AUDIO REVIEW: 'You Are the Reason' by Renae Kaye
Title: You Are the Reason
Series: The Tav #2
Author: Renae Kaye
Narrator: Dave Gillies/Tantor Media
Published: August 7, 2015
Audio: March 1, 2017
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Bree Archer
Genre: Contemporary Romance; New Adult
Length: 250 Pages/8 Hours and 19 Minutes
Tags: M/M; Gay; Audiobook; Cross-Dressing; Angst: Low; Humor; Standalone; HEA
About You Are the Reason
Davo’s a pretty average guy. He has a decent job, owns his own home, and spends his weekends at the pub. He fully accepts that he’s gay, but doesn’t want to be one of those gays, who are femme and girly. He likes football and other masculine pursuits, and firmly avoids anything that could be seen as femme—including relationships that last beyond fifteen minutes.
Then Davo’s friend and gay idol not only gets a boyfriend, but also adopts a baby girl. Davo is seriously spooked and scuttles down to the pub in fright. That’s where he meets Lee, who is cute from her cherry-red hair, to her pretty little dress and pointy red shoes. Davo is charmed—but how is that possible? He’s gay. Isn’t he? Then Lee tells him he’s actually a guy—he just likes to wear women’s dresses occasionally. Thoroughly confused about an attraction that’s out of character for him, Davo begins the long journey to where he can accept himself without caring what everyone else thinks.
REVIEW: Being a favorite author of mine I first read You Are the Reason by Renae Kaye when it was published in 2015. I was immediately enamored by the main characters, Dave and Lee. This is book two in Ms. Kaye’s The Tav series and honestly this installment can easily be read as a standalone. Although Jake and Patrick, from book one The Blinding Light are featured, in my opinion, you can enjoy this one even if you haven’t read the first.
It is only made better by the fact that Dave Gillies is also one of my favorite narrator’s and he truly shines in his delivery of You Are the Reason. He has the perfect accent and his character voices are very distinct.
The story begins with Dave recounting an experience when he was younger and in school. It seems as if his Coach really did a number on him. While Dave was just figuring out that he is gay the Coach had it ingrained in his head that he has to be “tough” and “masculine”. To the point that under the Coach’s watchful eye a few of his classmates beat him up in order to “toughen him up”.
So for most of his teenage and adult life Dave has this idea in his head that being gay is okay but he doesn’t want to be seen as “one of those gays”.
You know, the ones who like pink, wear makeup and are typically seen as “girly gays”. Dave doesn’t believe in relationships and has always been into one night stands and bar hook ups.
These beliefs are truly shaken when he meets Lee one night at a local bar. Dave is there looking for a quick hook up and can’t understand why he’s attracted straight away by Lee’s bright red hair and full pouty lips when Lee is a “woman”. They chat for hours and have a grand time hitting on men together and end up drunk messing around in Dave’s van.
This leaves Dave freaking out because Lee is the first “woman” he’s ever been attracted to and he even starts to question his sexuality.
When Dave learns that Lee is actually a man he’s completely thrown for a loop. He never thought he could be attracted to that type of gay man (meaning a man who likes to dress in women’s clothes) - but he truly is.
Lee has the patience of a saint and is with Dave every step of the way as Dave’s idea of what being gay really is begins to change. He has him help out at a youth center where Lee is a counselor and Dave meets all types of young men. Including some who like to wear make-up and he even meets Lee’s friend who is transgender. Lee likes to dress in women’s clothes and wear makeup occasionally.
As Lee breaks down all of those stereotypes that Dave has clung to throughout the years Dave slowly but surely comes to realize that he shouldn’t, and doesn’t, give a damn what anyone else thinks of him or Lee.
It was awesome to see Dave “wake-up” and realize there are all types of “gay” men out there and he doesn’t have to be “tough” or overly masculine all the time.
I love how the author shows the reader Dave’s growth throughout the story by encompassing humor and clever wording. Like Dave relying on his magic eight ball to answer all of life’s tough questions; truly laugh out loud moments. And when Dave and Lee attend a performance of Grease, Dave puts on a brave face when seeing Lee wear eyeliner. His hang ups about “girly guys” are in full force but he ends up enjoying himself and (gasp) even holds Lee’s hand.
I really adore this book and especially enjoy the narration by the fantastic Dave Gillies.
I’ve listened to a few of his audiobooks before and really love how he tells a story and truly “gets” into character. Renae Kaye adds a lot of humor in this tale and Gillies shines during the funny scenes.
When there’s mention of Dave’s best mate, Jake, who is now with Patrick (from The Blinding Light), and in the process of trying to adopt a baby, Gillies magic comes out full force when narrating about baby Maxine being dressed head to toe in pink and having to change dirty nappies. Dave enlists Lee’s help at this point and what ensues is hilarious.
You Are the Reason is chalk full of romance and the full on chemistry between Dave and Lee is scorching. Even when Lee wears a dress Dave can’t help but be attracted to the man underneath.
One of my favorite quotes is by Lee, he says:
“Didn’t you just know? Didn’t you feel how we were meant for each other? Didn’t all the pieces of your life just click into place when we’re together? Doesn’t it feel strange when we’re apart?” Sigh! And delivered in that perfect “Lee” voice had me melting.
Dave Gillies is simply amazing!
You Are the Reason by Renae Kaye is truly a great and funny story because we the reader get to see how Dave progresses and transforms. It’s all told from Dave’s point of view so it’s like you’ve got a front row seat into his most intimate thoughts and insecurities. And of course the brilliant narration by Dave Gillies truly makes it a favorite of mine.
An audiobook of You Are the Reason was provided to Kimmers’ Erotic Book Banter, by Dreamspinner Press, at no cost and with no expectations in return. We offer our fair and honest opinion on behalf of our readers.
Meet the Author
Renae Kaye is a lover and hoarder of books who thinks libraries are devilish places because they make you give the books back. She consumed her first adult romance book at the tender age of thirteen and hasn’t stopped since. After years – and thousands of stories! – of not having book characters do what she wants, she decided she would write her own novel and found the characters still didn’t do what she wanted. She believes that the world is too complicated for her, so she loses herself in stories. The only thing that keeps her going are her children who are the delight of her life.
Renae lives in Perth, Western Australia. She is a survivor of being the youngest in a large family and believes that laughter (and a good book) can cure anything. Which is why it's a pity laughter is sometimes scarce on the ground.
For more from Renae be sure and visit her website.
