Mary Dieterich

Bennet Women Stick Together

Revisado: 02-25-22

I really enjoyed this modern take on Pride and Prejudice set at an upper-crust New England college. There is really only a vague association to P&P through some character and place names and some of the character traits, but fans of the original will have fun picking out the references. I liked the fact that although the characters deal with the challenges of being Black or Asian or transgender in general society, it is never an issue among their friends and significant others. They only ever receive support from their friends. If only everybody had such a supportive group to get them through college/high school/life!

I listened to the audiobook version and thought the narrator, L Morgan Lee, did a great job.

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Three Irish Sisters Make Their Way to the West

Revisado: 04-18-19

A Valentines Choice:

This was a sweet story about the twin O'Donnell sisters who have come to the Montana frontier. Bridget has taken responsibility for moving with her sister from Ireland to be with her uncle's family near Sweetwater Springs, Montana. After a long journey, they learn illness has befallen their aunt, so Bridget stays on a neighboring ranch with her cousin while her sister Alana goes to nurse their aunt. This gives Bridget a change to get to know handsome, kind cowboy James and wealthy, confident horseman Patrick better. With Valentine's Day coming up and a shortage of ladies on the frontier, can a proposal be on the horizon?

I enjoyed all the details of the traveling methods of the day and life on the ranch. I felt like I was getting a glimpse of life on the frontier. The romance was sweet, and it was neat to see how each man tried to put their best foot forward for Bridget.

An Irish Blessing:

Alana reluctantly left Ireland with her twin sister Bridget after her parents died, but she left her heart behind. The twins had planned on staying with their uncle's family, but when they learn their aunt is sick, Alana, the healer, is sent to help her aunt, while Bridget stays with her cousin on a neighboring ranch. Before leaving, Alana meets Patrick, a confident, wealthy horse rancher, who looks to be making a play for her sister. As she nurses her aunt back to health, Alana tries to accept her new life in Montana, but she still pines for her Irish sweetheart. When Patrick shows up at her uncle's place, claiming just to want to share the news of her cousin's health and her sister's upcoming wedding, Alana is a little suspicious. Since Bridget rejected him, does he think she'll do just as well as a wife? Spending a little more time with him, Alana has to admit he's not such a bad guy, but that doesn't mean she's ready to forget her heartache or her fear of horses.

I enjoyed this sweet romance that had both the hero and heroine putting aside their past prejudices and getting to know each other better. The details about Alana's healing methods and knowledge and the workings of a frontier household were also very interesting. I'm also intrigued by the female sheriff in the story, so I hope there's more about her in another book in the series.

A Rolling Stone:

This was a nice conclusion to the Irish Sisters Trilogy with the absent Catriona finally making her way to America to be with her sisters. She has made a lot of mistakes in the past and is hoping to put them behind her and make a new life for herself and her baby. She's pretending to be a widow to hide her shame, and she wants nothing to do with men, especially handsome, sweet-talking, cowboys who are prone to wander from ranch to ranch. Even though Moss had decided to leave the ranch to get away from "wedding fever," the minute he sees Cat, he's smitten. It's only right he take her back to the ranch to be with her sisters on their big day.

I liked the sweet romance between Cat and Moss, as they both learned to put their past behind them. I thought it was a little unrealistic and annoying that the wedding was delayed for hours at one point. I am interested in all the other characters in this Montana community, so I'll probably be reading more in this series.

The novellas moved along at a good pace and took about 3.5 to 4 hours each. The female narrator did a good job with the characters, but I am just not convinced by her Irish accent.

I received a copy of this audiobook from the author.

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Innocent Miss and Scandalous Rake Must Marry!

Revisado: 05-25-18

I really enjoyed this book in Ava Stone's Scandalous series. The Regency characters really come to life with Stevie Zimmerman's narration. She did a good job with all the characters, both male and female. There were a lot of characters to keep straight, so it was quite a feat.

The Duke of Kelfield is one of the most notorious rakes in London, and Olivia Danbury is an innocent miss just trying to have a little fun at a country house party. These two could not be more different, but when they are caught in what appears to be a compromising position, they decide to make the best of it and get married. Complications abound, what with former fiances, former mistresses, and an adorable daughter thrown into the mix. Do they have a chance at a happy marriage? Each is determined to give it a try. There are a lot of emotions in this story, from the giddiness of falling in love, to the heartbreak of betrayal and memories of a troubled past. Plus there is plenty of steamy romance. The duke is a hard character to like sometimes, but it's easy to see why the sweet Olivia would be his perfect duchess.

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Hottest story of the series so far!

Revisado: 03-02-15

Where does Abandon the Night rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It ranks near the top.

What did you like best about this story?

I liked that we are getting more and more answers about why the change happened and who was behind it. The chemistry between Zoe and Quent is immediate, so the sex is hot from the start. Then they have to work on trusting each other enough to actually work together and possibly build a life together.

What about Sebastian Fields’s performance did you like?

I enjoyed how he was able to shift from an English accent or a female character's voice back to the narrator seamlessly. He was able to give each character a unique voice and personality.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I definitely wanted to keep going to find out what happened next.

Any additional comments?

If you object to strong language, you may want to avoid this book. However, I think the smart mouth fit with Zoe's personality.

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Fantasy World with Connection to Earth

Revisado: 11-03-14

Where does Sower of Dreams rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It is about the middle of the pack. The pacing was slow, but it featured an interesting new world, likable characters, despicable villains, and a deeper mystery that carries over to the rest of the series.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Sower of Dreams?

I think the most unique part of the story is when Daria and Khan would connect in their dreams before they had even met each other. I also liked Khan's struggle to rebuild the city and how Daria and Khan worked together to deal with their enemies.

What about Noah Michael Levine’s performance did you like?

I enjoyed his voice for the narration and the male characters. Daria's character voice was okay, but sometimes her voice and the other females were hard to hear as I was listening in the car.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The healing of Jasmine was an emotional part of the story. Perhaps we'll see more of her later?

Any additional comments?

I enjoyed the world-building with the descriptions of Sea Jem and the ruined city that Khan finds. The connection between people through their other sense was a unique power in the story. It was also different to have the gods play such important roles in peoples lives--for better or worse. I would continue with the rest of the series to see how it all plays out.

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Medieval tale with time travel. Excellent narrator

Revisado: 04-30-14

Would you listen to Forever His again? Why?

No. I don't often reread books, or in this case, relisten. It's 15 hours long, so that's a big commitment.

What other book might you compare Forever His to and why?

I'm not sure. This is the only book I have read like this. It might have some elements similar to Outlander, since it is a modern woman traveling back to medieval times.

What about Julia Motyka’s performance did you like?

She was very good with the French pronunciations. She did an excellent job distinguishing all the characters with her voice.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Some of the moments when you weren't sure how Celine's health would hold up were tense and sad. Celine also had a good sense of humor about her situation. And I loved to hate the bad guy!

Any additional comments?

This unusual medieval tale features a modern woman who unexpectedly travels back in time to the year 1300. She winds up in the bed of a dark lord named Gaston. He thinks she is the ward of his enemy whom the king is forcing him to marry in a bid to keep the peace. He's not about to trust her, and her ridiculous story about being from the future only leads him to think she may be mad. But Celine is very lovely and through her hard work and helpfulness, she gains the trust and devotion of his servants. Soon Gaston can't deny his attraction to her, but for a man who has never known love, it is almost impossible to admit what he feels. Meanwhile, Celine must find a way to get back to her time to avoid a life-threatening medical condition, even though she will leave her heart behind with Gaston.

The story has many humorous moments as she tries to convince people who she is and then starts "inventing" gadgets to make their lives easier. But there are also dark moments when Gaston suspects her of plotting with his enemy, and when that enemy moves to take care of them both and take everything Gaston holds for himself. I enjoyed the glimpse into medieval life. The sex was pretty hot, yet much more tender than you would expect from a fierce warrior.

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