Audiobook Review: Love is Strong by Ivy Alexander
Love is Strong
Series: Helena’s Grove #4
Author: Ivy Alexander
Narrator: Jennifer Groberg
Originally Published: September 13, 2014
Published in Audio: January 19, 2023
Audiobook: 3 hours 6 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: March 17-22, 2023
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
Aunt Gabby is a strong, purposeful lady whom everyone loves dearly. When a surprise visitor made an unannounced visit that no one saw coming, it put her, and everyone around her in a tailspin.
Now Aunt Gabby must relive events from her past she thought were gone and buried, which brings many truths to light her family never knew. Will the secrets of her past bring them closer together, or pull them apart?
Filled with drama, love, laughs and more, this story will convince you that love is strong, through anything!
Jessica’s Review:
**Please note that if you have not read the previous books and just my reviews that this review will involve spoilers dealing with the cliffhanger and Jen and Zach’s relationship of the last book Love Takes Hold.**
Love Is Strong takes place just after the ending of the previous book and the whole family is shocked to discover that Aunt Gabby has a grandson! Wait a minute: that means she had a child that we didn’t even know about! Who really is Aunt Gabby?
This book we get Aunt Gabby as the central figure! When I read the series back in 2015, Annie was my favorite and now as I read the series, Aunt Gabby has become my favorite! I was excited to learn about her past and experience her life: and as a reader we do!
Aunt Gabby is not what she seems. She really lived quite a roller coaster life with having a child that her siblings did not know about among many other things. We see the development of Gabby as she tells her life story to her family. We see her determination to get her child back over the years and this I found an immaturity to her: Wanting her child with her whole life without thinking about the consequences for her and the child. We do see her growth as she becomes involved with a man about 10 years older than her. We experience their love story which I was leery of Kevin at first, but he did grow on me.
I did have some issues with the narration this time. For me Gabby and Jen’s voices sound the same and I didn’t listen to this in one sitting. When I went in for my second sitting (driving home from work) the audiobook started and I was confused as I thought I was hearing from one character when it was the other. It was easy to distinguish the men from each other. Other than that, I had no issues.
This story shows how every step of Gabby’s life led her to where she is today. It also shows how family can be so much more than blood. I really enjoyed this one.
Many thanks to Ivy Alexander for sending me an audiobook to listen to! I’m off to listen to the final book in the Helena’s Grove series: Love Lives On!