4.5 stars

I loved this book!!! I read it already last year but I wanted to listen to the audiobook and I'm so glad I signed up for this arc. Harley Chase did a fucking fantastic job with this book. He really portrayed the characters so well.

This book was already one of my favorites, anything Maya Jean and I will read it! Harley Chase brought Eli and Colby to life in such a beautiful way. This is a great intro to the Clay Springs world. Harley narrates each character in a way that makes you feel like a part of their world. I’m so excited for the next book!

Not So Fake Husbands

I really enjoyed reading Eli and Colby's story. It was sweet with spicy hits throughout. I'm looking forward to book two now.
I enjoyed the audiobook for this even more than reading it. The great narration by Harley Chase really brought the story to life.

MM Romance
Husband Escort
2.5 Stars ⭐️

🎵Narrated by Harley Chase🎵 I kept seeing this name everywhere but had never listened to him and I’ve been missing out. He did a fantastic job narrating this book and is the reason I’m rounding up.

This is an ALC, Advanced Listening Copy, that I received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this but I didn’t love it and if I’m honest (which I always am because there’s nothing I hate more than inflated arc reviews) I would have DNF’d this had I not been listening to it. Harley Chase however had me hooked to his narration and by the end I was even contemplating listening to others in this series when they drop which is a bit confusing considering how unenthused I felt initially.

So my reasons for not liking it much in the beginning had to do with the trope and it’s entirely on me. I requested this because it’s been on my TBR since it released. This author and I were friends on GR before she started writing MM romance so I’ve been really curious but I can admit that I read the blurb ages ago and forgot what it was about. I knew there was some kind of escort service but I didn’t realize this book was about a widower and the dead husband trope is just not my favorite. In this book, it had been years since he passed but I had trouble warming up to Colby because he still seemed so stuck on his husband. It gave the book a melancholy feel at the start that I just wasn’t vibing with. I also struggled with Elijah, the escort, as well though. He was asked to do this job specifically because he was supposedly the best suited for a “husband experience” but he came off as a brat and for what Colby paid for the week I thought he should shut up and listen to what Colby wanted. It wasn’t anything disrespectful or weird, he just didn’t want to have sex right away but Elijah wouldn’t take no for an answer and it made the book super cringe for awhile.

However, Harley Chase, hooked me with the emotion he was able to convey with his narration and about halfway through I started to empathize with Colby and even Elijah grew on me. I went from feeling kind of mehhhh about the story to actually enjoying their chemistry and I even felt a bit teary eyed when they parted after the week. It makes me want to listen to more of this narrator because it’s not very often a book has such a sharp turnaround for me. I think it also helped that this audiobook was only 3.5 hours and I could listen to it all at once because I was so immersed into the story that I didn’t have time to nitpick and I definitely would have had I been reading this with my eyes. I really enjoyed seeing this small town Colby was from and the various people in his life that set the stage for future books. I’m super interested in the next one which is kind of shocking to me but I’ll wait for the audiobook especially if Harley Chase is the one narrating it.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for early copy for review*

This steamy novella brought together two very compatible men together and gave one a new chance at love. While the other was able to truly submit and received all the comfort and love that goes with that. I also loved this being set in the south and not dealing with homophobia. Since this is supposed to be a first in a series I would check definitely check out the next one.

Another couple was mentioned and I am not sure if that is from the author's previous works or a planned future story, but I am interested in that as well.

I absolutely ADORED this audiobook. I read the digital version about a year ago and it was wonderful. I enjoyed the dynamic between the two characters, and I feel as if Harley Chase did an excellent job portraying how they play off each other and build their relationship. While I wish the buildup of the story and the ending were extended upon a bit, overall I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook and the story that Maya Jean told.

Maya Jean’s The Husband Experience is a sultry, fast-paced short story that delivers a compelling blend of heat and heart. From the first page, readers are drawn into a steamy narrative that wastes no time in building tension, chemistry, and intrigue.

What sets this story apart is its engaging concept—both playful and provocative—offering a fresh twist on romantic escapism that feels as indulgent as it is imaginative. Despite its brevity, the story is packed with vivid, intimate moments that keep the reader thoroughly engaged and eager for more.

The narrative’s energy is infectious, and the setup hints at potential for deeper exploration, making it easy to envision this as the beginning of a larger series. With The Husband Experience, Maya Jean proves that even short stories can leave a lasting impression—and a craving for the next encounter.

~~~ Audiobook Review ~~~

~~~ 4.25 Stars ~~~

The fake relationship trope is one of my favorites and this was such a cute story!

This is my first book by this author and I would definitely read from them again. I thought the story was very well written and Colby and Elijah were a great match.

Based on the description of the book, I was kind of expecting Colby to be the almost shy type (outside the bedroom at least, lol), but he most definitely wasn’t. I think he was more reserved than anything else due to his loss. You could tell how much he was already falling for Elijah from the beginning though (and vice versa).

I know there are plenty of people who don’t like instalove stories because they find them unrealistic, but I think the author did a really good job of making this story believable.

I was curious to know more about how Colby and Mark’s relationship was though, because from what we got, I could tell that they did love each other, but they just didn’t feel like they fit as much as Colby and Elijah do. As sad as it was for Colby that he lost Mark, it seems like Elijah is a much better match for him. Just my opinion and observation of what we know of Colby and Mark’s relationship.

This was also my first listen of this narrator. While not my absolute favorite. He’s pretty high up there on my list of narrators now. I think he did a pretty good job with telling the story.

Overall, I definitely recommend giving this a read/listen.

~~~ I received an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. ~~~

Reread as audiobook. Excellent narration, I particularly enjoyed the southern US accents (which I am not used to as an European with Australian roots).
Story - 3.5 stars. Quite a sweet short read, with good insta-lust turning into a quickly developing relationship. I'm glad that there weren't constant angsty thoughts because of their relationship starting as a financial transaction. Nice as an introduction to a series.

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⚝ Review ⚝: How can something be both too much and too little at the same time? Because The Husband Experience hit both those ideas square on the head.
Colby lost his husband to cancer a few years prior and hasn't had any interest in pursuing another relationship. That is, until his cousin, Beau, for some reason, feels the need to tell Colby he should hire a fake boyfriend and pretend to be in a relationship for a little while. After giving Colby all the information on how he himself did so the year before, Beau just leaves and Colby hops online to hire a fake boyfriend to go on vacation with him with the caveat that they aren't going to be 'fake boyfriends', but 'fake husbands' instead. He drops $50K to hire someone and a while later, meets Eli at Colby's vacation home in Florida.

Apparently it was love at first sight for both of them? I get being immediately attracted, but love? While the 'dates' were fun, I didn't really feel any connection between the characters. Colby was stoic, sweet, and claims to be dominant in most situations. Eli was...sulky, childish, and pretty immature most of the time. Doesn't get sex? Sulks. Doesn't get the answer he wants? Sulks. And despite 'primal play' being such a big request from Colby, that was the quickest, most boring primal scene.

It was fast, it was easy, yeah, it was a bit sexy (maybe to the point of being too much, because again, Eli would full on sulk if he didn't get sex), but ultimately, it was largely boring.

There was also something Eli said at the beginning that rubbed me the wrong way. When he first sees Colby, he mentions Colby's perfect blond hair, hair that Eli has always been jealous of because 'unfortunately, he got his bio-dad's dark hair and dark everything else'. This just wound up leaving a bad taste in my mouth for most of this story...

⚝ Audio/Narrator⚝: Harley Chase was a good narrator, easy to listen to and I liked the accents and vocal inflections he chose for the two main characters.

⚝ Representation ⚝: Gay

⚝ TWs ⚝: Sexual Content, Grief, Cancer, Loss, Death

My monthly reading breakdown for May will be posted to TikTok, IG, and Threads the first week of June.

Book one of the Sweet Southern Series

This book is short and sweet. It’s such a great beginning to the series! Low angst, mild to medium spice, and fast paced.
The narration is great! Enjoyed both reading and listening to this one.

Insta love is not a favorite trope of mine but this worked for me. It was so sweet and also very steamy. I definitely will be checking out more of Maya Jean's works. Harley Chase also did a fantastic job narrating this story.

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars

Disappointed by Missed Potential

I went into The Husband Experience by Maya Jean with high hopes, especially after a strong and intriguing first chapter. Unfortunately, the rest of the story didn’t quite deliver. The characters felt underdeveloped, and the relationship between the leads leaned heavily into insta-love territory, which made it hard to feel truly invested in their connection.

What really stood out to me was the lack of emotional depth. There were moments that could have been powerful, but they were brushed over too quickly or not explored in a meaningful way. Given the premise, I expected more emotional resonance and growth, both in the characters and their relationship.

That said, it wasn’t a terrible read—it just didn’t live up to its initial promise. If you're looking for something light and quick without a lot of depth, it might still work for you. But for readers hoping for a richer, more emotionally grounded romance, this one might fall short.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Tantor Audio, and Maya Jean for this Advanced Listener Copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a cute palate cleanser. Typically, for me novelles aren't able to establish a connection for me to care deply about the cheracters but The Husband Experience did that in just over 3 hours. I loved the premise of the book and the execution was jusrt perfect. I throughky enjoyed this story and would be willing to read something else by the author.

This also introduced me to Harley Chase who brought this book to life. His performance in this audiobook was so good and cemented him as a new favorite of mine. I can't wait to discover more narrations from Chase

This book is a gay take on Pretty Woman and I loved it. Lots of spice, beautiful characterization, and a great great storyline brings this book together. The narrator was great too. 5 stars.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Tantor Audio for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Title: The Husband Experience (Sweet Southern #1)

Author: Maya Jean

Narrator: Harley Chase

Rating: 2.5/5 stars rounded up to 3

Thank you to NetGalley and RBmedia for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in return for an honest review.

Lonely widower Colby hires an escort from “The Boyfriend Experience” agency for a week so he can feel loved again. Adrian, one of the company's best escorts, agrees to play husband for the week and both parties soon realise there’s more than just a business connection.

Harley Chase narrated these characters flawlessly and certainly added more feeling to the story than I probably would have if I’d just read it.

What I liked: It was an easy listen, perfect for an afternoon of fluffy entertainment with a nice amount of spice.

What didn’t work for me: There wasn’t much substance, I get it’s a novella and an introduction to a series but the whole set up was a bit unbelievable. Additionally there was way too much of book 2 told in this story so I have no major desire to carry on with these books.

Final thoughts: A nice short book for a lazy afternoon.

Who would enjoy this: Fans of contemporary romance with a “Pretty Woman” (man in this case) vibe.

Harley Chase was a new narrator to me, and he was wonderful. I love the slight southern tang he gave to Colby and the sweet optimistic voice he gave to Eli. It is a lovely and short listen.

This book was so sweet! Colby is a widow who is ready to dip his toes in the dating pool. He decides the best way to get over his fear of dating is to dive into a week with a husband. Eli is hired as his husband for the week. A week at a beach house is supposed to be a carefree vacation for both of them, but can they separate The Husband Experience from actual feelings?

This book has fantastic spice and tension. This book is absolutely for you if you're looking to read a shorter book for the vibes!!

The Husband Experience by Maya Jean
3.75/5 (rounded up to 4)

This has been my introduction to Harley Chase as a narrator, though I have seen his name pop up a few times in recent past. And what an excellent choice as a narrator for this story! I always appreciate a solo narration, and his voices for Eli, Colby were distinctly different, well paced, and brought just the right emotion to make listeners fall in love with this pairing!

Whilst this was a short and sweet listen, and the plot wrapped itself up nicely in the end, I feel as though the short length of this book made it difficult to fully allow us to connect these characters. There were times that the smut overshadowed the emotional and tender scenes between the two, which has left me longing for more complexity and character development.

Nevertheless, this was a quick and spicy listen, and I look forward to discovering the rest of the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for the ALC in exchange for an honest review

This book was short, sweet, & spicy! Colby and Eli are the cutest couple! I can’t wait to read about more of the fake boyfriends! Love finding a new author to read!

Book Review: The Husband Experience by Maya Jean

Maya Jean delivers a steamy, emotionally charged romance in The Husband Experience, blending spice with heartfelt moments in a way that keeps the pages turning. If you're looking for a book that dives headfirst into heat, this one absolutely delivers.

One of the standout aspects for me was the smut — and there's plenty of it. Jean writes with confidence, making every intimate scene feel both vivid and emotionally layered. The chemistry between the main characters is undeniable, and the sensual tension is a consistent, driving force throughout the story.

That said, I did find myself wanting more when it came to the supporting cast. While the central relationship is compelling, the world around the main couple felt a little thin. I would’ve loved to see more development in the secondary characters — friends, family, even antagonists — to better flesh out the story and give it more depth beyond the romance.

Overall, The Husband Experience is a sexy and enjoyable read that delivers on heat and heart. If you're here for the spice, you won’t be disappointed. Just don’t expect a large ensemble of memorable side characters — this story keeps its spotlight tightly focused on the main couple.