Review: Wed to the Barbarian

Wed to the Barbarian by Keira Andrews and Michael Ferraiuolo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sheltered in the palace with his books, Jem’s life is peaceful. Even if he’s lonely and yearning for romance, the big, strong men he wants don’t crave small, timid princes.
Then he’s forced to marry a mysterious barbarian. Jem must do his duty. Even if he must leave behind everything and everyone to journey to a forbidding island of ice and stone.


Wed to the Barbarian is the first action-adventure romance in the Barbarian Duet and must be read before The Barbarian’s Vow.

 
This was a nice surprise! I loved the flawed characters and their growth. This was not a sugarcoated fantasy and it kept me listening breathlessly. The only thing that bothered me, was Jem suddenly having a lot of physical strength. 

You can accept the happy-for-now ending of book #1 without listening to book #2, but then you miss out!
The narrator was great. Maybe, after a relisten, I change my rating to 5 stars.

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Review: Dark Horse

Dark Horse by Kate Sherwood and Peter B. Brooke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dan Wheeler thought he'd found lasting love and stability with his life and work partner, Justin Archer. But when Dan finds himself alone again, still working as a horse trainer for Justin's parents, he has to find a way to accept that his perfect life is gone forever.

Then he meets billionaire Evan Kaminski, who arrives to buy a horse for his younger sister, and Evan's lover Jeff Stevens, a horse trainer who seems to understand more than just Dan's job. Struggling to deal with all the upheavals in his life, Dan finds himself drawn to both Evan's mercurial passion and Jeff's quiet wisdom. 

Book 1 of 2.

 

This gay romance had to grow on me but after several relistens, the audiobook has become a favorite. I like all three protagonists and a few side characters are well-developed. I am not sure about the horse business, but to me, it is a convincing story.
The narrator is no performer. He just reads and uses distinguishable voices, but I would like more drama and emotion to the whole text. Not only in spoken text.

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Review: Bullheaded

Bullheaded by Catt Ford and Derrick McClain 
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Aging bull rider Cody Grainger needs bullfighter Johnny Arrow for more than just protection in the ring. Their bond of trust goes beyond the professional and into love, but while their relationship holds up to the need for discretion imposed by their sport and repeatedly having to watch each other put themselves in the way of dangerous animals, other barriers still tear them apart.

For one thing, Cody is ten years older than Johnny. But instead of contemplating retirement, he focuses on winning the championship, desperate to stay on top. Johnny is only beginning to find the professional recognition he craves. When frustration leads Johnny to walk away, Cody’s season slumps. While they’re apart, they both slowly realize they are meant to be together. But machismo abounds in the sport of bull riding, and their pride might be an obstacle too big for love to overcome.

The first 20% of this audiobook were kind of dull, with too much rodeo explanation for me. Then the story took off and I enjoyed every moment because of the great secondary characters. At 50% I had to bide my time when the Disney Cars trope unfolded. Fine for preschoolers, but too preachy for adults.
The narrator has a great voice. He could add more emotion to the story, but that does not lessen my enjoyment. A good addition to the M/M romance genre, but I wonder why it's not more popular.

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