Interesting

Any additional comments?

A great listen and well written story that kept me hooked. The narrator was excellent and really brought the story to life. I don’t usually listen to books in this category, but will be looking for more from this author in the future.

* I was given a free copy of the book from AudiobookBlast dot com in exchange for a fair and honest review.

1 person found this helpful

Enjoyable story

Couldn't put it down. This story has action, romance and many colorful characters that steal your heart or make you hate them.

Great Story!

This story runs the gamut from poignant to laugh out loud funny. Bridget Olafson and Lew McCarran make the perfect couple. Through disastrous circumstances they come together to aid a small lost orphan boy. Can the three of them be just what the others need? Don't miss how this wonderful story comes together in a most unexpected way.

Narration is very dry

What did you like best about The McCarran Collection? What did you like least?

I enjoyed the story. It was a bit slow moving, but the characters were intriguing enough to keep me interested. But I had to stop listening because the narration was so dry, I lost interest.

great story set in a small town

Would you listen to The McCarran Collection again? Why?

Yes, I would. The story was complicated enough to be interesting, but still believable. I loved the characters

Who was your favorite character and why?

Lew McCarran is portrayed so easily that he's easy to picture in my mind. Also easy to believe that he exists.

Which scene was your favorite?

The repeated scenes of Lark burning something in the kitchen. Everyone was easy to see and included a different person's reaction as Bridget adjusted to the facts of the kitchen for Lark.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Lew finds Bridget and Diego at Bridget's mother's in the Northwest. Sufficiently complicated and yet simple for Diego. That made everything simpler for Bridget.

Highly Enjoyable Women's Fiction

What was one of the most memorable moments of The McCarran Collection?

The moments that stand out to me most are between Bridget and Lou (chemistry!), and between Bridget and Diego (sweet maternal moments!), but so many other scenes are strikingly vivid, especially descriptions of Kanab, the aftermath of the accident (not elaborating to avoid spoilers), and the McCarran house.

Which character – as performed by Tanya Mills – was your favorite?

Definitely Lark. I always knew when she was the one speaking; the reader did a great job with her tone, accent, and quirks. Lark provides heart and some wonderful comic relief. Overall the reader was very good. My only complaints (which are ridiculously minor) are that sometimes it's slow enough that my ADD brain would wander, so I'd have to rewind to pick up where I'd lost the thread, and every so often, S's sounded whistle-like, a strong contrast to an otherwise very soothing and talented voice.

If you could take any character from The McCarran Collection out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Tough call, but probably Bridget. Between her own life story and her education, she would be fascinating to listen to. She's got brains and heart.

Any additional comments?

I was impressed with how many threads that seemed disparate ended up coming together and being relevant--and often in ways I didn't expect. There were a few moments I either wanted a character to act sooner or differently, but they're in the minority, and that's getting nit picky and subjective. It's a book a wide audience will enjoy, and one that's PG-rated--you can listen to it with your kids in the car without worrying about blush-worthy moments! Content consists of kissing and descriptions of blood, etc. from a traumatic wound, but it didn't feel excessive or gory.

Wonderful Southwest flavor

What did you love best about The McCarran Collection?

I loved the way providence brought together a boy who had lost his mother and a mother who had lost a son.

What other book might you compare The McCarran Collection to and why?

Interlude at Cottonwood Springs, they both have that authentic southwest feel.

What about Tanya Mills’s performance did you like?

Tanya Mill's does the men's voices very well. Some female narrators can't do men's voices and you have to wince your way through the narration. Tanya does them perfectly.

If you could take any character from The McCarran Collection out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Lou--he seems like an amazing kisser, just saying.

Rich characters

Would you consider the audio edition of The McCarran Collection to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print version, so I have no room to judge here.

What other book might you compare The McCarran Collection to and why?

I don't have one to compare it to since I rarely read in this genre. I was given a free copy so I decided to try it.

Have you listened to any of Tanya Mills’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This was my very first experience with an audio book and I quiet enjoyed it. I thought Tanya Mills did a great job.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Bridget and Lou first kissed

Any additional comments?

I loved the characters and the voice in this novel. Combined with a touching story about Bridget's past life's tragedies and her finding balm in an illegal alien little boy, it made for an enjoyable and intriguing read.

Well Written Romance Mystery

What did you love best about The McCarran Collection?

I loved this well written story with its surprising twists and turns and well fleshed out characters. Bridget, Lew, Diego & Lark were easy to see in my imagination & easy to love. One scene that I really loved was when Bridget took Diego from the hospital to hide him.

What did you like best about this story?

I really liked that the main characters accepted Lark with her memory problems as though nothing was wrong. They never seemed impatient with her. They were people with their own flaws and patiently accepted Lark's.

What about Tanya Mills’s performance did you like?

At first, I did not like this narrator at all! I thought about returning this Audible book. Her narration was so flat. My Kindle can verbalize that well for me. I really like narrators who put energy and acting into the narration. l decided to listen for a couple more chapters and she did do better. I would have liked for her to pause when changing from one subject to another. For instance, Bridget & Lew would be talking to each other, then one would remember something from his/her past. The narration needed a pause, I felt, to clarify that we were moving into the past. It was confusing to follow. I did like her narration as a whole. I liked her tone & she did do some voices, which made it more interesting. I would have preferred that she would put more energy/life into her narrations. I have purchased another book that she narrates. I think I will like her more now that I have adapted to her style.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Extreme reaction?? Yes! The accident was totally unexpected and I heard myself shout, "No!"

Any additional comments?

There was no sex in this book which I prefer as I can listen when I am doing housework and not be embarrassed when kids ask questions about what they heard. I consider this a Clean Reads book. It was a delightful romance while investigating a gruesome accident and trying to solve a mystery. And, I LOVED Diego! Well done Liz Adair. I hope Audible will add more of her work. And, I did not receive this Audible book to create this review.

An enjoyable read!!

This book was so nice to listen to for a change. I enjoyed every second of it. I was having a hard time getting in to the book during the first chapter because I was unsure about the narrator. The more I listened to this book the more I got into it and the more I appreciated the narrators voice. I was unsure of the outcome of the events in the book all the way through, this was nice because so many books these days are unoriginal and predictable. This book is soooooo worth the credit!!

This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of Audiobook Blast.