Firework

By: Melissa Brayden

Narrated by: Kristin Barnes

Length: 3 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

The truth has many shades.

Lucy Danaher was born into a life of privilege and has always enjoyed the view from the top. She spends her days running Global NewsWire, a Fortune 500 company, and her nights at all the trendy San Diego hot spots. When the Union-Tribune decides to run a feature story on her company, Lucy's thrilled to oblige with an interview. But when the reporter arrives, it turns out the story she's writing is anything but flattering. The fact that she's irritatingly gorgeous only adds salt to the wound.

Kristin James loves her job, and as a committed journalist will go out of her way to tell the most balanced story possible - even if it means going up against Lucy Danaher, that striking and stubborn-as-hell CEO. She just has one problem. No matter what she does, she can't seem to get Lucy off her mind.

©2015 Melissa Brayden (P)2016 Bold Strokes Books Inc

Explosive!

I really like Melissa Brayden' stories. This short revisited characters from Heart Block. It was nice to see Emory and Sara again. I only have one criticism about all her books. She uses the word prior too much. It may not bother anyone else but it does me. But don't let that stop you from listening.

an enjoyable story

This is a short but very cute story.
It was an easy read with a great are of characters. This is crossover book to Heart Block. the narration for this book was ok just not a lot of variation when it came to each character. However she did a good job telling Lucy's story. It was definitely sweet and you should read it.

I enjoyed this Audible book.

I really enjoyed the Audible edition of Firework. It was great to revisit some of the characters from Heart Block. Excellent Narration by Kristin Barnes.

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Awful narrator. Sounded like a little girl the way way she read and couldn't get tone right. I won't get another book by this narrator even if I like the author. Narration can ruin a story.

Short and sweet

I love all of Melissa Brayden's books, and this one is no different. I don't normally read short stories because I don't have time to connect to the characters like I want to. However, Lucy and Kristin are wonderful and made me feel all over the place with the highs and lows of their story. I read Heart Block awhile back and it was great to be able to check in on Sarah and Emory. My only down side was that the narrator was different for Heart Block so Emory, Grace, and especially Sarah sounds different. Other wise she did a great job.

A companion novella (that sizzles) from Brayden

I've been working my way through audiobook after audiobook given the whole "hey, turns out your foot is fractured, lol!" thing, and today I had my feet up while I finished Firework.

Firework is a novella-length book that takes a supporting cast member from Heart Block, Lucy, and gives her her own romantic narrative in the form of a reporter who shows up to do a piece on Lucy's company, Global NewsWire, and it turns out the piece isn't so great.

That the two end up tangled with each other is textbook Brayden: attraction, a dash of circumstance, and some zany wit. That they're both work-focused is one of the few things they have in common, and finding their middle grounds read realistically. Anyone who has ever dated someone with a very different idea of what's fun will likely find one of their perspectives or the other something to nod over.

The collision course, however, isn't without bumps, and that story might undo all the ground that they've covered.

It goes without saying I really enjoyed this (I always enjoy Melissa Brayden), and for a light, shorter-length audio experience, this one is great for down-time listening.

The audiobook performer was much softer in tone than the reader for Heart Block, and I think that was actually a positive. Lucy is a softer person than Emory was, though no less driven, and Kristin is just finding her feet career-wise and has a hesitancy to her in most things that aren't journalistic. The voice acting mirrored that, and it was a positive.

Adorable

Fast moving short story. Two headstrong main characters who can’t resist each other. Well written and narrated. I really enjoy Melissa Brayden’s stories

Love Melissa Brayden

Although I enjoyed the book this is my least favorite from Melissa Brayden. Perhaps because it seemed more like a short story, but I actually think it's due to the narrator. Sometimes it was hard to differentiate the 2 main characters and was quite monotone throughout. I usually feel like I'm listening to a story performance, but it felt more like listening to some one reading a book out loud to themselves.

Brayden and Barnes are a great team

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would and I have. It's really beautifully narrated. It's wonderfully nuanced. It's very pleasing to listen to. The story is engaging.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Firework?

There were far too many to choose just one. What makes them so memorable, however, is the fantastic way that Brayden writes dialogue and the way Barnes performed that dialogue.

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

I have not listened to others, but it is truly my hope that she will do more performances...particularly for Brayden's novels.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

I would leave that to the author.

Any additional comments?

A very nice story. A lovely romance with just the right balance of drama, humor, conflict, and passion. Excellently done.

I Didn't Love It

What did you like best about Firework? What did you like least?

Brayden is one of my favorite authors, but the narrator (which I know is someone that actually knows the author, settle down this isn't personal) was not fantastic. I know that Brayden has fans that are willing to overlook the fact the novella wasn't up to par with her novels, and the narrator's tone was flat. I forced myself to finish. For me it just wasn't great. The voice was very quiet and no difference between character voices.

Would you recommend Firework to your friends? Why or why not?

Read it, I am sure it would have been better had I read the book instead of listening to it.

Would you be willing to try another one of Kristin Barnes’s performances?

Maybe... I am not sure.. I wasn't super impressed, but I am usually willing to give authors and narrators a second shot.

Could you see Firework being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

unlikely. Pick any other of Brayden's works and I would love to see a movie or series. She is a fantastic writer, but novellas are difficult. Not enough time to make me feel connected.

Any additional comments?

Melissa Brayden is in my top 5 authors, so I could never think her novels/novellas/short story/or even an email was 2 stars or less.