Carnal Innocence

Review #1

Carnal Innocence audiobook free

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Carnal Innocence. I am not a huge Nora Roberts fan normally and have not read many of her many books, but I am so glad I took a chance on this one. It has a bit of everything. Murder and mayhem runs amok from the first page to the last, keeping me on the edge of my seat as I drive down the road, cook dinner, etc. That’s why I love Audio books; they allow me to do other things while listening. Audio books make mundane tasks bearable. If you have not tried them, then you might want to.

Innocence, Mississippi is a small southern town where life is slow and easy, but a murderer is in town, killing women known for sharing their favors, in a most brutal way. With so much evil hanging over the town, this might not be the best time for a stranger to arrive looking for a slow peaceful kind of life.

Caroline Waverly arrives in Innocence to gain some calm in her life and regroup on her deceased grandparent’s property which now belongs to her. She has recently suffered the betrayal of her fiancée, which leads her to somewhat of a mental breakdown. Between the break up and exhaustion from touring all over the world performing as a concert violinist, she needs some down time desperately. The last thing she wants or needs is a man in her life. Her first brush with Tucker Longstreet does not go well, yet she cannot deny the physical attraction she feels for the reckless, arrogant fool.

Tucker Longstreet is the epitome of a southern gentleman, apparently living a life long dead. He and his brother and sister own Sweetwater, a huge plantation where they still grow cotton. However, Tucker has diversified and owns numerous profitable businesses where keeps his finger on the pulse without appearing to do any work. When he meets Caroline at the pond on her property, he feels more desire for her than he has ever felt before.

When Caroline and Tucker are thrown together when the dead body of his ex-girlfriend is found by the pond, and she sees a different side to Tucker. With Tucker under suspicion of murder and Caroline afraid of having her heart crushed yet again, their romance moves slowly. Nonetheless, as they try to figure out who the real murderer is, they give into their passion. Can they find their way into each other’s arms, or will the startling revelations pull them apart?

This is one incredibly intense, action-packed, suspense novel, set in a location where time pretty much stands still, so the setting is not where one would expect to find a serial killer running amok, but that is exactly what is happening. Suspicion moves from one character to the other at such a fast pace it is enough to make one’s head spin. I never expected to get into this book, since it is not my typical read, but I certainly did. Ms. Roberts spins a tale so suspenseful, it had me sitting in my car, not wanting to stop listening to go into work!

Tom Stechschulte brings all the characters to brilliant life. I am amazed at his ability to portray the female and children’s voices so well. There is a huge cast of characters in this story, yet he is able to make each character sound different and easily recognizable. He delivers the long southern drawl of Tucker Longstreet with a great deal of finesse. His slow, smooth manner of speech keeps the book moving along, pulling me into the story. I will definitely be looking for more books narrated by Mr. Stechschulte. I think that for contemporary suspense novels and westerns, a male voice may very well work better, especially when the hero’s point of view is a major part of the story.

If you are looking for a thriller with very strong romantic elements, then this is a book you cannot miss. From the first page to the last it will hold you in its thrall. I am certain you will find it as mesmerizing as I have. Happy reading!

Review #2

Carnal Innocence audiobook Series Shifters Unbound

I usually figure out the bad guys early on in a book. Nora Roberts has a way of throwing a ringer into her crime novels and this is one of those books that I didn’t see the ending coming until it was on top of me. I liked the majority of the characters but I have to say I really enjoyed reading how hard it was for both Tucker and Caroline to find their way to each other. I grew up in a small Southern town and live in one now and the Author certainly had the politics of Innocence, Mississippi right on the money. As far as the bad guy – Wow! There didn’t seem to be a redeemable cell in his body but the person actually responsible for the deaths in this book – well, again, Wow because I found this character interesting and even likeable!! Without hesitation I’d recommend this book!!

Review #3

Audiobook Carnal Innocence by Cris Dukehart

Having read nearly all of Nora’s books, I find this one to be the best. It combines many aspects that NR readers will instantly recognize. Rascally hero with a heart of gold, rich and successful heroine on a journey of self-discovery after realizing her life is not what she thought it was, a few murders and a whole lot of witty banter.

In this book, though, these clichéd elements work beautifully, and blend to make a story that is memorable and riveting. Tucker Longstreet is easily NR’s best hero, and I’m glad that this book seems to have been skipped over when it came time to make cheesy NR Lifetime movies, because very few men could play Tucker and make the character work. Cary Grant or Clark Gable (although I always picture Gabe in  True Betrayals  as Gable) in their respective primes comes to mind, or George Clooney back in his “ER” days. He’s that level of charming and irresistible. It would be heartbreaking to see some half-assed television actor try to bring this unforgettable hero to life. Plus television movies seem to try to be as PC as possible, and I can’t imagine they would let Tucker smoke cigarettes, even though it’s so very much a part of who the man is, and his constant battle of trying to quit them reveals a lot about his personality.

Caroline is not especially the best NR heroine. I find NR’s heroines in general to be not particularly rootable or interesting, since they are really all the same female, with some notable exceptions. She works here because this is Tucker’s story. And even though it seems strange that a laid back guy like Tucker would fall for a stuck-up tight ass like Caroline, the chemistry between them sizzles and you fall right along with them.

And also along for the ride are some expertly drawn and fascinating supporting characters. Josie the sister whose restlessness comes off her in waves, Cy the young teenager who proves that biology isn’t everything when it comes to defining character, Austin the abusive religious zealot, Darleen the cheating housewife, I could go on and on!

Review #4

Audio Carnal Innocence narrated by Cris Dukehart

Like some other reviewers, I bought this mistakenly thinking it was a new release (going by the 2016 publication date in the Amazon listing), but was a bit disappointed to find it’s actually a re-release of a 1992 book. I probably wouldn’t have bought it if I’d known that (not at this price, anyway).

Having said that, it’s an entertaining read, as always with Nora Roberts, although maybe lacking some of the polish of her later work. The book is a little dated – everyone smokes and thinks nothing of casually drink-driving, and there are some rather stereotyped descriptions of the black and poor characters in particular that might make the modern-day reader cringe a bit. However, these things will probably be less jarring if you start reading it knowing that it’s nearly 25 years old (and you will also not be puzzling over why no one has a mobile phone or internet).

It’s a perfectly good romantic suspense though, with the blending of suspenseful mystery and emotional depth that Roberts always does so well. Just be aware of what you’re buying to avoid disappointment.

Review #5

Free audio Carnal Innocence – in the audio player below

The dated technology and some of the attitudes haven’t aged well but the story was good enough to get past that. Tucker and Caroline were a feisty combination and the other characters were all well drawn. I struggled with some of the names, making it challenging to keep up with who was who. But overall as enjoyable as everything else I’ve read.

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