Work for It

By: Talia Hibbert

Narrated by: Shane East, Chance Thoreau

Length: 9 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's Summary

In this village, I’m an outcast: Griffin Everett, the scowling giant who prefers plants to people. Then I meet Keynes, a stranger from the city who’s everything I’m not: sharp-tongued, sophisticated, beautiful. Free. For a few precious moments in a dark alleyway, he’s also mine, hot and sweet under the stars...until he crushes me like dirt beneath his designer boot.

When the prettiest man I’ve ever hated shows up at my job the next day, I’m not sure if I want to strangle him or drag him into bed. Actually - I think I want both. But Keynes isn’t here for the likes of me: He makes that painfully clear. With everyone else at work, he’s all gorgeous, glittering charm - but when I get too close, he turns vicious.

And yet, I can’t stay away. Because there’s something about this ice king that sets me on fire, a secret vulnerability that makes my chest ache. I’ll do whatever it takes to sneak past his walls and see the real man again.

The last thing I expect is for that man to ruin me.

©2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC (P)2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC

Gorgeous book, one great narrator, other is awful

It's been a while since I wanted to give a book more than five stars, but this is that book. Also the way the imagery was woven throughout the story reminded me of one of my favorite authors.

*all the loving happy flails*

This was gorgeous and so well-written. I loved both of them so much! I loved basically everything about this book and, as is often the case when I love a book so thoroughly, I m having trouble putting my feelings into words. The writing about depression and insecurity and bullying is beautifully subtle and understanding. Griffin's best friend and Keyne's sister were fantastic secondary characters.

I'm going to have to read the other books in the series very soon.

I will re-read this many times. All the love!

Audio: this is so difficult because it has duel narrators and one was fantastic, and the other bordered on atrocious. Griffin's main narrator was great, he brought the emotions through, delineated the characters, and did a great job with the accents. Keyne's narrator was just awful however, and it felt like he had a bigger proportion of the narration. I can't emphasize how horrible his Griffin voice was, it was ridiculous and weird and wrong in every way. His voice for Keyne was fine, except he some times sounded like he was faking the accent. I had been waiting for this with high hopes and bought it as soon as I saw it was released, but I can't see myself listening to it again. I'm so disappointed.

empty story, narration makes this unlistenable

Read the ebook! Don't waste money on the audiobook version.

The narration is so bad that the 2 narrators pronounce the main character Olu's NAME different. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! How was this approved for release?!

Shane East (Griff) did an AMAZING job, and I'm disappointed he didn't narrate both POVs. Perhaps this was to avoid a white narrator voicing a leading character of color? Admirable aim I'd be happy about if so, but I have no idea if that's the case at all since I can't find the second narrator's website. Chance Thoreau (Olu) is undoubtedly skilled, but his style does not at all fit within this book. He struggles with the various British accents (I still wonder if he's an American). His Olu sounds like Emma Watson pretending to be American and his Griff sounds like a chainsmoking gremlin. It's dreadful. Skillful, but dreadful--for a romance novel, anyway. In contrast, Shane East's Olu sounds high class (because he is) and his Griff sounds like a soft country boy (almost too soft considering his size). As a result of their dramatically different styles, every few scenes Griff's voice hops from gentle murmering to summoning the freaking antichrist. The inconsistencies between the 2 narrators are HUGE and MADDENING. I was literally unable to finish listening to this, so I just read the ebook.

The story itself? Simple. Fluffy, tropey, cringey. Seems like it needed a bit more time to mature in Talia Hibbert's drafts folder.

There are a lot of lavender adjectives where they don't belong. The humor gave me secondhand embarrassment at times. The romance buildup is too rushed to feel believable. I recommend it for people who like hyper fast-paced romance and no one else. Both leads are endearing as separate characters, but most of their interactions are extremely hollow. At times, they're downright boring. The bridge from wary of each other to openly interested is never actually written. Guess we just leap over those parts now? It honestly feels like rushed writing for a deadline, not just a rushed romance. One of my biggest pet peeves is the dreaded "premature pet name": characters who barely know each other calling each other "babe" or "sweetheart" during their first sexual encounter. Cringe. EARN the dang endearment stage! This book skipped all the fun parts of EARNING the romance.

The subplot about Griff's tea recipes warmed my heart, though. I loved Olu's enthusiastic support of Griff's intellectual property. 10/10 for that bit.

My biggest concern is that issues of mental health are handled in an insultingly ignorant manner. Perhaps Talia Hibbert is educated on these matters, but it is not reflected in this book. One character suffers from severe sex repulsion and anxiety, and can you guess what fixes it all up? A sexy farmer. In the span of a week. Ugh. Serious subject matter like this requires care, and it's completely misplaced in a lighthearted fast-paced romance. Take the time to do it right or don't write it at all. (If you're looking for m/m romance that handles mental health issues with the gravity they demand, I recommend Alexis Hall.)

Awesome

Love this book. One of the two narrators is exceptional. The other is okay. The characters are lovely. Great story

Story is OK but Narration is not!

This book has some good back story for the characters and I love Talia Hibbert books! However one of the narrators, the one that reads Olu is difficult to listen to when he does the Griff's voice! In his ordinary voice which sounds like SEAL its fine - I could listen to him all day and night, but for some inexplicable reason he narrates the 27 yr old Griff with the voice that sounds like a 70 yr chain-smoker! (Sounded a bit like Jim on the Vicar of Dibley!) It was cringing at times and as much as I want to hear the story, I'd dread when his narration started. I'm not sure why the other guy didn't read the whole book, he could handle both characters equally well. Doesn't put me off other Talia Hibbert books though, she's still a fave author.