Audiobook Review: Thick & Thin (THIRDS #8) by Charlie Cochet

In a matter of days, Dex has been kidnapped, tortured, killed, revived, become half Therian, offered the chance to become a spy, and accepted a proposal to marry his jaguar Therian boyfriend, Sloane Brodie. It’s been a lot to take in, and although Dex is still trying to wrap his head around everything that’s happened, he knows he has to move forward.

After the events of Smoke & Mirrors, Dex and Sloane find themselves in one of the most frightening situations of all: revealing the truth to their Destructive Delta family. When the dust settles, nothing will ever be the same, and it’s up to Dex to prove that in the face of change, the one thing that will always remain the same is family.
Listening Length: 3 Hours 20 Minutes
Narrator: Mark Westfield

Reviewer: R * A Reader Obsessed*

DNF - 1 Heart for audio version; 4 Hearts for eBook


Let me preface with the fact that I love this series and it is one of my few favorites, so when the opportunity came for me to listen to it, I grabbed it right up! Suffice it to say, despite having listened to over 150 various audios and podfics (and believe me, there have been quite a few zingers), this was my first DNF

Honestly, within the first minute it was immediately apparent that this audio and I would not be getting along. It was an absolute struggle for me to continue, and I gave it a generous 33 minutes before I officially tapped out. I feared that continuing would’ve caused listening induced seizures, resulting in irreversible brain damage. No joke. Just to be sure, I sampled each THIRDS installment, as well as several other works that Mark Westfield has done, and they were all the same. In my opinion, Westfield sounds like a robot who’s trying to be human. That’s the best way that I can describe it. With every pause and at the end of every sentence, the drawn out lilt and drop in tone was painful to hear over and over and over and over, with no variation except when it came to his way dramatic character voices. So for me, this was a big ‘N-O”, which is a shame because had this audio and I had gotten along, I would have happily doled out the cash for the rest of this series.

Obviously, Mark Westfield has pleased the powers that be and many listeners as well, as he's narrated all 7 previous THIRDS books, and I assume he will continue to do so with this series and its subsequent spin off. However, everybody’s tastes are different and I only implore you to at least sample before you buy, as I will definitely not be enjoying past, nor future books, by this narrator.

The audio was provided in exchange for an honest review

My previous review of Thick & Thin (eBook):

4 Hearts!

Again, I have to hand it to Cochet. This novella where Dex and Sloane deal with the aftermath of several hard core reveals from Smoke & Mirrors (THIRDS, #7) was the perfect gift as we anxiously wait for book 9.


Never shorting the reader on the humor, the emotions, the things that make each character so distinct and special, this was another great installment with a special shout out to Cael, Ash, and Hobbes.


I said Smoke & Mirrors (THIRDS, #7) was a total game changer and the start of something new and extraordinary for favorite couple Dex & Sloane, and I was right. Cochet has geniusly put in place a setup that could take forever to resolve. Absolutely no complaints here!! Bring it!