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Lyn Hillsden

  • 56
  • reviews
  • 108
  • helpful votes
  • 226
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Overrated!!! And tedious.

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Story
3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 06-14-25

I’m surprised by all the good reviews of this book. For me, it was oh so tedious. The Gabriel love story was sophomoric and unbelievable, the trial was ridiculous, and overall the story felt both contrived and derivative, if that’s possible. The narrator was good but she read very slowly, making an already too-long story drag on and on. If you listen to it, put your narration speed at 1.2, which helps. I made myself stay with it because of the reviews but wish I’d just given up on it early and gotten my life back.

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Lovely

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

Reviewed: 05-30-25

Beautiful story, funny and moving. The narrator is excellent. He brings his voice to the story in a subtle, insightful way and never overwhelms it.

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A Favorite - Will Stay With Me

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

Reviewed: 05-19-25

Very disturbing, haunting, and ultimately beautiful. Excellent writing and narration. Will stay with me for a long time. There were points when I didn't want to continue because it was upsetting, but I'm so glad I stayed with it. One of my favorites.

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Delightful

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

Reviewed: 03-30-25

This book snuck up on me. It’s lovely from the start but builds to something really memorable by the end.

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Boring

Overall
1 out of 5 stars
Performance
2 out of 5 stars
Story
1 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-23-25

I love historical fiction and light mysteries, but this is just terrible. So pointless and boring. Narrator is okay but can’t save this.

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Sophomoric

Overall
1 out of 5 stars
Performance
2 out of 5 stars
Story
1 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-22-25

Cute set-up, dreadful execution. Trite, boring and silly. I’m all for the occasional romantic comedy but this is just terrible.

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Beautiful

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

Reviewed: 03-17-25

Narrator is EXCELLENT. I’m not even sure how to review this book other than to say that I loved it and was affected by it. It is a dark topic but is wise and humorous and ultimately life-affirming and uplifting. It is sentimental in places but not maudlin, i often read books and instantly forget them, but this will stick with me.

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Nothing Happens

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
3 out of 5 stars
Story
3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 12-28-24

After hours and hours of nothing happening, I gave up. I love good atmospheric writing and character development but this just droned on and on. It was not helped by the terrible narrator. I wanted to keep with it, and got 7 hours in before finally just deciding this isn’t for me.

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Fun Ride; Disappointing Ending

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

Reviewed: 12-21-24

I enjoyed listening and was engaged all along, but the ending really didn’t amount to much.

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Disappointing

Overall
3 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
3 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 12-17-24

For me, this was an oddly flat, and sometimes meandering telling of a powerful and timely story. The first part of the story about Bird and his father and the life they are living, is very good. After that, the story loses steam and impact. Just my opinion - others seem to disagree so if it sounds like it would be of interest to you, go for it.

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