Sweetheart Bride

Brides of Paradise, Book 2

By: Vicky Loebel

Narrated by: Emily Beresford

Length: 4 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

Growing up on the tropical paradise of St. John, Ellie Green had three goals: study ecology, save the planet, and marry Ryan Andersen, the dreamy older boy who hung out at the Paradise Resort next door. Ten years later, Ellie's college plans are in ruins and the planet isn't saved, but she still has a chance to marry Ryan. All she has to do is help him bulldoze her childhood home and build an island-destroying casino.

Billionaire Ryan Andersen has it all: charisma, women, and a talent for starting new businesses. But Ryan's never managed to stick with any business - or woman - for long. When Ryan gambles his fortune on developing a world-class casino, he finds himself accidentally engaged to environmentalist Ellie Green. But convincing Ellie to go along with the project won't be a problem. As long as he doesn't lose his head and fall in love....

©2016 Vicky Loebel (P)2017 Vicky Loebel

Great Addition to the Brides of Paradise Series

This is a great book! It was interesting and kept me hooked all the way to the conclusion. The characters are well developed and very likable. I love romantic comedies and this one was great!

The narrator did an outstanding job bringing the story to life. Her voices were perfect and easy to tell who was talking. Great intonation.

There are no cliffhangers and it does conclude with a HEA. It is part of a series but you could read as a stand alone. I loved her first book and this one is just as good.

This is a very talented author and I'm looking forward to her next book.

"I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review."

Marriage of Convenience

Four years ago, Ellie Green left her home on the island of St. John to pursue an ecology degree at the University of Costa Rica. Spending those four years teaching tourists the joys of protecting the rain forest and reduce reuse recycling left her fulfilled, but after a dishonest professor stole her funds she's left without a degree or tuition. Ellie returns home to St. John only to find her childhood home near ruin and her childhood crush Ryan Andersen ready to bulldoze the property to build a massive casino.

The casino project is Ryan's last effort to regain control of his finances and more importantly, earn his father and uncle's respect. He's determined to do just about anything to accomplish both dreams. Ryan hasn't seen Ellie since she was a spunky little girl, and he's surprised to see she's grown up to be gorgeous and sweet. When they're forced to pretend to be engaged, neither seems to mind.

I really enjoyed this sweet romance, it was a nice tropical escape. The characters are fleshed out well, Ryan is vulnerable and charming, while Ellie is fun and endearing. Ellie's Gran is a crackup and I can just picture her striking a disco pose! I loved the ploy the author used to keep Ryan and Ellie close by each other in the beginning. I did wonder why a security conscious family like the Andersens with so many bodyguards would invite a known kidnapper to all the family events, but it didn't detract from the story.

The narrator was great, her pace, tone, and pitch were perfect. She gave each character a distinct speaking voice. I was provided a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. I'll be keeping an eye out for more by this author and narrator!

Super fun listen-definitely recommended!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would definitely recommend this audiobook to a friend. It was a fun listen and Ms. Loebel did a great job with one. It was well written, well narrated and just a fun, quicker listen (just under 5 hours). The characters and storyline were fully realized. I wish that the book was longer because I didn't want it to end!

What other book might you compare Sweetheart Bride to and why?

I'm not sure what other book I would compare to Sweetheart Bride, but as I mention below, I could totally see this as a Lifetime movie. So if you like those, then you will definitely enjoy this audiobook.

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

Ms. Beresford did a really good job narrating this book. She did a great job handling all of the various characters, both male and female and because of this, I feel that she brought more than a lesser narrator would have to the listening experience.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

I have no idea what the tag line would be (I hate this question), but I can definitely say that I could see this book becoming a television movie. On Lifetime. It totally fits their made for TV movie mold. So if you like Lifetime romance movies, then you'll definitely enjoy this audiobook.

Any additional comments?

I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher.

you must buy this book

Vicky Loebel did an outstanding job of writing this great book. She developed the characters with her own charmed way of writing. After listening to this book I purchased the first.
Emily BERESFORD did a extremely likable job of narrating. Her different voices were perfect and I easily was able to know which character was which.
Great book worth the credit.

Grandma Stole The Show

I got this book via audiobook boom.Although the grandma was a minor character she stole the show for me. I loved her spunk and how she enjoyed life no matter what hand she was dealt. Ellie and Ryan though fought each other but Ryan would not take no for an answer and they finally got their HEA.Ryan's Dad was a prick and that female partner made me laugh when she had them handcuff themselves to the chair. Then take pictures of the ring and all the other stuff she did to make everyone believe that they were getting married. The narrator made the story fun. There were several twists that I did not see coming but the story was developed well.

Short, sweet romp through an island paradise

What did you love best about Sweetheart Bride?

I received a copy of this audiobook from the author in exchange for an honest review. That sentence means I voluntarily agreed to and sought out the chance to listen to this book. Once I started though, I thought to myself, "what in the world was I thinking?!" This is a "marry a millionaire" romance, and they are not usually know for their depth or finesse. That said, the audio production was done quite well. Story wise, Ellie and Ryan are both sympathetic characters, although some details of Ellie's backstory left me with a "come on, really?" sense. In particular, the past actions of one of the villains, a supervisor at a work/study program where Ellie lived just before the book started, and then his apparent rehabilitation later in the novel, just didn't jive, and neither did Ellie's apparent gullibility during that earlier time juxtaposed to her complete "I am in charge of my own life" bravado just a few days later. The novel's setting, however, was divinely described, making me wish I could hop on one of those (also exquisitely described) private jets and see it all for myself. Ellie (from the get-go) and Ryan (eventually) are both fierce champions of environmentalism, so the reader can forgive herself for engaging in daydreams of endless money, knowing that some of it will be put to a good cause. The love story itself is sweet, and there are no graphic sex scenes.

Short and sweet

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes - a quick "read", light hearted with a bit of a twist.

What did you like best about this story?

It was a nice, clean romance.

Any additional comments?

I received a free copy of this book and provided a voluntary review. While I may not have used a credit for this book, it would definitely worth a "bargain bin". If it were a longer book, it would have been worth a full credit!

Sweet story with some fun in between

Ryan may have meet someone that can just take him on and then some. Returning home for Ellie was not exactly what she was expecting. She gets home to only find nothing. Everything she loved had changed and some changes were bigger than others. She also finds her childhood crush located in the one place he should not have been. This was more fun and some excitement that was not contained in the first of the series. I still enjoyed it all. I loved watching Ellie and Ryan become more and the antics that was thrust upon them at various stages. Grandma, Frank, and even Ryan's dad and uncles play a part that makes it all worth it. This was a sweet clean romance that gave a story complementary to the first of the series.

Narration was complementary to the story. I could tell male and female apart, even a foreign speaking person was clear and understandable. Accents were clear and comparable to the background given. There was clarity. Enjoyable read from Emily.

Good

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

4 Stars

Enjoyed the storyline line, and some very entertaining characters in this book.
As much as I enjoyed the narrative, excellent male voices and accents. It's just didn't come across as funny as I'm sure I would have found it if I read the book.

I liked it!

Any additional comments?

This was about getting past your fear and trusting someone else with your feelings and heart. This is a heart warming tale and my favorite character has to be Ryan. He is not what you expect him to be and his past ruled how he behaved. But as he got to know Ellie he changed. It is also about family which I loved and you get a bit of a surprise which I did not see coming and neither did the characters. There is a reason why they behaved the way they did.
You think you know where the book is heading and then the author surprises you. I didn't find it as funny as I thought it would be, but there were moments that made me smile. I would still recommend this book to those who love romance.

I was voluntarily provided this review copy audio book at no charge by the author, publisher, and/or narrator

Easy to listen to and very sweet.

Keeping in mind that this is not a very long book, it has a little bit of everything you might expect in a billionaire romance plus a little extra. You have the billionaire (of course), except that Ryan is a little more vulnerable and human that the usual billionaire protagonist. You have Ellie who is a delightfully quirky, unsophisticated and trusting woman with environmental tendancies and a massive heart. Then you have the beautiful island setting which isn't the stage for a seduction, as you might think. In fact it has the potential to be the lynchpin in this accidental romance. Throw in your typical rich wannabe girlfriend, complicated relatives, a pair of sturdy handcuffs (not of the sexy variety), a little globe trotting, a bit of humour and you have a neatly packaged story. Overall it is easy to listen to and sweet.

This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.