Next Season

The Elmwood Stories, Book 2

By: Lane Hayes

Narrated by: Nick J. Russo

The injured hockey player and the grumpy chef…

Riley

My time playing pro hockey will be up soon. I can feel it. And I’ve heard the rumors: he’s too old, he’s had too many injuries, he’s lost his edge. I don’t want to admit it, but they could be right. Next season might be my last.

Or this season. Because of course, this is when the universe decides I need another concussion. It’s a doozy too—the kind that’s going to keep me off skates for a while.

Which is how I end up in a small New England town in the middle of nowhere Vermont, eating every meal at a diner where a grumpy chef from Quebec makes haute cuisine…and burgers. Jean-Claude is funny and charming and—

Okay, I have a crush on a gay man.

This is a new one.

Jean-Claude

Confused straight men are entertaining. But Riley is…fascinating, sexy, and curiously vulnerable. His injury has rocked his confidence a bit, so perhaps he’s in need of a friend. Any friend. Even moi.

I’m an unlikely choice, but maybe he just likes my tuna salad.

No…I think it’s me.

And though I’m happy to help him explore his bisexual curious side, I have career concerns of my own. See, the things I love most about Elmwood seem shaky and uncertain, but not Riley. He’s solid and genuine. Suddenly, this temporary secret liaison feels more real than anything in my life.

I need more than this season. I want it all. With Riley.

Next Season is an MM bisexual-awakening romance featuring a grumpy chef, an injured hockey player, and a big HEA in a small town where anything can happen.

©2023 Lane Hayes (P)2023 Lane Hayes

Story with heart and heat

First, Lane Hayes is such a great author. Second, Nick J. Russo is a master narrator. Third, this series is wonderful.

Next Season follows another hockey player, Riley. He suffers a serious concussion on the ice and is out of the game until he is cleared. He decides to convalesce in Elmwood.

JC is the Chef at the Diner. When Riley comes in for a burger JC goes to his table to talk to him. Although they have met before, this starts a new relationship for them. Riley discovers he is bisexual and they explore some fun times.

As Riley recovers, their relationship evolves and Riley has to decide how his future will look.

I appreciate this story and author for not rushing it. They don’t push through from hello to penetrative s 3 x. And, the ending does feel like she just wanted to be done.

Fantastic

I absolutely adored book one of this series, so when I say that book two is “fantastic,” that statement is high praise indeed. Riley and JC are amazingly real characters and the development of their relationship is both believable and electric. Like, supercharged, set-off-the-smoke-alarm electric! Another great job by Lane crafting a sweet, funny, smexy, and heartfelt romance. Props to Nick J Russo for doing a very passable québécois accent and for, as always, being an effortlessly engaging narrator.

Truely, Madly and Deeply loved this one

Thank you Nick J. Russo for bringing the very French Canadian - and hunkey chef - Jean Claude to life. I also adored Riley...this book is one of the best examples of a marriage parfait between the romance and the 🌶 😘...thank you Lane Hayes! Although grumpy, JC had me laughing right along with Riley...lol. Another good thing is that hockey is a feature not a focus. This was my 2nd book by this author - the first was book 1 in Elmwood series "You, Again". I liked that one so much I had to get "Next Season". Book 2 is my favorite thus far! I hope to hear more books by this author and in this series...please keep Nick J. Russo!

5 stars - impossible not to have a repeat listen

So many feels - I loved it!

I loved this book when I read it with my eyes and I loved it even more when I listened to Nick J. Russo’s performance of the story. There’s a reason he is on my list of favorite audiobook performers and audiobooks like this one are why. His voice is always pleasant to listen to and he does distinctive voices for each character. I really can’t say anything else to add to my original review from when I read it so it follows below here.

After reading book one in this series, You, Again, I couldn’t wait to read this book especially because I knew it would feature grumpy chef, JC, who was a secondary character in You, Again.

When Riley suffers a serious concussion during a game he heads to Elmwood where his friend has offered him a quiet place to stay while he recovers. He frequents the diner owned by his friend’s husband and he is drawn to JC, the diner’s chef. He really doesn’t understand why he finds JC so attractive because JC is gay and Riley is definitely not. Well, he soon learns that he isn’t so straight after all.

Parts of this story just about broke my heart because Riley really is seriously injured and his recovery from the nasty concussion isn’t swift. He suffers migraine-like headaches, can’t tolerate bright light and isn’t allow to do any kind of strenuous exercise; he’s not even allowed to skate at first.

When Riley becomes convinced that JC’s tuna salad sandwiches have healing properties and reduce the severity of his headaches, JC offers to teach him how to make the tuna salad for himself. Things progress slowly from there after Riley surprises both of them by kissing JC.

I loved the chemistry between these two. Not just the sexual chemistry – although that is really hot – it’s the friendship that develops between them that I found compelling. When it looks like they will be forced to put their relationship aside, I wanted to scream Noooo!!

I loved how Lane Hayes resolved the problem and the epilogue set several months down the road was perfect. I was also very happy to learn that another Elmwood story, a holiday novella, is coming soon.

A copy of this book was provided to me at my request and my review was voluntary and not influenced by the author.

***Reviewed for Xtreme-Delusions dot com***

low angst love story

The recovering hockey player and the sexy chef fumble their way into a relationship. They might seem like real opposites but they have much more in common that what first meets the eye. The chemistry between them was sizzling and I enjoyed every minute of it. The development of their relationship seemed to be natural and easy, unlike some stories where things feel forced to fit.
Riley and Jean Claude were a delight to read and I enjoyed the narration. I enjoyed it more than book 1 and am looking forward to reading book 3 set during the holidays. This can be enjoyed as a standalone.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this audiobook.

Horrible French accent

I couldn’t finish the book. The accent was so awful it made my head hurt,