Narrated by Kaleo Griffith
I confess, I only signed on to review this because Branded is narrated by Kaleo Griffith. But even Kaleo couldn’t make it shine for me.
Branded is first in The Cavanaugh Brothers series. It features the eldest son, Deacon, and Mackenzie “Mac” Byrd. As best friend to the Cavanaugh brothers’ youngest sister Cass, Mac grew up around Deacon and fell for him in her tweens. Cass’ mysterious abduction and murder changed the lives of Mac and the Cavanaughs, and the repercussions are still felt in their adult lives.
The story starts out with the passing away of the Cavanaugh patriarch, Everett. His three estranged sons return home to the Triple C Ranch for the funeral. Now a self-made financial tycoon, Deacon is determined to destroy the Triple C—the physical reminder of the horror around Cass’ murder. However, there’s Mac. The adult Mac Deacon meets is not the awkward teen he remembers; she is beautiful, strong, and now the ranch’s foreman.
Mac and Deacon’s attraction is immediate and mutual. But Deacon makes it clear he still plans on destroying the ranch, while Mac intends to save the ranch she loves, in part to ensure River Black’s townsfolk keep their livelihoods.
Deacon is a tad over the top in his quest for vengeance and in his blind need to purge himself and his brothers of painful memories. He does come around in the end, and Mac comes to learn the demons still haunting Deacon and his brothers.
Of course Kaleo Griffith does a fine job narrating the story and infusing his narration with the cowboys’ distinct personalities. Deacon and Mac are not always the focus of the story. There are a lot of secondary characters who get more than just face-time: the younger Cavanaugh brothers, Triple C Ranch hands and housekeeper, the assistant foreman and Mac’s best friend who turns out to have a major role in the Cavanaugh family soap opera.
My favorite passages were the snippets Mr. Griffith reads from Cass Cavanaugh’s diary. His reading heightens the mystery surrounding Cass’ abduction and murder.
Megan
Narration: B-
Book Content: C
Steam Factor: For your burning ears only
Violence: Fighting
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Branded was provided to AudioGals for review by Tantor Audio.
I’d listen to Kaleo Griffith read the phone book.
Ha!