Desire Wears Diamonds

A Jaded Gentleman Novel, Book 6

By: A. R. Crimson, Renee Bernard

Narrated by: Stevie Zimmerman

Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

When betrayal is the only path open and passion is the only enemy he never anticipated...

The shy soldier and self-appointed guardian of the Jaded, Michael Rutherford, is faced with the ultimate test of his loyalty and honor when he meets the woman who is at once his perfect match and the worst choice he could ever make. The final battle with the Jaded's greatest enemy will force him to choose between the brotherhood he has vowed to protect and shielding the innocent lady he comes to love. For Michael, it is a dance with the devil for a chance to taste the kisses of an angel.

Grace Porter is no ordinary wallflower or shy spinster hiding in the shadows of her brother's London home. She is a quiet rebel with secrets of her own and a woman who dreams of an independent life, free to pursue her dreams as a writer. Her imagination holds the key to her survival, but it fuels her retreat from the colorless world around her.

Until Michael Rutherford's arrival upturns her every fantasy and threatens her sanctuary with his lies. His embrace is intoxicating to her senses but Grace isn't the kind of woman to lose her head - or her heart.

It's a knuckle-biting race to the finish for fans of the Jaded as fan favorite, Michael Rutherford, discovers the identity of the Jackal and Michael learns that sometimes the price to pay for justice is the sacrifice of hope and happiness. He will risk everything as the Jaded call him out as a traitor. Nothing is what it seems.

©2013 Renee Bernard (P)2013 Renee Bernard

Wow!

What did you love best about Desire Wears Diamonds?

I love the entire series by Renee Bernard but to be able to hear it was amazing. From beginning to the end was a roller coaster ride. Very thrilling.

What other book might you compare Desire Wears Diamonds to and why?

I love the entire Jaded Series...it is a must read.

What about Stevie Zimmerman’s performance did you like?

That she made the characters come alive.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made laugh and cry. It is a roller coaster ride. Love the entire Jaded Series

Any additional comments?

I recommend the entire Jaded Series by Renee Bernard. All her books are wonderful

Don’t bother!

The plot, the narrator both combine to make this one of the most banal, lifeless reads I’ve encountered in a long time. Poorly done :( Save your credit!

No spark or chemistry

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

The story had nothing really exciting about it. The final book in a series should have been more interesting and wrap up loose ends. This book was just lackluster.

Has Desire Wears Diamonds turned you off from other books in this genre?

No, it does not turn me off the genre, but it turns me off the author. I think her writing was disjointed and uninspired.

What didn’t you like about Stevie Zimmerman’s performance?

She failed with the male characters. The hero was approx 7 ft, but he sounded like a woman. Also, this book had so much internal monologues where the characters were talking to themselves, it was confusing for all the dialogue to sound alike. It made conversations difficult to follow, to the point where I could not understand what was being "said" internally/externally.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Desire Wears Diamonds?

The character of Tally, a deaf mute, was set up to be interesting. I thought that there would be some reason for his disability, i.e. not being able to gain any information from him by the villans. There did not seem to be any reason for the character to be disabled. Also the references to sign language ( something that could not be used to best advantage for an audio book), was another thing that was just there for the sake of it and did not drive the plot.At the end of the book, where a wet nurse is being interviewed. There is a great deal of time spent on a character that is never seen again. It was just a waste.The scene that would have been interesting was the midnight meeting between the hero and the man that attempted his assassination. It was just referenced, but not an actual scene in the book.

Any additional comments?

This book had all the makings of an exciting wrap up to the series, but it failed in so many ways. The foiling of the villan's plot was so uninteresting I could hardly realize that it occured. The hero "pulled the old switcheroo" of the diamond the villan wanted. It was just cartoonish. And the reader never gets to know what finally happened to the villan that was attempting to kill the "Jaded" over 6 books. he leaves with the diamon and the hero references that he was killed, but there is no confirmation. Not even something indicating that all of his assets were turned over to his sister ( the hero's wife) , so that the reader gets confirmation of his death. It was so anti-climactic and a waste of time.