Featherbed

Vino & Veritas Series

By: Annabeth Albert

Narrated by: Alexander Cendese, Kirt Graves

Length: 5 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's Summary

When a bookworm on borrowed time meets a younger free-spirited chicken farmer, sparks and feathers fly....

Harrison Phillip Fletcher III isn't supposed to be here. Not in Burlington, Vermont, not running Vino & Veritas, a quaint inclusive bookstore and wine bar, and definitely not still alive, at 42. Also not supposed to be here? An unexpected delivery of chickens.

Finn Barnes knows chickens. The burly organic farmer knows all about rare breed poultry, but dealing with a hot older bookseller is an entirely different matter. City-slicker types like Harrison never end up staying in Vermont for the long-term.

They should steer clear of each other. But the flare of attraction is mutual. And somehow amid book discussions and farm tours, they discover plenty in common. Now they're stealing kisses in Finn's barn, sneaking out like teens, and burning up the sheets.

What starts as a fling brings very real feelings for two lonely souls, but a future together seems as unlikely as chickens in a bookstore. Feathers may be flying, but learning to trust takes time neither may have. Can they take a leap of faith together before it's too late?

Contains mature themes.

©2020 Annabeth Albert (P)2021 Tantor

Read the book instead

It's a sweet story and I probably would have enjoyed it more (possibly a lot more) if I'd read this instead of listening to it. The narration completely ruined the story. Kirt Graves delivery is well paced, and his intonation is good. My problem with his delivery is his need to speak in such precise, fully enunciated words that it throws me utterly out of the story and reminds me with every word that someone is narrating a story to me. I can't get lost in the story. Alexander Cendese, on the other hand, overacts EVERYTHING in this story, and his pacing is so fast it made keeping track of who was speaking almost impossible. Seriously, please save yourself the time and the credit and read this book.

Story had potential

The story had potential, however like other reviews have alluded to, it fell flat. I was hoping to like the audio version better than the written, however the narration killed it for me. I really wish narrators of MM romance would deviate from the effeminate voice for smaller (in size) and “softer” characters even when they aren’t written that way. It reeks of hetero-normative beliefs.

Inconsistent characterization

The story was good and well written. It’s a little more superficial than I expected from this author, but still very enjoyable. Not sure about the narration. I love both narrators and if one or the other had done it all, I think it would have worked out better. These two have such different styles the characters seemed to change personalities depending on who was speaking. Maybe I just have to get use to them reading together... they can’t all be Teddy & Jacob.

Interesting characters and story

I enjoyed that this was low in angst but high on character development. I also enjoyed how Albert was able to get me to believe how these two very different characters were able to build a strong relationship. Cendese (one of my favorites) and Graves (becoming a favorite) did an excellent job.

I never really feel like I got to know anyone

the book wasn't bad but I never really feel like I got to know anyone it seemed almost paint by numbers in terms of its plot points. . the high point was the narration these two always do outstanding work and the tradition continues

Good but..

The story isn't bad, it's cute and the characters fire on you but it takes a bit and it feels forced at times. The voice actors are good independently but the narrating styles are so different that at times it feels like you're switching to new characters playing the same part every time the other narrator takes a turn in stead of keeping with the same 2 characters all the way through. And the narrator for Fin, the chicken farmer, his vice is good and his acting is not bad but he speaks too fast and too upbeat for a lot of his lines. sometimes it was hard for me to keep up with the character because some words started to blur together, he was speaking so fast. and some scenes may have benefitted from a slower and softer approach in stead of such a steadfast and upbeat one the entire time.

Disappointed in the narration.

First of all - I love Annabeth Albert books and look forward to every new story. Sadly, I did not really enjoy this audiobook and am going to go read the story so I can get a better feel for the characters and the flow of the story.
I had not heard these two narrators before and now know they don't appeal to me. Having the bookstore owner, Harrison, sound depressed all the time was bad enough, but Finn, the farmer, sounding like a shallow frat boy was worse. The narrator had him laughing between words like everything was a big joke.. The intimate moments were hard to listen to and did not feel believable, to the point I skipped over them. It was also difficult to listen to these men do women's voices, especially from Harrison's POV, because there was no differentiation between the women, they all had the same nasal, elderly cartoon woman whine.
Don't miss AA's other series. There are some amazing voices who narrate her work - like the Out of Uniform series and her new offering, Sailor Proof.

cute

struggled to finish listening ,Alexander Cendese is the only reason I did finish. Kirt Graves needed more emotion in his voice when reading.

Kinda boring

The story is only okay. The best part about it was the cliche city boy learning how to work on the farm. Everything else was kind of insignificant. The narrators were also kind of boring and sometimes their voices literally made me uncomfortable. Normally, I can read a book in like 2-4 days. This took me two months to get through hoping it would get better.

Enjoyable

I enjoyed listening to this book, even though there were times when Harry was a bit depressing. However, the narrators were good and I probably would listen to it again.