Stardust

De: Andrew Grey

Narrado por: Andrew McFerrin

Duncan is an ocean from home over the holidays and expects to spend them alone. To his pleasant surprise, one of his European co-workers, Georg, befriends him and includes Duncan in the holiday traditions of his homeland: cutting a Christmas tree under starry skies at Georg's country estate, decorating it at the family's city home, and shopping at the Christmas market in Munich. Both men are lonely and realize they have much in common. But Georg's life is in Germany and Duncan's is in Boston. With the project they're working on nearing completion, any chance for more than a holiday fling seems as elusive as stardust.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2014 Advent Calendar package "Celebrate!".

©2014 Andrew Grey (P)2015 Dreamspinner Press

Short Sweet and very romantic.

Where does Stardust rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Toward the top.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Georg. I loved his accent, his character, his presence, everything.

Which character – as performed by Andrew McFerrin – was your favorite?

Georg. See above.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Short Sweet and very romantic.

Any additional comments?

e-book review from 12-01-2014

Duncan volunteered to work in Munich over the Christmas Holidays so a co-worker could stay home with his expecting wife. As a single, gay man without a boyfriend or family to speak of, it seemed like a no brainer. A few weeks into the project his liaison is replaced by one tall, dark and handsome German named Georg. From the start Duncan feels very comfortable with Georg and the two share details about their lives over lunch and a sightseeing trip where Georg shares the love of his country and his home with his new American friend.

The attraction is mutual but Duncan needs a little reassuring that he won’t be just another notch in the proverbial bed post. He is leaving in a few weeks back to America, so how could a torrid affair possibly end well for either of them. The stars seem to shine down on them though, making their connection impossible to ignore. Chemistry, passion and common interests can only take you so far when you live oceans apart. Duncan wonders how he will be able to leave this man that he is falling for, but what other choice is there?

I love that Grey put time and effort into researching the area this story takes place in. The descriptions of scenery, traditions and the family dynamics of someone of Georg’s stature added a little weight to the story, making it more than just fluff and romance. Ah, but the fluff and romance were quite fun to read as well. The perfect story for the season, I think my face hurts from smiling so much. A sweat and endearing love story for all us hopeless romantics, a very light hearted read.

Update with audio review 12-22-2015

I already adored this story, but adding the narration, especially with McFerrin nailing the German for Georg so well, it just took the story to another level for me. The storyline is very simple as is the narration, just Georg and Duncan throughout, but McFerrin added so much color to the words with his voice. This isn’t one of Grey’s sexier stories, it is meant to be a lighthearted romance between these two men and that was conveyed very well with the narration. This is just the perfect little story for the season… short, sweet and very romantic, especially the little blue box.

My first audio with McFerrin, but I will look for more.

short and sweet

Any additional comments?

Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted the audio file of this book.

Duncan is halfway around the world, in Munich, on a job, at Christmas time. But it was his choice, so he shouldn't grumble, too much. A colleague drops in to see how he is doing, how the mirror is coming along and something sparks between Duncan and Georg. Something magical. But something with a rapidly approaching deadline.

My first and foremost thought after finishing this was, short and sweet and cute. I'm not normally one to read or listen to Christmas themed romances (especially in February!) and I must have missed the bit on the blurb that says the book was part of the Dreamspinner Press Advent Calendar 2014 but I really liked it!

Its single person POV, in the first, which while I don't much like to READ books written that way, I do much prefer to LISTEN to them. So although only Duncan gets a say, I was happy. No idea why its different for reading and listening, but it is.

Its also only short, 1 hour 50 minutes listening time or 66 pages reading. But sometimes you just need a short listen/read.

Andrew McFerrin narrates.

Its the first of his work I have listened to, and I have added him to my ever growing favourite narrator list. His reading voice is clear and even, and his voices are easily defined. I liked the voices he gave the characters, they fit, just right. Duncan's emotions came over in all the right places and all the right ways. I shall certainly listen to other work by this narrator.

Especially if its a collaboration with Andrew Grey. Again, my first book by him. Won't be my last. Indeed, I'm currently half way through Love Comes Unheard, in audio but its a different narrator. I would like to READ something longer by Grey, these two books are on the short side.

Summing up, short and sweet, not overly sexy, but it wasn't needed here, just what you need to wile away a couple of hours driving.

4 stars for the book
4 for the narration
4 overall.

**same worded review will appear on Goodreads, Audible.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com, and Barnes and Noble**

really sweet holiday story great narrator

Duncan recently dropped his cheating ex, and since he’s single and has no close family, he elects to take a job overseas for the holidays. He’s an engineer working for NASA and loves his job, but is terribly lonely.

Georg is a count! But is also terribly lonely. He doesn’t want someone who wants him for his mostly in-name-only status and hasn’t yet found someone to fit the bill. He works with Duncan on the NASA project and is immediately intrigued by the American’s lack of desire for titles and pretensions.

Though they both wonder at the intelligence of starting what will have to be a short-term affair, neither man can resist the lure of the other, an in the meantime they fall in love.

Luckily, by the end, it looks like they may just have found a more permanent solution.

**

This was one of the longer books in the advent series and it is excellent. The descriptions of Munich and Fussen are spot on and the love and caring between Georg and Duncan feel very authentic, plausible and very sweet.

I really enjoyed this novella and highly recommend it.

4.5 of 5 stars.
audio

Andrew McFerrin does a great job with this! His lovely German accent is just strong enough for authenticity but not overwhelming. He has a nice reading pace and does a fantastic job with the emotions and the “acting” needed to bring a story to life.
4.5 stars