LISTENER

F. Doyle

  • 32
  • reviews
  • 1
  • helpful vote
  • 54
  • ratings

Great story but toxic relationships

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

Reviewed: 06-24-24

I really enjoy the story but the relationships are so toxic. The main character is constantly gaslit by the guy Nextdoor and her aunt. The aunt is constantly accusing her of things and leaving her in a lurch with no help but she’s supposed to be her witch elder and help her. And then when the people do unforgivable things to her and her daughter, they’re all partying the next day like nothing happened. I find all the relationships incredibly toxic and infuriating. I keep wanting to stop reading the book but I feel invested with the story. If people treated me like this in real life I’d moved away a long time ago. I just hope it improves, but I’m into the 4th book and it’s just as toxic. The first book is probably the least toxic so far. Ugh I really want to like this book because the story is interesting and the narrator is great. Why do the relationships have to be so infuriating?

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Forced myself through it

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

Reviewed: 11-22-23

Ok I originally wrote an earlier review before I was even halfway through the book because I noticed an issue with the readers. But now that I’ve forced myself through the entire book, I wanted to add more.

My first issue still holds true… the guy reading the book sounds like he’s reading it. Not like he’s the character, or engaging with the story. And he doesn’t know how to pause to show changes between different voices/characters so it’s confusing. Plus he reads too fast so you never get a chance to digest what he’s saying. He really detracts from the story.

Additionally the sex parts were cringy to me. Normally I enjoy a good steamy scene. But these were like cheap pornos. I had to fast forward through them. Cheap language and the same descriptor words each time. And they had a major sex scene in every single chapter. Maybe even twice. Maybe some people like that type of sex but to me it’s boring.

Then the main character went from being someone who stumbles over her words and overshares dumb thoughts around cute guys (which was cute), to suddenly being able to say how hot everything makes her and how wet she is. It was just too much of a transition. There wasn’t consistency with her character.

Also I hated how the lead male character always talked about her perky boobs and nipples after saying how much he loved her. As if love was only skin deep. He was very shallow.

I did like the broader storyline so I wanted to see where that went. But I ended up having to fast forward through so much of the book just to get there.

Also I hated the voice that the male reader did for the main character. It made her seem like a dumb bimbo. I really wish they would have chosen a different male reader.

The female reader was pretty good. She managed to carry everything well enough. Too bad she didn’t read the book by herself.

But unfortunately the book was still lacking. If they’d fixed the sex scenes, and how cheap they spoke to each other, and created more emotional dimension, that would have helped. Thank goodness the book was free.

I really wanted more from this book because it had a lot of potential.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Ugh…. I had to add more about this book….

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

Reviewed: 07-12-23

They should NOT be together! He’s manipulative. She’s insecure and puts up with too much toxicity. And she’s toxic too. She hits him and is ok with it. I don’t understand why the author thinks the main character’s friends are giving her good advice. They are all toxic. And one friend is supposed to be a therapist but she doesn’t even point out all the unhealthy behaviors. I’m committed to listening to the whole book, but it’s annoying that that no one is behaving healthily. Her other book in this series is super toxic too. Is it because toxic behavior sells? How about a real romance with healthy behavior?!!

I did enjoy one of her books: Beauty and the Mustache. Aside from the traumatic plot, the romance was perfect! It was a superb love story.

This current book…. It leaves a lot to be desired. I expected a lot more plot. I didn’t like the toxic behavior. And yeah, Nico’s interpretation… well I just didn’t like him. From the other books I expected to like him. But he just annoyed me. This book had so much potential! Read “Beauty and the Mustache” instead. It was beautiful and it made me laugh and cry. It was very good! All of her other books so far have been so-so.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

What a bizarre toxic storyline….

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

Reviewed: 07-08-23

Ok normally I like her stories but this relationship was extremely toxic and bizarre. I don’t understand why she puts up with his behavior and the way he treats her. She’s clearly insecure and doesn’t value herself enough. But she’s also a therapist!! She should know better. It’s so hard listening to the toxic story. It’s hard listening to her stay in this relationship. Why would the author think this is a good story? Also I’m over halfway through this book and I still haven’t heard Zachary Webber. Is he even in this book? Don’t get me wrong, I like Joy’s reading very much. But I expected Zachary too.

OMG…. I just found out that in the story…. He followed her and spied on her!! For months!! Creepy! WTH. And she’s ok with this?!!

Keep in mind I still have more story to go…. So there may be more crazy stuff.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

I really like many of her books, and I do like this series, but…

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

Reviewed: 07-07-23

I really like many of her books, and I do like this series, BUT….. I can’t stand the male reader of this book. In the other book I listened to, the female reader read both parts and it was FABULOUS! But the male reader just brought me out of the story. I also don’t like his interpretation of the main character’s female voice. It didn’t match the female readers voice at all, so it made it seem like two different stories were going on at the same time. I’m forcing myself through the story because I’m invested in the characters from the book 4 of the knitting series. Btw DO READ BOOK 4 OF THE KNITTING SERIES. It was by far the best romance story I’ve ever read. And the storyline takes place before this book. So I was expecting this book to be as good. Unfortunately the premise of this book was not nearly as good. Dragged a lot. I fell asleep listening to it a few times. And yeah, the male reader is killing it for me. But the female reader is fantastic! I wish she’d read both parts like the previous book.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Too many insecurities!!

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

Reviewed: 04-14-23

Good story and performance but too many insecurities from both sides!! Though this seems to be a common theme for this author.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Not what I expected but it eventually came together in the end

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

Reviewed: 03-13-23

So the first half of this book is totally what you’d expect for this type of romance novel. By the time they got to the middle of the book, I thought, that was a great book. What a perfect ending. And then I realized that there was an entire half a book left. And I wondered, what the heck would they put in the rest of the book? Well, then they added all sorts of other weird stuff that was maybe to just add drama into the story? I don’t know. In fact, I actually recently read another romance with almost the exact same storyline. In the end I was happy with the way it resolved. But ultimately, I wish it would’ve ended in the middle of the book. It was really weird because it really seemed like it resolved all of the tension by the middle of the book and came to a perfect ending at that point. I really don’t think it needed to add the whole second half of the book at all. It was unnecessary drama. And nothing that we’re looking for in a romance. I recommend just reading it to the middle of the book and then stopping. Unless you want to go through all the unnecessary drama.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Never gets old

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

Reviewed: 03-10-23

I have read every Harry Potter book at least 30 times each, the story is very entertaining and the narrator has an excellent voice, i put this on every time i go to sleep. Definitely a great book for long car rides that might include naps, entertaining storyline and a gentle voice

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

Excellent book on psychic development!!

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

Reviewed: 11-22-22

I teach psychic development myself and I have to say that this is a fantastic book with all the right information that you’re going to want to have in order to develop your psychic abilities. I encourage you to read this book!!!

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

I enjoyed this…. UNTIL….

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

Reviewed: 09-18-22

I enjoyed the beginning of this book very much because I really liked the idea of understanding miracle healing‘s and how they occur. But when she started going on about how alternative therapy and holistic healing was equal to “sham” healing or essentially that there is no proven benefit to these remedies and healing therapies, that’s when she totally lost me. It’s clear that her medical background is preventing her from seeing the benefit of these therapies. I get that she’s trying to say that the healing power of the mind is potentially what is causing the healing more than the actual holistic therapies. That placebo is what’s actually healing people. I find that this is doing a disservice to these healing modalities. I have found that they work even if one doesn’t believe in them or doesn’t believe in the practitioner. So I guess I just don’t appreciate that she would relegate all alternative holistic therapy to being equal to “sham” medicine as long as the person who’s giving it cared. Yes I do agree that the caring touch is essential. But please don’t diminish holistic therapies and remedies. Because of this opinion and her going on and on about it I’m having a hard time continuing the book at all. Which is a shame because the rest of the information seemed beneficial.

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

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!