Passion, Power and Sin

Books 1-5

By: Mike Wells

Narrated by: Karin Allers

Length: 20 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

When a young, daring, impulsive redhead falls prey to an Internet scam and is swindled out of her life savings and her childhood home, she’s hell-bent on recouping her losses and punishing the person responsible. Her single-minded quest for revenge takes her around the world, from New York to Japan, to the untamed steppes of Kyrgyzstan, to Greece, and ultimately, to a sleek super-yacht anchored in the Mediterranean Sea.

In the midst of her global escapades, she also finds love.

Will she let her thirst for retribution destroy that, too?

©2011 Mike Wells (P)2014 Mike Wells

Opposite of the others

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

It did get better 3/4 of the way through. I thought the book story was rather unbelievable. I kept thinking - I can't believe this - I felt it was absurd in many places. I don't know why I continued listening to the end. I almost wished the star would have been killed because she was so naïve and stupid most of the time.

Would you be willing to try another book from Mike Wells? Why or why not?

Not unless the others were nothing like this one.

Would you listen to another book narrated by Karin Allers?

no

Did Passion, Power and Sin inspire you to do anything?

no

Fantastic Story and Audiobook

What did you love best about Passion, Power and Sin?

It's just so fast-paced! Seriously, I've read every book from Mike, and I absolutely love his ability to surprise the readers by giving them things that nobody ever could've predicted would happen. This is a writer who goes with the flow, it seems, with his stories, and the format works extremely well.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Passion, Power and Sin?

It's nearly impossible to pick a single moment from Passion, Power and Sin that was particularly memorable for me, because the entire novel had me absolutely enthralled, from the first to the end. There were literally no dull or slow moments; it picked right up at the beginning, and it continues at the same satisfying pace throughout.

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

Well, considering I did read the book before listening to the audiobook, I will say this:
I've heard Karin reading Baby Talk (also by Mike), and absolutely loved it. So, I looked forward to hearing her narration on this book, and I must say that I don't regret a single moment I spent listening to her.
Karin has a gift of storytelling, and she does it in such a way that one wouldn't even consider speeding up the narration (as is possible with the Audible mobile application) because it's just so perfectly paced.
I loved listening to it particularly because she makes each character distinct to the readers; she does a very good job with each different character.

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

I think my blood pressure shot up when I first read it. When I was listening to the audiobook, it was just like getting the chance to re-visit characters I haven't visited with in quite some time, and to pick up some details that I might have missed the first time. I mean, the story was the same, but through Karin's narration, I feel as though I have a depth to the story that I haven't had before, which was a fantastic experience for me.

Any additional comments?

Would I recommend you read this book or listen to the audiobook? Absolutely. Not just this book, but all of Mike's books have been wonderfully written, and each one reads in much the same way: the fast-paced, well-developed plot with wonderful characters. Some parts can be seen in my head particularly, as if straight from a Hollywood movie.

Passion, Power and Sin

What a fantastic book, I couldn't stop listening to it it kept my interest and so happy that it had a great ending. I recommend this book as you will not be disappointed!

LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Oh yes yes yes....this was fabulous....I was on the edge of my seat almost the whole book! lol

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

I just said this...it most certainly did! It was super intriguing....I never knew what was coming next and could not put this down!

Which character – as performed by Karin Allers – was your favorite?

Heather! She is brave and sassy...but all the characters were great!

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

ALL EMOTIONS!! I laughed, cried, screamed, got angry....it was awesome!!!

Any additional comments?

*** I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ***

This is a fabulous story! I was in suspense almost the whole book...I kept needing to know more and more...I was completely addicted!! You have Heather, a normal girl, working hard, and struggling to make ends meet who starts to get these mysterious emails with predictions of events that you could potentially bet on and make money...she ignores the first one...but when the prediction comes true, she starts betting on these predictions and it takes her all over the world to do so...she ends up in some crazy and dangerous situations and ultimately ends up with nothing! She vows revenge...and again travels all over to find the scammer who sent her these emails...she finds him and then the fight is on! There is romance, scandal, and suffering in this book...also friendship and love.....great great great listen! I highly recommend!!!!!

Another Great Read from Mike Wells

I received a free copy of this audiobook for an honest review.

I had listened to Mike Wells' Lust, Money, and Murder trilogy a few months ago and really enjoyed it so I was excited to listen to this series. His writing reminds me of Sidney Sheldon but with a little more adventure.

Although these are five separate books, I wouldn't recommend reading just one or reading them out of order. This is more like 5 books in 1 with each book being a particular part of Heather's journey.

Mike Wells does a good job of character development, especially of the main character, Heather. That girl really frustrated me at times. I could understand why she did most of the things she did, and she definitely had guts, but there were times I wished someone could talk some sense into her. Wanting revenge is understandable but she could have learned from Gareth. What a guy! He was one of those "too good to be true" guys any woman would want.

Passion, Power, & Sin is full of drama and suspense with a little romance and humor on the side. I definitely recommend it. I was sad to see the series end.

Great Adventurous Plot!

What made the experience of listening to Passion, Power and Sin the most enjoyable?

All the books are full of drama and suspense with a little romance and humor all mixed together with the hilarious characters apart from the main ones, of course.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Passion, Power and Sin?

Heather journey is full of surprises and memorable moments. I really liked the parts with Gareth. She went to super great lengths to achieve her goal (for example the boob enlargement which I found hilarious) but she sure got she wanted in the end.

Which character – as performed by Karin Allers – was your favorite?

Heather mostly, and Gareth too.

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

The Mediterranean adventure of a Red Head and her excellent revenge!

Any additional comments?

I received this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts opinions and ratings are my own. I was under no obligation to post a review or give positive feedback.
I hope this review was useful to you and helped your decision to read or not read this book.
Thank you very much Mike Wells and Karin Allers for this book!

Up for some international travel?

What made the experience of listening to Passion, Power and Sin the most enjoyable?

Characterization was great in this book, even minor characters had a soul and some dark secrets to boot. The protagonist Heather Bancroft is morally ambiguous yet somehow centered. She is both pretty and practical, driven by emotion, while still cunning. I couldn’t help but fall in love with the redhead just a little.

What did you like best about this story?

I absolutely love books and movies that span a great deal of time and space. Up for some international travel? Well, you can surely find it here. Heather tramps across New York, France, the old Soviet block, Turkey, the Mediterranean, and Japan.

What about Karin Allers’s performance did you like?

She did all the various voices well. I couldn't imagine this book being read by anybody but her.

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

When Heather lost everything in Turkey.

Any additional comments?

If you are looking for a good beach read or need to kill time on an international flight, this will do the trick. You’ll be entertained, you’ll commit some white collar crimes, and you’ll have fun along the way.

What A Great Adventure

Who was your favorite character and why?

The protagonist of this listen, Heather, goes from one adventure to another, constantly lead on by a mysterious benefactor who takes her ever closer to her dreams...then finds herself entrapped. From her humble beginnings in North Carolina, she goes on the adventure of a lifetime, first with a job in the big city, then continues on around a globe that is filled with danger, disappointment, obstacles, love, a growing fortune and ultimately to the destination of her own strengths and abilities. The financial intrigue of this story was a surprise in its detail and veracity; not a false note in a single thrill in this complex but easily understood world of high finance. She's one heck of a tough lady, she just has to discover it for herself.

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

The narrator of this book brought to life the story, which is something that can easily be lost when reading description and action along with the plot. There could have been more editing of breath intake and stops when the narrator needed to wet her voice, but these were only mildly distracting compared to what I've heard on other recordings. This was a long listen, during which the narrator's enthusiasm for the story never fell off. I enjoyed the energy with which it was read.

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

I did want to sit and listen to this in one sitting, simply because it was so compelling and there were questions to be answered and terrific pacing of the story, but it is a long listen. I had to break it up into several different sittings, as well as listen as I did mundane tasks. But I was always eager to come back to the story to see what was going to happen next.

Any additional comments?

This would be a great listen for those who have long daily commutes or planning a long drive for any reason, or as motivation to get back on that miserable treadmill yet again. There is enough adventure, romance, character development, and excellent story plotting to keep one absorbed as time passes. It was very nice hearing the romantic and mildly erotic elements from a male perspective. Combined with the world of high finance, real estate, thrills, and the mysterious stranger, it's sure to keep one's attention and the mind alert.

Too good to put down!

Would you listen to Passion, Power and Sin again? Why?

Yes it was a great book to listen too.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

It was fun to listen to Heather life.

Have you listened to any of Karin Allers’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No this was the 1st.

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

No it is pretty long.

Any additional comments?

I loved listening to how Heather's life plays out. I found myself wishing I was with her on all her adventures. I love to gamble from time to time so I thought it was so cool when won the big ones. So worth reading/listening too.

This is my 1st book I've listened to by Mike Wells. I'd love to pick up another book by him. He really keeps you going from start to finish.

The Narrated Karin Allers really gave us a lively personally to Heather.

Didn't like this book as much as others of author

Did Karin Allers do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

I did not care for the narrator's male voices. I found them very annoying and they took away from the story for me.

Any additional comments?

I did not like this book as much as others from this author. I felt it was shallow and not very believable. It was entertaining, but not an 'unputdownable' novel.