It Takes Two to Tumble audiobook

3.5 starsI received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.Phillip has spent most of his life at sea, as the Captain, he knows his place and is effective in managing his people. When his ship finally berths after two years, his shore leave allows him to go home for awhile, a home where letters have informed him that his wife has died and his three children are running wild. Ben enjoys his job as the vicar; it allows him to see to everyone. When he gets tasked with taking care of the absent Captain's children, he may be in over head. Phillip and Ben haven't been able to fully admit certain truths to themselves but as their relationship grows, they begin to become whole through each other.   Phillip hadn't planned on lusting after the vicar.  The first in a new series, the author introduces us to Phillip, the stern rigid naval captain and Ben, the affable mellow vicar. Both characters were very contained people in their own way. Phillip has dyslexia but has managed to figure out how to hide it and be effective as captain and he also carries around some melancholy which seems to be due to not being able to fully be his self. Ben had to essentially be the father to his brothers as theirs ascribed to a very bohemian philosophy that led to a lack of structure or responsibility. Both acknowledged their attraction to men but kept it in a contained box that as long as they didn't make it personal, putting real feeling in to it, they could lead "normal" lives. When they meet each other and start to develop those more emotional feelings, beyond just sexual, hard truths have to be recognized.   But comfort and ease suddenly seemed like pale and flimsy things.  I loved how Ben and Phillip's personalities played off each other. Ben's effortless charm and lightness cracked open Phillip's hard walls and helped him be at ease more, while Phillip's strength and willing to prod at Ben helped Ben release his more passionate side. They became more themselves through the other and there is nothing more romantic than that. For how much Phillip's children played a part in the story plot, I thought they were strangely more absent from the story than warranted. We get some scenes with Phillip bonding but I never felt like I knew them; they felt like obvious plot elements instead of woven into the story. I also thought Phillip's relationship with his former Lt. McCarthy needed to be flushed out more. It started off like there was a big emotional attachment but then it seemed to be more on the physical side, not quite fully explained well enough.   "When we're together it feels right. I want to go down that path and see what's there.""With me?" It was a hoarse whisper."Together."  This is my first book by this author and I was impressed with the ease of her writing flow, how secondary characters felt complete and added so much to the story, and the historical feel. This had faint whisperings of the Sound of Music to it and I could read all day of Ben taking some starch out of the Captain and Phillip igniting some fire in the vicar. There's a slow burn feel as their relationship starts off challenging, to tentative, to heated and I enjoyed how they both were, somewhat, virgins not only emotionally but physically and we got see them explore and learn together. There's also a hot desk scene that you won't want to miss.  I missed interaction scenes with Phillip's children to get to know them better which in turn would have created more depth in Phillip's character, the middle seemed to meander a smidgen as the outer story took over more, but I delighted in Ben and Phillip's relationship. There's some bitter sweetness to the ending as Phillip and Ben don't quite get the full happily ever after they deserve due to the time period and country they live in, but they worked for and got more than most do. The author's talent with emotions will have me searching out her books from here on out.

This was sweet and engaging. Ben is a clergyman whose flock includes the orphaned children of sea captain Phillip Dacre at the local manor. The children are running wild after their mother's death, having successfully driven off several tutors. Ben is cajoled by the locals into moving into the manor to exert some kind of control over them, until their father returns. Because Ben is intelligent, calm, unconventional, and imaginative, he's able to focus on only the things that really matter, and to divert the children's mischief rather than trying to forbid it. They're beginning to get along well together when Phillip Dacre returns home.Phillip would much rather be back on his ship, where he runs a fair but autocratic command, than in the home where he passed a miserable childhood, and where his wife died, and his children seem to be running wild. His attitude is not improved by the presence of an unfairly mellow, intrusive, and attractive young vicar. Phillip had planned to see his children safely settled under someone else's care and schooling, and then head back to his beloved ship. But nothing is going to be that easy.The parallels to The Sound of Music are clearly deliberate, as shown by the blurb, although this Captain only has three children (who sometimes seem like seven.) But this is very much an original story, without the looming external enemy, and with the presence of Ben's fiancée, Ben's scandalous father, and a romance that no nun would sing happily about. Ben grew up in a household where romance was allowed to triumph over social mores. His desire to be a vicar stems not from a deep religiosity, but from a desire for order, security, and a drive to help others. This means that he doesn't suffer the guilt and religious pangs of conscience that most gay vicars of that era would. In some ways, it makes the development of the relationship too easy. I wanted Ben's commitment to his position to have a deeper impact on his attitudes. But it gives him the sunny optimism that lets him be a good foil to Phillip.Phillip is a pessimist, still grieving the loss of his Lieutenant and lover back on his ship over a year before. He left his children to his wife's care, except for occasional brief visits, and really doesn't know much about them. He has a long way to go to become more than an outsider in their lives. But Ben has some of the keys to beginning to connect with them. And in so doing, Phillip realizes that part of him would like to connect with Ben too.This was a fun read, and all the characters were engaging. For the era in which it is set, there was very little angst in this slow-burn gay romance. The ending is sweet and solid, (as much as any such can be in an era when sodomy was a serious crime, and discovery will be a huge and constant risk). There were some moments and phrases that didn't fit the time, place, and station of the characters (including a few Americanisms that grated on me.) This is not a book of socio-historical commentary and accuracy, but a delightful comfort read historical romance.

Have you ever just dived into a book head first hoping that everything turns out great? I definitely did that with this book after creating a goal to read a book or two by Cat Sebastian. And it definitely did not disappoint. 3.5 StarsIt Takes Two to Tubmel is the first in a series that follows free spirit vicar Ben and the more stringent naval captain Phillip. The novel opens with readers learning that Ben has been caring for Phillip's children in his absence. When he returns, it is clear that the two have an undeniable connection and attraction. They spent a great portion of the novel attempting to figure out their feelings as well as how to navigate a relationship like theirs within society. Honestly, I loved the interactions that Ben and Phillip shared. They have such polar opposite personalities that they seemed destined to balance each other out. While I adored Phillip, I absolutely fell in love with Ben. His willingness to step in to help raise the children and the way that challenges Phillip constantly made my heart melt. Phillip has been absent and away from his children because of his position; however, Ben really makes him think about the impact that will ultimately have on him and his family. It's something that Phillip needed to hear and I'm glad that Ben had to the courage to have those conversations. This is my first book by Cat Sebastian and I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of steam level and it DID NOT DISAPPOINT. They were so well done and really showcased both the physical and emotional connection between our two main characters. While I loved so many elements about this book, I wish that the pacing was handled a little better. I think that things do move a little too fast and that the book could have afforded to be a little longer. I also wanted to know a little bit more about Phillip's children. I adored the glimpses that we got of them throughout the story, but part of me feels like they should have been showcased more because they play such a big role in the lives of both main characters. Overall, this was a solid start to a series and I can't wait to see what else Cat Sebastian has in store for me.

Fun read with a sexy vicar!I liked it. I enjoyed it. There was some nice UST. Great writing by Cat Sebastian. It made me want to eat gooseberry pie.But it wasn’t my favorite work of hers. She’s still a pre-order author for me. And I think she’s a great stepping stone into MM land for MF romance readers.I’m looking forward to the next book in the series, which I’m assuming will be about foppish Hartley Sedgwick. He seems like fun!

Audiobook: 4 Stars Story:4 StarsJoel Leslie is at his best with British accents. He was wonderful in this performance....except.....for the trouble I had in differentiating the MCs through voice. Thank goodness that Cat Sebastian is an author whose characters jump off the page. It was this distinction in character and speech patterns that helped me to differentiate who was speaking when Leslie’s voice didn’t. Still, it was a wonderful performance overall and a great book!Original ebook review, Jan. 2018:Fun read with a sexy vicar!I liked it. I enjoyed it. There was some nice UST. Great writing by Cat Sebastian. It made me want to eat gooseberry pie.But it wasn’t my favorite work of hers. She’s still a pre-order author for me. And I think she’s a great stepping stone into MM land for MF romance readers.I’m looking forward to the next book in the series, which I’m assuming will be about foppish Hartley Sedgwick. He seems like fun!

I Very much enjoyed this! I've had it for forever and finally read it. It's perfectly tender and very hot.

shut the front door af I’m a sucker for a gay religious crisis and a grumpy sunshine lowkey enemies to lovers I’m killing myself this was too cute I love marriage monogamy and love (for other people af)