Left Hanging

De: Cindy Dorminy

Narrado por: Britney Clause, Bradley Spoon

"What I love about the writing in this novel is that it really evokes your emotions. I loved crying a little, smiling a little and even getting a little frustrated at the characters." (Creativity and Crazy Blogspot)

"Every character is unique and realistic, creating an environment a reader can get lost in, from page one to the very end." (Chick Lit Central)

As a nurse and single mom, Darla Battle hides her loneliness behind a smile. But when she discovers that the new cute doctor everyone is talking about is her daughter’s father, she knows she needs to keep her distance from the man who abandoned her and their child, Stella.

When Theo Edwards returns to Nashville to finish his medical training, he never expects to run into Darla, a girl he spent one night with seven years ago. For reasons he can’t fathom, her attitude toward him is frosty, but he still hopes to ignite the spark they once felt.

Once Darla realizes Theo doesn’t know he’s Stella’s father, she has no idea how to tell him the truth. And the longer she waits, the more difficult it becomes. When the situation spins out of control, can the two come together for the sake of their daughter? Or is forgiveness out of reach?

©2017 Cindy Dorminy (P)2018 Cindy Dorminy

Left Hanging

I enjoyed this story! The entire cast of characters were well written and really helped bring the whole thing to life. I swear there were many times where I wished they were MY friends and family. Getting down to the nitty gritty, there are a couple of points I'd like to highlight about this book. First, the main characters are NOT perfect they both try their hardest, they both screw up, and there were many moments I would have happily strangled both of them. However, they are both good people and I found it easy to work through their flaws which I kind of think was the whole point, so job well done! LOL Second, there are definite religious overtones throughout the story, however, if you find yourself hesitant to buy for that reason, don't let it stop you. The intances where it played in are worked into the story seemlessly and are definitely never "preachy". Finally, a great deal of time is spent with a child in a health crisis and that is so well written that it could be a bit of a trigger to someone sensitive to it, so just a heads up. I requested a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

This book really has it all!

Left Hanging by Cindy Dorminy, narrated by Brittney Clause and Bradley Spoon is an amazing story about life - the twists, the turns, the ups, and the downs. It's about family, friends, loss, regret, hope, and taking chances. It's about finding your way through the tangled detour, back to the path you once walked. But, at it's core, Left Hanging is about love and everything that comes with it - feelings, emotions, unpredictability, forgiveness, acceptance, and moving forward. At first I wasn't sure if this was the book for me, being that Romance is not my go-to genre. Unfortunately, hearing the word romance makes me think of graphic love scenes surrounded by a "barely there" storyline. I'm happy to say this audiobook is far from either of those, and I'm now working to fix my poor misconceptions. Upon hearing the first word of this book, I was hooked, and I stayed fully engaged through to the very last. I'll let you read the plot description on your own (as you can tell, I'm a bit long-winded); it's important you know that I am not a mother, myself, yet I still found the storyline relatable to my own, in many ways. The events are real and relevant to life in today's world, and the characters felt like friends I have known for years! I'm so happy to have found Cindy Dorminy! She is a wonderful author, and I definitely plan to check out more of what she has written! Bravo!

This is also my first experiece hearing an audiobook performance from both narrators. While I'm not a huge fan of the romance genre, as mentioned earlier, I am a huge fan of the AudioShelf Podcast by Brittney Clause and Bradley Spoon, narrators of Left Hanging. I absolutely LOVE their show, and being that it's a podcast about audiobooks for audiobook lovers, I couldn't wait to hear them put their own skills to the test! I'm sure it's a lot different being on the other of the fence, as reviewing a performance and actually performing are completely different! It was clear right from the start that they both feel comfortable behind the mic. Their consistency in voice, tone, volume, and pace made for easy listening, and the professional recording and editing allowed me to sit back and enjoy the ride without confusion or interruption. It sounded like the entire book was recorded in one sitting - they stayed in character perfectly from one chapter to the next, and I loved that there were no unnecesary breaks or pauses between chapters, which, unfortunately, is something I hear more of by the day. They brought the characters and storyline to life, and I felt like I was watching the events of a movie unfold before my very eyes. I loved every character - they really did the book justice! Although I'm sure the book is a great read, my overall experience was made better by listening.

Now, the teacher in me believes in keeping a growth mindset and doesn't like to leave without giving some type of constructive feedback. Therefore, if I had to mention areas of improvement, I would say that Brittney/Darla doesn't always have to sound so serious. Even though women do tend to talk at a fast pace and have a million things going through their minds at the same time, taking a breath and talking a little slower will make for an easier transition between chapters and match better with the slower, laid back pace that Bradley/Theo's character had. On that same note, Bradley/Theo could use a little more of a serious tone in spots. There were a few places I felt like he sounded a bit arrogant...almost like a womanizer... because he was so laid back and "nonchalant" in certain scenes (like one when he and Isaac were out together chatting). Either way, these two have chemistry, and I loved it! I'd listen to a million more books just to hear them perform! You are both awesome, and you gave me goosebumps! I hope there are more, many more, performances to come!! Fantastic job, you two!!

Without hesitation, I rate Left Hanging by Cindy Dorminy, narrated by Brittney Clause and Bradley Spoon 5 out 5 stars across the board. The story is well-written, kept me listening almost non-stop, and is completely relatable and real to life today. The outstanding performance brought the story and characters to life in ways that only skilled narrators can do. This dynamic duo of a team is one you don't want to miss! I recommend this audiobook to fans of romance and women's fiction, as well as those who are looking to dip their toes into a book about love, family, relationships, and the twists and turns life throws our way.

Thank you for reading my review. I hope it was helpful. :-)

Cute love story but had narrator issues...

Left Hanging by Cindy Dorminy was a cute, sweet, clean and innocent romance that follows Darla and Theo, and their journey as they reconnect. They're parents to Stella, though Theo has no idea that he has a daughter, and Darla has trouble finding the right time to tell Theo throughout the story. Though this story was cute and I listened to it all, there were a few parts that I thought were a little juvenile (the characters acted really juvenile), though the story overall was good. Good, but not great. I actually would have given the story a 3.5 if I could have.

Now onto the narration of Left Hanging. Britney Clause did a good job narrating the chapters with Darla's POV, though her reading was a bit quicker than most narrators. Her voice reminded me a bit of Holly Hunter's voice, with that southern drawl that she does so well. That being said, Bradley Spoon's narration of Theo's chapters made this a decently challenging listen for me. I was finally able to overlook his nasally voice that made Theo sound like a prepubescent boy, but it was still pretty difficult to listen to. Narration, as I'm sure you know, can really make a break an audiobook. Overall, this was a cutesy, clean love story that I wouldn't be very likely to recommend because of Bradley Spoon's narration, unfortunately. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher for an honest review.

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The Narration is too fast!

I couldn’t listen to the story as an Audible. Both narrators speak too rapidly. I did not like like the male narrators interpretation of Theo voice/speech. Both narrators were guided (should have been) by producers/directors. What happened? I returned the book without listening beyond the first 3 chapters. It was too irritating.

Great twists!

The blurb for this book called to me and the book delivered. It's well written with great vivid characters and the story came alive as I listened to it.

I loved Darla, her dedication to Stella and her inner sadness touched my heart. Theo comes across as a bit of an arse at first, although he grew on me fairly quickly. The chemistry between them manages to be both sweet and hot.

But what I liked best were some amazing twists that forced me to re-evaluate everything I'd thought I knew so far.

The dual narration works really well, the story came alive with great character voices and a heartfelt delivery.

I received a free copy of this book from the author and/or narrator and/or publisher and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.

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