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  • The Player

  • Rockliffe, Volume 3
  • By: Stella Riley
  • Narrated by: Alex Wyndham
  • Length: 10 hrs and 13 mins
  • 4.9 out of 5 stars (180 ratings)
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The Player cover art

The Player

By: Stella Riley
Narrated by: Alex Wyndham
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Summary

Tragedy drove him into unwilling exile. Death demands his reluctant return. In the decade between, he has answered to many names and amassed a variety of secrets. Now the actor known to Paris as L'Inconnu must resume his real identity and become Francis Adrian Sinclair Devereux, Earl of Sarre...a man he no longer knows how to be and whose name, thanks to the malice of a friend turned enemy, remains tarnished by an old scandal. Revenge, so long avoided, slithers temptingly from the shadows.

Granddaughter of a wealthy wool-merchant, Caroline Maitland is not finding her society debut either easy of enjoyable...but, to Marcus Sheringham, she is the perfect solution to his crushing mountain of debt. Knowing she will be married for her money, Caroline never believed she would find love; but neither did she bargain for a certain charming French highwayman...and a surprising turn of events. The stage is set, the cast assembled, and the Duke of Rockliffe waits for the curtain to rise. In the wings, Lord Sarre prepares to make his entrance. He doesn't expect to be greeted with applause.

©2015 Stella Riley (P)2016 Stella Riley

What listeners say about The Player

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Another absolute winner from the Riley/Wyndham team.

I have quickly come to realise that if I see the name Stella Riley on the cover of a novel then I know I'm going to disappear into 'book land' and not emerge for hours! THE PLAYER is no exception and add the velvet voiced, talented and versatile, Alex Wyndham, into the mix and we have perfection, clear and simple.

THE PLAYER, the third in Ms. Riley's Rockliffe series is simply superb. There are deeply moving moments, giggly moments and sheer genius moments. Stella Riley has a deep understanding of human nature and because of this quite unique talent, her writing tweaks something in my heart every time. All of her books are different yet she subtly introduces old friends/favourites - like the swoon worthy Rock from THE PARFIT KNIGHT and THE MÉSALLIANCE - into each of her stories.

Ms. Riley couldn't have chosen a more perfect narrator to perform her fab books; long may their partnership continue. I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE her writing.....The whole series is highly recommended.

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8 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Witty & romantic

Wonderful. Great characters, well written and funny too. A worthy successor to Georgette Heyer. More Rockliffe novels please

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5 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Sublime

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

Yes, without hesitation because it is beautifully written and brilliantly narrated.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Player?

Mr Bailes - see review

What does Alex Wyndham bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

A expertise in being able to transition seamlessly from one character to another and then back into the narrative. All his characters are well crafted.

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

Yes - Mr Bailes - see review.

Any additional comments?

Sublime is the one word I can use to describe the final audio in Stella Riley’s Rockliffe series, The Player.
Once again the collaboration between Ms Riley and Alex Wyndham has proved to be a triumph because of the written and narrated content.
The hero in The Player is Francis Adrian Sinclair Devereux, Earl of Sarre who has spent the last 10 years living in France only returning to England now due to a family bereavement.
While living in France he has learned new interesting skills (I won’t say more!) and acquired a good friend Bertrand who adds a lot of fun to the story. As a result French and English characters are sprinkled throughout the book so Mr Wyndham has to narrate the different languages that he does seamlessly - Wonderful.
The storyline is typically Stella Riley with assured and well-constructed dialogue between all characters where not one word is wasted - Superb.
There are a number of touching scenes in the book but my favourite is when Adrian meets a former employee of his father, Mr Bailes. This is beautifully written and with a real emotional pull.
I will not say anymore regarding the plot but will concluded by highly recommending this book to anyone who likes a really good romance coupled with an outstanding narration, which I can only describe as Sublime.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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  • F
  • 07-07-16

An excellent addition to the Rockcliffe series

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
The Player is book 3 of the Rockliffe series, the others so far being The Parfait Knight & The Mesalliance. All 3 books are very well written & superbly read by Alex Wyndham. The stories ideally would be read in chronological order, but I think wouldn't detract from each story if that wasn't possible. The first book centres around The Marquis of Amberley and the beautiful blind Rosalind; the second is about the Duke of Rockliffe & his life and the third (The Player) around Adrian Deveroux & the Yorkshire heiress Caroline. All 3 tales have Rockliffe (or Rock as he is known to his friends) featured in the storylines. He is, like the other 2 men, a wonderful, gallant hero (very much in the style of the Duke of Avon in GH's These Old Shades, which is one of my favourites).

All the main male characters are handsome, but all have a vulnerable, sensitive side to them, which endears them to the reader. I really enjoyed the minor male characters who were friends to our 3 hero's - Jack, Harry, Philip & Nicholas. I really enjoyed their male relationships, they were written as such good friends to each other, which was a joy to be a part of.
The main female characters were also well drawn, my favourites being blind Rosalind who was gorgeous and in The Player, Caroline. I was a little unsure about Rock's lady - I thought she should have been more feisty.

Who was your favorite character and why?
Rock, Adrian and Caroline

What does Alex Wyndham bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
He is a superb reader. Like Nicholas Boulton, he acts out the story as well as reading it too. I think there is nothing finer than a well-written book that has a superb narrator. Stella Riley & Alex Wyndham are an outstanding combination. Highly recommended.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes. I didn't manage it in one sitting, but over two days, staying up into the early hours to finish off the last few chapters.

Any additional comments?
All 3 books very highly recommended.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Possibly the best of the Rockcliffe series

This is my favourite of the Rockcliffe series. What I love about Stella Riley’s writing is the way she makes her characters three dimensional. I find that so many authors have difficulty in achieving this. The story gives a real insight into life in the late 18th century and the main characters are so likeable.
Add to this Alex Wyndham’s superb narration and you have my favourite!

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent

Having read 'the Player' several times, I was sure that I would enjoy Alex Wyndham's narration of Stella Riley's story. It exceeded expectation; there is a vast cast of characters, male and female, from a variety of backgrounds, and Alex Wyndham has given each one a separate voice. Early on in the book, Rock, Amberley, Adrian, Sheringham, the Frenchman Aristide and several others meet by chance at Sinclairs; every voice, every accent is clear and distinguishable, which can be no mean feat and is testament to the narrator's skill.

This is a moving story of betrayal and ultimately, finding love unexpectedly. I think in Adrian, Lord Sarre, Stella Riley created one of her most vulnerable male characters, one who has forgotten how to be himself and is waiting to be kicked again, when he is down. It is all hidden behind an icy reserve, and it takes Caroline, the grand-daughter of a wealthy merchant, to see through the reserve to the man beneath. Such a good story, narrated with great skill [I especially love Bertrand, both on the page and in audio - I am so glad the author gave him his own happy ending in Midwinter Magic!]

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Another gloriously improbable bit of escapism

I thoroughly enjoyed this while doing my daily chores and working in the garden. Stella Riley's heroes are delicious and her heroines believable. The narration is also very good.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Best book of the series so far

Great series, and my favourite book from it so far. Great narration too. I look forward to listening to the rest.

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One of my favourites!

Great characters and a great story! Atmospheric and a fun listen. One of the best of the “Rock” series, which is utterly addictive!

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Brilliant story and characters

Delightful, entertaining and continues the series with great characters and charm. Performed with skill and talent! Brilliant and perfect for relaxing!

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