaimer: no sea turtles were injured in this story, though the fish sounded like it was awfully delicious.
July 25, 2018
I picked this up because I’d enjoyed the world building in book one and I thought it’d be great to see what was happening with our friend Billy Ray.
This story is pretty similar to Setting The Hook in that we have a “good ol Southern boy” meeting a “city slicker” and the two finding ways to mesh worlds once they fall in love.
There is a bit more drama and angst in this and I wasn’t as invested in these guys as a couple as I was in book one, but that could be due to reading this rather than listening.
It was enjoyable if not amazing and I’d recommend it to fans of the series and the author.
3.5 of 5 stars
Audio
Greg Tremblay astounds me with his voice capabilities. He managed to find just the right accent for the families as well as each of the main characters. There are some subtle traces of old Europe mixed in with the Southern gentility and it all works fabulously! He’s always great with the emotion, pacing and tone quality and when you add that to this very sweet story of finding one’s self and love you get the perfect mix! Highly Recommended!
5 of 5 stars
Overall
4 of 5 stars
This story is pretty similar to Setting The Hook in that we have a “good ol Southern boy” meeting a “city slicker” and the two finding ways to mesh worlds once they fall in love.
There is a bit more drama and angst in this and I wasn’t as invested in these guys as a couple as I was in book one, but that could be due to reading this rather than listening.
It was enjoyable if not amazing and I’d recommend it to fans of the series and the author.
3.5 of 5 stars
Audio
Greg Tremblay astounds me with his voice capabilities. He managed to find just the right accent for the families as well as each of the main characters. There are some subtle traces of old Europe mixed in with the Southern gentility and it all works fabulously! He’s always great with the emotion, pacing and tone quality and when you add that to this very sweet story of finding one’s self and love you get the perfect mix! Highly Recommended!
5 of 5 stars
Overall
4 of 5 stars
December 16, 2017
Skippy is a highly successful attorney in his father’s Boston law firm, though the senior managing partner never quite acknowledges his son’s prowess in the courtroom. All his life, he’s sought his father’s approval to no avail and now, on the heels of winning a huge case that made national news, instead of praise and time off, his father hands over a new case in which the firm will represent a development company looking to purchase land that’s currently used for fishing and boating operations in Apalachicola, Florida.
Together with his PA, Alex, and a few friends, Skippy heads to Florida, determined to have fun for a few days before digging into work again. There he meets a young man named Billy Ray, who assists on the boat on which Skippy and his friends are taking a fishing expedition. The boat happens to be owned by Mike and William from Setting the Hook, though they play a minor role in this story and this one can be read as a standalone.
Like Skippy, Billy Ray has a domineering father—in his case, the man is a preacher, and oh yes, he’s the typical bad guy throughout this book, preaching, sermonizing and raining down the hellfire upon Billy Ray’s sodomite soul. Skippy and Billy Ray, who happens to be a virgin, find their way to each other—based in part on their common ground of family issues.
The story then continues in what we would expect in a family drama. Both fathers are strong personalities. Both mothers are weak-willed and working only to complement their masterful husbands. Both are guilty of child neglect in that neither young man had the nurturing love he deserved, and yet both young men have grown strong and lovable despite their starts. So I’m sure readers can see where I’m going with this. Though the setting is lovely, the story is pretty much what one would expect with this background information.
Greg Tremblay’s narration was good but since the author didn’t seem to mention the accents associated with the geographic areas the MCs are from, the narrator didn’t capitalize on the fact that Skippy was from Boston and Billy Ray from the Panhandle area of Florida where the southern accents are so thick that it’s quite evident it is well south of the Mason-Dixon line. So I was a bit disappointed in that. I think it would have greatly added to the story to be able to easily distinguish each man by accent.
In any event, it’s a sweet MM romance, following along expected lines, and those who enjoy a contemporary in which the men grow to be mature and lovable despite family influences will likely enjoy this one.
Note: This audiobook was provided to me through Hearts on Fire Reviews in exchange for an impartial review.
Together with his PA, Alex, and a few friends, Skippy heads to Florida, determined to have fun for a few days before digging into work again. There he meets a young man named Billy Ray, who assists on the boat on which Skippy and his friends are taking a fishing expedition. The boat happens to be owned by Mike and William from Setting the Hook, though they play a minor role in this story and this one can be read as a standalone.
Like Skippy, Billy Ray has a domineering father—in his case, the man is a preacher, and oh yes, he’s the typical bad guy throughout this book, preaching, sermonizing and raining down the hellfire upon Billy Ray’s sodomite soul. Skippy and Billy Ray, who happens to be a virgin, find their way to each other—based in part on their common ground of family issues.
The story then continues in what we would expect in a family drama. Both fathers are strong personalities. Both mothers are weak-willed and working only to complement their masterful husbands. Both are guilty of child neglect in that neither young man had the nurturing love he deserved, and yet both young men have grown strong and lovable despite their starts. So I’m sure readers can see where I’m going with this. Though the setting is lovely, the story is pretty much what one would expect with this background information.
Greg Tremblay’s narration was good but since the author didn’t seem to mention the accents associated with the geographic areas the MCs are from, the narrator didn’t capitalize on the fact that Skippy was from Boston and Billy Ray from the Panhandle area of Florida where the southern accents are so thick that it’s quite evident it is well south of the Mason-Dixon line. So I was a bit disappointed in that. I think it would have greatly added to the story to be able to easily distinguish each man by accent.
In any event, it’s a sweet MM romance, following along expected lines, and those who enjoy a contemporary in which the men grow to be mature and lovable despite family influences will likely enjoy this one.
Note: This audiobook was provided to me through Hearts on Fire Reviews in exchange for an impartial review.
August 21, 2017
Daddy Issues Squared
As much as I loved "Setting the Hook" (five stars), the first installment of this series, this one runs circles around it because Skippy and Billy Ray are such deeply strung and conflicted characters with a very strong bond: Their fathers are just as awful as you can expect a big-time lawyer and fire-and-brimstone preacher can be.
Skippy the lawyer and Billy Ray the first mate meet on the annual excursion of four upper-level gay professionals from Boston that we met in the first book. Skippy's pals Steven, Jerry and Kyle as well as Skippy's younger PA Alec are along for the ride on one of the boats owned by Mike and William, the protagonists and now firmly established lovers from "Setting the Hook."
The cover is perfect--Billy Ray on the left is a 24-year-old total virgin raised by a horrifying Bible-thumping father, and Skippy, who is maybe 10 years older, is the product of social climbing parents who have never shown him one shred of love. The way Grey brings their life stories into play is heart rendering, and the way they meet, fall in like, then lust, then love, is handled in a typically understated Grey way--except, of course, for the bedroom scenes.
This one has two strong characters who are deeply challenged by their histories and the plot line that Grey has laid before them concerning corporate greed and community anger. That Andrew Grey has continued this series is most appreciated, and that he throws in a side romance with no action between two of the others opens the door for a possible sequel. But if it doesn't happen, it will be plenty good to end it here.
As much as I loved "Setting the Hook" (five stars), the first installment of this series, this one runs circles around it because Skippy and Billy Ray are such deeply strung and conflicted characters with a very strong bond: Their fathers are just as awful as you can expect a big-time lawyer and fire-and-brimstone preacher can be.
Skippy the lawyer and Billy Ray the first mate meet on the annual excursion of four upper-level gay professionals from Boston that we met in the first book. Skippy's pals Steven, Jerry and Kyle as well as Skippy's younger PA Alec are along for the ride on one of the boats owned by Mike and William, the protagonists and now firmly established lovers from "Setting the Hook."
The cover is perfect--Billy Ray on the left is a 24-year-old total virgin raised by a horrifying Bible-thumping father, and Skippy, who is maybe 10 years older, is the product of social climbing parents who have never shown him one shred of love. The way Grey brings their life stories into play is heart rendering, and the way they meet, fall in like, then lust, then love, is handled in a typically understated Grey way--except, of course, for the bedroom scenes.
This one has two strong characters who are deeply challenged by their histories and the plot line that Grey has laid before them concerning corporate greed and community anger. That Andrew Grey has continued this series is most appreciated, and that he throws in a side romance with no action between two of the others opens the door for a possible sequel. But if it doesn't happen, it will be plenty good to end it here.
January 10, 2018
Ebb and Flow by Andrew Grey follows Skippy, a high-powered lawyer from Boston, and Billy Ray, a charter boat-hand from the panhandle of Florida. On the surface, their lives couldn’t seem more different, but they both share one very important thing in common—fathers who have withheld love and acceptance. As the two men get to know one another, their vast differences seem to melt away as we witness them struggle with, and ultimately tackle, their difficult and painful pasts in order for forge their own future.
This book is filled with angst. Both characters carry lots of baggage with them, so watching them struggle independently is a major part of what drives the plot. It’s through their internal battles that the obstacles emerge and, ultimately, how they are overcome.
The setting, a beautiful beach and dock backdrop, simple and quaint yet meaningful to the residents, lays the ground for a feeling of warmth and connection to nature. It’s in this setting that our two protagonists explore their feelings for each other, and navigate through their personal minefields as well as the normal fears and insecurities that go along with meeting someone new.
The physical part of the story is present, although I wouldn’t call this the steamiest book I’ve ever read. On the other hand, the emotional connection between Skippy and Billy Ray charges their sex with meaning.
The only part of the story that stuck out as a bit problematic for me was how the differences in the two characters’ experiences as gay men played out. Billy Ray is younger and completely inexperienced. Skippy has been openly gay for a long time, and has established a network of friends who have been more of a family to him than his own parents. This dynamic put them on somewhat uneven ground, and at times, I felt like Skippy was more of a mentor than a lover.
But, Billy Ray has his own maturity of sorts. He comes from a small town where his father holds a great deal of power over the community. Even with that kind of pressure, he manages to believe in himself and fight for what he deserves. Skippy also has to put up with an overbearing and unkind father who controls his every move. Both men, in the end, have extremely satisfying confrontation with their fathers. While the outcome of those conversations is different for each, the scenes where they finally lay themselves bare to the men who have attempted to crush their souls is a highpoint in the book.
This was more of an emotional ride than an action-packed thriller, so if you’re in the mood to wrap up in a blanket and sink into a book, this is a good choice for you.
Reviewed by Taz for The Novel Approach
This book is filled with angst. Both characters carry lots of baggage with them, so watching them struggle independently is a major part of what drives the plot. It’s through their internal battles that the obstacles emerge and, ultimately, how they are overcome.
The setting, a beautiful beach and dock backdrop, simple and quaint yet meaningful to the residents, lays the ground for a feeling of warmth and connection to nature. It’s in this setting that our two protagonists explore their feelings for each other, and navigate through their personal minefields as well as the normal fears and insecurities that go along with meeting someone new.
The physical part of the story is present, although I wouldn’t call this the steamiest book I’ve ever read. On the other hand, the emotional connection between Skippy and Billy Ray charges their sex with meaning.
The only part of the story that stuck out as a bit problematic for me was how the differences in the two characters’ experiences as gay men played out. Billy Ray is younger and completely inexperienced. Skippy has been openly gay for a long time, and has established a network of friends who have been more of a family to him than his own parents. This dynamic put them on somewhat uneven ground, and at times, I felt like Skippy was more of a mentor than a lover.
But, Billy Ray has his own maturity of sorts. He comes from a small town where his father holds a great deal of power over the community. Even with that kind of pressure, he manages to believe in himself and fight for what he deserves. Skippy also has to put up with an overbearing and unkind father who controls his every move. Both men, in the end, have extremely satisfying confrontation with their fathers. While the outcome of those conversations is different for each, the scenes where they finally lay themselves bare to the men who have attempted to crush their souls is a highpoint in the book.
This was more of an emotional ride than an action-packed thriller, so if you’re in the mood to wrap up in a blanket and sink into a book, this is a good choice for you.
Reviewed by Taz for The Novel Approach
August 18, 2017
*Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.*
Ebb and Flow is Book 2 in Andrew Grey's Love's Charter series. Many of the characters in this book were introduced in Book 1, and I think this book could be read without reading Book 1. But, I think to fully enjoy the story and its characters, you should read the series in the correct order!
We met Skippy in Book 1, and he seemed like a guy who liked to have fun. In this book, I learned that he was a workaholic, and the little time he spent in Florida was the only break he really allowed himself. Skippy has a lot of daddy issues. He's not close to his parents since he spent most of his time away from them since the age of 8. He became a lawyer and worked hard at his father's law firm. He worked to win the unwinnable cases to get his dad's approval but never does. Whatever case he wins is just not enough to please his father. After another successful case, he's given a new one in Florida that will affect the charter service of his good friends. He decides it's a good time to get away with his friends for a vacation before beginning to work on the new case. And, it wouldn't be a vacation without an outing on his friend's charter service.
Billy Ray also has a lot of daddy issues. His daddy is a highly thought of, controlling preacher in their small town. Billy Ray knows he's gay but he could never act on those feelings and risk his daddy finding out. He gets a job working for a charter service and is enjoying his freedom of having a job and his own place to live. But Billy Ray's world is thrown into a tail spin when Skippy and his friends charter the boat, and they're all out and proud. Billy Ray and Skippy can't keep their eyes off each other, and before the end of the charter, Skippy's invited Billy Ray to spend more time with the guys.
This is definitely a story with a lot of daddy issues, though at first appearance it seems like each of the men have different issues with their fathers. Billy Ray and Skippy come from two completely different worlds, but they have more in common than expected. Both men have to learn to take the control of their life away from their fathers and to live the life they want. And once they do that, it allows both men to find happiness with their lives. But, this story was not overpowered by the daddy issues. They were there, but it wasn't overwhelming.
I really like Skippy from the first time I met him and really liked learning more about him. I thought he was a very likable, great character. I enjoy his friendship with his group of friends and his assistant, and how he cares for others. Billy Ray seemed like such a young guy throughout the story. You could tell he had lived a small-town, sheltered life. I really liked him the more he grew as a person, and as he became stronger throughout the story. I thought the relationship between the two men was perfect! I loved Mike and William being in this story, even for a small part! I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series!
Rating: 4 stars!
Ebb and Flow is Book 2 in Andrew Grey's Love's Charter series. Many of the characters in this book were introduced in Book 1, and I think this book could be read without reading Book 1. But, I think to fully enjoy the story and its characters, you should read the series in the correct order!
We met Skippy in Book 1, and he seemed like a guy who liked to have fun. In this book, I learned that he was a workaholic, and the little time he spent in Florida was the only break he really allowed himself. Skippy has a lot of daddy issues. He's not close to his parents since he spent most of his time away from them since the age of 8. He became a lawyer and worked hard at his father's law firm. He worked to win the unwinnable cases to get his dad's approval but never does. Whatever case he wins is just not enough to please his father. After another successful case, he's given a new one in Florida that will affect the charter service of his good friends. He decides it's a good time to get away with his friends for a vacation before beginning to work on the new case. And, it wouldn't be a vacation without an outing on his friend's charter service.
Billy Ray also has a lot of daddy issues. His daddy is a highly thought of, controlling preacher in their small town. Billy Ray knows he's gay but he could never act on those feelings and risk his daddy finding out. He gets a job working for a charter service and is enjoying his freedom of having a job and his own place to live. But Billy Ray's world is thrown into a tail spin when Skippy and his friends charter the boat, and they're all out and proud. Billy Ray and Skippy can't keep their eyes off each other, and before the end of the charter, Skippy's invited Billy Ray to spend more time with the guys.
This is definitely a story with a lot of daddy issues, though at first appearance it seems like each of the men have different issues with their fathers. Billy Ray and Skippy come from two completely different worlds, but they have more in common than expected. Both men have to learn to take the control of their life away from their fathers and to live the life they want. And once they do that, it allows both men to find happiness with their lives. But, this story was not overpowered by the daddy issues. They were there, but it wasn't overwhelming.
I really like Skippy from the first time I met him and really liked learning more about him. I thought he was a very likable, great character. I enjoy his friendship with his group of friends and his assistant, and how he cares for others. Billy Ray seemed like such a young guy throughout the story. You could tell he had lived a small-town, sheltered life. I really liked him the more he grew as a person, and as he became stronger throughout the story. I thought the relationship between the two men was perfect! I loved Mike and William being in this story, even for a small part! I'm looking forward to reading the next book in this series!
Rating: 4 stars!
August 20, 2017
Independent Reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This is book two in the Love's Charter series, but you don't need to have read book one, Setting The Hook for this to make sense. But I will recommend that you do, and explain more as I go.
We met Skippy in book one, he and his friends hired Mike's boat. Skippy is in town on business for his father's law firm, but is having a few days off before he starts. Billy Ray is now first mate to Bubba on Mike's boat, since he got a second boat with William's prototype engine in. Billy Ray knows he is gay, has done a long time but he hides it, mostly because of his religious father and the power he has over Billy Ray. But Skippy calls to Billy Ray, in a way no one else ever has. And it will take both men standing up to their overpowering fathers to figure out just want they really want.
I listened to book one, but I READ this one. I should know better to switch mid series. This one doesn't have the warm and fuzzies that book one did, but still a cute read.
Skippy's father sends him to the town in Florida (that I can't even say, let alone spell!) that has the harbour Mike works his charter out of. An oil company wants to built a pipeline right across the harbour. While that doesn't go down the way Skippy's father wanted, but the client and the twon are happy with the result. Standing up to his father, Skippy finds out just why it seemed he was so busy for the firm and just what his father really thinks of him.
I loved that both men were able to stand up to their respective fathers, even though they both knew they could lose everything.
I didn't feel the same connection I did to Skippy and Billy Ray that I did to Mike and William, but that might just be because I listened to that one and read this one.
Oh, I said you didn't NEED to read book one first. But it might help you understand Bubba's reaction to Billy ray's coming out to him. When Mike did the same, Bubba reacted badly. He's better here, but you'd just get that extra insight.
It says this book is 200 pages, but it didn't seem like it. One of those books you can just fall into and forget about the world for a while. Took me little over 90 minutes. A cute read, but not quite a warm and fuzzies one too.
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This is book two in the Love's Charter series, but you don't need to have read book one, Setting The Hook for this to make sense. But I will recommend that you do, and explain more as I go.
We met Skippy in book one, he and his friends hired Mike's boat. Skippy is in town on business for his father's law firm, but is having a few days off before he starts. Billy Ray is now first mate to Bubba on Mike's boat, since he got a second boat with William's prototype engine in. Billy Ray knows he is gay, has done a long time but he hides it, mostly because of his religious father and the power he has over Billy Ray. But Skippy calls to Billy Ray, in a way no one else ever has. And it will take both men standing up to their overpowering fathers to figure out just want they really want.
I listened to book one, but I READ this one. I should know better to switch mid series. This one doesn't have the warm and fuzzies that book one did, but still a cute read.
Skippy's father sends him to the town in Florida (that I can't even say, let alone spell!) that has the harbour Mike works his charter out of. An oil company wants to built a pipeline right across the harbour. While that doesn't go down the way Skippy's father wanted, but the client and the twon are happy with the result. Standing up to his father, Skippy finds out just why it seemed he was so busy for the firm and just what his father really thinks of him.
I loved that both men were able to stand up to their respective fathers, even though they both knew they could lose everything.
I didn't feel the same connection I did to Skippy and Billy Ray that I did to Mike and William, but that might just be because I listened to that one and read this one.
Oh, I said you didn't NEED to read book one first. But it might help you understand Bubba's reaction to Billy ray's coming out to him. When Mike did the same, Bubba reacted badly. He's better here, but you'd just get that extra insight.
It says this book is 200 pages, but it didn't seem like it. One of those books you can just fall into and forget about the world for a while. Took me little over 90 minutes. A cute read, but not quite a warm and fuzzies one too.
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
August 20, 2017
When are fathers helping and when are they destroying exactly what they intend to preserve? In Ebb
and Flow two men whose fathers have exact expectations for their sons wind up destroying the
relationships they thought they were defending through their massive own homophobic judgments.
Skippy, whom we met in the first book in the Love’s Charter series, Setting the Hook, is a hotshot
attorney working in his father’s Boston law firm. No matter what Skippy does, no matter how hard he
works, his father is never satisfied and just piles more work on Skippy. When a client’s case takes Skippy
back to Florida he arranges to take his friends and they go charter fishing, an activity Skippy loves but
seldom has time for. Skippy is gay, a fact that his father doesn’t like, but they never discuss it. Skippy
was sent away to boarding school at age 8 and has spent a grand total of about 6 months with his
parents in the following years. There is a scene with handmade coffee cups that if it doesn’t make you
tear up, that’s a sign you have a heart of stone.
Billy Ray is a hand on the boat Skippy and his friends hire to take them fishing out in the Gulf. Billy Ray
has some learning disabilities that have made him think he is stupid, but his father, a harsh church
minister has caused Billy Ray to believe he is a worthless sinner. Billy Ray’s father is a cruel bully, more
worried about how other people see him than he is about how his own son sees him.
When Billy Ray and Skippy give bashful admiring glances to one another it takes their friends to point
out the obvious, that there is a spark of appreciation between them that needs further exploration, and
slowly they do. Skippy is working on his case and unable to discuss it with anyone, including Billy Ray.
Billy Ray’s father has his spies in the area who report on Billy Ray’s every move and he winds up taking
his abuse to another level.
There are ups and downs as both men try to decide whether or how they can make a relationship work,
but it takes breaking the hateful bonds with their fathers to allow them to become the men they were
meant to be.
This is a wonderful book. It is a romance and a book about growing up, even after adulthood has been
achieved. I highly recommend it.
and Flow two men whose fathers have exact expectations for their sons wind up destroying the
relationships they thought they were defending through their massive own homophobic judgments.
Skippy, whom we met in the first book in the Love’s Charter series, Setting the Hook, is a hotshot
attorney working in his father’s Boston law firm. No matter what Skippy does, no matter how hard he
works, his father is never satisfied and just piles more work on Skippy. When a client’s case takes Skippy
back to Florida he arranges to take his friends and they go charter fishing, an activity Skippy loves but
seldom has time for. Skippy is gay, a fact that his father doesn’t like, but they never discuss it. Skippy
was sent away to boarding school at age 8 and has spent a grand total of about 6 months with his
parents in the following years. There is a scene with handmade coffee cups that if it doesn’t make you
tear up, that’s a sign you have a heart of stone.
Billy Ray is a hand on the boat Skippy and his friends hire to take them fishing out in the Gulf. Billy Ray
has some learning disabilities that have made him think he is stupid, but his father, a harsh church
minister has caused Billy Ray to believe he is a worthless sinner. Billy Ray’s father is a cruel bully, more
worried about how other people see him than he is about how his own son sees him.
When Billy Ray and Skippy give bashful admiring glances to one another it takes their friends to point
out the obvious, that there is a spark of appreciation between them that needs further exploration, and
slowly they do. Skippy is working on his case and unable to discuss it with anyone, including Billy Ray.
Billy Ray’s father has his spies in the area who report on Billy Ray’s every move and he winds up taking
his abuse to another level.
There are ups and downs as both men try to decide whether or how they can make a relationship work,
but it takes breaking the hateful bonds with their fathers to allow them to become the men they were
meant to be.
This is a wonderful book. It is a romance and a book about growing up, even after adulthood has been
achieved. I highly recommend it.
February 13, 2018
Previously reviewed for Love Bytes Reviews: http://lovebytesreviews.com/2017/08/1...
As the sequel to Setting the Hook, Ebb and Flow does a magnificent job!
Billy Ray is first mate to Bubba, who was first mate to Mike in Setting the Hook. Billy Ray knows he’s gay but as his father is the town preacher he has never been game enough to come out and admit it. Billy Ray has tried to gain his father’s acceptance but in the back of his mind he knew he’d never get it. His father has an identity crisis, ‘he thinks he’s god!’, to this end he goes around town checking to make sure the people are living the kind of life he thinks they should.
Everything starts to change when Billy Ray meets Skippy on a charter, from the moment Billy Ray catches sight of Skippy he’s drawn to him and he can’t understand why he can’t ignore him like he has every other man he’s been attracted to.
“Harcourt Anson III” Skippy, has been assigned a case that takes him to Apalachicola where he and his friends go on another fishing charter where he meets the incredibly good-looking Billy Ray. Skippy has spent the majority of his life trying to please is parents, especially his father but it’s not until he’s in Apalachicola that he realises once and for all that he’s never going to gain his father’s love or acceptance. What Skippy learns helps to solidify his tenuous idea of starting a branch of the family law firm in Florida.
The closer Skippy and Billy Ray get the more they realise they have fallen in love but to both of them it seems like a fool’s errand what with Skippy having to go back to Boston once the case is over. This is when Billy Ray’s father discovers that he is gay, he disowns him much to Billy Ray’s relief! If you have read Setting the Hook then you will definitely want to read Ebb and Flow, if you have read these books, why not? You are missing out on Andrew’s brilliant work!
As the sequel to Setting the Hook, Ebb and Flow does a magnificent job!
Billy Ray is first mate to Bubba, who was first mate to Mike in Setting the Hook. Billy Ray knows he’s gay but as his father is the town preacher he has never been game enough to come out and admit it. Billy Ray has tried to gain his father’s acceptance but in the back of his mind he knew he’d never get it. His father has an identity crisis, ‘he thinks he’s god!’, to this end he goes around town checking to make sure the people are living the kind of life he thinks they should.
Everything starts to change when Billy Ray meets Skippy on a charter, from the moment Billy Ray catches sight of Skippy he’s drawn to him and he can’t understand why he can’t ignore him like he has every other man he’s been attracted to.
“Harcourt Anson III” Skippy, has been assigned a case that takes him to Apalachicola where he and his friends go on another fishing charter where he meets the incredibly good-looking Billy Ray. Skippy has spent the majority of his life trying to please is parents, especially his father but it’s not until he’s in Apalachicola that he realises once and for all that he’s never going to gain his father’s love or acceptance. What Skippy learns helps to solidify his tenuous idea of starting a branch of the family law firm in Florida.
The closer Skippy and Billy Ray get the more they realise they have fallen in love but to both of them it seems like a fool’s errand what with Skippy having to go back to Boston once the case is over. This is when Billy Ray’s father discovers that he is gay, he disowns him much to Billy Ray’s relief! If you have read Setting the Hook then you will definitely want to read Ebb and Flow, if you have read these books, why not? You are missing out on Andrew’s brilliant work!
August 29, 2017
Ebb and Flow is the second book in Andrew Grey’s Love’s Charter series and my first book in this series. I haven’t read the first one yet, and while I felt like there was a story there from some of the other characters I didn’t feel like I was really missing anything when it came to my feelings about Skippy and Billy Ray. (Although, I definitely want to read the first one!!) I really enjoyed this story and these characters and felt for what they both went through with their fathers.
Skippy and Billy Ray definitely don’t seem like a natural fit, Skippy is a successful lawyer and Billy Ray has lived in this small town his whole life and works on a fishing boat, but these two have a connection right away and soon find out they have more in common than they ever would have expected. I really liked these two together, they totally worked for me! Both of these men struggle with fathers who do not accept them and yet they spend their lives trying to be what those fathers want. When these two meet, it’s like something clicks for both of them and they realize there is more to life than their fathers opinions.
I liked Skippy but it was Billy Ray that really got to my heart. He is such a sweet guy but has experienced so little love and care in his life. I really loved seeing him grow and embrace his relationship with Skippy. He becomes so much stronger and is a great match for Skippy, showing him what is really important. Overall, I really did enjoy this book and the characters and am really looking forward to more of this series!
Skippy and Billy Ray definitely don’t seem like a natural fit, Skippy is a successful lawyer and Billy Ray has lived in this small town his whole life and works on a fishing boat, but these two have a connection right away and soon find out they have more in common than they ever would have expected. I really liked these two together, they totally worked for me! Both of these men struggle with fathers who do not accept them and yet they spend their lives trying to be what those fathers want. When these two meet, it’s like something clicks for both of them and they realize there is more to life than their fathers opinions.
I liked Skippy but it was Billy Ray that really got to my heart. He is such a sweet guy but has experienced so little love and care in his life. I really loved seeing him grow and embrace his relationship with Skippy. He becomes so much stronger and is a great match for Skippy, showing him what is really important. Overall, I really did enjoy this book and the characters and am really looking forward to more of this series!
January 29, 2021
This was a cute, short and sweet story. Skippy is an attorney who is sent down to Florida for a big case having to do with an oil pipeline. He meets Billy Ray, who works on a fishing boat, and the two are attracted to each other. Although they seemed opposites at first, they had a big something in common - both of their fathers didn't accept that they are gay and both fathers are sanctimonious a$$holes. I did like the both Skippy and Billy Ray, but their romance seemed very rushed.
January 9, 2019
A story about courage and choosing what kind of person you want to be. Mostly I felt like the story was a very subtle guide for virgins. I mean particular educational resources are even name dropped among other potentially useful information (ie - why beach relations may not be the best choice). It was quick read and emotionally intense.
August 18, 2017
Have to admit, Ebb and Flow wasn't as satisfying read as Setting the Hook, mostly because I couldn't really connect with Billy Ray or Skippy. Both of them had washed up reason for being unloved as children. And from that point I found this book stale and bland.
August 20, 2017
I liked it, but did not love it. It felt like the guys barely knew each other. And angsty fathers were annoying.
September 19, 2017
A good story. Enjoying the standalone series so far.
December 31, 2017
Review to be posted.
November 28, 2018
Nice read
This was a nice read! While the two main characters are a little older this was definitely a coming of age story. Billy Ray and Skippy were both living their lives trying to please their homophobic fathers. When the realization hits that there will be no pleasing them, they take charge of their lives
This was a nice read! While the two main characters are a little older this was definitely a coming of age story. Billy Ray and Skippy were both living their lives trying to please their homophobic fathers. When the realization hits that there will be no pleasing them, they take charge of their lives
Read
September 18, 2017I picked this up because I’d enjoyed the world building in book one and I thought it’d be great to see what was happening with our friend Billy Ray.
This story is pretty similar to Setting The Hook in that we have a “good ol Southern boy” meeting a “city slicker” and the two finding ways to mesh worlds once they fall in love.
There is a bit more drama and angst in this and I wasn’t as invested in these guys as a couple as I was in book one, but that could be due to reading this rather than listening.
It was enjoyable if not amazing and I’d recommend it to fans of the series and the author.
3.5 of 5 stars
This story is pretty similar to Setting The Hook in that we have a “good ol Southern boy” meeting a “city slicker” and the two finding ways to mesh worlds once they fall in love.
There is a bit more drama and angst in this and I wasn’t as invested in these guys as a couple as I was in book one, but that could be due to reading this rather than listening.
It was enjoyable if not amazing and I’d recommend it to fans of the series and the author.
3.5 of 5 stars
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews