Derek Murphy has come to the godforsaken small town of Merritt, British Columbia in search of a new beginning. The man is tired, jaded, and resigned to never having sex again. Until Friday night at the local sports bar changes everything.
Harold Graham, hometown boy made good, has lived in Merritt his entire life. When he meets the new guy in town, he’s compelled to reach out the hand of friendship. And maybe more.
But secrets and omissions cloud what could be the beginning of something special. Can they take a chance on being vulnerable enough to fall in love?
Ace’s Place is a 13k word short story about second-chances, hockey, and an adorable but nosy Bouvier.
Gabbi lives in beautiful British Columbia where her fur baby chin-poo keeps her safe from the nasty neighborhood squirrels. Working for the government by day, she spends her early mornings writing contemporary, gay, sweet, and dark erotic BDSM romances. While she firmly believes in happy endings, she also believes in making her characters suffer before finding their true love. She also writes m/f romances as Gabbi Black.
This is my introduction to Gabbi Grey and I immediately picked up another one of her books (Not in It for the Money) because I absolutely loved her writing style.
I’ve never been too into small town stories, or second chance romances… or hockey (lmao, what am I doing here??) but there wasn’t too much of the latter and I may be convinced to read more of the former now.
Will definitely be on the look out for more of Gabbi’s works!
Gabbi Grey totally nails this one. In so few pages she builds a great dynamic between the main characters, and we want nothing more than to see them get their happily ever after. I'd love it if Derek and Ace got a full length novel.
Michael Dean turns in his always excellent performance in the audio version.
an audiobook copy of Ace's Place was provided to me for the purpose of my honest review, all opinions are my own
Not really getting into this story, the down on his luck big guy who suddenly reveals that he's actually very wealthy, the emphasis on his size/appetite. He doesn't quite add up which might be part of the 'secrets' from the blurb but stopped me from connecting.
This was a very enjoyable short novella. I liked Derek and Ace and especially Benjamin. For such a short story I really felt a connection with the characters.
An excellent novella about two men finding true love.
4 solid stars
Ace (aka Harold) owns his own bar in a small city in Canada. Derek, a recent newcomer to the town, enters Ace's Place desperate for a greasy burger and a heap of fries, having had his fill of hotel food. Upon meeting "Harold", a name only used by his mother and close friends, Derek senses an immediate connection with the burly man, encouraged by one of Ace's close friends.
Derek uncharacteristically invites Ace back to his hotel room after receiving positive vibes from the man. The heat is ramped up, and while laying in bed post-sex, Ace states he has to leave to go home to "Benjamin," which Derek interprets as meaning another man. Devastated, Derek tells Ace to just "get out."
Unable to get Ace off his mind, he decides to go see him play a pickup hockey game Ace is playing in. After the game, the two men straighten out their issues and decide to commit to each other. And Derek begins to love "Benjamin" as much as Ace does!
One year passes, and Derek is selling his house to move in with Ace. Their love and caring for each other is total and endearing.
After the season's final hockey game, Derek catches Ace off guard with a potentially relationship-ending question. Surrounded by all of Ace's friends, who are now also Derek's new family, Ace is floored by Derek's question.
This is a totally sweet story with emphasis on true love and finding the person you want to be with forever. Minimal sexual situations - just the perfect balance of heat and romance. Bonus: NO editing errors!!
Oh this was sooo good. I so enjoyed listening to Michael Dean. He is one of my all-time favorite narrators and I have yet to find a book, where he doesn't do the characters perfectly.
the story is really sweet and yes, I know it was said from the beginning it was a short story, but it would have been perfect if it had been longer ... because ... there is so much potential, so much more to learn about these two and their family.
nevertheless, 4 stars for this story ... because although it was a short story and I saw a lot more potential for more pages, I still enjoyed it without feeling that something is missing. I hope there will be more books in this setting
Dave's Place: Fantastic writing, great character and a hot story! I liked even though Derek made a big decision and moved to a strange place and knew no one. It didn't take him long to meet people. He was determine to not stay in the hotel another and got himself to go out and get some grease food. He was glad he did he met a hot man he could not keep his eyes off of. I really enjoyed Derek and Ace's story.
(2,5 stars) Sweet story in a cozy setting of a small town in BC, Canada. Derek and Harold's first encounter in a local bar, Ace's Place, ends with a hook up which has a potential for something more. Both men have backstories/secrets which are quickly revealed and the plot is pretty straight forward.
I kind of enjoyed the story more for the small town atmosphere than the actual romance.
Themes: (limited) dual POV, instalove, small towns
A nice novella about starting over, in life, in employment, and in love. What began as a kind of hook up seems to give promise to Derek when he feels like he's hit rock bottom. Harold is a hot, beefy guy and Derek can't help but be drawn in. A cozy budding romance, an enjoyable read.
I got Ace's Place on Audio Book and I loved the narration by Michael Dean. I don't listen to a lot of audiobooks, but his voice seemed great for this one. He had great pacing, great urgency, and amazing characterizations to where you could hear the differences between each character.
But let's get into the story, because that's the most important part.
Ace's Place was good. It was a short novella about two men who meet at a bar and have a hook up that pretty much changes their lives forever. And I loved Harold, one of these two men. The problem, for me, was Derek. Derek started off as incredibly pretentious. He talked about how much his house cost, came off as incredibly judgemental in the narration - and its all from his POV, so it was a bit much, and then sounded very hypocritical later during some of the (albeit short lived) drama between him and Harold.
In short, Derek's character was annoying and I did not understand why Harold would put up with him after their initial hookup. I did not understand the initial draw between them, outside of the physical chemistry.
Because of that, I feel like this book would've been better served as a full length novel so that I could feel those things about Derek. So that I could grow to like him more and see the changes he makes between chapter one and the epilogue. Maybe with more time and story, this would've made more sense for me.
But I still liked the story. I still loved the narration. And I still think you should read it. I know that I will be reading more Gabbi Grey (a new to me author) in the future.
** DISCLAIMER: I recieved an ARC of the audiobook from GRR. This is my fair and honest review. **
Ace's Place is another short story from Gabbi Grey, this one giving enough plot and content to make it into a good story with a strong connection between the MC's. Derek has moved to a new town where he doesn't know anyone and finds himself at Ace's Place one night, getting flirted with by the bartender. Harold makes no secret of his interest in Derek and it leads to a very good end to the night for them both. At least until it doesn't. A misunderstanding nearly costs what could be a good thing but taking a chance and listening to others helps bring them another chance and snuggle times in front of a roaring fire with an adorable dog. I enjoyed the story of this book. There's a clear beginning, middle and end, even with it being a short story. The relationship and connection between the two men strengthens in the short space of time they get to know each other but their attraction is there right from the start. There are also a good group of friends that are fun to hang out with and don't mind poking fun at each other. Another recommended read/listen from this author. Michael Dean's narration fits with the characters really well and he really brings out what Derek and Harold experience throughout.
His charming grin was wide. I melted every time he bestowed that smile upon me.
Set in the small town of Merritt, British Columbia.
Derek, 29, has remained closeted/on the DL for the last ten years. Relocated from Vancouver, he has taken a job teaching at the community college.
Harold was born and raised in Merritt. He’s also the bartender at the local spot, the eponymous Ace’s Place.
A random insertion about indigenous people is apropos to nothing.
Completely unexplained as to why Derek is closeted—he’s not a politician…or a priest. He’s a damn accountant. Also unexplained? Why Derek doesn’t “do” relationships.
A Big Miscommunication…I didn’t know authors were still using these mindless tropes.
“I want to devour you.” “I want to be devoured.”
Wholly unnecessary condom usage; both men have been celibate for ages. Sex is adjusted MF. There’s no physiology. Barely-there anatomy. Euphemistic, avoidant verbiage.
Derek is so all over the place. He wants Harold to himself, he’s open to FBs/FWBs, he wants to be Harold’s boyfriend…and back again.
There’s some cuteness to this—but it’s all Ace…I mean Harold. Derek is vapid and very poorly-written.
The ending is a very nice HEA…that is completely unearned.
This story was a delightful short Canadian insta-love second chance book.
Derek and Harold meet at a bar and fall into bed, but one comment stops any relationship from forming, although both feel there could be more to the relationship.
Even though this was a very short read/listen, it was well written, kept me intrigued all the way, the characters had back stories and all in all, a very pleasurable read.
Michael Dean did an excellent job of narrating this book. He managed to portray the emotions of the characters. As usual, I did speed up the recording to 1.25 on Audible.
Ace's Place By: Gabbi Grey Narrated by: Michael Dean Length: 1 hr and 26 mins
❤❤❤❤ Overall 🎧🎧🎧🎧 Narration 📚📚📚📚 Story Read at 1.25 speed on Audible
I received this audiobook for free from GRR at my request. My review is my opinion and an honest review - neither the author nor GRR influenced my opinion.
Ace's Place is a sweet short story about Ace and Derek. Derek has come to the small town to get out of the city and start over. I loved Derek's encounter with Ace at the bar. Not sure why Ace didn't want Derek to know certain things about him right off the bat, but his friends sure did get a laugh when they found out what name Ace had given Derek. I'm glad things worked out for Ace and Derek. They are really sweet together. This was such an enjoyable story, I listened to it again right after it finished. I would love to know more of their story. Or more stories of Ace's Place. Definitely recommend. Narrator Michael Dean does a fabulous job as always. He's such a joy to listen to.
Maybe if this were longer, the problems I had with it wouldn't have existed. This was so short and so fast that there was almost no point.
Dude 1 moves to Small Town (tm) and the first guy he meets is gay, into him, the town sweetheart, stupid enough to not say that . So there's instant fake manufactured conflict that's gotten past about three scenes later with absolutely no real conflict. They just... figure it out and go on.
There's no real emotional connection here, either, which... again, might be because the story's about ten seconds long. All the interesting things are mentioned in the background.
I might try another of her books, but I'm not impressed.
I’ve loved all of the books I’ve read by Gabbi Grey and this one is no exception. I don’t think all authors can write good short stories/short novellas but Gabbi Grey does. This is an instant connection story with a cute dog and a very satisfying HEA.
Michael Dean did his usual great job performing this audiobook. He really makes the characters come to life.
A complimentary copy of this audiobook was provided to me at my request but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author and/or narrator.
This was a fun little novella by Gabbi Grey. I have read/listened to a few books by this author and all of them have been great. This book was narrated by Micheal Dean and honestly, he is someone that I can reliably listen to and know that I will have a great listen. He does not disappoint. Ace/Harold and Derek have great chemistry and even though there is a misunderstanding initially they work it out and eventually become more than friends. I like Derek to become more and more open and he was brought into the community through Ace and his friends. I definitely recommend this especially if you want a short quick read.
3.75* A cute story of a guy who ends up in a smaller city in BC after problems with his job in Vancouver. He was a successful city-boy who thinks his life is now in the toilet living in the backwoods. He goes to the local bar for some greasy food and to his surprise, the bartender hits on him and they spend the night. There is a slight misunderstanding, but that's cleared up and they give it another go, he makes some friends and realizes life might not suck so badly afterall.
It's just a sweet little story. The misunderstanding is cleared up pretty quickly and everyone is nice (except his ex-employers). If you are looking for a feel-good story set in Canada, it's a good choice.
💕 A short and sweet little HEA set in beautiful British Columbia. After finishing a high angst book, this was the perfect read for me that I could easily finish in one sitting. Harold is your quintessential alpha male that’s beloved by all. And you wonder how he’s still single… Derek is either running from or was chased out of the city, and has arrived here to start over. You’ll have to read it to find out his backstory. The connection between Derek and Harold is instantaneous, but not without its own bumps. A lovely mix of side characters gives us the found family vibe we wanted for Derek.
This is only the second story I've listened to by this author. This was too short to build a good background, on both these characters, but the author did very well considering the amount of words/pages in this book. Michael Dean has a way of making a book come to life that I really love and I enjoyed it very much.
The dog was a cute touch in this short. I seriously need to read some full-length stories from this author. The two shorts I've read were jam packed with story!
Overall, I enjoyed this story. I loved the instant attraction that Harold and Derek had for one another. And when Derek told his story about starting over and why he moved there to Harold, I couldn't help but wish for the good guy to get his HEA. I think I was falling in love with Derek as Harold was.
I liked that the characters were good people. There was attraction, affection, and love. The dog was awesome too! Michael Dean did a fabulous job with the narration. It wasn't very long, but it was sweetly satisfying.
I am a fan of this author so when I wanted a shorter book to listen to while doing household chores, I wanted to check out Ace's Place. This definitely was a fast listen because I tend to listen at 1.5x speed. I found it to be enjoyable for sure with a good ending, but like all novellas and short stories, I could always go for more. (Which would defeat the purpose of listening to a short story, I know. ) I would have liked to see a bit more development in the feelings between the characters. But for a 64 page story, I thought the author did a great job.
A great lunch hour or bed time read. Short, but hot, sweet, sexy and complete. Derek moved to Merritt thinking his life was pretty much over, to become a teacher. He goes into Ace's Place, a local sports bar, and meets Harold, the sexy, hot bartender. They hook up after the bar closes in Derek's hotel room and feel a connection, but both are also scared and afraid if it will last. This is a quick read and a complete story with a HEA. Only wish there was an epilogue showing them a few years later.
4.5 stars. I love Gabbi's characters. They always feel like people I'd like to know. It tickled me that Ace introduced himself as Harold when the only person to call him that was his mother. Derek comes across as a snob, and he is to a point, but he's also a man of honor. Seeing the stand he took against corruption took guts. It is obvious that Ace is a good guy by the admiration of those around him. I liked that even before their relationship was established Ace's friends had welcomed him in. The ending is wonderful.
It is so rare to find an MM story that is actually really sweet! They're usually so dark... Derek made himself perfectly clear in the bar right off the hop, so Harold was very easily able to pick it up and not afraid to make the first move. Good thing, too. Derek never would have! I can understand why Derek would feel hurt a bit later, though. I would too, if I just got my world rocked and then he said, "Benjamin's waiting at home." WTF?! I'm glad that he decided to give friendship a chance with him, anyway. If he hadn't, they never would have known what things could be like.
I really enjoyed this short, longer would have been great but it worked well as is.
QUICK THOUGHTS -- Bar owner/teacher-accountant pairing -- Starting over -- small town -- hook-up turns to more -- instant attraction -- sweet -- misunderstanding quickly resolved -- really liked the MCs... Derek & Harold (Ace) -- fun reading something about a town I frequently pass through -- wish this was longer -- short, less than 75 pages
This was a short novella that I really enjoyed. It was the perfect length for my commute to and from work. I loved the mild “mistaken” identity trope. Derek has been through a lot, and he’s initially suspicious of the hot bartender who flirts with him. Yet, despite the emotional baggage, Derek and Ace find their way together surrounded by a great community. I really enjoyed this story and thought the audiobook was just well narrated by Michael Dean.
❤️5 stars 🎧 narrated Michael dean A fantastic narration by Mr Dean as per always of one of my favourite narrators. 4 Stars for the story. Derrick 29 yrs wasn’t impressed with the town he was moved to start his new teaching job. Grabbing a meal at Aces place Harold had a pub and had Derrick for a hot time, but a miss communication spoils it. This has both POVs for the story. Hot sexy scenes included. A great romance for both characters for a HEA ending.