Reviewed by Annika

TITLE: Torch

SERIES: Unbreakable Bonds #3

AUTHOR: Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott

NARRATOR: Kenneth Obi

PUBLISHER: Self-Published

RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2019

LENGTH: 10 hours, 26 minutes

BLURB:

Nine months ago, Rowan Ward thought he had it all. Now he’s fighting to pull his shredded life together, buried in work and battling the kind of grief that destroys a man’s soul. When fires spring up around Cincinnati threatening Rowe’s friends and clients, he’s thrilled to find his old Army buddy, Noah Keegan in town. They were a hell of a team when they served together, so in-sync, it was rumored they could read each other’s minds.

Noah thought devoting his life to the Army would be enough. Then he realized he had no family and only one friend he cared about. When his enlistment was up, he found himself standing on Rowe’s doorstep, looking only for friendship but secretly hoping for more. He needs to know if their one unbelievable night together years ago wasn’t a mistake.

Caught in a dangerous game of fire and bullets, neither expects the inferno of emotion that ignites between them. One Rowe isn’t prepared to accept. One that could break Noah

REVIEW:

It’s been nine months since Rowan Ward lost his wife and love of his life. When his life changed irrevocably because of murder. It’s a loss that he still feels deeply into his very soul and he has still need to process it all. We feel that loss surrounding him in every interaction, how much he still hurts. The man who murdered his wife is dead, but the one utterly responsible is still at large and is causing trouble for him and his friends and business. Literally causing it to go up in flames. When his former army buddy and best friend Noah Keegan arrives in town Rowe perks up for the first time in nine months. I would say in more ways than one as he can’t seem to stop thinking about that one night thirteen years ago.

Passion flares up quickly between them but I wouldn’t say they were healthy for either one of them. I mean Noah has been in love with Rowe since they met and was deeply hurt when Rowe ran from him thirteen years ago. And now Rowe is still running. Running from the loss of his wife, running from his feelings for Noah and running from life. Over and over he hurts Noah because of it and it’s so heartbreaking. I can see that they are right for each other and belong together, but I’m not sure if it’s their time yet. Because how can Rowe truly go into a new relationship when he hasn’t dealt with the loss of his old one?

I’m a big fan of suspense novels, the thrill of the hunt and solving the crimes. But I have to say that I’m getting a bit fed up with this one. From the first book there has been this “big bad” orchestrating the horrors that happens to these men. That is all good, but my issue is that it’s never really the focal point; it’s always in the background to be brought to light when the authors need something to happen. I want more – or nothing at all, because the titbits we are fed every now and then are getting old.

I’ve really come to love Kenneth Obi’s narration and am happy when I find a new narration of his. I love how he’s not only reading the words in front of him, but performs them. Instead of reading monotonously how a character did, said or felt something, he makes you feel it and hear it. You felt Rowe’s sorrow, heard the snark and petulance of the characters. One of my favourite moments was the druken night with Snow and Rowe. Obi so clearly and skillfully navigated though that myriad of emotion; the confessions, the banter, the drunken call with Snow’s sort of mother-in-law. He made you a part of it, made you feel the connection between the two men, that deep unwavering friendship.

Overall I enjoyed this story. I do believe that Rowe and Noah belong together. I just don’t believe in them right now. I feel that Rowe has some healing and dealing to do before they can really be

RATING:

Story: 3 hearts

Narration: 5 hearts

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