Sleigh Bells and Second Chances

Love in Mission City, Book 3

By: Gabbi Grey

Narrated by: Michael Dean

Ryan

The moment I landed in that war zone, I knew I'd made a big mistake. I wasn't a soldier, and my good intentions almost got me killed. Being wounded and shipped back home to Canada was both a blessing and a curse. I’m safe now, but I can’t stop thinking of the men I left behind. My therapist claims Healing Horses Ranch will help heal my wounds—physical and mental—but I'm not sure how much tranquility and wholesome fresh air I can take. Until I meet a beautiful, shy man who makes moving forward seem almost possible. Can I let go of the past and reach for a future with Simeon?

Simeon

I've made peace with being different from the folks around me. I love my home in Mission City, and if anyone needs something fixed, I’m the guy they call. When the owner of the therapy ranch hires me for a big project, I’m excited to get started. I always work alone, but one of the patients keeps hanging around, and I can't bear to send him on his way. I can see how much he's hurting. If helping me helps him, that's a win for us both. As we share the work, something about that wounded man draws me deeper and deeper in. I'm no therapist, and I have my own issues, so am I a fool to be thinking about a future with a guy who's likely to leave once he's healed?

Sleigh Bells and Second Chances is a slow-burn, age-gap, hurt/comfort, mid-angst, gay romance novel with a shy handyman, a reckless former gamer, a precocious borrowed kid, and a therapy dog named Tiffany.

©2024 Gabbi Grey (P)2024 Gabbi Grey

Such a Sweet Story

I really enjoyed this audiobook, and I loved the narrator! Simeon and Ryan were both so sweet. Ryan endured so much, and Simeon kept to himself so much due to his stutter. When Simeon walks in on Ryan experiencing a panic attack, he helps to calm him, and doesn’t judge. The two become fast friends, which builds into more over time. Ryan is still healing, and Simeon has never pursued anyone before. This is all new ground for both of them. Is Ryan ready? Is this the right time?

This was extremely slow burn, but I think it was the perfect pacing for these two. It was necessary for these two to build a friendship first. Ryan had been through extreme loss, coupled with trauma, and bodily injury. Over time he came out of his shell, and really opened up to Simeon. Simeon, for his part, wasn’t even looking for romance.

I loved these two together, as well as all of the side characters. While this was the third book in the series, it was the first I had listened to, but I didn’t feel like I was at a loss having not read or listened to the others. I do plan to go back and read those though, as the characters sounded interested and I want to know more!

sweet and fun

9

This is a Mission City Story but I think you could read on its own as each book is different couples just set in same town...though reading them in order you know the other characters better.

This is such a good story. Both men have physical challenges.
Justin is in Mission City going to a therapy ranch after being injured in war. He's from a wealthy family but his dad wasn't happy about him going to war. He was both physically hurt and has a bad case of PTSD.
He meets Simeon that has a stutter and social disorders too.
The romance is slow burn, sweet, and has lots of feels.
There are lots of other interesting characters ( most have had books and you will be wanting to read them!)
There are cute kids, cute animals and it's holiday!

The narration is very good. Some characters have different accents, you get the stutter and lots of emotions. It all comes through very well

Ryan and Simeon

This is a perfect book to get you in the holiday spirit. Ryan and Simeon both struggle with some big issues. I loved that Ryan never seems to notice Simeon's stutter; it's just part of who he is. Simeon is a quiet presence and rock for Ryan, giving him someone to help ground him. Simeon's grandparents were a wonderful influence on both men. I was delighted to see so many heroes from previous stories make an appearance.
Highly recommended author and series

Audiobook: Excellent narrator

All the Slow Sweet Feels!

I adored sweet Simeon. He had a bit of stutter and tries to please everyone and loves to physically fix things. . Thus, how he ends up helping out at the ranch where Ryan comes to adjust to his physical and emotional injuries from war. Ryan was pretty rough in the beginning, so I enjoyed watching him warm up to not only his romance with Simeon but also with the best kind of side characters: a dog and fun kid! This was a very heartwarming and pleasant listen. Michael Dean did a wonderful job in his narration for Simeon and his stutter.

I Enjoyed It

I really enjoyed this book and became completely emotionally invested in the characters. I loved both Simeon and Ryan. Both had their demons and pain to face. Simeon was kind but kept his distance from people due to a very strong stutter that bothers him more than [he thinks it] bothers the people around him. Ryan is suffering from PTSD, survivor's guilt, and injuries from the war. H has a strong phobia of technology that restricts some of the help he could get. His therapist sent him to a Healing Horses Ranch for both his mental and physical health.

Simeon was doing some work with a nail gun, but it set off Ryan's PTSD. I liked how compassionate and understanding he was in trying to comfort Ryan when he really needed it and talking with him to calm him down. Simeon's parents died in a freak train accident, so he lives with his elderly grandparents to help care for them and also not be lonely. Ryan's mom left when his parents divorced, so he only has his dad.

I liked how the Ryan and Simeon connected, and though Simeon always works alone, he asked Ryan if he'd like to help. I liked the way their relationship developed. I also liked the supporting characters. A beautiful story of healing and support.

I also listened to this narrated by Michael Dean who did a great job bringing these characters to life.

Overall: 4 stars
Performance: 4 stars
Story: 4 stars

Beautiful story

what a beautiful story of healing and finding love. outstanding group of couples that are more like family. Ryan and Simeon, one healing from war and one healing from verbal abuse. They find comfort, strength and love with eachother. Beautifully written super slow burn romance. Narration is absolutely perfect. You can always count on Michael Dean to bring the perfect personality to each character. He really brought this book to life. His voice draws you in and keeps you wanting to listen and hear more.

Stunning representation

i adored this book. The representation was excellent and the narration was perfect! I loved the guys but also the grandparents were just great.

Really sweet - by Shana W

3.5 stars. This is a very slow moving and slow burn romance. Simeon is the strong and silent type a lot of the time, due to his stutter but also his personality. He is kind and caring and a very loyal friend. Ryan is overcoming PTSD and greatly benefits from Simeon's friendship. Ryan grows as a character through the course of the book, becoming more likeable as he does. I like how the two men help each other overcome their pasts and they bring out the best in each other.  There are a lot of wonderful side characters, many of them from previous books.  I enjoyed the story and all of the characters, although I felt that it could have been a good deal shorter and still retained its charm.
The wonderful narration by Michael Dean made the story and characters come to life and made me more willing to listen until the end when parts of the story were slow.
I received an audiobook copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Finding comfort and solace

This was a nice addition to the Mission City collection. It was very much a slow burn romance between Ryan and Simeon, with a relatively low heat level. Both were dealing with a traumatic past and while “wounded”, found friendship and a source of solace with the other. There were plentiful cameos from familiar Mission City faces, plus the addition of Simeon’s wonderful grandparents to round out the side characters, not to mention the crew of canine companions. My main complaint with the story was a lack of communication between Ryan and Simeon but it was still an enjoyable listen. Michael Dean did a fantastic job narrating these characters.

Loved it!

Sleigh Bells and Second Chances is the third in Gabbi Grey’s Mission City series. Michael Dean does an amazing job of bringing this story to life.
Ryan had been through something traumatic and was trying to survive each day.
And Simeon had isolated himself in a way that nobody ever got to close to him.
These two start out as friends and it is wonderful watching their relationship evolve into something so special.
Characters from other Mission City books appear frequently, and are all a part of this growing found family who support each other.
It is a low angst tale of two men making discoveries about themselves and each other, finding that missing piece that completes their personal puzzle.
I'm looking forward to more in this series.