Open Season

I really did enjoy this book. It was funny, entertaining and amusing. Good story too. A great escape and cute characters. For $10 an easy listen you can afford to try. The narrarator always makes it grand.

Fun. Well written. I think you'll really like this selection.

I've always loved Linda Howard's books and this one has been no exception in written form. However, I didn't care for this abridgement and the narrator wasn't good at all. You couldn't distinguish between the characters and her voice lacked emotion. Sadly, though I really liked this book when I read it myself, I did not like this version.

I've read this book in hard copy, I've even managed to find an unabridged library copy of the audiobook and yes the abridged version is not as good, but still it'll give you a lift. It's just fun read. If I have a really down day or read something that's heavy, or simply ends sad this book is a great way to perk up your day. For me, Linda Howard is my number one "must read". Open Season is not her best, not her most touching, not her best mystery (since there really isn't any mystery to mention in it) but it has to be something she wrote when she was having a really good day. If you need a lift, Daisy and Jack are good way to start.

I love the way this book was put together for the listener. It had me laughting when you should have been laughting I will enjoy this book for years to come. It is great.

I agree, good listen, i would love to hear the unabridged version. but with that said this is one of the best short versions i have listened to, definately some funny witty commentary..some laugh out louds. loved the characters and the storyline and the narration. overall 2 thumbs up. definately worth the inexpensive price

God I love Linda Howard! She has written many of my all time favorite books. Unfortunately she's written some duds as well.

Luckily, this is a satisfying story with a fantastic performance by narrator Kate Forbes.

Daisy lives in a small town. She is a 34 year-old librarian, in need of a total life make-over. She has few friends, no men in her life, no style, and she still lives with her mother. With the help of her mother, her aunt and a gay friend named Todd, Daisy moves into her own place and invests her time and money into a full makeover.

Now she's ready to meet new people. For Daisy, meeting new people is code for "husband-hunting". I'm not into books involving desperate women searching for husbands, but LH works her magic and the story is well-written. You'll be sucked in by the 2nd chapter.

So fear of being an "old maid" pushes Daisy to find her inner beauty and bring it out, while also becoming more social. Meanwhile, surrounding towns are having trouble with GHB- a date rape drug that can be lethal in one dose. The new Chief of Police- Jack Russo is asked to assist the nearby city with its GHB problem. So while Daisy is trying to catch a husband at bars, Chief Russo is trying to find clues and info about GHB. Needless to say, worrying for her safety, he watches out for her.
That's as much as I can say without spoilers.

The story is very fun, sexy, and entertaining. The romance is wonderfully written. At times it's funny (there's a hysterically funny condom-buying scene that is unforgettable), then all of a sudden LH takes your breath away. Linda Howard can make more magic with a simple kiss and a slight caress than many authors achieve with a full-out sex scene. The characters are likeable and drive the book a great deal. The suspense plot is not forced, instead LH has woven it into the story perfectly.

**** The downside : My issue in recommending this book is the somewhat degrading, possibly-offensive tone of the book at times. I assume this is a older book. I can't imagine she'd say such things today. But be prepared for condescending "jokes" about homosexuals, women and the south. Also a bit annoying: Daisy, the heroine, was explained as extremely intelligent. However, she acts without common sense and is ridiculously naive. Im sure the author intended her behavior to show her "innocence", but what it demonstrates to me is an obvious unintended contradiction in the character's personality. Daisy seems far more like an airhead, than a bright woman of 34. She is still very likeable; I'm only dissapointed LH didn't realize her mistake.

That being said, this is still such a good listen. Howard fans will like it. If you've yet to read Linda Howard, download Dreamman, Mr Perfect and/or After the Night. They give a better example of her work.

For Howard fans, this won't disappoint, bearing in mind it's dated tone. Also narrator deserves kudos for her performance. Very well done.

This book really had cute and funny people in it. I got a kick out of the story line. The narration was good as well.

Good story with interesting characters. I enjoyed the development of the story and the mystery was interesting and believable.

Book Review: This book was my first Linda Howard experience years back, and is still a beloved read today. The dynamics between the two main characters is treated with a gentle whimsy and good humor that always makes me smile. The same goes for its depiction of some of the trials of life in a small town. Daisy is a classic 'good girl' who I identified with, perhaps too closely for comfort, finally reaching for what she really wants in life. She's more ignorant than naive, a result of her quiet lifestyle. Her steps into the dating scene, however stumbling, are taken without sacrificing her innate goodness. I especially liked that 'nice' was not equated with 'doormat'.

The book does suffer from what I call "villain's disease" - too much seen from the perspective of the bad guys - but even that isn't as bad as it could have been, since Linda Howard tends to write her villains as rounded people rather than cardboard cut-outs. If you're looking for a good, sit-back-and-enjoy book, this is it. If you're looking for heart-stopping suspense...look somewhere else.

Audio Review: This audible marks another first for me. You see, I had borrowed this abridged presentation sometime back from the local library, and enjoyed it very much. But when it comes too my private collection I always, ALWAYS, get the unabridged version. When I saw the full story here on audible I snatched it up - realizing too late that it had a different narrator. Oh well, no big deal, right? Sigh. Big deal. Don't get me wrong here, the unabridged narrator does a decent enough job, I even got a couple hours in. But as it went on I found that I had been spoiled. Kate Forbes had done such a perfect dramatization that a simply decent reading couldn't hack it. So, for the first time, I bought the abridged version on top of the unabridged. And it's worth every cent.