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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

What a start to this trilogy!

Willow Winters has done it again! Sucked me in and left me wanting more! This book is the beginning of Seth and Laura's story, and it's all I love in a book! Seth is slowly getting deeper into the life, and Laura wants out. Well, this isn't going to work, since these two have been in love forever! Winters has crafted the story around an unbridled passion, dangerous liaisons and a hurt so deep that I am wondering if it can be salvaged. It's full of suspense and intrigue, heartache and steam. The perfect mix. But the cliffhanger has me waiting for more, and I need to grab the next book to see where their story leads.

Joe Arden and Samantha Cook are perfect for this story. While I am usually hearing Arden in the comedic or more angsty roles, he proves his talents by giving Seth that alpha, growlie sound, the over protective man with an axe to grind. Laura needs that man, and now with Cook portraying her, with higher expectations and that ability to move on, she gives us the emotional tugs that she is going through. It's a match that will give it all to us and I can't wait to hear more.

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 .

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!

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

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

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!

I loved it

We would have met Seth in the Irresistible Attraction series and I was so excited to know that he got his own series. Hard To Love was an engrossing read and I'm amazed at how easily Willow Winters got me hooked on the plot. I could not put this book down.
This novel gave us Seth and Laura's history and made me fall in love with Seth even more. The story was steamy and passionate, suspenseful and mysterious with some twists and turns I did not see coming. These characters were complex yet were so perfect for each other, that I was consumed with their story which gave me all the feels. It was the perfect blend of love, loss, hope, fear, anger and hate and it all ends in a cliffhanger that will leave you anxious for more. Hard To Love was a fantastic read and I would highly recommend it to all lovers of romantic suspense.
The audiobook version was narrated by Joe Arden and Samantha Cook. They were perfect choices for these characters and they really brought the story to life. Their voices were clear and understandable and they gave the varying characters their own personalities. It was a pleasure listening to the narrate this novel.

Wonderfully performed, excellently written

Seth and Laura show up several times in Willow Winter's Irresistible Attraction; and while I did enjoy Ava Erickson and Sebastian York's performance in that series, I'm glad that this one is performed by different narrators.

It's a credit not just to Joe Arden and Samantha Cook's wonderful performance but also to Willow Winters's excellent writing skills that the tension, passion, and suspense had me at the edge of my seat! Unfortunately for me, this book ends with a cliffhanger and it might be a while before I find out what happens next. Nevertheless, I highly recommend it!

Hard to Love is a contemporary romantic suspense written in dual first-person POV and performed in dual narration. It's the first part of a series and ends with a cliffhanger. No cheating.

I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review.

Seth and Laura!

Seth lives his life on the dark and dangerous side and knows that allowing anyone close only puts them in danger and allows his enemies, both inside and outside the organization, to attack where it really hurts. His head says he needs to keep his distance from Laura and the feelings she raises but the rest of his body isn’t getting the message.

Laura has always done not only what was expected of her but also what was right. She knows that a relationship with Seth is destined for heartbreak, but she also believes their love is strong enough to overcome anything, until it isn't.

Hot chemistry, suspense, emotion and twists that you don’t see coming all lead up to an epic cliffhanger that leaves you wanting more of this couple. I received a complimentary copy of the audiobook and the performance of both narrators was a perfect match for the angst and intrigue of the story.

Heart wrenching.

After reading the Irresistible Attraction's series, I was desperate for more for Willow's Merciless world.

I really wanted Seth's story. You know from previous books that he and Laura have a history. Hard to Love is that history. And it. is. wild.

The narrators for this were incredible. Joe Arden who voiced Seth really brought him to life for me. And the way he says Babygirl..um, yes please.

You can totally read Hard To Love as a standalone and there's so much story packed into this 200 and some pages.

I'm obsessed with this story. I'm obsessed with this world. The angst and the feels that Willow Winters has weaved in this world make you hunger for all of it. And even though I know it's going to hurt before it gets better, I'm ready.

This story ends on something of a cliffhanger.

An copy of the audiobook was provided to me as I volunteered to leave an honest review.

Amazeing

This is the second audio book of willows I have listened to the narration was amazeing I didn't want it to end both voice work will to together the story justed flowed I actually enjoyed the audio better than the book I felt like I was there with them

😍😍

absolutely loved this book the narration was amazing aswell. I fell in love with seth and cannot wait for the next book in the series 😍😍 definitely recommend

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!!!!