Audio: Bridesmates by Sydney Smyth

Author:  Sydney Smyth

Narrator:  Teddy Hamilton

Title: Bridesmates

Genre: Contemporary Romance, LGBT, Novella

Format: Audiobook

Published:  January 28th 2021

Where I got It: Audible 

Summary: 

It's never too late for love in this short, sweet novella - an audio-first nod to a beloved rom-com!

After getting unceremoniously dumped by his boyfriend, the last thing Cooper Evans wants is to return to his hometown of Big Rock, Montana to be in his best friend's wedding. But he agreed to be her Bridesmate (her male maid of honor), and a promise is a promise. What he didn't expect is to run into his high school crush, who's out of the closet and a smoking hot cop to boot.

Will Baker is just as dreamy as he was when he broke Cooper's heart all those years ago - and it turns out he's in the wedding party too. Will Cooper make it through the ceremony with his heart unscathed, or will he risk it all for a second chance at love?

Review:

Awwww. I could not resist this one. The cover, the summary, the title. All too tempting!

We follow Cooper who was just dumped by his boyfriend RIGHT before having to return back to his hometown to stand up his gal pal's wedding as her Bride 'Mate' instead of maid of honor. However, a promise is a promise and he doesn't want to ruin her wedding. Just to add to his bad day, he runs into his high school crush who is now a cop and he is out of the closet AND he is in the wedding party too. Will Cooper be able to make it through the ceremony with his heart unscathed or will he put his heart on the line for a second chance at love?

Ooooo Cooper. Can't even imagine, but I can see why his ex broke up with him. Kinda rude to wait though. The ex should've cut the strings before Cooper told his family and hometown friends that he was bringing a boy home. Rude. 

Will. Boo. Yes, yes, I get he wasn't ready to come out of the closet in High School and all, but how dare you play with Cooper's heart like that and then NEVER talk to him again. He could've reached out. He could've said SOMETHING. Grrr. Not amused good sir!!!!

Yes, this was a sweet second chances love, but I had issues with Will. Yes, he's a hawt cop and all that, but grrrrrr he broke poor Cooper's heart! 

Even with my not-so-sure feelings for Will, I really loved this story. It had some humor. It had some drama. It had love. It was quick and fun and the narrator was fantastic. Loved his voices. 

This is a good springtime listen. Quick and sweet. I really hope Will makes it up to Cooper for the rest of their lives ;) 

4 stars from me!

Challenge(s):
- #17 for Audiobook challenge

- #13 for Romance Bingo - LGBT

Audio: Love of a cowboy by Jennifer Ryan

 Narrated by: Coleen Marlo

Length: 9 hrs and 18 mins

Release date: 03-30-21

Publisher: HarperAudio

Contemporary romance

To review

Cowboy time! Omg the crime, grrrrrrr, it makes me so made when someone is wrongfully accused.

Skye watches a crime and flees for her life, and taking evidence with her to bring down this asshole leader. Yes yes Skye, it is not a cult (it so feels like a cult!) And the place is left just gets worse and worse, it used to be a commune where people farmed and were happy. Then it turned into parties, sex, alcohol and young girls and older men. And no one dares to say no. Ok so that place is horrid.

She runs into Declan while fleeing, and Declan is this handsome kind cowboy and he is smitten at once, and wants to protect her. Awww Declan, you are so kind.

But now she needs to take the asshole leader of her non-cult down, but he has framed her. Action, danger and romance. Sure they fall fast, but hey life is short. It works.

Again, it a really long epilogue. Strange, but it ties things together.

I enjoyed it, brings those assholes down! No mercy

Great narrator, she does female and male narrators well. She keeps a steady pace and makes the story work . I do think this might be my first by her too

Skye Kennedy has always loved the close-knit community of Sunrise Fellowship — but when she witnesses the commune’s new leader commit a terrible crime, she flees...and finds herself in Montana, on the McGrath ranch, and drawn to the stoic yet kind man determined to help her.

Declan McGrath has always handled things himself and focused more on work than his love life. With his newlywed brothers distracted by their beautiful wives, Declan has even more work on his hands. But when Skye arrives at the ranch starving and desperate for work, his loner days are over.

Skye wants to keep her distance and protect Declan from the deadly threats facing her, but soon their relationship morphs into something much more than either of them expected. When she fights back against those out to destroy Sunrise Fellowship, Skye and Declan will have to do everything to protect not just Skye's community, but also their new love.... 

Audio: Secrets of a summer night by Lisa Kleypas

Narrated by: Rosalyn Landor

Series: The Wallflowers, Book 1

Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins

Release date: 03-16-21

Publisher: HarperAudio

Historical romance

To review

Poor Annabelle, all the men of the ton are total asshats! They are all, she is the most beautiful woman here! But too bad she is poor, better wait until she is desperate and thrown out on the street and then she can become a mistress. Asshats!

Annabelle and her fellow wallflowers vow to help each other find husbands. And they go to a houseparty and together they are stronger. I liked Annabelle. Of course I gets ger needing a husband. Her family is desperate. They will be out on the street. And what can they do then?

Then there is Simon, grr, no, sorry, I was not a fan. See he fancies her, but he doesn't want to marry so he is all ok I will wait, make my move when she is desperate and she will become my mistress. Wow, right, so you'd rather be with a woman who will resent and hate you.. That is practically rape. Conflicted emotions here. Not to mention he also believes her to already be this old guy's mistress. Right, she could do better!

Anyway, he watches her at the houseparty while she tries to catch a man. She thinks he is annoying, but the more she gets to know him she likes him. Amusing things happen. His friends is an asshat too, like hello, all women there chase husbands! You do not have to call her out for it!

I liked her friends. The next book is set to be filled with arguing for sure, two strong wills will butt heads.

And yes, I really liked the end when Simon and Annabelle did end up together, even though I called him an asshat. Though it was weird, cos it was 1-2 h left of the story so there was a whole lot of epilogue. We really got to see them settled.

I always like Landor as a narrator, she does really well with romance, historical. She seems perfect for the arrogance some of the ton has, lol.She pulls it off well. 

Proud and beautiful Annabelle Peyton could have her pick of suitors—if only she had a dowry. Her family is on the brink of disaster, and the only way Annabelle can save them is to marry a wealthy man. Unfortunately her most persistent admirer is the brash Simon Hunt, a handsome and ambitious entrepreneur who wants her as his mistress.

Annabelle is determined to resist Simon's wicked propositions, but she can't deny her attraction to the boldly seductive rogue, any more than he can resist the challenge she presents. As they try to outmaneuver each other, they find themselves surrendering to a love more powerful than they could have ever imagined. But fate may have other plans—and it will take all of Annabelle's courage to face a peril that could destroy everything she holds dear.

The Hunger by Alma Katsu

Hardcover, 382 pages

Published April 5th 2018 by Bantam Press (first published March 6th 2018)

Historical fiction

Library

I meant to write a review at once, oh well...

I would not have read this if my bookgroup had not recced it. I fell into at once. She is a great write. Though I can't say I agree with the quote on the cover, utterly chilling. Yeah no, it was never a scary book at all.

Right, The Donner party. Nature is brutal and these people should not have started their trek to Cali this late. And then there is discord sown between on the trail, and oh they want to try this new route. No, do not try the new route!

What this book does is to bring in a paranormal angle too, what made them act like they did, and the woods are dangerous. More than wild animals lurk within.

I really want to try more from her after this one! I liked it a lot. It was more a story of human nature 

After having travelled west for weeks, the party of pioneers comes to a crossroads. It is time for their leader, George Donner, to make a choice. They face two diverging paths which lead to the same destination. One is well-documented – the other untested, but rumoured to be shorter.

Donner’s decision will shape the lives of everyone travelling with him. The searing heat of the desert gives way to biting winds and a bitter cold that freezes the cattle where they stand. Driven to the brink of madness, the ill-fated group struggles to survive and minor disagreements turn into violent confrontations. Then the children begin to disappear. As the survivors turn against each other, a few begin to realise that the threat they face reaches beyond the fury of the natural elements, to something more primal and far more deadly.

Based on the true story of The Donner Party, The Hunger is an eerie, shiver-inducing exploration of human nature, pushed to its breaking point.