The Merger

The Brewer Family Series, Book 4

De: Adriana Locke

Narrado por: Angelina Rocca, Jack Calihan

Crushes are harmless—unless they involve your best friend’s grumpy, off-limits brother.

Gannon Brewer is the epitome of my type. He’s at least ten years older than me, emotionally unavailable, and highly disagreeable—a walking red flag in a tailored suit. But do I listen to that? No. In fact, when his office plants start dying, I convince myself that I can ignore the pheromones and save the philodendron.

Now I’m in his office every week, dodging sinful smirks and heated stares, reminding myself to reach for the watering can—not him. But one “ivy incident” changes everything. Suddenly, we’re sneaking around, indulging in a steamy, forbidden fling that’s supposed to be nothing more than (a lot of) fun.

After all, he swears he’ll never fall in love. I assure him that I only want one thing, and it’s not his heart. But the closer we get, the more lines we blur, and the harder it becomes to keep our promises …

Especially when the secret I’m keeping threatens to shatter everything.

©2025 Jack Calihan (P)2025 Adriana Locke

Slow Burn, Brother's BFF Grumpy/Sunshine

Great standalone ability within the series and larger Adriana world (it's allll connected!!!). I never felt overwhelmed or like I was missing anything because of which books I have or haven't read.

I had so much fun listening to this one. I'm a sucker for sibling's best friend and in this case Carys is Gannon's brother's BFF. For as long as grumpy Gannon resisted his attraction, the tension was incredible. And then, we get moments when she texts the wrong brother, and she's got BFF on one side and grumpy protector on the other, it just made me so freaking happy when they broke and got together (even if they were still keeping it a secret from extra needy Tate).

I will say, the burn on this one is on the slower side, the reveals on some of the tropes is later than I would have thought, but at the same time the payoff when we got there was organic, well timed and very rewarding.

The audio was performed by Angelina Rocca and Jack Calihan. Angelina was so moving as Carys, there was so much range to play with and I giggled at times with how much fun I think she must have been having with these characters. Jack was great at Gannon, I really enjoyed the grumpy resistance he brought to the character, the inner debate and turmoil as he tried really hard not to give in to his long fought desire for his younger brother's best friend. When he broke and gave in, it was so very enjoyable to hear.

I requested and was provided with an advanced copy of the audiobook. These are my honest opinions.

Loved This Book

Adriana Locke's "The Merger," the fourth installment in the Brewer Family series, makes for a delightful and steamy listen in its audiobook format. Narrated by Jack Calihan and Angelina Rocca, the story of the grumpy-sunshine, best friend's brother trope comes vibrantly to life. Calihan perfectly captures Gannon's broody demeanor, while Rocca embodies Carys's witty and determined spirit, making their contrasting personalities shine.

The premise is classic romance fare: Carys needs a business deal with Gannon's company to save her fledgling plant shop, and despite their initial clashes and the obvious attraction, they agree on a no-strings-attached affair. Of course, as the story unfolds, those "no strings" inevitably tangle. Locke delivers the expected humor and sizzling chemistry, and the narrators amplify the flirty banter and tender moments with engaging performances.

While the plot itself doesn't break new ground, Locke's strength lies in her character development and the genuine connection she crafts between Gannon and Carys. The audiobook format allows the listener to fully appreciate the nuances in their interactions, from the subtle shifts in tone to the heartfelt vulnerability in their inner thoughts. The supporting characters, particularly Tate, provide welcome comedic relief and further enrich the Brewer family dynamic.

Overall, the audiobook of "The Merger" is a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Calihan and Rocca's narration elevates Locke's charming story, making it a perfect choice for listeners seeking a lighthearted yet steamy contemporary romance with well-developed characters and a satisfying happily-ever-after. If you're a fan of the Brewer family or enjoy the grumpy-sunshine trope, this audiobook is a worthwhile addition to your listening queue.

Keeps you entertained

I love the whole vibe of this family. The brake down to each story and then bring back the whole family. Love how she bring everyone every time

A great listen

This is Gannon Brewer and Carys Johnson’s story and what a fantastic listen this was.

The narration by Jack Callahan and Angelina Rocha brought the characters to life for me. Their voices were easy to listen too and they brought all the passion, drama, romance and humour to their performances.

I loved how Carys brought light into Gannon’s life. From the first paragraph Ms. Locke wove a story that I couldn’t put down. The heat between them was intense, their banter witty.

Fun, witty and entertaining

The Merger is Gannon Brewer and Carys romance and it’s book 4 in the Brewer Family Series. It’s a grumpy/sunshine off limits romance that i absolutely adored.
Angelina Rocca and Jack Calihan did a great job bringing the characters and their story to life. They were easy to listen to and spot on with the witty banter and the passion.
Gannon is a workaholic not looking to settle down, he is grumpy and set in his ways until Carys starts watering the plants at his office…..
Carys is the best friend of one of his brothers and she has just started her own business Plantcy, where she takes care of people’s plants for them. To get her business started she needs more clients and the first person she asks is her best friend who puts her on to his brother.
One late night in the office she finds herself alone with the man she has crushed on for years and that’s when things get real interesting.
The chemistry is sizzling, the attraction is obvious but will she ever be anything apart from a hot secret…….
I fell hard and fast for grumpy Gannon but fun Gannon was even easier to love and it was the adorable Cary’s that turned him into an easy going fun guy. This is a well written story with wonderful characters, it’s full of passion,witty banter, family camaraderie and I loved everything about it.

All the banter, flirting, and innuendos!

Story Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (0-5)
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧 (0-5)
Overall: 4/5
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥 (0-5) I bump up for public-ish places/outdoor spaces and spank*ng.

What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 Dual narration—Angelina Rocca and Jack Calihan are well cast for these sexy and intense but super fun characters.
🤩 Best friend’s older brother and all the secret pining, both ways.
🤩 All the banter, flirting, and innuendos! LOL hilarious!
🤩 Plantcy—I love Carys’ plant business and all her plant chatter and thoughts. “Ignore the pheromones and save the philodendron.”
🤩 The first kiss and smile!
🤩 I love when Carys wants to take care of Gannon’s anxiety. And then we get some back of the car/limo action.
🤩 Oh, my, goodness! I hate Carys’ dad, but I’m supposed to, so yay.
🤩 When Gannon shows up to care for Carys—total book boyfriend material, even though he doesn’t think he has it in him.

What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 I was a little disappointed when we didn’t get the office steam, but Carys makes up for it in the home office.
💫 I really wanted some pregnancy steam/intimacy, maybe even some post baby steam. The last bit of the book could have used some spicing up for me.
💫 The audio is a tiny bit weird in places where it sounds like Cary’s instead of Carys. I totally get why it would be a hard name to narrate.

💫 So far, I’ve only read books 1 and 4 in the Brewer Family series, but I’m really curious about Tate’s story, coming in The Situation.

I LOVED Carys & Gannon!!😘

I love Adriana Locke and she nailed this book! I was hooked from the beginning until the end. I listened to the audiobook and loved everything about it. The narrators Angelina Rocca and Jack Calihan did an amazing job telling this story. They held my attention and kept me entertained throughout the entire book.

The story and characters were well written. I felt connected to these characters and thought they were relatable.

Carys is trying to make her plant business a success and wants to get more business. Her best friend Tate is one of the owners of the Brewer Group so she sets up a meeting with Gannon to see if she could get their business. Once they have their morning meeting things take a fun and interesting turn.

Gannon is a broody man and when his brothers best friend shows up he can't say no to her. He's had a thing for her for years but stayed away. But will this grumpy man be able to resist this sunshine of a woman?

This is the perfect grumpy/sunshine story. I had such a great time listening to this story. I laughed, swooned, smiled so much throughout the book, moments I was blushing and I was left with a beautiful ending! I never want these books to end. You will fall in love with Carys and Gannon. I highly recommend this book and this series!

So good!!

Story - ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Spice - 🌶🌶
Narration - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Merger is book #4 in the Brewer Family series. This story has so many great things - age-gap, grumpy/sunshine, enemies-to-lovers, brother's best friend, secret affair...so good. Gannon and Carys are complete opposites, but have had secret crushes on each other for years. Some innocent flirting turns into uncontrollable passion. Love the banter between the Brewer siblings and the group chat texts. Another great installment for this fantastic series!

The duet narration was fantastic! Jack Calihan (fav) and Angelina Rocca (fav) really delivered on their performance. Perfect picks for perfect voicings. 5/5 stars!!

Wonderful narration pairing

--“This woman owns me, and I don’t think she realizes it.”

I didn’t realize I needed a serious shot of Gannon until I started this book. He’s been a mystery throughout the first 3 and I just couldn’t get a handle on the enigma that he was. But man, oh man was I hear for his unveiling. He certainly met his match in sassy Carys. With verbal taunts, a quick wit, and over the top flirting she throws Gannon off in all the best ways. But is she hiding something? She’s got a confidence in her sexuality but you know it’s hiding some deep fears. Gannon’s doing his best steering clear of her but when “only sex” is on the table now he’s trying not to fall harder than a ton of bricks.

Carys works her magic gradually peeling away the layer of Gannon’s shell. Her caring for him is a beautiful thing to experience and as we dig deeper on what made Gannon so closed off.

--“Oh my God, His smile. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen on him. There’s no tightness, no mischief-no cocky remark on the tip of his tongue. He’s truly smiling at me for the first time, and it leaves me breathless as our kiss.”

I fell so hard for both Carys and Gannon. Two people bound and determined to keep their hearts in tact yet as they fell it was their openness I loved and how Locke wrote that intricate weaving. She knocks it out of the park in that magical way she writes with emotional complexity and steamy yearning. It’s filled with some of my all-time favorite tropes: age-gap, grumpy/sunshine, found-family, workplace, best friends older brother and a loved-starved male lead. This series about the Brewers may be one of my top favorite series I’ve read.

--“She falls into my arms, and I capture her mouth with mine. Instead of being fueled by lust, our kisses are fueled by something else. Something greater. A different four-letter word that we’re both afraid to say.”

Angelina Rocca narrates Carys’ role and really enjoyed her lightheartedness that was perfect for portraying free-spirited Carys. I think she really nails Tate in this book and she does such a good male voice putting a perfect snarky spin on his voice. Gannon is voiced by Jack Callihan and, oh my, he is soooo spot on for that role. He ideally depicts that “I’m bewildered by her, can’t think straight and hate losing control “ vibe. Gannon is so messed up in the head for her and Callihan conveys that to perfection

It metaphorically sings!

I adored this book when I read the ebook version, and I loved it even more as an audiobook. It was narrated by Angelina Rocca and Jack Calihan, who did amazing work "inhabiting" main characters Carys and Gannon. It was such fun to watch Gannon and Carys (such great names!) battle their attraction to each other and their personal internal antagonism to falling for anyone. It certainly wasn't an easy road, and Ms. Locke's writing brings the reader up close and personal to all the events and the feelings in a way that makes the story "sing" for me. At the risk of overusing the metaphor, experiencing this developing relationship in the audiobook version was like listening to the whole opera! Actually hearing the two of them delivering their innuendo-laden dialogue was so much fun! And their eventual spicy moments were perfect for the story - not a gratuitous moment to be found. I am definitely looking forward to future installments in this series.
I was given an eARC and an ALC of this novel and happily volunteered to write a review.