Original Audiobook Review October 2022:
I am not going to say “I forgot so much in the 5 years since I read this story” because frankly it just wouldn’t be true. Were there moments that didn’t come back to me until I heard the scene? Sure, but never forgotten. I think that statement alone speaks volumes to how amazing this story really is, how much it sucks the reader in, how overwhelmed(not in a suffocating way but in a powerful way) one is by Laurent and the Beast’s journey.
As for the narrator, Joel Leslie, I can’t think of a better voice to portray both the sweetness and naivete of Laurent as well as the gruffness and overpowering Beast. I felt as if I was watching the whole thing unfold in front of me, not just in my head but right there in the room. To me that ability in audiobooks is what makes the difference between good and great. Joel Leslie breathes life into KA Merikan’s characters so realistically that I can’t imagine anyone else doing even half as good a job.
Spot on all the way around.
Original Review May 2017:
Paranormal, romance, motorcycle club, what’s not to love? Laurent and the Beast is an amazing tale with a little bit of everything. I will say that I debated on appropriate tags, should I use paranormal, supernatural, or science fiction? Despite there being a science fiction element with time travel, I went with paranormal because of the how and why Laurent went from 1805 to 2017. No matter whatever category you decide on, just know that you will have read an incredible story that sucks you in from the very first word.
I have read some time travel stories before, not a vast amount but definitely a few, more often than not the main character is going back in time so when Laurent moved forward more than 200 years I expected mentions of automobiles, electricity, and clothing. I was surprised but delighted to see the author reflect on little things that most of us take for granted such as light switches, refrigeration, bathtubs, and especially Laurent’s fascination with plastic. These might be small scenes that don’t seem very significant to most but to me they stood out and made it all the more realistic, well as realistic as time travel can be, and showed the attention the author made to details which is always an important factor to me when dealing with historicals, frankly it can be a make or break moment and in this KA Merikan work it is without a doubt a make it moment.
Despite the many differences between Laurent and Beast there is actually many similarities and the chemistry is off the charts. This is a tale that will make you cringe but warm the heart, will make you hate a few but love even more, and short circuit your brain a time or two but when you hit that last page you will be begging for more. Luckily for us, there is more to come and frankly I’ll be waiting in line when book 2 comes out. Although I have featured their work on my blog before this is the first time I’ve read anything by the duo that makes up KA Merikan but Laurent and the Beast will definitely not be the last.