3 Reasons British Accents Make the BEST Audiobook Narrators

Recently I was on a roadtrip and listened to all of Jane Austen's books as radio dramas. (If you're an Austen fan like me, I highly recommend listening to them! They're all excellently done. :) So you can imagine that I had British accents in my head for several days! And it got me thinking. Surely I'm not the only one who loves a good British accent, right? (I know some of you agree with me!) Thus the idea for this list was born. I'm sure y'all can appreciate these with me! :D

So without further ado, I give you...

3 Reasons British Accents Make the BEST Audiobook Narrators

1. You can learn how to pronounce "viscount" and "viscountess". (At least when listening to Richard Armitage !!!! read bits of The Convenient Marriage by Georgette Heyer. He has quite a nice voice to listen to. Just sayin' ;)

2. Your inner voice will suddenly have a British accent, which is just lovely! (Unfortunately, this does not always mean you can suddenly speak with the accent no matter how much you wish you could! *sadface*)

3. Um, because British accents are the best. Duh. What else do you need? ;)


And there you have it! So have I convinced you?

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Review: The Truth Between Us by Tammy L. Gray

I don't know how Ms. Gray does it, but somehow she always manages to make me fall in love with her characters! Even as I wonder if I'll get as drawn into their lives this time around, I get sucked in anyway, so, of course, this story is no exception to that. I was so sure I would struggle to like April. Meeting her in book one she was extremely hard to relate to and I wondered if I'd be able to warm up to her or not. I shouldn't have doubted! And I should've been more patient. Because that's exactly what April needs, people who won't give up on her. :)

Characters who are tough on the outside, but gooey on the inside have a way of finding the path to my heart. That ultra thick shell that April has going on needed cracking and what better guy to do it than Sean. And goodness what a swoony hero he is! The two of them simply "click". But it's a wild ride to get to their happily ever after. Both of them have a journey that cannot be avoided, yet, for all the gritty and raw emotions they have to deal with, the beauty they're reaching for is so completely worth it!

I think one of my favorite things about Ms. Gray's stories is her ability to write realistic characters. The conflicts and confusions feel genuine and natural. Whether it's the romantic partners or friendships, real, true relationships require a lot of effort. They have ups and downs and the people involved always make good and bad choices both. It's not easy, these connections we form with our fellow humans, and these characters reflects all the work that must go into the maintaining and growing. I loved the slow build of tension as hope gradually worked its way into their lives!

Another of my favorite bits are the friendships between the "Bentwood Brats". I liked them in book one, but I appreciated them even more this time around. Mainly because they've already been through so much together and now continue to grow closer. I love how much they refuse to give up on each other! And how they all come through for one another, no matter how much they may be hurting inside themselves.

The hope and redemption that weaves through every chapter is a beautiful part of this series. It started in book one, but this one only builds and builds on it. It's quiet and gentle, but oh so fiercely there. I cannot wait for book three because I am utterly confident it will only escalate in gloriousness! :) Plus I'm just excited to see where Caroline's journey takes her. This series is completely worth giving a try, my friends! I don't think you'll be disappointed.

**I received a complimentary copy via the author. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Love and grace didn't make you weak. It made you strong.

Review: The Way You Make Me Feel by Maureen Goo

I've had Ms. Goo's books on my radar since the first one came out and was thrilled with the opportunity to try this one. And I am pleased to report that it was a fun, summertime sort of story! It has a breezy quality about it that makes for an easy read. Perfect for the beach or a relaxing afternoon, right? :)

I do confess to that it took a bit for me to get into the story, Clara is quite the unique sort of character at first and not entirely likable. But once I got involved in her food truck adventures she began to grow on me. And can I just say that those adventures made me hungry?! Oh my stars, do not read this book if you're starving, it'll just make it worse! ;)

Yet I definitely loved the family dynamics that began to grow between the characters. Clara and her father started the book in a good relationship and I really liked how that never really changed. It just grew and adjusted to Clara's developing maturity. Her friendship with Rose, on the other hand, was such a push and pull, back and forth type of thing. They both had a great deal of learning to do, but I liked the slow development because it felt true to life.

Of course, the romance bits were pretty cute. Hamlet is just adorable! A true and genuine nice guy, which is just what Clara needs. His dorkiness made me grin several times. Overall, this is simply a quick, easy story filled with a few laughs, a few head-shakes, a few sigh-worthy moments, and just all around sweetness. It has enough charm to make it worth your while, reader friends!

**I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

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As I stood there surrounded by three people who had the ability to do just that-crack my chest open to all the disappointment and difficulty and grief-I knew I still wanted it. The risk of the bad stuff was so worth the good stuff. People who would be there for you when you messed up and behaved like a little jerk? They were the good stuff.

Bite-Sized Reviews :: Edition Thirty-Eight

Hello again, my lovelies! I know, it seems all I do is post about reviews these days, right? I just have so many to catch up on! And I've been reading a great deal, so it's kind of never ending... But! I will reach a point (and very soon) when they'll slow down, so at least there's that...? :)

On to the good stuff!

Timeless Love by Andrea Boeshaar, Stephenia H. McGee, Kari Trumbo, Dawn Crandall, Pepper D. Basham, Misty M. Beller, Sarah Monzon
When I heard Pepper Basham would have a story in this collection, you can bet that I couldn't wait to read it! Thus, you won't be surprised that it was the first story I dove into. And what an adventure! Actually, I could say that about all the stories here, full of surprises and adventures and genuine, lovable characters. They were all equally loads of fun! It's a great mix of time periods and romances. With a few authors I recognized and a few I didn't, I have to say that I was far from disappointed with any of their offerings. (Also, I may have gone back and reread all my favorite scenes in each story right after finishing the book, but that's a secret between you and me, okay? ;) Well worth your time to pick this book up, reader friends! You just might find a favorite new-to-you writer (like me) or rediscover why you love a particular writer so well (also like me)!

Second Impressions by Pepper Basham
Why on earth it took me so long to read this one, I have no idea. I mean, it's a Pepper Basham book! AND it mentions Jane Austen, a LOT. Perfect combo for this Austen (and Basham) loving girl! :D To say that I loved all the Austen references would be putting it very mildly. Yet, it's not just Jane, it's actually Nora and Ethan who grabbed my heart. I wasn't sure what to make of the two of them when they first meet, but (as the title suggests) second impressions are worth discovering! These two are super adorable together, once they get beyond their initial acquaintance. Full of heart and Jane Austen and lots of laughter, this one is a wonderful addition to any bookshelf (be it physical or digital!).

Mowed Over by Christina Coryell
The two main characters in this book are so very different that, at first glance, one would wonder how they would ever work as romantic partners. But they do! Willow and Clint are pretty sweet together, actually. And watching as they navigate the interesting, fairy-filled waters around them makes for a lot of grins. Nothing about their relationship goes anything like either one expects, but what fun I had reading about it! (Also, who knew a beard could make a guy swoony?!) Oh! And I can't forget the cute little Jane Austen-y references. Very slight, but they're definitely there. Which, of course, just made me love this story ever so much more.

A Heart Restored by Elizabeth Maddrey
I admit, I think my favorite part of this book was all the hilarious mistakes poor Deidre made while texting! A couple of them made me giggle out loud. Which just endeared her to me. And to Jeremiah! :D I confess to knowing absolutely nothing about restoring a house, but the descriptions of what Peacock Hill looked like, before and after, made me wish it were an actual place to visit. Plus, I just really loved that the story takes place in my home state, which meant I recognized places mentioned. This is fun little romance between two people who were not prepared to find each other. For all the shortness of the story, I could totally buy into their chemistry and simply enjoyed the journey of them coming together. Very cute!

Unleashing Love by Jessica R. Patch
This was simply a very sweet story. While a quick read, Ms. Patch managed to make the romantic bits believable. I rather enjoyed all the little southern moments mentioned. And so many times I had to grin at the complete opposites that Emma Kate and Griffin proved they were. It caused more than one misunderstanding between them, much to my delight! Because seeing Emma Kate mad is simply the cutest. It's no wonder Griffin fell for her against his better judgement! :D She really has a way of charming her way into your heart. The two of them were adorably all in denial of their attraction, but that just made it more fun for me. And although the resolution came together a bit quicker than I anticipated, it was still pretty swoony! I might just have to go back and reread it now myself. :)

The Lacemaker by Laura Frantz
All the rave reviews from blogging friends were spot on for this book! Which shouldn't surprise me since it is by Laura Frantz. (She being practically the queen of historical (and southern) romances set in colonial time periods. :) Ms. Frantz always excels in writing characters that I immediately root for and Liberty is no exception. Neither is Noble! (Goodness, that man could make a girl swoon!) As usual, it took only the first page to pull me inside her story-world and there I was anxiously waiting to see how things would play out. Ms. Frantz's thorough research always shines and, really, I can't find enough gushing words to describe the beauty of descriptions to be found in this story. As another blogging friend (and author herself) described it, I always think the current Laura Frantz book I'm reading is her BEST one and then I read her next one and am blown away again! So really, all you need to know is Laura Frantz wrote this. (Which means, what on earth are you waiting for?! Go read it right now! ;)