Category: Audio Books

A MelanieM Audiobook Review: Smitty’s Sheriff by Cardeno C and Ezekiel Robison (Narrator)

Rating: 3.25 stars out of 5

Todd is too flakey. Richard is too stubborn. Together, they’re perfect. A May-December couple get a second chance at love.

Retired soldier Richard Davis wants a stable life in a quiet town with a forever man. Becoming the sheriff of Hope, Arizona, accomplishes two of his three goals, but instead of finding a serious partner, he falls for too-young-to-be-committed and too-flakey-to-be-serious Todd Smitty. Richard won’t find the right man if he’s obsessed with the wrong one, so he walks away from Todd.

It’s lust at first sight when Todd meets his sister’s army friend. He sets his sights on the worldly, strong, stable older man, and the more time he spends with Richard, the harder he falls. But after three years together, Richard cuts off all contact with no explanation.

When a mutual obligation requires Todd to move into Richard’s house, he’s thrilled at the opportunity to earn a second chance. Ignoring Todd from across town was hard enough. Can Richard resist temptation under his own roof?

Smitty’s Sheriff was a story I both a slow time getting into and warming up to.  The rambling introduction to Richard, and , honestly imo, his quick to judgement attitude towards Todd and others, made him a character that was hard to connect with. It wasn’t that Cardeno C hadn’t made him a believable human being, no, he was that all right.  It was that I just didn’t like him very much.

That took a while to come and it was lukewarm at best.  How does someone look at another person after three years and not think they’ve had a chance to change and grow?  No, this character seems happier with his personal judgements right up until the end. Poor Todd carries the burden of this relationship, which is odd because the story seems to be that Todd needs structure and is too “scattered” without someone to look after him.  Which is strange because other than the total breakdown in communication here, Todd was doing great on trying to make it work.  Go figure.

Loved Todd.  Todd had my heart.  His misjudgement, imo, was picking the Sheriff.  Oh well.  The heart wants what the author says the heart wants.  And clearly Todd wants Richard.  It takes a while, more major miscommunication ensues til I wanted to throttle them both and then the air clears and they get their HEA or HFN, depending upon how you look at it.

The narration of Ezekiel Robison also took a while to warm up.  It started out a little bland and atonal.  You had to work at differentiating what characters were talking at the time.  However, about a third, maybe less, into the story, that changed, and the narration took a decided turn for the better.  Robison eased into each character, assuming their personality, and gave them voice with a strength I wish he had assumed at the beginning of the story.  By the end I  forgot it was one narrator, listening to the multiple personalities that came across as the story flowed.  I’ll certainly look for more stories narrated by him.

Overall, I enjoyed the listening experience, mostly due to the narrator and the character of Todd.  I liked seeing him get his HEA.  If you love May-December romances, Cardeno C, and contemporary loves, check out this audiobook, It’s short and sweet.

Cover art is  adorable and works for the characters and storyline.

Sales Links: Amazon | Audible

Audiobook Details:

Listening Length: 3 hours and 19 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook

Audiobook, Unabridged, 4 pages
Published August 1st 2017 by The Romance Authors, LLC (first published July 17th 2017)
ASINB074CMKHWK
SeriesHope #3 settingArizona (United States)

Release Blitz and Giveaway for Vows Box Audiobook Set by Addison Albright and David Gilmore (Narrator)

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Audible US | Audible UK
 
Length: 17hrs 26mins
 
Narrator: David Gilmore
 
Blurb
 

‘Til Death Do Us Part: Henry and Sam Miller-Greene are living the dream, but their worlds are shattered when Henry’s plane crashes and he’s presumed dead. But Henry survives undetected on a remote, small, and insignificant island. Will Sam and Henry’s love be able to survive, as well? When Henry and Sam face an accidental estrangement, and Henry is assumed dead, can their love endure the trials of one’s fight for survival, and the other’s new love interest? When Henry is rescued, will Sam be able to put aside his new love when he reunites with Henry?


From This Day Forward: Henry and Sam are enjoying life after Henry’s rescue. With their nightmare separation behind them, Henry and Sam are anxious to renew both the intensity of their former intimacies — now hampered by having a curious and still apprehensive child sharing their home — and their commitment to one another. Will they be able to move their love forward now that they are together again?


Okay, Then: Sam and Henry’s first date/encounter is mentioned in flashback in ‘Til Death Do Us Part,but this short story fleshes it out. Relive the moment they first connect while on a research trip in Honiara in the Solomon Islands.


To Love and To Cherish: Jilted by his fiancÈ Sam just weeks before their wedding, Nash Marinoís outlook on life in general, and love in particular, is jaded. Will Nash find love again? Of course he will. Will he go about it in the usual way? Now thatís another story entirely. When Nashís marriage of convenience scheme is muddied by notions of love after a memory reboot, will their plans go awry, or will Nashís new outlook on life be just what the doctor ordered?

 

Author Bio


Addison Albright lives in the middle of the USA with two peculiar cats. Her stories are gay (sometimes erotic) romance, and tend to be sweet man-love in contemporary settings. Her education includes a BS in Education with a major in mathematics and a minor in chemistry. Addison loves spending time with her family, reading, popcorn, boating, French fries, ìopen window weather,î cats, math, and anything chocolate. She loves to read pretty much anything and everything, anytime and anywhere.


eMail: addison.albright@gmail.com
Website/Blog: https://authoraddisonalbright.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AddisonAlbright
Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/addison.albright.profile
Twitter: http://twitter.com/AddisonAlbright
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/addisonalbright/
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/addison-albright
Queeromance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/addison-albright/

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An Ali Audiobook Review: The Bone Orchard by Abigail Roux and Nick J. Russo (Narrator)

Rating: 3.25 stars out of 5

After leaving a trail of terror and death in his wake, the notorious “Missouri” Boone Jennings finally meets his match in San Francisco when US marshal Ambrose Shaw catches up to him. The story of his capture, and the marshal’s bravery, has already become legend back east by the time Pinkerton inspector Ezra Johns gets off the train from New York City to testify in the murderer’s trial.

When Ambrose is unable to give witness to the evils he’s seen, Ezra becomes their lone hope for putting Jennings in a noose. But if Ezra thinks that’s his biggest problem, he’s got plenty to learn about life—and the afterlife—in the spirited West.

Fortunately, Ambrose is there to assist, and more than happy to oblige Ezra—in the courtroom or the bedroom. He spent his life bringing justice to the Wild West, and if he has a say in it, that’s how he’ll be spending his death too.

Ezra is confused about the lawman that says they’ll share a room, even more so when he realizes that Ambrose is a ghost.  Falling for someone he can’t spend his life with was never the plan but circumstances surprise them both.

We see this story from both characters’ points of view which gives us a chance to learn about and understand them both.  I’m not quite sure what I think about the afterlife as being never-ending here on earth but these two get to spend it together and continue protecting innocents.  They make the best of their circumstances and I felt that their romance wasn’t the main focus in this story which gave it a different feel from most books I read.

Nick Russo did a wonderful job narrating this story.  He did a great job of showing the characters’ emotions in his reading of the story.  It helped with connecting to the characters even more than the story already did.

Cover art by Simoné is gives a great visual of the setting for this story.

Sales Links:   Audible | Amazon |  iTunes

Audiobook Details:

Audiobook, 3hrs 20min

Published October 20, 2017 by Riptide Publishing

Edition Language: English

Review Tour – Secret Santa by Jay Northcote

 

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK
 
Length: 38,000 words approx.
 
Cover Design: Garrett Leigh @ Black Jazz Design
 
Blurb
 

Keeping secrets is never a good way to start a relationship

Theo hardly has time to date. Between work and caring for his four-year-old son there aren’t many hours left over. He’s lonely though, so he joins a hook-up app and starts chatting to a guy called Luke. Luke seems friendly and they arrange to meet. Theo doesn’t mention that he has a child. It’s early days and he’s worried about putting Luke off before they get to know each other.

Luke is currently working as Santa at the local shopping mall. He figures Theo never has to know. Christmas will be over soon and Luke will move on to a new, less embarrassing job. He’s surprised when Theo and a little boy visit Santa one afternoon. Theo doesn’t recognise Luke, and Luke realises he’s not the only one with a secret.

Despite misgivings on both sides, they start dating, and the chemistry is amazing. But as Christmas approaches their secrets pile up like colourful packages under the tree. If they’re not careful, they’ll lose the best gift of all—each other.

 



November 24 – Gay Book Reviews, Mikku-chan
November 27 – Out Of My Head, Mirrigold: Mutterings & Musings
December 1 – The Day Before You Came, Millsy Loves Books, V’s Reads
December 4 – BooksLaidBareBoys
December 6 – Drops of Ink, Au Boudoir Ecarlate
December 8 – My Fiction Nook
December 12 – Valerie Ullmer, Padme’s Library, Nicole’s Book Musings, Wicked Faerie’s Tales & Reviews
December 14 – Books Lovers 4Ever, Making It Happen, Slashsessed, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Wicked Reads
December 16 – Jim’s Reading Room, Bayou Book Junkie, Xtreme Delusions, The Way She Reads

 

Read Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 5 star Review Here

Author Bio

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England. He comes from a family of writers, but always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed him by. He spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content.

One day, Jay decided to try and write a short story—just to see if he could—and found it rather addictive. He hasn’t stopped writing since.

Jay writes contemporary romance about men who fall in love with other men. He has five books published by Dreamspinner Press, and also self-publishes under the imprint Jaybird Press. Many of his books are now available as audiobooks.

Jay is transgender and was formerly known as she/her.

 

Website: https://jaynorthcote.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jay_Northcote
Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/dellamere
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/jaynorthcotefiction
Newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/JN-readers
Jayís books: http://author.to/JayNorthcote

 
 
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A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audiobook Review: Dyeing to be Loved (Curl Up and Dye Mysteries #1) by Aimee Nicole Walker and Joel Leslie (Narrator)

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

This story is divided into two parts.  In the prologue, Josh, aka Jazz, Roman, owner of a salon called Curl Up and Dye, witnesses a murder from across the road as he’s taking out the trash one night. Shocked, he immediately calls 9-1-1 to report the crime.  And then he swoons when Gabriel Wyatt, a tall, sexy, and handsome detective arrives on scene.  Though he’s ostensibly not attracted to Gabe, who is way too straight and too uninterested in the effeminate Jazz, it’s Gabe he calls when the murderer shows up a few nights later to take out the eyewitness—Jazz.   Nothing happens, other than animosity, between the two as the prologue, and an epilogue, ends before the actual story begins. 

Jazz has taken a comment Gabe made about Jazz being too femme to heart, and in the early pages of the story, he goes to great lengths to avoid the detective.  That one comment beautifully set up their antagonism, and it returns to haunt them throughout most of the book.  The two share a push and pull attraction as the mystery drama unfolds, even after they find their way to the bedroom.

Jazz is one of those guys who this reader loves to fall in love with—fierce, strong, full of pride and sass. Independent, he also forms strong friendships with those who are his family of the heart, and when one of them is murdered, he’s all-in to help solve the crime—even though he might have to work with Gabe.   

Gabe really likes Jazz, despite his first impression, and he can see what a strong and fiercely independent and loving soul lurks beneath Jazz’s antagonism toward him.  Watching this couple as they push and pull their way to romance is interesting, to say the least.

But it’s Joel Leslie’s narration that saved this book from being just an ordinary MM romance mystery.  The somewhat femme voice he used for Jazz and the deeper, sexy voice he used for Gabe made this a very enjoyable listening experience.

The beginning of the audiobook is a prologue in which a woman who sells potions and predicts future events is murdered.  It’s told from her POV and then is immediately followed by an epilogue.  I’m really not sure why the book was set up this way, and I found it very confusing to listen to in audiobook format. Perhaps if I also had the e-book available I could have looked that over to clear up the point of doing a prologue and epilogue before the main story, but without it, I was not on firm foundation when the main part of the story opened.

The mystery plot in this MM romance was good with lots of twists and turns and possibilities, however, the writing style and execution were poor. There were many adverbial and prepositional phrases out of place—in other words, the way the sentence was structured made the phrase modify the wrong thing or the wrong person.  In my opinion, it needed tighter editing.  I could also “hear” misplaced words and errors.  After all, the narrator can only perform what is on page and sloppy edits show up in audiobooks as well as in e-books. 

But, because of the entertaining narration, I do recommend this to lovers of a fun, sexy, light-hearted mystery romance, and I bumped it up a half star to acknowledge that it’s the audio edition I recommend.

~~~

The cover features a photo shot of two sexy men in an embrace.  Very attractive and definitely representative of the two MCs in this story. 

Sales Links:  Audible | Amazon

Book Details:

Audible Audio
Published November 7th 2017 by Aimee Nicole Walker (first published November 8th 2016)
ASINB07773X51N
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesCurl Up and Dye Mysteries #1 settingOhio (United States)