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BaileyMom

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Sweet romance, ok audio book

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

Reviewed: 09-05-24

I’ve both read and listened to Home for a Cowboy, and I loved the story. The voice acting was often a bit “sing-song-y,” which I found distracting. If audio is the way you enjoy books and you like Amy Aislin’s writing, this one is probably worth listening to, but otherwise, I’d read it instead.

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Good addition to the series

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

Reviewed: 09-05-24

Having listened to and read Summer Catch, I would say I enjoyed both versions, and am glad to have read/listened to it given that I've read the other books in the Charleston Condors world that Beth Bolden has so lovingly and thoughtfully created. That said, if I hadn't read the full length novels, I would probably feel a bit disappointed with this novella. It does a lot of time skipping, as in there is often a week or two that has passed between the end of one chapter and the start of another. As a result, the story feels a bit more like it's skimming the surface. It does fill in gaps and compliments the other novels, so it's worth reading alongside the others. Regarding the voice acting, I found the southern accent somewhat put on (it didn't feel fully organic) but I liked the pacing of the reading overall.

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Witty, wise, and wonderful romance

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

Reviewed: 03-28-24

In book 2 of the Creative Types series by Joanna Chambers and Sally Malcom, we get to know Owen, Lewis' older and much more serious brother (Lewis gets his own story in book 1, Total Creative Control), as Owen accidentally ends up hired to appear opposite Mason, Lewis' ex and a model/influencer, in a weekend morning TV show gardening spot. The audio book, narrated fabulously by Simon Goldhill, made me laugh out loud more than once, and made me tear up, as well. Just like the other 2 books in the series, Home Grown Talent features two men needing to grow beyond the ways they've lived, behaved, and loved in the past if they want to move into a future that's more joyful and authentic. Having recently read book 3, Best Supporting Actor, I'm ready to start the series again. Chambers and Malcom are a terrific writing team, and Home Grown Talent is a winner.

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Sensitive and sweet romance

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

Reviewed: 03-21-24

In the Gray, a novel by Christina Lee, is a wonderfully thoughtful story about two men struggling with the blows that life can deliver. From the detailed portrayal of life for the unhoused, to living with chronic depression, Lee weaves a tale that has romance at the center, but also gentle hopes for how people can face adversity, get support, and find their way to more joy. Lachlan teaches Foster about the realities of the streets, and Foster helps Lachlan understand depression, as well as explaining spoon theory, an idea originally coined Christine Miserandino in her 2003 essay "The Spoon Theory," which has since been adopted by many in the disability rights community, especially those with "invisible" disabilities (I realize that many people may know this, but the origins aren't mentioned in the book, so I wanted to make sure to credit Miserandino here). I received a copy of the audio version, acted powerfully by Nick J. Russo, whose work I love. In the Gray is a short, but powerful novel, and one I'm grateful to have listened to.

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Enough tension to tease!

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

Reviewed: 02-03-24

Kenyon is a pro football player and Julian is an up and coming sports writer assigned to cover the team Kenyon plays for. The twist? They hook up before either of them knows who the other is. What follows is a fun and heated test of their willpower while they both discover whether they can keep strict boundaries on their interactions in and out of the bedroom. The audio book is well acted and the ending satisfying. I received a copy of the audiobook. This is my own opinion.

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Wonderful audiobook, fabulous romance

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

Reviewed: 12-23-23

This is my first book by Fearne Hill and it definitely won’t be my last! Reuben and Freddie are an unlikely pair, to say the least, but their slow burn is totally worth the wait. The audio version is terrific acted, and each character gets his own voice. Five stars all the way around. I received an advance copy. This is my own opinion.

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Dramatic mystery-romance

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

Reviewed: 11-27-23

This is a tough book to review without revealing too much. Having received an advance copy, I gave the performance a 5, the story a 2, and overall a 3.5 rounded down to a 3. I found the underlying premise of the book deeply regrettable because it’s based on stereotypes. It also minimizes the real inpacts of trauma without showing any of the ways people can heal from it. If I could put a trigger warning on the book without giving too much away, I would. The writing is strong but I can’t recommend the book because of the problems with its message. Proceed with caution, if at all.

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Sweet, funny hockey romance

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

Reviewed: 10-31-23

Game changer, book two of Amy Aislin’s Vancouver Orca’s series is delightful. Blair and Charlie both have reasons to lean into and away from their mutual attraction, and they help each other reach for their dreams. I would rate the book a five but for the fact that there were some odd anachronistic moments (no one I know makes phyllo dough from scratch, for example) that distracted me a bit. That said, it was well narrated (I received a complimentary audio book) and I’m looking forward to book three.

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Great hockey second-chance romance

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

Reviewed: 10-29-23

I haven’t read or listened to Amy Aislin’s work but this was a great book to start with. Matt and Pierce have history and have to figure out how to get through hurt and misunderstanding but this is a low-angst, fun read with sensitive and honest descriptions of mental health challenges. I can’t wait to listen to book two. I received a free copy of the audio book. It was well narrated

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Sweet, honest journey to authenticity

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

Reviewed: 07-19-23

Overall, I loved The Impossible Childhood of My Desire. The plot was believable, the emotions felt true, and the growth of both characters was authentic. It started up a little slowly but once I got a couple of chapters in I wanted to keep listening to the end.

Regarding the audio version, I found Adam Stone’s voicing soothing, which matched well with Carl/Cara but his accents and cadence for Roberto and some of the other secondary characters felt a little stilted. Additionally, Stone mispronounced a just enough words to be distracting (id pronounced I.D, like identification not ihd like the concept of ego and id; respite said reh-spite not reh-spit; a few others…).

Overall, I would recommend the book but for a reread I’d read it rather than listen. That said, I did find listening enjoyable and would encourage anyone who likes audio books or needs books read to give this one a listen. The story is a good one.

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