A Forced Silence

De: Cate Ashwood

Narrado por: Scott R. Smith

For paramedic Adam Carson, his world is lights and sirens and saving lives. Pressures at work keep him firmly in the closet, and life is too busy to contend with the complications that come with dating and relationships. When a familiar face from his past turns up where he least expects it, Adam starts to question whether or not there is room in his life for those complications.

The last person forensic pathologist Sam McKenna expects to see at pub night is Adam, the guy who made his life hell in high school. The attraction is instant, but Adam isn't gay and Sam has no interest in pursuing him. Still, the leftover animosity from their teenage years isn't enough to extinguish the lust growing between them. After both are called to the scene of a horrific murder, Adam admits he's not as straight as he led Sam to believe and they seek comfort and distraction in each other's arms. One night becomes many as the murder investigation intensifies, but when Adam is faced with losing Sam, he is forced to make a choice: to break his silence, or to give up everything for the job he loves.

©2015 Cate Ashwood (P)2016 Dreamspinner Press

Not bad - freaking cliffhanger!

The story is sweet with just enough drama to make it interesting. The love story has a HEA but just to caution you - the murder story does not. And no sequal as i write this, not even in e-book. So maybe you Want to Wait a while before listening. Narrator is not the best but not bad either - the feelings in the scenes does not really shine but at least he does not anoy me as some do.

Decent story but not narration.

I thought the story was good but skipped parts because the narration lacked any inflection. It was basically a guy with a tight jaw Thurston Howell accent with no variation between characters or gender. Got boring quick. Read the book.

A HEA read and find out!!!!

There are very few books I listen to in one sitting, this is one of those books. The other is Fish Stick Friday's. Being a former paramedic the medical side was perfect.

😡😡😡😡😡😡Spoiler Alert😡😡😡😡😡😡😡


I think maybe it took too long for the protagonists to get get together. That is my only complaint, otherwise a damn good book!

The narrator and the cover sold me

I bought this audio for two reasons: the narrator and the cover. Not necessarily stellar reasons, I know, but in this case it worked out. I loved Scott R. Smith’s narration in the Scoring Chances series, by Avon Gale, and just knew that I would find success with him in a new series, with a new author. Although I preferred his performance better in Scoring Chances, he still did a knock-out job here, as well. He just has that voice that settles you and puts you at ease. He would make a great wingman, or psychologist…whichever you need on a given night.

Adam starts out as a kind of a jackass, but he quickly comes around and redeems himself…for the most part. There were times when he was a bit overbearing but not to point of me wanting to kick him out of Sam’s (Dex’s) bed. I must admit that it took a while for me to get the Sam and Dex straight in my head. I know Dex is what Adam always called Sam, but it was a bit hard to follow along, at first. Too many names in an audio can be a killer and I would prefer no other nicknames, especially if they could be mistaken for another person.

Sam is just too adorable, and hot as sin, all at the same time. He rocks the autopsy room and the bedroom, in equal measure. Okay, maybe talking about sex and corpses is not very sexy, but hey, the doctor is rocking it and kudos to him for being a star at both. But Adam is his worst nightmare and future dream come true. The guy was an ass to him in high school, but then grew into a smoking paramedic, who just so happens to be gay and into him now, too. It really doesn’t take long for these two to hit the sheets, but that was fine with me because Scott R. Reed does a magnificent job of performing the sex scenes. I had to make sure the bluetooth was off in my car because inevitably the sexiest and nastiest scenes would start playing when I had company. Great for me, but a little shocking for others, i.e. my carpooling coworker, if the look on her face is anything to go by.

But all in all, even though I was not a huge fan of Adam’s voice, or the way he treated the paramedic intern, I still loved the book, the story, and the performance of Sam. Not sure if book two, A Fallen Heart, is coming out in audio, so I might end up having to read the book, but I will hold out a little longer, just in case. Recommended for those looking for a hot doctor / paramedic, enemies to lovers story, performed by a great voice in Scott R. Reed.

4.5 Stars

Narration: Scott R. Smith has a wonderful voice. I think it sounded a bit older for the character, but it worked for me. The cadence and emphasis were good. There were some spots where it's not clean and a little muffled, but the story made up for it. I would love more stories read by him.

Story: This was my first Cate Ashwood book, and it won’t be my last. I noticed she has a long list there just waiting for me to read…now to find the time!

Wow, I loved these guys! I want A Fallen Heart right now, but it’s been pulled for now. (Hint, hint, Cate!) I found myself cheering for them right from the start. These two were high-school friend-emies (depends on which one you asked). Now grown, they both have hectic jobs in the healthcare system—paramedic and forensic pathologist.

Adam is kind of a jerk, but then he feels like he has to be. As the paramedic, it’s about being in the closet for him. The people he works with are openly homophobic, and he’s outnumbered (I’ve read a few reviews where this was a problem for the reader, knowing a couple of paramedics, it is a thing and something to consider). Then as the story moved along, I was able to see him with Sam and my heart melted for him.

Then there’s Sam. He’s had a crush on Adam since school, but Adam was with the guys that made his life in school hell. Years later when they see each other again, Sam still has those feelings.

This is a love story with a mystery thrown in. What other readers might find hard is that the HEA is completed, but the mystery is hanging there for book two. But don’t let that stop you from reading this! It’s a good story with HOT scenes and wonderful characters and some not-so-wonderful ones that I loved to hate.


I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.