Saving Meadow

The Next Generation, Book 1

By: Riley Edwards

Narrated by: Devon Grace, Troy Duran

Length: 5 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

He lives to enforce the law. But he’ll break every rule to protect her. 

Nick Clark 

I clipped a shiny, new FBI badge to my belt, thinking I could save the world. Four years later, the shield’s got some dents, along with my idealism. And there’s one cold case that’s come back to haunt me. 

A killer has resurfaced, and all my instincts tell me he’s after the victim that got away. I’ll break every rule in the book to protect beautiful, scarred Meadow. Because I’ve done the most dangerous, most distracting thing an agent can do. I’ve fallen for her. 

Meadow Holiday 

I don’t believe in fairy tales. Not after an attack left me a half a woman. But when Nick swears to protect me from my worst nightmare, his charm cracks my resolve to guard myself. One kiss shatters it. 

But, like the evil villain in the tale, the killer won’t stop until he finishes what he started. And our happy ending balances on the point of a knife. 

©2022 Riley Edwards (P)2022 Riley Edwards

A Riveting & Thrilling Romantic Suspense! Excellent Story & Narration🎧

Riley Edwards continues to wow me with another amazing romantic suspense and the start of a new series featuring the next generation, a nephew of characters in the 707 Freedom series and what a start it is! The story grabbed my attention right from the start and captivated it straight to the end. It is definitely a book that once you pick up, you do not want to put it down because you need to know what happens next. The characters are realistic, easy to relate to and connect with, they are easy to care about too. Nick Clark always wanted to serve, but unlike his uncles, he went a different route and instead of joining the army, he joined the FBI. He was a star pupil and was chosen for the Behavioral Analyst Unit, a place he only dreamed of working for one day. The story fast forwards four years when a serial killer who went dormant kills again and these murders are close to home for the team. Meadow Holiday was a victim of that serial, the only survivor because someone scared off the attacker who fled. The attack left Meadow with scars and PTSD and she does not recall much of the attack, so it surprises her when special agents from the FBI come asking her questions about the assault. Even more surprising was that one of the agent was the gorgeous guy she had her eyes in the coffee shop they visit. Nick remembers Meadow from the coffee shop he visits and he had wondered what happened to her since he had not seen her for a while and then when she showed up again she was not herself. Both felt an attraction to each other from a distance, but when they meet in person, they could feel the chemistry between them was real. Meadow has scars and insecurities about them, but Nick does not see the scars, he only sees her beauty and he needs to prove that to her. This is a well written and cleverly plotted story with plenty of drama, both relationship and crime drama, some angst, mystery, thrilling suspense, heartfelt emotions and a slow burn romance. Riley Edwards, thank you for another amazing story and the wild emotional rollercoaster ride.

🎧📚🎧 And for the amazing narration, Riley Edwards cast the perfect narrators to bring her story and characters to life. Devon Grace and Troy Duran are wonderfully talented narrators and versatile voice artists. They had a complete understanding of the characters they portrayed, gave each a voice that suited their character’s persona to a tee, sounding believable in every role they played. Troy Duran nailed it as the cool, calm agent Nick was, with a side of bad@ss. Devon Grace grasped every side of Meadow’s personality, from her torment and insecurities to her strength. Both were fantastic playing the roles of the secondary characters as well. They set the perfect tone for the story, captured all the characters’ emotions and projected them into their performance and had you feeling every single one. These entertaining storytellers are a pleasure to listen to and their narration enhances an already amazing story to another level. Thank you for another exceptional listen.

We are all perfectly imperfect ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Saving Meadow is a romantic thriller that perfectly showcases Riley Edwards' signature writing style that effortlessly incorporates motivation, aesthetics, and dramatic action in one story.

If you’re a Riley E fan, you’ll immediately recognize her relatable characters and while it was super fun to visit with the characters we met during the 707 series, you don’t have to read the prior series (but you should, no, really!) before diving into this one.

Our leading characters, Nick and Meadow, have observed each other from afar for several years at their local coffee shop (swoon #1). Neither realizes that the other has noticed the other (swoon #2), and a series of tragic events bring them together in a tangled web of passion and purpose that will leave you melting (yep, swoon #3). Ok, I’ll stop counting swoons!!!

Meadow is a victim of a vicious attack where, as the fates would have it, she is left broken and afraid but very much alive and fighting for her own peace.

Enter hawt FBI agent Nick Clark who instantly recognizes Meadow. He desperately needs her to tell her truth to help him solve the case while looking for ways to get closer to Meadow and protect her with a determination no one can stop, including Meadow.
Packed with an abundance of heart-stopping angst, this Next Generation Series kicks off with a bang, leaving you firmly on the edge of your seat, looking for something to hold to steady the ride.

I read and listened to this book to gain all perspectives, and you will not be disappointed, regardless of your chosen book medium. Troy Duran and Devon Grace have 🔥 chemistry fitting of the love and palpable connection that burns between Nick and Meadow and create a stunning audio performance.

I want to go on and on about this gentle yet fiery, gripping yet freeing love story that made for THE perfect listen on a cozy fall weekend, but I won’t spoil it.
Gift yourself and add this one to your listening list, and get lost in this deep and heartfelt continuation of the 707 series. Meadow and Nick are “bone-deep” love and fire!

I had the honor of being an ALC for this book and this is my true and honest review.

Kudos to Riley Edwards for writing a story about what it means to be perfectly imperfect 💜

Narrators did AMAZING!

This book had me hooked from the beginning and had me guessing until the end.

Nick and Meadow are great characters that you can connect with and love. Their story is such a great one and I enjoyed it so much.

Great Start to a Series!!

This book was so good. There is some suspense and a who done it theme, but there is also love and growth. My heart broke for Meadow, but I loved watching her grow. Nick was everything I knew he would be, especially being raised by the men of the 707. The narration was so good!! Troy Duran is always spot on. Devon Grace is new me, and her voice took a little getting use to, but she did an amazing job.

Love the story and the characters feel like family

When I wrote my last review for the 707 series, I commented that I hoped the same narrators would be back for the Next Generation. While we don't have C.J. Bloom here, Devon Grace is wonderful, and bonus points for Troy Duran coming back into Riley Edwards' universe! It doesn't get any better than him and I loved being in this world again.

This is a complex, intriguing thriller that appeals to the criminal justice major in me, and of course I can never get enough of the sexy, protective male characters who respect, defend and love the women in their life beyond measure.

The characters are grounded in reality, drawn with great depth that makes you feel so much for them, and Riley provided a great twist in this one, too!

This is an easy, entertaining listen, with just the right balance of heat, suspense and a close-knit family feel. Can't wait to hear book two, Chasing Honor!

Suspense Romance!

Great story of Nick and Meadow! Couldn’t put down! A sexy FBI suspense thriller romance!
Devon Grace and Troy Duran did amazing job!
Highly recommended it.

Sooooo Good!

I have already read the book in the past and I loved the chemistry between Meadow and Nick. I especially loved the voice of Troy In this book. Talk about spicy hot voice ….wow, just listening instead of reading from the book. No words but Hot! I forgot how sexy the scenes were in the book as I listened to it this time around. We get to also see the uncles in this book too for those of you who haven’t read the book. Can’t wait to listen to the next book in the series!

Fantastic start to a new series!

Nick is a FBI special agent and works for the BAU department. Nick gets thrown on a case where there is a serial killer targeting women and when he realizes the beautiful girl he always sees in the coffee shop was the first victim, he does everything in his power to find the killer and bring justice for those victims.

Meadow was a victim of a brutal attack that left her face and emotions deeply scarred. Five years later the murders pick up again but is she bound to be a victim once more?

I couldn't get enough of Nick and Meadow's interaction. Nick had my heart swooning with showing Meadow how beautiful she is regardless of her scar and I could not get enough of Sally!

This book was chock-full of suspense, angst, and nail-biting anxiety that had you sitting on the edge of your seat!

This book was performed in dual narration by Troy Duran and Devon Grace. I've listened to many audiobooks by Troy and he never disappoints in bringing the story to life. He did a phenomenal job voicing the female characters as well. This is my first time hearing Devon and I absolutely fell in love with her voice and can't wait to hear more of her work! I couldn't get enough of the gentleness behind her voice but when those scenes required inflection and emotions she brought her 'A' game.

I loved this book!

I devoured this book in a day. it was an unexpected treat, given its relatively dark subject matter. The genuine love, feelings, fear and hope are the cornerstones of this sweet book.

Meadow is the survivor of a serial killer’s attack. Her soul, body, and face are scarred, and she struggles to get back day to day. When the killing starts again, Nick Clark is the FBI profiler called to work the case. He begins to recognize the undeniable attraction and feelings he has for Meadow, but he understand the considerable walls she’s build around her heart and psyche to protect herself.

Meadow begins to blossom with Nick’s patient and steady support. The story is so well-written, optimistic, and heart-warming, that you will find yourself rooting for them every step of the way.

Riley Edwards is a gifted writer, and the narrators did an excellent job bringing the story to life. Edwards is a new-to-me author, but I will definitely check out the other series in the collection of works.

I'll take 2 of Nick Clark.

Super hot, emotionally intelligent, FBI guy doing all that he can to protect AND love me? YES PLEASE.

Saving Meadow is the first book in the The Next Generation series, which also happens to be a spin off of the 707 Freedom series. However with that said, you don’t actually have to read the 707 series prior to this book OR actually read this series in order. I mean it is encouraged, but each book is a standalone within the interconnected series.

In my non book life I really enjoy all of the crime / mind of a killer type shows. In my book life, while I like everything generally, I enjoy when there is a romance to the story. So I am really starting to get into the writing style of Riley Edwards where I get the suspense/thriller side of things WITH the steamy romance too.

Nick Clark is an FBI special agent within the BAU division, think criminal profilers, crime pattern identifiers, etc. His team has been working on a case that had turned cold but is now active again. In effort to make headway with nailing down the killer, Nick and his team start to try and find new leads which brings him into contact with Meadow Holiday.

I really enjoyed this story and I thought that both Nick and Meadow were written so well, that I as a reader who hadn’t read the original series had no issue coming in and getting to know Nick. Meadow, of course, is a new character for us but she is also written very well. The depth that we get with the emotional range of each character is great. I could really feel Meadow’s pain from her attack and her uneasiness in her life now. How she had so easily turned into a meek person, trying her best to not be seen or heard. Her insecurities with her appearance I think is something that we as people in general can really relate too. I loved so much how Nick approached her and had the emotional intelligence of the situation to built their foundations on trust first. This one was a slow burn but Nick has a dirty alpha mouth on him lol. I truly enjoyed the slow burn because it fit the story and the characters so well.

Both Devon and Troy do a FANTASTIC job with this story. Devon conveyed the emotional side of Meadow’s trauma so well. Like when she cried, I felt it. Troy also had such a sense of urgency and panic in his voice during Nick’s moments that I actually felt anxious with him. Stellar performance to both!

Nick & Meadow

Sexy meet Criminal Minds, my favourite tv show ever.

This is only my second book by Riley Edwards and I’m in love with her writing, her characters and her stories. Saving Meadow was such an amazing book I struggled to stop listening and do my actual job. What a page turner!
Troy Duran narrates Nick’s character and Devon Grace voices Meadow. Devon is a new to me narrator and I found her reassuring voice a great match for Meadow’s character. Troy’s calming voice was perfect for Nick, the perfect book boyfriend

A Riveting & Thrilling Romantic Suspense!

Riley Edwards continues to wow me with another amazing romantic suspense and the start of a new series featuring the next generation, a nephew of characters in the 707 Freedom series and what a start it is! The story grabbed my attention right from the start and captivated it straight to the end. It is definitely a book that once you pick up, you do not want to put it down because you need to know what happens next. The characters are realistic, easy to relate to and connect with, they are easy to care about too. Nick Clark always wanted to serve, but unlike his uncles, he went a different route and instead of joining the army, he joined the FBI. He was a star pupil and was chosen for the Behavioral Analyst Unit, a place he only dreamed of working for one day. The story fast forwards four years when a serial killer who went dormant kills again and these murders are close to home for the team. Meadow Holiday was a victim of that serial, the only survivor because someone scared off the attacker who fled. The attack left Meadow with scars and PTSD and she does not recall much of the attack, so it surprises her when special agents from the FBI come asking her questions about the assault. Even more surprising was that one of the agent was the gorgeous guy she had her eyes in the coffee shop they visit. Nick remembers Meadow from the coffee shop he visits and he had wondered what happened to her since he had not seen her for a while and then when she showed up again she was not herself. Both felt an attraction to each other from a distance, but when they meet in person, they could feel the chemistry between them was real. Meadow has scars and insecurities about them, but Nick does not see the scars, he only sees her beauty and he needs to prove that to her. This is a well written and cleverly plotted story with plenty of drama, both relationship and crime drama, some angst, mystery, thrilling suspense, heartfelt emotions and a slow burn romance. Riley Edwards, thank you for another amazing story and the wild emotional rollercoaster ride.

🎧📚🎧 And for the amazing narration, Riley Edwards cast the perfect narrators to bring her story and characters to life. Devon Grace and Troy Duran are wonderfully talented narrators and versatile voice artists. They had a complete understanding of the characters they portrayed, gave each a voice that suited their character’s persona to a tee, sounding believable in every role they played. Troy Duran nailed it as the cool, calm agent Nick was, with a side of bad@ss. Devon Grace grasped every side of Meadow’s personality, from her torment and insecurities to her strength. Both were fantastic playing the roles of the secondary characters as well. They set the perfect tone for the story, captured all the characters’ emotions and projected them into their performance and had you feeling every single one. These entertaining storytellers are a pleasure to listen to and their narration enhances an already amazing story to another level. Thank you for another exceptional listen.

Suspense with love

I loved this one. It was so lovely to watch Meadow develop and blossom nurtured by Nick's love and support.

The suspense was pretty good too and it took me quite some time to figure out who the killer was.

Riley has a real talent for describing a multitude of personalities along with the ability to create some pretty twisted and dark people. So believable due to the layers she uses to paint them, catching nuances and quirks where often authors miss the mark by making the villains two dimensional.

Another great book.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Nick and Meadow

Riley has out done herself with this one I absolutely loved every moment of it. I normally avoid if I see FBI attached to a book. it just isn't normally my type of thing but this has made me re-evaluate that completely. I loved Nick and Meadow was so soft and scared but watching as she came out of her shell was beautiful. I loved the story and the writing. Thank you for a wonderful ride Riley! the Narrator's performed it perfectly too which really brought the story to life. I can't wait for the next one

A quick read

A quick read, full of suspense and a good dose of romance. Nick and Meadow had been eyeing each other up in a coffee shop for a few years before their paths crossed for real. I liked the fact that neither of them held back when they first got together. Meadow had her insecurities but Nick had her back and I loved how he stood up for her.
The plot was very predictable. There were no surprises with who the murderer was but I enjoyed the journey to finding them. Also, I loved the dog who was a real hero.

I voluntarily reviewed a gifted copy.

Captivating!

This is the first book in The Next Generation Series, a spinoff of The 707 Freedom Series, a Romantic Suspense (I need this series!). You do not need to read The 707 to enjoy The Next Generation but it is recommended. Nick and Meadow's story is fast paced, and entertaining, filled with action, danger, romance, and twists and turns. Nick, a FBI Agent, is very handsome, and protective. He is such a great man! Meadow is a strong survivor, smart, and resilient. She is a beautiful character. I liked Sally, the service dog. She definitely is a great addition to the story. The storyline is emotional, and captivating. The world building is very interesting. This is an excellent introduction to the series. Looking forward to listening to Chasing Honor, the next book in the series. Troy Duran and Devon Grace did an outstanding job with the narration. Troy Duran already is on my list of favorite narrators. Devon Grace is a new narrator to me. She has a beautiful voice, pleasant to listen to. I enjoyed it. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. If you like Romantic Suspense, this one is for you.

A short, fast, gripping listen

Having read the author before, I had an idea of what to expect, but I was still surprised. In a good way, because I enjoy a good detective story with a crazy serial killer. But it isn’t everybody’s cup of tea, so be prepared for disturbing content.

As the name of the series suggests, it’s a sequel series, but there’s no need to read the previous series to understand this one. Major events are explained enough to get a feel of those side characters and their stories, and don’t distract from the current plot.

Nick is a FBI agent investigating a gruesome murder that reminds him of a past case that was never closed. By re-opening the case, he discovers that there may have been a survivor, the killer’s first victim, and she might be the key to find the murderer. The victim, Meadow, was left disfigured by the attack.

For a FBI crack team, Nick’s team missed a lot of things during the first investigation, if they’re now able to find lots of new information. While necessary to the plot, this bothered me a bit. The author covers it by insisting Nick was a new agent, but he wasn’t alone in the team. But whatever. Also, even though it was needed to develop the love story, the coincidence of Nick and Meadow knowing each other was a bit too much.

What was nice though, was the fact that Nick was attracted to Meadow despite her scars. Of course, he knew her without them, and thought she was beautiful already. Still it encouraged him to have positive things to say about them. That Meadow needed a man’s validation to feel better was a bit annoying too. Since the victims’ beauty is the motive for the murders, it’s understandable that physical attributes are at the center of the story and a plot device though. The whole message is positive, so I didn’t mind.

The murder plot itself was quite good. The author slips little hints that keep the reader guessing who the culprit is. Though the revelation isn’t a major twist, the mystery is kept for a long time. Since it isn’t a long book, it doesn’t hold for too long either. The story is paced well, with quieter moments–usually about Meadow and Nick’s relationship–and some investigation, with a slight acceleration toward the end.

The narration was mostly good. Both narrators did their character well, not so much the other’s character. It felt like they weren’t voicing the same character sometimes. The female narrator was good for Meadow’s quiet demeanor, while the male narrator’s deep voice was perfect for Nick. Still a short, fast, gripping listen.

quick

Quick and okay story - not as much mystery or complexity as I was expecting. Meadow is so understandably defined by her past and appearance - this makes it hard to see why Nick is attracted to her other than physically. Sally, the service dog, is a good addition to the story.


Listened to the audiobook:
Narration well done and made the book more enjoyable.

A fabulous romantic thriller

Wow, I listened to this in one sitting - I didn't want to stop. Great character development. I Loved Nick!!! Meadow has some self-esteem issues and Nick never gave up on her. The serial killer plotline was great and I loved how unique it was. Recommend.

This series follows the kids of the 707 Freedom Series but is completely standalone (but I would recommend going back).

The narration brought the story to life. Fabulous narrators.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Charismatic Narration

The narration of this intense and compelling story is charismatic. I actually felt the fear when I heard it in the voices and I could feel the doubts and the love and the joy. The story is well written. The characters have depth. The mystery and suspense is realistic. I wanted more of Meadow's background with her family. I love the glimpses that Nick gives us of his big loving family. I am ready for the next in series and I need to go back to the first generation.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.