Cherish Hard

Hard Play Series, Book 1

By: Nalini Singh

Narrated by: Justine O. Keef

Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

Sailor Bishop has only one goal for his future-to create a successful landscaping business. No distractions allowed. Then he comes face-to-face and lips-to-lips with a woman who blushes like an innocent...and kisses like pure sin.

Ísa Rain craves a man who will cherish her, aches to create a loving family of her own. Trading steamy kisses with a hot gardener in a parking lot? Not the way to true love. Then a deal with the devil (aka her CEO-mother) makes Ísa a corporate VP for the summer. Her main task? Working closely with a certain hot gardener.

And Sailor Bishop has wickedness on his mind.

As Ísa starts to fall for a man who makes her want to throttle and pounce on him at the same time, she knows she has to choose-play it safe and steady, or risk all her dreams and hope Sailor doesn't destroy her heart.

Contains mature themes.

©2017 Nalini Singh (P)2018 Tantor

Critic reviews

“It is always a delight to pick up a Singh book, and she once again proves why with her latest contemporary romance…. There is such a sexy sweetness and tenderness to this story that it is sure to melt readers' hearts! If you need an emotional lift, then snap up this book ASAP!” ( RT Book Reviews [Top Pick])

Overall enjoyable sweet story.

Really enjoyed most of this book, some laugh out loud moments. Would be a good beach read.

Sweet Story

This was a really sweet story. I enjoyed it and the characters involved but I will say there isn't anything too exciting in the storyline. This would be a great read if you are coming off of an angsty book and need something to off balance that.

The hero is a fit, and hot male starting up his own landscaping business. He's a sweet and caring guy with no womanizing tendencies. The heroine is a curvy woman with a small amount of body shyness due to past treatment, and yet she has a spine made of steel. She was a good mix of sweet, shy and fierce.

The side characters from both his side and her side were a plus to the story. I enjoyed them and would be interested in reading the next book in the series.

very sweetly emotionally intelligent

Read this after the Rock Kiss series, as it relates to Sailor Bishop, brother to Gabriel Bishop from book 2.
Charming and funny, we get to enjoy Sailor and Isa’s unconventional meeting and courtship.
If you want your sweetness with emotional intelligence, then this book is for you.
Keef does a very good job with narration.
Recommend!

Narrator detracts from the story

I'm a major fan of Nalini's books, and always buy the audio format as it usually adds depth to the book. However in this case I wish I'd just read the book. The narrator did men well, and her descriptive narration voice was good, but her female character voices, particularly Isa and Katie, were terrible and distracted from the storyline. Isa's voice; the accent, inflection, and the high pitch made her sound weak and unappealing. I wouldn't have minded the "Icelandic" accent as much if Isa's voice hadn't been so high pitched and with inflection that frequently ended in a questioning upward note, making Isa sound more insecure than needed. Katie's voice was sometimes pitched so high it was like a small child's voice (poorly done) instead of a teen. I like that the story includes characters with physical challenges and emphasizes universal access and inclusion. I like that the lead characters both have emotional issues to face and overcome, and must both risk being vulnerable in order to have the possibility of an HEA. I like that those characters also respect not only their own needs, but also those of their partner, and ultimately work together toward a common goal. I usually listen to Nalini's books multiple times, but next time I go for this book I'll read it instead of listening.

Just ok

Both of the characters were too needy for me and the narrator's voices were annoying. I struggled to complete this book.

very sweet and smart

this is a great intro to the Bishop Essera clan! love Isa and Sailer's story!

“not a normal Singh book, try the sample first”

Let me start by saying what a huge fan I am of Nalini Singh. However, this one is nothing like her others. I’ve read & listened twice to each of her Psy/Changeling & Guild Hunter series, loved them. This one was honestly a little boring, no intrigue or excitement. No description of the country except the camping trip. I enjoyed the international characters & I even somewhat enjoyed the narration. The chapter titles threw me each time, I’m sure it would have been funny if I was reading it. I almost stopped twice but didn’t have another book downloaded so I continued. Can’t recommend except that you must try the sample first to get a little idea of where she went here.

loved it.

Loved the book and the reading was just right. What a wonderful way to spend a few hours.

review

got a slow start but ended up great! I would definitely recommend this book. ok

Love the book, but the accents are beyond horrid

I love Nalini Singh, i liked this book a lot but the performance was almost unbearable. I am Australian and the accents which i am sure were meant to be Kiwi accents, were so bad it was almost unbearable. They were not new Zealand accents, sometimes it sounded like a bad Aussie accent, sometimes Indian, but always completely cringe worth. I am sorry, i have liked all of Justine's other narrations but this one..yikes.