Listen free for 30 days
-
Truth or Beard
- Winston Brothers, Book 1
- Narrated by: Joy Nash, Chris Brinkley
- Series: Winston Brothers, Book 1
- Length: 13 hrs and 20 mins
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Humor & Satire
People who bought this also bought...
-
Beauty and the Mustache
- A Philosophical Romance, Knitting in the City, Volume 4
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Joy Nash
- Length: 12 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There are three things you need to know about Ashley Winston: 1) She has six brothers and they all have beards, 2) She is a reader, and 3) She knows how to knit. Former beauty queen, Ashley Winston’s preferred coping strategy is escapism. She escaped her Tennessee small town, loathsome father, and six brothers eight years ago. Now she escapes life daily via her Amazon kindle one-click addiction. However, when a family tragedy forces her to return home, Ashley can’t escape the notice of Drew Runous
-
-
Heartbreakingly sad and beautiful
- By Sarenad on 08-06-18
-
Neanderthal Seeks Human BoxSet: A Workplace Romance, 2020 Revised and Expanded Edition
- Knitting in the City, Book 1 & 1.5
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Jennifer Grace, Sebastian York
- Length: 28 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Neanderthal Seeks Human: There are three things you need to know about Janie Morris: 1) She is incapable of engaging in a conversation without volunteering TMTI (Too Much Trivial Information), especially when she is unnerved, 2) No one unnerves her more than Quinn Sullivan, and 3) She doesn't know how to knit. Neanderthal Marries Human: There are three things you should know about Quinn Sullivan: 1) He is madly in love with Janie Morris, 2) He’s not above playing dirty to get what (or who) he wants, and 3) He doesn’t know how to knit.
-
-
Fantastic books
- By Mrs. C. M. Mccann on 21-01-21
-
Engagement and Espionage
- Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries, Book 1
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Chris Brinkley, Joy Nash
- Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jennifer Sylvester made her deal with the devil...and now, they’re engaged! But all is not well in Green Valley. A chicken choker is on the loose, 61 dead birds most "fowl" need plucking, and no time remains for Jennifer and her devilish fiancé. Desperate to find a spare moment together, Jenn and Cletus’s attempts to reconnect are thwarted by one seemingly coincidental disaster after another.
-
-
Penny’s World never disappoints!
- By Annie on 24-10-20
-
Act Your Age, Eve Brown
- By: Talia Hibbert
- Narrated by: Ione Butler
- Length: 10 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Eve Brown is a certified hot mess. No matter how hard she strives to do right, her life always goes horribly wrong - so she's given up trying. But when her personal brand of chaos ruins a wedding, her parents draw the line. It's time for Eve to grow up and prove herself - even though she's not entirely sure how. Jacob Wayne is always in control. The uptight B&B owner expects nothing less than perfection from his employees, so when a purple-haired tornado of a woman applies for his open chef position, he tells her the brutal truth: not a chance in hell. Then she hits him with her car.
-
-
Excellent
- By Missy Lou on 27-03-21
-
The Unhoneymooners
- By: Christina Lauren
- Narrated by: Cynthia Farrell, Deacon Lee
- Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Olive is always unlucky: in her career, in love, in...well, everything. Her identical twin sister, Amy, on the other hand, is probably the luckiest person in the world. Her meet-cute with her fiancé is something out of a romantic comedy (gag), and she’s managed to finance her entire wedding by winning a series of internet contests (double gag). Worst of all, she’s forcing Olive to spend the day with her sworn enemy, Ethan, who just happens to be the best man.
-
-
Light-hearted, fun and funny
- By Anna on 09-04-21
-
The Crush
- By: Penelope Ward
- Narrated by: Andi Arndt, Sebastian York
- Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s natural to want the one you can’t have. And for as long as I could remember, I’d secretly wanted my brother’s best friend, Jace. He was six years older and always treated me like the sister he never had. Fast forward a decade. We were all in our 20s now. Jace had moved in with my brother, Nathan, and me to help us make ends meet after our parents died. It was just the three of us - an odd family dynamic. Living under our roof, Jace was as bossy and protective as ever. But he certainly didn’t look at me like a sister anymore. That was what made things so complicated.
-
-
Good book to get lost in!
- By Mrs c j Chedd on 21-03-21
-
Beauty and the Mustache
- A Philosophical Romance, Knitting in the City, Volume 4
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Joy Nash
- Length: 12 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There are three things you need to know about Ashley Winston: 1) She has six brothers and they all have beards, 2) She is a reader, and 3) She knows how to knit. Former beauty queen, Ashley Winston’s preferred coping strategy is escapism. She escaped her Tennessee small town, loathsome father, and six brothers eight years ago. Now she escapes life daily via her Amazon kindle one-click addiction. However, when a family tragedy forces her to return home, Ashley can’t escape the notice of Drew Runous
-
-
Heartbreakingly sad and beautiful
- By Sarenad on 08-06-18
-
Neanderthal Seeks Human BoxSet: A Workplace Romance, 2020 Revised and Expanded Edition
- Knitting in the City, Book 1 & 1.5
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Jennifer Grace, Sebastian York
- Length: 28 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Neanderthal Seeks Human: There are three things you need to know about Janie Morris: 1) She is incapable of engaging in a conversation without volunteering TMTI (Too Much Trivial Information), especially when she is unnerved, 2) No one unnerves her more than Quinn Sullivan, and 3) She doesn't know how to knit. Neanderthal Marries Human: There are three things you should know about Quinn Sullivan: 1) He is madly in love with Janie Morris, 2) He’s not above playing dirty to get what (or who) he wants, and 3) He doesn’t know how to knit.
-
-
Fantastic books
- By Mrs. C. M. Mccann on 21-01-21
-
Engagement and Espionage
- Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries, Book 1
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Chris Brinkley, Joy Nash
- Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jennifer Sylvester made her deal with the devil...and now, they’re engaged! But all is not well in Green Valley. A chicken choker is on the loose, 61 dead birds most "fowl" need plucking, and no time remains for Jennifer and her devilish fiancé. Desperate to find a spare moment together, Jenn and Cletus’s attempts to reconnect are thwarted by one seemingly coincidental disaster after another.
-
-
Penny’s World never disappoints!
- By Annie on 24-10-20
-
Act Your Age, Eve Brown
- By: Talia Hibbert
- Narrated by: Ione Butler
- Length: 10 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Eve Brown is a certified hot mess. No matter how hard she strives to do right, her life always goes horribly wrong - so she's given up trying. But when her personal brand of chaos ruins a wedding, her parents draw the line. It's time for Eve to grow up and prove herself - even though she's not entirely sure how. Jacob Wayne is always in control. The uptight B&B owner expects nothing less than perfection from his employees, so when a purple-haired tornado of a woman applies for his open chef position, he tells her the brutal truth: not a chance in hell. Then she hits him with her car.
-
-
Excellent
- By Missy Lou on 27-03-21
-
The Unhoneymooners
- By: Christina Lauren
- Narrated by: Cynthia Farrell, Deacon Lee
- Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Olive is always unlucky: in her career, in love, in...well, everything. Her identical twin sister, Amy, on the other hand, is probably the luckiest person in the world. Her meet-cute with her fiancé is something out of a romantic comedy (gag), and she’s managed to finance her entire wedding by winning a series of internet contests (double gag). Worst of all, she’s forcing Olive to spend the day with her sworn enemy, Ethan, who just happens to be the best man.
-
-
Light-hearted, fun and funny
- By Anna on 09-04-21
-
The Crush
- By: Penelope Ward
- Narrated by: Andi Arndt, Sebastian York
- Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
It’s natural to want the one you can’t have. And for as long as I could remember, I’d secretly wanted my brother’s best friend, Jace. He was six years older and always treated me like the sister he never had. Fast forward a decade. We were all in our 20s now. Jace had moved in with my brother, Nathan, and me to help us make ends meet after our parents died. It was just the three of us - an odd family dynamic. Living under our roof, Jace was as bossy and protective as ever. But he certainly didn’t look at me like a sister anymore. That was what made things so complicated.
-
-
Good book to get lost in!
- By Mrs c j Chedd on 21-03-21
-
The Kiss Quotient
- A Novel
- By: Helen Hoang
- Narrated by: Carly Robins
- Length: 9 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases - a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with as well as way less experience in the dating department than the average 30-year-old. It doesn't help that she has Asperger's and that French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. She decides that she needs lots of practice - with a professional - which is why she hires escort Michael Phan.
-
-
**Blush**
- By Lorraine Young on 07-06-19
-
Luna and the Lie
- By: Mariana Zapata
- Narrated by: Callie Dalton, Gomez Pugh
- Length: 17 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Luna Allen has done some things she would rather no one ever know about. She also knows that, if she could go back in time, she wouldn’t change a single thing. With three sisters she loves, a job she (mostly) adores, and a family built up of friends she’s made over the years, Luna figures everything has worked out the way it was supposed to. But when one of those secrets involves the man who signs her paycheck, she can’t find it in her to regret it. Despite the fact that he’s not the friendliest man in the world. Or the most patient.
-
-
Yummy
- By Jennifer O'Connor on 23-09-20
-
Dream Maker
- By: Kristen Ashley
- Narrated by: Susannah Jones
- Length: 12 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Evie is a bona fide nerd and a hyper-intelligent chick who has only ever been able to rely on herself. So when she decides to earn an engineering degree, she takes a job dancing at Smithie's club to make the tuition money she needs. But between her lack of dancing skills and an alpha bad boy who becomes overly protective, Evie realises this gig might not be as easy as she thought. Daniel 'Mag' Magnusson knows a thing or two about pain, but the mask he wears is excellent.
-
-
Happy to be back with the crew!
- By Kindle Customer on 21-03-21
-
The Wall of Winnipeg and Me
- By: Mariana Zapata
- Narrated by: Callie Dalton
- Length: 16 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Vanessa Mazur knows she's doing the right thing. She shouldn't feel bad for quitting. Being an assistant/housekeeper/fairy godmother to the top defensive end in the National Football Organization was always supposed to be temporary. She has plans, and none of them include washing extra-large underwear longer than necessary. But when Aiden Graves shows up at her door wanting her to come back, she's beyond shocked.
-
-
Boring??? Hell NO!
- By Lesley T on 23-11-16
-
By a Thread
- A Grumpy Boss Romantic Comedy
- By: Lucy Score
- Narrated by: Erin Mallon, Sebastian York
- Length: 14 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
I got her fired. Okay, so I’d had a bad day and took it out on a bystander in a pizza shop. But there’s nothing innocent about Ally Morales. She proves that her first day of her new job in my office, after being hired by my mother. So, maybe, her colorful, annoying, inexplicably alluring personality brightens up the magazine’s offices that have felt like a prison for the past year. Maybe, I like that she argues with me in front of the editorial staff. And maybe, my after-hours fantasies are haunted by those brown eyes and that sharp tongue.
-
-
Was this a book or a porno?
- By Lou on 06-09-20
-
Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating
- By: Christina Lauren
- Narrated by: Todd Haberkorn, Jayme Mattler
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Foul-mouthed, quirky, sharp-as-a-whip Hazel never thought she would win the heart of her gorgeous college TA, Josh. And, in fact, she didn’t. But what a difference 10 years can make. Well...10 years, and a lot of legwork.
-
-
This was so weird
- By Abbas on 28-08-20
-
Pucked
- By: Helena Hunting
- Narrated by: John Mclaren, Muffy Newtown
- Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
With a famous NHL player for a stepbrother, Violet Hall is well acquainted with the playboy reputation of many a hockey star. So of course she isn't interested in legendary team captain Alex Waters or his pretty, beat-up face and rock-hard six-pack abs. But when Alex inadvertently obliterates Violet's misapprehension regarding the inferior intellect of hockey players, he becomes much more than just a hot body with the face to match.
-
-
Fantastic
- By LilleyLoohLah on 28-02-16
-
My Brother's Roommate
- By: Kendall Ryan
- Narrated by: Jacob Morgan, Andi Arndt
- Length: 5 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There are a few things you should know about my brother’s roommate. Wolfie Cox is complicated, and incredibly sexy. Unfortunately, he has an impressive stick lodged so far up his ass, he’s about as emotionally available as a chinchilla. Actually, that might be an insult to the chinchilla community. So, naturally, I want to ride him like a bicycle.
-
-
A wonderful story with heart
- By Readers Together on 24-12-20
-
The Friend Zone
- By: Abby Jimenez
- Narrated by: Teddy Hamilton, Erin Mallon
- Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Kristen Petersen doesn't do drama, will fight to the death for her friends, and has no room in her life for guys who just don't get her. She's also keeping a big secret: facing a medically necessary procedure that will make it impossible for her to have children. Planning her best friend's wedding is bittersweet for Kristen - especially when she meets the best man, Josh Copeland. He's funny, sexy, never offended by her mile-wide streak of sarcasm, and always one chicken enchilada ahead of her hangry. Even her dog, Stuntman Mike, adores him. The only catch: Josh wants a big family.
-
-
An emotional roller coaster
- By Anonymous User on 11-07-20
-
Most Eligible Billionaire
- An Enemies-to-Lovers Romantic Comedy
- By: Annika Martin
- Narrated by: Jason Clarke, Neva Nevarre
- Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
I'm Vicky, the dog whisperer. (Not really, but that's what my elderly neighbor says whenever I walk her dog, Smuckers.) When she dies, she surprises everybody by leaving a corporation worth billions to Smuckers...and she leaves Smuckers to me. Suddenly, I go from running my Etsy store to sitting in an elegant Wall Street boardroom with Smuckers in my lap. And my neighbor's son, Henry Locke, aka New York's most eligible bachelor, glaring across the table at me. Rumor has it Henry's a business genius who's as talented in the bedroom as he is in the boardroom.
-
-
Serious issues in a lovely package
- By Rachel Reads on 22-10-20
-
Pretty Reckless
- By: L.J. Shen
- Narrated by: Angela Goethals, Maxine Mitchell, Michael Crouch
- Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
They say revenge is a dish best served cold. I’d had four years to stew on what Daria Followhill did to me...now my heart was completely iced. I took her first kiss. She took the only thing I loved. I was poor. She was rich. The good thing about circumstances? They can change. Fast. Now, I’m her parents’ latest shiny project. Her housemate. Her tormentor. The captain of the rival football team she hates so much. Yeah, baby girl, say it. I’m your foster brother. There’s a price to pay for ruining the only good thing in my life. She’s about to shell out some serious tears.
-
-
A great story with fantastic voice acting.
- By N. Mahoney on 20-05-19
-
One Exquisite Touch
- By: Lauren Blakely
- Narrated by: Emma Wilder, Joe Arden, Shane East, and others
- Length: 7 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When the invitation arrived, it detailed the rules of the masquerade - no names, no identities. I set one more - find a most wicked man for one night. The kind who'll bring me deliciously naughty pleasure in dark corners. But as the clock ticks to midnight, he finds me, whisks me away to a secret alcove, and delivers all that dirty bliss and then some. We make arrangements for another secret rendezvous before I rush out of the ball. But fate has other plans, since I see my most wicked man the next morning.
-
-
I am woman, hear me roar
- By LilleyLoohLah on 14-10-20
Summary
Beards, brothers, and bikers! Oh my!
Identical twins Beau and Duane Winston might share the same devastatingly handsome face, but where Beau is outgoing and sociable, Duane is broody and reserved. This is why Jessica James, recent college graduate and perpetual level-headed good girl, has been in naïve and unhealthy infatuation with Beau Winston for most of her life. His friendly smiles make her tongue-tied and weak-kneed, and she's never been able to move beyond her childhood crush. Whereas Duane and Jessica have always been adversaries. She can't stand him, and she's pretty sure he can't stand the sight of her....
But after a case of mistaken identity, Jessica finds herself in a massive confusion kerfuffle. She has spent her whole life paralyzed by the fantasy of Beau and her assumptions of Duane's disdain; therefore she's unprepared for the reality that is Duane's insatiable interest, as well as his hot hands and hot mouth and hotter looks. Not helping Jessica's muddled mind and good girl sensibilities, Duane seems to have gotten himself in trouble with the local biker gang, the Iron Order.
Certainly, Beau's magic spell is broken. Yet when Jessica finds herself drawn to the man who was always her adversary, now more dangerous than ever, how much of her level-headed heart is she willing to risk?
Series description:
Everyone in Green Valley, Tennessee, knows that the six bearded Winston brothers have been imbued with an unfair share of charm and charisma...and are prone to mischief.
Truth or Beard is book number one in the Winston Brother's series. Each book is a stand-alone, full-length, contemporary romantic comedy novel, and follows the romantic exploits and adventures of one of the six Winston brothers.
More from the same
What listeners say about Truth or Beard
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- joyly55
- 30-03-21
Another great love story in this series
Duane has to fight for Jessica's love, overcoming the many obstacles that are put in their way. These stories are about the Winston family (6 brothers and 1 sister) who find their own HEA. The narrators did a fabulous job of bringing all the characters to life and I'm looking forward to the next instalment in this series 💕💕❤❤
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Jan-BBBf-sizzlereads
- 20-01-20
I'M ADDICTED TO THIS SERIES
This series is amazing, I am totally addicted. I listened to Beard Science first and just had to start this series from the beginning, I fell in love with the Winston brothers.
Duane and Jessica's story is childhood to adult love story. I swooned, laughed and enjoyed the ride through the ups and downs all the way to the hfn and I cannot wait to get more glimpses of Duane and Jessica in other stories as they prepare to take their relationship to another level.
There are 6 brothers and one sister in this series and each brother has his own unique character, Cletus in book 3, I discovered was a complex and lovable puzzle, Duane had the potential to be a hothead, he's a risk-taker, an adrenaline junkie but also a man with few yet deep and meaningful words, I cannot wait to discover more of these Winston men and the woman who steel their hillbilly hearts.
Brilliantly narrated, I would definitely listen to more in this series via audio.
-
Overall
- Pam
- 18-12-18
Fantastic
Fantastic story with wonderfully written characters. The narrators captured the story perfectly. 5 stars from me.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Dee
- 22-06-16
Excellent Story...Excellent Narration!
I have never listened to either if these narrators before, but they were both excellent. I don't usually enjoy male narrators doing female voices but Chris Brinkley was not too bad 😉. Joy Nash is superb!
They story was also very sweet, with some raunchy parts too, but not so much that they take over the whole storyline, like some books do. It had a good story line and brilliant characters, which were all interesting and all added to make a truly enjoyable listen/read. I laughed out loud at some parts which got me some odd stares! I wish that I had realised that there is actually a book before this one....Beauty and the Mustache....which is also about the Winstons, albeit the Winston sister. I'm off to listen to that now!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Susan
- 21-04-16
Ok, but lacking sparkle
Its difficult to criticise this book, because Penny Reid’s books are so good that even something below her usual standard is still way above the standard of many other writers. So if I compare this to her usual I would give it two stars, but if I compare it to other authors I will give it four stars!
Confused? I was, because this book was pleasant enough, but for me it just failed to recreate the chemistry that is usually such a delightful feature of Ms Reid’s books. The H was in love with the h from before the book started, and declared this pretty much from the beginning, both to the reader and then to the h. As the h felt pretty much felt the same way, that lovely tension of uncertainty and anticipation between our couple was sadly lacking.
The conflict in this book was supposed to be created by an odd plot line where the H was a home town boy with roots and connections, whilst the h was desperate to travel, and experience the world outside of her home town. This just did not work for me. Unlike some readers, I did understand that desperate feeling of wanting to see the world – not just on holiday but as a working member of other communities. What I found surprising was the lack of understanding by others. Maybe I just don’t understand small town America. Nevertheless I could not see why it would have been so impossible to discuss a compromise right from the beginning (as they eventually did, at the end). The couple were both very young so I could not understand why her desire to travel was such an overwhelming barrier to establishing a permanent relationship.
Added to this was a weird side story about the h’s dying Aunt who, after her death, is revealed to be h’s mother. We had strong hints that a local biker was her father, but nothing more. It left so many questions. Why did the Aunt treat her so badly, but then leave her everything in her will? Who is her father?
The writing of this book was up to Ms Reid’s usual high standard, but I did not particularly like the dual narration. The female narration was pretty much perfect for all voices, but the male narrator has a fabulous deep (very sexy!) voice which unfortunately does not lend itself well to female voices, and I found this a jarring distraction from what was otherwise excellent narration.
There is a fabulous interview at the end of the audio with Ms Reid which makes me like her so much I feel a bit guilty for my criticisms above (!), and I am most relieved to hear that she is going to remain self-published and not allow established publishing houses to dictate changes in her characters. Her fabulous characters are what makes her books truly special and even though this book was not a favourite for me, I look forward to reading the next in the series.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- alwaysbooking
- 23-05-16
Hilarious, new favorite romantic comedy!
Don't know why it took me so long to read after adding it to my wish list long ago, but I'm glad I read it late, because now I only have 10 days until book 2 comes out. Truth or Beard was hilarious, heartwarming, completely fun to read, and so engaging. I listened to most of it here on audible but then bought the e-book version as well so I could read it whenever I wanted. Duane gave me a whole new appreciation for Southern men with accents, and guys with red hair and beards. Everything he says and does is a bit of a turn on and he's definitely one of my new favorite characters. I can't help but think part of that was the narrator Chris Brinkley doing an exceptional job of bringing Duane to life. The narrators were perfect for this story. I'd listen to both of them again and again. Can't wait for book two to come out!
14 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Jill
- 10-06-19
3.5 Stars
3.5 Stars.
Truth or Beard is book 1 of the Winston Brothers series. I mostly liked this book. It was a good introduction to the characters in the series. Truth or Beard is told in dual first person POV for our two main characters, Duane and Jessica. This is a contemporary romance with a minor enemy to lovers and friends to lovers trope with a bit of rom-com mixed in. There is some mystery and suspense as well. The book takes place in Tennessee.
There were some minor things that really annoyed me, such as the fact that the characters were constantly referring to each other by first and last name. Seriously. We get it. Her name is Jessica James and his is Duane Winston. Jessica James was used 35 times. Duane Winston, 73 times. Yes SEVENTY-THREE times. Circumcised Penis was also way over used. I don't know why Jessica had to think of and discuss his penis by saying "circumcised penis" each time. It was used 8 times in that phrase and a few others by just mentioning circumcised. It got to be a bit weird.
I also thought there was a lot of telling and information dumping taking place and I would have preferred more showing.
I should probably mention that I pretty much hated Jessica in the beginning of this book but she started to grow on me throughout the story. By the end, I still didn't love her but I did like her.
One thing that I really liked was that there was a quote at the beginning of each chapter. Some of my favorites are:
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Lao Tzu
“Every dreamer knows that it is entirely possible to be homesick for a place you've never been, perhaps more homesick than for familiar ground.” Judith Thurman
“Don't let your luggage define your travels, each life unravels differently.” Shane Koyczan
“No matter how far you travel, you can never get away from yourself.” Haruki Murakami, after the quake
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. I'm still not sure how I feel about the ending but it works well enough for me. This series is about the characters in a large family. There are 6 Winston brothers and 1 sister. The siblings are all close and loyal to each other. That in itself is a huge plus. I eat that stuff up. I recommend this book. I'm not going to jump into reading the rest of the series now, but I am open to reading the next book in the future.
Audible: I think the narrators did a good job. They were easy to understand and pleasant to listen to.
12 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- CAROLYN 🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹🔹
- 27-11-15
A LOVE STORY THAT WAS SIMPLY A JOY TO LISTEN TO
Shame on me but I hadn't heard of this Author before so I took a gamble and I'm so pleased I did because this story was one of those listens that you just can't wait to dive and delve back into if life should cruelly call you away from it's mesmerizing pull. It was so well written and narrated I feel that I got to know all of the mixed bag of loveable main characters really well.... they were smart, feisty, shy, sassy, quirky, funny, honest, loving, humble, kind, generous, protective, had strong family values and each and every one of them had a loving bond with their siblings.
Jessica always hero worshipped Beau, he was her perfect man.... until a Halloween Party, a sexy Wizard's costume, mistaken identity, a scorching kiss and a dazed shocking revelation finally broke the enchantment spell Jessica had been under for years and, instead of longing for Beau's scorching kisses and passion-filled desperate touches, it was Duane's. And, as for Duane, he had known and loved Jessica for years but knew he could never compete with the open adoration Jessica held for his twin so instead he teased, provoked, fought, verbally sparred a took whatever he could just to be near her until a sexy Wizard's costume and a case of mistaken identity finally gave him the chance of more.... and he grabbed it, and Jessica, and took his chance.
And so starts a really sweet and fun relationship that was, unfortunately, doomed from the start because Duane wanted white picket fences but Jessica had wanderlust with the urge to taste, discover and experience new adventures. It was calling to her very soul but so too was Duane's arms..... therefore she blindly reasoned with herself that she couldn't afford to go yet, which left plenty of time to date Duane, she could also be honest, up front and tell him her plans, he would be ok with that, everyone would be happy and everything would work out. But it didn't quite work out that way because feelings got hurt, heart's got broken, life altering revelations got spilled, a Brother's return resulted in punches, a life threatening situation arose, a Biker Club caused major drama, blackmail and pulled at unwilling strings. Then danger loomed and, just when Jessica and Duane truly connected, misunderstandings, assumptions and someone's lies broke the HEA illusion and suddenly tears, rejection, heartbreak and shattered dreams was all that was left. However, it wasn't over because neither one of them was willing to let go or could walk away.
What a fun and entertaining listen this was with descriptive scenes that brought you mentally into all the action as this tender and touching love story played out as they foolishly set a misguided 'end date' to their relationship, their loving Brothers interfered, a nasty MC biker gang caused drama, an ex and bitchy Cousin lied and schemed and there was a dramatic tragic twist that nearly ruined everything. There was hot chemistry and sex scenes which were fantasized about and physically led up to but, alas, they didn't share in the explicit details. Dual POV's and a couple of great narrators who added the magic that brought each and all of the characters to life, gave every one of them distinctive voices that fitted with their personalities and each could be easily recognized as the loving words, deadly threats, lies, witty banter and general conversations seamlessly flowed.
Worth a credit? A love story that was well narrated, fairly light, often fun and amusing with a plot that took no time to get totally wrapped up in, it had great characters, was well written, included sizzling chemistry, warmish sex scenes, romance, angst, heartache, humor, emotional turmoil, drama and a HEA ending.... so what's not to love? Well worth a credit - six handsome, sexy and charismatic Brothers, one down and now five more to go..... yummy and bring them on.
20 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Travis Ross
- 08-10-17
I love these books
I'm strongly tempted to jump the gun and not wait for my free credit for Grin and Beard It. I started with Cletus and Jen. Best sale deal I ever nabbed. When my next free credit came up I got Truth or Beard. I love this series. I laugh my ashes off with every book, and because of my own family history I strongly identify with the characters.
Joy and Chris are among the best narrators in the business. All of their different character voices are distinct and full of life. Their accents are spot-on. I'm actually a little worried that Sienna's narrator in #2 won't do her as well as Joy did her in #3!
Penny Reid is awesome. I'm really looking forward to starting her Knitting series, even though I'm a guy and it's written more for a female audience.
It is my belief that if more men read romance novels, then the female population of this country would be a lot happier and more satisfied.
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Amy K.
- 27-06-16
Duane!?!?!?!
Seriously can Beau just smack Duane up the side of his head and tell him to stop being so stubborn? This book is a gem, from sexy gandolfs to illegal car racing I never knew what to expect next!!!
6 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Bookworm
- 02-02-20
Hated the accents
As a person who was born and raised in East TN I hated the accents. TN has a variety of accents but these did not sound like those I've heard after living in Knoxville, Chattanooga and Nashville and even Memphis. As to the storyline I felt it dragged. Will not read other books in the series.
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Crystal
- 31-07-18
Terrible Terrible Terrible.
There is absolutely no logical explanation for them to just start hooking up at all let alone where they are when they do especially after the super detailed lead up history (or more like limited history) of their interaction growing up. I'm annoyed that i wasted a credit on this because i dont think i can even keep going to see if it gets any better. It just feels so amateur when the plot had so much promise and the intro was quite well written building a backstory but it just got sooooo bad sooooo quickly. Disappointing.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Smitten with Reading
- 17-06-17
A rating...
My Review:
Overall: 4.5
Performance: 4.75
Story: 4.25
Like all of Penny Reid's books, this is one that just makes you happier for having read it. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
This series is set around the Winston boys...there are six of them (and a sister who's story was featured in a previous series...I need to go back and read her story). This particular story features Duane. He's one of the identical twins.
Her entire life Jessica has had a HUGE crush on Beau, the other half of this identical twin duo. Oops...you can see where the beginning of this story begins. Because Jessica has never had any feelings, but disdain for Duane. They grew up together and he was always her tormenter. He never meant it to be vicious, but that's not how Jessica saw his treatment. As a result, she really doesn't like him, although he's been half in love with her most of his life (unknowingly, to her).
The other real conflict to the possibility of them forming a relationship is that Jessica isn't planning on staying. She is a girl with wanderlust. She has huge plans of traveling the world. It's her dream, and she won't settle. And honestly...and this is why I ADORE Duane...Duane doesn't want her to sacrifice her dream either. He doesn't want to hold her back, but his roots in this community are deep. He can't leave. He has an automotive business that he runs with his brothers. They're counting on him to continue there.
I love how the relationship progressed...from enemies to impossiblities to possibilities to all the things that love means. It's a beautiful story with so many underlying emotions. My heart...Duane owned it, all the way through. He was the perfect hero.
It was a fun book...so fun that I immediately got online and ordered the two other audiobooks that were available (and the sister's story from the other series). I think I'm going to enjoy this entire series. Yippee!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Taura
- 20-09-20
This is more of a "tween" story
It did start out good, great background story. Even though she is out of college, i felt like I was listening to the thoughts of a very young adult. I really wanted to like the book, but maybe its best for people under 20 who have no experience on how relationships progress.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Lisa
- 04-06-16
Fantastic across the board
This series has me wishing that Penny Reid had a good twin (she'd be the other one) just so she could write faster.
I'm anxiously awaiting the audio version of book two and hopefully it will be narrated by Joy and Chris. Keep up the great work folks
2 people found this helpful