Started off great, then a little predictable

Dr. William Koval is a 40 year old widower. He loves his microscope and petri dishes, his life being pretty uncomplicated. However, a shadow glooms his life up a bit, his wife, Kathleen, having been killed by a mentally unstable man three years earlier. Now work forces him to take a vacation and he decides on a whim to sign up for an English walking tour, something him and his wife were planning to do before her untimely death. The walking tour brings him some closure and perhaps a new chance at happiness.

I have to say this isn’t my normal cup of tea but I was intrigued by the English walking tour and a still-grieving widower trying to say goodbye to his deceased wife and the life they had together. I really enjoyed the first half of this book. The English walking tour has some bumps and burrs to it and that made it interesting. I was hoping for a touch more here and there. In fact, if the book had all been set in this English country walk, with rich history and some cultural tidbits tossed in, then I would have been very happy with the book. There were plenty of fun & interesting characters on the tour as well but we had to say goodbye to almost all of them when the tour ended.

Alas, the second half of the book is back in the states and is a pretty standard contemporary romance. Should he call her? Will she call him back? Can he get over his past? Will she forgive him? Can they come together over a shared travesty? Quite frankly, it was pretty boring to me. The first half is exciting and different and more than a simple romance. It had complexity. The second half lacked these traits.

The main characters themselves were interesting. William is a doctor, but not a people person nor does he seek glory in complicated surgeries or being a leading expert in some minute field of interest. He’s a practical, quiet man. Deciding to go off to England on a whim was so out of his norm and yet I could clearly see it was him trying to breath life back into this stagnant existence he was stuck in.

Annie Logan is a history buff and also hails from the Seattle area (same as William) and it’s one of those odd quirks that they meet in England. I liked that she was generally soft spoken but would hold her ground, politely but firmly, when she decided enough was enough. She had this trait not only in England but also back home on Vashon Island.

It turns out that Kathleen had a secret, one that William starts to put together on the English walking tour. Kathleen’s best friend, Liz, is now William’s best friend. It’s a friendship that has given them each much comfort, especially when William comes over for a homecooked meal with Liz’s family. I really liked how comfortable they were with each other and how their friendship kept the good parts of Kathleen’s memory alive.

So all told, this story had a solid start with a complex William in an unusual situation. The second half wasn’t my normal fare and while it bored me a bit, I had to know how things turned out for Annie and William. If contemporary romance is your thing, then I highly recommend this book. It has depth.

I received a free copy of this book.

Narration: Curt Simmons was most excellent in this performance. I am truly impressed by his range of not only male & female voices but also his ability to capture nuanced emotions. He had the perfect voice for William, sounding as mild as milk initially and growing in complexity as learn more about William. His female voices were spot on. Each character was distinct and there were several accents for the English walking tour half of the book (Australian, French, British, etc.). He was a pleasure to listen to.

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3 people found this helpful

A Great Story Well Told

I found this novel hard to stop listening to. JC's characters are true-to-life and the story moves along at a good clip so there is nary a dull moment. The narration by Simmons is a great match due to his masterful ability to bring the characters to life with the different and authentic accents of the travelers. I would recommend this book highly--it does not disappoint!

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1 person found this helpful

Great story, wonderful reading

This is a wonderful rendition of JC Miller's book Vacation. The characters, people you will recognize in their complexities of emotion and reaction, come to life with this narration. It is great to explore the different settings as the main characters explore and discover things about themselves and each other. A satisfying tale well worth listening to!

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Brilliant read

First, I have to start off by stating that I got this book free of charge in exchange for a review, but as I always state, this does not in any way impact my review. My reviews are always honest and my own.

Perhaps it is because I have recently returned from two months in Florida, but the description of the trip brought many memories back about this beautiful countryside. The hero is an introverted, insecure, and socially uncomfortable pathologist who takes the vacation that his late wife and he had been planning before her untimely death. Over the course of the next few months, he begins to heal from the trauma in his life. I enjoyed this novel and will read more offerings by this author.

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1 person found this helpful

Ready for a Walking Tour of the English Countryside!

I enjoyed listening to "Vacation" by CJ Miller immensely. The story may have been a bit predictable but it was still sweet and the characters were believable and so well done by narrator Curt Simmons.

One thing that really stood out and impressed me was the quality of his dialects. I'm so used to hearing the Australian accent mangled by Americans that I cringe at the thought. So, when the story required going from an Australian accent to an English accent, back and forth, back and forth, and then throw in a couple of French accents on top of that, it could have been a disaster! However, Simmons made the transitions seamlessly. Very impressive.

Simmons skilled, accomplished voice is easy to listen to and draws the listeners in, giving us a connection to the characters. I will be looking for more books narrated by Simmons.

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1 person found this helpful

A chance meeting that leads to passion and forgive

Would you listen to Vacation again? Why?

Vacation is a story of Dr. William Koval, who feels imprisoned by grief and loss. After a forced vacation, William learns to have hope and love again. He does not realize that learning to love comes with hurt and above all acceptance and healing.

Vacation is a refreshing and well-written story. JC Miller really knows how to build up the suspense and tension and keep your attention to the very end. The characters are well developed and engaging. The story has just enough description that you can picture you are there in the moment. This story has many lessons to be learned and is an inspiration to all.

What about Curt Simmons’s performance did you like?

Curt Simmons did an excellent job with the narration. He had a crisp and clear voice that was a pleasure to listen to and easy to follow. Mr. Simmons did a fantastic job with the different characters’ voices.

Any additional comments?

This is the first book that I have read by JC Miller. I recommend Vacation to anyone that enjoys a quick read that is full of romance, grief, hope, and humor.

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1 person found this helpful

Delightful Story!

I so enjoyed listening to this book. The premise of going on a walking tour of England sounds so delightful and relaxing, along with being picturesque. (My mother has done it twice) so the imagery brought back many memories. I loved the twists that the author spun into this book as well. The main character was awkward and likable. I thought it was great how the book came full circle for the good doctor. My review is not a synopsis of the book, but rather my opinion of it. I was provided with this review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

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1 person found this helpful

dr koval

a very complex and interesting story...
dr koval is a very interesting character...
the book is very special and unusual the narrator was very good and it's a book I will sure listen to again

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review

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Despite my hesitation, it was an enjoyable journey

I have to admit that I was hesitant to begin this book simple because I had a preconceived sense that this was going to be a "chic-listen" of sorts. That being said, I really ended up enjoying the book as it was an easy listen. Vacation is an inspirational story of one man's vacation in the English countryside, that unexpectedly turns into a journey of self-discovery that will change the way he lives his life. The characters are well developed and the story-line is solid, yet it was rather apparent (to me at least) as to what direction this was going in . . . a truly redemptive ending. Nice, but one could see it coming well before the conclusion of the story. Perhaps because the basis of the story is one that has been told often.

The narration by Curt Simmons was superb and, in fact, is part of the reason that my overall rating was 4-stars. His rich descriptions of the various locales and that of the English countryside easily transports the listener into the story. For me, that was half the enjoyment of the book.

I would recommend this book to those looking for a relaxing listen about love, loss, acceptance, forgiveness, hope, friendship, and redemption. A review copy audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in return for this unbiased review. My hope is that this review helps in your decision to obtain this book.

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Lovely to listen to!

Have you listened to any of Curt Simmons’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Curt Simmon's narration is splendid. His rich voice is pleasing and brings characters to life as if they were friends at your side.

Any additional comments?

William Koval is a broken man. His world had been ordered by his love of research, orderliness and his wife Kath. He believed that his life had been changed in one moment – his wife was murdered by a man off his medication for schizophrenia – senseless. The truth was a bit more complicated although he had denied the realities for some years prior to Kath’s death.
Acceptance can come through many paths. Koval’s decision to go on a English walking tour planned before his wife’s death proves to provide the supports for emotional healing and moving forward from a quirky group of people he finds himself with during the ups and downs of the tour through the beautiful countryside.
The story is relatable and enchanting. Curt Simmons narration provides wonderful qualities bringing the story alive as you listen. I found myself cheering for members of the tour and Koval as the journey moves along. An enjoyable listen.
“I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.”

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