Miss Flibbertigibbet and the Barbarian

The Cynster Next Generation Series, Book 13

By: Stephanie Laurens

Narrated by: Matthew Brenher

A story of two people thrown together on a journey of discovery that defines what each most want of life, love, and family: a gentleman wishing to buy a fabulous horse and a lady set on protecting her family find common ground while pursuing a thief who upends both of their plans.

Nicholas Cynster rides up to Aisby Grange determined to secure the stallion known as the Barbarian for his family’s thoroughbred breeding stable, only to be turned away by the owner’s daughter. Nicholas retreats but is not about to be denied by any lady, no matter how startlingly beautiful and distracting.

Lady Adriana Sommerville knows Nicholas will be back and resigns herself to having to manage his interaction with her aging father. She successfully negotiates that potential quagmire only, at the very last moment, to discover that the horse is missing.

Stunned, Addie insists on setting out in pursuit and is not so silly as to refuse Nicholas’s support. But as they follow on the heels of the Barbarian, their adventures and encounters open their eyes to the prospect of a more enduring partnership.

Yet before they can follow that trail farther and before they can lay hands on the horse, through shock after shock, their pursuit uncovers a complicated plot that strips away masks and rescripts everything Addie and her siblings thought they knew about the Sommerville family.

©2023 Savdek Management Proprietary Limited (P)2023 Blackstone Publishing

Just what I needed it to be

I've been looking forward to this one and once again Stephanie Laurens didn't disappoint. Revisiting the world of the Cynsters doesn't offer up lots of shocks or plot twists but that's not what I want from these books. Addy and Nicholas were well matched and the Barbarian was an entertaining side character. Looking forward to Meg's book next.

Parents in the act

A young woman who went to the Ton parties Finds that her looks makes people call her miss flibbertigibbet. She attempts to correct that miscomprehension, but people would not listen to her. So she made a decision to quit the ton. Her parents want her to be established and in a good marriage, so they concocted a scheme to lure a Cynster with the promise of an exceptional stud horse with an Pedigree.
Wonderful story with the horse being stolen and Cynster and the young woman Going after the culprits. Good narration.

Love the book

The fun plot line and the interesting characters. The reading was very clear and easy to listen to.

Another great Cynster book

I am a fan of all the Cynster series books and this one was no exception. Throw in an unexpectedly independent heroine, a beautiful racehorse, and a swoony British hero and I am hooked.

Matthew Brenher is fantastic as usual as the voice of the Cynsters.

Lots of traveling

I usually can’t wait for new books from this author, but this one did disappoint a bit.

*spoiler alert*

Most of it was traveling from one road to another and back with detailed descriptions. When it was in another book from the Brides series I loved the descriptions of the towns and how historically accurate it was but this…the narrator is brilliant but I had to force myself to listen. So for this one, I would just skip the middle part… anyway I will keep reading from this author for sure, not all the books have to be great, but I would not really recommend this one. Also I realized how much the word “consequently” was used….sometimes moderation is a good approach.

Tedious and disappointing

I have read everything Stephanie Laurens has written, at least once most more than once. This one was disappointing, pages and pages of wandering around almost aimlessly, and then a an anti-climactic ending. Matthew Brehner only has a couple of voices, not nearly the range of some readers I had to speed it up because he pauses so long between sentences, in the middle of sentences, it was too much. This one will go on the shelf, not to be read again.