Reviewed by Roberta

TITLE: Johnnie: Siphon, Book 1

SERIES: Siphon, Book 1

AUTHOR: Cardeno C

Narrator: Greg Tremblay

PUBLISHER: The Romance Authors, LLC

LENGTH: 5 Hours and 50 Minutes

BLURB:

A premier lion shifter, Hugh Landry dedicates his life to leading the Berk pride with strength and confidence. Hundreds of people depend on Hugh for safety, success, and happiness. And at over a century old, with more power than can be contained in one body, Hugh relies on a Siphon lion shifter to carry his excess force.

When the Siphon endangers himself and therefore the pride, Hugh must pay attention to the man who has been his silent shadow for a decade. What he learns surprises him, but what he feels astounds him even more.

Two lions, each born to serve, rely on one another to survive. After years by each other’s side, they’ll finally realize the depth of their potential, the joy in their passion, and a connection their kind has never known.

REVIEW:

This is an interesting review for me to write. I’m not really sure how I feel about this story.

Most of the time, I wanted to Smack Hugh in the forehead, because smacking him in the back of the head wasn’t going to do it for me. Nor was it going to make anything in his head move about and start thinking. Sigh.

Hugh Landry is the premier lion that has this wonderfully huge pack. They are prosperous pack and Hugh is their leader. Hugh has lived his life for some time now and he’s been doing a wonderful job of helping his pack become all that they could be. Hugh is kind of dick. He’s really this wonderful leader, yet as a person (you know what I mean)…he sucks!! The way he spoke to his Siphon (Johnnie) made me want to choke him. I get it, that he didn’t really think about Johnnie as anything but his Siphon. But really, the way he talked down to him….just totally dickish. I got how Hugh only wanted the very best for his pride and that he loved and cared for them, however, the person who he needed the most…just ignored…that is a waste.

Johnnie aka Siphon is this really sweet, young guy whose life has been so crappy. He’s never met his parents. When he was born and they noticed that he was a Siphon…they pretty much locked him away as a commodity. He was taken from his home and thinking that his life would in fact improve…it did not!! Johnnie is ignored at every turn. Hell, he doesn’t even have a name until he talks to Hugh about it. I really liked Johnnie found his voice in this story. He spoke to Hugh about the things that mattered. How when he spoke, you knew it was observed and noted. Johnnie really began to change and grow and blossom…it really was wonderful to see.

I get that being a premier lion is a big deal, I swear. However, the basic need for companionship and being treated like a person…that is just basic knowledge and for Johnnie to have spent his life like that…is just so horrible. I mean, wow…the way that Johnnie was treated was also a directly based on how Hugh treated him. Like he’s only good for siphoning off his power. That hurt my heart. However, I will say that when Hugh finally realized that he was going to have to get to know Johnnie…that was good. Now, that’s not to say that there wasn’t misunderstandings, however, it was nice to see that Hugh was getting a cranium-anal separation.

Greg Tremblay was the narrator of this book. I will say for the first couple of chapters, I wasn’t sure about his voice work and that’s odd to me as I usually enjoy his work…(The Cole McGinnis Series), yet I was unsure this time around. However, I will say that as usual Greg’s voice lulled me into the story and I just flew along for the ride.

Overall, this audiobook was well worth the time!! I didn’t read the book, so it was my first “reading” of the story and I have to say…Cardeno C did it again…make me have so much feels that the story just touched me.

RATING:

BUY LINKS:

Audible

Amazon