The Cuckoo's Call

By: Lily Morton

Narrated by: Joel Leslie

Can a summer romance last forever?

Wren Roberts thought he’d found his fairy tale when he met Mateo Rossi on holiday in Majorca. The wealthy and successful older man swept him off his feet, and before he knew it, he’d thrown caution to the wind and was living in Mateo’s waterside apartment in Venice. It’s a far cry from his harsh upbringing and crummy flat in London.

But as the summer turns to autumn, cracks begin to show. Mateo’s family aren’t welcoming, and there doesn’t seem to be a place for Wren in Mateo’s world. He could have coped with all of that, but Mateo himself seems like a different person away from the sunshine island.

Should Wren have been more cautious in riding off into the sunset when he wasn’t sure what lay over the horizon?

From best-selling author Lily Morton comes a romance about two men who find that sometimes happily ever after doesn’t end there.

©2021 Lily Morton (P)2022 Lily Morton

stellar story and performance

One of my favorite things about Lily Morton’s books is how she portrays real, mature people. Despite his age, Wren was wise and mature beyond his age. He had what most people would consider a rough upbringing. But he focused on joy and didn’t feel sorry for himself. Mateo was older but was so caught up in responsibilities that he ignored his personal life and dreams. He didn’t stand up for himself until Wren showed him how.

This is the 15th book that Joel Leslie has voiced for the author. It’s such a perfect match! His range and performance are exceptional. I have no complaints! It’s another stellar story.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy provided by GayRomanceReviews.

Story was lovely but I didn’t enjoy the narration

The story was pleasant with likeable characters and a bit older, so more relatable to me. At times it was a little over the top or predictable but very entertaining and I was rooting for the couple from the beginning. I really struggled with the accent and voice chosen for Wren as it sounded like a old men’s club waiter with an fake posh English accent put on faster speed to me. I almost stopped listening after few chapters. After some hours I got used to it but it still irritated me over and over. Especially during romantic scenes as it also always felt rushed. I guess it’s personal taste and how we imagine the protagonists to sound like but for me - Wren did not work and he tells most of the story. Anyway. It’s still entertaining and you can get used to it.

More of Teo & Wren

This is definitely one love story that could be taken further. I cannot get enough of Joe Leslie’s narration and different characters that he creates. More more

Brilliant writer and narrator!

As usual, Ms Morton and Mr Leslie have done excellent jobs! Wren is amazing and so well written.

Wren's a cuckoo who finds a home

I really enjoyed this story that followed Wren and Mateo's summer romance. Wren takes a vacation and is left behind by his supposed best friend in a crazy high starred hotel and is "saved" by Mateo who oversees him being treated poorly by the staff. Little unbeknownst to Wren, Mateo is actually the owner of said hotel. After Mateo propositions him to work undercover on a few other hotels, these two really start to build a solid connection. It's a bit of a slow burn at first but there are plenty of sparks and heat in the second half. The trouble mostly begins brewing once Mateo asks Wren to come back to Venice with him. I think these characters are lovely and Wren definitely knows who he is and does stand up for himself (for the most part). I also very much loved a few of the side characters, and I'll have to check if they also have a story or not. Joel's performance was great as Wren. I wasn't overly fond of his Mateo voice but I think that's just me. Mateo's a bit hard to pin down as he's Spanish but also grew up in Venice for a long period of time so I can see how much of a challenge his accent could be. It didn't make me like the story any less, and just is what it is. I think this is a lovely story and I'm glad that Wren finally gets to build his home and have his happy ending!

Such a lovely store

So many interesting characters, beautiful landscapes and Joel’s narration swoon worthy. Another delightful story by Lily.

One of my top 10 for the year

laughter, feels, some angst, a beautiful story and a great narrator. A must buy audiobook!

Nice escape.

it's a nice step away from reality. Almost a twist on a Cinderella story. I love Happy Endings.

Fun and Entertaining Story

I thoroughly enjoyed this fun lighthearted story. Rich man, Poor man theme is not usually my go to trope by in this book it was beautifully written, with humor and snark. So far this is one of my favorite stories by this author. Narrator did a very good job telling this story, even the over the top accent was fun and fit the the flow of this story. Overall this was a perfect listening experience.

Fantaaaastic 🤩 🤩🥰

Love love love this audio ❤️ the story of Wren and Mateo is so sweet and at once heartwarming as well as heartbreaking at times. And this rendition by Joel Leslie is incredible and only adds "more" to the fantastic book by Lily Morton 👍