Toe the Line

De: Penelope Ward

Narrado por: Erin Mallon, Jacob Morgan

From New York Times best-selling author Penelope Ward comes a friends-to-lovers story spanning more than a decade....

At first, I thought I’d hate spending the summer with Archie Remington—the conceited son of my parents’ friends. What I knew about Archie: He was gorgeous, pre-law, and had always treated me like I didn’t exist when we were younger. When our families bought a house together on an island in Maine, he and I were forced to share a bathroom.

The boy I remembered was now a full-grown man—but with the same attitude. After a rough start, Archie and I unexpectedly started getting along one day and eventually became friends. We shared secrets and bonded during our morning jogs. I discovered that Archie had a wild spirit and that he struggled to conform to his father’s expectations.

Things were cool until I had to go and ruin it, getting drunk one night, and blurting out my fantasy—involving him.

I took it back, but it was too late. Archie had heard me loud and clear. After that, we never quite knew how to toe the line. When that summer came to an abrupt and shocking end, I headed back to college, unsure if anything would ever be the same again. Across the miles over the years, he and I stayed in touch as friends, but fate and timing always kept us from becoming more.

You know the saying: If two people are meant to be, they’ll find their way back to each other?

Let’s just say Archie came back into my life in a way I would’ve never expected. And this time, my heart would really be put to the test.

©2022 Penelope Ward (P)2023 Penelope Ward

Big sigh…

Great narration by Jacob. Erin is an overall B narrator in this book. She’s better in this one than in others but she’s still holding on to those syllables like fat kids hold twinkies.

The story was a good and annoying. I can’t believe Noelle pined over this dude for so long. Gosh- kinda made her seem desperate. Archy is a ho with old fashioned beliefs in shot gun weddings yet he’s willing to be his besties baby daddy? Right. Made no sense to me either.

Archy “loves” Noelle but doesn’t really show it until forever later bcz he doesn’t trust himself not to hurt her. After 31 chapters and 12 billion years later he just realized that? Biiihhh…she should’ve stayed with the old dude. I hope there’s a story for him like Neighbor Dearest.

Oh and at one point Archy bought a house down the street from Mariah, then later it becomes an apartment. How?

Stuff I wished I would’ve heard:
- More interaction between Clancy & Noelle
- Cat fight between Mariah and Noelle
- Noelle taking a break from Archy’s drama
- Noelle actually getting pregnant

That’s all. I’m sleepy.

Toooooo much indecisiveness

Good god, too much. I love a “will they or won’t” they but this takes it to the extreme. Just communicate people! I found this to be really frustrating and annoying. Very well done by the narrators!

Skipping through most of it

The going back and forth in history for the couple to keep continuously not communicating or connecting. It’s an extremely long story for nothing to keep happening.

10 Stars!!!

This story was absolutely amazing. I wouldn't have expected any less from a Penelope Ward book! I was grabbed from the first page and I couldn't stop until I finished. That last chapter, the perfect ending!!

Erin Mallon and Jacob Morgan gave voice to the story. They did a fantastic job as always!!

Fantastic narration

This is Archie and Noelle's story, a romance story with some steamy scenes and heartwarming moments. The chemistry between them is electric, and the slow-burn romance is engaging. It has all the emotions, and I loved the characters. The audiobook is narrated by Erin Mallon and Jacob Morgan, who are both experienced voice actors. They both were able to bring the characters to life and make the story engaging and emotional. If you enjoy contemporary romance novels with a friends-to-lovers trope, this might be a good choice for you.