Audiobook Review: The Accidental Dating Experiment by Lauren Blakely
The Accidental Dating Experiment
Series: How to Date #4
Author: Lauren Blakely
Narrators:
Andi Arndt
Jacob Morgan
Published: April 11, 2024
Audiobook: 6 hours 55 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: November 11-13, 2024
Jessica’s Rating: 3.5 stars
Book Description:
Eight years ago I fell into a secret summer fling with my best friend’s little sister before our lives went in different directions. Now, I’m the grumpy to Juliet’s sunshine on a popular dating podcast we host, and when a wealthy fan gives us a charming coastal cottage as the biggest thank you ever, we head to the town where I grew up to give it a makeover.
And find the house has only one bed. Located under a mirrored ceiling.
To make matters even harder, the bright, big-hearted woman I’ve been pining for tells me she wants to try to find the one and would I please be her dating coach for the week?
Like hell I’ll let her date other men. I’ll coach her on three dates with me.
But the second I take her out, I don’t feel like her teacher. I feel like she’s mine, especially when the first night ends with us tangled up together in that bed.
Each night we grow closer, but this dating experiment forces me to face my greatest fear–whether a man like me is worthy of her love.
Even though I’m already head over heels for her.
Jessica’s Review:
The Accidental Dating Experiment is not my typical genre I read or listen to. But I saw it was free on my Audible account and it sounded cute, so I went for it! Well… I didn’t realize it was going to be smutty! LOL. My fault for not researching the author before I listened to the book as her ‘go to’ phrase is:
Cute But Spicy
Books That Make You Blush
So the joke’s on me then… I also didn’t know that this is book four in a series, it did seem like a standalone book to me. But I actually enjoyed listening to this novel.
The banter that Monroe and Juliet have on their job of the podcast was (!) and their chemistry in general was hot an I found myself saying “go ahead and get back together!”.
Again, I’m not a spicy reader and the spice in this novel was too much for me, but I made it through. Just give me fade to black scenes, I don’t need specific details. I guess I will have to look more into romance books I may choose to read in the future…
It was an enjoyable book with the cute romantic tropes of grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, second chance romance, and the one bed situation.
The epilogue ended things well and I really enjoyed the ending.
Both narrators, Andi Arndt and Jacob Morgan, brought the characters of Juliet and Monroe to life. They were perfect narrators for these characters!
3.5 stars is a good review for a book that is out of my normal genre with too much spice for this listener.
Audiobook Review: My Time to Stand by Gypsy-Rose Blanchard
My Time to Stand
Authors:
Gypsy-Rose Blancard
Melissa Moore
Michele Matrisciani
Narrator: Gypsy-Rose Blancard
Published: December 10, 2024
Audiobook: 6 hours 35 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Listened To: December 19-23, 2024
Jessica’s Rating: 4 stars
Book Description:
A victim of her mother’s Munchausen by proxy and child abuse survivor, Gypsy-Rose Blanchard’s unique and controversial case made headlines across the world.
Now, she’s finally free to start living her life on her terms—and to tell her own story as only she can.
Forced to use a wheelchair in public and endure a lifetime of faux illness, fraud, and exploitation, Gypsy was subjected not only to her mother’s medical, physical, and emotional abuse, but deprived of childhood milestones. Prevented from attending school or socializing, Gypsy’s formative years were defined by pain and isolation.
After serving eight years in prison for the role she played in her mother Dee Dee’s murder, Gypsy is embracing her fresh start—and reminding all of us that it’s never too late.
In this revelatory, harrowing, and ultimately hopeful memoir, Gypsy shares the painful realities she grew up with and the details of her life that only she knows, including:
The abusive cycle that began with Dee Dee’s abuse by her father
Gypsy’s fear that continued unnecessary surgery would leave her truly disabled
How she coped with guilt and accepted responsibility for her mother’s death
Memories of her final days in prison
What she learned upon reviewing her own medical records for the first time
How it felt to finally see her family again as her authentic self.
Featuring new facts about Gypsy’s life that she previously kept private, My Time to Stand offers an unprecedented look at the real Gypsy-Rose Blanchard, proudly embarking on her ongoing journey to recovery and self-discovery.
Jessica’s Review:
I will admit I had never heard of Gypsy-Rose until she was getting out of prison. All of a sudden, her name was popping up everywhere I was thinking “Who is this Gypsy person?” How I missed the news of what happened I have no idea. While listening to this audiobook, I did become fascinated and researched the case, and I even watched some crime television to not just have Gypsy’s side of the case.
Ultimately, My Time to Stand is not a true crime book, but a memoir of Gypsy’s life that she is telling from her memory. Yes, her mother’s murder is detailed in the book along with graphic sexual encounters Gypsy had. This is Gypsy’s life from her memory and her version of events, accurate or not due to her memory or lies as people will say.
Blanchard had two co-writer to assist her with telling her version of her life. The book does have some issues with inconsistencies throughout, which could be again from Blanchard’s memory. The reader/ listener does pick up on those inconsistencies.
Gypsy-Rose also narrates My Time to Stand. I had no issue with her voice and give her kudos for being able to narrate this book, despite what people may believe or not.
In the short time since this book has been released, Gypsy-Rose has given birth to her daughter with boyfriend Ken one year to the day of her release from prison. I can only hope that she will decide to eventually live as ‘normal’ a life as possible and disappear from the limelight.
Would I have bought this book on my own? No, and if I had not been granted a copy to listen to by the publisher, I would have at some point gotten the audiobook from my library to listen to for curiosity’s sake. Many thanks to the publisher for giving me a chance to listen to and review this memoir.
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
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Audiobook Review: Where the Darkness Goes by Kiersten Modglin
Where the Darkness Goes
Author: Kiersten Modglin
Narrators:
Ellie Gossage
Jay Myers
Published: December 31, 2024
Audiobook: 8 hours 11 minutes
Reviewed By: Jessica
Dates Read: December 12-19, 2024
Jessica’s Rating: 3.5 stars
Book Description:
Tessa Becker has several reasons to never return to her hometown:
She will have to face the man who shattered her heart.
She is terrified to confront her ailing mother’s condition.
That is where the murders happened.
Tessa Becker must return home for one reason and one reason alone:
Someone else is dead and it’s time to finally learn the truth.
Ever since the first murder, Tessa’s once charming and safe hometown has been infected with suspicion and fear. Back then accusations were made in whispers, but without proof, the killer still walks free. And now it’s possible they’ve struck again.
If things weren’t complicated enough, Tessa finds herself forced to stay with the one man she had hoped to avoid. Years ago, Garrett Campbell held her heart until he crushed it. Now, he’s a stranger. He’s also her brother’s best friend.
In an all-too-familiar place filled with secrets and devastating loss—surrounded by people and memories she’d rather forget—Tessa will have to discover the truth about what happened back then, and the threat it poses to the town and the ones she loves most before it’s too late.
Jessica’s Review:
I have grown to love Kiersten Modglin’s thrillers and learned to be leery of her romantic thrillers. They can be a bit much on the spice level for me, but I have listened to enough of hers to know what to expect. If Modglin writes it them most likely I will want to listen to it! And I am working on her back log of titles she has written. She just keeps writing more and more books!
We have Tessa who has to come ‘home again’ IE: the place where she grew up. She comes across old memories and old people from that previous life. This includes Garrett who broke her heart all those years ago. And get this: Garrett is her brother’s best friend.
We have a romantic thriller here with some smut in it. I was in this book for the thriller parts and we had some! The twist ending and twist villain with the motive was a bit unbelievable and ‘off the rails’ for me. This one just wasn’t really for me. After this one, I will keep listening/reading Modglin (As she is a must read) but will stay away from her romantic thrillers.
Many thanks to the publisher for granting me a copy to listen to and review!
Purchase Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK