The Rumble and the Glory

By: JA Huss

Narrated by: CJ Mission, Jill Redfield

Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

Collin Creed is a killer. But he's Lowyn's killer. And after a twelve-year separation, she wants him back. Deep in the hills of West Virginia, three small towns have found a way to flourish in the face of extreme poverty. Disciple runs a side-show tent revival that brings in millions of dollars a year. Bishop flaunts traditional ways in the vein of Colonial Williamsburg, luring weary city people to the slow-living lifestyle. And Revenant offers them an experience of sin filled with tattooed bikers and live-music dive bars.

It's a sacred trinity that worships the almighty dollar and everyone plays their role like a well-trained Broadway actor.

But these hills have secrets, and so do the people.

Twelve years ago, when he was just eighteen and dreaming of a future with his high school sweetheart, Collin Creed learned something about himself. Something so disturbing he left Disciple to join the Marines and didn't once look back. But all that came to a screeching halt with the congressional hearings, forcing Collin to return home and rebuild his black-ops empire brick by brick.

Lowyn McBride's heart broke when Collin shut her out and left town without an explanation just as they were getting ready to start their adult lives together. The death of her mother the following year was a make-or-break moment and Lowyn rose to the occasion, giving up her university education to parent her younger sister while building an empire of her own as a specialty antiques dealer.

Anger and desire, guilt and shame—the return of the enigmatic Collin Creed ignites the town and sparks an explosion of emotions inside Lowyn. But he's not the only one with a secret in his past.

Lowyn has always played the good girl to Collins bad-boy reputation. But it turns out—she's just like everyone else up in these hills—not as wholesome and pure as she looks.

©2024 JA Huss (P)2024 JA Huss

The Revival

Welcome to the Trinity. Bishop, Revenant and Disciple, where you feel like you have stepped back in time. A time of simpler things, community and neighbors all participate in the Revival and spread the good word. Where those who live here are players in this performance and reap many benefits for it.

Yet underneath the revival tent truth and lies intersect and the players put on show that makes every a believer and open their wallets.

Collin and Lowyn the main players here have a past relationship. Their hearts always belonged together but Collin left, and after leaving town for 12 years Collin returns with 12 years of secrets. Lowyn has many of her own. And the town itself so many more.

There are sinister things lurking in the hills that hold their own mystery and Collin finds out the hard way this covert community should not be messed with.

A true Julie Huss love story with all the twists and turns we have come to love. The start of a brand new world full of intrigue and colorful characters. Not to be missed!

Lost love found

While I am a tried, true, and forever fan of JA Huss, I wasn't sure I could get into a story with the back drop of a town that revolved around a revival. But I decided to trust that the author would write a story that would satisfy my lust for complex, and complicated love stories that end with the HEA. And she delivered. I'm Thankful the real story lies in the relationships between the characters and the location and revival theme was just a backdrop. The other thing I love about the author is that I always learn about a place, or a culture, or a business. Because she creates her worlds on the foundation of something real. I love traveling a journey with her and this book was no different. She always brings the perfect narrators for the story. The narration was excellent and really brought this story and this world to life. The vows the characters said to each other and the explanation of them was so profound and honest. There has been something about every book that stays with me. From this book it's the vows. I am excited to go on this ride, and have a new set of characters to love and loathe.

There is Always Another Secret

For her new series, “The Rumble and the Glory,” JA Huss takes her readers to three small West Virginia towns that time forgot. The population, albeit very small, lives in the 21st century but they deliberately leave the town to be a mix of colonial Williamsburg with a throwback 1960s and 1920s revival vibe all thrown into one.

The characters in the story are characters themselves. There’s Lowyn McBride, a college dropout turned entrepreneur who owns a very successful vintage store. There is Collin Creed, a former soldier who was dishonorably discharged and currently owns a security company. They were high school sweethearts but broke up when Creed joined the military. That was 12 years ago. Now that he is back in Disciple, WV, a second-chance romance is brewing.

It might sound like a trope, but it’s not. JA Huss does not do straightforward tropes. There are always so many twists and turns in her story that we question ourselves if we pegged the plot correctly. There are always surprises and for “The Rumble and the Glory,” it’s the secrets that the town holds. Some secrets are bigger than the town itself but there are also small ones that will only affect one or two people if it became known.

This might sound ominous, especially with the book cover. Again, expect to be surprised! Between Lowyn and Creed, whose story is already engaging, the supporting characters – Amon and Rosie, Clover and Bryn, even Mayor Jim Bob add color to the story. The book is unputdownable.

And as always, the audiobook is perfectly cast. JA Huss always knows who the best narrators for her books are, and this time, CJ Mission and Jill Redfield nailed Creed and Lowyn, respectively. Narrated as a duet, the banter between Creed and Lowyn feels so real. Both narrators easily changed voices for the other characters. And best of all, Jill Redfield got the Southern accent down pat. Listening to her brings me to Dixieland.

I’ve been reading JA Huss for some time, and I have always thought that her Rook and Ronin books and The Company are her best world building. I’m happy to say that “The Rumble and the Glory” just exceeded all my expectations. I can’t wait for the next books in the series. I want to know more about the towns of Bishop, Disciple and Revenant. I also want to learn the story of the other characters that were featured prominently in this book.

In for the journey…

JA Huss, I’m in for the journey and can’t wait to see where you take me next! I’m so excited for this new series. I agree it (the story) does have a “Company” feel but I can also see where it has its own distinct identity and I am so excited to see where it goes! Bravo 👏

Wonderful first story to a new series

Amazing new world by JA Huss. I was sucked in to this story from the beginning. I could easily picture the three towns, the characters, the tent revival. For audio book listeners, the narrators are just as important as the story itself and JA Huss does an amazing job of choosing narrators for her books. The narrators did an amazing job of bringing the characters for Collin and Lowyn to life and drawing the listener into the story. There are twists and turns throughout the story. I am excited to see how this story continues in this series.

A romance sprinkled with drops of laughter and wisdom

What a cool and slightly twisted story of characters that will have you smiling, laughing and scenes that will pull on your heart strings. The narrators did a superb job, capturing a southern WV accent without it sounding like they were making fun of our southern drawl. This will definitely be going in my favorites folder and I can’t wait for the next installment.

Perfect new series

Loved the story, characters, narrators and EOBS. I tried to guess where this was going and can only imagine if it's anything like past books, all I can say is more, more, more!

What book again

What a journey. I never have any idea where Julie is going in a book. I just love hitting play and dive in. Great narration. Fantastic book again 😊

An Amazing New Series!

This is book one of a new amazing series written by JA Huss. I absolutely loved it. The twists and turns she is known for kept me riveted. I love the characters and storyline. I'm completely invested in this new world. It's so very unique. I cannot wait for the next book!

I started listening to the audiobook as soon as I bought it. I couldn't wait! I didn't want to pause it when needed and was frustrated when I had to do so. CJ Mission and Jill Redfield are excellent narrators! They brought this book to life.

A Great New World

“The Rumble and the Glory” is quintessential Julie A. Huss, which means it is far from your typical romance. From the first sentence, the story hooks the reader (me) and gets more intense as it progresses. Set in a tri-city mountain area of West Virginia, the community thrives on its annual religious revivals while other similar regions of the state struggle financially. The novel paints a vivid backdrop for a second-chance, small town romance with morally grey characters.

The protagonists, Colin Creed and Lowyn McBride were best friends and high school sweethearts twelve years ago. However, a traumatic event left such a deep scar on Colin that he abruptly enlisted in the Marines, leaving town without a word of farewell. The narrative picks up twelve years later, unraveling the events that transpired and exploring whether old wounds can heal and love can be rekindled.

What I love about this story is everything. The characters are alive in my heart. Lowyn is a strong woman who found a way to move on from her young heartbreak to become the successful business owner she is today. Colin is back in the area with his best friend Amon and a group of military buddies to start their security firm. Both characters have secrets that unfold gradually and realistically over the novel’s length.

The small town setting is beautifully painted and becomes as necessary to the story as the characters. The narrators, CJ Mission and Jill Redfield are the perfect storytellers for this tale in duet.. As I listened, I often thought of friends sitting around the table rehashing their day. They pulled me in and made me feel a part of the story. Julie has a way of picking the perfect narrators for each of her stories.

JA Huss knows how to blend emotions, settings, characters, and events to make a gripping storyline, making “The Rumble and the Glory” a compelling read. The complex characters are developed with their intricate pasts, adding layers of genuineness to their journey. Another big plus for me is that the characters act their age.

One reason I take breaks from romance stories is because so many authors make secrets ridiculously trite, making me wonder why two people who love each other can’t have a simple conversation. I never felt frustrated with Colin or Lowyn in this story. It is a realistic journey of two people working around and through their hurdles.

You must read this story if you are looking for a new, fun, and engaging romance. You won’t regret it. Now I'm ready to start the next book in this series.