This book is about a little girl

Let me preface this review by saying that I have listened to all of the Love in O'Leary books. I've enjoyed them all even through their sappy tropes of MM romance written by women (monogamy only, shockingly cute, perfect town, etc).
This book is not well done. It's a little under seven hours long but more than three quarters of it is NOT about the romance bubbling up/being dealt with between these two main characters. Instead, we get a book about how they handle his young daughter.
This book is not made with the male reader in mind. It goes beyond simple "moveries" (a phrase the author uses more than once in this book to describe the attraction these two men have for each other) to this being simply a parenting book, and a bad one at that.

I will continue reading this series as they come out, but this story was simply not for me, if you're also someone who can't stand annoyingly perfect/adorable children in your romance novels I suggest you skip this one.

Michael Pauley reads this the way he does all his novels. He has good pacing and shows a wide spectrum of emotions, but after you've listened to a dozen or so of his narrations you realize he doesn't have that many voices to call upon.

I worry that a lot of the five star reviews are payed plants.

10 people found this helpful

4 hits and 1 miss...

I love the O'Leary series, except for some of the graphic scenes, it reminds me of audio hallmark movies... something I would love to see. This one in particular had potential to be a great Christmas chapter in the O'Leary saga, but it was a miss for me. The performance was outstanding as usual, but again, as others have said, the author has to know their audience and introducing kids into this type of story is cringe for a couple of reasons. Although it is suppose to humanize and move the plot along.. there were scenes in there (tea party for one) that were way uncomfortable and awkward. the other mood breaker are the voices, child voices are hard to narrate, I have yet to listen to a performer who can do it successfully... and in this case, the child had way too much focus for the story, and also did not talk like a child. Overall, the good parts still make this one worth the listen. But I really hope future stories will be mindful of who is actually interested in these stories and adapt to that.

2 people found this helpful

Solid 4 stars!

I've really enjoyed this series, including this installment. This by far had me laughing the most of all the books in the series. Very charming. I know some reviews mentioned they didn't like how big of a role the kid had in the book, and many didn't like the voice for her in the audiobook. I disagree with both. She was great, such a personality. I think she added to the story and elevated it. And I think Michael did a great job with her voice in the audiobook.

One of the Best in the Series.

It took me a while to warm up to Michael Pauley as a narrator, but damn he did a good job on this one. Overall the O'leary books tend to be light in depth, but this one nearly brought me to tears a few times. Definitely some of the author's best work. May Archer does a great job with characters, while still giving the story the camp and humor of a hallmark special. She has a gift for ambiguous and well meaning antagonists which lends a complexity that elevates her above the standard of the genre.

Miracle in O’Leary town

Perfect holiday romances do exist! Cozy, warm, fun and endearing! Who wouldn’t love another love story from the cozy O’Leary.

So apparently what happened in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas. Gideon the Grinch’s heart was broken five years ago and he has practically given up on the idea of finding love and making a home. Once he was bewitched by a magical green eyes elf in the land of fantasy. But the past has a habit of catching up with the present. And when his elf came knocking on his door with a rather adorable and precious bundle, Will our Grinch still be a grinch?

Fun, heartwarming and so sweet. This has a bit of everything in it. A grumpy MC who’s secretly a softie and charming Liam who can make our grinch smiles. Just the right amount of pining and sweet romance and O’Learians meddling is just too fun and hilarious. Overall, an audio that will make you smile and feel cozy. Loved it.


4.5 Miracle in O’Leary town stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫




Audio rating

Story - 4.25 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Narration - 4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Performance - 4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Overall - 4.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This series keeps getting better.

I love this series. Michael Dean did an amazing job as always. You get to see past couples and once again how they all come together to help Liam and Gideon find their way back to each other. Great read.

Charming town and story with a great narrator

Beyond a couple shorts courtesy of the Heart2Heart anthologies, The Night marked my first full foray into the town of O’Leary and I know I’ll be back. In a word, The Night was charming. Although there were some syrupy sweet parts, it didn’t feel like too much. Instead, the tone and story embodied the holiday-in-a-small-town spirit and made me want to stay awhile.

I liked the main characters straight away and really liked the premise of this second chance romance. Per usual, Mr. Pauley delivered a great performance with a smooth, flowing delivery and plenty of emotion to make the book come alive and the town of O’Leary that much more enchanting. The magic of Christmas appeared in a variety of ways throughout O’Leary, but none more so than through Liam’s daughter, Hazel Grace. Watching her relationship with Gideon and the town as a whole develop, as well as the love between Liam and Gideon rekindle was lovely and heartwarming. And while I didn’t know all the couples making cameos throughout the book or appreciate them as much as readers who have followed the full series, the story and town still felt warm and welcoming. If you’re in the mood for some holiday magic that can melt a perpetual grump’s walls, I’d definitely recommend The Night.


*Received ACX promo code via LesCourt Author Services. The PA and author had no influence over this review*

Completely entertaining with a little Xmas magic

I love O’Leary, New York. May Archer has created a gem of a town that I joyfully anticipate returning to again and again. And the O’Learians are on their game in this book. I read the ebook in the tub and laughed until I cried, prompting worried queries from the spouse. But this audio . . . . the hysterical scheming of the O’Learians was, if possible, made even better by Michael Pauley’s narration. I laughed out loud over and over again, and then I laughed until I fell off the treadmill. And that was before the vipers.

Trust me, you don’t want to miss this audio. If you’ve never read the book, get the audio (& the ebook, you won’t be sorry). If you’ve read the book, you STILL want to get the audio. The experience is that fun. Things that tickled me while reading (movaries, for example) were downright loveable in the audio. And I’ve found myself, unintentionally, saying fa-la-la-ing instead of that “other” word that starts with the letter F.

Archer’s book is delightful, amusing, heart-warming and I want to adopt precocious Hazel. Pauley’s narration makes the book even richer. Gideon has my heart; Liam earned my respect with his confrontation and Fia is the perfect small and soft to Gideon’s tough and rugged.

Cute Holiday Romance

The Christmas theme carried through the story and made it feel a bit like a Hallmark Christmas movie. Some parts with the townsfolk and competing love interest went a touch over the top. It was a pleasant second chance romance. The kid was cute. Overall an enjoyable listen. Lots of glimpses of how previous couples in the series are doing now, without overwhelming the love story. If you enjoy the small town where every single guy is gay trope, this series will not disappoint.

christmas giggles

I am Gideon,and this made me laugh. If you need a laugh then this book is for you,especially the bedroom scene. Lol Gideon and Liam's story makes for a perfect christmas story.