Patricia

Even though it was written over a decade ago, this is still a refreshingly different kind of romance novel. Phoebe is unlike any heroine I've read about before or since and she taught me a lot about how we categorize people based on very limited information. Kudos to Susan Elizabeth Phillips for creating a character and a situation that was so wholly unexpected and a lot of fun to read.

The story of LTCM is fascinating, especially for financial scandal junkies who have plowed through books on Enron, Madoff etc. This story is well paced and easy to follow - no small feat given the dry nature of the subject matter HOWEVER, this audiobook could have been greatly improved by a professional reader. Having the writer read it does not do it justice. He has a limited vocal range. The publisher would be wise to re-issue this recording with another narrator.

Brian Cruver's book gives insight on the Enron scandal not found in other books, such as The Smartest Guys in the Room and Conspiracy of Fools. It's the insight of the low-level employee who just wants to go to work and be part of the Enron success story and ends up being a witness to/casualty of the collapse. It's helpful, but not essential, to read the other books first for details on the reasons why Enron fell apart because Cruver's take is more memoir than business analysis. You're not going to understand the ins and outs of the off-balance sheet transactions from reading this book alone. If that's your goal, read the others first. Having read the others and being ready to move past the financial minutiae, I found Cruver's take to be refreshingly lighter, snarkier and relatable.

His description of Enron employees helping each other with their resumes while watching ESPN on the expensive TV screens on the trading floor in the final days of the company's existence is both surreal and startlingly believable to anyone who's worked in corporate America. The narrator does an excellent job in matching the tone of Cruver's text. I actually rate him higher than the narrator of Conspiracy of Fools. If you have a fascination with the Enron story, as I do, this one is worth your time.

Witty, fun read with characters you will like. Great for a car trip, afternoon at the beach, or plane ride. The narrator is one of the best I've heard.

Listening to this is like watching one of the great Hollywood classic movies: The characters are smart and witty, the dialogue snappy...and you'll fall in love with Fred. I will definitely be listening to this one again and again.

This book was a pleasant surprise for me. I didn't expect to like the main character or her trunk-ful of family drama as much as I did.

This was a very satisfying audiobook, great for a long trip or afternoon on the beach.

Less than one chapter into this book, I was laughing so hard at the dialogue that my husband asked me if I was OK. SEP's characters are always great but Dean and Blue really take it to the next level. The supporting cast in this one is also amazing. This is really a tale about a family as a opposed to your run of the mill romance novel. Kudos to SEP for bringing more to the genre.

I have listened to three SEP books and this is still my favorite, likely because Annabelle is my favorite heroine. She's funny, witty and irreverent. The narrator seems to key into her really well.

There are some fall-down funny moments in this book that you will want to hear again and again.

I also love the little "bonus" romances in SEP's books. Once you've read some of her stuff you will know what I mean.

What a wonderful and complex cast of characters! With this book, you don't just get a heroine who dance around their attraction for one another for several hours, you get a whole town full of interesting and complex people who you care about, root for and despise. I loved the main characters but by the end I was wishing that Dex and Tori in particular had their own book!

I have rarely enjoyed an audiobook as much as I enjoyed this. The story itself and the characters are both very realistic and bitingly satirical. The time spent listening to this book literally flew by and I know I will be listetning to it over and over in the weeks to come.

In addition to being a good story with very good characters, this audiobook also sets the standard for narration. The narrator here is nothing short of brilliant. I cannot imagine that the film version of this book brings these characters to life any more than this narrator did with her wonderful performance here. My only fear is that she has spoiled me for other audiobooks.