This collection includes Clare London’s second two charming London-based novellas of the With A Kick series – Pluck and Play, and Double Scoop.WITH A KICK: A new and enticing ice cream franchise, with a unique blend of full flavour, mischief and romance. Patrick and Lee are struggling to make a success of their alcoholic ice cream shop in the centre of tourist London. At the same time, their … their business partnership may take a turn towards the personal – if either of them can find the time and nerve to go for it! Meanwhile, they cater to the wild and wonderful range of customers in the area, many of whom have their own romantic agenda. Will ice cream be the final ingredient they’re all looking for?
Each story is a self-contained romance, but will follow the history of the shop throughout.
PLUCK AND PLAY: Curtis is a cheery young entrepreneur, secretly licking his wounds after being beaten up by his ex-lover. Handsome cowboy Riley is stranded in London without money. His consolation is his music, and his fascination is Curtis. Their music brings them together, Riley’s guitar and Curtis’ poetry. But when Curtis is threatened by his ex-lover, Riley intends to be the man to help.
DOUBLE SCOOP: A sudden disaster strikes the novelty ice cream shop, With A Kick, threatening the livelihood of its owner, Patrick, and also his assistant Lee. The last thing in the world Patrick wants is to hurt Lee, but deeply-held insecurities prevent him from confessing his love. And how long will Lee wait to make his own move? Hopefully the disaster brings a new opportunity for them to make a go of things.
Collection No. 1 has also been released, featuring Clare London’s first two novellas, A Twist and Two Balls and Slap and Tickle, and also the two bonus short stories Nice and Snow and Smack Happy. Both Collections will also be available in audio in 2018.
more
With A Kick Collection #2 is here and the audio book was great!! I’m going to suggest now that you one-click this one today.
Story: 4 stars
The stories aren’t long, but they pack a punch and are thoroughly entertaining with just enough comedy to break up the more serious moments. My only issue with the two main stories on this audiobook, there were a couple of times I thought they dragged and I wanted to slap the characters because they were acting like idiots…I’m speaking about Curtis and Patrick. I get some push and pull, but this was a bit much and it was a little annoying. That said, I still loved the stories and I highly recommend you read it today!
Narration: 4.5 stars
I love Joel Leslie and the way he can come up with a voice for each character, and he did it again with this book. You hear his voice as the characters and he is spot on. He helps to make the story and bring it to life and I could get lost listening to this story.
Overall: 4.5 stars
This book is a must read/must listen. It’s entertaining, full of lighthearted moments, and so much more. The characters are real and entertaining, and the narration on the audiobooks only enhances everything and brings it all to life. Overall 4.5 stars and I highly suggest you one click today!
Once again the writing of Clare London combines with the narration of Joel Leslie to make a super awesome experience. We’ve got two stories in this collection–”Pluck and Play” and “Double Scoop.”
In “Pluck and Play” delivery person Curtis is saved from a homophobic attack by cowboy/singer Riley. It’s an interesting meet cute since moments after Riley dispatches the attacker, he and Curtis fall into some delightful banter.
Once they meet, they continually run into each other. Riley occasionally performs on the sidewalk across the street from the With A Kick ice cream shop, which is where Curtis often makes deliveries and hangs out with his friends who run the shop.
The difficulty for Curtis and Riley–and I love how Clare handles this–is that they have to decide if the thing between them is just a one-off bit of fun or something more. Riley’s supposed to go back to the States eventually, plus he’s got issues going on with his family. Meanwhile, Curtis is hesitant to let anyone get close to him again after his last relationship was so disastrous. Clare does a wonderful job of finding the moments of tenderness for Curtis and Riley while also dealing with their troubles.
I think I’ve developed a thing recently for the bodyguard trope. Riley has a protector streak that I loved so so much. As soon as he finds out what Curtis’s ex is up to, he wants to put a stop to it. The same can be said to for Curtis because he wants to help Riley deal with his family. It’s so clear these two are meant to be together and once they figure how to get out of their own way–and take care of their pasts–to get their happily ever after to they are golden.
With “Double Scoop,” Clare has written my favorite of the “With A Kick” stories. This one centers on shop owners Patrick and Lee. As the story opens an explosion rocks the shop, injuring Lee and leaving Patrick in a fit of concern for his friend and their business.
These two have had an ongoing business and flirty relationship through the series and now they get their moment in the spotlight. Patrick, as the slightly older one, can’t imagine why the younger Lee would be interested in him. He doesn’t feel particularly accomplished, despite the business, or particularly attractive. Lee, however, knows exactly what he wants and keeps going for it even though Patrick doesn’t make easy for Lee to get and stay close.
Clare toys with them and the reader in the most delicious way–bringing them together and then causing a rift. It made for a fun yet tense read going back and forth. Luckily the amazing cast of characters that Claire has developed over the series come together to help get the shop reopen and bring the two men together. Their friends know what’s best for them even if they can’t figure out how to make it work.
Both “With A Kick” collections are great for sexy short romances that have the best happily ever afters. You can’t go wrong picking it up on audio either. Joel Leslie does a tremendous job with a large cast of characters, particularly in “Double Scoop” since almost everyone who’s appeared in the series shows up here. Joel deserves a special shout out for Riley, who is the only American accent and it’s a southern one too. I enjoyed listening to him go back and forth between Curtis’s British and Riley’s southern.
So if you’re looking for some fun reads, that will surely make you want some ice cream this summer, pickup “With A Kick Collection #2” by Clare London … and grab the first one too if you haven’t already.
Audiobook review:
Overall: 5
Performance: 5
Story: 5
Two great stories in one audiobook!
Pluck and Play:
I really liked this story. Riley comes to the aid of Curtis more than one time and the two strike up a friendship and then a relationship. I liked how protective Riley is of Curtis. It was good to hear from characters from other books in this series (don’t worry if you haven’t read them, you won’t be lost) and the way they came to Curtis’s aid was great. This is really a fun series!
Double Scoop:
Ah, now we get the romance of Patrick, the owner of With A Kick. This story literally starts off with a bang. It’s a great age gap story. This was a bit angsty, but not too much. I’d been waiting to read Patrick’s story and this one didn’t disappoint.
Lee works for Patrick and there’s a bit of an age difference. Neither one of them seems to be brave enough to let the other know how they feel. When something bad happens at the shop Patrick finally begins to see that he shouldn’t waste time worrying about small things like Lee being younger and working for him.
—-
Like With a Kick Collection No. 1, these stories are delightfully British and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to all of the different voices done by Joel Leslie; his “cowboy” voice made me smile. His audio book performances are among my favorites; he helped me learn to appreciate audiobooks after thinking I wouldn’t like them. His performance of these two stories is perfect.
A complimentary copy of this audiobook was provided to me but my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.
***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***