Audiobook Review: Frayed by Kim Karr, Narrated by Veronica Meunch and Christian Fox

I will admit that going into Frayed by Kim Karr I was really skeptical of the story. I knew it would be a tough sell because of all the history between Ben and Bell and the rest of the characters. I am a huge fan of this series, but I have been anxious about this book as well as dreading the day it came out. While I will say that this book surprised me in a lot of ways, I will also say that it was my least favorite of the series besides Ben's novella Blurred.

After Ben had to disappear for getting involved in a dangerous story, he came back only to discover that his fiance Dahlia had moved on and was no longer in love with him. Ben then lost his beloved mother and hit rock bottom. He took off for Australia to get his life back on track and now he has returned home where he belongs. He is focused on his work and moving forward with his life, having finally accepted the changes that have occurred. But after a chance run-in with his past, Ben finds himself feeling something he hasn't ever felt before. Ben has always been drawn to Bell and there has never been any denying that they have a ton of sexual chemistry between them. But as Ben and Bell get to know one another better, they find a connection unlike any they have felt before. But Bell has a secret from her past that could destroy everything between them.

I have never been Ben's biggest fan. He was cocky and self-centered, and he seemed to feel as though he deserved everything regardless of his actions. I really hated what he did to Dahlia, and that was why I was so worried going into this book. I felt like him having a relationship with Bell was justifying what the two of them had done in the past, and I really don't feel as if their actions were justified at all. They made some huge mistakes and errors in judgement, and I feel like this book really sort of said that it was okay because everything worked out in the end. I felt like their relationship was tainted from the start, and as well as these two fit together I just couldn't get past how things started between them. Ben made a lot of progress as an individual though, and I really enjoyed seeing his growth. Bell was sweet and strong, and so much more than people gave her credit for. But I also felt like she played the victim a bit, and a lot of what had happened was because of how relentlessly she had pursued Ben all those years ago even knowing that he had a girlfriend. It was hard for me to ever connect with her or feel sorry for her after that, because to me that is the worst type of girl. It is one thing when you don't know they are taken, but to know and force the issue just makes you a selfish bitch in my book. She only thought of what she wanted and took it regardless of how it affected anyone but herself.

All that being said, it was obvious that Ben and Bell had a connection and a lot of chemistry. I felt like these two made a great couple and that they would have been a perfect match had it not been for their past and history. I wish that their circumstances would have been different, because I really would have loved them together if it had not been such a horrible start. I just couldn't get behind these two no matter how well the fit together and how great a job Kim Karr wrote the story. I thought that Veronica Meunch and Christian Fox did a fantastic job narrating these characters as they have done with the entire series so far. They are the perfect choice for this series, and they really bring the characters to life. They are always easy to understand and manage to convey every feeling and emotion of the story. They also do a great job of differentiating between characters, making it easy to always tell who is speaking. But despite their amazing performance and Kim Karr's great writing, this really was just a matter of the story for me. I wanted to have my mind changed, but I just wasn't able to move past what had happened. I really do love this series though, and I am looking forward to the next installment in this series.

**Audiobook Provided by Tantor Audio**

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Audiobook Review: Torn by Kim Karr, Narrated by Veronica Meunch and Christian Fox

The Connections series by Kim Karr is one of my favorite contemporary series that I have ever read. I really love all the characters and I find them all really interesting. Each character is unique and deep, and I love that Kim Karr has made them so real by giving them to us flaws and all. After reading and loving Torn, I really wanted more of my favorite characters so I couldn't wait to be able to hear their story.Torn has the same narrators from the Connected Audiobook, and I thought that Veronica Meunch and Christian Fox did a great job again with Torn.

Torn picks up after the shocking events in Connected, and the reader quickly finds out more about where the cliffhanger left off. Now that we know Ben is not really dead and has returned home, River and Dahlia are both left to wonder what the future holds for all of them. Dahlia thought that Ben was the one for her, but after his death she reconnected with River and they discovered a connection unlike anything they had ever felt before. Even though Dahlia needs to know about what really happened with Ben, she is committed to River and determined to show him that Ben being back changes nothing between them. But even though River knows how Dahlia feels about him, he is also scared that now that Ben is back things will change. With Ben determined to get back everything he had before, including Dahlia, will River and Dahlia be able to get through everything and have a future together? Or will the obstacles in their way tear them apart?

River and Dahlia are some of my all time favorite book characters. I really love both of them, and I love how perfect they are for each other. They are so different from any other characters I have ever read before, and I really loved seeing the narrators continue to bring their story to life. This book is so much more emotional than the first, and both River and Dahlia are struggling with what their new circumstances mean for their relationship. I felt like Veronica Meunch and Christian Fox did such a great job of really showing the emotion and turmoil that these characters are feeling. Their narration made everything so realistic, and listening to the audiobook almost felt like you were really a part of what these characters were going through.

I really thought that Veronica Meunch and Christian Fox were great narrators for this story. They were clear and easy to understand. They were also able to do multiple characters well so that they listener always knew who was talking. I thought that Christian did a great River, but he also does a really great job at Ben as well. Veronica Meunch continued to show that she is great at Dahlia as well, and I really thought that she was one of the better female narrators that I have listened to so far. I am really enjoying these two in this series, and I really hope that they will continue to narrate the audiobooks for the Connections series. They do such a great job of bringing Kim Karr's fabulous books to life, and I really think that they are the perfect pair of narrators for these books.

**Audiobook Provided by Tantor Audio**

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Audiobook Review: Connected by Kim Karr, Narrated by Veronica Meunch and Christian Fox

I really loved Connected by Kim Karr when I first read it, so when I had the opportunity to review the audiobook version of the story I couldn't wait to listen to River and Dahlia's story. Kim Karr did such an excellent job writing Connected and starting her Connections series, that I really wanted to know what the story sounded like. I thought that the narrators, Veronica Meunch and Christian Fox did a really great job of bringing these characters to life. I can't wait to listen to the rest of this series after hearing this book, and I think that if the rest of the audiobooks are like Connected that it will just make me love this series that much more.

Dahlia London is left heartbroken after losing her fiance in a horrible tragedy. She has been unable to move forward with her life and is left completely shattered. When her best friend finally convinces her to take a job with her again, Dahlia ends up reconnecting with the sexy lead singer of the Wilde Ones, River Wilde. River and Dahlia met years ago, and there was an instant attraction and connection between them. But with Dahlia having a boyfriend, she left before anything could happen between them. River has never forgotten about her though, and is determined to make her his the second time around. As Dahlia begins to give in to her feelings for River, she struggles to truly let go of her past and move forward. But when her past collides with her present, what will happen for River and Dahlia?

I love River and Dahlia so much. These characters are fantastic, and it is so clear that they belong together. They are great as individuals, but they really shine when put together. I loved watching these two reconnect and really get to know one another on a deeper level. River and Dahlia have a ton of chemistry and things are downright steamy between them. But what makes River and Dahlia such a great couple is that they connect on every level. They both have painful pasts and have had to deal with so much, and yet they are able to heal one another and find the support that they need in each other. Their bond is undeniable, and it is impossible not to feel the emotions between these two. I thought that Veronica and Christian did a great job of voicing these characters, and they really seemed to fit the characters. They were very clear and easy to understand, and I found their voices easy to listen to. Sometimes with audiobooks the wrong narrator can really ruin even the best of stories, but that was not the case here. These narrators brought them to life and enhanced the story in a way that just reading the book doesn't do. Not only did they do a great job with River and Dahlia, but I thought that both narrators did a great job of distinguishing between other characters as well, and it was always easy to tell which character was speaking at the time.

My one complaint and the reason for a four star rating instead of a five was that I didn't care for the way that the audiobook transitioned from one narrator to the next. It happens at about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way through the book and was kind of disorienting to me. I liked getting both POVs and I loved the performances by the narrators. But it was kind of an odd way to switch between male and female narrators, and I kept wondering if it was going to switch back or if it was switched for good. I just felt like there had to have been a better way to accomplish the switch and make it more smooth than it felt. I definitely still recommend this book though, and I think that despite that complaint that the audiobook is worth the listen. This book does end with a cliffhanger but Torn is already out and picks up right where this one leaves off, so you don't have to wait to see what happens next. I really love this series and Kim Karr's writing, and I will absolutely listen to more by Veronica Meunch and Christian Fox again.

**Audiobook Provided by Tantor Audio**

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