Hope Flames

Hope Series, Book 1

By: Jaci Burton

Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld

Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

Thirty-two and finally setting up her veterinary practice in the town she once called home, Emma Burnett is on her own and loving it. Independent and driven, she's not letting any man get in the way of her dreams. Not again.

That's fine with Luke McCormack. Divorced and hardly lacking in female company when he needs it, he's devoted to the only faithful companion in his life-his police dog. Still, there's something about Emma he can't shake. When a series of local break-ins leaves Emma vulnerable, she seeks help from the first man to spark her desire in years. And now they're giving each other something they thought they'd lost forever...hope.

©2014 Jaci Burton (P)2014 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Hope Flames is immediately engaging, featuring characters who are easy to fall in love with." ( RT Book Reviews)

Okay story

Overall, an okay contemporary romance without violence or intense suspense (thank you). I liked the two main characters quite a lot. Both had challenges with trust after previous difficult relationships. They worked through this realistically. My main issue was with the narrator. She did the female character well but the male character lisped and sounded pretty much at about 16 years old. What is it with the lisping? I have noticed this in a good many female narrators trying on the male voice. Is the lisp meant to clue me in that it is a male speaking? It is a puzzle. For me, quite annoying. There are excellent female narrators who manage the male voice without the lisp and are able to have the male sound his age. So, a decent story receives a big hit from me because of the lousy male voices.

NOT MUCH IMAGINATION !!

Is there anything you would change about this book?

I guess I would have given it more intrigue. This was so vanilla in all areas; the suspense/drama, everyday life, romance & sex. Nothing hear to "grab" me or my emotions.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

The ending was typical and predictable.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

Like most, not all mind you, but most female narrators the male voice(s) were quite lacking, but I didn't hate it.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No

Any additional comments?

I have listened to many Jaci Burton books and while they are not your "sit on the edge of your seat and hold your breath" type of books most of them did have more substance than this one. I hope the rest of this series picks up the pace.

Love it!

I love a Lil action adventure with my sexy love stories and this one was spot on. Wish there was dual narration but, the narrator did good.

Good listen

Good listen - not as juicy as other books but still worth listening too! Predictable but Worth the credit!! Will still want to read rest of series

Hope Almost Flames Out

I felt that this little romance was predictable and while it was a pleasant listen, it is not a really enticing beginning to a series. It has all of the important elements: unplanned meeting and attraction, long build-up to a relationship they each wanted to deny, some adult sexual experiences, scary moments and resolution.
Oh, also had a lot of dog stuff, which I liked.
The narration was excellent.
I am undecided about this book 2.

Sweet and Sassy love story

I really enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. The Hero and Heroine are both emotionally scarred people that find their way to the other side and embrace each other. There are some sensual moments and some funny moments and their isn’t a lot of angst. It’s a feel good love story.
-V from Kansas

Words

Overall the book was good and much as one would expect of a romance novel. It did seem as if the author was uncomfortable using 'locker room talk' between the guys and honestly should have left that out instead of trying to make it work

Deleted after an hour

It had good reviews so I gave it a shot... listened for an hour and then deleted. It was just incredibly boring. An hour in and they were still dancing around if they would go on a date.

Ho Hum

I got really bored about a quarter of the way through so I started skipping chapters and then realized I wasn’t missing much. Emma and Luke were as boring as their relationship. Their story was mindless and the narration needed a male voice, desperately. How it got any good reviews is beyond me.

Not for me

I actually didn't finish this story. I have invested 5:16 and it'S taking too long to get to it. It would be the point, the decision to be together, the decision to make it either a happy ending or some pivotal point. I had hoped this story would provide me with excitement about the series, but it's not doing it for me so I quit it. Not an impressive narrator.