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My Review:Title: Hot Winter Nights
Author: Jill Shalvis
Series: Heartbreaker Bay #6
Published by: HarperAudio
Release Date: September 25, 2018
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Vivienne Leheny
Length: 9 hours and 2 minutes
Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Romantic Suspense, Holiday
Source: Library
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2019 Audiobook Challenge, Lenoreo's 2019 Diversity Reading Challenge
Find it: Goodreads ✩ Amazon ✩ Google ✩ Kobo ✩ IndieBound ✩ iTunes
My rating:
Blurb:
Who needs mistletoe?
Most people wouldn’t think of a bad Santa case as the perfect Christmas gift. Then again, Molly Malone, office manager at Hunt Investigations, isn’t most people, and she could really use a distraction from the fantasies she’s been having since spending the night with her very secret crush, Lucas Knight. Nothing happened, not that Lucas knows that—but Molly just wants to enjoy being a little naughty for once . . .
Whiskey and pain meds for almost-healed bullet wounds don’t mix. Lucas needs to remember that next time he’s shot on the job, which may be sooner rather than later if Molly’s brother, Joe, finds out about them. Lucas can’t believe he’s drawing a blank on his (supposedly) passionate tryst with Molly, who’s the hottest, smartest, strongest woman he’s ever known. Strong enough to kick his butt if she discovers he’s been assigned to babysit her on her first case. And hot enough to melt his cold heart this Christmas.
4.5 stars — I’ve been wanting to read this one since last Christmas, and I loved the blend of holiday, romance and suspense!
This was my first time listening to Vivienne Leheny, and she was solid. She had a great emotional range, and her voices were consistent. I didn’t even mind that she narrated both POVs, because there was enough variation to tell the difference. The only little twig I had was that occasionally her voice sounded…slightly computery…like the Alexa voice or something. It wasn’t overt, but I did notice it. Thankfully mostly only when she was listing the hashtags at the beginning of the chapters. Not enough to detract from my enjoyment.
Now on to characters! Molly could be frustrating as all hell with her stubbornness and her inability to tell the difference between empathy and pity. But on the other hand she was feisty, independent, fierce, smart, and hardworking. And the thing is, given the way she grew up, and the trauma in her past, I got why she was the way she was.
Lucas was actually the perfect foil for Molly, because he’d experienced loss and heartache in his past as well, so he could understand her. And not only that, but he needed her to help him live again. I loved that he saw all of her, and that he wanted to help her prove herself instead of holding her back. He was also smart, hardworking, and caring.
I loved seeing both of them with their families, and while they were SOOOOO incredibly different, you felt the love in each situation. And Lucas’s Mom was hilarious with her meddling. I even expected one thing from Molly’s Dad, and got something else instead, which is always delightful.
The chemistry between Lucas and Molly was definitely smoking hot, and I appreciated the way they became more and more intimate as they connected and shared their own secrets and vulnerabilities.
I’m really enjoying listening to this series, and I can’t wait to go back and listen to Archer’s and Joe’s after this story.
I listened to this one earlier this year. It was fun! I totally get what you’re saying about the narrator’s voice, though!