A Forced Silence

By: Cate Ashwood

Narrated by: Scott R. Smith

For paramedic Adam Carson, his world is lights and sirens and saving lives. Pressures at work keep him firmly in the closet, and life is too busy to contend with the complications that come with dating and relationships. When a familiar face from his past turns up where he least expects it, Adam starts to question whether or not there is room in his life for those complications.

The last person forensic pathologist Sam McKenna expects to see at pub night is Adam, the guy who made his life hell in high school. The attraction is instant, but Adam isn't gay and Sam has no interest in pursuing him. Still, the leftover animosity from their teenage years isn't enough to extinguish the lust growing between them. After both are called to the scene of a horrific murder, Adam admits he's not as straight as he led Sam to believe and they seek comfort and distraction in each other's arms. One night becomes many as the murder investigation intensifies, but when Adam is faced with losing Sam, he is forced to make a choice: to break his silence, or to give up everything for the job he loves.

©2015 Cate Ashwood (P)2016 Dreamspinner Press

4.5 Stars

Narration: Scott R. Smith has a wonderful voice. I think it sounded a bit older for the character, but it worked for me. The cadence and emphasis were good. There were some spots where it's not clean and a little muffled, but the story made up for it. I would love more stories read by him.

Story: This was my first Cate Ashwood book, and it won’t be my last. I noticed she has a long list there just waiting for me to read…now to find the time!

Wow, I loved these guys! I want A Fallen Heart right now, but it’s been pulled for now. (Hint, hint, Cate!) I found myself cheering for them right from the start. These two were high-school friend-emies (depends on which one you asked). Now grown, they both have hectic jobs in the healthcare system—paramedic and forensic pathologist.

Adam is kind of a jerk, but then he feels like he has to be. As the paramedic, it’s about being in the closet for him. The people he works with are openly homophobic, and he’s outnumbered (I’ve read a few reviews where this was a problem for the reader, knowing a couple of paramedics, it is a thing and something to consider). Then as the story moved along, I was able to see him with Sam and my heart melted for him.

Then there’s Sam. He’s had a crush on Adam since school, but Adam was with the guys that made his life in school hell. Years later when they see each other again, Sam still has those feelings.

This is a love story with a mystery thrown in. What other readers might find hard is that the HEA is completed, but the mystery is hanging there for book two. But don’t let that stop you from reading this! It’s a good story with HOT scenes and wonderful characters and some not-so-wonderful ones that I loved to hate.


I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Not bad - freaking cliffhanger!

The story is sweet with just enough drama to make it interesting. The love story has a HEA but just to caution you - the murder story does not. And no sequal as i write this, not even in e-book. So maybe you Want to Wait a while before listening. Narrator is not the best but not bad either - the feelings in the scenes does not really shine but at least he does not anoy me as some do.

Decent story but not narration.

I thought the story was good but skipped parts because the narration lacked any inflection. It was basically a guy with a tight jaw Thurston Howell accent with no variation between characters or gender. Got boring quick. Read the book.

A HEA read and find out!!!!

There are very few books I listen to in one sitting, this is one of those books. The other is Fish Stick Friday's. Being a former paramedic the medical side was perfect.

😡😡😡😡😡😡Spoiler Alert😡😡😡😡😡😡😡


I think maybe it took too long for the protagonists to get get together. That is my only complaint, otherwise a damn good book!

The narrator and the cover sold me

I bought this audio for two reasons: the narrator and the cover. Not necessarily stellar reasons, I know, but in this case it worked out. I loved Scott R. Smith’s narration in the Scoring Chances series, by Avon Gale, and just knew that I would find success with him in a new series, with a new author. Although I preferred his performance better in Scoring Chances, he still did a knock-out job here, as well. He just has that voice that settles you and puts you at ease. He would make a great wingman, or psychologist…whichever you need on a given night.

Adam starts out as a kind of a jackass, but he quickly comes around and redeems himself…for the most part. There were times when he was a bit overbearing but not to point of me wanting to kick him out of Sam’s (Dex’s) bed. I must admit that it took a while for me to get the Sam and Dex straight in my head. I know Dex is what Adam always called Sam, but it was a bit hard to follow along, at first. Too many names in an audio can be a killer and I would prefer no other nicknames, especially if they could be mistaken for another person.

Sam is just too adorable, and hot as sin, all at the same time. He rocks the autopsy room and the bedroom, in equal measure. Okay, maybe talking about sex and corpses is not very sexy, but hey, the doctor is rocking it and kudos to him for being a star at both. But Adam is his worst nightmare and future dream come true. The guy was an ass to him in high school, but then grew into a smoking paramedic, who just so happens to be gay and into him now, too. It really doesn’t take long for these two to hit the sheets, but that was fine with me because Scott R. Reed does a magnificent job of performing the sex scenes. I had to make sure the bluetooth was off in my car because inevitably the sexiest and nastiest scenes would start playing when I had company. Great for me, but a little shocking for others, i.e. my carpooling coworker, if the look on her face is anything to go by.

But all in all, even though I was not a huge fan of Adam’s voice, or the way he treated the paramedic intern, I still loved the book, the story, and the performance of Sam. Not sure if book two, A Fallen Heart, is coming out in audio, so I might end up having to read the book, but I will hold out a little longer, just in case. Recommended for those looking for a hot doctor / paramedic, enemies to lovers story, performed by a great voice in Scott R. Reed.

Fabulous!

This book was so good... Kept me interested the entire book... I was trying to figure who the bad guys was the entire time, when the story didn't even revolve around that plot point!! Great narration too..

Well worth a buy, sale or credit...

Riveting story good narration

Adam and Sam went to high school together and shared a friend, Mason. There was some underlying issues between the three of them (that get explained later) that made Adam tease Sam mercilessly and call him by his real name, Dex – only as an insult. Dex really liked Adam in a way he’d never admit, so the teasing hurt even more than it should.

When they meet as adults, Adam has at least acknowledged he’s gay, but he’s not out. Adam also acknowledges his attraction to Dex and Dex reciprocates. The two beging “dating” but on the DL. Dex is ok being in the closet with Adam, so long as Adam keeps coming home to him.

Most of the story is NOT about them and their relationship – although it plays a central theme, the bulk of this is the mystery/crime the two are solving and the other issues in their daily lives. Including the decision to come out or not.

When one of them almost dies, the two realize that they can’t live apart like that and Adam is forced to make tough decisions.

**

This is a beginning to a series - YAY! (Though I haven’t heard of a book two…) The two MCs have some seriously hot chemistry and there are a few other gay boys involved who need their stories told too! (Caleb and Ford)

The mystery in this goes unsolved in this book (sorry to spoil that for you – but I think that’s the thread for the series.) and I actually got involved in that part of the book. Usually I skim the mystery stuff to get to the romance – Kudos Cate Ashwood!

This is definitely one of those stories that grabs you right from the start and won’t let you put it down til it’s over. I loved seeing Adam open up and embrace this other side of himself and Dex was a sweetheart who definitely deserved love.

I thoroughly liked this and can’t wait for the next book!

5 of 5 stars

Audio

Scott R Smith is a new to me narrator. He reads well, and understands how to put in emotional pauses and is fairly good with the pacing. Unfortunately he has a tendency to make every sentence sound the same with an upward lilt that makes it sound like everything is super dramatic. It just sounded a bit “newbie” and not as great as some of the other narrators who do more “acting” and less reading.
I was able to enjoy the entire story, however, so he didn’t bother me enough to stop listening. It just wasn’t as awesome as it could have been.

Audio 4 of 5 stars

Overall 4.5 of 5 stars

Men in Uniforms,hot sex and twists

Adam is a closeted paramedic. He is happy in his life. He has good friends and a partner that has his back. Then he sees an old friend from school that unlocks feelings from the past.

Sam is more than shocked when Adam keeps pressing to spend more time with him. When they were in school Adam picked on him all the time calling him Dex and teasing him. Finding out that Adam had a crush on him and wanted to see him romantically came as a shock.

Adam wants to be with Sam, but he also loves his job and knows he cannot come out. Sam understands the importance of Adam's job and lets him go.

A Forced Silence is a beautiful story with a lot going on. I described the romantic plot and Magor plot above. But what makes a good story great is underlying plots. With both men's occupations, there can be so many. We have both men called out to a particularly gruesome scene early in the story, and Sam is called to the scene to use I his forensics to help solve the crime. WE also have a side plot with Adam training a rookie Dustin that comes back to blow up in all of their faces.

The sex is smoking hot, and there is lots of action to kee the story from getting too bogged down from the romantic conflict. I am a fan of cliffhangers, and I say I didn't see this one coming. I was happily gobsmacked now I want the next book, Cate!
If you like hot paramedics, forensic scientists, coming out, second chances, twists, and hot man-sex you will like this one!
*I received a copy for an honest review*

Can Hardly Wait for Book 2!

Any additional comments?

There were several things I loved about this story: the romance that takes center stage, Sam, and Adam’s realistic struggle.

There were a couple of things I didn’t particularly love about the story. I wasn’t happy with it ending on a partial cliffhanger. Though the romance is a complete story, the mystery is left open-ended, and we’re left with a couple of questions regarding Adam’s other personal relationships.

I also struggled a bit with the narration by Scott R. Smith, especially with his cadence and inflections, and I felt a bit let down by his narration of the sex scenes in the story. Cate Ashwood does a particularly good job writing some very emotionally charged and sexy scenes, but I didn’t feel like the narration adequately showcased the heat.

But the things I loved far outweigh the things I didn’t. Ashwood totally conveys the struggle Adam has with falling for this perfect-for-him guy, and feeling like he can’t really declare it because it would negatively impact the rest of his life. She shows how miserable he is when he chooses to stay in the closet. I absolutely loved Sam (or “Dex” as Adam affectionately call him)! He was out and proud, but totally understanding about what Adam was going through. He never pushed or made Adam feel pressured. *sighs* Sam’s such a great character!

As for the mystery, there were several times where I really liked how Ashwood, and Smith, ratchet up the suspense. You just knew something was going to happen and when it did, the thrill didn’t disappoint! Alas, it ends on a cliffie. So we’ll have to wait for the next in the series (Ford’s story) to (hopefully) get some closure.

I tell you, I’m hooked. I can hardly wait for the next story to come out!

Should be a TV Series

Heat Level: # 4 flames out of 5
Story Rating: # 5 stars out of 5
Narration Score: # 5 stars out of 5

This was a great Audiobook Exciting action with men in uniforms. If the world was a more liberal place, this would be the start of a great TV series. The plot of this story brings together two men who knew each other in high school. Sam was the nerdy kid, super smart who grew up to be a forensic pathologist, Dr. Sam McKenna. He is also openly gay. Adam was Sam’s tormentor. Teasing him at every opportunity. Dr. McKenna feels an attraction towards Adam when they cross paths, but Adam is straight and the hot paramedic that Adam has become will only make Sam's life miserable, or will he? You can sense the attraction between these two characters. The more we learn about them the hotter the attraction gets..This book is pretty intense with lots of drama and action. The ending is powerful with an interesting twist leaving me to wonder if this will be the first book of a series. I adore these characters. They compliment each other so well. I do hope that there will be more to come. I am not ready to give these guys up. Scott R. Smith does an excellent job with the narration. There are many characters in this story both male and female. Smith never leaves you guessing who is speaking. He has great inflection and animation in his story telling.

SCORES on a scale of 1-5 Stars rate each of the Following 5 Categories
PLOT: 5 Stars
CHEMISTRY: 5 Stars
PACING: 5 Stars
ENDING: 5 Stars
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: 5 Stars


Review Copy of A Forced Silence provided by the Dreamspinner Press LLC for an honest Review. Reviewed by Mollien from Alpha Book Club