Super entertaining, unsure on narrator!

Would you consider the audio edition of White Hot to be better than the print version?

No, I read the first book and wish I'd read the second one. I had a hard time with the narrator, I thought she did a good job but her voice was way too mature for the character. At several points I thought she sounded in her late 50's which didn't make sense for a 20 something main character. I found her male voice for Mad Rogan to be a little silly, he sounded a bit like an aging cowboy.

What did you like best about this story?

I loved the quirkiness of all the characters and the world building. Ilona Andrews never disappoints with a full cast of unique and interesting characters with a solid world. The house system was well developed, the fight scenes had great pacing and the intimate scenes caused some good blushing!

What does Renee Raudman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I have a hard time leaving a bad review because I genuinely think Renee is a good narrator, just not for this book. I don't want to nitpick, my main thought is just that her voice is too matronly for a 20 something character. A few times when Nevada exclaimed or gasped aloud (rather than us hearing her internal dialog) she had a bit more of a higher, more breathy voice which I thought was a little more realistic.

21 people found this helpful

Like Kate Daniels series with a family

Don’t let the cover art mislead you; this is an urban fantasy, not a romance book. Or rather, any romance will be a slow burn, not realized until further books. This Hidden Legacy series has become my favorite Ilona Andrews series, and I think the biggest reason is Nevada Baylor’s family.

But, let’s start with the downsides: Rene Raudman is a fan-freaking-tastic narrator, However, the first three Hidden Legacy books are written with too many character similarities as the Kate Daniels series, and using the same narrator for both urban fantasy series revolving around an uber powerful, kickass heroine made it really hard to separate the two and enjoy them as separate series. Let’s count the matching characters from the two series. 1) Nevada is just like Kate: both snarky, self sufficient women who don’t trust easily and whose instinct when threatened is to push back hard, 2) Mad Rogan/Curran start off as the bad boy alpha males that our heroines duel with, both with words and fists, but over the course of the series move through the enemies to lovers arc, 3) Bug/Derek serve as the sidekicks, who become steadfast and loyal to the power couple, but also provide teenage style comic relief, 4) Augustine/Saiman interact regularly with our characters as sources of information and potential manipulators- you’re never quite sure if they’ve got your back or will stab you in the back, 5) Grandma Frieda/Era is the familial link to Nevada/Kate, shrewd and ruthless, and not giving a fig what society thinks of their behavior, 6) Arabella/Julie as the plucky kid who will in future books become a kickass heroine in her own right. I could go on, but you get the picture. And Rene Raudman clearly understood that these characters were written alike because she voices these doppelgängers identically.

Perhaps that’s why the big Baylor family is my favorite part of the Hidden Legacy series- it is very different from the “Kate Daniels” alone against the world starting point in the other series. I loved the Kate Daniels series as the books progressed, and the number of her friends and family grew. In this series, Nevada starts off with a big, fun, close knit family. Tank loving grandma Freida, lethal sniper mom, wicked smart Bern, angsty and earnest Leon, ephemeral Catalina, and precocious Arabella. In this book, the extended Baylor family grows to include Rogan, Bug, Cornelius, and Matilda.

Come for the kick ass urban fantasy about battling magical houses in modern day Texas. Stay for the heart and fun that is House Baylor.

3 people found this helpful

LOVE this series!

The Hidden Legacy series is quickly shaping up to be one of my all time favorites. No surprise there, because in my opinion the husband and wife writing team that make up Ilona Andrews are so very talented! Thrilling plots, laugh-out-loud humor and romances that ooze sexual tension are the hallmarks of every one of their books! I can’t recommend their writing enough!

The Hidden Legacy series is set in a modern day Texas where people with magic powers have clout and are organized into family Houses. The more magical power you have, the more power you have. I break it down a little better in my review for Burn For Me , the first book.

White Hot, the second book in the series, picks up two months after the events of Burn For Me. Nevada is pulled into a dangerous investigation when Cornelius Harris hires her to find his wife’s killer. She was working as an attorney for a private investigation company owned by House Forsberg, specializing in corporate espionage. His wife was brutally gunned down in a hotel and Cornelius is devastated by her death, and even though Nevada’s first instinct is to refuse the job because of the danger. But Nevada knows she wouldn’t be able to look herself in the mirror if she doesn’t help him. The investigation immediately turns deadly; underscoring the serious threat they’re up against.

Of course, this series wouldn’t be as much fun if Connor “Mad” Rogan, didn’t somehow factor in, and he becomes a big part of the story very quickly! I was thrilled about that because the minute they’re in a room together the sexual tension climbs and the sparks fly! The hilarious sniping, clever banter, sexual innuendo is just too much fun! In spite of not seeing Connor for two months, his impact on Nevada’s senses is not dulled at all. Oh, these two could light my kindle on fire! Their relationship was mostly love/hate with a few really good moments, in the last book, so I was so pleased at the progress they made here, getting to know each other and the person underneath.

Nevada’s family is super funny, as well. Her Grandma, the mechanic who assembles tanks, her mother an ex-sniper for the army, and her younger sisters and cousin Bern, Nevada’s information specialist, make for an eclectic bunch. Nevada’s grandmother and sisters tease her mercilessly about Mad in such an annoying way only accomplished by family! Many laughs there! I was happy to find out more about her sister’s magic powers, and now I can see why her family is so secretive about all of their abilities!

Like I said, I LOVE this series, and as usual Renee Raudman's performance enhances an already brilliant story! She's one of my all-time favorite narrators!

3 people found this helpful

Better than the first

Let me start by saying I love everything Ilona Andrews writes. Any of their series you pick up will be amazing. This series is no different. Nevada is snarky, loyal, fierce and can shoot her enemies with precision or break their minds with her magic. Mad Rogan got his nickname because he will do anything he has to to win, and his enemies shudder at his name. Love can make you vulnerable, and neither Nevada nor Rogan do vulnerable very well. When an enemy kills Rohan's people and leaves Nevada's client a widower and a single father they will stop at nothing to avenge the fallen. It means working together and dealing with their own issues. It means realizing they can't live without each other, even if they constantly drive each other mad.
As always Renee Raudman does an incredible job narrating this book. I look forward to hearing her voice Ilona Andrew's amazing characters flawlessly. She is insanely talented. She is one of my absolute favorite narrators. You will not be disappointed!
Happy listening!

10 people found this helpful

Great Story

Great world building and action scenes. Excellent characters and plot. The narrator is wonderful. I could do without the bodice rippling sex scenes, but they are standard for an urban fantasy romance.

2 people found this helpful

Original, riveting, and thrilling!

The second book in a series usually struggles, but not White Hot! Ilona Andrews ups the stakes, ups the pace, and delivers an incredible and unique story in a wildly original urban fantasy world. Renee Raudman delivers her usual excellent performance and is the perfect person to make this book even more exciting and dynamic. I can't wait to start the next one!

2 people found this helpful

So good!!!

The worlds created by Ilona Andrews capture my imagination; the characters hold it. I tend to read/listen briskly, finishing one book then immediately moving to a new one. Books by Ilona Andrews however, present a dilemma. On one hand, I want to gulp them down to discover where the story leads. On the other, because the stories are so good, I want to savor every bite. Additionally, I've found various tidbits sprinkled throughout which only much later prove important. My solution, as with VERY few others, is to periodically reread/relisten. This is an excallent choice when life has become,,, stressful. The skill of the narrator contributes significantly to the pleasure of this indulgence.
check out these wonderful stories!

1 person found this helpful

I am conflicted

This should be a great series, but it does not do it for me. I am sure many others will think it is great, but I simply could not get excited by the book. The characters are all very well written, especially Nevada, the heroine. The plot is excellent, but it just does not come together well for me. The chemistry between Nevada and rogan is not what I wished it to be. I returned the first book, but had already purchased the other two. to them all now and I am still conflicted. I will say that the third book is the best of the three and the authors were starting to hit their stride.

1 person found this helpful

Fantastic storyline again! Mediocre Narrator

The Ilona Andrews duo has done it again, with an exciting, interesting, unique storyline! Once again, however, the narration leaves much to be desired. I'm sure Renee Raudman is a nice person, but she makes every character sound like a decrepit old lady. It can get quite distracting. When she does the heroine's "power choice", it's so preposterous that I actually burst out laughing every time. It really takes you out of the story. This series, read by a different narrator, would be absolute DYNAMITE.

1 person found this helpful

Terrible cover and title....

But the story is good. There is romance but the title and cover make it look like something it isn’t

1 person found this helpful