whatcha_listening_to's reviews
7092 reviews

Shoot Your Shot by Lexi LaFleur Brown

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I am very thankful to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for allowing me to listen to an early copy of this title.

Jaylen believes his career is over, so he decides to let it all hang loose and meets Lucy it was only supposed to be a one-night stand.  But fate had other plans.  He not only gets back on the team because another player was injured but he sees Lucy again in the most unlikely of places the rink. 

It was a fun and fast-paced story of how these two flawed characters come together and heal pieces of themselves. 
Lucy was my favourite character; to say the least, she doesn’t take things too seriously.  And Jaylen needed her brand of a little bit nutty but a whole lot sweet.  

This was a fun charming rom-com, I highly recommend it. 

The narrators were both wonderful I felt like they really brought these characters a voice and it made it that much more entertaining. 

K-9 Alaskan Defense by Sarah Varland

inspiring mysterious tense

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I had the pleasure of listening to this audiobook thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio.  It was an exciting tale of a second chance love.  I never saw the twist what an unexpected surprise but then again I usually don’t see the twists coming. 

 

Lily Peterson finds a dead body in the woods then she is attacked by an unknown person only to be rescued by her retired police K-9, Timber.  Timber steals the show I truly love it when animals are part of the story it always adds depth to it for me. 

 

Lily calls someone whom she trusts, that person being her late fiancé's former partner and former officer, Travis Beckett. 

 

But it’s not just the dead body she has to worry about her house then goes up in flame, now she knows someone wants her dead, but who?  In the midst of finding a killer, she is falling for Travis again.  They used to date before she was engaged and now this might be their second chance.  Can she have the man and find out who wants to kill her? 

 

Great narration as well I felt as though the narrator gave us her all and it showed in the audio. 

Hunting the Truth by Kathleen Donnelly

adventurous inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I had the pleasure of receiving an ALC (Advanced Listener Copy) of this audiobook from NetGalley & Hachette Audio and I must say, it was a thrilling experience. The mystery element was captivating, constantly making me question who was behind the crime and who could be trusted.

The character of Maya was particularly compelling. Her struggle with sobriety and the challenges she faces in maintaining it, especially while juggling a high-stress job, were portrayed with raw honesty. This added a layer of depth to her character that I genuinely appreciated.

Josh, the love interest and Maya’s occasional co-worker is also newly sober. Although we don’t delve as deeply into his story, the glimpses we get make him a fitting partner for Maya. Their dynamic was engaging and added a touch of romance amidst the suspense.

The pacing of the story kept me on the edge of my seat, with secrets and lies slowly unravelling. The tension built up perfectly, culminating in a nail-biting climax.

However, the narration was a mixed bag for me. While it wasn’t bad, there were moments when it felt like the narrator was simply reading the text rather than truly performing it. This slightly impacted my overall immersion in the story.

Highly recommended for fans of mystery and suspense.

The Veteran's Valentine Helper by Lee Tobin McClain

hopeful inspiring lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 I received an ALC (Advanced Listener Copy) of this audiobook from NetGalley & Harlequin Audio. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

 

The journey to a new and fulfilling life is just to start, right? April needs a new and fresh start for herself and her twins. She never would have guessed that that journey would bring her back to the beginning.  

Frank is ready to heal and write about his experiences that led him to what left him with his disability. He needs a ghostwriter and never in his wildest dreams would he think that his ex-girlfriend would be the one who was hired. 

It’s a shock to them both. They make the best out of the situation.  

The twins are adorable and will give you a smile anytime they get mentioned in the book. 

You see the family they both desperately wanted but never thought they could have. 

I really loved the way the book was laid out and how they came together.  All it took was great communication and the willingness to try. 

The narration was okay, I found Kristen to be a little monotone at the beginning but by the end of the book she gave warmth and gravity to the book. 

Most Valuable Playboy by Lauren Blakely

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

 

I loved the dynamic between these two and liked that they were childhood friends first. 

But also, Violet is his best friend's little sister which puts a bit of a wrench into the situation. 

What I love about Lauren’s writing is that she doesn’t give us the norm, meaning you would expect drama around her being the sister to his best friend but nope we don’t get that at all. I love this about Lauren’s writing. 

Cooper himself is the one with his inner voice reminding him who she is and why they can’t happen. But attraction and lust throughout the years had its toehold and isn’t going anywhere any time soon. 

 I very much enjoyed that they had their secret signals it made their story unique. 

In a lot of sports romance books, I have been listening to lately the author tends to forget about the sport or the teammates and I really liked that we get a glimpse into his team, his coach and even the gameplay itself.  

 Lauren always surprises me in all the best ways. Very low drama it was a fantastic sports romance with game scenes!! 

Jason Clark and Andi Arndt did a lovely job with these two unique characters and I for one want more from both narrators. 

Cold as Hell by Kelley Armstrong

adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I received an ALC (Advanced Listener Copy) of this audiobook from NetGalley & Macmillan Audio.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Another great addition to the Haven’s Rock series.  I very much enjoy the small-town survivalist feel of these books. 

Casey and Eric are about to embark on a brand new adventure becoming parents, but first, they have to find out who is luring their residents into the woods.  But it’s a race against time because their baby may or may not want to come a little earlier than planned.  Also, the weather is giving them all fits it’s not easy to live remotely, but then you add in winter storms, and anything can and will go wrong. 
The world-building and character development only get sharper and smarter with each book.  
Even if I am not a huge fan of all the pregnancy talk throughout the book it still didn’t detour me for wanting to know who and what will happen next. 

I would love to see more of April in the next book she is a favourite character of mine. 
The narration as always is top-notch.  It’s rare to find a narrator who can give you all the emotions, and give each character their distinct voice the way that Thérèse Plummer does with this series. 

Celebrity Crush by Christy Swift

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

 

This book is witty! 

I really enjoyed Emmy Ellison’s character. She is passionate about her work and her family, and it shows. She is high-energy but not overbearing. I wanted to be her friend. 

What would you do if you wrote a book about your celebrity crush and then you got to meet him?  I think she held herself very well and let’s not mention it happens on TV! 

Jason is struggling with social media only seeing the dark sides or seeing things skewed and running with the wrong story.  It’s affecting his work and jeopardizing his employment, so he needs to turn it around ASAP. 

When Jason meets Emmy something about her, he is just drawn to. Just as she is to him. 

The podcasters in this book were funny and harsh, but I get it they needed to see all sides or just pick a side and root for that person. 

Their story was fun and if I am honest a page-turner for me. I didn’t want to press stop. 

The narrators Stephanie Willing and Andrew Eiden bring us all the charm and nuance giving these characters just the right voices. 

Revelry by Kandi Steiner

emotional inspiring reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

 Wren is trying to heal from her divorce.  She is a successful career woman with a fashion line only she can’t design and needs to get out of her own way.  So, she picked up and spent the summer in a small town outside of Seattle. 

It’s exactly what she needed.  The town rallies around her and she finds family in them. 

Anderson is grieving and is losing himself in the process. The guilt he is feeling is keeping him from really living. 

But when Wren comes to town, he can’t stop thinking about her or trying to catch a glimpse of her.  Slowly they become friends, and then more, they help each other heal with their bodies but also by slowly trusting in each other. 

The title doesn’t do this book justice. 

The narration was lovely.  Joe isn’t my first choice, but he didn’t drag out his words (thank god) and Stephanie Rose was the perfect Wren. 

Camp Nerd by Bella Jewel

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

 I wasn’t sure going in if I was going to finish, I felt like it was a little juvenile but, in the end, it worked out.  I also feel like maybe the female narrator sounds a little young which could have been why I felt like that. 

For the most part, you are rooting for Lei.  She and her fellow musicians (which didn’t feel like an orchestra at all, music wasn’t really part of the book AT ALL) retreat to a ranch run by a lot of studly men.  No one mentioned that so it was a surprise for them all. 

Rhett the owner fell for Lei on day one.  She was reluctant to believe anyone could want her because she was awkward and a bit nerdy with curves. Oh, and did I mention a virgin you will learn this a few times in the story.  

It was entertaining for sure and a fun listen with the added mystery that I wasn’t expecting but enjoyed.  

Back Piece by L.A. Witt

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

 🎧3⭐⭐⭐🎧

Daniel is stationed in town and works out at the same gym as Colin who has caught his eye. And not just because he wanted the man, but because he was interested in what Colin does for a living.

Colin is happy to keep his head down, and work at the business he started the tattoo shop. He has a lot going on to keep him from spiralling. So, when Daniel shows up he is thrown a bit because he wants the man.

I really enjoyed their story. They brought out the best in each other. Colin grew into himself, and Daniel learned to stand up for himself, even if it hurt.
Great story, with wonderful characters and the narrator did a fine job.