Voyage of the Defiance

Breaking Free, Book 1

By: S. E. Smith

Narrated by: Suzanne Elise Freeman

From S. E. Smith, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author, comes this emotionally charged coming-of-age story filled with action, adventure, and suspense for listeners of all ages.

An act of defiance will either kill her or change her life forever.

Sixteen-year-old Makayla Summerlin enjoyed one thing in her crazy, messed-up existence: hanging with her friends at school. But her life is uprooted when she suddenly finds herself forced to live with a grandfather she barely remembers. One act of defiance will change her life forever. Having trouble adjusting to her new home, she sets sail in her grandfather's old sailboat. On a journey that will challenge everything she has ever believed about herself, Makayla must overcome her fears if she, and a surprising stowaway, are to survive.

©2015 S. E. Smith (P)2015 S. E. Smith

Amazing!!

The best coming of age story I ever had the pleasure of reading / listen to. If any coming of age story should become a movie this should be the first on the list!

Great book

Great book. Really enjoyed it. It did start off a bit ago slow, but really picked up like lightning and never stopped. The 2 kid just nerve gave up too achieve their goal. It was extremely heart worming. I really enjoyed it.

great listen

This was a very moving coming of age story that brought me to tears several times. The performer did an excellent job.

loved it.

I found myself driving around just to hear more of the book. I listened whenever I could.

Wow!

I Love this book! The story and growth of the characters is just amazing! It’s a book that you can’t sit down.

WoW

OMG I think I've never enjoyed a book more ! Wow classic S. E. Smith writing. I was carried along on the adventure of a lifetime. It was as if the author painted the story in my mind as if I was actually there ! I could see it all happen . The story made me laugh, cry and feel every emotion that comes with an adventure like this . Thank you Ms Smith for taking me on this journey !

Great story, confusing account

As other reviews note, a wonderful story. I was confused many times about when and where and what they were doing. How could she see the Big Dipper in early fall? She sees Orion’s Belt after sunset so now it’s at least late November, aren’t they cold?
PARTIAL SPOILER FOLLOWING: There’s a low pressure system to the south and the wind is from the south? They’re holding a tight reach and no one is at the helm or adjusting the sails and they don’t have to lean windward? What kind of yacht is she on? Why are they only sailing 5 knots? She has trouble navigating when she’s just following coastline? She goes hours or even days without checking the weather via radio or cellphone app?!!!? (OMG). She has to stay many miles out to not run aground? Has she never heard the expression “Any harbor in a storm.”? When does she raise and lower the keel? The author was more likely to describe the position of someone’s eyebrow than what was going on in the boat. The book should have been edited by someone who has sailed.
Some dialogue passages were painfully contrived and the narrator can’t do male voices. There. I’m out of complaints.

A great story but apparently rushed to publication without editing. Really enjoyed it when I stopped trying to imagine the actual sailing experience. Recommend to anyone who wants drama and not action.

Good Book

Loved the humor and banter from the author. This story has a good message. Enjoy

Absolutely Wonderful

This book is absolutely wonderful. There is no sex, drugs (but just mentioned shortly),& monad language. This book is so enlightening and I wasn’t sure at first if I would continue listening but I finally saw it was a long book & I like that best. I laughed all by myself & held my breath at some things. This book needs on the best seller list. It is an amazing story & the author is exceptionally gifted author that makes you laugh & can also bring tears going down your cheeks. I don’t remember that ever happening to me before, the tears. I don’t know how old the author is but I’m wondering if he has written a bit of what he may have dreamed when he was (or is) a kid. Maybe it is something he would have loved to have done.
Please keep writing.

Great clean story

Very enjoyable thriller. The coming of age for a teenager that has a challenging background and her sailing experience to find herself.