Narrated by Kaleo Griffith
Kaleo Griffith’s name in the narrator slot was enough to make me want to give this a try. And then I found out that the book was an “in love with brother’s best friend” story so I was in. Tempting the Best Man is the first book in the Gamble Brothers series by J. Lynn aka Jennifer L. Armentrout (the brothers are named Chase, Chad and Chandler – seriously).
Madison Daniels has always had a crush on her older brother’s best friend, Chase Gamble. But Chase is screwed up when it comes to women because his father was a cheating cheatypants who catted around with random women right under Chase’s beloved mother’s nose. Chase looks like his father and is terrified he is like his father. And, in a strange way, this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. He isn’t a cheater, but in his quest not to hurt any woman, he develops a reputation as a bit of a man whore.
Some five years earlier, Maddy had made a move on Chase but he turned her down and things have been strained ever since. Even though they see each other every day. Every. Day. For five years. They live in the same building and work out in the same gym. Maddy and Chase are both in her brother’s wedding and they are further forced into each other’s company when there is a mix up with the cabins at the winery where the wedding festivities are being held. The celebrations commence some four days before the wedding, with various activities planned leading up to the ceremony and reception on Saturday. All the guests are due to leave on Sunday (we don’t have weddings like that where I’m from). To make matters worse, the cabin Maddy and Chase are stuck in together is the old honeymoon suite, complete with heart-shaped bed.
I felt the reasons keeping the couple apart were fairly thin and made little sense. And, the final conflict was a big misunderstanding, which also didn’t make sense. But, the story was harmless and at times quite fun and sexy and there was definite chemistry between the two protagonists.
I did feel Kaleo Griffith’s Maddy voice occasionally edged uncomfortably toward (but not over) falsetto – but I had just come from listening to Nick Boulton voice a completely different Maddy in Flowers from the Storm so perhaps it was more a case of bad timing. Chase Gamble certainly had the sexy smooth tones you’d expect from a “playa.” The differences in the other male voices were fairly subtle, but there was obvious difference between Chase and Maddy’s brother, Mitch in particular.
The interplay between Maddy and Chase was by turns, humorous, sizzling, and angsty and Mr. Griffiths delivered the right tone exactly each time.
Breakdown of Grade – Narration: B- and Book Content: C+
Grade: C+
Book Type: Audiobook|Contemporary Romance
Sensuality: Hot
Publication Date: 2013/05
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