A Royal Kiss and Tell by Julia London

Every young man in London’s ton is vying for Lady Caroline Hawke’s hand—except one. Handsome roué Prince Leopold of Alucia can’t quite remember Caroline’s name, and the insult is not to be tolerated. So Caroline does what any clever, resourceful lady of means would do to make sure Leo never again forgets: sees that scandalous morsels about his reputation are printed in a ladies’ gossip gazette…all while secretly setting her cap for the rakish royal.

Someone has been painting Leo as a blackguard, but who? Socially, it is ruining him. More important, it jeopardizes his investigation into a contemptible scheme that reaches the highest levels of British government. Leo needs Lady Caroline’s help to regain access to society. But this charming prince is about to discover that enlisting the deceptively sweet and sexy Lady Caroline might just cost him his heart, his soul and both their reputations…

Lady Caroline was difficult to like at the beginning.  She was annoyingly outspoken, which I usually like in a character.  Her need to be the center of attention was also a turn off.  But this author completely turned my feelings around for this character.  Prince Leo has been told his time in England is over and he needs to return home to resume his duties and marry for the good of his country. A plot is revealed to Leo and he does his best to figure out who and what is at the center before he leaves.  Their romance is slow and the banter is humorous. I enjoyed Justin Hill's narration of this 2nd book in the series. 

Julia London is a NYT, USA Today and Publisher's Weekly bestselling author of historical and contemporary romance. She is a six-time finalist for the RITA Award of excellence in romantic fiction, and the recipient of RT Bookclub's Best Historical Novel.

Julia's website



*Thanks to Harper Audio/Harper Collins/Netgalley for these review copies*

June is Audiobook Month Blog Tour & Giveaway

June is Audiobook Month.

Check out the other bloggers celebrating this month by recommending their top 5 audiobooks and/or why they love to listen at Audiobook Listeners Community. Each blog is hosting a giveaway for a fantastic selection of 8 audiobooks that have been generously donated by Blackstone Publishing, High Bridge Audio, Hachette Audio, LA Theatre Works, Macmillan Audio, Post Hypnotic Press Audiobooks, Scholastic and Tantor Audio. (USA only). The books will be available on Audiobooks.com, and a promo code will be provided for each individual winner to access all 8 audiobooks!.

Whether it’s for traveling this summer, relaxing at the beach, or running or walking outdoors, June is the perfect time to discover the awesomeness and variety of audiobooks.

If you are new to audiobooks, check out your local library's selection. Use Overdrive or Hoopla for easy listening!


The 5 audiobooks that I am recommending for great summer listening are:

The Wolves of Winter by Tyrell Johnson narrated by Jayme Mattler  Post Apocalyptic - Simon and Schuster Audio

If You Knew Her by Emily Elgar narrated by Katey Sobey Suspense Thriller - HarperAudio

Bad For You by J. Daniels narrated by Sebastian York and Kate Russel - Steamy Romance - Hachette Audio

The Indigo Girl by Natasha Boyd narrated by Saskia Marveld - Suspense/Thriller - Blackstone Audio

Hellbent by Greg Hurwitz  narrated by Scott Brick - Suspense Thriller - Hachette Audio










Leave a comment to be entered into the drawing for access to the following audiobooks:

1.            Seven by Paula Cizmar, Catherine Filloux, Gail Kriegel, Carol K. Mack, Ruth Margraff, Anna Deavere                     Smith, and Susan Yankowitz 

2.            Gone to Dust by Matt Goldman, narrated by MacLeod Andrews

3.            Bring Me Back by B. A. Paris, narrated by Kevin Hely and Cathleen McCarron

4.            Wings of Fire Book One: The Dragonet Prophecy by Tui T. Sutherland, narrated by Shannon MacManus

5.            Altered Carbon by Richard K. Morgan, narrated by Todd McLaren

6.            Rainbirds by Clarissa Goenawan, narrated by David Shih

7.            A Girl Stands at the Door by Rachel Devlin, narrated by Robin Miles

8.            Torn from Troy, Book 1 in the Odyssey of a Slave Trilogy by Patrick Bowman, narrated by Gerard Doyle

Twitter - @Audiobook_Comm #loveaudiobooks
 Audiobook_Comm on Facebook


This giveaway is sponsored by the Audio Publishers Association.  They will provide the winner with a promo code to access the audiobooks.  Open to USA only. Contest ends July 2nd. You will be notified by email of your win and have 24 hours to respond before another winner is selected.  Entering this contest on other blogs is perfectly fine, but only one win please!

Do you have a favorite audiobook or narrator?  What are your recommendations? You don't have to be an audiobook listener to enter for a chance to listen to the above 8 selections. 

 

Unraveling Oliver (audio)

Oliver Ryan, handsome, charismatic, and successful, has long been married to his devoted wife, Alice. Together they write and illustrate award-winning children’s books; their life together one of enviable privilege and ease—until, one evening after a delightful dinner, Oliver delivers a blow to Alice that renders her unconscious, and subsequently beats her into a coma.

In the aftermath of such an unthinkable event, as Alice hovers between life and death, the couple’s friends, neighbors, and acquaintances try to understand what could have driven Oliver to commit such a horrific act. As his story unfolds, layers are peeled away to reveal a life of shame, envy, deception, and masterful manipulation.

The first sentence, I expected more of a reaction the first time I hit her, grabs your attention and the story unravels from there told in multiple voices of those who have known Oliver over the years. Oliver is a reliable narrator even though he is unlikeable.  I could not stop listening to the audio, not only to find out what caused Oliver to do what he did, but because it was a well crafted story with engaging, interesting characters.  Many times a multiple narrators can be distracting, but the choices for this novel (Sam O'Mahony, Roy McMillian, Tracy Keating, Kevin Healey, Steven Hogan, Kathy O'Brien, Steven Lovadee, Michelle Moran)  were perfect. For me this book lived up to the hype at BEA. .

*Thanks to Simon and Schuster Audio for this review copy*

Dating You, Hating You (audio)

Despite the odds against them from an embarrassing meet-awkward at a mutual friend’s Halloween party, Carter and Evie immediately hit it off. Even the realization that they’re both high-powered agents at competing firms in Hollywood isn’t enough to squash the fire.

But when their two agencies merge—causing the pair to vie for the same position—all bets are off. What could have been a beautiful, blossoming romance turns into an all-out war of sabotage. Carter and Evie are both thirtysomething professionals—so why can’t they act like it?

Can Carter stop trying to please everyone and see how their mutual boss is really playing the game? Can Evie put aside her competitive nature long enough to figure out what she really wants in life? Can their actor clients just be something close to human? Whether these two Hollywood love-hatebirds get the storybook Hollywood ending or just a dramedy of epic proportions, readers will get to enjoy Christina Lauren’s heartfelt, raucous, and hilarious romance style at its finest.

Not one of my favorites by this writing duo, but it was an enjoyable listen narrated by Shayna Thibodeaux and Deacon Lee.  There was quite a few laugh out loud moments and the hated boss climax was a bit of a let down.

*Thanks to Simon and Schuster Audio for this review copy*

MatchUp (audio)

Edited by Lee Child, this is the follow-up to FaceOff, but this time 11 female thriller writers with 11 male thriller writers.

"Honor & ..." by Sandra Brown & C.J. Box (Lee Coburn & Joe Pickett)
Read by Jay O Sanders
"Footloose" by Val McDermid & Peter James (Tony Hill & Roy Grace)
Read by Gerald Doyle
"Past Prologue" by Diana Gabaldon & Steve Berry (Jamie Fraser & Cotton Malone)
Read by Robert Petkoff
"Rambo on Their Minds" by Gayle Lynds & David Morrell (Liz Sansborough & Rambo) Read by Laura Benanti
"Short Story" by Karin Slaughter & Michael Koryta (Jeffrey Tolliver & Joe Pritchard)
Read by C.J. Wilson
"Dig Here" by Charlaine Harris & Andrew Gross (Harper Connelly & Ty Hauck)
Read by Dennis Boutsikaris,
"Deserves to be Dead" by Lisa Jackson & John Sandford (Regan Pescoli & Lucas Davenport) Read by Robert Petkoff
"Midnight Flame" by Lara Adrian & Christopher Rice (Lucan Thorne & Lilliane)
Read by January LaVoy
"Getaway" by Lisa Scottoline & Nelson DeMille (Bennie Rosato & John Corey)
Read by Dennis Boutsikaris
"Taking the Veil" by J.A. Jance & Eric Van Lustbader (Ali Reynolds & Bravo Shaw)
Read by Karen Ziemba
"Faking a Murderer" by Lee Child & Kathy Reichs (Temperance Brennan & Jack Reacher) Read by Linda Emond

I enjoyed listening to each of these "match-ups" and couple of them has me wanting to get started reading the character's stories that were new to me. All of the narrators did an excellent job and kept me riveted to every story. Lee Child introduces each author and their history as a writer as well as detailing their process of working together.

Thanks to Simon and Schuster audio for this review copy 

The Black Book (audio)

Three bodies in a beautiful and luxurious bedroom.

Billy Harney was born to be a cop. The son of Chicago's chief of detectives, whose twin sister is also on the force, Billy plays it by the book. Alongside Detective Kate Fenton, Billy's tempestuous, adrenaline-junkie partner, there's nothing he wouldn't sacrifice for his job. Enter Amy Lentini, a hard-charging assistant state's attorney hell-bent on making a name for herself-who suspects Billy isn't the cop he claims to be. They're about to be linked by more than their careers.

One missing black book.

A horrifying murder leads investigators to an unexpected address-an exclusive brothel that caters to Chicago's most powerful citizens. There's plenty of incriminating evidence on the scene-but what matters most is what's missing: the madam's black book. Now shock waves are rippling through the city's elite, and everyone's desperate to find it.

Chicago has never been more dangerous.

As everyone who's anyone in Chicago scrambles to get their hands on the elusive black book, no one's motives can be trusted. An ingenious, inventive thriller about power, corruption, and the power of secrets to scandalize a city-and possibly destroy a family

Billy Harney comes from a family of cops. He is a homicide detective and is working on a case that brings him to a suspected house of prostitution. When he and his partner Kate lead the raid their careers take a turn for the worse. An unstoppable listen with twists that kept me guessing who could have taken the black book? The story is told in past and present chapters that easily weave a fast-paced, entertaining story that has you suspecting everyone. Edorado Ballerini did a fantastic job with the narration.

*Thank to Hachette Audio for this excellent listen*

Lost Rider (audio)

Maverick Austin Davis is forced to return home after a ten-year career as a rodeo star. After one too many head injuries, he’s off the circuit and in the horse farming business, something he’s never taken much of a shine to, but now that it’s his late father’s legacy, familial duty calls. How will Maverick find his way after the only dream he ever had for himself is over?

Enter Leighton Elizabeth James, an ugly duckling turned beauty from Maverick’s childhood—his younger sister’s best friend, to be exact, and someone whose heart he stomped all over when she confessed her crush to him ten years back. Now Leighton is back in Maverick’s life, no longer the insecure, love-stricken teen—and Maverick can’t help but take notice. Sparks fly between them, but will Leighton be able to open her heart to the one man who broke it all those years ago?

Elisabeth Louise and Jason Carpenter narrated Leighton and Maverick's second chance love story exceptionally well. Mavericks need to deal with a very painful past that his family and friends have no idea how bad it really got. Leighton also has hurts that make her hesitant to give Maverick a second chance.. As he works to prove to Leighton that he is back and all in she slowly lets down her defenses and falls in love all over again. Their story is extremely emotional and well written. Looking forward to Quinn and Clay's stories.

*Thanks to Simon and Schuster Audio for this review copy*

Happy Birthday to my son James!

The Twilight Wife (audio)

Thirty-four-year-old marine biologist Kyra Winthrop remembers nothing about the diving accident that left her with a complex form of memory loss. With only brief flashes of the last few years of her life, her world has narrowed to a few close friendships on the island where she lives with her devoted husband, Jacob.

But all is not what it seems. Kyra begins to have visions—or are they memories?—of a rocky marriage, broken promises, and cryptic relationships with the island residents, whom she believes to be her friends.

As Kyra races to uncover her past, the truth becomes a terrifying nightmare. A twisty, immersive thriller, The Twilight Wife will keep readers enthralled through the final, shocking twist.

Narrator Cassandra Campbell does an excellent job with building the tension of  Kyra's memory as she gets flashes of events and can't put them into context.  There is a little bit of repetition as the character is building upon each remembered event, but it did allow for me to figure out what Kyra was trying to remember. The setting of an Island is perfect for the suspense. 

*Thanks to Simon and Schuster for this review copy*

Happy 30th to my son Caleb!

June is Audiobook Month Blog Tour and Giveaway

Whether it’s for traveling this summer, relaxing at the beach, or running or walking outdoors, June is the perfect time to discover the awesomeness and variety of audiobooks.  

Today is the last day of JIAM.  Twenty-Nine other lovers of audiobooks shared their favorite audibooks, narrators and why they think audiobook are so great.

APA - Audiobook Listeners Community with list of blog participants  and their giveaways.

I've been a long time listener to audiobooks, some of my first listening experiences were sitting with a book on my lap, a record on the turntable listening to the book being read and turning the pages at the ping. Then graduating to cassette tapes! 

 It would be very hard to pick only five favorites since I've been listening for years.  The audiobooks I am recommending are ones that the narrators have helped land them on my favorite of the year lists.

The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon narrated by Davina Porter
Listening to this series narrated by the phenomenal Davina Porter is an experience that enhances the storytelling by leaps and bounds  Each book is a commitment, but so well worth the time and effort
I have laughed and cried through hours of pure loveliness.

The Desperate Duchesses Series by Eloisa James narrated by Susan Duerden
I always listen to audiobooks narrated by Susan Duerden. She does such a great job that I looked for reasons to listen.  She is brilliant with the character's individual voices as well as their interactions.

Michael Bennett series by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge narrated by Danny Mastrogiorgio.
His pacing is spot on and he does a great job with the variety of voices and accents. He is the voice of Michael Bennett for me.

Katherine Kellegren - Bloody Jack series
This is a young adult historical series that is full of adventure, hilarity and is well worth the listen.







Narrator Sebastian York:
Meghan March's series, Christina Lauren's series, Emma Chase's series
His alpha males narrations are like butta!  He finds a way to make each book distinct. I appreciate that his female voices are not high and squeaky.

I look for a voice that does not distract from the story, one that oozes the character(s) and compels me to find reasons to keep listening.  

Starting with a familiar favorite will help you to get acclimated to listening to audiobooks.   Choose any book that you've reread a few times as long as it is not a 36 disc audiobook, unless you are really committed.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

In addition to the earbuds and 3 audio downloads (must be downloaded by July 15th)  giveaway above:

I am hosting a giveaway of my gently used (previously listened to) audiobooks. Enter by commenting on my Friday audiobook posts as well as this post.

 I will draw a few winners on July 7th for the audios below. Please let me know which audiobook(s) you are interested in listening to of the group pictured here. 

Last Words by Michael Koryta narrated by Robert Petkoff
Distress Signals by Catherine Ryan Hyde narrated by Alan Smyth, Bronson Pinchot and Suzanne Torren
Always A Cowboy by Linda Lael Miller narrated by Jack Garret
Here's To Us by Elin Hilderbrand narrated by Erin Bennett
A Duke To Remember by Kelly Bowen narrated by Polly Lee
Spinning the Moon (2 classic stories) by Karen White narrated by Susan Bennett and Pilar Witherspoon

#loveaudiobooks

Audio Bookshots+ Giveaway JIAM

Life moves fast—books should too.Impossible to put down.

 Visit BookShots.com for more information

The Bodyguard by Jessica Linden

Abbie is good at her job as a security expert.  She has been hired to protect an up and coming Congressman.  John Lassiter is determined to fight against human trafficking and his new bill has put him in the cross hairs of some dangerous people.  He does not want to lose his reputation as being accessible to his constituents.  He convinces Abbie to pose a new aid to the team until an attempt has him taking these threats seriously. Abbie struggles with her attraction and desperately tries to keep their relationship professional, John doesn't help matters as he wants to give in to it. Erin Cottrell's narration of the suspense and romance has just the right mix to make this quick audio enjoyable.

Bedding the Highlander by Sabrina York

In an effort to end a feud between rival clans, the Rannoch and Killian family have been commanded to unite in marriage.  Kirk and Brody have come to bring Katherine home to wed the Laird/brother Ben.  When Katherine is reported to have run away in order to escape this marriage he starts for home only to have a pair of thieves try to steal their horses.   The thieves turn out to be two girls on the run.They have lied about who they are and hope for Kirk's help to get safely to her grandfather. Along the way they hatch a plan to make it a sure thing that she is not "marriageable". Kirk attracted to Katherine, goes along with the seduction.  When her true identity is revealed with their love survive? Euan Morton's narration was swoon worthy and added greatly to this short audio.

*Thanks to Hachette Audio for these review copies*

June is Audiobook Month. Check out the other bloggers celebrating this month by recommending their top 5 audiobooks and why they love to listen here. Each blog is hosting a giveaway for earbuds and  3 free audiobook downloads on Audiobooks.com. 

I am hosting a giveaway of my gently used (previously listened to) audiobooks. Enter by commenting on my Friday audiobook posts. I will draw a few winners at the end of the month. Please let me know which audiobook(s) you are interested in listening to of the group pictured here. 

Last Words by Michael Koryta narrated by Robert Petkoff
Distress Signals by Catherine Ryan Hyde narrated by Alan Smyth, Bronson Pinchot and Suzanne Torren
Always A Cowboy by Linda Lael Miller narrated by Jack Garret
Here's To Us by Elin Hilderbrand narrated by Erin Bennett
A Duke To Remember by Kelly Bowen narrated by Polly Lee
Spinning the Moon (2 classic stories) by Karen White narrated by Susan Bennett and Pilar Witherspoon

#loveaudiobooks

Dead Man Switch (audio) + Giveaway

Someone is hunting down America's most elite special ops soldiers - in their homes.

A deadly fall on a rugged stretch of California coast. A burglary gone wrong in Virginia. These incidents seem unrelated, but the victims were living undercover, their true identities closely held secrets. They are members of a classified team, the last line of defense against foreign threats. Now someone is assassinating them one by one, taking out family members and innocent bystanders to make the deaths seem like accidents.

Captain John Hayes, a special operations legend, has left the military to settle down with his family. But when he pieces together a pattern behind the murders and discovers that his protégée, Claire Rhodes, a brilliant assassin, is the prime suspect, he returns to duty to unmask the attackers.

With every success, the killers grow bolder. Their ultimate goal: lure Hayes and his remaining fellow soldiers to Manhattan, to eliminate them all in a single devastating strike. To save his teammates and thousands of innocent lives, Hayes must find a way to stop a seemingly unstoppable weapon.

After listening to Cold Barrel Zero in which John Hayes, a special operation operative is introduced, I knew a great character had been created and was glad to know his story wasn't over.  In this second book he has finally cleared his name with those that matter. There are a select few that know he's been cleared but his cover has been kept in place which will hopefully be of advantage when he has to race to find out who is behind the systematic killing of those involved in Cold Harvest. He is relentless in wanting to protect his team, but one of them may be behind these attacks.  Narrator Peter Coleman gets the fast paced, thrill ride atmosphere of this second John Hayes novel perfectly. I could not stop listening! 

*Thanks to Hachette Audio for this review copy*

June is Audiobook Month. Check out the other bloggers celebrating this month by recommending their top 5 audiobooks and why they love to listen here. Each blog is hosting a giveaway for earbuds and  3 free audiobook downloads on Audiobooks.com. 

I am hosting a giveaway of my gently used (previously listened to) audiobooks. Enter by commenting on my Friday audiobook posts. I will draw a few winners at the end of the month. Please let me know which audiobook(s) you are interested in listening to of the group pictured here. 

Last Words by Michael Koryta narrated by Robert Petkoff
Distress Signals by Catherine Ryan Hyde narrated by Alan Smyth, Bronson Pinchot and Suzanne Torren
Always A Cowboy by Linda Lael Miller narrated by Jack Garret
Here's To Us by Elin Hilderbrand narrated by Erin Bennett
A Duke To Remember by Kelly Bowen narrated by Polly Lee
Spinning the Moon (2 classic stories) by Karen White narrated by Susan Bennett and Pilar Witherspoon

#loveaudiobooks

IQ by Joe Ide JIAM + Giveaway

A resident of one of LA’s toughest neighborhoods uses his blistering intellect to solve the crimes the LAPD ignores.

East Long Beach. The LAPD is barely keeping up with the neighborhood’s high crime rate. Murders go unsolved, lost children unrecovered. But someone from the neighborhood has taken it upon himself to help solve the cases the police can’t or won’t touch.

They call him IQ. He’s a loner and a high school dropout, his unassuming nature disguising a relentless determination and a fierce intelligence. He charges his clients whatever they can afford, which might be a set of tires or a homemade casserole. To get by, he’s forced to take on clients that can pay.

This time, it’s a rap mogul whose life is in danger. As Isaiah investigates, he encounters a vengeful ex-wife, a crew of notorious cutthroats, a monstrous attack dog, and a hit man who even other hit men say is a lunatic. The deeper Isaiah digs, the more far reaching and dangerous the case becomes.

Isaiah Quantabe (IQ) is a genius destined for something big. With the encouragement of his older brother he is determined to get out of  the neighborhood. When his brother is gunned down his life changes. Trying to avoid foster care his intelligence helps him to figure out crimes that people bring to him which gets him a reputation. IQ is a great new character, very easy to like even when he gets himself involved with some shady characters. Sullivan Jones did a fantastic job narrating the many characters that IQ came in contact with. His narration really sets you in the story in East Long Beach It was hard at first to get the rhythm of the story going from past to present, but once I did I could not stop listening waiting to find out how this case would be solved.  This debut book will definitely be on my favorite list of 2017 and I look forward to the next book featuring Isaiah.

. *Thanks to Hachette Audio for this review copy.*

June is Audiobook Month. Check out the other bloggers celebrating this month by recommending their top 5 audiobooks and why they love to listen here. Each blog is hosting a giveaway for earbuds and  3 free audiobook downloads on Audiobooks.com. 

I am hosting a giveaway of my gently used (previously listened to) audiobooks. Enter by commenting on my Friday audiobook posts. I will draw a few winners at the end of the month. Please let me know which audiobook(s) you are interested in listening to of the group pictured here. 

Last Words by Michael Koryta narrated by Robert Petkoff
Distress Signals by Catherine Ryan Hyde narrated by Alan Smyth, Bronson Pinchot and Suzanne Torren
Always A Cowboy by Linda Lael Miller narrated by Jack Garret
Here's To Us by Elin Hilderbrand narrated by Erin Bennett
A Duke To Remember by Kelly Bowen narrated by Polly Lee
Spinning the Moon (2 classic stories) by Karen White narrated by Susan Bennett and Pilar Witherspoon

#loveaudiobooks

The River At Night

Winifred Allen needs a vacation.

Stifled by a soul-crushing job, devastated by the death of her beloved brother, and lonely after the end of a fifteen-year marriage, Wini is feeling vulnerable. So when her three best friends insist on a high-octane getaway for their annual girls’ trip, she signs on, despite her misgivings.

What starts out as an invigorating hiking and rafting excursion in the remote Allagash Wilderness soon becomes an all-too-real nightmare: A freak accident leaves the women stranded, separating them from their raft and everything they need to survive. When night descends, a fire on the mountainside lures them to a ramshackle camp that appears to be their lifeline. But as Wini and her friends grasp the true intent of their supposed saviors, long buried secrets emerge and lifelong allegiances are put to the test. To survive, Wini must reach beyond the world she knows to harness an inner strength she never knew she possessed.

Joy Osmanski narrates this debut book. The story is told in the POV of Wini, but she does a great job with the three other character's personalities. I appreciated the narrator's ability to hold my attention during the slow set up of the girl's weekend. Once their river trip gets going the story takes off and doesn't let up.  They each respond differently to the challenge to survive and their friendship is put to the test. I could not stop listening 

*Thanks to Simon and Schuster for this review copy*

No Man's Land by David Baldacci (audio)

Two men. Thirty years.

John Puller’s mother, Jackie, vanished thirty years ago from Fort Monroe, Virginia, when Puller was just a boy. Paul Rogers has been in prison for ten years. But twenty years before that, he was at Fort Monroe. One night three decades ago, Puller’s and Rogers’ worlds collided with devastating results, and the truth has been buried ever since.

Until now.

Military investigators, armed with a letter from a friend of Jackie’s, arrive in the hospital room of Puller’s father–a legendary three-star now sinking into dementia–and reveal that Puller Sr. has been accused of murdering Jackie.

Aided by his brother Robert Puller, an Air Force major, and Veronica Knox, who works for a shadowy U.S. intelligence organization, Puller begins a journey that will take him into his own past, to find the truth about his mother.

Paul Rogers’ time is running out. With the clock ticking, he begins his own journey, one that will take him across the country to the place where all his troubles began: a mysterious building on the grounds of Fort Monroe. There, thirty years ago, the man Rogers had once been vanished too, and was replaced with a monster. And now the monster wants revenge. And the only person standing in his way is John Puller.

The letter accusing his father leads John to investigate on his own,  He doesn't remember much and wants to discover the truth  Good friend Veronica Knox is ready to help when they both are called off the investigation by military brass they know they are getting close to something no one wants them to know..  There is a dual story of Paul Rogers recently released from prison, making his way back to Virginia for a reckoning.  As Paul's story unfolds it becomes clear his past has something to do with Jackie's disappearance.  As the chapters alternate and John's investigation brings him back to where he grew up the two stories converge in an unputdownable listen superbly narrated by Kyf Brewer and Orlagh Cassidy. I hope there are more John Puller stories. 

*Thanks to Hachette Audio for this review copy*


 

Seven Minutes In Heaven (audio)

All of Eugenia Snowe’s problems start when Edward Reeve, an arrogant bastard son of an earl, bursts into her registry office. He wants a governess and he wants her. She gives him the governess he demands, but she refuses to give herself.

No question that Eugenia enjoys crossing wits with the brilliant inventor, but she will never tarnish her reputation with an affaire, particularly with a man who doesn’t realize she’s a lady!

She holds her ground…until he kidnaps her.

Ward will stop at nothing to convince Eugenia that they’re meant to be together. He promises her heaven.

She gives him seven minutes.

We met Eugenia and Ward when they were children in earlier books,they were fun, loveable characters. As adults they are even more loveable, quirky and . Ward is in desperate need of a governess that will stay and help him with his young siblings that recently became orphans. Their Grandmother is filing a petition to have them removed from his care because the kids are behaving strangely in her opinion. He is a successful inventor, but doesn't know how to help them through this grief. When his second governess leaves he demands that Eugenia provide him with another governess. She refuses and he practically kidnaps her to get her to come and meet his siblings to determine the best kind of governess for them. Eugenia has always had great success with her governess placements and is sure that Ward is at fault. She agrees to meet the children. Lizzie and Otis had an unusual upbringing, and Eugenia can relate as she had the same. She encourages them to be themselves and Ward is not happy as he wants them to conform to society rules as he believes that is how he will get permanent custody of the kids. Eugenia has been a widow of seven years and is ready for a change. Ward is attracted to her, but thinks that because of her upbringing she will not be the right kind of wife for him. His reaction was disappointing and I wasn't sure if he deserved Eugenia. Susan Duerden, as usual, does a fantastic job narrating the hilarity, banter and emotion of the characters. 

*Thanks to HarperCollins for this review copy*