Rebecca Fairest Reviews

Golf Sports Romance!

Revisado: 07-08-20 El oyente recibió este título gratis

In golf, the sweet spot is the center of the clubface, which will produce the longest shot from any given club, so it’s that Rebecca Jenshak’s Sweet Shot is a sports romance about the game of golf with the heroine, Keira, a Valley U golfer, and the hero, Lincoln, a pro golfer and elite swing coach.

What I enjoyed the most about Keira and Lincoln’s story is how their mutual love of the game of golf built a connection between them from their first interaction, and while they definitely were attracted to each other from the start, as well, the dynamics of their coach/player relationship and Lincoln’s focus on helping improve Keira’s game above anything personal is what allowed them to get to know one another, establishing a foundation that blossomed into so much more.

I listened to the audio version of Sweet Spot, and Erin Mallon and Jacob Morgan did an amazing job narrating Keira and Lincoln’s story. There’s a playfulness between the two characters that the narrators easily convey and the way they verbally spar with one another plays out quite well on the audio.

I would definitely recommend Jenshak’s sports romances as well as any other stories narrated by Mallon and Morgan.

4 Poison Apples

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Bossman Gets the Girl

Revisado: 02-26-20 El oyente recibió este título gratis

Sawyer Bennett finally gave this Arizona Vengeance series fan the story she’s been waiting for…none other than Dominik Carlson. I have loved everything about this man since meeting him and even though we’ve learned a few details about this self-made man and witnessed how hands-on he is with his teams and his players, I wanted to get into Dominik’s head and see what drives him and how he went from being a kid in the foster care system to a man hellbent on making it own his own with hard work and determination.

While Dominik has had great success in accomplishing his goals in the business world and pretty much acquiring anything and everything that he’s wanted out of life, there’s one thing, or should I say one person, who he can’t seem to hold onto because she’s just as stubborn and tenacious as he is, which means it’s going to take his A Game in order to prove to Willow Monahan that he’s worth the risk.

Willow is as about as head strong as they come, and boy does she fight her feelings for Dominik, attempting to keep things causal, to fight him every step of the way for the ‘more’ that he decides he wants, because she unwilling to risk it. Sometimes I felt like she was a bit too over-the-top stubborn and that she was fighting a futile battle, but I understood that she would have to figure things out on her own and realize what she has with Dominik isn’t something she wants to give up.

Dominik and Willow’s relationship epitomizes the push and pull that occurs between two headstrong people who want the same things but are unwilling to admit it. These two battle one another for control because neither likes to feel off-balanced but when Dominik realizes that Willow’s worth it, he’ll do just about anything to keep her and man oh man was that fun to listen play out with two fantastic narrators in Christian Fox and Erin Mallon.

I seriously hope Sawyer Bennett never steps writing hockey sports romances; they’re some of my absolute favorite and will continue to be in the foreseeable future.

4 Poison Apples

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The Sinner & the Saint

Revisado: 01-14-20 El oyente recibió este título gratis

The Sinner and the Saint…it sounds like a cliched title, a story about two individuals on opposite sides of the law - one working to not be found by the other, resulting in what can only be called a stereotypical good versus bad plot line.

But that is so not the case for Sawyer Bennett’s newest release in her Jameson Force Security series, Code Name: Heist. In fact, although in different ways, both Saint and Sin have paid for their crimes and have joined the Jameson team to help put the bad guys away, or at least get the necessary information to jumpstart that process.

And while Saint may no longer be on the wrong side of the law that doesn’t mean he’s forgotten how to get down and dirty when he needs to, especially when lives are on the line and when one of those people is the woman he loved and still has feelings for. Saint will protect her at all costs, even if that means putting himself in position for another fall.

A love like the one that Saint and Sin once shared is not easy to get over, even after Sin’s betrayal, and with this undercover assignment, working so close together proves that their bodies and their hearts still yearn for each other, but what that means about their future after the case is unclear, because as much as Saint wants to forgive Sin when he learns the truth, what he had to endure because of Sin’s actions makes it difficult for him to truly trust her, even if he’s willing to leave the past in the past.

The chemistry between Saint and Sin resonates from the pages of their story. There was never a doubt in my mind that these two would eventually give into their feelings for each other, but if that connection would keep in order to create something long-lasting was never made clear, which makes sense given the nature of all that they’ve been through both in the past and in the present, and I appreciate the fact that Sawyer Bennett didn’t have them falling all over one another from the start. There was an immense amount of baggage for these two to work through and it couldn’t be resolved quickly, especially with the undercover op they’re on and the danger associated with it.

As much as this is a series of suspense, adventure, and risk with a plethora of twists and turns along the way, book three introduces information that create a somber undertone and I’m definitely intrigued to see where Bennett takes it.

I am thoroughly enjoying this romantic suspense series. Bennett coherently merges all of the components of this genre in a way that keeps readers glued to the words on the pages as they try to guess what’s going to happen next and what those events mean for the hero and heroine, and that, to me, makes for one heck of a reading experience.

Joe Arden and Mackenzie Cartwright's voices portray the range of emotions that Saint and Sin go through amidst the twists and turns that this story takes, and because of that, I was able to visualize the events unfold as I listened to them narrate Code Name: Heist.

4.5 Posion Apples

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Tacker's Story is EVERYTHING!!

Revisado: 11-17-19 El oyente recibió este título gratis

Here’s the thing…like any avid reader of Sawyer Bennett’s Arizona Vengeance series, I was so ready for Tacker to get his second chance…at love, at life, at healing the parts of him that he thought might not ever get better after MJ’s death. But I also knew that I needed to be patient. I knew Tacker needed to work on himself…work through his pain, his guilt, his grief, and that it wasn’t going to be easy or quick…not when someone has spiraled so far out of control that he wants it all to end and is willing to make that happen.

What I loved most about the way that Bennett crafted Tacker and Nora’s story is that she didn’t add any unnecessary drama or move too quickly or too slowly when it came to Tacker’s progress or Nora and Tacker sifting their way through their individual fear and pain to become something they both never thought they’d have again.

Nora is an amazing heroine who has her own share of pain, but, somehow, she’s turned her raw and heartbreaking emotions into a safe place for anyone struggling and in need of a specialized therapy. She puts her full heart and soul in her Equine Therapy Ranch and works tirelessly to help all those who come to her ranch, even an incredibly handsome man who is a little too tight-lipped for her kind of help to work. Raul is the perfect father-figure for Nora and the way that he protects her, at all costs, proves just how much she means to him and she gives that love back to him.

The fact that Tacker’s teammates don’t give up on him, even when he wouldn’t stop pushing them away, speaks to the camaraderie of the Vengeance and what they’re willing to do to bring back, to maybe even save, one of their own, and the team’s owner, Dominik, plays a huge role in getting Tacker the help he needs, and throughout the entire story, he proves time and time again that he is so not a hands-off kind of owner, which is exactly what his team needs him to be.

I knew that I needed to listen to Tacker’s story; I needed his perspective to be narrated by a male to completely immerse myself into his thoughts and feelings, and Stephen Dexter does an amazing job of bringing every single one of Tacker’s emotions to the forefront…of demonstrating how he works through all the negative in order to push through to the positive. And Lucy Rivers narrates Nora’s voice flawlessly, truly bringing to life just how special of a woman, a therapist, a human being she is.

Sawyer Bennett did such a tremendous job with Tacker’s story. It was everything I wanted it to be and so much more, which is exactly why she’s always been one of my faves.

4.5 Poison Apples

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4.5 Poison Apples

Revisado: 11-15-19

For one night, Hutton Everest and Ally Edwards were nothing more than a man and a woman who were sexually attracted to one another and gave into that desire; they didn’t worry about their future…they didn’t worry about their responsibilities…they didn’t worry about their reputations - all they cared about was getting lost in the sexual haze that sparked between them as soon as their paths crossed.

But Ally’s life’s path has already been written due to her birthright, which means that the wild and reckless behavior she gave into with Hutton can’t last forever; in fact, it’s simply a series of fleeting moments in her life because as soon as she returns home, she must commit herself to leading by example, to shedding any bad behavior tendencies in order to fulfill her royal responsibilities, living for the good of the crown and the good of her people.

Too bad this American bad boy has never been good at following the rules and the only person whose opinion matters to him is Ally herself, which means that if there’s a chance that they can continue exploring what’s between them, despite the obstacles, despite the protocols, despite what’s ‘proper’ in the eyes of her people, he’s all in and ready to be Ally’s American Prince Charming - one who’s not afraid to fight dirty to reclaim his queen.

Bad Reputation is an angsty, steamy, and twisty modern-day royal fairy tale - one that will make readers question how anything can work between Ally and Hutton due to the amount of obstacles that these two must contend with because one of them is a royal and the other is only a commoner.

Ally’s royal lineage and her soon-to-be position as Queen are both things that Hutton will have to work around and if these two hope to figure out a way to be together, Hutton’s going to need to use every move in his arsenal and every bit of his stubbornness as well as his deep feelings for Ally in order to fight against a nation’s history and its customs, which is easier said than done.

I would so live the life of a bad girl in order to have Hutton Everest because his confidence, his personality, and his drive to have everything he’s ever wanted make him one handsome alpha male, but what makes him even better is the fact that he is more than willing to bend the knee for his queen, which, in my opinion, makes him an ideal partner and confidant.

And regardless of the ways in which Ally’s parents look to thwart any connection between Ally and Hutton, the heart wants what the heart wants and it has nothing to do with status, with pedigree, or with what’s proper; it deals with two hearts and two bodies that call to one another in deep and meaningful ways, proving that rules just might have to be broken.

Sebastian York and Ava Erickson narrate this angst-riddled story in a way that conveys just how twisted this modern day fairytale will be.

4.5 Poison Apples

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Enemies-to-Lovers

Revisado: 11-15-19

I never quite know what to expect when I read an enemies-to-lovers romance because there are stories where the hero and heroine don’t seem to be each other’s enemy because they’re complete strangers or only have random interactions that truly wouldn’t be categorized as adversarial face offs. When I think of the true scope of a romance in this trope, I see it as two characters on opposing sides, either personally or professionally, who can’t stand one another and makes that fact abundantly clear.

In Lauren Blakely’s newest release, Never Have I Ever, the main characters, Zach and Piper, have careers that put them at opposite sides of a potential happily ever after because Zach is a divorce attorney and Piper is a wedding planner, so the fact that they have to share the same office space, which results in a continual flow of antagonistic antics and pithy words, allowed me to see that they truly did not like each other, even if their bodies seemed to not be on the same page as their heads.

If there’s one aspect of Lauren Blakely’s writing that always captures my attention as a listener and/or reader it’s the hero and heroine’s interactions at the onset of their story as well as when they seem to be dancing around each other, not truly ready to go all in, but not opposed to exploring the connection that they both feel.
I loved the back and forth between Nolan and Piper as they try to outwit and outplay one another. And by the time they were ready to give ‘more’ a chance, defenses had been lowered and the negative feelings that they seemed to have for one another turned into an emotional connection that both desperately wanted and needed.

Like Blakely’s other stories, Never Have I Ever doesn’t fabricate unnecessary drama or use miscommunication as a means to break up the couple once they’ve given into their feelings; the problems and issues that they experience are based on the situations the hero and heroine are in and the way life can change directions when people least expect it. I appreciate the way the conflicts are handled and the steps taken after to resolve them in a way that doesn’t destroys what started out as attraction to mutual feelings to, hopefully, a happily right now.

I enjoyed Amanda Ronconi and Jason Clarke bring Blakely's characters to life in this great enemies-to-lovers' story!

4 Poison Apples

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Loved Everything About This Story!

Revisado: 11-15-19

At the end of Black Sheep, it seemed that the shit had finally hit the proverbial fan, forcing Drew to come clean about who she is and what she came to Cannon for…I wasn’t quite sure how things would play out between them once Cannon learned the truth, but the way that March brings all of the information to the forefront and has Drew and Cannon work together along with a few unlikely allies changed my perspective on quite a few characters and also left me feeling quite a bit awestruck with how March unraveled everything about Drew’s father’s murder, Dom Casso’s true feelings about his children and other important players in his organization as well as the person who brought most of the truth of things into the light.

The idea Drew always wearing a facade or taking on a persona resonates in her words and her actions as well as the way she hides her true face and eyes from everyone, even herself. It definitely takes a while for Drew to come into her own, but with Cannon by her side, helping her to find a truth she’s dedicated every part of herself to, losing bits of herself along the way, but thankfully, Cannon truly sees her for who she is and he’s more than determined that she be who she was always meant to be with him and with everyone they hold dear.

I loved watching Cannon figure out that he’s always been his own man and that he could never become like his father because his mother’s love and faith in him guide his words and actions, even if they’re in a setting that his father runs. Cannon definitely had a dark edge to him, but he’s far more grounded than he gives himself credit for and the fact that those around him finally take notice and work to mend broken relationships as well as make amends for how certain things play out proves that Cannon doesn’t have to try to step into his father’s shoes…he just has to worry about maintaining his own and fulfilling the life that his mother always wanted for him.

The complicated dynamics of Cannon and his half-siblings is one that truly illustrates Dom’s control and his refusal to not dictate every aspect of his children’s lives, especially Cannon’s, and while the others have found their way out of the fold on their own terms and with their own lives, what Dom has done to Cannon’s relationship with Creighton and his second rate classification when it comes to how Dom sees Cannon and his position in the family left me ragey, but I will say that how things play out toward the end of White Knight made me want to reassess, albeit only a little bit, how I viewed Dom and his words and actions throughout the duet.
Meghan March continues to bring stories with heat, conflict, and suspense, illustrating the world in which her characters live to be one wrought with danger, darkness, secrets, and revelations that not only upend everything the hero and heroine once thought but also put their lives in jeopardy as they work toward an amicable resolution.

White Knight is absolutely the ending I wanted for Cannon and Drew; it was every bit the twisty, suspenseful, and revealing resolution fitting for Danger and his girl. And Sebastian York and Andi Arndt delivered amazing narration for Cannon & Drew's perspectives.

4.5 Poison Apples

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Enjoyed Listening to Zeke and Gabby's Story

Revisado: 09-28-19

The Tip-Off was my first read by Rebecca Jenshak; I had been seeing her name and the different titles of her sports romance series all over social media and because I’m such a sport romance junkie, I knew signing up to listen/review the audio version of Gabby and Zeke’s story was a perfect way to be introduced to this new-to-me author.

Even though I headed into the third book of the Sports Jock series without reading the previous two stories, the fact that they are standalones about different couples allowed me not to feel lost despite not meeting the other couples of the series until The Tip-Off.

Jenshak does a great job illustrating just how ready Gabby is to be a normal college student - one who takes risks, has fun, and spreads her wings without the safety net of her overprotective parents. And while, at times, she does seem like a fish out of water, I admired her tenacity when it came to trying new things and truly experiencing all that life has to offer.

At the beginning of the story, it was clear that it would take Zeke some time to figure out that his life didn’t have to only be about the game he loves and excels at…he was never one to allow anyone to get too close to him and his quiet and reserved demeanor allowed him to flourish on the court, keeping up his training regiment without interruption. As cliche as it sounds, Gabby is a game changer for Zeke and as much as he fights his attraction to her and worries what those feelings would mean for his future and his goal to be number one in the NBA Draft, he finds it way too difficult to keep Gabby at arm’s length which means that if he’s truly going to give in to what he feels for her, Zeke needs to be sure that his willingness to risk it all doesn’t end up a sacrifice that, in the end, he cannot make.

Gabby and Zeke definitely take their time when it comes to exploring what’s between them, but that fits both of their temperaments as well as Zeke’s singular focus on the NBA draft. But even though it takes a lot of awkward encounters, silent conversations, and quick glances at each other before either of them take the first step toward something more, it was clear that what was building between them was a bond that would allow them both to step outside of their shell and see what it was like to want to simply be together, learning about each other and finding out that life has so much to offer them…they just have to be willing to try.

Jakobi Diem and Savannah Peachwood did a good job bringing Zeke and Gabby’s story to life. I especially enjoyed Jakobi’s portrayal because there’s an aloofness and loner vibe that surround Zeke and Jakobi conveys those characteristics with ease and precision, showing just how much he changes and grows as a person with Gabby by his side.

4 Poison Apples

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A Bodyguard Romance

Revisado: 09-18-19 El oyente recibió este título gratis

Cruce Britton epitomizes the qualities of a sentinel, which makes his new assignment - to protect the President’s niece - something that should come easy to him…it’s clear that he’s damn good at putting himself on the line for those who need his protection, but his latest assignment, not only puts his skills to the test, but his will power and his professionalism as well, because while Cruce has always been focused on his career and making as little attachments as necessary, there’s just something about Barrett Alexander, and the fact that he’s protecting her as a personal favor to the President of the United States makes things messy, complicated, and potentially the biggest job and risk of his life.

I enjoyed the fact that Sawyer Bennett created a unique situation to bring Cruce and Barrett together. The reason for the threat against Barrett definitely fits contemporary society because her research as a renowned energy scientist is life altering for the world, so it makes sense that someone would want to steal her work and use it for their own benefit.

Cruce’s refusal to be distracted by feelings for the person he’s protecting logically makes sense, but there’s nothing logical about feelings - they’re messy, they’re overwhelming, and they amp up any situation, and this is exactly what happens the more time he spends with Barrett and the deeper his feelings for the woman he vowed to protect.

Jason Clarke and Lucy Rivers narrate Cruce and Barrett’s, allowing their perspectives to hold all of the characters’ emotions, exuding the push and pull between them as well as the ups and downs that occur as Cruce works to keep Barrett safe while their feelings for each other make everything a bit more difficult. I absolutely loved how Clarke brought Cruce’s character to life; it was sexy, sultry, and seductive, and just how I pictured Cruce’s voice.

I love a good bodyguard romance - they seem to have a perfect blend of suspense, steam, and drama, and Sawyer Bennett’s Code Name: Sentinel definitely fit the bill.

4 Poison Apples

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Scorching and Emotional Read

Revisado: 08-14-19 El oyente recibió este título gratis

The Wicked Horse Vegas is a verifiable sexual playground - one that appeals to all types of people for different reasons, and because the type of kink that its members are into vary, the limitless possibilities keep them coming back time and time again.

Benjamin Hewitt’s membership at the exclusive club is a means to an end - an attempt on his part to feel something, anything for the first time since his life was horrifically altered. But while he found his release in certain situations, he was still merely existing, focusing on his career, but shutting everyone out…until her.

For Elena Costieri, The Wicked Horse is an opportunity to give up control, to submit her body to someone purely for the sexual pleasure it provides. To be used in a way that she actually demands instead of for selfish reasons on the part of her boyfriends. It’s a way for her to explore a different side of herself and see how much she enjoys submitting to a man’s demands.

And boy do Benjamin and Elena sizzle together; it’s abundantly clear how much physical chemistry these two share, but it’s also obvious that what they feel toward one another is more than simply a pleasurable release, and regardless of how many times Elena says that she doesn’t want anything more than sex from Benjamin, the fact that she’s always intertwined love and sex together is not something that can change so drastically, especially with someone she seems to connect with on a number of levels.

Because Sawyer Bennett gives readers both main characters’ perspectives, readers understand why Benjamin feels empty…why he’s closed himself off from everyone around him. The fact that he goes from feeling nothing to feeling way too much when it comes to Elena explains why he’s hot and cold with her. I will say that even though we were given Elena’s point of view as well, even now, I don’t feel like I understand her choices, and I truly felt like readers learned more about Elena’s best friend than Elena herself, which perplexed me quite a bit.

Even though I wanted a bit more insight into who Elena is and the reasons her life has led her down this path, I did enjoy her and Benjamin’s story. Readers will feel just how deeply Benjamin’s loss affects him even a year later and just how difficult the struggle to move on is illustrated in the lack of and overabundance of emotions that he must deal with throughout the story. And the scenes at The Wicked Horse and outside of the club are scorching.

I read every book in the original and Vegas Wicked Horse series, and I know that every time, I enter this world, I’m going to read a sexy story that leads to so much more than the physical pleasure the characters experience, which is why it’s a series I thoroughly enjoy!

The audio version of the story brought the emotions of the hero and heroine to life, which helped understand everything that these two were dealing with as they figured out what they wanted from each other.

4 Poison Apples

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