Jenn's Book Obsession: Audio Tour: Excerpt + Review + Giveaway

FROM ASHES

HEATHENS INK SERIES, BOOK 3

K.M. NEUHOLD

M/M ROMANCE

AUDIO RELEASE: 01.18.18

NARRATOR: Kenneth Obi

COVER DESIGN: K.M. Neuhold

COVER PHOTO: StockPhoto

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2w5yA3U

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2uURbfi

BLURB

“When the broken man with scarred skin walked into Heathens, asked for a job, and showed me a sketch of a phoenix, it felt like fate.”~ Adam

It started with an anonymous post by someone who didn't want to live anymore. I read it over and over again, unable to get it out of my mind. What if my brother Johnny had posted something like this before he'd taken his own life? Would someone have been able to save him?

I've been living a lie for 16 long years and I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to keep it up. And when a beautiful, broken man walks into my tattoo shop asking for a second chance at life, I know I'll never be able to turn him away.

“When I was so far down I couldn’t even see the light, a stranger reached in to save me”~ Nox

I didn't have anything to live for, until a kind stranger pulled me back from the brink. With physical and emotional scars I have nowhere to turn now but to that same stranger who saved my life without realizing it. But as my feelings for Adam grow, will I ever be anything other than a surrogate for the brother he couldn’t save? Am I even worthy of his love?

**From Ashes is the third book in the Heathens Ink series, each book in the series CAN be read as a standalone.

CAUTION: this book contains graphic descriptions of domestic violence and drug use that may be disturbing to some readers.

REVIEW

4 Stars

Overall: 4 Stars

Narrator: 3.5 Stars

Story: 4 Stars

Length: 6 hours, 7 minutes

I'm broadening my horizons on these audiobooks so I'm still new to many of these narrators. I have yet to hear anything by Kenneth Obi and I think that he did an overall good job delivering the story. He did a good job differentiating the characters and it was easy to follow along. There were times where it just came off as a little flat and I would've liked a little bit more emotion but I think that coincides with the story itself as the story lacked the emotional depth I was expecting considering the background story of the MC's. But overall, good job on the narrating.

This was a good story and I really liked the characters. Adam and Nox were really good together. However, I was a little disappointed that it wasn't a tad more on the emotion side. We don't get much details of the backgrounds either which I would have liked to learn more about. I think the angst/drama part of Adam and Nox's journey were glossed over and just focused on the building of the relationship and the sexual chemistry between the two. I'll never really complain about that part because I'm all about the chemistry and the build up, however, I just would've liked to get to know the characters in more depth.

Overall, this was a good read and I would really like to read and/or listen to the other books in this series. The author has really made these characters very intriguing and keeps you wanting more. I may go back and read this on ebook just to see if I can get a more feel and connection to the story and characters itself as I just didn't get that through the audiobook.

** Gifted copy received in exchange for an honest review **

EXCERPT

The afternoon flies by as quickly as the morning had with a combination of appointments and walk-ins filling up my schedule all the way until closing time.

While Nox and I clean up my workspace Gage pops his head in.

“Hey, I’m going to be heading over to Rainbow House tonight, won’t be home ‘til late.”

“Okay, tell everyone I say hi and that I’ll do my best to stop by soon.”

“Is Rainbow House a bar or something?” Nox asks once Gage is gone.

“No, it’s a halfway house for LGBTQ teens who don’t have anywhere to go.”

Nox’s lips part on a quiet gasp and his eyes glaze over slightly.

“That’s so amazing. You volunteer to help homeless LGBTQ teens?”

“It’s no big deal,” I shrug off the awe in his voice. I love working with the kids down at R.H., but it’s not enough. Nothing will ever be enough.

“It is a big deal. You are like a real-life superhero,” Nox insists.

I feel myself blush and wave off his praise.

“I’m no superhero,” I argue. “I’m just doing what I can so no one has to feel as helpless and alone as Johnny did.”

“I’m going to have to think of a superhero name for you,” Nox carries on as though he didn’t hear my protest. “Hmm, let’s see...what about lumberjack man?”

“What? That’s terrible, what would my superpower even be?”

“The ability to chop wood super-fast.”

“I feel like there’s a sexual innuendo in there somewhere.”

Nox barks out a laugh.

“I’d love to go help out at Rainbow House sometime,”Nox says casually, but his expression is anything but. I can tell it would mean a lot to him to help some kids who are in a position he’s familiar with.

“Do you mind my asking how you ended up on the streets? Were your parent’s dicks about the gay thing or what?”

“It’s kind of embarrassing.”

“You don’t have to tell me if you’re uncomfortable. I was being nosey, forget I even asked,” I backpedal, realizing what a dick question that was.

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