Welcome to my weekly feature that focuses on audiobooks. It’s time to…
Audiobook Review: All or Nothing at All
Author: Jennifer Probst
Narrators: Madeleine Maby and Sebastian York
Audio Speed: 1.25x
Series: Billionaire Builders #3
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Simon & Schuster Audio
Sydney Greene never stopped loving Tristan Pierce, even when he left their hometown to pursue his dreams in Manhattan. Before he left, Sydney discovered she was pregnant, but not wanting to trap him, she let him leave without a word. Fast forward seven years and Tristan is home, reunited with his brothers and making a life for himself. Even though the pair barely speak, his attraction to Sydney is stronger than ever, so Tristan figures it may be time to revisit their once passionate fling. Now Sydney will see if their feelings can overcome the secret she’s been hiding all these years.
All or Nothing at All is the third story about the sexy, wealthy Pierce brothers. I absolutely LOVED the first two books, so it is hard for me to say that I had a big issue with this one. First, what I liked… Sydney and Tristan are meant to be, but they always let external issues and a lack of communication stand in their way of happiness. I enjoyed watching the pair finally get over their initial coldness when Tristan returned two years ago. Tristan’s eyes are opened to the woman Syd’s become, and his lust for both her brain and body are genuine. I really enjoyed the first part of the book and felt it was going to be another favorite. However…
****NOTE some of the issues I discuss may be considered spoilerish****
It’s obvious from the get go, there would be an explosion between the pair once the truth about Sydney’s daughter came out. I honestly expected it to get ugly for a bit, and then we’d enjoy learning how the pair gets past the hurt. What I didn’t expect, and frankly didn’t like at all, was the mindset and actions of Tristan once he learned the truth. His hurt drives him to force Sydney into marriage and require her to sleep in the same bed as him. Sure, Sydney still feels an attraction to him, and she doesn’t just stop loving him, but his behavior is unhealthy and too much. It’s beyond my comfort level and borderline abusive in my eyes. He uses emotional blackmail and brings her sleeping body back to his bed every night. I almost stopped listening to the book because of his callous attitude and unhealthy behavior.
****End spoilerish section****
As per the previous two books, the narration alternates between male and female POVs, and I enjoyed Mr. York’s performance more than Ms. Maby’s. Mr. York has a solid narrative voice and I felt he did a fine job with most characters. Sometimes it was tough figuring out which brother was speaking when all three were together, but overall it was a solid performance. However, like in the previous titles, I don’t care for Ms. Maby’s male voices, especially the main character. It just feels off, and while I get used to it by the time I’m done listening to the book, I don’t care for it each time I hear it for the first time. Another issue I had is that during the first half of the book, there are a number of flashbacks, and the transitions from present to past in the audiobook were not adequately distinguished, leaving me confused every time.
Overall, All or Nothing at All was a disappointing listen for me. Normally, I fall in love with Ms. Probst’s characters, but this time around, Tristan’s actions went too far into the realm of inappropriate for me to enjoy the romance.
Rating: C+
Male Narration: B
Female Narration: C+
Review copy provided by Simon & Schuster Audio
About the Book:
Tristan Pierce left the family business to carve out a life of his own, but never forgot his passionate affair with the much younger, inexperienced Sydney Greene, or the hurtful breakup that tore him apart. When he’s forced to return home and face his past, will he be able to carve out a future, or will lies ruin his second chance at love?
Sydney Greene loved Tristan her entire life but when he left, he took not only her heart, but her trust along with him. Now that they’re together again, it’s time they both face the biggest secret of all…