Horseshoes and Hand Grenades
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $19.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Jamie Lynn at North Loop Productions
-
By:
-
S. M. Stevens
About this listen
All practical Shelby Stewart wants is to build her PR career at the Boston zoo, and maybe find some nice guys to date. But long-buried memories of a childhood incident keep interrupting her plans, affecting her health one way after another. And when will she actually date someone her friends think is good enough for her?
Ambitious Astrid Ericcson thinks she wrote the book on How to Get Ahead by Flirting. But she is forced to re-visit her career advancement strategy when her PR agency boss takes the innuendos to a whole new level, threatening her job and her safety.
The two frenemies-turned-real-friends reach new highs and lows in life, work and romance, while struggling to make sense of the relationships that torment them. In the end, they realize “almost” counts in much more than horseshoes and hand grenades.
©2019 S. M. Stevens (P)2020 S. M. StevensRelated to this topic
-
The Loudest Silence
- By: Olivia Janae
- Narrated by: Abby Craden
- Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rising star cellist Kate Flynn is new to Chicago and her job at the Windy City Chamber Ensemble. On day one, she is surprised by the board's intriguing president, Vivian Kensington. Not only does the woman come with a formidable reputation, but she's also deaf. However, between a familiar face Kate isn't ready to see again and the difficulties of being a single mom, she isn't sure Chicago is the right place for her.
-
-
Tried to like it
- By Ella on 03-09-23
By: Olivia Janae
-
The Right Swipe
- A Novel
- By: Alisha Rai
- Narrated by: Summer Morton, Brian Pallino
- Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rhiannon Hunter may have revolutionized romance in the digital world, but in real life she only swipes right on her career - and the occasional hookup. The cynical dating app creator controls her love life with a few key rules: nude pics are by invitation only; if someone stands you up, block them with extreme prejudice; protect your heart. Only there aren't any rules to govern her attraction to her newest match, former pro-football player Samson Lima. The sexy and seemingly sweet hunk woos her one magical night...and disappears.
-
-
Great story, odd narrator choice
- By Maya on 09-03-19
By: Alisha Rai
-
On the Corner of Love and Hate
- By: Nina Bocci
- Narrated by: Dara Rosenberg
- Length: 10 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Emmanuelle Peroni’s father - and mayor of her town - asks her to help rehab Cooper Endicott’s image, she’s horrified. Cooper drives her crazy in every way possible. But he’s also her father’s protégé, and she can’t say no to him without him finding out the reason why: Cooper and her have a messy past. So Emmanuelle reluctantly launches her father’s grand plan to get this Casanova someone to settle down with and help him lose his Lothario reputation.
-
-
Sweet, Sassy and Intelligent
- By Belle Barrell on 10-26-19
By: Nina Bocci
-
F*ck Marriage
- By: Tarryn Fisher
- Narrated by: Meg Sylvan, Connor Crais
- Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two years ago, Billie Tarrow's husband left her for another woman. Shamed and divorced, Billie retreated to her family home in Port Townsend, far from her old life in New York. After a near-death encounter, Billie decides to return to the city that took everything from her. But sometimes in the midst of heartache, hope suffocates the pain. Satcher Gable has carried a torch for Billie for 10 years. When she suddenly returns to New York a single woman, he can't believe his good fortune. But convincing Billie to walk away from her heartache is proving more difficult than he anticipated.
-
-
So many emotions
- By ANON on 06-16-20
By: Tarryn Fisher
-
Chasing Perfect
- Fool's Gold, Book 1
- By: Susan Mallery
- Narrated by: Tanya Eby
- Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There is only one thing wrong with the charming community of Fool’s Gold, California: the men don’t stick around! This problem has to be fixed, fast, and Charity Jones may be just the city planner up to the challenge. Charity immediately falls in love with all the storybook town has to offer – except its sexy, famous, world-class cyclist Josh Golden. With her long list of romantic disasters, she’s not about to take a chance on another bad boy…but it may just be what they both need!
-
-
Awful narration
- By Kimberly on 05-17-10
By: Susan Mallery
-
The Bad Boy's Girl
- By: Blair Holden
- Narrated by: Laura Hopatcong, Douglas Berger
- Length: 15 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Tessa O'Connell is a girl as ordinary as they come - or so she thinks. Her aim for senior year is to keep her head down yet somehow manage to convince her childhood love, Jay Stone, to love her back. What she isn't prepared for is for Jay's brother, Cole, to return to town and change the life she's always been seemingly content to live. Tall, gorgeous as all hell, and a bad boy with ocean blue eyes and the perfect edge of adorability, he was her greatest tormentor, her number one enemy.
-
-
I love this story!!!
- By Amazon Customer on 07-06-18
By: Blair Holden
-
The Loudest Silence
- By: Olivia Janae
- Narrated by: Abby Craden
- Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rising star cellist Kate Flynn is new to Chicago and her job at the Windy City Chamber Ensemble. On day one, she is surprised by the board's intriguing president, Vivian Kensington. Not only does the woman come with a formidable reputation, but she's also deaf. However, between a familiar face Kate isn't ready to see again and the difficulties of being a single mom, she isn't sure Chicago is the right place for her.
-
-
Tried to like it
- By Ella on 03-09-23
By: Olivia Janae
-
The Right Swipe
- A Novel
- By: Alisha Rai
- Narrated by: Summer Morton, Brian Pallino
- Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Rhiannon Hunter may have revolutionized romance in the digital world, but in real life she only swipes right on her career - and the occasional hookup. The cynical dating app creator controls her love life with a few key rules: nude pics are by invitation only; if someone stands you up, block them with extreme prejudice; protect your heart. Only there aren't any rules to govern her attraction to her newest match, former pro-football player Samson Lima. The sexy and seemingly sweet hunk woos her one magical night...and disappears.
-
-
Great story, odd narrator choice
- By Maya on 09-03-19
By: Alisha Rai
-
On the Corner of Love and Hate
- By: Nina Bocci
- Narrated by: Dara Rosenberg
- Length: 10 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Emmanuelle Peroni’s father - and mayor of her town - asks her to help rehab Cooper Endicott’s image, she’s horrified. Cooper drives her crazy in every way possible. But he’s also her father’s protégé, and she can’t say no to him without him finding out the reason why: Cooper and her have a messy past. So Emmanuelle reluctantly launches her father’s grand plan to get this Casanova someone to settle down with and help him lose his Lothario reputation.
-
-
Sweet, Sassy and Intelligent
- By Belle Barrell on 10-26-19
By: Nina Bocci
-
F*ck Marriage
- By: Tarryn Fisher
- Narrated by: Meg Sylvan, Connor Crais
- Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two years ago, Billie Tarrow's husband left her for another woman. Shamed and divorced, Billie retreated to her family home in Port Townsend, far from her old life in New York. After a near-death encounter, Billie decides to return to the city that took everything from her. But sometimes in the midst of heartache, hope suffocates the pain. Satcher Gable has carried a torch for Billie for 10 years. When she suddenly returns to New York a single woman, he can't believe his good fortune. But convincing Billie to walk away from her heartache is proving more difficult than he anticipated.
-
-
So many emotions
- By ANON on 06-16-20
By: Tarryn Fisher
-
Chasing Perfect
- Fool's Gold, Book 1
- By: Susan Mallery
- Narrated by: Tanya Eby
- Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There is only one thing wrong with the charming community of Fool’s Gold, California: the men don’t stick around! This problem has to be fixed, fast, and Charity Jones may be just the city planner up to the challenge. Charity immediately falls in love with all the storybook town has to offer – except its sexy, famous, world-class cyclist Josh Golden. With her long list of romantic disasters, she’s not about to take a chance on another bad boy…but it may just be what they both need!
-
-
Awful narration
- By Kimberly on 05-17-10
By: Susan Mallery
-
The Bad Boy's Girl
- By: Blair Holden
- Narrated by: Laura Hopatcong, Douglas Berger
- Length: 15 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Tessa O'Connell is a girl as ordinary as they come - or so she thinks. Her aim for senior year is to keep her head down yet somehow manage to convince her childhood love, Jay Stone, to love her back. What she isn't prepared for is for Jay's brother, Cole, to return to town and change the life she's always been seemingly content to live. Tall, gorgeous as all hell, and a bad boy with ocean blue eyes and the perfect edge of adorability, he was her greatest tormentor, her number one enemy.
-
-
I love this story!!!
- By Amazon Customer on 07-06-18
By: Blair Holden
-
I Want You Back
- The Want You Series, Book 1
- By: Lorelei James
- Narrated by: Troy Duran, Kristin James
- Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Former NHL star Jaxson Lund has returned to the Twin Cities, but he's at loose ends, unsure if he belongs at Lund Industries or where he stands with Lucy, his ex-girlfriend and mother of his daughter, Mimi. Despite the signs she'd like to leave him in the penalty box, the attraction burning between them reinforces his determination to prove that he deserves a second chance....
-
-
This book!!!
- By Tbarb on 04-13-19
By: Lorelei James
-
Off the Record
- The Record, Book 1
- By: K. A. Linde
- Narrated by: Natalie Ross
- Length: 12 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Liz Dougherty’s first reporting assignment for her North Carolina college newspaper finds her covering a state senator’s impromptu press conference, she has no idea how drastically her life is about to change. Senator Brady Maxwell may look the part with his devastating good looks and impeccable style, but his politics rub Liz the wrong way, and she’s not going to let him off easy. Liz’s hardball question catches Brady off guard and shows her editor, Hayden Lane, that she’s headed places as journalist. But to Liz’s surprise, she’s also headed for a secret, high-stakes romance with Brady Maxwell.
-
-
OK story, but it didn't end
- By James on 10-23-16
By: K. A. Linde
-
Lights Out Lucy
- A Music City Rollers Novel
- By: Elicia Hyder
- Narrated by: Callie Dalton
- Length: 10 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
I can't say they didn't warn me. Right now, I realize: I probably should have listened. Because if there's anyone who has no business playing a sport that requires a helmet, pads, and a liability waiver, it's this girl. The same girl who once knocked herself out during a game of backyard baseball. I stepped up to the plate, pulled the bat back a little too far to swing, and clocked myself in the back of the skull. Boom. Lights Out Lucy. That's how I got my roller derby name. So yeah. Maybe I should have known better.
-
-
Wonderfully smart laugh out loud story
- By RC18 on 05-16-18
By: Elicia Hyder
-
Pride and Protest
- By: Nikki Payne
- Narrated by: Kacie Rogers, Ron Nery Jr.
- Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Liza B.—the only DJ who gives a jam—wants to take her neighborhood back from the soulless property developer dropping unaffordable condos on every street corner in DC. But her planned protest at a corporate event takes a turn after she mistakes the smoldering-hot CEO for the waitstaff. When they go toe-to-toe, the sparks fly—but her impossible-to-ignore family thwarts her every move. Liza wants Dorsey Fitzgerald out of her hood, but she’ll settle for getting him out of her head.
-
-
The CHEMISTRY
- By Kristen Killen on 09-18-23
By: Nikki Payne
-
The Set Piece
- By: Catherine Lane
- Narrated by: Abby Craden
- Length: 6 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Smart and athletic, Amy Kimball should have it all, but her life's in a tailspin. She's working two menial jobs to make ends meet, barely a paycheck away from financial disaster, and women aren't exactly lining up at her door. Enter soccer star Diego Torres, who's keeping a big secret: he's gay. His manager fears that if he's found out, his endorsements and his chance to play for the national team will evaporate into the wind.
-
-
It's just not worth the time or money.
- By Kindle Customer on 12-07-22
By: Catherine Lane
-
Bad Habits
- By: Amy Gentry
- Narrated by: Rebecca Lowman
- Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Claire "Mac" Woods—a professor enjoying her newfound hotshot status at an academic conference—finally has the acceptance and admiration she has long craved. But at the conference's hotel bar, Mac is surprised to run into a face from a past she'd rather forget: the moneyed, effortlessly perfect Gwendolyn Whitney, Mac's foil, rival, and former best friend.
-
-
Outstanding!
- By SLuzaz on 02-15-21
By: Amy Gentry
-
The Solid Grounds Coffee Company
- By: Carla Laureano
- Narrated by: Teri Schnaubelt
- Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Analyn Sanchez can handle the long hours and arrogant clients that come with her job as a crisis management associate at Denver’s largest publicity firm. But when she’s asked to cover up a client’s misdeeds with serious moral and legal ramifications, she can no longer sacrifice her conscience for her career...and the cost is no less than her job. Ever since a devastating climbing accident in South America eight months ago, and a bad decision that dried up his sponsorships, professional rock climber Bryan Shaw has found himself at similar loose ends.
-
-
5+ stars: Best for last! (with a religious caveat)
- By Vibliophile on 02-05-23
By: Carla Laureano
-
Tell Me Everything
- A Novel
- By: Cambria Brockman
- Narrated by: Ariadne Meyers
- Length: 12 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In her first weeks at Hawthorne College, Malin is swept up into a tight-knit circle that will stick together through all four years. There’s Gemma, an insecure theater major from London; John, a tall, handsome, wealthy New Englander; Max, John’s cousin, a shy pre-med major; Khaled, a wisecracking prince from Abu Dhabi; and Ruby, a beautiful art history major. But Malin isn’t like the rest of her friends. She’s an expert at hiding her troubled past - all while using her extraordinary insight to detect their deepest vulnerabilities and weaknesses.
-
-
beware
- By keith y. on 10-03-19
By: Cambria Brockman
-
The Rich Boy
- By: Kylie Scott
- Narrated by: Andi Arndt
- Length: 10 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
I’m the type of girl who’s given up on fairy tales. So when Beck – the hot new busboy at work - starts flirting with me, I know better than to get my hopes up. Happily ever afters aren’t for the average. I learned that the hard way. But how can I be expected to resist a man who can quote Austen, loves making me laugh, and seems to be everything hot and good in this world? Only there’s so much more to him than that. Billionaire playboy? Check. Troubled soul? Check.
-
-
are you freaking serious!
- By Deanna on 07-14-20
By: Kylie Scott
-
#1 Crush
- By: T Gephart
- Narrated by: Grace Grant
- Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Tia Monroe was smart, sassy, and successful. Sure, she could get a little crazy at times - life around Tia was never boring - but that was part of her appeal. And while she didn't see herself as classically beautiful, she had no shortage of options in the boyfriend department. She just hadn't found one who held her interest. Until she laid eyes on Eric Larsson, and then it was lust at first sight. He packed the perfect mix of smoldering sexy and unapologetic cool into his blond-haired, blue-eyed, ridiculously hot six-foot-four frame.
-
-
Cute laugh out loud story
- By Amazon Customer on 07-20-17
By: T Gephart
-
To Be With You
- By: TJ O'Shea
- Narrated by: Amy Deuchler
- Length: 16 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Leah Vasquez and Victoria Lockwood should not fall in love. They're smart enough to know a star-crossed lovers situation never works. Leah's a loner from the poor side of town, working two jobs, and aching to leave their sleepy hometown in her rear view forever. Victoria lives in a mansion with her overbearing parents, surrounded by friends and known to none of them, living what others consider a charmed life. When Leah rescues Victoria from a freak rainstorm, they discover an unexpected understanding, and an undeniable spark.
-
-
Excuse Me While I Weep…
- By HunniBFly84 on 10-12-24
By: TJ O'Shea
-
It Had to Be You
- A Novel
- By: Georgia Clark
- Narrated by: Danny Campbell, Feodor Chin, Frankie Corzo, and others
- Length: 13 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For the past 20 years, Liv and Eliot Goldenhorn have run In Love in New York, Brooklyn’s beloved wedding-planning business. When Eliot dies unexpectedly, he even more unexpectedly leaves half of the business to his younger, blonder girlfriend, Savannah. Liv and Savannah are not a match made in heaven, to say the least. But what starts as a personal and professional nightmare transforms into something even savvy, cynical Liv Goldenhorn couldn’t begin to imagine.
-
-
Distractingly bad narration
- By maggie walsh on 05-12-21
By: Georgia Clark
What listeners say about Horseshoes and Hand Grenades
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mark
- 02-21-21
A Story That Will Stick in My Mind
Horseshoes and Hand Grenades by S. M. Stevens is a novel that will likely stick in my mind for years to come. There's a lot of situations in this book that make you uncomfortable, as so they should. The subjects it covers are hard to read about, but they're important to experience nonetheless.
The main characters are two very different personas, with chapters alternating between their viewpoints. Astrid comes across mostly like a typical Ice Queen (and nicknamed at that one point) and aloof. The attitude to life her mother instilled in her has a lot to answer for that. A take-no-prisoners, in-it-for-yourself, step on anyone who gets in your way attitude, so it takes a while to warm to her. From a story standpoint, she's a victim of escalating workplace sexual harassment by her boss, Brad, a soon-to-be partner in the Boston PR firm in which she works.
Shelby, on the other hand, is like the painting on the cover of this book. Shy, naive, fragile, yet a strength simmering below the surface, just waiting to get out. Of the two, I think her character experiences more growth throughout the novel, as she deals with her trauma and starts the healing process. She meets Astrid when she starts work at the same PR agency.
Parts of this are infuriating, with people’s reactions and attitudes towards Shelby, particularly from her family, mother and one of her brothers, downplaying and minimising what she went through. It made me want to shout at them to have some compassion or common sense. They were so focused on how Shelby’s abuse made their life hard, like they were the victim in all of this. That's kind of the point, though. You can, for a brief moment, experience a little of what it's like to be in that position Shelby and Astrid are in and feel how hopeless they feel.
It really makes you stop and think about how easy it is to trivialise something like Astrid's antagonist Brad. He was obviously in the wrong, but you can see how easy it is to brush it off as him being a monolithic jerk. Then through Astrid's eyes, we experience all the small ways what he did impacts her and how it eats away at her life and her confidence, and it hits home just how important it is not to brush off that behaviour.
Two different approaches to the theme of sexual and emotional abuse, handled delicately by the author. It could be easy to slip into a heavy-handed approach, but I think S. M. Stevens's way of delivering the story gives it more power. The story itself is paced well, moving along through the characters' story arcs without getting bogged down in anything I'd call "filler". Each part tells a little more of the story, gives you a little more insight into the character.
Some of the supporting characters were a little one-dimensional, but typically they weren't those who stuck around long enough to make a difference. A lot of drugs and alcohol consumed - a staple of the hard-and-fast business world of the 80s when this was set.
Jamie Lynn did a decent job of narration. I detected a couple of moments of minor issues but nothing that fully pulled me out of the story and spread far enough throughout the runtime that thinking back, I can barely remember them. I think her voice suited Shelby the best. On reflection, this is a story that could have benefited from multiple narrators - one for Astrid and one for Shelby.
While it was obvious enough through chapter changes, I occasionally got lost for a second as to who was speaking as there wasn't enough of a distinction between them. It typically didn't last too long, but it did sometimes mean jumping back a minute or two to realign my head to what was happening.
Finally, a few quick words on the cover art. I'm a huge fan of ink and watercolour style paintings, so the cover really stood out for me. But not just because of my personal preference; I think it suits the book well.
Overall, a great story about... I want to say overcoming hardship, but that doesn't seem like enough. Growing stronger and being more than just a victim and strong friendships that can help empower and guide you through the darkest of days. Well recommended.
I was given this audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review. I have not let this gift affect nor influence my opinions of this audiobook and have left an honest review.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Derrick
- 10-22-22
This Is Not About JOHN CORABI
I wanted the autobiography of Singer John Corabi. The title is either the same, or this is an error of upload.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Linda Brossi Murphy
- 05-23-21
Excellent story about an all to common problem.
Horseshoees and Hand Grenades does a great job portaying an all to common problem that so many of us woman have dealt with. Excellent story with alot of characture depth.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!