Three Year Rule

Three Year Rule

The Rule Series, Book 1

By: Alaina Stanford

Narrated by: Tom Johnson

Series: The Rule Series, Book 1

Length: 5 hrs and 52 mins

Unabridged

Release date: 11-06-17

Language: English

Publisher: Alaina Stanford

I really had trouble getting into this audio. I do have to agree with the author it takes years to really get to know someone. You can even live with them and still not know them until the day you sign the line and find you have married to a monster.  True it does usually come out early but for a few they wait until you are married no matter how long that might take and then within minutes they change right before your very eyes.

The narration was a little off on the emotions one lady sound like she was just to perky all the time. She always sounded excited or high all the time. For the most part the women characters sounded forced not natural. Some of the male characters were not too bad but others just didn’t fit the character they sounded older than what they were.  I could not get a handle on the emotions they were going through. There are no repeating of words, no volume changed but for the one female that was all over the place. If any breaks were taken I could not tell. The narrator needs to work on his female voices and some of his male voices. With more even tones making the audio more believable.  I found the narration at times moved to slow giving pause when it wasn’t needed or two soon. Other time he was right on it and would pull the listener in. He does have a very nice natural voice that I found to be easy to listen to. I am sorry to say neither the narrator nor author gave me an enjoyable listen that I could get lost in.

The story is a mystery, suspense but you have the stalker worked out very early on with a plot that doesn’t hide much.  Joshua has a past that doesn’t impress him with women  he isn’t interested in fiding one he says this up front but his actions for the most part doesn’t show this. Elizabeth said it takes a while to really to know someone and she is right but wow she jumps right into bed with Joshua only after a few hours of meeting him and then is upset when he doesn’t show that he wants to spend more time with her. She isn’t looking for a man but sure wants to make demands on them. The plot isn’t bad just the way it is laid out just doesn’t’ work for me.  The author uses to much filler that isn’t needed and not enough base to the story.  Elizabeth asst. seem more like a very young teen as the narrator shows her emotions are way UP high and not natural. Her actions and the way she talked made me think back a few years to when my daughter was 13. Between the narrator and the author I had a hard time listening to this audio. I found both lacking in a lot of ways. That isn’t to say it is a bad audio there were some good parts, the bear had me on the edge, I thought what the friends did to make them talk was cute. I feel others will enjoy it and even love it. Sorry to say it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

Buy Links

Audible

https://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Three-Year-Rule-Audiobook/B0774QCKH8

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Pseudo-Personality-Romance-Suspense-Rule-ebook/dp/B00EN3BMN4/ref=cm_cr_if_orig_subj?_encoding=UTF8&linkCode=xm2&tag=audiblecom0f-20

Kobo

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/three-year-rule

B&N

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/three-year-rule-alaina-stanford/1116523807?ean=9781492196471

Summary

When Elizabeth hired Joshua to build her mountain home deep in the Utah mountains, she couldn't resist the rugged construction owner's charm. Joshua was the complete opposite of Elizabeth's usual suitor field of CEOs and corporate attorneys, being a high school graduate used to working with his hands. This laid-back, sexy man challenged everything she believed. He threatened to ruin her three-year rule she had sold to the world that insisted everyone has a fake or pseudo-personality they displayed to their new lover that hid their inner self and sheltered their secrets. Her entire career was being shattered by a down-to-earth, modern-day mountain man.

Cold Malice

Cold Malice

Cold Justice, Book 8

By: Toni Anderson

Narrated by: Eric G. Dove

Series: Cold Justice, Book 8

Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins

Unabridged

Release date: 11-17-17

Language: English

Publisher: Toni Anderson

What a shock it was to come face to face with the man she adored and loved at the age of 10. He was the only person who showed her kindness in a world that had gone crazy. For Tess it is a bitter sweet moment finding the one man she crushed so hard on is a live when she thought he was dead. Now he is on the hunt for a perpetrator who has a list of people he feels needs to die.  Twenty years ago there was a group that thought they were their own law. White supremacy is still a very big issue today even more so 20 years ago. There is a killer out there killing people for what reason we can only guess until the author decides to show her hand pulling you into a compelling story that will leave you breathless.  At times you will think what in the world is wrong with these people who think they are better than others. Other times your heart will break for all the victims go through. There is no way you can read/listen to this and not have your heart go out to Tess she has gone through so much and come so far only to be pulled back into the past she thought she had outrun. One thing about a secret it always comes back to haunt you, most of the time in a bad way.

I just love Mr. Dove’s narration he pulls you in with a very strong and powerful voice. There are no background noises or repeating of words just a wonderful delightful listen. If any breaks were taken I could not tell he just delivers a very clean, clear and power audio. His tones are outstanding you can feel the passion, excitement coming right out of your speakers. His male voices are a wonderful as his female. You always know who is talking and what they are feeling. His normal voice is just a delight to listen to as he gives you the facts pulling you in to a world that has gone crazy. You can tell he has put a lot of thought into each character the voices fit them so well. He gives just enough pause, to let what he just read sink in giving it a powerful impact on the listener. Mr. Dove knows how to pull you in taking your on a ride that will leave you holding your breath wanting to pull the characters out of the story to keep them safe.  His Performance is one of the best narrators I have listened to. I know when I see his name it is going to be a wild exciting ride.

Tess has worked so hard to outlive her family’s name and all the bad deeds they have tried to do in their past. She and her brother had been placed in foster care when her parents died until a very sweet lady adopted them both giving them a wonderful life.  Almost everyone in her family died that day 20 years ago. The sister she adored plays a big part in this story as does her one brother who is still in jail. I found myself talking to him saying OH NO you didn’t, Oh YES you did. I really would have loved to have had a few minutes in a room alone with him myself. There was one place where I found myself reaching out to get my hands on him. The author really knows how to pull on your heartstrings bring the protector out in her readers in this story more so in the past ones in this series. She is a very talented author who really pulls you in making her character seem real to you. There is little doubt you will become angry and upset at all Tess and her sister had to live through. I really was cheering Tess on talking to her and holding my breath a time or two. She is one smart lady who is terrified that her world and all she has worked for is about to be destroyed. All the years she has put in to keep her brother safe is about to go down the drain. Her baby brother Cole is about to find things out he wish he had not. The question is, is he messed up in all this mess that is falling around them and can she keep him safe. Hey it is her baby brother that she helps raise who life could be on the line as well as hers.

Mac comes face to face with the child he tried to help so many years ago. Just how deep is she in these murders? Has she taken up where her family left off? If not just who is behind these hate crimes and will they find the killer in time before anymore lives are lost? It is even hard for him to do his job when he is drawn to Tess she is no longer a child but a beautiful sexy women who can just look at him and he is turned on. As he puts all the clues together he finds it is a race against the clock trying to find out what she knows, if she is a part of it and trying to keep her safe. His choices aren’t always the wisest ones and he does seem to find trouble. At times their life is on the line, they have to think fast to outrun the people who would like to see them dead.  

Both have to fight their feelings for the other, learn to trust the other if they want to make it out alive. It is really hard when you are lied to which they both are guilty of. Everyone seems to be hiding something. There is some humor and I found myself chuckling and even laughing. There was a time when I yelled YOU GO GIRL do it again for me. The killer will surprises you, you think you know who it is but where is he hiding and how does he get so much done, he may be closer then you think…or he might just know more than we do.

Ms. Anderson is one of my favorite authors she has had me in the palm of her hands since the first audio I picked. It is always an exciting ride with danger, mystery, a little humor and a lot of suspense that keeps you on the edge. She knows how to pull her readers in giving you a heart stopping plot with wonderful characters you are either cursing at or trying to talk them out of going where they go. I know when I pick up one of her stories it is going to be a wild ride that I am going to love. I really didn’t want this story to end, I can’t wait for the next one. This is one author and narrator you really should take some time to get to know.

Buy Links

Audible

https://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Cold-Malice-Audiobook/B077GHN6K6

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Malice-Justice-Book-ebook/dp/B073TG8F23/ref=cm_cr_if_orig_subj?_encoding=UTF8&linkCode=xm2&tag=audiblecom0f-20

B&N

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cold-malice-toni-anderson/1126718246?ean=9780994870162

Kobo

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/cold-malice

Google Play

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Toni_Anderson_Cold_Malice?id=HZIrDwAAQBAJ

Summary

ASAC Steve "Mac" McKenzie is out to prove himself by leading a task force investigating a series of murders in the heart of Washington, DC. His undercover work in an anti-government compound twenty years earlier is related - as is the sweet, innocent girl he befriended back then. Now that girl is a beautiful woman, and she has something to hide.
Tess Fallon spent a lifetime trying to outrun her family’s brand of bigotry, but someone is threatening her anonymity by using the anniversary of her father’s death to carry out evil crimes, and she’s terrified her younger brother is involved. She sets out to find the truth and comes face-to-face with a man she once idolized, a man she thought long dead. As the crimes escalate, it becomes obvious the killer has an agenda, and Tess and Mac are running out of time to stop him.
Will the perpetrator use a decades-old dream of revolution to attack the federal government? And will the fact that Tess and Mac have fallen hard for each other give a cold-hearted killer the power to destroy them both?

A Deadly Obsession

A Deadly Obsession

By: Melanie James

Narrated by: Bailey Varness

Series: A Riverton Romance, Book 2

Length: 6 hrs and 42 mins

Unabridged

Release date: 01-14-15

Language: English

Publisher: Melanie James

What a thrilling exciting listen that keeps you on the edge of your seat. If you are looking for an audio that is fast moving, with action, suspense, mystery and romance you have come to the right place. This was so good I was so hooked from start to finish that I bought the first audio in this series and can’t wait for the next one to come out.

I thought the narrator did a really great job with the characters. There are some places when she paused that she should not have.  A few places where she paused that maybe the next words should have been said before the pause. It did take me a little while to get use to her narration but once I did I was hooked. Her character voices are great both her male and female was given the correct amount of emotion to what they were going through.  There are no background noises, no volume change just a very clean steady audio that become a part of your mind. No repeating of words which is a big issue for me, if any breaks were taken I could not tell. I had no trouble knowing what character was talking or what they were feeling. The only problem I see is the narrator needs to work on when she pauses beside that it was an outstanding job. I would defiantly listen to more of her work. I thought she really bought the characters to life making it a very pleasant listen.  

There are many twists and turns, you get to see both side of the story which really adds to the plot. There are a few heart stopping moments that you are unsure which way the author will take the story. I honestly didn’t not care for Jake’s boss and he outlook on Jake’s secret, he really started out as a very nice man but really turned into well an a** very fast. He will lose a lot of good men if he doesn’t clean up his act. I loved Jake he really is a man of honor, his father at first is a little hard to take but he grows on you. Adam was a dream I loved how protective he was of Jenny. The buildup of the romance was a delight, I really enjoyed how Adam dealt with it. There are lots of humor that will make you smile just as many places where you catch your breath waiting to see the outcome. It is a highly entertaining listen that pulls the reader in holding you on the edge. The romance is wonderful I just loved how they loved each other from afar for so long with neither knowing how the other felt. I liked how it all came together.  The obsessed is crazy lord the things this man thinks of will just turn your stomach. He is totally nuts wanting the women who he believes is his true love and the revenge he thinks is his due for the justice he thinks he deserves.  You just have to love a psycho, that is as long as it is in a story and not real life.

Bottom line this is a great story from start to finish that holds the listener spellbound waiting for the nut case to come out. There is a fine line between right and wrong but if you are like me when it comes to the people you love trying to keep them safe you will cross that line every time.  I can see this series going in a lot of different direction all with a great outcome as some leave the law enforcement getting away from the ties of the law when the law doesn’t work. I really can’t wait to see what the author will do with the next book. I really wish it was out now. I honestly did not want the story to end. It isn’t a cliffhanger but does leave a few loose ends where the next book will take off.  

Buy Links

Audible

https://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/A-Deadly-Obsession-Audiobook/B00RU804JW

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Obsession-Riverton-Romance-Book-ebook/dp/B0744G5GZZ/ref=cm_cr_if_orig_subj?_encoding=UTF8&linkCode=xm2&tag=audiblecom0f-20

B&N

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-deadly-obsession-melanie-james/1120754662;jsessionid=275248CD65CCEFF4024C2994D9D13A9F.prodny_store02-atgap13?ean=9781944003166

Kobo

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-deadly-obsession-2

Summary

An obsession takes many forms. Jenny has always lived under the watchful eyes of her brother, Adam and his fellow police officer Jake Matthews. After Jenny strikes out on her own, something very dark seeks her out and pushes her towards the man she has always known-or the man she thought she knew. Jake has a secret that could cost him everything he’s worked hard for, including his job. Will he risk everything for Jenny?
Redemption, justice, and vengeance. Will Jenny and the men in her life be able to see where one ends and another begins? It’s a fine line between right and wrong. How far will someone go to protect the person they love? How much are they willing to risk?

The Unforgettable Sheikh

The Unforgettable Sheikh (Ultimate Billionaires Book 4)

by Barbara McMahon

You are young and in love thinking you have years to spend with your man when one day he comes up missing no word, no sight of him. He must be dead there is the only answer since you have turned over every rock, call the police and can’t find any answers…..fast forward 10 years when you are told to cover the story of the Sheikh and the President signing an agreement. Think about the shock on your face when you look into the lens and see the man you thought you loved, and lost never to see again. What is the first think you do….well you want to give him a piece of your mind lord knows I had no trouble doing this, but first you have to get yourself together….so you run for the hills….

 Chloe is such a wonderful character you fall in love with her fast, your heart stays with her even with the secret she is hiding. I loved how she stood up to him even through her heart is breaking. Even after all these years and all he has done she still has trouble saying no to him.

 It took me a while to like Karif I don’t care what he said you do not leave the women you love and never getting in touch with her until it is too late.  She stayed in one place long enough he could have called her. Then to point fingers at her demanding answers when he was at fought all along is just too much for me. I did grow to like him as he puts his plan in to motion. He does trying to win her back but she isn’t an easy sale by any means.

The betrayal is big and very real from all directions. It has a good plot and some great writing. Karif is likable but it does that some time to get over his alpha male issues when he was the one in the wrong. He is very demanding but knows when to step back and give a little room.  He doesn’t look his lessons very well and they come back to bite him. The story does move at in a fast pace that keeps it interesting leaving the reader saying a few bad words from time to time. I really enjoyed the story and can’t wait for the next one.

Buy Links

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0722K7XJ5/ref=x_gr_w_glide_bb?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_glide_bb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0722K7XJ5&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2

B&N

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-unforgettable-sheikh-barbara-mcmahon/1126292697?ean=9781546561118

Kobo

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-unforgettable-sheikh

Google Play

https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Barbara_McMahon_The_Unforgettable_Sheikh?id=LUbADgAAQBAJ

Summary

Ten years ago Chloe and Ben were in love, talking marriage, and making plans for the future. Then he vanished. All plans were shattered and heartbreak became a constant companion. Putting the past behind her at last, Chloe focuses on her new life’s path–but never forgot.

Duty Calls
Sheikh Karif bin Shakirah’s happiest years were when he was a graduate student at Berkeley. He found a woman who loved him for himself not his family’s wealth. He’d even hoped things would work out for him and Chloe-- after all doesn’t love conquer all? But duties and responsibilities swept him back to his homeland and he lost the woman he loved.

Second Chance?
When Chloe sees Ben for the first time in ten years, she’s shocked to learn he’s a wealthy sheikh from an oil-rich company signing a treaty with the US. He spots her and before long confronts her to find she hold only contempt. Could they have a second chance to live the plans they’d made or would the heartbreak and feelings of betrayal from the past prove too strong to overcome?