Strung Along

Cherry Peak, Book 1

By: Hannah Cowan

Narrated by: Stefanie Kay, Zachary Webber

Length: 11 hrs

Publisher's summary

Love. Sucks.

I don’t know where I went wrong. Whether it was letting a man convince me that suddenly, the things I’ve never wanted are right for me, or if simply believing the best in the person who I wasted three years of my life on was what lead me here.

To Cherry Peak. A small town nestled in the heart of Alberta, Canada.

The hometown of rising country star, Brody Steele.

It only takes one brief encounter to mark him as a broody jerk. An all-knowing, arrogant celebrity with a complex I don’t have the energy for.

But if I truly dislike him the way I’ve convinced myself I do, then why am I always looking for him in crowded rooms? Why are his surprisingly thoughtful gestures melting the wall of ice I’ve stuck between us?

Cherry Peak was supposed to be my fresh start, a place to heal and rebuild. Yet, just as I begin piecing my life back together, Brody’s preparing to leave, as if he hasn’t become a vital part of that journey.

The thought of losing him keeps me up at night. I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to find our footing, or if we were just stringing each other along the whole time.

©2024 Hannah Cowan (P)2024 Hannah Cowan

Loved this narrator pairing!

When Anna finds her fiancé in bed with another woman (on her birthday!), she's done! She packs up and leaves to Cherry Peak, a town she and her sister picked by throwing a die on a map. She's finding joy there, making new friends, working as a hairdresser. When her sister tells her she has to text a picture of her dress to be approved by the bride in a wedding she's merely a guest, she's confused and surprised, by she complies with the weird request. That's when a "You've Got Mail" situation starts. She texts the picture to a wrong number... they start exchanging texts. Banana and Bo. 

Her new friends invite her to a night at the bar and there she meets rising country star, Broody Steele, who treats her like crap. The nerve! You see, Brody thinks she's some sort of groupie looking to hook up with a celebrity. Anna's done being mistreated by men and lets him have it, which makes Brody see her in a completely different way. Besides, he's actually a gentleman. He's been a grumpy because he's in town for medical reasons (vocal rest) and he's dealing with family stuff now that  he's back in the family ranch So, he lashed out, but he's trying to make amends. 

Soon, they both realized that Bo and Banana are very similar to Brody and Anna...

I think at this point I need to add a disclaimer when I review anything Zachary Webber narrates. He can do no wrong in my book and his Brody is swoony. To make this even better, all you needed to do to make this a home run was to add my girl Stefanie Kay and I am in heaven! She kicks serious narration butt in this one too!

This is also a "different" book: a rock/country star book but not really, a cowboy book but not really, while giving you enough of a taste of both. It's small town all the way! It's also a slow burn but when things ignite, they burn bright. Dirty talking Brody ain't playing...

This was my first Hannah Cowan book and won't be my last.