Favorites of 2017 ~ Narrators

I enjoyed doing a "look back at the year" in 2016 so I figured it'd once again be fun to bring 2017 to a close by listing some of favorites. I hope you enjoy reading about some of my favorites and I'd be happy to hear about any of yours!

*~*Narrators*~*

• Beverley A. Crick - she's become a favorite of mine for historical romance because she creates an aural dramatic presentation with her delivery and accents!
• Andi Arndt - I became a huge fan when I first listened to Kylie Scott's Stage Dive series - which Andi narrates. This year she made an impression in Playboy Pilot
• Johanna Parker - even though she struggled a bit in the third book in a series I've been enjoying, she's still done a tremendous job giving life to a range of characters as well as life in West Texas and the rodeo
• Shaun Grindell - I first listened to him last year and wasn't sold on his narration. But after listening to him again this year in books such as Smut and The Summer Games: Settling the Score, I'm a fan
• Heather Wilds - I've only listened to her twice but I quite enjoy her delivery and she brought the characters in Until Harry to life
• Dave Gillies - I was certain I'd enjoy an historical narrated by a man but he made me a believer in Highland Spy.
• Sebastian York - I'm pretty sure if I listen to him, he's gonna make this list! *wink*
• Roger Wayne - he impressed me in both a contemporary and a paranormal

Audio Review ~ Settling the Score: The Summer Games ~ R.S. Grey #AudioChallenge #COYER #ShelfLove

Settling the Score by R.S. Grey
The Summer Games #1
Narrated by: Shaun Grindell and Amanda Dolan
Release Date: July 29, 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: 4.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #AudioChallenge, #BloggerShame, #COYER, #ShelfLove
Goodreads

Synopsis
As an Olympic rookie, Andie Foster has spent far more time in her cleats than between the sheets. For twenty-one years, her Friday night have consisted of blocking shots rather than taking them. But now that she's landed in Rio, she's ready to see for herself if the rumors about the Olympic Village are true: The athletes are all sex-crazed maniacs...The committee passes out condoms like candy...The games continue long after the medals have been handed out. As Andie walks the line between rumor and reality, she's forced into the path of Frederick Archibald, a decorated Olympic swimmer and owner of a sexy British accent - too bad he's unavailable in a way that "it's complicated" doesn't even begin to explain. It doesn't matter that he has abs that could bring peace to the Middle East; Andie fully intends on keeping her focus on the soccer field. But everywhere Andie goes, Freddie happens to be there - shirtless, wet from the pool, and determined to show her a whole new meaning of the phrase "international affairs." Contains mature themes.

I picked up Settling the Score thinking it sounded like a lot of fun. I wasn't wrong. But it also had a serious side and it served as an outstanding introduction to Grey's writing!

Andie Foster is goal keeper for the U.S. Olympic team and she's just arrived in Rio. She's planning on kicking ass at the games but she's also interested in taking part in the, um, fun she's heard is ever present in the Olympic village. At her first party, though, she meets a guy who could give her all that fun...or break her heart.

Freddie Archibald is a swimmer for the UK's Olympic team. This isn't his first rodeo but it is the first one where he's found someone who actually captures his attention. Unfortunately, his mother has just made an untimely announcement.

Highlights:

• Andie and Freddie - they're well drawn characters. I felt as though they were relatable despite my not being an athlete or a celebrity. ;) They dealt well with their celebrity and were good friends, loyal, and fun.
• The sports - I appreciated  that although this was a romance, Grey didn't use the Olympics simply as a setting. We trained with, competed alongside, and even hurt with Andie and Freddie.
• Secondary cast - I really liked Andie's friends as well as Freddy's friend, Tom, and his sister, Georgie. They gave depth to the characters and the story.

Lowlights:

• The tension-inducing character and the resolution
  Even though I thought the tension was well done and felt genuine, the character used was a bit overly dramatic and the resolution was too easy as well as kinda silly.
• Narrator
  The narrators are listed as Shaun Grindell and Amanda Dolan. Grindell was excellent and is becoming a favorite for British characters for me. I was excited to try a new female narrator but apparently Amanda Dolan is another name used by Lidia Dornet. While I like Dornet/Dolan's voice just fine, her range was a little lacking for the number of characters and I was just a little disappointed since I'd thought I was getting a new-to-me narrator.

Oh, and on a technical note, there were a few places where it was clear Dolan's lines had been edited - it wasn't smooth and the volume changed.

Hmm, it kinda looks like Settling the Score was an average listen but honestly I adored it! I'm looking forward to listening to more from R.S. Grey!

Audio Review ~ Smut ~ Karina Halle #AudioChallenge, #ShelfLove

Smut by Karina Halle
Narrated by: Lidia Dornet and Shaun Grindell
Release Date: August 2, 2016
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: I received a complimentary copy from Tantor Media. This did not affect my review or my rating. 
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #AudioChallenge, #ShelfLove
Goodreads

Synopsis
All Blake Crawford wants is to pass his creative writing course, get his university degree, and take over his dad's ailing family business. What Amanda Newland wants is to graduate at the top of her class, as well as finish her novel and prove to her family that writing is a respectful career. What Blake and Amanda don't want is to be paired up with each other for their final project, but that's exactly what they both get when they're forced to collaborate on a writing piece. Since Amanda thinks Blake is an arrogant jerk (with a panty-melting smirk and British accent) and Blake thinks Amanda has a stick up her (tight, round) bottom, they fight tooth and nail. That is, until they discover they write well together. They also might find each other really attractive, but that's neither here nor there. When their writing project turns out to be a success, the two of them decide to start up a secret partnership using a pen name, infiltrating the self-publishing market in the lucrative genre of erotica. Naturally, with so much heat and passion between the pages, it's not long before their dirty words become a dirty reality. Contains mature themes.

Oh my! What a fun listen Smut was!

What Worked:

• Enemies to Lovers
  Blake and Amanda have certain preconceived notions about the other and despite never having spoken to one another, they despise each other. Which makes things all the more wickedly fun and delicious when they're paired up for the final class writing project.
• Friends to Lovers
  Watching as they get to know one another and enjoying their witty, snarky banter made for a lot of fun and even some laugh-out-loud moments!
• Erotica
  Specifically writing it and maybe a bit of acting out...you know, for research purposes! LOL There's some tongue-in-cheek and straight-up funny things about erotica, how it's written and published, how society views it, how it sells. Oh and the battle between Amazon versus brick and mortar stores. There is quite a bit about self-publishing included and I don't know if it's all true but I did find it fascinating. (I took notes!) 
• Well-rounded Cast
  This cast was so well-done. All the characters are fleshed out well, including a 10 year old boy. I loved that Halle included best friends, crappy parents, a roommate studying cosmetology, and a tarantula. It all added more depth to the overall story.
• Great Narration
  Dornet and Grindell were perfect for these characters. Grindell did lack a little range for female characters but he did just fine with Amanda. I think my favorite thing was their ability to convey the humor of the story. I think that's difficult sometimes so I was impressed.

My one nitpicky thing...barely imperceptible. This makes my left eye twitch. It's almost imperceptible OR barely perceptible. Grrr. Overall, Smut was a delight to listen to and Halle is quickly becoming a favorite author.

Blogger Chick Chat ~ The Pact ~ Karina Halle

The Pact by Karina Halle
Narrated by: Lydia Dornet and Shaun Grindell
Release Date: June 23, 2015
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: Audible
Rating: 4 Bookworms
Challenges: #ShelfLove
Goodreads

Synopsis
Linden McGregor is tall, rugged, and gunslinger handsome-a helicopter pilot with a Scottish brogue and charm to spare. He's also on of Stephanie Robson's best friends and has fit into that box for as long as she's known him. Beautiful, funny, and an ambitious businesswoman, Stephanie Robson is one of Linden McGregor's best friends and has fit into that box for as long as he's known her. But some relationships can't be boxed, can't be classified, can't be tamed. Back in their mid-twenties and tired of the competitive hit-or-miss dating scene of San Francisco, Steph and Linden made a pact to marry each other if neither one of them are in a serious relationship by the time they hit thirty. It sounded like fun and games at the time but as the years to thirty tick past and lovers come and go out of their lives, the pact becomes larger than life. Sex is inevitable. Friendships are tested. Hearts are on the line. The pact is about to change everything.

Both Lexxie and I had The Pact in audio and so we decided to do an audiobook buddy 'listen'. ;) Here's our book chat:

Lexxie: Both Kayla and James really, really piss me off!!! I'm almost at the end of The Pact.

Brandee: Me too! I almost couldn't stand James.

L: How can Steph be happy for James? I would kick him in the nuts if I were her. (They're about to go to NY after Linden's helicopter accident)

B: I completely agree. He was a total schmuck. So self-centered. I'd kick him in the nuts twice! :)

L: hehe
I've finished listening now :) And I did enjoy the story, even if I found it a bit frustrating that Linden and Steph has to meet so many roadblocks.

B: Yeah, I got to that point as well. I wasn't happy that Linden gave her up for James. I didn't feel like that was a best friend move - at least on James' part. In a way I thought the roadblocks were contrived to keep the story going. But I still loved it. :)

L: And I found the Scottish accent to sound a bit fake in this one...

B: I was wondering what you thought about the accent. There were times when I thought it was real because his American accent sounded funny but I liked the female narrator's Scottish accent better. So you don't think he's (the narrator) a Scot?

L: No definitely not a Scot! In the beginning, it really peeved me, and almost made me stop listening. Thank goodness Linden had much less chapters than Steph! And I thought the female narrator was better, too.

B: Okay, well I'm glad I'm not the only one who didn't necessarily like the male narrator. I got used to it though.

L: Oh me too! By the end I was OK with him...but just wait until you listen to The Offer.

B: I'm looking forward to it.

L: James acted like a total douche! Especially if he had understood from the beginning that Linden and Steph were seeing each other! He should have realised how happy they both were.

B: Yeah, I don't know that I'd have remained friends with James but we weren't privy to his conversation with Linden when he apologized. So we don't know what went down there but Steph - I guess she was okay since things worked out in the end.

L: Yeah, but no matter that James said, he was really only thinking of himself - accusing Linden of not understanding him (James) and all the hardships of his life... Whereas he was not at all trying to see anything at all from Linden's POV.

B: I agree. A narcissist.
Totally.

L: Totally.
heh



We are SO good at this!
I found Kayla to be a hypocrite, too! Even if James later said that Kayla had told him about Linden and Steph when she was drunk...

B: Yeah, I'm interested to read Kayla's story to see if she's redeemed at all because yeah, she was a hypocrite. I almost felt like she was jealous.

L: Kayla's story will be the next one I listen to, and I can't wait either. And I liked Kayla better in The Offer, too.

She may have been jealous, especially because Linden and Steph were always close - friends, but always with the kind of possibility for something more - especially for those looking in from the outside of their relationship.

B: That's how I felt about Kayla. She didn't want to give Linden the benefit of the doubt with Steph since *she* didn't get him to stick around. I'm glad I'll like her better in The Offer.

L: So you do know you'll like her better, eh? ;)

B: Well, I'll like her better if you did ;)

Did you feel like all their baggage was appropriately resolved?

L: Linden and Steph? Or everybody?

B: Linden and Steph

L: I think Linden and Steph came to just accept that being best friends AND lovers was possibly the greatest thing ever for them.

And I'm not sure if anyone can really resolve all their baggage...but if most has been dealt with and they are trying to move forward in a positive way, things can definitely work out.

B: I agree and I was thrilled that they realized best friends make the best lovers. Because they do and their couplehood was a long time coming.

L: Yes! And I think that being both best friends and lovers make for the best relationships - especially long term :) <3

Knowing each other well, and appreciating each other, having things to talk about...that's just as important as the passion.

One of the things I really enjoyed about Linden and Steph was how they were always cheering each other on. Linden helped Steph have the courage to start her own clothing store, and she made him feel balanced and loved - even before he could admit that love was possibly the most important ingredient in their friendship.

B: Exactly. And by that time Steph and Linden had had plenty of time to marinate in all the goodness that taking their relationship to a higher level would be. Even if it was scary. Although Linden seemed quite certain of them having staying power. :)

L: Yeah, if it hadn't been for James screwing everything up for them with his jealousy and his pettiness...

Good thing Linden survived his accident!

B: LOL Yes, definitely a good thing!

Absolutely. Their friendship was much deeper than what they had with James in my opinion. And I adored that Steph gave Linden validation - well that have validation to each other. Something they both needed  and didn't get elsewhere.

L: True! Their friendship was always stronger than what either of them had with James. They spent more time with each other than all three of them, and even felt somewhat bad about that at times.

B: I'm looking forward to continuing this series. And I get to see Karina this weekend. ;)


Final thoughts:
I had a hard time putting The Pact away, spending extra time cleaning and on the daily walks. ;) I enjoyed the format, dual POV between Steph and Linden - as well as how Halle worked the time line. And despite the angst, The Pact was a lot of fun!