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The Goode Brothers #4

Audible Audiobook

Author: Sara Cate

Narrators: Teddy Hamilton and Dane Anderson 

Isaac left home at 17 and hasn’t been back. Shunned by his preacher father (who has now fallen from grace), he went to live his life as his true self. He’s now a  successful country singer, with lots of fans but he’s still in the closet publicly. When a couple shows up at a meet and greet he’s incredibly taken with Jensen. But Jensen is straight… right?

Jensen has been living a lie that he has been trying to convince himself can be his truth since he was a teenager. In his teens, his mom sent him to a “camp” and there he learned to suppress his “impure thoughts and urges”. He’s always known who and what he was and he hated himself . When there is an opportunity to meet his favorite singer, whose lyrics speak to his soul, he jumps at it. That’s when his truth will do its best to come out, like a volcano erupting that can destroy everything in its wake. But some things just can’t stay hidden – LOVE most of all. 

This audiobook is PHENOMENAL. Narrated duet style by Teddy Hamilton (Isaac), Dane Anderson (Jensen) and Ava Lucas (all female characters), it will break you. Teddy is perfect as the cocky, sweet and kinda slutty country singer who’s adorable and  oozes love. Dane’s performance is absolutely heartbreaking as the broken Jensen, a tortured soul who can’t believe that his God hates him and is at odds with ministry while living the love of a lifetime. They both made me sob. Ava is equally astounding, delivering unique performances as each character and making you really want to shake Jensen’s mom. Again, the word here is phenomenal.

It’s a hard listen, especially if you, like myself (though not through lived experience but as witness to it) has seen the damage bigotry and intolerance can do to a soul. Kudos to Sara for not watering anything down and for giving us a satisfying (and still  real) HEA.

A must listen! 

Rep: queer romance (MM)

Content notes: homophobia, parental abuse, SA of a minor (off page), conversion therapy, violence, suicidal ideation and suicide attempt (on page), religious trauma, alcohol abuse, death of a parent