First In Series

Read Along With Me: Vacation Bride Part 02

24 February 2018 / Read Along With Me / , , , , , , , , ,

Read A Long With Me

@ Chapter 06

  • Nice thing she did there for the kids with the cupcakes!
  • Wow, that last sentence is a Doozy!

@ Chapter 07

  • She was a competitive swimmer, and she teaches swimming now, so she should do well.
  • Brideacudas…. Love it!
  • Lani and her sister are both Fabulous!
  • Butts Bitten! Told you so!

@ Chapter 08

  • I’m sure even the fights are labeled “Romantic”!
  • Ryan has a lot of nerve! Seriously!
  • If Chris really wanted to make this go away quick and easy, he technically has the money.

@ Chapter 09

  • Don’t think she ever planned on winning, just staying around long enough for her father to get in a little vacay time.
  • Doubt there was any love between Bobbie and Ryan, only opportunity and money.
  • Getting married so you don’t have to get married seems counter-productive?
  • OK, someone needs to throat punch a b@#ch! That was just cruel!

@ Chapter 10

  • If their parents get together, that will be cute overload!
  • I would of figured that everyone would of jumped to the conclusion that Chris had the same amount of money connections that his cousin Ryan had, but I guess not?
  • Random Porn reference! Nice!

@ Chapter 11

  • That’s what happens when you fall in love!
  • Yeah, should of included her dad.

Vacation Bride

Brides of Paradise Series

Written by Vicky Loebel

Read by Emily Beresford

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

Full Review Here

 

 

Read Along With Me: Vacation Bride Part 01

24 February 2018 / Read Along With Me / , , , , , , , , , ,

Read A Long With Me

@ Introduction

  • So its like The Bachelor with a dash of Big Brother and a smidgen of Survivor.
  • How long do you think it will be before this is actually a reality?

@ Chapter 01

  • I don’t think they truly pick randomly, because the selection would be a big hot mess!
  • Her dad as her stylist sounds…. interesting.
  • That was nice of her friend. I like her attitude and snarkiness!

@ Chapter 02

  • So what happens to Ryan to take him out of the show?
  • Very unfortunate way to come into money.
  • Bobbie is definitely not one to trust, she just wants whats best for herself.
  • She may be jinxing herself with that dolphin statement, cause they could totally do that!

@ Chapter 03

  • Bus driver description sounds funny yet a bit unerving.
  • I like Lani! Coupon swap was good call.
  • I would of liked to of seen that picture of the lil boat standing up to the big boats.
  • Pretty sure that boat captian is our hero Chris.

@ Chapter 04

  • It’s sad, but if Chris would of been with them, he would probably be dead too!
  • She wasn’t laughing “at” your boat dude! She was amused at the image in her head about your boat’s bravery!
  • So awkward!
  • Liars! The both of them, lol!

@ Chapter 05

  • mmmm…. cookies
  • Anna’s dad is actually pretty cool!
  • Chris and Anna are just too cute!
  • You 2 missed the best opportunities to come clean about your lies. That’s going to come back and bite ya in the butt!

Vacation Bride

Brides of Paradise Series

Written by Vicky Loebel

Read by Emily Beresford

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

Full Review Here

 

 

Audiobookworm Blog Tour: Vacation Bride

14 May 2018 / Audiobook Blog Tours / , , , , , , / 1 Comment

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.

Twitter⎮Facebook⎮PinterestNarrator Bio

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.

To join in Click Here

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

18 November 2019 / Reviews / , , , , , , , , , , , / 5 Comments

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.)

Ebook Sample from Kindle 

♥ 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

14 May 2018 / Audiobook Blog Tours / , , , , , , / 1 Comment

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.

Website⎮Twitter⎮Instagram
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
Click Here

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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    Audiobook Romance

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    Buried Under Books

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    Notes from ‘Round the Bend

    La libreria di Beppe

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    Lilly’s Book World

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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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    Dab of Darkness Audiobook Reviews

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