Mixed bag

Some stories are absolutely wonderful, others are weak. Not sure I would recommend the book to someone.

5 people found this helpful

Narrators

I liked these stories but the narrators were so bad. There was a couple that were good but the rest were so irritating. However, if you just concentrate on the stories this book is wholesome and well written.

4 people found this helpful

Individual reviews for each of the 12 stories

A year of Weddings
Audiobook edition
Feb 17-Mar 19

A January Bride by Deborah Raney. Narrated by Christy Ragland
Feb 17, 2019 4.5 stars
This was a fun book that pulled me in right away! I thought the story line was cool but when they figure out the confusion, the author spent a bit too much time telling the readers what we already knew. A bit too much detail on the ending as well. I love the house being a sort of muse! The premise was wonderful and unique!
The narrator did a great job with the few characters this book had. I’d love to see her tackle a book with much more of a challenge.

A February Bride by Betsy St. Amant. Narrated by Amber Quick
Feb 18, 2019 5 stars
I love second chances and this one was amazing! I’m especially fond of all the head conversations! Many books are missing these inner turmoil emotions! Just brilliant!! The narrator did a wonderful job as well. Maybe deeper voices for the men, but I was very pleased anyway! I listened on a few different devices and the recording could use more base.

A March Bride by Rachel Hauck. Narrated by Julie Lyles Carr
Feb 21 5 stars
I was pulled in from the first line as the narrator read the newspaper article. These characters suffer from being burned by previous attempts at love and lots of self doubt. Their conversations make you think and rethink about the choice of marrying a King. I love her conversation with the Pastor and his with his brother and mother in law to be!
The narration was superb!

An April Bride
By Lenora Worth and narrated by Christy Ragland
Feb 24 5 stars
This was a heart wrenching book! Because of my own experiences in the military, my heart went out to this young man with memory loss as a form of PTSD. I’m so happy there was a happy ever after, because I definitely was having my doubts! There was a bit of repetitive issues the bride and groom kept rehashing (a bit too much for my taste), but it had a purpose and the ending made up for it!!
The narration was splendid!

A May Bride
By Meg Moseley and narrated by Amber Quick
4 Stars Feb 26
I loved this book! The opening scene is priceless and cutting the apron strings was entertaining! The roles seem reversed, as this groom is pursuing his bride and knows exactly what he wants, but his bride is attached to her family at the hip! Some conversations went back and worth so quickly with not enough distinction between voices to follow some of the conversations. Either more variation of characters by the narrator or more tags identify the speaker by the author.

A June Bride
by Marybeth Whalen narrated by Julie Lyles Carr
5 stars Feb 28
This was a very different premise, but of course I loved the ending! Instead of focusing on on the perfect wedding, this fiancé should have trusted God and focused on her groom! I loved the narrator and had no trouble deciding who was speaking when the author didn’t label the conversations!

A July Bride
By Beth Wiseman. Narrated by Kristy Ragland
Mar 2 5 stars
This story was complicated! Emotions all over the place and many actions not meeting the hearts desires! Very real for a fictional book! Is there really a romantic love that is forever? You’ll get a chance to look at it from a variety of sides as this jilted bride gets slammed with her choices and those of others!
I loved the narration on this book! I didn’t have any areas where I was trying to figure out who was talking! Each character had a distinct voice!

An August Bride
By Debra Clopton. Narrated by Amber Quick
5 Stars March 5
I think this was the best book of this series! The narrator did a PERFECT sexy Texas cowboy drawl with that slow tender voice, and I am head over heals in love with this character! I love how God played his part as well as the three matchmaking women! Such a wonderful story and blending my favorite locations of a beach and a ranch is brilliant! If I could give more stars I would!

A September Bride
By Kathryn Springer, narrated by Julie Lyles Carr
4 stars March 6
I was really enjoying this story, until the very end. I thought it ended rather abruptly and could have used a few more sentences if not a whole chapter. The narration was good but I had a hard time distinguishing Jessie from Anne in a few scenes. There were some comical characters in this story and I’d be interested in getting to know this town and its people better.

An October Bride
By Katie Ganshert narrated by Christy Ragland
Mar 11 5 stars
A bit predictable, this was still a very good and entertaining story! I loved the narration. I think this story could use an epilogue though. Through the whole book we’re learning about the Father, yet that part isn’t really addressed at the end.

A November Bride
By Beth K. Vogt narrated by Amber Quick
5 stars Mar 15
I loved the idea that two friends could become romantically involved! These two may not have admitted that their love for each other was deeper than friendship, but everyone else seemed to just accept it as fact! A glorious story unfolds as these 30 something adults act like confused and insecure teenagers reliving the start of their friendship and moving towards a future, together! I loved it! The narration was spot on!

A December Bride
By Denise Hunter narrated by Julie Lyles Carr
Mar 19 5 stars
This is the final book in the audio version and it was a great way to wrap up the series. I loved how it played out! While their engagement was a bit short for most couples, it was longer than my own, and I appreciated that! This story kind of reminds me of how Jesus pursues his bride! Not with trickery, but with truly asking us, “do you love me?” I loved the narration on this one too! At first the speed was a bit fast for my preference, but I think it represented the character and her high strung life. It slowed in pace a bit as Seth wears Layla down to a more normal speed!

2 people found this helpful

Interesting Stories Boring Narrators

Almost every story has ever heroine from the South. So you would think knowing this that at least one of the narrators could have a southern accent. Even a bad on would have been appreciated. The narrators were all interchangeable. There were 3 narrators but it sounded like one person, they were all interchangeable, boring and forgettable. Just because they are religious stories don't mean they can't be read without inflection.

January -> It was a sweet story that I actually liked. It's actually plausible to happen and not annoying.

February -> The story was highly unbelievable and highly annoying. I don't know of any situation where if someone got left at the alter that they would be willing to marry the person that left them a few months later. Most people would be to angry to even talk to that person. Completely unbelievable. If the bride was that damaged she shouldn't have been involved with anyone in the first place. WORST STORY EVER!!!

March -> My favorite because it was an update to another story Once Upon A Prince. The narrator ruined it for me. The regular narrator Eleni Pappageorge did an excellent southern and British accent. To go from that to someone who reads the ladies and the men in the same voice and to here obvious English sayings coming out of a flat boring American voice was weird.

April -> It was unrealistic. Not the premise of the story but the unreal reactions. If my fiance came back from war with no memory of me of course I'm going to be supportive but I'm not going to keep the wedding on track. Also if your dealing with a specific type of amnesia, find a clever way to explain it to the reader. But to show such a low level of frustration no anger no response that any normal person Christian or not would have really insults the intelligence of the reader..

I'm going to stop here because the rest of the months are pretty much the same. These are short stories. But great short stories can do a lot more with less than these authors did. The stories are hot garbage except for the January and March. The women are brainless, spineless or emotionally stupid. Then men are weak or unrealistic. I have ready well written religious based stories. It was as if because these stories were religious the stores had to be EXTRA boring.

Please do not waste your time or credit on this drivel. In the interest of full disclosure I stopped listening after June because I couldn't take it anymore.

2 people found this helpful

Wonderful

The books were excellent. I'm so glad I disregarded the more negative reviews and purchased it anyway. Yeah, there seems to be some technical issue with the recording speed, I just set it to read at .75 speed and it sounded great. I love how Gods message of grace is worked artfully into these 12 stories. So happy. 😊😊😊

1 person found this helpful

Cute stories

They were cute stories! Obviously not too many of them are really what you could anticipate happening in real life but they were sweet to listen to. I do agree that at times I got a little frustrated with the narrators voices. They didn't fluctuate very much or change even a bit for characters. That's always a plus for me.

1 person found this helpful

Wonderful Collection!

I have loved listening to each novella! Complex, yet fun, and sometimes surprising love stories. The narrators did such a good job of bringing each story to it's happily ever after. I enjoyed getting to know some "new to me" authors as well and look forward to reading or listening to more of their books.

I wish there were more complete collections available on Audible.

1 person found this helpful

Great Premise. So-So Sorylines and Dialogue

I was excited to listen to this book. Even more so when I learned that the stories had Christian underpinnings. I was disappointed with many of them because the characters came across as rather "Polly Anna" in nature, responses, and overall attitude. Even in their relationship with God. Some of the stories were excellent. Some, well, meh. The authors really needed to flesh out the characters and give them personalities, flaws, and back stories. Since these stories were more like novellas, there was certainly enough time to explore this. So, this is not a bad selection overall, but it certainly was not remarkable.

Absolutely love

There were only 2 of these stories I didn’t care for but the rest were far from disappointing. My only regret was that they weren’t longer. Each book that I read becomes a family of sorts. Definitely worth listening too ❤️

Stuck on chapter 15

Even after reloading it wouldn't move forward. Too bad since the stories were really good.