Welcome to my weekly feature that focuses on audiobooks. It’s time to…
Audiobook review: Bound Series
Titles: London Bound (#1) & Drawn That Way (#2)
Authors: Jessica Jarman (#1) & Bronwyn Green (#2)
Narrator: Tatiana Sokolov
Audio Speed: 1x
Series: Bound #1 & #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Audiobook Source: Authors
When I discovered that the authors of one of my favorite series, Bound by Jessica Jarman and Bronwyn Green, published the first two books in audiobook format, I think I squealed out loud for a bit. Would I like the opportunity to review them? Hell yes!
Before I get into the audio/narration part of the review, I want to state that I strongly enjoyed both books the first time around. Much of what I wrote in my original reviews of both London Bound and Drawn That Way still holds true, and I’ll summarize my thoughts on both stories as taken from my original reviews.
London Bound: Overall, I found London Bound an entertaining, steamy erotic romance. While Nathan is a bit perfect, Meg is wonderfully real, creating a beautiful equilibrium. They share some intense and beautiful moments, carrying me away in their mutual affections. I needed things to work out for the couple because they make such a good match. I liked that they didn’t have a completely easy road, and it took some time to make it work. The D/s relationship and love affair are nearly perfect, and sometimes enjoying an ideal romance is just what a tired soul needs to getaway for a while.
Drawn That Way: I absolutely adored Drawn That Way! Rory and Tristan make a wonderful pair, and their chemistry is palpable. I was emotionally connected to each character right from the get go; able to relate in some way or another to both. Watching each let go of their hangups and worries as they give into their mutual lust is satisfying. I also appreciated that the author addresses the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace, which is a serious issue in today’s society. Overall, I totally loved Drawn That Way. While the story isn’t overly complex, it is emotionally satisfying. The characters are completely likable and grow enough to make the book fulfilling. The eroticism is equally emotional as it is sexual.
As for specifics to the audiobook versions:
One thing I noticed about listening to the books – I didn’t realize how much sex was in both books until listening!
The first book in the series, London Bound, is one of my favorites, and I delighted in listening to the story as a re-read. Right from the start, I was impressed with the narrator. She captured Meg’s uncertainty and maelstrom of emotions, as well as her underlying innocence. Tatiana Sokolov also excelled at the youthful voices of Meg’s kids; something that doesn’t always work with adult narrators. Nathan’s voice was good, with a slight accent, although I expected something deeper when I read it the first time. Listening to the story after reading it only made me love the story more, and I found that I wasn’t as hung up on Nathan’s perfection, but rather embraced it and fully enjoyed the story!
Story: A
Narration: B+
The second story, Drawn That Way, was equally as enjoyable the second time around. I found that I had forgotten parts, and I didn’t realize until listening that this book is related to a book that comes later in the series (Out of Sync). I enjoyed Tristan and Rory’s chemistry. The only minor issue I had with this one is that the narrator’s performance of both Tristan and Rory morphed over the course of the book. In the beginning – first 10 chapters or so – I felt Rory’s voice was off. I’m not a linguist expert, so it’s hard for me to pinpoint what it was exactly, but the “r” sounds were “pinched” or something, but after a while, it smoothed out and didn’t bug me. Similarly, Tristan, a native of the UK, starts with a mild accent, but by the midpoint of the book, it’s pretty much disappeared. While the narration wasn’t perfect, I found that I still immensely enjoyed the opportunity to revisit one of my favorite books from the past year.
Story: A-
Narration: B
That is still many chapters where it bothered you, hmmm
Yes, but it was only when he spoke, not the whole time. I really enjoyed the narrator’s voice and all the other characters.
Ahh I may just have to pick these up and give them a read! I’d not heard of them before that I can remember.
The whole series is AWESOME!! I hope you enjoy.