Happily Ever Chapter
✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ FOUR-STAR ✩ AUDIO ✩ REVIEW ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ > > Judging a Book by it's Cover < < Half-dressed fireman posing to the side of flames. Nothing to express the gravity of the book's content. I love the synopsis. > > Looking Deeper < < POV ~> Third-person Fireman and single father, Dean, met photographer, Marco, at the prompting of his ill son, Sammy. Sammy noticed a photo taken by Marco and wanted to see the prop in person and the men develop a slow-building relationship. The main characters were solid and Sammy felt age-appropriate. The secondary cast were varied. The chemistry between them was nice. Their relationship built slowly but felt natural. There were a few conflicts... Marco's indecisiveness over Dean's profession annoyed me at times but it still felt fairly natural. The external conflicts were handled as best as possible. Predictability was below average. The conclusion was solid and satisfying. Overall, the story was enjoyable and heartfelt. . Rating: [R] ~ Score: 4.275 ~ Stars: 4 ========================== Audio Review This is the first book I've listened to that was narrated by Michael Pauley even though he's narrated for several of my most enjoyed authors. The audio sample pulled me in and I'd thought this would be a grand slam but it was not without its pros and cons. While pronunciation/diction is clean and easy to decipher, the words sometimes were spoken too quickly and made it difficult to follow. I'd also noticed, several times, that the character voices and intonations were not stable, bled together, or were lost entirely to the point where the listener would not know who was speaking. The biggest exception to this was Angus, who was done beautifully. The drama- and angst-ridden plot of abandonment issues and unaccepting parental figures, topped with the fears of a dangerous job and having a potentially terminally ill child, all made for an emotional story. Those emotions were conveyed well by Mr. Pauley. I give the overall narration 4 out of 5 stars. ========================== ⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I received an audible copy of this book from the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐