Reviewed by Larissa
TITLE: Honey from the Lion
SERIES: Love Across Time Book 2
AUTHOR: Jackie North
NARRATOR: Greg Boudreaux
PUBLISHER: Self-published
LENGTH: 9 hours and 1 minute
RELEASE DATE: March 25, 2021
BLURB:
Soulmates across time. A love that was meant to be.
In present day, Laurie, tired of corporate life, takes a much-needed vacation at Farthingdale Dude Ranch.
The very first night, a freak blizzard combined with a powerful meteor shower takes Laurie back to the year 1891. When he wakes up in a snowbank, his only refuge is an isolated cabin inhabited by the gruff, grouchy John Henton, who only wants to be left alone. His sense of duty prevails, however, and he takes Laurie under his care, teaching him how to survive on the wild frontier.
As winter approaches, Laurie’s normally fun-loving manner makes it difficult for him to connect with John, but in spite of John’s old-fashioned ways, the chemistry between them grows.
Sparks fly as the blizzard rages outside the cabin. Can two men from different worlds and different times find happiness together?
A male/male time travel romance, complete with hurt/comfort, true confessions, a shared bed, fireplace kisses, the angst of separation, and true love across time.
REVIEW:
Honey from the Lion showcases Jackie’s North’s exceptional attention to detail, depth of research, and magical ability to create an engrossing paranormal romance. Through her inimitable, careful, moderated prose, in this book, she effectively delivers a creative, complex love story between Laurie Quinn and John Henton.
Laurie, a present-day software professional, comes to Farthingdale Dude Ranch because he wants to escape, at least for a little while, from the trappings of modern life that are stressing him out and wearing him down. But he’s skeptical that the ranch can deliver that for him, fully expecting to be disappointed. His commentary about the ranch upon his arrival shows his cynicism. He is, however, pleasantly surprised and before long, he’s sleeping under the stars around the chuck wagon with the other dude ranch guests, listening to “ghost” stories and thinking surprisingly positive thoughts about how this simpler life is exactly what he needs.
In 1891, John Henton lives like a recluse in a small, isolated, rustic, bare-bones cabin. He lives a simple, solitary life centered on hard work and routine. Ironically, John epitomizes the simplicity and values that Laurie seeks. The whims of time, perhaps recognizing that, use the magic of Iron Mountain during the October Orionids Meteor shower to whisk Laurie back in time to 1891, John, and his cabin, right in the middle of a blizzard.
What then plays out is a slow-burn romance between these two completely opposite men, with different personalities and from different times. Notwithstanding his initial jaded skepticism, Laurie has a sunshiny personality that strives for levity and aims to make those around him happy. In contrast, John is gruff, grumpy, and introverted. At heart, though, he’s a marshmallow of a man who just wants to dote on someone else. Both Laurie and John are lonely in their own ways and have a need for someone else to fill in the open spaces in their hearts and minds. They find that in each other.
Ms. North has repeatedly shown herself to be a diligent, thorough researcher of her subject matter and a potent storyteller who delivers impactful messages through seemingly “simple”, methodically delivered prose. Action rarely serves as the anchor for her stories and Honey from the Lion is no exception. Her romances center on character development, relationship building, and a couple’s journey to, and then with, each other. Here, she also capitalizes on the time-traveling premise, using it as a vehicle to provide deliciously angsty scenes displaying Laurie’s visceral anguish, fear, and helplessness from being yanked through time against his will.
While you can easily read this lovely romance and take it at face value, Ms. North has built in a deeper meaning, best evidenced by the title of the book itself, that remains available for the reader to explore. Honey from the Lion takes its title from a story in the Old Testament book of Judges. Samson the Israelite hero is attacked by a lion, who he kills with his bare hands. He later sees the lion’s carcass has been inhabited by bees who have filled it with honey. Samson creates a riddle out of the paradox:
“Out of the eater came something to eat; out of the strong came something sweet”. (Judges 14:14)
The paradox of course is the juxtaposition, and coexistence, of two opposites: the strong, formidable lion and sweet, decadent honey. “Honey from the Lion” represents discovering and obtaining something sweet and valuable from something strong and powerful. Strength and kindness. Power and virtue. Hard edges and soft centers. Laurie and John’s romance and love for each other epitomize this idea. John is big, burly, strong, and intimidating. But he’s also a sweet, kind, and generous man. Laurie sees John’s hidden nature and is able to tap into that side of John through his love and dedication to him.
In the bible story, the lion transforms – first into a shell of the beast, then into a home for bees, and finally into a collecting place for honey. So “Honey from the Lion” also represents impermanence. It’s the idea that things and people change. Reality is fluid, not fixed. Time-traveling itself is the perfect example of this phenomenon so Honey from the Lion‘s title is apropos.
Honey from the Lion stands up very well on text alone, but Greg Boudreaux’s narration of the audiobook adds even more to the story. Given the rich content, only an exceptional vocal performance could do it justice. Mr. Boudreaux accomplishes that and then some. He homes in on the heart of the story and inherently understands how to deliver it. He taps into the varied emotional content in the story and delivers it in a natural, authentic way.
Mr. Boudreaux is a highly experienced narrator, with hundreds of audiobooks and numerous awards to his credit, and it shows. He has a smooth fluid delivery that immerses you in the story. When you listen to him, it almost feels like he’s experiencing the story along with you. His performance here is so plugged into the characters, that he disappears and all you experience is Laurie and John.
Mr. Boudreaux gives Laurie and John distinct voices befitting their characters. I particularly enjoyed John’s voice, which Mr. Boudreaux delivers with a raspy, deep tone that reflects his gruffness. His intonations and inflections capture the men’s emotions in an impactful, but subtle way that mirrors Ms. North’s prose.
Overall, Honey from the Lion is a gem of a story brought to life through Mr. Boudreaux’s intuitive, expressive, skilled vocal performance. The patient unfolding of Laurie and John’s romance allows the listener to fully engage with them and delve into the hidden meanings in the story. Yet the measured pacing never feels slow. I highly recommend you give this uncommon audiobook a listen.
RATING: 
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