Gratification in Gluttony

Passing Through Cafe, Book 2

By: Nik Knight

Narrated by: Michael Lesley

When Jude entered The Passing Through Cafe, Toni thought he'd be nothing more than a fun night, a challenge to win, a fixation to satisfy; Toni didn't expect Jude to be exactly what he never knew he was looking for.

As the rightful heir to the Maryno family dynasty, Toni grew up with clear expectations of who he was supposed to be, and more importantly, who he wasn't. Growing up a constant disappointment isn't a childhood experience he recommends, but he's come a long way from the little boy who could never measure up to his family's toxic standards. At twenty-nine, he's finally proud of the man he's built himself into, and while the routine of his life is simple and, sure, sometimes lonely, he's content.

Or so he thought.

Enter Jude, a human from across the veil, who ignites something in him that he's never allowed himself to explore, and Toni can't wait to burn. While the spark of attraction is instantaneous, he knows it's going to take more than a romp in the hay to win the human over. So Toni quickly sets to work, proving to Jude that home can be found in the most unexpected places, that chosen family is always worth fighting for, and that their love is far from small.

Join Toni and the rest of the eccentric staff of The Passing Through Cafe in Nik Knight's rom-com urban fantasy series, full of found family, hilarious hijinks, spectacular self-discovery, and love that defies definition.

©2024 Nikole Knight (P)2025 Podium Audio

Absolutely love!!!

This is such a HILLARIOUS and fantastic listing experience. I loved this story so much and this narrator made it extra special.

Different Perspectives

This one was a bit heavier than the first of the series, but there’s still great humor in it. It’s essentially the same timeline, but from different peoples perspectives, which I found really interesting and engaging. Can’t wait for a third with the next foreshadowed couple! P.S. There’s a ‘Friends’ reference that had me cackling and I hope you find it.

hot and romantic

I knew Toni was gonna bring the heat, but damn! I love that despite his insecurities, Jude is a sarcastic ass. Fanastoc pairing. This series is more in the 'cozy' realm so there are a lot of scenes that are just silly dialogues or goofy shenanigans between characters, but if you read the first book and loved the found family and its dysfunction, you will enjoy this a lot!

So good!

I loved, loved Tony and Jude’s romance. Surprised I liked this book even more than the first story, since I liked Leel and Oliver so much. A good amount of spice and love, both in this one. Such an enjoyable group to keep reading about.

Loved it from start to finish

I don't even know where to begin with how much I loved this book. Going into a series, you never know how it is going to go and whether it'll live up with the first book, but this definitely did for me.

Some people didn't like the parallel plot lines with book 1, but I really enjoyed the cohesiveness of it and how well they mesh together. Things that were simple interactions between Jude and Toni in book 1 now have deeper meaning. It's like putting a puzzle together, and each book is a different part of the puzzle. Some pieces might look the same, but they fit together differently and add nuance.

Toni is an absolute delight from start to finish. First of all, the pan rep! And he's the ultimate consent king, checking in with Jude and making sure he was using Jude's preferred terms and touching him the way he wanted to be touched. (Which, should always be the goal, for anyone!) He just took it to the next level in the kindest, most endearing way. I absolutely loved his journey with his family, his found family, his own internalized toxic masculinity, and finding his own femininity.

I also appreciated the way Jude was written. With his back story and all he has gone through, he's gonna have walls up. The scene in the barn proved that underneath his hard candy coating, he has an ooey-gooey center - even if it's only reserved for Toni. They both became each other's safe space, and I love that for them.

Also, just to add, I listened to the audiobook and as always, Michael Lesley is an absolute genius. The scenes with Toni's family had me cackling! I like to imagine Michael is just the awesome older brother I wish I had, reading me the most amazing stories.