I enjoyed this story for the most part because NR Walker is great at doing the get-to-know-you, the development of characters, and the build-up of tension. But some elements of the story were too neat and unrealistic for me. This gay couple, living in a small country town in Australia – where you can’t go anywhere without being seen and potentially gossiped about – were in a forbidden relationship, so I expected trouble for them. There were some ups and downs, but nothing to break my heart and mend it again. I thought they might be caught and the outcry would cause a rift, job loss, and all sorts of trouble and angst, but no, even with a villainous character in the mix. The happy ever after was achieved too easily for me. I really wanted to be shaken and stirred first. But that’s just me.
The experience was enjoyable anyway, because I had the pleasure of listening to Joel Leslie narrate. He’s not Australian, but he does a mighty fine accent and I can go for chapters thinking he IS Australian. A few words here and there reminded me that he’s not, and that makes me admire him even more. He can draw emotion out of me whatever accent he narrates in. Stellar performance here, as usual.