L-L-L-Little Reviews: Three 5-star Adult Contemporary Romance Audiobooks

Not that far behind, at least in reviews, but that's because my reading is falling behind with the moving last month, lots of working at my part time job this month, and unpacking.  But let's get completely caught up!

Follow Me Back (Fight For Me #2) by A.L. Jackson:

Release Date: February 2nd, 2018
Source:  Purchased from Audible.com
My rating:  5 stars  

Working slowly through the audiobooks I purchased through Audible, as I've put my account on hold mostly.  Other than signing up for their new program of $2.95 a month for certain audiobooks that you can listen to, but aren't yours to keep.  But anyway, this one was really good.  This book had soooooo many emotions!  And so much steaminess.  I was yelling at the characters as I listened, but still loved it all the way.  I didn't understand exactly why his friends were such a big part at the beginning, but then for a while they were not really part of the story.  I felt that was kind of weird, but in the end, it all worked.  Great story.  Look forward to reading more in this series.

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
The next seductive, unforgettable stand-alone romance in the FIGHT FOR ME series from NYT & USA Today Bestselling Author A.L. Jackson...

Kale Bryant. Arrogant. Gorgeous. Commanding.
This ER doctor is married to his job.
His only vice is one-night stands and short-lived flings.
He learned a long time ago loving someone isn’t worth the risk.

Harley Hope Masterson.
Beautiful. Brave. Sweet.
The owner of a small coffee shop knows what it’s like to struggle.
Embroiled in a bitter divorce, she’s threatened with losing everything.

When Kale accepts a new position down the street from Hope’s shop, he begins to question every wall he’s built around his heart.
He wants her in a way he hasn’t wanted anyone.
One touch is fire.
One kiss, and he’s spinning out of control.
But taking her won’t come without consequences.

Hope is in for the fight of her life.
One neither of them saw coming.
Now Kale must decide if loving her is worth risking it all.

She will fight with everything she has.
But sometimes even hope needs a hero...


The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren:

Release Date: May 14th, 2019
Source:  Borrowed from the library as a digital audiobook download
My rating:  5 stars

I was excited for this one.  Heard good things, but also had one review that made me wonder if I'd like it.  In the end I loved it.  I kind of wish we'd had Ethan's point of view the whole way through, but I guess it totally worked this way.  I didn't see one of the little twists that we got thrown.  I love that when that happens!  It was another great book from this author duo.  I was worried about the narrator at first, because I think I've had issues with her in the past, but in the end she worked.  Then, I've never seen the movie or read the book Fried Green Tomatoes, so I was wondering if what they talk about is really in the book/movie!

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
For two sworn enemies, anything can happen during the Hawaiian trip of a lifetime—even love—in this witty and swoonworthy romance from the New York Times bestselling duo who “hilariously depict modern dating” (Us Weekly) and authors of Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating and Roomies.

Olive is always unlucky: in her career, in love, in…well, everything. Her identical twin sister Amy, on the other hand, is probably the luckiest person in the world. Her meet-cute with her fiancé is something out of a romantic comedy (gag) and she’s managed to finance her entire wedding by winning a series of Internet contests (double gag). Worst of all, she’s forcing Olive to spend the day with her sworn enemy, Ethan, who just happens to be the best man.

Olive braces herself to get through 24 hours of wedding hell before she can return to her comfortable, unlucky life. But when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning from eating bad shellfish, the only people who aren’t affected are Olive and Ethan. And now there’s an all-expenses-paid honeymoon in Hawaii up for grabs.

Putting their mutual hatred aside for the sake of a free vacation, Olive and Ethan head for paradise, determined to avoid each other at all costs. But when Olive runs into her future boss, the little white lie she tells him is suddenly at risk to become a whole lot bigger. She and Ethan now have to pretend to be loving newlyweds, and her luck seems worse than ever. But the weird thing is that she doesn’t mind playing pretend. In fact, she feels kind of...lucky.

With Christina Lauren’s “uniquely hilarious and touching voice” (Entertainment Weekly), The Unhoneymooners is a fun and charming romance that is perfect for anyone who has ever felt unlucky in love. 


Rebel Heir (Rush Series Duet #1) by Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward:

Release Date: April 4th, 2018
Source:  Free audiobook download from newsletter which did not influence my opinion
My rating:  5 stars

Um, I'd almost give this 4.5 stars because of the cliffhanger ending!  A freebie that leaves you hanging and now to get a hold of the sequel so I can find out how it goes.  I kind of saw the twist about three-fourths of the way through, but then as we got closer to the end and it hadn't happened, I thought we were going to just get a nice wrapped in a bow HEA.  I didn't know there was a sequel, so man was I upset when that twist happened right at the very end of the book.  It did take me a bit to get over the smoking bit, I cannot stand cigarettes or smoking, but I was able to get past it since he was wanting to stop.  A steamy book, one that I really enjoyed and as I said, need book 2 NOW!

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
How to kick off a great summer in the Hamptons:

Snag a gorgeous rental on the beach. Check.

Get a job at a trendy summer haunt. Check.

How to screw up a great summer in the Hamptons:

Fall for the one guy with a dark leather jacket, scruff on his face, and intense eyes that doesn’t fit in with the rest of the tony-looking crowd. A guy you can’t have when you’ll be leaving at the end of the season.

Check. Check. Check.

I should add - especially when the guy is your sexy, tattooed god of a boss.

Especially when he not only owns your place of employment but inherited half of the town.

Especially when he’s mean to you.

Or so I thought.

Until one night when he demanded I get in his car so he could drive me home because he didn’t want me walking in the dark.

That was sort of how it all started with Rush.

And then little by little, some of the walls of this hardass man started to come down.

I never expected that the two of us, seemingly opposites from the outside, would grow so close.

I wasn't supposed to fall for the rebel heir, especially when he made it clear he didn’t want to cross the line with me.

As the temperature turned cooler, the nights became hotter. My summer became a lot more interesting - and complicated.

All good things must come to an end, right?

Except our ending was one I didn’t see coming.
 

L-L-L-Little Reviews: Three Little Romance Audiobook Reviews

I'm not horribly behind, although two of these are from last month, but I'm mostly keeping up on reviews because of trying to get on as many tours for the books I have to review instead of taking a bunch of ARCs and not making sure I get them done.  Now, I probably have another audiobook finished by the time I post this, so we'll see if this goes up to four reviews instead of just three, but I'm making this post all my audiobooks I need to review.


Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan:

Release Date: December 9th, 2014
Source:  Purchased from Audible
My rating:  4.5 stars

I'd wanted to read this because there was a page for it in the romance coloring book I have.  I finally decided to use one of my Audible credits on it.  It started really good, then there was a boring patch at the beginning where I wondered what would be happening, but then it picked up again.  It was a roller coaster of a ride, and I really enjoyed it.  It was almost a 5 star read, but there was just something that kept it from being that for me.  It had some good twists, ones that I thought I knew what was coming, but then it wasn't what I expected.  A good read!

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

When Bree Prescott arrives in the sleepy, lakeside town of Pelion, Maine, she hopes against hope that this is the place where she will finally find the peace she so desperately seeks. On her first day there, her life collides with Archer Hale, an isolated man who holds a secret agony of his own. A man no one else sees.

Archer's Voice is the story of a woman chained to the memory of one horrifying night and the man whose love is the key to her freedom. It is the story of a silent man who lives with an excruciating wound and the woman who helps him find his voice. It is the story of suffering, fate, and the transformative power of love.


Birthday Suit by Lauren Blakely:

Release Date: January 14th, 2019
Source:  Purchased from Audible
My rating:  4.5 stars

So this book had a full cast of narrators, almost one for every main character!  That was definitely fun, but you could tell it was also definitely written for this type of an audiobook.  It was a lot of fun to listen to it this way, and of course to swoon over Sebastian York's voice.  Although there were times that it almost was too many people for me, just because of what I am used to with most audiobooks. But I have a feeling this may be how audiobooks are recorded more often, when possible anyway.  

I loved the story, had my usual irritations with the reasons the two main characters held themselves back from just giving into their feelings as well.  I also had to stop listening to this for a bit when I started because I was reading a book with a similar storyline, where the guy liked the girl that he met first, but she ended up falling for his best friend instead.  Both stories were good, this one so much fun as well.  It was neat to get a little time back with at least one of our characters from an earlier audiobook, Lucky Suit.  Also, again with all the talk of chocolate, just made me want chocolate!

Now, you need to get this audiobook and listen to it, because there is like about an hour interview with two of the narrators afterwards, two of my favorites, Andi Arndt, and Sebastian York. And while I was disappointed they didn't answer the question I'd submitted, it was still so much fun to listen to them talk to each other and answer the questions that they did.  Now, I'm still left needing to see just what Sebastian York looks like in real life. Does he match that voice?

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
There is no rule in the Man Code as unbreakable as this: no matter how beautiful, smart, clever, and witty she is, do not—under any circumstances—fall in love with your best friend’s woman. 
Yeah. So there’s that. Look, it’s not like I didn’t know I screwed up by falling for her. 
Also, for the record, unrequited love sucks big time.
And, I might have cut myself some slack by now, given everything that went down in the last few years, but Lulu just walked back into my life in a big way.

***
There are three things I've never been able to resist—my friends, my family, and chocolate.
Leo Hennessy? He was nowhere on that list. He's been a true friend—a friend who walked through hell and back with me.
Now, I'm stepping into my new future. I didn't expect it to include a riddle-filled, race-against-the-clock scavenger hunt across New York City.
With Leo.
Suddenly, I'm looking at this man with new eyes...
But my life spun out because of a man once before, and I can’t risk my fresh start, no matter what the temptation. And Leo is most definitely a temptation of the sexiest, sweetest, and most dangerous variety. 
More irresistibly delicious than chocolate...

This audiobook is performed by: Andi Arndt (Lulu), Sebastian York (Leo), Erin Mallon (Ginny), R.C. Bray (George), January Lavoy (Kingsley), Dion Graham (Cameron), Shane East (Dean), Jason Clarke (Tripp), Joe Arden (Noah), Julia Whelan (Tabitha), Robin Miles (Mariana and Vivian), and Savannah Peachwood (RaeLynn).  



Faking It by K. Bromberg:

Release Date: September 25th, 2018
Source:  Purchased from Audible
My rating:  5 stars

As always, I loved this story by Bromberg.   She made me be able to connect with a woman who was the total opposite of me, beautiful model type of woman.  But boy does she not only know how to make me laugh, but she makes me know how to cry.  There were so many parts at the beginning where I felt like the one kid on The Simpsons who is always saying "ha ha" and pointing, because I felt that way whenever Harlow would pull one over on Zane.  But then Bromberg also knows how to write the steamy sex, perfect when needed in the story. Another winner for me, another book that tells me Bromberg can do no wrong!

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
Faking it never felt so good in this red-hot new standalone by New York Times bestselling author K. Bromberg. 

Zane Phillips mistook me for his dog walker. It shouldn’t surprise me that the man with a suit more expensive than my rent would assume that I was there to serve him. The positive? I put him in his place. The negative? I missed my job interview because of it.

Now I find out he’s a rich Australian entrepreneur, and he wants to make up for tanking my interview. Yes, he’s impossibly hot — but he’s also an arrogant jackass — so... no thanks.

But after a little white lie I tell spirals out of control, I’m somehow offered the chance to play Zane’s girlfriend to help promote his new dating website — and the best part? He can’t say no because he’ll get caught in his lie too.

Little did I know this would entail sharing a tour bus with him for the next few months. The fact that the bus has just one bed isn’t the most ideal of circumstances, but this spokesperson gig might be the kick in the pants my career needs, so why not take a chance? 

Famous last words.

Now I’m crisscrossing the country — and sharing that bed — with the one guy I can’t stand. And even worse, my traitorous body is wondering at every turn what it’s like to be down underthe gorgeous Australian. But as the miles unfurl, so does our passion… and if I’m not careful, I might end up believing that fairytales really do come true. 

L-L-L-Little Reviews: Five Adult Contemporary Romance Audiobooks

Ah!  I feel like I'm getting behind on reviews, while still staying ahead on reading books for scheduled reviews.  Possibly because most of the audiobooks I listen to are for myself, and not for any tours.  So they get put on the backburner until I have time to post their reviews. But today I'm going to get 5 of them out of the way.   Now, three of them are from a series that I had to listen to all in a row because of how the first two ended on cliffhangers that I had to know what would happen next!


Repeat by Kylie Scott:

Release Date: January 7th, 2019
Source:  Audiobook purchased from Audible.com
My rating:  5 stars

If you've followed me for awhile, you know that Kylie Scott is one of my favorite authors.  That she wrote one of my top 3 book boyfriends of all-time, Mal Ericson, from Play.  While I've loved everything I've read from her so far, her last book wasn't one that appealed to me, as I don't really care for the older man trope.  I've not read a lot of amnesia stories either, but I knew that I wanted to give this one a try.  And once again, I was hooked right away.  I mean I had just started the audio and I already was at the point where I didn't want to get out of the car and go in to a family get together because it was so good!  The story kept me wondering what exactly could be behind all the things that were happening to Clementine.  I also wondered what in the world happened to cause her and Ed to break up, and we were kind of kept wondering about that for a while.  In a good way, the way that would keep us listening and needing to go on to find out more.  I had so many theories that kept me hoping the author wouldn't do what it seemed would happen.  It was so addicting that I went home on my fourth day of listening in the car, and after work, I sat in my living room and listened to the last quarter of the book because I had to know. That is a good book to me!

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
From Audie Award winning, New York Times best-selling author Kylie Scott comes an irresistible new romance - available in audio first!

When a vicious attack leaves 25-year-old Clementine Johns with no memory, she's forced to start over. Now she has to figure out who she was and why she made the choices she did - which includes leaving the supposed love of her life, tattoo artist Ed Larsen, only a month before. 

Ed can hardly believe it when his ex shows up at his tattoo parlor with no memory of their past, asking about the breakup that nearly destroyed him. The last thing he needs is more heartache, but he can't seem to let her go again. 

Should they walk away for good, or does their love deserve a repeat performance? 


Mount Trilogy #1-3 by Meghan March:

Title:  Ruthless King
Release Date: October 17th, 2017
Source:  Audiobook purchased from Audible.com
My rating:  5 stars
  
I have loved all that I've read or listened to by Meghan March so far.  I love her Beneath series.  I didn't think I would get into this, it is a lot darker, the title refers to a bad guy, Lachlan Mount.  We did meet him in the last book in the Beneath series.  He's the guy who everyone has to go through in New Orleans, the drug cartels go through him, he owns or pays off some of the police.  His reputation is not a man you'd ever think you'd want.  Or not the type of guy I'd want, I don't really like the bad guys usually.  I should have known though, after what the author did with the one really bad guy in the Beneath series, Rix, that she could find a way to make me like this bad guy.  But don't mistake Mount for Rix.  Mount is a really bad guy.  

This first one was really mostly about the sex part to me.  I had a lot of questions about some things, and how they would really work. I also was definitely unsure about liking one of the things he made her do.  I mean, there's a reason they say things like people walking around like they "have a stick up their ...".  We got some time with the characters from the Beneath series twice in this book.  I liked that, but wished for more.  There was a cliffhanger at the end, as I mentioned, and so I had to immediately get ahold of the second book. But I chose to get it from the library where unfortunately, I was put on hold.  However, it was a surprise when later that same night, it was available!  So really I didn't have to wait any longer than I normally would wait anyway to start a new audiobook.  My one complaint is how we didn't get the every other chapter between the two characters in this one. So much more from Keira's side. But I get the reason for it.

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:
Get ready for the darker and dirtier side of New Orleans with a brand new alpha romance from USA Today bestselling author Meghan March.

New Orleans belongs to me.
You don’t know my name, but I control everything you see—and all the things you don’t.
My reach knows no bounds, and my demands are always met.
I didn’t need to loan money to a failing family distillery, but it amuses me to have them in my debt.
To have her in my debt.
She doesn’t know she caught my attention.
She should’ve been more careful.
I’m going to own her. Consume her. Maybe even keep her.
It’s time to collect what I’m owed.
Keira Kilgore, you’re now the property of Lachlan Mount.

Title:  Defiant Queen
Release Date: November 14th, 2017
Source:  Digital download borrowed from local library
My rating:  5 stars
  
We got to start this book off with a chapter from Mount.   It was nice getting more from Mount's side in this book.  This book gave me a better look at who Mount was.  What his business was, and how he dealt with people.  It still kept Mount as a bad guy though, his actions and such still didn't make me feel any more like he was a better guy than we'd thought.   I did enjoy the part where Lucas Titan from the Beneath series showed up, and had some good advice for Mount on how to get the woman.  And I loved hearing about Titan and what he was doing for his woman, Yve.  Titan was someone it was hard to like at first.  Though he really wasn't a bad guy like Mount is.  

Got more sexy times in this one too, although I'm still going to have to go with a hard pass on anything to do with a ball gag.  Just no.  Then they had a trip to Ireland, which I loved that!  This one had another cliffhanger, a major one again.  So I was glad to be able to immediately check out the third and final book to listen to from the library.  I'd say this one was a bit longer than the first book, and the third was like double the length of this one.  

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

The Mount Trilogy continues with Defiant Queen...

I’m his entertainment. His toy. Payment on a debt.
I tell myself I hate him, but every time he walks into the room, my body betrays me. How can I want him and fear him in the same moment?
They told me he’d mess with my head. Make it go to war with my body.
But I didn’t realize it would be complete anarchy.
I should’ve known better. When Mount’s involved, there are no rules.
I will not surrender. I will not show weakness. I’ll stand my ground and make it out of this bargain with my heart and soul intact.
But he has other plans . . .

Defiant Queen is the second book of the Mount Trilogy. Mount and Keira's story concludes in Sinful Empire. 

Title:  Sinful Empire
Release Date: December 19th, 2017
Source:  Digital download borrowed from local library
My rating:  5 stars

So this one started up not exactly right where the last one left off, which would normally be frustrating seeing as how the last one ended on a cliffhanger.  However it wasn't, because we got some of Mount's background.  And that I loved!  I was able to learn more about him, and even though he was still a pretty scary guy, I was able to start to fall in love with him.  This book we see how the two really are starting to fall in love.  But there is so much else going on in this one.  We learn some things about how in the world Mount found out about Keira waiting that first night.  And all I could think was I needed more from the person who did lead him to her.  I kept needing to know more, and the author kept putting that off. Then something really  major happens, and finally Keira's family comes around. But all I can think as she keeps waiting and waiting for Mount is that he's decided to separate himself from her to keep her safe.  I'm so glad that isn't the case.  

This book has the fun of Keira kind of coming into her own and starting to order around Mount's employees.  Including V, I do love V.  By getting the background story of Mount, he might be a man I can fall in love with. A bad guy, but with that avenging angel edge.  What happens towards the end isn't what I expected, love that the author could still surprise me even as I knew something was coming. This one was much longer than the first two.  I will say that I've decided I'll read anything by this author now.  I will not let the tropes that normally turn me away, like mafia romance or dark romance, turn me away, at least not if it is written by Meghan March.

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

The Mount Trilogy concludes with Sinful Empire!

What’s mine, I keep, and that includes Keira Kilgore.
It’s no longer enough to have her in my debt. No longer enough to own her body.
I want something more.
She can try to resist, but I’ll never give her up.
Nothing will keep us apart.
Not her. Not my enemies. No one.
Her debt will only be paid one way—with her heart.

Sinful Empire is the third and final book in the Mount Trilogy.


Lucky Suit by Lauren Blakely:

Release Date: January 31st, 2019
Source:  Audiobook purchased from Audible.com
My rating:  5 stars
 
This was a short, sweet, and funny story.  I guess it kind of goes with some other books by this author, and I'll have to listen to them as well. But I loved our characters in this one, Kristen and Cameron.  I kind of agreed with Kristen's thoughts on dating in real life. However I don't see that online dating is much better.  At least I haven't had any guys actually spend much time talking online, so haven't had a good experience with that.  And then there's Cameron.  He's hilarious!  Not to mention Kristen's grandma, Jeannie, LOVED her!  The pranks in this story were so good.  It's almost like one prank after another.  And one of them I didn't quite get until we were in the middle of a date and Kristen was starting to figure it out. Although I was with Cameron, figured it out a little quicker.  Had an HEA, and maybe I would have liked a little more sexy times instead of the fade to black we kind of got, but it was a good one anyway.  And I know I have more to read with the related stories.

Here is the blurb from Goodreads:

Kristen Leonard is done with setups. She’s not interested in your son or your nephew or your butcher or the guy who mows your lawn, thank you very much, grandma! After all, she’s a modern woman—she’ll take her chances on the algorithms of online dating to find her ideal man. Before long, she meets a man who might just be the one—he’s hilarious, quick-witted, and full of heart. And when she meets up with Cameron in real life, he certainly looks exactly like his profile picture…but something’s not quite right.

There’s really no telling what brought them together and all bets are off as to whether or not they can trust their hearts over their heads. After all, can you fall in love with someone you’re not sure you really even know?