Sara's Review: Complicated by Kristen Ashley

REVIEWER PURCHASE PUBLISHER: Audible Studios

NARRATOR: Lance Greenfield & Erin Mallon RELEASED: May 2, 2017 GENRE: CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE LENGTH: 18 hours and 22 minutes FORMAT: EBOOK, PAPERBACK, AUDIBLE

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When small town Nebraska sheriff Hixon Drake meets Greta Dare, the connection couldn’t be stronger, but the timing couldn’t be worse.

Dealing with the fallout of a divorce he never wanted and setting up a new home for his kids, Hix becomes that guy, that one he never wanted to be, and puts a stop to things before they can even start. Protecting his kids, and himself, is his only priority.

Greta, on the other hand, has found the place for her and the brother she adores that’s perfect for them—a sleepy little town in Nebraska. She’s learned from life that there are no hopes and dreams. The only thing to look forward to is peace. And that’s what she works hard to build for herself and her brother. Right up until Hix walks into her life.

Hix can’t fight the pull and stay away from Greta for long. And Greta’s finding it hard not to hope for something more with all the promise that is Hix.

But when the first murder that’s happened in over five decades rocks his small, sleepy county, Hix has got to learn to trust again, convince Greta to take a shot with him, and at the same time catch a killer.

In other words, things are definitely…Complicated. FIVE BOUNDLESS STARS

It had been a while since I read or listened to a K.A. book. She has a few writing quirks that after reading/listening 12 books this being my 13th they get very frustrating. That said when this one was offered on my Audible Romance Package I wanted to give it a shot. Her books are never bad. I just get annoyed by the “drew in breath” It’s like KA has a personal hatred of the word A. “drew in A breath” Call me crazy it just may be where I am from but the word A sounds so much better, and she uses that verse in EVERY book. However, in Complicated she did introduce the A when it was in Hixon’s POV. Yep, I notice these tiny irrelevant details because that is the one little writing quirk that makes my eye twitch every f’ing time I hear/read it. There are a few others, but they weren’t as prevalent in Complicated. Rant done. I LOVED that we got so much of this story told for Hixon’s POV. He is a real working man, with real concerns, being a father and a small town Sheriff. I loved how he needed a woman to make him a better man. I’m sure some are going to be upset how quickly he gets over his wife. But I think he was very decisive. He’s a man, and once he is done he is done. I love a man like that. That was on Hope for not communicating. She should have known better. Gretta is pretty much the typical KA heroine, great hair, boobs, and ass. All around great person. She reminded me of Lauren from Sweet Dreams. She comes with baggage in the form of her brother who she takes care of and her horrible mother. That woman was a great villain. As heartbreaking as it was. The love story is excellent and is beautifully mixed with a murder mystery and small-town life. Had the story been told all from Gretta’s POV I wouldn’t have liked it nearly as much as I did. But now I want to know what happens to the rest of the town, the kids and Hope, will this be a series? Because I am fully invested in the characters. Complicated is getting no less than 5 Boundless Stars, I loved it. The narration was fantastic. This wasn’t my first Audiobook narrated by Erin Mallon so I knew she was fantastic, but this was my first time listening to Lance Greenfield, and he is now officially on the must list.