The Dangerous Mister Donovan

By: Kasey Michaels

Narrated by: Richard Turner

Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's summary

Marguerite Balfour lived an enchanted life as the beloved daughter of her soft-spoken mother and her adored father, a dreamer who filled her young life with hope and wonder. Anything was possible in Marguerite’s life...until the day her father died while she was in her young teens and her mother all but retreated from life. Marguerite carried on, trying to live by the words her father taught her, until everything she’d believed in came crashing down when her mother whispered into her ear as she was dying.

Now, Marguerite is a young woman out for revenge, and a year after her mother’s passing, she and her grandfather head to London for her come-out. At least that’s what her grandfather believes. Marguerite is there with exquisitely planned revenges on the five men she believes responsible for her parents’ deaths.

Thomas Joseph Donovan is also in London. He is there on a mission from President Madison. He is to meet with and discuss strategies with a group of men who had put forth a plan to prevent what seems now to be an inevitable war with the young country. But everywhere he goes, it seems that Marguerite is there ahead of him. Beautiful, intelligent, and apparently conniving Marguerite Balfour.

They each have their own secret agendas, they each have their own reasons, with one out to disgrace and destroy, the other out to decide if his country should become involved in the Englishmen’s plot.

They each are very much in the other’s way, especially when their mutual attraction threatens to make Thomas suspicious of the men he has come to see. As one after the other, they appear to fall into disgrace, he comes to believe there can be only one person who could be pulling the strings, making the puppets dance to her tune...Marguerite.

But why? Follow along as Marguerite’s well-laid plans unfold, as Donovan can only try to earn her trust, becoming more concerned for her safety with every passing day.

Watch as two very different people learn to look not just with their eyes and minds, but to look again, this time with their hearts....

©2018 Kathryn Seidick (P)2019 Kathryn Seidick

Delightful

I was privileged to receive the audiobook of The Dangerous Mister Donovan for review. And I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to do so. Kasey Michaels is an excellent writer. Her writing shows charm and self-control. The story built slowly and deliberately and the mysterious elements were revealed strategically. I loved the narrator. His voice was crisp and clean, employing various character voices effectively.

This is similar to a spy vs. spy story. Thomas Donovan is an Irishman turned American who is doing secret work on behalf of the president. Marguerite Balfour is a woman set on revenge after the tragic deaths of her parents. These two missions might be at cross-purposes, but that doesn't stop Thomas and Marguerite from falling in love.

I loved the interaction between the hero and heroine. The romance was totally on target without needed the spicier stuff (this is a sweet version). Very entertaining and an all-round delightful story with great narration.

Grab this historic listen

This is a great audio listen. Kassy knows how to grab the listener /reader .
Both characters are well written. Both Donovan and Margarita . I love how the story has you laughing at some parts . It’s just as Kasey always knows how to grab the attraction between the characters.
The story is worth it

First time I listened to the narrator Richard . His British accent brings the story justice. It’s perfect for the story

Wonderful listen

This book is an excellent example of Ms. Michaels's work. It is intricately plotted, meticulously researched, absorbingly romantic, bitingly witty, and completely engrossing. Very few authors are capable of turning out historical romances with so many facets. I have the original version of this book, so I was able to compare the new one to it. Not only are the sexy parts removed, but a few conversations are clarified with small bits of additional dialogue. The narrator for the audiobook does a fantastic job. I don't know how he managed all those accents (particularly Thomas's blended accent) and a character with an injured jaw. His performance added an extra dimension of reality to a story that feels like it could have happened in truth. I can't recommend this highly enough.

Most excellent romp

I won't reveal my age by disclosing how many years ago I first discovered Kasey Michaels and her most excellent Regency romances. This volume is no exception to the quality I expect from her novels--a well written romance--this one with an intertwined mystery--and complex, compelling characters complimented by witty dialogue. Thomas Joseph Donovan is a worthy hero on a mission for his country and President Madison, detoured but not derailed by the beautiful Marguerite Balfour, willful, stubborn and with "a temper like a hedgehog," on a mission of revenge. The reader was perfect. I received a free copy of the Audible edition in exchange for an honest review.

Lots of Intrigue

Although, tales of revenge are not my cup of tea, I found this story to be interesting and different enough to capture my attention.. The characters were not my favorite but both grew on me as the book progressed. The narration was very good and complimented the story. Lots of witty dialogue. I would recommend this book in general and the audible addition specifically. If you enjoy a good Regency Mystery then you will enjoy this. I really liked this narration of the quick paced story. This was a review left for a complimentary copy of audible copy but opinions were all my own.

Kasey Michaels shines

The story about two people looking for the same men is really great. It is fun and witty. The romance is perfect. I unfortunately was not impressed with the narrator. Sometimes he read with what felt like huge run on sentences. Other times he seemed rushed as though he couldn’t read through fast enough. It felt to me that he was just quickly reading a book and not telling a story. I love narrators who seem to be a part of the story they are reading. I did not feel that with Richard Turners work on this book. With all that, he was easy to understand and pronounced nicely so it wasn’t a total loss. Great story!

Loved this book!

Narrator was fantastic and the story such a delight. Sign me up for the next one!!!

What more could you want in romance?

Full disclosure: I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for a review, but I really got the better deal out of the bargain. When do you ever get something for free that you would gladly pay full price for? Seriously! If you want a good story that keeps you entertained and grabs your attention throughout hours of listening, this is it. If you want to giggle and grin at the main characters and their adorable sparring and falling in love moments, this is *the* book that will not disappoint with its intriguing plot and sweet romance set in the Victorian era. If you want to listen to a smooth voice, someone with the sound of a hot chocolate with a little extra something that makes you relax into the mood, speaks words with talented nuances between the characters' dialogue, and can convey emotion through timber alone, then this is *definitely* the book to get to hear Mr. Turner's rich voice satisfying your ears. If there is one caveat, be careful walking and listening to this book simultaneously. You may trip over your own feet with sudden bursts of laughter and delight, and fellow walkers may give you strange looks when they notice your wide smiles and smirks as you follow Mr. Donovan and Miss Balfour through their challenging courtship dance. Despite the danger, I plan to listen again.

A delightful romp with mystery

The Dangerous Mr Donovan by Kasey Michaels and narrated by Richard Turner was a wonderful book to listen to! Marguerite is so well developed as a character, I feel that I know her. The story of the mouse in the hair when she was 4 is hysterically funny! She is so accomplished and intelligent that you want her to succeed. But I worried about her and was very glad the crazy American Thomas was there to protect her.
We don’t know as much of Thomas Donovan’s back story, but it is obvious fairly soon in the story that he is a good man. The scenes with him and Marguerite are priceless!
The rest of the characters are just as well developed as our two main ones. And each brings their own unique personality to the plot.
The narrator did an excellent job. His British accent was perfect and the Scottish brogue for Thomas was well done. I enjoyed his calm telling of the story will always the right emphasis on dialogue to make the barbs even funnier!
If you like historical romance books with a little extra meat on their bones, then you will love this one!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Great book!

Another win for Kasey Michaels! This book kept me riveted for 10 plus hours of driving across country! I need another!