Ummmm… interesting?

Setup: mmc (Bastian) lives on his boat, whores around constantly, and drinks copious amounts of alcohol. He has a small crew and makes money by captaining bespoke cruises for the wealthy. On one such cruise the ship goes down. He’s drunk at the time and misses all the lifeboats. He manages to rescue one other passenger from the water, the mfc (Raine). This is a survivalist love story. Half spent on a life raft, half on a desert island.

I’ve only read one other female romance author who attempted to tell her story from a 1st person male perspective (The Wild Side Trilogy by RK Lilley). Both that one and ‘Surviving Raine’ fell a little flat for me. If these examples are anything to go by, women: 1) don’t believe men have any romantic thoughts 2) don’t believe men have any deep thoughts and 3) believe that men conflate sex and love

Bastian was exactly what you’d expect of a psychopathic, alcoholic, who lived through horrific formative years and a horrific adulthood. Basically, before buying his boat he made a living as a contestant in the hunger games 😂. This guy was rude, crude, violent, self destructive, and dismissive.

The narrator’s voice was perfect for Bastian. It had this loose, gruff, idgaf quality. Unfortunately the narrator’s voice for Raine was so awful it made me wonder if it was a strategy rather than a shortcoming. Like, maybe we were supposed to think that when women speak, men hear a kind of nails-on-a-chalkboard-falsetto. Also, maybe the author wants us to believe that all men think women have the intellectual capacity of a small child. Because that was Raine in a nutshell. She spends most of the book either crying (which was justified, but c’mon...) or making wide-eyed, wondrous, open-ended inquiries.

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More than 5 stars.

This author can write. I’m only giving five stars out this year to stories I’ll never forget and this is one I won’t forget.

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Depressing

I really enjoyed the narrator when he performed the male character but the female character voice was cringeworthy. The story was a bit depressing for me as the MC struggled with his past demons and the female came across as just whiny and irritating. It may have just been the narrator but I found it off putting. Not sure if I want to continue onto the next book.

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Love this story!

I've loved this story for a while now but I have just one word for this performance... OUTSTANDING! Sean Crisden has just joined my list of favorite narrators.

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Transcendence was a lot better

I loved Transendence so I gave this a try. Overall it's alright, but the female voice the narrator does can be a little much. The male voice acting is pretty good though.

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What a story!!!

I absolutely loved this book. At first, I hated Daniel/Sebastian! I almost DNF because of how awful he was in the beginning. But I’m so glad I kept going. It was an emotional roller coaster that I never wanted to get off learning about their history and how it intersected. I’m moving on to the next book now.

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5+ Stars - One of my Favorite Books!

One of my favorite books of 2013, I've read it and I've listened to it and I plan to listen again. Here is my review:

Wow! This book left me truly stunned. I had never heard of this author and after seeing the reviews of a few of my peeps took a chance and am so very thankful I did. I read this book from start to finish without putting it down. Folks, this is an amazing book, one of those books that grabs you by the throat and won’t let go. I read a lot, constantly, and it’s not often that an author surprises me with something new, exciting and refreshing. Yes, it’s an erotic romantic, yes the hero is a drunk, a jerk and a manwhore with dark painful secrets and yes, the heroine is young, sweet and beautiful. Sounds familiar right? Well, there is so much more so don’t let that stop you because if you like romance, heart-stopping action and seeing a man who truly needs love and redemption find it, then this is the book for you.

If ever a man was in desperate need of a life raft, it was Sebastian “Bastian” Stark and I mean this literally and metaphorically. Stark is the captain of a large schooner who cruises the Caribbean with wealthy passengers. He‘s a rude, miserable 29 year old man that has lived a dark, dangerous, violent life and has many secrets. He’s an alcoholic, chain-smoker who picks up whores in different ports along the way. Upon learning this information early in the book one is left wondering how on earth the author can possibly make this “hero” likable and believable as the romantic lead. Fear not and have faith. And make no mistake he knows he is all those things and believes he doesn’t deserve anything good in his life. Then he meets Raine.

The ship capsizes and Bastian ends up in a life raft and rescues one of his passengers, Raine Gayle and the story becomes quite fascinating from there. Suffice it to say he has met his match, both in life and love. There are a number of other wonderful reviews on Goodreads and I could not possibly do a better job. All I can say is, please give this book a chance, you won’t regret it. It will be a definite reread for me and I will go so far to say that this will be my NUMBER ONE BOOK OF THE YEAR!! If I could give it six stars I would!

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Bastian and Raine Mesmerize

I couldn't get over this book - Bastian comes from a life of never being wanted to survival, before he ever meets Raine - he is in the midst of a self-made witness protection program when an earthquake/wave destroys the small cruise ship he is operating. Shay, you are no ordinary fiction writer - I am never bored by "his gorgeous chest" or 1,000 other repetitive details - your people seem like they could be real. Thank you for this wonderful, mesmerizing story - what a damaged couple separately so alone - to be brought together by these harsh circumstances and to survive by Bastian's past training - ends up saving Bastian's life - and perhaps in turn Raine's. Again, dialogue is realistic and plot as well. Shay - Transcendence is pretty hard to beat - but you have done a fabulous job with your other stories - I could not put this down. I am on to Bastian's Storm - to enjoy what happens and hopefully get a satisfying ending and epilogue! PLEASE! Sean Crisden is Perfect as the narrator - have always liked him - and his translation of your characters is wonderful.

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Cute

This is a cute story, a bit predictable and there is a sugar overload but it's so entertaining. Sabastian is a great character. Raine is interesting but very, (too) innocent until they are "home" and the tables turn. A good book overall and I will probably read the next in the series.

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Outstanding Experience

I loved everything about this book and especially Sean Crisdens' narration, no one else could have done it better. Now waiting impatiently for part 2.

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2 people found this helpful