The whole story really demands a lot of thought and composure, but I’m not totally sure I can do that.

This is by far the longest book I’ve listened to at almost 18 hours, it’s taken me a full working week to get through it, and that means a lot to me. My time is very precious. I can never fit enough in as it is, without dedicating myself to this kind of book.

However, from the very beginning, Honey does the most fantastic job in the eyes of Ember to draw you in and totally consume everything you’re thinking and feeling. Ember has been through the worst thing you could imagine in life, to be trapped and abused by the man she loved. Stronger than you think she burned the house down and ran for her life, with little money and hardly any belongings.

It is that start out on her own that really sets alight her character, and this is a fantastic shout out to the writer for making her as wonderful and round as she is. She’s got issues of course, but she wants to trust and love and that is fab, even if it at first turns to crap with the two women at the shelter.

The journey that Red/Ember embarks on just because some youngster gave her $5 will be one that is full of twists and turns and emotional upheaval that no woman should ever really go through. I’m so in awe of her and I totally love her.

But that does bring me to Mav/Luce… or what ever other name he gets in the beginning.

He’s kinda a turn off. He’s hurt of course and I do understand that. But the bikers I know, and love. (I’m a biker chic and know some UK gangs) ….. well I just can’t see a guy leading a club being like this. I really struggle with his identity at the beginning. It’s not something that I can understand. This is I think down to the writer and how she’s wanting to portray things, but I think she could have kept his character and given us something to think about without the need to make Mav be as weak and almost just totally stupid in the beginning.

The book and narration on the whole I would never have guessed as being so long. Because I really did enjoy what Ember went through. There was of course hot sex and wanting more towards the middle and that was great. Wonderful attention to detail here. And from both sides of the narration. I wasn’t left with anything to think about, because it all was there. Their romance and get together was pretty good.

The religious side to Mav, also didn’t bother me too much, though I do wonder if any guy would have taken their new love down to the old house and show them everything that they were so openly, and then totally blow it out the water when Ember’s real father and situation come to life… I did also find that a stretch… a dramatic one, but yeah, still a stretch.

Ember also lasting as long as she did, with a full on bullet wound… eeek she’s so strong yet so weak.

The last two hours here were fab. I really loved the rescue and the conclusion with Warner. He did deserve to be tortured though….

As for the HEV I’m glad that things worked out for Ember, and the fact she went back to help Ivy, really good. I don’t know if there are more stories here, but I really think there is. And I want more.

As long as it was, as complicated as it was, this was one of the most interesting books I’ve listened to..

Great choice on narrators, and I hope that the author continues to use these so very talented people. They really brought this story to life for me.

🙂 i hope I can listen to more in the future.