Like I Wanted

Heather Bay, Book 5

By: Charlie Novak

Narrated by: Dan Calley

Roommates. Best friends. Boyfriends?

Theo and Laurie have been best friends for six years, but despite doing everything together, they’ve never been anything more than best friends and roommates.

Then someone calls them boyfriends and upends their neat little world.

As the pair struggle to put a lid on their feelings, a random email from Theo’s brother throws him even further off balance, and all Laurie can do is offer a niche form of stress relief. But Laurie’s support doesn’t stop at rope garters. Once the two of them fall into bed, it’s clear things will never be the same between them.

Now, Theo and Laurie must finally address the feelings they’ve tried to hide from and figure out if they really are just friends, or if there’s always been something more between them. Can they give each other everything they ever wanted?

Like I Wanted is a steamy best friends to lovers contemporary MM romance, featuring a femme boy who loves zombie horror and weird taxidermy, a goth with a secret love of shibari, interfering adult entertainers, a vicar who takes no s--t, and a quest for guinea pigs.

It is the fifth and final novel in the Heather Bay series, and is best enjoyed as part of the series.

Please note that one of the MCs is involved in adult entertainment and chooses to remain working in the industry, with the full consent of his partner, once they’re in a relationship. For more information, please see the internal Author’s Note.

©2023 Charlie Novak (P)2023 Charlie Novak

love it

I have read this book and wanted to listen to it as well. I feel the voice over was well done and easy listening. I'm not normally a listener so this was different for me but still enjoyable. Theo and Laurie are such an interesting couple and their story gives you a wonderful glimpse into the family of Heather Bay. if you haven't read any of them then they are a true treat of MM love.

Laurie and Theo

Theo and Laurie have been co-workers, roommates and best friends for 6 years. Even though all their friends think of them as a couple, neither of them have said anything until someone calls them boyfriends.
Then they have to decide if they want to have a real relationship. As they are working thru all of this, Theo's brother contacts him after years of silence, throwing Theo into a tailspin. Laurie helps Theo with his stress and focus in the use of ropes, Shibari.
I've loved this whole series, but this final book is my favorite.
Great audiobook, sometimes it was hard to understand the narrator

Such a cute finale...

I loved this whole series. It's like this beautiful town in this beautiful world where people have great friends and everyone communicates effectively and supports each other and I just love it. If you've read the rest of the series (and you should) we knew Theo & Laurie would be so sweet and it absolutely was. I appreciate the consensual nonmogomy aspect and how they navigated that. I'm not super into kink or power dynamics but this wasn't over the top and it was pretty well done! It's in there and it's steamy and hot but doesn't hit you over the head with it. Overall this book was great and this series was great. Can't wait for West's book and that new series!!!

Great series end!! 😍

A great end to the series! I am so happy that Theo and Laurie figured out their feeling for each other! They are perfect together! I love how they balance each other!

Dan brought the characters to life like he always does!

Friends to lovers you must read…

I love friends to lovers that it’s so obvious they should be together and add on friends actually being surprised when they say they are not together…

I was literally melting while reading all the attentive things he was doing for him. lol

The way Laurie treated and took care of Theo made me swoon so many times…

This one was the fastest I ever read when it said Epilogue I was like what already? no… this is how I know a book was good when I can't even compute that it was over so fast I check the times this and how unbalanced by it I was… I love it so much…

I highly recommend it if you love oblivious, swoony, cute, friends to lovers ever.

Dam Charlie Novak does Friends To Lovers justice. It's my favourite trope and I eat it up.

The narrator was so good it was my first by him and will definitely go for seconds.

Fantastic story and narration

Another fantastic story by Charlie Novak, Dan adds so much to the story with his narration. His tone and inflection and voicing for the characters is perfect.

wow just wow

What's not to love about a romantic goth and bratty femme boy mixed in with shibari! These two have that amazing friendship that we all dream of that leads to so much more when they're able to get past the feats and be real. Mix in a beautiful group of found family that will do anything and everything to support one another, and you have a beautiful low angst weekend binge read.
What makes Laurie & Theo so great is they have multiple discussions of what the other is comfortable with when it comes to their sex lives, including but not limited to Theo OnlyFans page. As Laurie so beautifully puts it what makes him happy for work doesn't take away from the love we share in and out of the bedroom. What a beautiful take on the adult entertainment industry. I wish others could see it this way and not use it against these people, their body their choice, and if their partner is open and safe about everything and both parties are good with, does it really matter what they do in the end? Loved every minute of this beautiful story and can't wait to see West story and how he handles being and out rugby player.

Now on to the audio review!
Dan Calley made an already amazing book spectacular! He proves yet again why he is the best British narrarator you understand what he's saying even when not used to British accents. He brings all the beauty of Theo and Laurie to life on a whole new level. This is why I will always stand by human narrarators they bring life to these books! Well done Dan cannot wait to see what you do next! And again thank you Charlie for writing this beautiful story to our lives!