W.....T......F..... Seriously....?!

Before I get into the story (which started off kind of cool and kept my interest until the last quarter of the book), I just have to say- this narrator was THE WORST narrator I have ever heard. Period. There is no comparison. She literally made every 'guy' voice sound like a stoner from 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High.' Every single guy sounded like Spicoli. It was almost to the point of being comical, but I was mostly just annoyed.

The plot- kind of cool- I can see why someone would want to know what happens next. However, what ends up happening is so incredibly stupid and unsatisfactory and frustrating that it ruins all of the good parts.

Kimberly Belle isn't a cliche writer either. She uses fresh symbolism and biting sarcasm, with original similes and empathetic characters. But, it's like she decided she didn't want to write an ending to this book and just cut it off abruptly.

I wont listen to another book she writes. I am too disgusted with her denouement.

Don't put yourself through the narrator, save some patience.

-Wendi

137 people found this helpful

My Least Favorite Book in the World!

IF YOU LIKE DANIELLE STEELE OR LOVE STORIES WITH ANNOYING CHARACTERS AND TERRIBLE NARRATORS GET THS BOOK.

NO SPOILERS! I had a seething anger listening to this story. It was beyond painful listening to this story and the only reason why I finished was because I was hoping she would die. The author goes on and on with these long rambling tangents throughout the book about how in love Iris is with Will. WE GET IT, MOVE ON! It was like listening to a 12-year-old girl crushing on someone.

The narrator was horrible!!!! She tried to do a southern accent yet she was 1000% New Jersey. At certain points, it seemed she didn’t even bother trying to fake a bad southern accent and was straight up Jersey. Also, half the time she is using this whispery, waify, weakling voice... SO ANNOYING! Lastly, the main character is a psychologist so the narrator should learn how to pronounce "sociology."

Overall, the main character was an idiot and the dumbest psychologist ever! it was painful to be stuck in her head. There was NO suspense, NO thrills, NO Mystery! Anyone with half a brain would figure out the plot right away. This book is marketed under "CHIK LIT" yet online describes this book as a psychological thriller. The book claims to be a great book for anyone that loved “Girl on a Train” or “Gone Girl” which is utter nonsense. I have listened to both and the “Marriage Lie” doesn’t qualify as a psychological thriller. This book should be in the “romance” section.

I'm getting my credit back.

76 people found this helpful

Possibly Ruined By Narration

What did you like best about The Marriage Lie? What did you like least?

The plot lines are there - and perhaps in reading it, this book would seem less disjointed and more compelling. Iris losers her husband in a plane crash - a flight to Seattle when she thought he was heading to a conference in Orlando.

So much of this book, at least in the listening, is taken up with Iris's emotions. She cries, she wails, she vomits, she screams and yells. The author creates drama far too great in situations far to banal.

This is really a cozy mystery attempting to be a thriller - had I not been in the car on a road trip without much opportunity to download something else, I would have abandoned this one after about an hour.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Meh

How could the performance have been better?

This narrator did not have the vocal range necessary for this.

Was The Marriage Lie worth the listening time?

NO!

21 people found this helpful

disappointed

the change in the male character voices were terrible and they all sounded like the same character.

9 people found this helpful

Mostly engrossing but not a shocker

A good listen. A somewhat lightweight "suspenseful thriller". But I figured out who the culprit was and what was going on pretty early on. I'm not giving myself credit. I'm just saying it's easy to figure out. Mostly enjoyable nonetheless. Although when the narrator went into the other voices it was a bit annoying. Like, oh she's doing the male voice now.i guess that can't totally be avoided but still annoying. I love thrillers, and I will not listen to this book again, like gone girl which I can listen to time and again. Not bad but not great.

8 people found this helpful

Just a Middling Story --Long & Trite at Times

This book didn't quite captivate me -- perhaps because it just sounded like a whiny, good-wifey person trying to figure out what her husband had done to their marriage throughout most of the story. Of course, she found out -- although the finding out was tedious and somewhat contrived it seemed to me. In the end, the whiny wife got her revenge -- but it wasn't a satisfying ending to the story at all. It just seemed that two evil, immature people found each other and made a mockery of marriage. If I could do it over, I wouldn't spend the time or money.

23 people found this helpful

Hated it

I don't even really know where to start. Unrealistic plot. Overly whiny and naive main character who also had no growth throughout the book. Horrible narrator who used an awful fake southern accent at time, other times she just spoke normally (for the same character). Introduced characters who implied they'd have more of a part of the book yet disappeared. Frustrating read and waste of a credit.

22 people found this helpful

The narrator almost killed me

The storyline wasn't half bad, but the narrator nearly did me in!! Every voice she used - besides her natural voice - was long and drawn out! Men don't talk like that!! Nobody talks like that! I will never listen to another book read by Johanna Parker - I almost stopped listening.
I kept picturing the words she was reading in a written book - it would have been so much better if I had read the book instead of listened to it!

6 people found this helpful

Not worth the credit.

As a therapist, I'm actually offended they could make the main character so naive and stupid when it comes to seeing signs/issues with her husband.
Even worse is the non stop day in day out puking and sickly feelings, no eating, etc. anyone living as she described would be hospitalized.
Although the ending was a bit of a surprise (not necessarily in a good way, and frankly, too abrupt), the rest of it was a predictable lackluster attempt at suspense that just didn't leave me surprised or even invested in the character.
While I forced myself to listen through to the end, I only did so to find out the ending, not because this was a great book.
And the narrator? Just awful. The fake southern accent about 3% of the time, the universal and unlistenable male voice... just awful. She definitely tried her best, but it just didn't do the trick.
3/10, wouldn't buy it again.

6 people found this helpful

Putrid

The main character in this book would have to be severely retarded to make the storyline even slightly plausible. The narrator is hideous (especially her version of a mans voice). I cannot believe I bothered with this giant bowl clogger.

34 people found this helpful