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Momma Becky

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Hilarious

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 09-25-24

"HR has never been so entertained." That line of the blurb brings a laugh just thinking about the context. You'll completely understand what I mean if you've read My Favorite Boss. If you haven't, I highly recommend it. Alexander Bane and Magnolia Myers take compromising positions to a whole new level. That's as far as I'm going on that point. I'll let you find those laughs on your own. That said, I don't know that any tidbit from this laugh-out-loud funny tale would be considered a spoiler - there are so many great moments that one or two wouldn't do any damage (not that you're getting them from me!).
I really needed a feel-good, hilarious book to get lost in when I started reading this one, and true to form, Melanie Moreland delivered. With every release, I have a new favorite, so I'll just say I love this book and its characters. The story pulled me right in and made for a wonderful bit of escape from everyday life.
I always count on John Lane and Maxine Mitchell to give wonderful performances, so it was no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed the listen of My Favorite Boss. Whether it was antics or funny banter or a bit of swoony and sexy or anything in between, Lane and Mitchell bring these characters right out of the book and into your head. I had the pleasure of reading the book and then listening, and I've gotta say that no matter which medium you choose, you won't be sorry.

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Such a great couple to finish the series!

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 08-11-24

Getting started on this one was kind of bittersweet, knowing it was the final book in the Reynolds Restorations series. At the same time, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Found family is one of my favorite tropes, and the characters in this series have become like friends to me. I can visit them over and over as the mood strikes.
That brings me to Full Throttle for Dom and Cherry's story. I've loved every couple in the series, but this one quickly became my favorite. Dom is an absolute sweetie in a sexy-as-sin package, and the things he says to Cherry are positively swoon-worthy. It takes Cherry a little longer to get on board with the whole romance thing, but only a little. Dom is a man who knows what he wants and goes after it... Well, he goes after it Full Throttle. We do get a twist or two along the way, but there's a magnetism between Dom and Cherry that nothing can break.
To sum it up, the Reynolds Restorations series is a found family of down-to-earth, blue-collar characters that you can't get enough of. It's full of everything I've come to expect from Melanie Moreland, and I can't wait to see what she does next.
If you've ever had the pleasure of listening to Maxine Mitchell and John Lane, you already know how talented they are. They've applied that talent to Full Throttle, and it's so good! They are Cherry and Dom, and that's what they'll sound like in my head from now on. This one is a combination of great writing and great performances, and together, they're pretty hard to beat.

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When you know, you know

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 07-13-24

I'm not sure how I've missed K. Bromberg, but my TBR just had a big growth spurt. I enjoyed so many things about Over the Limit. The characters are relatable, and Lachlan and Blair are super easy to root for. The "when you know, you know" romance works really well for them. There's an almost magnetic pull between them from the start, and K. Bromberg has a writing style that gives us the feel of that pull and so much more. If you've ever had that heart racing, can't get them out of your head, every minute apart is torture kind of love, then you'll understand just how intensely Blair and Lachlan fall for each other. There are also a couple of those love-to-hate kinds of characters. One is just a nuisance, but the other has the potential to be downright dangerous. This one brings me right back to those relatable characters I mentioned. Not that I can relate to being dangerous to others, but I get the emotions of it all. There was one thing that niggled at me through most of the book, which has to do with the whole forbidden part of this romance. I'll skip the details to avoid spoilers, but it was enough that I felt like it was worth mentioning.
Finally, the narration. Gary Furlong and Stella Hunter do such a good job with this book. All of the emotions come through loud and clear, and in my opinion, the performances make an already good book even better.
Over the Limit is part of a series, but it stands on its own very well. As I mentioned, I'm new to this author, so I hadn't read anything but this book, and I didn't feel like I was missing anything. I will say I enjoyed this one so much that I'll be reading or listening to the rest of the series very soon.

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Morally gray MC

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 04-28-24

I was hooked from the first introduction to this duet when Aldo stole my heart. As much as I doubted Roman's ability to grab hold as tightly as Aldo, he exceeded all my expectations. He's so serious, but Effie isn't intimidated by that seriousness at all. And he is everything I look for in a morally gray character. He's just that side of things, but he's determined to protect those he cares about. The camaraderie between Roman and Aldio is another great element in this duet, especially once Aldo figures out what's going on with Roman and starts to tease.
This duet is a little darker than what I've come to expect from Melanie Moreland, but it's as well written, as pull-you-in-and-hold-on-tight interesting, and as full of great characters that I always expect from this author. She never disappoints, which is why she's an auto-read for me, regardless of trope.
Now, take an already terrific story and put it in the hands of John Lane and Maxine Mitchell. These narrators are so good, and they prove that once again with this book. John Lane captures Roman's seriousness perfectly, and Maxine Mitchell brings out everything I imagined for Effie.
Whether you read or listen, Roman and the Men of the Falls duet are a must.

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Interesting characters

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 04-12-24

Keenan is my first read/listen by Jane Henry, and I don't mind admitting that I've come away pleasantly surprised. What I mean by that is I enjoyed the story more than I would've thought. I don't read much mafia romance - no big reason. I just don't lean toward the trope. This one has an Ireland setting and deals with clans, rivals, and traditions. The "romance" moves very quickly, so it does lean toward instalove. In this series starter, we get Keenan, who is set to move into his father's position as clan leader, and Caitlin, who is as innocent as it gets. As the blurb suggests, she is his captive, and some scenes, in the beginning, are noncon, so I would suggest heeding the trigger warnings if needed. I don't want to give too much away, so I'll just say that the story is dark, sexy, and violent. I realize those three words don't really belong together, but those are what comes to mind with this one.
For me, Keenan is just over the top enough to make it a great little escape for a few hours. It's an interesting world to fall into, and Jane Henry's characters are equally so. Part of that enjoyment is the dual narration by Kai Kennicott and Wen Ross. I've listened to the narration by this couple several times, and I've always enjoyed it. They do such a great job here, and they make it so easy to get lost in the story.

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great story

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-26-24

King of Country is my first read or listen to CW Farnsworth's work, and now I'm gonna have to check out more because this book convinced me that I've been missing out. The story is emotional, and it touches on some serious stuff, but the romance is pretty low-angst, which is just what I needed this weekend. The characters are well-rounded and personable, and I was rooting for Kyle and Piper from their first bit of banter. I like that the author didn't rely on the usual problems you see in celebrity romances. This pair is not without baggage, but Kyle is not the conceited performer who needs his head shrunk a size or two, and Piper is most definitely not a groupie. Instead, they face real-life issues, things that have touched most of our lives in one way or another. I'll stop there before I get into spoiler territory. What I will say is King of Country is a must read/listen.
The narration was done by Zachary Webber and Andi Arndt, and they did a terrific job on this one. I've listened to and enjoyed both narrators before, so I fully expected good things, and they delivered. These narrators were exactly right for this book, in my opinion, and they only enhanced an already great story.

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Hits ya right in the feels

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-22-24

When I finished the first book in this duet, I said I expected this to be a story that stays with me for years to come. Now that I've turned the last page and read the last words of this journey (and it is definitely a journey), I'm even more convinced that I'll be visiting with these characters again and again. The blurb for this second book promises a compelling conclusion, and that's about as apt a description as I can think of - The whole Requiem for Love duet is a thoroughly compelling romance from the very first sentence to the last. The characters get under your skin in a way that doesn't happen often, and they take you on that journey with them. If you don't read another romance this year, read this duet. It's a beautiful story of healing, forgiveness, and finding your person (or persons).
The narration for The Symphony of Us is everything I hoped and then some. Reading the duet was thoroughly emotional, and I felt like I made every step of the aforementioned journey with the characters. Then I made the same journey again as I listened, and Erin Mallon, Aaron Shedlock, and Lee Samuels had me hanging on every word even though I already knew what was going to happen. If that doesn't say something about how good these narrators are, I don't know what will. So, if you haven't had the pleasure of reading and/or listening to this duet, I'd highly recommend it.

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Get your tissues ready

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-22-24

I've read stories told in epistolary style before, but I don't recall any having such an impact as Reminders of Her. The story moves back and forth as we get the book and the memories, and my heart broke so many times for these characters - and for more reasons than I can explain here without giving too much away. The story has a tone that is absolutely beautiful and full of so many emotions. The blurb promises a heart-stopping cliffhanger, and Claudia Burgoa certainly delivers. I never doubt her ability to pull me in with lovable characters and a terrific story, but this one exceeded even what I expected. And that's with the cliffy! It's a whopper, and it hasn't left my mind for long since I read it. As a matter of fact, I expect this duet to be one that stays with me for years to come, and I expect to come back and visit over the years as well. We also get the added bonus of visits with some past favorites, something I always look forward to from this author.
I could say more, but I'd rather just leave it with a solid recommendation. I'd say dive in without checking out any spoilers and just soak it all in. I'd be willing to bet you'll love these characters as much as I do.
Reading Reminders of Her was an emotional rollercoaster, and I didn't think I could be affected any more by the audio than I was when I actually read the words. I. Was. Wrong. Erin Mallon, Aaron Shedlock, Lee Samuels, and Samantha Brentmoor absolutely gave me chills with their performances. One word that struck me several times while reading was haunting. So much of the story has that feel to it, and these narrators did a terrific job with that tone. Whether you read it or listen to it, you can't go wrong with this duet.

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What a journey!

Overall
4 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Story
4 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 03-01-24

Clay and Nova have made it to the home stretch. Umm... final quarter (since this is a basketball romance), except it's the final third of the trilogy. Eh, however you wanna say it. It amounts to the same thing for this couple: we finally get to the HEA. I don't feel like I'm giving anything away with that little tidbit since we all expected it. Besides, it's the journey that makes it all worthwhile, and this pair has earned that HEA. The whole trilogy has been full of ups and downs with all the feels to match. That said, it hasn't all been angsty and full of heartbreak. I mean, Clay and Nova had to be good together for us to want them to stay that way, and they are really good together. The chemistry is crazy good, and they generate enough steam to peel the paint off the walls. That's the thing - when you love as hard as Nova and Clay, there are going to be some hiccups and growing pains along the way. Those hiccups just made their whole story that much more believable for me, even if I did go through my share of grumbling when things went sideways. You might ask if it was worth it. We are talking about 16+ hours listening time between the three parts of the story, and I'd have to say it very definitely was worth it. I was invested in this pair before the first book ended, and I absolutely couldn't get enough of them.
It doesn't hurt that Lance Greenfield and Carly Robins give voice to these characters, and they do it quite well. In my opinion, the performances of these narrators only add to the listen, and when you combine those performances with Piper Lawson's storytelling talent, you have a winning combination.

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Aldo and Violet!

Overall
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Story
5 out of 5 stars

Reviewed: 02-26-24

I love a morally grey hero. Seems like a contradiction in terms, right? And maybe Aldo is a shade or two darker than grey, but darned if he's not sexy as sin while pushing the limits. He's fierce in his work and equally fierce when it comes to taking care of Violet. There's just something about those guys who know from the minute they see the one, even when they don't realize that they know. I love that Violet has the sass and strength to stand up to Aldo when necessary and be willing to walk that grey line with him. Maybe not in actions, but she's not squeamish either.
I fully expected to enjoy this one - it was written by Melanie Moreland, after all - and I did. It didn't take long for me to be completely smitten with Aldo, and Violet is a terrific heroine. The story has some grit, but we also get to see Aldo's softer side, as well as a bit of a sense of humor. I can't wait to see what's in store for Roman in the second part of the duet!
And since I fell so totally for Aldo when I read the book, I decided I needed a second dose by way of the audiobook. John Lane and Maxine Mitchell are both terrific narrators. So, when they're on the same book, you know it's gonna be good. So much the better when they're combined with a book by Melanie Moreland. I love Aldo's attitude, and John Lane brings that out wonderfully, and Maxine Mitchell gives us all of Violet's sass. Honestly, whether you prefer to read or listen, you can't go wrong with this one, and if you're like me, you can enjoy both!

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