Stolen Heat by Elisabeth Naughton

Narrated by Elizabeth Wiley

Second (and my favorite) in Elisabeth Naughton’s Stolen series, Stolen Heat delivers an ultimately sweet reunion in a thrilling romantic adventure/suspense. This was a keeper read for me (published in 2009), so I was excited to re-experience it in audio.

Antiquities dealer Peter Kauffman was introduced in Stolen Fury as that hero’s loyal buddy. Blond and classically handsome, charming, driven, morally ambiguous Pete brings to my mind an American Peter O’Toole in the movie How to Steal a Million. Stolen Fury alluded to the pain and regrets beneath Pete’s rich playboy façade; Stolen Heat gives us the full story of Pete’s loss, and then some.

Pete’s lost love is Egyptologist Katherine (Kat) Meyer, believed dead in a car bomb six years ago in Cairo. Stolen Heat is told in a switching narrative, going back and forth between present day and Kat and Pete’s heated affair six and a half years ago. Each flashback is like Kat digging out an archaeological layer, revealing a detail of the past that also explains the present. Like, there’s Kat and Pete’s poignant but fraught reunion (she’s there under false pretenses) contrasted with their sweet first meeting (he’s the one lying); present misunderstandings echoing past trust issues; and, of course, the events leading to Kat’s fake death and why they must now run for their lives.

I wish Elisabeth Naughton wrote more romantic suspense. In Stolen Heat she put together just that right balance of fascinating characters, love story, and thrilling adventure. Ms. Naughton is also adept at “show, not tell.” The sexual tension and intense connection between Kat and Pete underlie their dialog and actions, even as they work past betrayals and at surviving some really bad guys chasing after them.

Elizabeth Wiley delivers an expressive narration of all that “Stolen Heat.” She varies her pacing to reflect the atmosphere – slower-paced when Kat and Pete interact, punching it up to reflect tension in the chase scenes. She also sufficiently varies her tone and pitch to portray many secondary characters. Her interpretation of Pete is more rugged than the suave sophisticate in my mind, giving him a subtle rasp and husky tones that was not unattractive. Kat’s change from naïve graduate student to tough survivor is nicely conveyed with a sweet voice vs. more matter-of-fact tones.

What prevented me from rating the narration higher than a B- were moments the delivery veered into the overly dramatic – as if the angst and tension between Kat and Pete and the chase were not intense enough. An example is in the present when resurrected Kat thinks to herself while confronting an angry Pete, “Did. She. Expect. His. Sympathy?” The super slow delivery is probably meant to draw out the drama, but it just took me out of the story. Another distracting instance is Ms. Wiley’s interpretation of Dr. Maria Gotsi. She sounds like a breathy version of Arianna Huffington, more hilarious than scary barracuda lady with a thick Greek accent. Nonetheless, these stylistic vocal choices did not completely detract from my enjoyment of the story, just an uneven enjoyment of it.

Megan

Narration:  B-

Book Content:  A-

Steam Factor:  Glad I had my ear buds in

Violence:  Fighting

Genre:  Romantic Suspense

Publisher:  Tantor Audio

Stolen Heat was provided to AudioGals for review by Tantor Audio.