The Beloved One

The De Montforte Brothers, Book 2

By: Danelle Harmon

Narrated by: David Stifel

In this second installment of her breathtaking De Montforte Brothers series, critically acclaimed author Danelle Harmon introduces us to Englishman Lord Charles de Montforte, who awakens in the tender care of an American beauty after being wounded in battle. Amy Leighton has long wished for someone special to enter her life and take her away from a cruel, unloving step-family, but the handsome stranger is from an enemy land...and he's sworn to love another. A 1775-era Cinderella story sure to enthrall!

©2014 Danelle Harmon (P)2014 Danelle Harmon

The 2nd Brothers Story!

Enjoyed listening as he overcomes physical and emotional issues. Find his place in life and the love of his life with a little help from his older brother. You really feel like you’re part of the family and are anxious to see what happens next!

Fantastic! My favorite de Montforte Brother!!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Beloved One to be better than the print version?

Yes and no. Yes, because it is easier to pick up on details that are missed in the reading. No, because I might read certain passages differently than a narrator would. Both are enjoyable!

What did you like best about this story?

Hard question because the story is one of my favorites! There is just so much detail! A lot of action and a lot of description. The hero and heroine both suffer from a severe lack of confidence, yet they each manage to instill confidence in the other. Each becomes stronger within the relationship.

What about David Stifel’s performance did you like?

He shows good emotionality and does not always rely on the emotion of anger to convey a 'strong male,' though he certainly uses it when the text calls for it. He is also unusually good at reading female characters so that the listener knows they are female.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Oh, there were many in this book! One of the most moving scenes was when Charles , despondent upon believing his family no longer cared for him, blindly walks into the river. Although smaller and not as physically strong as Charles, Amy throws herself into the water, praying to God that she can save him. Another moving scene was when Charles first returned home after a year and a half away. He arrived home early, catching his family unprepared, and shocking them all. Later, when Lucien confronted Charles about why he allowed the family to think he was dead, I could almost see Lucien's calm demeanor, with the "barely perceptible tremble of his lip" when he asked his brother if he really did still have a heart.

Any additional comments?

One of my favorite stories! Heartbreaking, funny, and in the end, very satisfying!

Great story, problematic narration

First of all, I loved the story and the characters. By this, the second installment in the series, I have developed quite a tendre for Lucien.

Having said that, the narration detracted somewhat from the overall experience. I noticed a few issues in Book One, not enough to take me out of the story, but in this book it got a lot worse:

(a) The characters all sounded cartoonish. Amy came across as slow-witted and Charles as a 70-year old man with severe gout.
(b) The narrator had the unfortunate habit of becoming inaudible whenever he tried to soften Charles' tone. I feel as if I missed half the story.

I see that the same narrator is used for upcoming books in the series and will have to decide whether I'd rather read them than listen to them.

Historical Romance

Would you listen to The Beloved One again? Why?

Yes, I really enjoy this series and would read and listen to all of the books again.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Amy is great! She is sweet and devoted.

What does David Stifel bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Lucien's awesome voice.

Enchanting Story- You Want To Cheer!

This was such a good story. It had such neat elements- a hero that wasn't perfect, a heroine that wasn't the type that everyone would have cast as perfect, an old dog, an evil step brother, and a very 'protective' matchmaker. Lord Andrew DeMontforte is flawed now as a result of the fire at the castle, and fears that he is going mad. He has visions- episodes that he does not understand. He doesn't want to be ridiculed by society and has withdrawn. He wants to be left alone, and shuns social gatherings. But his brother, the Duke, has other ideas. He believes that a wife is exactly what Andrew needs and sets the wheels in motion. Lady Celsiana Bkake is perfect for his brother.

David Stifel does his best job yet with this one. He has the right amount of energy, and his timing is impeccable in the delivery! I found myself laughing and crying over so many of the funniest scenes. And the scenes- the descriptions are incredibly written, so that the narrator's work - his delivery is that much easier. The listener feels more of a visual witness to the story.
Mr. Stifel's work with the character of Lucien is perfection.

The story is so entertaining- a worthy investment of time and money. You will not want to put it down or tear yourself away. This series is so GOOD!!

A CAPTIVATING CINDERELLA & A DAMAGED HERO ROMANCE

Well Ms Harmon has done it again... she has written a breathtaking and heartbreaking saga of pain, betrayal, hardships, denial, loss, anguish and finally the healing power of love between characters who should have been enemies but instead fate stepped in and changed everything.

As Charles (aka The Beloved One) is slowly nursed back to the living once more by Amy, the downtrodden sibling of the family, he is haunted by the past and is full of regrets. Because he feels the sexual chemistry building between him and Amy and, instead of the bond of friendship that they have built over the months, there is now something far deeper, sexual attraction, longing and much much more. That is until he gets the letters which shatters his world, his peace and his heart.

Looking back on this listen in order to write my review I'm struck by just how much content this book actually contained. From the battlefields of America to the green fields of England isn't the only journey Amy and Charles makes.... they also make an emotional heartbreaking journey which nearly breaks both of them but there's also a journey of self discovery too which has the power to heal their broken hearts.

Thank God the story is so powerful because the narrator nearly ruined it as he's all sorts of wrong for the story and, instead of sounding young and swoon-worthy, he sounded harsh, old and more like Winston Churchill.

Worth a credit? Ms. Harmon has written a captivating story that spans a couple of years and she's filled it with a storyline containing heartbreak and loss, recovery and pain and forgiveness and passion. With likeable characters, a tortured romance, two nasty sisters, a nail-biting fire and a family's undying love. So YES a credit well used.

The Audible Version

What did you like best about The Beloved One? What did you like least?

The book was great. The narrator made Charles sound like an old man. I would have liked the narrator's voice to be the voice of Charles. That is the reason I do not read aloud.

Regret....

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

No...I forced myself to listen to it since I just purchased it but just couldn't do it.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Anything NOT by this narrator. He was painful to listen to. He was not great in the first book, The Wild One, but I hoped he would improve. Sadly it got worse with the women's voices being the most painful.

How could the performance have been better?

A different narrator could have saved this book.

Could you see The Beloved One being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

It is too much like Cinderella.

Any additional comments?

Not sure how this got such great reviews by others? I keep telling myself that even if the series is good but the narrator gets poor reviews...just don't do it!

entertaining

If you could sum up The Beloved One in three words, what would they be?

You aren't ready for the end result; however, all books in series seem to be cliffhangers. This is the second of the series of three. I am credits shy of being in two or three series, and not sure which one I will be getting next.

What other book might you compare The Beloved One to and why?

Second book. The first is THE WILD ONE, and the last is about the third brother.

What does David Stifel bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Interesting voice inflections. Keeps it moving. I wish the accent wasn't British so heavily.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

No clue.

Beloved Brothers!

Where does The Beloved One rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Most certainly one of my favorites. The narrator is fantastic, giving depth to characters and making the story come alive.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Beloved One?

Lord Charles putting Amy's "sisters" in their place.

Which character – as performed by David Stifel – was your favorite?

The Wicked Lucien, Duke of Blackheath.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Most certainly---I nearly did. I stayed up until the wee hours of the morning trying to finish it!

Any additional comments?

I love this entire series and can't say enough good things about it. I've read the books several times through and now will likely listen to the Audiobooks over and over again as well. Fantastic!