Reviewed by Larissa
TITLE: Saint’s Song
SERIES: Rebel King’s MC, Book 2
AUTHOR: Garrett Leigh
NARRATOR: Dan Calley
PUBLISHER: Tantor Audio
LENGTH: 8 hours and 53 minutes
RELEASE DATE: March 14, 2023
BLURB:
“Kill me,” I choked out. “If he’s dead, you gotta kill me too.”
One club, one heart. Three men, one soul.
Can loving someone kill you? I feel like the world is ending every time I look at them.
Cam. My brother. My president. He’s the love of my life.
And then there’s Alexei. I didn’t know I could feel this way about one person, let alone two. But I think of him in every breath I breathe for Cam. Every thundering beat of my heart. Because there is no Cam without him.
There is no me. My life wasn’t worth living until I found something worth dying for. And I’d die for them a thousand times.
Contains mature themes.
REVIEW:
Saint’s Song, the second book in Garrett Leigh’s gripping Rebel Kings MC series, should be read immediately after the phenomenal series opener, Devil’s Dance. While two separate books, the storyline fluidly moves from one book to the next, and you need the context of the first for the second. Devil’s Dance and Saint’s Song can be thought of as a duology – it feels like two parts of one story because it is two parts of a story- the love story of Cam, Alexei and Saint. Both books are told from the points of view of Cam and Alexei. In Saint’s Song, we layer in Saint’s viewpoint as well. The development of the Cam, Alexei and Saint throuple is centerstage. In particular, Leigh showcases the solidification of Saint and Alexei’s love for each other separate and apart from Cam. The overarching journey is simply breathtaking.
Saint Malone, the eponymous protagonist of Saint’s Song, is mysterious, gorgeous, sweet-souled, kind-hearted, but also deeply scarred. Leigh’s character development is exceptional, and of all of the characters in this series, Saint is the standout – the one with so many facets, it’s hard to fully comprehend what makes him tick and the depths of his emotions. Saint tends to the animals in the woods outside the MC compound with a unique level of thoughtfulness and care. Yet, he also doesn’t hesitate to commit violence if violence is needed to protect what he holds dear – the club, his brothers, and above all else, Cam. It’s a jarring dichotomy and one that, once layered on Saint’s childhood trauma, makes Saint think of himself as unworthy. In fact, the world owes Saint for what it has made him suffer, yet Saint feels like he lives his life doing penance for atrocities that are not his own to claim.
Saint’s Song is a critical book in this series because it’s where we understand the importance of Alexei to Cam and Saint, who have loved each other forever but couldn’t be what the other needed – not without Alexei. Leigh develops the complex relationship between Saint and Alexei, how they intuitively understand each other, love Cam to the depths of their souls, and discover their equally deep, undeniable love for each other. They are to each other something Cam can’t be to either of them. Alexei seamlessly accepts Saint and his speech challenges like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Yet, at the same time, Alexei struggles with his own personal demons and agitates about his place with Cam and the MC. Saint has an intuitive connection to Alexei and can calm and ground him in a way even Cam can’t.
While Saint’s Song is primarily about Saint, Leigh takes us on Alexei’s journey to acknowledging his love for Saint, and what his love for not one, but two men means to a life he expected to be devoid of love and happiness. Alexei has been an impenetrable fortress who has now let love through his defenses. He doesn’t know what that means for him or how he reconciles it with all of the parts of him he’s locked away. Leigh also develops the relationships between Alexei and the other MC club members, in particular, Embry and Mateo, who are the stars of the next book in the series, Forgive Me Father.
Leigh’s writing is sharp, emotionally connected, and perfectly pitched with the right cadence to the dialogue and scenes. Despite the darkness, grit, and violence, there’s plenty of deadpan humor and heartwarming, amusing, found family interactions between the MC brothers. The narrator for the series, Dan Calley, intuitively understands Leigh’s writing style and her intentions with these characters and their relationships. He takes Cam, Alexei and Saint and creates living, breathing people we hear in our ears, see in our mind’s eye, and love with our whole hearts. Calley’s accents sound authentic and are delivered consistently.
Transformative is the word I would use to describe Calley’s vocal performance in the Saint’s Song audiobook. After listening to the audios for Devil’s Dance and Saint’s Song, I continued with the next two books in the series, Forgive Me Father and Love Thy Brother, which are not yet out in audio. However, despite only reading on text, I felt like I was listening to Calley anyway. His creation of Cam, Alexei and Saint is so imprinted on my mind that I hear each of them in my head as Calley has indelibly portrayed them even when Calley’s voice isn’t present.
Leigh’s Rebel Kings MC series is one of my favorite series, full stop. Saint’s Song is a superlative story and an integral part of the series. I can’t imagine reading these books without hearing them in the way only Dan Calley can deliver. Saint’s Song is a must-have audiobook.
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