Audio Review ~ Whiskey Neat ~ Lani Lynn Vale #AudioChallenge #ShelfLove

Whiskey Neat by Lani Lynn Vale
Uncertain Saints #1
Narrated by: Mason Lloyd and Kendall Taylor
Release Date: September 13, 2016
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: I received a complimentary copy from Tantor Audio. This did not affect my rating and my review is voluntarily provided. 
Rating: 3 Bookworms
Challenges: #AudioChallenge, #ShelfLove
Goodreads

Synopsis
Griffin Storm wasn't prone to violence, but when someone takes what Griffin holds dear, the world as he knows it is gone.

Retaliation, revenge and rage fuels him. His club, the Uncertain Saint's MC, do their best to offer support, but Griffin is beyond redemption. He'll do what he has to do. Kill who has has to kill.

He doesn't care if that means he dies. If it gets him what he wants, then it's worth it.

He fakes it all until the night he walks into a sex shop for batteries and lays eyes on a woman that will change his life.

Lenore makes him think past tomorrow. Makes him want to see just what the future might bring.

But his life's a dangerous one built around pain and deception, and not for the faint of heart.

He won't give up the past, not until he's done what he promised to do.

And if that means she's not there when the dust settles, he'll risk it.

Lenore, though, won't give up on him. She'll fix him, whether he wants her to or not.

Whiskey Neat served as the introduction to the Uncertain Saints series and while the story and characters have promise, the execution made for a bumpy ride.

What Worked:

• Griffin & Lenore
  These two had interesting backstories with Griffin searching for the person who took what mattered most to him and Lenore dealing with...well, several things. They're both good people but Griffin is treading a fine line and sometimes steps over in his quest for justice. And besides dealing with her issues on her own, Lenore also runs a sex toy shop. That part was a hoot!
• MC Brotherhood
  The camaraderie between Griffin and his brothers was strong and it allowed me to meet all the players in the series.
• Plot
  I liked how Lenore and Griffin were brought together and how determined Griffin was in his mission for justice. The way things began revealing themselves created suspense too which helped keep me engaged.

What Could Have Worked Better:

• Griffin & Lenore
  I liked these two characters but it seemed like they were dealing with too much - especially Lenore - so that their stories were a bit far-fetched.
• Plot
  Although I liked the story overall, some things were a little OTT for me...stretched my ability to suspend disbelief.
• Editing
  I think having listened to Whiskey Neat made the editing issues more glaring. Editing might have helped in tightening the plot and it would have helped with things like "These thoughts carried her to the door as she locked the door."

The real highlight was the narration! Mason Lloyd and Kendall Taylor were pretty phenomenal. They kept me engaged where I might have given up otherwise. Their voices for each character were distinct and they managed a nice pace for the story.

Whiskey Neat wasn't bad. It just could have been better. Since I have the series in audio, I'll give these guys and gals another go.