• Better Than Friends

  • Better Than Stories
  • By: Lane Hayes
  • Narrated by: Tyler Stevens
  • Length: 7 hrs and 25 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (213 ratings)

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Better Than Friends  By  cover art

Better Than Friends

By: Lane Hayes
Narrated by: Tyler Stevens
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Publisher's summary

When Curt Townsend, a successful young DC lawyer, attends his first gay wedding, he doesn't expect anything more than a great evening out spent celebrating two lucky guys willing to commit to each other. He certainly doesn't anticipate meeting someone like Jack Farinelli. Fourteen years Curt's senior, Jack owns two businesses: a gay bar and a motorcycle shop. He's gorgeous and self-assured, but Curt is positive they have nothing in common.

Jack is comfortable in his own skin. He's attracted to Curt's quick wit and easy manner but most of all to their unexpected mutual love of baseball. As they forge a friendship based on their shared enthusiasm for the sport, they begin a journey that reveals how their differences might be the catalyst behind a growing attraction. Both men have experienced their shares of pain, but they realize they need to set aside the past and learn to trust in the future if they are to have one together.

©2014 Lane Hayes (P)2015 Dreamspinner Press

What listeners say about Better Than Friends

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Kinda Lame

I'm glad it's over, I learned that this was a trilogy. Sadly, I've started with this book first. I have no desire to read the others. Whiny lead characters are so irritating.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Opposites often attract

What did you love best about Better Than Friends?

Sitting back and enjoying the ride as Curt shows Jack it's okay to be more than friends.

What did you like best about this story?

The way their relationship slowly grew as they spent more time together and got to know each other better.

What does Tyler Stevens bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I haven't read any of the series, I've listened, and I love how through each book he carries the characters from the previous book over with the some tones and inflections, while creating something entirely new for the current characters.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed outloud a few times, Curt is something else. I wouldn't say cried, but I was a little misty when Curt confronted Jack at his office toward the end.

Any additional comments?

This has become a favorite series for me. Each book is just different enough, but they are all Opposites attracts stories. Both Jack and Curt were previously introduced in the first two books, but now they get their own story.

Jack is always the one that gets left behind. Whether it be ex-boyfriends or family, no one has ever cared enough to stay, until now. The problem is, Jack is gun shy and keeps everyone at arms length. Thankfully, Curt's a bit wirey and wiggles into Jack's arms and refuses to move. The passion and intensity sparks between these two from the start and they agree to a friends with benefits type of relationship. Feelings quickly grow into something more. They couldn't be more opposite aside from the same circle of friends and a shared love of baseball. I enjoyed these two so much. They are passionate, loyal and insanely funny at times and those emotions were conveyed well throughout.

Tyler Stevens truly brings all the characters to life with their own unique voice and tones, subtle nuances and inflections that make the characters more three dimensional, not wooden. I have to say that I LOVE the voice he uses for Jack, very much the southern gentleman, I was waiting for "shucks" or "dadgum"!

If you like opposites attract, friends to lovers stories, or are a hopeless romantic then you'll like this book. It is the 3rd book in a series and while each book can be read without reading them all, I think you'll better understand the characters if you listen/read in order.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Better Every Time

I love this series. I like the way the characters from previous stories make appearances and Tyler Stevens is a good fit. Hope to hear more from both Ms. Hayes and Mr. Stevens.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love love love

Loved these characters! Great story and very 🔥🔥🔥. It was so fun to read I finished it quickly!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Really good

Enjoyed listening to this. A simple love story about learning to get over one's insecurities and embracing love.
Great narration, Tyler Stevens is a pleasure to listen to!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

loved JACK

Im not into queen or whiney gay guys. The Jack character made the story. loved the slight southern accent. thnx

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good Story, Inconsistent Accent

I enjoyed the story. I liked hearing about Jack's side of the story with his break up with Peter. I enjoyed finding out Jack and Curt's own background story. However, I did not like the inconsistent accents. Jack's voice switch from being very Southern to sounding like Christian Slater. I understand the character had gotten used to hiding his accent. However, the listener needs one consistent voice per character. Otherwise, the voices becomes muddled.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Good audio version

This is a great addition to this series. I liked the narrator even though Curt comes across a little different to how I heard him in my head. Jack was great
pretty perfect and the narration added a lot to the story.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

I Enjoyed it More as it Progressed

Any additional comments?

I started listening to this one a few times and stopped. I just could not get into it. It's narrated in first person and Tyler Stevens sounded so whiny as Curtis. Finally I made it through the first 20 mins and started getting into the story a bit. As I liked Curtis more the nasal whine of Tyler's narration was less nerve grating.I ended up enjoying the story very much overall. I have not read the first two books in this series and now I am intrigued to check them out.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

o_O Eye Twitch Inducing...

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

If you're into stories where the MC's are polar opposites and are seeking other people to fill a void in their life - this may be for you. I couldn't get over the whiny, complaining of Curt. The narrator of this story made it even worse! A few too many syllables added to words that didn't need it.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The most interesting - Jack.The least interesting - Curt.

Would you be willing to try another one of Tyler Stevens’s performances?

No

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

It had a decent story line - but I could not get over the whiny voice of Curt. Drove me mad. There were many times that I almost quit and did not finish. This will be my first returned audio book on Audible.com

Any additional comments?

Like another reviewer - I started listening to this not knowing that it was the 3rd book in the series. I have no interest in going back to the other two books knowing that Tyler is the narrator. Also I've heard that Aaron is worse than Curt - so no... no thank you!

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