Lord Grenville's Choice

By: G. G. Vandagriff

Narrated by: Joel Froomkin

Length: 5 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

Alexander Lambeth, fifth earl of Grenville, had eyes only for the fair Lady Elizabeth during his first London season. Unfortunately Elizabeth's father brokered her marriage to another.

Fancying himself broken hearted, Alex consented to a loveless union with Lady Felicity, daughter of wealthy Lord Morecombe. Five years into his marriage, his first love is widowed, and Alex's wife seems to believe he will waste no time making Lady Elizabeth his mistress.

As Felicity chooses to live apart from him, a surprisingly difficult choice is thrust upon Alex. Whom does he truly desire - the ethereal Elizabeth or the maddening Felicity?

©2014 G.G. Vandagriff (P)2015 C.L. Oakwood

A perfect match from a mediocre marriage.

What did you love best about Lord Grenville's Choice?

I really enjoyed that it was a fresh spin on a period romance. I'd never read a book that took a couple that were already together and explored how social confines, and the dictates of advantageous marriages etc. could serve as an obstacle to discovering the true person to whom you are wed. It was engaging and I really loved the alternating points of view.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Felicity - I think she's a great character that you real feel for - she totally holds up to the Jane Austen/Jane Eyre kind of strong female character who has an inner life totally at odds with her outer experience.

What does Joel Froomkin bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

A lovely range. I thought the way he approached both lead characters was lovely. A lot of male narrators struggle to make a female lead character seem emotionally accessible and not silly... I had no issues here. He gave a subtle performance that gave depth to the story...and in places he was quite witty.

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

It's easy to choose love. If you know where to find it.

Easy choice. Great listen!!

I loved this listen from the word go! Lord Grenville was in a 'does he, or doesn't he' quandary. It was such a rich and enjoyable listen to learn the answer. There were quite a few bumps along the way. I loved it!!

I had no idea that the narrator was one of my favorites. I didn't realize it until I got to the ending. That ratcheted up the special even more.

Great listen!!

A whirlwind of duty, devotion and desire.

Where does Lord Grenville's Choice rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I would rate it highly. It was a very enjoyable read - I adored the heroine, Felicity, and the narration was spot on. The book is absolutely charming and I'll recommend it to friends. A great summer. read.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Lord Grenville's Choice?

The moment when Felicity and Alex are reunited is pretty great... it's very cinematic and had great romantic sweep. The setting was wonderful and you got real sense of old-school Wuthering Heights style drama.

Which scene was your favorite?

There are several scenes where you can just sense disaster on the horizon and you become very invested in the characters learning to really communicate. I think the fact that the whole novel builds up to a moment where that takes place is really effective.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Both - there are some wonderful characters in the novel.... the aunt is fabulous and performed very well. And I did find myself quite teary toward the end. If you get choked up during Pride and Prejudice - you'll totally fall for these characters 100 percent.

Wonderful characters wrestle with what's unsaid.

Would you listen to Lord Grenville's Choice again? Why?

Yes, I would. I think the narrator brings great zest to his performance and it made it very enjoyable to listen to. I really enjoyed the structure of the book - switching between the viewpoint of the two protagonists. It was particularly effective for a period piece like this, in which social constraints prevent characters from just speaking their mind... It allowed you to really feel for both characters and become totally invested in their relationship.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I loved the Aunt - she was feisty and very funny. I also think Felicity is a wonderful heroine... she's strong yet vulnerable... and the protective walls she's built up really make the reader invest in the outcome.

What about Joel Froomkin’s performance did you like?

I thought he was great... Particularly considering the challenge of voicing a leading female character through the whole book... I think he did a great job with Felicity - I never felt distracted. On the contrary, i thought he gave a very emotionally affecting performance.

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

The climax of the book - Alex's journey to find Felicity - was great. There are several moments where I think the reader just wants to yell at the characters because their inability to connect is infuriating (because you are so invested in their relationship). The book is a real tug of war... it has a structure that feels almost like the serialized novels of the time that were published in periodicals chapter by chapter.. there are some true emotional cliff hangers.

Any additional comments?

It has a real Jane Austen charm too it... There is a wonderful authenticity and detail to the novel and I really loved these characters and felt totally swept up in the romance of the story. It's not a bodice-ripper type romance at all... it's elegant, charming and will enchant BBC and Downton fans for sure.

Good Story; Not Great Narration

Although I love GG Vandegriff’s writing, and I certainly did like this book and was happy with the ending, I struggled quite a bit with Alex and his lack of emotional attachment to his wife. I guess this was, in fact, a main element in the storyline but it really sickened me at times. Felicity was right to basically force him to a decision but, after living for 5 years with his basically unfaithful or at least wavering affections, her forgiveness was almost supernatural. And, truly, Anabella should have offered much more repentance toward Felicity in my opinion. However, the outcome and eventual epilogue were truly HEA so I do recommend this book.

Love this story

This is a lovely story about a man who fails in his quest to marry his true love and marries for convenience, and money, in stead. The rejected Lord Grenville marries Felicity, a beautiful talented young lady, and they have a son together. Felicity is a wonderful woman. But Lord Grenville continues to pine for his first love, Elizabeth. Then Elizabeth is widowed and becomes available. She still wants Lord Grenville. Lord Grenville must decide if he still wants Elizabeth or if he want his wife, Felicity. Lots of delicious drama. I loved it. The characters are well developed and the story moves quickly. I was engrossed.

I like the story. Foolish man

Loved the story. Hated the narrator's voice. It grated. like nails on a chalkboard. Ok.

Swept me off my feet.

I really enjoyed this book. It was charming with two characters who are well-drawn and very engaging. The whole book is a wonderful tug of war between the characters inner feelings and outer decorum. It's a really interesting spin on a romance... since the lead characters are already married... I'd never encountered a story that had quite this approach before. It was a charming exploration of the difference between love and obsession - devotion and infatuation. Felicity and Alex are a wonderful foil to each other - and the supporting characters, especially the Aunt, are absolutely delightful. The narration is excellent - witty, charming and sensitive.

A classy romance with charm.

I thought this was a lovely read and the characters caught my attention. I liked that the two leading characters were both flawed and were often their own worst enemy... It was fun to see the inner thoughts and peek at both character's perspective on the same events. The writer is excellent at painting the period... and it felt absolutely like an authentic novel of the time. I liked that the romance in the novel was truly that - romantic - and again, in keeping with the style of Austen etc. If you're looking for an enjoyable and charming tale to tug at the heart, this one is a treat. I also enjoyed the narrator - he brought a wide variety of color to the various characters and didn't simply 'read' the book... He brings the dialogue to life and it felt at times like I was listening to Masterpiece Theatre kind of performance.

Excellent!

To my knowledge this is a first for my listening to this author and narrator, but certainly not the last.

The story is very well written, moves along smoothly without excessive wordiness. In my opinion if an author has a good command of the English language there is no need for using more words than is necessary to make a point, nor redundant expressions. G.G. Vandagriff proves to have a good command of language.

I feel to go beyond the author's summation of the story would be to spoil it for some, so I will not elaborate on it.

The book is well worth a credit, and Joel Froomkin gave a wonderful performance. His voices for all the characters were well portrayed; increasing the listener's enjoyment.

I highly recommend it.