Audiobookworm Blog Tour: Vacation Bride

Author: Vicky Loebel

Narrators: Emily Beresford

Length: 5 hours 6 minutes

Series: Brides of Paradise, Book One

Publisher: Pentachronistic Press

Released: Nov. 28, 2017

Genre: Contemporary Romance

When Anna Williams lands a spot on the Vacation Bride reality show, she’s hoping to give her sick father a break from the Milwaukee winter, not win a rich husband. Which is good, because the hunky maintenance man whose broad shoulders and clear blue eyes have caught her attention is neither rich nor part of the contest, is he?

Chris Andersen was a disinherited resort brat until his uncle’s family crashed their private helicopter during an argument over money. Now Chris is a secret billionaire, determined to make the Paradise Resort a success on its own. To pay for improvements, he’s hosting his cousin’s Internet reality series, Vacation Bride, a show where women compete to win a rich husband. The women are silly and the show’s a lot of work, but the publicity seems worth it. At least until Chris finds out he may be entering the contest himself as first prize.

Vicky Loebel began her professional life as a systems programmer for NASA and moved through successively more challenging careers before settling in as a writer of tightly-plotted, romantic fiction. She lives on the slopes of Mt. Lemmon, AZ with her sister, three dogs, a rotating assortment of children, and a husband who has the patience of a saint.

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Emily Beresford is a professional audiobook narrator who is a nerd for books, no matter the genre. In 2013 she was nominated for an Audie Award and received an Earphones Award from AudioFile magazine, for her work on the Multi-Voice title October Mourning. She lives in Michigan with her wonderful husband, and two amazing children.

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To read my full review, Click Here

 

There is also a Read Along for this title.

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I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Vicky Loebel. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.


Q&A with Author Vicky Loebel
  • Tell us about the process of turning your book into an audiobook.
    • I was extremely lucky making an audiobook of “Vacation Bride” because I knew Emily Beresford from working on two previous audio projects. All I had to do for this one was email Emily to get on her production schedule and deliver the book file. She took care of the rest.
  • Do you believe certain types of writing translate better into audiobook format?
    • Humor is a challenge because you’ve got to find a narrator who can read your mind and telepathically figure out the right comic timing for the narration. I was lucky enough to find Emily before I realized how tough this is, or my fingernails might have been a lot more chewed.
  • Was a possible audiobook recording something you were conscious of while writing?
    • Since this is my third audiobook, I actually did think about how well it would translate into audio while I was editing and polishing the manuscript. Specifically, I tried to keep the sentence construction a little simpler so the poor narrator could catch her breath.
  • Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?
    • Turquoise water 🙂 I took a lot of inspiration from research into the Caribbean and the US Virgin Islands — gazing longingly through webcams, watching Caribbean shows on cable TV. My secret hope is to inspire a lot of future tropical vacations.
  • Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?
    • I love audiobooks! I started checking them out from the library (remember CDs?) years ago to listen to while commuting, and they quickly expanded to brighten chores, exercise, and rocking babies at two in the morning. Along the way, I saw the added dimension a great narrator brings to a story and discovered many new authors while sampling books by beloved narrators. In my opinion, it’s perfect,
  • Is there a particular part of this story that you feel is more resonating in the audiobook performance than in the book format?
    • Emily really provides the sense of wonder that my heroine Anna feels exploring the Virgin Islands and encountering unexpected luxuries, like her visit to a megayacht.
  • How did you celebrate after finishing this novel?
    • Well, let’s see, there was the megayacht cruise to the US Virgin Islands…oh wait…that was a dream. In real life, we threw a terrific Facebook launch party with games, gift cards, and tropical-themed prizes. It was a hoot!
  • In your opinion, what are the pros and cons of writing a stand-alone novel vs. writing a series?
    • I think that both as a writer and reader, there’s nothing more satisfying than to fall in love with a place and group of characters and then go back and revisit them for additional romance and adventure. On the other hand, stand-alone novels sometimes have a little more freshness and energy.
  • Have any of your characters ever appeared in your dreams?
    • They like to show up at the end of a project and tell me all the much wittier things they would have said if I’d listened to them in the first place. Thank goodness for revisions!

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Audiobook Romance

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Review: Vacation Bride (Brides of Paradise #1) By Vicky Loebel


My Reviews


The Bachelor With A Bit Of Big Brother And Survivor Thrown In.

Vacation Bride is the first title in the Brides of Paradise Series by Vicky Loebel.

Emily Beresford narrates.

HEA, no cliffhangers!

Being the first, it could be read as a standalone, but I always advise to read in order to get the most out of the experience.

Length: 5 hrs and 6 mins

Content Warning: Per the authors site: (Series rated PG for just a touch of heat.)

♥ Story ♥

This title is now available as part of the Audible Romance Package. The ebook counterpart is available through the Kindle Unlimited program and includes a sneak peek at book #2.

This is a PG story, but still entertaining! The characters are endearing and make you want hear more so you can see how it turns out for the rest of the cousins.

Neither one of the main characters really want to be part of the “Vacation Bride“, but do so reluctantly to benefit their loved ones. I don’t blame them, because this show is completely ridiculous! The sad thing is, I can totally see girls doing this in real life. It’s basically a combination of several reality shows in one.

All participants get to bring one stylist with them, and our heroine, Anna,  brings her father. Not as disastrous as you would think. As with most reality dating show, most of the girls are B@#$hes to each other but sluts to the Bachelor, and that causes all kinds of crazy. The most crazy cake is taken by the Host of this lovely program. Trust me, she is evil! To prevent spoilers in this review, please see the Read Along  if you want more details.

It’s worth the credit if you don’t have a subscription to the Audible’s Romance Package. Book #2 is also in the plan and I can’t wait to listen!

Join Vicky’s Readers Group and get a FREE copy of One to Keep, a Brides of Paradise short story. It’s about Chris’s cousin Silvanus Cooper-Andersen.

Audio Sample from Audible

♥ Author ♥

Vicky Loebel writes a good, clean story. Her characters are great. This was my first listen by her and I can’t wait to get to book two!

Vicky has 04 Audible Titles.

♥ Narrator(s) ♥

Emily Beresford did well with all the characters she voices. Both male and female have clear distinction! This was my first listen by this narrator and I would definitely listen to anything else she voices.

Emily has 165 Audible Titles

Vacation Bride

Brides of Paradise Series

Written by Vicky Loebel

Read by Emily Beresford


Ebook obtained through Kindle Unlimited

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

Audiobookworm Blog Tour: Starblind Series, Book #1


Author: D.T. Dyllin

Narrator: Ashley Holt

Length: 6 hours 59 minutes

Series: Starblind, Book 1

Publisher: Tik Tok Press

Released: May 19, 2017

Genre: Romantic Science Fiction

Owner of the Chimay grade starship dubbed The Pittsburgh, Captain Jane Sevis is one of the best bounty hunters in the galaxy. Except for the occasional problematic hunt, her life is pretty uncomplicated. When a particularly slippery target reveals the real reason for being in her database, her world is turned upside down in more ways than one. Will she follow her gut and look the other way for the man she may be falling for? Or will their love fall prey to her mercenary heart before it gets a real chance to ignite?

 

 

D.T. Dyllin is a bestselling author who writes paranormal, sci-fi, and contemporary romance. Basically, anything with a love story is her kryptonite. Her obsession with affairs-of-the-heart is what first drove her to begin twisting her own tales of scorching romance.

D.T. was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Black & Gold for life, baby!) She now lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with her husband, and two spoiled German Shepherds.

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Narrator Bio

Former NPR PBS FM radio host/announcer in a major media market, with a warm mezzo female voice. I have a background in opera and can present in English, Italian, German, French, Latin. With a background in the performing arts and opera, I can sing as well as do some accents.

Home includes a husband shaped person, 2 cats, volunteerism and an active online gaming presence.
No audiobook genre is taboo, which makes for very interesting dinner table discussion.

Member, Audio Producers Association

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Series: Starblind, Book 1

 Full Review Here:
Starblind (Starblind #1)


Read Along With Me: Starblind
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I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Ashley Holt. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

Q&A with Narrator Ashley Holt
  • How did you wind up narrating audiobooks? Was it always your goal or was it something you stumbled into by chance?
    • HA< totally by chance. A friend of mine asked me for help building her recording studio. (My day job is in TV/internet broadcast, so that is why she asked me) I asked her what it was for, and she said “I’m going to narrate for Audible. YOU should do it” So I auditioned for 3 books and got all 3 of them right out of the gate. One of those books is still one of my best sellers. It is a non-fiction book about the Meyers-Broggs MBTI personality profiles and how yo use them to analyze people. My friend? Narrated one book and quit after finding out how hard it is.
  • Did you find it difficult to “break into” audiobook narration? What skill/tool helped you the most when getting started?
    • No, but I really have an edge many folks don’t: a combo platter of: a background in radio, acting and opera (yes, singing) and a very strong tech background in audio/video production and website development. (my dad always insisted I have a backup plan for that artsy career I wanted. So its easy for me to narrate, produce and deal with the website interface of ACX. My Achilles heel? MARKETING. 😉 Might be why I am here.
  • A lot of narrators seem to have a background in theatre. Is that something you think is essential to a successful narration career?
    • A THOUSAND TIMES YES. There are authors that think they can narrate their own book because they have done book readings. Audiobooks are an entirely different animal.The listener wants an IMMERSIVE experience, with full-blown characterizations and world-building.
  • What type of training have you undergone?
    • I have an MFA in opera, and over 20 years of experience preparing and singing opera roles. I have audiobook coaches. (an absolute MUST) One for non-fiction, one for fiction, and one for dialects/accents.
  • How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for narrating?
    • The big lesson I learned is to not take too many books in the same genre. There are only so many ways you can voice certain romance scenes, so I need a non-fiction or a sci-fi or my new favorite genre, LitRPG to mix things up.
  • Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?
    • This is a holdover from my opera days. YOu always listen to the greats. Listening to them is also a form of coaching. Kate Reading and Xe Sands are 2 I like a lot, I also listen to my coaches, Sean Pratt (who is currently working on his 950th book) and Carol Monda. I mentioned before, I do this part time. My day job involves a LOT of traveling, both local and cross-country. When I’m stuck in a 6 hour layover in Houston, or have to drive cross-country audiobooks are a godsend!!!
  • What are your favorite and least favorite parts of narrating an audiobook?
    • Favorite? When I feel that phrase hit just right for the moment and the mood. Starblind was a TON of fun in that regard, because I am snarky/sarcastic by nature, so her character fit like a glove…Least favorite is marking during prep. My prep involves reading the book multiple times, (which I love) and then I have to mark pronuncistions, breathing, pauses, emotions, accents…when I wa still using an Android tablet, it was horrendous. I love Android, but switching to an iPad was a game-changer in that respect.
  • What would you say are your strongest narration abilities?
    • Right now, dialogue, especially if its snappy patter. I think I channel Rosalind Russell in “His Girl Friday” or Rene Russo in “The Thomas Crown Affair” remake a LOT.
  • Is there a particular genre you feel unsuited for? Have you ever declined a project because you didn’t think you were right for it?
    • OMG yes, and I learned this one the hard way. Regency Romance. The only one I did, I did not use an accent. (Granted, the author did not request it, but STILL) Then after I was done, I found out that an RP British accent is de rigeur, and I took a BEATING in reviews over it. Dialect coach says its one of the hardest to learn, so I won’t be doing any of those titles anytime soon.

     

    Starblind, Book 1

    Feb. 6th:

    Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews

    The Book Junkie Reads . . .

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    Feb. 7th:

    Audiobook Romance

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    Notes from ‘Round the Bend

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    Smada’s Book Smack

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    The Book Addict’s Reviews

    Parallax, Book 2

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    Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews

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    Audiobook Romance

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    Lilly’s Book World

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    Notes from ‘Round the Bend

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    Buried Under Books

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    Smada’s Book Smack

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    Flux, Book 3

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    Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews

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    Audiobook Romance

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    Up ‘Til Dawn Book Blog

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    Notes from ‘Round the Bend

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Audiobookworm Blog Tour: A Witch’s Path Box Set, Book #2

Author: N.E. Conneely

Narrator: Jeff Hays, Soundbooth Theater

Series: A Witch’s Path, Book 2

Length: 7 hours 26 minutes

Publisher: N.E. Conneely

Released: Aug. 27, 2015

Genre: Paranormal, Supernatural

After a near death experience, Michelle has vowed to do her job, magical assistance for the police, and leave the heroics to someone else. Besides, life should be settling down for her since the trolls have been captured and the sorceress was neutralized. Unfortunately, the power behind the sorceress wants her dead, Elron starts acting funny, a magical creature wreaks havoc on a town, and there’s trouble with the werewolves. As if that wasn’t enough, the clans have started to notice her power and she has more reasons than ever to fear the clans.

Things go from bad to worse when Michelle’s best friend is abducted, and she must decide between her friend and her vow to stay out of dangerous situations.

N.E. Conneely lives in northern Georgia with her dog and a mountain of books. They sweat through the summer and freeze through the winter, and life as they know it comes to an end when so much as a single snowflake falls out of the sky. For fun, N.E. plays with her dog, reads, knits, crochets, paints, and does tie-dyeing and origami. She makes a great pizza and is currently negotiating with her husband about raising sea monkeys and growing a vegetable garden.

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Narrator Bio

Jeff Hays has made a name for himself in the audio book world by creating immersive experiences out of his productions. His versatility and authenticity in voicing characters, expressive low-impact narration, and dedication to offering the highest quality audio possible has earned him a loyal following of listeners. Having been fascinated with sound since he can remember, Jeff takes his background of composing and producing music, and his continual consumption of the avalanche of fictional media we all experience in these modern times, and uses it to inform his style of story telling in the audiobook realm.

And now, having produced more than 80 audio books and perfecting his craft, using the namesake of his live streaming narration show, the Soundbooth Theater shingle has been hung. Soundbooth Theater is dedicated to applying Jeff’s production methods to new audio books with other budding narrator talent, and expanding his scope from audio books, to voicing and producing animation.

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Series: A Witch’s Path, Book 2

 Full Review Here:
A Witch’s Path (Witch for Hire #2)


Read Along With Me: A Witch’s Path
Click Here


 

I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Jeff Hays. The gifting of this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.

Q&A with Narrator Jeff Hays
  • When did you know you wanted to be an audiobook narrator?
    • Probably after the first audio book I narrated. I enjoyed the process so much, and the product itself was so much more satisfying than any voice-over project I’d ever worked on. I was the director and the whole cast, and it was the closest thing to composing music I’d encountered up until then.
  • How did you wind up narrating audiobooks? Was it always your goal or was it something you stumbled into by chance?
    • This was definitely something I stumbled into. Voice acting itself was something I had the gear for (but I really didn’t) that I decided to give a shot. Before that I was trying to get work editing video. One time I was hired for an audio book project that pretty well… and I was hooked.
  • Did you find it difficult to “break into” audiobook narration? What skill/tool helped you the most when getting started?
    • I’m sure the “breaking into” part of my career was more of a gradual thing that I never noticed. I just kept producing until people started listening.I’d say music production and performance have been my most valuable skills in developing this craft. Melody and rhythm are essential to narrating audio books. And most important, for inflection and character voices, are ears.
  • A lot of narrators seem to have a background in theatre. Is that something you think is essential to a successful narration career?
    • No. My theater background is a couple plays and classes, in high school, and I can’t say that those experiences have had a huge impact on how I act in the booth.
  • What type of training have you undergone?
    • I’ve taken some accent lessons from Amy Walker, taken a class with Elaine Clark recently about commercial VO and adding musicality to the read. I also took 3 sessions at the KC Improv Theater this year. Otherwise, all my other education is in other things,
  • How do you manage to avoid burn-out? What do you do to maintain your enthusiasm for narrating?
    • I have no idea! I just keep going and stay as focused as possible. It’s really not that hard cause I love doing it that much. But keeping myself from burning out is something I’ve had trouble with. I put too much on my plate, so I’m always busy as hell. I’m going to Thailand NEXT Friday, so that should help me reset!
  • Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?
    • I don’t read audio books much. They’re too long, and it’s very difficult to find an audio book that I can stay awake through. I also tend to focus on critiquing inflection while I listen, so I totally lose the story. And since it’s what I do for a living, it’s sort of the last thing I want to do when I actually do give myself some time off.
  • What are your favorite and least favorite parts of narrating an audiobook?
    • My favorite part is always the characters and their voices. My least favorite part is probably the industry. I love producing and talking to listeners, but I don’t like the way the business works, really.
  • What would you say are your strongest narration abilities?
    • Dialogue is probably my biggest strength. It’s not just getting the individual characters right, it’s also getting their relationships to each other right. Timing, for dramatic or comedic effect, is something that I think most audio books absolutely do not get right, and it’s something I’ve always thought was essential to giving an effective performance.
  • Is there a particular genre you feel unsuited for? Have you ever declined a project because you didn’t think you were right for it?
    • I think I’m in the right genres right now: Sci-Fi and Fantasy. My actual specialty is a genre called LitRPG (Or RPG GameLit, there are issues with the genre name right now due to a ridiculous trademark issue), but it’s clearly a subgenre of sci-fi and fantasy. This is because I put so much into characters, and these genres tend to have more colorful, monstrous or alien types of characters. The more extreme and crazy a character is, the more fun they are to play.
  • What about this title compelled you to audition as narrator?
    • When I first found the job from N.E. Conneely, it was up for audition on ACX, and it had a $100 pfh stipend on it. This meant Audible would pay me $100 per finished hour of the audio book, as well as paying royalties to me for sales. But it was calling for a dual cast. I auditioned for both parts just for fun, and I was surprised to hear that the author just wanted me to do both characters. Narrating convincingly as a female is both an interesting challenge, and painful and humiliating. But sticking to it and finishing the first three books for N.E. Conneely was a great learning experience, and it truly conditioned my voice to a point that, at least when I play characters, making females sound convincing is completely effortless for me now.

Book 1

Jan. 28th:

Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews

Jazzy Book Reviews

TheHufflepuffNerdette

T’s Stuff

Jan. 29th:

Bean’s Bookshelf and Coffee Break

Turning Another Page

Booktalk with Eileen

Jan. 30th:

Chapter Break

Bookworms Corner

Audiobook Romance

Jan. 31st:

Working Mommy Journal

Notes from ‘Round the Bend

Feb. 1st:

Lilly’s Book World

Two Girls and a Book

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Bound 4 Escape

Holed Up In A Book

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The Book Addict’s Reviews

Up ‘Til Dawn Book Blog

Book 2

Feb. 4th:

Bean’s Bookshelf and Coffee Break

Feb. 5th:

Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews

Turning Another Page

T’s Stuff

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Chapter Break

Bookworms Corner

Audiobook Romance

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Lilly’s Book World

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Working Mommy Journal

Jazzy Book Reviews

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Bound 4 Escape

Holed Up In A Book

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The Book Addict’s Reviews

Two Girls and a Book

Book 3

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Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews

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Bean’s Bookshelf and Coffee Break

Turning Another Page

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Chapter Break

Audiobook Romance

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Bookworms Corner

Lilly’s Book World

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Working Mommy Journal

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Bound 4 Escape

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Review: A Witch’s Path (Witch for Hire #2) by N. E. Conneely


My Reviews


The Plot Thickens And There Are Hot Kisses!

A Witch’s Path is the second title in the Witch for Hire Series by N.E. Conneely.

Jeff Hays narrates.

This has multiple POVs, but it is a continuing story arc revolving around One Main Character!
HFN endings with no cliffhangers.
I would advise to read these in order to get the most out of the experience.

Length: 7 hrs and 26 mins

Content Warning: Some hot kisses

♥ Story ♥

I listened to this as part of A Witch’s Path Box Set. It is also available as a single title as well. Both ebook counterparts are available through the Kindle Unlimited program.

This picks up pretty much where the last one ended. There is a little bit of catch-up at the beginning, but sadly no mention if Cales ever became a troll snack or not. Oh well, at least the jerk never came back around.

The death threats are getting more frequent, and her Mom is still refusing to divulge any information. This one is mostly non stop action and lots of frustration over the difficult people in life. The werewolf and suicide issues set-up in book one get tackled, but I wouldn’t say resolved.

There is a bombshell dropped toward the end that will definitely be a big part of book three. If you have been keeping track of details as you listen or read, it shouldn’t be a total surprise. You will get some answers, but also more questions. I’m am anxious to see how this all plays out in the next one.

Audio Sample from Audible

♥ Author ♥

N.E. Conneely gives us the answers we want, but leaves you wanting more. With all my NEW questions, I am dying to get to book three!

N.E. Conneely has 05 Audible Titles.

♥ Narrator(s) ♥

Jeff Hays is still Amazeballz! Its crazy to think all of these characters are voiced by just ONE man!

Jeff now has 100 Audible Titles

A Witch’s Path

Witch for Hire Series

Written by N.E. Conneely

Read by Jeff Hays

Ebook obtained through Kindle Unlimited

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