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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
Rating: 4.25⭐️ | Spice: 3🌶️ | Audio: 5🎙️
What to Expect:
Ex’s Brother
Small Mountain Town Romance
Romantic Suspense
Age Gap (10 years)
“Damn, I’d never been so attracted to a woman in my life. Lila could completely destroy me. And I would gladly let her.”
Review Title & Vibes:
{TIMBER… I’M FALLING FOR A NERDY MOUNTAIN MAN} Owen’s got it bad for his brother’s ex. He’s the smart one lumberjack - the one that got out of this Lovewell Maine, but he’s also the one who can help dig his family out of the financial and legal mess their criminal father put them in. Lila is the whip smart ex beauty queen, with big dreams - this tiny town hasn’t always been kind to her, but she doesn’t let it ruin her attitude. She knows falling for Owen will be the talk of the town, but he’s all green flags.
Things I Loved:
🪓Owen is grumpy, but a total sweetheart for Lila. His character growth is spectacular.
🪓Lila is upbeat (cue How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days), she’s her truest self around Owen - no pageant smiles and fake laughs.
🪓The suspense keeps the plot line grounded… I need more backstory and a resolution - time to make room for more Daphne books!
Audio Notes:
{Dual} Aiden Snow was an excellent Owen, grumpy stern accountant vibes were all perfection. Mollie brought so much life and comedy to Lila’s character. I loved all the banter and inner monologues. I would definitely recommend this audiobook.
Recommended to...
All the romance readers who love a nerdy mountain man.
Narrated by @aidensnowvoice @molliestarknarrates
Produced by @onenightstandstudios
Thank you so much @homecookedbookspromos for the free ALC!
What to Expect:
Ex’s Brother
Small Mountain Town Romance
Romantic Suspense
Age Gap (10 years)
“Damn, I’d never been so attracted to a woman in my life. Lila could completely destroy me. And I would gladly let her.”
Review Title & Vibes:
{TIMBER… I’M FALLING FOR A NERDY MOUNTAIN MAN} Owen’s got it bad for his brother’s ex. He’s the smart one lumberjack - the one that got out of this Lovewell Maine, but he’s also the one who can help dig his family out of the financial and legal mess their criminal father put them in. Lila is the whip smart ex beauty queen, with big dreams - this tiny town hasn’t always been kind to her, but she doesn’t let it ruin her attitude. She knows falling for Owen will be the talk of the town, but he’s all green flags.
Things I Loved:
🪓Owen is grumpy, but a total sweetheart for Lila. His character growth is spectacular.
🪓Lila is upbeat (cue How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days), she’s her truest self around Owen - no pageant smiles and fake laughs.
🪓The suspense keeps the plot line grounded… I need more backstory and a resolution - time to make room for more Daphne books!
Audio Notes:
{Dual} Aiden Snow was an excellent Owen, grumpy stern accountant vibes were all perfection. Mollie brought so much life and comedy to Lila’s character. I loved all the banter and inner monologues. I would definitely recommend this audiobook.
Recommended to...
All the romance readers who love a nerdy mountain man.
Narrated by @aidensnowvoice @molliestarknarrates
Produced by @onenightstandstudios
Thank you so much @homecookedbookspromos for the free ALC!
💭 what I loved about this one:
- The audio 🎧 it’s duet narration! It was really so well done. I’d never heard either narrator before, and they really elevated the story, bringing it to life
- How incredible Owen was to Lila - he literally IMPORTS FLOUR & learns to MAKE PIZZA that she can eat after she says how much she misses it (she has celiac disease). He’s also incredibly sweet, protective and proud of her 🥹
- Lila’s fierce determination, how smart she is, and how she’s not intimidated by powerful men
- The references to the Boston Revs! I love Jenni Bara’s series.
✦ tropes & stuff:
💝 age gap
🪓 workplace - boss + employee
🧢 ex boyfriend’s brother
🏠 return to hometown
🌳 small town Maine
🐢 slow burn
😧 a bit of suspense
🏥 celiac disease rep
💙 he falls first
💞 dual 1st person pov
Thank you to Home Cooked Books for an advanced audio copy. All opinions are my own.
- The audio 🎧 it’s duet narration! It was really so well done. I’d never heard either narrator before, and they really elevated the story, bringing it to life
- How incredible Owen was to Lila - he literally IMPORTS FLOUR & learns to MAKE PIZZA that she can eat after she says how much she misses it (she has celiac disease). He’s also incredibly sweet, protective and proud of her 🥹
- Lila’s fierce determination, how smart she is, and how she’s not intimidated by powerful men
- The references to the Boston Revs! I love Jenni Bara’s series.
✦ tropes & stuff:
💝 age gap
🪓 workplace - boss + employee
🧢 ex boyfriend’s brother
🏠 return to hometown
🌳 small town Maine
🐢 slow burn
😧 a bit of suspense
🏥 celiac disease rep
💙 he falls first
💞 dual 1st person pov
Thank you to Home Cooked Books for an advanced audio copy. All opinions are my own.
⭐️: 4/5
🎧:5/5
🌶️: 3/5
Story Vibes:
Eeekkk! 𝙳𝚊𝚙𝚑𝚗𝚎 𝙴𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚘𝚝 wrote an amazing story! I absolutely adored this story. There is age gap, grumpy/sunshine, small town, slow burn.....and it all added up to a wonderfully chiseled story! The banter was spot on! Watching the forbidden romance unfold was a delight!
Narration Vibes:
It's been a hot minute since I listened to the talent of 𝐴𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛 𝑆𝑛𝑜𝑤 but he absolutely did not disappoint! He nailed Owen masterfully, bringing the growly voice, the cinnamon roll, the protectiveness that was Owen! 𝑀𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑒 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑘 is becoming one of my favorite female narrators. She captured the essence of Lila's sunshiny personality in the best way! Their duet narrations absolutely enveloped me!
Overall Vibes
This is one you won't want to miss. You'll feel the tension and fall in love with characters who steal your heart! It's slow burn, but it's oh so hot! A burly lumberjack hottie, and the younger, forbidden woman who steals his heart is a keeper listen for me!
🎧:5/5
🌶️: 3/5
Story Vibes:
Eeekkk! 𝙳𝚊𝚙𝚑𝚗𝚎 𝙴𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚘𝚝 wrote an amazing story! I absolutely adored this story. There is age gap, grumpy/sunshine, small town, slow burn.....and it all added up to a wonderfully chiseled story! The banter was spot on! Watching the forbidden romance unfold was a delight!
Narration Vibes:
It's been a hot minute since I listened to the talent of 𝐴𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛 𝑆𝑛𝑜𝑤 but he absolutely did not disappoint! He nailed Owen masterfully, bringing the growly voice, the cinnamon roll, the protectiveness that was Owen! 𝑀𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑒 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑘 is becoming one of my favorite female narrators. She captured the essence of Lila's sunshiny personality in the best way! Their duet narrations absolutely enveloped me!
Overall Vibes
This is one you won't want to miss. You'll feel the tension and fall in love with characters who steal your heart! It's slow burn, but it's oh so hot! A burly lumberjack hottie, and the younger, forbidden woman who steals his heart is a keeper listen for me!
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Narrated by Mollie Stark & Aiden Snow
Duet narration
Oh, the delicious tension between the love interests when it’s your little brother’s ex GF. This makes for the best longing and tension between Owen and Lila. He’s so conflicted and it’s perfect for additional sizzle. Owen never thought he’d find forever. He never wanted it. Until Lila. He has come to Maine to deal with some family business, and can’t wait to return to Boston. But he wasn’t expecting to catch feels for Lila, his new assistant. He falls hard and fast. Lila has big dreams to get a graduate degree in New York. But her feelings for Owen are making her confused about where she should go.
These two are such a great match, filling in each other gaps. I LOVE how Owen doted on her. He thought of her needs even when she didn’t know what they were. He learned how to make gluten free pizza for her and he found her favorite gluten free treats online. How CUTE is that? At 11 hours this book is a tad bit long and could have been condensed as some part dragged a bit. But overall I enjoyed it.
This is the first audio I’ve listen to from Mollie Stark and I loved her narration. She has a slight rasp to her voice that’s very appealing. Her pairing with Aiden snow really matched well. Aiden’s deep voice is spot on for Owen’s intensiveness and “resting boss face” Ha Ha.
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Take a trip to the small town Lovewell, Maine where lumberjacks and moose come out of the woods. Owen has to come back to help the family timber business and is swoon worthy that supports Lila not only with gluten food but her dreams. Lila is home after dating Owen’s brother for a while and waiting to go to NYC for grad school, she is so sunshine! They have chemistry and try to ignore it all but a weekend in Boston changes it for them.
This duet was a lot of fun as Mollie does a great job as Lila the younger sunny - great peppy voice. Aiden is a perfect grumpy corporate lumberjack voice of Owen. These two were great! I can’t wait for more of this series!
In this heartwarming tale set in Lovewell, Maine, Owen Hebert returns to his hometown with a singular mission: to untangle the financial troubles plaguing Hebert Lumber and prepare it for sale. His plan is simple, fix, sell, and leave. But fate has other ideas. Enter Lila Webster, Owen's new assistant and his little brothers ex. Despite knowing better, Lila finds herself irresistibly drawn to Owen's gruff charm, and their undeniable chemistry ignites a romance neither can resist. As they work closely to save the family business, Owen's feelings for Lila deepen profoundly. He goes above and beyond to express his affection, from mastering gluten-free cooking to showering her with thoughtful gestures, all while maintaining his rugged allure. Owen's devotion sets a new standard for romance, as he supports and cherishes Lila in ways that redefine what it means to truly love someone. Their story, woven with humour, passion, and the occasional plaid flannel, captures the essence of modern romance and leaves readers utterly smitten.
Aiden Snow and Mollie Stark brought a remarkable dynamic to their audiobook narration, capturing the essence of the characters with precision and flair. Aiden's portrayal of Owen and his brothers highlights the complex layers of their personalities, infusing each with a distinct voice that resonates with listeners. Simultaneously, Mollie's interpretation of Lila radiates with an infectious optimism and intelligence, creating a vibrant and engaging character. Together, their duet narration offers a captivating auditory experience, drawing listeners into the story with their complementary styles and nuanced performances.
🎧 Audiobook Review 🎧
🎤 Duet narration by Mollie Stark and Aiden Snow
Story: ⭐⭐⭐.5
Performance: 🎤🎤🎤🎤 🎤
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
👀POV: Dual, first person, past tense
📖 Tropes: Ex-boyfriend’s brother, Boss x Employee, Grumpy MMC, Age Gap, Celiac rep
This was my first Daphne Elliot book and it won’t be my last. I really enjoyed this audiobook. This is a brother’s ex, age gap, small town, workplace romance. It’s the first book in the Maine Lumberjacks series, a spin-off of the Lovewell Lumberjacks series. While this can be read as a standalone, we get a lot of references to what I assume are events in the previous series, so to get all the backstory, you should start with Wood You Be Mine.
Owen Hebert temporarily moves back to his hometown to help sell off the family business and ends up working with Lila, his younger brother’s ex-girlfriend. He doesn’t immediately recognise her, since he hasn’t seen her in well over a decade and their whole chaotic re-introduction was amusing. (something to note for those expecting a lumberjack romance – Owen is not a lumberjack, neither does he become one during the book. He’s the designer suit-wearing CFO of a large construction company. He does chop wood a couple of times, though.)
I loved the watching the progression of their relationship. Working closely together, they develop a friendship and eventually, they can’t deny their attraction any longer. I love it when the man falls harder, especially a self-professed bachelor, and that’s what happens here. Owen is so attentive to her needs, constantly going out of his way with thoughtful gestures.
Lila such a loveable character, she’s fierce, determined, caring and hardworking. She’s got big plans for her life and refuses to let a man derail them a second time. Which makes Owen the best man for her because he sees her potential and wants to support her in whatever way he can. She keeps getting in the way of her own happiness because she won’t talk to him which is where his maturity in being 10 years older than her – and being someone who goes to therapy – is a huge benefit because he’s better at communicating and doesn’t just let her push him away. I loved how the issue of them living in different places was resolved without anyone having to make a big sacrifice.
I loved the found family element in this story – both Lila and Owen have close, supportive friend groups. I loved the banter between the brothers and the close relationship Lila has with her mother.
The narrators, Aiden Snow and Mollie Stark brought the story to life with a captivating performance that perfectly captured the characters’ emotions.
While I enjoyed this book, there were a couple of things that I wasn’t really a fan of. Firstly, this is book is on the longer side (11hrs), which I usually love, but this one dragged on around the 20-40% mark, with nothing particularly exciting going on. The other thing was that because it’s the first book in the series, we’re getting introduced to a lot of different characters and there’s a part where we get what feels like an info-dump about Owen’s 4 brothers that felt a bit overwhelming.
All in all, it was a heartwarming story filled with humour and spice, with fleshed out characters, lots of growth, and a great supporting cast. The epilogue was the perfect teaser for the next book and I can wait to read it (after I read the 4 books in the Lovewell Lumberjacks series).
*I received an advance copy from Homecooked Books. These opinions are entirely my own.
I enjoyed listening to Mollie Stark and Aiden Snow bring Owen and Lila’s grumpy/sunshine small town tale to life. I loved the banter and the he falls first vibe. Lila’s spunky and energetic and puts everyone else’s needs ahead of her own. It was refreshing to see someone step up and take care of her in a way that made me swoon.
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
📚⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
🎙️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥🌶️🌶️🌶️
Duet narration performed by Mollie Stark & Aiden Snow
• Age Gap • Ex-Boyfriend’s Older Brother • Small Town • Workplace • Grumpy/Sunshine • Slow Burn •
Loved this age gap, ex’s brother, workplace romance! Daphne did a great job highlighting the stark differences between a twenty-something’s mentality and a nearly forty year old’s thought processes. Owen is so much more willing to just live in the moment and assured they’ll figure things out, while Lila is still set on her rigid plan and worried about others’ perceptions. But Owen is such a green flag guy! Zero pressure, super supportive, and interested in learning not just Lila’s interests, but things to accommodate her needs and to care for her. The off-limits aspect made the tension fun and exciting!
I also really enjoyed the large family dynamic that Owen returns home too. The family love is one many desire, event with some tension between a couple members.
Mollie was the perfect Lila, full of sunshine and confident, projecting an independent, intelligent twenty-something woman very well. And Aiden was fabulous as Owen. Grumpy, mature, and growly! And the duet narration was performed perfect!
🎙️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥🌶️🌶️🌶️
Duet narration performed by Mollie Stark & Aiden Snow
• Age Gap • Ex-Boyfriend’s Older Brother • Small Town • Workplace • Grumpy/Sunshine • Slow Burn •
Loved this age gap, ex’s brother, workplace romance! Daphne did a great job highlighting the stark differences between a twenty-something’s mentality and a nearly forty year old’s thought processes. Owen is so much more willing to just live in the moment and assured they’ll figure things out, while Lila is still set on her rigid plan and worried about others’ perceptions. But Owen is such a green flag guy! Zero pressure, super supportive, and interested in learning not just Lila’s interests, but things to accommodate her needs and to care for her. The off-limits aspect made the tension fun and exciting!
I also really enjoyed the large family dynamic that Owen returns home too. The family love is one many desire, event with some tension between a couple members.
Mollie was the perfect Lila, full of sunshine and confident, projecting an independent, intelligent twenty-something woman very well. And Aiden was fabulous as Owen. Grumpy, mature, and growly! And the duet narration was performed perfect!