Shocked by My Vixen

Linked Across Time, Book 14

By: Dawn Brower

Narrated by: Isobel Smith

Christian Kendall, the Marquess of Blackthorn, wishes he didn't have any responsibilities. If his family didn't depend on him, he'd have been able to travel like his brother Nicholas. With Nicholas away, he feels a little lost and uncertain for the first time in his life.

Lady Scarlett Lynwood is lost. Not in the physical sense, but the emotional way. She wants to explore the world and discover hidden treasures. She has no place in her life for love. She wants to be brave like her mother.

Unfortunately, that is not something she can ever be. She has to be the proper lady and attend the season. What her parents do not understand is she'll never be proper or ladylike. She has a wild spirit that will not be tamed.

Christian and Scarlett have a past neither wishes to speak of or remember. As they cross paths, they are forced to relive it all and finally put it to rest. They must finally admit the truth...when it's the last thing either wants. They are drawn to each other, and they have to ask themselves if they can find a way past their differences and allow love to blossom between them.

©2020 Dawn Brower (P)2021 Dawn M. Brower

Love and Magic

Scarlett wants to deny and run from the scene in the mirror that she knows shows her future. Christian knows they can't run from fate. How will he win Scarlett? A cute romance with likable characters and a dash of magic. Enjoyable narration.
I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily reviewed it.

Original

This is book 14 in the Linked Across Time. Christian and Scarlett's story is well written, and original. This is a good addition to the series. Isobel Smith did a good job bringing this story to life. Looking forward to listening to Smitten with My Christmas Minx, the next book in the series. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

shocked or puzzled by the Vixen

As young ones, Marquess Christian and Scarlet stared at the mirror and saw each one in each others arms.For years they had avoided each other. Then the story - I am not sure what the true reason/perception/feelings of Scarlett. She didn't want to marry for ??? She avoided, then she seemed to have tempted the Marquess then avoided again. Nevertheless, I salute the Marquess for his insistence and diligence, leading to their HEA. (NOTE: Has a steamy scene for mature readers only).
So this was still a good read, just puzzled and confused with the heroine.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Good

Shocked by My Vixen
Linked Across Time, Book 14
By: Dawn Brower
Narrated by: Isobel Smith
Length: 1 hr and 41 mins
Audiobook

The story and characters are well written and developed. I enjoyed the drama, chemistry and journey. Good read.

Mirror Mirror on the Wall

Scarlett and Christian saw their future in a special mirror as youths. They rejected their “fates” and lived separate lives. Scarlett Lynwood ‘s mother is having a house party, where she Scarlett runs into Christian Kendall, the future Duke of Weston. She had been avoiding him for ten years! Christian has accepted his fate. Scarlette is still fighting it, but eventually gives in. The story is a novella. It is entertaining, and well written. The characters have their own unique personalities. The narration was well done. I received a free copy of this audiobook from BookSprout and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Enjoyable

I enjoyed this listen. It was a short but entertaining story. The characters are interesting and there journey was fun. The narration was good.

Christian and Scarlett

Book fourteen in the Linked Across Time series, Christian Kendall, the Marquess of Blackthorn and Lady Scarlett Lynwood's story. Another great story in this series. A well written story with a very good storyline that was well worth reading and listening to. I enjoyed Isobel Smith's narration of this story.

Feeling Lost

This is Christian and Scarlett's story. They both would like to travel the world and she will not be a proper lady. He has accepted his fate, but will Scarlett ever accept hers? Follow this journey of wants and what needs to be done.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Told, Not Shown; Poor Narration

I've read or listened to several books in this usually delightful multi-generational time-travel romance series. Unfortunately, this is my least favorite one. It's very short—not even 2 hours in audiobook format—and the author didn't develop either character or plot. Instead, we were told what the characters were thinking and feeling without truly being shown why they felt that way or did what they did. No motivations were expressed whatsoever, and often, what happened seemed absolutely nonsensical. The book starts ten years before the bulk of the story, and in that scene, the future heroine is absolutely vehement about her dislike of the future hero and her desire to wed no one, him or any man. That's a way overdone trope in historical romance. Women had few options back in the day: marry or be a spinster (and a burden on your family). It's so unrealistic; far too many historical romances have this unbelievable trope. Unless the author puts a really good spin on it—and few have—I wouldn’t mind ever reading or listening to this trope again. When they meet again ten years later, despite the way she's treated him—and supposedly still feels about him—he appears to fall for her for absolutely no reason besides physical attraction. Then, despite her decade-long vehemence toward love, marriage, and the hero, she turns on a dime about him, too—and goes right for the intimacy (after which she treats him terribly). It just didn't feel remotely realistic or believable. I didn't like the heroine at all; she was discourteous and unpleasant to the hero for most of the book. That's not very romantic to me! In all honesty, it doesn't feel like the author tried that hard. This is the only book in this time-travel series I've read or listened to that actually has no time travel in it. The hero and heroine are the second generation of two time-traveling couples; the story takes place in early Victorian England.

I listened to the audiobook and wasn't impressed by the narrator. I listen to a lot of historical romance, and when narrators mispronounce particular words, it's like nails on a chalkboard to me. This particular female narrator could not say either “mulish” or “viscount” correctly. The first word should be said like the animal “mule” and add an “ish” to the end; the word and its meaning literally stem from that animal! The narrator pronounced it “MULL-ish.” I doubt the person in question is like a rounded hill! I've heard that far too often in both contemporary and historical romance. If you're being paid to narrate a book, you should learn how to pronounce the words in it before pressing record! The other one she pronounced like VISS-count, not VY-count; the ‘s’ is silent.

Too many problems on too many levels. Definitely not recommended, even if other books in this series are.