Musings on Romance

Category: audiobooks (Page 1 of 93)

What Cannot Be Said by CS Harris, narrated by Amy Scanlon

What Cannot Be Said by CS Harris, narrated by Amy Scanlon. I still miss Davina Porter’s narration but Amy Scanlon did pretty well.

Photorealistic cover showing an image of a Regency type man in a dark cloak with a cane/sword walking at night under an arch (maybe a bridge?) toward a curved building - like they have in Bath. (This book is not set in Bath.)

 

Every year I await with excited anticipation for the newest release in the Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries. This year’s offering, What Cannot Be Said, did not disappoint. While it wasn’t the best entry into the series, it was nonetheless solidly entertaining. I enjoyed spending time in Sebastian’s world, even though much of the story itself was pretty dark.

What Cannot Be Said takes place shortly after the British victory at Waterloo. The government and the Palace are deciding what they will do with Napoleon. Hero is now 6 months’ pregnant with their second child and is writing an article about children in foundling homes being essentially sold to small business owners (such as a chimney sweep or cheesemonger) for their labour, often with disastrous and tragic results. These sections of the book were especially heartbreaking, based as they are on real events. I knew being a chimney boy was grim but I didn’t realise just how bad it was.

When the bodies of an aristocratic mother and her 16-year-old daughter are discovered in Richmond Park, posed after having been shot, Sebastian St. Cyr, Viscount Devlin, is called in by Bow Street to assist with the investigation. The case brings up painful memories and revelations for Magistrate Lovejoy; 14 years before, another mother and daughter were shot in Richmond Park and posed in the same way. They were Lovejoy’s wife and daughter. He still grieves.

Sebastian’s investigation, as it always does, goes to places Hero’s article covers, as well as implicating a by-blow of the Prince Regent – which of course bring the renewed antipathy of Lord Jarvis and the displeasure of the Palace. Hero assists with the investigation (I really like her increasing involvement in solving these crimes) as well. There are a number of suspects, including the widower and various others.

Was the killer the same one who killed Lovejoy’s family or is it a copycat? Was the man who was hanged for the murders 14 years ago innocent after all?

Meanwhile, Gibson continues to struggle with his demons but there is some light at the end of the tunnel there at last.

The killer was revealed a little earlier than usual and was not even on my list of suspects initially. It all made sense though. The crimes in the Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries are all quite dark and What Cannot Be Said is no different in that regard so be ye warned.

I was pleased that my wonderings about Patrick were – to a degree at least – finally addressed in the text. I had wondered what society thought of him – looking so much like Sebastian. What was society thinking had occurred? What were the Devlins telling people? It seems Hendon accepts him (this was more implied than observed), Jarvis does not and society at large is rife with speculation. However, the story the Devlins tell is the truth (albeit not the whole of it): Patrick is the son of a man who save Sebastian’s life and they are raising him with Simon. It was nearly (but not quite) enough of a much needed clarification.

Amy Scanlon has big shoes to fill. Davina Porter narrated the first 16 books in the series but then retired (alas but good on her, I wish I could) and so a new narrator was needed. Anyone who’s ever listened to a book narrated by Davina Porter knows she is extremely hard to replace. Jenny Sterlin narrated books 17 and 18 – When Blood Lies and Who Cries For the Lost respectively. Personally, I did not much care for Ms Sterlin’s narration in When Blood Lies (mainly because Sebastian’s voice was just too high in pitch and inconsistent) and so I skipped the audiobook last year and read the ebook of Who Cries For the Lost instead. What Cannot Be Said has a new narrator again. I’m not sure why but in any event, I was willing to give Amy Scanlon a go. She’s not Davina Porter of course. No-one could be. (#notoverit) but she did a pretty good job of it. I liked her narration better than Jenny Sterlin’s and enough to continue with the series in audio (availability allowing). Ms Scanlon has a wide range of character voices. She doesn’t get Lovejoy right – he’s described in the books as having a peculiarly high-pitched voice for a man – and Hero is softer and not quite as formidable at Davina Porter makes her. Sebastian, who is, after all, the main character, is much closer to the mark; his voice is not as deep as the OG but it was not a disappointment.

Otherwise, the emotion, tone and pacing of Ms Scanlon’s performance is very good and kept me engaged in the story. (To be fair, Jenny Sterlin did very well with these aspect too.)

Truthfully, the mysteries themselves are the least interesting parts of the books for me; as others probably know by now, I’m all about the HEA and the best parts of the book are when I’m learning more about the successful relationship between Sebastian and Hero, their friends and their family. I enjoy the mysteries too but they’re not the big draw for me. The mystery here was personal because of the connection to Lovejoy and possibly a little sensational in the circumstance. What Cannot Be Said could have used a titch (I’ll take as much as I can get of course) more romance/affection between the Devlins but regardless, I was engrossed and entertained as I expected to be.

Grade: B

Avenging Angel by Kristen Ashley, narrated by Stella Bloom

Avenging Angel by Kristen Ashley, narrated by Stella Bloom. Fans of the Rock Chick series will love this one. I did.

Shimmery pearl gray background with large print pink titles and in front a pink patent leather stiletto shoe, under which is the author's name, also in pink.

So much fun* and excellent narration.

*there is a very sad part regarding Raye’s background and it involves violence to children (not super graphic but still) so content warning.
Narrated by Stella Bloom

In excellent news for fans of the Rock Chick series, Kristen Ashley has started writing the second generation in the Avenging Angel series. Avenging Angel pairs Julian “Cap” Jackson (formerly known as Sniff; yes – he’s all grown up and no longer scrawny) and Rachel “Raye” Armstrong. Cap works for Nightingale Investigation & Security and has moved to Phoenix, Arizona, to assist Mace to open NI&S’s new branch.

Mace and Stella have moved to Phoenix from LA and there are cameos from most of the Hot Bunch in Avenging Angel. Alas, not much from the Rock Chicks but I think there will be more coming up in future books. I hold out hope. However, in a not-at-all consolation prize, there is the return of Tex! Hurray and huzzah! Oh Tex, I have missed you.

Listeners should note that Raye has a backstory which will be a dealbreaker for some: her little sister, Macey, was abducted when Raye was 8 and Macey was 6. Macey was never seen again. There are some sad moments in the story around this. It’s not graphic but still, it’s a very sensitive topic and for some, it will be too much. The book also starts with Raye (being the “avenging angel” of the title) locating a little girl who had been taken and there is a subplot with missing strippers and sex workers as well.

Apart from that, the book is very Rock Chick – lots of shenanigans (alas, not all that much use of stun guns) and the kind of instalove fans of the OG series enjoy. When Cap and Raye first meet, Cap knows almost immediately that Raye is “it” for him. Of course, he shows this by breaking into her apartment (if this sounds familiar it’s because it is – isn’t it great?) and then he pretty much never leaves. The Hot Bunch do things differently but it works for them! (Caveat: obviously not endorsing this in real life but it’s definitely fun to read about in fiction.)

Raye works at Surf Club which is the Phoenix version of Fortnum’s. The owner of Surf Club is Tito who reminded me a bit of Smithy, although Tito is far more mysterious. If Raye is the “Indy” in this scenario, then Luna, her BFF, is Ally (though Ally and Luna are not that much alike both Raye and Luna do get into Indy/Ally-like scrapes). Other servers at Surf Club are Harlow and Jessie, Raye and Indy’s other BFFs. We will get books for all of them. Liam Tucker (Darius and Melea’s son) is one of the Phoenix crew, Roam will also get a story, there’s a Stark son and others who work for NI&S as well so there are plenty of hot guys and girls to be paired up in future books. According to the author’s Instagram there are currently 7 books planned in the series but that may change.

The story is different but it has very much the look and feel of the Rock Chick series. There are the strong female friendships, the male bonding, the found family and extended family and family family as well as some suspense and loads of the romantic good stuff.

Stella Bloom, who has narrated all of the Rock Chick books, returns to narrate the Avenging Angel series and, as I expected, she nails the brief. She just gets the humour, she understands the author and the characters, and her delivery of Raye and Luna is top notch. There were some lines in particular which were delivered so well I took a little time to marvel as I was listening. One is just Raye thinking to herself “oh Lord” when looking at the various members of the Hot Bunch and the catch in her voice as the line was said was just *chef’s kiss*.

Ms Bloom is very familiar with the OG cast and the style of book and this only adds to the new-but-familiar feel of the story. I enjoy her narration so much – audio is definitely the best way to take in Avenging Angel. (That said, I do hear Ms Bloom’s voice in my head when I read Rock Chick and now Avenging Angel books in print, so there’s that). Apart from the content warning I referenced earlier, Avenging Angel is pretty much a hoot and anyone who enjoyed Rock Chick and wants more of the same (in the best way) will likely enjoy.

B+

Walk of Shame by Avery Flynn, narrated by Robert Hatchet & Savannah Peachwood

Walk of Shame by Avery Flynn, narrated by Robert Hatchet & Savannah Peachwood.  Fun, sexy, sports romance.

Pink cover with a Barbie-type doll sitting in a cocktail in the front left foreground. The Barbie-knockoff doll's face isn't visible.

Reviewed for AudioGals.

Narrated by Savannah Peachwood & Robert Hatchet

Astrid O’Malley was dumped on her wedding day when her hockey-goalie fiancé face-timed her from the airport to tell her he’d accepted a contract with another team and therefore wouldn’t be attending their nuptials. Humiliated and devastated by both the loss of the relationship and the ensuing media storm, Astrid swore off hockey and men. Walk of Shame picks up five years later, when she meets a hot guy in the bar where she works occasionally.

Astrid has been on something of a “world sex tour”, having strict rules around acceptable interactions with men. One night only, no-one who knows where she lives, no-one who knows where she works. With Cal Matsen she finds herself breaking all her rules – repeatedly. It’s the best sex of her life and he lives right upstairs from her in the same building as the bar. Worse, she finds out he’s just been hired to coach her ex-fiancé (who has the “yips”) for the same team where her father is the head coach. The same team her father has begged her to come back to help for one final year before he retires.

Astrid has a personal organising business (more about psychology than storage) but her dad asks her to come and help the team do its best for his last season. I admit I was a little sketchy on exactly what she did for the team but she’d done the same job with the previous team (also coached by her dad) and they’d apparently worked well together. Now, her ex, Tig, is pulling the entire team down because he suddenly can’t stop easy goals. Cal has been brought in to coach Tig back to being the star he can be.

Cal played in the goalie position himself until an on-ice accident left him permanently unable to play at the elite level. He loves hockey and has done ever since he was four years old. Hockey is what he knows and loves and he’s desperate to be a part of the game somehow.

After Cal and Astrid realise who the other is in relation to the team, each resolves that they can never have sex with each other again. And each is very very bad at maintaining that resolution. Basically they can’t keep their hands off each other.

Astrid is very wary of getting into a relationship at all and the fact that Cal is associated not only with hockey but also her dad and her ex are powerful motivators. But none of those things can compete with her attraction to Cal. For his part, Cal is deeply smitten from the first and even though he knows he shouldn’t, he just can’t stay away. They think they’re hiding it but they’re pretty bad at that also.

There are some quirky characters in the cast, including a crotchety old lady who, if I understood correctly, has mafia connections, and an assistant coach who has four ex-wives and gets on well with them all. There are also cameos (or more) from characters from the Hartigans series which will be nice Easter eggs for fans. I enjoyed the tea party scene especially.

Walk of Shame was my first experience with Robert Hatchet. I enjoyed his performance very much, a little better than Savannah Peachwood’s actually. Both narrators have good character differentiation, tone and pacing. Both were solid when it came to the intimate scenes and also with emotion and humour of the book. Ms Peachwood has a good “hero voice” but I didn’t like as much, her other male character voices. Her depiction of Astrid’s dad and the other coaches weren’t as enjoyable for me as when they were voiced by Mr Hatchet. Otherwise, there wasn’t much to separate them in terms of performance or skill.

Walk of Shame was enjoyable and fun – and very sexy. Definitely not one to listen to with kids in the car! I did have some questions about how things ended up. For me, some of the textual links in the story were absent so I didn’t quite get how Cal came to the decision he did and I was surprised by the epilogue on a number of levels but overall, the audiobook ends in the win column.

 

Grade: B-

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