Bloom Town: Genesis

Bloom Town, Book 1

By: Ally North

Narrated by: Quinn Riley

June, 1852. A preacher's daughter with a secret. An outlaw running from the gallows. A love story spanning oceans and deserts and years.

When Abby Proctor is kidnapped from a train in the middle of the desert halfway to her new life in California, she makes a promise to herself—she will escape. Because there's a reason Abby is leaving Iowa and all its oppressions behind, and she refuses to be someone's prisoner again. Especially when that someone is the infamous female outlaw Joey "JT London" Taylor, Abby's brash, brooding, and inconveniently beautiful captor.

But as Abby plots her escape, she stumbles upon a larger conspiracy at play behind her kidnapping—a complicated revelation considering the feelings she's been having for Joey, who might not be the ruthless criminal everyone believes her to be. And when Abby realizes it's all connected—her kidnapping, the secrets she left behind in Iowa, even her plans in California—she has to decide between returning to a life of obedience and unhappiness, or trusting an enigmatic outlaw who is bound for the gallows.

©2024 Ally North (P)2025 Podium Audio

Excellent story and narration!

This book had me completely wrapped around the story. Quinn Riley made every scene? Every character fully come to life. I was absolutely enthralled! Biting my nails awaiting book 2 to come out in audio!

Excellent

This is one of my favorite book series. Just an excellently written book and Quinn Riley did not disappoint with this audio performance. Can’t wait for part 2!

Everything you want in a book

This book has entered my favorite top 3 books of all time. I CANNOT wait until part two in a few days OMGGGG. I need to know the rest of the story it’s killing me. The details in the books, UGH I LOVE EVERYTHING. Story 5/5, Narration 5/5, Spice 5/5. Don’t hesitate with this one.

Perfection

This book is perfection. Narration made this book only better! It is so well written that it was hard to not finish it in one day! The spice was 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️! Ends on a cliff hanger but book two is out already. The world building and character development was well done. Through the story you saw both MCs grow as people and you got to see their relationship and love blossom. I enjoyed how the author weaved the characters background story through the book and didn’t just do a chapter dump of it.

Amazing narration

I loved this book so much - I started via ebook but then the audio came out and I needed to switch! Quinn Riley really brought this story to life even more so. I love her character voices and the steam scenes were extra hot!! I wish the second book was out on audio but I need to pick it up immediately! Highly recommend this audiobook!

Quinn Riley doesn’t just narrate—she transports.

This book… this book, babes.
It lives in my soul. It rewrote my DNA. It altered my brain chemistry in the best possible way. I am not the same person I was before I met Abby and Joey. 😭🔥💀

I laughed. I gasped. I sobbed. I cried again. I got very hot. I held my breath. And then I listened all over again. Three times. (And counting.)

I knew from the very first page that Bloom Town Genesis was something extraordinary. And hearing it in audio?
✨ Next level. ✨

Quinn Riley doesn’t just narrate—she transports.
Every beat of Ally North’s gorgeous, gritty, heart-wrenching prose is delivered with power and nuance. This story of survival, defiance, queer love, and found family across time and desert sand is everything I didn’t know I needed.

This is more than a book. It’s an experience.
It’s a love letter to the ones who’ve been silenced. A war cry for queer resilience.
And I am so, so grateful it exists.

And yes—I’m already waiting with bated breath for Exodus.
Come on, my little outlaw hearts. Let’s ride.

Great story, PAINFULLY bad narrator.

I had to switch to reading halfway because this narrator was so terrible. At first the narrator seemed okay despise the accent work being kind of bad, but it got much worse as the story progressed. The corny overacting anytime the character showed strong emotion made me want to pull off my ears. I may be having trouble rating the story properly because I was so cringed out by the narrator.

The best romantic sapphic story

I ate this story up like a feast. It made me feel so much. I couldn’t stop listening. I’ll definitely be re listening again and again!

Couldn’t have loved this more!

5+ stars

An absolutely incredible listen! Fantastic storytelling, compelling characters and perfect narration.

This is absolutely narrator Quinn Riley’s best work, placing her firmly in the top tier. She does some amazing accent work and glides seamlessly through a variety of ages and genders.

With just her first sapphic release, Ally North becomes the new author to watch.

I can’t wait to listen to Bloom Town Exodus!

Perfect

10/10 no notes. Thankfully I finished this book only three days before the next book will come out, but it’s going to be the longest three days of my life.