Rogue Wave

Cake Series, Book 5

By: J. Bengtsson

Narrated by: Andi Arndt, Alex Kydd

Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

Keith

Yeah, I’m screwed up. I’ll admit it.

People think they know why. After all, my superstar brother’s past looms large.

Don’t I wish it were that simple?

It would be so easy to blame all my problems on the childhood tragedy that ripped my family in two...but it would also be a lie.

Sam knows the truth. She’s always known, and yet, she’s loved me from the start.

I try so hard to hold onto her, but I’m messed up.

And she’s not going to wait forever.

Samantha

No one saw us coming.

I was the quiet, smart girl on track to college.

He was the aimless high school surfer/stoner on track to expulsion.

We helped each other. We fell in love. We were supposed to live happily ever after.

But with Keith McKallister love has never been enough.

©2019 J. Bengtsson (P)2019 J. Bengtsson

Looks can be deceiving

I have only read the original Cake book, so I had no idea what Keith's background was. I was really surprised about his history. I could believe the surfing, but the drugs were a shock. I always thought he had his act together. But apparently looks can be deceiving.

This story was telling. Not just about Keith and Sam, but about the family and about what it is like to be an addict. I thought the best part of the story was when Keith admitted he "wrote my own eviction notice" and Sam's only response was "what did you do?" I found it very telling of how much she understood him and still loved him.

Alex Kydd nailed Keith's surfer/stoner dude persona. And Andi Arndt was her usual perfect self as Sam. Both narrators brought the characters to life and made you feel like you were living with them and going through the trials with them. Kudos.

Addictive

Keith McKallister's addiction to drugs sends him down a spiraling path he makes the wrong decision time and time again. His faithful girlfriend Samatha is exhaustingly standing by his side but for how long will she continue to do so. Keith has a loving family who would happily help him however he often goes MIA avoiding the family. The McKallister family is filled with love, hope, resilience, and so much determination to accomplish anything. Definitely read the series you will love it

Genuinely Fantastic

Incredible story, I love following the family’s story. I am sad that this is the “last” book for a while until the next is released (I assume there will be a book for Quinn and then another for Grace). Excellent narration. I can’t wait to read again.

This series just keeps getting better and better!!

This series is fabulous! The author does a wonderful job creating fresh stories...not the same old cookie cutter stuff like a lot of other books in this genre.
The series explores how the tragic event of one family member affected the lives of the entire family. It is a series of very different stories with one common thread tying them all together. It’s a fresh and unique story idea in this genre. It’s well written, well edited and performed superbly by all narrators involved.
Everything this author writes is interesting, unique and real.
Can’t wait for the next one!!
Jay Bengtsson, you are a gifted author. Thank you for sharing your gift with the rest of us. I can’t wait to see what you’ll write next. I am a fan for life!!

Incredible, intense, & emo

Something about Keith and Sam that strike a cord for me. I do love how they meet from high school sweethearts to growing up as one. Although we see how their love blooms, it wasn’t always easy and going through every moment of every second with them, boy, it’s a lot to handle. This book is a page turner and you just want to see what happens next. You are either rooting for them, get tired of them or you accept how they manage to live their life! With all the chaos already among Keith’s family (Jake’s past incident) and how each sibling trying to figure out to move on or deal with it, you truly want to see how each pan out. In the long run, I believe this story won’t disappoint you at all. So,the writing, landscape description, to character development is such a tail spin and amazing! Yup, this may be by far dramatic and quite intense but it is fantastic story for me. So, if you just read this book as a stand alone, it’s fine but Read the whole series, it’s worth it! I believe now each book is just so beautiful and seeing things in this family unfold is incredible. The whole cake series, so far, you will get hooked.

Male Narration Ruins It

This is would be my 2nd favorite book in the series were it not for the male narrator. I think he ruins a sweet story. His voice is gravely and too deep for this role. Would have been much better if Andi Arndt had narrated it solo.

I can’t get enough

So addicted … from book 1 and keep counting

Sorrow , tears , joy , happiness , heartwarming

Everything in to the mix of McAllister

If only one wish Narrator would be Zachary Webber and Jacob Morgan

Thank you J. Bengtsson

Took A While

The overall book was good, but it took me a while to get into it.

Love Keith

I don’t know how J. Bengtsson keeps doing it but she keeps finding different ways of ripping my heart out and putting it back together. Keith’s story was funny, it was sad, and so relatable. And she writes such awesome banter. Her books are made for audio.

Another Amazing Listen! Keep them coming!

If you haven’t read the Cake Series you can start here but you will be missing a major treat and a lot of background. If you’ve read all of them, I wouldn’t be surprised. What did Jill do with her humor and writing skills before she began writing? Every book she writes is gold. One of the things that stood out to me on a deeper level in this book is her ability to develop characters with just enough detail that we are able to create more meaningful inferences that allow us to connect their lives to ours in a more meaningful way. Or maybe her characters and I just really have a Lot in common. Either way, this book was deep and hit me hard as a reader. Keith and Sam are so frustrating in so many ways, I found myself having a visceral reaction to them in the last third of the book . Until I realized I was in the same situation, doing the same thing as Sam. And it hurt. If a book can bring out emotions like these ones can, you know it’s good. It’s obvious her life of experiences has flavored each of the characters and what they go through in each of her stories. I really think Jill Bengtsson has a gift of writing that should be on every library’s shelf, every major store and definitely on the Amazon Book Store Shelves. She’s one of my top five writers and there are some prolific names on that list. I highly suggest diving into Cake and reading through the series. Make sure you don’t miss the Cake Honeymoon book for a LOT of giggles. This book with Keith was so powerful yet he his character was incredibly chill. All the family had a powerful role to play, but Keith got his story here and it is so deserved. I know I’m not doing a good job at reviewing a book for Audible, or Amazon, but I blame the writing in the book itself. You can’t just give it 5 stars. That’s not enough to express the overall experience: I need more. It’s time for Quinn’s book!!!