The Seacroft

Paines Creek Beach Book 2

By: Aaron Paul Lazar

Narrated by: Gwendolyn Druyor

Falling for the wrong guy can be hazardous to your heart.

Vivian Wood is desperate. After her beloved brother dies of a sudden aneurysm and her mother develops Alzheimer's, she needs a good job and a place to stay. She finds it at The Seacroft, a Cape Cod seaside mansion ruled by a mysterious and demanding woman looking for a personal assistant.

Vivian soon discovers that being broke and having to deal with her cranky new boss are not her only problems. The gardener at The Seacroft, Cody McGraw, is young, gorgeous, and the bane of her existence-until she starts falling for him.

But Vivian isn't the only one captivated by Cody's charms. Their sultry employer quickly takes an interest in him-and the developing relationship between Cody and Vivian is threatened by the loss of their jobs and more, should they upset The Seacroft's exotic mistress.

Set against the breathtaking backdrop of the Cape, The Seacroft is a steamy story of difficult choices, heart-wrenching sacrifice, and the ultimate salvation of love.

©2015 Aaron Paul Lazar (P)2015 Aaron Paul Lazar

Betrayal. Hurricanes, Jealous bosses

The Seacroft is a sexy, sweet romance with a touch of drama, and page-turning suspense.
Viviana finds herself alone after the death of her brother and her mother being put in a nursing home with Alzheimers. She is happy to have a roof over her head in a lovely beachside mansion as a PA to a beautiful, reclusive woman.
Cody loves his freedom at the Seacroft as a gardener and groundskeeper but soon finds out that his sexy boss wants him for more than just his brawn. He likes the attention until he finds he has feelings for Viviana.
I loved this story. There is a lot going on with the drama building between Uvi, Cody, and Viviana. Then a hurricane hits and wreaks havoc on everyone and everything. There are lots of twists, lots of hot steamy sex and a satisfying ending. A perfect story for any romance lover.
Gwendolyn Dryor does a fantastic job narrating this story. She shows the passion and fear well in all of these characters. I will say that her sexy drawl that was Uvi, sometimes came off a bit weird to me in the sex scenes ...sort of growly. Other than that I loved the narration.

Wonderful Love Story

This is the second book in the Paines Creek Beach series. I enjoyed it.

I downloaded this book in audiobook format as I have listened to this author's work in this way before and really enjoyed it. This audio book is narrated by Gwendolyn Druyor, who has narrated other books by this author. She has a pleasant voice to listen to, though she has a drawl that I struggled to like, and I enjoyed her narration of the story much better than the Bittersweet Hollow series.

Vivian Wood is a wonderful character. I liked her a lot. When her brother dies from a brain aneurysm and her mother develops Alzheimer’s, she needs a good job to pay for the medical bills. She finds the perfect job, working for Uvi Polanski at The Seacroft. There she meets the gardener, Cody McGraw and is attracted to him.

Cody McGraw is also a fantastic character. I liked him a lot too. He was briefly introduced in The Seacreast at the end as a teenager. In this story, he is in his early twenties and works for Uvi Polanski as her gardener. As a hurricane threatens the coast, Cody and Vivian grow closer together. However, there is danger in the form of Uvi and her jealousy. Can Cody and Viv survive the storm?

This story is told through the eyes of both Viv and Cody in alternative chapters. I enjoyed this, as it gave me (as a reader/listener) a chance to see what they were thinking and feeling. The various characters that dot this tale are interesting too: Viv's mother suffers from Alzheimer's and this broke my heart. I have never had to deal with someone who has this terrible disease myself, but my heart goes out to those who have to. It is worse for those who care for those with the disease than those afflicted with it, I feel, and I am in awe of them even when the stress and despair gets them down. I salute you!
I loved to hate Uvi; she makes the perfect villain. She is creepy, manipulative and slightly insane (in my opinion).
However, I loved meeting Finn and Libby (and their kids) again.

As the story unfolded, I found myself hooked by the storyline and there were several twists and turns that surprised me. Unfortunately, although the descriptions of the characters and places came alive, I thought this story was not as good as book one. Yes, the characters were interesting and the mystery and suspense was high, but I felt the dialogue was a little too sappy/cheesy in places. The romance between Viv and Cody is incredibly sweet. However, Uvi's manipulation of both Cody and Viv's need for employment made me feel ill at times. I know that such things happen in real life and it really makes my blood boil. This gave the story a dark undertone that resonated through the book. There are several scenes that had me sitting on the edge of my seat, though I enjoyed the one with Viv and her mom at the home during the flood. The story ends satisfactorily, without a cliffhanger, and I am now looking forward to reading/listening to The Seadog as soon as possible.

Aaron Paul Lazar has written an intriguing tale that captured my imagination. I love his writing style, which is fast paced and entertaining. I also love the flow. I am now looking forward to reading more of his books in the future.

Although this book doesn't have any bad language, there are some slightly explicit scenes of a sexual nature. Therefore, I recommend this book to older teen readers and to adults who love contemporary romance or romantic suspense genres. - Lynn Worton

Wonderful Love story and thriller. 5 star plus

This book is worth the credit. A love story with a thriller combined. Loveable characters and of course a villian. Great writing and wonderful narration. What a wonderful ending. This book will leave you feeling good. Well worth the credit.

Narration was excellent..Characters were well acted.

Thank you for the opportunity to listen and review this book.

Suspenseful Charmer

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I highly recommend this listen, particularly if you're a fan of romantic suspense.

What did you like best about this story?

Although this is certainly a romance novel, there is much intrigue to keep crime fiction fans satisfied as well.

What about Gwendolyn Druyor’s performance did you like?

I found the characters' voicing smooth and enticing. The performances were true to the ear and pleasing to follow.

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

So many moments, yet I'm drawn to suspense--therefore I found the entire hurricane section to be edge of the seat suspenseful. I also loved that every element introduced in the novel was completely addressed to satisfaction.

Any additional comments?

I was drawn to the star-crossed lovers Vivien and Cody, however the woman who stands in the way of their ideal possible future, Uvi, is the "perfect" villain.

Author Lazar presents all of these characters with an intensity and truth of commitment rarely found in a traditional romance. This one is highly erotic, without going over the top. An ideal listen and perfect escape in every way.

Good

Three characters are portrayed in this story, and what they were dealing with, death of a loved one, self esteem, falling for wrong guy, crancky boss. How they deal with life and in a storm. Good flowing plot. Given audio for my voluntary review and my honest opinion

Sweet romance and so much more!

--I was given a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first Aaron Paul Lazar book, and was a little concerned that it was book 2. It was perfectly fine as a stand alone novel. This book had a little of everything in it. Intrigue, suspense, hot sex, innocence, family...you really could not have asked for anything more! The Seacroft brought us to Uvi, and her wickedness, the personal assistant, Vivian and the gardener, Cody. We learn about Vivian's brother and mother, and how their problems have affected her life, and how they continue to be a constant worry. The relationship that grows between Cody and Vivian is sweet and loving. Uvi...I can't even begin to tell you how I love to hate her! There are several background characters as well that help shape the warmth of this romance. It was a pleasure to listen to.

Gwnedolyn Gruyor does an amazing job. Her voices for the characters are distinguishable and entertaining. This is a good listen and is highly recommended.

Three characters and a storm

Who was your favorite character and why?

Naturally, my favorite character is Viv. The story opens and ends with her, and although in many chapters we follow the events from Cody's point of view, he is the 'bad boy' who is undergoing a change through loving her. It is Viv for whom we truly care, to the point of wanting to protect her from the machinations of their evil boss, Uvi.

Which character – as performed by Gwendolyn Druyor – was your favorite?

I loved Viv, and loved to hate Uvi. Gwendolyn Lewis is a graduate of The Central School of Speech and Drama, London. She is articulate in a wide range of European and American dialects. For Viv, she offers a shy, naive voice that plays out her meek nature; for Cody, a spunky, boyish voice that lends itself to visualizing a daring, adventurous character; and for Uvi, their boss, a sly, commanding voice that is as silky as it is sultry.

Any additional comments?

The Seacroft is a story with three characters and a storm. Vivian is a naive young woman who is trying to survive, emotionally and financially, under difficult family circumstances (the death of her beloved brother, the illness of her mother.) Hired by Uvi, the evil mistress of The Seacroft, as her personal assistant, Viv finds herself attracted to the gardener, Cody, but in her meekness she has no idea how to make him notice her.

She cannot believe that he is attracted to her, because being so gorgeous he seems out of her reach, and because—to make matters more complicated—Uvi takes control of him, demanding his attention, expecting his love making, taking advantage of her position of power over his life, and telling both of them that she wanted to “keep him at my beck and call for all eternity, ready to pleasure me at a moment’s notice. But you spoiled that for me, Missy.”

And so the storm starts—not only as a figure of speech for passion but also as a real hurricane called Delilah, who pulls the characters apart and brings them together, all the while causing havoc and destruction in its path. The storm scene is captured imaginatively by the author, with sounds of wind and rain battering the landscape. “The old elm by the porch shuddered and swayed overhead, and in one magnificent burst, its roots creaked and ruptured from the earth, like a giant spider flailing upside down. The tree slammed across her path.” It is the storm that makes this book not only about love but about a place, as indicated by the title.

Will Viv and Cody manage to tie the knot, despite all obstacles? For the romantic in you, find out.

Action, Adventure, Lust and More - Go For It!

Vivian Wood is in a state! She is completely out of sorts when she learns that her beloved her brother died suddenly. On top of that her mom is getting worse with her Alzheimer's. Vivian goes to her mother, so she can help and be with her, even though she is in 'a home'.

She gets wind about a place called The Seacroft, a beautiful home run by an eclectic woman who is looking for an assistant.

As things seem to fall together, Vivian meets Cody McGraw, the gardener at The Seacroft. Of course he is a hot, tan, built, strong and all around man. However, the demanding owner of The Seacroft is also a fan of Cody, for many of the same reasons.

This adventure is filled with passion, action, tragedy and pulls in almost any emotion that I can think of.

Buckle up and enjoy! *I was given this book (Book #2) in exchange for my review. I am hooked. I will be adding the other two to my Wish List (even though number three is not available on audio audible yet))

Notes: mature themes

While this is book 2 in the series, it can read as a standalone.

Stars:Overall 4, performance 4 & story 4

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Wonderful addition to the series

This book stands alone from book one, but I enjoyed listening since I had listened to book one previously. Vivian Wood has issues and it seems that her new job is the answer to everything. Even though her boss can be overly demanding and somewhat of a jerk, but her co-worker Cody is a kind and friendly face. As Cody and Vivian get closer, their boss tries to drive a wedge between them. And when nature makes a stand, all of them will find what they are truly made of.

Thank you to Audiobooks Unleashed for a free copy of the book to listen to.

Chick Lit but good Chick Lit

Any additional comments?

You know in most chick lit that the girl will eventually get the guy. The story then, becomes the how. The how of The Seacroft had a couple of shockers. Big Ones. The kind of big ones that keeps you listening right up until the very satisfying end. Definite listen!