Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
Best Laid Plans  By  cover art

Best Laid Plans

By: Roan Parrish
Narrated by: Greg Boudreaux
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $24.06

Buy for $24.06

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

A man who's been moving his whole life finally finds a reason to stay put.

Charlie Matheson has spent his life taking care of things. When his parents died two days before his eighteenth birthday, he took care of his younger brother, even though that meant putting his own dreams on hold. He took care of his father's hardware store, building it into something known several towns over. He took care of the cat he found in the woods…so now he has a cat.

When a stranger with epic tattoos and a glare to match starts coming into Matheson's Hardware, buying things seemingly at random and lugging them off in a car so beat-up Charlie feels bad for it, his instinct is to help. When the man comes in for the fifth time in a week, Charlie can't resist intervening.

Rye Janssen has spent his life breaking things. Promises. His parents' hearts. Leases. He isn't used to people wanting to put things back together—not the crumbling house he just inherited, not his future and certainly not him. But the longer he stays in Garnet Run, the more he can see himself belonging there. And the more time he spends with Charlie, the more he can see himself falling asleep in Charlie's arms…and waking up in them.

Is this what it feels like to have a home—and someone to share it with?

Garnet Run

Book 1: Better Than People

Book 2: Our Level Best

©2021 Roan Parrish (P)2021 Harlequin Enterprises, Limited

What listeners say about Best Laid Plans

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    179
  • 4 Stars
    56
  • 3 Stars
    18
  • 2 Stars
    4
  • 1 Stars
    2
Performance
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    198
  • 4 Stars
    33
  • 3 Stars
    3
  • 2 Stars
    0
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    161
  • 4 Stars
    53
  • 3 Stars
    16
  • 2 Stars
    2
  • 1 Stars
    2

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

This was a surprise!

I went into this book thinking Rye was going to be the character who stole my heart and made me feel all the things for him, but surprise of surprises, it was Charlie who I found myself drawn to the most. Not to say Rye didn't bring the feels as well, because he definitely did, but getting Charlie's story from his pov, after meeting him in Better Than People and forming certain ideas about him, well, let's just say those opinions were thrown out the window.

In his brother Jacks' story, Better Than People, it was easy to get the impression that Charlie had his life together- he was the big brother who had to grow up too soon and take care of his Jack and himself, after their parents died- running the family hardware store, feeding and running the household as an 18yo. But Charlie wasn't as together as you'd imagine and boy did he tug at the ol' heartstrings! After meeting Rye he was finally able to let down his guard and just be, which was something he hadn't been able to do for so long.
This wasn't as melancholy of a story as BTP was, although it has a slightly similar feel thanks to both of their backgrounds. I liked that there wasn't a whole lot of drama between Charlie and Rye, and while there was a bit of conflict it didn't blow up into something major. I thought it was really sweet how they worked together to create Rye's dream come true.

I really enjoyed this opposites attract love story. Charlie and Rye both deserved all the happiness and I'm so glad they found it in each other.

Greg Boudreaux did a nice job with his performances of both Charlie and Rye's characters. I like his voice, it was age appropriate and I was able to distinguish between the characters with no issues.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Love this book & author

One of my favorite books is from Roan Parrish and this is my second favorite of his. Great book, great narration and great story. Love Charlie and Rhy!!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

The audio perfectly captures the book.

#MM #SmallTown #OppositesAttract

This is book two of the Garnet Run series but can be read as a standalone and ends with a HEA. It is written in third person from an alternating dual POV.

This was my first book by this author and I listened to it in the audiobook format. Narrator Greg Boudreaux was fantastic in differentiating between the characters as he brought them to life. He perfectly captured the vulnerability of both Charlie and Rye, as well as Rye's sometimes hard edges.

Charlie was everything to me. I adored him. Rye was perfect for him. I love the comfort they settle into. I really appreciated the slow rate their relationship progresses as they build trust and friendship on the way to forever. They have some steamy moments. They also have many moments where they are breaking down walls they have erected against emotional vulnerability. It was beautiful. Rye has a perfect acceptance of all people that I absolutely loved. The non-verbal communication they build between them was wonderful to hear. Charlie being able to differentiate between the many types of glare that Rye has was kind of funny and very touching.

I loved this audiobook with an emotional and steamy love story.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Building a Life

I was so glad that Charlie got a story of his own. He is such a caring person and needed his own person to share it with. Rye is willing to take a chance to have a better life. Things don't seem to work out in the beginning with enough time things have a chance to build.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

making a home

"Charlie had made himself a ghost house. And he wanted the most colorful, alive person had ever met to make a home with him there." I've been looking forward to Charlie's story. Oh my Charlie, you made my heart absolutely ache. Rye wasn't without his heartache and seeing these two souls love and heal and partner together was beautiful.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Oo this is different.

Roan Parrish never disappoints! Greg is a fantastic narrator and quickly coming to be a fan fav!

I was surprised by one of the main characters not being sexually explicit or experienced and it’s refreshing. Too often story’s are about people who know and feel sex on such a high level that it’s intimidating for those of us who don’t. It made for a good read and I was super entertained.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
  • MB
  • 05-31-22

Not very exciting

I like the author but this book was not particularly good- plenty of mundane detail and not much feeling. I doubt I would re-listen.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Warning: Keep a full box of tissues close by

I have been moved, in one way or another, by every book by Roan Parrish. But this book, blew my socks off. As a lover of cats, this touched my heart deeply, my cat of 16 years cuddled with me as Greg Boudreaux’s outstanding talent enveloped me into this story! Thank you, Roan & Greg for a beautiful experience!
5⭐️!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

great!

great book. so sweet. makes me love love. roan parrish has such great talent. so good!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful

Roan Parrish writes the most beautiful wounded characters. They’re perfectly imperfect, and that’s ok. Love it.

Paired with an excellent narration by Greg Boudreaux.

Definitely worth a credit. ❤️

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!