Audiobook Review: Play It Safe by Kristen Ashley

Play It Safe by Kristen Ashley
Series: Standalone
Audiobook Publication Date: February 16th 2016
Length: 14 hours and 41 minutes
Narrated by: Savannah Richards
Links: Audible • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

No connections. Play it safe. These were the rules Ivey lived her life by.

Until she hit Mustang, Colorado, a perfectly imperfect town where the citizens were welcoming and one of them included the tall, beautiful, macho man rancher cowboy, Grayson Cody.

On the run for a decade, Ivey knew she was supposed to play it safe. But she was tired of being on the run. She wanted a normal. She wanted real. She wanted a home.

And she wanted Grayson Cody.

And Grayson Cody wanted Ivey.

No one who looked at them couldn’t see they belonged together. There was one man in this world for Ivey and one woman in this world for Grayson Cody.

So they fell in love.

But just as quickly as they fell together, they were betrayed and torn apart. Separated for years, Ivey was certain her life would not include her rancher cowboy. Until the town of Mustang reached out to her when Gray was in trouble. Even though she thought he broke her heart, she charged in to help. Then Gray and Ivey discovered they were betrayed and, not only that, Gray had an enemy who would stop at nothing to defeat him.

I’m a huuuge fan of Kristen Ashley’s audiobooks – I feel like that’s the only way I’ll ever want to experience her books now. Play It Safe is another winner from KA – it’s an emotional and addictive second chance romance, which is probably my favorite trope to read. KA did a wonderful job with Ivey and Grayson’s story, and the narrator Savannah Richards portrayed Ivey’s voice perfectly. If you love KA and audiobooks, Play It Safe is a must-listen!

Pool hustler Ivey and her brother Casey are always on the go, never staying anywhere for long or making connections. But when they stumble upon the quaint, homey town of Mustang, Colorado, her feelings about being a nomad start to change. As she gets immersed in the small-town life and its residents, she can see herself making a home in Mustang – especially when she meets cowboy rancher Grayson Cody (who has the most cowboy of all cowboy names). Gray is handsome, steadfast, sweet, and alpha, so of course Ivey can’t help but instantly be attracted to him from the first start. But their growing relationship proves to be something special as they create a once-in-a-lifetime kind of love that would last forever… or so they think. Outside forces wrench these two lovers apart, and it’ll take seven years before their story picks up again. Will their love survive, or are Gray and Ivey just not meant to be?

I enjoyed this story so much. Even when I hurt for Ivey and Gray because of and during their separation, I never stopped rooting for them. These two are honestly so sweet and lovely together. I loved the fact that even after all those years apart, they never stopped loving each other. Love was never a question for the two of them, and the real challenge was whether they could continue on after all the hurt and heartbreak. It gets a little slow during the middle, when I wished they would reunite and figure out the reason for their separation quicker, and there are a ton of things going on outside the romance, but otherwise, Play It Safe is an enjoyable listen. I loved Savannah Richards when she narrated KA’s Knight, and I loved her narration just as much in Play It Safe. I especially adored her gruff tone whenever she voiced Gray’s dialogue or any of the other men in the book.

The Play It Safe audiobook has the perfect blend of an entertaining story and a fantastic narration. It’s not too long like KA’s other audiobooks, but it’s still more than worth the credit. I highly recommend giving this a listen!

4 hearts
lacey

Here’s an audio excerpt from Play It Safe!


FOLLOW BOOKLOVERS FOR LIFE ON:
FACEBOOKTWITTER • INSTAGRAM • GOODREADSPINTERESTBLOGLOVIN’

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Audiobook Review: Sebring by Kristen Ashley

Sebring by Kristen Ashley

Sebring by Kristen Ashley
Series: Unfinished Hero #5 (full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: February 16th 2016
Length: 12 hours and 10 minutes
Narrated by: Stella Bloom
Links: Audible • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

Nick Sebring has issues. Born feeling like an outsider in his own family, growing up under the shadow of a brother who could do anything, Nick isn’t that great of a guy. But when this culminates with Nick lashing out to hurt his brother through the woman he loves, Nick turns inward and makes some decisions about the man he intends to be.

And as he does this, he falls in love and truly learns the man that he’s grown to be.

When his love is murdered right before Nick’s eyes, Nick knows he has to avenge her. He knows how he’s going to avenge her. And he has no qualms using Olivia Shade to exact that vengeance.

Olivia Shade has grown up on the outside of her family too. Her problem is that they don’t want her outside. They want her all the way in, right under their thumbs. She pays the price for seeking escape and learns her lesson—she’ll never see a dawn where she wakes up free.

Then she meets Nick Sebring, and even as she fights it, the hope that died years ago starts to blossom. She can find love. She can have a man of her own. She can be happy. She can be free.

Olivia hopes while Nick schemes.

However, as Nick peels back the layers of all that is Olivia Shade, he finds something surprising. He understands its fragility. He falls in love with its beauty. He seeks to protect it.

But he forgets to protect his Livvie from one thing: Nick Sebring.

I freaking LOVE Kristen Ashley’s audiobooks! They’re always super long and always worth the credit. Sebring is another winner from KA – the narration is fantastic, the story and characters are addicting, and best of all, KA made me fall in love with a character I always thought I’d hate. If you’re looking for the next audiobook to use your credit on, you definitely need to get Sebring!

Sebring is the final Unfinished Hero novel, featuring Nick Sebring, and though I’ve only read the first two books in the series, I had no problems going into this audiobook as a standalone. I would recommend, though, that you at least read the first book (or listen – the Knight audiobook is AMAZING as well), though it’s not entirely necessary. Nick is Knight’s brother and is first introduced in that book, but again, you don’t need to read Knight before getting into Sebring.

It’s been four years since Nick’s woman was murdered right in front of his eyes, and he’s on a plan of vengeance for his lost love. The Nick we know now is completely different than the one we knew back in Knight – he’s matured, taken responsibility for his actions, and become a MAN. He’s not exactly a good guy, but he’s much better than he was before. But his quest for vengeance is what fuels him now, and his target is Olivia Shade, the daughter of the man who ordered Nick’s woman to be killed. He plans to use her to get his revenge, but what happens when he starts to fall for his mark?

Olivia is an ice queen – she has to hide all her emotions to live the life she has as the daughter of a notorious criminal. She’s not the most likable heroine, but she’s understandable, and as I got to know her, I loved her character more and more. This woman has lived a hard life – her father physically burned her, the man she loved left her and married someone else – but she’s a survivor. And she doesn’t want anyone to get involved in her life at the risk of losing them to her father’s wrath. But the moment she meets Nick Sebring, a fiery-hot chemistry explodes between the two of them, and Olivia starts to believe that she can have a life she’s always imagined having.

I believed.
For one magnificent second, connected to Nick Sebring, I believed.
I believed in a better world.
I believed I could feel complete.
I believed I could have someone by my side.
I believed I could feel safe.
I believed I could be happy.
I believed I could be loved.
I believed in a dawn coming where I would open my eyes and have all of this only for it to lead to another day dawning where I’d have it and then another day…
And another…
And another…
And another…

What begins as a seduction and emotionless sex (which, between Olivia and Nick, is seriously hot) slowly turns into something more and something meaningful. Nick and Olivia open up to one another and start to care… but when Olivia doesn’t know that their growing relationship is built on lies, can they last? Or will these two be forever destined to life a life devoid of love and happiness?

“I live in dark. Dawn never comes for me. There will be no new day where I wake up complete. Happy. Loved. There is no other side to make my way to. There is no believe. It just isn’t for me.”

I loved Sebring. This story gutted me and healed me. I honestly couldn’t stop listening to this audiobook – Stella Bloom’s narration is so on point. Her voice is easy to listen to and she did a wonderful job of distinguishing the dialogues between different characters. The romance itself is captivating and heart-wrenching and beautiful – I fell in love with Olivia and Nick and rooted so hard for them to work. Sebring made me realize just how much I love KA’s books and missed reading them. All in all, Sebring is another brilliant story from KA and the narration made it all the more special. I seriously need to catch up on the series!

“I love you, Olivia. And I can make you safe. I can make you happy. I want a lifetime of nothing but that.”

5 hearts
lacey


Reading Order: Unfinished Hero series

Knight by Kristen Ashley Creed by Kristen Ashley
Raid by Kristen Ashley Deacon by Kristen Ashley Sebring by Kristen Ashley

#1 ~ Knight: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Creed: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Raid: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Deacon: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#5 ~ Sebring: Ebook • Paperback • AudibleGoodreads

Here’s an audio excerpt from Sebring!


FOLLOW BOOKLOVERS FOR LIFE ON:
FACEBOOKTWITTER • INSTAGRAM • GOODREADSPINTERESTBLOGLOVIN’

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Audiobook Review: Getting Rough by C.L. Parker

Getting Rough by C.L. Parker
Series: Monkey Business Trio #2 (full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: January 26th 2016
Length: 8 hours and 22 minutes
Narrated by: Brian Pallino & Muffy Newton
Links: Audible • EbookPaperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

Hotshot San Diego sports agent Shaw Matthews and his sexy professional adversary Cassidy Whalen have gone head-to-head in the boardroom—and the bedroom. Now Shaw has scored a big promotion—but only because Cassidy turned it down and ran off. There are many things he wants when it comes to Cassidy—just not her pity. So Shaw rushes to a small town in Maine to retrieve his dignity—and maybe the woman he’s hungry to claim once more.

Cassidy has pushed herself to the max to realize her career dreams—until a family crisis brings her home. But Shaw isn’t letting Cassidy go that easily. Neither is gorgeous heartthrob Casey Michaels, the childhood sweetheart she left behind—and who now wants to win her back. As the rivalry between the two alpha males intensifies, and Shaw’s seductive moves reach a whole new level of heat, Cassidy has to make a choice. And this time, it’s for the highest stakes of all.

Going into Getting Rough, I didn’t realize it was the second book of a series, but I listened to this audiobook perfectly fine on its own. Cassidy Whalen and Shaw Matthews are sports agents, and also enemies turned lovers. I’m a huge fan of enemies-to-lovers romances, because I absolutely love the part when the characters realize their feelings of hate have turned into love. This second book in the Monkey Business Trio is exactly that, with Cassidy and Shaw recognizing the feelings they’ve developed for each other and trying to make something more out of their relationship. The narrators Brian Pallino and Muffy Newton did a wonderful job at voicing their characters, so this audiobook was all-around so fun and sexy to listen to.

Getting Rough picks up with Shaw running after Cassidy all the way to Maine when she gives up a coveted job position to take care of her family. But when the two of them are staying in Maine for the time being, the charm and quaintness of Cassidy’s hometown starts to get to them and their relationship becomes a lot less volatile than it used to be. Everything is more meaningful between and Shaw has most especially realized how much he wants Cassidy for so much more than just her body. The chemistry is still hotter than ever, and Shaw becomes even more alpha when Cassidy’s ex-boyfriend is introduced and wants her back. Even though there’s a bit of a love-triangle (and even a love-rectangle) going on, this didn’t detract from Shaw and Cassidy’s romance at all, and I was rooting for these two from beginning to end.

I love dual-narrator audiobooks, so listening to Getting Rough was perfect for me. Brian Pallino had a smooth, deep voice that I loved, and Muffy Newton was fantastic at narrating Cassidy’s indecisions about what to do with Shaw and her ex. The narration can make or break an audiobook for me, but I have to say that Brian and Muffy’s narrations are the highlight of this audiobook. I’d definitely listen to other audiobooks that they narrate!

If you love enemies-to-lovers romances, or stories with characters with explosive chemistry who draw a thin line between love and hate, I highly recommend Getting Rough. This book is sexy as hell, and listening to the audiobook only made the steamy scenes hotter. I can’t wait for more from the series!

4 hearts
lacey


Reading Order: Monkey Business Trio series

  

#1 ~ Playing Dirty: Ebook • PaperbackAudible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Getting Rough: EbookPaperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Coming Clean: EbookPaperback • Goodreads (Sept. 20, 2016)

Here’s an audio excerpt from Getting Rough!


FOLLOW BOOKLOVERS FOR LIFE ON:
FACEBOOKTWITTER • INSTAGRAM • GOODREADSPINTERESTBLOGLOVIN’

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Audiobook Review: Easy Melody by Kristen Proby

Easy Melody by Kristen Proby

Easy Melody by Kristen Proby
Series: Boudreaux #3 (full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: February 2nd 2016
Length: 7 hours and 31 minutes
Narrated by: Sebastian York & Rachel Fulginiti
Links: Audible • EbookPaperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

Callie Mills never intended to return to New Orleans and the life she left behind more than a decade ago. There was no need to open old wounds when she had the life she’d worked hard for in Denver. But when she’s fired from her awesome job in Colorado and her father dies, she has no choice but to return home to run the derelict bar left to her in the heart of the French Quarter. Callie must not only face bad memories but turn The Odyssey into something she can be proud of. And who better to help bring in crowds of people than Declan Boudreaux?

Declan is a sought-after musician who knows he’s good at what he does and loves doing it. Known to pack the house, he also loves women and doesn’t expect to be knocked back a step by the beautiful new owner of The Odyssey. Callie is sharp, gorgeous, and funny and makes him yearn for something he never has before…commitment.

But when Callie’s able to turn the business around with renovations, making it one of the hottest bars in the Quarter, will she sell out and leave her past behind once and for all, or will Declan be able to convince her that’s she’s where she needed to be all along…in his arms?

Sebastian York is probably my favorite male narrator ever, so every time I listen to an audiobook he narrates, I know I’ll enjoy myself. His and Rachel Fulginiti’s narrations were fantastic in Easy Melody, easy to listen to and distinguishable between dialogues, so I had a great time with this audiobook. Kristen Proby’s story is sweet and sexy, so overall Easy Melody is a well-rounded audiobook that I highly recommend!

Callie Mills has come back to New Orleans, a place she never wanted to return to, in order to take care of the bar her late father left her. The Odyssey is pretty much in shambles, but Callie isn’t one to easily give up and soon enough turns the bar into something much more successful. But she never could have done it without tall, dark, and handsome Declan Boudreaux.

Declan is a musician whose skills and fame help Callie attract customers to The Odyssey. But Declan also has skills in the bedroom, and he’s determined to get the sexy bartender to go out with him. Callie doesn’t give in easily, since Declan has a bit of a reputation, but the sparks between them can’t be ignored and the chemistry between them grows hotter than ever when they fall into bed.

What I loved most about Callie and Declan’s relationship was the way they also built a friendship along with their intimate relationship. They really got to know each other as they fell in love, so I wasn’t bothered by the insta-lust. Kristen Proby’s books are always perfectly sexy and sweet, with charming heroes and strong, independent heroines. If you’re looking for a romance that’s light-hearted, sexy, and fun, I definitely recommend Easy Melody, especially since the narrators are amazing as well!

4 hearts
lacey


Reading Order: Boudreaux series

Easy Love by Kristen Proby Easy Charm by Kristen Proby Easy Melody by Kristen Proby 

#1 ~ Easy Love: Ebook • Paperback • AudibleGoodreads
#2 ~ Easy Charm: My Review • EbookPaperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Easy Melody: EbookPaperbackAudible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Easy Kisses: Goodreads (June 21, 2016)
#4.5 ~ Easy for Keeps: EbookPaperback • Goodreads (May 24, 2016)

Here’s an audio excerpt from Easy Melody!


FOLLOW BOOKLOVERS FOR LIFE ON:
FACEBOOKTWITTER • INSTAGRAM • GOODREADSPINTERESTBLOGLOVIN’

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Audiobook Review: Now and Again by Brenda Rothert

Now and Again by Brenda Rothert
Series: Now #2 (full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: January 26th 2016
Length: 6 hours and 30 minutes
Narrated by: Kirsten Leigh & Chris Ruen
Links: Audible • EbookPaperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

Once again, 26-year-old Layla Carson has the attention of a man eager to satisfy her. Ben Montrose, the hot, confident cop who gets off on frustrating her, is eager to show her just how arresting he can be. But as a reforming sexaholic, Layla’s sworn off casual hookups, and doesn’t miss the days of her early 20s –much.

Ben’s caught off-guard when the sexy, outspoken attorney turns him on and then turns him down. But the confident former Marine knows he can handle the simple seduction of a beautiful woman. He finds Layla’s weak spot – competition, which he happens to share – and challenges her to a game that could make them, or destroy them.

As they compete to crown the master of seduction, Ben and Layla discover there’s more to their game than power and foreplay. But as the stakes go up, they realize the game has changed, and they both stand to lose more than they bargained for.

I’m a huge fan of dual narrator audiobooks, so Now and Again by Brenda Rothert was pretty much perfect for me! Not only are Kirsten Leigh and Chris Ruen incredible to listen to, the actual story of Layla and Ben is sweet, sexy, and romantic. I love a good book with a hot man in uniform, and Ben is as hot as you could get. He and Layla are just perfect together – I highly enjoyed Now and Again!

I went into this audiobook without having read the first book, Now and Then, but thankfully I wasn’t lost at all. Now and Again is very firmly Layla and Ben’s story, though the other characters in the series make their appearances too. Layla is a 26-year-old lawyer who has managed to change her stance on casual sex. She’s no longer looking for hookups, but rather focusing on herself and her career. But all her plans seem to fall away when, for a case, she meets Marine-turned-police-investigator Ben Montrose. The two of them share some crazy-hot chemistry from the second they meet, but while Layla is hesitant to start anything between them, Ben is determined make Layla see that their chemistry is something worth exploring.

Layla and Ben are wonderful characters, both strong, independent, and very, very stubborn. It was so much fun listening to their story! Kirsten Leigh and Chris Ruen both did a fantastic job at depicting these two characters. Their narrations were great to listen to and it was easy to distinguish the dialogue between different characters. As far as audiobooks go, this one is another winner, and I would definitely listen to the audiobooks of the rest of the series!

4 hearts
lacey


Reading Order: Now series

  

#1 ~ Now and Then: Ebook • PaperbackAudible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Now and Again: EbookPaperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Now and Forever: EbookPaperbackAudible • Goodreads

Here’s an audio excerpt from Now and Again!


FOLLOW BOOKLOVERS FOR LIFE ON:
FACEBOOKTWITTER • INSTAGRAM • GOODREADSPINTERESTBLOGLOVIN’

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.