Narrator: Grace Grant

Series Review: Mount Trilogy by Meghan March

Posted September 27, 2019 by Casee in Reviews | 1 Comment

I really enjoyed this trilogy, but it will not be everyone’s cup of tea.

Series Review: Mount Trilogy by Meghan MarchReviewer: Casee
Ruthless King by Meghan March
Narrator: Grace Grant, Joe Arden
Series: Mount Trilogy #1
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: October 17, 2017
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Point-of-View: Alternating First
Content Warning: View Spoiler »
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 350
Length: 5 hours and 49 minutes
Add It: Goodreads
Reading Challenges: Casee's 2019 GoodReads Challenge, Goodreads Challenge
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Get ready for the darker and dirtier side of New Orleans with a brand new alpha romance from USA Today bestselling author Meghan March.

New Orleans belongs to me. You don’t know my name, but I control everything you see—and all the things you don’t. My reach knows no bounds, and my demands are always met. I didn’t need to loan money to a failing family distillery, but it amuses me to have them in my debt. To have her in my debt. She doesn’t know she caught my attention. She should’ve been more careful. I’m going to own her. Consume her. Maybe even keep her. It’s time to collect what I’m owed. Keira Kilgore, you’re now the property of Lachlan Mount.

*Ruthless King is book 1 of the Mount Trilogy. Mount and Keira’s story is anticipated to be completed in Fall 2017 with Defiant Queen and Sinful Empire.*

But tell me the truth about one thing. When was the last time you were fucked by a real man? Someone who knows what you need. Someone who’ll take control from you and give you what you’ve been dying for.

Lachlan Mount is the most feared man in all of New Orleans. He rules the city with an iron fist. He gets what he wants, when he wants. What he wants is Keira Kilgore. Keira runs her family’s whiskey distillery. After she is widowed (right before her divorce was finalized), Keira knows her business is in trouble. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, Keira is not sure how she will keep the doors open. Then Lachlan Mount shows up at her door. He paid off her loans. What he expects in return is her.

What was hard about this books is that Keira was so unwilling to do what Mount wanted. Yet her body responded to him. Kiera has always had her head in the clouds about the person she would fall in love with. One of her stipulations to herself is that the chemistry be off the charts. Though Mount invokes that response in her, it’s something she doesn’t want.

This book was different that the usual March books. I did enjoy it because I enjoyed the strength of both characters. Mount literally pulled himself out of the gutter. He doesn’t know how to ask for what he wants, he just takes it. He thought he would have Keira until he tired of her, but that’s not happening. If anything, his feelings grow.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5.

Series Review: Mount Trilogy by Meghan MarchReviewer: Casee
Defiant Queen by Meghan March
Narrator: Grace Grant, Joe Arden
Series: Mount Trilogy #2
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: November 14, 2017
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Point-of-View: Alternating First
Content Warning: View Spoiler »
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 252
Length: 5 hours and 30 minutes
Add It: Goodreads
Reading Challenges: Casee's 2019 GoodReads Challenge, Goodreads Challenge
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

The Mount Trilogy continues with Defiant Queen...

I’m his entertainment. His toy. Payment on a debt. I tell myself I hate him, but every time he walks into the room, my body betrays me. How can I want him and fear him in the same moment? They told me he’d mess with my head. Make it go to war with my body. But I didn’t realize it would be complete anarchy. I should’ve known better. When Mount’s involved, there are no rules. I will not surrender. I will not show weakness. I’ll stand my ground and make it out of this bargain with my heart and soul intact. But he has other plans . . .

Defiant Queen is the second book of the Mount Trilogy. Mount and Keira's story concludes in Sinful Empire.

This was only ever supposed to be sex. Repayment on a debt owed. But it has spiraled out of control, and now I’m terrified it’s becoming something else entirely—which is impossible.

In Defiant Queen, Mount is running into a problem. He doesn’t want to let Kiera go. Ever. The problem is that he doesn’t know how to change their relationship. Mount made her come to him through manipulation, but now Mount wants her to want to be with him. Which is easier said than done. He is up for the challenge. He’s never lost something he’s wanted and he’s not starting now.

I really enjoyed Kiera’s growth in this book. Although she’s not happy with her current situation, she’s willing to do anything to keep her family’s business running. When she starts developing feelings for Mount outside their usual chemistry, she’s taken aback. Still, she faces it like the strong person she is.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5.

Series Review: Mount Trilogy by Meghan MarchReviewer: Casee
Sinful Empire (Mount Trilogy, #3) by Meghan March
Narrator: Grace Grant, Joe Arden
Series: Mount Trilogy #3
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: December 19, 2017
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Point-of-View: Alternating First
Content Warning: View Spoiler »
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 243
Length: 5 hours and 28 minutes
Add It: Goodreads
Reading Challenges: Casee's 2019 GoodReads Challenge, Goodreads Challenge
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
Series Rating: four-stars

The Mount Trilogy concludes with Sinful Empire!

What’s mine, I keep, and that includes Keira Kilgore.It’s no longer enough to have her in my debt. No longer enough to own her body.I want something more.She can try to resist, but I’ll never give her up.Nothing will keep us apart.Not her. Not my enemies. No one.Her debt will only be paid one way—with her heart.

Sinful Empire is the third and final book in the Mount Trilogy.

She’s mine. She’s staying mine. Even my black heart couldn’t handle losing her. I will keep her safe with my very last breath, if necessary.

This is the final book in the trilogy and the best one, in my opinion. Mount and Kiera have both finally accepted the unexpected. They are in love. It’s the kind of love that is once in a lifetime and something they would both kill to keep.

What I loved so much about this series is how Mount and Kiera’s relationship evolved. Mount is an anti-hero while Kiera is your quintessential heroine. The way they made it work just did something for me. I wasn’t going to continue this series after book one, but I couldn’t stop myself. I was obsessed with finding out what happened.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

four-stars


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Review: Part-Time Lover by Lauren Blakely

Posted March 4, 2019 by Casee in Reviews | 0 Comments

Review: Part-Time Lover by Lauren BlakelyReviewer: Casee
Part-Time Lover by Lauren Blakely
Narrator: Shane East, Grace Grant
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: June 4, 2018
Format: Audiobook
Source: Audible Escape
Point-of-View: Alternating First
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 308
Length: 7 hours and 21 minutes
Add It: Goodreads
Reading Challenges: Casee's 2019 GoodReads Challenge
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars

A sexy new standalone romance from #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Lauren Blakely!I’ll say this about Christian — he made one hell of a first impression.When I first saw the strapping man, he was doing handstands naked on a dock along the canal. His crown jewels were far more entertaining than anything else I’d seen on the boat tour, so I did what any curious woman would do — I took his photo. I might have looked at the shot a few dozen times. Little did I know I’d meet him again, a year later, at a secret garden bar in the heart of the city, where I’d learn that his mind and his mouth were even more captivating. But given the way my heart had been trampled, I wanted only a simple deal — No strings. No expectations. Our arrangement worked well enough until the day I needed a lot more from him…

***Let me just say, this whole part-time lover thing was her idea. I’d have gone all-in from the start, but hey, when a gorgeous, brilliant woman invites you into her bed, and only her bed…well, I said yes.But then, one hysterical phone call from my brother later, begging me to find myself a wife so grandfather’s business stays in the family, and I need a promotion with Elise. Turns out a full-time husband suits her needs too, and a temporary marriage of convenience ought to do the trick, until we can simply untie the knot…

As long as no one finds out…As long as no one gets hurt…As long as no one falls in love…


But our ending was one I never saw coming.

After reading Wanderlust, it wasn’t hard to immediately move onto Part-Time Lover. I wouldn’t exactly call this a series. More of a continuation with recurring characters. Honestly, I couldn’t not read this book when I read about Elise and Christian’s history. What are the odds that the two of them would meet in one country then run into each other in another? It was fate, that’s what it was.

Even after a year, Elise has not forgotten the naked man doing handstands on his dock along a canal she was touring. She actually doesn’t want to forget him, which is why she hasn’t deleted his pictures from her phone. When he yelled to her asking her to meet him that day, Elise took the plunge. Both she and Christian thought they were stood up when in fact they went to different places in the city with the same name. Now, whether it’s fate or not, Elise and Christian have been brought together again. This time Christian is determined not to let her go.

Elise has been betrayed in the past and does not trust easily. All she wants with Christian is some short-term fun. He’s amenable to that request and they agree to have an affair. Then things start to go wrong. Christian’s brother is betrayed by his wife in the worst possible way. Not only does she want a divorce but she wants to take the company that Christian ‘s grandfather built from the ground up. The only way to save the family legacy is for Christian to get married. He’s shocked when Elise offers to marry him and immediately takes her up on it. They agree to stay married for three months then go their separate ways.

It doesn’t take very long for Christian to realize that he wants longer than three months with Elise. It will be hard to convince her, if he’s even able to do so. Elise wants Christian but she won’t consider anything long term. When she does finally realize that she doesn’t want to let him go, she knows it might be too late.

I really loved this book. These two were just meant to be with each other. It was clear from the very first page. Although Elise didn’t trust easily, she took a huge chance on Christian from the beginning. I really appreciated how she put herself out there. I also appreciated how Christian respected Elise’s wishes and didn’t try to force her into a situation she wasn’t ready for. I just loved how everything came full circle.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5.

four-stars


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Review: Wanderlust by Lauren Blakely

Posted February 19, 2019 by Casee in Reviews | 1 Comment

Review: Wanderlust by Lauren BlakelyReviewer: Casee
Wanderlust by Lauren Blakely
Narrator: Grace Grant, Richard Armitage
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: March 20, 2018
Format: Audiobook
Source: Audible Escape
Point-of-View: Alternating First
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 336
Length: 8 hours and 46 minutes
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars


A charming British hero, the woman who tempts him, and a hands-off arrangement that's oh-so-hard to maintain.

My bags are packed and I'm ready to go. All I have to do is board a plane, and I'll be on my way to fulfilling a promise I made long ago. Bonus points -- my last week in Paris looks to be even better when I meet a gorgeous, clever American woman and make plans to take her back to my flat that night.

But before we can get together for what would surely be a fantastic final fling, my boss hits me with a double whammy. My previous client didn't pay, so there's no trip, and the new client I now desperately need is none other than the tempting American I'm about to take home.

Have I mentioned this timing bloody sucks?

***

I'll admit it -- I have a big weakness for a hot British accent. As in, they make me swoon, sigh, and want to toss my panties. Good thing I can avoid that kind of temptation in Paris. So it's just my luck that the man who's the key to success in my new job is the man whose voice makes me melt. Oh, and we have to spend all our days together for work.

Thanks a lot, fate.

To top it off, I quickly learn he's witty, kind and has a heart and mind I'm falling for fast.

All I have to do is resist him every single freaking day. That's so easy. Not.

But then I learn that's nothing compared to the real hurdle we face.


What could go wrong with falling in love in Paris? Nearly everything, it seems...

This is my first book by Lauren Blakely and oh, did I enjoy it. I listened to it on audio and both narrators were simply amazing. I’ve said it time and time again…when you listen to a book on audio a narrator/s will make or break the book. These two really made it much more enjoyable than it could have been. Especially Richard Armitage and his accent. Seriously.

Joy has moved to Paris after the perfect job offer came at an ideal time in her life. Having just broke up with a boyfriend that was nothing but heartbreaking baggage, Joy wanted to leave Texas and start fresh. Paris always delighted her. The people, the food, the culture. You name it and Joy was fascinated by it. When she arrives it’s everything she expected. The only problem is the language barrier. The perfume company that hired hires someone that will help Joy overcome that barrier so she can communicate with her employees. She’s not too curious about the translator. The person she is most curious about is the man she meets a local bakery.

Griffin has a bucket list. One that his brother made on his deathbed. When one of his items is put on hold and he has to go back to work in Paris, he is not adverse to having a fling with the woman he meets in his favorite bakery. What neither of them know is that Griffin is her new translator. When it becomes clear that they are to work together, they both know that anything personal will have to be put on an indefinite hold. It doesn’t help matters that Griffin is someone that wants to travel the world while Joy wants to make a home in Paris.

As they get closer, they get caught up in each other. First as friends, then as lovers. I loved that about this book. They were friends first. They really enjoyed each other. It was a natural progression to lovers. There were no games, no big misunderstandings. They both fully admitted that they were in love. The only issue that arose between the two of them was Griffin’s loyalty to his brother and his absolute devotion to the bucket list. One of the things I most loved about Joy was that she didn’t make him choose between the brother that was still so obviously with him and her. She just accepted what was. She was such a breath of fresh air.

The ending of the book happened just as it should have. It left me thoroughly satisfied and looking forward to the next book though this isn’t technically a series. These two stayed with me for a bit after I read the book, but that was okay with me for some reason. Even as I write this review I am smiling because it was such a good book.

Rating: 4.25 out of 5.

four-stars


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Review: Part-Time Lover by Lauren Blakely

Posted October 19, 2018 by Holly in Reviews | 3 Comments

Review: Part-Time Lover by Lauren BlakelyReviewer: Holly
Part-Time Lover by Lauren Blakely
Narrator: Shane East, Grace Grant
Series: Part Time Lover #2
Also in this series: Wanderlust
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: June 4, 2018
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Point-of-View: Alternating First
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 314
Length: 7 hours and 21 minutes
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

A sexy new standalone romance from #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Lauren Blakely!

I’ll say this about Christian — he made one hell of a first impression.

When I first saw the strapping man, he was doing handstands naked on a dock along the canal. His crown jewels were far more entertaining than anything else I’d seen on the boat tour, so I did what any curious woman would do — I took his photo. I might have looked at the shot a few dozen times. Little did I know I’d meet him again, a year later, at a secret garden bar in the heart of the city, where I’d learn that his mind and his mouth were even more captivating. But given the way my heart had been trampled, I wanted only a simple deal — No strings. No expectations. Our arrangement worked well enough until the day I needed a lot more from him…

***

Let me just say, this whole part-time lover thing was her idea. I’d have gone all-in from the start, but hey, when a gorgeous, brilliant woman invites you into her bed, and only her bed…well, I said yes. But then, one hysterical phone call from my brother later, begging me to find myself a wife so grandfather’s business stays in the family, and I need a promotion with Elise. Turns out a full-time husband suits her needs too, and a temporary marriage of convenience ought to do the trick, until we can simply untie the knot…

As long as no one finds out…As long as no one gets hurt…As long as no one falls in love…


But our ending was one I never saw coming.

We first met Elise and Christian in Wanderlust. There were hints of a history/relationship with them and I was anxious for more. I’m so glad I discovered this book. Though they’re mentioned in Wanderlust, the book stands alone well.

Elise and Christian had a chance meeting in Denmark. They had an obvious connection, but it didn’t work out. A year later another chance meeting brings them together in Paris. This time, they both want to explore their chemistry, but neither is looking for something long-term. They settle on a casual fling, until Christian needs to produce a wife in order to help his brother save their family company. Elise sees this as an opportunity to offer help to a friend and suggests they get married. They know the score – this is a marriage of convenience only. Though convincing their hearts may prove difficult..

This was a sweet story. I enjoyed the slow-burn romance and the way Elise and Christian’s relationship developed. The witty banter had me laughing and I thought their friendship was believable. The narrators both did an excellent job. I was pulled into the story right away and couldn’t stop listening. I loved both Elise and Christian. They were well settled into their lives and careers and knew what they wanted from both. They were both a bit gun-shy about falling in love, but based on their pasts I felt it was believable. I loved how they worked together and were so open and honest with each other right from the start.

Another stellar novel from Blakely. I just can’t get enough.

4.25 out of 5

Part Time Lover

four-stars


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Joint Audiobook Review: Wanderlust by Lauren Blakely

Posted September 5, 2018 by Rowena in Reviews | 7 Comments

Joint Audiobook Review: Wanderlust by Lauren BlakelyReviewer: Holly & Rowena
Wanderlust by Lauren Blakely
Narrator: Grace Grant, Richard Armitage
Series: Part Time Lover #1
Also in this series: Part-Time Lover
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: March 20, 2018
Format: Audiobook
Source: Purchased
Point-of-View: Alternating First
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 338
Length: 8 hours and 46 minutes
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

From #1 NYT bestselling author Lauren Blakely comes a sexy new standalone romance!

The first time I met him, his sexy British accent almost talked me into giving him my number on the spot. The second time, he nearly charmed the panties off me with his wit. Then I learned he's the key to success in my new job in Paris. The man who tempts me into fling-worthy dirty daydreams has turned out to be my personal translator, and his accent is the hottest thing I've ever heard.My mantra is simple -- Don't mix business with pleasure. I do my best to resist him as he teaches me how to converse with my co-workers, navigate the metro and order the perfect bottle of wine at dinner. But I also figure out how to tell the charming and clever man what I most want to say -- that I want him to take me back to his flat -- tonight. Except there's a catch...

***One more assignment before I take off on my big adventure...

And it involves the toughest work ever -- resisting the fetching American woman I spend all my days with. But you know what they say about best intentions. Soon, we're spending our nights tangled together, and I don’t want to let her go. The trouble is, my wanderlust is calling to me, and before we know it I'll be traveling the globe to fulfill a promise I made long ago.

What could possibly go wrong with falling in love in Paris? Nothing...unless one of you is leaving.

Holly: Rowena and I are both relatively new to listening to audiobooks. Personally, I prefer to listen only when I’m unable to read, i.e., in the car, at work, etc. This month Rowena suggested we listen to a full audio for our Joint Review and we settled on Wanderlust because Richard Armitage narrates the hero’s POV. Let me just say, he was worth it. ::dreamy sigh:: Grace Grant narrates for the heroine, and she did a great job as well.

I feel like we need to talk about Richard Armitage first. Because holy mama, his voice is so effing sexy.

Rowena: This was the first book that I listened to from beginning to end without any lengthy breaks and Richard Armitage was the reason. He did a fabulous job as Griffin and made the listening experience such a pleasure. Man, that accent. swoon

Holly: Right? Lord, every time his voice came up I was all melty. Joy, the heroine of the book, says something in the beginning about how devastating British accents are to her. I didn’t totally agree until RA started talking. Whew.

Rowena: Same. I didn’t know I had a thing like that for a British accent but I do now…haha.

Holly: Anyway, the story. Joy is ready for some major changes in her life, so when her company offers her a year-long position in France, she jumps at the chance to get out of Texas and expand her horizons. Her first day on her own in Paris she runs into the sexiest man she’s ever met…and he just happens to be British, her personal accent kryptonite. He turns out to be witty and funny and she really wants to get to know him better. When they run into each other again, she knows it’s kismet…except it turns out he’s actually her new translator at work. She can’t risk mixing business and pleasure, so she resolves to remain just friends.

Griffin is working as a translator in Paris while saving up for his next big adventure – running a marathon in Bali, then continuing to travel the world. He isn’t in a place to settle into a relationship with anyone, but the hot American he meets at a pastry shop sure does tempt him. Joy is right to put that on hold since they’ll be working together, but staying away from each other is hard when they spend all their time together and their chemistry is off the charts.

I thought this was a really cute story. I loved the premise and the way their friendship developed over time.

Rowena: Great recap of the story. I thought this was a cute story, too. The flirty sparks, in the beginning, were too cute and I really liked seeing Griffin and Joy’s friendship that just continued to grow with each passing day. The narrators were fantastic and it was super easy to fall into the story with them. I think of all the narrators that I’ve listened to so far, they’re both my favorites.

Holly: The main conflict, aside from the fact that Griffin is Joy’s translator at work, is that Griffin has plans to travel the world and Joy is pretty grounded in Paris for at least a year. I thought it worked pretty well. Watching their friendship grow and deepen, I kept wondering how they were going to work it out. I thought Griffin was so sweet, wanting to see Joy succeed. I also thought it was great that Joy didn’t want to hold Griffin back from achieving his dreams.

Rowena: I felt the same way. I really enjoyed seeing their friendship blossom. I mean, sure, they were hella attracted to each other but they didn’t let them get in the way of their working relationship and they genuinely cared for each other. I really dug that. I wasn’t sure how Blakely was going to make everything okay without one of them giving something important to them up but I thought she handled their situation well.

Holly: I also really liked the friendships they had outside each other. Griffin hung out with his mate, Christian, and Joy spent time with her girl, Elise. They didn’t have to be in each other’s pockets all the time. They wanted to spend time together, yes, but they also had interests away from each other. This felt like a mature, adult romance. I loved it.

Rowena: This was definitely one of those straight up contemporary romances where there wasn’t any of that annoying drama that seem to plague younger characters and I liked that. I liked that two consenting adults got to know each other, enjoyed each other, fell in love and then tried to figure out how to be together. I loved that they were each going through something, had decisions to make and were genuine in their feelings for themselves, those around them and each other. This was just a sweet romance all around.

Holly: Exactly. It was two adults figuring out how to have a relationship as adults. I loved it.

Rowena: And their sexual chemistry was off the charts. Griffin put it down in bed and with Richard’s accent, I had to keep fanning myself because damn boy!!!

Holly: OMG, his accent during their sex scenes had me all kinds of warm. At one point he says something like “I have orgasms to give you” and I was like, “you sure do!”

Rowena: LOL, yep. If I was Joy, I never would have left the bed. We would have permanently worked from home.

Is this the first book that you’ve read by Blakely?

Holly: This is my first book by Blakely, but it won’t be the last. I already have two more in my TBB list. What about you?

Rowena: I read one other book by Blakely but feel like I have plenty of her older releases in my TBR pile. I will definitely be checking them out.

I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars, what about you?

Holly: I’m giving it a 4 out of 5 as well. Though I think I might have to give Richard Armitage 5 out of 5 for his narration. Because, damn son.

Rowena: Yes, Richard Armitage gets 5 out of 5 stars!!

Holly’s Grade: 4 out of 5
Rowena’s Grade: 4 out of 5

Part Time Lover

four-stars


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