Audio Review ~ Even the Score ~ Beth Ehemann #AudioChallenge #COYER

Even the Score by Beth Ehemann
Narrated by: Christian Fox and Lucy Rivers
Release Date: September 6, 2016
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: Purchased on Audible
Rating: 4 Bookworms
Challenges: #AudioChallenge, #COYER, #ShelfLove
Goodreads

Synopsis
Single dad Andy Shaw loves his job as a sports agent, with one exception: it doesn't leave him much time for his kids. No parent likes being sidelined, so Andy decides to hire someone to share the workload. But when one of the hottest agents in the industry applies, Andy knows that this deal is definitely trouble.

Danicka Douglas works her butt off, but being an attractive woman in a testosterone-heavy industry isn't exactly a cakewalk. She guards her professional reputation fiercely, which means no crushing on her gorgeous boss. But the more they ignore that sexy little spark, the more it sizzles...

Just when it looks like romance might be in the plan, Dani is threatened by a stalker with dark intentions. To keep her safe, Andy must cross the line between professional and very personal...because this time, he's playing for keeps.

Even the Score was my first Beth Ehemann read and I'm eager to read her backlist now so I can get the stories behind a few of the characters I met here. Andy and Danicka's story was one I enjoyed even though I wished a few things had been handled differently.

What Worked:

• Characters Andy is a good guy. A single dad who has built his business and life around providing for his kids. In order to spend more time with them he decides to take on a partner - enter Danicka. Danicka is a strong and intelligent woman making a name for herself in a male-dominated profession. I liked them both, who they were as individuals - loyal and compassionate and funny - and I liked them together. They built a friendship first and then worked at the more.
• Plot The circumstances that enabled Andy and Danicka to get closer, while maybe a little predictable, felt realistic. Ehemann was able to surprise me with the reveal which kinda shocked me. I appreciated the suspense and tension these circumstances created. I also liked the sports management element which kept me guessing.
• Romance This is a slow-burn and it worked. There were many things to consider before going in - Andy and Danicka's work relationship, Andy's kids, their pasts - but I liked how Ehemann made it all work.
• Narration I admit to having grabbed this book because I adore Christian Fox's narration. And he proved once again why he's one of my favorites. His delivery, his pacing, his voices...gah! I just love him. Lucy Rivers is a narrator I enjoy as well and that's a good thing since she's routinely paired with Christian Fox. ;)

What Could Have Worked Better:

• Danicka's Issues I felt like there were things - like her being raised by a single dad - that could have been explored more which would have given her more depth and complexity.
• The Reveal The reveal honestly surprised me but at the same time, I think it was tied up way too neatly. That part wasn't realistic all things considered.

Overall, I liked Even the Score and I'll be adding more of Ehemann's books to my library.

Favorites of 2016 ~ Narrators

I decided it'd be fun to bring 2016 to a close by listing some of favorites from the year. I hope you enjoy reading about some of my favorites and I'd be happy to hear about any of your favorites!

*~*Narrators*~*

• Kirsten Potter - she can rock an accent making her a favorite for historicals
• Christian Fox - his delivery is so natural, and entertaining, I'd pay him to read my grocery list
• Robert Petkoff - his range of voices and delivery keep me chomping at the bit to listen to Immortals After Dark
• Mindy Kennedy - she *is* Teresa Drazen and her voice for Antonio Spinelli rocks as well
• Joe Arden - he does a great job at conveying the emotions of the heroes and makes a great duo with Maxine Mitchell
• Maxine Mitchell - she does well with conveying emotions as well and she and Joe Arden are one of my favorite narrating duos
• Sebastian York - his growly voice, well, it does nice things to me so listening to him is an absolute pleasure
• Nicole Poole - she amazes me! I'm always impressed with her ability to keep character voices distinct over a number of books, especially a series like Dannika Dark's Seven series where there is a large cast.
• Mason Lloyd - his delivery of the crusty men of According to Hoyle was so spot on it made the story even more enjoyable

Audio Series Review ~ Sugar Bowl Series ~ Sawyer Bennett

The Sugar Bowl series is fantastic! I listened to Sugar Daddy back in September. The cliffhanger ending had me deciding to wait for both remaining installments to be available before I continued, and that was a good decision. (Thanks, Lex, for that advice.) Once I had Sugar Free, the final installment, in my hot little hands, I listened to both Sugar Rush and Sugar Free back-to-back. This is such a great series and it solidified my appreciation for Sawyer Bennett's writing. And I'm not going to lie, Lucy Rivers' and Christian Fox's narration played a huge part in keeping my earbuds stuck in my ears for hours! They're incredible! Since I listened to them all so closely, I figured a series review was the way to go. Enjoy!

Sugar Daddy by Sawyer Bennett
Narrated by: Lucy Rivers and Christian Fox
Release Date: July 20, 2016
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Source: Tantor Audio sent me a complimentary copy
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #2016NewRelease
Goodreads

Synopsis
Sela Halstead lost her innocence in a way that no sixteen-year-old should ever have to endure. She's spent years trying to forget that night, even while wondering about the identities of the monsters who brutalized her-until a telltale tattoo flashes across Sela's TV screen. The incriminating ink belongs to Jonathon Townsend, the millionaire founder of The Sugar Bowl, a website that matches rich older men with impressionable young women. Obsessed with revenge, Sela infiltrates Townsend's world, only to come face-to-face with a tantalizing complication: Beckett North, his charismatic business partner. The tech mastermind behind The Sugar Bowl, Beck always gets what he wants, in business and in bed. And yet, for a man who's done every dirty thing imaginable, there's something about the naive, fresh-faced Sela that sparks his hottest fantasies. Because with her, it's not just about sex. Beck opens up to her in ways he never has with other girls. So why does he get the feeling that she's hiding something? In a world of pleasure and power, the shocking truth could turn them against each other-or bind them forever. Contains mature themes.

Sugar Daddy was more than a sweet read. It was gut-wrenching, suspenseful, and heartwarming. It left me dying to know what happens next. Bennett pulled me into Sela's story, wrapped me up in her vengeance, and turned up the heat with her romance with Beck. I'm hooked and sugared up!

Sela's story broke my heart. To come through to the other side after what she endured was nothing short of amazing. And I admired her choice of career - one where she could give back to people who might have suffered like she did. She had major emotional scars and to watch her progress - how Beck reached past all her scars and barriers - was incredible.

Beck was fascinating. He's smart and funny. And he has emotional issues himself. He maintains emotional distance, never dating, and mainly focuses on work. He's also been dealing with an increasingly reckless business partner in JT, who's also his best friend. When he meets Sela, something in him shifts and he decides he'd like to try to build something with her. Only there's tension between Sela and JT that Beck doesn't understand.

JT is despicable. And really, nothing more needs to be said about him.

My only issue with this story is the extreme measures Sela is willing to go to in order to exact her revenge. Not that I didn't understand the desire but I also felt it says something a little deeper about Sela and I'm not sure Bennett is trying to go there. Overall though, Sugar Daddy was riveting and I can't wait to see what happens!

As for the narration, Lucy Rivers had to grow on me but she so did. Her delivery, pacing, and ability to convey the emotion warranted was impressive. Christian Fox *is* Beck. I loved his delivery from the first chapter and am eager to hear more from him.

Sugar Rush by Sawyer Bennett
Narrated by: Lucy Rivers and Christian Fox
Release Date: September 13, 2016
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Source: Tantor Audio sent me a complimentary copy
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #2016NewRelease
Goodreads

Synopsis
After posing as an escort for the Sugar Bowl online dating service, Sela Halstead is looking for one thing: payback. She's closing in on the site's heartless founder, Jonathon Townsend, and she needs Beckett North, Townsend's business partner and her lover, by her side. She'd thought that their intimate nights together had forged an unbreakable bond, but after a shocking betrayal, Sela begins to doubt the brilliant bad boy. When push comes to shove, can she trust Beck to do the right thing? Now that he understands the truth, Beck will stop at nothing to secure the reckoning Sela deserves. But between his desire for her and his disgust for JT, Beck doesn't exactly have a lot of control over his emotional state. Left with no other choice, he must summon all his discipline to maintain JT's trust and pretend that they're still friends. But how far will Beck go to prove his loyalty to Sela? He nearly lost her once. To keep her, Beck might have to kill for her.

This sequel was equally as thrilling as the first installment with jaw-dropping revelations and heart-pounding events!

Sugar Rush picks up immediately where Sugar Daddy left off. It broke my heart to see Sela dealing with how things went down with Beck but I also liked seeing Beck calm down and look at things rationally. The steps he took to make amends filled in all the cracks he'd made in my heart, as well as Sela's.

The direction things went from there were actually logical, if shocking, and understandable. As Sela and Beck took steps in making their relationship more solid - falling for one another even harder - the all plotted to exact revenge on JT. I admired them both for working towards a revenge that would appease them both as well as leave them relatively "clean".

The ending though - full of revelations that honestly made me sick - was shocking! I didn't see any of it coming. And I'm oh so grateful I already have Sugar Free in my possession. Lucy Rivers and Christian Fox are the perfect duo and embody Sela and Beck. *inserting ear buds*

Sugar Free by Sawyer Bennett
Narrated by: Lucy Rivers and Christian Fox
Release Date: October 18, 2016
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense
Source: Tantor Audio sent me a complimentary copy
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #2016NewRelease
Goodreads

Synopsis
Sela and Beck's deliciously sinful tale of sex, lies, and vengeance reaches its explosive conclusion in the final chapter of Sawyer Bennett's Sugar Bowl trilogy, which began with the novels Sugar Daddy and Sugar Rush.

For years, Sela Halstead dreamed of revenge, but the quest for payback has been anything but sweet. Now, once again, she finds herself at the mercy of Jonathon Townsend, his hands crushing the very breath from her body. And even though she escapes with her life, Sela fears she may never recover. In desperate need of shelter and comfort, she runs to the one man she can trust. Beckett North has stood by Sela since the beginning. But can he handle the brutal truth?

Beck will do anything to protect what is his--and make no mistake, Sela belongs to him, heart and soul. The passion between them runs hot, even as their world begins to unravel. With the legacy of his ruthless business partner hanging in the balance, Beck stands to lose everything: his fortune, his family, his freedom. But each touch of Sela's mouth on his skin, her nails down his back, makes it harder to let her go--and it might not even be his choice to make.

I am so happy I had Sugar Free downloaded and ready to go. Sela and Beck's story has been a thrill ride so far and Sugar Free didn't disappoint. In any way.

Honestly, I couldn't see a way out of the situation Sela and Beck had found themselves in. Well, I guess I could see one but I didn't like that option. After everything they've been through and sacrificed for the other, that option didn't sit well with me. But in light of there being no other options, I suppose it was better than nothing. 

The revelations made in Sugar Free were shocking - some were even disgusting. When push came to shove, the character of all involved was truly shown and I was disappointed in a few characters but justified in my feelings for others.

The twist Bennett wove in - well, I didn't see it coming. It'd never crossed my mind and I'm always impressed when an author can surprise me like that.
The ending as well as the epilogue was perfect. Y'all know I always enjoy being a part of a journey with characters, particularly journeys where emotional growth occurs. Being with Sela as she progressed from a vengeful victim to a well-adjusted survivor was an incredible experience. Watching as Beck took her hand and walked beside her every step of the way - even when they stumbled - was heartwarming. They both grew - realized what was most important in this life - and it's been a journey I won't soon forget.

Lucy Rivers and Christian are on my favorites list now. I'd listen to Christian Fox read my grocery list or tell me he's sorry but all customer service reps are currently assisting other customers...Both narrators did an incredible job of conveying every nuance of emotion in this story. Fox's delivery in particular was very natural, easy...and I just loved it. I'll definitely be looking for more listens with them both!