Foxed

by Jay Hogan

FOXED: To be thrown into a state of uncertainty—flustered, bamboozled, bewildered, puzzled, vexed.

AKA, me. Jed Marshall. 55-year-old successful classic car mechanic; divorced, mostly closeted, and whose wholly inexperienced bisexuality has suddenly awakened after one smouldering look and said, ‘Damn, who’s the hottie?’ Or words to that effect.

Cue, Nash Collingwood. 53-year-old scarily smart high school principal; out, gay, confident, and sexy as hell. He’s also my daughter’s boss. So, not complicated at all, right? Nash could ignite a bonfire with a single sultry look, comes fully accessorised with a charm offensive Churchill would be proud of, an easy-going flattery that thrills my heart far too effortlessly, and an impressive track record with men many decades my junior.

In short, Nash is everything I’m not, and everything I’ve avoided for roughly my entire life. He’s the hot rod to my sensible family car, that is if you like your family cars with a few dents, creaky suspension, unexpected backfires, and a dodgy stick.

The last thing I need is a relationship—especially with a man. I buried that pipe dream a long time ago and a little loneliness is a small price to pay. The festive season and long summer vacation are on our doorstep. I’m finally getting things right with my family who mean everything to me, and I don’t want to mess that up.

But Nash doesn’t care about my awkward inexperience, or clumsy excuses, or any of my insecurities. Nash only sees me. He wants me. For the first time in years, I feel alive and sexy and a whole lot more than just a good father and grandfather.

I should walk away, but the closer Nash and I become, the more he fills my grey world with colour, and the promise of a second chance at love I never thought possible.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Contemporary, Audiobook, Contemporary Romance, LGBT, Bisexual

323 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 12, 2023

About the author

Heart, humour and keeping it real.

I am a two times Lambda Literary Award Finalist—2020 for DIGGING DEEP and 2024 for THE ART OF HUSBANDRY.
I have also received the The Romance Writers of New Zealand 2021 Romance Book of The Year Award for OFF BALANCE.
I am a New Zealand author writing mm romance and romantic suspense primarily set in my home country. I write character driven romances with lots of humour, a good dose of reality, and a splash of angst. I’ve travelled extensively, lived in many countries, and in a past life I worked as a critical care nurse and a counsellor. My family love and somehow put up with me, and my gorgeous Cocker Spaniel thinks I spend too much time at my desk but keeps my feet warm.

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Reviews

[~Nicole~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I debated between 2 and 3 stars for half a hour and in the end I settled for 3 because this author’s writing was always pretty good. Now, I was hoping I’d write a positive review of this book because I have no words to express how excited I was for this release. 2 MC’s over 50??? My dream scenario! Well, I don’t know how this author did it but she managed to turn a 55 years old character into her usual type of petulant child prickly character. I heard 55 and I thought; mature, wise, strong Mc but what I got was in the first half an assholish, always patronizing and always sour and unpleasant MC (her usual entitled drama queen Mc who makes the other guy sweat for some crumbs of attention -I think the author really gets off on these power trips) and in the second half a pathetic spineless coward . And Nash who came across as a man who was sure of himself and comfortable in his skin and who had his pick of men panted the entire book over an asshole who after he told him he loved him called him a crush that might lead nowhere and that he’ll never be worth upsetting his daughter and homophobic son in law for. I couldn’t understand for the life of me why Nash fell for that repressed and miserable old fart. And what was insulting and where I DNF was when the author made Nash take the blame for what had transpired at Jed’s house and made him apologize fervently when Jed was a weak coward who let his family steamroll him (all except Tamsin who always got snapped at by Jed , because yes, he was THAT stupid snapping at ppl who had his back and being a doormat for his no-boundaries daughter and homophobic son-in-law) . I think the author forgot that we read these books for the romance factor and not for the family saga I couldn’t give a fuck about . I don’t care about Abbie , or Scott or the annoying child ..They’re side characters, don’t put the romance and the guys’ relationship on second place after Abbie’s marriage and Jed’s family and whatever fuck the author thought was more important than Nash. We want the Mc’s to fight for each other not “Well, I’m all about my family but if I’m bored some day when they don’t need me I guess I could squeeze you in a corner of my life.Maybe“🙄
Also, the characters don’t read as 55 at all and there is no difference between this book and all this author’s other books except for the fact that their age was mentioned over and over again. Since I DNF at around 92% I don’t know how the issues at Nash’s school got resolved or IF it got resolved..I have a feeling that issue was never mentioned again. So yeah, the same old same old superficial novel with same type of characters (doesn’t matter if they’re 20 or 50) and the same pattern. I think I’ll take a break from this author for some time.
PD. I recommend the author to read Bonfires by Amy Lane, there’s a good example of older characters in there -also a school principal and a closeted bisexual.
PD 2 Letting your boyfriend make himself scarce when your daughter and granddaughter visit so the child wouldn’t be exposed to the gayness and to ease the mind of a homophobe and also Abbie allowing it for her bigoted husband’s sake is disgusting. Just saying. I’d rather get a divorce than allowing my husband treat a queer person like that (any person really)and especially my father.

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Foxed is a stand alone, MM romance by Jay Hogan. This book contains two silver haired hotties, both never anticipating the life altering changes that are about to come their way. This is my first book by Jay although I’ve had a few on my to read list. I can assure you after reading this that there will be more.

Jed Marshall is a fifty five year old successful classic car mechanic. Jed has known since he was a teenager that he was bi-sexual. The only experience he has had is a couple of make out sessions with a boy when he was fifteen. But then he met a girl and fell in love. They eventually married and raised two children together. But when the kids grew up, they realized they weren’t in love any longer. Now, they are divorced, close friends, and his life revolves around his business and his family which includes an adorable three year old grand daughter.



Nash Collingwood is fifty three years old and is an out and proud, high school principal. Nash isn’t accepting his progressing years easily. He does everything he can to look young and only hooks up with very much younger men and always just once. Nash is also the boss of Jed’s daughter who is a teacher.

“Why now? And why this man? I was too old for this.”

Neither of these men were interested in the least for anything more in their lives. Until they met. Jed had given up on his hidden bisexuality forty years ago. But one look at Nash and it was all reawakened. He was tongue tied and flustered around Nash. And Nash was completely baffled with the feelings Jed was stirring up in him. He made him take a good look at his life and how shallow it was. Jed made him want things, made him see a future with so many possibilities. He made him want to stop fighting against age and enjoy it more. As long as Jed was there by his side.



The feelings between these two grew fast. But Jed isn’t out to anyone except his ex-wife. And it’s almost Christmas. Nash is willing to do whatever Jed needs and move at whatever pace makes him comfortable, as long as they do it together. Because he already knows he wants Jed in his future in every way possible.



First, I fell in love with this cover! How sexy is it?! And these two! I can’t tell you how adorable they were together. These two men were both smart, tough and strong men. But they also both had the biggest hearts. They both felt things so strongly. This is a sweet, sexy, wonderful love story between two men who had accepted that they would be alone. Until they met each other, and found just what they’d been waiting for all their lives. Love!

For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
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[Cadiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT A JOYOUS AND UPLIFTING MATURE MCS ROMANCE FROM JAY HOGAN

Well this was just just a breath of fresh air – two mature characters with long lived life experiences finding their feet into a relationship.

I absolutely adored both Jed and Nash, two men who’ve been around the block, Jed in a long term marriage which produced two kids who have grown up, one giving him a granddaughter he finds himself spending lots of time with – an offshoot of him feeling guilty for perhaps not being there as much in the younger days of his marriage.

Nash has never been interested in relationships – or so he tells himself – but really, he’s still smarting from the one time he did get involved with someone who was younger than him (not a twink though, he’s keen to point out, he was 35 😄 ) and he left him for a sugar daddy type.

Their first meeting we hear about in retrospective, but the second one is a joyous stumbling mess as Jed totally fails to deal with his attraction towards Nash, who happens to be the Principal at the school his daughter teaches at.

Nash doesn’t disguise the fact he’s attracted to Jed, but the other man’s basically kept his bisexuality locked away since he was a teenager as he and his ex-wife met, feel in love and were just together for years.

What I felt the most about this book was how different the narrative felt, this isn’t two young men without much in the way of life experiences to be worried about. Here we get two mature men whose troubles are a completely different flavour.

Once they get involved, Jed still has wobbles, but they’re about the effect coming out will have on his family as a whole, not just repressed fears, they’re valid and they’re dealt with in a way which is genuine and honest.

I just loved the way they fell in love, it’s a soft and gentle kind of acceptance that they want to spend their time together, that they find joy in each other’s company, that they can have sex which is still passionate but which then comes with loads of cuddle time afterwards!

As an almost 53-year-old, I have to say I found reading this book to just be a joy from start to finish. It’s the worries and doubts that I’d probably have (if I ever wanted to get into another relationship again – atm I don’t, having had a friendly split from my long term partner four years ago).

It has subtle humour as well as laugh out loud hilarity, it has a man who’s not taken much time for himself because of his unwarranted guilt, it has a man who’s finding he wants to take the time to get to know someone instead of a wham, bang, thank you man approach to the twinks he’s usually bedded.

And it has a family coming to terms with realising they have to change up the way they see their ex-husband/father/father-in-law and their expectations of his availability – in other words, this is a truly REAL examination of how life changes in the most unexpected of ways sometimes.

But what I think I loved the most about this book is that Jay shows you it’s never too late to find the perfect half to make up your whole, even if you’ve had a happy life beforehand.

Jed and Nash are just a wonderfully uplifting pair, I felt ridiculously happy and not a little bit teary as I came to the end of this book, especially with the Epilogues – there’s a bonus extra one to download, don’t miss it!

I pretty much devour anything Jay Hogan writes and this has proved to be no exception to that rule.

[Cyndi (hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a person in her 40’s, I’m ashamed to admit that I tend to veer away from stories with more “mature” characters. I get enough commentary on the perils of aging in real life and don’t feel the need to be affirmed in that way through the fiction I choose to read. However, I was pretty excited about this book. Jay Hogan is one of my favorite authors and I always get giddy at the prospect of a new release from her. If anyone could get me on board with two MC’s in their 50’s, it would be her. Unfortunately, that’s not what happened here.

My initial reaction to this book was a bit over the top. It struck a nerve with me that had already been vibrating at an uncomfortable frequency and, as a result, took the brunt of my irritation. A mixture of politics, stress, holiday fatigue and exhaustion with the contemporary romance genre as a whole is to blame, I think, but it all boils down to the fact that this book was not meant for me and that’s okay. I decided to go ahead and write an actual review because I realized that my quick and personal rant wouldn’t help anyone and it wasn’t really fair to the people who loved this book or the author, who I hold in high esteem. So review it, I shall.

I’ll start with what I liked - Nash. He was not only out as a gay man, but he was an ally in his own community. I don’t know how the New Zealand school systems are in relation to LGBTQ+ issues, but I know how they are here in the US and having allies, advocates and activists on the front lines, especially within the system itself, is critical. Nash was a principal and a member of the school board, putting him in a powerful position to create change and, while he’d gotten lax over the years, he was protective of his students and refused to accept moral unfairness lying down. He was also funny, smart and incredibly charming. The way he pursued Jed was a little cringey at times, but he was out of his comfort zone so I cut him some slack.

Now for what I didn’t like - Jed and his entire family. At first, I connected with Jed a lot. I know what it’s like to get married young and, therefore, ignore entire parts of yourself. I also understand that parental guilt is a real and heady thing. So I got why Jed let his family walk all over him, but I didn’t get why his family felt like they had the right to do it. They were horribly invasive and selfish. If I were Nash, I would have gone running for the hills before attaching myself to that group of people. And that’s before realizing one of them was a raging homophobe.

And that leads me to the point of no return. Before the last few chapters of this book, my rating was sitting around a distracted 3 stars. The way I kept checking my phone and starting conversations with family members spoke volumes about how engaged I was with the story, but I was enjoying the banter between Jed and Nash (when it wasn’t about failing body parts, back hair and lipids, mind you) and some of their more tender moments. However, the last 20-30% of this book made my brain melt. Nothing about it sat well with me and I was annoyed by the resolution (or lack thereof in some cases). And finding out that some of my issues were resolved in a bonus epilogue available through the authors newsletter aggravates me to no end. I get that writing is both an art and a business, but people buy books expecting a beginning, middle and end. I don’t want to have to download additional content to tie up a loose end from the story I just spent hours reading. Don’t get me wrong, I love bonus content, but I don’t want to have to rely on it.

I still stand by my initial comment on this book. Same sex couples don't owe anything to anybody and should not have to make concessions to make other people comfortable. Period. But I do understand that some people do what they have to do in order to keep the peace and my anger is not directed towards them. We all have the freedom to decide what we’re willing to put up with and accept. In the case of this book, I felt like the homophobe won and it tainted the HEA for me.

[Lyn❤Loves❤Listening to Real Voices Only!!!!❤️🎧📚 Addict ON HIATUS]

DNF @ 30%. I am seriously having no luck with JH books lately. That makes me sad :-(

[Rin (indefinite hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well I was ready to give this three stars until the very predictable and over the top conflict near the end.

I like Jed and Nash as characters. I was invested in their HEA. But I found myself positively bored through most of it. It was basically one conversation to another…. It doesn’t help that books with a closeted man have a formula. And this followed that formula. So much so that by 20% in I knew exactly how the book was going to go… and it did.

I was SO excited about reading a book about older men. But at 53 and 55, they were made out to be positively geriatric. Their age was discussed CONSTANTLY. Their bodies, their hair, how they’re old men, just… constant commentary on their age and it was EXHAUSTING. And totally unnecessary.

The sex was bland. They had banter through most sex scenes and I just… meh.

And can we leave the diabetes jokes back in the last century? Because that’s how long it’s been since we’ve all learned that jokes about diabetes are super not ok.

And yea no, also should not be welcoming an admitted bigot into the family after one apology. Gross.

I think it’s time I admit that I will only enjoy one series by this author and that’s not going to change with every attempt I’ve had at reading more by her. This is my third failed Jay book after I loved her Painted Bay series. Guess that’s where we part.

[Preeti · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of all, I wanna know, how this book got an average of 4.38??? No its not a bad book...but there something worse than being bad...its being damn boringggg . I mean I cant even hate it becz I feel so disappointed.
The blurb tempts us with a romance between 2 mature guys. But, the only thing I read was 2 ppl feeling bad about being in their 50s in every other conversation. And, the worst part was, for the first time while reading Jay Hogan, the conflict felt too forced.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ooh hunnies! This one resonated with me on so many levels! Maybe because I’m older, maybe because I’m a parent…and maybe because I’m still figuring out who I am. This book was just incredible.

I absolutely adored how even though Jed and Nash were both in their 50s, they still had so much life and vibrancy. Jed may have felt like life had passed him by in many ways, and Nash may have felt stuck in redundant behaviors but both had so much to offer.

It was understandable that Jed was hesitant. He’d never explored his bisexuality (even post divorce) and centered his life around his business and family. He had kind of reconciled to the idea that love was a thing of the past.

Nash very much enjoyed his social life but recognized that it was void of deep connections and that was by design. He’d had his heart broken once upon a time and pledged to avoid it in the future.

I loved how drawn to each other both men were and how reticent they were to make the leap. I enjoyed how they felt like teenagers again. The crushes, awkwardness, excitement. They also were able to share the complexities of their day to day and navigating all of their responsibilities. It was very much an adult relationship but with the perks of new passion!!

Jay really gave such wonderful development to both men and the people in their lives. We get a full picture of who they were and who they wanted to be!

Some of my takeaways:
No matter how old you are or how much you think you’ve got it all figured out, life still has a way of surprising you. And you’re never too old to fall in love again or for the first time.

We should be a top priority in our life. We should make the time to take care ourselves, nurture those things that bring us joy and stop apologizing for setting boundaries! These are all forms of self care.

Being a parent doesn’t stop when children are grown, it simply changes. Part of being a good parent is demonstrating that one doesn’t need to sacrifice their happiness and sense of fulfillment to placate their children.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

So disappointed in this book! I thought I was going to love it. ☹️

Jed is a child in a 55 year old’s body and I was so tired of his family’s selfish behavior. Why on Earth was Nash, also a grown middle aged man, sticking around for the way Jed treated him like a hush hush side thing?

I don’t recommend this book unless you want to feel annoyed for 3 hours.

[Kaje Harper · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story with two main characters over 50 catches my interest right away, especially when it comes from an author I trust to give me appealing older men. This story pairs Nash - a school principal and out gay man who's starting to tire of cruising and hook-ups- and Jed, a now-divorced father and grandfather whose bisexuality has been firmly locked in the closet since he was 15. Jed hadn't planned to start dating again, especially not dating men, but Nash appeals to the inexperienced part of Jed who has always wondered what being with a man he cared about would really be like.

I loved Nash, and empathized with Jed. Coming out is hard, especially for a man who grew up thirty years ago, and who has been in the closet so long. Jed's joy in his life, outside the classic cars he restores, is the time he spends with his small granddaughter. His fear of how his daughter, and even more, his somewhat-homophobic son-in-law, will respond to his sexuality is real.

It's easy to be frustrated with his slowness, his back-and-forth between eagerness and fear that has him jerking Nash around. It's important IMO to remember that even today, families are torn apart by homophobia, that a gay man being forbidden to be around family children isn't unheard of. And also to remember that Jed has over thirty years of witnessing that history.

In 1999, when Jed would have been around 30, Mississippi's highest court refused to allow a 15-year-old boy to live with his gay father, even though the child's mother was now married to man with a history of violence and substance abuse who had repeatedly beaten her in front of the boy. They also required that Weigand's partner of eight years move out of the home he and Weigand jointly owned when the boy visited during summer vacations. That's how real bias against gay parenting (and grandparenting) has been.

So while I wished Jed was more willing to stand up for himself and Nash, and push for confrontation as an out bisexual man, I also remember that history. And part of writing real older characters is to have their fears formed by a lifetime of experiences. It's easy to chastise Jed for his fears, when you haven't been around to see them realized.

There's an interfering ex-wife (supportive, but way too up in her ex's business) and I did wish Jed had enforced stronger boundaries before then. But he's a giver and a bit of a pushover, and short of intimate friends who know the real him. That makes him real, and imperfect.

The conflict climax is not unexpected, but not overly drawn out, and the resolution is a sweet and solid HEA.

[Suanne Laqueur · Rating 2 out of 5]

55 is not THAT old. That’s all.

[Caz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've given this an A- at AAR, 4.5 stars rounded up.

Jay Hogan’s Foxed is a standalone contemporary romance featuring a couple of guys in their fifties – one a devoted father and grandfather, the other someone who never really thought a relationship and family was on the cards for him – who discover that maybe it’s time to re-think some of their embedded perceptions about themselves and, most importantly, about love. It’s a thoroughly enjoyable read; a bit lower on the angst-o-meter than many of the author’s other books, but still full of her customary warmth and humour, and with the added bonus of some wonderfully observed commentary on ageing (the creaking joints and grey hairs are not airbrushed out!) that will resonate with many, and on the challenges incumbent on making room for a relationship later in life when one has become somewhat set in one’s ways.

Jed Marshall is a fifty-five-year-old divorced father and grandfather who runs a successful classic car restoration business and is – mostly – content with his life. He adores his granddaughter and loves spending time with her, but lately, he’s started feeling like he’s being taken just a little bit for granted, as though Jed the man with his own interests and hobbies is fading from view in favour of Jed the doting grandfather who can be relied on to babysit at the drop of a hat. Not that he begrudges any of the time he gets to spend with three-year-old Bridie, it’s just… an uncomfortable niggle.

Jed has known he’s attracted to both men and women since he was in his teens, confirming it with a clumsy make-out session with a boy at school when he was fifteen. But he’s never acted on his attraction to men; meeting the woman he would later marry – also at fifteen – dating her, getting married and having kids was enough for him and even after their divorce eight years earlier, Jed has continued to push aside the knowledge of his bisexuality, viewing it as something inconvenient and potentially troublesome. He’s gone this long without exploring that side of himself and doesn’t want to start now; he’s not looking for a relationship anyway, and quite honestly doesn’t want to have to bother with any unpleasantness that might result from coming out. Things are… fine, just as they are.

Until six months earlier, when he met Nash Collingwood, the new principal at the local high school where his daughter Abbie is a teacher. Nash is around Jed’s own age, he’s fit, handsome, charming and completely comfortable in his own skin – in short, he’s everything Jed has avoided thinking about for the past forty years, and everything he doesn’t want to start thinking about now.  When the book begins, Abbie is hosting the end-of-year/ pre-Christmas party for the school staff, and after engaging in some grandaughter-wrangling, Jed has taken himself off to a quieter corner of the garden for a bit of peace and quiet when Nash, also seeking a bit of down time, joins him. Nash is upfront about his interest in Jed, and Jed can’t help admiring Nash for having the guts to open that door. But no matter how attracted he is, Jed isn’t going to go through it. Old dog, new tricks and all that.

Like Jed, Nash is pretty content with the status quo; he’s never been interested in a relationship and has been happy to fill his life with good friends, sexual partners when he wants them – some who have stuck around longer than others – and a demanding job. But then he met Jed, and since then, has begun to think that maybe there’s something missing from his life. Sure, he’d love to get the gorgeous mechanic into bed, but is this fascination with Jed about more than the physical, or the result of a mid-life crisis?

Whenever I pick up a book by Jay Hogan, I know I’m in for a good read, and she’s on top form here. Foxed (great title, btw!) is funny and sexy and sweet, featuring two engaging, strongly characterised leads, a well-rounded secondary cast and a very honest look at the way families can be simultaneously wonderful and a pain in the arse.

Jed and Nash are likeable and very relatable – especially for those of us on the wrong side of forty! They have fantastic chemistry, and I loved the way the author describes their insecurities about their middle aged bodies and shows how their mutual attraction burns bright regardless of any imperfections. I especially liked reading about Jed ‘reclaiming’ his identity as a sexually active man and how Nash makes him feel attractive and sexy for the first time in years. Nash makes a very pertinent observation early in the book about the obsession with youth (or the appearance of it) on the dating scene:

Getting older isn’t the easiest in any dating landscape, but vanity and youth culture can be vicious in the gay scene… You can get older, but you can’t LOOK older…

because he’s bought in to those pressures in order to “stay in the game” with the younger guys, but it’s getting harder and harder:

You wanna try maintaining a set of abs past fifty. The diet sucks. The gym work is torture. And the washboard effect softens by the year no matter what you do, muscle forcibly annexed by fat in a hostile takeover. A year from now, someone will find me on the floor of my apartment, suffocated by a mushrooming BMI. It’ll be like the movie Day of the Triffids but with fat cells.

It’s funny, but brutally honest, and I really liked that Jed is able to make Nash feel comfortable in his more mature body and not feel guilty about letting some things go a little bit.

Alongside the wonderful romance, is a story about coming out and being true to yourself, the importance of letting the people you love see the whole you, and that you’re allowed to prioritise yourself and your own happiness. The conflict in the story comes mostly towards the end, when Nash has to deal with a tricky situation at school, and Jed is confronted with the sort of bigotry that kept him from coming out all those years ago. It’s unpleasant – especially as it’s close to home – and the author doesn’t wave a magic wand to make it all go away, instead showing that there is the possibility of change, even though it won’t happen overnight.

Foxed is a wonderful read – romantic, heartwarming, funny and sharply observed – from the pen of one of the best authors of contemporary romances around. It’s my first DIK of 2023 and I heartily recommend it.

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC received in exchange for my honest review

I was beside myself at the opportunity to read this book. I adore this author, especially her Painted Bay series and a book with older MCs. Yes please!!!

Jed is an amicably divorced, successful business-owning, classic car mechanic with a grown, married daughter and small granddaughter. He's a pretty no bullsh*t, rough and tumble kind of guy. He meets his daughter's boss, high school principal Nash at a Christmas party and both find the attraction strong. Nash is out, proud and has no issue with sleeping through most of the town's twinks. Jed is not out and proud and about as far from a twink as you could get. He's not even gay.

Nash makes no bones about his attraction and slowly but surely the two start spending time together as friends though Nash continues to make his interest known. Jed admits to being bi, though he has never done more than make out with a guy and not since he was in high school.

Both MC are in the 50 - 53 years old age bracket and one of the delights of this book was the reality of what its like being older and dating. Nash has only had one (disastrous) relationship and Jed hasn't dated in 40 years. They joke about their grey hair, little blue pills (which are not ever actually used), recovery times and wrinkles and all of this holds a distinct air of authenticity. Its not glossed over so that we forget their ages. Its celebrated and accepted in a slightly self-deprecating way by the MCs. Nor is it overdone. Its real and genuine and I loved it.

I have only one niggly issue with this book and I suspect this is absolutely a 'me-thing' but the MCs incessantly refer to themselves as 'old'. One of the characters friends who is the same age does also. I can see self-deprecating comments about being middle-aged but old? No. I don't think so. They are in their 50s, not their 60s or 70s! I have plenty of friends in that age group and this, one thing, just didn't hold true for me. It happened so frequently that it actually made me angry enough at one point to contact the author to ask why? I could understand that that may the case for some people and it may not bother a great many people but it was SO FREQUENT. Like that they were old needed to get shoved in my face repeatedly lest I forget about it.

That little rant aside, this book was mostly delightful to read and filled with 'dad' commentary and humour that I suspect many will find relatable and funny. Both Jed and Nash were great MCs and their journey to their HEA was a bit hard-won but well worth the journey.

All in all a great addition to the Jay Hogan book stable.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story features a couple of men in their mid-fifties. One, a devoted father and grandfather, the other a high school principal who never really thought a relationship and family would ever happen for him. They soon discover that maybe it’s time to rethink some of their perceptions about themselves and, most importantly, about love.

It’s a thoroughly enjoyable read that is low on the angst...which, for me... is a good thing, but it's still full of warmth and humor, with the added bonus of some wonderfully observed commentary on ageing that will resonate with many people, and on the challenges incumbent on making room for a relationship later in life when one has become somewhat, shall we say, "set in one’s ways".

I Liked the characters a lot. Nash has never been interested in a relationship and has been happy to fill his life with good friends, and sometimes a partner when he wanted one. He, after all has a demanding job. But then he meets Jed, and since then, he has begun to think that maybe there’s something missing from his life. Sure, he’d love to get to know the gorgeous mechanic, but is this fascination with Jed about more than the physical, or the result of a mid-life crisis?

There is a short part with a homophobic character that spews his opinions...but I don't believe it is enough to call a "trigger". Whenever I pick up a book by Jay Hogan, I know it's going to be a good read, and she’s on top form with this one.

[True Loveislovereview · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a marvelously written story this is!! ALL the stars!

It’s super intense, about two men in their fifties, one is out and the other closeted for over forty years, but carefully putting his toes in the water.
Nash is an educated high school principal, single and sexy, Jed is a fortunate classic car mechanic, divorced, has adult children and one grandchild, and he's single.

Nash is straightforward and open about his attraction to Jed. Even willing to withdraw if it’s makes Jed uncomfortable. Jed’s world is shaking on its axis, he could never imagine this beautiful silver Fox had a crush on him. But here they are, Nash proposed… to something. Jed can’t and still, he doesn’t know why or how but gives his mobile number.

Nash is sophisticated, has wax appointments, has a spotless gleaming unused kitchen, and there’s Jed who is just the opposite, he thinks less of himself, not as educated as Nash, not a man of the world, he can think of more why Nash isn’t for him. Nash doesn’t want to hear a word from Jed that brings him down, he thinks the world of Jed.

Nash gives Jed more than one out, Jed doesn’t want an out.

“A miracle who was waiting in my apartment just for me. Me. Not simply for sex. Not just as a swipe-right hookup.”

Okay, these men, be still my heart. Nash is just awesomeness, kind, hot, tantalizing, fun, and quite an experience seducer, he’s an observer, genuine, warm and so affectionate.
And there is Jed, my goodness what a man, I loved him dearly. Slowly he emerged and chose to make time for himself instead of being swallowed by others. Precious time for Nash and him.
He’s working up to come out, to his family, after all these years, and now with Nash, it’s time.

The feelings are all over the place, my goodness, my eyes kept dripping. It’s all so intense and goes deep, deeper deepest.
Beautifully written, with fun, struggle, gravity, and everything in between. With rich, warm, mature characters, my heart did the strangest things watching them, it was seriously EVERYTHING!!
Overall an immensely impressive, precious story.

There’s a bonus 2nd epilogue you can download if you sign up or already signed up for the newsletter.
Dear author, thank you for this! *hearts in eyes*

[therese ˃ᴗ˂ · Rating 3 out of 5]

i hate abby and tamsin. can authors write non annoying women on mm books. its getting kinda lousy the way authors portray women on mm books. the characters dont seem like old to me especially jed. he looks like a doormat. i thought he was established. why is he such a pushover for his family. im glad hes a family man and he respects them clearly but hes such a weak character imo. he needs to grow a pair of balls and he needs to stop sulking. i dont know its hard to break routine and to change something if its good but i expected more from jed. nash was perfect.

[Drache.... (Angelika) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm torn.
I hoped/wanted to love this:
-I've loved the books by Jay Hogan I've read, so my hopes were very high.
-The blurb sounded phantastic to me (People around my age! Falling in love! Yay!!!).
-The relationship between Jed and Nash was sweet, they were honest and talked about their hopes and fears and their feelings.
-The way their age was shown was refreshing and I liked it a lot.. their talks/thoughts about getting softer, greyer were a nice change from usually younger mc's topics.

BUT... it pains me that there was a combination of things that took all the joy from me reading this book, and they are:
-Jed's martyr complex in regard to his family/children.
-the way Jed's family totally ignored his right to privacy.

I had to force myself to read on after 75% because it was so so bad how Jed's ex-wife and grown children (they were 30 if not older!) interrogated him about everything, had an opinion on everything he did and didn't do, knew what was best for him, and even entered his house "surprising" him although he had told them he wanted to be alone for one day (!). His ex even apologised that she had tried to stop them, but why didn't she succeed? And then they acted shocked that he wasn't home alloan waiting for them but had a life of his own?
This whole part of the story with the ex-wife and adult children being so disrespectful with Jed and him allowing it like a doormat, even telling himself it was his own fault for whatever twisted reason, was truly awful and totally unrealistic.

This could have been a solid 4 stars for me (4 but not more stars, because I didn't like how the author told us Jed's whole story in a dialogue between Jed and his daughter right at the start of the book.. that was way too cheap a way to inform us readers of everything there was to know).

Sadly thinking on it, it feels more like 2 stars for me because of the mess the author made with Jed's family-drama, and the sloppy introductions of Jed's life.. and the fact that Nash's troubles at work weren't resolved/mentioned because the epilogue took place ONE WEEK after the last chapter ended?!

So I'll compromise with 3 stars because there were beautiful parts, too.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highlights-I loved it and can't stop thinking about it so it's a win

Jay Hogan is an instant win for me every time, but this might be my absolute favorite!! A lot of MM romance (and romance in general) features MCs in their early/mid 20's. So it was great to get mature MCs (especially since it was both MCs rather than an age gap!). Jed and Nash were such awesome characters, I truly had a hard time putting this book down and for days after kept thinking about the story. It's one of those stories that is absolutely real, from the struggles, the internal thoughts, the family issues, it's all things you can see happening in every day life which makes it all the more enjoyable. This book was definitely a special one and one I will for sure reread!

[Crisana · Rating 3 out of 5]

For sure I thought this was going to be a 4* but honestly Jed & his family just did my head in. I did not like the meddling at all or how Jed allowed for this to happen. And don't even get me started on homophobic Scott. Get rid of! Nash deserved so much better.

[Caz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've given this an A for narration and a B+ for content at AudioGals, 4.5 stars

We’re slowly seeing more characters in their forties appearing in romance novels, even though they’re still a fairly small minority. Romantic leads in their fifties, however, are still quite rare, and to find two of them in the same book – as the central couple – is even rarer. Jay Hogan adds to the small pile with her standalone contemporary romance Foxed, the story of a divorced silver-fox grandfather and a happily single high-school principal who aren’t looking for love when it blindsides them.

Fifty-five-year-old Jed Marshall is pretty content with his life. His classic car restoration business is doing well, and he loves spending time with his granddaughter, Bridie – although of late, he’s started to feel as though he’s being taken just a bit for granted, the man with his own life and own interests starting to disappear into the background in favour of the doting granddad and convenient babysitter. He never says no – partly because he still feels guilty at not spending a great deal of time with his own kids when they were young – but he can’t help being just a little bit miffed at not having as much time as usual to work on his own restoration projects.

Jed has always known he’s bisexual, but meeting the woman he would go on to marry and have a family with when he was just fifteen meant coming out was moot. Married in his early twenties and a father shortly afterwards, Jed was perfectly happy and never felt anything was missing from his life – and even though he’s been divorced for a number of years, he’s continued to push aside the part of him that’s attracted to men, reasoning that as he’s not looking for a relationship anyway, there’s no point in creating complications for himself. He’s gone this long without exploring that side of himself, and things are fine just as they are.

Until, that is, he met his daughter Abbie’s boss, Nash Collingwood, principal of the local high school. Nash is around Jed’s own age, he’s handsome, fit and comfortable in his own skin, exuding a confidence that is incredibly attractive, and for the first time in a long time, Jed feels the stirrings of attraction. But it can’t go anywhere. Nash is everything Jed has deliberately not thought about for the past forty years, and he’s certainly not about to start now.

Nash has never been all that interested in a relationship and has filled his life with good friends, a demanding job, LGBTQ activism and sexual partners whenever he wants them. At fifty-three, he spends a lot of time on his appearance – the gay scene can be brutal when it comes to ageing – but lately, has started to wonder if it’s all worth it, if maybe he wants more from life than a string of casual (and much younger) partners and an empty apartment. He’s been hoping for a chance to get to know Jed Marshall better ever since they met six months earlier, and when that chance presents itself at the staff Christmas party hosted by Jed’s daughter, he grabs it, joining Jed for a drink in a quiet corner of the garden.

Jed is surprised when Nash makes no secret of his interest (and is more than a bit impressed at his having the guts to put his cards on the table like that), and can admit (to himself at least) that he’s definitely attracted to him. But he’s still not going there, and he gently shuts Nash down. Nash can’t deny feeling disappointed – but faint heart never won… well, anything, and he decides to give it one more shot.

Foxed is a funny, sexy and sweet story about finding love later in life featuring two engaging and relatable characters with lots of life experience and its attendant baggage under their belts. Jed and Nash have wonderful chemistry and I really appreciated that the author has actually written two men in their fifties rather than two thirtysomethings and labelled them “older”. Speaking as someone who won’t see fifty again, the way she describes their grumbles about aches and pains and their insecurities about their middle-aged bodies is very realistic! Best of all, though, is the way Nash brings Jed to see himself as a man – rather than a dad and grandad – for the first time in years; he makes Jed feel sexy and I loved listening to Jed learning not to run himself down and to see himself through Nash’s eyes as an attractive, sexual being. In return, Jed is able to make Nash feel more comfortable in his mature body; he’s spent years working out, waxing, plucking and whatever else to be able to keep up with the younger guys he generally hooked up with, but Jed doesn’t need any of that – he helps Nash realise it’s time to stop fighting it and start enjoying it, that he loves Nash for who he is and doesn’t care if he grows a bit of hair on his chest (and other places!)

There’s not a great deal of plot here and the story is fairly low angst, but there’s a bit of conflict near the end that arises when Nash has to deal with an unpleasant bullying incident at his school, and Jed is brought face-to-face with the sort of bigotry that kept him from coming out years ago. The author doesn’t sugar coat it or handwave everything better, but I have to say that I was (mentally) yelling at Jed to grow a pair and tell everyone to back off; another theme of the book is that while families can be wonderful, they can also be intrusive pains in the arse, and the way Jed’s nearest and dearest seem to think they have the right to know about every aspect of his life is infuriating.

It’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that I’m going to enjoy a narration by Gary Furlong. He’s an extremely talented and versatile performer, a whizz with accents, and a terrific vocal actor who never fails to find the heart of the stories he narrates and the characters he portrays. His interpretations of Jed and Nash fit them really well and they’re clearly differentiated by a very small variation in pitch; Nash’s deeper voice is all sexy charm, and I could almost hear Jed blushing when Nash gets him all flustered ;) Their sizzling chemistry and the depth of their connection are strongly conveyed, and I like the way Mr. Furlong approaches the big emotional moments. He knows when to let rip (without going over the top) and when to hold back, and the late-book crisis is especially well judged. The small secondary cast is distinctly portrayed – and although I can’t say that Bridie sounds much like a three-year-old (voicing children of any age is tough!), she does have the kind of enthusiasm and single-mindedness one might associate with a child of that age, so it works.

Foxed is a thoroughly enjoyable and relatable story about the way life can change in the most unexpected of ways. It’s another great listen from the fabulous Hogan/Furlong duo and is highly recommended.

This review originally appeared at AudioGals.

[Book Binge: Reviews by Melissa DaSilva · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's been a lot of hype about Foxed due to the main characters being in their 50s. That was pretty much the extent of what I knew about the story so I went into it expecting a fun, easy-going book and that's what I got but it was also so much more than that. It was a beautiful story about self-discovery later in life, learning everyone is capable of love and two men just living their lives!

I read to escape but it was actually really refreshing to read about a couple who are just living a normal life. Going to work every day, taking care of a grandchild, laughing about not being able to get down on their knees 😉, even just being too tired after a long day to have fun, sexy times so they just chat about their day and go to bed at a reasonable hour. This is real life! I loved reading about a beautiful life-altering love that was between two men with no crazy circumstances.

Jed and Nash were awesome characters. I loved seeing the changes in Nash as he slowly became more happy with himself and his age the longer he was with Jed, realizing that those things aren't important as long as he's happy! It was great to see Jed finally putting himself first. I was getting quite frustrated with his family at some points, not letting him just live his life!

I will say it was a slower start for me. It did take a while for me to get to the point where I realized all the hype was right. The more I got to know Jed and Nash the more I got invested in their story and went along for the ride! There is some angst in this book near the end but it does get resolved quick enough and ends with a wonderful HEA. I absolutely recommend this book and hope you enjoy this story as much as I did! Definitely make sure to download the second free epilogue at the end of the book. It cleared up a question I had, made me tear up and made the HEA even sweeter!

[Wendriel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so excited to read this book. It's extremely rare to have a romance novel with a single protagonist over fifty, never mind both of them, and up until about the 40% mark, this one was on track for five stars. Unfortunately, it didn't end up nearly as well as it started.

Before we get into that, though, good points: I loved Nash for the most part. The arc of his life up until meeting Jed was extremely relatable, and his personality and wit were wonderful, at least until the ending chapters. I was less enamoured with Jed, but he was far from the worst protagonist that I've ever encountered. I particularly appreciated how little "bisexual awakening" angst there was in the opening stages of their relationship. Jed's stability is one of his most attractive qualities, and the ease with which he comes to terms with his feelings for Nash fits with that nicely. I also enjoyed the setting- New Zealand isn't a place that a lot of authors let you visit.

With the exception of Tamsin, who I may be giving a free pass because I liked her even better than Nash, the remainder of the cast was average to dreadful. They felt more like props and plot devices than real people with thoughts, feelings, and lives of their own. Scott is the absolute worst- he might as well have been wearing a shirt that read, "I'm a raging homophobe and will be catching the Villain Ball later" when we meet him in the first couple of chapters- but even characters like Abbie, Devon, and Colin just felt so very flat. They said their lines and moved the plot along, and that was it. And don't even get me started on obligatory-annoying-child-character Bridie.

For how little substance there is to any of the characters, sometimes including even Jed and Nash, this book is extraordinarily long. The author has a flowery writing style in places, which doesn't help, but it's also very repetitive, especially between the 45-65% mark, where nothing's really happening and the climax, for all that the book is jumping up and down to telegraph it, is still on the horizon. I think you could comfortably slash out almost everything between 40 and 70% and have a better book.

I have a serious problem with that climax too. It's beyond contrived, disgustingly predictable, and underscores just how shallow all of the characters are. I include Jed and Nash here, because this is the point where their characterization, personalities, and everything they've supposedly learned throughout the story takes a back seat so that we can get the maximum amount of angst out of the situation. Like the rest of the book, the final 30% should have been cut down to a third of what it is. The forced happy ending in the epilogue was particularly excruciating.

The worst part of the climax, though, is how it treats Nash. After Jed fails to stand up to his horribly nosy family and his ragingly homophobic son-in-law for his right to have his own life and love who he chooses, he tells Nash that he's not prepared to risk his family for "a crush that might not go anywhere", and tells him to leave. Even at that, Nash offers to stay and Jed refuses. Somehow, this is *Nash's* fault, because he should have stuck around despite Jed being hurtful and explicitly sending him away. He should have ignored all that to be there for someone who told him he wasn't wanted, because Jed actually needed him and it's okay to transgress boundaries when you know better than the people setting them, -especially- when setting proper boundaries is difficult for those people. And we wonder why people struggle to build and maintain healthy relationships.

Beyond all that, though, my biggest disappointment with this book was its ham-fisted handling of its themes of ageism, homophobia, politics, and duty. The ageism is particularly bad, since it's baked into Nash and Jed's characters- their ages are a core element of what makes this story stand out, after all, and there's a natural contrast between Botoxed, waxed playboy Nash and rugged greasemonkey Jed that could have occasioned an organic exploration of the youth-obsessed side of the gay community. Instead, both Nash and Jed get over any insecurity about their ages as long as the other one thinks and expresses that they're hot, and the author takes a few breaks in Nash's narration to reminisce idly about what it was like to be a sugar daddy and how weird it feels to not be waxing his junk anymore, and how sad it is that the gay community is so obsessed with trying to hold back the onset of aging. It just feels unearned and cheap, preachy even, and very "tell, don't show". The same goes for Nash's issues with school politics (which never get resolved, by the way- 80,000 words and we can't tie up that loose end), Jed's issues with boundaries (yes, Jed, you are allowed to tell your daughter you're not running a daycare. No, I don't know why it took you a whole book to get there.) and especially the rampant homophobia that rears up in the last chapters of the book. Honestly, I almost expected the homophobes to start sprouting devil horns, they were so cartoonishly bigoted.

I wish I could say that this was a good book, but it's not. It's technically competent and it ticks all the boxes on the romance novel checklist, and it does have a unique set of protagonists, but there are major issues and it overstays its welcome by several hours. It's not bad enough for me to rate it any lower than three stars, but I can't recommend it either.

I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just ok for me. It didn’t have too much of a plot other than these two guys getting together. They’re both in their 50s and one is gay but the other is bi and divorced from a woman. He’s never been with a man before but he’s hot to trot for his daughter’s boss.

The story alternates between their points of view, but to be honest their voices were almost exactly the same, so I often found myself trying to remember who was narrating.

It was a sweet story, but without much heft to it.

[Donna]

Dnf

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Perfectly fine romance between two men in their 50s. There are, however, some pretty significant issues.

1. One of the biggest plot points (what happens with a bully situation at Nash's school) is left unresolved - but is available to read as a so-called "second epilogue" upon signing up for the author's newsletter. Like, excuse me? If you can't be bothered to complete the plot within the bounds of the novel format, then you don't deserve a high rating. Shameful behavior, frankly.

2. The plot hinges on an openly gay man chasing after a closeted and entirely unexperienced bisexual man. I... find that somewhat concerning/distressing. Above a certain age, most queer folx realize that there is no point in chasing after people like this. And having it lead to a happy ending in this book concerns me. I've known many people in similar situations get their hearts broken - the LAST thing they'd need is a story giving them hope that it might work out. Good grief. (Am I cynical? Yes. Am I realistic? Also yes. Soz babes, I know it's fiction, but I like my romances realistic and not potentially damaging.)

3. The 80% misunderstanding takes place exactly as I predicted and is resolved WAY too easily. Moreover, one character takes on far more of the burden of blame than the other one - which I find very confusing. Just a bizarre writing choice that could have been excised, making the novel better in the end.

I dunno, I'm glad that this book exists if only for the representation of older queer men, but I think it is fundamentally flawed. Read if you're interested in coming-out stories; meddling families (including ex-wives and children); a plot point that is never resolved; a lot of talk about being old and moldy and constantly achy blah blah blah actually, do people in their 50s really want to read this?? Like, I'd like more romances with slightly chubby types like me but I wouldn't want every other page to dwell on how soft and mushy their bellies are, you know? I feel like representation can be done with the occasional reference to appearance or feelings without letting it take over the entire story. But who knows, maybe I'm an outlier here. Whatever. Read if you want I guess.

[Love Is All Around · Rating 5 out of 5]

Voto: 4.5
RECENSIONE A CURA DI ELYXYZ
Cosa c’è di meglio che cominciare l’anno nuovo leggendo un ottimo libro? Beh, “Foxed” mi ha permesso di farlo.
Questa storia autoconclusiva è speciale, perché ha unito il talento di questa autrice al fatto che in Italia sono rarissime le storie m/m che trattano di uomini maturi che si innamorano di altri uomini maturi e lei ce ne ha donata una bellissima.
Ho trovato intrigante esplorare dinamiche diverse dal solito, problemi e comportamenti che negli amori giovanili non si incontrano mai.
Continua sul nostro blog!

[Janet Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Foxed was simply put fantastic!! Finding love in your 50’s is something that we don’t get to read very much as readers and the author knocked it out of the ballpark! I was riveted as soon as I picked up the story and couldn’t put it down. Nash and Jed were realistic and believable as a couple. They were charming and refreshingly honest and just plain sweet and romantic. Overall, a phenomenal read! Well written with addicting pacing that engaged me and didn’t let go until the last page was flipped.

[Peppa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly I don’t know? First I was exited about it and I actually liked how things went on but with time I just started to get kinda annoyed? Like idk 55 is not that old! And they constantly complain about the age, it just wasn’t it…also I can’t understand how Nash could stick sound when Jed constantly treat him like a hush-hush thing?
I really expected more from this book because it had potential…

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars rounded up or weak 3⭐️

Not my favorite Hogan. The drama was predictable. The crush/infatuation felt rather juvenile. Bummer since I always welcome characters over 50.

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

4.5 stars

This was the first book I read in 2023 and it was a nice way to start the year of reading. The way the word “Foxed” is used here is not common to U.S. terminology, so at first the title and the play on words didn’t connect for me. The book is set in New Zealand and, again, Hogan sets a great sense of place to the area where the men live.

The book is told in alternating points of view and we get a great sense of where both men came from and then how everything starts to change as they spend more time together. It’s less common to find two leads over 50 and their age was handled well and made for great depth to their characters. There are complications as Jed needs to come out to his family and embrace being in a relationship with a man for the first time, but there was something lovely about watching Jed and Nash fall for each other. Choosing Foxed as your next book is a great way to start off your year of reading.

Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.