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Spun!: Shamwell Tales Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

JL Merrow (Author), Mark Steadman (Narrator), Riptide Publishing (Publisher)
4.5 out of 5 stars 194 ratings

With friends like these....

An ill-advised encounter at the office party leaves David Greenlake jobless and homeless in one heady weekend. But he quickly begs work from his ex-boss and takes a room in Shamwell with easygoing postman Rory Deamer. David doesn't mean to flirt with the recently divorced Rory - just like he doesn't consciously decide to breathe. After all, Rory's far too nice for him. And far too straight.

Rory finds his new lodger surprisingly fun to be with, and what's more, David is a hit with Rory's troubled children. But while Rory's world may have turned upside down in the last few years, there's one thing he's sure of: he's straight as a die. So he can't be falling for David...can he?

Their friends and family think they know all the answers, and David's office party hookup has his own plans for romance. Rory and David need to make up their minds and take a stand for what they really want - or their love could be over before it's even begun.

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  1. Listening Length
    7 hours and 44 minutes
  2. Author
    JL Merrow
  3. Narrator
    Mark Steadman
  4. Audible release date
    November 29, 2017
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Riptide Publishing
  7. ASIN
    B077SNSH76
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length 7 hours and 44 minutes
Author JL Merrow
Narrator Mark Steadman
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date November 29, 2017
Publisher Riptide Publishing
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B077SNSH76
Best Sellers Rank #517,868 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#8,815 in Romantic Comedy (Audible Books & Originals)
#9,811 in LGBTQ+ Romance (Audible Books & Originals)
#24,571 in Romantic Comedy (Books)

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
194 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book heartwarming, with one describing it as a light romantic comedy. Moreover, the book receives positive feedback for its readability, character development, humor, and writing quality. Additionally, customers appreciate the cultural elements, with one review highlighting the lovely fictional English village west of London.

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8 customers mention "Heartwarming story"8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy this heartwarming tale, describing it as a sweet and romantic story.

"...The story is pleasant, the writing sharp and elegant in its "realness."..." Read more

"This was super cute. Complete slow burn, with lovely characters and lots of small town England. I believe there were also scones." Read more

"This is a delightful, light-hearted series about a lovely fictional English village west of London. The first entry, Caught!,..." Read more

"...Like all of Merrow's books it was funny, sweet, delightful, and perfect. One of my favourite authors. I highly recommend this book!!!..." Read more

8 customers mention "Readability"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the book awesome and love every page, with one customer describing it as a terrifically fun read.

"This is a terrifically fun read...." Read more

"This is a delightful, light-hearted series about a lovely fictional English village west of London. The first entry, Caught!,..." Read more

"...Great stuff...." Read more

"Wow!!! I loved every page. I could not put it down. Like all of Merrow's books it was funny, sweet, delightful, and perfect...." Read more

6 customers mention "Character development"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book.

"This is a terrifically fun read. Witty banter between beautifully drawn characters from different walks of life...and oh how they manage to come..." Read more

"This was super cute. Complete slow burn, with lovely characters and lots of small town England. I believe there were also scones." Read more

"...The first entry, Caught!, introduced a very likable main character, Mr. Emery, but for me the children in "Mr. Enemy's" class were the stars of that..." Read more

"Typical Merrow fare: witty, well drawn characters, Hollywood A-script level dialogue. Great stuff...." Read more

6 customers mention "Humor"6 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the humor in the book, with one mentioning the witty banter and another appreciating the British-isms.

"This is a terrifically fun read. Witty banter between beautifully drawn characters from different walks of life...and oh how they manage to come..." Read more

"Typical Merrow fare: witty, well drawn characters, Hollywood A-script level dialogue. Great stuff...." Read more

"...I could not put it down. Like all of Merrow's books it was funny, sweet, delightful, and perfect. One of my favourite authors...." Read more

"...It didn't hurt that the writing was tight and often humorous. I thoroughly enjoyed every page and recommend out when to straight people." Read more

5 customers mention "Writing quality"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing quality of the book, with one customer noting the Hollywood A-script level dialogue and another mentioning the smart internal dialog.

"...The story is pleasant, the writing sharp and elegant in its "realness."..." Read more

"Typical Merrow fare: witty, well drawn characters, Hollywood A-script level dialogue. Great stuff...." Read more

"As an American I found the look into British culture and language fascinating. It didn't hurt that the writing was tight and often humorous...." Read more

"Well written...." Read more

3 customers mention "Culture"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's portrayal of British culture, with one customer highlighting its lovely fictional English village west of London.

"...Complete slow burn, with lovely characters and lots of small town England. I believe there were also scones." Read more

"This is a delightful, light-hearted series about a lovely fictional English village west of London. The first entry, Caught!,..." Read more

"As an American I found the look into British culture and language fascinating. It didn't hurt that the writing was tight and often humorous...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • coho
    5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful!!!
    Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This is a terrifically fun read. Witty banter between beautifully drawn characters from different walks of life...and oh how they manage to come alive and come together. The story is pleasant, the writing sharp and elegant in its "realness." In a genre plagued by standardized characters in repetitive, unimaginative stories, "Spun!" rises far above.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Sarah
    4.0 out of 5 stars Loved it.
    Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This was super cute. Complete slow burn, with lovely characters and lots of small town England. I believe there were also scones.
    Helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Best Shamwell Tales since first in series
    Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    This is a delightful, light-hearted series about a lovely fictional English village west of London. The first entry, Caught!, introduced a very likable main character, Mr. Emery, but for me the children in "Mr. Enemy's" class were the stars of that story. In Spun!, however, darling David, whom we met as a minor character in Out!, is the undisputed star of the show. Well, maybe followed by minor character the child Leo. The other adults ranged from annoying to crass. Ms. Merrow really has a way of presenting children as real people.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • bill m
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, again
    Reviewed in the United States on July 17, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Typical Merrow fare: witty, well drawn characters, Hollywood A-script level dialogue. Great stuff. I wish there were even more of this author's books out there, but after a bit one can always re-read a previous one and laugh just as often.
    Helpful
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  • V. Rundell of V's Reads
    4.0 out of 5 stars Sweet and tender unexpected romance
    Reviewed in the United States on November 2, 2017
    David Greenlake is a flamboyant gay man with a deep desire to find Mr. Right. He’s a romantic, but he always seem to get involved with men who plan to use him. His mother argues that he should look for a blazing passion, but David really only wants a cozy hearth fire. He gets mixed up with a dashing older man, Xav, at a company party, unaware the man is married…to his boss’ sister-in-law. So, he’s immediately sacked.

    He flees to the country, and his friend, Mark–who was once his boss and his crush. Mark and his partner Patrick live in Shamwell, and were the love story described in OUT! Mark is a decent guy, and helps David out with a part-time job, and finding him a room to let with Rory, Patrick’s mother’s ex-boyfriend. Rory is a divorced man, kind and doting on his two young children, and ashamed his wife left him for a wealthier man. He’s a guy with a giant heart, and he wears it on his sleeve. He’s a postman, and his attention to life in Shamwell is nothing short of intense–he notices people, and he’s sure to be a friend to anyone in need. That includes David.

    Living in their close-quarters home is sweet for both David and Rory–they like the quiet life, and vegging out with shows on the TV or computer. David’s got a special friend, hew childhood teddy Geoffrey, that he sews dapper outfits for, and takes with him places. It’s charming to Rory’s children, Lucy and Leo. Especially Leo, who speaks to David as if they are old friends, when he doesn’t normally speak to anyone but Lucy, and certainly never to his overbearing stepfather. Rory has a decent relationship with his ex-wife, and wants more time with his kids, so he’s particularly happy to see that David gets on with them.

    This is a slow-burn odd couple romance with Rory spending a lot of time pondering his unexpected attraction to David. David adores the closeness he feels with Rory, and his kids, and it’s almost like an instant family, without all the sexytimes. But, he wants the sexytimes, bad. It’s also problematic when Mark admits he doesn’t really have enough work to keep David employed long, and the alternative seems to be an offer from Xav to be his ‘kept boy’ as a piece on the side in London. It’s hardly a burning passion, and not even a shadow of the tenderness David experiences in the platonic hearth fires of Rory’s humble abode.

    I loved the ending of this one, as it’s so happy on so many fronts. David and Rory find a way toward intimacy, and their little family is united in love. David makes changes that allow him to stay employed, and in Shamwell, without selling his body to a higher bidder, and he’s wiser and happier with Rory at his side. David has a bit of a child-like manner, what with Geoffrey Bear and his relating to all the kids he meets, but he’s a smart man whose childhood wasn’t complete and that leaves him sweetly vulnerable. Rory’s sure he’s not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he’s smart about how to act in a relationship, and while it takes him some time to come to terms about his new attraction, he’s honest and unwilling to hide his love for David.
    Helpful
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  • theheartneverliez
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another awesome book
    Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Wow!!! I loved every page. I could not put it down. Like all of Merrow's books it was funny, sweet, delightful, and perfect. One of my favourite authors. I highly recommend this book!!! You will not be disappointed!
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Smashing
    Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    As an American I found the look into British culture and language fascinating. It didn't hurt that the writing was tight and often humorous. I thoroughly enjoyed every page and recommend out when to straight people.
    Helpful
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  • Cat of Cat's Books: Romance Blog and Themepark
    3.0 out of 5 stars Great Couple
    Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I like a great deal about this book but it ends before we get a fully developed relationship. I wanted to see Rory and David as a couple and in love. They just basically start really being together when the books ends and it was frustrating.

    Rory is a great guy. I love that he has shared custody and the underlying discussion of gendered childrearing. His sexuality could be better discussed between him and David for richer emotionial intimacy.

    David is wonderful as well if we take him for his actions in this book. We might need a bit more self reflection as he grows up and gets what he really needs here. I like his interactions with his mom around love.

    The circle of friends and the setting is great. Even though most of these books have had problems for me, I like this world and wouldn't mind reading more but with more couple time and longer romance time.
    One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • A. Jackson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 19, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Love this series. Everyone is a winner.
    Report
  • Klaus Kreitz
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully Descriptive
    Reviewed in Canada on July 15, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    When I began this book, I wasn't sure I would like it ... didn't enjoy some of the supporting characters. But, once I got into it, I could not put it down. As always, Merrow writes deftly, with a wonderfully descriptive grasp of human characters and emotions. Enjoyed this book very much.
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  • GRFTW
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 22, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I really enjoyed this book and loved all the main characters.
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