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Diamond Bay  By  cover art

Diamond Bay

By: Linda Howard
Narrated by: Brenda Sweeney
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Publisher's summary

Rachel Jones wasn't looking for trouble, much less a man, but in Kell Sabin she found both. On a hot summer's night Kell is washed up - barely alive - on a Florida beach and into Rachel's life. Their love blossoms as he recovers from his injuries. But by falling in love with Kell, Rachel has put her own life in danger from the forces that want him dead. Once fate has bought them together, can they learn to live apart?

©1987 Linda Howard (P)2014 Dreamscape Media, LLC

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What listeners say about Diamond Bay

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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Worst possible narrator choice

Another much anticipated Linda Howard classic misinterpreted and bungled by narrator Brenda Sweeney. I am so disappointed. She reads like a preschool teacher, giving the heroine a bimbo voice. And poor Honey, what she did to you. Sweeney's performance couldn't be more wrong. This book was written for and beloved by intelligent adults. Just a terrible audio.

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17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
  • k
  • 05-09-14

THE NARRATOR IS TERRIBLE!!!!

Would you be willing to try another one of Brenda Sweeney’s performances?

No, she is so monotone. There is absolutely no highs or lows in her speech pattern. The sex sounded just like the H/h taking a stroll through a town. The climax at the end of the book was again, blah.

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

No, unfortunately Brenda Sweeney's performance ruin any emotional parts in the book.

Any additional comments?

I was so excited about this book being release in an audio version because the novel is WONDERFUL.

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Naked HUNK on a beach..~4 STARS~ narration ah~

Widow Rachel Jones is looking for shells on a beach when she stumbles across a naked HUNK of man...(.Kell Sabin.)....dragging him into her house on a blanket she discovers he has been shot TWICE. Something about Kell has her decided to keep this QUIET. Using her best friend the local VET.....Kell's wounds are treated.....and recovers very slowly but soon explains to Rachel he is "BLACK OPS"....and was a target by his OWN agency.....and ONLY 'two' people knew where Sabin was when the shoot out occurred...... Rachel is soon very attracted to this silent man who's dark secrets are as mysterious and fascinating. While Sabin recovers from his wounds he has little to do but think just how sexy his "temporary" nurse wanna be Rachel is...night "and" day....LOL.....when 2 "Agents" show up looking for Sabin....Rachel continues to hide him. When passion grows Sabin and Rachel become lovers.... Grant Sullivan (Midnight Rainbow) Howard book #1 shows up looking for Sabin .and on his trail is...a group of "Agents" looking to get Sabin and any one who gets in their way. This is a very good early work by Linda Howard fun follow up to Midnight Rainbow. The Narration is not the best. "Irritating" is phrase I would NOT.....use Brenda Sweeney again...she is a bit whiney at times. But the Quality of the Story keeps us glued and over I give it a 4 stars in spite of the Lousy narration. STORY 5 STAR....BRENDA whiney Sweeney....2 stars and that is being generous....LOL and over all 4 stars.....because Linda Howard keeps us glued .....what she does BEST.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Exciting. Hard to put down. Great fun.

Neat characters. I loved the part Joe the dog played.

I suggest reading the physical book. Don’t buy the audiobook unless they redo it with a different narrator.

AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR:
I hated the narrator. Brenda Sweeney sounded like a little old lady prudish retired school teacher. The way she interpreted phrases was soooo off. Normal adult conversation would not sound that way. For example, one guy asks Jane if she will stay at the hospital to watch over the patient. A normal adult answer would be to say “of course” in a matter of fact way. The narrator said it using a high pitched voice - long and drawn out - southern style like it’s so obvious don’t even ask. Another example: Kell asks Rachel how she lifted him onto the bed. She said “the vet” meaning the vet helped her. But this narrator said “the vet” in a very high pitched voice and long and drawn out - like it’s obvious, you should know the answer, why are you asking me? I don’t know if I’m explaining this well, but it was ICK. It did not sound normal or natural for 30-year-old adults. The narrator made the hero sound like a school teacher, not the alpha male. Same goes for sex scenes. This little old lady narrator does not fit.

THE STORY:
The plot involved CIA type agents and a woman who used to work as an investigative reporter. Feel good ending.

DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 244 pages. Swearing language: mild. Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: eight. Setting: current day Gainesville, Florida. Copyright: 1987. Genre: contemporary romantic suspense.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good story, bad narration

Please find a different narrator! I had trouble concentrating on the story because I was constantly thinking, 'that's not how she would really say it!' The narration was breathy and made the heroine sound dumb! Honestly, I can't say she did a whole lot more for the hero, but at least it wasn't breathy and helpless.
Linda Howard is a great author and her stories always draw me in. This was the first I'd listened to and it was much different than the voice in my head. I loved the hero, but I'm not sure how I felt about the heroine, but that may be because of the narrator.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Conflicted about 5 star reviews.

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

The story was steady and in no way surprising. There are many books out there based simply of flirting and sex, but this is not why I read Linda Howard books.Linda Howard became one of my favorite writers when I first read Open Season, from then I immediately purchased, Mr. Perfect, Kill and Tell, All the Queen's Men and the list goes on. Her ability to cleverly put together a mystery that has kept me sleepless for many night with the question "who did it?" is remarkable. While fueling to my emotions sensual romances and a little humor I could always rely on Linda Howard to give the perfect balance of ingredients for an incredible novel. I don't know what her recent books are like (all the ones I prefer were published in 1988 or in early 2000) but I feel she lost her momentum.

What could Linda Howard have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

There was no real focal point in this novel, There was action but barely, was it supposed to keep us in suspense? it didn't. Was it supposed to be a full scale romance novel about love? I didn't feel that until the end (a little). It was all very luke-warm, feeling isolated from both characters and didn't connect with either one. Somehow Linda should have made us connect more emotionally with one of two characters, perhaps by including a prologue years before of what happened to Rachel and her husband so the reader can invest emotionally.Linda Howard did this with Open Season when she began with the story with the heart breaking visual of girls being kidnapped and put into a ring of human traffickers. Then she changes scenes to another place where life is picture perfect and untainted. By the time our villains reappear they're not just anonymous faces, the reader feels the fear of what they are capable of. This intensifies the entire novel, something Diamond Bay fails to do.

Would you be willing to try another one of Brenda Sweeney’s performances?

Not particularly. I did not enjoy listening to her.

What character would you cut from Diamond Bay?

The redhead. Can't even remember her name any more. She had no true purpose and the book would have remained the same without her.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Not Her Best Work

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

I have enjoyed so very many of Linda Howard's books but this one was just lacking substance.

Any additional comments?

Maybe I am just old school, but her earlier books seem to pull you in and wrap you up in the story. This one left wondering when it would be done. Sad for me to say as this is one of my favorite authors.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another stunner

Linda Howard scores big again. She draws you in from the beginning. Rachel & Kell are both the heroine & hero we all want to be. You can’t help but root for their HEA.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

great book!

loved it! I love Linda Howard books, glad they are on escape. I wish some of her other books were on here as well!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Classic Linda Howard

Great sale for this classic core romance author. Audible or author made a good decision to put books 1&2 on sale. This is great core romance writing and should expose new readers and gain fan ship. Remember these books were written when feminists movement was developing. This is not a reader l would seek out but because she had the privilege of these books, l did purchase after listening on Audible Escape.
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