A BJ Audio Review: Never a Hero (Tucker Springs #5) by Marie Sexton, Narrated by Iggy Toma

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

NeverAHero_Audiobook Everyone deserves a hero.

Owen Meade is desperately in need of a hero. Raised by a mother who made him ashamed of his stutter, his sexual orientation, and his congenitally amputated arm, Owen lives like a hermit in his Tucker Springs apartment. But then hunky veterinarian Nick Reynolds moves in downstairs.

Nick is sexy and confident, and makes Owen comfortable with himself in a way nobody ever has. He also introduces Owen to his firecracker of a little sister, who was born with a similar congenital amputation but never let it stand in her way. When she signs the two of them up for piano lessons—and insists that they play together in a recital—Owen can’t find a way to say no. Especially since it gives him a good excuse to spend more time with Nick.

Owen knows he’s falling hard for his neighbor, but every time he gets close, Nick inexplicably pulls away. Battling his mother’s scorn and Nick’s secrets, Owen soon realizes that instead of waiting for a hero, it’s time to be one—for himself and for Nick.

Although this is book five of the series, it’s the first one that I read or listened to, and I can vouch that it works wonderfully as a standalone. It’s my third read by this author, and I enjoyed it as much as prior experiences. I really need to remember and read more from her in future.

Although there was some angst, this story wasn’t dark despite that both characters had issues to deal with. It was well-written and thoroughly enjoyable story with characters caught my interest right away and made me care.

With one exception at the very end, I adored and felt so intensely for Owen. While some may feel that Owen’s mother was too over the top negative to be real, trust me, she’s not. I have had similar people in my life, so I recognized the type immediately and wanted to hug Owen. At least he had his father, and although it would have been nice if he’d been more of a shield, I could mostly understand. Listening to the story of Owen slowly coming out of his shell and blossoming into the person he should have been was beautiful. His story spoke to me because it showed so clearly how it isn’t only abuse that can have lasting effects on our lives, but that the words said to us as a child can affect our confidences and how we perceive ourselves and our abilities for the rest of our lives. Another thing I know first hand and struggle with each day myself.

As for Nick, I loved because he’s a vet and fellow dog lover as well as how good he was for Owen. How he showed him acceptance and helped him to find out he was a worthwhile person with no reason to hide away. But being one who isn’t a fan of secrets, his keeping one did bother me, especially in how long he let it go on despite his obvious attraction to Owen. Yes, he should have shared sooner, but none of us are perfect, and so I forgave him.

The secondary characters were well done and have made me interested in reading more of this series to learn their stories. But when I realized that all of the books are narrated by Iggy Toma, who narrated this one, I’ve decided that it’s the audios format I want to experience. He definitely brought another level to the experience. His voice is extremely easy to listen to, and he did an exceptional job of creating the sense of the various characters as well as putting emotion into the words he read.

If there was one thing that kept it from being a full on five stars for me, it was the ending of the epilogue. It just seemed so out of character to me, and what I believe was supposed to be humor, fell flat for me.

Nice cover by L.C. Chase with subdued pleasant colors and enough of the story woven into it through the images while at the same time consistent to the style of the series.

Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | Audible | Amazon | iTunes

Book Details:

Audiobook
Published April 29th 2016 by Riptide Publishing (first published May 13th 2013)
Original TitleNever a Hero
SeriesTucker Springs #5
CharactersOwen Meade, Nick Reynolds settingTucker Springs, Colorado (United States)

A BJ Audio Review: Tempest (Playing the Fool #3) by Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock, Narrated by Nick J. Russo

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

Tempest_Audiobook Something wicked this way comes.

FBI Agent Ryan “Mac” McGuinness and con man Henry Page are on the run again. This time they’re headed back to where it all began: Altona, Indiana. Population: some goats. Henry’s not happy about lying low at the McGuinness family farm, but they’ve got nowhere else to go.

While Mac fights to clear his name and Henry struggles with whose side he’s really on, a ghost from the past threatens to destroy everything. And those aren’t the only storms on the radar. Cut off from both sides of the law, Mac and Henry must rely on their tenuous partnership to survive.

If Henry can convince himself to let Mac see the man behind the disguises, they’ll stand a chance of beating the forces that conspire against them. The course of true love never did run smooth, but for the two of them, it might be their only hope.

The finale of this three part serialized humorous romantic suspense was worth the wait. This installment was not as light as the first two, which I actually liked. Most of the banter and humor this time came towards the end. For those that love that sort of thing, it should be just what you are looking forward to as an ending. For me, I could have done without so much of that at the end. I’d hoped for Henry finally dropping all the banter and joking and letting his guard completely down with Mac but was disappointed there.

Lots of fast and furious action in the last third of that was sometimes a bit over the top. We finally have a resolution to the suspense and a romance, finally got to see the depth of Henry/Sebastian’s hurt and motivations, and Mac. Well, I just loved him through all of the stories. And also in this one we get to meet his family, and they are just as awesome! Viola and Mac young niece, Cory, rather stole the show for me at parts of this book, and I was totally on board with that. Loved them.

While there was no cliffhanger in this one, there were a few things left hanging (for me anyway). I wish there’d been more closure of Viola’s story, more than the one sentence comment that alluded to her possible fate. And something that bugged me to distraction was… what happened to Door Bell? Did they just abandon the poor dog there along with the apartment? If so, that is so sad. Certainly Henry didn’t take him and there was no mention when we see Stacy again that she did. I just really needed to know that he was okay, cuz yeah, I’m a dog household.

Nick J. Russo’s narration throughout this series was a highlight. All the voices were defined, the delivery of the humor was spot on, and the angsty bits were captivating. Overall, his narration was perhaps my favorite experience of the story.

Another simple cover design by L.C. Chase that works refreshingly well to set the tone of the book.

Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | Audible | Amazon | iTunes

Book Details:

Audible Audio
Published (first published March 9th 2015)
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesPlaying the Fool #3 settingIndiana (United States)

A BJ Audio Review: The Merchant of Death (Playing the Fool #2) by Lisa Henryand J.A. Rock/Nick J. Russo (Narrator)

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

The Merchant of Death audio All’s fair in love and war.

There’s something rotten in the state of Indiana. When con man Henry Page takes it upon himself to investigate the death of an elderly patient at a care facility, he does so in true Shakespearean tradition: dressed as a girl.

FBI Agent Ryan “Mac” McGuinness has more to worry about than Henry’s latest crazy idea. Someone is trying to send him a message—via a corpse with a couple of bullets in it. He needs to figure out who’s trying to set him up before he gets arrested, and he really doesn’t have time for Henry’s shenanigans. Then again, he’d probably be able to focus better if Henry didn’t look so damn distracting in a babydoll dress and a wig.

But when Mac discovers that Henry has been keeping a secret that connects the cases, he has to find a way to live on the right side of the law when he just might be in love with the wrong sort of man.

I enjoyed the second installment of this humorous romantic suspense story much more than the first. While there was still banter and humor, I felt this one had more of well, everything that I love. More romance, more suspense, more depth, and definitely more heat.

Very much enjoyed the mystery/suspense element of the book. Adored the cross-dressing and touch of kink! But it was getting to see the layers of Henry/Sebastian coming to light, getting to meet Viola and learn more of his past and what made him into who he is, that was what I loved. Also was pleased at where this book picked up without a big time gap after the previous one.

The care-home drama/mystery leads seamlessly into the next twist. And while we do have another cliffhanger, but this one didn’t actually rub the wrong way as much as the first. Perhaps that was due to the fact that it wasn’t accompanied by cock-blocking—or perhaps it was just that I liked those last several lines quite a lot.

Nick J. Russo’s narration was once again spot on and captivating. The character voices were distinct and well done. Definitely a case where the narration adds an extra layer to the experience of the story.

The brightly contrasting simple cover design works perfectly, and it’s refreshing not having a couple of guys or naked torsos on the cover.

Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | Audible, Amazon, iTunes

Audiobook Details:

Audible Audio, 6 pages, 5 hrs 29 mins
Published March 15th 2016 by Riptide Publishing (first published January 31st 2015)
ASINB01CYN3RAU
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesPlaying the Fool #2 settingIndiana (United States

A BJ Audiobook Review: The Two Gentlemen of Altona (Playing the Fool #1) by Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock, Narrated by Nick J. Russo

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Mischief, thou art afoot.

Two Gentlemen of Altona Audiobook Special Agent Ryan “Mac” McGuinness is having a rough week. Not only is he on a new diet, but he’s also been tasked with keeping Henry Page-the world’s most irritating witness-alive. Which is tough when Mac’s a breath away from killing the Shakespeare-quoting, ethically challenged, egg-obsessed Henry himself. Unless killing isn’t really what Mac wants to do to him.

Con man Henry Page prefers to keep his distance from the law . . . though he wouldn’t mind getting a little closer to uptight, handsome Agent McGuinness. As the sole witness to a mob hit, Henry’s a valuable asset to the FBI. But he’s got his own agenda, and it doesn’t involve testifying.

When evidence surfaces of a mole in the FBI office, Mac and Henry are forced to go into hiding. Holed up in a fishing cabin, they’re surprised to discover that their feelings run more than skin deep. But as the mob closes in, Henry has to make his escape. And Mac has to decide how far he’s willing to go to keep Henry by his side.

A well-written, humorous romantic suspense that seemed more focused on the banter than the suspense. Humor, banter and snark are not something I normally look for in a story, and the fact that this book is heavy weighted with it told me pretty early on that might be a case of a story not being a good fit for me.

The opening was a bit confusing and slow–it took me a while for me to engage with the plot. However, I enjoyed that the two characters were very much opposites. Mac wasn’t a typical super-hot perfect agent, but was bald, bit overweight and struggling with his diet as well as his grumpiness. I loved him. Henry, on the other hand, annoyed me much of time with his banter and lies. Came across as a taker who only did the right thing at one key point because someone else talked him in to it. It was only seeing the hints of a dark, sad past that kept me from totally disliking him, well, that and the scene with the storm. Overall, I found myself wanting less banter and more depth. Again, just a personal preference, I’m sure.

This book has massive cock blocking–phone calls at exactly the worst possible time more than once! I would have actually have preferred no sex to the continual interrupted starts and stops as I think that the internal thoughts and little hints at attraction would have been enough for nice sexual tension without all the coitus interruptus thrown in.

There were a lot of Shakespeare references that I didn’t connect with, and so I’m sure I probably didn’t get some of the layers of the story for that reason. Also, the scene in the hospital near the end didn’t click with me for several reasons (which I won’t mention due to spoiler aspects). Finally came the massive cliffhanger ending that left this feeling like more of an intro or serial than a full story.

Nick J. Russo’s narration was excellent, nice delivery of the humorous bits. The character voices (even the women) were well done and the rough, gritty voice he used for Mac contrasted nicely with the suave one for Henry. I think the narration added to the depth of the story and was my favorite part of the experience. The story itself didn’t engage me enough to make me eager to return to it, but once I began listening, the narration was always easy to listen to.

Engaging cover by L.C. Chase both because of the bright contrasting simple red/black/white color scheme and the simple design. Did a good job of getting the lighthearted humor with suspense idea across.

Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | Audible | Amazon | iTunes

Audiobook Book Details:

Audible Audio, 6 pages, 5 hrs 11 mins
Published February 12th 2016 by Riptide Publishing (first published December 27th 2014)
Original TitleThe Two Gentlemen of Altona
ASINB01BMMKJFU
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesPlaying the Fool #1 settingIndiana (United States)

A BJ Audio Review: Not Fade Away (Hell and High Water #3.5) by S.E. Jakes and Adam North (Narrator)

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Truth or dare.

Ever since superspy Cillian moved into Prophet’s building, their game of Steal the Couch has been funny to Prophet, but a thorn in Tom’s side. Then Prophet gets bored one night during an ice storm and insists on playing another simple game with Tom: Truth or Dare. In exchange for one of Prophet’s truths, Tom steals the couch one last time.   But Prophet’s truths are never easy—Tom should know that by now—and this one raises questions neither of them quite know how to answer. In response, Tom finds himself laying claim to Prophet in the most basic way he knows how. And also finds that he doesn’t mind it in the least when Prophet returns the favor.

This one is entirely different than the others… it’s playful, fun and kinky without the usual action and guns. Considering this is largely a grouping of sexy interludes, the narrator did an exceptional job. The one thing that sorta bugged me in the narration was the way the “bebe” endearment was used… each time it sorta pulled me from the story. But totally just me, I think. Because he did an excellent job of making this a one-handed read.

The chemistry between Tom and Prophet was as combustible as even, and there was even a rare super sweet moment between them that was for me totally worth listening to the whole story just for that alone. Plus the secrets that are shared add just a bit of plot interest to the heat. Overall, more than anything, this little taste just left me wanting more. The final installment of Hell & High Water as well as the second installment of Dirty Deeds to learn more about Mal and Cillian.

Overall, this is an excellent audio series well worth listening to. The narrator stayed in character through. I dearly hope that the release of the four audios last month means that the rest of these series will finally be released this year. Crossing my fingers.

The cover by L.C. Chase fits those for the previous, it’s very sexy and it focuses on the leather band and the tattoo beneath. Love it.

Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | Audible | Amazon
 Book Details:

1 hr 5 mins, Audible Audio, 2 pages
Published December 16th 2015 by Audible Studios (first published August 16th 2014)
Original TitleNot Fade Away
ASINB016WPXL8Y
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesHell or High Water #3.5, Extreme Escapes, Ltd.
CharactersProphet Drews, Tom BoudreauxDecember 16th 2015 by Audible Studios

A BJ Audiobook Review: Daylight Again (Hell or High Water #3) by S.E. Jakes and Adam North (Narrator)

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Before Prophet Drews can have a future, he must first put his past to rest.

Prophet Drews is a man on the edge, and he’s pulling Tom Boudreaux, his partner on the job and in real life, right over with him. When his old CO calls in a favor, Prophet asks Tom to join the off-the-grid rescue. But the mission raises all of Prophet’s old ghosts: CIA assassins, the terrorist Sadiq, and most importantly, John—traitor, former teammate, and Prophet’s first love.

To help bury those ghosts for good, Prophet and Tom gather the members of Prophet’s former SEAL team . . . and a spook named Cillian who’s been tailing Prophet for years. In the process, Prophet is forced to face his team’s shifting loyalties, ghosts who refuse to stay dead, and scariest of all, his own limitations.

With everyone’s lives in danger, Prophet and Tom must unravel a tangled knot of secrets, including their own. Prophet must decide how much to reveal to Tom, while Tom must decide how far he’s willing to go to help Prophet lay his ghosts to rest.

With books one and two of this audio series, I’d already read prior to listening. This one I had not, and since it’s very complex with a ton of characters, I was worried I’d be a bit lost. I needn’t have worried. The narrator did an excellent job of keeping me in touch with all the characters and his voice was easy to listen to.

This book picks up about four months after the end of the prior book, and it does finally provide a few of the moments I’d been waiting for between Tom and Prophet, and they lived up to my expectations in traditional Tom/Prophet style. Whereas book two explored Tom more, this one we get to see more inside of Prophet. I loved seeing a bit of a softer side to Prophet. Yes, in this book we see Tom and Prophet’s relationship solidified but not with flowers and sweetness. The times when they weren’t having sex showed how the act helped them both to deal with their emotions. Enjoyed BDSM elements that came into play in this one.

Having read the first book of the Dirty Deeds series and waiting impatiently for book two for a while, I was pleased to see some bits of the relationship between Mal and Cillian come out in this story. It was also enjoyable to see more of Remy from book two and to finally see a few of the baddies get their due. Alas many more wait in the wings, including the ever-mysterious John.

As I’ve come to expect from this series, this book is packed with hot sex, action, ass kicking, fighting, interrogating, and even jumping out of airplanes. And the plot moved along very nicely in this one with quite a few of the questions about Prophet’s past with John being revealed, while still leaving much open and ending on a cliffhanger that will have me loading book 3.5 onto my iPhone tomorrow.

A few things I saw as inconsistencies kept me from giving it a higher star rating, such as in one of the final scene, Prophet’s wrists are tied behind his back and jerked viciously enough that he states he knows he’ll need them in casts again, but in the next chapter a few weeks later, they are not in casts and no mention that they had been. And the twist at the end didn’t sit “right” to me given what we know of all these men’s skills. Perhaps that will change as I read the next book, which I am eager to do, but I know that one is just a short and the knowledge that the final book in this series is unavailable at this time and quite a bit overdue makes me sad.

The cover by L.C. Chase fits those for the previous books in the series but isn’t as sexy as those prior.

Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | Audible | Amazon

Book Details:

6 hrs 57 mins

Audible Audio, 7 pages
Published December 16th 2015 by Audible Studios (first published May 2nd 2014)
ASINB016WPY4R6
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesHell or High Water #3, Extreme Escapes, Ltd.

A BJ Review: SPECTR: The Complete First Series (#1-6) by Jordan L. Hawk,  Audio narration by Brad Langer

Rating: 5 stars out of 5 ★★★★★

SPECTR: The Complete First Series contains:
Hunter of Demon
Master of Ghouls
Reaper of Souls
Eater of Lives
Destroyer of Worlds
Summoner of Storms

What happens when an exorcist falls in love with the demon he’s supposed to destroy?

Unregistered paranormal Caleb Jansen only wants a normal life. But when the demon-hunting spirit Gray accidentally possesses him, Caleb finds himself in a countdown for his very existence.

Hotshot federal agent John Starkweather thinks he’s seen it all. But when he’s called to exorcise Caleb, he finds a creature that isn’t supposed to exist outside of stories. For Gray is a drakul: a vampire who drinks the blood of the demon-possessed.

If Gray can’t be exorcised within 40 days, the possession will become permanent. In the meantime, the three must find a way to work together. As they hunt down demons and save the innocent, the heat between John and Caleb explodes into passion. But when divided loyalties threaten his last chance at exorcism, Caleb discovers love may come at a price higher than he’d ever imagined.

I did a combination of listening to the audio and reading with this series, depending on what I was doing so this is not strictly an audio review. The narrator had a voice that was easy to listen to, and he did a nice job with the series. If you decide to purchase the full set audio from Audible, you may see a review there that indicates the audio is not unabridged. Rest assured, it is. There was a bit of a snafu when first released where a few sections were left out, that was corrected. Please don’t let that review stand in your way of purchasing the full audio as it is an enjoyable listen! The story takes place in the south, and there isn’t really a noticeable southern accent used (I’m Southern born/raised, albeit I not longer live there). However, that didn’t actually bother me. I’d much rather have that than listen to incorrect or overuse of particular southernisms as I’ve heard in some other books recently. So overall, a lovely series whether you read it or listen to it. Highly recommend. Now on to the individual stories, which all fit together wonderfully as a whole and should definitely be read in order!

Hunter of Demons – 4.5 stars

Right from book one, which I picked up free and read before getting into the series as a while, I could see that this paranormal is imaginative and different. The world building is solid and the two human characters captured my interest right away but adding Gray, the drakul, into the equation really upped the ante. I’m not usually all that hot on ménage, but this one is an exception. I adored the concept of this unusual threesome! Caleb and Gray’s internal dialogue was perfect. There are trust issues all around from the start. Between Caleb and John, since as an unregistered “mal” Caleb has always been leery of the government and isn’t pleased to find himself attracted to a federal agent. Between Caleb and Gray, because he blames him for his brother’s death. And of course John’s duty is to destroy Gray. Could there be any more tension among these three?! This was well-paced story and a quick read for me. The first is still free, I think. Read it and if you’re anything like me, you’ll quickly be chomping at the bit for the series as a whole.

Master of Ghouls – 4.5 stars

This one takes place just a few days after the end of book one. It starts off with a bang… oh, no, that’s a blow actually. In this second book, the mystery revolves around someone who is summoning demons and forcing them to possess folks snatched from the streets. We get plenty of heat, and we get to know the characters more. Gray and Caleb begin the first tentative steps towards understanding, but there is still a ways to go, while John and Caleb’s relationship deepens.

Reaper of Souls – 5 stars

When an incubus murders an ally of a senator who’s very much anti-paranormal, John and Caleb are on the case. The mystery and action in this one was fast-paced, but it was something else entirely that made this my first five star of the series. This is the one where Gray truly became more of a character in his own right for me, where we come to see that his voyeurism of Caleb and John’s relationship is more than that. This one made me, someone who’s not big into threesomes, begin to long for that third party’s active participation. That little hint of it was like a combustion!

Eater of Lives – 4.75 stars

This one takes the prize for gruesome, icky, creepy bad guy. Cannibalism! The guys are on the case, Caleb’s forty days are running out, and John’s ex shows up to make the tension even higher. Emotions are really starting to run high in all three. I don’t want to give too much of the story away, so suffice it to say that the ending was very abrupt, yep a cliffhanger. Not a problem if you have the whole series, like I did, but I’m sure I would have been frothing at the mouth if I hadn’t had the next part in queue. The possession aspect of this series and the way John meshes well with both Caleb and Gray is just fascinating to watch unfold.

Destroyer of Worlds – 5 stars

And now we come to my most favorite book of the series. Now I know that even if I been one of those who had to wait a month for this next excerpt, it would have been well worth it. Fast-paced, plenty of tension, blazing heat, excellent characterizations, and twists galore. A betrayal that comes out of left field and turns everything on it’s head. But in this one we begin to get answers and the triad I’d been long for blooms. A heavenly delicious delicacy with a demon on top. Yum!

Summoner of Storms – 5 stars

John is finally forced to take off the rose-tinted glasses and face the knowledge that things he thought he knew and could trust in are smoke. Outstanding action and battle scenes with serious baddie ass kicking, lovely sexy, emotional, hot times, and a satisfying ending. Nonetheless, it left me wanting more of these three. And I am so glad that the author heard her fan’s please for more. Book one of SPECTR 2 is already available. Yay.

This series is awesome, highly recommended. If you don’t believe me already, pick up book one for free (Amazon, Kobo, B&N) and give it a read today.

COVER Art by Jordan L. Hawk: The covers which vary from Caleb, John and Gray are just STUNNING.

Sales Links: Amazon Kindle | Audible | Buy It Here | Goodreads Other Links

Book Details:

798 pages

Audiobook
Published by Widdershins Press LLC (first published November 30th 2014)
edition languageEnglish
seriesSPECTR #1-6

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