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Vino & Veritas #1
Featherbed
When a bookworm on borrowed time meets a younger, free-spirited chicken farmer, sparks and feathers fly…
Harrison Phillip Fletcher III isn’t supposed to be here. Not in Burlington, Vermont, not running Vino & Veritas, a quaint inclusive bookstore and wine bar, and definitely not still alive at forty-two. Also not supposed to be here? An unexpected delivery of chickens.
Finn Barnes knows chickens. The burly organic farmer knows all about rare breed poultry, but dealing with a hot, older bookseller is an entirely different matter. City slicker types like Harrison never end up staying in Vermont for the long-term.
They should steer clear of each other. But the flare of attraction is mutual. And somehow, amid book discussions and farm tours, they discover plenty in common. Now they’re stealing kisses in Finn’s barn, sneaking out like teens, and burning up the sheets.
What starts as a fling brings very real feelings for two lonely souls, but a future together seems as unlikely as chickens in a bookstore. Feathers may be flying, but learning to trust takes time neither may have. Can they take a leap of faith together before it’s too late?
Featherbed is a stand-alone novel in Sarina Bowen’s True North world. This opposites attract, age gap romance features a low-angst, fluffy—and feathery—romp as a fish out of water discovers the home he never thought he’d find.
Harrison Phillip Fletcher III isn’t supposed to be here. Not in Burlington, Vermont, not running Vino & Veritas, a quaint inclusive bookstore and wine bar, and definitely not still alive at forty-two. Also not supposed to be here? An unexpected delivery of chickens.
Finn Barnes knows chickens. The burly organic farmer knows all about rare breed poultry, but dealing with a hot, older bookseller is an entirely different matter. City slicker types like Harrison never end up staying in Vermont for the long-term.
They should steer clear of each other. But the flare of attraction is mutual. And somehow, amid book discussions and farm tours, they discover plenty in common. Now they’re stealing kisses in Finn’s barn, sneaking out like teens, and burning up the sheets.
What starts as a fling brings very real feelings for two lonely souls, but a future together seems as unlikely as chickens in a bookstore. Feathers may be flying, but learning to trust takes time neither may have. Can they take a leap of faith together before it’s too late?
Featherbed is a stand-alone novel in Sarina Bowen’s True North world. This opposites attract, age gap romance features a low-angst, fluffy—and feathery—romp as a fish out of water discovers the home he never thought he’d find.
196 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 15, 2021
About the author
Annabeth Albert
102 books3,467 followersFrequent tweeter, professional grammar nerd, and obsessive reader, Annabeth Albert is also a Pacific Northwest romance writer in a variety of subgenres.
Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two toddlers.
Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two toddlers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 639 reviews
August 23, 2021
I love Annabeth Albert dearly, and I usually enjoy all of her stuff, but Featherbed felt completely phoned in.
I'm enjoying the hell out of my Kindle Unlimited membership for the summer, and I'm binging the Vino and Veritas series. Admittedly, I started with an amazing one in the series (Headstrong by Eden Finley), so my expectations for Featherbed were really high. Plus, I raise chickens, so I was thinking this book and I were meant to be. However, when I actually started reading, I found I had to force myself through the bland plot.
Annabeth Albert can create some absolutely compelling, emotional, sexy works of fiction, but this was not one of them.
It was too short, too forced, and just not magical enough. Oh well.
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I'm enjoying the hell out of my Kindle Unlimited membership for the summer, and I'm binging the Vino and Veritas series. Admittedly, I started with an amazing one in the series (Headstrong by Eden Finley), so my expectations for Featherbed were really high. Plus, I raise chickens, so I was thinking this book and I were meant to be. However, when I actually started reading, I found I had to force myself through the bland plot.
Annabeth Albert can create some absolutely compelling, emotional, sexy works of fiction, but this was not one of them.
It was too short, too forced, and just not magical enough. Oh well.
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March 15, 2021
5 learning how to live stars
”You’re more than your heart”
“Yeah, well, it might not be mine anymore anyway.” I tried for a tease but it came out hesitant and soft.
“How so?” Finn was back to sounding perflexed.
My face became so warm as one of Finn’s chick inbucators, and my voice lowered even further. “It’s kind of yours now.”
“I’ll take good care of it.”
I really wanted to read this one but I kept putting it off because I have been in a really weird mood lately and I have been really stressed because of university and that made it so that my regular books don’t really work for me anymore. So I was scared that I wouldn’t enjoy this book. But damn did this book surprise me. Turns out it was everything I needed at the moment, this book felt like a warm hug that never stopped for the entire length of the book. It was so conforting and it made me feel so damn good. I had some small niggles about this book but it made me feel so good while I was reading that i’m still giving it 5 stars.
Brief summary: Harrison is 42 and he was a lawyer in New-York. He moved to a small town in Vermont to open a bookstore with his mom. He meets Finn, one of the local chicken farmers. They start by only having sex, but they end up falling in love.
The things I loved
First, I really loved how well developed the sertings were. I really loved all of the descriptions of the farm and how the chickens were a really big part of the story. I felt like I was actually living in the town and I loved it so much. I also loved the vibe of the bookstore. It felt really lively too.
Second, I adored the vibe of this book. It was so much fun to read and I had an absolute blast reading this book. It was such a feel good story and I loved it very much for that.
Third, I really loved both Finn and Harrison. I loved how Finn was such a strong and really nice too. I loved how he was always there for everyone. Also, I really loved how he was out and his sexuality wasn’t an issue. Most of the time when we get the farmer/city boy trope, it always includes a closeted farmer. I was so happy to see it wasn’t the case here. I also really loved Harrison. I loved how he had the typical city boy look but he still fit so good in the small town setting and how he was eager to fit in more and to help everyone around. He was a really good guy and I really loved that about him. Also he was so understanding, he knew that Finn was busy with the farm and he never got mad about it, just made sure to be there for Finn when he had a minute. Harison always took care of Finn. He was a really good partner. I really loved both of these guys and I also loved them together, they were a really good match.
Fourth, I really loved how they had to fight a little to be together but mostly they just naturally found their way to each other. I enjoyed how the book was low angst but there was still some conflict there. I liked how everything wasn’t easy for them. I really loved how the romance unfolded and how well these two fit together. I loved how they both had issues but they were willing to fight them to be together. I loved how clearly you could tell that they were commited to the other. These guys were really solid together.
Fifth, god the sex. Annabeth Albert always writes really good sex scenes and they were damn hot in this book. I really loved the sex scenes, they were so good and complimented the story really well.
My small niggles
Clearly these didn’t bother me that much, as I still gave it five stars but I still want to mention them.
How hard is it to communicate? Harrison was fucking 42 years old and he kept secrets from his man. Just talk to your man, it’s really easy and will prevent very unnecessary fights.
Also, there was a break up at 80% that I would have prefered to not be there (which wouldn’t have needed to be there if they talked to each other). But I really loved how they got back together. Bonus points for the both of them admitting how they were wrong. I loved that very much.
I absolutely adored this book and had such a good time reading it.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange of my honest opinion
”You’re more than your heart”
“Yeah, well, it might not be mine anymore anyway.” I tried for a tease but it came out hesitant and soft.
“How so?” Finn was back to sounding perflexed.
My face became so warm as one of Finn’s chick inbucators, and my voice lowered even further. “It’s kind of yours now.”
“I’ll take good care of it.”
I really wanted to read this one but I kept putting it off because I have been in a really weird mood lately and I have been really stressed because of university and that made it so that my regular books don’t really work for me anymore. So I was scared that I wouldn’t enjoy this book. But damn did this book surprise me. Turns out it was everything I needed at the moment, this book felt like a warm hug that never stopped for the entire length of the book. It was so conforting and it made me feel so damn good. I had some small niggles about this book but it made me feel so good while I was reading that i’m still giving it 5 stars.
Brief summary: Harrison is 42 and he was a lawyer in New-York. He moved to a small town in Vermont to open a bookstore with his mom. He meets Finn, one of the local chicken farmers. They start by only having sex, but they end up falling in love.
The things I loved
First, I really loved how well developed the sertings were. I really loved all of the descriptions of the farm and how the chickens were a really big part of the story. I felt like I was actually living in the town and I loved it so much. I also loved the vibe of the bookstore. It felt really lively too.
Second, I adored the vibe of this book. It was so much fun to read and I had an absolute blast reading this book. It was such a feel good story and I loved it very much for that.
Third, I really loved both Finn and Harrison. I loved how Finn was such a strong and really nice too. I loved how he was always there for everyone. Also, I really loved how he was out and his sexuality wasn’t an issue. Most of the time when we get the farmer/city boy trope, it always includes a closeted farmer. I was so happy to see it wasn’t the case here. I also really loved Harrison. I loved how he had the typical city boy look but he still fit so good in the small town setting and how he was eager to fit in more and to help everyone around. He was a really good guy and I really loved that about him. Also he was so understanding, he knew that Finn was busy with the farm and he never got mad about it, just made sure to be there for Finn when he had a minute. Harison always took care of Finn. He was a really good partner. I really loved both of these guys and I also loved them together, they were a really good match.
Fourth, I really loved how they had to fight a little to be together but mostly they just naturally found their way to each other. I enjoyed how the book was low angst but there was still some conflict there. I liked how everything wasn’t easy for them. I really loved how the romance unfolded and how well these two fit together. I loved how they both had issues but they were willing to fight them to be together. I loved how clearly you could tell that they were commited to the other. These guys were really solid together.
Fifth, god the sex. Annabeth Albert always writes really good sex scenes and they were damn hot in this book. I really loved the sex scenes, they were so good and complimented the story really well.
My small niggles
Clearly these didn’t bother me that much, as I still gave it five stars but I still want to mention them.
How hard is it to communicate? Harrison was fucking 42 years old and he kept secrets from his man. Just talk to your man, it’s really easy and will prevent very unnecessary fights.
Also, there was a break up at 80% that I would have prefered to not be there (which wouldn’t have needed to be there if they talked to each other). But I really loved how they got back together. Bonus points for the both of them admitting how they were wrong. I loved that very much.
I absolutely adored this book and had such a good time reading it.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange of my honest opinion
April 5, 2021
Review in one (very long) sentence:
Take one farmer and one lawyer turned bookstore owner, add one mother determined to play matchmaker (in the best way possible), throw in some misplaced chickens (and cute ducklings), shake, and enjoy a low-key, sweet, moderately sexy story about two men who, despite their own fears (42-year-old Harrison is obsessed with dying young, as all the men in his family passed away from heart disease before hitting 43, while Finn doesn't trust Harrison will be satisfied with a small-town life), prevail and find a HEA with each other.
Take one farmer and one lawyer turned bookstore owner, add one mother determined to play matchmaker (in the best way possible), throw in some misplaced chickens (and cute ducklings), shake, and enjoy a low-key, sweet, moderately sexy story about two men who, despite their own fears (42-year-old Harrison is obsessed with dying young, as all the men in his family passed away from heart disease before hitting 43, while Finn doesn't trust Harrison will be satisfied with a small-town life), prevail and find a HEA with each other.
February 23, 2021
This was a perfect introduction to the new Vino and Veritas World of True North series which is focusing on the LGBTQ+ community.
Annabeth's story isn't overly angsty, it's a really sweet romance between Harrison, owner of V&V along with his awesome mum Audrey, and local farmer Finn, but it sets a lovely scene for the series and I really liked it.
Both Harrison and Finn have their issues, but neither of them is willing to let them get in the way of how they're feeling once they both realise that the casual friendship they said they'd stick to has turned into something much deeper.
There is a wonderful connection between the two men, it's a gentle romance, filled with conversations, but it still brings the heat too and Harrison and Finn burn up the sheets once they decide they're both fully invested.
The usual book tension hiccup occurs around the 80% mark but, thankfully, is quickly resolved and doesn't turn into a massive drama. These two men are both mature enough to know they need to talk to each other and I appreciated this element a great deal.
I'm seriously stoked for the rest of the series and there is a gentle introduction to Tanner, one of the MCs in Garrett Leigh's Heartscape
#ARC kindly received from the publishers Heart Eyes Press in return for an honest and unbiased review
Annabeth's story isn't overly angsty, it's a really sweet romance between Harrison, owner of V&V along with his awesome mum Audrey, and local farmer Finn, but it sets a lovely scene for the series and I really liked it.
Both Harrison and Finn have their issues, but neither of them is willing to let them get in the way of how they're feeling once they both realise that the casual friendship they said they'd stick to has turned into something much deeper.
There is a wonderful connection between the two men, it's a gentle romance, filled with conversations, but it still brings the heat too and Harrison and Finn burn up the sheets once they decide they're both fully invested.
The usual book tension hiccup occurs around the 80% mark but, thankfully, is quickly resolved and doesn't turn into a massive drama. These two men are both mature enough to know they need to talk to each other and I appreciated this element a great deal.
I'm seriously stoked for the rest of the series and there is a gentle introduction to Tanner, one of the MCs in Garrett Leigh's Heartscape
#ARC kindly received from the publishers Heart Eyes Press in return for an honest and unbiased review
June 19, 2021
3.5 Stars
Well that went down nice and easy!
As per the blurb, Harrison is the new man in town, proprietor of the bookstore and wine shop that’s soon to open. When a mixed up delivery goes awry, his path collides nicely with local farmer Finn. Both aren’t looking for anything serious (for different reasons) but as Finn takes it upon himself to show country living to Harrison, their mutual attraction slowly builds to more.
Very very angst light, tossed with a simmering burn and some cock blocking courtesy of life, this was just a nice little ole romance with dashes of smexy and two men coming to grips with what they want from each other and their own long term goals and preconceived notions.
Tied loosely to Roommate, this is set in the Bowen universe that bridges no less than 5 other series. Regardless, this was a good start as a loosely tied new series set in the quaint town of Burlington, Vermont. Enjoy!
Well that went down nice and easy!
As per the blurb, Harrison is the new man in town, proprietor of the bookstore and wine shop that’s soon to open. When a mixed up delivery goes awry, his path collides nicely with local farmer Finn. Both aren’t looking for anything serious (for different reasons) but as Finn takes it upon himself to show country living to Harrison, their mutual attraction slowly builds to more.
Very very angst light, tossed with a simmering burn and some cock blocking courtesy of life, this was just a nice little ole romance with dashes of smexy and two men coming to grips with what they want from each other and their own long term goals and preconceived notions.
Tied loosely to Roommate, this is set in the Bowen universe that bridges no less than 5 other series. Regardless, this was a good start as a loosely tied new series set in the quaint town of Burlington, Vermont. Enjoy!
May 13, 2021
4 Stars
Featherbed is an easy-breezy, upbeat, low (low, low, low) angst M/M romance, featuring a big-city lawyer-turned-bookstore entrepreneur named Harrison and a hardworking, family-oriented, chicken farmer named Finn, who find unexpected but worthwhile love in Burlington, Vermont.
This was a purely joyful reading experience for me—one that was much needed and appreciated at the time. I enjoyed the opposites-attract dynamic between Harrison and Finn, who shared an instant attraction and whose progression from new friends, to lovers, to committed couple was a smooth and effortless slide into memorably romantic territory.
I’m sure many will argue there wasn’t enough conflict or emotional oomph to this one, but god damn I’m glad there wasn’t. In my experience, the characters and their relationship were genuine and engaging despite the lack of major conflict, and I was all too happy to just have a stress-free time watching them fall in love. Honestly, it’s been a good long while since I read an Annabeth Albert book that felt so feel-good and I was HERE FOR IT.
Note: This whole multi-author, multi-series concept, expanding Sarina Bowen’s original series into the new World of True North, is one I am undeniably very excited about. For those wondering, most of the stories can be read as standalones, with undoubtedly a bit of crossover with characters and in settings (like the Vinos & Veritas bookstore and wine bar here), but generally speaking, the stories (seem to) have been written with new readers in mind, which is promising. Featherbed was my first read beyond Bowen’s original True North series (+ Roommate), and I must say, if this is the kind of romance to be expected then I’m all too eager to dive in headfirst into ALL the books from here on out. Wish me luck!
Featherbed is an easy-breezy, upbeat, low (low, low, low) angst M/M romance, featuring a big-city lawyer-turned-bookstore entrepreneur named Harrison and a hardworking, family-oriented, chicken farmer named Finn, who find unexpected but worthwhile love in Burlington, Vermont.
This was a purely joyful reading experience for me—one that was much needed and appreciated at the time. I enjoyed the opposites-attract dynamic between Harrison and Finn, who shared an instant attraction and whose progression from new friends, to lovers, to committed couple was a smooth and effortless slide into memorably romantic territory.
I’m sure many will argue there wasn’t enough conflict or emotional oomph to this one, but god damn I’m glad there wasn’t. In my experience, the characters and their relationship were genuine and engaging despite the lack of major conflict, and I was all too happy to just have a stress-free time watching them fall in love. Honestly, it’s been a good long while since I read an Annabeth Albert book that felt so feel-good and I was HERE FOR IT.
Note: This whole multi-author, multi-series concept, expanding Sarina Bowen’s original series into the new World of True North, is one I am undeniably very excited about. For those wondering, most of the stories can be read as standalones, with undoubtedly a bit of crossover with characters and in settings (like the Vinos & Veritas bookstore and wine bar here), but generally speaking, the stories (seem to) have been written with new readers in mind, which is promising. Featherbed was my first read beyond Bowen’s original True North series (+ Roommate), and I must say, if this is the kind of romance to be expected then I’m all too eager to dive in headfirst into ALL the books from here on out. Wish me luck!
March 5, 2021
*** I received an eArc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.***
My initial reaction to this story is one filled with base-level satisfaction. I thought the story was fine in its execution, the two main characters were likable and enjoyable in their overall personalities and their character growth was understandable. Nothing beyond that truly impressed me with this story. I am excited to read more stories from this world because I love the overall concept, but this story was not overly engaging. If you enjoy small-town romances with minimal angst then you will probably enjoy this, but I had a difficult time staying interested with this one overall.
My initial reaction to this story is one filled with base-level satisfaction. I thought the story was fine in its execution, the two main characters were likable and enjoyable in their overall personalities and their character growth was understandable. Nothing beyond that truly impressed me with this story. I am excited to read more stories from this world because I love the overall concept, but this story was not overly engaging. If you enjoy small-town romances with minimal angst then you will probably enjoy this, but I had a difficult time staying interested with this one overall.
March 17, 2021
I loved this book!
It's sweet and has very little conflict. Exactly what I usually end up loving.
I can't wait to dive into the rest of the series. (Even though I'm sure the next one will be much more angsty).
I loved the settings of both the bookstore and the farm. Both being places I very much enjoy in real life. The chickens were a hoot.
I'll come back and write my full review later.
It's sweet and has very little conflict. Exactly what I usually end up loving.
I can't wait to dive into the rest of the series. (Even though I'm sure the next one will be much more angsty).
I loved the settings of both the bookstore and the farm. Both being places I very much enjoy in real life. The chickens were a hoot.
I'll come back and write my full review later.
March 17, 2021
This book was cute, but not very exciting. If it was a relationship, I’d say it clearly wasn’t the one for me and I should wait for the one that gives me butterflies.
Harrison and Finn were cute together. They had fun, had seemingly good sex. They live in a cute town, with lots of fun characters.
But something was just missing. I didn’t feel a great connection between the two. The romance was just meh. I’m not sure what was wrong. But I know I felt like I was finishing it just so that I can move on to a more exciting book. 🤷♀️
So 2.5 stars? That feels harsh considering there was nothing wrong with the book.
Harrison and Finn were cute together. They had fun, had seemingly good sex. They live in a cute town, with lots of fun characters.
But something was just missing. I didn’t feel a great connection between the two. The romance was just meh. I’m not sure what was wrong. But I know I felt like I was finishing it just so that I can move on to a more exciting book. 🤷♀️
So 2.5 stars? That feels harsh considering there was nothing wrong with the book.
March 15, 2021
Featherbed was a quick and easy read.
The joyful atmosphere of the story isn't disrupt even if the author put some serious themes here and there.
Harrison Fletcher came to Burlington from New York to open with his mother a bookstore, that sells lgbtq+ titles, and a wine bar. Finn Barnes is a local farmer. They meets when a delivery of chickens appears in front of Vino and Veritas, and Harrison has to find the right owner of the animals and Finn comes to get them. They are instantly attracted to each other but they are both overworked, with the farm and the new opening, so they aren't interested in a lasting relationship. Will they grow some deep feelings that ruin their plans? Or will they be content with a casual relationship?
Harrison and Finn are so different, a strict and city guy who always wears nice suits the first, a merry farmer who always wear work clothes the latter, but these opposites personalities share a lot of physical chemistry and attraction. I liked to read about them, their concerns for a lasting and successful relationship are real and that made me sympathize with them.
I cheered for the main characters to find the right balance between work and love and to trust each other to overcome their fears, of being left behind for Finn and to not have a lot of remaining time to live for Harrison.
A lot of the story talks about our main characters work because they work really hard and that's a relevant thing for the plot. I understand too well that at some point in life work is really important and you have to find the right person who understands that what you do is important and he accepts your hours and that something could suddenly come up.
Lately I'm really into the small town, farm trope and I've enjoyed this book that made me smile a lot.
Copy kindly provided by the Publisher/Author.
March 15, 2021
We're back in Vermont!
Harrison and his mom just moved back to her hometown.
They're about to open a bookstore/coffeeshop/Wine Bar.
A delivery of live chickens was not expected today ... but here they are.
Fortunately the real owner was quickly found. Chicken farmer Finn.
Insta attraction between the stuffy 42 year old ex lawyer and the hot younger chickens farmer.
But the age difference is too big and they are so not each other's type... plus there are some more things in their way ... right?
LET THE FUN TIMES BEGIN! ☺
═════════════════
Adorable!!
I was really excited to get started with this new book store series.
Vermont. Plus books. Plus Wine. Plus hot gay guys? What more can a reader want!?
And it was so cute and funny and chicken-y and book-y.
I just loved reading this. Harrison is so adorable nerdy and stuffy - at least at first. And Finn is your typical super hot muscly farmer guy with a brain. I loved this.
It felt a bit fast and insta - a bit like a novella, but I really liked the story and the mom and the family and the animals and the locations and the teasers about upcoming stories!
Great start into this third series of Sarina Bowen's True North World.
And as I mentioned in every one of my World of True North reviews - I could read these kinds of books every day for the rest of eternity!
I also wouldn't mind seeing this whole world on Netflix one day!
Can't wait to get more Vermont soon!
FEATHERBED was an adorable + funny + farmy + bookish + very sexy age gap M/M love story! I loved reading it! Run to your nearest amazon for your own Harrison + Finn - they'll be sold out in no time!
💜
💜
July 28, 2023
Vermont, USA.
Why on earth did the bookstore receive a shipment of fluffy, feathered chicks ? Harrison's worker, Oz, figures it out, and a phone call is made. The true recipient, Finn, who runs the big farm, is on the way.
Harrison and Finn sparked interest right away, but neither wants a relationship.
Harrison, 42, looks of a hipster, glasses,
dark hair, slim and lean, ex-lawyer, owns a bookstore/wine bar, with his Mom. He is a serious type, with his underlying worry of dying young from family heredity, as many men in the family have done.
Finn is a ray of sunshine, with blue eyes
and an open, friendly demeanor, about 40, running the large, prosperous farm, that has been in the family for 6 generations.
Ayam Cermani...
We learn about each man's ex, and see why they are leery of romance., but the urges are there. Their sexy times are super hot and emotions and passion are high. Could this be there "one?"
Harrison begins to love the farm and he and Finn are well suited. Harrison's fear gets in the way, but they talk it out.
We get to see how they have fun, work side-by-side, and like the same things. The side characters are great, and we love the dynamics.
ENJOY !
======
March 17, 2021
This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.
I really enjoyed this book! I don't read a lot of MM romances but I do enjoy the genre every once in a while. I have been loving the books that I have read set in the World of True North and I have enjoyed Annabeth Albert's work in the past so I thought that this book would be a safe bet. Plus, one of the main characters in this book is a chicken farmer! I don't think that I have read anything about a chicken farmer before so I couldn't resist giving this book a try.
A shipment of rare birds is delivered at Harrison's book store instead of Finn's farm which sets the stage for a wonderful romance. Harrison is just moving to town and opening a bookstore with his mother. Finn works the family farm and has seen men like Harrison come and go over the years since Vermont doesn't seem to be for everyone.
I loved Harrison and Finn together. They come from very different worlds but they are drawn to each other and the chemistry between them is amazing. They agree to keep things fun but they can't help but fall for each other. I liked the way that each man tried to be a better person and live life to the fullest. I thought that they worked really well together and liked how their lives seemed to fit together more perfectly as the story progressed.
I would recommend this book to fans of MM romance. I thought that this was a very well-done romance between fantastic characters. I cannot wait to read more books in this promising series.
I received a digital review copy of this book from the author/publicist.
Initial Thoughts
This was great! I loved Finn and Harrison and thought that they made a fantastic couple. It was a lot of fun watching Harrison try to fit into farm life.
I really enjoyed this book! I don't read a lot of MM romances but I do enjoy the genre every once in a while. I have been loving the books that I have read set in the World of True North and I have enjoyed Annabeth Albert's work in the past so I thought that this book would be a safe bet. Plus, one of the main characters in this book is a chicken farmer! I don't think that I have read anything about a chicken farmer before so I couldn't resist giving this book a try.
A shipment of rare birds is delivered at Harrison's book store instead of Finn's farm which sets the stage for a wonderful romance. Harrison is just moving to town and opening a bookstore with his mother. Finn works the family farm and has seen men like Harrison come and go over the years since Vermont doesn't seem to be for everyone.
I loved Harrison and Finn together. They come from very different worlds but they are drawn to each other and the chemistry between them is amazing. They agree to keep things fun but they can't help but fall for each other. I liked the way that each man tried to be a better person and live life to the fullest. I thought that they worked really well together and liked how their lives seemed to fit together more perfectly as the story progressed.
I would recommend this book to fans of MM romance. I thought that this was a very well-done romance between fantastic characters. I cannot wait to read more books in this promising series.
I received a digital review copy of this book from the author/publicist.
Initial Thoughts
This was great! I loved Finn and Harrison and thought that they made a fantastic couple. It was a lot of fun watching Harrison try to fit into farm life.
December 1, 2023
FEATHERBED was a cute, fairly low angst read about an older, buttoned up bookseller and a burly chicken farmer. Harrison was the perfect amount of stuffy for me -- he’s a little reserved and socially awkward but you can still tell that he’s truly trying. At first Harrison and Finn seem like total opposites that would never work but the more time they spend around each other the closer they get. I liked the way that these two appreciated their differences and truly loved each other for who they were. Finn, as the more outgoing and boisterous MC, was a lot of fun and I loved his dedication to his family’s farm and his community.
While I say this is low angst in terms of the relationship there were some heavy aspects, mostly related to Harrison’s belief that he won’t live past his 40’s due to his family’s history of heart complications. Harrison has given up on relationships because he doesn’t want to hurt anyone if he dies and he’s left his job and moved to Vermont to help his mother accomplish her dream of owning a bookstore before it’s too late. Overall, the story doesn’t linger too long in Harrison’s worried thoughts and it was nice to see him opening up and letting go of some of his funk as he called it in a really natural and genuine way. And I liked that therapy and anxiety medication are addressed as valid ways to help with mental health and happiness.
I haven’t read the Sarina Bowen series that this world takes place in but I liked this small town in Vermont and FEATHERBED makes a really nice introduction to it. As is typical with Annabeth Albert, this was a great character driven romance with lots of heart and plenty of steam.
Content Warning: references to parental death; Harrison’s family has a history of heart disease resulting in early deaths and he worries often about whether or not he’ll live past 42
While I say this is low angst in terms of the relationship there were some heavy aspects, mostly related to Harrison’s belief that he won’t live past his 40’s due to his family’s history of heart complications. Harrison has given up on relationships because he doesn’t want to hurt anyone if he dies and he’s left his job and moved to Vermont to help his mother accomplish her dream of owning a bookstore before it’s too late. Overall, the story doesn’t linger too long in Harrison’s worried thoughts and it was nice to see him opening up and letting go of some of his funk as he called it in a really natural and genuine way. And I liked that therapy and anxiety medication are addressed as valid ways to help with mental health and happiness.
I haven’t read the Sarina Bowen series that this world takes place in but I liked this small town in Vermont and FEATHERBED makes a really nice introduction to it. As is typical with Annabeth Albert, this was a great character driven romance with lots of heart and plenty of steam.
Content Warning: references to parental death; Harrison’s family has a history of heart disease resulting in early deaths and he worries often about whether or not he’ll live past 42
March 15, 2021
3.75 stars
Finn works on his family farm. After his father's passing he has become the main care taker of the farm. Due to all that needs doing on the farm, he has very little free time. Starting a relationship is the last thing on his mine. He is not sure a relationship can work with his busy schedule, a fact, that his last boyfriend wasn't afraid to point out. This same boyfriend left a sour taste in his mouth along with lingering feelings of abandonment.
Harrison just moved to Vermont from Boston. He opened Vino and Veritas with his mother. He has this mindset that he won't make it past 42 years old since death at that age, for males in his family, have occurred. His idea is to set his mom up to be happy because he does not see a future for himself. This also makes him believe he is a bad bet for relationships.
These two meet when a feathery delivery is sent to the wrong address. Attraction is definitely there but both men have hang ups that make anything more than a physical relationship seem impossible. Or at least that is the way it appears on the surface.
Overall a solid read. I enjoyed the relationship between these two and look forward to reading the other books in this series.
* I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
Finn works on his family farm. After his father's passing he has become the main care taker of the farm. Due to all that needs doing on the farm, he has very little free time. Starting a relationship is the last thing on his mine. He is not sure a relationship can work with his busy schedule, a fact, that his last boyfriend wasn't afraid to point out. This same boyfriend left a sour taste in his mouth along with lingering feelings of abandonment.
Harrison just moved to Vermont from Boston. He opened Vino and Veritas with his mother. He has this mindset that he won't make it past 42 years old since death at that age, for males in his family, have occurred. His idea is to set his mom up to be happy because he does not see a future for himself. This also makes him believe he is a bad bet for relationships.
These two meet when a feathery delivery is sent to the wrong address. Attraction is definitely there but both men have hang ups that make anything more than a physical relationship seem impossible. Or at least that is the way it appears on the surface.
Overall a solid read. I enjoyed the relationship between these two and look forward to reading the other books in this series.
* I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
April 23, 2021
I was pleasantly surprised that I loved this story so much. Small town setting, likeable characters and an honest connection between the two MC's: Harrison the older bookstore owner and Finn, the farmer slash fixer. It was such fun reading this book, and I am now looking forward to read more books in this series.
March 15, 2021
What a great way to start the Vino & Veritas series in the TRUE NORTH WORLD, Featherbed by Annabeth Albert takes us on a sweet & steamy journey as Harrison Phillip Fletcher, III does everything he can to help his moms dream become a reality before his fate claims him.
Leaving New York City behind and moving to Vermont was a huge change for Harrison but when he finds a delivery of chickens instead of books arrived at his bookstore he knows things are not going to be anything like he expected.
Finn Barnes is expecting a delivery of some rare chickens, Ayam Cemani, which he plans on breeding for their unique coloring. What he didn't expect is to have to pick them up in town at a bookstore/wine bar that is getting ready for it's grand opening.
The first meeting between Harrison and Finn was hysterical, actually there were quite a few times I found myself laughing out loud. I also found myself needing a few tissues as well as a few glasses of ice cold water because when these two finally got together they were hot! The chemistry was there right from the beginning but things progressed slowly between them so no insta-love here it was a natural progression which I enjoyed watching evolve. I especially enjoy when opposites find that they fit quite nicely together.
This book can be read as a standalone, you do not have to have read Sarina Bowen’s World of True North to enjoy this. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys MM romance, Age-Gap Romance, Small Town Romances or Opposites Attract Romances.
Happy Reading!!!
Read an Excerpt here: http://bit.ly/NBReviewF
**I have voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book for my Blog, Nadine's Obsessed with Books** I also preordered a copy
You can find me here: https://linktr.ee/NadineBookaholic
Leaving New York City behind and moving to Vermont was a huge change for Harrison but when he finds a delivery of chickens instead of books arrived at his bookstore he knows things are not going to be anything like he expected.
Finn Barnes is expecting a delivery of some rare chickens, Ayam Cemani, which he plans on breeding for their unique coloring. What he didn't expect is to have to pick them up in town at a bookstore/wine bar that is getting ready for it's grand opening.
The first meeting between Harrison and Finn was hysterical, actually there were quite a few times I found myself laughing out loud. I also found myself needing a few tissues as well as a few glasses of ice cold water because when these two finally got together they were hot! The chemistry was there right from the beginning but things progressed slowly between them so no insta-love here it was a natural progression which I enjoyed watching evolve. I especially enjoy when opposites find that they fit quite nicely together.
This book can be read as a standalone, you do not have to have read Sarina Bowen’s World of True North to enjoy this. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys MM romance, Age-Gap Romance, Small Town Romances or Opposites Attract Romances.
Happy Reading!!!
Read an Excerpt here: http://bit.ly/NBReviewF
**I have voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book for my Blog, Nadine's Obsessed with Books** I also preordered a copyYou can find me here: https://linktr.ee/NadineBookaholic
March 3, 2021
This is a very enjoyable book! Again, another good book by Annabeth. It not only had a delightful romance with very sweet characters, but it did a great job in introducing the town and the characters we can presume will overlap (or even star) in upcoming books.
Also, the birds played a great role in this book. As someone who lives close to peacocks and has interacted with ducks and ostriches, it was very interesting to see the birds interact with the chickens in the farm and how they each played a role in the life of the main characters. Even if the ostriches weren't there on presence, I'm counting them.
Also, the birds played a great role in this book. As someone who lives close to peacocks and has interacted with ducks and ostriches, it was very interesting to see the birds interact with the chickens in the farm and how they each played a role in the life of the main characters. Even if the ostriches weren't there on presence, I'm counting them.
June 6, 2021
Friends, I’ll be honest, I didn’t love the first book in the
True North
series, Bittersweet, and decided the series wasn’t for me. But when I learned Sarina Bowen was creating the
World of True North
– inviting other contemporary romance authors to borrow the setting for their own standalone novels – I decided to return to Vermont!
Vino and Veritas
– the proudest little spot in Vermont! On your right you’ll find the LGBTQ bookstore. On your left, the inclusive wine bar – is one of four off-shoot series set in the
True North
world; all the
Vino and Veritas
stories showcase an LGBTQ+ couple, and the series is penned by some of my favorite queer contemporary romance writers. Featherbed, the first book, introduces readers to
Vino and Veritas
, and is a lovely, low angst introduction to the rest of the series.
Harrison Phillip Fletcher III didn’t expect to settle in Burlington, Vermont, but he couldn’t pass up on the chance to open an inclusive wine bar and bookstore with his mom, Audrey. After all, he’s not sure he’ll get another such opportunity. Both his father and grandfather died before their forty-third birthdays; at forty-two, Harrison is convinced he’s living on borrowed time. He’s careful with his body and mind – eating right, exercising regularly, and reading many of the books he hopes to sell in the new shop, and doctors say he’s perfectly healthy, but Harrison can’t quite shake the worry that each day might be his last. So he gave up his legal career in New York City and relocated with his mom (a former librarian) to open Vino & Veritas. With days to go before the grand opening of the book shop, things are mostly proceeding according to plan. But when Featherbed begins, an altogether different worry consumes his thoughts. Chickens. Lots of chickens. In boxes. On his loading dock. Harrison tells himself not to panic.
A quick inspection of the smeared and mangled mailing label on one of the boxes reveals the chickens were meant for 4569 Church, and his new stocker Oz helpfully adds:
When Finn Barnes shows up at Vino & Veritas and discovers his shipment of chickens running amok in the V&V storeroom, he isn’t happy. It’s already been a frustrating day, and he’s quick to remind the handsome, older man chasing after his chickens that he wasn’t supposed to open the boxes. When the man informs him that setting them loose wasn’t intentional, his snappish tone is no surprise. The Librarian Guy, whom he assumes must be Mr. Fletcher,
This visit nearly starts off on the wrong track, too, when both men make incorrect, less than flattering assumptions about each other, but again, Audrey is there to smooth the way. And once she does, it soon becomes apparent that Finn and Harrison are attracted to each other, and that their first impressions were mostly wrong. Before Finn leaves, he invites Harrison and Audrey out to the farm for a tour, and it soon becomes clear that despite their mutual interest, both men are wary of getting involved. Harrison is convinced he might only have a few months left to live, and Finn’s been burned by a former lover who hated everything about farm life.
On paper, Harrison and Finn are total physical opposites – Finn is burly and big, and favors casual, comfortable clothes; Harrison is tall and lean, and prefers tailored clothes, leather shoes and hipster glasses – with different life experiences and expectations. But it soon becomes clear – over a shared love of queer historical romance novels and good food – that their differences compliment each other. A warm friendship quickly gives way to a passionate affair; both men then spend the better portion of the novel trying to ignore the intensity of their feelings, and persist in lying to themselves that theirs is a casual affair. Ahem.
Featherbed is a gentle, too-long love story about two likeable men with great physical and emotional chemistry, who are destined to be together, but whose past history precludes them from admitting they love each other. Finn is wary of another lover rejecting the life he loves; Harrison is afraid he’s a bad bet for anyone hoping for a long-term partner. The author does a lovely job proving them both wrong – revealing how their differences and similarities compliment each other and make them stronger together. Finn is protective and full of life and lives life in the moment; Harrison is logical, thoughtful and less impulsive, but open to new experiences and pleasures – and Finn exults in giving him pleasure whenever and however he can. Their union is joyful folks. These are kind and good men who genuinely like each other nearly from the get-go, who always seek out ways to please each other, and have crazy good sexual chemistry. Honestly, they’re perfect for each other – which is great, but maybe not quite enough to sustain a full length novel? When the requisite ‘trouble in paradise’ moment occurs… well, it’s totally predictable and since these are two mature adults who are already deeply in love, it is quickly resolved. Friends, I love a happy, joyful, low-angst, low-drama love story. I do. But when it takes nearly 200 pages to get to the official HEA, perhaps it’s 100 pages too long?
On the plus side, Albert does an excellent job introducing the World of True North and investing readers in the Vino and Veritas community of characters, and the loving family members that support and love Finn and Harrison. I was happy to be in Burlington, Vermont, again, and happy this pair found each other, too. I also loved the tease for the next story in the series, Heartscape, by Garrett Leigh, featuring the man hired to manage Veritas. Finn knew him in school, but alludes to a backstory both intriguing and annoyingly vague.
Featherbed – like its title – is a soft and fluffy introduction to Vino and Veritas . It’s overlong, but I recommend it anyway.
Harrison Phillip Fletcher III didn’t expect to settle in Burlington, Vermont, but he couldn’t pass up on the chance to open an inclusive wine bar and bookstore with his mom, Audrey. After all, he’s not sure he’ll get another such opportunity. Both his father and grandfather died before their forty-third birthdays; at forty-two, Harrison is convinced he’s living on borrowed time. He’s careful with his body and mind – eating right, exercising regularly, and reading many of the books he hopes to sell in the new shop, and doctors say he’s perfectly healthy, but Harrison can’t quite shake the worry that each day might be his last. So he gave up his legal career in New York City and relocated with his mom (a former librarian) to open Vino & Veritas. With days to go before the grand opening of the book shop, things are mostly proceeding according to plan. But when Featherbed begins, an altogether different worry consumes his thoughts. Chickens. Lots of chickens. In boxes. On his loading dock. Harrison tells himself not to panic.
A quick inspection of the smeared and mangled mailing label on one of the boxes reveals the chickens were meant for 4569 Church, and his new stocker Oz helpfully adds:
“… but I’d bet it’s supposed to be Old Church Road, down past South Burlington. There are some big farms in that area, including that hot chicken guy’s, I think.”After clarification from Oz – it’s the farmer who’s hot and not the chickens – and a quick internet search of the address, he calls Puddlebrook Farms and inquires whether they’re missing any chickens. The man that answers the phone has a deep, masculine voice, and Harrison can’t help imagining a hot farmer on the other end of the line… but he refocuses after the amused voice on the other end of the phone asks if his call is a prank. Harrison quickly explains who he is and why he’s calling – to the sounds of squawking chickens in the background – and the stranger on the phone confirms they belong to him. After a brief discussion of what to do with the chickens until the farmer can pick them up, Harrison promises to keep them safe until Mr. Barnes, the hot chicken guy, arrives.
When Finn Barnes shows up at Vino & Veritas and discovers his shipment of chickens running amok in the V&V storeroom, he isn’t happy. It’s already been a frustrating day, and he’s quick to remind the handsome, older man chasing after his chickens that he wasn’t supposed to open the boxes. When the man informs him that setting them loose wasn’t intentional, his snappish tone is no surprise. The Librarian Guy, whom he assumes must be Mr. Fletcher,
… had that rich-guy attitude that instantly reminded me of my ex, Astin. Nice clothes. Expensive shoes. And a similar superior tone that said he was too good for handling chickens.Finn orders him to stand back, taking no small delight in being able to give Mr. Bigshot Bookseller an order, and quickly gathers up the chickens. Only the fortuitous arrival of Audrey forestalls further angry words. Audrey asks about the chickens and Finn’s farm, and by the time she offers him a tour of their soon to be opened bookstore, Finn is no longer angry. Later, when he’s returning to the farm, he realizes he never said thank you for the phone call or the offer to keep the chickens until he could pick them up. A guilty conscience has him returning to the bookstore, farmstand treats in hand, to thank them for their help.
This visit nearly starts off on the wrong track, too, when both men make incorrect, less than flattering assumptions about each other, but again, Audrey is there to smooth the way. And once she does, it soon becomes apparent that Finn and Harrison are attracted to each other, and that their first impressions were mostly wrong. Before Finn leaves, he invites Harrison and Audrey out to the farm for a tour, and it soon becomes clear that despite their mutual interest, both men are wary of getting involved. Harrison is convinced he might only have a few months left to live, and Finn’s been burned by a former lover who hated everything about farm life.
On paper, Harrison and Finn are total physical opposites – Finn is burly and big, and favors casual, comfortable clothes; Harrison is tall and lean, and prefers tailored clothes, leather shoes and hipster glasses – with different life experiences and expectations. But it soon becomes clear – over a shared love of queer historical romance novels and good food – that their differences compliment each other. A warm friendship quickly gives way to a passionate affair; both men then spend the better portion of the novel trying to ignore the intensity of their feelings, and persist in lying to themselves that theirs is a casual affair. Ahem.
Featherbed is a gentle, too-long love story about two likeable men with great physical and emotional chemistry, who are destined to be together, but whose past history precludes them from admitting they love each other. Finn is wary of another lover rejecting the life he loves; Harrison is afraid he’s a bad bet for anyone hoping for a long-term partner. The author does a lovely job proving them both wrong – revealing how their differences and similarities compliment each other and make them stronger together. Finn is protective and full of life and lives life in the moment; Harrison is logical, thoughtful and less impulsive, but open to new experiences and pleasures – and Finn exults in giving him pleasure whenever and however he can. Their union is joyful folks. These are kind and good men who genuinely like each other nearly from the get-go, who always seek out ways to please each other, and have crazy good sexual chemistry. Honestly, they’re perfect for each other – which is great, but maybe not quite enough to sustain a full length novel? When the requisite ‘trouble in paradise’ moment occurs… well, it’s totally predictable and since these are two mature adults who are already deeply in love, it is quickly resolved. Friends, I love a happy, joyful, low-angst, low-drama love story. I do. But when it takes nearly 200 pages to get to the official HEA, perhaps it’s 100 pages too long?
On the plus side, Albert does an excellent job introducing the World of True North and investing readers in the Vino and Veritas community of characters, and the loving family members that support and love Finn and Harrison. I was happy to be in Burlington, Vermont, again, and happy this pair found each other, too. I also loved the tease for the next story in the series, Heartscape, by Garrett Leigh, featuring the man hired to manage Veritas. Finn knew him in school, but alludes to a backstory both intriguing and annoyingly vague.
Featherbed – like its title – is a soft and fluffy introduction to Vino and Veritas . It’s overlong, but I recommend it anyway.
March 11, 2024
I've given this a B for narration and a B- for content at AudioGals.
The Vino and Veritas series is one of four new series of contemporary romances set in the world created by Sarina Bowen in her True North books. Each of the series is multi-authored, and the books are all standalones; although some characters do cross over between books, the stories in each are self-contained, so you can dip in and out without missing anything important. The V&V books are all queer romances – mostly m/m, but there are some f/f ones, too – and there’s a fabulous line-up of authors, some of whom are personal favourites. One of them – Annabeth Albert – kicks things off with Featherbed, a sweet, sexy, low-angst romance that, for all its cuteness and strong characterisation, needed a bit more oomph.
A former lawyer, Harrison Fletcher has left the bustle of New York and relocated to Burlington in Vermont where he’s about to open his new venture – a combined bookstore and wine bar he’s named Vino and Veritas. Part of his reason for moving is to because he wants to make mother happy; ever since she retired from her job as a librarian, she’s been at something of a loose end and he knows that owning a bookstore has long been a dream of hers. But he knows he needed a change, too, especially as he thinks he won’t have much more time to spend with her; both his father and his grandfather died before reaching the age of forty-three, and with his forty-second birthday approaching, Harrison can feel the ticking of the countdown clock. Still, even though it’s a move he wanted to make, it’s been something of a culture shock – something brought home even more strongly when one of the deliveries he’s expecting for the bookstore half of V and V turns out to be a box of chickens rather than a box of books.
Harrison’s new store assistant helpfully points out that the address on the box is similar to the address of the V and V – and even more helpfully says that it should probably have gone to the farm run by the hot chicken guy (as in the guy is hot, not the chickens!). Harrison makes a phone call and sure enough, the chickens were meant for Puddlebrook Farm. Harrison is rather taken with the deep masculine voice on the other end of the line, and after a brief discussion as to what Harrison should do – and not do (under no circumstances should the chickens be let out of the box) – he agrees to sit tight and wait for Finn Barnes to arrive to collect them.
No prizes for guessing what happens next. Yep. When Finn arrives to collect his rare, heritage-breed Ayam Cermani chickens at the end of what has been a really frustrating day, he’s not best pleased to see a few of them running around loose in Harrison’s storeroom. He takes one look at Harrison, and immediately pegs him as a useless city-type –
…what with his fancy pants and white shirt that had undoubtedly started the day pristine and ironed.
– who thinks he’s far too good to be doing something as mundane as handling chickens.
Tempers are fraying, but thankfully Harrison’s mother Audrey arrives to smooth things over a bit, and by the time Finn leaves, he’s calmed down enough to realise that he never thanked the pair of them for their help, so the next day he goes back to take them a gift basket of some of the farm’s produce as a peace offering and a thank you. By the end of the short visit, Finn has issued an invitation for Harrison and Audrey to visit the farm – and both men are trying hard not to be attracted to each other.
Harrison and Finn are great guys and complete opposites. Finn is big and muscly where Harrison is tall, lean and elegant, and their backgrounds and life experience are very different. But no matter how hard they try to convince themselves otherwise, the spark of attraction between them is impossible to ignore, and soon, they’re becoming friends and bonding over a shared love of queer historical romances and good food. Needless to say, it’s not long before they to start to fall for one another, but both of them have reasons for holding out against love; Harrison because he thinks he’s a bad bet as a long-term partner, and Finn because he was burned by an ex who dumped him because he hated the farm life that Finn loves.
I’m a big Annabeth Albert fan, and I’ve really been looking forward to listening to Featherbed; in fact, I deliberately opted not to read it when it came out in print in March because I wanted to wait for the audio. Maybe I’d built my expectations too high, but in the end, I wasn’t as invested as I’d hoped I’d be. Don’t get me wrong; it’s quiet and sweet and sexy and lovely, the two leads have great chemistry and the author does a great job of showing them – and us – how their differences complement each other and how perfect they are for one another. It’s just a bit slow and uneventful for my taste. There’s a very small amount of conflict introduced near the end to add a touch of uncertainty, but it’s not particularly convincing, and I was a bit uncomfortable when Finn persisted in calling Harrison “Harry”, even after he’d asked him not to.
Kirt Graves and Alexander Cendese are very experienced romance narrators and they both deliver expressive, well-paced performances here. Mr. Graves reads the chapters from Harrison’s PoV and his soft, husky tones are a great fit for the character, while Mr. Cendese’s brighter sound and upbeat delivery provide a nice contrast and work equally well to delineate the extrovert, more gregarious Finn. I know that for some, having two voices of such different tone and timbre can be problematic – I see reviews complaining that “X’s version of this character is too different to Y’s so it sounds like a completely different character “ – but that doesn’t generally bother me; two different people = two different voices and as long as (in the case of m/m) the performers can agree which of the leads is going to use a higher pitch and which a lower, and can make them sound sufficiently different to one another, I don’t expect one performer to attempt to impersonate the other. (If they do and make a good job of it, it’s an added bonus!) Both narrators characterise and differentiate the secondary cast well, and although Mr. Cendese’s female voices can sound a bit caricature-ish, he doesn’t use falsetto or go wildly over the top, and I don’t generally mind it. He can also speak a bit too quickly at times; he doesn’t mangle or trip over words, he just sounds a bit rushed. Also – advance warning – there are a couple of places in the text where Finn whistles; Mr. Cendese actually does whistle, and even though it’s supposed to be quiet, it made me jump both times!
I did enjoy the characters and performances in Featherbed, but even though its running time comes in at just under five and a half hours, it feels a bit overlong and the romance, while very well-written, was a bit too low-key for me. But YMMV- I know a lot of people have gravitated towards less complicated, gentler stories over the last year or so, and if that’s you, this might be just what you’re looking for.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals .
The Vino and Veritas series is one of four new series of contemporary romances set in the world created by Sarina Bowen in her True North books. Each of the series is multi-authored, and the books are all standalones; although some characters do cross over between books, the stories in each are self-contained, so you can dip in and out without missing anything important. The V&V books are all queer romances – mostly m/m, but there are some f/f ones, too – and there’s a fabulous line-up of authors, some of whom are personal favourites. One of them – Annabeth Albert – kicks things off with Featherbed, a sweet, sexy, low-angst romance that, for all its cuteness and strong characterisation, needed a bit more oomph.
A former lawyer, Harrison Fletcher has left the bustle of New York and relocated to Burlington in Vermont where he’s about to open his new venture – a combined bookstore and wine bar he’s named Vino and Veritas. Part of his reason for moving is to because he wants to make mother happy; ever since she retired from her job as a librarian, she’s been at something of a loose end and he knows that owning a bookstore has long been a dream of hers. But he knows he needed a change, too, especially as he thinks he won’t have much more time to spend with her; both his father and his grandfather died before reaching the age of forty-three, and with his forty-second birthday approaching, Harrison can feel the ticking of the countdown clock. Still, even though it’s a move he wanted to make, it’s been something of a culture shock – something brought home even more strongly when one of the deliveries he’s expecting for the bookstore half of V and V turns out to be a box of chickens rather than a box of books.
Harrison’s new store assistant helpfully points out that the address on the box is similar to the address of the V and V – and even more helpfully says that it should probably have gone to the farm run by the hot chicken guy (as in the guy is hot, not the chickens!). Harrison makes a phone call and sure enough, the chickens were meant for Puddlebrook Farm. Harrison is rather taken with the deep masculine voice on the other end of the line, and after a brief discussion as to what Harrison should do – and not do (under no circumstances should the chickens be let out of the box) – he agrees to sit tight and wait for Finn Barnes to arrive to collect them.
No prizes for guessing what happens next. Yep. When Finn arrives to collect his rare, heritage-breed Ayam Cermani chickens at the end of what has been a really frustrating day, he’s not best pleased to see a few of them running around loose in Harrison’s storeroom. He takes one look at Harrison, and immediately pegs him as a useless city-type –
…what with his fancy pants and white shirt that had undoubtedly started the day pristine and ironed.
– who thinks he’s far too good to be doing something as mundane as handling chickens.
Tempers are fraying, but thankfully Harrison’s mother Audrey arrives to smooth things over a bit, and by the time Finn leaves, he’s calmed down enough to realise that he never thanked the pair of them for their help, so the next day he goes back to take them a gift basket of some of the farm’s produce as a peace offering and a thank you. By the end of the short visit, Finn has issued an invitation for Harrison and Audrey to visit the farm – and both men are trying hard not to be attracted to each other.
Harrison and Finn are great guys and complete opposites. Finn is big and muscly where Harrison is tall, lean and elegant, and their backgrounds and life experience are very different. But no matter how hard they try to convince themselves otherwise, the spark of attraction between them is impossible to ignore, and soon, they’re becoming friends and bonding over a shared love of queer historical romances and good food. Needless to say, it’s not long before they to start to fall for one another, but both of them have reasons for holding out against love; Harrison because he thinks he’s a bad bet as a long-term partner, and Finn because he was burned by an ex who dumped him because he hated the farm life that Finn loves.
I’m a big Annabeth Albert fan, and I’ve really been looking forward to listening to Featherbed; in fact, I deliberately opted not to read it when it came out in print in March because I wanted to wait for the audio. Maybe I’d built my expectations too high, but in the end, I wasn’t as invested as I’d hoped I’d be. Don’t get me wrong; it’s quiet and sweet and sexy and lovely, the two leads have great chemistry and the author does a great job of showing them – and us – how their differences complement each other and how perfect they are for one another. It’s just a bit slow and uneventful for my taste. There’s a very small amount of conflict introduced near the end to add a touch of uncertainty, but it’s not particularly convincing, and I was a bit uncomfortable when Finn persisted in calling Harrison “Harry”, even after he’d asked him not to.
Kirt Graves and Alexander Cendese are very experienced romance narrators and they both deliver expressive, well-paced performances here. Mr. Graves reads the chapters from Harrison’s PoV and his soft, husky tones are a great fit for the character, while Mr. Cendese’s brighter sound and upbeat delivery provide a nice contrast and work equally well to delineate the extrovert, more gregarious Finn. I know that for some, having two voices of such different tone and timbre can be problematic – I see reviews complaining that “X’s version of this character is too different to Y’s so it sounds like a completely different character “ – but that doesn’t generally bother me; two different people = two different voices and as long as (in the case of m/m) the performers can agree which of the leads is going to use a higher pitch and which a lower, and can make them sound sufficiently different to one another, I don’t expect one performer to attempt to impersonate the other. (If they do and make a good job of it, it’s an added bonus!) Both narrators characterise and differentiate the secondary cast well, and although Mr. Cendese’s female voices can sound a bit caricature-ish, he doesn’t use falsetto or go wildly over the top, and I don’t generally mind it. He can also speak a bit too quickly at times; he doesn’t mangle or trip over words, he just sounds a bit rushed. Also – advance warning – there are a couple of places in the text where Finn whistles; Mr. Cendese actually does whistle, and even though it’s supposed to be quiet, it made me jump both times!
I did enjoy the characters and performances in Featherbed, but even though its running time comes in at just under five and a half hours, it feels a bit overlong and the romance, while very well-written, was a bit too low-key for me. But YMMV- I know a lot of people have gravitated towards less complicated, gentler stories over the last year or so, and if that’s you, this might be just what you’re looking for.
This review originally appeared at AudioGals .
August 19, 2023
I’ve been listening to this on Audible for the last 2 wks whilst driving to and from work and not once have I felt any desire to read or listen to it in between or even to keep the car idling just to reach the end of the chapter. In fact I couldn’t wait for it to end. Normally I’m an intensely compulsive reader who sacrifices sleep to read and every attempt at audio doesn’t last because I just want to keep reading any chance I get. That probably says all I need to about this one. It was just very bland. I also couldn’t connect with the narrator for Finn. He is described as having a deep, gruff manly farmers voice but sadly this was not the case and I think it greatly affected my enjoyment of the story.
March 29, 2021
3.5 stars
Likes
+ The chicken and the ducklings *lol*
+ The farm life
+ The bookstore and the BOOKS of course!
+ The community (and of course, potential of the other couples!)
+ That this isn't very angst-heavy
Dislikes
+ Harrison's take on his anxiety (I know that in real life it could happen, this worrisome about genetic disease, but his attitude frustrated me, even if I know that it IS the source of conflict after all... but this is one of the negative motivation things, and I'm not in the mood for that!)
Likes
+ The chicken and the ducklings *lol*
+ The farm life
+ The bookstore and the BOOKS of course!
+ The community (and of course, potential of the other couples!)
+ That this isn't very angst-heavy
Dislikes
+ Harrison's take on his anxiety (I know that in real life it could happen, this worrisome about genetic disease, but his attitude frustrated me, even if I know that it IS the source of conflict after all... but this is one of the negative motivation things, and I'm not in the mood for that!)
March 9, 2022
I always love an Annabeth Albert. She writes the sweetest Gay Romances. And this one was just as sweet, plus chickens.
4 Stars
3 on the spice scale
4 Stars
3 on the spice scale
March 13, 2022
4 Stars! Low angst story with likable MCs with an unlikely attraction. ❤️
April 16, 2023
Cute.
This book was nothing special, but was cute enough.
Zero angst, no real conflict. Chickens. Ducks. Books. Wine. Love.
Good audiobook narration.
This book was nothing special, but was cute enough.
Zero angst, no real conflict. Chickens. Ducks. Books. Wine. Love.
Good audiobook narration.
March 7, 2021
Featherbed is a cute M/M romance set in Vermont, in the True North universe.
It’s also one of the least angsty book I’ve ever read. It’s just altogether cosy, with two mature guys hitting it off.
I really liked that both Harrison and Finn were more mature.
(I seem to appreciate maturity and good sense more and more the older I get, who would have thought!) They were grounded and didn’t expect love to sweep them off their feet. And they most certainly wouldn’t change their priorities because of some fling.
...Or so they thought.
So, this is more of a low-key, realistic love-story, which I found really refreshing. I’m not saying there wasn’t any drama, because there was. It just wasn’t the over the top, teenage-kind of angst involved. Instead, the guys were actually self-aware and humble enough to realize their own mistakes and then solve them like adults by talking. So awesome!
In short, this is somewhat of an understated gem for the low-angst lovers of M/M romance. And so well written. A solid 4-star!
https://reflectionsofaswedishgirl.blo...
*A free copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher*
It’s also one of the least angsty book I’ve ever read. It’s just altogether cosy, with two mature guys hitting it off.
I really liked that both Harrison and Finn were more mature.
(I seem to appreciate maturity and good sense more and more the older I get, who would have thought!) They were grounded and didn’t expect love to sweep them off their feet. And they most certainly wouldn’t change their priorities because of some fling.
...Or so they thought.
So, this is more of a low-key, realistic love-story, which I found really refreshing. I’m not saying there wasn’t any drama, because there was. It just wasn’t the over the top, teenage-kind of angst involved. Instead, the guys were actually self-aware and humble enough to realize their own mistakes and then solve them like adults by talking. So awesome!
In short, this is somewhat of an understated gem for the low-angst lovers of M/M romance. And so well written. A solid 4-star!
https://reflectionsofaswedishgirl.blo...
*A free copy of this book was kindly provided by the publisher*
March 15, 2021
A Joyfully Jay review.
4.25 stars
Featherbed is the first book in the Vino and Veritas collection, a set of multi-author LGBTQ stories set in the larger World of True North universe. The books are designed to be standalone stories that can be read in any order and all feature the Vino & Veritas bookstore and wine bar. This being the start of the series, we kick things off with Harrison and the opening of the shop. There is a nice sense of place here, giving us a good feel for the town, the store/bar, and some of the locals. The books are all designed to stand alone, but I feel like Albert does a good job laying the foundation for the collection here.
This story is all sweet yumminess with a lot of hot farmer porn and a nice dose of quaint. Everything is about as charming as it could be, and while it could have felt too over the top, Albert manages to create a really lovely atmosphere that just drew me in.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
4.25 stars
Featherbed is the first book in the Vino and Veritas collection, a set of multi-author LGBTQ stories set in the larger World of True North universe. The books are designed to be standalone stories that can be read in any order and all feature the Vino & Veritas bookstore and wine bar. This being the start of the series, we kick things off with Harrison and the opening of the shop. There is a nice sense of place here, giving us a good feel for the town, the store/bar, and some of the locals. The books are all designed to stand alone, but I feel like Albert does a good job laying the foundation for the collection here.
This story is all sweet yumminess with a lot of hot farmer porn and a nice dose of quaint. Everything is about as charming as it could be, and while it could have felt too over the top, Albert manages to create a really lovely atmosphere that just drew me in.
Read Jay’s review in its entirety here.
March 16, 2021
Nail Art for this book
When I saw that this was about a bookseller and a farmer I was all the way in. Add in that the author was Annabeth Albert and I was sold.
Finn and Harrison are adorable. Finn's commitment to living for what he believes in while supporting his loved ones is endearing. Harrison's love for his mom and devotion to a shared dream is lovely.
I really enjoyed Harrison's growth throughout the story and their mutual trust development.
The distinct things that make them opposites were fleshed out well. The straitlaced, indoorsy bookstore owner with the farmer was the perfect combination. Their personalities worked well as opposites and phased perfectly into attraction.
Harrison's joy in sharing in activities with Finn made this story for me. His willingness to try new things and Finn's availability to teach him made me root for their future. I think these two are going to make it.
When I saw that this was about a bookseller and a farmer I was all the way in. Add in that the author was Annabeth Albert and I was sold.
Finn and Harrison are adorable. Finn's commitment to living for what he believes in while supporting his loved ones is endearing. Harrison's love for his mom and devotion to a shared dream is lovely.
I really enjoyed Harrison's growth throughout the story and their mutual trust development.
The distinct things that make them opposites were fleshed out well. The straitlaced, indoorsy bookstore owner with the farmer was the perfect combination. Their personalities worked well as opposites and phased perfectly into attraction.
Harrison's joy in sharing in activities with Finn made this story for me. His willingness to try new things and Finn's availability to teach him made me root for their future. I think these two are going to make it.
February 3, 2022
I really liked Harrison and Finn. Featherbed is an age gap, opposites attract story, filled with humor, heat, and a little emotional turmoil. It’s lighthearted and heartwarming, and quite compelling...not to mention the chemistry that is off the charts from the start. I had some doubts to start with since the two guys start out on the wrong foot. Despite their intense attraction to each other, they seem determined to avoid getting anything going. Not a good thing for a romance book of any genre:) I especially enjoyed seeing them finding that out that they were exactly what each other needed. and the little chickens & ducks were a fun addition. This as well as the other books in the series can easily be read as a standalone. Vino & Veritas is a different type of series than most. It's composed of books written by several individual m/m romance authors. I think I'm going to have fun with this series. I'll have to send my two "book bringing" guys to the bookstore.
July 16, 2021
This is a rounded up 3. I liked Harrison Finn, and their friends and family. I love the True North world Roommate was terrific) so I had high hopes. But there wasn’t enough there. The book was both short and slight—I needed more character development, more plot, more stuff going on in the town and the characters’ lives.
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