Lupdilup

This was one of my favorite reads of 2010
Who knew that being odd could so be hot!
One thing makes this book exciting, fresh and captivating; Lord Ian Mackenzie.
I love, love the way Ms. Ashley took this unconventional hero and turned him into one my most endearing characters, and hopefully one of yours.
Institutionalized since the age of twelve, Ian Mackenzie is brilliant to the point that borderline madness, but thanks to his brother intervention he was rescued, and has being living a semi normal life, that is, until Beth Ackerly walks into his life.

Once thing Lord Ian knows, is how to value, and the authenticity of a treasure, and when he meets Beth for the first time, he immediately recognizes her worth, and he???s determined not to let it go to waste with her broke and unappreciative fianc????. With tunnel vision and uncompromising determination he decides, he will make Beth his wife.
Beth is a nice complement to Ian, and one of the few people that quickly recognized his brilliance, and she undoubtedly helps him bring it to the front.
But things are never easy, are they?
With that, we get a story with so many elements that won't allow you and won???t want to pause for a minute. This novel has it all; mystery, murder, entertaining dialogue, humor, a nicely paced and scorching romance (did I say I love Ian?) not to mention great secondary characters that will have you coming back for more, which BTW, I haven???t done yet, but I assure you that I???m highly anticipating the next audio release.
This was a fantastic introduction to the series, and a must listen for all Historical Romance fans.

Narration:
When I found out that Angela Dawe was going to be narrating this novel, I had to admit I have doubts, not because she???s not a capable narrator, but because I had envision how nicely Susan Ericksen would have brought this novel to life.
But what do I know? It turns out that Angela Dawe was the perfect choice; she beautifully and with commended accuracy brought the characters and the story to life.
Angela???s tone, pace and approach were precisely what the story demanded.
I had no problem at all distinguishing the voices; the only small flaw I found was her Scottish accents, let???s just say I???ve heard better; nevertheless, this was a very good performance.

Genre: Historical Romance
Sensuality: HOT

After a few good reactions from bloggers whose opinions I respect, I decided to give Reflected in You a shot.
I find it peculiar that after listening to this installment I like Bared to You much more than I originally did if this makes any sense to you.
This is the continuation of the hot, but rocking relationship between Eva and Gideon.
The novel takes place right after the ending of Bared to You, and right off the get go we find Eva suffering anxiety from the fact that Gideon still hiding something, and won’t come clean to the point where they both can put their tragic past behind, and set their relationship on a good and healthy track.
On the other hand, Gideon, as much as he seems to love and need Eva, he still is not showing her (outside the bedroom) how strong his feeling for her really are.
We do have a little mystery - well I say “little” because quite frankly it’s very predictable; nevertheless, I enjoyed their interactions in and out the bedroom a lot more this time around, and I’m really beginning to have a true appreciation for the characters, as well as, Ms. Day’s writing style, which btw, it’s easy, fluent, smart, and it involves you in the drama; making you experience and suffer right along Eva the angst, and the emotional uncertainty.
After listening to Reflected in You, I’m highly recommending these novels to anyone that expects a lot more than just sex in an erotica novel, and don’t mind spending some time with challenging, and deeply scarred characters that make you thank God you have a semi-normal life. I will also strongly advise to listen to these novels in the right order; I don’t see any way how this could be enjoy as a stand alone book without having all the facts of this ongoing dramatic roller coaster.
All in all, this was a very enjoyable listen, and I’m looking forward to, Entwined With You, expected to be release on June/2013.

Genre - Contemporary Erotica
Sensuality - Burning

NARRATION
I really enjoyed Jill Redfield’s narration; she does an excellent job transferring to the listener the angst, distress, uneasiness and don't let me forget the sensuality in the emotionally charged relationship between the protagonists.
Her approach to Eva’s character is right on target-I really got a clear picture of her personality. Eva’s insecurities, as well as, her strengths are skillfully conveyed.
This is an emotional listen, and Ms. Redfield perfectly hits the mark with her delivery.
Even though, I’m still not thrilled with any of her male voices, I have to give her good marks for her ability to convey Gideon’s vulnerable moments in a real and believable manner.
All things considered; this is a very good performance by Jill Redfield, and I can’t wait for her delivery of Entwine With You.

I originally read the first 4 books of this series back in 2009; the audio books hadn’t been published then.
This series was my introduction to the Historical Romance genre, and I’ve loved it ever since.
So, when I finally saw this published on audio in 2010, I let the average ratings influence my decision to pass over it. In a way, I’m glad I didn’t listen to it then. I can see why some were disappointed, the novel length doesn’t permit the depth of the story or characters that make Ms. Kleypas' historicals so enjoyable: however; since it had been a long time since I revisit the Wallflower setting, I found this novel immensely enjoyable, it served as a reminder of the great entertainment and escapism Ms. Kleypas delivers with her books.
The desire of the Bowman’s family to marry their offspring into English nobility, to elevate their social status by bringing blue blood into the lineage doesn’t stop with just their daughters, and it’s Rafe Bowman’s (eldest brother of Lillian and Daisy) turn to come to England and try to win the hand of Miss Nathalie Blandford, a very rich and upper class socialite girl, but it will be her cousin and paid companion, Hanna, who would have the biggest doubts about this proposed union, and as she embarks in the task of finding out what is this American rogue all about, she begins to lose her heart in the process.
Rafe Bowman is not a saint, and as a powerful Wall Street Mogul he has been privy to a life of debauchery, and frankly, he’s far from a gentleman, but he will try everything in his power to fulfill his parents’ wishes - securing his place in his family’s fortune it’s an important gold he must accomplish.
But, the brain will say one thing while the heart says another; Rafe, immediately finds himself attracted to Nathalie’s poor cousin, who in no way will help his financial or social status.
Will Rafe follow his father’s orders, or will he sacrifice everything for his capricious heart?
I can’t say the Rafe is my favorite male lead in the series, but I always enjoy seeing a bad boy brought to his knees by the power of love.
Although, I think this could be enjoyed as a standalone novel, I feel the references to past characters will have you wonder, plus this is a great historical romance series, and should be enjoyed and its entirety.
Genre - Historical Romance
Sensuality - Hot (adult read/listen)

NARRATION.

This it’s not the first time I’ve mentioned how much I enjoy Rosalyn Landors’s narrations, her elegant tone and clear British accent are perfect to transport you to the era, her delivery lends authenticity to the novels and immediately places you in the story.
I never have a problem distinguishing the female and male voices, the sarcastic lines are perfectly delivered, enhancing the dialogue by truly conveying the characters’ wit.
Although, I have to admit, I do like my male characters’ voice delivered in a deeper tone, I have always given Ms. Landor a pass because the overall narration is truly enjoyable, and regardless of the tone, I always get a clear picture of their personality.
All in all, this is fantastic performance by Ms. Landor.

Again the magic eludes me, I wanted to love this book, I really did, and for the life of me I don't get why her books don't move me, they just don't inspire any passion in me like Lisa Kleypas' novels do.
But I guess if you are a die hard fan of Julia Quinn you will find it enjoyable, for me this novel was just a little better than meh! And it's not the writing or the likeability of the characters, I just don't know what it is.
Rosalyn Landor's performance is as flawless and as terrific as always.

The only reason I'm not giving this book 5 stars all around is because I like a little more heat in my readings/listens, but wow! I'm so glad I gave Nora Roberts another shot. I loved the heroine in this book!
After having been raised by "Mommie Dearest" and at 16-years-old becoming the solo witness that could bring down the Russian Mafia, it was a trip to see her emotional growth, survivable and finally her triumph.
Don't get me wrong, there's romance, a very sweet romance; the hero was just the perfect supportive (loved him too) character for Liz and the story.

NARRATION
Julia Whelan was amazing!! Fantastic narration! Her portrayal of 16-year-old Liz's was right on target, and equally fantastic was her interpretation of 28-years-old Abigail.
Her command of the different accents and voices was impressive and a tremendous show of her talent.
Excellent performance.
Sensuality: Warm

I???m so glad I got a chance to re-visit one of my favorite books in the series, and the one that clinched my fondness for IAD.
Have I mentioned how much I love a perfectly timed romance? Yes, I love, love that, because that means we get sexual tension.. And I luuuuve sexual tension, and with the scorching hot chemistry between Sebastian and Kaderin we get plenty of it.
Kaderin the Cold Hearted Valkyrie, finds herself in a vast dilemma; unable to feel any emotions for the past thousand years, now has to contend with her attraction to the very vampire she???s intending to kill, plus the fact that she can???t forget that a dead leach like
Sebastian Roth was responsible for the horrible death of her two sisters.
On the other hand, Sebastian is tired of being something that he never chose to be, and when Kaderin comes to his castle to deliver the death blow, he welcomes it with open arms, but in that moment, he discovers that Kaderin is his bride and his fate....And that changes everything.
And so... The adventure begins with mind blowing action, and suspense that won't let you pause for a minute.
Kaderin and Sebastian enter the world competition for supernatural creatures, a brilliant setting for all the action and suspense. They both enter for very different reasons but equally important to them.
For Kaderin, the final prize is a key that can give her the possibility to go back to the past and save her sisters.
For Sebastian is the chance to help her fated bride achieved the victory, and in the process win her heart.
As the competition heats up, so does their romance; and we get one hell of a hot, steamy and perfectly developed romance.
I know a lot fans of the genre have already enjoyed this series, but if you are one of the few that has not, don???t miss out on the opportunity to discover why Kresley Cole is so highly regarded. This is the book where Ms. Cole???s talent begins to shine, with perfectly balanced heroes, heroines that don???t take crap from nobody, and are some of the strongest, funniest and entertaining little biaches in the paranormal realm.

Narration:
Once again Robert Pefkoff takes the novel to a higher level.
I love the way he reads these books, I know that his female voices could be better, actually, I wish they would have two different narrators, and frankly, I always have a hard time with male narrators and their female voices, but the way Robert brings the story to life with the perfect pace, ambiance and the right amount of drama, in my opinion, makes up for the not so perfect but tolerable female voices.
I???m more likely to forgive and overlook a flawed female voice from a male narrator, than bad male voice from a female narrator, and no, I???m not being sexist, it???s just the nature of the genre, these guys are often described as having the best male attributes (in every sense of the word) and their voices are a big part of the fantasy. It???s as simple as that.

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Sensuality: Scorching HOT

I???m a colossal fan of this series; I look forward every year to the time when J.R. Ward and Jim Frangione will take me away to the Black Dagger Brotherhood???s world, and I will get completely lost in the drama, passion, tension, sensuality and ultimately romance.
So, did Lover Reborn do it for me? ??? Absolutely without a doubt, although the romance and tension didn???t come exactly from whom I expected, it never took anything away from my enjoyment; the character???s progress and growth proved sufficient to engross me from beginning to end.

In a way, I felt Ward was trying to give us a different kind of Romance, the kind that???s not easy or happy, but tortured, and after having spent almost 5 years with Tohr, I wouldn???t have believed it otherwise.
Did he get the best Shellan? Probably not, but I thought he got just what he need it.
Is almost a fact now that the series has taken a new direction, where the main couple is no longer the center of the story, but just another in the many plots and updates in the novel, and I can sense some might not be happy with the change. In my case; I???ll take anything Ward gives me as long as she continues to capture my heart and attention.
The side stories are amazing and so realistic; I constantly forget that I???m in a fantasy world and that these guys are just a bunch of vampires in Caldwell NY.
One more thing I love is the fact that the Lessers aren???t as important, and we are starting to get a different kind of evil, one that is not going to be as easy to identify as such, but the gray area between good and evil is going to come into play and it's going to force you to dig deep and question your likes and dislikes for these new guys.
In conclusion, the action sequences are some of the best if not the best in the series, the drama is at its all time high, and last but not least the writing is phenomenal.
The hints???. Well, more than hints of what's coming for Blay and Qhuinn are gonna have you wishing 2012 away.
I LOVED IT!

NARRATION:
Jim's delivery is superb in every aspect, with the minor complaint about his female voices, but honestly at this point they don???t even bother me at all because he is the reason why this book is not only 4 stars
Just one thing to the new audio listener, it takes a few chapters to get used to his voice and delivery, but once you do, you won???t have it any other way.
Look at the ratings for this book, so you can get an idea of how highly Jim's performance has been evaluated.

Although this not my favorite - I think mostly due to how high in the sky my expectations were, this was still a tremendous listen and I highly recommend it (as part of a series- for complete enjoyment) to any fan of a hot ( yes, strong sexual content) paranormal romance genre.
Thank God Ms. Showalter hasn???t lost her ability to take me away now that I???m finding more and more difficult to surrender my mind and heart to a Paranormal Romance novel.
I love the lords and I???ve not grown tired of their world, I still want to hear William???s story (my favorite) I still want to go all the way to end, and if you???re a fan of the series I wouldn???t skip this one, it still contains all the elements that made you love it in the first place.
Hot???
Suspense???
Engrossing???
Well developed characters???
A good love story???
Action???
Updates on the rest the lords ???
It was great to get Galen???s point of view which has ignited my interest in him and Legion. I really enjoyed their story, I???m dying to see where it goes and where it will end.
New characters are introduced, secrets are revealed and don???t you want to know if the end is getting near?
LOTU continues to be one of favorite Paranormal Romance series.
All in all, this is a solid entry to the Lords of the Underworld and a highly enjoyable listen.

Narration.
I can???t believe that I have to start my review of the narration with ??? how can???t anyone not love Max Bellmore???????
I love the way he narrates these books, and The Darkest Seduction is not the exception.
Again he???s approach and pace are flawless, and the mood of the novel, the characters personality, and sensuality are perfectly conveyed.
Another fantastic job by very talented narrator.

4.1/2 stars (over all)
Once again Larrisa Ione and Hillary Hubard teamed up to deliver a fantastic and super entertaining listen.
As usual this entry is full of excitement,passion and that undeniable sexy flavor typical of Ms.Ione's novels.
Urban Fantasy-Paranormal Romance
Sensuality- Very Hot
Part of a series- no recommended as a stand alone.

All I can say is that if you love Jaime you're going to enjoy this book very much. It was so nice to visit Diana's world and characters, (even if only Lord Jonh's world).
I truly feel bad for Lord John, he loves Jaime more than I do, if that is possible.
This adventure is set during Jaime's parole as a prisoner of war after the failed Jacobite Cause. Fans of the Outlander series will enjoy great insights into the development of John and Jamie's friendship. I LOVED that part.
Now for the narration, I have to warn all Outlanders's fans, the reader's voice and tone for Jaime is completely different from Davina Porter's, it takes a while to get used to him, but Diana's brilliant writing doesn't let you forget for a moment how wonderful Jaime's Personality is, and it comes through beautifully despite the horrible interpretation.
I really like Lord John after listening to this entry.. well, I always did like him, but now I like him a lot more.
I was upset when the book ended, I wanted more :(
My advice; listen to the sample first and see if you can deal with Jamie's voice and interpretation, I did, but I think that if the voice makes you cringe you should read it instead.
This review is from die-hard fan of the Outlander series.