laura

This is a really good installment of the Stephanie Plum series, truly it is, but the narrator CJ Critt is terrible! I almost would have preferred the abridged version because at least Debi Mazar sounds like a thirty year old woman from Jersey and not a 60-ish grandmother from the Midwest. It was so difficult to get into this book because of Ms. Critt. Why she made Grandma Mazur sound like she smokes three packs a day and could possibly be a man I will never understand. If you should choose the unabridged version and agree with me on this particular narrator just push through it because the whole book is worth the listen and Ms. Critt's annoying commendation will soon fall behind the book's flare for comedy and suspense.

More focus on the romance developing between Ian and Beth.
Better use of language for the era.
Slow down the narration.

I found there was way to much time wasted on less important subjects; from Mrs. Berrington's opinions finding its way into everything Beth does to antique ming bowls to solving the murder mystery sub-plot. A lot of thorough scenes have Beth galavanting off to distract herself in Ian's absence, but the author kind of just breezes over the times they were in each other's company but not in bed.
I could totally see why these two fall so madly in love, it is definitely clear, but I would have preferred to better know the details. We all read these novels KNOWING how it'll end, but we love the "what" that brings us to the predictable ending.
On the language...
I just don't feel this novel was a good example of a well researched period novel.
Using a lot of flowery words does not make it Victorian.
The flow just felt mimicked from better authors that are authorities on this time period.
Narrator...
She read way to fast and was much to matter of fact.Period.

Otherwise this was a really good book. All the other raving reviews can tell you why. I wrote this one because I always read reviews and I like to know the good + the bad. This is one just to warn futures listeners of this novels considerable flaws.
I feel that if you are interested in listening to a period romance with a serious twist and separates from the normal obstacles our hero and heroine must face in order to be with one another this particular novel definitely offers exactly what you have been searching for.

HOT, SWEET, AND FUN

How these two characters were friends and new each other well before becoming involved. It made me believe in their love story.

I'm southern and with the first novel I read in this series I was a bit put off by her narration since I tend to be bias as to how those from the sticks should sound but once coming into this last installment I became amused by her country drawl

How Kyle felt about being married to Celia,even though it was SUPPOSED to be a drunken mistake.

If you love cowboys for your chic-lit romances this series is for you! Do not miss out!

This series is phenomenal!!! Kresley Cole is a fantastic writer and Robert Petkoff is an incredible narrator. These books are filled with suspense, action, flaming lust, unpredictable twists, tender love, and best of all FUNNY!!
I am addicted to Audible and no longer read actual books, but I am still trying to decide if I actually want to go buy the fourth installment in paperback form, but I know I wont have time to read it and will miss Robert Petkoff's deep, dark, and sexy voice bringing Cole's characters to life. I'd rather hound Audible and Simon&Schuster Audio until they give me what I want!!! Who's with me? I presume a lot of what is released to Audible is due to customer demand...maybe we can start a petition.

I would only recommend this to a friend whom LOVES paranormal romance and suspense but has already completely finished J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brother Hood series and Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark series. This is more to hold you off until you find something better. Like eating a hershey's bar when really you want chocolate cake.

Not At All...I feel those who aren't used to this genre the new take on Vampire origins is intriguing and can make one interested to find even more untraditional outlooks on the legend of a creature that is as old as the character's age.

Hmmm...hard to say...I wasn't completely disappointed by her. I liked her variations on different accents, she did that very well, but I wish the main male character hadn't sounded so angry all the time...he sounded pissed off even when he wasn't supposed to be.

I guess so...I go through stages with my audio books. When picking this novel I hadn't had enough of paranormal romance, but had finished what is available on Audible in the other series I'm tangled up in. Kiss of Midnight did the job, but I am not interested enough to take on this series, just moved on to different genre's now.

This novel wasn't bad but it wasn't great. If you are interested in taking on a paranormal romance series I suggest the fore-mentioned or the Sookie Stackhouse novels, werewolf series by Patricia Briggs, or Blood Ties series by Jennifer Armintrout. Now those are series you can "sink" your teeth into!

Unpredictable, Engrossing, Endearing. and Sensational!
Oops I broke the ruie on this but just couldn't stop at three...sorry

The puppy....I don't want to give anything a way but out of all the emotional upheavals in this book, that seen made me cry...only thing that beats diamonds is a puppy!

I really liked this narrator! Rather than finding a different voice for every character, which can strain and make some of them sound really strange, she changes her voice by mere octives so still making everyone sound distinct yet normal. Then her normal narration voice actually sound like a 19yr. old girl

I'm sure most people would say Travis, but if he existed I know he'd ignore me all together since he only has eyes for his Pigeon. I would say America...her character had me laughing through out the novel and often truely reminded me of my own best girlfriends! I think her and I would have a blast!

The best and most important part of this novel for was how REAL it could be! There are some unlikely situations...but why else do you read romance novels? And at times wished that there could be more elaboration on some details, but not much at all! I often get frustrated with fictional characters for the dialogue or situations they put themselves in because its way to far off from reality, but in Beautiful Disaster I related so much! I am 25, which is beyond the life experience of these characters, but isn't far from my memory or my age group. THIS is how young adults talk. THIS is how they really react. THIS is how they take on adult situations and stumble through because they didn't understand what had to be invested. Travis is certainly flawed but TRUST ME that guy exists, unlike Christian Grey or Edward Cullen (just to name a couple). I myself have been in the situation Abby faced with trying to reserve herself in order to preserve a good thing, so I could understand where she was with every decision/non-descision made. I think any girl could, really. Bottom line, there is a quality to each one of these characters that I think anyone could relate to which made this book so amazing! You won't want it to end, and wish you knew these characters so you can be sure they do OK once the audio is finished

I disagree with most of the other reviewers of this book. I am a HUGE SEP fan, and this novel is one of the lasts of her novels I bought because of what the reviews say. As one of SEP's older novels it isn't exactly what you would expect, but it is still great! "Just Imagine" is a bit darker and has a little less humor than the other novels, the relationship between Kit and Barron much more conflicting and harsher than what we are accustomed to, but I found that the bad made the good so much sweeter! If you are familiar with SEP's books than listening/reading to "Just Imagine" you can see how it is the matriarch, the seed, that other novels and characters came from; Kit could be the great great grandmother of Blue from "Natural Born Charmer" and the plot line close to a combination of "Dream A Little Dream" and "Fantsy Pants". I have more appreciation for this novel having the sense that is was the start of so many other great things. "Just Imagine" will manage to make you feel every emotion...you will laugh, get mad, cry, and smile from ear to ear and is less predictable than most romances so you'll find it hard to turn it off. All in All, if you're already an SEP fan but are weary I'm telling u it's worth the credit, if your are new to SEP use your credits towards another one of her novels so you'll be sure to fall in love then come back to "Just Imagine".

This book was not bad bookm, fun and sexy, which is exactly why you would download it. BUT, and this is a huge but, this book defies the laws of plagerism only by changing small details. This storyline, plot, and characters are just copies from a much better novel. "It Had to Be You" by Susan Elizabeth Phillips was written and publish way before and it was done SOOOO MUCH BETTER!!!! Rachel Gibson must have read "It Had to Be You" and later in life it resurfaced in her mind, decided it had been to long for anyone to remember the publication, so tweeked MINOR details and added more explicit sex scenes with a cheaper outlook. In "It Had to Be You" female lead posed naked for a famous painter and posed again for a Modern Art publication, which is a little classier than a stripper turned playmate. "It Had to Be You": It was an estranged Father whom left her a football team, and in my opinion that's better than being left the team by your senior citizen husband. Male lead from "It had To Be You" is the team's coach rather than their captain. Evil family member after the team would be a cousin rather than a son-in-law. I am only going on and on about this becaause Susan Elizabeth Phillips is SO incredibly talented, she's funnier, sweeter, smarter, and has way better character developement. My only hope that before using a credit on this generic version you'll search "It Had to Be You" and find everything your are looking for and MUCH MUCH MORE. Oh, one more thing, narrator Anna Fields will ROCK YOUR SOCKS OFF!!!!!!

Ok once you get past the Male Lead's voice this is an AWESOME BOOK...SugarBeth is so FREAKIN funny...that's the plainest way I can put it. I've listened to 15 of the 21 titles from SEP, and Sugar Beth is one of the funniest leading females.

I am addicted to SEP audio books, and one reason was because of Anna Fields narration. While, she is still sincerely missed, and have no qualms or complaints with the new narrator. She's extremely talented! If you are a review reader, as I am, don't pay attention to the negative nancy. This book is wonderful! Fantastically developed main characters and laugh-out-loud supporting characters as well. This particular book is filled with returning characters from SEP older volumes, and because I enjoyed this one so much I ended up buying the other books just to know supporting characters' backgrounds. Once you have reached Part 2 you won't want to turn it off...I drove in my car for four hours one Sunday afternoon to finish this book.