Get Your Free Audiobook
-
Happily Ever Ninja
- Knitting in the City, Book 5
- Narrated by: Em Eldridge, Will M. Watt
- Series: Knitting in the City, Book 5
- Length: 10 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Humour & Satire
Add to basket failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from Wish List failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Listen with a free trial
Buy Now for $36.54
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
People who bought this also bought...
-
Marriage of Inconvenience
- Knitting in the City, Book 7
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Angela Dawe, Stephen Dexter
- Length: 16 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Being a billionaire heiress isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. In fact, it sucks. Determined to live a quiet life, Kat Tanner changed her identity years ago and eschewed her family’s legacy. But now, Kat’s silver spoon past has finally caught up with her, and so have her youthful mistakes. To avoid imminent disaster, she must marry immediately; it is essential that the person she chooses have no romantic feelings for her whatsoever and be completely trustworthy. Fortunately, she knows exactly who to ask. Dan O’Malley checks all the boxes.
-
-
Dreadful Accents
- By Anne on 07-04-2018
-
Ninja at First Sight: An Origin Story (Knitting in the City)
- Knitting in the City
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Em Eldridge
- Length: 4 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
He has a girlfriend, and she's never been kissed. He's sullenly sarcastic, and she's earnestly empathetic. He can't stop thinking about her. She knows she should keep her distance. Nevertheless, when opposites attract, the results may be unexpected, but they're also undeniably magnetic.
-
Beauty and the Mustache
- A Philosophical Romance, Knitting in the City, Volume 4
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Joy Nash
- Length: 11 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There are three things you need to know about Ashley Winston: 1) She has six brothers and they all have beards, 2) She is a reader, and 3) She knows how to knit. Former beauty queen, Ashley Winston’s preferred coping strategy is escapism. She escaped her Tennessee small town, loathsome father, and six brothers eight years ago. Now she escapes life daily via her Amazon kindle one-click addiction. However, when a family tragedy forces her to return home, Ashley can’t escape the notice of Drew Runous
-
-
cute Southern accents and romance
- By jo Casey on 30-04-2022
-
Friends Without Benefits
- Knitting in the City, Book 2
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Devra Woodward
- Length: 15 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There are three things you need to know about Elizabeth Finney: 1) She suffers from severe sarcastic syndrome, especially when she's unnerved, 2) No one unnerves her like Nico Manganiello, and 3) She knows how to knit.
-
-
Overly engineered
- By Jayltee on 10-05-2015
-
Love Hacked: A Reluctant Romance
- Knitting in the City, Book 3
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Joy Nash, Zachary Webber
- Length: 13 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There are three things you need to know about Sandra Fielding: 1) She makes all her first dates cry, 2) She hasn't been kissed in over two years, and 3) She knows how to knit.
-
-
My favourite
- By Lillian White on 18-05-2022
-
Dating-ish
- Knitting in the City, Book 6
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Joy Nash
- Length: 11 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
New standalone from the USA Today best-selling Knitting in the City romantic comedy series.
-
-
VERY steamy
- By Amazon Customer on 29-06-2018
-
Marriage of Inconvenience
- Knitting in the City, Book 7
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Angela Dawe, Stephen Dexter
- Length: 16 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Being a billionaire heiress isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. In fact, it sucks. Determined to live a quiet life, Kat Tanner changed her identity years ago and eschewed her family’s legacy. But now, Kat’s silver spoon past has finally caught up with her, and so have her youthful mistakes. To avoid imminent disaster, she must marry immediately; it is essential that the person she chooses have no romantic feelings for her whatsoever and be completely trustworthy. Fortunately, she knows exactly who to ask. Dan O’Malley checks all the boxes.
-
-
Dreadful Accents
- By Anne on 07-04-2018
-
Ninja at First Sight: An Origin Story (Knitting in the City)
- Knitting in the City
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Em Eldridge
- Length: 4 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
He has a girlfriend, and she's never been kissed. He's sullenly sarcastic, and she's earnestly empathetic. He can't stop thinking about her. She knows she should keep her distance. Nevertheless, when opposites attract, the results may be unexpected, but they're also undeniably magnetic.
-
Beauty and the Mustache
- A Philosophical Romance, Knitting in the City, Volume 4
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Joy Nash
- Length: 11 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There are three things you need to know about Ashley Winston: 1) She has six brothers and they all have beards, 2) She is a reader, and 3) She knows how to knit. Former beauty queen, Ashley Winston’s preferred coping strategy is escapism. She escaped her Tennessee small town, loathsome father, and six brothers eight years ago. Now she escapes life daily via her Amazon kindle one-click addiction. However, when a family tragedy forces her to return home, Ashley can’t escape the notice of Drew Runous
-
-
cute Southern accents and romance
- By jo Casey on 30-04-2022
-
Friends Without Benefits
- Knitting in the City, Book 2
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Devra Woodward
- Length: 15 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There are three things you need to know about Elizabeth Finney: 1) She suffers from severe sarcastic syndrome, especially when she's unnerved, 2) No one unnerves her like Nico Manganiello, and 3) She knows how to knit.
-
-
Overly engineered
- By Jayltee on 10-05-2015
-
Love Hacked: A Reluctant Romance
- Knitting in the City, Book 3
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Joy Nash, Zachary Webber
- Length: 13 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There are three things you need to know about Sandra Fielding: 1) She makes all her first dates cry, 2) She hasn't been kissed in over two years, and 3) She knows how to knit.
-
-
My favourite
- By Lillian White on 18-05-2022
-
Dating-ish
- Knitting in the City, Book 6
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Joy Nash
- Length: 11 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
New standalone from the USA Today best-selling Knitting in the City romantic comedy series.
-
-
VERY steamy
- By Amazon Customer on 29-06-2018
-
Neanderthal Seeks Human BoxSet: A Workplace Romance, 2020 Revised and Expanded Edition
- Knitting in the City, Book 1 & 1.5
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Jennifer Grace, Sebastian York
- Length: 28 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Neanderthal Seeks Human: There are three things you need to know about Janie Morris: 1) She is incapable of engaging in a conversation without volunteering TMTI (Too Much Trivial Information), especially when she is unnerved, 2) No one unnerves her more than Quinn Sullivan, and 3) She doesn't know how to knit. Neanderthal Marries Human: There are three things you should know about Quinn Sullivan: 1) He is madly in love with Janie Morris, 2) He’s not above playing dirty to get what (or who) he wants, and 3) He doesn’t know how to knit.
-
-
Fun easy to listen to book.
- By Kindle Customer on 22-02-2021
-
Attraction: Bad Boy New Adult Romance
- Hypothesis Series, Book 1
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Fiona Fischer
- Length: 5 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Kaitlyn Parker has no problem being the invisible girl, which is why she finds herself hiding in various cabinets and closets all over her college campus. Despite her best efforts, she can’t escape the notice of Martin Sandeke - bad boy, jerkface bully, and the universe’s hottest, wealthiest, and most unobtainable bachelor - who also happens to be Kaitlyn’s chemistry lab partner. Kaitlyn might be the only girl who isn’t interested in exploiting his stunning rower’s build, chiseled features, and family's billionaire fortune.
-
Engagement and Espionage
- Solving for Pie: Cletus and Jenn Mysteries, Book 1
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Chris Brinkley, Joy Nash
- Length: 10 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jennifer Sylvester made her deal with the devil...and now, they’re engaged! But all is not well in Green Valley. A chicken choker is on the loose, 61 dead birds most "fowl" need plucking, and no time remains for Jennifer and her devilish fiancé. Desperate to find a spare moment together, Jenn and Cletus’s attempts to reconnect are thwarted by one seemingly coincidental disaster after another.
-
Truth or Beard
- Winston Brothers, Book 1
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Joy Nash, Chris Brinkley
- Length: 13 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After a case of mistaken identity, Jessica finds herself in a massive confusion kerfuffle. She has spent her whole life paralyzed by the fantasy of Beau and her assumptions of Duane's disdain; therefore she's unprepared for the reality that is Duane's insatiable interest, as well as his hot hands and hot mouth and hotter looks. Not helping Jessica's muddled mind and good girl sensibilities, Duane seems to have gotten himself in trouble with the local biker gang, the Iron Order.
-
-
Hallelujah for the Winston Brothers!
- By Sue on 22-02-2017
-
Beard Science
- Winston Brothers, Book 3
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Joy Nash, Chris Brinkley
- Length: 14 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Jennifer Sylvester wants one thing, and that one thing is not to be Tennessee's reigning Banana Cake Queen. Ever the perpetual good girl and obedient daughter, Jennifer is buckling under the weight of her social media celebrity, her mother's ambitions, and her father's puritanical mandates. Jennifer is officially desperate. And desperate times call for Cletus Winston.
-
-
Sneaky Genius
- By Kindle Customer on 28-09-2021
-
Beard With Me
- Winston Brothers
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Chris Brinkley, Joy Nash
- Length: 11 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No one is better at surviving than Scarlet St. Claire and making the best out of circumstances beyond her control is Scarlet’s specialty. In an apocalyptic situation, she’d be the last person on earth, hermitting like a pro, singing along to her CD Walkman, and dancing like no one is watching. Scarlet is clever, Scarlet is careful, and Scarlet is smart...except when it comes to Billy Winston. No one is better at fighting than Billy Winston and raging against his circumstances - because nothing is beyond his control - is Billy’s specialty.
-
-
Beautiful story
- By Emiloly on 23-03-2022
-
Dr. Strange Beard
- Winston Brothers, Book 5
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Chris Brinkley, January LaVoy
- Length: 12 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ten years after Simone Payton broke his heart, all Roscoe Winston wants is a doughnut. He'd also like to forget her entirely, but that's never going to happen. Roscoe Winston remembers everything - every look, every word, every single unrequited second - and the last thing he needs is another memory of Simone. Unfortunately, after one chance encounter, Simone keeps popping up everywhere he happens to be....
-
-
Good
- By Kindle Customer on 19-10-2021
-
Beard Necessities
- Winston Brothers, Book 7
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Chris Brinkley, Joy Nash
- Length: 11 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
No one deserves a "happily ever after" quite as much as the second oldest Winston brother and his lady love Claire McClure (a.k.a. Scarlet St. Claire). Cruelty and circumstance tore them apart, almost 20 years ago. Secrecy and bitterness kept them separated. But do you know who's tired of their separation and stubbornness? Everyone. Especially Billy Winston’s family. And now, they're going to do something about it.
-
-
Wonderful
- By Mrs C E Whitworth on 10-03-2022
-
Motion
- Identity Switch New Adult Romance (Hypothesis Series, Book 4)
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Fiona Fischer
- Length: 7 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One week. Home alone. Girl genius. Unrepentant slacker. Big lie. What’s the worst that could happen? Mona is a smart girl and figured everything out a long time ago. She had to. She didn’t have a choice. When your parents are uber-celebrities and you graduate from high school at 15, finish college at 18, and start your PhD program at 19, you don’t have time for distractions outside of your foci. Even fun is scheduled. Which is why Abram, her brother’s best friend, is such an irritant.
-
Neanderthal Seeks Human
- A Smart Romance, Knitting in the City, Volume 1
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Jennifer Grace
- Length: 14 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After losing her boyfriend, apartment, and job in the same day, Janie Morris can't help wondering what new torment fate has in store. To her utter mortification, Quinn Sullivan- aka Sir McHotpants- witnesses it all then keeps turning up like a pair of shoes you lust after but can't afford. The last thing she expects is for Quinn - the focus of her slightly, albeit harmless, stalkerish tendencies - to make her an offer she can't refuse.
-
-
Really enjoyable
- By Jayltee on 24-10-2014
-
Space: Second Chance New Adult Romance
- Hypothesis Series, Book 5
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Fiona Fischer, Jacob Morgan
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One week. Private cabin. Famous physicist. Still an unrepentant slacker (but now, also very, very angry). What’s the worst that could happen? Mona’s meticulously planned allotment of relaxation is thrown into chaos by the unscheduled appearance of her older brother’s band of friends, including the one person she'd hoped to never face again.
-
Time: Rockstar New Adult Romance
- Hypothesis Series, Book 6
- By: Penny Reid
- Narrated by: Fiona Fischer, Jacob Morgan
- Length: 7 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mona has learned that she has nothing figured out and plans are meaningless. After leaving her in Aspen, Abram is now breaking sales records, rising to rock star fame almost overnight. Mona can’t seem to escape him. He is literally everywhere or, at least, images of him are. Just when she thinks things can't get any more confusing, Abram returns. What happens next? Only time will tell.
Publisher's Summary
There are three things you need to know about Fiona Archer...I would tell you what they are, but then I'd have to kill you.
But I can tell you that Fiona's husband - the always irrepressible and often cantankerous Greg Archer - is desperately in love with his wife. He aches for her when they are apart, and is insatiable when they are together. Yet as the years pass, Greg has begun to suspect that Fiona is a ninja. A ninja mom. A ninja wife. A ninja friend. After 14 years of marriage, Greg is trying not to panic. Because Fiona's talent for blending in is starting to resemble fading away.
However, when unexpected events mean Fiona must take center stage to keep her family safe, her response stuns everyone - Greg most of all. It seems like Greg's wish has come true.
Except...not.
When all is said and done, can Greg handle this new version of his wife? Will his irrepressible cantankerousness push her away? Or can the couple find a way forward without either being forced to step back into the shadows?
More from the same
What listeners say about Happily Ever Ninja
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Emiloly
- 31-03-2022
A++
After 15 years of marriage I felt this story right down the bones.
Sometimes being married to him is magical hearts and rainbows, and sometimes it's a total chore.
The love you give and get makes it worth it.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Janette J Ryan
- 09-03-2022
Greg and Fiona
Greg is an absent husband and father as his work is FFO.
He still thinks he should be able to dictate how his children are raised, despite knowing little about his childrens interests.
When he is home he is a good, funny dad, but that is only a few days with weeks of absence in between.
Fiona is an exCIA agent. She is stressed from raising the children, while taking Greg’s wishes into account.
I did not like Greg. He was selfish, arrogant and self-righteous.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Barbra Lazzarini
- 21-06-2018
fight of wits 🤣🤣🤣
these two are so frustrating and funny and loving and supportive and cranky and loving and have two . one kids . haha 🤣🤣you have to go on this crazy life of theirs to know how it works for them ... definitely worth a read ... 💞💟💞💟💞
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Stacey
- 04-10-2017
I was ANGRY!
This book left me with a Hulk-like green tinge when I arrived at work each day. It would take me at least five minutes each morning to recover from listening to Happily Ever Ninja.
Deep breaths, constant reminders that it's "just a book" and steering clear of people helped me calm down. I have never read or listened to a book that constantly had me angry.
I was angry that women have to go through childbirth. I was angry that men sometimes don't see what is right in front of their noses. I was angry that people think they know what's best and they're not always right. I was angry that sometimes wives have to fib a little to husbands to keep the peace. I was angry that pregnancy feels like you're dying. I was angry that the hero made me laugh when I wanted to join the heroine and put him in a chokehold. I was angry that the heroine didn't scream, shout, rant and rave when she should have. I was angry that love makes you forgive too easily.
I was angry because I recognised it all.
I was angry because I could relate to it all.
I was angry because we do it for love, peace and happiness.
In the end, the things that made me angry in the story made me love it more. I'm not alone. Penny Reid again proved to me that she's a master of real women romance. I bow down in gratitude and thanks, Ms Reid, I don't feel angry and alone anymore.
37 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Macy
- 07-02-2020
Ridiculous
It was painful listening to this book. Greg is a horrible narcissistic jerk and I cannot imagine why anyone would want to be with someone like him, let alone write an entire book at him. If the world doesn’t revolve around him then it doesn’t matter. He is an immature man child who believes he is always right, leaves his family to live his dream and then expects them so live by his every dictate with no forethought to what anyone else, particularly his wife wants or thinks because we’ll he’s always right isn’t he? He can’t even manage to get his laundry into the hamper, wipe a counter or not leave the apartment looking like a tornado went through it and cannot imagine what the problem is. Then he pops home on a moments notice and expects his wife to be the perfect combo of mother, housekeeper and hooker. Then to abandon his wife overseas rather then use her skills was beyond contemptible. Why would anyone in their right mind want to be around a person like him, let alone be married to him. And yet even in the end even his apologies are couched in “Its all about me”. So though I previously adored this authors work, this book nauseated me and I am done with this series.
13 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Catrina
- 07-04-2017
Every reason to never marry
Arrogant, controlling, self satisfied husband and amazing, competent, doing-everything and never getting any respect for it wife. Who apologizes constantly and buries all her feelings.
I wanted him to die. I hate this man.
22 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Sharon
- 23-05-2020
wittily written and narrated
Love this story! Kick-ass agent Fiona gives up tan action-packed life to stay at home and raise a family. About ten years later, she organizes a rescue for her husband, who has been taken hostage while on a humanitarian mission. She's still got the moves! I love the banter between the couple, but I think that Greg could still have eaten a bit more humble pie and given recognition where it was due in the end, as well as taken more responsibility for making the situation worse every time he refused to go along with a solution Fiona had planned. Even so, what fun!
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- b
- 10-04-2016
Surprisingly disappointing.
I really looked forward to this next installment of KIC. I had already enjoyed Ninga at First Sight. In fact, I thought I was ready for an interesting experience. Different from the previous works but interesting. I was waiting for, anticipating, even lusting after the droll wit of amazing characters and the situations they faced and over came. I wanted to see how they interacted and grew, how they supported and nurtured one another.
Unfortunately this installment did not fulfill my hopes. The characters all seemed thin, maybe two-dimensional. Characters were were introduced for a second then...Poof!! There was no chemistry displayed within relationships.
This book was hard to finish. I kept falling asleep. In fact the entire thing was somewhat depressive. I see now why it has so few reviews. In the future I will consider atypical reviews when I decide to purchase. I do not know if the narrators let the story down or if the story let the narrators down, but either way it was sad.
The best part of this book was the email vignettes between other couples. The worst part was the distance between Fiona and everybody else. There are more problems than her "ninganess". I am sure there were good things about this book. Unfortunately there were more bad things.
This was a special e-book + Audible reduced price purchase. I am not sure it was worth the cost. While I am not sorry I read this book, it was an unfortunate experience.
11 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Susan
- 26-06-2016
loved it and all things Penny Reid!
The story was amazing and the narration was beautifully done! I hope more books are in the works for this series!
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- K. Harrington
- 15-04-2016
my all time favorite Penny Reid book!
I loved everything about this book. I loved that it was about a long-term relationship after the "and they lived happily ever after...". I loved the humor, suspense, and especially the quotes from her readers starting off each chapter. I'm sure I will be quoting one of my favorite "Greg-isms",' better they learn about it at home than on the streets' when referring to things like welding.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- BranWick
- 11-04-2022
Preposterous...
I recently discovered Penny Reid thru the Winston Brothers, and really liked her, so I thought I'd try another series of hers (Knitting). This is the first and only book of that series that I will try. As usual, her characters and dialog are fun, but this book had a ridiculous plot turn roughly halfway through. It was so ridiculous/stupid that it just lost me. Em Eldridge was an excellent narrator - even her male characters were nicely done; but Will Watt was good with male voices and beyond awful with his female characters.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- HonestVegan
- 11-04-2022
Could’ve been great
The premise of the story promised so much, but the story didn’t fulfill the promises. It felt like speeding through an outline for an action story, layered with domestic concerns that could’ve been a launchpad for great humor but wasn’t.
The female narrator was great. The male narrator’s voice was awful.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Steph
- 10-02-2022
Story All Over The Place
The first book was okay, second not very good, third great, fourth also great, but this one was a bit of a mess. The structure of the storytelling was supposed to be cool and refreshing, but it was just confusing and I didn't see justification for it. Also, our male lead suuuuuuucks as a person and clearly does not deserve our heroine. This novel also has very little of the fun interactions of the knitting group ladies. Additionally, I feel that the resources of the other male partners are utilized to an unrealistic degree. As a novel that is supposed to be about women, they rely on the male more than the female characters throughout the story. Disappointing.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Clare Tunilla
- 25-05-2020
Greg gives me heart eyes
Let me just say one thing. If Penny Reid hadn't brought my OTBL (One True Book Love) Cletus Winston into my life, then I would be bestowing the title to Greg Archer.
Greg is flawed man. Between Ninja At First Sight and this book, you learn the type of person Greg is. He loves Fiona, some might (wrongly) say a little too much.
Fiona Archer is a mother. A former CIA field agent and a mother. A brain tumour survivor and a mother. She's basically a badass and I'm in love with her.
This book has everything. Characters with real problems, a romance to root for, some action, knitting, laughs and maybe a tear or two.
I can't believe I put off reading this for so long. I'm an idiot.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- The Artful Dodger
- 22-08-2017
My favourite of the series!
Have read every book in this series, and so far, this is my favourite. Greg is my favourite of the men in this series. Nothing beats a posh British accent!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Susan
- 02-09-2016
Sad to see the end of a great series
Penny Reid again demonstrates her ability to write romance from an unusual perspective. This book is about a couple who have been together for 18 years, with two young children. Because of their jobs (H is oil worker, wife h is former CIA operative), they have a marriage dominated by long periods of separation.
This constant separation means that the h has learnt to cope as a single mother, and carries the burden of the day-to-day monotonous details of trying to raise young kids, hold down a job and run a household, which leaves the H, in his rare moments of attendance, often feeling rather superfluous to requirements. Although there is an undeniable deep love between the two, there is also a huge lack of communication, mainly because the h desperately wants to avoid conflict so that they can enjoy their infrequent times together, and the H, in his need to feel involved in a family that has learnt to function without him, often dictates autocratic decisions to his wife from long distance.
The unusual plot twist in the middle, (H is taken hostage overseas and h flies over to rescue him) is the catalyst for the couple to confront the damage that their lifestyle is causing to their marriage. At this stage I really started to dislike the H. He habitually overruled his wife’s decisions and in times of crisis ignored his wife’s extraordinary abilities. He was like “a bull in china shop” blundering around trying to be the hero, while refusing to utilise his wife’s amazing talents. He was so scared of putting her in danger that he increased the danger to them both by failing to let her help and refusing to accept the contribution she could make to their partnership. What annoyed me most was that he failed to change this attitude throughout the book, no matter how many times he witnessed her “in action”, and continually justified this by explaining how much he loved and needed her and didn’t want to put her at risk. I kept thinking he would suddenly have an epiphany and realise how amazingly capable she is but no, he just kept trying to exclude her from everything.
This is not my favourite Penny Reid book. Many marriages fail because the love dies, so it was weird to see a marriage failing when the love was so strong. I would have liked to see the couple actually make a long distance marriage work as so many people, ( e.g army spouses) learn to do in real life, instead of the solution that came at the end of this book. However Penny Reid does explore the fact that after the “happy ever after”, there does come a long of hard work to make a good marriage. The conclusion was interesting in that things were not really concluded. Instead of wrapping up the ending in a nice, neat little parcel, we are left with the couple in the constant ebb and flow of discussion, compromise and decision making that is needed to make a successful marriage. I guess that this, in reality, is a real “happy ever after”.
Regardless of my criticisms, this is a good book, better than most in the genre, and still worth a credit.
20 Best Fantasy Audiobooks
This genre is so full of talent, it can be difficult to know what to listen to next — so look no further than this list to get you started.



20 Best Nonfiction Audiobooks
From the entire history of humanity to astrophysics, to our gut and mental health, dig into this list and learn something new.



Best Australian Podcasts on Audible
Audible Original Podcasts are free for Audible members. Check out this list of home-grown content, from binge-worthy true crime to self-help.


