Parker S. Huntington

Review: Asher Black by Parker S. Huntington

My ReviewsA good start to a promising series!


Asher Black is #01 of 05 in The Five Syndicates Series
(get it, 5) by Parker S. Huntington. The first 2 are published but only #1 is on Audible. The full series list can be found in the book itself or on the author’s page here.

Lacy Laurel narrates this title.

HEA with no cliffhanger!

This series is connected by characters, the school, and the mob, as far as I can tell. This is the first in the series and only one in audio. My philosophy is ALWAYS to read a series in order! :-).

Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins

Warning: SEX!
Yes, both in thoughts and actions, but very little. If you do not like sex, then you should avoid.

Trigger Warnings
Lucy has unplesant memories of potenial child abuse.



♥ Story ♥

Lucy ❤ Asher

Asher Black is a mafia/new adult romance (my classification, not official). This is the first in The Five Syndicates Series series. 5 are planned.


It’s like a modern day Cinderella story, only I lost a burner phone not a glass slipper .


Lucy

Lucy, almost everything about my name is fake, is a former foster kid that likes to run away from her problems. She is on scholarship at an Ivy league school where she instantly bonds with her roommate Aimee. Lucy is dragged to a hot club which sets into motion life altering events.

Lucy has a lot of baggage and can give you whiplash with her back and foth emotions. Her courage intrigues Asher, and thus goes our adventure.


Audio Sample from Audible


Asher

Asher Black is the true hero in this story, in my opinion! He is known as a mafia fixer, but if you ask him about it, he would say otherwise. Asher is not a man to be crossed, but not everyone is smart enough to listen. He goes out of his way for Lucy and is fairly honest with her, despite her not doing the same. He needs a fake fiance to keep from being voted out of his company. Guess who that is?

I feel like I can’t really comment on too much more without spoiling something, so please see the completed Read Along With Me for this title. Read Along With Me: Asher Black




There is not any info given for the other 4 books in this series except for #2 which has been published. Book #02, Niccolaio Andretti, features the mean girl schoolmate Minka and Niccolaio, who Asher called ‘One of His’. Book #03, Bastiano Romano, is about Asher’s ‘brother’, Bastian. Book #04, Marco Camerino, is possibly about Asher’s friend Mark, but not for sure. Book #05, Rafaello Rossi, is not a name I came across, even in part. I’m hoping for it to be the secret name of Xavier. :-).

This was a good start to a promising series. I look forward to listening to more in the future.

♥♥


I owe a favor to a mobster .
How the Hell did that happen?


♥ Author ♥

This is my 1st read/listen by Parker S. Huntington, and she has me hooked! The world setup is believable and there are definitely some characters I want more of.

Parker has 01 Audible Titles, this was her first!


♥ Narrator(s) ♥

Lacy Laurel gave yet another solid performance. The main characters were spot on!. The characters got a bit muddied when there were several in the same scene, but overall not too noticeable.

Lacy has 61 Audible Titles


Asher Black

The Five Syndicates Series

Written by Parker S. Huntington

Read by Lacy Laurel

Ebook obtained through Kindle Unlimited

Audiobook obtained for free at my request and I am voluntarily leaving this unbiased review

Read Along With Me: Asher Black Part 06

Read Along With Me
@ Chapter 31


What the what?
Shit getting crazy!


Now you’re ok with the killing!
Really lady!

@ Chapter 32


Now she gets it!
You can’t show the enemy all your cards!

 


Fingers crossed, Lucy gets to punch Monica in the throat!

 @ Chapter 33


I’m getting a very Italian Job vibe!


FYI: Niccolaio Andretti is hero of book #2!


@ Chapter 34


Is this Mark, the Marco Camerino of book #4?


Minka is at least doing something!
Doesn’t make me like her, but it does make me not hate her!

 @ Chapter 35


Lady, He didn’t kill the guy!


Throat Punch!
Throat Punch!
Throat Punch!

Punch her in the throat!

Damn!
No Throat Punch!
Boo!


The End, for the ebook!

@ Secret Epilogue


In my review audiobook copy, there was a short Epilogue that is not present in the ebook. As this is a review copy and not the Audible, I am not sure if this is present in the final product.

 


Asher Black

The Five Syndicates Series

Written by Parker S. Huntington

Read by Lacy Laurel


These are my musings as I listen/read this story!

Full Review Here

(Please note that above link will not be active until the read along is finished)


More Read Alongs Here

Read Along With Me: Asher Black Part 05

Read Along With Me
@ Chapter 25


Are we FINALLY going to get sexy fun times?


Damnit, NO!

@ Chapter 26


This chick is giving me whiplash!

 


That’s it?

 @ Chapter 27


This chick needs to get her brain in check!


Why is she acting like his past is a big surprise? She knew it going in, and he has been honest with her! She is the one with the secrets! I wouldn’t be surprised if that is the true cause of the attacks!


@ Chapter 28


They are misogynistic assholes.

 

 @ Chapter 29


See what lies get you!


Throat Punch!
Throat Punch!
Throat Punch!

You got some company Monica!

Throat Punch!
Throat Punch!
Throat Punch!


Go Asher!

@ Chapter 30


Really!
You’re just now figuring that out!


FINALLY!

SERIOUSLY


Asher Black

The Five Syndicates Series

Written by Parker S. Huntington

Read by Lacy Laurel


These are my musings as I listen/read this story!

Full Review Here

(Please note that above link will not be active until the read along is finished)


More Read Alongs Here

Read Along With Me: Asher Black Part 04

Read Along With Me
@ Chapter 19


So apparently Lucy has big tatas!


Minka needs to do something to redeem herself because at this moment I don’t want to read her story.


My heart weeps too, Lucy!

@ Chapter 20


Way to take the high road Lucy!


There is no way he doesn’t have a bullet proof vest on!


Yep!


Chick, Vests and a cocktail dress don’t mix.


I was wrong! Sorry!

 @ Chapter 21


So is it just a nightmare or is there more to what happened? Poor Lucy.
🙁


Hey, Pam from True Blood could pull off intimidating in pink!


@ Chapter 22


Awe, that is so sad!


So who is the intended target?
I thought I knew, but now I can’t be sure!
This is so intense!

 @ Chapter 23


Now you are taking him seriously about safety! Sheesh!


You don’t advertise you wear bulletproof clothing because the bad guys know to aim for your head!


Throat Punch!
Throat Punch!
Throat Punch!

I’m looking at you Monica!

Throat Punch!
Throat Punch!
Throat Punch!

@ Chapter 24


Oh Snap!
You go girl!


Asher Black

The Five Syndicates Series

Written by Parker S. Huntington

Read by Lacy Laurel


These are my musings as I listen/read this story!

Full Review Here

(Please note that above link will not be active until the read along is finished)


More Read Alongs Here

Audiobookworm Blog Tour Spotlight: Asher Black by Parker S. Huntington

Author: Parker S. Huntington

Narrators: Lacy Laurel

Length: 8 hours and 32 minutes

Publisher: PSH Publishing House

Released: Oct. 31, 2017

Genre: Romance

He was supposed to kill me. I had done the unthinkable. I called the cops on him, on his family, but he let me live. We became friends, and then… we fell in love.

Lucy Ives is a foster kid, running from her turbulent past. On her first night in New York City, she accidentally calls the cops on the mafia. When their fixer comes to kill her, he spares her life in exchange for a favor–be his fake fiance or die.

 

 

Parker S. Huntington is from Orange County, California, USA. She has a B.A. in Creative Writing from the University of California, Riverside and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Liberal Arts in Literature and Creative Writing from Harvard University. She has two puppies, Bauer and Chloe, and lives with her boyfriend of four years–a real life alpha male, book-boyfriend-worthy hunk of a man. She is currently working on Book 3 of the Five Syndicates Series.

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Narrator Bio

Lacy lives the life of a full time wife, mother and household manager. Needing a temporary escape from time to time Lacy returned back to her first love – reading! After devouring everything she could get her hands on she thought, -what if she could mix her love of performance and literature in a professional capacity? Once getting involved in the world of book narration she quickly became hooked and when not with her family you can find her in her studio working hard to grow in her own storytelling abilities.

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My Review can be found here.


Read Along With Me: Asher Black


Q&A with Narrator Lacy Laurel
  • When did you know you wanted to be an audiobook narrator?
    • I was listening to more and more audiobooks and I just kept getting the urge to do it.
  • How did you wind up narrating audiobooks? Was it always your goal or was it something you stumbled into by chance?
    • I just researched until I found ACX, and on their website it talked about what you needed, how to do it and I just went for it.
  • Did you find it difficult to “break into” audiobook narration? What skill/tool helped you the most when getting started?
    • No, it was not difficult to break in but to stay in is a totally different story.
  • A lot of narrators seem to have a background in theatre. Is that something you think is essential to a successful narration career?
    • I don’t know if it’s essential, I have a very limited background from when I was in school. I love theater. However now I do find training very important. Getting an instructor for the type of narration you want to perform, attend seminars and classes in both performance and audio technology – you should really know how to use the equipment you are utilizing and some ‘employers’ will only accept your work if you are using certain technology.
  • What type of training have you undergone?
    • I am seeing a coach for non-fiction (Sean Pratt-@SPPresents) and another for fiction (Andi Arndt – @andi_arndt). Between the two a variety of topics in narration and the business of narration are covered. I see improvement every time I have a session, which is really encouraging, I am lucky that although I may not have years of professional acting or collegiate acting training I am able to utilize my coaches to help me improve and to learn more about what it is that I do.
  • How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for narrating?
    • For me it is a combination of things. Because of the performance aspect, if I am not feeing it, I try not to push through. I will walk away and do some of the many other things I am responsible for in real life. My hours are really flexible because I work out of a home studio, so sometimes it is just as simple as hanging out with the family. Other times, I find that listening to others narrate in the genre’s I work in really helps. Especially when they are good they will motivate me to want to get back in the booth.
  • Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?
    • Yes I am constantly listening! I love audiobooks! For me, I find myself listening while I am doing housework or playing the driver to the kids.
  • What are your favorite and least favorite parts of narrating an audiobook?
    • My favorite is recording, getting to immerse myself into another world. I also love the read through of the book; it really gets me excited and helps me to plan out where I am going to go. I guess editing is my least favorite part, but only in comparison to the other parts, I love to do it, just not as much as performing or reading.
  • What about this title compelled you to audition as narrator?
    • It is exactly the story I would read as a consumer, and if it has my attention in that way then I want to audition because I know I will have fun with it while recording.
  • How closely do you prefer to work with authors?
    • I love having input from the authors, although every relationship is not the same. I do prefer it when even if they are not the ones who hire me, they have made the decision to have me be the voice of their book.
  • What’s next for you?
    • Project wise I am getting ready to dive into Stepping Stone, book 2 of The Stone Series, Filthy Cam Girl by JB Duvane, Same Page by G.L. Tomas and Blame It On the Pain by Ashley Jade

 

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