Lay It Down
Desert Dogs, #1
Cara McKenna
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc
Narrator: Tom Weiner
Date of Publication: August 5, 2014
Abridged or Unabridged: Unabridged
Length of Production: 10 hrs and 9 mins
Available at the following retailers:
Amazon Audible Downpour Simply Audiobooks
Amazon Audible Downpour Simply Audiobooks
I saw this book reviewed by both Liz at Fictional Candy and Anna at Herding Cats and Burning Soup. They both gave the book rave reviews, but my TBR pile is huge, not just big, but HUGE, so I thought it would be forever before I got a chance to read it. Then I had the good luck to see that Audiobook Jukebox had this available for review. Score! Right now my Audiobook TBR pile is still very manageable, so I requested a copy and added it to my queue.Backbreaking days, wild nights, and the hard hum of steel between your thighs...
That s a life well lived, according to the Desert Dogs four friends who call Fortuity, Nevada, their badlands home.
Vince Grossier is the self-crowned outlaw king around here. But when Fortuity s slick new mayor invites a shady casino development to town, the invaders cutthroat takeover tactics quickly turn deadly. With police turning a suspiciously blind eye, it s up to the locals to fight back, and Vince is on the front line. The pretty photographer hired by the developers might be the key to infiltrating the enemy and a temptation too good to pass up.
Finally free of a controlling ex, Kim Paget is not looking to be taken for a ride not on the back of some tattooed roughneck s bike and "definitely "not in his bed. But when she finds evidence that her bosses are rattlesnake dangerous, Kim must entrust her safety to the man who threatens danger of a whole different kind."
One of the first things I noticed about this was the narrator. His style was very hard bitten and precise, clipped almost. The voice went with a Noir P.I. or Detective, not so much a blue collar working man, into bikes, babes and booze. And don't even get me started on how badly the females sounded in one of the worst falsetto's I have ever heard. Thankfully this book was mostly told from the male protagonist's perspective.
The story itself was amazing. I don't think I have ever read a romance done the majority through the male's POV. But this wasn't just a romance, there was also a mystery to solve, so there were plenty of suspenseful moments. There were several red herrings sprinkled throughout, and just about the time I 'knew' I had figured out where the book was headed, I would be proved wrong. I know you see the motorcycle on the cover and with a series called Desert Dogs, you are probably thinking Motorcycle Club (MC). You would be wrong. This is a series about some guys (and a girl) who grew up together, who just happen to ride motorcycles and who have made themselves family. The protagonist of this story, Vince, is the nominal leader and a bit of a hell-raiser, but at his heart, he is a good guy. He is that bad boy who never really outgrew his bad boy ways. Getting to the heart of him, right along side Kim, was one hell of a ride, and I can't wait to saddle up for the next book. If it weren't for this book just having the wrong (for me) narrator, it would have had a perfect score. So, overall 4 stars and still well worth listening to.
I have this on my Kindle. I was thinking about getting the audio, but maybe not. When I listened to the sample, there was no women's voices. It sounded like he wouldn't be great at women's voices. Great review.
ReplyDeleteThanks, and yeah, I would just skip the audio version. But definitely read the book. It is a fantastic read.
DeleteOh yay! I'm so glad you loved the story! The narration doesn't sound like a good fit at all! That's really a shame. If you're up for trying others of hers one of my favorites is After Hours. It's set on a psych ward where the two characters work. Very interesting setting.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on this one. I cannot wait for the next one :D
I think they were going for gruff, but it just didn't come out right. Hopefully they will get a different narrator for book 2. I can't wait to read Raina's story.
DeleteFictional Candy and Herding Cats and Burning Soup are two of my go-to bloggers, and now here you are singing this book's praises—well, aside from the narrator that is. I don't think I have ever read a romance story that featured a male POV either, so I'm definitely more than willing to give Lay It Down a whirl. However, I'll probably read it instead. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
ReplyDeleteThe male POV was an interesting take on the standard romance. I really enjoyed it and I am sure you will as well. I must admit that you have become one of my go-to bloggers as well, so thanks for commenting! Happy Reading!
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