-
Lonely Diner
- Some Like It Haute Gay Romance Series, Book 3
- Narrated by: Dann Hazel
- Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $24.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Publisher's summary
Two gorgeous military men. One Lonely Diner, where people often search for romance. (The food is good there, too.)
One man plays it straight. Another grieves over a lost lover.
Though clearly meant for each other, Lance, an Air Force computer engineer, and Ryan, a former submariner in the Navy and now a military college professor, are conflicted gay men blinded by painful wounds of their past decisions.
A younger Ryan Ball decides he can be happy only by conforming to social expectations. So what does he do? He decides he must have a wife and kids. Though he acknowledges to himself that he can never be straight, he is convinced that, with effort and determination, he can play the necessary roles.
At thirty-one, Lance Dingle falls for his best friend and roommate, Randy, a stunt pilot who agrees to a friends-with-benefits arrangement. Then, tragedy strikes. Lance finds himself alone and lonely, living with memories of Randy and an ever-expanding list of “what-might-have-beens.”
Callie Yenti, a transwoman and drag performer extraordinaire, enters the picture. She owns Lonely Diner and possesses an uncanny insight into the workings of the heart.
Even the complicated hearts of her two stubborn friends, Lance and Ryan.
An HEA gay romance.
Though part of a series, LONELY DINER may easily be listened to as a standalone.
Trigger Warning: This novel includes scenes from a sexual assault and a PTSD episode.
Tropes: Military Romance, Coming Out, Overcoming Adversity, Second Chances.
CHAPTER TITLES
Chapter One: Here, From the Beginning
Chapter Two: USAF: The Winning Option
Chapter Three: Lonely, Party of One
Chapter Four: Ryan's Long, Winding Road
Chapter Five: Sebastian the Ibis
Chapter Six: Family on Fire
Chapter Seven: Alliance for Full Acceptance
Chapter Eight: Late-to-Party Gay Man Gets Involved
Chapter Nine: The Cocktail Club
Chapter Ten: A Gentle Kind of Loving
Chapter Eleven: The Baby Will Be Loved
Chapter Twelve: More Queers than a Man Can Count
Chapter Thirteen: Drag Me to Brunch at Dudley's
Chapter Fourteen: When the Guests Are No-Shows
Chapter Fifteen: The Impossible #Me-Too Decision
Chapter Sixteen: A Gay Man in the Woods
Chapter Seventeen: A Sordid Reputation
Chapter Eighteen: Even Lonelier at Lonely Diner
Chapter Nineteen: No Erection on Site
Chapter Twenty: A Human Resources Intervention
Chapter Twenty-One: Empathy Paves the Way to Attraction
Chapter Twenty-Two: Diamond Sparkles into Town
Chapter Twenty-Three: Trash at Colonial Lake
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
The Foxxxy Gentlemen's Club: Luca
- A Foxxxy Prequel Novella
- By: Nikole Knight
- Narrated by: John York
- Length: 4 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Luca’s life in Boston falls apart, he must leave behind his home, his job, and his chosen family—the feisty dancers of the Foxxxy Gentlemen’s Club. But his trip takes an unexpected turn when a blizzard careens him off the road and into the home of David, a Canadian silver fox who is every one of Luca’s lumberjack fantasies come to life.
-
-
Short, Sweet, and Snowed In
- By Queen of Halloween on 10-04-22
By: Nikole Knight
-
Punk-In
- Wayward Lane, Book 1
- By: Ava Olsen
- Narrated by: Zachary Zaba
- Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Brodie: My rock band has reached the pinnacle of success but fame has its price. Sooner or later, people let you down or sell you out. Except Ivan Cross. My manager, my muse, my obsession. There’s nothing in this world that I want more than Van. And I always get what I want.
-
-
Loved it!
- By Sasha Fountain on 11-04-24
By: Ava Olsen
-
How to Survive a Summoning
- By: Nikole Knight
- Narrated by: Nick Newport
- Length: 3 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Jamie summons a demon in a Hail Mary attempt to survive a ghoul attack, he quickly realizes that he’s bitten off more than he can chew. With a soul-debt to pay and an angry warlock on his heels, Jamie must steal back the coveted amulet before time runs out. Unfortunately, his life isn’t the only thing hanging in the balance, and in the fight to save his soul, Jamie just might lose his heart.
-
-
Quick but good!
- By Samantha Cato on 08-14-24
By: Nikole Knight
-
Sweat Connection
- Hot Under the Collar, Book 1
- By: Katherine McIntyre
- Narrated by: Dylan Rockwell
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After my dad moved to a retirement community, he left me with the big, old house I grew up in and a whole lot of loneliness. I thought by now I’d be settled down, but no one’s looking for the guy who likes long hikes with his dog, stargazing, and fixing shit around the house. They want fun, entertaining, flashy—not me. Except when I give Rhys my private line for an emergency house call, I show up for the job to discover it’s a date. It seems like I might’ve met the one man on earth who’s just as interested as I am—if only we can find the guts to admit it.
-
-
Wonderful, real characters
- By Ida Umphers on 04-14-24
-
Husband Hunters
- By: Rick R. Reed
- Narrated by: Wesley Landry
- Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
You never know where the love of your life might turn up. When Matt Connelly suggests to his best buddy Cody Mook that they head to downtown Seattle to audition for the gay reality TV show Husband Hunters, both agree the experience might be a lark and a chance to grab their fifteen minutes of fame.
-
-
This Friends-to-Lovers Story Needed Better Friends
- By Reading*Renee on 04-18-24
By: Rick R. Reed
-
The Scars That Bind Us
- The Magi Accounts, Book 1
- By: Michele Notaro
- Narrated by: CJ Storm
- Length: 12 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
World War III broke out 130 years ago when humans found out that magi and shifters were real. Humans have been imprisoning and enslaving the two species since. But now humans need their help protecting the world from the strange monsters they let cross the veil between realms. All three species have been at odds for more than a century, but can Madeo—a mage—and Cosmo—a lion shifter—put aside their differences to work together, and maybe even find comfort in each other’s arms?
-
-
Very Enjoyable
- By JKS on 07-01-22
By: Michele Notaro
-
The Foxxxy Gentlemen's Club: Luca
- A Foxxxy Prequel Novella
- By: Nikole Knight
- Narrated by: John York
- Length: 4 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Luca’s life in Boston falls apart, he must leave behind his home, his job, and his chosen family—the feisty dancers of the Foxxxy Gentlemen’s Club. But his trip takes an unexpected turn when a blizzard careens him off the road and into the home of David, a Canadian silver fox who is every one of Luca’s lumberjack fantasies come to life.
-
-
Short, Sweet, and Snowed In
- By Queen of Halloween on 10-04-22
By: Nikole Knight
-
Punk-In
- Wayward Lane, Book 1
- By: Ava Olsen
- Narrated by: Zachary Zaba
- Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Brodie: My rock band has reached the pinnacle of success but fame has its price. Sooner or later, people let you down or sell you out. Except Ivan Cross. My manager, my muse, my obsession. There’s nothing in this world that I want more than Van. And I always get what I want.
-
-
Loved it!
- By Sasha Fountain on 11-04-24
By: Ava Olsen
-
How to Survive a Summoning
- By: Nikole Knight
- Narrated by: Nick Newport
- Length: 3 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Jamie summons a demon in a Hail Mary attempt to survive a ghoul attack, he quickly realizes that he’s bitten off more than he can chew. With a soul-debt to pay and an angry warlock on his heels, Jamie must steal back the coveted amulet before time runs out. Unfortunately, his life isn’t the only thing hanging in the balance, and in the fight to save his soul, Jamie just might lose his heart.
-
-
Quick but good!
- By Samantha Cato on 08-14-24
By: Nikole Knight
-
Sweat Connection
- Hot Under the Collar, Book 1
- By: Katherine McIntyre
- Narrated by: Dylan Rockwell
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After my dad moved to a retirement community, he left me with the big, old house I grew up in and a whole lot of loneliness. I thought by now I’d be settled down, but no one’s looking for the guy who likes long hikes with his dog, stargazing, and fixing shit around the house. They want fun, entertaining, flashy—not me. Except when I give Rhys my private line for an emergency house call, I show up for the job to discover it’s a date. It seems like I might’ve met the one man on earth who’s just as interested as I am—if only we can find the guts to admit it.
-
-
Wonderful, real characters
- By Ida Umphers on 04-14-24
-
Husband Hunters
- By: Rick R. Reed
- Narrated by: Wesley Landry
- Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
You never know where the love of your life might turn up. When Matt Connelly suggests to his best buddy Cody Mook that they head to downtown Seattle to audition for the gay reality TV show Husband Hunters, both agree the experience might be a lark and a chance to grab their fifteen minutes of fame.
-
-
This Friends-to-Lovers Story Needed Better Friends
- By Reading*Renee on 04-18-24
By: Rick R. Reed
-
The Scars That Bind Us
- The Magi Accounts, Book 1
- By: Michele Notaro
- Narrated by: CJ Storm
- Length: 12 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
World War III broke out 130 years ago when humans found out that magi and shifters were real. Humans have been imprisoning and enslaving the two species since. But now humans need their help protecting the world from the strange monsters they let cross the veil between realms. All three species have been at odds for more than a century, but can Madeo—a mage—and Cosmo—a lion shifter—put aside their differences to work together, and maybe even find comfort in each other’s arms?
-
-
Very Enjoyable
- By JKS on 07-01-22
By: Michele Notaro
-
Silence of the Missing
- By: Rick R. Reed
- Narrated by: David Allen Vargo
- Length: 6 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1986, thirteen-year-old Jeb Kleber vanished during his small town’s Fourth of July fireworks. His mysterious disappearance left his first love, Sammy Blake, grieving for years. Flash forward to present day. A now middle-aged Sam Blake has a comfortable and predictable life with his husband Marc in Chicago. All that changes when a stranger arrives at Sam’s door, claiming to be the missing Jeb Kleber.
-
-
Twisty and Eerie Suspense
- By Traci S on 04-21-24
By: Rick R. Reed
-
The First and Last Adventure of Kit Sawyer
- By: S.E. Harmon
- Narrated by: Joel Leslie
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the archaeology community, Christopher “Kit” Sawyer’s family is a legacy. And while he may be a historian, not a treasure hunter, he thinks he does a pretty good job of living up to the Sawyer name. He's a book-smart research fanatic and does his best work at his tidy desk. No fedora and whip for him, if you please—a nice cup of coffee and a comfy chair will do. But decoding an ancient relic soon gives him more adventure than he bargained for.
-
-
fabulous adventure
- By Melissa on 05-24-24
By: S.E. Harmon
-
Clutch
- Forbidden Desires, Book 1
- By: Piper Scott, Virginia Kelly
- Narrated by: Michael Ferraiuolo
- Length: 7 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Bookish, snarky, and fiercely independent Nate Boudreaux leads a solitary life. Between teaching classes at the university and working toward his PhD, he doesn’t need a partner to occupy his time, and he certainly doesn’t need a man like Alistair Drake complicating his future. Alistair Drake, black sheep of the tremendously wealthy Drake family, is more interested in adding another notch to his bedpost than another zero to his bank account.
-
-
So good!
- By HockeyfanT on 07-21-19
By: Piper Scott, and others
-
Every Broken Thing
- Far from Ruined, Book 1
- By: Nikole Knight
- Narrated by: Nick Newport
- Length: 6 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After high school senior Silas Brigs is rescued from an attempted assault, he finds himself indebted to a blond stranger. But he wants nothing to do with the calm, quiet Ben Adams. The California diver reminds Silas too much of what brought them together in the first place, an event he just wants to forget. Yet no matter how hard Silas tries to distance himself, the closer the two inevitably gravitate.
-
-
This is a great YA audiobook
- By pdaake on 12-14-23
By: Nikole Knight
-
M4M
- By: Rick R. Reed
- Narrated by: Wesley Landry
- Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Poor Ethan Schwartz. It seems like he will never find that special someone. At age forty-two, he’s still alone, his bed still empty, and his 42-inch HDTV overworked. He’s tried the bars and other places where gay men are supposed to find one another, but for Ethan, it never works out. He wonders if it ever will. Should he get a cat?
-
-
Loved getting to know Ethan!!
- By JDHB on 05-14-24
By: Rick R. Reed
-
Ambiguous
- IOU, Book 1
- By: Leslie McAdam
- Narrated by: Hamish Long, Kirt Graves
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Love is for other people, not for me. At least that’s what I believed, until I met Julian Hill. The most famous rock star on the planet. A music god with untidy hair and the voice of an angel. I’ll never be anything but out, and he has very good reasons to stay in the closet. He just wants a little privacy. I understand that. Truly, I do. But no one makes me feel the way he does, and I’m pretty sure he has feelings for me as well. Which is inconvenient, since his record label just hired me to sue him. Guess I should’ve sorted things out before I kissed him…oops.
-
-
Ambiguous
- By whatcha.listening.to on 09-13-22
By: Leslie McAdam
What listeners say about Lonely Diner
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Susan R
- 03-03-24
Great listen
I enjoyed the characters in this book. The storyline was good. I thought the narrator did a good job with the story. It helped pass the time on my train ride.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- DLB2572
- 03-05-24
On the Fence
I kind of struggled with this one. The premise had me very interested but the story itself wasn't quite as I expected it to be when I listened to the audiobook.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- The Real Cie
- 03-28-24
A compelling story tarnished by too much moralizing
I enjoyed the family drama and the romance between Lance and Ryan. I could have done without the injections of queer theory and food moralizing.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Nedra81
- 03-01-24
Not sure what to say
To be honest, this storyline was all over the place. It does make sense for the backstory for Ryan, at least the struggle between his inner self and his sexuality. I’m still not quite sure of the point of his history with Dennis as it doesn’t add any value to the story.
Lance’s history was very interesting, specifically his time with Randy and their inevitable demise. Though his storyline began to become repetitive, at least he was doing something purposeful with his character.
Overall, the characters were intriguing with a somewhat interesting storyline. Diamonds visit was the most excitement, which was bland at best.
The narrative was atrocious! I felt like I was listening to Ben Stein calling Bueller’s name it was so bad. I would definitely suggest hiring a narrator to spice up the story because this was a bust!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Meg Mautino
- 03-01-24
I struggled
I had a hard time writing a review for this book. In fact I rewrote this three times. To be completely honest I almost did not finish this book. What would normally have taken me 2 days to read/listen to took me six. At one point near the end I had to put the book down for several hours then come back to it because I wanted to DNF it at that moment. But Ryan's little girl, Diamond, played a pivotal part in my decision to keep going. Her struggling through an issue, that I will not go into because spoiler, led me to believe that surely the book would pick up at that point. If I could give this book a zero star I would. If an editor were to come by this book and edit out all the unnecessary things in this book (it's like intrusive thoughts ran rapid) and the absolute over description of things, you would not have a novel you would have a novelette. To me, the language, as in the specific words in this book, that this author has written came off pompous and made the characters more unrelatable. I find lonely Diner to be with no consistent or smooth flow of the story, and confusing in a few parts. I would not call this book an MM romance, I would loosely call it a love story with a HEA. I struggled with this whole book. I just struggled with the whole thing.
Lonely Diner is unique for a romance in that both of the characters do not actually meet until well into the book and do not get together until a little after that. They do not even talk or hang out between the time they actually meet and the time they express wanting to be together. And the scene where they express wanting to be together is a total disappointment, after all that time, reading, and build up? It's just a complete let down. The only thing they really have to push them together all through out the story is the diner owner and self proclaimed Matchmaker, Callie. To me the characters have no spark between them. I wouldn't call this book a slow burn I would just call it slow, because you need chemistry or a fire for it to burn. The sex scenes in this book are lacklustered and the language used to describe the scenes remind me of medical terminology, I can understand one scene being like that but not the others. The last love scene between the two main characters is so over the top and over descriptive with the $2 words that I had a hard time getting through it.
Lonely Diner follows each character throughout their life until they meet and they get together. The first six chapters are what each of their childhoods were like. Then we move on to their early adulthood and getting into the military. We also see Ryan get married, have a kid, struggle with some personal issues, coming to terms with his sexuality, and getting a divorced. Most of the hard hitting stuff happens around Ryan although Lance has some drama happened to him too. One of the life events that happens helps Lance and Ryan get together. At this point you think 'oh great we get to see their firsts, we get to see them coming together, we finally get to have the relationship. All this build up is finally going to pay off, right?' Nope. After this event and them getting together and Lance getting to meet the ex-wife and the daughter we suddenly skip ahead 3 years. And in those 3 years I'm confused on whether or not Ryan actually got to physically see his daughter, so I'm just going to go with the assumption that over these three years all of their communication has been over phone. I'm also confused on the age of the daughter at this point because at the time Lance meets her she's six. But when we see her again three years later she's referred to as a 'young woman' and described us going through puberty. She supposed to be nine. The back talk she gives her mother is werid and out of no where. What's even more confusing is that the huge life event she went through three years ago at six suddenly turns into PTSD and getting her counseling. Like. What? I know the author meant to phrase this as there was a small event that triggered the PTSD but come on. There is very little about the relationship between Lance and Ryan until the last chapter. The author talks more about the dog in the last chapters then he does about what's going on between Lance and Ryan. Just the unnecessary happenings that occur in this book is baffling to me. I will not be reading this book again. I know different strokes for different folks and normally I can get a grasp enough on a story to try to just appreciate the story and the writing, even if I don't like the book. But I couldn't do that here. I've not read the other two books in this series and after reading this one I completely plan not to. This book can hold up as a standalone. If there were other characters from other books in the series in this story there was no reference to be made about it.
I received a free copy of this (audio) book for an honest review.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Ida Umphers
- 03-10-24
Great characters
If you've seen the painting "Nighthawks" of lonely people in a diner at night, you'll get the feel of this story. It's a contemporary romance, but the characters of Lance and Ryan are both hurting and trying to deal with their pasts and figure out their futures which initially look pretty bleak. Thank goodness they have Callie to step in and help them find the way. Hazel does a wonderful job of narrating this story. It's clear how personal these characters are to their author.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!