Fiercely Emma

Cake Series, Book Three

By: J. Bengtsson

Narrated by: Andi Arndt, Zachary Webber

Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's Summary

Emma, older sister of renowned rock star Jake McKallister, has crafted a quiet existence for herself. Fiercely independent, scorned at work, and indifferent to relationships, she's spent the past decade trying to move on from the crime that shook her family to the core. Living by a promise she made to herself as a distraught 16-year-old, Emma has sworn off marriage and children...until a chance encounter with a scruffy hitchhiker throws her orderly world into chaos.

A wild child raised in mayhem by a teenage mother, fearless Finn Perry cruises through life as the perennial nice guy. Now a struggling actor, he supports himself by performing daredevil stunts. At a crossroads in his life, one thing has always remained constant in his world: Finn's desire to start the family he never had. The mystery woman who rescues him from the side of the road sure seems like the perfect person for the job.

But unfinished business from Emma's troubled past looms heavy, threatening to destroy the fledging love she's found with the only man to ever jump-start her wounded heart.

©2017 J. Bengtsson (P)2017 J. Bengtsson

Love J. Bengtsson

I have a new favorite author! I loved seeing the lives of this family play out before me. I want more... heavy sigh. My new found love for J. Bengtsson is the witty banter between the characters. I laughed hard at some situations, which made me appear crazy while eating lunch in break room with co-workers. You also made me cry and made me feel. Thank you for a wonderful story. I hope you are not finished. You gave us so many brothers and sister's that I want to hear from them all.

INDIANA JONES AND EMMA!!! LOVED IT!!!!

What made the experience of listening to Fiercely Emma the most enjoyable?

It was great...all of it...story, narration...ALL OF IT!!! Loved it!! I need more!!

What other book might you compare Fiercely Emma to and why?

I dont want to compare it!

Have you listened to any of Andi Arndt and Zachary Webber ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yep both...and they were great as always!

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I did...I binged all of it....all 10 in a half hours of it....and I loved it!!

Any additional comments?

I didnt know if I was going to like Emma at first....she was quirky and a little judgy...but as you get to know her, you like her..she was so affected by Jakes kidnapping.I cried and cried....what happened to Jake was awful....Emma had to shoulder a lot of the responsibility during this hard time, and it hurt her....Finn had it hard too..his mother is awful...Finn and Emma meet in a kismet way and they were just meant to be...I am so glad they worked it out...and we get more of Jakes story...and Kyles...I love this series...I hope there is more, because I cant wait to see what comes next...I would really like to hear Moms story....

Another great hit in the series

Would you listen to Fiercely Emma again? Why?

Yes, there is so much debth, humor and emotion to this storyline. I love the continuing story of the McAlister family. The trama that the whole family went through when Jake was kidnapped and how they all joined together afterwards continues in Emma's book and we get to know more and more of how it affected each of the kids in her book. J. Bengtsson paints such a vivid picture of pain and regrowth through family in her stories you can't help but fall in love with the characters even when they aren't making the best choices.

Have you listened to any of Andi Arndt and Zachary Webber ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Yes I have listened to several Andi Arndt and Zachary Webber performances and as always they hit this one out of the ball park. Andi did a great job with making Emma closed off as she was meant to be due to the trauma she endured as a teenager but also still lovable as your heart went out to her as she had to grow up and do things that most teenagers never should have when Jake was kidnapped. Zach of course was on par with his performance you couldn't help but love his character. He too had a hard life growing up and the way Zach delivered the humor and love in this performance was spot on.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I loved the part of the book when Emma and Finn were are the "compound" with the kids. Both times they were there and the way Finn interacted with the kids were humorous. You can see the love he has for his family and the respect/admiration they have for him. Even how Emma reacted to them showed she loved kids even when she claimed she never wanted to have kids.

Amazing characters misused

Sigh. I am disappointed with this book. I loved Emma. I loved Finn. I loved them together - Almost to the level of Casey/Jake. Actually Finn was more likeable even. It was great to hear more about what happened during the kidnapping events and get a better perspective on all the children. Up until the last maybe quarter of the story, I was sold.

Spoiler alert.

Really? A statistically improbable accidental pregnancy causes a woman who has, in her entire adult life, never wanted children to, after a 5 min cry in the bathroom, decide she wants to be a mother after all? No. Jeezus, not all women want or need to be mothers. It's frankly insulting that the author had Emma change on a dime. And lazy, since she never had the chance to actually deal with the issues surrounding her making the decision to forgo motherhood (not that she needs a reason, but still). The plot twist felt contrived to get the main characters together in a neat little package the easiest / laziest way possible.

As much as I loved Emma and Finn, and liked them together, I'd have much rather seen them apart than this. Wanting kids or not is a huge relationship deal breaker, and the handling of the conflict in this story was so unrealistic it soured the whole thing for me. In my mind, this book does not have a happily ever after because a major thing involving the main characters' lives together was not resolved.

That said, fantastic performances by the narrators, as always.

Expect both laughter and heartache

J. Bengtsson is a fairly new published author. This is not only the third in a series but her third book overall. I listened to all three within a few weeks of each other and it's fascinating to see her growth as an author. Her first (Cake: A Love Story) was quite good but in her second and third she just keeps getting better.

Her use of humor and dialogue in this book was excellent. Also, the ways she showed us the character and motivations of Emma were really well done. I didn't get quite as deep an understanding of Finn, but deep enough to satisfy. And honestly, he's a perfectly lovable character. You just know if you met him in person you'd like him.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Love the continuing story!

I have loved the story of this family throughout the series of three books! Yes, you definitely need to start with 'Cake' then 'Theory of Second Best' and this one. The story is painfully beautiful and I love Finn! Both narrators are among the best there are!

Best book in the series yet!!

Another great story and I can't get enough of this series or the McKallister clan. The stories are great, the jokes are funny, and this family is awesome. I want to be an honorary McKallister for just one day!! Emma and Finn are perfect and I love their chemistry. Their banter is sweet and funny. And I loved getting to know more of the family especially during Dad's birthday week (so funny). Also the narrators are fantastic- can't wait to one click the next book- hoping it's Quinn.

So worth the credit!

The 3rd book in the Cake series. The first two are part of the romance package but this one required a credit but it’s so WORTH IT!!!
This first is about their rock star brother and a tragedy he lived through.
The second is about his brother, his experience of the tragedy and him also going onto a show like Survivor. This one the 3rd is about their sister finding love. More about the tragedy is revealed. But so many funny warm parts mixd in!

Cake just keeps getting better and better.

How is that possible? It started out with five stars-- there aren't any more to give :/
I laughed my @$$ off and I cried my heart out. I love Andi Arndt's voice; I think I might be a little bit in love with her.

Loved it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel – there was attraction at first sight, compassion, slow-burn build-up to love, convincing conflict, depth of characters, so much humour, heartbreak and redemption, and love wins all.

Emma is a nurse and sister of the world-famous rock-star Jake, hero of Cake: A Love Story (5 stars in my opinion). In FIERCELY EMMA the story weaves Emma’s past and present events in interleaving chapters. The past colours Emma’s present and cleverly reveals how her mind works. Overall, what is revealed adds to what you learn about her famous brother Jake in the first and second books in this series Cake: A Love Story and The Theory Of Second Best: Cake Series Book Two.

In contrast, WOW, this story’s hero Finn came from a humble homelife so far removed from Emma’s I feared she’d freeze with judgemental horror. But Emma just rolls with it all. What a champ.

I love this author’s stories despite being frustrated by the writing style sometimes. Namely, being TOLD after the event the next day about a significant first intimate encounter or other major event instead of experiencing it “live.” I can’t give specific examples without spoilers. Overall, however, the stories are well written and I can’t wait for the next instalment as we return to Jake in Cake: The Newlyweds: Cake Series Book Four.

I loved the narrators Zachary Webber and Andi Arndt in the Audible version.

Had me laughing out loud from the beginning

I could not get enough of this book, I listen to A LOT of audio books in this genre and never leave reviews but I could not finish this with out recommending that you all get this book. It's outstanding. Two of my favourite narrators made this the perfect package.

loved it

I love how the characters (family members) from previous books are included in subsequent books, it makes for real family drama and plays like a movie saga or TV show which is helped by the narration royalty that accompany the books. I love this book series and highly recommend it. not gonna give any of the plot away in my review, just spend the credits on the audio books you won't be disappointed if this is your style of book but read them in order.

Great storytelling

Again storytelling at its best. It's great to spend time again with this challenging storyline.

ohhh so sweet

as always Andi Arndt and Zachary Webber did great job bring the story to life!

Beautiful

I have so love ad this series starting with cake I always read books but when its this good I have to have audio. Truly worth listening too

This series just keeps getting better!

Any additional comments?

Perfect narration! Emma and Finn’s story brought to life— true love from a random meet-cute at Coachella! ❤️

Just wonderful!

Another beautiful, moving and heart warming book from J Bengtsson, masterfully narrated by the wonderful team of Andi Arndt and Zachary Webber. They bring the books and characters to life and infuse the words with personality and zest. Great listening experience.