Audiobook Review: Sustained by Emma Chase, Narrated by Sebastian York

So.Damn.Good. I just want to sit and bask in the awesomeness that was Sustained. It was yet another book from Emma Chase that I loved and once again is solidifying why she is one of my favorite authors. From beginning to end I was hooked and I just couldn't get enough.

I'll be honest I wasn't 100% sure how I was going to like this book. I'm not the biggest fan of books with kids. 90% percent of the time I feel like they are used as props or comic relief and don't really bring much to the story and tend to annoy me. Yeah, that wasn't the case with with book at all. I honestly found myself craving scenes with the kids. I laughed at their antics and hurt when they hurt. I feel like Emma Chase brought each and every kid (there were 6) to life and gave them all personalities and made me fall in love with them all. They were adorable and I loved how they were with Jake. So damn cute.

Oh Jake. Jake, Jake, Jake...sexy as hell Jake. I liked him. A LOT! He was sexy, fierce, passionate and so caring when it came to Chelsea and the kids. I loved his take charge ways and honestly I really loved him with the kids. Some of my favorite parts of this story revolved around him and the kids. As for him and Chelsea I thought that they had great chemistry together. They were hot and sexy and I was rooting for them from the beginning. I loved that they didn't immediately rush into things. They both got to know each other before things really took between them. And let me tell you, they were HOT together.

I will say that I do feel like Chelsea was a bit too much of a goody goody. She just came across as this perfect character and it just didn't ring all the way true to me. Maybe it's because the book is told in the POV of Jake only and he's only seeing the good but I would have liked her to be a bit more raw. Don't get me wrong, I liked Chelsea a lot.

Seriously though, these two together were so great. They were hot and sexy but also so much more. I loved that they became a team. They helped each other out and backed one another up. Theirs wasn't a rushed HEA. Their relationship was a slow simmer that built up throughout the book. It was intense at times and oh so sweet at others.

Let me just say that Sebastian York has one hell of a sexy voice. He can read me stereo instructions and I'll be hooked. I feel like his voice was just made to narrate Emma Chase books because he does her characters justice. He's able to convey so much and he makes me believe in the characters and their actions 100%. I felt like he brought Jake to life and I couldn't get enough.

Sustained really was a fantastic book and I just can't wait to read more from Emma Chase. I am loving this series and the characters that encompass it. I'm itching to get my hands on the next book something fierce. Seriously, I can't recommend this book enough.

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Audiobook Review: Reasonable Doubt by Whiney Garcia Williams, Narrated by Sebastian York and Erin Mallon

RIDICULOUS!! “Reasonable Doubt” by Whitney G was phenomenal. I started this audiobook on Tuesday Morning and finished it Tuesday afternoon. I was obsessed, addicted and completely intrigued with the storyline, the characters and the narrators! I took any chance I could to listen to this fantastic story.

Since “Reasonable Doubt” has been reviewed already, and I utterly and completely agree with my fellow reviewers, I will say I was captivated by Andrew Hamilton and Audrey. Andrew is ridiculous. He is so hilarious I found myself laughing-out-loud. If I had read this book I would have ended up high lightening half the book. I found myself stopping the audio and listening to some parts over and over because some parts were so hilarious and other times (mostly Andrew’s dialogue) was so shocking. His take- no- prisoners, do-whatever-I-want-attitude made him irritating and at the same time fascinating. Luckily Aubrey can hold her own. When she meets Andrew she is young, ten years younger. I loved the tension between them even before they come face to face. I know that this story comes in different parts but I can’t imagine having to wait for the different segments! I was anticipating the corresponding parts of this story. This became one of my favorite stories. I loved the way Williams revealed Andrew’s past. There were moments when I was heartbroken. There were moments I hated Andrew. Really, just a phenomenal story! I also loved Aubrey. She was a character that started out in college, pre-law and very young but she quickly matured. I only had one little complaint about the storyline. Other than Andrew’s life in New York we never knew anything else about him.

Sebastian York was phenomenal as Andrew. He really brought him to life. He really got Andrew and was able to convey all his emotions so effectively. Erin Mallon was equally fantastic. She made Audrey come alive and made her real. I thought both narratives were fantastic. They were perfect for these two parts. Needless to say, “Reasonable Doubt” narrated by Sebastian York and Erin Mallon is as good as it gets!

**Audiobook provided by Audible**

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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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Audiobook Review: Lead Me Not by A. Meredith Walters, Narrated by Shayna Thibodeaoux and Sebastian York

After reading Reclaiming the Sand by A. Meredith Walters, I jumped at the chance to get Lead Me Not. I really loved her writing style, and I felt like Walters was really able to capture the true nature of the characters and made them seem so real. That story was raw and emotional, so I really wanted to see what she would do with a good girl that falls for a bad boy in the underground club scene. I expected this one to be really emotional and raw, and Walters definitely delivered. This story was more than I ever could have expected, and I really felt like she captured the addiction and struggles with drugs well. But while I did love the story and can't wait for more, I had some problems with the narration of this audiobook.

Aubrey Duncan is determined to help others in a way that she didn't help her sister. She is attending Longwood University and has been assigned a support group that she will help co-facilitate in order to continue her education. She meets Maxx Demelo in the group, and is instantly drawn to him. While Maxx may be captivating in group and draw the attention of those around him, Aubrey can tell that there is much more beneath the surface with him. Maxx is supporting his little brother by working the underground club scene, and selling pills to those looking for an escape. But he has also been using the pills to self medicate from dealing with his troubles. When Aubrey comes along, Maxx realizes that Aubrey could be the one to save him, and he is just as drawn to her as she is to him. They quickly form a connection and find themselves unable to stay away from one another. But despite the feelings between them, Maxx sinks further into the dangerous world of drugs and addiction. As Aubrey struggles with her feelings for Maxx and the complication they provide in regards to her future, she must also figure out a way to help him out of the dangerous situation he has found himself in. But in order for Aubrey to really help Maxx, he has to want to be saved. Aubrey knows that the longer she continues to let things go on between them, that they more likely she is to end up with a broken heart and a shattered future.

I really felt that Maxx was a good guy. He was in a bad situation and had been struggling with all of the responsibility he was forced to take on at such a young age. Maxx was such a different person when sober and I really loved seeing that side of him. It was hard to watch him spiral out of control and I kept hoping that he would be able to pull himself out of he destructive patterns. I think that Aubrey meant well, but she didn't really go about helping him in the right ways. Aubrey was pretty hard for me to connect with and I didn't understand her much of the time. For someone that had suffered the loss of her sister from drugs, I would have expected for her to do more than just barely try to convince Maxx to leave the drugs behind. At one point she literally just walks away and leaves him behind when it becomes too much for her to handle. I felt like she could have done so much more for him and I just didn't get it. She did save his life, and I was glad when she finally was able to stand up and say enough was enough. I think that she made the right choice in the end and did what was right for both her and Maxx, even if it was hard on both of them. I really felt the chemistry and emotions between them, and I could see that they both clearly loved each other.

While I felt like Sebastian York did an excellent job narrating Maxx's character, I did not care for Shayna Thibodeaux's narration at all. This is the second story that I have listened to her as the narrator for the female character, and not only does she sound way too young for the character but she also sounded exactly the same. She didn't do the character justice, and her voice was not right for the story in my opinion. I feel like she reads everything the same, and she also has a tendency to speak in crescendos. It gets very irritating, and really distracts from the story. Sebastian York however was the exact opposite. I felt like he brought Maxx to life and really portrayed the raw and gritty emotions that Maxx was experiencing. His voice was easy to listen to and was very engaging. I found myself enthralled with the story and didn't want to stop listening when he was speaking. I would definitely be interesting in listening to more stories with Sebastian York as a narrator, and I thought that his portions were by far the highlights of this audiobook. Despite Shayna Thibodeaux's narration, I really felt like the story was so good that I wanted to keep listening. I really can't wait to get more about Maxx and Aubrey and I will be anxiously awaiting the next installment in this story. While this one does not end with a huge cliffhanger, A. Meredith Walters does leave us wanting more and with things unresolved. I think that this book is definitely worth the read/listen if you are looking for something real and raw. This story might not be all hearts and flowers, but I think that is what makes this one worth the time. I can't wait to read more from A. Meredith Walters in the future and I would love to listen to more narrated by Sebastian York.

**Audiobook Provided by Simon and Schuster**

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