The Lost Husband

By: Katherine Center

Narrated by: Amy Rubinate

Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

"Dear Libby, It occurs to me that you and your two children have been living with your mother for - Dear Lord! - two whole years, and I'm writing to see if you'd like to be rescued."

The letter comes out of the blue, and just in time for Libby Moran, who - after the sudden death of her husband, Danny - went to stay with her hypercritical mother. Now her crazy Aunt Jean has offered Libby an escape: a job and a place to live on her farm in the Texas Hill Country. Before she can talk herself out of it, Libby is packing the minivan, grabbing the kids, and hitting the road.

Life on Aunt Jean's goat farm is both more wonderful and more mysterious than Libby could have imagined. Beyond the animals and the strenuous work, there is quiet - deep, country quiet. But there is also a shaggy, gruff (though purportedly handsome, under all that hair) farm manager with a tragic home life, a formerly famous feed-store clerk who claims she can contact Danny "on the other side", and the eccentric aunt Libby never really knew but who turns out to be exactly what she's been looking for. And despite everything she's lost, Libby soon realizes how much more she's found. Libby hasn't just traded one kind of crazy for another; she may actually have found the place to bring her little family - and herself - back to life.

©2013 Katherine Pannill Center (P)2013 Tantor

wonderful story. narrator kind of a sad sack.

Wonderful sorry but the narrator had such a sad voice the whole time. i don't think it all was intended to have that sad voice.

Great narrator made it worthwhile

What did you like best about The Lost Husband? What did you like least?

The story was predicable but pleasant, definitely chick lit. Amy Rubinate's excellent narration kept me interested, otherwise, it would have been too predicable. When the goats are the most interesting "characters" in a story, it's not a compelling book.

Would you be willing to try another book from Katherine Center? Why or why not?

Maybe, if I was in the mood for more chick lit

Greatly enjoyed the book

The main character was a little easy to like except too much of a worrier with her kiddos. Her romantic interest was very likeable EXCEPT for this weird speech he gave her on not supporting higher education and how the world one day would revert to the olden days of hunting. that tech would crash and we would need to know survival skills. It was so odd and never mentioned again in the book. It stayed in the back of my mind and made me think he was a weirdo. I wish that was omitted as it didn't relate to anything that happened later.

Okay story

I recently listened to two other Katherine Center novels ‘How to Walk Away’ and ‘Things you save in a fire’ both with a different narrator to this book. I preferred the other narrator compared to this one who was not as animated, more monotone. This story was ok too. I enjoyed the other two much more and really like this author so I’ll listen to her other books.

Narrator could have been better

My first experience with a Katherine Center book was, "How to Walk Away", and the story was great and the narrator was absolutely perfect. However, I did not experience the same with "The Lost Husband". While the story was okay (a little weak at times), the narrator was not good at all (in my opinion). I really did not enjoy her characterizations. It appears that every one of Center's books has a different narrator, so choose your audio book carefully!

Good story, but unhappy with narrator

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The narrator. The story itself was good, but I found myself tempted to just delete it several times because the narrator annoyed me.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked the way it depicts farm life as happy and fulfilling. Also, I liked how it helped me realize that love can come to a widow even when she thinks her heart will never be able to love again.

Would you be willing to try another one of Amy Rubinate’s performances?

Highly doubtful.

Was The Lost Husband worth the listening time?

Absolutely. As I mentioned above, the story itself is excellent.

Not her best

I have read many of Katherine Center’s books. She is a wonderful author but this work was my least favorite so far.

VERY disappointing and not up to Katherine Center’s best

This book was not nearly as good as the other books I’ve read by the author.

The main character is whiny, inept at everything including parenting and and the book has almost nothing to do with the husband who is in the title. The voice actor has an annoying, grating voice and can’t do a man’s style of speaking at all. I know I’ve listened to other books she’s performed that weren’t this bad, but I almost quit listening because of her narration.

Libby, the main character is so insecure and obnoxious in her marriage to the point I was sure that her husband left of his own choice before it was explained how he was “lost”. She does nearly everything wrong with her kids and can’t figure out why they’re so much better behaved when other people step in to take over the parenting responsibilities. The main male character does something so completely inappropriate and brutal toward the end of the book in relation to a child being bullied that in real life he absolutely would have been arrest and likely done jail time for making terroristic threats. I’ve always enjoyed Ms Center’s books but this makes me rethink reading any others in the future. Honestly, in comparison with her other books, I’d give this zero stars if I could!

Wonderful!!!!!!

I have read a lot of Kathrine Center books and this one is just as good as the others!

Great love story

Made me smile, enjoyed the story line and the happy ending. Easy read recommend 9/10