Mila Cutteridge

Disappointing story even B,Pressley couldn't save

Revisado: 05-22-24

I recently listened to Welcome to Beach Town by Susan Wiggs on Audible, and as always, Brittany Pressley’s narration was FANTASTIC! Love, love, love her work. Unfortunately, that’s where my enthusiasm for this book ends.

The synopsis promised a low-key mystery or at least some intriguing elements surrounding a friend’s murder. Sadly, this expectation was not met—at all. Instead, we get a main character who makes a series of bafflingly stupid decisions. I mean, how do you live in a country for 15 years and not check into your own legal status? Not to mention failing to check your bank accounts or the status of your marriage for the same amount of time. It’s infuriating!

The plot itself was a snoozefest centered on saving a trailer park, which felt like it dragged on forever. The protagonist's old friends, whom she abandoned, miraculously come to her aid. Honestly, she does not deserve their loyalty. The entire story felt like a missed opportunity for something more engaging and meaningful.

If it weren't for Brittany Pressley’s superb narration, I might have given up on this book altogether. Unfortunately, even her talents couldn't save this one from being a major disappointment. If you're looking for a gripping mystery or even just a compelling story, I'd suggest looking elsewhere. Welcome to Beach Town was, quite frankly, a bore.

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A Mixed Bag of Thrills and Narration Woes

Revisado: 03-26-24

Alright, let's dive into "Never Trust the Husband" by Jessica Payne. Right off the bat, I gotta say, this book packs a plot that grabs you by the collar and doesn't let go. It's like going on a roller coaster in the dark – you really don't see the twists coming until they've already smacked you in the face. And let me tell you, there were at least two moments where I was genuinely caught off guard, which is a refreshing change of pace from the usual predictability fest.

But, and this is a big but, there's a fly in the ointment, and it's a pretty significant one if you're diving into the Audible version. The main character's POV? Spot on. However, the moment we step into the territory of other characters, things go south FAST. The narrator, bless their soul, seems to have missed the memo on voice acting. Every character outside the protagonist comes off sounding like a variation of a mentally slow man - and not in a good way. It's like everyone's been dipped in the same monotonous, fake-deep, slow-voiced vat, regardless of whether they're male or female. It's distracting, to say the least, and really does a disservice to what's otherwise a gripping tale.

In short, "Never Trust the Husband" is a mixed bag. On the one hand, you've got this brilliantly plotted story that keeps you guessing, eager to turn the page (or, in this case, hit the "next" button). On the other hand, the auditory experience feels like you're stuck in a room where everyone's been hit with the slow-mo stick except the protagonist. If you can get past the narration hurdle, or perhaps stick to the Kindle version for a more uniform experience, you're in for a treat. Otherwise, brace yourself for a ride that's slightly less smooth than anticipated.

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Great story; confusing narration!

Revisado: 08-18-23

This was a very interesting read. Also a different premise. However, I read this half on kindle, and half on audible and my one qualm was with the audible narrator.
The narrator's voice was good and easy to listen to, however, the book took place in two POVs and the narrator did the same voice for both. I never knew who was actually speaking unless I looked down what chapter I was on. Kate Mara, you can do better.

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esto le resultó útil a 5 personas

Almost perfect

Revisado: 06-25-23

As with Elin’s previous works, the writing style in "Five-Star Weekend" is immersive and effortlessly engaging. The chapters flow seamlessly, blending multiple perspectives and weaving together various storylines. The pacing is expertly crafted, creating a sense of anticipation that keeps readers eagerly turning the pages, eager to unravel the mysteries that lie beneath the surface.

"Five-Star Weekend" is a five-star read that offers an escape into a world of privilege, beauty, and emotional depth. Elin Hilderbrand's remarkable ability to create relatable characters and craft compelling narratives shines once again. Whether you're a longtime fan of Hilderbrand or new to her work, this novel is an absolute delight that will leave you yearning for more. Dive into "Five-Star Weekend" and prepare to be captivated from beginning to end.

The narration by Erin Bennet was once again, excellent, sans the terrible British accent attempted for the character of Gigi.

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Interesting story but too long.

Revisado: 12-19-22

Audible (and goodreads) really needs to implement half stars into their ratings. I’m giving this 3.5 ⭐️ The narrators were good. The story /premise was different and that is what gravitated me towards it in the first place. I will mirror everything other reviews were saying that a) it dragged on for waaay too long and b) there was way too much Spanish. I understand that people speak "half-half" often, but certain times it made no sense just to throw in the conjunction in Spanish while everything else was in English. (Example: "english english pero english english")

Both Dolores and Cassie were unlikeable characters, although I was still able to stomach Cassie to a point. I could not tolerate Dolores and her complete selfishness throughout this whole thing. I did manage to guess who dunnit by halfway through the story but that never takes away from the story for me. Again, it really was about the length for me. Four hours in and still nothing happened. Also, some areas / plot points still seemed a little unfinished for me...

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Not the strongest by the author but not bad…

Revisado: 10-02-22

This was definitely the book out of all her three that i liked the least, but it wasn’t bad. Interesting premise but as far as culty books go, this one was a little….lackluster.
Narration was good per usual though.

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esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

So so good! So much fun!

Revisado: 08-23-22

I did not realize I was going to have so much fun reading a book like I did this one. I am definitely adding this author to my watchlist. I did a hybrid of audible and kindle reading, and I have to say that the narration was really good which added to the experience.

The story goes back between two timelines and POVs: Evelyn's POV and life mostly in the 1950s as a teenage woman and a few years after, and then the modern timeline told from Jenna's (Evelyn's granddaughter) where Evelyn is 89 years old. In the first one you get a glimpse of the events that transpired in her life that got her to where is now in the modern timeline, which is a very sassy granny! Evelyn in both timelines was definitely a force... In the second, Jenna, recently separated from her husband and accompanies Evelyn on a trip to visit her hometown in MA. And hilarity ensues.

This book had me rolling, cringing, going AWWW and gasping in all the right ways. I wanted to know more about why they went there, and all the events that transpired. The pace was quick and there was never a dull moment. It had enough light heartedness, intrigue and mystery to break up the pace between domestic thrillers but also leave a smile on your face. It also gave me a slight Beatriz Williams vibe (which I LOVE) - if you ever read any of her books, you know.

I am looking forward to starting this author's 2021 book next and I hope she writes more in this style, and perhaps set in the same universe as her first two books.

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Superb narration, okay story.

Revisado: 08-21-22

3.5 rounded 🔝

First, the narration was superb. Overall story was alright… a lot of it is a recycled version of the Jon Bennet Ramsey case. I wasn’t sure if the author, being a true crime podcaster irl, was giving us her version of what she thinks happened. If so, that’s an interesting theory.

Things were starting to wrap up nicely towards the end of the story when suddenly waaaay too many things happened. Also, the non-ending ending with Margot’s storyline was 👎 I was left confused and unsure what happens to her at the very end. 🤷🏼‍♀️ so yeah, the ending left me quite unsatisfied.

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Interesting!

Revisado: 07-16-22

It’s a memoir - i can’t comment on how many “stars” i would give someone’s life story cause that sounds messed up, but it sure is interesting. It was interesting to learn about her early life, the life of her then famous parents, her early career , her reflections on her career in journalism and journalism in general and of course how she met her husband Tony and where they are now.

Full disclaimer: i did not know anything about Katy Tur until i saw the segment about this book during CBS Morning. I didn’t even know until then Katy was Tony’s Dokoupils wife until then - and I loooove Tony from being the coanchor of CBS morning.

It was narrated by Katy herself, and she did an excellent job! I think it really elevated the book for me that much more.

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FYI Narrator change from the first two books

Revisado: 04-04-22

Maggie Novak is yet on another case. A judge was found murdered and it’s up to her and the deathtectives to find out who did it… and who the mysterious child is that was left at the scene.
The plot was interesting just like it’s other predecessors, but i listened to this on audible and it fell flat for me there. The first two books were done by a different narrator and I think also by a different publisher… and you could tell. First, it’s also super awkward when the main narrator changes mid series because you’ve grown to associate a specific voice of a narrator to that of the main character. Maggie sounded about ten years older in the third book while the plot takes place about 6 weeks after book 2. Second, this also goes into the quality of the production. Sometimes you could hear extra noises in the background of the narration which is something I’ve never experienced before, and it was distracting.

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