Love, Hypothetically

Theta Alpha Gamma, Book 2

By: Anne Tenino

Narrated by: Nick J. Russo

Paul's been called many things - graduate student, humanities tutor, jock-hater, even broke - but "forgiving" isn't one of them. When the new women's softball coach at Calapooya College specifically requests Paul to tutor his athletes, Paul's forced to put aside his strict "no athletes" policy for the sake of his paycheck.

Enter Trevor Gardiner, former Major League Baseball player and Paul's high school boyfriend. Yeah, that one - the guy who sacrificed Paul for the safety of his closet and his future career. But Trevor's come out and retired from baseball, and now he's looking for forgiveness and a second chance.

There's no earthly reason Paul should give him one, but he keeps letting the man state his case. And touch him. And take him sailing. The waters are far from smooth, though, and Paul says awful things to Trevor he isn't sure he means. Now Paul has to decide: apologize and forgive Trevor for everything, or chalk it up as revenge and move on.

©2012 Anne Tenino (P)2016 Riptide Publishing

Loved it.

I liked the narrator on this and the story was good. This was a good book to read.

A hated character is re-defined

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would, it's always a nice read when an Author can redeem a character previously disliked.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Love, Hypothetically?

When Paul pulls his head out of his ass.

Which scene was your favorite?

See above

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

Everyone deserves a second chance

Any additional comments?

I was first introduced to Paul in book 1, Frat Boy and Toppy, and I hated him almost instantly. Arrogant, rude, brash and generally pissed off all the time about everything! So when I saw he was one of the main characters in this book, I was hesitant. But, I do love when an Author can take a disliked or hated character and give them depth, make them likeable. And that is exactly what Anne Tenino did with Paul.

Paul's attitude and persona are somewhat of a front, a barrier he has erected around himself so as not to be hurt ever again. In high school his then boyfriend not only dumped him by denying their relationship, he outed Paul to everyone at the same time. This is why Paul hates all jocks, since said ex was a jock, and it explains why he was so mean to Brad and Sebastian. Almost a decade later, the guy that outed Paul is no longer in the major leagues, he's the new Ladies Softball Coach at the college. Trevor Gardiner has regretted what he did to Paul all those years ago every day of his life since. Trevor sets out to win Paul back but it won't be an easy task. Especially when Paul finally has the chance to say what he wanted to say to Trevor all those years ago. Problem is, the satisfaction he thought he'd get by telling Trevor off isn't there. Instead, Paul realizes he really does still love the guy. But his outburst may have driven Trevor away for an entirely different reason this time.

Narrated by Nick J Russo and just like with the first book in this series, he nailed the right tones and nuances for Paul and Trevor. And he carried all the different tones for the characters in the first book over into this one flawlessly. I listened to the two stories back to back and it flowed so well, I thought I was listening to one longer story, not two different ones. Definitely worth grabbing a copy to take a listen, but you must start with Frat Boy and Toppy first or you won't be able to fully appreciate the story.

Funny and lighthearted

I haven’t many books by Anne Tenino before and after listening to this one I have to ask myself why? I’d heard good things about her books but I just never got around to checking them out. I will be correcting that in the future.

Love, Hypothetically is part of the Theta Alpha Gamma series but can be read as a standalone. I haven’t read any of the other books in the series and had no trouble enjoying the plot.

Enjoying is an understatement. I was totally wrapped up in the story from the get-go. Part of it was Nick Russo’s excellent narration but Tenino’s top-notch writing had even more to do with it. Tenino crafted some truly memorable characters here.

Paul and Trevor sparkled from their first appearance. The two guys are exes with unresolved feelings—and that is a major understatement. One thing I loved about Paul is that he is far from perfect. In fact, he can be kind of an ass. But that makes him realistic. Yeah, I hated him a bit when he said mean things to Trevor who’s just trying to be open, but Paul’s emotions are somewhat understandable once you know about the past.

This was a great new adult, second chance at love tale. There is a lot of humor in the story and not a lot of angst, which made it right up my alley.

Narration Review:

I loved Nick Russo’s voice throughout the story. He has a calm and soothing timbre that drew me into the story. He did great for all the characters both main and supporting. I haven’t listened to books narrated by Russo before but I will definitely check him out in the future.

Snarky, Cranky Hero Gets Second Chance Romance

What made the experience of listening to Love, Hypothetically the most enjoyable?

Seeing my curiosity answered about what made the main character, Paul, such an abominable twit in the first story and seeing if the author could change my mind about him when I got his story.

What did you like best about this story?

Seeing two guys overcome a really painful, awful mistake from the past and reuniting with a fun cast of surrounding characters.

What does Nick J. Russo bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I felt more connected with the whole cast of characters. It was fun seeing the dynamics more pronounced in the group of friends because of how spot on he was with their voices, personalities, and emotions.

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

Actually, I did have an extreme reaction, but not with laughter or tears. I saw the past situation very different from the way it was written. In the story, it seemed the blame was squarely placed on Trevor's shoulders and from my perspective, Paul had some equal responsibilities for that mess happening and I was frustrated that Paul and his friends and even Trevor couldn't see that.

Any additional comments?

This is book two and works best following Frat Boy and Toppy. Look forward to more from this series.

I received this book to listen to in exchange for my honest review thoughts.

Great 2nd chance story!

This book was short but packed a surprising punch! Tenino was still able to deliver a satisfying 2nd chance romance in a short time. Nick J Russo was at the helm so I still felt the angst, the thrills and feels of Paul and Trevor's reunion. I loved seeing Brad and Sebastian again and even getting to know Toby a bit. 5 stars - I would listen again.