Hot Listens (Romance Audiobooks): Wicked Nights (Audiobook Review)

Audiobook Review

By: Gena Showalter
Narrated by: Max Bellmore
Published by: Harlequin Enterprises, Ltd. 07/2012

HOT

Angels of the Dark series # 1
12 hrs and 34 mins

Sample

Leader of the most powerful army in the heavens, Zacharel has been deemed nearly too dangerous, too ruthless—and if he isn't careful, he'll lose his wings. But this warrior with a heart of ice will not be deterred from his missions at any cost… until a vulnerable human tempts him with a carnal pleasure he's never known before. Accused of a crime she did not commit, Annabelle Miller has spent four years in an institution for the criminally insane. Demons track her every move, and their king will stop at nothing to have her. Zacharel is her only hope for survival, but is the brutal angel with a touch as hot as hell her salvation—or her ultimate damnation?

My Thoughts

This is the first book in the spinoff series from Lords of the Underworld (LOTU), and just as the title suggests, it’s all about yummy angels.

We will be getting the stories of all those powerful and totally alpha males that have been a big part of the Underworld; they have sometimes fought side by side, and also have shared some of the drama with our beloved Lords.

So, the first angel that we get to drool over is Zacharel, and as the head of the angelic mastiffs army he has to deal the dangerous threat of losing their wings, as well as with the thin line between good and evil the angels must walk - this sets the emotional, exciting, suspenseful and enthralling tone for the story.

Once again, Gena Showalter brilliantly balances the romance with a kick ass and fresh plot that allows the introduction of new characters that will heighten your anticipation and curiosity, all without taking any emotional value from the love story..

I loved Zacharel! His toughness and mysterious tone carry beautifully to this new novel, and once again we get another tortured and complex hero that makes the pages sizzle a la Gena Showalter’s style.

Annabelle Miller is the perfect heroine; tough and vulnerable just at the right moments, this gives their the romance the perfect chemistry, as a result, you get skillfully dragged into their anticipation, and it makes the romance (HOT) most enjoyable.

I could easily see how you could enjoy this series even if you have never read/listened to Lords of the Underworld, the author (one of my favorites) does a terrific job at creating a new world and a new feeling without making you wonder if you are missing anything from their background.

Now, if you are a fan of LOTU this is must! I’m pretty confident you will fall in-love with this new set of delicious alpha heroes.

I remember having a hard time with the first few books in Lords of the Underworld. Actually, I didn't fall in-love with the series until the third book, but that’s not the case here, I’m already loving these fantastic heroes and their world.

4.17 · rating details · 3,066 ratings · 543 reviews on Goodreads

Great reviews at:

Parajunkee

Yummy Men and Kick Ass Chicks

The Author

Gena Sowlater

Narration

Ok, so I won’t hide the fact that I’m a big fan of Max Bellmore, I love the way he brings the drama and feel of these novels to life, and how he immediately connects me to the world and its characters.

But, I have to agree with some of the criticism; his tempo and reading speed were off the mark here, and the only way I could find a comfortable way to listen was using 2X speed.

With that said, after I had established the perfect speed I found myself totally engross and lost in the story and in his perfect interpretation of its characters.

I’m still highly recommending this audiobook - my experience although, not perfect, was truly enjoyable.

I can see I’m not in the minority here; his performance's reviews have more favorable takes than negative ones on audible.com

Just remember that if regular speed doesn't work for you, you can always find a faster speed in the audible application, you can also download SpeedUp for your iPod or iPhone to use with regular Mp3 audiobooks or CD Audiobooks.

For android, you can try Astro Player