Narrated by Sienna Frances
One of the best aspects of reviewing at AudioGals is the opportunity to rediscover old print favorites in audio. Although I haven’t found many discrepancies in my ratings, The Mech Who Loved Me is the first book I loved in print but didn’t love in audio. Listener, it wasn’t only because of the narration! I liked Sienna Frances’ performance, but I just didn’t love this story nearly as much this time around.
You could listen to The Mech Who Loved Me as a standalone, but I wouldn’t. The London Steampunk: The Blue Blood Conspiracyseries should be read in order; the worldbuilding is intense, and new listeners will struggle to make sense of the plot and characters if they’re unfamiliar with the material. But if you are determined to ignore my warning, a quick recap.
In London Steampunk, an alternative (though recognizable) Victorian London was ruled by the ruthless, merciless Echelon, a group of aristocratic blue bloods (quasi-vampires) whom everyone else – humans, mechanoids, verwulfen – served. At the end of that series, a tenuous alliance of these groups (along with sympathetic blue bloods) joined together to overthrow the corrupt Echelon and its leaders (including the prince-consort) and installed the newly widowed Queen on the throne. In Mission Improper it’s three years post-revolution and humans, verwulfen, mechs and blue bloods are equal under the law, but not everyone is happy with the new border. When disgruntled blue bloods – determined to wreak havoc in London and incite another revolution – begin to terrorize the city, the enigmatic Duke of Malloryn and his newly formed Company of Rogues (CoR) step into the breach to foil their plans.
TMWLM picks up shortly after the events of MI. The CoR have subdued the Rising Sons and foiled their plans, but it’s clear someone else was pulling their strings and that this enemy isn’t afraid to use any tools at their disposal – vampires, dhampir (faster, stronger, and more lethal blue bloods), or a mysterious new virus that kills blue bloods – in order to win. Fortunately, the CoR has Ava McLaren (formerly a crime scene analyst for the Nighthawks (a police-like force composed of rogue blue bloods)) to help them identify the origins and nature of the virus. Malloryn assigns Liam Kincaid, the only human and mech member of the CoR, to watch over her. Ava is secretly thrilled by the pairing; she’s had a minor crush on Kinkaid since he helped her to overcome an anxiety attack in MI; her new partner is less so. Kinkaid hates blue bloods, and protecting the curious, naive, brilliant and beautiful Ava McLaren makes him strangely nervous.
Fortunately for Malloryn, he has good instincts pairing up these two. Ava is an experienced and intuitive investigator whose keen intellect and logical nature are well matched to the physical prowess and laser-focused intensity and instincts of her partner. With a protective Kinkaid ensuring her safe-keeping, Ava is free to follow up on the few clues they have and slowly but surely puzzle out how the information they uncover fits together – but danger still lurks around every corner. Their unseen, unknown enemy appears to know their every move before they make it, and with “black vein” (so named for the effect of the virus on the blood) apparently affecting blue bloods at random, it’s a race to find the source and stop their enemy before they can strike again. The partnership and the investigation gain a new intensity after Ava becomes the target.
While TMWLM does advance the overarching plot (see above) – the novel is mostly about the evolving odd-couple relationship between Ava and Liam, and this is perhaps where my feelings about the book vs. the audio diverge. Since I tend to read quickly, I didn’t notice how little time the author spends on the investigation (honestly, I’m vague on what the other CoR members are doing for much of the novel) in lieu of the romantic relationship. And that’s not nearly as good as I remembered.
At the end of MI readers knew Ava was curious about sex and attracted to the hunky, seemingly oblivious Kinkaid. When TMWLM begins, Ava – with a helpful nudge from Perry – decides she no longer wants to be a virgin. Lucky for Ava, she’s got a sexy, ladies man partner she’s forced to spend LOADS of time with, and naturally their first outing finds them discussing the subject of her virginity. Ahem. Well, now hold up friends! Here’s a hot, single guy who’s rumored to be great in the sack and a single, ready to mingle lady who is also conveniently attractive and available. And we know Kinkaid is secretly attracted to Ava, too! But Kinkaid isn’t convinced it’s a good idea to “help” Ava with her pesky virginity problem. He has Concerns. He hates blue bloods. They’re The Worst. Then there’s his No Virgin rule. Silly virgins. And then she’ll probably fall in love with him and Get Ideas. Silly females with hopes and dreams. He’s not the hopes and dreams kind of guy. Except we soon learn he is. And Ava is irresistible! And beautiful! And brilliant! And he’s a guy. So. Duh. No one else can have her if he can’t. But friends, the Kinkaid struggle is real.
Oh, listener. Don’t get me wrong. This is a terrific opposites-attract pairing; I liked Ava and Kinkaid – as individuals and as a couple, and the characterization of both leads is excellent. But once they negotiate their friends-with-benefits deal, the author totally loses the plot. These two can barely keep their hands to themselves right from the get-go, and while the scenes are nicely steamy and definitely naughty (especially for a virgin with very little sexual experience), there’s very little investigating taking place. It’s a good thing Ava is so smart and capable and is able to connect seemingly unrelated dots so easily, because actual “working” scenes are few and far between. The balance between suspense and intrigue is off this time out, and while I didn’t notice it as much in print, it’s glaring in the slower pace of an audio book.
Although I enjoyed new-to-me narrator Sienna Frances’ narration of MI, I don’t think a solo female narrator is the best choice for this series. There are so many male characters – good and bad – and I’m not convinced Frances is up to the task of voicing them. I think she does a nice job with Ava (and the other female characters), but her voice simply cannot drop into the register needed for Kinkaid, or most of the male villains in this story. I’m also guessing there are listeners who will struggle with Kinkaid’s accent (I believe it’s a Scottish accent?), although this American doesn’t feel qualified to judge it. My complaint is limited to her inability to convey his gruff, husky voice, but I’m very nervous about how she will handle all the Russian accents in future stories. I wish the narration featured a man and a woman!
TMWLM was never my favorite in the series, and I don’t think it fares much better in audio. While the lead characters are well characterized and their romance is deliciously naughty, the suspense elements are weaker this time out. I needed fewer sex scenes (My god! Who am I??!), more diabolical villains and vampires, and lots more action. Also, a different, less contrived (and totally predictable) last minute deux ex machina.
I recommend TMWLM with reservations.
Em
Buy The Mech Who Loved Me by Bec McMaster on Amazon
I’m also guessing there are listeners who will struggle with Kinkaid’s accent (I believe it’s a Scottish accent?
That would be me :). And yes, it’s supposed to be Scottish, but from what I heard of it in the next book in the series, it’s HORRIBLE.
That MIGHT have been a nod in your direction. I just finished Charlie and Lark’s book and….well, let’s just say the Russian accent is a hot mess & spoiled the book.
Yeah, the accents in Gemma’s book weren’t great. Another excellent series ruined by a poor choice of narrator. Like you, I don’t understand using a female narrator for books where there are many more male than female characters.