Anything Could Happen

By: B. G. Thomas

Narrated by: Charlie David

Length: 7 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

Moving to Kansas City could be the best thing Austin Shelbourne has ever done. For a start he can stop living a lie and finally come out of the closet. And there's a chance, though slim, that he might be able to locate the love of his life, Todd Burton. It had seemed like a good idea when he'd seduced his friend, but Todd freaked out and vanished. Austin hopes to find Todd, make things right between them, and win his love. But when he meets actor Guy Campbell, things get even more confusing.

The moment Guy sets eyes on Austin, he knows Austin is The One. But Austin makes it clear he feels a responsibility to Todd, and Guy has some dark secrets of his own. He's found redemption in acting and directing but worries that if Austin learns the truth, he might not be able bear it. And what if Todd accepts Austin's apology and the love Austin offers? Guy wants Austin desperately, but he also wants him to be happy. In the play of life, with the happiness of good men in the balance, anything can happen.

©2013 B. G. Thomas (P)2015 Dreamspinner Press

Entertaining thanks to Charlie David's narration!

Any additional comments?

Fans of The Boy Who Came In From the Cold will not be disappointed with this second story in Thomas's romantic universe. For those who read TBWCIFtC you will remember that Austin was Todd's best friend and first male romantic hook-up. Anything Could Happen is Austin's story.

Once again I am entranced by Charlie David's wonderful narration. I simply love listening to his character voices and performance.

Austin leaves his small town for Kansas City and moves in with his great uncle Bodie, an out and proud gay man, who shows Austin that it's okay to be gay. Bodie's openness and support is instrumental to Austin finding his way in his new world. Through Uncle Bodie he meets a hot neighbor, Guy, who is a writer and director at the local theater. Guy instantly knows Austin is "The One" but has some pretty big fears of his own before he can act on his desires.

Also putting a damper on possible romance is the fact that Austin is determined to find his best friend, Todd who also moved to Kansas City, because Austin has convinced himself he in love with Todd. He feels he needs to make amends to Todd because the last time Austin saw him was when Todd walked in on Austin having sex with Todd's girlfriend, Joan.

Guy agrees to help Austin find Todd, and the more time they spend together the more his feelings begin for Austin grow. Which was pretty hard to listen to. Hard because Austin is so determined to find Todd, he's missing the love that's waiting for him right in front of him. Frankly, Guy deserves a medal for his patience and willingness to help Austin.

B.G. Thomas believes in character substance over heat and like TBWCIFtC, this is a character-driven story. It's a coming of age story focusing on Guy, Bodie, and Austin growing up and accepting himself and all of them coming to terms with their pasts. The romance between Austin and Guy is a sweet very slow burn, but worth it in the end.

Bottom Line: Entertaining thanks to Charlie David's narration!

AMAZING STORY BY AN AMAZING AUTHOR!!

What did you love best about Anything Could Happen?

I love everything about this story, the characters will draw you in, from an excentric uncle to the perfect man ripe for the picking! Austin find that moving away from home is the best thing that could have happened to him, and the lessons he learns are hard won and sometimes painful, but always worth it!

If you read/heard Boy Who Came in From The Cold...

If you read/heard Boy Who Came in From The Cold then you know there were two best friends who fool around once and then by circumstances must split small town horrors then this is a sequel of sorts. The trouble with the sequel is it's the same story told again with the other MC. For fans you will get your HAE again. For folks who will feel cheated by the same boy-runs-away-finds-happy-gay-life plot, you've been warned.

Unexpected surprise

This book was a v err y nice listen as Charlie David does an excellent job. The story had me guessing until the end, unusual in this day and age. An excellent choice for a nice day or evening listen. ☆☆☆☆☆

Love Charlie David! Story....less so

Austin and Todd were friends, Austin fell in love and hit on Todd, Todd freaked and ran. Now Austin is tracking Todd down and hoping that they both can live the life they should, out and proud.

What Austin finds is his Uncle Bodie and Guy. Together, all three men explore what it is to be true to yourself and your passion.

There is a lot of subtext and learning through the work Guy does in the theatre and this takes up a lot of page time.

The romance between Guy and Austin is filled with growth and learning the difference between true love and fantasy.
**

I did not read the first book in this series, though I’m told it works as a stand-alone and I think that’s accurate. I also LISTENED to this so that shaped my feelings as well.

On the one hand I ADORE Charlie David and when he gets to use his southern twang it is always a good narration! On the other hand, this is a very slow burn, character based, more coming of age book than a fast moving contemporary romance.

For me, it’s just not my favorite thing. I appreciated the growth of all the characters and the way the author used the theatre to demonstrate this growth, but I like my romances to be the central theme and at times the other characters and their stories took center stage.

I’d give the narration a 5 of 5 and the story a 2 of 5, so overall a 3.5 of 5 because it is an entertaining, nicely written story about men finding themselves and Charlie David does an excellent job brining life to the story with his narration.