Zen Alpha

By: Sionnach Wintergreen

Narrated by: Hugh Bradley

Length: 3 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

More than anything, struggling tech support specialist Bradley Evans wants an alpha male lover. He thinks he's found his perfect match, but when his domineering stockbroker boyfriend goes too far, Bradley wonders if his flexible, mindful neighbor might be just what he needs.

Ward Linden teaches autistic middle schoolers and is sexy and kind; but he isn't quite the alpha Bradley's been looking for. Do nice guys always have to finish last?

Bradley explores what it means to be alpha male in this steamy, humor-laced gay romance. Due to its sexual content, this book is for adults only.

©2017 Sionnach Wintergreen (P)2018 Sionnach Wintergreen

A fast listen, but great characters!

This is the first book from Sionnach Wintergreen and I was impressed by the characters, especially Ward.

All Bradley wants is an Alpha to love him and take care of him, and he thinks he finds his perfect alpha in Jackson. And while I enjoyed getting to know Bradley and Ward, Ms. Wintergreen also writes believable villains as well. Jackson is a horrible, emotional manipulative alpha who treats Bradley horribly. You can see the abuse and the control Jackson has over Bradley because when Bradley meets Ward and Ward explains that alphas, true alphas, are nothing like Jackson, he thinks his relationship with Jackson is perfect. As Bradley truly realizes that the image of a perfect alpha in his head needs to be changed, he realizes that Ward might not be his perfect ideation and his vision of what is perfect needs to change. And Bradley's mother is a...well, bitch. I couldn't stand her and in the end, I'm happy that Bradley realized what he needed in life.

First by this author

and I was not disappointed at all. The story aggravated me when Jackson was lauded to be the perfect alpha. Ward was obviously perfect for Bradley, he built him up instead of breaking him down. The story made me smile when Ward and Bradley finally got together, I wanted that to happen as soon as I met Ward. The story irritated me again when Jackson makes another appearance at the worst time ever. The story made me cry when Bradley text and called Ward to find out he had been shot. All these things make for an amazing story. If an author can make me feel an array of emotions the author becomes one of my 1-click authors.

Sweet, sexy, and engaging

Zen Alpha is perfectly titled. Ward is about as zen as it gets. The story starts off a bit slow as Ward and Bradley meet and get to know each other, but it does pick up and even those slower parts of the story are interesting. Bradley is something of a contradiction - high-strung and quick to lose his cool in most things, but timid and submissive in relationships. Ward is calm and easy-going, even when he's taking charge, so these two make for quite the pair when they do finally admit their attraction. And once they do come together, it is nothing short of scorching hot. There is some angst and Bradley gets a much needed eye-opener by way of tragedy, but there is also humor and sweetness between this sexy duo. Hugh Bradley does a wonderful job with the narration, making this one an entertaining and enjoyable listen.

good story

this was a good story. i havent read it yet so this was all new. it was a short one.. and the narrator was new to me also and did a very good job. the personalities were well spoken.. it was fun to listen to and overall i enjoyed it a lot.

Sweet romance

This is a sweet m/m romance that I enjoyed watching grow and develop. I liked that Bradley learned what a true alpha really is and not a fantasized idol version of an alpha. Ward was sweet and patient with Bradley, and they made the perfect fit. Jackson (ex) was a selfish narcissistic peacock without substance. Bradley's mom was a waste of time and space and was a materialistic unsupportive, superficial vessel.

Sweet & Quick Listen

A sweet and quick story with engaging characters and a good storyline. At times I wanted to hit Bradley because of his total obsession with alphas to the point that he couldn't see the perfect man for him right in front of him! Ward is a wonderful person who doesn't need to show off to prove that he's an alpha. He's confident, caring, loving, and a truly all around good person, if only Bradley could get his head out of the clouds! I totally hated Bradley's mother but at least his father is great and loving. The narrator did a good job with the characters and the story overall, although at times it almost sounded like there was an echo. But it did not detract from the story and it is an overall good listen.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Sweet Story, Hugh Bradley is Perfect For This One

Absolutely charming, and not at all what I was expecting, Sionnach Wintergreen has pleasantly surprised me with Zen Alpha. Don’t let the title fool you, there’s no shapeshifter in this one, and the focus isn’t on yoga or meditation either. Zen Alpha is a sweet story about a young man coming into his own and learning what real love is all about.

This book is centered around Bradley, a naive young man who is just beginning to understand his emotional and sexual needs. Believing he wants an “Alpha” male to fulfill him, Bradley mistakenly thinks loud, boorish, self-centered men are the way to get what he needs. Growing up with a bully for a mother, it’s no surprise that Bradley is used to being treated poorly, and associates that kind of attention with affection and love.

Sorry to say Bradley believes he’s found his dream alpha man in his boyfriend, Jackson. Jackson is gorgeous, rich, and totally built, so Bradley can deal with the fact he’s also neglectful and mean, and a very selfish lover. Add on Jackson’s criticisms and emotionally abusive taunts, well that’s just part of being with an alpha guy, right?

When Bradley meets his neighbor Ward, he’s immediately attracted, but dismisses him because of his bland appearance and mellow manner. When they start to spend some time together, Bradley gets a taste of what being with a decent, supportive guy can do for his sense of self worth, and he likes it. It takes some soul searching, and a bit of growing up, but Bradley comes to realize it’s what’s inside a person that counts.

The narrator, Hugh Bradley, is new to me. His calm and mellow tone works with Ward and Bradley’s characters, and he does a wonderful job with the judgmental, overbearing mother. I love the Texas twang he uses for her, and he adds something special to all the supporting characters.

Zen Alpha is a sweet romance with a wonderful message. I enjoyed watching Bradley grow and change over the course of the story, seeing how he figures it all out. Understanding that appearances and labels are just what’s on the outside. Ward’s message that, “‘Love means accepting someone for who they are,’” is one that Bradley can take to heart.

Good fast book

fast paced humor filled story. funny rambling monologues.
love that finally gets a chance when you stop look to hard.
the narrator was good. pleasant to listen too.

3.5 stars

Sometimes what you really need and want in life is in the least expected package. That's what Bradley Evans discovered in Zen Alpha by Sionnach Wintergreen. This is an audiobook, so this review is going to be broken down into different sections.

Story - 3.5 stars
I liked the story, but it was short and I think that there were times that the story was rushed or not completely developed. I wanted there to be more, but not more of Bradley and his back and forth. Honestly, I wanted to slap him a time or two. And his ex-boyfriend, I understand why he was needed in the story, however, there was one part that I thought could be removed. That's just me though. But Ward...I loved him and his patience. I think he was more developed than Bradley and quite honestly, he made the story. I'll give the story 3.5 stars.

Narration - 3
This one was hard for me. The beginning sounded like it was recorded in the bathroom using a cell phone. It made some parts hard to understand. After a while, the recording either got better or I got used to the quality and I could understand everything that was said. The reason that I didn't rate this lower is that Hugh Bradley did bring the characters to life and you were able to differentiate between the characters. Narration gets 3 stars.

Overall - 3.5 stars
I'm going to give this whole audiobook 3.5 stars. The story was enjoyable, but rushed. The narration had some issues, but once you got passed those, it worked for the story. It's a short listen for anyone that wants a quick read or something that can be listened to in one or two sittings.

Nice and sweet

This was both a new author and narrator. I liked the story. It had good pacing and I thought it was sweet yet steamy. I though the narrator was a little lacking in some places but I would most likely listen to another book he does. I will most definitely be getting more books by Sionnach