Audiobook Review: A Solitary Man by Shira Anthony & Aisling Mancy

Sparks fly when Chance meets tall, sexy Xav at a Wilmington bar and they have the hottest one-nighter of their lives. But Chance doesn’t do repeats, Xav seems detached, and they go their separate ways without a word. Later, when closeted Assistant District Attorney C. Evan “Chance” Fairchild meets Dare's Landing’s newest deputy sheriff, Xavier “Xav” Constantine, Evan isn’t only wary. He’s irritated as hell.

Xavier is a former FBI agent turned deputy sheriff who is hot on the trail of a South American child prostitution ring. Evan is fighting to put an end to rampant cocaine trafficking and chafing under the thumb of an election-hungry boss. When someone tries to kill the eleven-year-old witness who holds the key to both their investigations, they’re forced to work together as they put their lives on the line to protect him. As Chance and Xav collide in the heat of a sweltering North Carolina summer, dodging bullets and chasing bad guys isn’t the only action going on.

Listening Length: 10 hours 38 minutes
Narrator: Jim Pelletier

Reviewer: Annika

Story - 5 Hearts
Narration - 3.5 Hearts

A Solitary Man was an intense book. I kind of also want to say that it was horrible. But not in the way you might think - the writing was great, I loved the characters and the plot was a great one. An important one. But it's also what makes it so horrible. This book is very mystery focused, the romance is not the important part or does it play a huge roll. What does play a huge roll is human trafficking, rescuing missing boys believed to have been sold into the sex trade and smuggled out of the country. Dealing with the reality, the futility, the hopelessness, and the aftermath if it all. That's why I said it was horrible. Reading stuff like this, knowing that it's not fiction – oh the book is fiction, but sadly this kind of thing does happen every day and all over the world. It's scary and humbling and I admire the people who are out there fighting for the victims and putting their lives in danger, in the hopes to save just one. Because we never do get everybody home safe - do we?

Jim Pelletier wasn’t the best choice of narrator for this book. Sure he had different voices and even some accents. I do love different accents in narrations, they add another level to the narration - and it helps distinguish between different characters. It still wasn’t enough though. At times it felt like Pelletier was over-acting, it didn’t feel natural and was a bit much that it felt unbelievable. In turn it made the character unbelievable and it threw me off and out of the story. It made me focus on the narration instead of the story unfolding. Which was a shame, because the story truly deserves all the attention it can get – and then some.

A Solitary Man is well worth a read or listen, it is a heart-breaking story. But there’s also hope and a will to fight the evil in the world. So while painful, it’s a story that I highly recommend.

A copy of this book was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Review: Heartifact by Aisling Mancy

Harper Kidd is a highly respected marine archeologist. Yet, with the economy in a slump, he’s trapped working in an oil company’s exploration division. Now, at the ripe age of thirty, Harp is disgusted with his employer’s damage to the undersea world he loves, tired of his ATM-card-filching ex, and tormented by beautiful dreams of an undersea lover. It’s time for a change and when his best friend, Stick, pleads with him to assist on a deep-sea dig in the Mediterranean, he jumps at the chance.

Harper’s spirits are high when they discover the ruins of an ancient civilization, and soar to the heavens when they discover a statue of an ancient pelora, a mysterious hybrid creature said to mediate between the worlds of reality and fantasy—and the very lover who holds the starring role in his dreams.

When the crew discovers the site is teeming with unexploded ordnance from the conflicts in the Middle East, and the excavation turns deadly, Harper must choose between saving his best friend and the pelora he’s fallen in love with.

The net proceeds from this book benefit The Trevor Project in the US, le Refuge in France, and Arcigay in Italy.

NERDS! This one might catch your fancy!

If you're a nerd who loves mythology, marine archeology and a lot of nautical terms, there are terms galore in Heartifact by Aisling Mancy. It's a research dense novella that stars a marine archaeologist and a trapped mythological deity that only get physical in the mind. A mythology-dense contemporary suspense with romantic tones Are you nerdgasming yet? I have a microfiber cloth for your fogged up bifocals. Oh baby!

Dr. Harper Kidd is having a rough time in reality. He doesn't have a romantic partner, he's not working on a job that best uses his capabilities. His best friend offers him an out by joining her on a mission in the Mediterranean where the pay is great and there is possible treasure (of the historical variety) to be discovered. But from the beginning of the story as Dr. Kidd's life appears to be what he'd like it to be, it seems his subconscious has created a dream man that takes care of his sexual needs.

A creation that he can't see, but knows ALL of his thoughts and desires.

But the dreams feel real. And what starts as sporadic, moves to a constant night time occurrence. Harper's dream man is taking over, meshing into his reality as he and his friend, Stick and the archaeology team discovers ruins that hasn't been touched for centuries.

Something Harper is drawn to...especially when a discovery at the site seems to be a centuries old statue of his dream lover.

Pelora or Dr. Manhattan?

His dream lover, or Pelora is described as this otherworldly being that is ripped and blue. And once the descriptions were given, I couldn't get Dr. Manhattan out of the brain.

I'm unsure how to categorize Heartifact.

Is this romance? In a way, it is. And in a way, it isn't. The great thing about romance is that it's subjective. Heartifact doesn't fall under the traditional romance category. So if you're a reader who needs tradition, I wouldn't recommend. However, if you like puzzling history/mythology laden suspense trips, well then...welcome aboard.

The subject matter is interesting, the plot is fast paced. The mystery is not easily solved. But while the story is interesting and readable, the plot isn't as developed in crucial spots: Dr. Kidd falling in love (rather than having the reader told). The thoughts of Harper weren't as easily shared though it's told from his POV, so getting a grasp of what stage he was at different points during the book was not impactful as it could have been. The meld between the technical terms and romance could have been a little smoother. Since the most interaction we get of Harper and his dream man are in his dreams, I kinda wish just as much detail went into those dreams as the archeology parts.

For me, it was an unequal balance.

Interesting, but it could have been a touch longer to smooth out those parts. As is, we get brief dreams and nighttime moments to base the L word on.

The suspense part was cool. The ending is surprising (you couldn't get it on your best day). The epilogue...eh...I'm iffy on. The rest of the book sold me. I definitely dug the ideas this author has, and would read more from them.

If there was ever any follow up, I'd read it.

Do you need some alone time to nerd it out? Dr. Manhattan did it for you, huh?

I thought so. Our little secret. ;D

On a serious tip: net proceeds from this book goes to the following organizations: The Trevor Project in the US, le Refuge in France, and Arcigay in Italy!

Read for worthy causes! *Nerd high five*

Find on Goodreads!