AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Lauren Blakely's CAUGHT UP IN US

Title: CAUGHT UP IN US

Series:  Caught Up in Love, Book 1

Author:  Lauren Blakely

Narrator:  Emily Durante

Release Date:  3-31-15

Price:  $14.97

Publisher:  Tantor Audio

Length:  5 hrs and 3 mins 

Format:  Audible Audio Edition
Purchase at Audible 

My Ratings

Plot:  4.5/5
Setting:  4/5
Writing:  4.5/5
Originality of Plot:  4/5
Characters Development:  4.5/5
Heat Level: 4/5
Ending:  5/5
Cover Art:  3.5/5
Narration:  5/5
Likelihood to Recommend:  5/5

Overall:  44/50 =  88%
 

Synopsis

Five years ago, Kat Harper fell into a dizzying summer romance with her brother's best friend, Bryan. It was a mad, crazy love full of kisses all through the night, but he broke her heart and she had to move on. Five years later, Kat is finishing her graduate degree and building her business as a jewelry designer, when Bryan, head of his own successful company, walks back into her life. Bryan has been assigned to Kat as her new business mentor and the rules are clear. No hanky-panky permitted. Kat can handle that because she's totally over him . . . right? Except, he still makes her laugh, and he remembers all the things she likes. Not to mention that he's even more handsome now than he was then. Then there's the spark between them—the simply undeniable chemistry and the tender ways he shows he still cares for her. Can they resist each other the second time around or will first love trump all? 

Review

Sometimes good can come from the broken heart of a first love.  Kat Harper's first love, Bryan, actually inspired her jewelry line called, My Favorite Mistakes.  This love for the fashion and jewelry business led her to a college mentoring course.  Each student is paired with an alumni business mentor in their field.  Unfortunately, Kat is paired up with her ex-Bryan who runs a men's cuff link company.  Of course he's just as hot and charming as he used to be, and he still seems to have a thing for her.  Her prof has a very strict no romance policy in his courses.  So how is Kat to going to survive the semester?  And you know Bryan isn't going to go easy on her.      

I really enjoyed Kat's story.  She is smart, caring, and sweet.  I enjoyed getting to know her as an adult, and also as a teen via flashbacks.  I love that she took something that hurt her so much, and turned it into something positive.  Her ultimate goal was to make enough money to help her parents failing business, and that really touched me.  She was also willing to try to put the love of her life on hold, to make her dreams come true. I adminred that she wasn't willing to take no for an answer, and in the end she got everything she needed.

I pretty much fell in love with Bryan the moment he first stepped into the book.  He was young and immature when he first met Kat.  And like most guys his age, he messed up his first love.  Fast-forward to the present, here we have a intelligent, witty, and sexy business men.  He does and says all the right things.  He's just so charming, you can't help but fall for him.  I mean the guy still remembers her coffee order.  Also, he's smart and didn't push Kat into a relationship she clearly wasn't ready for yet.     

I really enjoyed Emily Durante's narration of CAUGHT UP IN US!  Her light, sweet tone lent well to this story, especially when it came to voicing Kat.  Her character voices were distinct, and she did an amazing job voicing both the male and female parts.  Emily brought real emotions to this audiobook, from it's heart wrenching lows to it's light-hearted humor.  She really brought this story to life for me!

CAUGHT UP IN US is a sweet and sexy story about second chances.  Though this book had plenty of heat, I really enjoyed how the author made us wait for the really thing.  It made this book stand out so much more in a sea of instant gratification romance books.  I had a lot of fun getting "caught up" in this in this audiobook!  I really couldn't put it down, and finished the audiobook in two days.  I was happy to see that it's only the first in the Caught Up in Love series, so I can run right out and order the next audiobook in this series.

***Audiobook was provided by the author in trade for a fair review*** 

 

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Molly Harper's THE SINGLE UNDEAD MOMS CLUB

Title:  THE SINGLE UNDEAD MOMS CLUB

Series:   Half-Moon Hollow, Book 4

Author:   Molly Harper

Narrator:  Amanda Ronconi

Release Date:  10-27-15

Price:  $17.46

Publisher:  Audible Studios

Length:  9 hrs  33 min

 My Ratings

Plot:  5/5
Setting:  4.5/5
Writing:  4.5/5
Originality of Plot:  5/5
Characters Development:  4.5/5
Ending:  5/5
Cover Art:  4.5/5
Narration:  5/5
Likelihood to Recommend:  5/5

Overall:  43/45 =  95%
 

Synopsis

In the next book in Molly Harper's Half Moon Hollow paranormal romance series, Libby (a widow turned vampire) struggles with her transition and finds out it sucks to be the only vampire member of the PTA.....

Widow Libby Stratton arranged to be turned into a vampire after she was diagnosed with late-stage cancer. It wasn't the best idea she'd ever had, but she was desperate - she wasn't about to leave her seven-year-old son to be raised by her rigid, overbearing in-laws. 

On top of post-turning transition issues, like being ignored at PTA meetings and other mothers rejecting her son's invitations for sleepovers, Libby must deal with her father-in-law's attempts to declare her an unfit mother, her growing feelings for Wade - a tattooed redneck single dad she met while hiding in a closet at Back to School Night - and the return of her sire, who hasn't stopped thinking about brave, snarky Libby since he turned her. 

With the help of her new vampire circle, Libby negotiates this unfamiliar quagmire of legal troubles, parental duties, relationships, and, as always in Harper's distinct, comedic novels, "characters you can't help but fall in love with" (RT Book Reviews). 

Review

All Libby Stratton wanted to do was see her son grow up.  After being diagnosed with late-stage cancer, she decided to take a non-traditional, slightly frightening, path to do so.  She places an ad on Craigslist looking for a vampire to turn her, which is completely against council law.  She didn't exactly think this one all the way through.  Now she has to deal with explaining to her son why mommy can't go out in the sun, a PTA that wishes she didn't exists, in-laws that are fighting her for custody, and to top it off a stalker that seems to want her even more un-dead then she already is.

I truly enjoyed Libby & Wade.  Libby was intelligent, witty, and extremely resourceful!  I loved the lengths she was willing to go to, so her could be happy.  And then there is Wade.  He's the tattooed, gruff, biker with a heart gold.  He's a single parent just like Libby.  He's also willing to do whatever it takes to do what's right for his son.  These two make such a great couple.  She's soft, where he is hard.  They both need that one person to show them what true love is supposed to be like.  I found myself cheering for them from the moment they bumped into each other.

One of my favorite parts of this series is it crazy cast of characters.  I love getting to see more of Jane, her supernatural friends, and most of all Dick Cheney! Reading this series is like coming home, and seeing your old friends. I like how these characters float around the background of the story, while letting the primary take center stage. And what small town wouldn't be complete without catty, gossipy, ex-cheerleader PTO moms.    

Amanda Ronconi and Molly Harper are a magical pairing that you don't find often in the audiobook world.  Their work complements each other extremely well.  Amanda has a light hearted, humorous nature about her voice, which lends well to the story.  She can also take on the deeper emotional parts of the story as well.  The narrator adds an extra layer of emotion to the story.  She also has created such distinct voices for each of the Half-Moon Hallow characters.  She does a fantastic job with the males voices as well.  Her pacing and dictation are exquisite!  And no one makes me smile and laugh out loud, like this narrator.  Amanda Ronconi is Half Moon Hallow to me.

I enjoyed getting another chance to wonder around Half-Moon Hallow.  I have totally fallen love with this town and it's fantastical characters.  The combination of Molly Harper's humorous writing style, and Amanda Ronconi's spot on narration make this audiobook a real treat for the listeners.  I love that this book has a sense of humor, while still having it's strong emotional parts.  I can't wait to see more of Libby and Wade in future Half-Moon Hallow books. 

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Crista McHugh's BREAKAWAY HEARTS (The Kelly Brothers Bk2)

 Title:  BREAKAWAY HEARTS

Series:  The Kelly Brothers, Book 1

Author:   Crista McHugh

Narrator:  Therese Plummer

Release Date:  1-15-15

Price:  $17.95

Publisher: Crista McHugh

Length:  5 hrs  19 min

Format:  Audible Audio Edition

Purchase at Audible

 My Ratings

Plot:  4.5/5
Setting:  4/5
Writing:  4.5/5
Originality of Plot:  4/5
Characters Development:  4.5/5
Ending:  5/5
Cover Art:  4/5
Narration:  5/5
Likelihood to Recommend:  5/5

Overall:  40.5/45 =  90%
 

Synopsis

Hockey star Ben Kelly has retreated to his mountain cabin in the ski town of Cascade, BC, to recuperate from a season-ending knee injury and contemplate his future in the NHL. He never expects to run into the one woman who got away. Nine years may have passed, but nothing has dulled the explosive chemistry between them. Now he wants more than just one night.

Hailey Eriksson had Olympic-sized dreams until an accidental pregnancy from a one-night stand halted her ambitions. Her life was shattered when her son died. Nothing will keep her from fulfilling her promise to him to make the Olympic team, especially not the charming Ben Kelly. Unfortunately, he’s out to sweep her off her feet this time, and she finds him harder and harder to resist with each passionate kiss. But when he learns about the child he never knew, will their rekindled romance be on thin ice?

Review

Sometimes some comes into your life, and you know they are the one.  And sometimes they are taken from your life for one reason or another.  Sometimes you find out why, and sometimes you don't.  Ben Kelly met the girl of his dreams, Haily Eriksson one night after a game.  Their chemestry was off the charts.  After a smoking hot evening in bed, a miscommunication tore these two apart.  Ben want on to be one of the top NHL players, until possible a career ending injure sidelined him.  And Hailey's dreams of playing for the national Olympic Women's Hockey team were also destroyed due to an untimely pregnancy.  These unfortunate circumstances brought these two back into each others lives.  Will their painful pasts and secrets, keep them from finding their way back to each other?

I totally fell in love with these two!  I adored Hailey's heart, personal strength, grit, and willingness to not let go of the sport she loved.  And Ben's transformations from NHL playboy to strong and compassionate man, was extremely endearing.  No matter how hard these two fought, I cheered for them the entire way.  I loved how strong, and sometimes stubborn, each of the characters were.  They both were slightly broken, when they found each other again.  It was like they were missing puzzle pieces.  Neither were complete with out the other.  In the end, they held each other up.  These two has several misses, but they destined to be together.  And not to give to much away, but the final scene was just so sweet.  It had me wiping away tears.

Therese Plummer is one of the top narrators in the business.  Having her narrate this series, is such a gift.  Her dictation and pacing are astonishing, and her character voices are unbelievable!!!!  As a female narrator, it's can be extremely hard to do convening male voices.  She does it seamlessly!  While listening to her narration, I tend to forget that it's only narrated by one person.  It tends to sounds more like an ensemble performance.  She was able to capture this stories deep emotions.  And she truly brought this story to life for me.    

This book is an emotional roller coaster for the listener.  It was sweet, funny, and even tragic in places!  I really couldn't put this audiobook down.  I was amazed at how well flushed out these characters were for such a short story.  The dialogue was smart and touching.  This has to be my favorite book in this series so far!  Christa McHugh and Therese Plummer hit this one out of the part!  If you are looking for a short, sweet read this one's for you.

***Audiobook was provided by the author in trade for a fair review*** 

NEW RELEASE AUDIOBOOK: Rachel Vincent's

MENAGERIE

Author:  Rachel Vincent

Narrator: Gabra Zackman

Audible Audio Edition

Price:  $19.59
Listening Length: 10 hours and 57 minutes
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Recorded Books
Audible.com Release Date: September 29, 2015
Language: English
ASIN: B015TKAISY

Purchase from Amazon or Audible

Add to your Goodreads Bookshelf 

Synopsis

From New York Times bestselling author Rachel Vincent comes a richly imagined, provocative new series set in the dark mythology of the Menagerie…

When Delilah Marlow visits a famous traveling carnival, Metzger's Menagerie, she is an ordinary woman in a not-quite-ordinary world. But under the macabre circus black-top, she discovers a fierce, sharp-clawed creature lurking just beneath her human veneer. Captured and put on exhibition, Delilah in her black swan burlesque costume is stripped of her worldly possessions, including her own name, as she's forced to "perform" in town after town.

But there is breathtaking beauty behind the seamy and grotesque reality of the carnival. Gallagher, her handler, is as kind as he is cryptic and strong. The other "attractions"—mermaids, minotaurs, gryphons and kelpies—are strange, yes, but they share a bond forged by the brutal realities of captivity. And as Delilah struggles for her freedom, and for her fellow menagerie, she'll discover a strength and a purpose she never knew existed.

Renowned author Rachel Vincent weaves an intoxicating blend of carnival magic and startling humanity in this intricately woven and powerful tale. 

What I'm Looking Forward to Most

Saying that I'm a Rachel Vincent fan, is a massive understatement!  If she wrote it, I've read it multiple times. She was the first author that got me into the urban fantasy genre.  She tends to write outside the box, when it comes to these kinds of books.  She doesn't follow the rules or wright about what is currently in style. Her world building skills are beyond fantastic!  She writes deep characters, with extremely smart dialogue.  I cannot wait to pick up MENAGERIE!  It seems to have a very interesting storyline.  Nothing like I have ever seen, in this genre.  I'm sure it will keep me on the edge of my seat.  Plus, the narrator involved with this audiobook is spectacular.  I cannot wait to see what Rachel Vincent has up her sleeve for us this time!!!     

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Shelley Bradley's WATCH ME

Title:  WATCH ME

Author:  Shelley Bradley

Narrator:  Sasha Dunbrooke

Release Date:  8/04/15

Price:  $9.95

Publisher:  ListenUp Audiobooks

Length:  4 hrs

Format:  Audible Audio Edition

Purchase at Audible or Amazon

My Ratings

Plot:  4.5/5
Setting:  4/5
Writing:  4/5
Originality of Plot:  4.5/5
Characters Development:  4/5
Ending:  4/5
Heat Level:  4.5/5
Cover Art:  4.5/5
Narration:  4.5/5
Likelihood to Recommend:  4.5/5

Overall:  43/50 =  86%

Synopsis

Shanna York was set to achieve her glittering ballroom dreams and become a dance champion—until her dance partner gets tangled up in scandal and blackmail. With the clock ticking and all her ambitions at stake, the last thing she needs is the gorgeous owner of a sex club tempting her with the forbidden.

Or maybe that’s the very thing she needs…

Alejandro Diaz has sizzled for Shanna since he set eyes on her months ago. Her repeated rebuffs will make her surrender that much sweeter. She’s ambitious and driven…but so is he. When she asks for his assistance to ensnare a voyeuristic blackmailer with a video fetish, he doesn’t hesitate to help her stage a bedroom trap. But neither is prepared to face scorching, endless passion, the blackmailer’s real identity—or the undeniable love that grows between them.

Review

Shanna York is an extremely driven and talented ballroom dancer.  Some might go as far, as to call her a bitch.  The trouble is that she has the reputation for running through dance partners that don't suit her.  She's pretty happy with her current partner, but unfortunately his extracurricular activities might not sit well with the straight laced judges.  To bad someone has it out for her, and has decided to blackmail her with a video of her partner from a fetish club.  

This was such sexy, short read.  I tend not to pick up stand alone books or novellas.  But WATCH ME really packs in a lot of storyline in such a short audiobook. I would have loved it to have been just a little bit longer, so I could spend more time in Shanna and Alejandro's world.  However, I did have to look past the "insta-love" that is a necessity of such a short story. 

The two main characters were extremely entertaining and had wonderful chemistry!  Their heat jumped off the page.  Even though Shanna could come a crossed as hard and sometimes difficult, she's got such a great heart deep down.  I enjoyed how Alejandro saw straight threw her persona.  He was able to break down her walls, and give her things that she never even knew she needed.  

I know I'm dating myself by saying this, but it reminded me of the 1992 movie The Cutting Edge.  I don't mean that in a negative way, since I loved this movie growing up.  It's about a girl who blows through teammates, like it's her job. Just replace dancing for figure skating. 

I only have one criticism for this story.  I felt that the blackmail scene in the beginning was unnecessarily gratuitous and over the top.  I am in no way a prude.  I love my sexy book...EXTRA sexy!  The scene just felt forced.  I know it needed to be scandalous, but I felt like the author used every trick in the porn book to do it.  It actually, almost made me stop listening.  I think that for such a short story, the word count would have been better used on hot scene between Shanna and Alejandro.

This was the first time, that I've listen to Sasha Dunbrooke's narration.  I'm extremely tough on narrators!  If the narration doesn't add additional layers to the story, I might as well read the book for myself.  So I was surprisingly impressed with Sasha!  Her character voices were distinct and spot-on.  I was specifically impressed with the way she portrayed Alejandro character.  Her pacing and dictation were phenomenal. She really brought this story to life for me.  Bravo Sasha!  She has landed herself on my Must Listen list of narrators.

This was just a delightful short listen!  Overall, I felt that the author pulled together deep storyline in a short audiobook.  I enjoyed spending some time in both the dancing and sex club worlds.  I loved the juxtaposition between the two.  I think that Shelley Bradley and Sasha Dunbrooke make a great pair!  I would recommend this audiobook for anyone who's looking to escape into a sexy world for a few hours. 

***Audiobook was provided by the author in trade for a fair review*** 

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Richelle Mead's SUCCUBUS BLUES (Georgina Kincaid Bk 1)

Title:  SUCCUBUS BLUES

Series:  Georgina Kincaid, Book 1

Author:   Richelle Mead

Narrator:  Elisabeth Rodgers

Release Date:  12-04-09

Price:  $21.95

Publisher: Audible Studios

Length:  11 hrs  29 min

Format:  Audible Audio Edition

Purchase at Audible

 My Ratings

Plot:  5/5
Setting:  4.5/5
Writing:  5/5
Originality of Plot:  5/5
Characters Development:  5/5
Ending:  5/5
Cover Art:  4/5
Narration:  5/5
Likelihood to Recommend:  5/5

Overall:  43.5/45 =  96% 

Synopsis

Succubus (n.) An alluring, shape-shifting demon who seduces and pleasures mortal men. 

Pathetic (adj.) A succubus with great shoes and no social life. See: Georgina Kincaid.

When it comes to jobs in hell, being a succubus seems pretty glamorous. A girl can be anything she wants, the wardrobe is killer, and mortal men will do anything just for a touch. Granted, they often pay with their souls, but why get technical?

But Seattle succubus Georgina Kincaid's life is far less exotic. Her boss is a middle-management demon with a thing for John Cusack movies. Her immortal best friends haven't stopped teasing her about the time she shape-shifted into the Demon Goddess get-up, complete with whip and wings. And she can't have a decent date without sucking away part of the guy's life.

At least there's her day job at a local bookstore--free books; all the white chocolate mochas she can drink; and easy access to best-selling, sexy writer Seth Mortensen, aka "He Whom She Would Give Anything to Touch but Can't". 

But dreaming about Seth will have to wait. Something wicked is at work in Seattle's demon underground. And for once, all of her hot charms and drop-dead one-liners won't help because Georgina's about to discover there are some creatures out there that both heaven and hell want to deny.

©2007 Richelle Mead; (P)2009 Audible, Inc.

Review

An Imp, an Angel, and a Succubus walk into a bar.  No this isn't a joke, it's Georgina Kincaid's life.  During the day Georgina works at a local book store, and at night she lures men into her bed steals their souls.  She sounds like a very busy girl. Then two unforeseen things happen, her author crush Seth Mortensen comes to her book store, and someone's trying to kill the immortals of Seattle.  As you can imagine, pardon the pun, all Hell breaks loose.

I fell in love with Georgina within the first chapter, demoness getup and all!  She became a succubus, to make up for past mistakes.  I enjoyed her attitude and sharp tongue, even when it gets her into trouble.  She is the reluctant hero of this story.  She's the succubus, that doesn't want to be a succubus.  She picks the most unlikely place for a succubus to work, a book store.  And trouble tends to finds her, whether she is looking for it or not.  Thankfully, she has an amazing assortment of friends, including an imp, an angel, and a couple vampires, to help her along the way. 

Richelle Mead certainly knows how to write a romantic lead.  And in this story, we get two.  I adored Seth and Roman for completely different reasons.  Seth appeals to my goofy, nerdy side, while enjoyed Roman on a more primal level.  Both are sexy in their own right.  I love how Seth is this perfect person in Georgina's mind, until she actually meets him.  She finds his social awkwardness endearing.  Roman swoops in out of nowhere.  He sexy and charming ass hell.  That's not to say he doesn't have his fair share of faults. There were actually points in the story, where I had decided that Georgina must pick one guy, and then the other would rally.  I don't want to give to much away, but I will say that I'm happy how this ends.  The last couple chapters of this book both broke my heart, and gave me hope for Georgina's romantic future.  I was very touched by the final scene between Georgina and the guy she chooses.

I loved Elizabeth Rodger's narration of this story! She was able to carry off Georgina's sharp sense of humor, Seth's sweet shy nature, and Carter's dry humor. She's really mastered differentiating the character, and pulled each voice off like a pro!  Her pace and dictation are amazing.  And she has a wonderful ability to give an emotional performance, that totally captures the listeners attention.

SUCCUBUS BLUES is sexy, snarky, and full of adventure.  My favorite thing about this series, is how fresh it feels.  In a sea of generic Urban Fantasy books, this one truly stands out.  Strong character development and world building make this book a vibrant listen. Also, the characters are the true heart of this story.  You can tell that Richelle Mead spent a lot of time creating such distinct characters.  I can't wait to just into the next audiobook in this series!!!

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: CD Reiss' CONTROL, BURN, RESIST: Books 4-6

Title:  CONTROL, BURN, RESIST: Books 4-6 

Series: Submission Series Bundle 2 

Author:   C. D. Reiss

Narrator:  Jo Raylan, Christian Fox

Release Date:  06-23-15

Price:  $17.46

Publisher:  Flip City Media Inc

Length:  11 hrs  48 min

Format:  Audible Audio Edition

Purchase at Audible

 My Ratings

Plot:  4/5
Setting:  4.5/5
Writing:  4.5/5
Originality of Plot:  4/5
Characters Development:  4.5/5
Ending:  5/5
Heat Level  5/5
Cover Art:  4/5
Narration:  5/5
Likelihood to Recommend:  5/5

Overall:  45.5/50 =  91%

 

Synopsis

This bundle includes the three novels of sequence two. 

Control

What you're breaking isn't some little, meaningless coupling. We aren't some casual screw, and we never were. Not from the first night. Not from the first time I laid eyes on you. You were built for me. I denied it as long as I could, but we were meant to be together. You are the sea under my sky. We are bound at the horizon. 

Burn

Here's how it's going to be, goddess.

Until you surrender yourself to me fully, I will not touch you.

Until the world can know you belong to me, I will not kiss you.

I'm going to be inches away, at your side. I'm going to whisper in your ear and put my breath on your neck, but the heat of my skin will not feel the shudder of yours until you commit yourself to me completely. 

Resist

I looked down at him, with his tourmaline eyes and copper hair, and believed him despite my better judgment.

I forgave him despite my misgivings. I loved him just because I did.

My heart wasn't sensible or guarded enough. Not by a sight. I was a walking raw nerve ending of emotion, as if the years I'd spent away from men and sex had made me more emotional, more vulnerable, more foolish.

I ran my fingers through his hair, feeling like the victim of a crime of consent. 

©2013 Christine DeMaio (P)2015 Christine DeMaio

Review

Control, Burn, Resist picked up right where Bundle #1 left off.  And this time we also get to jump into Jonathan's head with the change to dual POV's.  This added another emotional level to this series.  I was super excited to get a glimpse into what haunting things make this domineering man tick, while continuing with Monica On her journey of self discovery.

CD Reiss writes the most interesting and deep characters.  They have an edge of realness to them, that most books in this genre are lacking.  She draws the readers in, and makes them care about these broken characters.  In a way, this series is a mystery.  Each have secrets they hide deep inside.  You just want to read more, and find out why these characters act they way they do.   

I really enjoyed Monica's character.  She's driven, talented, smart, caring, and sexy.  She's not the standard wet mop female lead you tend to find in this genre.  I like how she takes charge of her own life, but has a wiliness to submit to Jonathan in the bedroom.  I enjoy watching her butt heads with Jonathan, as well.  She takes a stand on the important things, and that's what really matters.  She decided that sometimes letting go of control can be a good thing.  She's also good for Jonathan.  He's not used to having people stand up to him, and she's not his standard submissive.  Also heat and sexual tension between the two of them flies straight off the page. 

Where do I even start.  Jonathan might just be one of my favorite erotic male leads.  He's sexy, driven, smart, and tends to take what he wants.  Unfortunately, Jonathan can be his own worst enemy at times.  He's a bit self destructive.  In Bundle #1, he seems to be in  control of just about everything.  I think that in the Bundle #2, you get to see what's actually going on below the surface.  I enjoyed seeing seeing the damaged parts of Jonathan.  It made him more real to me.  Jonathan's part of the story was like peeling back the layers of an onion. You get to see why he's always holding back emotionally.  

I really wasn't sure what to expect from the narration side of this audiobook.  The first bundle was performed by a solo narrator, Jo Raylan.  I so was blown away by her passionate performance, that purchasing the second bundle in this series was a no-brainer.  Then it was announced that Bundle #2 would be a duel narration between Jo Raylan and Christian Fox.  I'm not usually a fan of dual narrations, it can sometimes be distracting and disjointed.  However, Jo and Christian's combined performance brought this series to whole new emotional level.  They're narrations flowed so smoothly into each other, that I was never distracted by the change in narrator.  I also loved the little snippets, where one narrator would pop-up in the other narrator's chapter.  It was like a little yummy chocolate surprise, dropped in the middle of the chapter. Both narrators did a spectacular job encompassing the true emotions of their characters. I absolutely have to call attention to Jo Raylan's singing.  She did such a wonderful job with Monica's lyrics.  She has such a deep, soulful quality to her singing voice.  These two really brought CD Reiss' story to life for me!

I wasn't sure that I could the CD Reiss could surpass the emotional power house that was Bundle #1, but she did it.  CONTROL, BURN, RESIST was seductive, thrilling, and at times mysterious.  CD has knack for writing beautifully broken characters.  You can't help, but fall in love with them and their journey.  The narrators of this audiobook, Jo and Christian, brought amazing depth to this story.  I was completly enthralled, and I couldn't put it down.  CD's passionate writing combined with very strong narration, made this one of my favorite audiobook of this year.  I cannot wait until the release of Bundle #3, because this story left me on the edge of my seat.

          

 ***Audiobook was provided by the author in trade for a fair review***