#themanorhouse #gillymacmillan #ethanreid #nathaliebuscombe #clarecorbett #fenellawoolgar #joshdylan #benallen #sianthomas #fragiledesigns #colleencoble #karenpeakes #thewomaninmyhome #kerryfisher #emmaspurginhussey #swansong #elinhilderbrand #erinbennett
As months go, August is known for several things: the Dog Days of Summer, International Dog Day, hurricanes, back to school … you get the picture. This August we also had a Supermoon which was a sight to behold. We had lots of heat, both temperature-wise and politically and I, for one, can’t wait for both the election and hurricane season to be over! Frankly, I don’t see much difference between the two! During this eventful month, I listened to books about houses. Don’t laugh! There will be plenty of my usual variations from sweetness to psychos but, in each of the selections, a house or houses figure prominently in the storyline.
By Gilly Macmillan
Narrated by Ethan Reid , Nathalie Buscombe, Clare Corbett, Fenella Woolgar, Josh Dylan, Ben Allen, and Sian Thomas
Anytime I see a book authored by Gilly Macmillan, I expect a complex storyline, multi-faceted characters who don’t fit into any mold, and an unpredictable ending. Remarkably, two of the most intriguing components of this story are houses. Both of them have been purchased through the good fortune of the owners, although their paths to ownership traveled very different routes. The Manor House has been purchased by an ordinary hard-working couple, Nick and Anna, who are successful in business; the “Glass Barn” has been built next door to them by Tom and Nicole, a couple who has won the lottery. At this point, the story may sound rather ordinary … like two couples who were blessed to strike it rich although in different ways. This is where you need to remember the name of the author of the tale and wait for things to go awry in this bucolic country life. It won’t be too much of a spoiler to say both Nick and Tom wind up dead very early on and, in due time, everything changes for the widows, their friends and family, and a couple of very kind police officers who may be the only nice guys in this convoluted storyline. You may or may not love the ending depending on how your mind works. For those of us who don’t require instant gratification, it is perfect! The entire cast of narrators did a fine job. Multiple narrators can be distracting, but in this case, they gave credence to the characters and continuity to the timeline.
By Colleen Coble
Narrated by Karen Peakes
Fragile Designs is another one of those books I selected because the locale is familiar to me. Author Colleen Coble has chosen Beaufort, SC, a picturesque coastal town between Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA, as the setting for her novel about family love, or lack of it, and long-held secrets that will put all of one family’s members in danger. If you discovered your family’s secret was a lost treasure worth millions of dollars, would you share that knowledge or would you try to keep all the money for yourself? If you discovered that your beloved grandmother had a sister she never knew about, would you tell her even if it would likely lead to upheaval in her peaceful lifestyle? Carly Harris is at a turning point in her own life when she arrives in Beaufort to help turn her grandmother’s home into a bed and breakfast. As the project progresses, she questions whether the secrets she uncovers will open doors for her and her family, or will they place them in a very dangerous place. Karen Peakes is a new narrator to me and she is excellent with all the voices and accents of the characters. I think lovers of romantic suspense who prefer a sweet love story without all the spicy details will find Fragile Designs to be a refreshing change of pace. There is plenty of intrigue as the family conducts their treasure hunt and an ending that will be satisfying to everyone.
By Kerry Fisher
Narrated by Emma Spurgin Hussey
Well, Kerry Fisher has done it again! She is going to keep you guessing right up to her closing lines. Despite the fact that you will want to believe The Woman in My Home is about poor Rebecca, a down-on-her-luck cleaner and mother of two, it’s really about a poor desperate woman who just wants to find love after a hard life of clawing her way to the top in the business world. Cath is rich and successful and has devoted herself to her business and her family. Rebecca is about as far down on life’s ladder as one can go and all she wants is to help her mother regain an inheritance that was stolen from her by an unscrupulous Romeo. What do these two ladies have in common? No spoilers, but it seems these two people from very different worlds share a relationship that is the answer to one’s dreams and the subject of the other’s nightmares. As Rebecca insinuates herself into Cath’s home and her life and the storyline builds toward what seems to be an inevitable climax, you will find yourself alternating between wanting Rebecca to get back her mom’s inheritance and wanting her to do the right thing and help Cath find the truth about the man she has decided to marry. Emma Spurgin Hussey provides expert narration to a fascinating tale that has just enough twists to keep you unsure as to who are the bad guys and who are the good guys.
By Elin Hilderbrand
Narrated by Erin Bennett
Not only is Swan Song billed as Elin Hilderbrand’s final chapter in her Nantucket series that started with The Hotel Nantucket, but it is also the swan song for Chief Ed Kapenash who has figured prominently in the Nantucket stories. Ed is having some health problems and he finally agrees to turn over the reins, and his watchful eye over Nantucket, to a new chief. There are re-introductions to some of the characters from other books, but the stars of this book are the Richardsons, a fascinating new couple whom nobody knows. They are obviously loaded because they invest in a pricey house and begin to spend their money like it was all going to disappear tomorrow … which it very well might. We fall in love with them initially, but we begin to suspect they may not stand up to the scrutiny that every newcomer to the island must endure. Islanders are nothing if not loyal to each other, so when it’s time for the vote on the Richardson’s membership at the exclusive Field and Oar Club, will they vote for new money or island integrity? Will the new gods of party-giving rule the day or will the Richardson’s new found fame and their fancy new home go up in smoke? Added treats in the audio version are a chapter narrated by the author as well as an interview of the author by the narrator with fascinating insights from both regarding their chosen professions. Because Erin Bennett is one of my favorite narrators and Elin Hilderbrand is one of my favorite authors, I won’t even bother comparing the two except to say Ms. Bennett is a gifted narrator and Ms. Hilderbrand is a gifted author.
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