Reviewed by Larissa
TITLE: Hostile Takeover
AUTHOR: Lucy Lennox
NARRATOR: Teddy Hamilton and Sean Crisden
PUBLISHER: Self-published
LENGTH: 8 hours and 56 minutes
RELEASE DATE: October 29, 2021
BLURB:
It was supposed to be a prank. A silly frat boy dare.
One hot moment in a hidden storage closet. One kiss. No consequences.
But if you get that close to a man with fire in his eyes, you’re gonna get burned, and I was no exception. One taste of Grey Blackwood ruined me for life.
The way Grey sees it, I was the one who did the ruining. I humiliated him. Wrecked his life. Destroyed his future.
Doesn’t matter that he’s clawed his way back and then some. Doesn’t matter that he’s already top of the Wall Street food chain. The man’s ruthless. Heartless. And he likes his revenge served cold.
Now he’s taking down the companies owned by every frat boy who did him wrong. And when he comes for my family’s company, the quiet life I’ve built for myself far away from Manhattan comes crumbling down, too.
But when Grey’s standing in our boardroom, threatening a hostile takeover and demanding I negotiate on behalf of my family, I don’t see an enemy. I see the chance I’ve been waiting for.
The chance for another night in his arms, and hopefully a whole lot more.
Let the negotiations begin.
Hostile Takeover is a full-length, standalone novel.
REVIEW:
Hostile Takeover has everything you’ve come to expect from a Lucy Lennox story, and yet at the same time, it’s a departure from what we’ve come to expect from a Lucy Lennox story. The writing is top-notch as always and the plot is carefully crafted, hooking us in and taking us along for the very enjoyable ride. Grey and Ellison are multifaceted, fascinating characters that she brings to life in a relatable way. They spark off each other during this slow-burn, UST-laden romance, and their verbal exchanges are the most delicious part of this story. Well, maybe the second most delicious part. Their steamy encounters are pretty damn hot.
Yet, Hostile Takeover has an edginess to it that is very unlike anything I’ve read from Ms. Lennox before. This is a story fueled by hate, mistaken assumptions, and an ongoing battle with trust. There’s no found family element in this story – not in the typical way Ms. Lennox delivers it. Ellison is at odds with his father. Grey is a loner with no friends except his PA/friend Marcel (who, BTW, is much-needed humor in a story that could become laden down by seriousness).
Hostile Takeover is a study in contrasts. In everything from Ms. Lennox’s departure from her writing norm, the warring aspects of Ellison and Grey’s characters, and the conflict inherent in the revenge driven, corporate takeover premise, we see the fascinating juxtaposition of opposing elements, highlighting the complexity of the story. Even the vocal performances of the audiobook narrators, Teddy Hamilton and Sean Crisden, reflect this duality.
Mr. Hamilton narrates Ellison’s chapters and Mr. Crisden, Grey’s. Mr. Hamilton is excellent as always, bringing a thoughtful, engaging performance to the microphone. With his measured pacing and velvety, rounded tone, his portrayal of Ellison is spot on. Mr. Hamilton’s voice possesses strength, threading like a current through all of his smooth, gorgeous words. He gives Ellison vital energy delivered through a balanced, equanimous tone, with just a bit of bite which we hear at the end of certain words and phrases. The combination perfectly reflects Ellison’s character. He’s a man with backbone and principles, who’s contrite and not afraid to admit fault and seek forgiveness. Yet at the same time, he’s no push-over; he will stand up for what he believes in, which includes himself … and Grey. Mr. Hamilton’s pacing is superb, capturing the right cadence for the words to convey Ellison’s personality.
Mr. Crisden’s portrayal of Grey is exactly what I hoped for, capturing Grey’s conflicted personality. Unlike Ellison, Grey only lets the world see strength, not weakness. His vulnerabilities lurk beneath the surface, though, but he never allows them to show. He’s all anger and revenge, defensiveness and frustration. Yet, despite his hostility and ruthless pursuit of the takeovers, he’s ethical, generous, and treats people well. At heart, he’s a good man. But now that he’s clawed his way back and become wildly successful, he’s proved himself and paid back his betrayal in kind, what comes next? Mr. Crisden captures that “lost” feeling in Grey, his sense of feeling unmoored. We hear yearning beneath his hardened steel, deep voice with a growly, rumbly edge. Mr. Crisden gets the balance just right. He also takes his time, with slower, weightier pacing that makes sense given Grey’s burden.
In contrast, consider Mr. Crisden’s portrayal of Marcel, higher, more twink-like, with a raspy, sharp edge. He gets the tone right here too. It’s energetic and bright, capturing the essential aspects of Marcel’s character, albeit in a lower register than your typical high, almost OTT “twink” vocal portrayal.
Hostile Takeover is voiced in dual narration, not a duet, with the latter my overwhelming preference. The dual narration format presents an inherent challenge to consistency. Each character has two voices: Mr. Hamilton’s interpretation of Ellison (his main character) and Grey in Ellison’s chapters, and vice versa for Mr. Crisden.
In Hostile Takeover, both portrayals by both narrators are excellent. However, they are very different. For example, in contrast to Mr. Hamilton’s Ellison, Mr. Crisden’s Ellison has a tired, almost sarcastic tone to it at times. At others, he sounds beleaguered, even pitying. His Ellison is more profound, slower, and heavier. Mr. Hamilton, for his part, performs Grey with a deep, sultry, soft voice dripping with authority and sexiness. It shows all the textures that Mr. Crisden captures but in a very different tone of voice.
Ordinarily, I’d complain about the lack of seamlessness in the chapter-to-chapter transitions because of the dichotomy in the vocal portrayals. Ironically, though, I think the duality plays perfectly into the story’s overarching theme.
Hostile Takeover is another excellent Lucy Lennox title, addictive and extraordinarily crafted, then channeled through the voices of two superbly talented narrators. You definitely will not want to miss this addictive story or experience hearing it come to life through the immersive audio experience.
RATING: 
BUY LINKS:
[…] Read More » […]