With This Ring by Amanda Quick

With This RingNarrated by Barbara Rosenblat

I picked up With This Ring (Book 1 Vanza series) on sale and recently, when I needed a good comfort read, I started listening. I realized then that I’d never listened to a book narrated by Barbara Rosenblat. Within the first 15 minutes I was completed enchanted with her style. Without sounding forced, Rosenblat imbues personality into every spoken line. She voices the characters with understated humor and dry wit. I’m sure I would not have gotten nearly so much of the humor in the book if I’d read it in print. The recoding isn’t perfect. Rosenblat pauses here and there in the reading where no pause is needed, plus the chapter breaks feel a little too long. A few listeners have criticized Rosenblat’s audible intake of breath at times, but I didn’t find it distracting at all.

I like a sure thing. I can’t remember ever waking up in the morning and thinking, “Gee, I’m tired of coffee! I want something different.” Some things I always look forward to—coffee in the mornings, London broil on the grill, homemade biscuits with honey, and an author who consistently delivers a comfort read.

The Amanda Quick books are the most consistent of all the pen-names for the writer Jayne Ann Krentz. Usually the books include an interesting suspense story, along with a woman making it on her own, an often irascible hero, witty dialog, and a satisfying romance.  In With This Ring we meet Beatrice, a capable and independent widow who is looking into her uncle’s death. Beatrice has an alter ego – she is the very successful “horrid novel” author, Mrs. York, a fact she keeps very quiet. Leo Drake is known as “The Mad Monk of Monkcrest.” He is somewhat reclusive, but he’s also a noted expert on antiquities. It is for this reason Beatrice seeks him out. Rosenblat’s voice for Beatrice is wonderful and droll, while her voice for the gruff Mad Monk is just right. She does all the character accents well and her pacing is excellent, except for the occasional pauses mentioned before.

Beatrice and Leo both have secrets related to their previous marriages, and both are wary of falling in love again. They circle around each other as they attempt to solve a mystery involving some ancient artifacts called the Rings of Aphrodite. Beatrice’s Uncle Reggie reportedly bought the fabled rings just before he died, using virtually all of his money. The rings can’t be found and Uncle Reggie’s daughter, Arabella, may lose the chance to marry the man she loves since she’s now without a dowry.

In true Amanda Quick fashion, Leo and Beatrice spend a great deal of time bickering, but the banter is witty and enjoyable. The suspense story is very satisfying and takes several interesting twists. There is plenty of humor to be found in the story, such as a gentleman’s club called The House of the Rod and a drink called The Elixir of Manly Vigor.

Anyone familiar with Amanda Quick will see where the story is going early on, but that doesn’t lessen the enjoyment of getting there. Like comfort food, sitting down with an author you know can deliver an uncomplicated and satisfying story is good for the soul. When you add an outstanding narrator like Barbara Rosenblat to the mix there is every reason to go back for “second helpings.” I’m going to look for more Quick/Rosenblat books for future listening pleasure.

Carrie


Narration:  A-

Book Content:  B-

Steam Factor:  Glad I had my earbuds in

Violence:  Minimal

Genre:  Historical Romance (European)

Publisher:  Recorded Books

 

1 thought on “With This Ring by Amanda Quick

  1. Loved this book. WITH THIS RING is one of my favorite books. I read the hard back a hundred years ago, and enjoyed it then.

    Barbara Rosenblat is one of my favorite narrators, next to Susan Erickson who does the IN DEATH series. The banter between Leo and Beatrice reminded me of Amelia Peabody and Emerson from the AMELIA PEABODY series, by Elizabeth Peters.

    I have it on my iPod so I can listen to it again and again if I choose too.

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