Stray by Natasha Stories
Narrators: Sierra Kline & Jeffrey Kafer
Length: 7 hours 32 minutes
Publisher: Ashton Publishing Group
Publication date: February 15th, 2018
Synopsis (according to Goodreads):
Erin Timms took a new job as a veterinarian in Sunshine, Colorado, for two important reasons: to get away from her ex, and to give herself a chance at a new life. But when devastating news of her ex follows her there, she begins to think she has made a terrible mistake.
Tall, stunning-looking Jon Miles had only one goal: to save the mountain canyon where Sunshine is located from businessmen who want to exploit it. But how can he do that when he is already an outcast?
There was nothing to suggest they'd ever meet, much less strike a spark of red-hot romance. Except that Erin can never turn away a stray...
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Review:
I received this audiobook as part of my participation in a blog tour with Audiobookworm Promotions. The tour is being sponsored by Sierra Kline. The gifting on this audiobook did not affect my opinion of it.
I had never reviewed an audiobook before but had enjoyed them immensely when I first started listening to them. The emotional inflection that the narrators can put on a simple statement or description of an action can really set the scene more than one's own imagination can even fathom. Stray seemed like the perfect chance to branch out into reviewing a totally different and exciting forum of literature.
Erin Timms is a mess of a woman, but she has every right to be. She uprooted her entire life in an attempt to escape the dramatic state of affairs she left behind only to be saddled with a snarky assistant, an absentee superior, and a staggering lack of a social life outside of the animals she tends to on a daily basis as a veterinarian. The small town she moved to for the happy name and its close-knit community seemed so welcoming but it seemed this small town had its own issues. The town of Sunshine was at war with the big-wig conglomerates who are slowly decimating the town in order to expand their ski resort. And there seems to be a name at the forefront of the out-of-towner vacation spot tyrants: Jon Miles.
Jon Miles is not what the citizens of Sunshine believe him to be. Unlike his father he wants to preserve the sanctity of the small town and stop the expansions in their steps. However, the only way to achieve this goal is to cozy up to the head of the committee and his spoiled rotten daughter. Suffer through a false relationship to sever the snake at the head. Easy, right? Then he meets Erin and it's anything but easy. He finds himself smitten with her and the injured dog he hit with his car which caused their meet cute. But what will win out: the life he could have with Erin and the pooch or the need to do right by the town of Sunshine?
I truly enjoyed Stray. The narrations were clean and clear to the point of me believing they were Erin and Jon. The story as a whole was the typical cozy romance read that had only just enough turmoil to keep the reader invested. While I normally lean towards the high drama reads, this one was refreshing. It was a palette cleanser and a book that gave that token sigh of contentment when the last chapter ended. The only issues I had with the story was that the wrenches thrown into the mix that caused the drama were padded so they didn't really cause a gasp or a whimper of anxiety. That read a little unrealistic as when something emotion happens in a book you want to feel it in your soul. My soul remained intact, but it wasn't a deal breaker as far as my level of enjoyment. All in all, I would say Stray is an absolute must read for anyone who loves romance with a softer touch.
Audio Excerpt
About the Narrator:
Sierra Kline - Programmer by day, narrator by night, Sierra Kline has more than 300 titles available on Audible. True to her Midwestern roots, Sierra got her degree in theatre from Michigan State University which she has been fortunate to put to heavy use both on the stage and in the booth. When she's not recording in her home studio, she prefers the great outdoors and loves running, traveling, and backpacking.
About the Narrator:
Jeffrey Kafer - Jeffrey Kafer is a full-time SAG-AFTRA audiobook narrator. He has narrated over 450 books in almost every genre for such authors Clive Barker, Steve Alten, Maya Banks, Gregg Olsen and many others. He has 2 degrees in cinema and broadcasting and spent the first part of his career as a video game tester for Microsoft before following his true passion of acting. He's been on stage since he was 13 (his mom still has the bellhop costume she made) and currently lives in Los Angeles with his family and dog.
