The Elephant Whisperer (audiobook) by Lawrence Anthony, Graham Spence

• Title:  The Elephant Whisperer
• Authors:  Lawrence Anthony, Graham Spence
• Genre:  Memoir
• Narrator:  Simon Vance
• Published:  December 2012 – Tantor Media (originally published 2009)
• Source:  Purchased

Synopsis:  When South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a herd of “rogue” wild elephants on his Thula Thula game reserve in Zululand, his common sense told him to refuse. But he was the herd’s last chance of survival: they would be killed if he wouldn’t take them. In order to save their lives, Anthony took them in. In the years that followed he became a part of their family. And as he battled to create a bond with the elephants, he came to realize that they had a great deal to teach him about life, loyalty, and freedom. (from Audible.com)

My brief take:  A friend recommended The Elephant Whisperer at a time when I was looking to read something a bit different from the genres I usually read. I’m so glad I did. It’s a remarkable memoir that left me grateful for people who can and will step up to be caretakers and protectors of wildlife around the world. Mr. Anthony agreed to take care of the “rogue” herd of elephants on his game reserve in South Africa and then wrote about his experiences. It’s a compelling story that had me wishing for a film version so more people would learn about the amazing elephants and other creatures on Thula Thula and elsewhere.

Simon Vance’s performance was wonderful. In my mind, he was Lawrence Anthony. I highly recommend the audiobook! The Elephant Whisperer was an Audie Award Winner, Biography/Memoir, 2014.

Audiobook: Ocean Beach by Wendy Wax

• Title:  Ocean Beach
• Author:  Wendy Wax
• Narrator:  Amy Rubinate
• Genre:  Women’s Fiction
• Publisher:  October 2013 – Tantor Media
• Length:  11 hours 50 minutes
• Source:  Purchased

Synopsis:  Unlikely friends Madeline, Avery, and Nicole have hit some speed bumps in their lives, but when they arrive in Miami’s South Beach neighborhood, they are all hoping for a do-over. Literally. They’ve been hired to bring a once-grand historic house back to its former glory on a new television show called Do-Over. If they can just get this show off the ground, Nikki would get back on her feet financially, Avery could restart her ruined career, and Maddie would have a shot at keeping her family together.

At least, that’s the plan – until the women realize that while having their work broadcast is one thing, having their personal lives play out on TV is another thing entirely. Soon they are struggling to hold themselves, and the project, together. With a decades-old mystery – and the hurricane season – looming, the women are forced to figure out just how they’ll weather life’s storms.  (publisher)

My take: Once again Wendy Wax delivers a novel that, partnered with Amy Rubinate’s narration, thoroughly entertained me. The ladies of Ten Beach Road are back and trying to make a go of renovating another grand Florida home – this time on the Atlantic coast.  They hope to turn the filmed experience into a home-reno show for a cable channel. What they didn’t notice when they signed on for the pilot was the fine print. Every minute will be filmed and the show will be presented as a reality show. Yikes! Couple that aspect with a mystery the homeowner would like to solve and you’ve got the makings of a good story. 

There’s drama in each woman’s personal life too. I won’t go into each one but suffice it to say that the drama moved the plot and at the end of the novel there are enough unwrapped stories to make me think there could be another novel in this series. I’m hoping.

If you enjoyed Ten Beach Road I think you’ll like Ocean Beach. Amy Rubinate’s narration enhanced my enjoyment of the novel.

Audiobook: The Best Man by Kristan Higgins

• Title:  The Best Man
• Series:  Blue Heron, #1
• Author:   Kristan Higgins
• Narrator:  Amy Rubinate
• Genre:  Contemporary Romance
• Published:  February 2013 – Tantor Media
• Source:  purchased from Audible

Synopsis:  Faith Holland left her hometown after being jilted at the altar. Now a little older and wiser, she’s ready to return to the Blue Heron Winery, her family’s vineyard, to confront the ghosts of her past, and maybe enjoy a glass of red. After all, there’s some great scenery there….

Like Levi Cooper, the local police chief – and best friend of her former fiancé. There’s a lot about Levi that Faith never noticed, and it’s not just those deep green eyes. The only catch is she’s having a hard time forgetting that he helped ruin her wedding all those years ago. If she can find a minute amidst all her family drama to stop and smell the rosé, she just might find a reason to stay at Blue Heron, and finish that walk down the aisle.  (publisher)

My take:  Kristan Higgins is an auto-buy author for me. I pre-ordered The Best Man months ago and finally got around to listening to the audiobook.  When I buy a Kindle book there’s a good chance the audiobook edition will be offered at a reduced price at Audible. That was the case for The Best Man.

Kristan Higgins had me alternately laughing and sighing the more I got into the book. I loved listening to Amy Rubinate’s narration. She voiced the characters perfectly and her timing was a good match for Higgins’ story.

I loved Faith and Levi. They’ve known each other since early school days and then Levi was the best friend of Faith’s  fiancé. He’s also the reason Faith was left at the altar but not for the reason you’d think.

Both Faith and Levi had been wounded by the loss of a loved one when they were young. Despite that, or maybe because of that, they seemed a good match – first as verbal sparring partners and then as romantic partners. Their path to a ‘happily ever after’ was a bit twisty but I knew Higgins would wrap it up perfectly – and she did.

The Best Man is the first in the Blue Heron series and I can’t wait for the second, The Perfect Match. Good thing I don’t have to wait too long. It’s set to publish at the end of October.