Enjoyed it

This was a great story and the narrator is ace. Looking forward to the next book.

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A great start to a new series

I'm a fan of more flawed characters than the sweeter, happily ever after novels and this had me binge listening over 2 days.
Although it wasn't all doom and gloom, there were some very sweet moments mixed in there, and having the lives of an oddball ex Mormon vet and a scam artist with a difficult history colide made it really interesting, two different worlds indeed.

Such excellent narration really brings the story and characters to life, J.F did a wonderful job.

Definitely looking forward to the others in this series.

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Great start to series by J.F.

Excellent start to the series by JF Harding. Really looking forward to the rest on audio cos they were great improvement on this first 'setting the scene' story.

***Book Review***

4.25 stars from me for The Same Breath, the first story in Greg's new series, set in yet another Mid Western state, Utah this time around.

I didn't particularly like Jem at the start, and I suppose that's because I once had a bad experience with 'con men, scammers, liars and cheats'...anyhoo, enough about that. His character really wasn't very nice, and I did actually despair of finishing the story at one point [unheard of for me and Mr Ashe] BUT then I suddenly got connected to the characters, and by the end of the story, was rooting for both Jem and Tean. The banter between the two was completely daft...like off the charts nerdy, and Tean has more issues than several people put together...which I suppose comes from growing up gay in a strict Mormon household, and here I hold my hands up and admit that the only other story I think I've read that was set in Utah was a really good YA read called Autoboyography.

Anyhoo, back to the story. Ammon I hated...closeted, lying piece of garbage and yes, he just happened to be a cop [do I detect a recurring theme in your stories Mr Ashe 🤔]. I get the whole pining after someone who will say/do anything to stop you going off and finding someone worthy of your love [been there, done that], but Tean just couldn't see the wood for the trees until... hopefully right at the very end, he had a light bulb moment 💡, and will now [hopefully she says] ignore Ammon's calls. Already looking forward to The Same Place.

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Interesting new series

Any book that starts with the introduction of a dog is a winner in my book. Between Tean’s dog Skippio and the neighbor’s cats named after obscure American politicians, I knew this book was going to win my heart. And it did.

I was curious how a wildlife veterinarian was going to solve a mystery, but this author has steered me in many different directions before. Like the university professor and his student teaming up together. So I was willing to give this book a shot.

I liked Tean. He has a job he loves, a family he can’t always related to, and is gay in the very religious Mormon Salt Lake City. Yet he makes it all work. He’s also patient, which helps both in his work and his personal life. He’s been seeing a married man for many years and I wasn’t happy about the man’s treatment of Tean. Tean definitely has a blind spot.

I liked Jem. He’s not always on the right side of the law, but given everything he went through as a kid, it’s hardly surprising. He’s struggled to make his way in the world, and his concern for his brother is laudable. When the brother goes missing, he turns to Tean for help.

Like I said, an unlikely duo. But as the strange occurrences grow, the men are increasingly reliant on each other. It’s hard to know who to trust. In the end, they are able to solve the mystery, although their personal lives are a whole other story. But this author often makes his characters suffer before they get their happy ending, so I’m not surprised.

J.F. Harding is a great narrator and I certainly enjoyed his performance. Book 2 is out on audio, so I’m off there now.

(One final note - I thought the cover was stunning.)

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1 person found this helpful

Enjoyable Story

A well written story with and interesting  concept.  The characters are likeable and the narration is very good.

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He's done it again!

I was given the audio book as an advanced listener.

I have already read the book so you can see my view on the storyline further along in this review. However, I want to focus on the the narration and I want to say that combining Jeff Harding with Gregory Ashe's writing is a combination made in heaven. Harding's narration brings an added richness to an already good story and is the perfect fit for engaging you with the key characters.

As to the storyline, Gregory Ashe has already given me Hazard and Somerset and Shaw and North to live and now he has given me Tean and Jem. I didn't think he could create another pair for me love.

This book was a hard read because Tean and Jem's character were so well developed that although there are some great moments of humour both of them are working through some complex emotions. So I had to read this book over a few weeks which is not normal for me with one of Ash's book but I had to protect myself from swinging emotions such as pain and anger. I was thankful for the lighter moments. Once again even though I knew what was coming the audiobook took me longer than usual.

As always there is a good crime story where the pace is gradually cranked up. Unfortunately, Ashe does a good job of creating some evil and selfish characters that you have to stop and remember that there are many good people in the world. That includes Tean and Jem even if I know Jem does not believe that about himself.

I am hooked and I have already downloaded the next two books in the series to see where the adventures and relation takes Tean and Jem. I hope the next two audiobooks are not too far behind

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Okay, I guess?

From the blurb, I didn’t realise the murder mystery would dominate? Once I understood that TSB was not a romance, I then appreciated Gregory Ashe's big questions for Tean and Jem which were (1) when your cynicism that 'people suck’ is realised, do you congratulate yourself for being as bitterly disappointed as you had expected? (2) When love presents itself as an imperfect, flawed, person, do you step toward that person anyway? (3) When is someone's repeated apology for repeating the same lapse actually enabling their misbehaviour? However, the story was better when I reflected upon it in my mind. While listening I kept asking myself what is the point and counting down to the end of the book. I was relieved when it ended.

🎧 The author used beautiful albeit plain language – a rare metaphor here and there – to describe the environment. JF Harding read it so that you saw the farms or the forest hiking trails or the dead birds by the pond or the stalled motorbike by the roadside. The character vocalisation was weaker with female characters blurring into each other. I also felt Harding drop characterization when Jem and Tean were normally conversing, though, when emotions were heightened (Jem has melt downs and Tean spews statistical data as a ‘comfort blanket’), I got them crystal clear.

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