Invitation to the Blues

Small Change Series, Book 2

By: Roan Parrish

Narrated by: Greg Boudreaux

Eight months ago Jude Lucen fled his partner, his career, and a hospital in Boston after a suicide attempt. Now back in Philadelphia, he feels like a complete failure. Piano has always been his passion and his only escape. Without it, he has nothing. Well, nothing except a pathetic crush on the most gorgeous man he's ever seen.

Faron Locklear came to Philly looking for a fresh start and has thrown himself into tattooing at Small Change. He's only met Jude a few times, but something about the red-haired man with the haunted eyes calls to him. Faron is blown away by Jude's talent. What he isn't expecting is the electricity he feels the first time they kiss - and the way Jude's needs in bed speak directly to his own deepest desires.

Jude and Faron fall fast and hard, but Jude has spent a lifetime learning that he can't be what the people he loves need. So when the opportunity arises to renew his career in Boston, he thinks he has to choose: music, or Faron? Only by taking a huge risk - and finally believing he's worthy of love just as he is - can he have the chance for both.

Contains mature themes.

©2018 Roan Parrish (P)2019 Tantor

Awe-inspiring....

The most powerful of Roan Parrish’s books. Having read/listened to 8 of her books thus far, I am always struck by the honesty of her work, and the myriad of emotions her words evoke. This book though, stopped my brain and my heart multiple times. I could not stop reading it. Roan Parrish’s ability to illustrate with her words is truly incredible.

Greg Boudreaux was an excellent choice of narrator for this work. He effectively captured the essence of the characters, and made the voices distinguishable without being off-putting whatsoever. The single-narrator-model also worked really well here.

Fantastic story

This story is enthralling, at times heartbreaking, but ultimately beautiful! Roan Parrish is so great at creating multidimensional characters. I especially love her flawed, unique characters like Jude. Jude has a lot of issues that he’s dealing with and has a low self-esteem as a result of a very bad relationship and his own mental heath illness. Faron has some baggage of his own. He’s quiet and reserved, just the right person to balance Jude’s personality. Faron’s soft-spoken nature sets Jude at ease and his fierce inner strength helps Jude find his strength and self-acceptance. Faron doesn’t put pressure on Jude to be something he’s not. Jude is just the right person to balance Faron’s need for peacefulness and space when he needs time for himself. They fit so beautifully together.

Greg Boudreaux narrates each character so well. He alters his voice to suit each individual character. He portrays each mood and emotion just right, and I found myself getting lost in this story. I usually listen to an audiobook for a couple here and there, but I couldn’t stop listening to this one and finished in 2 days.

Romance is in the air…

I really appreciate how the main character finds love. He deserves it. He may suffer from depression but that is just a part of him. Not who he is as a person. Although this book is fiction, it helped me see things in a whole different light…and for that I am grateful. Thank you Roan Parrish.

Emotionally Heartbreaking 💔

This book broke my heart and then mended it back together. My heart cried for Jude and all he was and went through with his mental illness, but the beautiful gentle way Faron put him and them back together whole and showed them both they are worthy was everything . Such a sweet, heartbreakingly beautiful story of ❤️ conquering all...
narration was superb. I felt every emotion in the authors words.

Relatable and thought-inducing

I loved it. After listening to Rend I was looking all over for something with a similar vibe. Wonderful prose, deep connection between the characters, a great emotional journey of healing and exploring the vulnerable parts of the human existence. And most of all I loved the representation of art and its business. The narration was absolutely amazing, one of my favorite narrators of all times.