Hard to Love

By: W. Winters

Narrated by: Joe Arden, Samantha Cook

Length: 4 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's Summary

From USA Today best-selling author Willow Winters comes a heart-wrenching, edge-of-your-seat, gripping romantic suspense. 

I own this town. The deals, the cash flow, the corruption - I decide it all. Blood and violence taints everything I claim. She was a constant through it all, and she never knew how badly I needed her. Just a touch would singe and soothe. Just a look would tempt and torment. She was too good for this world. I was too much of a bastard to push her away. She became my escape and my addiction.

It was only a matter of time before the danger bled into what we had. I should’ve known better than to indulge. I should’ve known better than to let her fall for me. There isn’t anything I touch that doesn’t crumble into dust and ash. Touching Laura was her downfall. Problem was, it was mine, too.

©2019 Willow Winters Publishing LLC (P)2019 Willow Winters Publishing LLC

Just as amazing as the book!

These narrators did a fantastic job of pulling me right into the story and have me , dying for more. I can’t wait to listen to the rest of the series.

The book is incredible and it leads into an amazingly intense story! Definitely grab your copy today!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

NARRATORS MADE THIS GREAT!!!

I rarely buy Winter Willows any more; you need three credits to get an entire book. That is just plain greedy and the first story is usually what drags you in. Now this listen is a winner, these narrators/performers are at the top of their game. I may very well buy the next in the series, if I don't have to wait long. There isn't much I can say without spoiling the story. Even thinking of multiple books, I highly recommend this listen!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

WIllow always delivers suspense and romance

Willow Winters once again captivated me. Her ability to make words on pages capture your mind, heart and soul, always amazes me. It is so easy to love her characters as she brings them to life. Seth and Laura finally have their own story, and it was well worth the wait. We meet Seth through the Cross brothers and it was an amazing, emotional ride reading his story. Once again, I found myself yelling at the book, sitting on the edge of my seat and having difficulty breathing as the pages turned themselves. Even Superman has a weakness, kryptonite. Laura is Seth's kryptonite and he is hers as well. They are perfect together. But the ride is not smooth. In typical Willow fashion, this road has bumps, curves and potholes, believe me, you will feel each and every one of them as the characters do. This is a must read!
Joe Arden and Samantha Cook were the perfect narrators for this story. Mr. Arden brought out the tough edge that Seth needed to run his business. But the softer side, was just as lively with his narration too. Mr. Arden made Seth realistic, and at times easy to relate to in his struggles. Laura was a very intricate character. Samantha Cook brought Laura to life through the narration. Ms. Cook was able to narrate every emotion and attitude of Laura. The strength that Laura had was amazing, and Ms. Cook brought that to life. This narration team was amazing and I look forward to more from them.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Hard to Put down

I loved this audible and the story which I had previously read. What really stood out was that Samantha Cook had to do dialogue between the main character and her best friend and she killed it. I could tell them apart and they fit each character so well. Joe Arden is fantastic as always. With Audible titles it is really important to me that the characters sound similar to how they would in my head especially if I have already read the book. I will be listening to this one again because Seth Joe Arden's character is bad in the best of ways. Recommend. Great length too. Not too long or short.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Amazing.

This little gem here was jam packed with suspense, heat, passion, lust, mystery and SO MUCH MORE. I love how Willow can lead me into a plot, basically blind and just when I think i’ve come to figure it out, when I have THOUGHT I knew what was happening and what was to come, and BOOM... she throws in some plot twists, twists that kept me on my toes from start to finish, twists that had me wanting to scream, and had me begging for more..I literally devoured this book in one day.

Joe played Seth perfectly. And Samantha was by far the best choice for Laura and
When you put these two together it’s s magic.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

A story that grabs and holds you

The Narrators for this story is on point and adds to this all ready great story.
W. Winters did it again. She grabs your heart and takes it for a ride. Seth and Laura’s story is a wild ride that shows you of love and heartache.

“I love the way she looks at me. No one’s ever looked at me like that before. No one other than her.”

Seth and Laura story is a gripping, thrilling page turner. It was a story I couldn’t wait to read but it also was nothing that I expected. It was so much more.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

PROBABLY A TRILOGY.. DEFINITELY A CLIFFHANGER

I don’t usually do short listens because they’re over so soon and there’s not so much depth and detail to the story.. but, for this talented trio I delved right in.. but I should’ve know better with Willow’s books. Right from the start of this story you know something terrible has happened between these two damaged ex lovers and in the chapters that follow you get to hear the whats and the whys. With a boyfriend deep-routed in organized crime, Laura’s life revolves around him, her bff, studying to become a nurse and her sad memories of everyone that’s now gone from her life. She loves Seth but she feels sad, alone, nervous, weak and unloved.. even though Seth does everything he can for her.. and then things start to go wrong.. badly wrong.. terribly wrong.. devastatingly wrong.. heartbreakingly wrong. A wrong that divides them for eight years and leaves us with a bloody CLIFFHANGER ending.

They’re soul-mates wanting opposite things.. with a Club hiding a fight ring and ‘moving merchandise‘ Seth’s life is dangerous.. but Laura wants to become a nurse, have safety, security and to be loved so there’s a lot of emotional friction in this dual POV story that tells of their tragic fragile pasts. Now I Hope Willow can follow this up soon because I wasn’t prepared for the CLIFFHANGER at all and I’m getting pretty peed off with the constant splitting up of her stories into trilogies which you have to wait months for and spend three credits on.. it’s greedy, it’s not a nice way to hear a story and it’s SO bloody frustrating too.

Worth a credit? Yes, because hopefully this first suspenseful stepping stone will lead to something truly great from this talented author.. and the narration by Joe and Samantha was perfect as usual. It’s got suspense, drama, angst, lust, love and a push-pull relationship that is slowly nose-diving and then suddenly flatlines leaving bloodshed, broken hearts, anger, bitterness, betrayal, revenge and a twisted mangled mess of love vs hate in its wake.

5 of 6 people found this review helpful

A thrilling, chaotic story of love and loss

Willow Winters is fast becoming my new addiction. But listening on audio to these stories is so overpowering that it transports you right there in the thick of it. This story is one thrilling, action ride. Your heart will break into smithereens for these characters as they live a life of hurt and chaos.

Seth and Laura’s story is not for the faint hearted. It’s tumultuous and greedy and everything is just against them. The life Seth leads is his downfall because how can an innocent, sweet girl like Laura live in that violence. Love might coat the shadows of the truth for awhile but in the end reality hits both of them hard and fast.

The narrators did a marvellous job with this tale. I was hooked from the very first word and I cannot wait to see what transpires next because that ending was definitely not what I was expecting .

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Seth King = God Among Book Boyfriends

Here I thought the written words were amazing..

This story of Seth and Laura will put you on your ass. Their chemistry is unmatched and their desire is palpable! Listening to Joe and Samantha narrate all their passion and fire made it even more entertaining the second go around. The dominance, power and passion Joe emphasizes as Seth...Je-sus! Pretty sure the panties of all female readers are combusting as I write this! Great story and I'm looking forward to book 2!

Continuing to be #SlayedBySeth!

#TeamWillow

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

Absolutely amazing!

The book is absolutely incredible but Joe Arden as Seth is amazing!! I don’t usually enjoy audio books but this one is one I could listen to again and again!! Highly recommended!!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Joe Arden as Seth King is 🔥🔥🔥

I absolutely loved this book and I will happily devour anything written by W.Winters.
The audiobook has been much anticipated and has delivered to perfection.
Joe Arden brings Seth King’s character to life and the auditory image will not leave my mind. Samantha Cook delivers Laura’s character to perfection.
I was gripped from start to finish reading the book, the audiobook brought out the intensity of the emotions and gave an added dimension to scenes that has my pulse racing in more ways than one.
I can’t wait for the next audiobook instalment in this series.
5 Stars all round

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

EPIC!

I am obsessed with this story! I am OBSESSED with Seth! This story is highly addictive and I am SO INTO this couple, I can't even begin to tell you! Joe & Samantha nail the characters and really bring the heat to the narration! I absolutely LOVED IT!
Do not miss out on this one!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Mind blowing explosive passionate

Wow listening to Hard to Love on audible by Willow Winters narrated by Jon Arden and Samantha Cook are amazing they draw you into the story and capture your imagination so vividly.

Hard to love is part of the merciless series but focuses on Seth and Laura's stories and can be listened to without having heard/read the other books in the series prior.

A notorious lifestyle that Seth leads mixed with Laura wanting to become a nurse surely a combination of fireworks. When these two are combined a rollercoaster is definitely needed but can they complete all obstacles?

A true Willow Winters mind blowing piece of writing and definite favourite to date, the narrators brought the book to life with such powerful emotion. A definite listen to piece.

Awesome!!!!

This was a very hot book!!! I read the book and listened to this amazing audiobook it was Amazing The story was a roller coaster of emotions, If I could give it more than 5 stars I would!!! I recommend as a must listen!!! Cant wait to listen to more by this author!!!!

Hard to Love: a fantastic audiobook

This is my second time with this book, and my first time listening with audible. The audio version really was brilliant, and the two narrators I thought really gave this story a really gripping edge that added so much to my love and appreciation of this book.

Hard To Love is a great story. It really is my type of audiobook. I love gritty mafia romance stories, with tension and suspense, and this story had it all for me. The plot built really well throughout up to the end, getting progressively more involving and intense. I just loved it. This could be my new Willow favourite story!

Seth and Laura are great characters who I really warmed to. There were also other secondary characters within this book that I really felt added depth to the story.

I would definitely recommend this to contemporary/mafia/suspense romance readers. This is part one of a series.

My first Audiobook and won't be my last

I have previously read the kindle edition to this novel several months ago, I have been wanting to try an audio book for some time and as I enjoyed the book I thought why not? The Audio book is dual narrated which I really liked, the narrators were expressive and captured the feel of the story exactly how I wanted them to and how I portrayed the emotions in my head as I read the story the first time around. Listening to the story again refreshed the plot for me and I was pleasantly surprised at being reminded of plot points I had forgotten about as I read so many books.

The pacing the narrators read at was ideal, easy to follow, Joe and Samantha were clear, and expressive, differentiating between characters with different intonations and accents which added to the overall feel of the novel. With the book ending how it did, hearing people narrate it, I actually felt it intensified these scenes even more so and brought it to life in a way that differs to reading it alone. So glad I decided to try this one out.

Fantastic listen!

Amazing book, exceptional narrators, a joy to listen to. I highly recommend this audiobook! Perfect to listen to on the way to work.