HJ Welch

After being so excited about Thin Ice, I have now started the Pine Cove series all over again.
Robin and his friend are looking for a new roommate. Their choice falls on Dair Epping, a former Marine who now fixes cars.
Then, when a reunion for his high school comes up, Robin is less than thrilled to run into his abusive ex. The easiest solution is to ask Dair to come along. It would be even better if Dair could pretend to be his boyfriend. He could protect Robin, and besides, Dair has no idea about Robin's secret crush on him.
But what if the protective instinct turns into something more?

I really enjoyed this audiobook. The two protagonists were likeable and you just have to like them. I couldn't always understand Robin's behavior, for example when he let his ex wrap him around his finger so easily.
Dair's behavior I could understand and sympathize with and it was foreseeable that it gets complicated when feelings come into play. You could feel Dair's budding feelings right away as you listened. The chemistry between Robin and Dair is great and it sizzles right away. Dair has a huge heart, but is that enough? And what if Robin's ex wants him back?

The story was entertaining and exciting, especially towards the end, the events have overturned. But not only the main protagonists convinced me, I also liked the secondary protagonists. Robin's family is just wonderful.
I was wonderfully entertained and could not put the audio book down.

This was due to the combination of HJ Welch and Nick J. Russo. Absolutely brilliant! Nick J. Russo reads just great, he knows how to captivate the listener. He has a great voice and knows how to use it skillfully and bring the emotions closer to the listener. Great job!
Highly recommend!

Thin Ice is my first book from the Pine Cove series, which can also be read as a standalone. In fact, it was my first book by author JH Welch, which I will keep in mind. I totally enjoyed her wonderful writing style. This is easy-going and you are quite quickly in the story.

Kamran hasn't really had it easy in his life, but things threaten to escalate when the FBI suddenly shows up in the form of Agent Lee Marshal. For this calls Kamran's criminal ex-boyfriend on the scene and when Kamran's apartment is vandalized, he gets scared. So where to go? Agent Lee is the best address. Too bad that he is about to go on vacation. So Lee passes Kamran off as his current boyfriend and takes him to visit his family.

I really liked the two very different characters. Kamran is very likable and I often felt for him. Lee is hot and has his heart in the right place. However, his family is not thrilled with his new boyfriend and some confrontations ensue.

I really enjoyed the development of the fake boyfriend relationship. The differences between the two couldn't be greater, as Lee comes from a rich background while Kamran has been struggling on his own for a long time. Kamran absolutely doesn't let it get him down, though. Witnessing the family dynamics of the Marshals was just delightful.

I absolutely loved Thin Ice. The story was entertaining, romantic and exciting. The protagonists are believable and I had to grin at so many points. The story captivated me from the beginning and Thin Ice will certainly not be my last book in this series.

Nick J. Russo did a fantastic job. The narrator reads the different protagonists with a clear and deep voice and you always know who is speaking. He was a pleasure to listen to and has a talent for expressing the emotions of the protagonists, bringing the story to life.
Absolutely recommended!