Audiobook Review: All or Nothing by Kendall Ryan, Narrated by Elizabeth Louise and Josh Goodman

All or Nothing is the third book in the Love By Design series from Kendall Ryan. This book can be read as a standalone, but is best when read after the first two books in this series. Braydon and Ellie are the best friends of Ben and Emmy, so you really get to know so much more about them by seeing them from the start. I was really excited for the chance to listen to this story, there is just something about an audiobook that can bring a book to life. I thought that Elizabeth Louise and Josh Goodman did a great job of giving the reader more depth to each character than they would have had by simply reading the book. 

Braydon doesn't do relationships, and as a top male model he has never had to limit himself when it comes to the women he can get. When his best friend Ben settles down with Emmy and gets married though, Braydon can't help but find himself drawn to Emmy's best friend Ellie. After a steamy encounter at their wedding, Ellie and Braydon realize that there is something between them and are determined to find out what it is. Though they agree to a sex only relationship, it is clear right away that there is more between them than either of them wants to admit. The closer they get, the more their feelings grow. Ellie is finally willing to admit that she wants more, but Braydon isn't ready for anything but what he stated upfront. But when Ellie decides that she can't keep going on the way they have been, will she and Braydon wind up having it all or having nothing? 

I loved Braydon from the previous books, and I couldn't wait to get to know him better. He was such a sweet and fun loving guy, and he had always been one of my favorite characters. We got to see a different side of him in this book, and he had so much more to him than I expected. He had been scared of relationships because of things from his past, and though I didn't agree with his actions I did understand some of where he was coming from. I thought that it took him a really long time to come around though, and it was clear that things with Ellie were different. I wanted him to trust her more and be willing to take a chance on the connection they shared. Ellie was more of a problem for me in this book than I expected. I had really loved her in the first two books, she was always so fun and feisty. She was sassy and wasn't afraid to put anyone in their place. But this time around she was whiny and weak for the majority of the story, and it just wasn't the same character I had come to know and love. I have no idea what happened to her, but I didn't really like her in this book until she finally started to grow a bit of a backbone. Unfortunately, even when she did start to return to that character, she would still whine and end up feeling sorry for herself. I wanted to see the same girl from the beginning of the series and I just felt like she had lost some of her sparkle. The connection and chemistry between these two was obvious though, and I really did believe that they belonged together. 

My other issue with this story was that a lot of the dialogue got to be repetitive at times, and I felt like the author was trying to reinforce things that should have been obvious to the reader. It was said several times that Braydon and Ellie had "off the charts chemistry", and yes it was clear they did. I didn't like that it was said so many times, like the reader had possibly forgotten. It was one of those things where I wanted to ask after awhile if they were trying to convince the reader or themselves since it seemed they couldn't stop bringing it up. I also thought that things with Braydon's past were a little less dramatic than she tried to make it, and that things were wrapped up far too easily and neatly. I didn't think that the situation would have been solved as simply as it was in real life. I did think that this was a good book, and I did enjoy it. When Ellie wasn't annoying, I loved the banter between her and Braydon. She was capable of giving as well as receiving and it was nice to see that. I wish that we had been given more of Braydon's POV, and I didn't know going in that he only did the epilogue. I kept waiting for Josh Goodman's voice throughout the story and was disappointed that we got so little of it. Elizabeth Louise did a really good job though, and I didn't find her annoying as I have other female narrators. I thought that she did a really good job of differentiating between characters. The only criticism I had is a few of the times that she was doing conversations between Ellie and Emmy, she would sometimes remain in her southern accent longer than she should have. Emmy was the one with the accent, and it would sometimes bleed into Ellie's words. I think that Elizabeth Louise and Josh Goodman were really great choices for this story though, and I would absolutely listen to more from each of them. Though this wasn't my favorite book in this series, I really did like it and I will read more from Kendall Ryan in the future.

**Audiobook Provided by Simon & Schuster Audio**

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Audiobook Review: Ripped by Katy Evans, Narrated by Sebastian York and Elizabeth Louise

I have to say that this series has been pretty hit or miss for me. While I loved Real and Rogue, I thought that Remy and Mine were just okay. So when I first heard about Ripped, I didn't know what to think. I really didn't care for what little I had seen of Pandora so far in this series, and I honestly didn't expect to really change my mind about her. But I love a good second chance romance and I am a sucker for sexy rockstars so I wanted to see what this one was all about. All that being said, I ended up loving Ripped! While I loved the story itself, what really brought it to life was the audiobook. Katy Evans has written a great story for Pandora and Mackenna, but narrators Sebastian York and Elizabeth Louise were able to give the reader/listener a unique experience by perfectly capturing the raw emotions between these two characters.

Pandora is the goth tough chick friend of Brooke and Melanie. She got her heart broken years before, and ever since she has focused on her niece and her friends. But when she hears that her ex-boyfriend's band will be performing in her hometown, she decides that it is time for her to punish him for the hurt he caused her. Things don't turn out as planned though, and she is forced to agree to his conditions if she is going to escape him pressing charges against her. As the two set out on the rest of his tour, they must both learn to deal with close contact after many years apart. Soon they are rediscovering each other and the passion they once shared. But they both have secrets that destroyed them once before, and when the truth finally comes out it could destroy them again.

I really loved Mackenna and Pandora. I really wasn't crazy about Pandora before as I said already, but I knew that beneath her tough exterior there had to be more to her story. She was tough as a way to cope with everything that she had been through and the more that was revealed, the more I understood and connected with her. I thought that Elizabeth Louise really showed each side to her character through her voice, and she really made Pandora seem real. The emotions that Pandora was experiencing came through perfectly and I thought that Elizabeth Louise really did the character justice. Kenna was a cocky rockstar that was used to getting his way in everything, and it was clear that a lot had changed for him over the years. But as we got to see underneath the facade he projected, it was also clear that he had been through a lot as well. He had never forgotten about Pandora, and he still loved her despite everything that had happened. He had made some bad choices and he also had a bit of an issue with over-sharing at times, but I did think that deep down he was doing what he thought he needed to do or was best. I might not have always liked what came out of his mouth, but I did appreciate his honesty. Sebastian York has one of the sexiest voices that I have ever heard from a male narrator, and I thought that his voice was perfect for Kenna. It was filled with the sex appeal that a rockstar should have, and he really added so much depth to the character.

Overall, I went into this story skeptical and ended with it possibly being my favorite of the series. There are several things that I think will drive some readers nuts, and I do think that this book will be one that some cannot connect with. But for me, I thought that Mackenna and Pandora were perfect for one another and it showed through all their interactions, even when they were trying to get back at one another or were being jerks. Pandora and Mackenna really clicked for me because of their fantastic chemistry, their complicated history, and how sweet and sexy they could be with one another. I will say that the end of this story doesn't have a huge cliffhanger, but it does end with things a bit unresolved. I am so anxious to get more, and I really hope that Katy Evans will let us know how things proceed from here for these two and what all was revealed at the end of this book. I loved getting to see familiar faces, but Mackenna and Pandora really grew on me over the course of this book and I will not forget them anytime soon. If you are a fan of this series, I highly recommend this book and if you haven't read any in this series yet I think that Katy Evans is worth the read. I also look forward to more from Elizabeth Louise and Sebastian York in the future. While I have loved everything I have listened to by Sebastian York so far and actively seek out stories that he narrates, Elizabeth Louise really surprised me and I will definitely be on the lookout for more from her as well.

**Audiobook Provided by Simon & Schuster Audio**

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