Broken

By: April Wilson

Narrated by: Alice Parker

Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's Summary

As a 22-year-old female professional bodyguard, Lia McIntyre is a rarity in a male-dominated field. She may be a petite, cute blond, but she's a master of martial arts and Krav Maga, and she can render a man twice her size unconscious in just seconds. Lia hides a painful past behind a snarky, take-no-prisoners attitude. She was horribly betrayed by her first love, and she's determined never to let anyone use her or hurt her again. To make sure that never happens again, she's got rules. One, never sleep with a client. And two, never sleep with the same guy twice. The walls she's built up to protect herself are rock solid. Until she meets her new client, Jonah Locke, a swoon-worthy rock star with a heart of gold.

Jonah Locke is the front man for the most popular rock band in the United States. His band dominates the charts, and he's constantly hounded by crowds of fan-girls and paparazzi. The guy can't sneeze without everyone on social media knowing. A bad break-up with the Queen of Pop sends him from LA to Chicago, where he just wants to lie low and write new songs. Unfortunately, trouble follows him to Chicago. When he meets his new bodyguard, he falls hard for her. But lust transforms into something more when he gets to know the woman beneath the kick-ass shell.

©2016 April E Barnswell (P)2017 April E Barnswell

Broken is an fantastic story!

Broken is unlike any other book I have read. I love the fact that the main character, Lia McIntyre is a short, feisty confident woman. She is only 22 years old, but she is an expert at what she does. She’s a master of martial arts and Krav Maga and can take down man twice her size in an instant. When she is hired to be personal security for Jonah Locke, the front man for one of the most popular bands in the nation, her life of living in the shadows is put to the test.

I am new to April Wilson as an author, but it will certainly not be the last I read from her. Broken is a fantastic stand alone that is the third book of her McIntyre Security Bodyguard series. The world she has created within this series is definitely one I want more of. From start to finish I was drawn into this book and I completely devoured it, to find out what would happen next. I was emotionally connected to these memorable characters and really didn't want their story to end. I laughed out loud, and felt each emotion they experienced.

I can't wait to read more from April Wilson!

PS - The audio version of this story only enhanced April Wilson's fantastic work as an author. Alice Parker is a talented narrator and I would highly recommend listening to her. I can't wait to hear more from her as well.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Surprisingly Surprised

I am completely surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. Initially I felt that the pacing was a bit and was afraid that the story may be boring. Far from it.

I really liked the character of Jonah. And overall I think Alice Parker did a great job with the narration.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

I am new to audio

This was my first audiobook by this author and narrator. I totally enjoyed both. This is book 3 of a series but was none the less a great book!! I loved it so much I went to buy the others but they didn't have audiobook available. I will most definitely purchase any book narrated by Alice Parker. I want thank to both author and narrator for a few hours of pure bliss.

I loved this book!

This book was so good! April Wilson is a new author to me and very talented. Alice Parker did an excellent performance. I loved the various voices she did for the characters. This book is part of a series, yet a standalone listen. I found this book to have unexpected humor and was full of hope. I enjoyed this slow burn love story compared to the insta-love that so many books have. The female lead character is strong, fierce, short and sassy with her counterpart an alpha male rock star. This book was original and I will definitely look for more books by this author and narrator. I was voluntarily provided with this review copy audiobook in the UK, and enjoyed it so much that I purchased a copy for my US library.

Amazing story of grit and courage!

If you could sum up Broken in three words, what would they be?

Awe-inspiring, tenacious fighters!

What did you like best about this story?

I loved that April Wilson was able to lead us through an amazing story of two souls destined for each other. They built each other up and provided each other comfort when they needed it most. The story was not mushy romance, but a romance that budded out of a common ground of hurt and pain of the past. I love how she portrayed that there is no one who is perfect and that we are shaped but our past, but that we cannot let that past hold us back. These two characters brought out the best of each other and were able to work through the pain and turmoil of past experiences.

Which scene was your favorite?

My favorite scene would have to be any of the ones that Lia would not take crap from anyone. That woman has a mouth on her that I admire.

I Love a Tiny Girl Who Can Flip a 250lb Man!

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

I always listen to books. It brings the story and characters to life! The narrator was able to differentiate between the different characters and had great character voices.

What did you like best about this story?

I loved the role reversal, with the female lead being the bodyguard. I am also a fan of a little ex-girlfriend drama and this book had the perfect amount.

Have you listened to any of Alice Parker’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This narrator is really good, doing different voices for all the different characters. She is also very good doing a man's voice which is a huge plus. The negative for the narrator is that the pauses between sentences were very long, especially at the beginning of the book. It was very distracting and broke up the flow. She did get better as the book progressed. Other than that, I really enjoyed the narrator and I am looking forward to listening to more by her.

Any additional comments?

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator or publisher.

Suprise Love Story

Hot heroin meets even hotter rock god! She protects him from the screaming fan girls while he breaks down her mile high walls! Surprising love story

Narrator was a little slow and hesitant at times, other wise it was great!

Another great addition to the McIntyre Bodyguard series

This was a great story. I loved getting to know Lia and Jonah. I can't wait for the next book. The narrator, I thought, was perfect for this book.

Good Continuation of McIntyre Security Series

I have enjoyed this book series. Hinted that there may be another story in works for this series. I hope so!

O M G

I read this book about a year ago but listening to it bought the book to life. I can’t wait for more of April s stories to appear on Audible

When lines blur between love and the job

3.5 stars

Lia McIntyre is 22 years old and has lived through a public humiliation that I would not wish upon anyone. It’s a testament to her strength of character how she has handled it but one thing she has not been able to overcome is her fear of romantic relationships.

Jonah Locke, musician on the rise and the man Lia is assigned to guard, is attracted to Lia from the start and he is willing to work to break down the barriers between them. I enjoyed the slow burn romance between them.

Overall this was a solid read. It’s my first April Wilson book, so I had no set expectations. There are characters from previous books in the series, which I assume fans will enjoy, but at times I felt their continued story overshadowed Lia and Jonah’s story.

Alice Parker’s narration was very good. I enjoyed listening to her voice and her characterisations. However, my enjoyment was greatly hampered by the incredibly slow pace of the narration. The pauses between sentences was much too long. I listen to all audiobooks at 1.0 speed. This was the first book ever that I needed to listen at 1.25 speed (the next available option on my device). Frustratingly, this was a touch too fast for my liking.

A gem of a book

This is my first listen/read by April Wilson and I have to say this book was something of a gem. Although it is third in the series, it stands alone perfectly well. What immediately drew me into the story was the idea of a rather small but super-trained and strong, female bodyguard. Lia had prickles that screamed 'do not touch' but she was some woman and the true definition of a strong heroine.

Lia is body-guarding for a music sensation. This is not my favourite kind of hero but surprisingly, Jonah blew my preconceptions out of the water, with humility and a desire to be out of the spotlight and away from social media manipulations. In some ways Jonah was a beta kind of hero but he was likeable nonetheless.

The backstories to these two were interesting and Lia's in particular was compelling and somewhat tragic. I loved the story, the pace and writing. The chemistry was well written and tangible too.

The narration was single POV, single narration and Alice Parker was perfect for this. She narrated the male dialogue really well that I just slipped into the story seamlessly.

A copy of this audiobook was provided by the author in return for an honest review.

Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.

Love this New Adult Book!

Listening to new authors is always fun for me, you never know if you are going to get. The latest of my new author reads is April Wilson, who delivers a wonderful new adult story about Lia McIntyre. This is the third book in the McIntyre Security Bodyguard series, but can be definitely read as a standalone. Lia is the youngest of 7 children and had an unfortunate situation happen to her when she was 16. Six years later, she is still reeling from the memories and is unable to put her trust in a new relationship. She works for the family security agency and has been assigned to guard Jonah Locke, rockstar. I have to say, I loved these two characters, the chemistry between them from the start was thick and their banter entertaining. Their attraction is unable to be ignored, and it is always fun when Jonah, who is supposed to be the one being protected becomes the protector. Lia's brothers are more than charming and you can feel the family ties envelope Lia whenever she needs them. This story definitely has some angst and emotions that keep you listening to the very end. Definitely worth the time, hoping the balance of the series comes out in audio too!

Alice Parker is a new narrator to me and provided the perfect narration for a new adult book. Her voice is young, but not childlike so it was more than believable and she has a very good range of character voices. I will definitely seek her out in the future.

Oh so good! I loved it!

This book is so good! It is an original story full of humor, hope, and so much more. This book is part of a series, yet it is a standalone listen. April Wilson is a new (and very talented) author to me. Alice Parker did a fantastic performance with the various characters and their voices. My review is not a synopsis of the book, but rather my opinion of it. I was voluntarily provided with this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, narrator, and/or publisher.

Amazing

If you could sum up Broken in three words, what would they be?

This was one of those that once started you don't want to stop listening to.

Any additional comments?

Alice Parker has an amazing voice that holds you captive from the moment you hear it.

Amazing, unbelievable and fantastic

April Wilson writes fantastic and imaginative romantic novels with loveable character's, who appear mysterious and dreamy. I own all of the McIntyre security bodyguards novels and have enjoyed reading each and everyone. I eagerly await the next book.

Alice Parker brings this brilliant story to life with an excellent range of voices gentle, calming and mysterious, each character sounds sensational and unique.

It was wonderful and amazing to hear this book brought to life, please can we have the rest of the McIntyre security bodyguards novels in audio xx x