Sharon_M

I love this series

Revisado: 04-30-25

I'm not a fan of narrators changing in a series, but Tom Kiteley did a good job. I hated to see Davina Porter leave the series. However, Kitely does a good job of bringing the story to life. In my opinion, his voice is better suited to the character.

This is the twentieth book in the Sebastian St. Cyr mystery series, and once again, Harris delivers a gripping, emotionally layered story. Set in Regency England during 1816—the infamous “year without a summer”—the book opens with a poor orphaned boy seeking out Sebastian to report a gruesome murder in an abandoned church. The victim, a member of the aristocracy, is found hanged in the style of the tarot card Le Pendu. As Sebastian investigates, he's haunted by the possibility that the killer may be someone he knows and trusts.

One of my favorite things about this series is how Harris weaves rich historical detail into the mystery. I had never heard of the “year without a summer” before reading this, and I found myself diving into research about the era. Harris also sheds light on the harsh realities faced by the poor—especially children—as the Napoleonic Wars come to an end.

The story is gripping, at times scary and sad, and always emotionally compelling. I continue to love the cast of recurring characters, both the heroes and the villains. Hero, Sebastian’s wife, is once again a strong and vital partner in the investigation. I was a little disappointed that Hendon didn’t appear in this book, and I missed seeing more of Gibson. I’m still hoping Jarvis wakes up to the truth about his wife and realizes his wife isn’t as trustworthy as he believes. I envision this as a major confrontation.

It’s hard knowing I’ll have to wait another year for the next installment—but I’ll be counting down the days.

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A Great Series

Revisado: 08-30-24 El oyente recibió este título gratis

In this third installment of the Sacred Trinity series, we meet Lowyn's best friend, Clover. Clover is having a bad day, and when she gets to her family home in Disciple, her lousy day worsens. She finds a squatter in her house. Riggs is on a mission from one of the underground camps. He can't have Clover running to Lowyn, who will tell Collin about him. For self-preservation, Riggs takes Clover hostage and mistreats her until something clicks between them. Is it Stockholm syndrome or something more?

I love this world. There are so many great characters, both good and bad. Even though Riggs is a jerk initially, I knew he had a good heart in there somewhere. I love a "good" evil villain; it is even better when that villain is female. The story is a little darker than the first two books in the series. It pulled me in from the start and kept me turning the page and wanting more.

The Comfort in the Brave kept me on my toes. I knew something dreadful would happen from the beginning, but I didn't know what. Let's say I was on the right path but completely missed the left turn.

This story is for you if you are a fan of romance, suspense, and conspiracy theories. I must mention the audiobook while I'm here. I comment on every audio that Julie publishes on how she picks the perfect narrators for her stories. Well, she does it again. Samantha Summers and Robin Blake are perfect for Clover and Riggs. They are great storytellers and voice actors. These two added tremendously to my enjoyment of the book.

I can't wait for more in this series.

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A Great New World

Revisado: 07-03-24 El oyente recibió este título gratis

“The Rumble and the Glory” is quintessential Julie A. Huss, which means it is far from your typical romance. From the first sentence, the story hooks the reader (me) and gets more intense as it progresses. Set in a tri-city mountain area of West Virginia, the community thrives on its annual religious revivals while other similar regions of the state struggle financially. The novel paints a vivid backdrop for a second-chance, small town romance with morally grey characters.

The protagonists, Colin Creed and Lowyn McBride were best friends and high school sweethearts twelve years ago. However, a traumatic event left such a deep scar on Colin that he abruptly enlisted in the Marines, leaving town without a word of farewell. The narrative picks up twelve years later, unraveling the events that transpired and exploring whether old wounds can heal and love can be rekindled.

What I love about this story is everything. The characters are alive in my heart. Lowyn is a strong woman who found a way to move on from her young heartbreak to become the successful business owner she is today. Colin is back in the area with his best friend Amon and a group of military buddies to start their security firm. Both characters have secrets that unfold gradually and realistically over the novel’s length.

The small town setting is beautifully painted and becomes as necessary to the story as the characters. The narrators, CJ Mission and Jill Redfield are the perfect storytellers for this tale in duet.. As I listened, I often thought of friends sitting around the table rehashing their day. They pulled me in and made me feel a part of the story. Julie has a way of picking the perfect narrators for each of her stories.

JA Huss knows how to blend emotions, settings, characters, and events to make a gripping storyline, making “The Rumble and the Glory” a compelling read. The complex characters are developed with their intricate pasts, adding layers of genuineness to their journey. Another big plus for me is that the characters act their age.

One reason I take breaks from romance stories is because so many authors make secrets ridiculously trite, making me wonder why two people who love each other can’t have a simple conversation. I never felt frustrated with Colin or Lowyn in this story. It is a realistic journey of two people working around and through their hurdles.

You must read this story if you are looking for a new, fun, and engaging romance. You won’t regret it. Now I'm ready to start the next book in this series.

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Another great installment in this series

Revisado: 05-30-23

I love this series. The characters are unconventional, the mystery is captivating, and the “weasles” are fun characters as usual.


The narrator does a good job pulling readers into the story.

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Love this story

Revisado: 01-21-23

A perfect beginning to the series. Great story and an excellent narrator. I will continue the series.

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Love this series

Revisado: 12-08-22

This is a re-listen for me. The story has great Eve and Roarke moments, a good procedural, and excellent support characters. I love every book in this series. Susan Erickson is an outstanding voice actor. She brings the story to life with her gift of multiple voices. I feel what the characters feel. Beautifully done

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Great Audio

Revisado: 07-27-22

I consider Loving Dark Men a typical JA Huss story. By typical, I mean to expect the unexpected. I love Huss' unique writing style and plot devices. I know she will grab my attention early and hold me glued to the pages/audio with her many twists and turns to the end. In my opinion, Loving Dark Men is a dark twist on a Fantasy Island adventure with a bit of secret society and a hefty dose of erotica. Expect graphic plural relationships, which Julie knows how to write vividly.

Nova Ryanski “Ryan” is a beautiful young woman who worked her way up from trailer trash to a 4.0 neuroscience Ph.D. She is starting her new career as an intern on a prestigious research project in New Hampshire at a place known as Private Island #1. Everything about the program is cutting edge and hush-hush. She agrees to live on the island with minimal access to the outside world to protect the secrets of the research.

Michael Locke is the first person Nova meets while she is wandering around the campus. Locke is her first “dark man” and is also involved in the study, but his position is unclear throughout most of the story. The second “dark man” is Olsen, Nova’s advisor, who lives in the cottage across the sidewalk from her. Finally, there is Silas Mercer. He is the darkest of all and her boss.

The story is told from Nova and Locke’s dual points of view. It begins in the present day with Nova and her daughter on their farm. Locke is at Nova’s place for one of his regular visits. One of Nova’s dark men is Veda’s father, but Nova decides to keep the paternity a secret because she loves all three men. Through flashbacks and both characters’ POVs, we learn more about the study, their plural relationships, and the many secrets that unfold are surprising and change the way these characters look at the events in their life and how they plan their future.

Loving Dark Men is a standalone, slow-burn thriller that you must stick with for the excellent payoff. It starts with me wondering about the characters of this romantic psychological thriller until it escalates into something that puts me on the edge of my seat until I almost fall off. I enjoyed this story, but I will warn you that it is not a book for everyone. Loving Dark Men is for you if you like kink, plural relationships, and crazy, unexpected twists. I am a fan of it all.

Finally, the narrators are superb. I loved this story when I read it, but the audio is a whole new experience. I love how Desiree Ketchum and James Cavenaugh's performances add so much to the characters, the events, and the suspense. They are excellent.

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A great series

Revisado: 06-03-22

Everything Books in this séries has me guessing while I am sitting on the edge of my seat. I am a major Kim Stone fan. I can’t wait for the next book.

I am a big fan of Jan Cramer as the narrator. Her performance adds so much color to the story.

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Love it!

Revisado: 05-11-22

It appears that I’m in a historical reading phase right now. I can’t get enough historical romances and mysteries. Marrying Winterborne is in the historical romance genre. It is the second book in The Ravenel series by Lisa Kleypas. What great characters. It is no wonder that I had to begin this book as soon as I finished the previous book. I didn’t know how Helen was going to fix the breakup with Rhys Winterborne. There is no doubt that Kathleen had Helen’s best interest at heart, but she did act to compulsively.

Helen is a shy, sheltered young woman who never expected to marry. When she met Rhys there was an instant click. Helen hoped that Rhys felt the same. She saw something in Rhys Winterborne that most members of the aristocracy didn’t. They only saw his money; Helen saw his heart.

I like this couple. They are two misfits who never felt like they belonged before they had each other. Both had the feeling that no matter what they did it wouldn’t be enough to gain the love and respect they crave. To compensate, Rhys often appears to be a bully whereas Helen sinks internally. To me, Helen did take a little too long to confide her secret to Rhys. I understood her reluctance at first, but she had several opportunities to explain, however, the way they reveal all, was a nice twist of sorts.
I’m looking forward to seeing what happens with the other members of the Ravenel family and friends. One of the support characters, Dr. Gibson, is a new character introduced in this book. There is a story there for the future that I believe will be as captivating as Marrying Winterborne.

Believe it or not, The Ravenel series is my introduction to Lisa Kleypas. She will be a permanent author on my reading list.

Audio narrator: Mary Jane Wells does an excellent job narrating this story. Her many voices add to the listening experience. She brings the story to life and makes me want more. Well done.

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Good suspense

Revisado: 06-20-21

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in Ms. Griffin's new Wolfe Security series. Complex characters, both male and female who are career driven and focused. Needless to say they butt heads a lot but learn to respect one another.

Desperate Girls is a romantic suspense that unfolds at a steady pace. As the story develops the suspense builds, but it never creates what I call an “on the edge of my seat” type of anxiety. Instead, it is more the niggling uncertainty that hangs in the background of a slow-burn thriller with an even slower burn romance. I like it a lot.

The narrator does a good performance. I enjoyed listening to the characters come to life.

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