Blissed

Misfit Brides, Book 1

De: Jamie Farrell

Narrado por: Karen White

Welcome to Bliss, the bridal capital of the Midwest!

Natalie Castellano practically has it all - beauty, brains, and a stellar reputation. Because childbearing hips and exhaustion lines are totally sexy. And knowing when to let go of her family's failing bridal boutique is smart...right? Plus, who doesn't want to be that divorced mother in Bliss?

With all she has going for her, it would be selfish to secretly wish for love too. Who needs it? Definitely not Nat. But perhaps she does need to take her wedding dress-obsessed little boy somewhere else for a fresh start.

CJ Blue is on top of the world. At least, he was last week when he stood on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. Now, he's in an empty confessional, hiding from the hullabaloo of a family wedding. a.k.a. the depths of hell.

His meddling relatives want to poke at the deep psychological wounds he supposedly bears from being a 20-something widower. But he doesn't want to talk, he doesn't want to be fussed over, and he certainly doesn't want another chance to fail at love. He just wants to get through this wedding and back to his adventurous life.

But when a dark-haired, wounded-eyed beauty invades his sanctuary and whispers a secret he was never supposed to know, he gets swept up in her life. Is he brave enough to tackle the adventure of life in Bliss, or will he walk away from the only woman in the world who could offer him love, forgiveness, and a second chance?

©2014 Jamie Farrell (P)2016 Jamie Farrell

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Farrell marries warmth with tongue-in-cheek wit in this marvelous romantic comedy." ( Publishers Weekly starred review)

I love Bliss

What made the experience of listening to Blissed the most enjoyable?

The narrator was very good!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Blissed?

The itch weed scene with Natalie and CJ.

Which scene was your favorite?

All of them! The husband games scenes.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me laugh!

Any additional comments?

I love the town of Bliss!

Fun and heartwarming

I'd already read Blissed (and a few more of the Misfit Brides series), but it had been awhile. I love listening to audiobooks while cooking and driving, so I jumped at the chance to listen to this. I'm so glad I did!
The pacing was perfect and the story was as much fun as ever. I noticed new details with the narration that perhaps I skimmed through when I read the book. CJ is a wonderful hero and I love Natalie (maybe because I'm a bit tough to crack too). Their story made me laugh out loud a few times and had my eyes welling up with tears more than once. I really enjoyed going back to the first of the books set in Bliss! The characters and the town have really won me over.

CJ and Natalie

What did you love best about Blissed?

The final third of the book was my favorite. The previous two-thirds were frustrating.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Basil at the airport was a pivotal point for me. I loved the parts with CJ and how he saw things happening. Natalie was in her head too much and there was too much rambling and whining from her.

Any additional comments?

I was irritated the people in town would allow Marilyn to lord over them for so long. As well, that they allowed her to ruin other lives because of her beliefs.

Wonderful story!!!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I've had the pleasure of both reading my kindle copy of the book and listening to the audiobook of Blissed. I really enjoyed Blissed when I first read it. I had a few issues with Natalie not standing up or herself in the beginning of the book and her blaming CJ for something that was truly a mistake from 5 years ago, but that as early in the book and once I got past about 5% of the book, I totally fell in love with the story. I loved watching CJ come back to life again after living with guilt over the death of his military wife. I adored the entire Blue clan and loved they always had CJ's back, even when he didn't want them around I also love how CJ interacted with Natalie's son Noah. Seriously heart-melting watching the two of them together. The build up of the romance between Natalie and CJ ended up being perfect for me. I loved they had instant attraction, yet both were cautious because of their pasts.

Karen White is the narrator for the audiobook and she absolutely brings the characters to life. She was spot-on with each of the character's voices and I fell in love all over again with the story as I listened to Karen White.

What about Karen White’s performance did you like?

She did a spot-on job with each of the characters voices that brought the story to life.

If you could take any character from Blissed out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Kimmie because I want to listen to her tell me about all her strange dreams.

read it. Don't listen to it.

the reader of this audiobook makes the character seem very whiny which gets really annoying after a while. I tried to enjoy the story which was well written and fun, but kept wanting to stop listening because of the reader.

So much fun!

This is a terrific book on its own, but Karen White does such a great job of bringing it to life. I will definitely be listening to this one again and again.

Blissed by Jamie Farrell

Where does Blissed rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's a good audiobook. I've read another book in this series and I didn't get Kimie's character and how she says the craziest things. Hearing it read out loud made me get her character a bit better!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Blissed?

The end when CJ laid out his heart before Natalie. It was very well written, sweet and romantic.

Which character – as performed by Karen White – was your favorite?

CJ. It was sad what had happened to him and the guilt he carried around was a heavy burden.

Any additional comments?

I wasn't wild about Natalie as she was so down and depressed for the entire book. She let everyone run all over her. I really didn't like the Queen General. Thought she deserved more of a consequence for all she had done to everybody.

Funny, Charming Setting, and Real People

Read/Listen for Fun (Audible/Kindle)
Overall Rating: 4.00
Story Rating: 4.00
Character Rating: 4.00

Audio Rating: 4.50 (not part of the overall rating)

Quick Thoughts: I won Blissed back in December but just never got around to listening to it. I am very picky about my Contemporary Romance and have to be in the right mood to read it. There are 3 things that must exist if I am going to like the book: Funny (I have to laugh), Charming Setting (I have to fall in love with the town), and Real People (I have to relate to the characters). Blissed hit all 3 of those AND I purchased the rest of the series immediately. I have to know what happens to the rest of the ladies in the book because they were a hoot. As for C.J. and Nat, they were a classic comedy of errors pair and it was totally a WIN! I fell in love with them as a couple. I just couldn't ask for more! I totally recommend Blissed!

Audio Thoughts:

Narrated By Karen White / Length: 11 hrs and 35 mins


Karen is one of my favorite narrators especially for fun, quirky contemporary romances. She delivered on Blissed. She brought C.J. and Nat to life. She made me laugh out loud with Nat's kiddo and made all the characters come alive! Well worth getting on audio!

Part of my Read It, Rate It, File It DONE! Reviews

Blissful!

What made the experience of listening to Blissed the most enjoyable?

The narrator's voice was very pleasing and Jamie Farrell's style of writing with comedy is the perfect blend of romance and the experience of the absurdity of life.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I really liked the character of Natalie and how devoted she was to her mother's dream and all of her family members including her son. I also enjoyed her interactions with the Queen General who is a force to be reckoned with.

What about Karen White’s performance did you like?

Everything! Her voice is pleasing and easy to listen to. I especially enjoyed the way she interprets the story with the inflection of her voice. She made me giggle and kept my attention throughout the book. I would definitely buy another book that she narrates.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The Husband Games was hilarious and kept me glued to the pages as CJ battles to be the winner in the annual event so that he can win Natalie's heart, especially in front of the entire town and the Queen General.

Any additional comments?

I love Jamie Farrell's writing and she and Karen White are the perfect combination to make this a really enjoyable story and listening experience. I highly recommend this fabulous duo!

Beautifully written book

C.J. and Natalie story was an amazing and beautiful read. Adding Noah too the mix made this book a wonderful read.