Reality in Check

A Sapphic Celebrity Ice Queen Romance (A South Downs Romance, Book 2)

De: Emily Banting

Narrado por: Angela Dawe

From the multi-award-winning, best-selling author of Broken Beyond Repair comes a new sapphic celebrity ice queen romance — listened to as a standalone or as the second book in the South Downs Romance series.

Sculptor Arte Tremaine is thrown into the hospitality industry when her beloved late grandmother bequeaths her and her sister a charming yet rundown country hotel with zero guests. Arte is determined to make a success of the business, despite her sister snapping at her heels to sell it and painful memories confronting her inside.

Charlotte Beaufort, heiress to a hotel empire, television celebrity, and self-confessed city woman, hits the countryside to film an episode of her reality television show, Hotel SOS, where she immediately clashes with the overwhelmed Arte and her inquisitive Labrador, Rodin.

Arte doesn’t take kindly to Charlotte’s attitude and frank opinions about her hotel, but when they are thrown together, she begins to realise not everything is as it seems with her attractive nemesis. As Arte begins to chip away at Charlotte's icy exterior, both women begin to realise dreams and reality rarely entwine and that, sometimes, our dreams are not even our own.

Can the artsy dreamer and ambitious heiress face the reality of their situations and discover their true paths? And if so, can those paths lead them toward true love?

©2023 Emily Banting (P)2024 Emily Banting

another good one

Dawe did an excellent job as narrator! And Emily wrote a great book with believable characters. Well worth the listen.

Pretty Good

Overall, I enjoyed listening to this novel and Angela Dawe always delivers. I personally found Arte to be quite petulant and, at times, I found it hard to root for her because of her attitude and how she responded Charlotte later in the book. She acted like someone much younger than 38 years old. In addition, I think that Banting was a bit heavy-handed when she pushed the life lessons and changes in character as overtly as she did in this particular novel. What I mean is that there are times when the reader can "see" the transformations (their obligations, happiness, legacy, growth, etc..) characters experience in novels. This book seemed to dwell on those lessons and it felt redundant, impressing upon the reader what the point was rather than allowing the reader to come by it on their own during the course of the novel. I don't regret listening to this book at all and will continue to download more from Banting in the future.

I just adore this series!

I absolutely love this series! I’m always hooked by the first chapter. I finished this book in two days while I was at work and it keep me giddy and smiling, my days went by fast and it left me in the best mood. I can’t wait for the third in the series!

Loved it

I couldn’t let it off my hands and spent the whole day listening to this wonderful book and even more wonderful narration.

Enjoyable Romanic Storyline With Interesting Characters!

I enjoyed the different personalities of the main characters in this story and how they provided their individual perspectives to the reader. A very refreshing storyline and well written ebb and flow of feelings. The performance of the store as provided by Angela Dawe was smooth with the perfect tone.

Delightful

Once again Emily delivers another fantastic book. A little bit enemies to friends. A little bit ice queen and quirky artist, and a very nice happily ever after.
There's even a visit from Bea, Sydney and Gertie from Broken Beyond Repair. And of course, Angela Dawe was amazing.

too childish to be 38...

If the author was going to make the younger main character so immature, she should've just made this a true May/December romance and put the younger character in her 20s.. In a situation where the partners are 38 and a 52 year old business mogul, the former (at that big age) should be mature enough to have at least somewhat reasonable expectations. She certainly shouldn't guilt her brand new barely girlfriend for having a busy schedule, especially being fully aware of all the bullsh** she's dealing with. If you're gonna get involved with someone powerful/prominent, you have to understand how to ease their everyday stress, not add to it. Her pouting might've been kinda cute on a 22 year old, but not at 38.

It's also weird for someone that age to need everything spelled out. Like, why do y'all have to agree to text every morning and night in lieu of being able to see each other and talk every day? Just text each other when you think of one another and the other will text back when they are able. That's how all the other adults in the world do it lol. Instead, you just added another obligation to her day.

I'm not quite finished with the book yet, but I can't honestly say I'm rooting for this relationship. It seems like Charlotte would be escaping the grip of her family (which i assume will happen at the end) just to still be caught in the pincers of someone else's needs and expectations.

One of the best

This book along with the 1st one in the series, has been 2 of the best books I have listened to. This series has easily became one of my favorite. Let's not forget Angela Dawe narrating brings them to life.

Loved it

Listened straight through. Low angst. High in warmth. Angela Dawe delivered a great narration, as always.

Wonderful

A fantastic story wonderfully narrated by Angela Dawe! I loved the tension between the two main characters, especially at the beginning, and the dialogue along with it. Very good!