Quarantines and lockdowns and polar vortexes and – did someone hear 2021 say “Hold My Beer!”?
We just keep listening to audiobooks and chilling.
Here’s what the Gals are listening to this week.
BJ
Narrated by Sean Pratt
Caz
Narrated by Elizabeth Jasicki
Em
Narrated by Beverley A. Crick
Kaetrin
Narrated by Erin Mallon (with Jason Clarke)
Melinda
Narrated by Vikas Adam & Lacy Laurel
Shannon
Narrated by Emily Woo Zeller
Caz, I’ll be interested to read what you think of A Lady’s Formula for Love. I’ve read two very different reviews of it.
Lat Friday I finished up The Proposition by Judith Ivory, narrated by Steven Crossley. It’s a very interesting book and I enjoyed the detailed, deliberate pacing of it. Crossley was good.
Next I listened to a free short story by Sydney Smith called Bridemate. I grabbed it because it’s narrated by Teddy Hamilton. It’s a cute story and he does his usual great job.
I then listened to Understatement of the Year by Sarina Bowen, narrated by Teddy Hamilton and Christian Fox. Wonderful all the way around. I loved it. Thanks for encouraging me to listen to it, Caz.
Most Eligible Billionaire by Annika Martin was next, narrated by Jason Clarke and Neva Nevarre. Story was good, but an odd mix of humorous and truly serious. B-/C+ for me. Jason Clarke was great, but while I can tell Nevarre is a talented narrator, her habit of putting an “cry” in her voice absolutely exhausts me. I couldn’t figure out what was bothering me when I listened to The Billionaires Wake-up Call Girl, but I finally did with this one. I think since the backstory for this heroine is traumatic and she has PTSD, Navarre has more reason for the edge in her voice. Navarre’s interpretation puts that anxiety front and center, and for a person with PTSD/anxiety disorder (me), it was like being on high alert for hours. YMMV
Right now I’m listening to Cold-Hearted Rake by Lisa Kleypas, narrated by Mary Jane Wells. I’m really enjoying this one.
I LUUUURVE Jason Clarke’s voice… he’s one of that group of fantastic male narrators (Teddy, Joe Arden etc.) I don’t listen to that often simply because they record mostly contemporaries and I don’t listen to many of those, AND they record most frequently with female narrators whose voices I couldn’t pick out of a line-up. I didn’t mind Navarre too much, but I do understand what you’re saying about the “cry” in her voice.
I’m so glad you enjoyed Understatement – it’s a terrific story and the narration is superb :)
My favourite of the Ravenels books is the second one (Marrying Winterbourne), even though it has a bonkers and completely unnecessary sub-plot. Mary Jane Wells is excellent though.
I’ll give Marrying Winterbourne a try at some point. I was really enjoying Cold-Hearted Rake until the near end and then it just went pffft! Nothing about the end, for the estate, the main couple or Helen, was well done. It’s like she ran out of energy or ideas and just said, “Yeah, time to wrap this up in as few pages as possible.” Mary Jane Wells was amazing as always,though.
Yes, the ones I’ve read/listened to were pretty uneven. There’s a batshit subplot in MW but I really liked the romance. As to the others, I think Kaetrin liked them more than I did. I reviewed Devil in Spring quite favourably, but I think that was mostly due to MJW. I wasn’t nearly so taken with it on a re-listen because the heroine drove me up the wall
I’ve finished ‘Him’ which I really enjoyed and I can see why it is so popular. I liked both the narrators but had a preference for the one voicing Jamie – I couldn’t find out anywhere whether that was TH or JM but I’m sure that you know Caz!
I’ve just started ‘Managed’ by Kristen Callihan, which I really enjoyed reading. I’m not sure whether I’m going to get on with the narration though. The female narrator is okay but the male narration just seems a bit careful and has some strange vowel sounds – I thought the narrator would be British as his name is Rupert but maybe not!
I read the Ravenels series (it’s not available on audio in UK) but found it very patchy. IMO LK got the structure of the series wrong and should have moved away from giving each couple their own book, certainly in the case of Helen’s (annoying/boring) sisters. She wouldn’t have had to put in so much ridiculous plot padding but could have concentrated on the interesting bits. She wove the Helen/Winterbourne romance through two books, which I thought was the highlight of the series – it’s a shame she didn’t do a bit more ‘weaving’. There were just so many bits that never went anywhere in the series and it all just seemed unbalanced to me. Stella Riley’s books are a good example of balancing characters throughout a series IMO.
Hah! Yes, Teddy is Jamie, Jacob is Wes. I think Jacob Morgan has really developed as a narrator since then, but all of us Gals have a real soft spot for Mr. H ;)
I lost interest in the Ravenels after book 3.
‘Epic’ was only written and recorded last year so I’ll listen out for any difference when I get to it!