The Duets: A Contemporary Romance Box Set

By: Meghan Quinn

Narrated by: Joe Arden, Maxine Mitchell

Length: 31 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's Summary

Gripping, heart-stopping, and an incredibly epic journey with a twist you'll never see coming. USA Today best-selling author Meghan Quinn brings you a modern take on an old-fashioned romance that will leave you breathless and wanting more. 

This isn’t a story about a love triangle. There is no triangle involved. 

This isn’t a story about an accidental pregnancy. Although having a baby with her...I would. 

This isn’t a story about lies and deception, even though at times I’ve lied to myself. 

No, this is my story. 

A story about sacrifice. 

A story about a man who fell in love with the wrong girl. 

A story I wish I never had to tell. 

I learned a long damn time ago, the only way to achieve my dreams was to avoid distractions - at any cost. 

But all it took was one single night. One night and my entire life...changed. 

One night had me colliding head first with the biggest distraction of my life: Rory Oaks. Smart. Charming. Beautiful. Rory changed everything. 

Quickly, my one-track mind, my goals started to bend. 

Each kiss faded decade-long dreams. 

And with one single interaction, I flew off course. 

Box set of four books

The Upside of Falling

The Downside of Love

The Left Side of Perfect

The Right Side of Forever

©2020 Meghan Quinn (P)2020 Meghan Quinn

✫✫ 4 Stars ✫✫

I have to start this review off by saying I am so glad I listened to these books as a set. I would have gone crazy with the cliffhangers and the waiting. This was my first Meghan Quinn and If I am honest when book 1 ended I was unsure if there would be any more in my future but man she really did a great job and pulling me in, making me fall in love, breaking my heart, twisting up everything I thought I wanted and starting all over again. In the end she seriously did a great job pulling this all together. I loved that it felt like we got to really watch these characters grow so much over the years and become great people with beautiful lives ahead of them even if the road was hard won. With the twists in these stories this could have been very high drama and honestly it wasn't as much as I thought it would be. Yes there is some but the characters genuinely reacted and then stopped to think, then they acted like adults and handled everything with maturity and I seriously loved that. In the end I really liked these stories and will be listening to more books by Meghan Quinn!

The narration was good. When book 1 started I wasn't sure if the casting really fit for 20-ish characters but before book 1 was over I forgot all about that or who was even narrating which is great narration to me because they became the characters.

At the end of this Duet Series we also get a bonus, Mr. Klein is Fine which is part of the Stories of September Anthology. It was a sweet teaser novella narrated by Connor Crais & Maxine Mitchell. A nice break after the emotional roller coaster of the Duets.

WOW!

WOW I don't even know where to begin. These books did not end the way I thought when I started, but they did end the way they were meant to! Colby, Rory, Stryder and Ryan all have been through so much in their lives that make each one of these books so individual, really telling the story of each. I am so glad I read these books as a binge listen though as The Duets because I was screaming at the cliffhangers of each book, freaking out in the middle of the books, crying with the characters and just feeling everything. I honestly can't say much about the story cause anything I say really would be a spoiler but these books are gut wrenching in everyway but Meghan did an amazing job healing all hearts involved. Loved this story! And don't forget the bonus book at the end!

❤️ I’M EMOTIONALLY WRECKED.. & ALL LOVED UP ❤️

Oh Meghan Meghan Meghan, you've really outdone yourself with these two stunning, unique and emotionally charged Duets and they instantly drew me in and didn’t let go until the very end. An oh boy did you pack a meaty emotional punch with these books as four people were taken on a rollercoaster journey of self-discovery, character growth, tough choices.. and eventually realizing the difference between love, stepping-stones and soul-mate forever love. The tenderness, romance, sigh-worthy hero imagery, steamy sexcapades, sizzling chemistry, character strength, message and sentimental slow build was intense. The touching tenderness.. the love.. the dilemmas and the emotional angst were all perfectly balanced and absolutely awesome. Joe and Maxine did a phenomenal job with the narration and made the characters, and their relationship delicious highs and heartbreaking devastating lows, come to life. Plus there’s a sweet little 1 hr bonus novella at the end too.

WORTH A CREDIT? A great big read it in bold YES 💕

Captivating and Breathtaking!

This 4 book box set is a captivating and emotional journey that will have you on the edge of your seat until the very end. These breathtaking stories will make you laugh, cry, and swoon as you become invested in these characters and cheer for their HEA.

~The Upside of Falling
We meet Colby Brooks who has dreamed and worked hard to become a fighter pilot. Colby had a tragic past, and his best friend, Stryder, helped him find a family. When Colby meets Rory Oaks, they are instantly attracted to each other. Colby tries to keep his distance so he isn't distracted from his goals. But Rory is persistent, trying to help this closed off man open up to love. Rory is kind, and loving, and her family life is complicated making it hard to keep a relationship alive. When she and Colby's relationship grows more passionate, can it survive the distance that flight school creates?

~The Downside of Love
This story took me totally by surprise and I was stunned with the direction it took. But it was a heartbreaking journey with a twist that will make you feel many emotions as you realize that love can be found in the most unlikely ways.

~The Left Side of Perfect
Colby and Ryan are back in this gripping and emotional, friends to lovers romance. They were acquaintances in the other 2 books but connect at the beginning of this story. Ryan has a heartbreaking past that makes her hide behind her carefully made up exterior and carefree attitude. She and Colby are total opposites but Colby grounds Ryan and she makes him take chances in his careful life. They have fun together and Colby is very protective of her. But Colby is still holding on to his carefully planned out life, and soon his choices will break Ryan's heart.

~The Right Side of Forever
This is a beautiful and perfect conclusion to this series. Colby and Ryan are such complex characters, and I loved their growth throughout. I was totally captivated by the way they faced their painful pasts, worked hard to overcome it and became stronger. Their journey was heartbreaking, and emotional, but also filled with so much hope, joy, and love.

This was narrated so beautifully by Joe Arden, and Maxine Mitchell. They both brought out the range of emotions these characters went through as they discovered and made peace with their trauma, allowing us to see them with empathy and understanding. Arden and Mitchell compliment each other so perfectly, bringing this raw and poignant story to life and making it even better.

Great Book

This was one roller coaster ride of emotions!! Great read!!This was a very well written book it brought me to feel every emotion. Every character in the book had an emotional trauma and great chemistry between each other . It had a beautiful HEA!! And the novella at the end was a nice treat!! All the narrators did an outstanding job!!

Fantastic books!

The Duets by Meghan Quinn contains the following books: The Upside of Falling and The Downside of Love (Blue Line); and The Left Side of Perfect and The Right Side of Forever (Perfect). The four books (which can be read as standalones but why do that do yourself??) in this compilation chronicle the lives of four individuals-Rory, Ryan, Colby, and Strider. I feel like I should separate my review for each book, but somehow I cannot. This foursome was so intertwined with each other that it has become hard to separate them all. One story bled into the next and so on. At the end of it all, it was one epic love story...not only romantic love but friend love as well. The love these characters felt for each other as friends was just as powerful as the HEA they got in the end. There isn't an emotion that I didn't feel. But the one thing that I didn't expect to do as I listened was CRY. I cried both tears of sadness and joy and can tell you for certain that I will feel the loss of having finished listening to their stories. Can we say major book hangover?? Joe Arden and Maxine Mitchell did a magnificent job bringing these characters to life! A more perfect pair couldn't have been chosen. I received an advance copy of this audiobook at my request and voluntarily left this review.

Definitely worth the purchase❣️

I loved the books when they came out and the audio books add so much more to their stories! Joe & Maxine bring Colby, Stryder, Rory, Ryan & Sage to life. It takes them a while to end up with their true soulmates but their journeys to get their are epic! #pieceofcakereviewer

What a story!

When I say I was not ready for the emotional journey this book took me on, I WAS NOT READY! WOW!! There were so many twists and turns during these books that I was not prepared for. Joe and Maxine do an incredible job brining these stories to life! Joe is a favorite of mine, and I just loved him even more after these stories. Strider, Ryan, Rory and Colby were all just beautifully written, complex characters that you couldn't help but cheer for. Would HIGHLY recommend The Duets to anyone needing a fantastic series to read (listen) to!

loved it

I really enjoyed this book. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

Great Bundle: definitely recommended!

Wow. I don't think I would have survived trying to read these separately. With each set of duets ending on cliffhangers, and how the plot twists developed, I would have gone mad! Just kidding! Not really, I would have been eagerly searching and waiting the next book. I am really happy with the final outcome for these characters, and glad I took the long journey with them.
Maxine Mitchell and Joe Arden were a phenomenal pair in the audiobook and made the story really come to life. Their narrative skills really enhanced the author's already addictive writing skills.
I do absolutely recommend this set for anyone who's looking for a lifelong journey into happiness.

Intensely emotional and steamy

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

Holy moly!

Okay, so there's hot and then there's hot! 

This was one emotional rollercoaster of a book and it had me hooked from the very first word out of Joe's (male narrator) mouth.

Remember me saying I wanted to find a narrator that 'worked' for me? Well, here he is!

Now I'm gonna warn you...this one was full of pain.

Like utterly heartbreaking, snot running over your top lip, ugly cry, pain.

ANGST!! Och, in the name o' the wee man!

Lol, but seriously these books are so well written.

I'm not going to say too much about the storyline other than the fact that it's a love triangle (two women, one hot dude) and best friends to lovers with a military factor and a twist you will not see coming.


Final Thoughts on THE DUETS by Meghan Quinn

I really enjoyed these books. They were emotional and hot AF and considering you get all 4 books in one boxset, meaning it only takes 1 Audible credit it's an awesome deal.

The narration was also very good!

I will definitely be reading more from this author.

4 Stars

5 Truly romantic and highly emotional stars

Four books in one boxset
The Upside of Falling
The Downside of Love
The Left Side of Perfect
The Right Side of Forever
Do you know what that means? You get four audiobooks for only one credit. Two duets back to back. It’s a complete and utter bargain. One warning though. You’ll need to purchase plenty of tissues. The boxset follows Colby Brooks, a fighter pilot wannabe (gonna be), along with his best friend Strider and the girls that rock their world and turn it upside down, Rory and Ryan. It would appear that they all have emotional baggage, they all need each other in one way or another. Nothing though is straightforward, and if they’re going to get a happy ever after they’re going to have to work for it. My heart was ripped in two throughout, and just when I thought things were looking up. Obstacles left, right and centre. Bam! Something else happened to throw me off the loop. Lots of emotional drama and lots of tears shed. So sexy, so romantic, and oh what a love story. Fantastic characters, a wonderful story, I was riveted from the get-go. Add in Joe Arden and Maxine Mitchell narrating and I was in audio heaven.

oh wow!!

Outstanding!! ... I absolutely love this box set, I cried, laughed, I got annoyed, every emotion you can show! Joe and Maxine were amazing, brought these characters to life. I will be listening again very soon

4 books in 1 box set = gr8 add to the library

Contains spoilers...Meghan has picked the perfect narrators. Joe and Maxine have done her books proud bring them to life in the best possible way that’s draws you all the way in.
Book 1 -The upside if falling. Colby Brooks is plane crazy. ✈️All he’s ever wanted is to work hard and focus on fulfilling his dream of becoming a pilot. The pain and heartache from his childhood has pushed him to be to the best he can be to achieve his dream, even if it means pushing everyone away. Studying and staying focused on becoming a pilot is all Colby wants to do, there’s no room for distractions until he goes to a party with his best friend Stryder . Then he meets Rory who’s at the same party with her best friend Ryan (very confusing names I know) who refuses to take no for an answer. It’s a very slow burner and my least favourite of the 4 books because Rory was so pushy and as it was one sided for a long time I felt a lack of passion between them. It felt forced with no push and pull but that being said her hard work pays off as she eventually begins to brake down Colby’s walls and pulls him out of his shell, and be falls, hard. However, will she allow Colby to sacrifice his dream for her? Is there someone else who saw her 1st waiting in the side lines?
Book 2 - The downside of love. Stryder wanted her from the moment he 1st saw her but he loved his friend and knew she would be good for him, even if means watching his best friend falling in love with the girl he wants. Stryder's dreams are shattered when he doesn’t make it into flight school but with every down side there’s an upside and eventually Stryder's path and dreams takes a different turn.
I enjoyed his book from Stryder’s point if view. It was emotional, raw, full of passion and it’s a natural mutual relationship that evolves.
Book 3 &4 The left side of perfect/ The right side of forever.
These two books where the most frustrating and yet my favourite of the series for me. Colby begins to pick up the pieces of his broken heart and move on with his life until he sees Ryan again at a wedding. When they meet again months later a friendship quickly forms, which I adore. The banter and connection between these two has you swooning. I absolutely loved Ryan’s character and I was in stitches of laughter. She’s playful, has a dirty mind and no filter which is so refreshing and great to read. Colby and Ryan are in new relationships but as they get closer the lines between friendship get blurred.... 6 people but which 2 couples make it? I recommend you read and find out😂❤️

Emotional, Passionate, Intense

Meghan Quinn has outdone herself with The Duets. This book is actually 4 stories in one. The Upside of Falling, The Downside of Love, The Left Side of Perfect, and The Right Side of Forever. Joe Arden and Maxine Mitchell are remarkable bringing the characters to life with their voices. They have the perfect chemistry that convey's the life issues of angst, hope, heartache, healing and love. I loved the little details that the author included the book from the setting of Colorado Springs to letters with perfume that added such layers to the story. The friendships were amazing. The imagery really added to my enjoyment. There were some surprises I wasn't expecting either. This is an awesome listen that spans time and relationships. I loved the ALC of this book and did not let it influence my opinion,

Great Collection!

The Upside of Falling/The Downside of Love - Colby is focused on his dream of becoming a fighter pilot and Rory is one of the few people that he has allowed to come close. They know that it is only a matter of time until Colby has to leave but even that can’t stop their hearts from becoming involved. After he leaves life goes on, decisions are made, feelings change, and a different life begins. You make the best choices that you can all the while knowing that the consequences could be painful for some or all.

The Left Side of Perfect/The Right Side of Forever – Our hero was dreading that he would be attending the wedding of his ex but when he sees “Her” she helps him get through the painful evening but never expected to see her again however fate throws them together and they became great friends. She comes into his life when he least expects it but when he needs her the most, however will she derail the plans he already had for the future?

I have enjoyed both these duets and it is great to have them in one collection. I listed to the audiocopy of this book and thought that the narrators were the perfect choice for the characters and angst of the story.

An emotional true love story

This story will have you glued to your ears from the beginning till the end you couldn’t get any better. The box set is worth everything. The author Meghan Quinn always knows how to write strong hero's and strong heroine that brings the best of each other .
You will be twisting and turning with all the books

Hero is Colby. Heroine is Rory. The ending will blow you away . Colby has dreams from when he was a small boy and everything is going to plan till he sees Rory at a wedding. Rory blows his world apart

What a duet nobody can be better than Joe Arden and Maxine Michelle. They are perfect together and brought you right into the story . It feels like your right beside the hero and heroine.

Heartbreakingly good.

Is there an emotion I didn't feel listening to this? No. I felt hopeful as I felt helpless. Angry as I feel in love. Sad as I smiled. I don't know how it happened, but Ms. Quinn wrung every drop of emotion she could out of me and I want to thank her profusely for the privilege. This isn't an easy listen by any means. There are times when you might want to walk away or throw your device, but trust me and trust this author to get you there. Because it does. And it's achingly beautiful.

I was granted an ALC and I volunteered to leave an unbiased review. All opinions are my own and haven't been influenced.

Get lost with these couples!

The Duets is a fabulous collection of books Meghan Quinn has bundled and shared with us. It's a listen that gives you all the feels.
Book 1 - The Upside of Falling
We meet Strider, Colby, Ryan and Rory, this book concentrating on Colby and Rory. Colby is a complex man. Coming from an unhappy childhood, his heart is guarded. Rory pries her way in and you can't help but love this couple. Now with graduation coming and the chance for Colby to live out his dreams, will their love survive?

Book 2 - The Downside of Love
This one took me a little while to get into. I loved Colby and Rory, so when Strider comes into the picture, my heart is bleeding. I have to say though, Quinn writes with poise and love, and the story comes to a beautiful end. I loved getting to know Strider and his selflessness and brokenness stole my heart. I especially loved the side story of Rory's brother Brian, who has autism. The awareness she integrates is amazing, with the true to life problems and joys it brings.

Book 3 - The Left Side of Perfect
Colby is back and working through his feelings. Attending Strider and Rory's wedding is tough, and he finds himself hanging out with Ryan. Their friendship blossoms and they have a real bond. He does find love with a woman who's brother is a pilot. Sage understands the life, and they are happy. Or are they? Ryan has a lot of issues, but one thing she knows. She too is in love.

Book 4 - The Right Side of Forever
The conclusion of this duet is heartbreakingly beautiful. Colby and Ryan find their feelings are much stronger than friendship. But Ryan has some real problems that she needs to deal with. Will this break them? It's got all the feels, and broke my heart at times.

Meghan Quinn has outdone herself with these stories. Unlike her rom coms, these couples deal with true life issues with a little angst, some heartbreak and grief, and loves that are unbreakable. Quinn breaks us down and slowly puts us back together again. I was taken with these couples and enjoyed their stories.

Quinn could not have picked better narrators to bring these books to life. Joe Arden and Maxine Mitchell have a chemistry that pours into their portrayals. They bring out the qualities in each of their characters and have an ease of flow and nuance that make the stories enjoyable.