Ying and Yang

Mason and Owen are enjoyable characters.
Owen owns a successful landscaping business. He doesn’t care about social media nor being in the limelight.
Mason on the other hand is somewhat a success as a model and tv personality. He is hoping to add to his resume by being in a short term tv segment with Owen. As they are interacting with each other, they see each other in a different light. Mason’s drive comes not only for his desire to succeed but also his family obligation. This causes him to make bad decisions. Mason is pushed to use their relationship for publicity which causes Owen to wonder if any of it is real.
I enjoyed to story and the twists presented. I feel the narration by Simon Goldhill is perfect for these characters.

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I loved it!

This is a book that tugged at my heart and caused my eyes to leak more than once. It really was a great love story between two very different men who need each other more than they realize. There’s a lot of hot sexy time between these two but the heart of the story is them getting to know each other.

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A fun romance

The main characters are believable and endearing, the villains reach such depths that I have to hope such unpleasant hypocrites are merely figments of imagination and don't exist in real life.

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MM Real ife issues

This is my second book from these two talented authors.

The storytelling was so balanced. The two main characters and the background story all merged well and kept me emotionally involved at every step. The two main characters, Mason and Owen, had good character depth, and there were some great side characters, even Misty, who we all hated.

I loved how this dealt with real-life problems related to social media and how much we put on there. It's well worth a read/listen, and I would recommend it.

Simon Goldhill did a brilliant job. Very clear and easy to listen to. However, like usual, I did speed up the audio to 1.20 on audible.

Home Grown Talent
Creative Types, Book 2
By: Joanna Chambers, Sally Malcolm
Narrated by: Simon Goldhill
Series: Creative Types, Book 2
Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins

❤❤❤❤❤ Overall
🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧 Narration
📚📚📚📚📚 Story
Read at 1.20 speed on Audible

I received this audiobook for free from GRR at my request. My review is my opinion and an honest review - neither the author nor GRR influenced my opinion.

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Love in the age of social media

I’ll admit I struggle with Insta and Twitter (not calling it ‘X’ – sorry, not sorry). Facebook is often beyond me. I grew up in what I truly believe was a simpler time. I didn’t even have my own computer until I got into university or my own smart phone until two years ago (gasp). Hashtags are beyond me. Basically, I’m Owen. I might not be a gardener, but I have my feet firmly planted on the ground. I can respect those who do social media, but I’m no good at replicating it. People like Mason baffle me.

Which is, obviously, why I related to Owen. Not to say I didn’t feel empathy for Mason and his family’s situation – I just didn’t always understand his choices.

Now, this is book 2 in the series and since I adored Lewis and Aaron’s love story, I was thrilled to pick up this book – of Lewis’s ex-boyfriend Mason and Lewis’s brother Owen. Makes for interesting bedfellows, I’d say. But soon the two men grew on me and I got pulled into their love story. I wanted them to succeed, even as I saw the pitfalls ahead. When you see a couple headed toward disaster, though, do you avert your eyes or watch avidly, wondering how they might possibly survive?

Survive they did. Well, first through the dark moment, but then coming out the other side. This is a romance, after all. One that delivered all the feels. I got comedy, real drama, and a truly satisfactory happy ending.

Simon Goldhill’s narration was absolutely brilliant and I thought he did a fantastic job. I loved how his witty performance melded so well with Joanna and Sally’s writing styles. I can’t wait for book 3 to come out. Highly recommend.

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Lovely British Romance

I thoroughly enjoyed this opposites attract romance. Owen is adorable and Mason is a complex man, frivolous on the outside but is really a sweet, kind man weighed down by family expectations and obligations.

It's a sequel but it's not necessary to have read the first.

The narrator does an excellent job bringing the characters to life.

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Very Enjoyable!What fun!

What fun!

I read Joanna Chambers and Sally Malcolm's Home Grown Talent as a standalone and had no trouble at all. I'm looking forward to getting the audio version of the first book in the series, Total Creative Control, as soon as possible.

The characters are funny and sweet, and the story is highly entertaining. A real good time.

Simon Goldhill delivers a marvelous performance in the audiobook version. Goldhill has a beautiful speaking voice, very easy to listen to, and he helped make Home Grown Talent very enjoyable indeed.

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4.5 Big stars

This book was so darn good.

Spicy
Workplace
Brothers Ex
Reality TV

Owen is a total care taker daddy. Definitely book boyfriend material. Be still my heart. He calls Mason “Petal” and it is foot kicking, skin tingling, goodness. I. LOVED. IT.

This book was FAR spicier than the first book. To be perfectly honest, I wasn't expecting it. I was pretty content with a low spice read, but this brought it.

The narration is excellent, Simon Goldhill was exceptional, well paced and I want him to read to me all day. He voiced each character individually and made it easy to keep track of who was talking to who.

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Happy, easy listening love story.

A familiar storyline. Usual plot development of a growing relationship, break up, then dramatic reconciliation. But this is a gentle romance. A happy listen in a traumatic world. Good holiday or nighttime listening very beautifully narrated by Simon Goldhill.

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Another winner from Chambers & Malcolm

Book two in the Creative Types series, Home Grown Talent is a delightful opposites-attract romance between a cinnamon roll and a “lemon tart” that takes a long hard look at the intrusiveness of social media and the behind-the-scenes toxicity found in certain types of broadcast media. The characters are loveable, complex and fully-rounded, their romance is beautifully written and although the story is perhaps a little more serious in tone than the previous one, it’s every bit as full as warmth, humour and feels.

Owen Hunter (older brother of Lewis from book one) is a private and very down-to-earth sort of guy with a big heart and a desire to smooth the way for those he cares for. He’s been attracted to the gorgeous Mason Nash – Lewis’ ex - for a while, but has resigned himself to the fact that beneath the beautiful exterior, Mason is probably shallow and a bit dull.

When Owen and Mason attend an awards dinner (Lewis’ hit show, Leeches has been nominated) one of the guests, the producer of a weekend magazine TV show, immediately latches on to their chemistry and suggests that maybe Owen would consider taking part in the gardening segment she wants to add to the show. He insists he’s not the TV type but she won’t let it go, delighted with her idea that the slot should feature Owen teaching basic gardening techniques to a total newbie. Mason.

Owen isn’t wild about the idea, but does eventually agree to do the show, and over the next few weeks spent preparing – working out what each week’s segment will include, what plants and techniques to use – Mason and Owen get to know each other better and find they really enjoy each other’s company. As the chemistry between them crackles and their attraction grows Owen realises he’s misjudged Mason and, far from being a spoiled air-head, he’s bright, quick and curious, able to talk to anyone about anything.

That’s the set up for an intelligent, grown-up romance between two very different men who make a great couple and who have, in different ways, spent most of their lives looking out for other people and have forgotten to look after themselves. The intrusiveness of social media and the way it’s used to sell everything from actual products to lifestyles and relationships and people is a key part of the story and the authors do a good job of showing just how invasive and damaging it can be.

Simon Goldhill returns to narrate this, and does as excellent a job as in the previous book, creating believable and consistent vocal characterisations throughout and really nailing the depth of the connection between the two leads. He differentiates expertly between all the characters – male and female – and delivers a terrific performance all round.

Home Grown Talent is insighful, funny and touching, boasting two likeable leads, a lovely romance with some seriously sexy steamy moments and a well-realised secondary cast. It works perfectly well as a standalone, although Total Creative Control is excellent and well worth a listen, too.

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1 person found this helpful