Ollie & Bash

On Cravenwood Block, Book 2

By: A.D. Ellis

Narrated by: Oliver Young-Apstein

Ollie isn’t one to hold back, so when he sees a sexy older man in the Cravenwood diner, he goes right ahead and opens his mouth. Getting shot down doesn’t deter him, but maybe he should focus more on the new boss he’s getting at work before he continues trying to hook up with the stranger.

Sebastian is one bad situation from considering himself washed-up. He took the job on Cravenwood Block as a stepping stone up and out of the hole he’s found himself in, but he has no plans to stick around. If he could just find a place to live and get started on working through this temporary obstacle, he’d be feeling a bit more confident.

Ollie and Sebastian don’t have any business getting involved, but fate seems to have different plans. Too many things keep bringing them together—forcing both men to see maybe there’s more between them than their messed-up pasts.

*Ollie & Bash: On Cravenwood Block is a steamy, opposites-attract, roommates-to-lovers, boss/employee, age-gap M/M romance featuring a man not looking for love and a younger music director with no filter.*

©2022 A.D. Ellis (P)2024 A.D. Ellis

I loved it

I loved it!! Oliver the narrator = 🔥🔥🔥 I can’t wait for the next book to come out!!

Cute and fun read

This is the second book of the series, but it can be read on its own - which is a very good thing, but since I've read it directly after the first, there was quite a lot of repetition regarding the housing situation. (This is not a bad thing, just a note.)
I was glad that Bash didn't turn out to be as unapproachable and grumpy as I assumed based on the previous book, and he quickly loosened up around the others. His relationship with Ollie, who is almost as direct as Leighton and says everything without thinking, especially when he is embarrassed, works very well. :D
The age difference is really quite significant, but all those who are important to them acknowledged it with a shrug, and they just encouraged them. Well, Ollie didn't seem to mind the age-gap, but it took Bash a relatively long time to get over it.
I liked that the two protagonists got a nice little package of trauma and pain, and I can see that the trend will continue - I'm preparing in advance for Shaw's story, I guess it will be the most emotional one in the series.
I can't say anything bad, I had a lot of fun reading it.

The best part is that this time I have no particular reason to complain about the narrator. Okay, he still didn't change his voice when voicing a female character, and I've been missing a little more 'soul' in some places, but overall I liked his work better than in the first book. Maybe it's just that his voice is most suitable with more serious characters/situations. (And the weird "microphone-pushing" sound in the background is gone!)

Beyond Cravenwood door #2

Ollie & Bash

The Cravenwood Block crew are so much fun to read/listen to! Ollie & Bash's story is so sweet overall, and their connection and relationship soars over the age gap that Bash seems to think should matter. The guys discover they both had rough childhoods in one way or another. And come to discover a fascinating fate-like coincidence between their remaining families. This story just kept giving more and more reasons to love these two! There were some tense moments that encourages the guys to confess their feelings--to themselves, and one another, but very low on the angst overall.

The added side characters for each of our MCs were wonderful additions to the crew in this story as well. They all add a small element of humor and meld in well with all the love shared between the guys.

I received an authorized copy of this story/audiobook and am volunteering my honest review.

Great Gay Series Book 2 in the On Cravenwood Block

Cravenwood Block, named after the developer Robert Cravenwood, was established twenty five years prior within a city when the proposed plans were to demolish the buildings for a parking lot. Cravenwood saw the potential in renovation and revitalization of the area creating a community with a community near midtown.

Cravenwood Apartments Towers, better known as CAT A & B, have unique upper floor housing arrangements similar to dorm suites complete with 8 bedrooms. Tower A's Cravenwood employee residents are the focus of this series. Well developed relatable characters, Ollie and Bash are the second two of the eight roommates, featured in this book. The rest of the roommates were introduced in first book will be elaborated in their respective books. With this information reiterated in each book, you do not have to follow the series in order. The books overlap timewise.

Ollie & Bash features a meet cute, soon to be co-workers, age gap, roommate to lovers with a bit of suspense troupes.

Oliver aka Ollie Meyer is another secure in his skin as twenty four year old a gay man, director of music at the Education Center. In the prime of his life, he has no qualms of pursuing what and whom he wants. Bash, a significantly older man with a wise old owl persona, is firmly in his crosshairs not once, but twice before they meet as new co-workers.

Leighton, from the previous book, and Ollie are best friends with much the same personalities. Their energy and mischievousness feed off one another.

Sebastian aka Bash Evans finds himself unwillingly is starting over at forty two years old as the director of the Cravenwood Education Center, a position he was overqualified for. Middle aged with a bitter taste from his previous University job from across town, he is only looking for a brief stepping stone till he can get his life back on track. An unfounded scandal lead him to resign making the need to distance himself from the immediate past. Not looking to make deep connections, he tries to ward off Ollie's Labrador Retriever, "let's be friends" advances. LuLu, the aunt who raised him was the only reason he stuck around, that is until now.

Ollie and Bash are about to find out that even though age may separate them, shared similar life experiences are about to unite them. Overcoming obstacles from both their individual pasts and their shared current circumstances aren't the only things they have in common.

Parallels with Jett & Leighton, while present, doesn't make this a cookie cutter one mold fits all series. There are plenty of new ideas and storyline varieties that makes this book a stand alone read.

Oliver Young-Apstein again gives a pleasant performance that could be improved by better distinguishing the multiple male characters. Definitely better than virtual voice narrated, but not as great as other narrated books by voice actors.

My second criticism is for whatever reason, the menu/chapter function was not present on this book. This is the first book I've encountered this issue. There was no ability to go forward or backward through the chapters other than in the thirty second intervals. I had to listen to it completely on one device, otherwise it was starting over from the beginning.