Deep Trouble

A MacKenzie Family Novella

By: Kimberly Kincaid

Narrated by: Carly Robins, Noah Michael Levine

Length: 2 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

From Liliana Hart's New York Times best-selling MacKenzie family comes a new story by USA Today best-selling author Kimberly Kincaid....

Bartender Kylie Walker went into the basement of The Corner Tavern for a box of cocktail napkins, but what she got was an eyeful of murder. Now she's on the run from a killer with connections, and one wrong step could be her last. Desperate to stay safe, Kylie calls the only person she trusts - her ex-Army Ranger brother. The only problem? He's 2,000 miles away, and trouble is right outside her door.

Security specialist Devon Randolph might be rough and gruff, but he'll never turn down a friend in need, especially when that friend is the fellow Ranger who once saved his life. Devon may have secrets, but he's nearby, and he's got the skills to keep his buddy's sister safe...even if one look at brash, beautiful Kylie makes him want to break all the rules.

Forced on the run, Kylie and Devon dodge bullets and bad guys, but they cannot fight the attraction burning between them. Yet the closer they grow, the higher the stakes become. Will they be able to outrun a brutal killer? Or will Devon's secrets tear them apart first?

©2016 Kimberly Kincaid (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

Can he keep his bff little sister safe?

Kylie walked in on the murder of her boss and the killer is a well connected crime boss. Now Kylie is on the run for her life and her brother has sent his best friend to protect her. While on the run, Kylie and Devon connect...can Devon keep her safe or will guilt from his past get in the way? Short romantic suspense with a sweet HEA.

Okay

3/5 rating. Overall it was okay, with some scenes i really liked. I didn't get caught up with the story or characters, though - didn't feel an emotional attachment.

Only cause it’s free alpha male on the run romance

Dang my OCD need to finish books. First time thru, I gave up at ch 3. Months later, made it to the end and liked it slightly better. Mulpitple authors wrote novellas off the Mackenzie Family series (which I haven’t read). I have read/liked Christina Harber’s Titan series for alpha male, military protector style romance and I liked the Mackenzie novella she authored, so I decided to give this author’s novella a go. But, for this one, the writing and narration were bad.

In the eighteen minute chapte 1, there’s half a dozen “ohGods,” F bombs, and bitch snarls. There’s also the most eye rolling caricature of a sleazy mob boss who stumbles upon Kylie after she stumbles upon a murder. Then Kyleigh’s off, fleeing for her life and not calling the cops ... because why? No plausible reason except for the criminal’s assurance that it would do no good. In the twenty minute chapter 2, there’s another half dozen OMGs, F bombs, and every cliche “military guy helps damsel in distress” line that could be crammed into the opening meet-cute.

Carly Robbin’s male voices are horrible. Noah Levine’s female voices are equally horrible. They are both slow and stilted. I almost turned it off at the five minute mark. Ten minutes in, when Robbins narrated “her adrenaline spiked” with the energy of a sloth, I knew I’d need to speed things up a ton just to get through. My first time listening, I bumped the speed to 1.3 and told myself this was a short, free Audible Escapes listen, so I could give it a few more minutes. After all, I like alpha male romances involving “on the run from danger” themes. But, even the speed up couldn’t get me past the bad writing. When chapter three hurtled into “melting panties” and Kylie jumping him “like a starving girl at a buffet,” I cut my losses and hit delete.

This time, 1.5x speed somehow solved my issues with the narrators. The plot is eyerollingly unbelievable and the color by numbers, hit all the cliches, romance tropes made this a cookie cutter listen. But, at 1.5x speed, this is a free 2 hr romance with cheesy testosterone, hot enough nooky, and decent enough action to entertain during afternoon housework. Moved my formerly 1 star rating to 2, which is “okay” per Audible’s rating system.