Category: B reviews (Page 20 of 74)

Royally Matched by Emma Chase, narrated by Andi Arndt & Shane East

May 15, 2017 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: This is one from my own TBL.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Some men are born responsible, some men have responsibility thrust upon them. Henry John Edgar Thomas Pembrook, Prince of Wessco, just got the motherlode of all responsibility dumped in his regal lap.

He’s not handling it well.

Hoping to help her grandson to rise to the occasion, Queen Lenora agrees to give him “space”—but while the Queen’s away, the Prince will play. After a chance meeting with an American television producer, Henry finally makes a decision all on his own:

Welcome to Matched: Royal Edition.

A reality TV dating game show featuring twenty of the world’s most beautiful blue bloods gathered in the same castle. Only one will win the diamond tiara, only one will capture the handsome prince’s heart.

While Henry revels in the sexy, raunchy antics of the contestants as they fight, literally, for his affection, it’s the quiet, bespectacled girl in the corner—with the voice of an angel and a body that would tempt a saint—who catches his eye.

The more Henry gets to know Sarah Mirabelle Zinnia Von Titebottum, the more enamored he becomes of her simple beauty, her strength, her kind spirit… and her naughty sense of humor.

But Rome wasn’t built in a day—and irresponsible royals aren’t reformed overnight.

As he endeavors to right his wrongs, old words take on whole new meanings for the dashing Prince. Words like, Duty, Honor and most of all—Love.

A major spoiler for the previous book follows – proceed at your own risk.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): There really are some weird and unusual names in the British aristocracy. Even though this is Wessco (is it supposed to stand for “West Scotland”?), I think Sarah’s name is meant to poke a bit of fun at them. Although the “von” seems out of place even in a fictional country like Wessco.

I enjoyed Royally Screwed when I listened to it recently. I didn’t adore it as others had before me but I hadn’t actually thought it would be my cup of tea at all so I guess it started behind the line. Fictional royalty isn’t something I go out of my way to read or listen to – it’s too easy for me to think of the actual British royal family. Still, it was rated so highly, that I ended up giving it a go and it turned out to be a good listen. Continue reading

April Round Up

May 1, 2017 / Kaetrin

Monthly Mini Review

Tease Me, Baby by Katie Reus, narrated by Sophie Eastlake – B Katie Reus usually delivers a reliably entertaining story in novella length – although I’m more used to her romantic suspense books and this one is a straight contemporary. However, my confidence was not misplaced. Added to that, Sophie Eastlake narrates and she is excellent and always elevates a story for me.

Fallon O’Connor is the youngest of four siblings. Her three older brothers have all had distinguished military careers. Fallon has found it hard to settle into a career and feels she is the under-performer of the family. She has a business degree but she’s not really using it. She came back to Holly, her home town, the year before and has been doing some freelance baking. As the story begins, she is two weeks away from leaving for California and culinary school. She feels conflicted about going. Culinary school is not so much a long-held dream as something she thinks she ought to do to be a proper grown-up. Continue reading

Relationship Status by KA Mitchell

April 20, 2017 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I’m a fan of KA Mitchell and I have enjoyed the previous two novellas in the series.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Life doesn’t come with a syllabus.

Ethan knows firsthand that long distance is hard on love. If Wyatt is spending his summer at an internship in Pittsburgh, that’s where Ethan will be. Even if it means inventing his own career goal just to find a reason to stay with his boyfriend. He didn’t expect they’d be living in a hot, crappy apartment, with work schedules that keep them apart more than together.

Wyatt’s past has taught him to keep his head down and focus on living through the day. Loving Ethan has him looking to the future for the first time; he’s just not in as big of a rush to get there. It’s hard to trust in happiness when life has been busy kicking you in the nuts.

Together they’re getting the hang of real life, when a new responsibility for Wyatt throws everything off balance. Ethan’s doing everything he can to prove he’s in this forever, while Wyatt is torn between a future with Ethan and a debt to the past. Too bad they didn’t cover this in college.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): Most of Relationship Status takes place over the course of a summer where Ethan and Wyatt are sharing a room in a small apartment together in Pittsburgh while working and interning. Wyatt is interning at a prestigious engineering firm and Ethan at the ACLU – because there is the vague possibility he might want to be a lawyer but mostly because he wants to be near Wyatt. Between their jobs and internships, there is not a lot of time for them to spend together and when things start off, there is some tension between the pair because of the whole “ships passing in the night” thing.
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Close To You by Kristen Proby, narrated by Roger Wayne & Arielle de Lisle

April 10, 2017 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: This is one from my own TBL.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Camilla, “Cami,” LaRue was five years old when she first fell in love with Landon Palazzo. Everyone told her the puppy love would fade—they clearly never met Landon. When he left after graduation without a backward glance, she was heartbroken. But Cami grew up, moved on, and became part-owner of wildly popular restaurant Seduction. She has everything she could want…or so she thinks.

After spending the last 12 years as a Navy fighter pilot, Landon returns to Portland to take over the family construction business. When he catches a glimpse of little Cami LaRue, he realizes she’s not so little any more. He always had a soft spot for his little sister’s best friend, but nothing is soft now when he’s around the gorgeous restaurateur.

Landon isn’t going to pass up the chance to make the girl-next-door his. She’s never been one for romance, but he’s just the one to change her mind. Will seduction be just the name of her restaurant or will Cami let him get close enough to fulfill all her fantasies?

What worked for me (and what didn’t): The long-time crush Cami had on her friend Mia’s older brother, Landon, was referenced in Listen to Me, which I listened to a little while back. Landon was a navy pilot and when Close to You begins, he has been discharged from the military after having to eject from his fighter jet. It was never specified exactly why, but the result of the accident was that he was unable to ever fly (as a pilot) again. He loved to fly so this was a huge blow to him. He comes home to Portland to lick his wounds and work out what he’s going to do with the rest of his life. He had planned to stay in the navy for life but after 10 years, that dream is over. Understandably, he is not the happiest camper when he first comes home.
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March Round Up

March 31, 2017 / Kaetrin

Monthly Mini Review

Lady Luck by Kristen Ashley, narrated by Emma Taylor – B+ I reviewed the ebook of Lady Luck sometime ago and I wouldn’t normally review the audio as well. But, because it’s been some time and because I had a different reaction to it and, also because I wanted to talk a little about the narration, I thought it was worthwhile posting this mini review.

What I’d recalled from the book was that I liked it okay but it was also my least favourite in the series – mainly because there was a lot of men referring to women as “pussy” and I didn’t like it. I still don’t like it but for some reason it was easier to hear in my ears than to read on the page. I put that down to the narration which was, for the most part, very good. But it’s also possible that I’ve seen and heard so much derogatory referencing of women in books and real life that maybe I’m just becoming slightly immune to it (although if that’s the case, that’s very sad). Continue reading

It Happened One Autumn by Lisa Kleypas

March 23, 2017 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I listened to Devil in Spring recently and it made me want to read Devil in Winter – I was advised to read It Happened One Autumn first so I borrowed it from my library.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) It happened at the ball…

Where beautiful but bold Lillian Bowman quickly learned that her independent American ways weren’t entirely “the thing.” And the most disapproving of all was insufferable, snobbish, and impossible Marcus, Lord Westcliff, London’s most eligible aristocrat.

It happened in the garden…

When Marcus shockingly—and dangerously—swept her into his arms. Lillian was overcome with a consuming passion for a man she didn’t even like. Time stood still; it was as if no one else existed… thank goodness they weren’t caught very nearly in the act!

It happened one autumn…

Marcus was a man in charge of his own emotions, a bedrock of stability. But with Lillian, every touch was exquisite torture, every kiss an enticement for more. Yet how could he consider taking a woman so blatantly unsuitable… as his bride?

What worked for me (and what didn’t): It took me quite a long time, relatively speaking, to read this book. It wasn’t even really the book. No, I struggled because it was a paperback. For various reasons, I much prefer reading ebooks these days and I found there was a certain reluctance in me to pick it up and hold the darn thing open so I could read it. It was a somewhat surprising revelation. I knew I preferred ebooks but I hadn’t realised just how much until now. I’ll still read the occasional paper book but I am firmly and forever in the ebook camp. Continue reading