The Duck Springs Affair

By: John Isaac Jones

Narrated by: Susan Marlowe

Length: 5 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

Devoted mother Cassie Carter is hard working and dedicated to running her small farm in Georgia. She tends to her home and sickly son daily while her truck driver husband is away on long hauls across the country. Her life and values take a sharp turn when a handsome and intelligent construction worker disrupts her daily routine. Her priorities shift and everything she keeps in her comfort zone is threatened.

Damaged romantic Paul Hamilton has a void in his life that leaves him wandering from affair to affair, empty and unfulfilled. He identifies with the haunting poetry of Edgar Allan Poe, yearning to capture an elusive love. One day, in an unexpected place, he discovers the love he is seeking, but she is out of his reach and he runs the risk of irreparably damaging the delicate balance he tries to maintain in his life.

In The Duck Springs Affair, Paul and Cassie’s worlds collide and explode. Will what they offer each other sustain and give them what they need out of life and love? Or, are they doomed to suffer the tragic consequences of their decisions as each searches for the perfect love?

©2015,2016, 2017 John I. Jones (P)2017 John I. Jones

Not my usual cup of tea...

The writing of this story is well done and I thought the book was beautifully descriptive. I could almost smell the peaches and see the scenery, but occasionally something stood out like describing Paul's eyes as the colour of muddy water, is this really the best you can do? I did enjoyed it and thought it was a good use of an evening.

At first I enjoyed the quotes from Poe but considering the length of the book I think this was over done.

I really liked Paul, his character is fascinating. His emotional range is impressive and the love he feels for Cassie makes him very likeable. He also shows a high degree of patience considering how infrequently he's able to see Cassie.

I didn't really like Cassie, I thought she was unfair to all of the men in her life, first her husband, then Paul, I really felt like she used them without caring about their feelings. Everything had to be the way she wanted it, she seemed to have little or no concern for anyone else's feeling.

The narration was well done, the character voices are clear and distinct and the delivery is natural and well paced.

I received a free copy of this book from the author and/or narrator and/or publisher and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.

If you found this review helpful would you please take a moment to click yes below.

Very good

“ I voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.”
I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a good book and I hope the next one is just as good

Not my usual Genre

Where does The Duck Springs Affair rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I love the cover of this novel and the author pulled me in quickly with the characters. I've read other novels by this author that held my attention and kept me listening to the end. If you like Nicholas Spark style of writing I think you will enjoy this novel.

What other book might you compare The Duck Springs Affair to and why?

Can't think of any

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

I liked her accent.

clean and classic

A classic love story of a lonely truckers wife, with a handicap son.
set in the 40s as JIJ stories often do. She meets a condition worker and sparks fly. this is a clean sweet short romance book.

Susan did a fine job reading this.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Not your everyday love story

The Duck Springs Affair will stay with me for a long time. A heartbreaking, thought-provoking love story of two people who, although drawn to one another with an intense need, they cannot be together. Cassie a country wife who has been disappointed by both her father and her husband. Neither man seemed to show an interest in her needs or desires. While her husband, August, a long distance truck driver, is working she is left to maintain their farm and care for their sickly son. When Cassie meets Paul, a highway crew member, sparks fly between them and they begin an affair. The consequences of that affair and what Cassie does in order to try and live her life without the man she loves are tragic.
I really enjoyed this book but am torn between understanding why Cassie did what she did and was she selfish.
Definitely a book I will read again. I look forward to reading other books by John Isaac Jones.

I'm still fuming about this books' ending!

I'm all for a good hearty cry when I listen to a book and I don't always have to have an HEA.
This ending ticked me off!! I finished about an hour ago and I'm still fuming!! To the author, WHY???!!!

I really, really, really, really did not see that ending coming. Really. I'm not going to give it away. Just, why...

The narrator was really good and if my mind had not been blown by the ending, I probably would have more to say.

Just be prepared to jolt, scream, stammer or have some outward reaction to this ending.

John Isaac Jones Continues to Raise the Bar 🚧

Duck Springs Affair is set in Georgia around the 1960s. It focuses on Paul Hamilton, a traveling road crew worker, ladies man and Cassie Carter a young and lonely housewife, with responsibilities and a husband who is absent much of the time.

They begin a tumultuous affair that is stymied only by Cassie's commitment to the only life she's ever known – a promise to her husband and her responsibility to their sick son. Is it possible to find what you never knew you wanted in the arms of a stranger? Will they keep the affair as one of 'passion of the flesh' or will it develop into more? What will happen if they are found out?

Susan Marlowe is a good performer.

I have recently discovered John Isaac Jones' and have been entertained by his short stories. I haven't checked the order in which Jones' work has been written but The Duck Springs Affair puts him on an entirely different level. To me, Jones seems to be evolving into a phenomenal writer as is proven with this book. Not only is it lengthier but it is far deeper, thought and emotion provoking. John Isaac Jones hits it out of the park! Well done.

Credit worthy? *I received a review copy of this book in exchange for posting my unbiased review. However, if I were considering the purchase I WOULD use/recommend it worth a credit – even though it is a bit shorter than most "full-length" (7 hours +) novels I usually redeem

Thanks for taking the time to read my review. I would like to know what you think of it. Please select 'helpful' underneath this paragraph. Consider following me for more reviews.

A Moving Romance

As Cassie feeds the ducks on Duck Springs pond, she recalls a time over 50 years ago when she met the only man she ever loved. In 1961, Paul arrives in Georgia with his crew to work on the highway near Cassie's home. Cassie is in a loveless marriage and misses a male presence, and Paul is drawn to the young mother immediately. As they meet and love by the pond, the affair spirals out of their control.

I really enjoyed this romance, I had a hard time putting it down. I think the author proved here that men can also write a moving romance. Paul was a romantic at heart, and despite Cassie's frequent protests that she's only a simple country girl, she had depth to her. I could feel the struggle within each of them. The setting was fantastic, and the descriptions of Paul and Cassie's daily work made me nostalgic for a simpler time.

The narration was perfect for this book. Susan Marlowe spoke with just a slight Southern accent in the dialogue, and pulled me into the story. I requested a copy of the audiobook, and I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Another great story from JIJ

This was another excellent story from John Isaac Jones. I was pulled in from the beginning and finished in one sitting. Once again, Mr. Jones surprised me with the ending...I didn't see it coming at all. The narration was okay, but not my favorite; however, I did enjoy that Susan Marlowe sang the song lyrics rather than just reading them, she has a lovely singing voice. Overall, it's another one you don't want to miss from JIJ! I received a review copy at my request and voluntarily reviewed.

This southern romance would make a good movie 🎬

Cassie is a lonely housewife with a good husband, but a marriage that lacks passion. She finds love in the arms of a stranger working near her property named Paul. The intimate scenes are so tastefully done, there's just enough information to convey the passionate need these two forbidden lovers have for each other.

Eventually the hunger they have for one another turns into love. Even though the affair is wrong, I still found myself rooting for Cassie to be with Paul.

I really enjoyed this book! I thought it was going to be pretty predictable after reading the summary but.. Without giving anything away here I will say, I was wrong! After listening to a few short stories by John I find his writing style to be realistically true to life. So I should have known this book would be as unpredictable as life is. To me It had a Bridges Of Madison County feel which I loved.

I was so immersed in this book I found it hard to pause. The Ga setting really appealed to me because I live 30 minutes outside Atlanta. Not much has changed except the artist's at Little 5 have replaced their paint brushes with tattoo guns lol.

Now I have to talk about the narration... when you're from the south listening to a book that requires a southern accent, it's either hit or miss. I was pleasantly pleased that Susan didn't do the extreme country bumpkin voice or a over the top impression of Scarlet O'Hara to portray the southern accents. Because the narration was done so well, I'll be forgiving about her mispronouncing Valdosta and Albany.

I was given this book in exchange for my unbiased review. I recommend spending a credit on this one, but only if you have a box of Kleenex handy while listening.