How to Date a Douchebag: The Failing Hours

By: Sara Ney

Narrated by: Muffy Newtown, Josh Goodman

Length: 9 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's Summary

Zeke Daniels isn't just a douchebag; he's an asshole.

A total and complete jerk, Zeke keeps people at a distance. He has no interest in relationships - most assholes don't.

Dating? Being part of a couple? Nope. Not for him.

He's never given any thought to what he wants in a girlfriend, because he's never had any intention of having one.

Shit, he barely has a relationship with his family, and they're related; his own friends don't even like him.

So why does he keep thinking about Violet DeLuca?

Sweet, quiet Violet - his opposite in every sense of the word.

The light to his dark, even her damn name sounds like rays of sunshine and happiness and shit.

And that pisses him off, too.

©2017 Sara Ney (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

Peel back the layers

I'm going to be honest I made it 20% into this book and thought there is no way I will like Zeke. I of course continued because I loved Violet and wanted to see her get her HEA. I'm so glad that Sara Ney proved me wrong! This isn't an insta-love story and you won't like the hero right away. If you give him a chance though and see what others don't it will definitely be worth it in the end. Can't wait to listen to the next book in the series.

Narration -5 stars!

Friggin Zeke

I love this book. I love this audible. It gives me life. Josh Goodman is amazing.

Good!

I liked it and it was good. There were some funny moments and the ending was pretty sweet.

The hero is a jerk and very standoffish. He didn't want to be around anyone or treat anyone decently. The heroine is very shy, sweet and struggles socially. Because of their behavior, it was why the ending was so sweet to finally see them let down their walls.

I borrowed the audiobook on audio escape and really enjoyed the two narrators. I would recommend the audiobook if you want to check out this book.

I love this new series!

I have been so entertained by this second book in this series! The hero of this book is a sour, self-centered and privileged wrestler who treats everyone like garbage beneath his feet. What no one knows is that he's really a hurt little boy inside because of the way his parents ignored him and left his care to nannies and paid relatives. The heroine is a shy, orphaned, sweet girl with a stutter who works in the college library, watches other students kids and tutors in order to pay tuition.
When Zeke (hero) is having trouble keeping his grades up in Biology, guess who gets assigned as his tutor? He's terrible to her- belittles and makes fun of her while she's trying to help him. He's such an ungrateful punk that at times I think I'd slap him. Violet (heroine) is nice enough to not be angry with him all the time, and gradually Zeke warms up to her- as long as they are alone, otherwise he snubs her. Add in a couple of needy kids from Big Brother/Big Sister program ( coach made him do it!) and we start to see facets of him we didn't before. Can Zeke find his heart and can Violet put up with him until he does? Loved the banter, the funny parts and the emotional ending. Narration was perfect!

Perfection!

I LOVE this book! Zeke was so much more than I was expecting. Moody, closed-off, cocky and a douchebag - he was hard to like at all when the book started. Violet was the opposite - kind, sweet, loving, caring and able to look for the good in everyone, even a douchebag like Zeke. I loved these two so much! It was a bit of a slow burn but well developed and had a great build up. The narration was perfect! I love these two narrators together and it really added to the story. Highly recommend!

SURPRISINGLY I FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS SERIS

Some how I listened to this series out of order but I fell in love with it from the first word. It's cute not extremely sexy but has a great story line and well defined characters. It takes time for the love match to show up but the lead up is well worth the wait. LOVED IT!!!

4.5 The Failing Hours Stars

Now this book was everything I had hoped book 1 would be. This had more heat too.

I loved Zeke! I can’t even how douche he was haha you just knew he was going to fall and fall big and he does!

I loved that he was this hard outer shell with a soft inside and no one knew until Violet.

She sees what everyone else misses. I felt the most for Violet thought she has not had it easy but she has persevered through it all and is this incredible woman for it.

I love the Zeke see that in her and goes after her. I loved this book, again the banter isn’t as bold but it’s there oh is it there.

Again great narration same two from the first book … loved it.

*You don't have to like my review but its 100% my opinion, and I am allowed to have it.*

Muffy Newtown...

is killing this story for me.... I mean I WANT to like her, but her performance makes me cringe. Let me start by saying that her normal reading voice is fantastic and her male voices are swoony. It's when she does other parts , especially whispering or sexy times, that I dread. Her voice is shaky. It vibrates (whiny and squeaky, too)and sounds like she's going to burst out crying. Her stutter for Violet was awful.

Josh Goodman's Vi stutter was superb, though.

I wish we could rate narrators separately.

Muffy Newtown 2.5
Josh Goodman 5

Loved This Broken Douchebag!

I loved this book! Muffy Newton and Josh Goodman did an AMAZING job bringing Violet and Zeke to life. Thanks to whispersync, I was able to switch back and forth between the ebook and audiobook and I loved every minute! I will probably go back just to listen because their performances were that good!

Zeke was not your typical hero. At times, he said all the wrong things and made some absolutely terrible decisions, but as the story progressed, readers/listeners got to see the more vulnerable and lovable side of him. Watching him go from grade A douchebag to (let's face it) moderately less douchebag was awesome. He is broken, guarded, and standoffish, but deep down his intentions are so sweet that I couldn't help falling for him. Honestly, I enjoyed this book more than the first because of Zeke. He is described as a manwhore, but I liked that there was no other women drama and no scenes to add to this reputation. The glimpse of the items in his room and most of his interactions with Kyle, Summer, and Violet paint a much different picture than the jerk everyone thinks he is. Neither him or Violet are perfect, but I loved their opposites attract chemistry and what they brought out in each other. Yes, there is the inevitable push and pull, but it was the perfect emotional gut punch that was needed. I was definitely rooting for them to find their HEA.

Awesome audiobook (though I will say you will have to love a-holes!) and you really can't beat the whispersync price! Can't wait to listen/read to the next book!

Story: 4 Stars!, Audio: 2 Stars

After reading the first Douchebag book, my one thought after being reintroduced to Zeke in this book was: This author has some serious work cut out for her!

Thankfully, she managed to redeem his character without the high angst normally associated with this genre. It's the only way I could have enjoyed it. Realistic conflict at relatively low cost.

So, while I liked this story and appreciated how the author developed and reshaped Zeke's character with the help of a wonderful heroine, I've also realized that I'm no longer interested in this genre, as a whole. It's either a lack of interest in characters this age or more specifically, books that are labeled categorically NA.

Audio - I’m not the biggest fan of this particular female narrator and while I usually try to avoid her audios, I'm not sure I was aware that Muffy Newton was also Erin Mallon, I don’t care for some of her inflections and how she ALWAYS puts emphasis at the end of a sentence or word by modulating her voice to a higher pitch. it drives me batty. In this audio, she was particularly subpar. The heroine had a speech impediment (stutter) and Newton/Mallon wasn't able to correctly capture it. Instead, she made the character simply sound nervous. The male narrator did a great job and I'll be sure to keep an eye out for more of his work.

MY FAVOURITE DOUCHEBAG

Yes! Zeke is my new favourite douchebag.

he's cranky, a certified a**hole, grumpy, offensive but you can't help but love the man behind the grump.

Violet, lovely Vi, she's down to earth, feels at home in the library, polite, humble and since the death of her parents speaks with a stutter. Violet is poles apart from the hottie and hunk of a wrestler Zeke but opposites attract so they say.

I loved the crankyness and frankness of Zeke he spoke his mind and didn't care who's feelings got in the way. Violet see's right through Zeke's facade and just sees a kindred spirit.

Both alone with no close family, Violet choses to get on with her life while Zeke goes around with a chip on his shoulder.

Zeke was given orders by his coach to take on a little brother as part of a programme for under privileged kids, this got me, I laughed out loud so many times in some scenes, Zeke having to befriend an 11 year old, Zeke's a guy with no filter, he has zero people skills, it was hilarious.

Violet was also looking after a little girl and she came to Zeke's rescue more than once teaming up with them on play dates.

Violet became Zekes savour, lead him away from one day becoming the king of all a**holes to an adorable guy and I loved the journey from friendship to more.

The failing hours is a friend to lovers story filled with humour, told in first person dual pov's and leads to a hea.

I'm loving this series. I listened this one on audio, the narration was brilliant and really brought the characters to life. loved it

Looking forward to the next book in the series.

Fantastic

I do love a college romance and this is one of the best. Zeke and Violet are so lovely together.
The narrators did a great job.
Really enjoyable.