Clara’s Verdict
There is something almost stubbornly cheerful about Hot Axe, May Archer’s second instalment in the Axford Brothers series, and I mean that as the highest possible compliment. In a genre increasingly crowded with brooding antiheroes and manufactured miscommunication, Archer arrives with a story that is warm, funny, and genuinely romantic — the sort of audiobook you put on for the commute home and then cannot bring yourself to pause. Michael Dean’s narration only amplifies the effect. This is comfort listening done with real craft.
About the audiobook
Abel — Ames to everyone in Winsome — has been in love with his best friend Robbie for sixteen years. He has no intention of ever admitting it. Robbie is straight, Robbie is engaged to Lissa, and Ames has decided, quite sensibly, to move on. Then a firefighting emergency intervenes: one uncontrollable blaze, one daring rescue, one injury, and one heavily-medicated love confession that Ames cannot take back.
What follows is that most delicious of slow-burn scenarios: Robbie, suddenly hyper-present and inexplicably shirtless, bathing and dressing and nursing his best friend back to health while both of them try to pretend nothing has shifted between them. Archer handles the emotional mechanics with considerable skill. Robbie is not simply a « straight man who discovers he was gay all along » — there are sessions with a therapist, genuine confusion, and a respect for his own interiority that many romances skip entirely. The result is a love story that feels earned rather than inevitable.
Set in the small-town world of Winsome, the novel also benefits from an ensemble cast and a light subplot involving the volunteer fire service that gives the romance real texture. As the second book in the Axford Brothers series, it can be read as a standalone, though fans of the first book will enjoy the returning characters.
The narration
Michael Dean handles the dual-perspective narration with impressive range. He captures Ames’s self-deprecating wit and barely-suppressed longing without slipping into melodrama, and his rendering of Robbie — the big-hearted, golden-retriever energy of him — is genuinely endearing. The pacing over nine hours and fifty minutes never drags; Dean keeps the comedy crisp and the emotional beats landing cleanly. He is a natural fit for Archer’s voice.
What readers say
Listeners in the United Kingdom have been effusive. Lindy Bateman called it « a little bit of everything — it made me laugh, the chemistry between the main characters is so much fun and adorable. » Dani, reviewing in March 2026, appreciated that the story showed Robbie’s psychological journey through his therapist scenes, noting it helped her feel genuinely connected to his shift in feelings. Gemma Phillips described it as « a warm hug of a story — lots of snark and bickering but with lots of affection and years of history. » Swifty praised it as « soooo good, » singling out Robbie as « the ultimate golden retriever: easy-going, big-hearted. » With a rating of 4.7 out of 5 from 24 listeners, the response has been near-unanimous.
Who should listen?
If you enjoy M/M romance with a strong best-friends-to-lovers structure, small-town warmth, and a narrator who can carry both comedy and tenderness, Hot Axe is an easy recommendation. It is particularly well-suited to listeners who appreciate romances where the « straight » love interest’s journey is handled with psychological credibility rather than hand-waving. Fans of Alexis Hall or TJ Klune will find a great deal to enjoy here. Having read the first Axford Brothers book will add context but is by no means required.
